Money Over Morals
"Mighty fine work you did on that last job!"
I looked the fat excuse of a man who just complimented me in the eyes for a few moments, then after I felt I had unnerved him enough I made my retort:
"Well, that makes it all worth while, coming back to you for a nice big pat on the back. You know, that's the only reason I hunt, to see your ecstatic face, and heartwarming smile."
"Well… I.. Uh.. I was just givin' you a compliment is all." His fat features managed to stammer.
" I don't work for compliments Fenix, I work for currency."
Fenix sighed and shifted his fat ass uncomfortably in his chair. He moved his podgy digits to a draw on his side of the desk he was sitting at. Hesitantly, he withdrew a white envelope from the draw, then pushed it shut again. He dropped it onto the desk top with all the energy of a depressed sloth.
"Twenty grand? In that one envelope?" I asked him, with a twinge of annoyance, and an even subtler trace of threat.
Again, he shifted his weight uncomfortably. This time he followed his movement with dialogue.
"I thought we agreed on ten…" He murmured, his eyes fixed on the desk top.
I slammed one of my fists down onto the desk, startling him and forcing him to look up at me.
"You agreed on ten. I said twenty." I growled.
"Err… Well see… The thing is…"
I noticed he was wearing a tie. Pretty snazzy for the fat fuck I thought. But even better for me. I snatched at the tie and hoisted him up from his chair. He didn't even know what was happening until his face was level with mine.
"The thing is what!?" I snapped at him, my face inches away from his.
"Porter! Christ, you crazy sonofabitch, let me go!"
I threw him down back into his chair. I asked again, nicely this time.
"The thing is what?"
"Porter, I don't have the other ten grand right now." Seeing my fists clench, Fenix began again quickly;
"But I can get it! Plus another thirty, if you'll take another job"
His stupidity never ceased to amaze me.
"Fenix you bloated rat, why would I take another job when you still haven't paid me for the one I've already done?!"
Once again I could feel my rage beginning to build up.
"Because, if you do this one, we're both in the money! I'll be set to pay you up front for every job you do until you die!"
Fenix hastily spoke again;
"Or stop hunting… or whatever…"
I ignored his vain attempts to correct himself.
"Oh yeah? Really? So what's the job?"
"Ever hear of Sam and Dean Winchester?" Fenix asked.
I thought for a few seconds. Sam and Dean…. Winchester? Then it clicked. The Winchester brothers. Dean and his freak psychic brother Sam. Id heard rumours amongst the other hunter rabble. Things about the Winchesters being responsible for killing hundreds of demons, and helping to release just as many from hell. Mind you, rumors being what they were, I never really paid any attention to them. After all, according to rumour the bar maid at the Last Round was twenty four. I laughed at that little untruth. My seemingly random laugh seemed to unnerve Fenix.
"So… you heard of them or not?"
"Sure I've heard a few things. What about them?"
"Well I received a commission from somebody. Wants those boys dead."
"And."
"And? Well you're the best hunter I've ever seen. You can hunt vampires, demons all kindsa shit other hunters haven't even seen before. Hunting down two college kids on the run is easy money for you!"
Yeah, and for you, you fat bastard, I thought.
"I hunt supernaturals you blimp. Not humans. And definitely not other hunters."
"These guys aint hunters! They opened a gate to hell for christs sake! Not to mention they got a guy banged up in prison. Besides, the younger one is supposed to be half demon or somthin', only a matter of time before he starts killin' like a full blooded one!."
"Not my problem, I want my other ten grand. Now."
"I told you I aint got it. Listen; if you do this job, Ill split the fee fifty fifty with you. Im getting paid two hundered thousand here! That's one hundred for you."
"You think I became a hunter because of my shity math? I know what half of two hundered is."
While Fenix was thinking of more ways to persuade me, I began to think myself. One hundred grand was a lot of cash. But I'd heard the Winchesters were a decent family, shifty, but descent. Fuck it.
"Fine. Ill do it."
A huge grin crept across Fenixes bloated features. One that almost made me sick…