Disclaimer: I do not own Human Target and intend no copyright infringement.
"It's called a collect call, dude."
"Yeah, I know, it's just…" Junior hesitated. What he wanted to say was "A collect call, coming from you, that must be a first." But Guerrero was already sounding annoyed and an annoyed Guerrero, so much he had definitely learned in the year they'd been working together, was something nobody in his right mind could want, not unless he had a strong death wish.
A strong painful death wish.
"Tell me where you are."
Guerrero gave him the name of a notorious street in one of the most dangerous city districts.
"I'll be there in twenty."
… … …
"I don't like nuns. They're like sneaky penguins with a hotline to god." The punk flicked his burning cigarette out of the window.
Most streetlamps in this part of town were broken. It was damn difficult to see, especially with the moon being on the wane, but some shapes were pretty unmistakable.
"Yeah, man, I know what you mean. What the hell's she doing here anyway?" His buddy squinted his eyes. "Looks like she's waiting for someone."
"Who cares? I'm gonna teach her not to come back, if you know what I mean."
His friend made a sound somewhere between a snort and an "ugh" – "Don't know, man… Going after a nun, wouldn't that bring bad luck?"
… … …
Junior laughed his ass off as he caught sight of Guerrero.
"Just don't ask", he growled and clambered into the car. His tunic got caught between door and frame and he cursed.
"Is that blood on the coif?"
Guerrero's stare spoke volumes: "What did I say about asking?"
… … …
A day later the newspapers were full with news about a murdered nun. Much to Junior's surprise Guerrero felt the need to explain himself. "Wasn't me. Coincidence it happened last night."
Years later someone wouldn't believe the coincidence part, would accuse him of that murder in a death trap of an airplane, while tumbling towards a crash at the foot of the Andes, but Junior did believe him.
He pointed at another, much smaller article: Young man badly beaten up in the most dangerous part of town.
"That was you, right?"
Guerrero bared his teeth in a wolfish smile. "Going after nuns brings bad luck, dude."