A/N: Borrowing characters from the Book "A Welcome Grave"
A/N: Strong language. Adult and Disturbing scenes. The past is in Italics.
Only just read Michael Koryta's "A Welcome Grave" Had to write about Thor, but I haven't read the other books, so everything about his life is made up.
He woke up at Five-Thirty every morning. He went to the local park. He paid off security. He could go there any time he wanted. He ran for Fifty minutes. Then jogged for another Fifty. He liked to keep things even. He returned to his apartment. His flat was small but immaculate. If he'd wanted to, he could have eaten off of the floor.
He had a dark wooden floor with a thin varnish coat. He picked up the thin table and moved it to the left side of the room. He pulled off his jogging bottoms and laid on the floor in his boxer shorts. He grabbed the duck tape from the DVD rack. He placed the tape around his ankles. Then he stared at the ceiling.
He wondered if this is what death was like.
Thor Talanov had led a quiet, run of the mill childhood in Russia. But he wanted more than what his family had. He wanted to be more than what his Father was. The opportunity came when Thor was offered a scholarship in America. He was a smart child and it wasn't long before "School talent scouts" were offering him places, to prove how "Diverse" and "Accepting" they were.
His Father was dead set against him leaving, but his Mother Savvina was pushing him out of the door.
"Milaya , eto budet khorosho dlya vas" She would say. They told him to stay in touch. He called his Father on Monday afternoons, once a month at Ten in the morning. Thor's Mother called him Every Sunday, just before she went to church. "Angliyskiy? Ok, Have a great week son, I'll be praying for you in Church" she would say.
"Thanks Mom" Thor would say. He'd say he had "Papers" and "Tramia Reports" to finish and would end the call.
But he didn't want to think about his Mother surrounded by Sinners, while she was praying for his soul. Thor had crossed too many lines to be saved. Saved by His Mother, or anyone else. After Thor peeled the duct tape off of his feet, he got up picked his trousers up, and went to his room.
He put his trousers in the solid wooden hamper. To most people it would be ridiculous. Putting wet clothes in a wooden hamper, but it was lined with plastic, and sprayed with Air freshener. In Thor's line of work the wooden hamper came in handy. It was a great weapon, and he could hide of number of things in there.
Thor got a shower. He pulled on a fluffy blue dressing gown and fabric slippers with leather soles. He went to the kitchen and opened the cereal cupboard. "Carbs" Thor said to himself. After the run, he really should have drizzled low fat oil in a pan and had bacon and eggs with salad.
But he was always a sucker for Carbs. That's mainly because his visitors always asked for them. Except for Nate. Thor pulled out the Rice Krispies Box and the usual Bowl that he ate Rice Krispies in. It was the White Bowl with the Blue Squares at the Bottom. He picked that bowl because It matched the Cereal box. He poured out full skimmed Milk and sat down to eat.
Thor must have been on his second mouthful when he got a text from a "Nate Diaz" He had to list Nate's full name. There were at least Two other "Nate's" on his other phones. He looked at the message. "Wanna meet l8ter?" The Text said. Thor hated Text talk. Even Dirty Text talk. He didn't like Text speak in General. If you had to send a message, even by phone, all of the words should be spelt in full.
Well, that's how Thor liked it anyway.
He put one of his many IPhones on the table and sat eating his cereal in silence. He liked to keep Nate hanging on. But they both knew, that they'd meet. If Thor didn't show up at Nate's gym, Nate would go to one of Thor's hangouts. After Thor finished breakfast, he turned the TV on and Wrote out his Monthly cheque for his Mother.
He watched the news as always. A report on a Bar-fight made Thor think about the first time he'd met Nate Diaz.
It had been a Friday. In the Day-Time. Two hours before that Thor had been working out at the gym. He'd accidentally knocked over a weight that went on a guy's foot. "Fuck...you're paying for this shit" The guy said. Thor looked at the injury. The man tried to walk away, but Thor grabbed the guy's foot gently peeled the guy's sock off.
"Get the fuck off me, you ain't a fucking Doctor" The man said. "No broken bones Sir. Just bruising. I'm not paying for anything" Thor said. He pulled the guy's sock back on his foot. "Look...I'll walk you to your car" Thor touched the man's arm but the man shook him off.
"Don't touch me asshole" The man walked off. Two hours later Thor was cleaning the Bar counter, when a kid walked into the bar.
"No minor's allowed" Thor said. His English was as smooth as maple syrup on a fresh pancake. Thor had been saying the "Minor" lines since he first got off of the plane. "You're the asshole that fucked my Brother's foot up" The kid said. Thor stopped cleaning the counter and looked at the kid closely.
This kid was younger, but there was no mistaking it. This kid was the brother of the guy Thor "hurt" at the gym. They had the same features. The same expression when they clenched their jaws, the same eye squint, the same passion for swearing. "Do you know who my Brother is?" The kid asked.
"I don't know either of you. I don't want to know" Thor said.
"Well you're about to know us bitch. My Brother's Nick Diaz, and the only reason he couldn't kick your ass, was because you fucked him up. Pay up" The kid said.
"I'm sorry...Sir..." Thor said.
"I'm Nate" Nate said.
Okay then...Nate. But I have no reason to pay. If I see your Brother, this "Nick Diaz" around, I will discuss the matter with him. I'm not going to send messages back and forth with a child" Thor said.
"Fuck you" Nate said. " Stop calling me a kid. I'm fucking Twenty" Nate said.
"That's good news" Thor said.
"Why is that shit "Good News?" Nate asked.
"Well...Nate, now I can ask you out. Without feeling guilty" Thor said.
Thor focused back on The News. He put his Mother's cheque in one of his files and brushed his Teeth in the bathroom. Thor owned Six Electric toothbrushes. Two of them were for his Teeth. The other Four were for business. It was surprising how much information you could get out of a girl with an Electric Toothbrush in your hand.
Thor, brushed his Teeth. Watched TV for Five minutes and Ten Seconds before getting up and brushing his Teeth again. Afterwards he poured the Aqua mouthwash in his mouth. He swayed it around his mouth three times before spitting it out and wiping the sink with a cloth. He wiped his mouth on a peach towel and went into his room.
Thor changed into a T-shirt, a thin jumper and his usual dark Brown jacket. He wore dark jeans and newish "Kickers" shoes that nipped at the back of his feet. He got his Tool-kit from the cupboard and waited for the call. He didn't do anything. He didn't watch TV, or go on his computer. Thor just sat there, like a loyal wolf waiting for any Master's command.
Finally the call came through.
"Hello?" Thor said calmly.
"Hey Nate said. "You never Text me back. Are we on tonight?" He asked.
"Yes, Goodbye" Thor said impatiently. He ended the call. Nate was "a call" He wasn't "The call" The call that changed Thor's day. "The call" that paid Thor's rent. Nate would understand, when Thor took him out a club and ordered VIP service for him. Moments later another call woke Thor up from his thoughts of Nate Diaz.
"Good Morning Mr Talanov" The voice said.
"Good Morning Mr Ackhan" Thor said. He'd been working for Achkan for Six Months, and he still had no idea if "Achkan" was this guy's first or last name. It didn't matter, but Thor liked to know details about the people he worked with.
"How are you on this sunny American Apple Pie morning?" Achkan asked.
"Fine Sir, and you?" Thor asked.
"Quite the opposite I'm afraid Sir. I have a little problem. I'd like to discuss it with you...alone. I need, an expert. I hope it's not too early for you Thor. Would you like to meet me now Please? At our usual "Lieu De Reunion?" Ackhan asked.
"Yes" Thor said grabbing his Tool-kit. "I'm on my way"