Don't own Chuck
Chuck left the dungeon and went up in the casino to find Razib. He knew he was finishing his English lesson so when he arrived his teacher was just leaving. This was his chance to have "the talk". Everyone else had gone out on a picnic so he and Razib could have their talk man to man. Chuck remembered back to the talks he had with his father and how much better he felt after them. He just hoped he could do the same for Razib.
"As-salāmu ʿalayka," said Razib smiling. He'd guessed that Chuck was here for him when he saw him walk in.
"Waʿalaykumu s-salām," said Chuck back as he walked in nodding to Razib's English teacher as they passed. "I was thinking you might want to go for a walk with me. I talked with Margo and she said you wanted to talk to me."
"Yes very much where do you want to walk to?" said Razib as he followed Chuck down to the elevator. "There's a new pub that opened up and all the kids hang out there after they finish school."
"Really and are there any kids in particular that hang out there," said Chuck as he smiled at the boy. Razib turned beet red then looked down at the ground. "I'm sorry I sometimes talk when I should shut up and listen. Which way do we go," asked Chuck as they walked out of the casino and down the narrow alleyways in old town.
"This way," said Razib. Chuck let him lead the way and in a little while they came to a small pub that had a döner-kebab turning on a spit in the window. Inside was dark but Chuck could hear the sounds of game machines in the back and kids talking.
"Razib," said one of the boys coming up from the back carrying a beer. "Who's the old man you brought with you? Is he your father you're always telling us about? He doesn't look like the badass you talked about."
"Maybe coming here wasn't such a good idea," said Razib as he looked over with drooling eyes at a dark-haired girl standing next to the loud mouth boy. Chuck could tell he liked her but lacked the courage to talk to her something he could relate to.
"I'm…," said Chuck looking over at Razib. He noticed something in his eyes. "I'd be proud to be his father," he said speaking perfect Serbian. "Aren't you a little young to be drinking? That beer is definitely harām."
"Not in here old man," said the boy. Chuck pegged him as a young punk and the boy was quickly confirming Chuck's assumption. He noticed the kids were playing a video game based on the Wild West. Two of them holstered up then faced each other or their avatars did in a gunfight at high noon. "How does the game work?"
"It's easy you holster up, face off then the first one to draw and shoot the other wins," said one of the boys as he and another boy showed him.
"It just looks easy but it's not, especially for someone of your age. Nothing against you and you might've been good in your time but that's ancient history now," said the loud mouth.
"Drago where are your manners," said the dark-haired girl. "Drago is just a little cocky. He's gone against everyone in the bar and no one has ever beaten him," added the girl. "He's impossible to beat."
"I don't know about that it just means he hasn't gone against the right person yet. It doesn't look that hard," said Chuck. Drago pulled his finger out of his pocket and pretended to shoot Chuck.
"Is that some sort of challenge? I bet I can take you before you have time to clear leather partner," said Drago as he pushed his ball cap up with his finger still pretending it was a pistol. "That is if you've got the guts which I doubt given your family here," said the boy looking at Razib. "Let's see if you're willing to put money where your mouth is." He laid a hundred euro note on top of the machine.
"Chuck, you don't have to prove anything here," said Razib as he tried to get Chuck to go. "This was a bad idea. Let's go. I shouldn't have brought you here."
"What's this your old man is a coward like you? Or do you come from a family of cowards," said Drago as he started to cackle like a chicken. Chuck didn't know what was going on between Razib and the boy but this was going to end right there.
"Come on, let's go," said Chuck. Drago tried to stare him down but Chuck wasn't blinking. "It's time someone took you down a notch." They put holsters on then squared off. The countdown started with their avatars staring down each other too. Chuck flashed. Drago never even had a chance to touch his pistol before Chuck fan fired six rounds from his Colt Peacemaker into him. He was dead before he hit dirt. There was silence around them as the impossible became possible.
"No… no not fair," yelled Drago as he realized he'd been beaten. "I'm calling foul… it wasn't my fault. My gun… yes my gun was faulty it got stuck in the holster. That's what happened everyone saw it."
"You can say that until your blue in the face but your avatar is still dead and on his way to boot hill," said Chuck as he twirled his pistol before holstering it. "You know I'm feeling generous I don't want to be accused of taking candy from a baby so let's switch and the best two out of three wins." Drago quickly agree then they switched sides and weapons.
"Now you'll see. Prepare to meet your maker… hum get the best of me that will be the day," said Drago. Chuck smiled they drew then Chuck's avatar put six more rounds in Drago's. Game over flashed on the screen as a funeral procession took Drago's avatar up to Boot Hill. There was even a vulture sitting on the sign over the cemetery that looked down at the procession as the marched through licking his lips as they passed underneath.
"I think that's called 'game over' and this is mine," said Chuck as he took Drago's hundred euro note off the machine. "Barkeep, sodas and tea for everyone. Drago's treat," he said as he handed the man the hundred. The man behind the bar smiled as he took it.
"Let's get a table and you can explain to my why these kids think I'm your father? Like I said I don't mind and I do think of you as my son. I guess Sarah and I are the only ones that really know your whole story."
"It's nothing against Molly and everyone in the Casino. They're really good to me but… well I think of Molly like my sister… Clara too for that matter and they're really young. I just wanted friends… friends like me. Things got out of hand one day. We were here and they started talking about their fathers and families… I really don't know mine so I… well you know."
"And you didn't know what to say. I've been there… believe me have I ever so what did you do? You tried to get answers from you relatives in Morocco by reaching out to them?"
"Yes but they weren't much help. Most of them ignored me and never answered some did accusing me of being an apostate while others asked for money. My father kidnapped me before he dragged me back to North Africa with him only to get himself killed. My own family sold me into slavery. I have to ask myself is this in my DNA? Is it something that I will do when I have a family. If it is it'd be better if I didn't have one."
"No… no that won't happen. Look at me Razib you are nothing like your father or the other people who claim kinship with you and did what they did. You are you a kind young man trying to find his way in this world. To be the way you are after everything you've gone through is a miracle. Razib, what we do and the choices we make mark us for who we are. Follow your heart our heads just get in the way and if you want to tell everyone I'm your father I'd be proud.
As they talked Chuck could heard Drago in the back room ranting and something told him the loud mouth kid wasn't going to cut his losses.
"Razib, do you trust me? I mean really trust me," said Chuck. Razib looked at him and nodded. "Then do me a favor and trust yourself."
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John got off the elevator then walked out into the breakroom. He walked out on the store floor and started cutting through making a beeline for the front doors when he saw Skip and Fernando heading his way. He'd just gotten back and he didn't feel like dealing with the idiot twins as he called them so he ducked behind a row of household appliances hoping they hadn't seen him and would walk by. He waited until they had amble time to go past him then he took a deep breath.
"Coast is clear," he said to himself as he walked back around heading for the front doors. But he stopped cold in his tracks finding them standing there evidently waiting for him.
"There you are," said Skip. "You weren't hiding from us were you? Are you tired of always being on vacation? I was beginning to wonder if you still worked here anymore especially now that you're so famous... Happy? Has your side job become your permanent job?"
"Of course I still work here," said John as he gave Skip and Fernando a strange look. "What are you talking about side job? I wasn't moonlighting I was off site doing work for corporate Buy More. If you don't believe me just ask Morgan and if you don't believe him... well I don't give a rat's posterior. Now if you two idiots will excuse me I've got things to do."
"Here that Skip he's got things to do. And naturally your future son-in-law is going to cover for his future father-in-law," said Fernando. "Are you off again? We're getting a little tired of you going off and leaving us here to pick up the slack for you so you can go off and clown around."
"Clown around why you... I hardly think that you two are picking up my work for me. You don't even do your own. As a matter of fact, the only thing you've picked up lately was that half of Big Mike's meatball sub from Subway he left in the refrigerator. I bet you thought no one was looking and if you wonder how I know... well I've got you on security cam footage munching down back in the loading bay. You didn't see that one coming did you?"
"And you didn't share with me," said Skip as he acted hurt. "Remember our friendship agreement to split everything down the middle what's up with that?"
"Doesn't count because it was already split down the middle," said Fernando. "So if we cut it down the middle again... well there was no middle to cut down." Skip tried to make him keep quiet because he didn't see Big Mike coming up from behind. "What's wrong with you? Why are you waving your hands? It wasn't turkey it was meatball with a marinara sauce and gooey mozzarella. I'd like to thank Big Mike it was my favorite sub... free."
"You would? Then turn around here's your opportunity," said Big Mike. "Now tell me how much you liked my sub. I thought I left a half of a sandwich in the refrigerator and you two jokers convinced me that I ate it in my asleep. The bread crumbs on my shirt where'd they come from Fernando? From my sub perhaps."
"You heard him. It was all Fernando not me I didn't know anything about it," said Skip as he pointed at Fernando throwing his friend under the bus. "He ate it. I had nothing to do with it. Just look at him."
"Oh really then who ate Big Mike's chocolate macadamia cookies? Don't deny it because I saw the crumbs on your shirt and I smelt chocolate on your breath."
"Both of you out of my sight before I do something that I just might like," said Big Mike but before they could get away. "... no hold up, wait. I know what. When you two go on lunch break you can each bring me back a foot-long meatball sandwich from Subway and since you're feeling generous let's make them both a meal. I can call Bologna and tell her I'm bringing supper home and all she needs to have ready is the dessert, if you know what I mean. Yes sir, muy caliente. Now get back to work."
"See you around Happy," said Skip as he and Fernando looked at Casey with a silly grin then broke out laughing before they walked off.
"What's wrong with them? Never mind I don't really want to know nor do I care. I was on my way out anyway," said John. "I just got back and I wanted to check in with Morgan before I take off. I'm going home unpack my bags, get cleaned up then I'll be back to work."
"Sure no problem John. You can take all the time you need and I want you to know I think it's really nice of you taking care of those orphan kids like you did. Morgan explained to me that you did it on your own time. Yes sir, I had to give you employee of the month and don't say thanks because you deserved it. Just look at you who'd have ever thought of you taking care of those poor orphan kids in France."
"He did... employee of the month who me… well I really didn't do it for the praise. I did it because it needed to be done," said John trying to figure out what Big Mike was rattling on about but he knew Morgan was behind it and it had to do something with the way the idiot twins were treating him. "I think I need to talk to Morgan."
"You should be proud of yourself. To think a grown man running around in a clown outfit making a fool out of himself to make children happy. You're a far far better man than I am. I guess I've got too much pride to make a fool out of myself. It breaks me up inside and makes my eyes water," said Big Mike as he took out his handkerchief and blew his nose.
"Not as much as I'm going to break Morgan up into," said Casey. Suddenly everything Morgan had done make sense to him. "Yes Morgan… I understand now."
"I wanted everyone to know what a kind considerate man you are under that rough exterior so I put photos up of you in your clown outfit all over the store. You know there might be a market for your services for kid's parties. But you need to come up with a professional name…"
"How about let's not," said John. "Just how many of these photos did you put up and where did you get them?" Already he was thinking about Chuck and cracking his knuckles.
"I got them off Facebook… you know that the circus site... Grimaldi I think it was. Morgan was looking at it and he told me what it said… did you know the boy knows French? I couldn't understand a word but he translated it in perfect English."
"I didn't know he knew English," said Casey as he cracked his knuckles some more looking up at the security camera hoping Morgan was watching.
"Well he does. I thought it odd too but oh look what time it is. It's my break time I'll have to get back to you on that clown name... I got it how about... Happy?"
"Not on my watch. Don't you need to be somewhere? Well, I've got to go," said John. He walked over to the employee bulletin board on his way out and sure enough there were color photos of him in his clown suit at the circus.
"Grimes you're dead meat... oh are you so dead. I think I might even set a new record with you. Good thing Alex hasn't spent money on the wedding. She can go straight for the funeral."
"That's it," yelled Big Mike. "Angry the Clown. I've done it again. How do I come up with them?" said Big Mike as he walked off to the breakroom.
"See you later there Angry," said Skip. John grabbed him by the throat and when Fernando came to his friend's rescue John grabbed him by the throat with the other hand.
"I want you two to put your hands open under your faces and hold them there," said John as they squirmed to get free but couldn't.
"Let go of us… why do you want us to do that?"
"Easy so when I strangle you to death you can catch your eyeballs when they pop out. I'm going to let you go but you're going to do me a favor. You're going to go around and get rid of those clown photos then we're… and I underline this… we're never ever going to talk about this again. Do we understand each other?"
"But what's in it for us," said Skip. Casey applied a little more pressure.
"You get to wake up tomorrow. How does that sound as an incentive?"
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As they talked Chuck could heard Drago in the back room ranting and a voice inside told him the kid wasn't going to let it go. If it had been up to Chuck he would've gotten up and left but Razib seemed to like the dark-haired girl so, he couldn't. If they'd gotten up and left it wouldn't help Razib. He still had to come back if he wanted to see the dark-hard girl so Chuck needed a plan.
"You know the guys are going to come back from their picnic full and not feel like eating so why don't you order us a couple of gyros while I go to the bathroom," said Chuck. "We old people have to go more often then you kids."
"Sure no problem," said Razib as they both laughed. Do you want the Tzatziki, cucumber yogurt sauce?" Chuck nodded and handed him fifty euro then he walked through the back past Drago and overheard what he didn't want to hear.
"If they'd been real guns things would've been different," said the kid then he patted something under his jacket. Chuck's mind was racing when he went into the restroom. He looked at the towel dispenser. It had a roll of cloth inside so after every time someone dried their hands the cloth advanced leaving a new dry clean section for the next person to use. Chuck took out a knife, cut the cloth pulled out a long section then cut it off. He twisted it tight then coiled it in the sink getting it wet and waited. He didn't have to wait long.
"There you are," said Drago as he came in with two of his friends. "You embarrassed me in front of my friends and I want you to apologize. We can do this the easy way or the hard way?"
"It seems to me you did the embarrassing all on your own but if it helps keep me from having to kill you okay I'm sorry," said Chuck then he looked at the boys with Drago in the mirror. "Why don't you take your friend home and let him sleep it off before he gets himself in trouble?"
"Did you guys hear that? He doesn't want to have to kill me," said Drago. From his slurred speech Chuck could tell he had one too many beers and the alcohol had gotten the better of him. "Let me tell you this mister I don't like you or your kind. What do you think of that?"
"I'm not tickled pink with you either. So why don't you just run on home? If you want, I'll give you your hundred euro back and we can call our little game void."
"I don't need your charity," said the boy. "Turn around and face me like a man. Turn around I say or I'll make you." Drago reached for the weapon under his jacket. Chuck spun around pulling out the wet towel from the sink snapping it at Drago. It made a loud popping noise when he hit Drago's hand. He screamed in pain dropping the pistol on the bathroom floor and held his hand. One of Drago's friends tried to recover the weapon but Chuck popped him in the face with the same towel. He staggered back allowing Chuck to recover the piece.
"Zastava 57," said Chuck as he examined it. "Nine round magazine, short recoil, locked-breech uses a Browning-type action with swinging link. The trigger is of single-action type, no manual safeties except for a half-cock notch on the hammer. You're lucky it didn't go off when you dropped it. Now what am I going to do with you?"
"Mister he didn't mean nothing," said one of Drago's friends. Just then Chuck got a ping on his phone.
"One moment I need to see if I have to take this. It's work wouldn't you know it. You know a guy can never go on vacation. I don't know if you know what I mean but it's like I can never get away from these people. They want me to look at some pictures. Believe me when I tell you I'm getting off easy this time," said Chuck as he waved the weapon in the air.
"Crap," said Chuck when he looked at the attached photos. He didn't flash on the man with Ettore. He didn't have to ...he'd seen the man sitting at the bar just a few minutes ago. "I'm going to hold onto this piece. If you want it back, you need to send a parent to pick it up from the casino. Now I want all of you to clear out for the evening. Get your friends, go home do your homework and stop making fun of Razib, am I clear?"
The two boys with Drago nodded then took him out with them. He shook them off refusing to let them help him.