a/n: It's been a long time! I have recently gotten into the film noir/detective genre, and feel like an attempt to finish up this old thing. (It will be taking a darker tone however, because humor is /hard/ for me.) Throwing out this next chapter (written two years ago, but edited) to see if there's still anyone out there, because, wow, it's been TWO YEARS.
it's all about the money
"So... Hwan. You need my help."
"Damn it, yes. How many times do you have to repeat that? Why else would I come to you?"
That brought a laugh out of me. I winked at her, "Oh, I don't know..."
She gave an exasperated sigh. If she had feathers, she would have ruffled them. "Look, I'm not here to flirt with you. God knows why I haven't left your sorry ass in your pathetic excuse of an office and found one of the other 100s of detectives in this town." A pause, as she tilted her head, eyes full mocking. "Wait, I'm in a hurry and don't want to run around town looking for someone else. I need an investigator. You're an investigator. I have money. I take it you want money?"
She had spunk. I smiled, and toned down my natural instinct. "Yeah, and I got to say I don't come cheap, either."
She gave me a little sideways glance, as if unsure if I'd interlaced a crude comment into the sentence before replying. "Sure you don't. How's 40 dollars an hour, and I'll pay you a retainer of 200?"
I blinked, suddenly aware that I had no idea what the average amount an investigator should make. "Uh..." I said, glancing at Hakkai, who shrugged.
"That's fine," I said, hoping that I wasn't losing out on too much.
"Good," Hwan said, standing up. "I've got to go, I have work. Can I meet you after 6?"
"I won't be here," I said. "How about I buy you dinner somewhere?"
Surprisingly, she didn't argue, and we agreed on a place just down the block.
When she was out the door, I hummed to myself, fondling the nice pile of bills she'd paid me. Even if I was being ripped off, it wasn't bad for the first case. Not bad at all.
I could just imagine myself in a couple months, if business went well... rolling around in money like some millionaire with nothing better to do. Nice red sports car parked outside that would make all women fall at my feet. Not like they didn't already, mind you. I chuckled softly, envisioning me with my money and flaunting it in Sanzo's impoverished face.
Unfortunately, Hakkai had to go and pop my dream bubble like a virgin's cherry.
He cleared his throat like he had something stuck in it, asking, "Forty percent sounds reasonable as my salary, right?"
I scoffed. "Are you crazy? I'll be generous and give you Fifteen."
"Thirty."
"Twenty."
We settled on 25. I forked over two of the twenties and a ten from my wallet.
Then I sat there. Bored. I drummed my fingers on the desk. Until Hakkai looked up from writing and glared at me. "Look, the computers will get here tomorrow, so you can leave."
"Computers? We get computers?" I have to admit I didn't bother hiding the childish glee emanating from me. "Who exactly is funding this?"
"Sanzo."
I grumbled. "Okay, fine, as long as he doesn't expect me to pay him back."
Hakkai smiled, "Don't worry, Gojyo. He said that if this job managed to get us to move out, he'd be happy."
Scoffing, I answered. "Yeah, lucky he was that sad excuse for a monk, and getting a retirement program out of it. The rest of us do the grunt work, and all he does is mutter some nonsensical words from a piece of paper. /We/ saved the world too, dammit." I fumed. This was a sore spot for me, if you hadn't noticed.
"Come on, Gojyo, it's over. Just make the best of things, alright?"
"Whatever. Close up for me, yeah?"
Hakkai made a sound of agreement as I shrugged into my coat. As I walked out the door, he called out to me, "Computers for /solving cases/ Gojyo, not porn!"
end chapter four-
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