Blending In
11


The fire behind Tonkeshin's face had never burned hotter than it did when he heard Carol's footsteps running away. It was the first time he'd been without a cane since he was little. Having the cane removed from his use was like taking crutches away from someone with a broken leg. He felt stranded.
If that wasn't bad enough, he'd left the cell phone in his other pants!
Tonk stood rooted to the spot. Maybe Carol would realize she'd taken her game a little too far and return with the cane.
Minutes passed. No sign of her approach. He'd have to move.
Even though he knew most of the beach goers were far off, Tonkeshin still felt like all eyes were on him. His face burned hotter. He stuck his hands in his pockets and ducked his head. If he bumped into anyone he could always say he wasn't watching where he was going. Using the surf as a guide, he shuffled forward until wet sand struck the soles of his feet. At least there he knew he wouldn't accidentally step on sunbathers or kick over someone's drink.
Cool, sizzling water washed over Tonkeshin's feet. He walked along at half his usual speed. Paying close attention to disturbances in the air so he could avoid running into most of the children frolicking about.
Sounds of talking, laughing and other signs of a crowd finally reached Tonkeshin's ears. He'd once again joined the crowded area near the hotels.
A large wave crashed. The surf rose to his knees. Footsteps squished towards him in the wet sand.
"Hey mister, I saw what 'dat broad did," a rough voice said from the right, "I can give ya a hand back to 'da hotel if ya need it."
Tonkeshin perked up and faced the person. Though he wasn't entirely comfortable with letting a stranger guide him, he knew it might be his only way out of this mess. "Thank you. Did you see where she went?"
"Sorry, lost her in 'da crowd." The person came closer, "'Da name's Ace. I saw ya on 'da news. Yer name's Tonkeshin, right?"
"Ace. Yeah, that's right."
Ace took Tonk's arm. Tonk startled a bit as Ace started practically hauling him forward. He cleared his throat and planted his feet.
"Uh, this would be easier if I just took your elbow," He pointed out.
"Oh, right! Sure."
The hand wrapped around Tonkeshin's arm withdrew. Tonk touched Ace's shoulder and followed his arm down to his elbow. He noticed immediately that Ace was a little on the beefy side, kind of short and wearing a business suit with padded shoulders. Odd attire for a day at the beach, but Tonk figured the guy probably just got off work and lived nearby.
"Okay, I'm ready now." Tonk smiled a silent thanks towards the man, "I'll be about a half-step behind you."
"Right. Here we go."
Wet sand turned dry. Ace walked with heavy feet at a medium pace, letting Tonkeshin easily keep up. They wove around people, food stands and umbrellas. Different voices, bits of conversation and laughter gave the air a throng much like the roaring ocean.
Sand gave way to hot cement. Ace had taps on the heels of his shoes that made his footsteps click rhythmically. He definitely had heavy feet. Tonk listened to the sound like he did his cane, letting it tell him how open the area was.
He must have been further from the hotel than he thought. Either that or Ace was taking him the long way around.
"How much further?" Tonk asked quietly.
Ace flexed his elbow reassuringly, his tone pleasant. "Not far. We're almost 'dere, just a couple more yards."
More footsteps joined Ace's. Tonkeshin turned his head slightly to scan the area with his ears. As far as he could tell, five people were walking with them.
"Friends of yours?"
"Yeah," Ace answered. "'Dere my buddies. Ya got Bridge on 'da right."
"Yo." Bridge had a scratchy voice and wore something that jingled. Perhaps a chain with a pocket watch.
"'Da guy on 'da left is Cribbage."
"Pleasure's mine." Cribbage sounded very smooth. His footsteps didn't make much sound at all. Almost like he was barefoot.
"'Ya got Canasta walkin' just ahead."
Canasta rustled something and hissed out a cold greeting, his voice very low. "Good day, green man."
"Also walkin' just ahead, 'ya got Euchre. He's a little guy, so don't trip on him."
"Hi!" Euchre's squeaky voice called back.
"And 'den 'dere's Poker, but he don't talk much. He's our big guy."
A puff of exhaled air and very heavy footsteps were the only signs of Poker's presence.
"It's nice to meet you all," Tonk replied with a smile.
By the time the introductions were finished, Tonkeshin realized he and Ace were still walking. Suddenly the sun's warmth disappeared. The pavement under his bare feet went from hot to cool. He instantly got the impression of two large objects on either side, each about ten feet apart. Buildings. He was being led down an alleyway. Far away from the sounds of people.
Something wasn't right.
"Hey, this isn't the way to the hotel!" Tonkeshin stopped walking and tightened his grip on Ace's arm. His smile quickly disappeared. "Where are you taking me?"
Ace withdrew himself from Tonk's grasp. "Oh, I'm taking ya to 'da hotel. But first," a revolver cocked and Tonk felt the cool barrel of a pistol touch his chest. "I want yer wallet."
For a moment Tonkeshin stood there in blank astonishment. The suit, the other people surrounding him as they entered the alley, the accent - they were gangsters! Gangsters that just took advantage of his being blind.
The gun pressed harder against his breastbone. "Now reach into yer pocket real slow and take out yer wallet. If ya shout, yer dead. Cribbage, go cityside. Euchre, go beachside. Whistle if someone comes."
"Okay!" The little man squeaked. His light footsteps retreated.
Cribbage probably nodded, because he just scuffed his feet without a word and moved away.
Ace's remaining friends crept closer, obviously blocking the only two escape routes. Tonk wasn't sure of their size, strength or agility. Except for Poker.
Somewhere deep in Tonkeshin's psyche, a fire ignited. First Carol embarrasses him and takes his cane. Then these gangsters come along, pretend to be his friends and end up threatening his life.
He'd had enough.
Tonkeshin felt a vein on his temple start pulsating. His jaw tightened and his heartbeat quickened. Fire grew in the pit of his stomach. His eyes burned like they had smoke in them as he glared towards Ace's breathing. He didn't move a muscle, save for the ones pushing his lower jaw defiantly forward.
"Are ya deaf, too? Get 'da wallet out where I can see it!"
"Mister Ace," Tonk's smooth voice gained a new roughness and dropped almost a full octave, "I'm warning you. Don't do this." The tension in his brow made his antennae arch. "Walk away."
Ace chuckled. "Yer a funny man. I can be funny, too. Here, I'll show ya."
Tonkeshin's ears detected the subtle creak of the gun's trigger moving. He grabbed Ace's wrist and wrenched it sideways. Far enough to cause pain, but not far enough to actually damage anything.
"AAAH!" Ace released a pained cry. The gun fell harmlessly from his grasp. Tonk heard it clatter to the ground at his feet. He covered it with his foot so nobody else could grab it and gave Ace a light shove.
Ace staggered backwards, his boots scraping on the ground. "Get him, boys!"
Light footsteps raced up from the right and left. Something rustled on one side. Jingles sounded from the other.
Bridge leapt. Tonkeshin felt the breeze of his swift approach. He stepped aside and let the gangster land beside him, stopping Canasta in his tracks.
"Watch out, buffoon!" Bridge snapped.
Canasta blasted back, "Shaddup and let's get him!"
"Boss?"
"Do yer jobs." Ace replied acidly from near the far wall. "Poker, yer staying put 'till I say go."
The massive man grunted in compliance.
A switchblade clicked. Clothing rustled. Canasta had the knife, so he was the most dangerous at the moment.
Footsteps scraped lightly against the rough pavement. They were obviously trying to be silent. Too bad they didn't realize hearing wasn't all Tonk used to fight.
Tonkeshin concentrated hard on his environment. Focusing on everything around him just as he did during his meditation. He could both feel and hear the air moving against the gangsters' clothing. It told him Canasta was the tallest of the two, and they were circling him.
Both stopped. One in front. The other behind. Canasta was in the front. Tonkeshin kept more tabs on him than Bridge.
"You don't have to do this," Tonk's voice remained low and rough.
No response. He took it as non-compliance.
Heaving a deep sigh, Tonkeshin bent his knees to square his weight evenly. He brought one arm up across his body, a fist near his face to protect it. The other arm rested slightly forward. He relaxed his muscles enough so he'd have complete freedom of movement.
Nobody moved. There was only the sounds of everyone breathing and occasional swishes from the ocean. A breeze blew through the alley, cooling the sweat on Tonkeshin's brow and painting a clear sound picture of where everyone stood.
The presence behind Tonkeshin moved forward first. Tonk remained motionless, feigning unawareness. Just another few feet was all he needed.
Yeah, come on, just a little closer.
Suddenly Bridge was right behind him! Tonkeshin shifted his weight to his left leg and struck his right leg out. He spun in a complete circle. The knife of his foot caught Bridge square in the jaw and sent him flying. Tonk heard his body smash against a nearby dumpster.
Canasta charged! Tonk pivoted his upper body sideways to dodge the oncoming knife. Canasta's arm passed over his chest. Tonk grabbed the gangster's elbow and stepped into him, using Canasta's own momentum to fling him effortlessly into the wall across the alley.
"OOF!" Canasta hit with a thud and slid down, the knife clattering to the ground. He moaned and went quiet.
"I-I-I. . ." Ace gulped audibly. "Poker! Go!"
The hulking man walked forward. Tonkeshin heard him slap his fist against his palm. He reassumed his fighting stance and waited. This guy was big and thick. That meant he'd probably be slow.
Poker grunted low in his throat. Tonk sensed his approach. Slow, deliberate steps, perhaps an attempt at intimidation. The big man smelled like cigars. Keeping a bead on him would be easy.
All motion ceased once again.
A sigh breezed past Tonk's lips. "Well?"
Heavy footsteps clomped forward. Poker obviously relied on brute force. To other humans he was probably a fighter to be reckoned with. Tonkeshin threw some caution into the wind. Underestimating an opponent bigger than himself was a good way to lose a battle.
Poker was less than two feet away. Tonk instinctively lowered his stance so the tall man's punches would be more inclined to pass over his head. He wasn't a second too soon. A massive fist breezed over his cranium. The second followed a heartbeat later. Tonk caught the fist easily. Poker's hands felt hairy. The nails weren't right. They felt like. . .bear claws?
A paw clubbed Tonkeshin in the side of his head. He would've gone down had he not assumed a stance. More surprised than hurt, he faced Poker again. A bear! He never imagined a walking non-human in a gang. Then again, how could he be sure everyone he spoke to was fully human?
Movement snapped him from his reverie. Poker was advancing again. He threw a hard left jab.
"YAAAAH!" Tonkeshin lunged under the outstretched arm. He drove his fist into the gangster's unprotected gut. Poker doubled over. Tonk smashed an elbow down on his back. The massive gangster slammed into the pavement and didn't move again.
Tonk stood down from his stance and tightened his fist. The knuckles cracked. He heard Cribbage and Euchre approaching.
"Ace?" Tonk spoke calmly, staring blankly ahead into space, "Do you still want a piece of me?"
He got his reply in the form of feet scrambling away.
Tonk sighed and let his shoulders sag. Holding one hand out at waist level, he shuffled over to the nearest wall. He used sounds of the ocean as a guide and trailed the wall until the alley ended.
The pavement under his feet went from cool to hot. Warm sun beat down on his skin. Sounds of people talking, playing games and laughing once again flooded his keen, pointed ears.
Tonkeshin turned right and kept trailing the wall without a clue about where he was. Maybe if he could find a door, he'd be able to enter the building and ask for help. Surely someone inside would offer assistance.
"Tonkeshin?"
He froze, about-faced and spat, "I want my cane back, and I want it now."
Carol's presence moved forward. Her smooth hand grasped his wrist and the folded fiberglass cane slid into his fingers.
Tonk didn't let on just how relieved he was to have his cane back. He stuck it into his back pocket for the moment, faced Carol and tightened his lips. The hot flame he'd almost forgotten began to grow again.
"Tonkeshin, I'm sorry. I didn't realize - "
"What?" He cut her off, "You didn't realize I could've gotten killed?"
For once it was Carol that sounded meek and nervous, "I thought you'd be able to follow the sound of me running away. I didn't know you'd just stand there."
"You forget the beach is crowded. Even my ears have limits and I can hear better than any human on this planet." Tonkeshin turned and fully faced her. "Just so you know, I almost got mugged because a gangster fooled me into using him as a guide. I could prosecute you for something like that. Personal endangerment."
Carol drew in a sharp breath. "You can't! I had no idea - "
"Exactly!" He snarled, baring his teeth. "You had NO idea!"
Warm hands came to rest on his bare chest. "Don't get mad," she cooed, "it doesn't suit you."
The fire in Tonkeshin's stomach blazed out of control. He forced himself calm. Grabbing Carol's shoulders, he pushed her up against the wall and pressed his upper body up against hers, startling a gasp from her. The closeness disgusted him, but he was tired of being polite.
"Ooh, forceful."
"Is this what you want, Carol?" Tonk turned his eyes towards the source of her breath. He caught her round chin between his thumb and forefinger and lowered his tone, "Are you enjoying this?"
Carol's jaw muscles moved. Her voice hinted at a smile. "You bet." She arched a leg over his hip.
Tonkeshin grinned and moved his face closer to hers. Following her breath to her lips. He stopped when their mouths were only an inch apart. "Good, because it's as close as you're ever going to get."
With that, he shrugged her off and backed away. For the first time in his life he wished he could see - just long enough to witness the look on her face.
"You. . .you played me!" Carol exploded angrily, "You bastard! I spent a lot of money just to come down here and be with you before your Tournament! And you just blow me off? How dare you!"
Tonkeshin heard Carol lunge at him. A foot connected solidly with his crotch. He didn't even blink.
"You. . ." she panted, "where's your. . .you know?"
"I don't have one."
"You don't have a dick?!" She shrieked loud enough for the whole beach to hear. A few people gasped.
Tonk felt a laugh building deep in his throat. Her reaction was funnier than he expected.
"Nope."
"Then how do you - "
"I don't. I regurgitate eggs. Here, watch!" Tonkeshin doubled over, opened his eyes wide and feigned gagging.
"NO! Ew, gross, I don't want to see it! I can't believe I was ever attracted to you. Oh my God!" Carol was already running away. She shouted over her shoulder, "You stay away from me! Hear me? Stay away!"
And then she was gone.
The laugher Tonkeshin was holding back burst free. He laughed long and hard, not caring who saw or heard. He guffawed all the way back to the hotel and into the silence of his room.
One steamy shower later, Tonk felt refreshed and relaxed. Any anger he harbored from earlier went down the drain with the water. He still snickered a few times when he emerged from the shower and changed into his favorite satin shirt and jeans.
The cool breeze blowing in through the window told him the sun was either setting or already down. He even caught a whiff of smoke from a bonfire.
Another snicker rumbled in Tonkeshin's throat. Telling Carol off felt so good. A nearly perfect end to the whole nightmarish experience.
Only one thing could make it even better.

"One virgin tropical," The young, giggly waitress plunked a glass down on the bar. She directed her voice to Greg. "And here's your fried lobster and banana swirl. Careful, the plate's hot." Another glass settled onto the smooth bartop along with a plate of seafood. "Enjoy your smoothies. I'll be back in a bit to check up on you."
"Thanks a lot," Greg slid his smoothie closer and took a long slurp. A second later he was crunching the lobster's shell.
Tonkeshin heard the waitress's high heels walking away. Scents of other drinks fueled his thirst. He felt the table for his glass, located the straw and took a long drink. The thick, chilled substance cooled his mouth and oozed down his throat.
"Mmmmm," He leaned back and licked his lips.
Greg shifted on his stool. "So, are you going to tell me anything about what happened to you today?"
"I thought you'd never ask." A devilish grin stretched Tonk's lips. He sipped his smoothie once more, swallowed and went on, "You're gonna love this. It all started when I headed out to the beach. . ."

Author's note: Phew! Long chapter! I must say though that writing this chapter was the most fun I've had since I started this fic. I hope the action scenes were done okay. grin Admit it, who cheered when Carol got snubbed? I just figured that, after having his blindness used against him and almost getting mugged, Tonk would be mad enough to get rid of her. I didn't plan it that way, it just happened. Smile