Chapter Six Job Interview

The sun was bright, the day breezy and light. The curtains blew slightly as a steady hum of bugs echoed lightly from outside it. Other then that there was just the sound of the gentle breeze that gently pulled Vincent out of his lull. Another fine day on the farm, thought the young spirited youth. A lazy afternoon nap had just ended and now the evening work to get the duties for tomorrow ready. Also there was dinner to help prepare with the old man. The same things that happened everyday. Peaceful, but boring.

Vincent liked the peacefulness though; it was a new concept to a boy raised by warfare. So much he had a hard time adjusting when he first saw the farm and was accepted by the old man. He just was not used to people treating him nice for no apparent reason, he had always had to earn what he thought was nice treatment by intimidating and force. So at first he was very quiet and secluded. He didn't trust anyone. But eventually he realized that there were nice people in the world.

He just laid out on his bed stretching his back. Five more minutes, I just want to listen to the wind blow and the earth sing its lullaby to me. He sat there in a great calm, nothing to worry about. He didn't have to look over his shoulder, put on a hard face, or worry about his reputation. All he had to do was work hard and enjoy the peace. He hoped that he could live like this forever, but at the same time he wanted to leave. It was a concept that Vincent could never understand. He would look out the window and love the peace and quiet, but he always wondered what was beyond the farm and yearned for the sounds of the city. He would soon get his wish and say goodbye to the peace.

KNOCK! "Open the fucking door!"

Vincent shot up in his bed, sweat drenching down his back. He woke up from a dream that he was back at the farm. It took him a second to realize that he was back at his dank tenement hiding from the world and that he was found out. He quietly got up and propped a chair underneath the door handle hoping it would keep whoever was there from barging in.

"Whoever's in there open this damn door before we break it! We know you're in there, and we know what you did, so open it if you know what's good for you!"

There was a couple more knocks and then it went quiet. Vincent sat there not knowing what to do. After a minute or two he crept up to the door and looked at the peep hole. He couldn't see anyone out in the hall. He exhaled and dropped his chair back from the handle and laid his head against the door. Hopefully there are gone…BAM! The door rams Vincent's head splitting a gash in his forehead and hurling him back as the door breaks open. Vincent's vision blurs as a hammer of pain wrecks his nerves and paralyzes his thoughts. He looks up and sees several figures, one of them holding an axe, the rest holding guns.

"Thought your ass can get away huh?"

Vincent recognized him as the man with the tie that tried to steal his jacket. All of them were bruised and bandaged. There were four guns pointed at him and Vincent knew he was dead. His adrenaline was pumping but he was disoriented and knew he couldn't dodge bullets. He put his hand over his head to try and stem the blood flow.

"Is this the guy?" asked the man with the tie.

"Yeah dats him, get your guys out of here and tell the queen that it is him and to come here," said familiar voice. Vincent looked up and saw Moe. He stood there in a suit, which he has never seen him in. He wore the same bright red tie that the man next to him wore. The four guns lowered in unison and they all exited. The man in the tie set his axe down and sat down to light a cigarette. Moe just stared down at Vincent.

Vincent scrambled up, propping himself to his bed and was still in a defensive position. Things were moving to fast for him to comprehend; he was moving on pure instinct now. He just sat there and looked at Moe for what seemed like forever. Finally Moe threw a rag at him silently. Vincent just stared at it for a second and applied pressure on his wound. Finally he was able to think, they are here to find out what I saw. And that axe is going to be the interrogator. If only I get out of this room, but the window is shut and I can't get past both of them.

But before he could think of a plan, another man walked into the room. He was tall and slender. He was also in a suit, with the same red tie. Except on his lapel was a chess piece, it was a small queen. He turned around to close the door and Vincent realized the beginnings of a tattoo on his neck. It was the top of a queen chess piece. This man with a blond military crew cut motioned the man with the axe away. He stood up and took his axe with him silently. After the door was shut, it was the man, Vincent and Moe alone in the room.

Vincent then saw Moe's lapel, it had a bishop piece. What the hell is this?

"So I heard you might have seen some things today, and you might have run into some people today," said the man.

Vincent sat there silently.

"Moe tells me he knows you as well, is that true?"

Vincent simply nodded.

"Well, you took out a group, of what four guys by yourself? I would saw that is pretty good, wouldn't you Moe?"

"I would say dat is great."

"Well are you sure it was him."

"Dats what da knight said."

"And you're sure this is the right thing to do?"

"We need guys like him wid what's comin up."

"I suppose your right, he still has to prove himself, and the king is going to want to have a word."

"Yeah I know dat."

"Okay if you say so, I'll be seeing you around then Vincent." And with that he turned around and walked out of the room. Moe opened the door for him and motioned Vincent to follow.

"What are we doing?"

"We are going to your job interview."