Could Have Gone Smoother

I was delighted to move forward since I was so naive and thought I'd nailed it with the doorman. I followed the thug through the doors and entered the hectic atmosphere of a New Reno Casino. We walked past a service desk and entered a gigantic room with lights shining, machines clattering, people cheering, tourists drinking, and suited thugs escorting beautiful women to high rollers on the floor. People in vests carried plates full of drinks to and fro, thugs hauled wasted tourists to the alleys, a not so talented comedian got boos from the safety of a cage, and through the noise I heard the faint sound of a woman singing in a dimly lit section on the far end. I took in the atmosphere, but made sure to keep up with my escort. We passed the fun of the casino floor straight to a man behind a different cage with a big sign saying "Cashier." The thug and I walked to a door to the right of the cashier cage guarded by two identical thugs in blue suits.

The noise of the casino was too loud to hear what was being said, but the guards stepped aside, and I proceeded into a long hallway dimly lit by fluorescent lights. Thirty feet from the entryway on the left side was a giant steel door on the left.

When I asked the thug what was in there, he said, "The Vault? What the fuck else?"

I stayed quiet and heard him subtly add, "…Stupid fuck." I was still very new to the world and stupidly wondered if that was one of those "Vaults" that served as bomb shelters from the prewar times. We walked on down the hallway passing several more regular sized steel doors and then stopped in front of one marked, "Tuco" with a crude duct tape and marker etching. The thug knocked;

There was a muffled, "Who is it?" from the other side.

The thug said, "It's Vincent, got someone you might wanna meet."

The voice, "Tuco" shouted, "Alright fine! Come in."

The thug opened the door and I stepped forward into the office. "Tuco" sat behind a desk in a dimly lit office surrounded by filing cabinets and wearing a half suit of combat armor.

He studied me and craned his neck, asking past my shoulder, "Who's this fuckin guy?"

I heard the voice of the thug behind me blocking the doorway. The thug, "Vincent" said in a very serious tone, "This waster and his pleasure giving fists spent the past few days with your sister at the Cat's Paw and thought you might enjoy his Expertise!"

It wasn't necessarily the words he said (Since they were my own. Minus that bit about my fists), it was how he said it. Vincent said it like I banged Tuco's sister and then wanted to bang Tuco?

Before my brain could compute what Vincent the thug set up, the door slammed shut, and I leaned back on it in shock. I reached my hand behind my back, twisted the knob, and pushed on the door, but the hulking thug was pressed up against it. I focused my attention on Tuco to find myself looking down the barrel of a 10mm submachinegun pointed straight at my head.

I heard muffled hysterical laughter from behind the door, and Tuco stood up saying in a tone that said he was used to murdering idiots, "You have five seconds to explain exactly what the fuck he was talking about before I paint my door with your brains…"

Shocked at my sudden predicament, I scrambled for words, "I was with a caravan coming in from Redding when!…"

"Five."

My mind raced, "I was a guard with that caravan, and we came across some explorers…"

"Four."

I sped up, "The caravan was attacked and me and a buddy were the only ones…"

"Three."

My mouth fumbled as they tried to piece together words. "We made it back to… road, suburbs, Reno sign!..."

"Two."

I went straight to the truth, "We got jumped by the Mordinos and Miss Kitty and your sister saved my life!..."

He was about to say, "One" but lowered the weapon slightly. The military looking Hispanic man stared at me skeptically and still angrily for a long moment. Finally, he said, "I heard about that. Few nights ago, right?"

I nodded and felt my heart racing. Tuco continued, "So, you didn't bang my sister?"

I shouted, "No! I was out cold for days after the Mordinos jumped me and my… Bud… Your sister was just looking out for me while I came to."

He lowered the weapon onto the desk. The door cracked open, Vincent poked his head in, and the thug asked with a hint of sadness, "You aint gonna kill this guy?"

Tuco looked past my shoulder, "Not yet Vince, I wanna hear what he has to say, Mr?..."

Tuco gestured for my name and I said, "Sean, Sean Combs." Tuco motioned for me to sit down and I pulled out the chair to take my seat.

Vincent said, "Alright, well let me know if you change your mind, I'll be outside. It's been a while since I killed someone." Tuco nodded and the door shut.

Tuco collected himself for a moment and briefly massaged his left shoulder as he said, "I heard about that incident a few nights back. Bunch of Mordinos were kicking the shit out of two guys from the Wright Family and our boys took the moment to settle some scores…"

I said, "I was knocked unconscious pretty early into the fight, but that's basically what your sister said."

He creased his face and asked, "What were you doing with a guy from the Wrights?"

I shot back in defense, "I wasn't with that guy. Like I said, I was a caravan guard, and we linked up with those explorers from the Wrights before we were attacked. Me and that guy were the only ones who made it out..."

His deep brown eyes peered past me as I continued, "I never been to New Reno and he was my only ticket into town from the wastes… I don't even know what happened to that guy?"

He leaned back in his chair and said, "Sam Pritchard, right?"

I snapped a finger, "Yes! You know him?"

He said, "Not personally. His name came up a few times on some of Mr. Bishop's lists. Tried offering some of his 'Exploratory Services' and we turned him down…"

I said, "Good, that dipshit got us shot up, and my friends in the caravan killed at an old military base."

He leaned in looking at me intrigued and asked, "What military base? You remember where it is?"

I shrugged, "I could probably tell you if my head wasn't beaten into the pavement a few nights ago, some place north I think… In the mountains?"

I wanted to be diplomatic with my interviewer so I said, "I could probably bring him in if you or Mr. Bishop want to find the place?" (I honestly didn't really remember how to get there from New Reno proper)

He responded immediately, "Nah, too late for that. I caught word from my guys watching the Wrights. Supposedly, Sam survived the fight, met up with the Wrights, got drunk, and took a dirt nap shortly after. Probably sleeping in Golgotha right now… Sorta tragic how things go around here…"

He broke his contemplative gaze and said, "Fuck probably handed over all his maps and shit to Old Man Wright... If you remember where the place is, you tell me, got it!? I know how shitty a memory can be after getting concussed."

Tuco seemed surprisingly understanding. I really did want to tell him where the place was, but couldn't remember, and I suppose he picked up on my honesty. Regardless, I promised I'd let him know if I remembered anything by saying, "Yes sir…"

He jumped in, "Wait? Is that? No?... Why the fuck you in my office anyway?"

Our chat took a detour, but I remembered why I was there in the first place and replied, "I'm new in town and looking for work…"

Feeling even more diplomatic, I added, "I heard it's best to get on Mr. Bishop's good side."

He lit up a cigarette that he pulled from the desk and said, "You aint wrong. Why did my sister think I was your best shot at work with the Bishops?"

I said, "I was my guard outfit's marksman, and had all my gear before the Mordinos jumped Sam and I. Sophia said you might be in the market for an extra gun..."

I muttered, "Wish Vincent would've led with that…"

Tuco heard that last part and chuckled, "Mr. Bishop's boys certainly know how to rile me up when I'm in town. They know I don't care what my little sis does for work, but if I meet a motherfucker whose 'been with her'; they're good as dead."

Curious about where Tuco "Usually was" I asked, "Where are you usually? If not here in town?"

He darted his eyes towards me, "That's my own business, but I run a gang out in the wastes on direct orders from the Boss..."

I nodded in understanding and he got back to the point, "I don't need any more guns in my outfit, but you said you were your group's marksman, right?"

I nodded again, "Yes, I ran with Sarah's Merc group from Redding to here..."

I thought for a second, remembering my pal Mac, and said, "My friend Mac used to work for Mr. Bishop. Unfortunately, he died at that base…"

He looked surprised. Then Tuco asked, "You knew Mac? Fucker left the Casino crew and ran some ops with me in the field for a little while before signing on with that Sarah bitch."

I smiled, "Yeah! Great guy, great guy. Taught me everything I know about caravan guarding and the merc biz." (Which was and wasn't too much)

Tuco clearly admired Mac because he acknowledged my relation to the man by saying excitedly, "Wow, small wasteland…" Then he added with concern, "How did he die?"

A lump grew in my throat as I remembered those moments only three conscious days ago. "Prewar turrets around the place got him… It was horrible… Only Sam and I got out of there, and most of it's a blur now after the Mordinos broke my head."

His face grew more, "understanding" and he said, "It always blows losing a brother in the field…"

I replied simply, "Amen to that" as I remembered my friends' fates.

Tuco looked at me determined, "Tell you what? I like you, Sean…"

I smiled with satisfaction and he resumed, "I don't need any more guns out there, but Mr. Bishop always needs more suits on the street… Usually, he tends to hire 7 foot muscle monsters for casino work, but he'll take anyone that can prove themselves reliable. You seem like you were pretty close with my old boy, Mac, and not too many guys can even survive a Mordino jumping. So, I'll make a deal with you…"

Delighted, I said, "Anything you need, Tuco. I'm your guy."

He leaned back again with a smile, "Glad you say so. There's a guy in Commercial Row west of here trying to get protection from the Salvatores…"