George (Twenty-Two)

George and me stood outside in front of the building. Guards kept pointing at me, daring me to come in. Dara went up to go bring Viktor downstairs.

I asked George why he couldn't just run with the flush, start another theater. He was getting more than enough to do it. George said it wasn't just the theater. He put his hand in his pocket, rocked on his heels. Told me he always won, except when he blew out his knee. But beyond that, when he was healthy, it always worked. If it wasn't for the knee, he woulda been on some cereal box. The Vanguard was his. Selling meant he woulda failed. He never failed.

I looked him in the eye, told him losing ain't something anyone likes, but it's something everyone's gotta deal with. Wished I'd been able to make it far as he did without ever losing.

Viktor stomped out the building, biggest grin on his face. Came over and bear hugged me, lifted me off the ground. Started gushing like a dame, saying he couldn't believe we actually tracked him down. I told him it was mostly Dara, but he just slapped my back so hard it rattled in my ribs. Said he could respect a guy who was determined. Demanded a business card so if he ever needed help, he could contact me.

I was about to hand him a crumpled one from my pocket when George slapped it outta my hand, screamed I was still working for him.

George and Viktor faced each other down. Viktor, probably as tall as Dara, met George's glare, didn't back down. George told Viktor to stop with the Diablos, and to stop buying the Vanguard. Viktor's smile spread across his face real slow, like an oil slick in the rain. Claimed he didn't know what George was talking about.

I pushed Dara back a step, took a step closer. George had that look in his eye, kind you get when you realize you lost, but you can leave a parting shot. He asked how Tanya was doing.

Holding Viktor back was like trying to hold back a pickup truck. He yelled things in what I guess was Russian, while George kept going full-on dame, saying stuff about Tanya I don't want to repeat.

Told Dara to shut George up, while I pushed Viktor all the way back to the glass doors. People were staring to watch. I had to get Viktor out of sight. What could I do? Had to push him inside.

Them guards, they were smacking batons into their palms. I'm trying to push Viktor back around the corner in the lobby, and they're trying to beat me senseless.

Almost had him back when 1 of the guards cracks the back of my knee with that night stick. I drop like a slob, just in time to watch Viktor go barreling back outside, screaming bloody murder in Russian.