Resolute or Too Close to the Sun - unk

Thursday

         Marco drove steadily down the dark street, keeping to the speed limit. It was late and he wanted to get home after a long and crappy day, home to his wife and a hot shower, both at the same time if his luck was in. He tried to concentrate on what he was going to say and yet again, felt concerned about how he might react, wanting to avoid lashing out at all costs. He was angry and wasn’t really ready for this meeting, but after finally convincing Gabe to let him go out alone, he knew it was now or never. He had told Gabe he was meeting with Jimmy Caruso that he would of course be fine to meet with his old friend alone. Marco knew he would probably not convince his right hand man to let him meet with anyone without back up again, whether friend or foe. It went against protocol and there had been too many times of late.

         Sighing heavily in agitation, he pulled up in the large near empty car park of the Wal-Mart store. It was late and only a few shoppers were still milling around and Marco was able to find a spot near the back of the lot where he waited. He had a good view of the area and would know when his visitor arrived.

         After ten minutes of waiting, Marco began to huff and tut and sigh in growing anger and impatience. He was not a man to be kept waiting and he knew why it was happening. The young cur he was meeting with would think he had gained the upper hand over Marco. Well, let him think that, was Marco’s thought on the matter. He tried to stay calm and was just about to start the engine up and go home when a shiny white Honda pulled in, slowed down to check the place out and then pulled up next to Marco’s Lexus. Marco waited for a moment before he opened the window to speak.

         “You’re late!” Marco grumbled. The young man he was expecting got out of his own car and climbed into Marco’s passenger seat.

         No apology, ‘Jack’, as he called himself just turned and smiled coldly at Marco. “What did you want to meet me for?” His voice was light as though he were toying with Marco.

         “This has gone on for long enough and I’m bored with it. I need to know what you want from me and my family.”

         Jack laughed humourlessly. “What can you possibly give me now? What do you have that I could possibly want?”

         “Looking at you, quite a lot. A job, money. If I can do it, you can have it.”

         “Are you scared of me Marco? Of what I might do to you?”

         Now it was time for Marco to laugh. He found the situation quite absurd. “Me? Scared of you? Sonny boy, you don’t know me too well, I can tell. Just supposing for one minute that I am scared of you, don’t you think I would have an army of men with me and just take you out? Believe me, that would be by far the easiest thing for this situation.”

         “So why don’t you just have me killed then?”

         Marco sighed. “Just tell me what you want, what I can give you to make you happy and maybe try and make things up to you.”

         'Jack' pretended to think. Then he looked over at Marco. “I haven’t quite decided yet. Maybe we should meet up on Sunday night and I might have made up my mind by then.”

         “Maybe you shouldn’t waste my time. I have better things to do than keep meeting with you."

         “Sure, like tell your precious family about me? Have you done that yet?” Jack grinned. “What will that sexy wife of yours think? Or your playboy son and heir? I don’t think you’ll tell anyone. I think that you will meet me at nine o’clock on Sunday, back at the first place we met. I don’t want to keep coming all the way up here. So I guess I’ll see you then, Marco!” With obvious derision, Jack got out of the car and left Marco fuming.

                Maybe, Marco thought, he should just take the little bastard out after all – just put a bullet through his head and walk away.  He sat in the car for a while after he’d watched Jack drive away, his tail-lights long gone and wondered how he’d got himself into this mess. What had started out a few months back with one problem had now ended up with an entirely different one.  Marco had had a chance meeting with an associate from many years ago and it had led him here, on this Thursday evening when he had better things to do and bigger problems to worry about.  He decided there and then, as the rain began to drum heavily on the roof of his car that Sunday night would bring an end to it, whatever else happened.

                  He started up his engine and with the anger pulsing through his veins, he headed home.