“Guys, I think he... wants to talk to me. ...Can you leave us?”
The thugs promptly left, following the rat's instructions.
The rat looked down. Knowing well he had made a mistake. Yet not realizing the full extent of it. “Look, I'm sorry. I swear I thought he was a cop. You know, the suit. And then his story didn't add up...”
“Doesn't it?”
“Mr. Zima, he said he worked for...” His voice trailed off. His eyes widening as they locked onto mine.
“Yeah, what was it you said? … A fucking psycho? Well, name's Andrei, if you don't mind.” I grinned.
He stared at me. Frozen in terror. He tried to say something, but words didn't come to his mouth.
I kept talking. “And yes, he's a friend of mine. So, I'm guessing you can see what a foolish mistake you've made.”
“Oh, fuck, I'm sorry, man... please... I didn't do anything...”
“So, you didn't see the scar on his cheek, or what?”
“Y-yes, but, look, it's not the first time I've seen a cop with it, so I thought...”
“And why do you think is that?”
“They're trying hard to...”
I cut him off. “No. They work for me.”
He stared at me horrified. Guess he'd had some trouble with my people. His fault, since my guys know better than to bother someone who minds his own business.
“Now, so next time you see any of my guys, you think twice before messing with them.” I drew a knife. “Open your shirt.”
“Oh, Mr. Zima, please...”
“Told you, name's Andrei. And, your choice. Either you open your shirt, or I'll carve your face.”
“Okay, okay...” He proceeded to slowly unbutton his shirt.
“I don't have all day.” I said, shoving him against the wall. Then I tore his shirt open.
I held his mouth shut to mute his screams as I carved his chest – a crude X, as always. “Now, that's so you don't make any more mistakes. So you don't forget how it looks and what it means.”
He was already in tears. “Oh, fuck, I swear it's not gonna happen again, man...”
“No, I'm sure of that. Because this–” I stabbed him in the thigh, right into the bone. “–this is the actual price for your mistake.” Then I twisted it.
His screams echoed in the tiled room, and I realized I had made a mistake. The door wasn't fully closed, and the people outside had probably heard something. I decided to get out and disappear among the crowd before any idiot came poking their nose around.
