Inside the Comfy Cartel

Tell Me Why

I gagged, gripping the arm of the recliner as I held back the desire to throw my fist into the thing nearest my line of sight. The thought of him was making me sick again. It felt like swallowing tacks for snacks.

Sykkuno tilted his head, confused. "Him? Huh...can't say I know who you speak of."

"He was apparently Toast's latest target." I sighed sharply.

"Toast's latest target..." He scratched his jaw before snapping his fingers. "Oh, his long term mission! Yeah, he had mentioned something about hunting down a guy who disfigured the family friend, Jack. Didn't mention a name though. The guy apparently had minuscule, if not nonexistent, connections with local gangs in the area. Even the Spanish Cartel reached out to us about the matter...I guess he was wanted for a lot of reasons. Toast also begrudgingly mentioned something about his target being offed by someone else before he could do the deed."

I avoided eye contact with Sykkuno as he leaned closer to me. "You...weren't that 'someone else,' by chance...were you, Corpse?"

I remained silent, a response that pretty much screamed "yes." Not like admitting to it would have made me any cooler or if that were the idea. My eyes darted for the analog clock on the wall. 09:30. Dammit. This was gonna be a long day...

Sykkuno lowered his gaze before leaning back into his loveseat cushion. It felt like he was interrogating me. But he didn't seem like the type. Not unless he wanted me to think like that...or not. I could not get a fucking grasp on this guy's motives.

"What was his name?" He asked softly.

"Not important." I said, still not looking him in the eyes.

"Uh...why not?"

"None of your business."

"Why is that?"

"What's it to you if I tell?" I spat.

"I just...Don Scarra usually assigns the newbies in Toast's division. Thus, he makes them my partner first if the position is open, and it currently is. If that's how it's going to be, I just get the impression it could cost us both down the line to keep personal secrets...well, personal." Sykkuno took another sip from his mug.

...was he saying they thought me a table scrap?

Sykkuno continued. "It could open a whole can of worms if certain people hunt you down or make things worse for you through a random encounter. Would they want you offed for killing him? Would they want me offed as well for being affiliated with you?" Sykkuno pulled out a sucker, unwrapping it and popping the red candy in his mouth. He pulled another out and gestured for me to take it. I shook my head.

I bit my lip. I couldn't deny he was right. Where did all this reason come from all of a sudden?

Sykkuno scratched the back of his head, sheepishly. "...and I'm also a little worried about you after today."

"...worried?" I asked. He was...worried about me? That term rarely appeared on my radar of emotions. To think he would honestly give a rip about me and my condition...it made my heart feel a little warmth in the void.

Sykkuno nodded compassionately. "Yeah...I haven't really had a partner collapse on me in recent days. Actually, by recent days I mean never at all. I want a reason for why I may have to write it in a report, or why we ended up at my apartment and not somewhere else more inconspicuous...that is if you are comfortable with th—"

"Terminal illnesses." I cut him off. "...I have quite a few. Muscle pains, acid reflux, possibly arthritis. I don't even fucking know sometimes. They just take a lot out of me if I overdo it. And...guess today, I overdid it. Sorry for the scare...partner."