Mercenary Wolf

Ch 11 reality sucks

The dad started speaking.

"This is how this is going to work. For now, it stays between you, me, and Little Wolf. You do not speak of it to your men."

I started to say something and the dad's look hardened.

"NO. You listen."

His voice held a touch of a growl. He wasn't asking, he was commanding. His eyes on me were a hard wolf's stare. He leaned forward slightly. I moved back further in my spot on the couch, couldn't help it.

"I am The Black Wolf. I tell you, the wolf protects its own. You think you watch over your little establishment here? You cannot compare with me protecting my own," his voice growled.

"Your friend? You can't understand. You can't help, not with that," he continued. "You haven't thought through the ramifications. I have spent my life thinking of nothing else. You haven't considered the possible different scenarios. I have. You want to walk in my world big man? Come back down to the basement again with me if you dare."

I know I was breathing hard. Hell no I didn't want to walk in his world! The ramifications? Jimbo was living them! I needed into that world, I knew that much. The very thought of going back down those stairs with him terrified me.

And he watched over his own. And I was debating recruiting his kid. Shit.

I know the monster I saw when he first came in, and he freely admitted to having killed a man. Killer wolf who would literally rip a throat out and not think twice about it. And his son knew and loved him, that was obvious.

He made me feel like a coward for never having the guts to speak about the guy I had killed, not even to Jimbo, who knew. And I would give my life for Jimbo!

The ramifications, he had said. My mind tried to picture a life like that. My mind ran away like a coward instead and focused on the man... spit it out, I told myself, the WEREWOLF, in front of me.

Wolf staring at me. I began to understand Jimbo's shakes. I did not want to be on the bad side of this killer who openly called himself the black wolf.

"We do black ops."

"Mac!"

Some of the guys protested my blurting that out.

"Shut it!"

I barely looked at the guys before focusing on the black wolf who had become the man who sat across from me.

"We run certain types of gigs, usually overseas. We have different teams we swap out between. I was considering recruiting your son. I won't."

He sat back and smiled, a hard knowing smile, arms stretched out along the back of the couch. I hated how at ease he was in my home, while I was a total and complete basket case.

"Little Wolf is his own man," he said. "The decision is his to make, not mine. Mac, believe me that for now, are you listening? For now, it is better not to say anything. In time," the dad paused, leaning forward again, "perhaps. Tell your friend.. no, that won't work. He'd never find the pointe with his handicap. Little Wolf?"

"He needs... tell Lone Wolf to work on endurance and coordination. He'll know what I mean."

I almost choked. He expected me to call my brother Lone Wolf? Hell, why not just yell it out to the world! And what damn handicap?

"Seriously? You're calling him Lone Wolf?" I spat out incredulously.

"There's a reason. He didn't give me anything to call him," Rick said grinning. "Why not keep to a wolf theme? You just call him Lone Wolf. He'll understand."

Yeah right, I didn't even understand, and I had seen... I still didn't want to really think about what I'd seen.

"Tell him you met my dad, who's willing to help. You just have to be confused about what. If he wants, we can set up a meet. We can let you know roughly where the pointe is. He might be able to find it. As much noise as he makes you'd hear him if he was anywhere around," the kid said turning toward his dad.

His dad nodded. All I could think was acting confused would be a piece of cake. That, and I wouldn't be keeping anything from Jimbo.

"Tell him I said he's got to double down on what I asked of him when he meets my dad."

"What did you ask of him?" his dad asked.

Rick got up and whispered in his dad's ear.

"Triple down. He comes to me acting like that and I'll knock him into tomorrow. You can tell him I said so."

I knew what behavior they were talking about. The kind of behavior that had him letting that other kid just slap him across the face. The kind of behavior that had Jimbo dropping to his knees in front of Rick, or should I say Little Wolf.

"And that's suppose to gain his confidence so he'll trust you to help? Threatening to knock him out?"

It eased my mind though that they didn't want him acting like that. I didn't want him acting like that either.

Rick laughed at my comment and his dad pointed at me with steepled fingers.

"I told you. You can't understand the circumstances he's in. The ramifications..."
he shook his head.

I wondered what ramifications I wasn't thinking of. Jimbo was the real brains and he...

"Mac, before this is over I have a feeling I'm going to need the help of you and your men. I will try, I swear, I will give my life trying to keep them safe. I can't guarantee it. You want your friend out? I swear to you I want it even more."

My heart was pounding. He'd give his life protecting my men, and the wolf protected its own. There were connections here my brain just wasn't making. I couldn't see how he could want more for Jimbo than I did. And wanting him out? Could this be undone?

"There is an obvious wrongness where he's at. Until we know what kind of situation we're dealing with," another pause while he shook his head. "I don't have enough information yet to know what we need to do in order to deal with it."

Somehow I got the impression he wasn't talking about undoing anything. He meant the situation that had Jimbo accepting that slap.

"You lead your men. Think about the danger you would be leading them into this time. They think they would follow you anywhere. Are you willing to lead them there? Are you willing to take that risk for them?"

He was right, my men would follow me. Would they follow me into... could I put them in front of... My brain kept wanting to rebel.

"You need time to think about it, really think about it, and come to grips with with whatever decision you make. You aren't a coward if you say no. You aren't a hero if you say yes. This life isn't for everyone. I don't think your friend was given a choice."

Father and son headed out. He stopped at the door.

"Mac, Little Wolf and I will stop by in the morning after breakfast. Do a bit of wrestling on your mat if you don't mind. Come son."