Salamangka: 12SS 2020

Criminal: Galahad the Golden #3

Galahad just learned what 'breaking into a cold sweat' really meant. His blood drained from his face, his skin taut, cold, and pale. His breathing became shallow, his heart skipped a beat. And a single, ice-cold bead of sweat rolled down his forehead, his brow, his cheek, down to his half-mask.

"Those are dead bodies," he rasped, his throat dry as he looked at the two man-shaped black plastic garbage bags held together with duct tape lying on the floor of the warehouse.

"Yeah," Kong said, baritone voice muffled under a half-mask. "Now go ahead and burn them."

"What?" Galahad snapped, looking up at the bald, pot-bellied, dark brown-skinned giant standing next to him on the right.

"Burn them," Kong shrugged.

"B-But I thought...," Galahad shook his head, taking a step back. "Mr. Gray said this was an arson job."

"Mr. Gray said to burn the warehouse and everything in it," Blue, also wearing a mask, said as she walked around the two bodies.

"I... I misunderstood," Galahad turned away and started pacing to and fro. "I thought I was only going to burn the warehouse."

Kong glanced at Blue, nodding for her to talk to Galahad. She glared at him, shaking her head.

"I can't..." Galahad stopped as bile rose from his stomach to his throat, threatening to come out his mouth. He swallowed, hand over his mouth. "I can't burn those people," he shook his head.

"Why not?" Kong said. "They're already dead; they won't feel a thing."

"No," Galahad waved his hands as he turned away, shaking his head. "No, no."

Kong stared at Blue, nodded for her to talk to Galahad. Blue flashed Kong a middle finger as she walked to Galahad.

"Look, Golden," Blue said, placing her hand on Galahad's shoulder, Galahad turning around to face her. "I know you're still new at this, I get it. This sucks, but it's the job. We're metahumans for hire. We use our powers as we're told, and Mr. Gray pays us really good money for it."

"This isn't what I signed up for," Galahad shook his head, looking away.

"Why did you sign up with Mr. Gray in the first place?" Blue asked. "I know, it's the money," Blue nodded, "but why? What's the money for?"

Galahad thought of his parents. Even before he'd lost his job when the pandemic hit, they'd already been struggling to make ends meet. Between his Mom needing dialysis twice a week, and his Dad partially paralyzed from a stroke last year, their medical expenses had been already been overwhelming.

"Or better yet, who is the money for?" Blue asked, cupping Galahad's cheek in her hand while staring into his eyes

"My parents," Galahad said.

"That's as good a reason as any," Blue's eyes smiled over her half-mask. "I have a sister I'm putting through high school. Kong there, the big ape, has a brother he's putting through medical school – and you know med school ain't cheap."

Galahad glanced at Kong over Blue's shoulder.

"Now c'mon then," Blue took Galahad's hand, "let's all get paid so we can all help our loved ones."

"Who are those guys?" Galahad said as he stood before the dead bodies once more.

Kong looked at Blue. Blue nodded, her hand slipping out of Galahad's, and squeezing him on his shoulder.

"Drug dealers, most likely," Kong said. "You know how President Duterte hates drug dealers."

"Mr. Gray takes jobs from the government?" Galahad asked.