He took another sip as Jaxen recounted his story. He tilted his head, staring at the ice in his glass, the beads of condensation that formed, idly feeling it with his fingertips, thinking. About what? Well, as to that, he couldn't rightly put his finger on it. He wasn't one to worry too much about life or anything. Knowing what he knew, looking for meaning was frankly a circle jerk of wasted effort.
Life was what it was.
Or rather, meaning was a fool's errand.
On the other hand, finding new places to play, new things to explore, well...why wouldn't he be interested? "Well, I could probably get us going in a fast car. You could too for that matter. And getting someone to put a gun to my head is cake. I got like five people who'd probably do it if I asked." He barked a laugh."Probably one or two who'd do it without me asking." His smile darkened and his voice became a little sharper. "If they thought they'd get away with it." That little bitch Pytor from the Kolos, for example. But he didn't have the balls and so Mik didn't worry.
He took another drink. "But plenty of folks drive fast or feel steel on the back of their heads without hooking up with snake people. So I guess that's not a sure thing." He tapped Jaxen's shoulder lightly. "But maybe hook a guy up if you are gonna go off with Aiden Finnegan. He's fucking hot." He laughed, as if it were a joke. Fame and celebrity didn't interest him. Sure, for a lay or whatever. Maybe. Mostly out of curiosity. Or bragging rights. But being in the public eye didn't stop you from being a slouch in sack if that is what you already were. Sometimes it made it worse, even, if that were possible.
But Aiden could be an exception. And at least he'd have the experience.
Anyway, back to bar. Jaxen's nudge of the foot was friendly. Best part of a bar was when you made a connection with people. Those little threads seemed to form fairly easily and he just sort of gathered them up into himself. Wasn't really something he thought about. But there they were and easy enough to pluck at and pull on.
Like right now for example. Jaxen wanted to know about the Almaz. Ok. So first things first. Because Mik needed to get this on the record. "So wait. How's a rich little queen ike you not know about the Almaz? You must've pissed someone off big time for everyone to keep it a secret from you."
So now, normally he would pull on one of those threads- in this case Elena de Armas, and give her a little call to swing an opening into Almaz. He did all right, mostly, but the cover for Almaz was a bit more than he had most times. But Elena owed him a few favors. And she was sweet on him in that old lady kinda way. Which wasn't to say he didn't enjoy her even if she was nearing 40. Old wine and alla that. And she never wanted more from him that the occasional favor, anyway. That and maybe a bit of arm candy when she wanted to be daring, and of course a little of the other fun stuff. The cover price was probably about what she spent on bread for the week too, so not like it bothered her.
But then again, Jaxen..."Trust me when I say it is definitely a club we should visit. I mean the hotties are a great reason. The help, of course. But people like to dress...." He thought for a moment. "Well, they like to be daring when there will be blood, I'll tell you that."
And then his smile became a wide grin. "Oh yeah, man. The games and fights are what it's about. I've got a friend who normally hooks me up. But if your family hasn't disowned you, we'd probably be able to get in without issue."
He shrugged, checking his wallet for the time. "Probably have something good going on tonight. You down?"
Life was what it was.
Or rather, meaning was a fool's errand.
On the other hand, finding new places to play, new things to explore, well...why wouldn't he be interested? "Well, I could probably get us going in a fast car. You could too for that matter. And getting someone to put a gun to my head is cake. I got like five people who'd probably do it if I asked." He barked a laugh."Probably one or two who'd do it without me asking." His smile darkened and his voice became a little sharper. "If they thought they'd get away with it." That little bitch Pytor from the Kolos, for example. But he didn't have the balls and so Mik didn't worry.
He took another drink. "But plenty of folks drive fast or feel steel on the back of their heads without hooking up with snake people. So I guess that's not a sure thing." He tapped Jaxen's shoulder lightly. "But maybe hook a guy up if you are gonna go off with Aiden Finnegan. He's fucking hot." He laughed, as if it were a joke. Fame and celebrity didn't interest him. Sure, for a lay or whatever. Maybe. Mostly out of curiosity. Or bragging rights. But being in the public eye didn't stop you from being a slouch in sack if that is what you already were. Sometimes it made it worse, even, if that were possible.
But Aiden could be an exception. And at least he'd have the experience.
Anyway, back to bar. Jaxen's nudge of the foot was friendly. Best part of a bar was when you made a connection with people. Those little threads seemed to form fairly easily and he just sort of gathered them up into himself. Wasn't really something he thought about. But there they were and easy enough to pluck at and pull on.
Like right now for example. Jaxen wanted to know about the Almaz. Ok. So first things first. Because Mik needed to get this on the record. "So wait. How's a rich little queen ike you not know about the Almaz? You must've pissed someone off big time for everyone to keep it a secret from you."
So now, normally he would pull on one of those threads- in this case Elena de Armas, and give her a little call to swing an opening into Almaz. He did all right, mostly, but the cover for Almaz was a bit more than he had most times. But Elena owed him a few favors. And she was sweet on him in that old lady kinda way. Which wasn't to say he didn't enjoy her even if she was nearing 40. Old wine and alla that. And she never wanted more from him that the occasional favor, anyway. That and maybe a bit of arm candy when she wanted to be daring, and of course a little of the other fun stuff. The cover price was probably about what she spent on bread for the week too, so not like it bothered her.
But then again, Jaxen..."Trust me when I say it is definitely a club we should visit. I mean the hotties are a great reason. The help, of course. But people like to dress...." He thought for a moment. "Well, they like to be daring when there will be blood, I'll tell you that."
And then his smile became a wide grin. "Oh yeah, man. The games and fights are what it's about. I've got a friend who normally hooks me up. But if your family hasn't disowned you, we'd probably be able to get in without issue."
He shrugged, checking his wallet for the time. "Probably have something good going on tonight. You down?"
"Good and ill.
We're like the wind,
we blows both ways."
- Mad Sweeney, American Gods
- Mad Sweeney, American Gods