Chapter seventy-nine
Saturday August 10 continued
"Mark you dog!" Mort's voice cut through the noise behind him. Moose almost didn't hear his yell with the blood screaming in his ears. He had to catch his breath before he could speak.
"M-m-Mort..." Moose stood there, like he was seeing a ghost. When Mort gave him a bearhug, Moose almost went down like a punctured balloon.
"Good to see ya Mark. How's everyone? Your mom dad?"
"Fine fine. Everyone's fine" Moose was babbling. Hank saw he sinking like the Titanic.
"Hi Mort I'm Hank" he held out his hand. Mort took it, a firm warm - maybe too warm? -- grip returning his "you don't remember me. We were out here -- "
"Yeah you and some other guys from the team right? Right after - I mean after the Fourth wasn't it?" Mort felt his mistake, and was very rather taken aback Hank caught it as well.
"Yeah right after... that" Hank held the grip "but it looks like tonight is like another... big..." he was toying with him now almost. He knew and Mort knew and everyone was getting the picture fast "holiday..."
"I'm real surprised to see you" looking at Moose, then Hank "both out here tonight -- "
"We're meeting some... friends" Hank made sure Mort heard the emphasis "out here tonight... but I get the idea everyone's showing up before we even walked in. Everyone except the main -- "
"Mort how long's the wait?" Moose cut in, giving Hank a slight jab.
"Come with me" Mort looked around, beads of sweat starting to pour off his forehead "follow me now!" and he led them back to the hostess. He mumbled a few words to her, she gave him the strangest look, and he nodded back. He continued on, waving for them to follow him.
"Perhaps you two better tell me what brings you out here tonight?" Mort slipped them to a quiet area. Hank almost thought he was directing them to the bar before he halted them in a hallway.
"We're here for your great f-f-food" Moose had trouble meeting his gaze.
"And the rest" Hank looked at Moose, then Mort "you could say the 'floor show'."
"The what?!?!"
"So who's here already... Mort?" Moose clenched and unclenched his fists, the energy directing somewhere.
"Who? Here?"
"Y'know..." Hank put his hand on Moose's shoulder steadying him "Kroos here yet?"
Like a couple of kids caught ordering liquor with fake id's Mort grabbed them by the elbows and directed them back the way they came.
"Or we talk about all this... cousin..." Moose decided it was too late to be steered like he was the guilty party this time.
Like a couple of rock stars Mort led them through the main dining room, the place packed to the ceiling with an shocking assortment of customers, most of which were decked out for the place. After all Mort's was one of the "nicer" places in the area, not fancy, but famous enough to drop into the conversation at the next cocktail party to get the desired response. But the two were not being stared at because they were... was that it? As they went deeper into the room first Moose then Hank noticed more and more of the heads turning were guys. And they noticed that there a significant percentage of guys here tonight. In groups of twos and threes, even some tables of six. Maybe the food was attracting the "big eaters" or maybe not.
But something was odd here.
Mort led them further back and around until they came to another eating area, almost separated from the main area. It was behind one of the inner walls, and even had its own bar area. But that was not what caused the two to stumble and trip.
There must have been forty or fifty people sitting there, all of them guys!
Mort led them to a large long table towards the middle of the room, at which only two guys were sitting. Mort looked at Moose,
"Are you expecting more..." he glanced between the two pairs "of your friends?"
"Yeah Mort" Moose's hands were almost shaking as he grabbed the chair "from the... I mean the team..."
"You are assuming you expect me to send them back here" he put his hand on Moose's shoulder "can I talk to you a moment?" his grip hot and sweaty "in private?"
"This looks 'private'"Hank picked the chair opposite Moose's and sat down "or you mean the... 'other'... private."
Mort looked at him like he had been slapped then caught Moose's no-nonsense expression.
"Sit down cousin."
"I'll be right back" Mort wiped his forehead and slipped back towards the front. Moose sat down, or rather fell down into his chair.
"Shit that was not what I expected" Moose looked at Hank, then realized the two already seated were looking at him. He gave them a nod and muttered "hi."
"Hi" the older one said "you're Moose aren't you?"
"Wha? How-- "
"Relax big guy" he held out his hand "you probably -- "
"Who are you? How you know me?" Moose shot a look of horror at Hank "we're so fucked!"
The guy smiled "well last time I saw you - yeah you were" he held out his hand again "I was there that Saturday. You don't remember but I was the guy you... without -- "
Moose's face jumped like he was the one slapped this time "you! You were one of the bidding guys!" he looked at Hank "remember them?"
Hank looked at him and then recognized him. He thought he was heavier, shorter, but maybe it was the clothes? The lighting? He held out his hand and the guy shook it.
"I can understand you not wanting to shake my hand" the guy said, but Moose rolled his eyes and shook it. The guy sat back down.
"This is my ... associate, John... John Smith" indicating his friend with the goatee. He was in his late thirties or so, dark hair, rather nondescript but sharp deep blue eyes. He rose and held out his hand.
"How do you do" and Moose shook his hand, then Hank.
"Do I know you... too?" Moose's eyes did not leave him, watching him like a hawk ready to pounce.
"No" he also sat back down "I am sorry to say I was not lucky enough to..." he looked around "but I only know you by reputation. But your reputation does not do justice to..." he held out his hands indicating Mooses' form "you sir are more amazing in person than I expected."
"Thanks I think" Moose looked at Hank. Dude this is too fuckin weird! Hank nodded back.
"Were you also there?" the Mister Smith asked Hank.
"Yeah..." Hank gave a small smile "I was the one -- "
"A spear holder..." he looked at Mister Jones and gave a short chuckle "no doubt."
"Except it wasn't a spear I was holding" Hank laughed as well. That caused the two to laugh louder. A few heads turned to them. After all they were in the center of the room, at one of the "celebrity" tables, it seemed.
"So what brings you two specimens of primed masculine beefiness to this establishment?" Mister Jones asked. At that moment the waitress came over.
"Two more" he pointed at their empty drink glasses.
"And two beers for us" Moose added.
"Sorry" she gave them a withering look "you two are in... training" but she took the two empty glasses, taking their order.
"Same thing as you two I imagine" Hank looked at them, trying to figure out just who they were beneath all this. If they were the "investors" Joel was so afraid of, it might be a good idea to play along with them. It was dangerous, perhaps suicidal, but maybe it might lead them somewhere.
"Oh?" Mister Jones was not giving in "what might that be?"
"You don't know?" Moose was on to them, but also playing along.
"Is it something important?" were they playing twenty-questions or what?
"Oh you might say it's a big deal" Moose looked around the room, trying to see who he recognized, who might come to their assistance if push came to shove. A few forms started materializing, faces like round cartoons coming out of the brown fog. Or rather faces coming into focus as the pixilation fell away. He started to resolve some faces around the room, guys he knew from around town, like that one from church who refused to acknowledge him that morning. And that guy there, who just leaned forward from behind that other guy, he was at the Y this afternoon right? He heard laughter behind him, young voices laughing. He turned and there were some guys from the football team! Yeah it was them, because that Jorge was sitting with them. And there was Todd next to him, his face appearing from behind someone else's. They waved and gave him the thumbs up! Moose turned back without waving. Okay this was now beyond extreme weird; this was dangerous weird! He expected some guys to be here, but this? He had called the other "involved" wrestlers, but who the fuck are all these other guys? And the rest of the team was not - and then he saw a waitress escorting Ern and Doug in. Ern saw them and nodded; Doug looked around with the same expression Moose felt on his own face. He looked back to Mister Jones and Smith,
"Yeah you could say it's a big deal. A big hairy... muscled... uncut... deal!" enjoying the look of shock on Mister Smith's face. He stood up as Ern and Doug joined them, "took you two long enough! What, they wouldn't let you two runts in?"
"Something like that" Doug was starting to sit down next to Moose but was directed to the seat between Hank and Mister Jones. Doug just shrugged and went around the table, giving the two a strange look. Even Hank was surprised when he blurted out,
"You were there that Saturday, weren't you?"
"Yes I was" he held out his hand "Mister... Smi-I mean Jones" and they were even more surprised when Doug shook it. He even shook with the other guy who introduced himself as Mister Johnson this time. They shook hands with Ern as well. Ern looked at Moose hoping for a lead here.
The waitress returned with drinks for the two men, and a pitcher of cokes for the guys. Ern tried to protest but Moose told him Mort was on to them. At that Doug almost knocked over his glass.
"So Doug, what brings you out tonight?" Hank asked, the faintest wisp of a glance at Moose.
"Some other time" he looked around the room, then at the two "misters".
"Go ahead Doug" Moose swelled up to his biggest meanest look, the same look he gave an opponent squaring off in the ring "Hank needs t'know. Same for Ern here" he looked at Doug flipping his expression to calm and soothing "it's cool Doug, really."
"What is it?" Ern looked back and forth "something wrong?"
"Go ahead" Moose nodded at the two misters "in fact these two guys might even know already."
"Know what?"
"If not they sure as fuck would want to know" Moose gave them a look, perhaps more menacing than was healthy "tell'm."
"Moose you sure?" he dared not look at them "they probably are -- "
"Go on Doug" Moose lowered his voice more "before the rest of the dudes show up, y'get my drift."
"Fuck...." he started folding and unfolding his napkin "I told Moose" he looked at Ern, afraid to turn towards Hank "I saw somethin... something on the net while I was..."
"It's okay Doug" Moose looked at him "we know y'ain't gay okay?"
"I'm not!" he almost shouted, but a few heads still turned "I'm not... but I was surfin y'know and y'know how one link leads to... and then somethin else pops up and then you're someplace entirely different and shit well... there's this site it was an total accident... but... like.. we're there... we're like on it."
"What Doug is trying to choke out" Moose looked at Ern, keeping his face from the misters "is he found a website that has our shit on it -- "
"WHAT!?!?!" the two misters were out of the chairs like missiles "you said what?"
"From the docs'... we're on this pay site" he looked at Doug when he said that, but didn't make a point of it "and yeah it's us, all of us getting our butts poked and dicks choked and... wait!" Moose looked at him, ignoring the incoherent yelling coming from the misters "did you see me? Doug did you see any of us fro that Saturday?"
"No... I mean I don't think so..." he shot a look at the two men. He could not help it they were asking a barrage of questions now. Realizing they were attracting a whole truckload of attention from the entire room, they all sat down and quietly started to sort it all out. Doug explained about the faces being covered or altered. He did narate, or abreviate as the case was, a few of the files he did "accidentally" see. But it came out he did not see Moose, or himself for that matter, but he did mention names of those he recognized. With some assistance they had good hunches of the ones Doug did not recognize. As soon as he had been pumped for everything he knew, including the name of the site as best he could remember, Mister Smith was out of the room, talking into his cell phone fast. They were too busy talking to notice more guys being seated. When Moose looked over and saw the seats next to Ern being taken he almost forgot about what just happened!
Next to Doug was Jimmy "Baby Huey" Guenther, Matt Millman, some guy named Sam? and Brian from this afternoon and that Carl somebody. Shit, the whole fuckin minnow team was here almost. They looked at the rest of table,
"We cool here?" Brian looked at Moose.
"Yeah yeah sit down okay" Moose gestured them down, but it was more of a "take cover!" than "sit yer asses down" movement.
"We ain't gonna have trouble right?" Matt looked at them, expecting the taunts or flying fists to start any second.
"I'm tellin ya get down!" Moose looked around the room. As he expected - or feared - almost everyone was watching their every move now "we all here for the same reason okay? So like tonight we need a truce okay? Crapper to minnow truce okay?"
Brian looked around and sat down "deal" and the rest followed his lead. It was a good thing they did because it was not more than a minute before the waitress came over and sat two guys next to Ern. They all looked at them like they were from Mars. Nobody, not a single guy knew them.
"Okay before anyone starts anything" the one guy said, holding the chair like he was testing it for a weapon "I know you guys are all from North" looking around "football team" then to Moose and crew "wrestlers right?"
"Fuckin shit!" Brian got up "I know you two now! Hammes and Bryerson -- "
"Braersten" the taller one said, his eyes shooting fire.
"Fuckin South Toymen!" Brian glared at them. Even Moose got up. It looked like an even deeper grudge - no hatred - than the minnows-crappers rivalry was going to boil over. Here in the flesh was the Devil himself, the arch-enemies from the arch-rival school. South! If armed gunmen had materialized in their midst it coud not have been worse!
It was Hank who spoke up,
"Everyone sit down and shut the fuck up!" he looked around the room "we're not gonna ruin anybody's night because" he stared them down like nobody's business "this night is way WAY too important to get hijacked by some school shit. Siddown!"
There was some grumbling and worse but after a few moments most asses were landing on chairs. Except Hank's.
"I got me a good idea why you two are here - no shuttup and listen! -- and the same reason all of us are here" he heard Brian start to make some snide comments "and if I hear anyone use the f-word - and I don't mean the one rhymes with 'duck' you know what word I mean... Brian! Anybody's start throwing that word around this table's gonna be up there with Kroos you got it?" he looked around the table, trying not to look at Doug. Hammes made a muttering under his breath and Hank stared him down, "you got it?"
"Okay okay I think we're all cool here" Moose looked around the group "thank you coach Jenkins for that rousing speech" and most of the guys cracked up. Some were just too freaked to say boo. Like Jimmy for one. Doug could feel the waves of heat radiating off his nearest shoulder and hip. He looked over at him, trying to make some peace,
"Y'goin out this year?"
"Fuck I hope to" he gulped fast "I wasn't supposed to say that word! Damn!" he slunk down in his chair, if that was possible for his girth.
"Baby you are the stupidest!" Brian sneered at him "it ain't the 'fuck' word it's the 'fa--"
"Don't say it!" Matt actually grabbed him by the neck "he's serious!"
"Fuck like he could do it" he flipped Hank off.
"Maybe not but these gentlemen might" Hank indicated Mister "Johnson" returning to the table "dudes these guys are... well they can introduce themselves."
Mister Johnson aka Jones and Mister Smith took their seats without a word.
"You could say they are our..." Hank gave them the most benign look he could muster on the fly "our 'guardian angels' for the night, you might say."
"Introductions later gentlemen" Mister Johnson aka Jones sat down, gulping half his drink "but I am rather... surprised to see such an unusual turnout for such a... unusual... event" his eyes boring into each one in turn, going around the table "I assume you all know each other?"
"Yeah" Brian looked at him "but we don't know who you two guys are? Who are you?"
Moose could actually hear several of the guys, mostly the wrestlers, take in a gulp of air. It even seemed the rest of the room got quiet, tensing for the answer. At that moment the waitress showed up with two more guys. This time it was Moose's turn to gulp in the thinning air. If it wasn't their old buddies, Chuck and Gill!
The waitress was considerate enough to seat them at a table right in Moose's line of vision. They both made the slightest of nods and sat down at their separate table. Moose felt a bead of sweat run down his ear. He almost forgot about the brittle stand-off at his own table.
The waitress came over to their main table and started taking dinner orders. Once one guy ordered a steak sandwich it started echoing around the table. However Moose and a few of the wrestling team ordered the Porterhouse. The two Misters raised their eyebrow then did the same. They were half-way through their orders, or changing their orders, when another warm body materialized behind Moose. He turned and there was the screwed-tight face of Mort. Almost holding him up was Klu! And with Klu was Will and Bo... and then escorting himself in was Billy! Then Moose felt his heart skip a beat. With Billy, looking almost like he did not want to have Mort see him was the Soulman. Mort had his back to them so did not see them take a small table off tothe side not far enought from Chuck and Gill. Regardless Mort looked down the "main" table, an expression of numb shock on his face. He looked like he just either won or lost the lottery. Big time!
The main group took the remaining seats at the table, some of them spilling over to the other "reserved" table. At first there was some tenseness when the football players saw the wrestlers pour in. Hank just looked at the newcomers and said "we're all cool here. Stay that way!" and everyone sat down. The waitress was too busy taking the rest of the orders to notice a buzz then a hush go through the crowd. Moose even heard a knife fall to the floor. Without turning where he sat, almost expecting a fanfare of trumpets and the herald announce, your lords and ladies, His Royal Highness! The King!!!
"Elvis has entered the building."