Click

The pounding roused Mathias from a deep sleep. “What.” he said grouchily. He was less nice to non-family when he had only a few hours of sleep. Was it biased. Yes, and he had zero shame about it.

“Candyman! It’s Click.” The voice on the other side of the door called, knocking again.

“Dude it’s after hours you better have a mighty need coming here.”

“Suddenly you’re too good for cash money?” The other boy joked. “Come on, man, I promised some people, and they wanna go to Elysium. I want to show em what good shit is. They buy from me - I buy from you, just open the damn door man.”

“You’re lucky I like you.” Mathis groused opening the door. “What do you want? Stores open.” He said through a yawn.

“Fifteen percent of your take from last night.” An unknown voice said, pushing past Click into the home. “Show of good faith.”

Arch was a lanky man near 7 feet tall with dark hair and eyes, nicknamed because the top of his head scraped doorways. “My employer is looking to branch out, and 15% will let them know you’re willing to play ball.”

This wasn't the first time this had ever happened. Mathias had doubted it would be the last. You don’t work this kind of work and expect this kind of stuff not to happen. But there were rules, decorum you respected and ever so often some jackass though he was above it. Like some syphilis dick Al Capone who could throw his weight around.

Mathis didn’t survive by playing fair either. He kept a bat Serena had bedazzled behind the door and swung it at Lurches leg. “Dose this LOOK like a fucking place of business!” Mathis snarled, striking at the man mercilessly.

The lanky man screamed as he was hit, Click - not wanting any of that - tore off down the alleyeay. Arch was taken off guard, but he wasn’t unprepared. He reached inside of his jacket to pull out a small pistol.

Cyd was passed out - happily on a beach drinking something out of half a pineapple when the scream jolted her awake. “What the hell?” She asked while running into the living room, keeping Serena behind her.

Mathias swung like he was trying for a home run and the hand was a baseball. “This is my GODDAMNED HOME.” He hissed swinging again. “You wana deal, you don’t come in my home like you own it, you want me to play ball? Batter fucking up!” Mathis said, swinging one last time. “You talk to me at the club, at the raves’, like a proper respectful goon. I ever see you lurking about. I’ll kill you so I don’t care how you do it but get out before I change my mind.”

Arch’s hands were bloodied up from being struck, his leg in agony, the only thing he could do was crawl out the door. He left the gun behind and wisely he chose not to inform the madman with the glittery bat that his boss would be less than pleased. He didn’t get paid enough for this shit.

Once the over sized roach crawled out the door Mathias slammed it closed locking it. He looked at the smear of blood on the floor and then to Cyd. “If you say this is why we can’t have rugs again …” Mathias said, trying to preempt the remarks.

“You all right?” She asked, worriedly looking him over. “He didn’t cut you, did he?”

“Me? No … I’m good.” He said putting the slightly bloodied bat down, back next to the door. “We’re good, everything is good. Where's the mop …”

“Kitchen,” she directed, quirking an eyebrow. “And this is exactly why we can’t have rugs. Show’s over,” she told Serena, ushering the teen back to bed. “Just leave the mess, I’ll clean it up in the morning. Or early afternoon. Sometime.”