14

Tidal Bore//Baby, You're Out!

Atticus is playing some old indie song, his headset half on, probably trying to ignore me. He looks worn out, but not as bad as he did a couple of weeks ago. His bruises have faded and he’s cleaner than he’s probably been in years, but I know that’s not what he sees in the mirror. He sees what I want him to see, which is still a desperate lowlife. As long as he feels insufficient, I can keep draining him of everything he has. Truly the best deal I could have possibly made and it was almost too easy. He is simultaneously the nectar and the worker bee, providing everything that a queen bee like me could need and I don’t have to do anything but make sure the system is running smoothly. Each individual in this city is a flower, providing the nutrients we need to survive. We all need each other.
“Atti, what am I to you? Chopped liver? Stop ignoring me.” I lean forward to rest my arms on his desk.
He looks up, uninterested as always, “Give me a reason not to, then. You are also just sitting there silently. Besides, the way you stare at me is unsettling and I try to pretend you’re not there.”
“Ugh, whatever. Are you writing anything good for your opening set tomorrow night?”
He slides his notebook from behind a radio so it’s visible, but pushes it back so I can’t read anything, “I sure hope so. I’ll go over it with Sunny and George in the morning, though.”
“Sunny and George?” I furrow my brows, this is the first I’ve heard of this.
“Yes, Sunny and George, they’re coming over to the station tomorrow before the show to hang out for a bit.”
“So you’ll show them what you’re working on, but not me? And I’m just now hearing about this?”
“You’re not my fucking mother, and I’ll still be here running the station, so lay off. And it’s not like they can go to the show, you’ll enjoy it more if you hear the jokes presented the way they’re meant to be.” It actually amazes me how well he manages to stay monotone despite the words being so aggro.
I cross my arms and don’t respond. He has a point, I don’t need to see anything yet, I’m just annoyed by the fact that he invited people over without double checking with me.
“For fuck’s sake, Di, I’m not kicking you out, I’m not disrespecting you in any way, you get my attention every other hour of the day, give me a break! I’m still an individual as far as I know.”
“Hardly.”
With that comment, he finally slides the headset fully off and runs his hands through his hair the way he does when he’s stressed. “Okay, now’s as good a time as any, not like I can pull out this late in the game, what’s the contract? What bullshit did I impulsively agree to?”
“If you can’t do anything, why’s it matter now?”
“Because you seem to be upset with everything I do, so there must be a reason for that and maybe, just maybe, if you fucking communicated what you want from me, we could both benefit. And besides, Moony has made a couple of concerning comments that I’d like explained.”
“He would say something.” I sigh, “I suppose I can tell you what matters.”
He hits a couple of buttons on the equipment around him and reclines in his chair, “I’m all yours.”
“I know, that’s the point. By agreeing to my help, you also agreed to give me yourself. I told you that not many people worship me or what I represent, so I’m using you as a conduit for more worship, simply put.”
“Not sure I’m following.”
“You’ll understand eventually, ideally when it’s too late.” I stand up, “I have shit to do though, so I’ll be leaving now.”
“You hardly even explained! You’re just leaving because you’re jealous and mad at me for caring about people who aren’t you.” He laughs, and I hate that it’s genuine.
I slam the door on my way out.
I take the elevator down to the docks, where my boat is waiting for me. He’s having Sunny over tomorrow? What, does Atticus think he can do whatever he wants all of a sudden? I can’t believe this, and I can’t have him thinking he can settle with what he has, let alone be happy with it. No matter how many times I feed the idea into him that Sunny hates him or that he’s useless, he just can’t seem to embrace it. No, I need to do something, or else my plan won’t work, and things have been going quite well for me thus far.
Eun-Min won’t care enough to help me here, so I suppose I’ll have to go straight to Jackson. He’s an easy scapegoat and we have a mutual goal here, even if for different reasons. He doesn’t need to know my reason, though, then he wouldn’t agree to help. I hop into my boat and let it push me as far inland as the water will allow and then walk the rest of the way to the Centurion.
The lift dings as I arrive at Jackson’s quarters. Normally this wouldn’t be easy, but none of the guards even noticed me pass by. Jackson is seated at his desk working on what I assume is a new song for the show tomorrow night. Regardless of how insufferable he is, I understand why Eun-Min chose him for the role of mob boss. He’s talented enough to be successful, unlikable enough that nobody will look up to him, and immature enough to do foul things to others in order to keep himself in control of the city. Nobody likes this man, they simply tolerate and fear him. I’d love to know what Eun-Min took from him.
“Hiiiii Jack.” I cross the room and lean on his desk, looking down on him, “Whatcha up to?”
He raises an eyebrow, “Working, can I help you? I don’t think you’ve visited without Moon before, I can call for him if that’s who you’re looking for.”
He begins to stand but I put a hand on his shoulder from across the desk, pushing him back down, and then take a seat in the extra chair. “No need, it’s you that I’m here for. I have a proposition that I think you’ll like. Don’t worry, I’m not trying to do anything behind Eun-Min’s back or lock you into another contract, just looking for a favor.”
He settles back into his chair and tilts his chin up, curious, “Go on.”