A Made Man

by chillbook1

Small-Time Players

“So…” said Vinyl, keeping pace with the Doctor as they strolled through the busy mid-morning streets. “How’d you meet Octavia?”

“You know about her arms?” asked the Doctor. Vinyl nodded. “Well, she came into my clinic one day to see about solving her pain. Like all the doctors she saw before me, I told her that there wasn’t anything I could do about it. What neither of us knew was that she was being watched by the Apple family. They assumed that Mel was there on business, and they torched my clinic. They would’ve killed me if Mel wasn’t there. She said she owed me, so she gave me a job. It started off as being a medic for our foot soldiers, but I climbed my way to the position I am in now.”

“Wait, you’re actually a doctor?”

“You sound surprised.”

“Well, I thought doctors had a ‘do no harm’ policy,” said Vinyl. The Doctor chuckled, turning the corner and heading down a significantly less busy side street. Vinyl followed, not knowing exactly where they were going or what the Doctor planned for her to do. She didn’t mind too much, with quick-thinking being one of her greater skills.

“Yeah, well, shit changes. I had a change of perspective. When I graduated from med school, I swore an oath to apply all required measures for the benefit of the sick. I promised to always look for a way to cure all disease. I spent years training, learning the body, building my very own practice.” The Doctor sighed as he thought on how things had gone so far off the rails. “And four men snatched it all away from me in one night, in one single motion. And, at that point, I realized that it was pointless to try and heal everyone. The very city is diseased. You can’t cure that.”

“So you decided to become the disease?”

“It pays far better.”

It was silent for a few as the two continued down the street, eventual stopping at a small house on the corner. The Doctor went around back, leaving Vinyl waiting at the front. He returned a few short moments later with a small silver flask. He slipped it into her hand, grinning while he did.

“How well do you hold your liquor?” he asked.

“Pretty well.”

“Not this, you don’t. Stronger than the dreck we’ve been calling cider ever since prohibition passed. When I was patching folks up for Mel, I’d give this to patients who needed amputations.” The Doctor chuckled darkly. “A week later, they’d come up to me, asking what the hell happened to their fingers.”

“What am I supposed to do with this?” asked Vinyl. “And, follow up question, what can I do to ensure I still have all my appendages by the time we’re done?” The Doctor gave a good-natured chuckle, patting Vinyl on the back.

“You’re going to drink it in the presence of a police officer,” said the Doctor. “As for the appendages, all I can promise you is that I’ll try my best to show restraint. Now tuck that away and come on, Ms. Scratch. Getting caught over here won’t do us any good. My guy works Midtown, so we’ve got a bit of a walk.”

Vinyl nodded, slipped the flask into her pocket, and began walking alongside the Doctor. Things remained silent for the first three blocks of their journey. After After a spell of quiet, the Doctor decided that it was his turn to ask some questions of his own.

“What are you and Mel up to?” he asked. “What is all of this for?”

“I've gotten myself into enough trouble by running my mouth,” said Vinyl. “Even if I knew for sure, I couldn't tell you. Octavia would kill me.” The Doctor laughed, which annoyed Vinyl to no end. “I didn't know that me getting shot was that damn funny.”

“No, sorry. You misunderstood,” said the Doctor. “I'm laughing because you think she's actually going to hurt you.”

“Why wouldn't she?”

“Because you're cute, a bit smart-mouthed, and a hard worker. Just her type. She'll never hurt you if she can help it.”

Vinyl shook her head, not buying into the Doctor’s idea. It was ridiculous. Octavia must’ve hated her for the shit she got them both in. Besides, if Octavia threatened and kidnapped the women she was interested in, then Vinyl wasn’t sure if she wanted anything to do with her.

“You ever feel like you’ve bitten off more than you can chew?” asked Vinyl. “Like you’ve made a mistake you can’t ever fix?”

“Only every day. We’re pretty similar, you and I,” said the Doctor. “Small-time players in a big-time game. But we get by. Always have, always will. You’re a resourceful gal, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I guess you could say it like that.” Vinyl sighed, wishing she could take a drink from that flask right then and there. “I’m in over my head…”

“And you’ll survive. It’s what people like us do. Which is why I’m not at all doubting your chances in the box,” said The Doctor. He stopped Vinyl, pointing to the corner on the other end of the street they were on. “There ya go, Scratch. Just ‘round that corner is my guy’s beat. So go on, have some fun, and I’ll see you in the morning.”

“This is a bad idea,” said Vinyl.

“Well, frankly, we don’t get paid enough to give a damn.”

Vinyl shook her head, slipping the flask out of her pocket. With one last cautious look at The Doctor, she took a deep sip and headed down the street, hoping, for the first time in her life, that she’d attract the attention of the police.

---

Octavia walked briskly through the factory, hoping that she wasn’t especially late. Limestone never told her exactly when to turn up for work, but, somehow, Octavia didn’t think such things mattered. Hopefully, Octavia would be able to catch Limestone in a good mood, assuming she was capable of such things.

“What? No! I said no, you stupid bitch! Don’t fucking—! Don’t you fucking—! Don’t you fucking cut me off!”

Apparently, Octavia would have no such luck. She hurried up to Limestone’s office, waiting for her employer to call on her.

“Look, I’m not going to fucking do it. It’s not gonna—! I swear to fucking God, if you talk over me again, I will punch every one of your teeth down your fucking throat!” It got quiet for a bit, which led Octavia to believe that Limestone was on the phone. “Listen to me. Are you listening? Shut the fuck up and listen! I wouldn’t sit down with that selfish, stuck-up, self-serving cunt for all the cash in the world. No, I don’t care if you want it. No! Don’t come here! If you like having all ten of your fingers, you stay your fat ass home. I mean it! If you show your face around here, I’ll chop your fucking hand off, stir-fry it, and shove it down your goddamn throat! You hear me?! Stay home!”

Octavia winced as Limestone slammed the phone down, then gave a loud, almost bestial shout. Her blood ran cold, but Octavia brought her fist up and knocked anyway. The last thing she wanted to do right now was be in a room with a clearly pissed Limestone, but her options were pretty limited. She had to make this work. If not for her sake, then for Maud’s.

The door flew open, revealing a huffing, panting, rabid-looking Limestone Pie. She looked Octavia up and down, like a lion to a gazelle, before grabbing her by the collar and dragging her into the room. Limestone kicked the door shut, then shoved Octavia into a chair across from her desk.

“What did you hear?” snarled Limestone.

“From about the bit where you kept getting cut off,” said Octavia.

“That was the whole damn conversation, be specific.”

“I believe your exact words were ‘I said no, you stupid bitch’.” Octavia noted Limestone’s twitching eye and clenched fist, deciding to proceed with caution. “But, if anyone asks, I didn’t hear a damn thing.”

“Good answer. What do you want?” Limestone swiped the phone off of her desk and took a seat on its surface. “You better be here for a reason.”

“Wanted to give you an update, ma’am. I sent Vinyl to gather some information for me. I’ll have a plan for your police issue within a week,” reported Octavia. “But, for now, if you have anything that needs doing…”

“Matter a fact, I’m glad you’re here,” said Limestone. “The Apple family are trying to make moves on Manehattan. Those hick-ass, hillbilly, redneck, sister-fucking bastards are on my turf.”

“I suppose you want me to relocate these gentlemen?” asked Octavia. This job didn’t sound too bad, compared to what she had been up to lately. At least this time, she would be shooting at enemies instead of people who were supposed to be on her side.

“They’re holed up in an old church on 75th street.” Limestone grinned madly. “I want it burned to the ground.”

Octavia’s eyes went wide, but she didn’t protest. She couldn’t, not if she wanted to keep her head. She rose from her seat, hoping beyond reason that Limestone would change her mind. This wasn’t some old building or shop Limestone was talking about. This was a holy place. A place of worship. Not only that, Octavia wasn’t exactly fond of fire after what happened to her arms. But an order was an order, and, if Octavia had to deal with the Devil, she’d rather wait until she was dead, rather than angering the one she sat across from now.

“I’ll be off, then,” sighed Octavia. “I’ve gotta go get some gas.”

Author's Note:

Sorry for the short length. Trying to ease myself back into this story after an impromptu hiatus.

Comments

[SilverStarApple]

Now this looks interesting.

[Cinder Vel]

Things are about to get hot. I like it.

[OConnerGT-R]

Besides, if Octavia threatened and kidnapped the women she was interested in, then Vinyl wasn ’ t sure if she wanted anything to do with her.

A little late for that, looks like your stuck with Octavia.

Small-time players in a big-time game.

That's why I prefer to be the dealer.

I have missed this story! I can't tell you how happy I was to see this chapter up. As always, I'm looking forward to seeing how things play out, and now that the Apple family is involved you have once again captured my curiosity.

[The Villain in Glasses]

Welp. This can't end well for her Karmic record...