The Chains — Chapter 5 — The Bar
The door comes down. Inside: a bar, a brothel, a casino — and eighteen men on their feet.
Kim doesn't like telling stories. So Jack tells it with him.
I looked to one side. I looked to the other.
There were three more laughing with him.
I put my hand in my pocket, slow. Slid one finger at a time into the knuckles.
The guy was big. I couldn't waste time. There were a lot of men, all of them built, and it was going to get ugly real fast. Whoever hits first picks how the fight starts.
I looked at Jack. Didn't even turn my face to the big guy.
— You know the only rule of a street fight?
Jack already knew the answer. The big guy didn't.
— There are no rules.
Still looking at Jack, I stomped the big guy's foot with my heel, all my weight on it. I didn't need to look to know where his foot was.
He screamed. When you scream, your chin comes up. I threw the elbow, and he went backward.
The second one came swinging a chain at me.
I didn't even need to look. Jack swung the pipe and planted it in his mouth.
The third was already on me. I pulled my hand out of my pocket with the knuckles and went straight for the throat.
You could see the air disappear. His eyes bugged out. He turned purple and dropped to his knees.
I walked past him while he was falling.
I didn't need to open the door.