Andrew Vachss - Flood

“Go find yourself an alibi, Burke. Get out of here and find yourself a good alibi for the next couple of months,” she said, turning away from me.

I got to my feet. “Give me the picture, Flood,” I said in a calm voice, knowing what was coming. “Not a chance,” she said. I started toward the corner where she’d set up the table. Flood spun into a fighting stance, the robe swirling around her. “Don’t,” she said, no emotion in her voice. I sat down again, lit another cigarette.

“Flood, come here and sit down. I’m going to leave, okay? I’m not going to try and take the picture from you. But you owe me something so you’re going to come over here and listen to me talk. When I’m finished I’ll disappear. But first you listen.”

Flood approached warily. The little mace canister in my pocket might have taken her out of action long enough for me to get the mug shot-or it might not. Anyway, she knew where I could be found and she’d never quit. “You can’t find him, Flood. You know what he looks like so you think you’ve found him. But he’s still just another maggot in a big slime pit. You couldn’t find him in a hundred years. You understand combat, that’s all-you don’t know anything else. I can find him. If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have that picture. Right?”

“I know what you’re saying.”

“And I know what you’re thinking-now that you’ve got the mug shot you can track him down with some jerkoff private eye. All they’ll do is take your money. Or your body, if you want to trade that.”

“I can find him.”

“Flood, let’s say I wanted to get to someone who was living in your temple in Japan. Could I do it?”

“You’d never find the place, never get through the mountains. You’d never get in the door if you did.”

“It’s not my place, right?”

“I’m an American.”

“This isn’t America out there, you dummy. This is a running sore loaded with dangerous maggots. And you don’t have a passport, don’t speak the language, don’t know the customs. You’re a permanent foreigner in the world Wilson lives in. You couldn’t find a cop, much less a freak like Wilson. And you probably couldn’t tell the difference if you did.”

“I found you.”

“And you came to me because whoever sent you to me told you I was the man to find a missing maggot. And if we hadn’t worked something out, you’d be dog food by now.”

“I’m not afraid.”

“I surely fucking know you’re not afraid. So what? I’m afraid all the time, but I can find him and you can’t. It’s that simple. You blunder around trying to find him and he’ll spook and run.”

“He has to stay on this planet.”

“You know what I think? I think maybe you don’t want to really find this freak after all-I think you’re full of crap. You like the chase, right? Your bullshit honor and all that. You talk tough but you make so much noise I think you want the freak to run. You’re a phony, Flood. This isn’t for Sadie and Flower, it’s just for your bullshit Japanese ego games. You don’t give a flying fuck for your friend at all, you-”

Flood backhanded me across the mouth so fast I only saw the flash of her robe. I tried to roll with it, turned a somersault, landed on my knees with my hands crossed in front of my face. Flood was just a blur-I felt her foot crack against the side of my head and I slammed into the wall and bounced off, clawing for my gun. But Flood wasn’t on the attack anymore-she just stood there looking at me.

“You don’t understand,” she said, not even breathing hard.

I didn’t say anything.

“Burke…”

I didn’t say anything.

“I’m sorry. Sadie is my friend. Maybe I should have stayed in the temple. He won’t fight, will he? Will he, Burke?”

“Flood, he’ll run if he can, or he’ll kill you if he can. But fight?” I shrugged.

She came over to me then, sitting down and reaching for my face. I put up my hand to block her but she slapped it away like it was made of feathers. Taking my face in her hand, she turned it back and forth. It felt like pulp to me.

“You’re going to need some stitches.”

“Lucky for you I’m a gentleman, Flood, or I’d kick your ass all over this room.”

“Oh, I know,” she said, without a trace of a smile or sarcasm.

“I know where I can get this fixed up. Then I have to see some people, get some things, and we’ll go and see this Goldor.”

“Can I keep the picture where it is?”

“How tight is this place? Would other people come into your room when you weren’t around?”

“The people here are from my temple. It’s not permitted to look at another person’s altar.”

“But might they do it?”

“No. There’s no chance. Honor counts for everything. All the people here have been together in the temple for many years. I’m the youngest one here.”

“I’m sorry I said that about you.”

“No, you’re not. I understand-you have to stay here after I’m gone. It’s all right. I know you love me.”

“Flood! I never said I loved you. You don’t-”

“Shut up, Burke-you’re not so smart. Not so tough, either. But you didn’t show bad form when you did that first tumble. Did you ever study?”

“My brother is a master. He’s been trying to teach me for years but he says I’ll never be any good. I think that’s true. My mind’s not right for it-every time I hit the ground I’m looking around for some blunt object to use instead of my hands.”

“Your brother is really a master?”

“Yes.”

“You understand what that means, Burke? He’s as good as me?”

“He’s better, Flood. I mean it. No contest.”

“I’m sure he’s stronger-but faster?”

“Believe me-I don’t demean you, but there’s no one better.”

“Then he’s not American.”

“No.”

“Japanese? What style does he fight? Does he-”

“He’s from Tibet.”

“Tibet. I heard stories… more like legends. From our temple. A man who studied with our old master many years ago but he wouldn’t accept our ways. But it’s probably not… I mean, your brother. Did he…?”

“He’s called Max the Silent. I don’t know his deep past.”

“I only know the name in Japanese. It means Silent Dragon. It doesn’t make sense-he couldn’t be your brother…”

“We have the same father.”

“I don’t understand.”

“The same father you had, Flood.”

“The fucking State was my father. I told you.”

“I know.”

Flood said nothing. Just sat there absently patting my face like it was a mound of clay and she was trying to decide on the shape of the sculpture before she really went to work. Finally I nudged her with my shoulder. “Flood?”

She snapped out of it. “What? Oh, Burke… Okay… I can put it together now. And it’s all right. It makes sense. I just didn’t see it.” She shook her head as though to clear her vision. “I’ll go with you. I’ll do as you say. And I’ll find this devil and I’ll put the stake into his heart like I’m supposed to. You’ll see-it will be the way it should be.” She looked at me, focusing on my face for the first time. “And you can have the picture too, all right?”

I just nodded. The side of my face was beginning to swell-I could feel it growing-and I’d need to do some talking soon. I told Flood to go get dressed and she dutifully went off. I sat there smoking until she was ready to leave. It was still dark as we slipped out her front door and into the waiting Plymouth.

AS WE DROVE back toward the office I felt Flood staring at the right side of my face where she’d done her work.