I had just left the apartment and was on my way to get a drink, when I noticed what looked like Denam's car and someone tinkering around under the hood. Sticking a cigarette between my lips and lighting it, I studied the cloaked figure for a moment before deciding to step up. One hand still in my pocket, I tapped the man's shoulder with my free hand and gave him a faint smile, pulling the cigarette from my mouth. The man gave a startled expression, a quick yapping noise coming from his mouth as he spun around, fear and worry adorned his face, but so did determination. Whatever he was doing, it seemed that he was going to go through with it, even if it meant his own death.

"Car problems, buddy? Need any help?"

The man swallowed hard, his body visibly shaking as he tried to calm himself down. He was an ugly man, a fat nose and beedy little eyes. His mouth half twisted as he tried to smile back.

"Uh....no....well kind of. Don't you worry though, I can handle it just fine!"

The man didn't wait for a response before he turned back around and under the hood once more. I thought it was disrespectful, for even a normal person. I took it that he didn't know who I was, which in a way offended me more. I tapped him on the shoulder again, but he didn't bother turning around.

"Now, while I am sure you are capable of fixing whatever the problem is, I know this isn't your car. See, it belongs to a friend of mine who would be very upset to find you messing with it, understand? So, why don't you just take off before he gets here."

I tried, Lord knows that I tried to be nice, tried to make it simple for the guy but some people just don't know when to quit and walk away. He turned around and struck at me. He was sloppy though, his aim off because of his nerves. It was easy to back up and send his body reeling forward, unbalanced. I pulled my left hand from my pocket and took a hold of his throat, pushing him back into the car. 

"Why did you go and do that, huh? Why do you people never listen to reason?"

The disrespect continued, as he spit in my face. Shaking my head, I took a drag of my cigarette as he grabbed at my wrist to pry my hand free from his neck. I didn't let him. I pushed his body back further so that he was under the hood and stabbed the still lit cigarette into his eye. The screaming was loud and sent a shiver down my spine. It was operatic to me, in a sense and I enjoyed it. 

As he shot his hands to his face, I pulled the cigarette away and tossed it into the street, slamming his face down onto the engine. 

"Now, how about you show me what exactly you were doing, hmn? Get this matter all settled and you can be on your w-...Oh, what's this?"

I noticed an object that was hidden between the engine in the battery. As I picked it up, I realized that it was a bomb, that he was trying to hook to the ignition system. I had to admit, it piqued my interest a bit. No doubt he knew who Denam was, but why would he kill him? I knew that he wouldn't just tell me, so I needed to get him to talk. I released him and kicked the bar from the hood so that it fell onto him. Then, I slammed the hood onto him several times, hearing the cracking sound as it connected with his ribs. 

"Tell me who the fuck sent you, and why. Make this easy on me, and I won't have to kill you."

"No one...fuckin' sent me! That bastard killed my brother! Went to that fucking Den for a deal and he shot him right in the chest! What would you do!?" 

I had to admit, I would do the same thing if I were in his situation, but I couldn't just let all this go. I gripped onto his shirt and pulled him out from under the hood and tossed him on the floor. I coldly stared at him as he looked up at me, that pitiful, angry expression on his face. 

"Your problem, is that I consider Denam to be one of my brothers. My family, they are now my brothers and sisters, and if you fuck with them you are fucking with me. I don't like being fucked with."

I shoved him face first to the ground and pressed my knee into the back of his neck and gripped one of his hands. The other arm trapped under his body.

"What hand are you? Huh? What hand do you jerk off with? Actually, doesn't matter. Probably lie to me anyway."

I slipped the switchblade that I always kept on me from my pocket and took a good grip at the palm of his hand. Slowly, agonizingly I cut through the skin, and soon the bone on his right thumb, below the second joint. The man struggled violently below me, but I pressed harder down onto his neck to keep him pinned to the ground. After a moment, I had a bloody thumb in my possession, and a sniveling man below me. I stood retracted the knife, sticking it back into my pocket. I made my way back to the car and took the bomb from underneath the hood and slammed it shut. The man began to crawl, trying to get away at his painfully slow pace.

"Listen to me. Are you listening fucker? If I ever see you, hear you, if I even fucking smell you again I will take more than your thumb. I'll put one in your ear and leave you to rot at the bottom of the sea. Understand? Now get up and run your ass outta here."

The man quickly stumbled to his feet and began to run as fast as he could the opposite direction, nursing his maimed hand. I noticed a group starting form and walk my way, and there I was holding a severed thumb and a bomb. Not that I cared, most people knew to mind their own business. Believe it or not, one of the people walking my way was Denam, with a confused and quizzical expression. I walked up to him and handed him both the bomb and the thumb.

"You're welcome."

I said nothing else, as I walked off and left them all there. I lit another cigarette and shook my head, exhaling the smoke. I really needed that drink now.

Trixie notices a small group of people surrounding a disabled car and slides to within hearing distance of the disturbance.  After quickly sizing up the situation she moves on her way.

"Now that is what friends are for!"