Beowulf was new to town after his family’s untimely, and very suspicious death.  Reading the tiki leaves, he knew that it was best for him to put the tragedy behind him and move forward rather than continue to reflect on the painful past.  Reaching out to an old ally from his youth, Beowulf was accepted into a new family in Detroit with open arms.  But in this ruthless underworld, he knew that his actions would be scrutinized over the coming months as he made a name for himself.

Literally the first day town, he had been given an assignment which involved cleaning up loose ends from the rogue attack over the weekend.  Word on the streets was that a local drug dealer was sitting on a large stash of emergency funds for when the rogue arrived back in Detroit.  Fortunately, the rogue was killed during a shootout, but now Soseki wanted things cleaned up quickly and that included the stash.

Glancing down at the address written on a napkin, then back up to the street sign that read “Conroe Street”, Beowulf knew he was close.  Driving a car he had borrowed from the family, he quickly covered three city blocks in the quiet residential neighborhood before he saw the apartment building.  Three stories in height and painted white with a red tile roof, there appeared to be an entrance on the front and rear that opened to the same hallway and staircase.  Glancing up, he knew the drug dealer was on the second floor, but had no idea which window belonged to the Apartment 217.

Parking on the side of the building, Beowulf stepped from the car and by habit, reached across and padded the area under his left arm and the holstered revolver that was hidden beneath his coat.  Walking around to the passenger side of the car, he opened the car door, removed his trench coat and threw it across the seat back.  Then he pulled out a black leather jacket and a Detroit Tigers had and put those on to change his appearance.  Then he grabbed the pizza box from the seat, closing the door and heading toward the back of the building.

The hall and stairway of the apartment complex were empty.  The muffled sound of a baby crying and the sound of music could be heard as he approached the second floor, taking two steps at a time.  At the top of the stairs, he looked up and down a long hallway with closed doors on either side.  A sign on the wall pointed that apartments 211-220 were to his right.  Walking quietly down, a plaque on the second to last door said “#217”.  Looking back down the hallway to make sure it was still clear, he pulled his revolver from its concealed location and held it up under the pizza box, out of view from the eye hole.

With a deep breath to calm his nerves, he reached and quickly tapped the door with his left hand as he balanced the pizza box on top of his revolver and forearm.  Stepping back, he held up the pizza so it could easily be seen from the eye hole.  As he watched the eye hole and the light on the other side, he could pick up some movement as the light flickered, then went completely dark as a man’s raspy voice said “What do you want?”

“Pizza”

“I didn’t order a pizza.  Go away”

“Hey buddy, the order is prepaid and the delivery says Apartment 217.”

“I said go away.  I didn’t order a pizza.”

“Hold on a second….The tag has a name.  Joe.  Joe MacMillan.  Is that you?”

After several seconds, the voice returned “I know Joe, but he’s not here.”

“Man, I have other deliveries and this pizza is already paid for.  Can you just take it so I can get out of here?”

After several more seconds, he hears the chain lock being removed and the door opens.  A man in his 20’s, wearing a white sleeveless undershirt and black boxer shorts stands in the entry way.  So focused on the pizza, the drug dealer is frozen in place as Beowulf takes a quick step forward, then brings the revolver up from under the box and points it directly into the face of the drug dealer.  The drug dealer’s eyes are rapidly blinking, but he remains quiet and slowly starts backing up.  Beowulf follows him into the apartment, never losing eye contact.

As Beowulf drops the pizza box onto a chair next to the entrance and closes the door, the drug dealer breaks his silence. “Man, I’ve got drugs.  What do you want?  I can take care of you.  Make you feel good, my man.”

“Not here for drugs son.  Listen to me carefully and you might survive this day.  I’m here for Joe MacMillan’s stash.  And don’t pretend like you don’t know the name.”

“Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about.  I just wanted a free pizza.”

The drug dealer gave a startled look when Beowulf said “Three”

Beowulf could see the resolve in the man disappearing like sand from an hour glass.  As he continued to point the gun at the drug dealer, he remained silent for several seconds before he said “Two”.

“Man, I can’t.  Joe will kill me.”

“Joe’s dead.”  After a pause, “One”

“Shit, shit, SHIT.  Ok, ok.  I’ll go get it.  Man, don’t kill me.  Please, just give me a chance to get it” and with that, he started to move toward a doorway into another room.

“STOP” yelled Beowulf.  “One more move without my approval and you’re dead and I’ll search the apartment myself.”

The drug dealer held up his hands in a defensive position before responding “Joe’s bag is in my closet.  The closet in my bedroom”

“Slowly walk backwards in that direction.  Any sudden movements and you die.  You try anything cute and you die.  If there is no bag, you die.  Don’t say another word….simply nod yes.”

With wide eyes, the drug dealer nodded his head in understanding and began to back his way toward the bedroom.  As the entered the bedroom, Beowulf was not surprised to see tables filled with various drugs along with a couple of cases of vodka sitting on the floor.  The drug dealer continued his slow pace and then pointed to the sliding closet door to show that he was planning on opening it. 

“Slowly.  Don’t lose your life by doing something stupid”

With that, the drug dealer reached up and slid the door along a track, exposing clothes, shoes, and a black canvas bag.  Motioning to the bag, Beowulf said “Grab the bag and set it on the bed, then back away.”  Doing as he was told, the drug dealer placed the bag on the bed then took a step backwards.  Beowulf continued “Turn around and place your face into the corner of the wall.  Don’t take your nose out of the corner or I’m blow it off!”  Again, the dealer did as told and stood in the corner.

While keeping the gun trained on the dealer, Beowulf reached down and tugged on the zipper, opening the top of the bag.  Glancing inside, he could see stacks of 100 dollar bills along with a few bags of what appeared to be cocaine.  Turning back to the dealer, he said “Where’s your gun?”

“What gun?”

“Don’t lie to me kid.  Not going to ask again.”

“Man, don’t take my gun.”

“Three”

“Shit man, I need protection for the business I run.  You have to understand”

“Two”

“God Damn it.  It’s under the fucking pillow.  FFUUUCCCCKKKKK”

Beowulf, always keeping his revolver aimed at the drug dealer, slides his hand under the pillow and feels the cold steel of a barrel on a revolver similar to his own.  Grabbing the gun, he places it in the duffle bag and then closes the zipper.

“Alright son, I’m going to leave now.  Joe is dead.  You’re only alive because I’m allowing it.  Follow me and you die.  Understand?”

With a defeated voice, the drug dealer said “Yes, Yes I understand”.

Beowulf grabbed the duffle bag and backed his way out of the bedroom and just before he turned to leave said “Enjoy the pizza”.  A smile crossed his face as he saw the drug dealer physically tense and then say “Fuck you old man!”  Beowulf quickly made his way to the door. 

Minutes later, he was driving back down Conroe in the direction he had previously come.  While he looked calm from the exterior, his heart continued to race as adrenaline had filled his system.  Pulling off the Detroit Tigers hat and throwing it on the seat, he began the breathing exercises that he had learned in his youth.  After ten slow deep breaths, he could feel his heartrate begin to slow and the anxiety subside.

He drove across town and pulled into a large parking lot.  After parking, he grabbed the duffle bag off the seat and then went to the trunk of the car.  After opening the trunk, he set the duffle bag inside to maintain some concealment as he inspected the contents more thoroughly.  There were 25 stacks of 100 dollar bills, ten bags of white powder, and the revolver.  Removing the white powder and revolver from the bag and placing them in the trunk, Beowulf closed the duffle bag once again and lifted it from the trunk area.  Closing the trunk with a “thud”, he turned and walked to the entrance.  Pushing his way past a large ornate door, Beowulf walked into a large entry area.

Seeing him enter, an elderly woman in a black dress walked over to where Beowulf stood and said “May I help you?”

“Are you Sister Catherine?”

“Why yes, yes I am.  Do I know you?”

“No ma’am, you don’t.  I’m new to town.  But Godfather Soseki asked me to deliver this to you personally”

The nun gave Beowulf a guarded look as she slowly reached out and took the bag.  She maintained her eye contact as her hands found the zipper and slowly opened the bag.  Once it was open, she glanced down and exclaimed “Oh.  Oh my.”  Glancing up, the guarded expression was replaced with a large smile and eyes full of excitement. “I don’t know what to say.  Thank you.  And tell Mr. Soseki I expect to see him at church this Sunday and will thank him personally”

“I’m just the delivery person ma’am.  This is all from Godfather @Soeski and is appreciation of the fine work you do with the children.”  Nodding, he continued “Good Day ma’am”.

Once back outside and with a smile on his face, Beowulf exclaimed “Think I’m going to love being in Detroit and working for Soseki!”