Big Jim was easily the largest, meanest looking man Nicole had ever laid eyes on in person. He felt like the incarnation of a powerful storm and one that was on the brink of letting loose to level a few cities. His voice, however, though deep and feeling somehow muscular, didn't fit with the outer window dressing when he greeted them both warmly and asked them to sit down. Cole guided her took the offered chairs and they got comfortable.

 

"I read the note. Thanks for the overview to get me up to speed, but how long have you been guarding her over at your house, Cole?"

 

"I'm not guarding her; she's living with me."

 

Jim's eyebrow went up and he leaned back in his large, leather padded desk chair, which complained at his movement with strained squeaks and stressed wood. "I probably shouldn't say this, but I couldn't count the number of women I've seen you spend some time with, but I can't recall any of them ever moving in with you."

 

"That's because none of them ever did."

 

"Your choice?" Jim asked.

 

"Yes," Cole admitted.

 

"Hmm," Jim mused and came back forward to rest his thick forearms on the surface of the large, antique wooden desk between them. "So this is already fairly serious between you two."

 

"Yep, pretty serious, boss. For me it's more serious than anything before, real or imagined. Nicole has expressed the same level of commitment enough times that I believe her."

 

"So," Jim said with some thought, "everything is wonderful on the home front, until the visitors tonight who, if I read things right, were there to abduct Nicole and take her back to the life."

 

"That's exactly how it went down," Cole agreed, "only missing the part where I then shot and killed them for their efforts, and ran with her as fast as I could."

 

Jim drummed his fingers together and decided on something, "Ya know, I got an email from Gabriel a few days back, claiming a woman of his ran off with something and he also attached a photo. The email continued on to offer a one hundred thousand dollar reward -- alive and unharmed."

 

"Holy shit!" she breathed in a voice that was close to a whimper, "What the fuck?"

 

Jim nodded, "I agree. That was my first thought. That amount seemed to be overkill to me. But let's let that simmer and come back to it. Cole? Did you recognize these men?"

 

"Yeah. Antonio led and Davis was with him, and Brian. Brian Winters."

 

"You killed Brian?" Jim gasped in surprise and shock. "That might have been a point to put in your note," he added with reproach and anger was rumbling around in the back of this throat as well.

 

"No, I didn't. I know that quite a few of our men are drivers for Gabriel. I was one. I heard Antonio telling Nicole that her new driver was named Brian. Anyway, after I dealt with Antonio and Davis, I called out when he was running up the walk. Brain responded, recognized me, and then helped us get this far."

 

Jim drummed his fingers together again and then murmured, "Hell of a risk calling out to a man like Brian," while his gaze turned inward. Nicole could see Jim developing mental images of the scene.

 

"I couldn't do anything else," Cole pointed out.

 

"You could have shot him," Jim replied.

 

Cole laughed a little, "Like you would have, in the same situation."

 

Jim glanced back at Cole and allowed the hint of a grin, "Kinda got me there. Brian, though, is one hell of a warrior. Have you seen those twin guns he carries around?"

 

"Briefly," Cole said, "He was running up with one in each hand before I called out. Couldn't tell what they were, though."

 

"Those things make Desert Eagles look like pea shooters. And he can take the wings off a fly with them," Jim told Cole and it sounded like a warning to Nicole. "I went to the range a couple of weeks back with some of the guys. Brian was one of them. I've never met anyone close to the skills he has with those fucking cannons. If you happen to be on his good side, I highly recommend staying there. It's a warm and cozy place to be."

 

"I'll keep that in mind," Cole told him.

 

"Of course, you're no wimp yourself. Antonio and Davis? You took them both at close range in a gun battle? I have to say, brother, I'm very impressed."

 

"Not actually that impressive," Cole told him. "I ambushed them. Antonio was leaking before he ever saw me and Davis was highly unlucky a brief moment later. I knew of Antonio's rep, of course, which is why I chose the tactic. I didn’t know shit about Davis other than he likes to fight and likes the knife, but better safe."

 

Jim nodded with agreement. "True enough. Davis was special ops in Afghanistan, discharged as Other Than Honorable. Not really clear on the details, but apparently his commander was found beaten and cut up. Then Davis took the discharge. The cops are looking into him for six killings, last I heard, and his skills at close combat were a rival to Antonio's, to hear Antonio describe them."

 

Cole was quiet for a moment and then said, "Glad I didn't know that a few hours ago. I might have puked and ruined my whole plan. I thought he was just muscle for Antonio."

 

"As if Antonio ever needed muscle," Jim said while looking down at the surface of his desk. "No, you might have had luck on your side, amigo, but it took real skill to take both of them down at the same time. And speaking of the cops, they are still at your house and would very much like to talk with you. I have Jack coming over; he'll be here in about thirty minutes or so. He'll go with you for this talk, about defending your home from invasion and make sure they don't do anything silly…like arrest you."

 

There was a knock at the door. Jim lifted an eyebrow, and then shrugged, "Come in."

 

Hank the bartender opened the door, and held out a plastic grocery bag filled with items Nicole couldn't identify. 

 

"Sorry, boss," Hank began, "but Brian suggested you needed this right away. Even if you were very busy and in a highly private meeting."

 

"Well, then bring it over here; let's see what we got. I don't think there's a tall redhead in that bag, though, which is the only thing that comes to mind for what I might need no matter what," Jim declared.

 

Hank gave him the bag and headed for the door.

 

"Hank?" Jim said, as Hank reached the door, "Thank Brian for me and good call on your part. If that man says something is important, it's likely more important than he's letting on."

 

"Yes, sir, thanks." Then Hank was gone and Jim was looking down into the bag.

 

"It looks like," Jim mused as he inventoried the bag, "I have a disappointing number of redheads in here, which is a shame. But there are three well made and very valuable pistols, two wallets of leather, and two cellphones whose value could pay my rent."

 

"Those would be the items Brian took off Antonio and Davis," Cole offered.

 

"Interesting and very good. This will probably ensure that you aren't going to spend much time with the cops. Jack can certainly use these. Did either of them get a shot off?"

 

"No," Cole told him.

 

Jim nodded in a way that let Nicole know he already guessed that this was the case. "Well, when you get outside with these things, I want you to pump a round out of each of them and you were the one who took these things off the corpses, not Brian."

 

"Got it," Cole agreed.