The suit Dorian pulled off the rack for me fit like a layer of oil. I sat in the back of the limo and didn’t have to push the coat out of my face or shake the legs down so my knees wouldn’t show. It was a new shade of black with a gray shirt and tie, matching socks, black shoes. The knot in the tie was so big I had to feed it every half hour.
Eddie stared out the window at everything starting to brighten up as the sun went down.
I said, “Where we going?”
“I don’t know. Mr. Burch handles that.”
I kinda missed the old Eddie. At least brash assholes aren’t boring and depressing. “Who’s the meeting with?”
“Just shut the fuck up and let me think, will you?”
I kinda missed the new Eddie. I checked my suit, made sure I hadn’t gotten anything on it yet. Dorian said he’d call when the six custom fits were ready. My old clothes and shoes were in a plastic bag in the trunk. Burch didn’t want to sully the rags he used on the tires.
Eddie said, “Sorry about that. No offense, but I’m not thrilled I had to come to you for help.”
“So it’s unanimous. You can let me out here.”
“Brah, you been listening? Warrior is on the endangered list. If it goes, you got no fight contract, no promoter, nothing.”
“Sounds terrible. Wait, that’s exactly what I have right now.”
Eddie opened another cabinet, took out a stack of papers, and set them on the seat. “This is your four-fight contract. It includes the fight against Zombi.”
Ring that bell, Pavlov. “Gil’s gonna go through that thing with a microscope. I’m not signing anything until he likes it.”
“You can get John fucking Hancock to autograph it, won’t mean a thing.” He tossed the stack in the cabinet, left it bent and creased, closed the door. “I haven’t signed it yet.” He crossed his arms and waited for my reaction.
I chewed my tongue and ran the options.
I could strangle Eddie before he pushed the panel button. Even if he got to it, I’d have his head off before Burch stopped the car.
The other option was to sit here and take it.
I checked the seat for a coin to flip.
Eddie said, “If this meeting goes well, I’ll sign it soon as we get back in the car. You and Gil can take all the time you want, get a pre-nup, whatever.”
“We’re meeting the Yakuza?”
“Don’t be naïve. Listen, you see any Asians besides me, set the place on fire and get me into this fucking car. Clear on that? We’re meeting one guy. His driver, if he has one. Guy’s a clown, though, probably leases a Fiat.”
Now Eddie wanted me to dig at him, pry the information out so he could feel important and show off a bit. I looked through the moonroof and picked at something in my teeth.
He got impatient. “Say you get bit by a snake. Zap, right on the hand. The venom is potent, spreading toward your heart. What do you do?”
“Immediately regret shaking hands with you.”
“Play along. You might learn something. You chop the hand off. Maybe the whole arm, make sure you get rid of every drop of poison.”
The limo turned into a narrow lot that cut the city block in half. I didn’t know where we were. All I could see were cinder-block walls and service doors.
Eddie said, “But check this: what if you knew you were gonna get bit before it happened? What would you do?”
“Kill the snake.”
“Kill the entire Yakuza? Not an option.”
He waited again. Typical Eddie. He had a point to make but wanted me to do the heavy lifting.
“I’d get a suit of armor. Let the snake dull his teeth trying to sink in.”
“Not bad. But there’s no armor against these guys. The correct answer is what I’m about to do: buy an extra arm.”