Nothing Special V (Nothing Special 5)

“Let’s go to that bar he hangs out at. Maybe he had a hard day and needed a drink,” Green suggested. “Sound good, Steele?”

“Yeah, let’s do it.” Steele’s throat was dry as hell. Next time, he’d remember to store some water back here for himself. “I’d rather question him outside a public place, though.”

“What’s the fun in that?” Ruxs and Green said, in unison again.

“Wow. How many times you guys use that line?” Steele asked drily.

“Enough,” Ruxs answered. He drove the few minutes up Crew Street, circling around the backside of the bar.

The area sure looked different from the neighborhood of middle-class homes they’d just left, only twenty minutes away, where the skyscrapers off in the distance made a beautiful backdrop. But around them were run down businesses, foreclosed homes, boarded up warehouses that probably held squatters. People lingered on porches, some giving them suspicious looks as they rode by.

“That license plate was XJX-5148, right?” Steele recited what he’d seen in the file a few hours ago.

After Ruxs looked at the paperwork, he answered, “Yeah, that’s right.”

“He’s in there. There’s his license plate, but that’s not the car it’s registered to.”

“Nice catch, bro.” Ruxs nodded, pulling his big Dodge into the Burger King across the street. “Let’s grab something in here, I’m starved. We can see if he gets in his car to leave.”

They walked into the restaurant, looking like any other rough guys in the neighborhood. The manager was behind the register taking orders, eyeing them warily while they stood there, looking up at the board. After they ordered, the three of them went to sit in the far corner, near the back exit so they could leave fast if they had to. It felt good to be out of that truck, and even though fast food wasn’t his favorite, he was going to enjoy it because he hadn’t eaten since yesterday afternoon.

“So, you guys got family here?” Steele asked both of them.

“No other family but my mother, and she’s in rehab,” Ruxs admitted freely. He actually looked rather proud. “This is the longest she’s stayed in.”

Steele nodded, looking to Green.

“My mom’s still in the area. Also, Ruxs and I have an adopted son who goes to Georgetown.”

Steele’s eyes widened at that one. A kid! “That’s amazing. What’s he studying?”

“Besides Gen?” Ruxs scoffed. “His degree will be sociology with a master’s in education. He’s got another year left.”

“Nice. Who’s Gen… his girlfriend?” Steele slurped more of his huge cup of water.

“Nope. Genesis is his boyfriend. God’s younger brother.”

Steele watched Ruxs to see if he was joking. He wasn’t. Steele wiped his mouth with his napkin, hiding his grin. “Damn. All you guys really are close.”

“Gen is cool. Great guy and he really loves Curtis, treats him like he should be treated. I can’t complain.” Green sat back. “You like football? You may know him.”

“Hell yeah, I do. Who is he? Oh shit, wait. Godfrey’s brother. You don’t mean the G-Man? Genesis Godfrey. I’ll be damned. Small world. That guy was a beast on the field. Played four years for the Bulldogs. Heisman trophy winner, was supposed to be the number one draft pick and opted out to work for Apple. That guy was a huge conversation topic with my squadron… all of them were die-hard football fanatics. He was a player that really stood up for who he was. That’s another reason I liked him.”

Ruxs and Green were both laughing the more excited Steele got. He was pretty enthusiastic to hopefully meet God’s brother. He was sure their paths would cross some way or another. Damn. Ack would be so jealous. He loved the G-Man.

“Yeah, he’s an engineer now. They got a small house in DC. They visit a lot, though, so you’ll see him.” Green spoke with a mouth full of Whopper, balling up his wrapper at the same time.

“That’d be cool. I’d like—” Steele’s phone buzzed in his pocket, stopping him mid-sentence. He took it out and saw it was his uncle. “I’ll be right back.”

Steele left the restaurant and walked around the back past the drive-thru so he could hear. While he walked, stretching his legs, he pulled out a Swisher and lit it up. He leaned against a brick wall on the opposite side of the dumpsters, answering all the questions thrown at him. When his uncle finished getting all the details of his first day, he immediately segued into wanting Steele to come stay with him until he found a permanent place. There was no way he was doing that. He liked his privacy. And if he ever found a guy that’d give him the time of day, he’d like to fuck him loudly, so that was another reason.

“Onu. I appreciate the offer, but I—” Steele’s heart jumped when a beat-up late model Buick sped into the parking lot, screeching to a halt just outside the door. Three men jumped out, pulling down their masks and throwing their hoodies over their heads, guns already drawn.