Nothing Special V (Nothing Special 5)

Charles’ eyes were wide with fear, his laugh cut off instantly. “Hey what the fu—”

“Shut. Up,” Genesis snarled, his face just inches from Charles’. So close he could smell the old coffee on the man’s breath. “You have no idea what I want to do to you right now.” Genesis’ voice was surprisingly calm. He thought he’d have to struggle not to yell, not to let anyone hear him, but he was impressed with the tone his voice had taken on. A composed but terrifying tenor. Like the one Green often used. It certainly had more of an affect, because Charles looked like he was waiting for Genesis to go insane and snap any second.

Charles’ feet were almost off the ground, forcing him to balance on his toes as Genesis held him in the air with his huge arms. Staring down at the pitiful man, he scowled, his lips curling up into a snarl. “I hate violence, Charles. I really do. So you making me resort to this is only making me angrier. You’ve been torturing and harassing the love of my life for months and I’ve sat idly by waiting for Curtis to handle it on his own. But yesterday, you crossed the fuckin’ line.” Genesis yanked Charles away from the door only to throw him against a tall bookshelf and crowd him, putting him back in the same position, corded forearm over his throat, his other hand with a fistful of his blue dress shirt. Charles grabbed onto Genesis’ biceps, holding on to him.

“Get your grimy fucking hands of me. GET ‘EM OFF!” Genesis yelled. Charles raised his hands as if he were in a stick-up. Genesis lowered his voice back to hissing. “You had the audacity to accuse Curtis of touching one of these kids. You motherfucker. All he’s done, all the time he’s put in here. What’s your beef with him, huh?”

Charles was barely able to breathe, much less speak. Genesis wasn’t really interested in an answer, so he didn’t let up. “I know some very scary people, Charles. Smart, but scary. And you know what they told me? That your slimy ass is embezzling money from this center to pay for your daughter’s fancy education and your wife’s alimony.”

Charles turned an interesting shade of green like bile was rising up in his throat and Genesis knew without a doubt – without a verbal confession from Charles – that Free was right in his assumption. Curtis’ boss shook his head frantically like he was denying it. Genesis took the hand gripping Charles’ shirt and popped him on the side of the head a few times, the way his coach used to do to his helmet when he messed up.

“Stop lying. You’d rather ruin a good man like Curtis’ reputation and education by spreading despicable rumors. Rumors you made up.” Genesis pushed harder, Charles’s feet struggling to gain purchase. “You’d rather steal from underprivileged children just so you can drive a new car. Over three million dollars available for these kids to have a nice, safe place to go after school, to stay off the streets, and you won’t even approve a request for them to get balls for the basketball court. What kind of man does that? I should do more than choke you. You deserve to be beat to shit, but I’m not going to do that.” Genesis turned to look out the window and saw Curtis was just making it to the car. “I’m not going to fuck you up, although you sure as hell deserve it, but beating you to a pulp wouldn’t do a damn thing and that’s not my purpose for coming here today.”

Charles was gasping for air and Genesis eased up on the pressure just a fraction. He didn’t want the weasel to have a heart attack. “You are officially done here, Charles. Do you hear me? My connection was able to get that information in five minutes. Imagine what he could find on your dirty ass in an hour. And I’d take great pleasure in turning it all over to the police. You ever been probed up the ass with a goddamn microscope, Charles?” Genesis bared his teeth. “Do you want to be?”

Charles looked like he was about to cry as he shook his head no. “Then quit. Effective immediately. You call whoever you need to call, the city supervisor, a deputy, the director of parks and rec, you can call the fuckin’ modern major general for all I care, just be gone before four o’clock today. That’s one hour. And you better not even think about applying for another state or federal job again. Believe me; I’ll make sure my contact is watching. Work at a dollar store, you goddamn crook.”

Genesis glanced out again and saw Curtis was halfway back. “I’m going to take my baby to a nice lunch. I don’t care why you hate him so much, it’s irrelevant to me because the reasoning is coming from a man with no morals. So you aren’t worthy to ever speak to him again. You can curse me for the rest of your miserable days, but you be sure to keep his name out of your mouth, or you’ll definitely see me again.” Genesis’ voice dropped lower, scarier. “And if I have to come for you, Charles, I won’t be coming alone. Believe it or not, there are a few men who are even madder than me over how you’ve treated Curtis, and they’re just waiting on the word.”