AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You are the worst. Asshole.” He stands up and glares at me after I succeeded in exactly what I was planning, distracting him just at the right moment, and instead of the ball sinking straight into the hole he was aiming for, it bounced off the side of the pocket entrance. And, as an added bonus, the cue ball instead dropped straight into the hole.
“You do know that the cue ball is not what you are trying to sink, right? Not that I mind you giving me the extra shot, but it’s not helping your shit game that you’re playing. Not that you ever stood a chance against me. I’m the king of the pool table.” Lining up the 14 ball perfectly, I push all outside noise out of my head. It’s a skill I use every day in my job, and it’s coming in handy now.
“For fuck's sake,” Bull mutters when I look up smirking at him as my ball drops perfectly into the pocket straight across from me.
“Watch and learn, buddy, watch and learn.” I love pushing his buttons. It’s what makes us as close as we are. We can give each other absolute crap, all day long, but when shit gets real, I know without a shadow of a doubt that he has my back, just like I have his.
“The only thing I’d learn from you is how to cheat. Do you hear me trying to distract you as you shoot?” he says, running his hand through his hair in frustration. “No, I didn’t think so, because I’m not so pathetic that I need to resort to those tactics.”
“You can try, but we both know it won’t work. Just face it. I’m a far superior pool shark than you.”
“Bullshit.” He coughs into his hand.
As the 9 ball drops into the next pocket, a groan now coming from him has me laughing harder than I should.
“Eight ball, corner pocket.” Leaning down nice and low, I focus with my laser point of concentration.
“I’ll just get the next round of beers, shall I?” Bull racks his pool cue, draining the last of the beer out of the glass he had sitting on the shelf to the side.
“What, you don’t even want to stay and watch me win game number three for the night? I mean, there is such a thing as a sore loser, you know.” There's the crack of my pool cue hitting the cue ball with force, shooting it to hit the eight ball with precision. “Boom! And that’s another victory to the reigning champion.” Looking up from the table as I’m standing up again, all I see is Bull’s back as he disappears to the bar, flipping me the bird over his shoulder so there is no mistake what he’s thinking.
“Make it a Jack instead,” I yell as I start putting the balls back onto the table and racking them up for the next people who want to play.
I think three games of torture are enough for my buddy for tonight.
Downing the rest of my beer, I place the empty glass on the bar next to Bull, waiting for our drinks.
“Remind me again why I bother playing against you?” he grumbles before placing a handful of nuts out of the bowl on the bar into his mouth.
“Can’t help you there. You're a glutton for punishment, I guess.” We both look at each other and burst out laughing.
The bar attendant slides our glasses of whiskey in front of us, both of us picking them up.
“Bottom’s up,” Bull says as we clink our glasses together. I don’t even get to take a sip before I feel one of my phones vibrating in my pocket.
“Fuck.” I know what that means.
Placing my glass back on the bar, I pull my work phone from the pocket inside my jacket.
When your work phone rings, you don’t ignore it. Not in the job we do.
“Seriously, we are supposed to be on leave!” Bull glares at me, knowing by the look on my face who it is. He also pulls out his phone to check for messages, but it looks blank.
“Boss,” I answer, not really wanting to hear what he has to say.
Bull and I have just come off a six-month job of protecting a guy who, if I had a choice, I would have let the wolves at him. He was the lead witness in a case for human trafficking, but from what we knew, he was involved in the whole scheme too. He just decided to roll over and be the rat in the group. Some parts of my job are harder than others. When our job is to protect a scumbag, it leaves me questioning why I do it.
I’ve been working as a WITSEC officer for the last sixteen years, and together with Bull for the last twelve years. We met when he was put into my team, and I had to train him. Not that he needed much training. His basic instinct was on point from day one. He took to the job straight away and was more in tune with his senses than half the agents I had worked with for a few years. That can be the most important part of the job. But the reason we work so well together is not only that he’s in tune with his own senses, but with mine too. When we are pushed with our back to the wall, no words are needed. We just know what the other is thinking and get on with doing it. That keeps our target safe and both of us alive, which is just as important.
“Ghost. Where are you?” Never any idle conversation with our boss, code name Rocket. Straight to the point.
“At a bar with Bull, just relaxing. Remember that thing people do when they’re on leave?” My sarcasm ignored, he just continues.
“How many drinks have you had?” Fuck, I don’t like the sound of this.
“Two beers, and I'm just about to get reacquainted with my friend Jack here. Again, remember the words. On. Leave.” I look at my full glass that I already know I’m not going to be able to finish. I push it toward Bull, who may as well enjoy what he paid for.
“Not anymore. Sorry, Ghost, you need to report to the office at five am tomorrow. We’ve had an urgent job just come up, and the witness is in transit. You will be briefed in the morning. Tell Bull he isn’t needed. Now go home and get some sleep. See you tomorrow.”
