Zelia's words seemed to have caused the confidence of the two crooks to totter. The next grunt of the big one sounded more questioning, as if he was asking his brother what to do. His brother did not back down yet, though.
?You are a liar. You all are! A pretty boy like you doesn't leave his house without a bag of coins.?
?She's right,?, Fink responded, ?I don't have the money with me. Listen, just put the gun down and let the boy go, and then we can talk. I'll pay the drinks.?
Seeing even a hint of doubt in the eyes of the thugs had given him hope to get through this situation without spilling any blood. Now this was just like in court, two sides lying at each other, fighting with words, and he thought he had seen the attorneys Haken and Wolfe often enough to know how do that. Concerning his employers, it wouldn't have been unlike them to sent someone to watch him, but they certainly hadn't told him.
On the other side of the room, the brute seemed rather unimpressed with Collin's plea. Compassion was a rather abstract concept to him and his brain wasn't good with abstractions. He raised his left arm a little bit, trying to put pressure on Collin's neck, to squeeze all breath of him and to make him stop talking. But then he thought to hear the low patter of little feet and a tiny squeak. From the corner of his eye, he believed to see a rat's tail scurrying away behind his back. Instead of a grunt, the next sound out of his mouth was rather more a squeal. He jerked, pressing Collin even closer against him, but then held him a little bit more loosely.
This distracted his brother for a fraction of a moment, in which he turned half-around. But the smaller crook quickly regained his focus, turning back and raising his weapon again, though not as high as before. This wasn't going as he had planned, but he wasn't the kind to just let go.
?No, I won't put the gun down. Give me a good reason why I should! There's still something to get here and I won't go with empty hands.?
?You are a liar. You all are! A pretty boy like you doesn't leave his house without a bag of coins.?
?She's right,?, Fink responded, ?I don't have the money with me. Listen, just put the gun down and let the boy go, and then we can talk. I'll pay the drinks.?
Seeing even a hint of doubt in the eyes of the thugs had given him hope to get through this situation without spilling any blood. Now this was just like in court, two sides lying at each other, fighting with words, and he thought he had seen the attorneys Haken and Wolfe often enough to know how do that. Concerning his employers, it wouldn't have been unlike them to sent someone to watch him, but they certainly hadn't told him.
On the other side of the room, the brute seemed rather unimpressed with Collin's plea. Compassion was a rather abstract concept to him and his brain wasn't good with abstractions. He raised his left arm a little bit, trying to put pressure on Collin's neck, to squeeze all breath of him and to make him stop talking. But then he thought to hear the low patter of little feet and a tiny squeak. From the corner of his eye, he believed to see a rat's tail scurrying away behind his back. Instead of a grunt, the next sound out of his mouth was rather more a squeal. He jerked, pressing Collin even closer against him, but then held him a little bit more loosely.
This distracted his brother for a fraction of a moment, in which he turned half-around. But the smaller crook quickly regained his focus, turning back and raising his weapon again, though not as high as before. This wasn't going as he had planned, but he wasn't the kind to just let go.
?No, I won't put the gun down. Give me a good reason why I should! There's still something to get here and I won't go with empty hands.?