Cold Dish

Herro. Peccavi here. I'm still alive! Good news: GOL is slowly starting to form again and I'm happy that block is melting. In the meanwhile I realized that I never finished this and thought 'hey, why not?' I really enjoyed writing this and I hope you enjoy!!


It didn't take them long at all to get to the old building. It was in the more abandoned district that had once stood as bright and beautiful as the main parts of the city but now the only surroundings were houses and such that had long ago been forgotten about. That was one of the things Mannix hated, instead of building up what they had as soon as it got a bit run down the rich picked up shop and just built somewhere else. And in their haste to vacate, they left an architectural eyesore, adding on to the already derelict Underbelly. But that would backfire eventually; soon the rich would run out of places to run to. They would be surrounded by the darkness of the Underbelly with no other way out. Speaking of no way out, that was Saburo's current position whether he knew it or not.

Mannix killed the headlights and let the car creep to a halt across the street from the small building and cut the ignition. An uneasy silence settled in the car and the only sound was the high pitch wail of sirens in the distance and the low hum of the car fan blowing under the hood.

Ren's voice broke the quiet in the car. "You can just start the car and go back home. You don't have to-"

Mannix shook his head. "Ren, I let you come because you wanted to not because I needed you to. Keep your opinions to yourself, get me?"

Ren tried to bit his tongue, to will the words to stay in his brain and not come out of his mouth but he was speaking before he could stop himself.

"I'll keep my opinions to myself when I feel you don't need to hear them," Ren snapped. "Forgive me for trying to stop you from going in there like an emotion-driven dolt and get your fucking head blown off."

Mannix froze, hands gripping the steering wheel so tight his knuckles turned white. "If I wanted a page from your 'Insult-A-Day' calendar I would have asked for it," he sneered in response. He took a deep breath and looked over to Ren. "This is something I have to do, stay in the car if it makes you feel better."

"I'm not going to stay in the car and wait for you like some little bitch," Ren hissed.

Mannix laughed at Ren's anger. "Strange," he said as he opened up the car door and slipped out, "but I thought that's what you were doing already." He took the gun, slipped it carefully in the waistband of his jeans and walked off.

Ren raised his eyebrows and made a mocking face. "Ha. Ha. Very funny, you ass."

Mannix didn't bother to respond or to see if Ren had followed him out of the car or not. He was concentrating on the dimly lit building in front of him and tuning the rest of the world out. To the side, in the dark and heavy shadows of the building, Mannix vaguely made out a shape of a car, hidden from sight. He grinned and stayed in the shadows as he crept closer to one of the windows that had long lost its glass and was now simply covered up with several planks of wood. Keeping his head low, Mannix peeked through the slots of wood and saw a figure slowly moving about, glancing down with a flourish to look at his watch. The guy's back was turned to him but he recognized the stance, the same type of suit and the long midnight black hair. Saburo.

In that moment Mannix thought about shooting the fucker where he stood. Bam. Bam. It's over, walk away. But he felt that he would be cheating himself somehow. He knew that he couldn't make Saburo suffer the way he did; the thought of touching Saburo to even do something like that turned his stomach. He stayed there for a few more moments, making sure that Saburo was in the room by himself before he moved towards the door. It wasn't that he didn't trust Ethan to tell Saburo to come alone; he simply didn't trust Saburo to keep his word.

Mannix slipped in through a side door and made his way softly to the room. He followed the light from the room and ended up in front of a rickety door. When he began to slowly push it open he heard the faint click of a gun's safety being pushed off.

"Dare desu ka!" Saburo's rolling voice shouted from behind the door.

Even after a few years, Mannix was still able to pick up certain words and phrases. Either from when Saburo talked endlessly on the phone or when they had "private lessons" where Saburo purposely taught Mannix certain words for his amusement.

Mannix pushed the door open, smiling. "It's just Ethan's errand boy."

Saburo narrowed his eyes and lowered his gun a bit, but not entirely. He frowned and his eyes traveled past Mannix. "And him?"

Mannix looked behind him and Ren was slowly making his way to the door. Fuck.

"He's with me."

Ren glared at Saburo as he walked past Mannix and stuck close to the shadowed walls. He sure as fuck wasn't going to just wait outside while he knew what was going to happen. He had decided on being a presence for it all and would only interfere if he had to. He moved along the wall to the back of the room closer to Saburo if worse came to worse. Ren was hoping it all went how Mannix wanted it to, but he was apprehensive about Mannix losing his temper and he definitely did not trust this Saburo guy. Ren wasn't sure how to feel looking at the handsome Japanese man a few feet from him; a pathetic thug trying to be a businessman, he probably had a bit of power on the street and thought it was worth something. He didn't doubt for a second that Ethan wanted to off Saburo and just saw Mannix's revenge as the stone to kill two birds. Ren forced his face to go into his bored mask and he gave Saburo a small smile as the other man studied his face. Saburo must have been satisfied with what he saw because he lowered his gun to his side and relaxed his stance.

"You are late," Saburo said. "Ethan knows I have a plane to catch, what is so important?"

Mannix shook his head with disbelief. Still the same fucker as always, he thought. You would expect a little change after four years, maybe. That night was slowly coming back for the umpteenth time tonight and he lowered his head and shut his eyes as he fought the memory back. Mannix looked up at Saburo, a cold smile on his face and a deadly look in his eyes.

"You don't remember me, do you?"

Saburo raised an eyebrow. "Why would I remember you, kid?"

Mannix willed himself to not rush the bastard now. He took a few steps forward and shrugged nonchalantly. "No real reason," Mannix lied, "just wondering."

Ren shifted. What good would it do for Mannix to drag things out? Just point the gun, shoot and they could go.

Saburo, also, was clearly getting suspicious. "What does Ethan want?"

"Not much," Mannix replied slowly, the wood creaking under his boots as he walked closer to Saburo. He stopped when he was inches away from the other man. Saburo didn't back up, but seemed to relax a bit, taking Mannix's advance as a possible sexual proposition. Mannix wanted to spit in the man's face but instead he leaned forward and put his lips near Saburo's ear and whispered. "Just paying off a debt."

Saburo froze and backed away with a frown on his face. The gears were working over time behind those soft brown eyes and they roamed over Mannix's face. Slowly, recognition dawned on his face and he chuckled.

"Â, sô desu ka," he muttered softly, his eyes closing for a moment before meeting a face he had long ago forgotten. "Ethan sent you?"

"Does it matter?" Mannix murmured.

"No, I suppose not," Saburo replied and then his lips curled into a lazy smile. "Tell me, how is Nia?"

Nia. His mother. The bitch that caused all of it by running away when Mannix needed her most. Hell, the ONLY time Mannix had ever needed her. It was Nia's debt that Mannix paid for and to think about that---

Mannix took a deep breath, willing himself to stay in control. He had come too far to let Saburo get under his skin. "Don't know," he said with a grin, "don't care."

"I'm flattered you found me," Saburo continued, no longer looking at Mannix as the young man he was but as the fourteen year old he used to be. "You wanted another go, inu? I've got a few hours before I leave, your friend can join if he wants to."

Mannix didn't remember hitting Saburo. One minute Saburo was mouthing off, the next he was on the floor holding his cheek. In the fall Saburo's gun had slipped from his hand and Mannix quickly kicked it away. Saburo removed his hand and licked his bleeding lip and smiled.

"You still hit like a girl, Mannix," Saburo laughed. "Like so many other things."

"You stupid fuck," Mannix muttered. "Even now, after four years you have the nerve to treat me the same way?"

"How else would I treat you, Maxine? In four years you think something would change?"

"Something has changed," Mannix said softly and lifted his shirt to retrieve the Beretta and pointed it coolly at Saburo. "Me." Mannix began to pace around Saburo when he made no moves to get up from the floor. "Did you think I wouldn't?"

"Not really," Saburo replied, following Mannix the best he could. He waited until Mannix had finished his circle and was standing in front of him when he kicked his leg out suddenly for a foot sweep. Mannix, however, was a bit too quick for that and backed up as Saburo's foot swiped along the wooden floor. Street life forced you to be quick, it was that or end up dead. The latter was never an option that Mannix ever planned to lay down for easily.

Mannix set down the gun on the floor at a fair distance from Saburo and balled his hands into fists. He was going to enjoy this immensely. If Saburo wanted to turn it into a physical fight that was fine, Mannix was more than happy to scrap a little with him. As Saburo attempted to get up Mannix lunged forward with his fist raised and knocked him back down with a heavy blow to his jaw. Saburo went to the floor on all fours, spit and blood dribbling from his mouth as he fought to recover from the blow. Mannix didn't give him any recovery time and gave him a swift kick to the stomach. Saburo lifted off the floor; his back arching up and he fell to his side with his arms holding his injured abdomen, muttering softly in Japanese.

Mannix looked down at the cursing Saburo with a cold amusement. "Not so fucking tough without your little posse, are you?"

Saburo stayed silent as if to deny Mannix the pleasure of his revenge. But one thing that Saburo still didn't quite understand is that Mannix had indeed changed, for better or worse. The child in Mannix roared to life at being ignored and cast aside without a second glance. He would not be ignored or denied. Mannix lunged forward and, taking hold of Saburo's collar, pulled him up to his knees. The other man stared at him blankly, but those brown eyes glittered. Fear? Amusement? Mannix didn't care and was intent on making sure Saburo's face was so bloody to the point where he couldn't tell. Mannix punched him in the face again and again before letting Saburo fall from his grasp. Another kick and Saburo went into a coughing fit and blood stained the floor. With another cry Mannix gave him another kick and, lifting Saburo by his hair, landed a fist right in the center of the man's face that sent him flying back to the floor.

Ren shifted, but said nothing, impatient more than anything else to be done with it all and back at home. The wet and heavy sounds of fists meeting wet bloody flesh was a tad bit unnerving but was less troubled by it the longer he heard it. He watched Mannix as he mercilessly attacked Saburo, only winching when he saw more blood flying. Mannix by now looked down right insane, hazel eyes bright and wild, breathing heavily and stalking around the bloodied Saburo like a vulture, waiting for his death. It was that look in Mannix's eyes; that utter wildness that gave Ren a chill down his spine. A bad one this time. Definitely a bad one. He kicked himself for being sensitive about it but it was something not easily brushed off. He was well aware of that side of Mannix, it actually led to their first meeting, but his run-in with Michael was nothing compared to the beating Saburo was getting. Mannix grinned and put his whole body into his next punch. Fuck, was that teeth that just landed on the floor?

"Answer me, you fuck!" Mannix was yelling and grabbed hold of Saburo by the neck and started squeezing. "Are you seeing the difference now?"

Saburo could only give a gargled response.
"ARE YOU?" Mannix screamed and hit Saburo once again, the man falling to the floor with a heavy thud.

Ren shrunk from the volume of Mannix's voice and was nervous. Not out of fear for himself and especially not Saburo but it was like seeing Mannix for the first time. Watching someone who had Mannix's face do things he never thought him capable of, until now. Ren wasn't exactly thrilled to witness this dude's execution, or maybe slaughter would be a better term. It didn't bother him and Saburo deserved it more than anyone but it didn't mean he had to stand there and watch Mannix beat Saburo another hole in his head to breathe through. Mannix laughed and Ren hardly recognized it. It was deep and purring like normal but it held an edge to it, a high tension that made Ren downright nervous.

"Mannix…stop," he whispered.

Mannix looked away from Saburo and the weight of those eyes settled on Ren.

"If I'm not mistaken you wanted to come, Renny," Mannix sneered, using the nickname as a deeper blow, "be a pussy and go back in the car if you can't take it."

Ren stepped away from the wall, anger at being insulted pushing him to speak.

"I can take it," he snapped back, "I'm just wondering when you plan to stop your Psycho Land vacation?"

Undaunted by the remark, Mannix shrugged and took one menacing step in Ren's direction. "When I'm done. You got a problem?"

Ren caught the implied threat and was smart enough to say no more and went back to being the fly on the wall. The LAST thing he wanted was that rage focused in his direction. Satisfied that there would be no more interruptions, Mannix turned away and focused his attention back on the gasping Saburo.

Mannix looked down at him with an amused smile and nudged him with his foot. "Did you ever expect me to find you?"

Saburo pushed himself up slowly, coughed and spat blood and teeth to the side as best he could. "Not really. I didn't expect you to live long enough to."

"Bad call," Mannix replied softly and walked over to the spot on the floor where he had laid the gun down. It laid there on the rotting wooden floor; dark, cold and waiting. Waiting to be warmed by an eager hand and by the bullet that would propel out of its muzzle seeking out flesh. He picked it up and went back over to Saburo whose eyes went wide and watched the gun with a growing fear. Well, the one that wasn't swollen shut, that is.

Mannix calmly put the gun to Saburo's forehead with a small evil smile on his lips as he watched the man begin to quiver for the first time since this began. It was Saburo's time to be afraid and terrified with the knowledge that it was now his life out of his hands. Mannix lowered the gun, letting it trace down Saburo's bloody features and the tip of the gun caressed Saburo's face, trailing along his cheek and jaw line like a lover's fingertips. Saburo started to shake a little and a lovely mix of anger and fear.

"Say 'ah," Mannix whispered. Those same words spoken to him four years ago as Saburo's goons held him down and Saburo's cock was at his mouth waiting to shoot. Before it started he remembered begging—the ONLY time in his life—for them not to. His cry of 'please' became a joke and one by one they fucked him, using him like a doll. Saburo's three goons had all took turns fucking him and then came in his mouth afterwards, forcing him to swallow down the semen as his stomach fought to expel it. The memory tore through his mind like a raging bull as he remembered the pain and the fear. Mannix's face wrinkled with rage and, taking the handle of the gun, gave Saburo a quick hit to the skull. Saburo's body jerked and started to sag to the floor but Mannix grabbed him by the collar and held him up. He pressed the muzzle of the gun against Saburo's lips with more force, pushing it until it bumped against teeth.

"Warui inu," he hissed between his heavy breathing. "Swallow it."

With a small moan Saburo's mouth opened, his brown eyes wide and fearful. Mannix was extremely pleased with that look, happy beyond words to have Saburo right where he wanted him and so, so helpless. Mannix leaned down so Saburo could easily look into his face. He wanted Saburo to have a clear view so he could look into the eyes of the man who held his life in the palm of his hand. For that moment the room didn't exist and whether Ren was there or not didn't matter. Mannix was facing his ultimate enemy, the cause for so many sleepless nights for so long. Saburo could say nothing with the gun in his mouth and that was fine; Mannix really didn't want to hear Saburo talk anymore. He didn't want Saburo to even breathe. He leaned back and let go of Saburo's collar, the gun lodged in the man's mouth was the only thing keeping his head up. It was time to end this. All of it.

"The boy you dared to rape," Mannix whispered softly like he was breathing words to a lover, "is now the man to kill you. Fitting, don't you think?"

Let him swallow that, Mannix thought coldly and firmly pulled the trigger. The shot rang out through the small room, echoing out into the night. It would be ignored just like all the others; what was one more gunshot in the Underbelly, after all? Saburo's head jerked from the shot, his entire body bucked as his life was snuffed out in one determined flash. His eyes rolled up in the back of his head and he fell back on the ground like a rag doll, still forever. Mannix backed up slowly, staring down at the dead body on the floor in front of him. There was a growing crimson puddle at the back of Saburo's head and it was growing by the minute. Maybe someone would find the body, and maybe he'd just rot here, following the path of decay of the building. A rotting pile of flesh, alone and completely worthless.

Mannix couldn't help but smile. "Ii inu," he whispered and walked away.


Well, that's it for now folks. ^___^ Hope you enjoyed!! I'll get the last part out and posted sometime later this week hopefully. As always, thanks for reading and lemme know what you think.

Later, Peccavi