Rain was pouring down hard in the streets of Manhattan. News reports blamed the unexpected weather on superhuman activity- Thor, perhaps, or one of those mutants. People huddled in half-sheltered doorways, or held their jackets or newspapers overhead to protect themselves from being completely soaked.
Heedless of the downpour, Dirk stood silently on the sidewalk, hands in his pockets. Staring. Th’ hell am I doin’ here, he thought. Shoulda never told the kid I’d come. Though it was just on the other side of the street, Pete’s Tavern seemed miles away.
After several long minutes of deliberation, Dirk turned away from the bar and started back down the street. Ain’t got nothin’ to say to the Crew anyhow. He shook his head, caught himself. Scratch that- ain’t no Crew no more.
He’d only gotten as far as the end of the block when a familiar voice called out to him. “Wreckuh?” Hell. It was the Kid.
Dirk stopped and turned, watching as the youngest member of the villainous quartet approached. Brian was wearing a red windbreaker over a wife beater and blue jeans, carrying an umbrella in his hand. A bandaged hand. “Hurt yerself, Calusky?” he asked the obvious question.
The blond headed Jersey boy blinked, looked down at his hand. Made the connection. “This? Naw, just a scratch.” He grinned. “Youse should talk,” he said, referring to several scratches on Dirk’s face- legacies of the morning’s construction accident.
“You should see the other guy,” Garthwaite blustered, even as he frowned slightly. He couldn’t very well not join the others at the bar now. The two men stood in silence for a moment. Calusky basked pleasantly in Dirk’s company, while the older man awkwardly searched for something to say. What did these two have in common, other than their criminal past?
Brian broke the ice for them. “I dunno ‘bout youse, but I could use a drink or five.”
“Anyone else showin’ up?” Maybe if it were just these two, Dirk could slip away after a couple of drinks.
No such luck. “’Dozer’s already here, an’ the Doc’s ‘sposed ta be showin’ up soon.”
