The Faceless Ones

Chapter Seven. Batu

Where's Gallow?'' Billy-Ray Sanguine asked the empty room.

"Elsewhere," said the voice, distorted over the tinny old speaker that hung in the corner. "They are all elsewhere. "

The walls were cold stone. There was one door, no window, and a mirror. Sanguine was fairly certain there was a camera behind the mirror, watching him.

"So who are you ?" he asked.

"I'm nobody," the voice said.

Sanguine smiled. "You're Batu, ain't you? You're the one they keep talkin' about.»"Am I?"

"Yeah, you are. You're the big boss. So how come you ain't here in person? I been workin' for you for over a year now. Ain't it time we met, face-to-face?"

"I value my privacy."

Sanguine shrugged. "I get that."

"You failed me, Mr. Sanguine. I paid you to do a job, and you failed me."

"You said nothin' about the skeleton detective and the girl gettin' involved. That's what we call extenuatin' circumstances. If I'd'a known they'd be there, I could have prepared. Or at least charged double."

"You will have a chance to redeem yourself."

"Yippee," Sanguine said without enthusiasm.

"I'm going to need you to steal something for me, as soon as Gruesome Krav returns. There is a very good chance you will encounter opposition."

"So you'll double my rate?"

"Naturally."

"Yippee," Sanguine said, and this time he smiled.