Unwelcome Customer

“Zero?” The name was a buzz that delighted morning despite the early hour. The party people had dropped some time ago, so all that was left standing at the bar was the gossip crowd and those with dangerous tolerance levels. Either way, this was my favorite time of working here, right before it closed. Gossip was a great tool to get a foot in conversations that led to deals and favors. As far as I could gather, the rumors about Zero had been spotted a few towns over, leveled a whole ring of thieves, took the law in his own hands in the next village to kill the mayor, and took down a few bandit gangs single-handedly. I knew that all these rumors could be easily true because I was raised by Zero. That was information I kept to myself, though, as I listened from behind the bar counter.

About ten minutes before the bar closed, I could hear a commotion from my left side, right by the door. The bar’s atmosphere had shifted to panic and fear. I set the glass I was cleaning down as fast as possible in the stack of other clean glasses behind the bar counter as I turned my head, overhearing the muffled gasps. There were no gunshots or sounds of someone getting hurt, just uncomfortable shuffling and the ceasing of talking. Someone that was captivating had just walked into my bar, and it didn’t take a genius to guess who.

There was a long dreadful silence. Clearly, the man who just stepped in waited to see if anyone dared to make a move on him. Luckily no one was drunk enough to take a swing at the man; everyone who fitted that category was passed out or gone home. Once the moment passed, I heard the man’s steps come closer to the bar table where I was standing. I could tell it belonged to a man full of confidence and purpose. I could recognize who those steps belong to anywhere.

Zero sat on the stool right in front of me with a loud thud. The bar was in dead silence; the patrons held their breaths, waiting to see what would happen. I picked up the glass I was cleaning and continued to wipe it down, letting my face stay neutral.

I heard a faint tap on my bar top. It was not just to get my attention, but a pattern, a message; it was one I recognized in an instant. It took all my nerves not to smack Zero over the head with the glass I held. I willed my voice to be calm but firm as possible, “Clear out, people, the bar is closed.” Luckily, most patrons took the hint bolted for the door. They knocked some of the chairs down in the process; that was a job for later to clean up. Some of the more stubborn or curious ones lingard for a few moments. “Do not make me repeat myself,” I ordered them.

Another round of shuffling to the door was not as fast as the first one. I counted the steps and confirmed there were only two people left in this bar. I returned my focus to Zero; he had stopped his tapping. “Even if you’re closed, can I have a drink?” That voice was rough with age and not used to speaking in long sentences, just simple barks of orders.

I made a ticking noise. “I told you if you ever stepped foot near me or my set up, I would kill you,” I answered. I placed the glass and a stack with the others; no intentions are making another drink that morning.

Zero scoffed, crossing his legs, “come on, One, not even a single drink for your old man?” There was a bit of joy in his voice, a bit of fondness in the name. I could feel my blood boiling at the reminder of the person I used to be. What this man had tried to shape me to be.

“I told you never to call me that ever. My name is Finnegan Stellwagen, and if you have a prayer for a drink or to be on some sort of speaking terms, or even a bullet going in your skull, you will do that,” I informed him; my voice was filled with venom.

The joy in his voice was clearly gone in Zero’s following words, “Finnegan? That’s the name you went with? There are many names you could pick, and you go with Finny? Poor choices aside, you still hold that rank-that title-we both know that people will kill for. And throwing it away for some cheap bar and poorly thrown together guild. No son of mine should be leading his life like this,” Zero placed a hand on the bar firmly, the other rummaging around in a bag at his side.

I placed my hands at my side, fingers wrapping around the blade in my belt, making myself ready. “Insults aside, are you here to kill me? I see a lot easier ways to go about that. Even back when I was twenty years old when I declared that I would be parting with you.”

A hollow laugh escaped Zero’s mouth as he pulled out a thin piece of paper from his bag, and he slammed it on the table. “Finny, I only kill when I see there’s no other option or handsome amount of money involved, and since neither of those options are at my disposal, I will not kill you, not today. I am here to give you an update on the ranks, and well...to see how things were going for you.” Zero was definitely embarrassed at that last piece, and I imagine he looked away. I allowed myself to let out a smile at the notion.

It was my turn to let on an empty laugh. “As if I care about the ranking. Everyone knows I’m not involved with this world you and the others are in. What problems have happened are not mine to worry about. If it was a matter of concern, my sources would have brought it to my attention.” I chose not to respond to the second part of Zero’s statement.

Zero tapped the paper again. “This paper is a wanted poster, updated yesterday actually. Ever heard of Vihnlox Village? Well, it is now nothing but rubble and tombstones. Apparently, that village was in debt to the one who calls themselves The Bandit King. Your younger nibling is now ranked two. Tuhew was the one who collected,” Zero explained.

It took me a moment to realize what all that implied. My idiotic little nibling had joined forces with one of the most dangerous women on the planet. Suitable for Tuhew, working with others. The Bandit King was on par with Zero in the means of fame. It was unlikely that they could fight on the same power scale though. To make up for the lack of power she did play dirty, meaning she would not care that I was no longer wanted to be part of this game. Meaning my head is up for grabs once again, which I did not want to mess around with. “You know that you could just give the rank to Tuhew. I want no part of this Zero,” I told him, knowing full well that even with all the power he wielded, nothing could have removed my title beside my head on a spike.

Zero laughed the bit of pride returning to his voice. “You know I cannot do that, kiddo. I’m just here to give you a little push and a bit of a reminder about how dangerous our lives are. I know you are no push-over; you’re ranked one for a reason, but you can’t get sloppy. The other’s skills only grow by the day.” There was a long pause before he spoke again, regret etched in his voice, “I don’t want to bury another one of my children.”

The flood of unwanted memories returned to my mind. I pushed them away as soon as they came and finally released the grip on my knife. I let my hands wander to a more productive task, to the stack of glasses to my right. “One, one drink that’s all you get. I never wanna catch wind of you anywhere near here again,” I instructed.

Zero was quiet for a moment, then agreed to the terms, finally letting himself relax. “You know what I like.”

The drink was made swiftly and with a bit of kick added for good measure. Zero usually would chug the glass without a second thought. Instead, he took slow sips. “No matter how many bars I go to, nothing beats your work,” Zero complimented.

“Thanks,” I replied; my mind was a wonder trying to wrap around my new set of circumstances. Parts of me hated that I was going back in this life, but the other part, the part of me that I had barricaded years ago, was excited.

“So, what are you going to do next?” Zero asked, placing his drink on the bar top. It seemed to be roughly empty.

I let out a half sigh, “now that would be spoilers, Zero. Besides, if I am going to be dragged into this mess, I’m not going to do it as One, but like me, Finny. My terms, not yours or any of the others.”

I could feel Zero was staring at me and then letting out a booming laugh. “You always did what you wanted,” he mumbled, taking a swig of his drink.

Behind me to the left, I heard light footsteps; someone had come down the stairs to the kitchen with no attention to be a sneak about the matter despite the hour. Zero’s chair creaked as he no doubts attempted to get a good look behind me. I turned around with a hunch who was there.

Besides me, three other people live here: my wife and her two kid siblings. Of the two of them, one had the better talent for stealth.

I smiled, “Artemis, what are you doing, munchkin?”

I could hear Zero behind me stiffen up when Artemis responded to me, “I couldn’t sleep and heard you talking to someone.” He stumbled into the room and ducked behind me, pulling on the back of my button-up. “Who is that?”

That was a complicated question to answer, and I was unsure how to start. Before I could get my mouth to work, Zero responded for me. “Finny and I used to work together. We’re just checking in before I head up north.” Artemis’s grip on me loosened and step out from behind me to get a better view of Zero. There was a moment of quiet, “How do you know Finny?”

It seemed only fair that both knew how they knew me, the common ground between the two of them. The problem is that Artemis was barely ten years old and unpredictable. “Finny married my sister.” The answer was simple and straightforward, which opened the door to many questions that Zero sure now had.

I bit my lip as I placed my hand on Artemis’s shoulder, “run upstairs, munchkin; I’ll bring you some water and a snack in a bit, okay?” I told him, knowing it would take a bit to get that kid to wind down.

“Alrighty,” he giggled and pounded up the stairs, hopefully not waking up the other two but I doubt it. I listened for Artemis’s door to close. Once I heard that click sound, I turned my focus back to Zero.

It was quiet for a few moments before Zero spoke again. “You really settling in this life you made, huh?” Zero sounded a bit taken aback. I just simply nodded, drumming my fingers on the bar top. “Take it that she is a nice girl?”

I let out a smirk, “She’s clever, hilarious, quick-witted, and easily could kick my ass.”

A glass slid into my hand, and the squeak of a chair moved caught my attention. Zero let out a light-hearted laugh, “I’m happy for you, Finnegan.”

“Thanks, now get out,” I responded back, scooping up his glass.

Zero made his way towards the door, sharp on his feet as ever. “The following months are not going to be easy; keep your head on your shoulders. The next time we meet, I might not be as friendly.”

I let out a grunt. “You got nothing to worry about. Thanks for the heads-up, and if I ever catch you around my town again, I will mount your boar head on my bar wall,” I vowed, letting out a devilish grin.

Neither had anything else to say, the main door opened and Zero stepped through, closing the door quietly. Leaving me as the last man standing in my bar, with full knowledge there was more trouble on the raise.