Meet the New Boss

"Who's he?" the flat-faced man asked Potenzia.

"That's Pip," Potenzia replied.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked turning to Pip.

"I'm Pip," the young man answered with a confident shrug.

'Hazard' Hayes regarded Pip for a full minute. Pip returned his stare with a nonchalant smirk. "Come back when you feel better, boy. Maybe I'll have work for you then," said Hayes.

Potenzia raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, He was not exactly feeling in top shape himself. The crew of the Black Dragon had tangled with the remains of Hester Naruk's organization, leaving both adventurers a little nicked-up. Thanks to a crushing rib wound from a flail, it still hurt Pip when he breathed, and Potenzia was still more than a little light headed from a near fatal dose of poison.

"I don't figure on getting hurt much," replied Pip. "Besides, I don't work for you. I freelance for Zira."

"He didn't say nuttin' about it to me," Hayes replied gruffly.

"Maybe he doesn’t trust you much," said Pip. "He told me to follow your lead and back whatever play that you made. He said, ‘Hayes is the boss.’ Sounded to me like he had complete confidence in you." Pip shrugged as if to say, "Whatever the boss says."

Hayes grunted, obviously not pleased. He turned to Potenzia, and asked, "You vouchin' for him?"

Potenzia gave him an "oh-pu-leeze" look. "More like I'm vouching for you, Hayes," he replied curtly. "Let's get going."

Hayes turned to Pip and growled. "Here's my lead. Listen and learn. I like to make an indeniable impersonation. So we walk in hard, and I gut one of Ol' Larg's boys right away. Whoever stands up first. Makes no difference to me, he's just an example. The rest of them'll fall into line real quick-like.

You two just back me 'till I'm done laying down the law. Then I'll introduce you two." With that the trio started off towards the Gutted Fish.

"We won't need any introductions," said Pip, firmly, "we've already made our impersonation on Larg's and his boys. How do you think Larg wound up dead?" He wondered to himself if Hayes really meant to say "indelible impression."

Hayes again glanced at Potenzia, who nodded in agreement. "Yup," he said. "Caught larg messing with slavers. Turned out he was selling out to one of Naruk's lieutentants, a fat guy by the name of Sam Pfister. Zira wasn't too happy when he heard the news."

"I'll bet," answered Hayes, a touch impressed. "The 'Fish, and it's hidden dock are pretty important to a smuggler like Zira. Larg was gonna turn, huh? Start runnin' Pfisters protection rackets outta the 'Fish. No wonder Zira called me."

"Anything you want to add, Mister?" he said turning back to Pip.

"Yeah," Pip answered. "If you feel like you need to teach a lesson, gut a guy named Knelstead. His knickname is 'Knee breaker Knelstead.' He won't be the first one to stand up, but he's trouble. He was sort of the second-in-charge when Larg ran the place. Now he fancies himself the leader of the pack, and he's been shopping his gang's services to the Mogley's, the Kosvigs, and any one else he can think of to get ahead. He thinks he can offer up the South Docks to some one on a platter."

Hayes stopped and glared at Pip. "What makes you think that? The boss didn't say nuttin' about Knelstead not being trusted. I don’t wanna gut no one who can be a help later on."

Pip shrugged, and kept walking. "It's your play," he said over his shoulder. "But if you gut the first guy to stand up, you're likely to gut some one who is scared of you. If it was me, that'd be the guy that I would want to keep around."

"Is he always this much of a wise ass?" Hayes asked Potenzia.

"Nah. This wisdom is new found," Potenzia replied, ignoring the sarcasm. He turned serious for a moment, and said in a low voice so that PIp would not overhear, "No one knows more about these docks than Pip. Do yourself a favor and listen."

Hayes shrugged, and he and Potenzia caught up with Pip as they reached the Gutted Fish.

There was a beefy man at the front door, who informed them in a fairly moronic monotone, "We're closed. Come back another time."

"I think not," said Potenzia, who mumbled a few words and made a quick gesture. The man smiled a grin which was missing several teeth. "You can make an exception this time, can't you?" he asked.

"Huh?" the man replied. " A wha'?"

"Never mind," said Potenzia impatiently. "Just stand away from the door. That would make me happy."

"Oh, I'm not 'sposed to do that," said the doorman, as he quickly stood to one side. "I'm not 'sposed to let no body in."

Potenzia winked, and whispered hoarsely, "I won't tell nobody."

The beefy man guffawed, "I likes you, little man."

"You're not so bad yourself, for a slacked-jawed, mouth-breathing, snaggle-toothed moron," Potenzia replied with a smile.

"Thanks", said the doorman, while Pip made gagging gestures behind his back.

Potenzia made another series of gestures, which took slightly longer than before. An barely audible "click" was heard, like the snapping of a padlock.

"Gee, I hope that wasn't a Wizard lock spell by mistake," he grinned.

Hayes rolled his eyes, sneered at Potenzia, and twisted his face into a mean snarl. "Let's go. Stay behind and follow my lead," he said.

"A minute more," Potenzia answered. He gestured a third time, and pointed at Pip, who disappeared.

"Now we're ready," said Potenzia to Hayes.

Hayes snarled something about no one listening to him, and then turned, and kicked the door open with great violence. It flew open, making a loud thump against the wall, revealing a dimly lit common rooms, and six surprised occupants.

Hayes growled, "Alright, listen up," he said with a mean growl, "Larg's dead. Boo-hoo. This is my place now. And you all belong to me. Shut-up, do what yer told, and we'll get along just fine."

Several of the surprised men stood up startled, and grabbed clumsily at weapons. Hayes back-handed the nearest one, sending him sprawling, and turned to another. His eyes narrowed. "Draw that dagger and you'll be mopping the bar foor with a stump unitl the day you die," said Hayes through clenched teeth.

In addressing the man, Hayes had turned his back to a small man with a shock of white hair. This man was rising slowly, and quietly to his feet, a dagger half-drawn. Suddenly, he stiffened, turned paled and coughed up a river of black blood. Hayes half-turned to regard Pip, who had suddenly appeared behind him.

"Nicely done, Pip. Straight through the liver," Hayes said as the man slumped quietly to the floor. He turned to regard his other would-be attacker. "If I see one drop of blood on that floor when I come back, you join him."

With that he turned to the man he had sent sprawling. and ordered, "You, come with me.You're now my second in charge, and I want to take inventory." He regarded the prone man as he hesitated. "I'm not used to repeating myself," he said icily. All five sprung into action; three grabbed the dead body, and began to drag it away. The thug who had almost drawn a dagger against Hayes stood trembling , staring at the spot where Knelstead’s body had been. Coming to his senses with a start, he quickly grabbed a nearby mop and began to scrub at the crimson stain.

Hayes called over his shoulder, as he headed for the back room. "Potenzia, tell the moron at the front door that we're open for business."

Potenzia looked at Pip a moment, as the young rogue wiped the blood from his weapon. "Knelstead was talking to the Mogley's about running protection for them?" he asked.

"Who knows," Pip answered. "I just thought Knelstead was a pain. Some one was going to be gutted, and I knew he wouldn't be the first one to stand up." Both men grinned.

"Come on," said Potenzia. "I know where Larg kept the good stuff."