Page 63 of Doozer

Graves, who’d been outside with us, was holding his own with the bouncer’s counterpart, while the rest of my crew was now outside assisting with the other assholes.

Doozer pounced on top of Douchebag Number One and grabbed him by the shirt collar before delivering two clean blows to the right side of his face, Doozer’s rings carving chunks of flesh from the Bouncer’s cheek.

I reached into my pocket and grabbed a pair of illegal brass knuckles, jumping into the fray with the rest of my crew. Fists and teeth flew until the inevitable sounds of police sirens broke up our little parking lot party.

Quantico’s finest rolled up on us with lights flashing and all the colonial charm they could muster.

“Break it up and move away from one another,” an officer’s voice assertively, yet politely, requested over the car’s loudspeaker. “Come on, Monty, Sean, Clifford. Let’s go you guys.”

Our opponents immediately complied to the officer’s command. Stopping and standing in place as if they knew the drill. I took this time to deliver some justice for the earlier ambush on Doozer by driving my elbow directly into the bridge of my opponent’s nose.

“Mother fucker,” he shouted as blood began to pour from his face like a faucet.

“Now, come on. I asked you to break it up,” the voice on the loudspeaker said, as if he was scolding a toddler. “Now, I want y’all to stand up, put your hands where I can see them, and get in a line.”

The officers exited the car, guns and flashlights drawn, just as Taxi pulled up.

“Shit,” I hissed, under my breath.

“I mean it, boys. Line up and stay real still,” the first officer commanded.

“Those two are female, Sarge,” the second officer said, pointing to me and Jette.

“What are you young ladies doing out here fighting in the Windmill parkin’ lot?”

“I was about to ask the exact same thing, myself,” Taxi said, approaching the officers with his shield and credentials in hand. “Good evening, Sergeant, my name is Agent Davis with the FBI. I work at the training facility and these young men and women are my cadets.”

“Well, sir, your cadets have some explaining to do,” the sergeant replied, before turning to the locals. “And so do you boys. Monty, Sean. All of you. I told you I didn’t want to catch you boys out here fightin’ anymore.”

“We’re bouncers. We’re paid to fight,” Monty said, through a mouthful of blood. “Besides, they started it.”

“Given your track record, I find that unlikely,” the sergeant said. “However, I don’t have the room to hold all of you until we sort this out.”

“I don’t want to step on your toes, Sheriff, but if you’d agree to release my cadets into my custody, I can assure you they will be dealt with. Severely.” Taxi glared at our motley crew.

“I think I’d be amiable to the idea, Agent Davis, but it doesn’t rightly seem fair to lock these boys up while yours go free.”

“It sounds like you know these boys pretty well,” Taxi said.

“Yup,” the Sergeant said with a heavy sigh as he pointed. “That one’s my sister’s kid.”

“From the looks of it, these idiots seem to have taken their lumps pretty well, so maybe you let your guys go home and sleep it off and I’ll get mine back where they belong. We’ll agree to steer clear of the Windmill for the next ninety days when cooler heads can prevail. What do you say?”

“Sounds fair to me,” the Sergeant replied. “How ’bout you boys?”

“I kinda need the money,” Monty argued.

“You need a swift kick up the ass is what you need,” his uncle countered. “Maybe Sonny can put you behind the bar. I’ll talk to him.”

The locals groaned in resignation.

“All right then, clear on outta here. Have Jerry call cars for y’all. Go home to your mamas and have ’em look at your bumps and bruises. Y’all don’t be afraid to go to the emergency room if you have to.”

“’Night uncle Bob,” one of the crew called back to the sheriff.

I chuckled at the quaint small-town exchange and Taxi shot me a look that advised I’d be better off stowing my shit.

“Thank you, Sergeant,” Taxi said, shaking the officer’s hand. “I’ll make sure my cadets get back to the barracks safely, but you can take this one with you,” he said, pointing to Doozer.

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