Connor and Malcolm followed as Gray walked Jacob into the restroom and promptly slammed him over the sink and into the mirror. The porcelain edge caught him across the thighs and he fell forward, turning the water on as he reached for a handhold. Steam floated upward in front of his face and he pulled his fingers clear.
"Connor," Gray said. "Pat him down. We don't want any surprises."
Connor did as he was told and Jacob saw he was still wearing the same shit-eating grin as when he had given him the box. The tall man stepped forward and slapped his hands on across Jacob's sides and back like he was swatting a roach, finding the 8mm immediately. He tossed it backwards to Gray who snapped it out of the air before casually handing it back. Jacob knew that it was only a few feet to one of the pistols, but knew he couldn't get to it in time. On the good side, there were still two doses of Kickstart in his jacket.
"You shouldn't have fucked with the Gaff, jackass," Gray said as he leaned in and threw a punch into Jacob's back. Pain shot across his spine and he yelped as the impact took the wind out of him. Tears came into his eyes as he slumped forward and onto the sink that hid the pistol. Almost in reach, he thought. If he could only get to it...
"I wanna shot too!" another voice said and Jacob expected it belonged to the short Frother. He'd give him a whole clip of shots if they only gave him the-
Another impact, this one higher up and between the shoulder blades sent him forward and made the lights in the room blink. His spine was about to smash through his breastbone and he gasped for air, trying to stay conscious as his head swam. His temples pounded and the room twirled around him, stopping when something spun him and slammed his back to the sink. Blinking sweat out of his eyes, he saw Connor's grinning face leering down at him just before a fist popped into his jaw. Pain, a flash of red light, and then drops of dark red and what was probably a tooth hit the porcelain. Heat and stiffness wrinkled across the side of Jacob's face and he gasped, trying to stay on his feet. He couldn't take much of this and prayed for an opening.
The room's tilting gradually stabilized without anyone hitting him and he realized that they were waiting for something. Gray was standing at the sink beside him and when the man casually opened his coat, Jacob remembered the reason unlucky gangers called him the "Doctor." The man unstrapped the harness that carried his tools, and laid them out carefully in a row, the stainless steel sparkling like diamonds. Jacob knew that these were probably the same ones they had used on Julia and his knees felt rubbery. This man had a reputation across all of downtown and even operatives were afraid of him.
"Hey, you still with us?" Connor said as he clenched Jacob's face in one hand and turned it to look at the tools. "I know what you're thinking, but the answer's no. He's not the one who did it."
Jacob squinted, feeling that his left eye was swelling shut and the big man just laughed. "Nah, Harmy. It was me and my girl"
Connor reached back and pulled a twelve inch serrated blade from under his coat that could barely be called a knife. It was a wicked looking piece of metal with a double edge and gutting hook that glowed in the light as Connor turned it in his hand.
"Ain't she a beaut?" he asked and kissed the side of the metal. Jacob saw the reflection of his own face playing in the blade and looked him in the eyes.
"That's a really big knife," Jacob whispered. "You must have a little, little dick."
Connor's face twisted and he cocked the blade back, but Malcolm grabbed his arm and stopped him. Connor seemed a little confused and wobbled as he rubbed his eyes and stepped backwards.
"Something isn't right," Connor started, shaking his head. "My head's swimming."
"Take a break then!" the Frother yelled, ignoring the bigger man as he stepped in front of him. "It's MY turn!"
The little man sounded like a little kid and Gray nodded as he spoke. The Doctor was comparing what looked like a madman's idea of a dentist's pick to something equally unpleasant and not paying much attention to what the others did.
"Let him have his fun," he said to Connor. "We can't finish this quickly."
Connor carefully put his blade back and backed out of Malcolm's way as the little man stepped up grinning. Jacob smiled back as pleasantly as he could and knew that this was his best chance. Taking a quick note of where everyone was standing, he saw that Gray was busy just out of reach, Connor was in front of him and out of range and the only one of the three he could overpower was right in front of him. The tug of war had proven that and Jacob smiled wider, slowly clenching his fists at his sides. He wasn't a fighter, but knew he couldn't take pain very well and had to make a stand.
"I'm gonna make you beg!" Malcolm laughed as he slowly cocked back an arm. He hadn't been given any reason to expect a fight and took his time, making a show of it.
"Overconfidence is a great thing", the little voice told him, "but surprise is better."
Jacob swung first, his fist connecting squarely with Malcolm's face with a loud pop. Something gave and blood splattered down the Frother's shirt as the smaller man grabbed his nose and howled in pain. Jacob clubbed him again on the side of the head, but the fist wasn't tight and heat flashed up his arm. A heartbeat later, Jacob was staring up at the ceiling tiles and lights, blinking in confusion. The Frother must have knocked his feet out from under him and he never saw it coming. Muffled sounds of movement brought him around as Gray and Connor loomed over him.
"All right then, let's get started," Gray said and Jacob whimpered in spite of himself.
That was when the door quietly slid open and something came at the trio from behind.
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