GEORGE

“Are you absolutely sure?”

“Thread count of his socks.” She repeats firmly. “I will have to have a good look at it, see if the serial number is on it, but that looks like it…” She adjusts the picture. “...yeah, that looks like it.”

“Okay, Mercy, let’s revisit this tomorrow. Right now you…”

“Have a date to save. I know!” She adjusts her perfect outfit and licks her teeth. “Okay, go get him!”

“Who are you talking to? Me or you?”

“Both of us!” She chuckles, and links our arms and leads us out.

BRIAN

I have never seen anyone look so stunned, pinched, and jealous in my life. “Yep, I get to go home with a guy who can do that…” I boast to Michael, who turns his attention back to a returning Mercy with the menu in his hand. “...want to see?!” I call out to her

“No, I don’t think that is at all necessary!” He bridles. “Besides, I need to discuss…”

“See what?” Mercy looks again at Barney, but a nudge from George brings her focus back.

“Justin can put his own dick in his mouth.” Caleb grins as her jaw drops. “It’s impressive…”

“What, the dick or the fact that he can?” She chuckles.

“Excuse me, can we stop talking about dicks and turn to the…” Michael stops his carping when Mercy steps up to Caleb and kisses him. “...Mercy, I would like you to concentrate on me for a minute!”

“Why? His mouth is much more interesting.” She turns to face him, but does not step out of Caleb’s embrace. “But before you start, show me.” I hand over the phone and she, like everyone else, goes bug-eyed but then gets a sly look. “Can you draw that?”

“Of course I can draw that!” I scoff. “Even down to the taste.” I leer at a pink cheeked, but proud looking Justin.

“You can’t draw taste! And speaking of taste  What’s with the food? I don’t like virtually anything on this!” Michael continues to whine.

“That’s the point.” She drawls, not looking up from the phone. “Seriously, do you have a rubber spine?”

“You deliberately chose stuff I don’t like?!” He puts his hands on his hips. “Mercy, again, concentrate on me for a second! And Ben, you can’t smoke in here!”

“First, this is my place. Second, we can smoke in here, we have a special licence.” Caleb tightens his arms around her, and although she does briefly tense up, she relaxes and remains where she is. “You are crossing the rubicon again!”

“Sorry, but I am starving and I don’t think Barnabus will like this stuff either…”

“It has to be a change from eating your ass.” Ben retorts through a plume of smoke, and for a few seconds he and Barnabus lock eyes. “Well, Barney Rubber, have you checked the menu to see?”

He takes it from Michael and I smile at the slight tremble of the page. Ben is bigger than him and justifiably pissed off, if I am reading the situation right. “The food looks fine, Michael, let’s not make a scene.”

“Oh, alright, I just won’t drink so much.” Michael mutters before smiling. “But we must have a bottle of your finest to celebrate! Do you have the NDA with you, Mercy?”

“Why would I have an NDA on a date?” She looks confused then stunned. “You’re putting up your store for real?!”

“No, but Barney is lending me the money to use as collateral and I’ll pay him back.” He beams.

“How does that give us collateral?” I frown. “The whole point is that it is an actual thing, not money...”

“And what about the comic that he said you agreed to, Brian?” Barney asks.

“If you think for one minute that I am having anything to do with those dubious etchings, you have another think coming!” I snarl.

“Dubious…” Barney begins.

“Look, let’s discuss this another time. This is about the film.” Michael interrupts.

“No, let’s discuss this now!” Ben growls. “What about the comic? The scribbles were excrement and the storyline laughable. Besides…”

“Excrement? Laughable? A bit harsh don’t you think?” Barney bitches. “Okay, I didn’t go to PIFA, but Penn State is pretty good.”

“Penn State? What comic are you talking about?” I frown and take my phone away from an also frowning Mercy.

“Mine, the one I drew. Hold on, I brought it with me on the off chance. Won't be a second.” He rushes to the cloakroom.

I take that opportunity to see if I'm right. “Ben, he cheat on you?” I nod at a stupefied Michael.

“Yeah. Not sure for how long when we were together, but they seem to have reconnected at least on an ass and morality level. Intellectually, I am not sure, he went to Penn State after all.”

“And you had the nerve to bitch about me being his best friend!”

“You cheated on Ben?!” Uncle Vic explodes.

“Ben, it...ah Barney, we uh…”

“Hang on, Michael. It’s this…” He hands me a folio and I pull out the contents and am astonished. “...see, not excrement. I worked hard on…”

“Jesus!” Mercy exclaims, having been looking over my shoulder. “Craven!”

“What?” Debs demands finally turning her murderous look off and frowning at Mercy.

“Oh my god, that’s where I know you from! You and Brian were both at a comic con and I was looking for someone to draw. You were both in my crosshairs, but he beat you by a mile. But then he got shot and I watched him slowly…” She turns to Caleb. “...can I talk to you for a second in the office?”

“Sure.” He replies, having looked amused throughout.

OFFICE

MERCY

I gesture at the sofa and sit the other end to him. “Let me ask you something. You watching or guarding? If you are watching, get the fuck out of here. If you are guarding, then why?”

He contemplates the question before giving me a wry smile. “Guarding, and how did you know?”

“I know everything about the man, down to the thread count of his socks, and I also know surveillance when I see it. Happens a lot in the business. So what is this?” I gesture between us. “If this is…”

“All pleasure.” He moves closer. “I can't and won't tell you who I work for, but they want to keep him as safe as you do.”

“Good. So shall we start this date proper?”

“Before we do that, I loved what you did with Balloon over the Water. What happened to the Director’s Cut?”