Brian stared at the frightened man with a blank, unreadable expression on his face, and yet, the ice was clearly discernible in his eyes. This man was already marked for death. It was only a matter of determining how to carry it out. "You are wasting my time, Kip, and I don't believe I have to tell you how much that displeases me."

"Sir, please. I-I'm begging you. I c-can explain. None of it is as it seems." Kip's eyes darted around anxiously, any moment expecting guns to come blazing into the tightly sealed room. He knew his idea was preposterous. Brian Kinney didn't need his entourage of enforcers to handle either an interrogation or assassination. He was adept at doing both himself. As the sweat rolled down his back, Kip wished an interrogation was still his most viable option. However, this had escalated beyond that. Brian had already made his decision. The only thing left to determine was how painful his end would be.

Brian laughed a deep, hollow laugh. It was utterly menacing. "Funny how they all tell me that when in such a position. It's never as it seems. There is always a logical explanation." Brian reached into his desk, deliberately retrieving a sharp knife, his eyes firmly on his soon-to-be victim, and the source of sudden trouble that could be coming down on him in the near future, all due to his employee's bad judgment, and betrayal.

"P-please, no, Sir." Kip's lips began to quiver in his increasing fear. Why had he been so stupid to come here? He should have taken the money he had earned doing the job that now appeared to be his death warrant, running far from this town - in particular, from this man that didn't respond well to any form of betrayal. "I'll do anything you want, Mr. Kinney. Anything!"

Brian rolled his eyes, the knife lying idle in his hand. "Anything indeed. I'm afraid it's too late for that, Kip, but always a nice offering. Now, why don't you tell me what I need to know? The more you cooperate - well, the better your situation becomes."

Kip wasn't a fool. He'd been around this way of life for a long time now. The end result was simple. Once he told Brian everything he wanted to know, his enforcer would come in and eliminate him. It was only a question of how they would finish him. Fuck! Why had he let himself be coerced by Sapperstein? The two crime lords were at war with each other. He should have never gotten in the middle of that! Never! Now, he would pay with his life. "I don't have anything to say, Sir."

"That is unfortunate," Brian murmured almost absently. He tapped his knife repeatedly against his palm, his glacial eyes lifting to pierce the frightened ones with murderous intent. "You leave me with no true alternative, Kip. Betrayal is unforgivable in my world. If I let such dishonor go, well, I am disrespected. And without that respect, I lose my power." Brian's voice lowered to an ominous, deadly tone, "Trust me when I say - I don't intend to lose my power, nor appear weak to my enemies in any way!"

Transfixed by the tapping of the knife against his employer's palm, Kip stammered, "S-Sir, I didn't have a chance to tell him anything. There wasn't any time. P-please, you must believe me!"

Brian sighed dramatically. It was the sound of a man that had made a decision, one that he wished could have another result. "I am truly disappointed, Kip. I had such high hopes for you. Sadly, none of those can come to fruition now."

"No!" Kip exclaimed anxiously. Desperately, he rambled on, "It's not too late, Mr. Kinney. I swear it's not. I've learned my lesson. I will never betray you again. P-please, give me another chance. I'll do anything you say, Sir. A-anything!"

"You need to stop right now, Kip! Fuck! Be a man! Can you even do that?" Brian's eyes glittered angrily, as he looked into the fear in the other man's eyes. Such a weak-minded fool. His organization would be all the better with him gone. "It's out of my hands, Kip. You have aligned with my enemy; therefore, it is common knowledge in my world that I have been betrayed by one of my own. You have left me with no choice."

Bowing his head down, Kip realized what Brian spoke was the absolute truth. There was no going back from his reckless actions. Fucking Sapperstein! He had played him all along. The man had known his deception would be discovered. In knowing that, Sapperstein knew Brian would have only one possible alternative. And had Brian failed in delivering the only punishment that was accepted in their world, he would be perceived as weak - then, allowing Gary Sapperstein to move in. Knowing the cold hard facts didn't make facing his fate any easier; however, he did understand Brian's position. He shivered as he watched Brian playing with the knife. Intellectually, he knew Brian wouldn't use it on him - at least not here in his office. Brian rarely bloodied his own hands. He didn't have to; a staff of thugs, his primary enforcer, in particular, were always available to handle his dirty work. Kip knew his case would be no different. Brian's motions with the knife were merely to toy with him. As menacing as Brian's rival was, not even Gary Sapperstein did this as well as Brian Kinney. In these final hours, or whatever Brian deemed he had remaining, Kip wished he had realized so many of these things. Now, it was too late. "I won't fight you, Sir. I fucked up; I have nothing to say that can adequately defend my actions."

"You're right. There is no going back. That is the reality and risk everyone faces that live in this world. However, I will ask you this. Play games with the answer, and I'll finish you myself. Right here, and now!" Brian slammed the knife down on his desk, his point more than made. In reality, it had been a pointless gesture. They both knew this meeting was only a formality... a further twisting of a more poetic knife. Kip's death had been forecast from the moment his betrayal had been exposed. "Why did you accept Sapperstein's offer? What inducement could he give you that would ensure you of his commitment to protect you from me?"

Kip shrugged, the answer seeming insignificant now. "He convinced me that I had no future here with you. That I would always be the low man that had to do the shit jobs. He said that if I gave him something that proved my loyalty and commitment to his organization, I would be well taken care of."

"You were a fool." Brian narrowed his eyes, a calculating glint in them. "How badly would you like to save your life?"

A loud, lingering gasp filled the room. "Y-you mean, there's a chance? I-I never thought it was possible. In fact, I know how it makes you look if you let this slide under the table..."

"Not a wise manner in which to convince me to change my mind!" Brian's face began to darken in fury. This kid was a fucking imbecile. He proved his stupidity in the thought that he would actually allow him to live. No one survived the brand of betrayal he had amassed against him. However, he could allow him to think otherwise, that was, if he could make use of him in the meantime. There was a task that definitely came to mind. "There is a job I want done. It won't keep you in my organization. I can't have you connected to me further. That in mind, I am a very powerful man." Brian eyed him coldly. "I don't think I need to tell you that."

"N-no. I totally get that, Sir. You are much more powerful than Gary Sapperstein..."

Brian growled. "Perhaps you should have thought of THAT before aligning yourself with him!"

Kip knew they had to get back on track. An angry Brian Kinney would not be beneficial in the unlikely goal of saving his life. For the first time, he held a flicker of hope that could happen. He didn't want to blow his chances now. "You spoke of a job, Sir?"

"There is a man that owes a large debt to me. It has come to the point where I must take action."

Nodding, in full understanding of what that meant, Kip was overwhelmed by the opportunity he was being given - most especially, in light of his current situation. He was never given these tasks. Kip wasn't going to question why he was being given a job that would have normally gone to his chief enforcer; Kip realized this was his only chance. He didn't intend to fail. "Of course, Sir. Anything you need me to do, I will do it."

"Of course, you will." Brian's tone was both menacing, and silky at the same time. "I think you misinterpreted me, though. I don't want him iced. I merely want him brought before me." Brian thought about the dishonest, and sniveling Craig Taylor. He wanted to deal with him on his own.

"Oh, I see." Kip was even more confused now. Why couldn't one of his other thugs do this? There had to be complications involved. "Am I to use any means necessary to gain his cooperation?"

Brian inclined his head. "Within reason. I want him in one piece when he arrives to me - coherent and aware of the hopelessness of his situation." Brian flicked through the file he had on Craig Taylor, his eyes always captured by the picture of his son. Brian looked at it intensely for a long moment. "Taylor has something I want. Once in my possession, he won't have any choice but to give it to me."

"I will go right away. I just need all the details about this man..."

Soundlessly, Brian slid a piece of paper across his desk; he didn't speak a word until Kip had the vital information in his hand, along with a snapshot of Craig Taylor. "Your task is simple. However, failure is not an option, Kip. I want you to understand that. I need this to happen quickly."

"I won't let you down, Sir. I promise you that..." Kip's vow was fervent, the desperation formerly in his eyes now replaced by one of hope. Had he looked into Brian's eyes, he would have realized the true futility in such hope.

"Go out to the bar. Jackson and a couple of other men will accompany you." Brian smiled at the fear that immediately overcame the other man. He knew this was serious now, and that his primary enforcer would be with him. "Send Jackson in to see me on your way out."

Brian watched as Kip fled from his office, much like if the devil himself were after him. Perhaps that wasn't so far from the truth, Brian decided. It was only a moment later when Jackson knocked and appeared inside. Brian closed the Taylor file and gave his most trusted enforcer his full attention. "I believe you know the process, Jackson."

Jackson McCallister nodded. "I do, Sir." He was honored to be carrying out the end of Kip's existence. Brian had pulled Kip from the streets; the youth had a destructive path in him that would have ended him either dead or in prison. His boss had given the young kid a chance, all to be betrayed to his worst enemy. There was no mercy in him regarding Kip; he was glad that Kip hadn't managed to convince Brian otherwise. "The plan remains the same, then. We are leaving together to acquire Taylor; however, it will be a one-way ride for Kip."

"Exactly. However, there's been a slight change in plans. I don't only want the elder Taylor brought before me; I want his son as well." Brian's voice dropped to a firm, unyielding tone. "I expect you to make that happen."

Nodding, Jackson agreed, not a flicker of surprise on his face. Long ago, he had learned not to question Brian's demands. He wasn't about to in this case. "I will have them both here within the hour... and without Kip's return."

"Thank you, Jackson." He affixed a fierce look on his enforcer, a nod of approval following. "You are extremely thorough, not to mention loyal. That is why you are so valued and respected by me. I don't ever intend to forget that."

"I am honored by your esteem, Sir." His face became shadowed for a long moment, as memories of a darker time assailed him. He owed his life to his employer, debts that he could never repay that would always follow him. His loyalty was absolute. "I will keep in touch, Sir."

Brian waited until he was alone again before re-opening the file that lay on his desk. The matter of Craig Taylor was one he had been putting off for a while now. His priorities had been elsewhere; however, he didn't intend pushing this man's debt to the back burner any longer. Craig Taylor owed him a large sum of money. He would collect - one way or another. Whether the payment was made by father or son... the long-term debt would be satisfied today.

Should the Taylor men fail to deliver, Brian would resolve the unpleasant matter in his own way. As he stared into the blue eyes looking back at him from the photograph, Brian almost hoped he would have a reason to prolong the younger man's visit.

TBC