STARSHINE, THE OCEAN AND THE UNICORN

Chapter three                                                                                                          Part six

                    Joe found the massage parlour and stepped in from the cold.  An old, toothless chinaman sat at the reception desk, which was a high counter with sides of black plastic and buttons. Patches of foam rubber could be seen where the covering had been ripped.  The gloss paint on the walls and doors had yellowed with age.  Small metal grills made small burring noises as they blew hot air around.  Joe looked at the skeletal face of the old man, the skin was stretched over the bones, the cheeks were hollow, grey stubble grew out of the tiny chin and the eyes were glazed and staring.  Joe asked if Jason Donaldson was there.  The old man nodded, climbed down from his stool and disappeared behind a door.  He came back after half a minute and held the door open for Joe. 
" Nummer four." he said, his voice was dried and cracked with age and his gums could not find as many consonants as his teeth used to.  Joe stepped behind the door and the old man closed it after him.  He was standing on a deep piled carpet in a thin corridor lined with doors on either side. The air seemed even hotter and he began to sweat.  He knocked lightly on the door of room number four, but nobody bothered to answer so he walked in.
                The lighting was soft and deep red.  Quiet Chinese music came through the speakers.  Joss-sticks were burning.  The walls were covered in erotic Chinese art and there were satin cushions arranged on the floor.  Jason was lying face down on a low couch, wearing only a towel wrapped around his waist.  Another man who Joe did not recognise, lay on a second couch next to Jason.  His face was turned away to the wall, he had shiny black hair, he was medium height , his body was agile and tight with muscles, there was along scar down his back and his skin looked darkish.  Jason's mass of blubbery flesh was white in spite of the dark lighting.  The two men were attended by identical Chinese girls whose long, straight, black, silk hair touched the floor as they knelt beside the couches. The girls were naked and their small, dark nippled breasts shook slightly as they worked the various oils and ointments deep into the men's backs.  Jason looked up at Joe. The other man kept his face turned away and did not move.
" What do you want ? "said Jason, he was annoyed at the intrusion.
" It's important, " said Joe.  He was nervous, he could feel the sweat running down his back but he would not take off his jacket. 
" So, what is it you want ? " said Jason, forcing his patience.
" I want out, " said Joe. Jason chuckled.
" You want out! "
" Yes, " said Joe, " I don't want anymore killings.  I want to buy myself out.  I'll have the money in about a month or so. "
                  Jason shook with laughter and Joe knew he had come unprepared.  He had rushed to out to find Jason with the idea of buying himself out but with no thought of the words he would use and the convincing story he would tell.
" Since when did you ever get near that kind of money?" said Jason, still wracked with laughter.  Joe's anger flared and he started shouting.
" I'm s'posed to 'ave lifted a load of dough and a load of gear, ain't I ? "
" Joey boy, if you had all that, we'd have our hands on it by now."
" So why am I doing the killing ?"  Joe's voice had become sharp and hysterical, his eyes were staring and his head swam in disbelief. 
"I told you.  You were careless enough to lose it all for us, that's why. " said Jason.
"Oh, I see, "said Joe, but he didn't see at all.  " And I'm not allowed to buy myself out."
" No." said Jason flatly, "That's not the deal.  The deal is that you kill or get killed. "
                  The other man spoke without turning his head.  His words were slow and his voice was deep and relaxed,
" Can't he pay someone else to do the killing s for him? "
                   Jason laughed and his fat, oily body quivered.
" What hit man is going to do the other four jobs then wait around for the money to show up on a wink and a promise from Joe Monroe ?  Either way he's going to get topped by the end of it. "  Jason calmed his laughter and wiped a tear from his eye.  Joe was numb, he just kept staring as if he were asking over and over again, Why ? Why ? Why?  Jason looked up and read the question in Joe's eyes, he let out more careless laughter, shrugged his shoulders and said  ,
" Why not ? "
                   Joe left, slamming the door behind him.  The girls looked up quickly and then continued with their careful hands and sensual movement as they spread soothing oils over skin and rubbed away tension from tightened muscles.  The dark haired man said slowly,
" You're going to lose this one, Jay. "
"Na, na, " said Jason smiling " He'll shape up.  You'll see."
                  Then he turned to the girl,
" Get us a cigar luv'  There's one in my jacket pocket. "
                   She got up obediently and drew back a curtain that covered an alcovein the a wall where the men's coats and suits were hanging on a rail.  Beside Jason's dark suit and dark overcoat there was a grey suit and a green gabardine mac and beneath them on the floor beside Jason's black boots there was a pair of tan, leather shoes.
                   The dark haired man turned over and then sat on the edge of the couch facing Jason while the girl knelt up close behind him and massaged his neck and shoulders.  He had another long knife scar down the left side of his face, he wore a thin moustache and his eyes were oriental.  His name was Collin Roach.  His mother had been a Chinese whore and his father a cockney gangster.  He killed for a living, he kept his face in the shadows and his day to day life well hidden.  The few who knew him had named him The Cockroach.