Cowboy Ending - Overdrive: Book One Read Online Free

given the clear gang tattoos visible on some of their
necks – shouldn’t have even been allowed into the club. Another
negative to young bouncers, they’ll let anyone in if they’re given
enough cash at the door. A quick glance to Mark over at his perch
near the main bar and a quick pantomime to the trouble area sent
him and two others to investigate. At almost the same time I waved
down David and gestured thattaway to the front entrance where cold and restless people who’d
been waiting in line all night were trying to force the door. Three
more bodies shored up the breach with little fuss.
     
    Overall, a
pretty average Friday night.
     
    Eventually the
noise stopped blaring and we began the fun process of escorting
people out the door. Younger bouncers started collecting numbers
from the ladies of lowered expectations, while I started ignoring
simple requests for leniency in departing. “But I know the owner”
means precious little if you aren’t hanging with him in the VIP
section or being led upstairs with his friends at the end of the
night.
     
    Mark trotted
over to me and assisted in the passive wall technique for ushering
people out the door. Just stand in the direction they want to go
and refuse to let them pass.
     
    “Not a bad
night, eh?” he said while eyeballing the crowd.
     
    I grunted
non-committedly and handed him my radio and earpiece. I rubbed a
finger in my ear to clear the ringing that had begun in the
relative silence.
     
    Mark shook his
head as he collected the equipment. “Tell me you didn’t break this
one too. Aasif is going to freak on me if it’s shot.”
     
    “I can’t hear a
thing with that,” I grumbled while giving a level stare at the
dwindling crowd in front of me. “Tell Aasif whatever you want. But
I can’t use those things. Never work for me.”
     
    “Man that’s
messed up.”
     
    I shrugged.
     
    “How’s the
face?”
     
    “How’s it
look?”
     
    “No worse than
usual.”
     
    “Fuck you.”
     
    The passive
wall was soon joined by David and several of the younger boys.
Getting near the front entrance I saw a local radio personality
being led towards the marble staircase for an after party by a
couple of impeccably dressed young ladies I didn’t recognize.
Officers Miller and Parise joined us at the front door and kept an
eye on the crowd we were ushering out. They were good guys I
supposed, friends of Aaron’s who spent a lot of their off duty
hours in the club. Part owners or something was the whispered
rumour amongst the staff. Not that I cared. They always treated me
well and that’s not common between bouncers and cops.
     
    “You’re in
tomorrow?” David asked in his deep chested voice. “Gonna be a crazy
night. Penguins are in town to take on the Jets. Some of the
players are expected to show up after the game.”
     
    “So long as
they show up to play on the ice, I’ll be happy,” I muttered.
     
    “What?”
     
    “I’ll be here.
Don’t worry.”
     
    “Never said I
was worried,” David continued as we followed the last of the
stragglers to the front steps. The cold air refreshed my tired,
sweat soaked body. “Gonna be a big night. Don’t wanna miss out on
the fun.”
     
    “Yay. Fun.” I
muttered.
     
    Once all the
patrons were safely (and occasionally not-so-safely) escorted
outside the usual closing rituals began. The younger bouncers
started bragging in wild exaggerated tones about the size of some
chicks’ breasts, or the manner in which they “showed that guy who’s
boss”. Bartenders and waitresses frantically went over their liquor
counts and cash receipts, overages were almost as bad as shortages
at the end of the night. Small groups of young ladies flirted with
a few of the men left in the VIP section near the front, the one
section never ushered out the door. Aaron and the off-duty officers
hovered in that area, laughing amongst themselves and sharing a few
drinks.
     
    I ignored them
all. I pulled out a stool