"Do you have a brain? How could you do that?! You should stand above punching Charles!" Reginald Smith, called Reggie, was pacing the suite impatiently and shouting at his second in command. Coldham Fintan Noose III, nick named Fin, sat on the sofa and had his arms crossed. He thought Reggie didn't need a reply. He wasn't wrong. Reggie continued his rant: "Thanks to you the heist is delayed and maybe even jeopardized. We can't go ahead as long as Charles hasn't recovered from the broken nose. Do you think it is fun waiting? We have all worked so hard and were looking forward to go home. I expect you to apologize to Charles." "No." Fin refused. "How do you plan to work together with him, if you don't try to make up?" "It wouldn't be a sincere apology, so I won't apologize. He got what he deserved, and I've put up long enough with him. I'll pay the medical bill, though." Reggie chided Fin further. Fin listened with half an ear and was glad, when Reggie left after shouting at him for around half an hour.
Reggie was still fuming at Fin's stubbornness. Was apologizing really so difficult?
Charles was going to get an ear bashing as well, but that had to wait until the next day. Reggie thought Charles was feeling better then.
Charles woke up late. His painful nose had kept him awake. Breathing was also extremely difficult. It still hurt, but not as much as the previous night. It came as a surprise, when he received a visit from a furious Reggie. "We need to talk about your behavior! What were you thinking, needling Fin constantly? It was only a question of time until he would have enough and show you! I'm not happy about this! In future leave Fin alone and never ever mention his childhood. It was screwed up, and he is sensitive about it. I'm also not happy about the delay of our job!" Reggie continued to lecture Charles, who felt he was something like eleven and not thirty one. "I'll expect you tomorrow in my room after breakfast. Is that understood?" "Yes, sir." Charles didn't know, why he should come, but thought better not to protest.
The next day Charles arrived early. To his dismay Fin was already there. Fin ignored him. Reggie didn't let them wait long. He behaved like a principal, letting his delinquents stand, while he scolded them together. "I'm very disappointed in both of you. If I would have enough time, I would replace you, but there isn't, so I must make sure you can work together without having a go at each others throats. From now on you treat each other with respect. If not, I'll cut your shares. Is that understood?" "Yes, Reggie." Fin replied cool. Charles, who didn't know Reggie as long as Fin did, said respectful: "Yes, sir." "Talk and solve your issues, now!" Neither Charles nor Fin wanted to make the first step. Reggie got impatient. "I'm waiting." He was tapping with his foot. "Reg, leave us alone for a moment. I promise I won't beat up Charles." "Okay, when I come back I want to see results." "Sure." Fin said. He was nine years younger than Charles. "Let's get it over with. We are both professionals and have one common goal: We want the break in to go ahead, and we both want it to be successful. Let's work together, so we can go our separate ways." "You aren't going to apologize?" "No. I won't lie." "Fine with me. You won't get an apology from me either." "I don't want one. I simply want you to stop teasing me and accusing me of incorrect facts. As Reggie said, if you treat me with respect, I'll do the same. Agreed?" "Agreed." They shook hands on it.
Fin and Charles never became friends. They were civil to each other. Charles stopped undermining Fin and followed his orders without questioning them. When the heist was over, they went their own ways. Fin overtook Charles position as one of the best burglars in the United States a few years later.
©2012
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