Minion by John David Anderson

Author:John David Anderson
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2014-09-30T21:00:00+00:00

“I’ve known your father for quite a while now,” Tony says. “He’s a genius. Knows how to keep a secret. I appreciate that.”

That’s a relief, at least. It’s nagged me the whole car trip over, the thought that Tony might be mad that Dad never told him about me. After all, the Romanos have a habit of recruiting people with powers. I steal a glance at Zach, who kind of slinks back into the shadows. Tony reaches out and draws me closer to him, smacking his lips like he’s going to swallow me whole. I can smell onions, and it makes my stomach roll. He speaks in a low whisper, making this suddenly a conversation for two.

“You understand, though, how a man in my position could benefit by having someone with your abilities,” he says.

“Yes, sir,” I say, keeping my voice even with his whisper.

“Though I really only have his word. Your father’s talent comes packaged in a nice little black box . . . you’ll excuse me if I’m a little skeptical with regard to yours.”

I can see where this is headed.

“I understand,” I say.

“So do me a favor,” Tony Romano continues to whisper, flicking his eyes at an angle. “See that big stack of bricks behind me?” I look, hoping it doesn’t look like I’m looking. “His name is Rudy.”

Rudy doesn’t look like a Rudy. He looks like a cement wall with steel beams for limbs and a misshapen cinder block for a head. Like with Indiana Jones, I can’t help but feel Rudy’s been misnamed, that he should be called Behemoth or Ogre or something. Then again, I have four names and none of them are really mine. Half of them are girls’ names.

“I want you to make Rudy hit himself as hard as he can,” Tony says.

I take another look at Rudy. I don’t want to see him hit anything.

“Excuse me, sir?”

“Just make him sock himself, right in that big red cherry schnoz of his. Just so I know, so I can see for myself. You don’t want me to look like a fool in front of Mr. Maloney, do you?”

I shake my head, and Tony backs away, smiling. I stare at Rudy’s nose, a big, dark-pink fleshy thing, like the bulb of a bicycle horn. Unlike Indiana Jones, Rudy has most of his teeth, but they are all capped silver, making for one scary-looking clown face. I study my shoes, even more glaring compared to the black dress pants I’m wearing, take a deep breath, then look back up at him. I bore as deep into his murky blue eyes as I can. “Your name is Rudy, right?”

The behemoth nods. Stands oak-tree still.

“Rudy. My name is Michael.” I see his pupils circle wider, mouth slacken. I try to keep my hands from shaking. “Rudy . . . I want you to hit yourself as hard as you can.”

There is a moment when I think I’ve lost him. Where I can feel my own confidence waver and he just stands there, that same stupid, lost-puppy look on his face.

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