I influenced Mr. Golem to let me go back to the mainland. If I wanted to intervene in the contest Jack versus Bubba, I was to go right ahead.
"I just have one request, though," I said.
He raised his eyebrows. I was quite the audacious agent this afternoon, wasn't I?
I continued, "I want Payton to come with me for support."
Mr. Golem rolled his head back as though I had just requested the Taj Majal. "Payton Phillips? You're asking for your play pal Payton Phillips to come hangout with you as you go on a mission you yourself made up?"
I rebutted, "Payton Phillips isn't my play pal, she's my best friend. And second of all we're not just going to hang out, okay? I just want a better fighter to come along, and Payton Phillips is a girl who knows how to kick ass. And we just happen to be bff's since kindergarten."
Mr. Golem had heard enough. He stood to his feet and stowed my written report into his brown batch records. "Do whatever you want. I'll send out the notice that Miss Phillips and you are dismissed on a private mission back to the mainland until further notice."
I jumped up and hugged him, still hot from the tequila, which I spilled. "Thank you." Mr. Golem was kind of like a dad to me. I wish he was. He would never hurt me.
Mr. Golem shooed me bashfully. He seemed to sweat once my embrace brushed my boobs against him. "Yeah, yeah," he said, "but you're going to have to go find Payton yourself. I'm not sending any messengers to collect her. This is your mission, your private matter, no one else's business. And one last thing. You have my permission to protect Jack. But you don't have my permission to kill James McNown. Understood."
My attention diverted to the bartender who was checking out my ass again. I looked to Mr. Golem and pressed my hands together into a bow. "I promise. We won't kill Bubba unless we have to. . ."