The Fix

by Wendj

Written in honor of Kim and Carla's birthdays.


The figure walked quickly, yet cautiously down the dark, night-lit streets. Muffled traffic and the odd siren could be heard echoing somewhere in the distance, causing the nervous stranger to quicken his pace. With the collar of the trench coat pulled up and the fedora pulled down, an observer would be hard pressed to distinguished the hunched, shapeless frame as either female or male. But if there were any observers, they had long learned in this particular locality to keep their eyes down, and their mouths shut. The inhabitants were not known for their wide ranging neighbourhood watch program.

The stranger came to his destination. Pausing at the entrance of a dark alley, the figure quickly glanced around, before seeming to meld into the dark void.

“You’re late," a disembodied voice chastised.

“I had to be sure I wasn’t followed,” the stranger replied, as a trembling hand slipped the fedora from his head, releasing his shoulder length hair as he did so. “You got the stuff?” The desperation in his voice was clearly audible.

“Look Tanner, something went wrong,” the contact answered as he stepped out of the darkness.

Vin frowned, licking his lips as he wiped at his nose with a shaking hand. “What do ya mean somethin’ went wrong? Ya promised me, Ronnie! Ya said ya’d have it!” he snapped as he grabbed his connection by the scruff of his jacket.

Shrugging out from under the desperate man’s grip, Ronnie stepped back. He knew Vin Tanner was a dangerous man at the best of times, but without his fix to keep him at a level keel, Ronnie knew his life was now hanging in the balance.

“Look,” he soothed the twitching man. “There was a tip off. The S.E.A raided my main contact this morning this morning. There was nothing I could do.”

“So where does that leave me!” Vin growled, taking out his frustration on a nearby brick wall. “Fuck!” he cursed as he nursed his now aching fist.

“Look Tanner...” Ronnie actually sounded sorry for his best customer, and stepped forward and pressed something into Vin’s bruised and bloodied hand. “This was the best I could do. Until my contact is up and running again, well, I’ll let you know when I can get you some more, okay?”

Watching as Vin began to reach into his pocket for his wallet, Ronnie shook his head. “This one’s on me. You take care, Vin.”

Vin seemed genuinely touched by his supplier’s gesture, and choked a grateful nod, as he watched Ronnie disappear back into the darkness.

Checking the alley once more, Vin could no longer wait. As desperate fingers struggled with the wrapping in their urgency to get to much-needed contraband inside, he no longer cared if he was observed or not, and with a groan of ecstasy fed the growling animal inside him.

As he was savouring the last of his hit, Vin was startled by bursts of exploding light. Spinning around, the empty wrapping dropped to the ground as he put his hand up to protect himself from the blinding flashes.

“What the…who’s there?” Vin demanded, as spots of light danced in front of his eyes.

“Don’t worry Vin, it’s only me,” a soft voice soothed.

“Mary?” Vin asked, as he blinked the lights away. “What’s goin’ on?”

Mary stepped forward, whispering to some unseen companion before turning back to Vin. “Don’t you think as the reporter here, I should be asking that question?” she said as she stepped closer to the startled agent. “Here I find Vin Tanner, trusted and valued member of the most respected ATF team in the country, slipping into some alley like some skulking criminal.”

“It’s not what ya think,” Vin stammered as he tried to step away from blonde.

“Isn’t Vin?” Mary smiled as she stepped even closer. “I believe that tell tale white powder tells me that it is what I’m thinking.”

“How did ya know?” Vin sighed, knowing there was no way out of his situation now. Mary was good at what she did, and now she had the photos to prove it.

“Well,” Mary replied as she leaned in and wiped at a white smudge with her finger. “You should learn not to piss the wrong people off, Vin. Carla and Kim were quite upset you missed their birthdays and decided that you had to pay. An anonymous tip to S.E.A and your supply was cut off.”

Flinching under the reporter’s touch, yet standing his ground, Vin glared at the reporter. “What do ya want, Mary?”

“What do I want?” Mary slid closer until their bodies were in full contact. “I could turn you in,” she smiled as she licked the remnants of his guilt from his face. “Or for a return offering, I could help you with your…er…‘needs’”

Vin’s eyes widen in shock at Mary’s offer and he was about to push her away when he saw her reach into her pocket and before he could act, he was staring at the source of his dreams and of his nightmares.

“Come on, Vin,” Mary goaded. “You know you want it. All you have to do is be my whore, whenever, wherever I ask and I will supply you with it all.”

Wiping his mouth, Vin licked his lips, as he hesitatingly reached out.

“That’s it Vin, take it.” Mary urged the desperate young man.

“But what...what about the S.E.A?” Vin asked, biting down on the corner of his lip as he continued to battle with his demons.

“Don’t worry about the Sugar Enforcement Agency, Vin. You just think of the Baby Ruths, the Bubblicious burst pops. Think of the boxes of Hershey kisses and mini marshmallows and all the Pixie Stix you can snort,” Mary tempted as she waved the pink Peep in front of Vin. “All you have to do is service me whenever I want and world full of sugar can be yours,” she purred into Vin's ear as she brushed the Peep against his lips.

“Go on, Vin, you know you want to...”

The End

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