Looking for answers

Grady was a no good, slimy man, but he was good at what he did. He worked the streets and he knew everything that was going on in them from one end of the city to the other. He tried to keep his nose out of trouble. He tried, but he knew too much.

Grady stepped through a puddle in the alley. He probably should have walked around it, but at the time it seemed like it would be quicker. In reality though, it just got his sock wet. It was a quiet alley and if he got through to the other side, he would be home free. At least, that’s what he hoped.

Unfortunately, someone stepped out from the shadows at the end of the alley. Someone who Grady did not want to see.

“Wha--? Who are you?” he sputtered.

“I’m your worst nightmare, baby,” Hudson grinned.

“Hello Grady,” I said as I stepped up behind him.

“Wha!” he yelped. “Aw geez, don’t sneak up on me like that.”

“I need some information,” I said.

“No no,” he sputtered again. “I don’t do that kind of stuff.”

“Sure you do, pal,” Hudson towered over him. “I know you and you know that I know what kind of stuff you know.”

“OK OK OK,” he conceded. “But this is a business, fellas. You want the 411, you have to show me the money.”

“So what will it take to make it worth your while?” I asked.

“Bidding starts at 40 dollars, gentlemen.” Grady answered smugly.

“Hudson?”

“I’m all tapped out ‘til payday, man,” the private answered.

“All I got is a twenty,” I said while thumbing through my wallet. “Can I spot you twenty and owe you twenty?”

“Fine,” he grumbled and took the bill.

“Hey wait a minute,” Hudson said. “You owe me forty bucks, Grady.”

“All I got is this twenty,” the stoolie replied. “Can I give you twenty and spot you twenty?”

“Fine,” Hudson grumbled and took the money.

“What about the forty you owe me?” I asked Hudson. “You know from when we were on Commerce Planet and at that hosiery shop and—”

“OK OK!” Hudson interrupted. “Can I spot you twenty and give you twenty?”

“Alright.” I snatched the cash from his hand.

“Hey,” Grady pointed to the money. “Now you can pay me the other half of the forty.”

“Here.” I handed him the Jackson.

“Now you can pay me the other twenty you owe me.” Hudson took it from Grady.

“And you can pay me the other twenty you owe me.” I took the money from Hudson. “Now that we’re all squared away, talk.”

“So what do you want to know?” Grady asked trying to sound innocent.

“I think you know,” I replied huskily. “There are a few photos out there featuring me and Emma Frost in a compromising position, only that’s not me. Who is it?”

“I don’t know, I don’t know,” he pleaded.

“I say we grease this rat-freak son of a bitch right now,” Hudson growled.

“OK OK, let’s not get violent here. I don’t have the information that you want, but I do have some information.”

“And that is?” I asked.

“The eyes have it,” he replied.

“What do you mean the eyes have it?” I asked.

“Hey Jon, that’s what you said when you pulled Lord EyeBorg’s cybernetic eye out,” Hudson reminded me.

“You’re right,” I nodded.

“You really said that?” Grady asked. “That’s a pretty good action hero line.”

“Yeah, thanks,” I muttered.

“It was really sweet,” Hudson said excitedly. “He was all like ‘Yoink, the eyes have it, man!’”

“Wow,” Grady looked at me in awe. “That’s pretty cool, how do you come up with stuff like that?”

“Are you kidding?” Hudson laughed. “Jon’s got a bunch of great lines all stockpiled. He’s just waiting for the right moment to use them.”

“Really?” Grady asked. “That is so cool.”

“Alright alright,” I stepped in. “What do you mean by the eyes have it?”

“What I’m saying is that the pictures look just like you, but the eyes are different.”

“Heck yeah.” Hudson clenched his fist for emphasis. “It’s like that James song, sometimes I look into your eyes and I see your soul.”

“Yeah, well stop looking in my eyes like that,” I growled back to the marine.

“But that’s your answer,” Grady insisted. “You figure out whose eyes are in those photos and you’ll find your guy.”

“And girl,” Hudson added. “I mean if it wasn’t Emma. Which it probably wasn’t. Do you think it was? Maybe I should go talk to her. Got her number?”

“Maybe we should talk to her,” I answered.