[Milliways: 2286]
It was a tough grab, but not unusually so. Case had sent Mel after a silver goblet, of all things. Didn't tell her who wanted it or why, or anything, just gave her an address in the uppers and let her deal with it. Which she does with virtually no problems, and heads back to their apartment where they've arranged to meet.
Case isn't alone when she gets in; he's talking to a buddy of his that Mel vaguely recognises. A pump: ruttin' ugly one at that, hair dyed a bright crimson, so marred by grease as to look like dried blood. He leers when Mel comes in, and she shoots him a dry smirk to show she's not happy to see him here. Especially as there's business needs to be done: it's dangerous to hang around with hot property too long.
"Mel, you know Turk," Case says, watching as the pump extends a hand the teenager refuses to take.
"What does he want?"
"I been tellin' him how good you are to me."
"Why?"
She recognises the look on his face when he glares at her. It means stop stepping in to save me in fights. It means stop being such a good grabber. It means stop making me look like a fool.
Bending down, he whispers in her ear. "C'mon, sweetheart, this is just another way you can earn yourself some money round here."
Mel stands up straight, watching the pump called Turk, who hasn't said anything and hasn't stopped watching her with that twisted grin on his scarred face.
"My grabbin's not enough for you?"
Case smiles. She's seen that expression too. It means oh, Mel, you have no idea how the world works, but I like you that much that I don't mind.
Mel rolls her eyes.
Case grins and slaps her on the behind. "Don't use the bed, OK? You wanna give me the grab so I can go get it paid for?"
From then, it seems to happen in slow motion. Mel reaches into her pocket the goblet is stashed in, but brings her hand out empty and balled into a fist. In one fluid motion, she reaches up and connects fist to Case's nose so hard and fast she can feel and hear the cartilege crunching under her knuckles. Case's face explodes into a mass of blood and he flies backwards against the brick wall.
There's a sickening crunch as his head connects and his still body slides to the floor, leaving a thick red trail behind it.
Apparently his friend hadn't had time to move, because he's still in the same place when Mel spins on the ball of her foot and kicks him equally hard. The look of anticipatory terror transforms to a grimace of agony as he crumples down.
That's the last time he'll be paying to rut with fourteen year old girls.
Stolen property burning a hole in her pocket, Mel strides out of the room.