The head on the door.

August 1986, on the road between Reading and London.

- So. What are you gonna do ?
The cassette ran out and clicked. Before answering back, Sidney took the time to eject it and put it back in its box.
- About ?
Duncan sighed heavily.
- My sister.
He took a hand off the steering wheel and rummaged in his suit pocket for a while, finally extracting a worn out cassette out of it. He handed the derelict item to his bleak passenger.
- Play that. And no more Pet shop boys, West end Girls ten times a day, it's getting on my nerves.
- I hate working with you.
- Same here.
Sidney stuffed the cassette in the player and emitted a disdainful snort when Robert Smith's voice started Close to me.
- No more Bob Dylan ? She likes the Cure. You don't.
- So what ?
- So instead of asking me what I intend to do with Sasmira, You'd better start wondering about  what you are going to do. Seems like you got your hands full of her.
-Well. Let's say : you touch her : I kill you. You talk to her : I kill you. You even look at her : I kill you.  Don't even dare thinking about her or...
- ...You kill me. I get the point.

A broad grin surfaced on Sidney's grim features and disappeared in a glimpse. Still, Duncan noticed and gave him a dark angry look.

- Come on McRocklan. What do you expect ? After all, she's the one who decides. Not us.
- She doesn't have anything to decide about me. I'm her brother, groaned Duncan.
- You're full of spite. You don't even talk to her. And anyway, you've known her for what ?  A month ?  Her brother's name is Jude, and when you'll try to convince her he's not, I want to witness it. I love blood baths.
Duncan didn't bother answering. His hands grasped on the steering wheel so hard his knuckles whitened, he drove a few minutes in silence. On the seat next to him, Sidney laid back and closed his eyes. A strand of his slick black hair was striking appart on his cheek. Duncan had to restrain himself from holding out his hand and sliding the rebellious bunch back behind the ear. Touching Sidney was forbidden. And yet...

- Are you gonna sleep with her ?
- Don't be stupid.
- How long have we known each other ?
- 29 years, don't you remember ? I was six and you cracked my skull open with a rock, snarled Sidney.
- Have we ever been friends ?
Sidney let out a sigh.
- Man, we hate each other. Are you drunk ? Let me take the wheel. We're gonna go back to the office and I'll kiss your sister.
-...
-...
-You want to die. That bad ?
- Oh well. If I get to hold her again, even once, then that was a life worth living.