REVENGE
There are several methods to handle every situation. These are what I like to refer to as the "keys" of life. For instance, the "key" to life is moderation. If you smoke some greens, you should do so moderately. Smoking, in moderation, is fine. Smoking every day, like I do, is probably not a good thing for your body. This should be obvious.
There are numerous "keys" to all sorts of things. But, the most important "key", at this moment, was the "key" to revenge. The "key" to revenge is patience. I desperately wanted to pick up No from the station and find Tough, just to put a bullet in him. But, he'd be expecting me right now. I needed to wait a couple of hours until he thinks I've decided to stay away. Then, and only then, will I be able to get him. I needed to be patient. Revenge would always be sweet, but I needed to be patient so that revenge could also be perfect.
The first thing that I needed was sleep. It was six in the morning, and I knew I wouldn't be back in the city until before eight. I would be right in time to pick up No. I would also have almost two hours to decide how to tell him that his twin brother was dead.
At seven forty five, I was parked outside the police station awaiting No's release. I still hadn't thought of the best way to tell No about Soft. I still wasn't sure if I would be able to tell No that Tough was the killer, and still have enough control over him to keep him from putting a bullet in Tough's head within the hour. It wouldn't be fair to not tell No about Soft, but I had to make sure he stuck around to help me with the plan I had devised to get revenge.
No was out of his cell at seven thirty. He hadn't needed to go to court, so all that he had to wait for was the processing of his release papers. He sat in a chair across from a detective's office and yawned. The officer assigned to process No's case gave him back some of his possessions. No received his wallet cell phone and money. He counted the wad of hundreds, while the officer's mouth stood agape at seeing an amount of money that would take two months to earn, being counted as if it were spare change, mere pocket flash. The officer told No, because the police couldn't find the man that No assaulted, he was free to go. The officer added, " You should try to be more careful in the future". No smiled and said he would "definitely" try his best.
No fumbled his cell phone and it fell to the ground. The back clip broke off and he had to get on his knees to retrieve it under the officer's desk. At that precise moment that No bent down, the husband he had beaten last night, who also happened to be the detective that belonged to the office behind No, walked right past. He looked in No's direction, but only saw a man bent over picking something off the ground.
Five minutes later No walked over to a water cooler to get a drink. He glanced back towards the direction, from which he had come, and saw the detective standing outside the office. No nearly spit the water out of his mouth, but somehow managed to stay reasonably calm. He threw the water cup in the trash and turned his back to the detective. He shot an occasional glance in the detective's direction, and after the detective walked into his office, No quickly walked back to his seat.
The officer had just finished the file and handed to No the moment he sat down. No thanked the officer and walked towards the door. When he got outside the station, he looked more than grateful to see me sitting in my car across the street.
Ten minutes later, No and I were sitting in my living room discussing my plans on how to deal with Tough Guy. I had learned from Smoked Out that Tough had been talking about going to a movie all week. The movie opened today and Tough had asked Smoked if he wanted to meet him for the two o'clock show. The movie would get out at four thirty, and I fully intended to be there.
I told the whole plan to No, and was a little surprised when he said it was "perfect". No was a little curious why I would want to do a hit on Tough, considering I had stayed away from the violence for such a long time? I told No that I had no desire to become a murderer. This was a one shot deal. I told No that I was leaving the area after I did this one thing. I also told No that he could have my car, house and my connection to Smoked Out. He was gassed after he heard this, but he quickly composed himself and asked, "What the hell is going on?"
I told No that I hoped I would never have to resort to murder, but I said I would do it if there were no other choices. This got No's attention. I told No that I finally had a reason to kill someone. I stayed silent for a few moments, and tried to see if No would figure it out.
It was probably the saddest thing I've ever seen in my life. I watched all the color drain out of No's face. His eyes filled with tears, but they never fell. He virtually fought the emotion and cleared his throat. I expected him to throw a tantrum and charge out of the house after Tough, but he didn't. He surprised me completely when he asked, in a casual voice, "Are you sure it was Tough Guy?" I nodded that I was sure and waited to see if No was still going to erupt.
No stood and walked over to the window. The rain had started to fall and I could hear the steady tick of my clock. Without looking at me, he spoke. He said, "Just killing him isn't enough. He won't suffer enough. I need to have my own revenge. I need to have it for Soft and for myself".
I could tell that this wasn't a suggestion, as much as it was exactly the truth. All I could think to say was, "Whatever you want, but we need to do it my way first". No nodded and said we should smoke a blunt in memory of Soft. We did exactly that.
My brothers and I have never been good at grieving. At my parent's funeral, I didn't shed a tear. It was the saddest and most confused I'd ever been, but I didn't cry. That's why it didn't surprise me when No said he wanted to take a little walk and think about some things. I told No that I was going to take a nap and then shower before we got everything ready for later. I also needed to pack, but No was out the door before I could tell him that.
Four hours later I woke from my nap and took a shower. I started to pack all of my important possessions. It's a funny thing trying to decide what things are most important, and what things you can do without. I picked some of my favorite clothes, some small trinkets and money. I had over one hundred thousand dollars in my safe, and I took every penny. The money filled an entire bag.
I didn't want to call Boo and tell her that leaving, because I needed to disappear totally. She would have to figure it out for herself and then get over it. I doubted that would take that much time. I wanted to call Shorty, but I knew that if I did, she would probably convince me not to leave. I had to leave.
At one-thirty, I called the airport and bought a first class ticket. I don't think it is important to tell you where, because I don't want to be found. Sorry. But, rest assured, the place I picked is perfect for a person who wants to be left alone and has a lifetime to spend one hundred thousand dollars.
I went out into the kitchen after I finished the phone call. No was sitting at the table, cleaning two guns that he planned to use later. I sparked a blunt and let the weed take my mind off of what I was about to do. I may have gotten a little too high, or maybe a little too emotional, but I ended up telling No all about Shorty and how I just recently cut it off. I told him that she meant the world to me, but it was impossible for me to make it work. I told No that she deserved better than a piece of garbage like me that kills people.
No didn't say a word. I finished talking and walked outside to my car. I put two cans of gas and a bottle of vodka in the trunk.
It was pouring rain when No and I dropped off my car at the loading docks. I got out of my car and got into No's. These docks had been a haven for old, rusted cars for almost twenty years. It was city knowledge that the docks were now strictly for the homeless, but they weren't outside while it was raining. Essentially, we were not seen by anyone.
We drove to the hardware store and bought some rope. From there we went to the theater. I saw Tough Guy's car parked out front, and thought how the plan must be perfect, because everything was falling into place. No got out of his car and walked over to Tough's Monte Carlo. He jimmied the front door open in twenty seconds and popped the trunk. He put the rope in the back seat and turned the ignition. No had skills in many useful areas.
I went and parked No's car in a side lot and waited for him to return. I didn't have to wait long. We sat in the rain, in complete silence for five minutes. I looked at my watch and it read: 4:20. It seemed fitting. I told No we had to be quick and it was time to go. I wasn't worried about No. I'd seen him in tougher spots, and he had always handled himself like a professional. Basically, his nerves were steel.
No asked me if Tough knew that Soft was dead? I said, " I doubt it because I didn't think that Tough intended to kill Soft". No thought about it for a second and said, "Then he won't be expecting us. Well, he won't be expecting us like this".
We got out of the car and ran over to the theater. No ran inside and read the phone number off of the pay phone behind the concession counter. He dialed the number on his cell phone and sat on the bench opposite the stand, without hitting "send". He waited for the movie to end.
I stood with my back to the theater doors and waited. The rain had kept most people home, which greatly aided my hopes of not being seen by bystanders.
The movie ended and the first of only a dozen people filed out of the theater. No pressed "send". The pay phone started to ring and the manager answered. No asked for Tough and the manager yelled out to the crowd. Tough walked over to the phone and with a surprised look, asked the manager, "Who was on the phone?"
Tough answered the phone, but he only heard faint whispering. No kept him on the phone long enough to let the hallway clear out. When the last person had left, No hung up his cell phone. Tough gave the phone back to the manager and asked, "Are you sure it was for me?" The manager nodded and went back to his work.
Tough and his crew went towards the doors. They didn't notice No following behind, pulling a ski mask over his face as he walked out the front doors.
I pulled the ski mask over my face when I heard Tough Guy's voice. No pulled the guns from his pants and let out the war cry. Tough had two friends with him, and No had a gun to each of their heads. I turned and pointed my gun directly at Tough Guy's face.
Tough's friends started to reach for their guns, but they stopped when they felt the barrels of No's guns pressed against their heads. They were dead if they moved. They put their hands by their sides.
We stood in the rain for twenty seconds. I had my gun shoved in Tough's face while each of his partners had a gun to the back of their heads. Very calmly, I told Tough to get in his car. No reached into the waists of both of Tough's friends and took their guns.
Tough Guy, being the poser that he is, asked what would happen if he didn't come with us? I stayed quiet for a moment and then told No to pick one of the "friends" and put a bullet in his head. Tough immediately said, " OK, I'll come with you".
The "friends" got a little loud, but when they heard the clicks of No's guns behind their ears, they remembered that they were in the middle of a bad scene. This scene could very easily include them if they protested too much. They stayed silent after that. No told them to get on they're knees, which they did immediately. No and I grabbed Tough by his shoulder and escorted him to his car. No got in the back, Tough sat in the passenger seat and I drove. We sped away.
I drove Tough's car in silence for a couple of minutes. We listened to the rain splash onto the hood and the soothing "shoosh" of the wipers. I looked in the rearview mirror and saw no cars behind. I told No we could take off our masks. I heard Tough gasp when he saw that who it was behind the kidnapper's mask. He started to tell me that I was making a mistake, but stopped when No smashed him in the head with his guns. Tough's head crashed forward and struck the dashboard. Tough wiped blood from his nose and started to say, " What did you do that for", but stopped when No struck him again. Tough got the message that he didn't need to talk.
Moments later, we arrived at the docks. I parked the car and No started to tie Tough to the seat. Tough started to fight being tied up, but stopped when I shoved my gun in his crotch and told him that this bullet definitely wouldn't kill him. But, he would wish that it had. He stopped moving.
No finished tying the knots and rolled down the back window. He kicked the back door locks off with his boot. I did the same with my window. We weren't too sure if Tough could wriggle his way out of the ropes, but we were sure we didn't want him to get out of the car. No got out of the back seat and went to the trunk for the gas cans. I got out of the front seat and closed the door. I walked over to Tough's side and opened his door. I broke his door lock and rolled down his window. No began to splash gasoline on the trunk and roof of the car. I grabbed the other gas can and doused the hood. Tough started to scream, but there was nobody around to hear his cries for help.
No walked over to Tough and kneeled down beside him. I walked over to the other side of the car to get the molotov cocktail. No looked at Tough for a long time. Finally he decided that he had to tell Tough on thing before he died. He spoke softly and slowly, but his words were pure evil.
No said, "I didn't want to let my brother have all the fun, but, he had this great idea about how to kill you. So I decided to let him have his revenge. But, Soft was my brother, too. So I've decided that I will take my revenge in a different way and at a different time". No paused for a moment to make sure that he was being heard. He said, " Good, you're listening. I did a little research on you and learned that you have a three year old son".
Tough Guy started to yell and curse. No made the most serious face that I have ever seen on a person. His face seemed to lose all color and his eyes became dead. The sheer terror that this face inspired caused Tough to quiet down.
He looked at Tough and said, " Don't worry. I am not going to see him next. No, that would be wrong. You need to suffer like Soft suffered. But, since most of your physical suffering will be over in about five agonizing minutes, I have to settle for mental suffering". No became very calm and nurturing and started to smile. He said, " I am going to wait almost eighteen years for my revenge. I am going to kill your son on the eve of his twenty first-birthday. Your son will never grow to be a man. I just wanted to let you know that. I also wanted to tell you that it is your fault and there is nothing that you can do about it. That will be my revenge".
After No finished, he stood up and took one last look at Tough. Tough sat still but his eyes burned hatred for the man that would kill his only son. I took the opportunity to add a little drama to the scene. I walked over to the car with the cocktail in my hand. I lit the rag at the top, threw it in the back seat and said, "This is my revenge."
I looked at Tough Guy. He was crying and trying to wriggle free of the ropes. The fire spread quicker than I expected. In only thirty seconds, the entire car was engulfed in flames. The cocktail had exploded inside the car. It wasn't the blast I expected, but I am sure that it was enough to kill Tough.
No and I sped off in the car as the fire blazed from behind. I noticed, as we drove away, that No had a smile on his face, but a tear in his eye.
Poser's Dictionary
CAUGHT
A BAD ONE-to get beaten up or injured, to have something bad happen
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