Thrown off, Jim replied, “Oh damn, well Merry Christmas, McCray,” sarcastically.
With a grin, I subtly grabbed Jim’s drink and poured it on top of Pete’s head, and bitch-slapped Jim in the face.
No. That’s not what I did, really. But oh, dammit, did I want to.
I asked Jim, “Can I talk to you a second?”
We headed outside and lit up smokes, and I explained everything. In a matter of minutes, we had dirt on each other. I knew of his criminal history, which was covered up, and now he knew I was asking for bad money. I said, “I know of your tax troubles and I think we both could use a little help pretty quick, am I right?”
Now that I had his attention, I added, “I figured you would have an idea or two for some fast cash. What do you say?”
Jimbo looked into my eyes with a smirk, releasing a puff of smoke, and replied, “How much you need and how soon do you need it?”
I let out a sigh of relief, knowing Jim was in. He told me he’d had a perfect plan for a while that was ready to go, and he needed the right person.
Jimbo proposed an old-fashioned bank heist, and he knew the perfect and easiest place to do it: Westside Bank. He knew someone who used to work there, in the security department. With some negotiation, Jim was able to obtain all of the security details and the building’s schematics, and exactly where and when to hit it.
Wow! I couldn’t believe my ears! How perfect is this? I thought. “It’s a guaranteed lick,” Jim said with a wink. “I’m going to call you tonight with the rest of the details. Oh, and Caleb.” Jim grabbed my arm. “Remember, you came to me. We both have a lot to lose, even our lives, even our families…don’t fuck me, Caleb. It will be your last fuck if you do.”
I nodded, and agreed. I couldn’t believe I was actually talking about this; however, I was ready. I was in, and there was no backing out. Jim gave me the last few details as we heard a noise from behind us, a thud that came from behind the door.
“Who’s there?” Jim asked.
To our surprise, out of the dark corner, Shelly walked out with a subtle grin.
“Shelly?” I said, surprised.
“Pardon me. Surely you boys aren’t planning on making a withdrawal without me, are you?”
I nearly passed out. Jim and I knew she heard it all and wanted a piece. We were fucked. We had no choice but to bring her in. With our careers and lives at stake, we all three swore secrecy, and proceeded as planned.
Shelly threw us all off by proposing a backup plan. I always knew she was very odd and a little off, always looking out for what’s best for her alone. What she said, though, neither of us were prepared for. She said, “Listen, I know I don’t bring much to the table. What I can do is save us all if it goes bad.” She continued telling us of some sort of sacred ritual practice she had been experimenting with. A sort of bizarre time warp séance in the supernatural she claimed really worked.
She insisted that it was possible to travel to another time or dimension, and that she had already done it. Knowing Shelly, I didn’t doubt it. Beautiful or not, this chick was weird. With looks of serious doubt on our faces, Shelly took out her cell and showed us clips and stories online. Apparently, this time-warping thing had been practiced in secrecy with celebrities and others for years.
Real or not, we had nothing to lose, and humored Shelly. We all casually walked back out to the party as Jimbo said sternly, “There is zero room for errors. No one’s going to fuck this up!” We all agreed to meet up early the next day, to set it all in motion. I made an early exit from the party. Knowing most of my stuff was still at Tiana’s house, I found out she was going to be at her mom’s late, and hurried over to the house.
Seeing Nalla again brought me warmth. “I missed you momma’s”. It felt good to be back here. This will always be my home. I gathered the last few items we needed from the closet and noticed a few blankets over a box I didn’t recall seeing before.
It had writing on the top of the box that said, “For Mr. Marc McCray.” Curious, I pulled the box out and opened it. Inside I found random documents and miscellaneous stuff from my dad. A manila folder stood out and I opened it.
It was a newspaper article with a title caption, “Toddler falls twelve stories, and walks away unscathed. Says a young boy caught him.” What the hell? I wondered. This story sounds very familiar. Yes, I remember now. I heard my mom talking about this story. Ever since I was a kid, I have heard this, and I always joked about it as I got older.
“Oh yes, it’s true, honey. In fact, I think your dad has an article about it somewhere,” Mom told me when I asked about it one time
Mom you really weren’t shitting me all these years. Here it is, in my hands.
“‘A little boy caught me,’ toddler told father after falling twelve stories.” I continued to read: “A father, from San Diego, witnessed son fall twelve stories, only to find the young boy sitting at the bottom of stairs, unharmed told father a young boy jumped and caught him.”
Reading this is simply unbelievable. Never believe everything in the paper, I have always said. Exactly how my dad’s box ever got here, I’ll never know. Something about this article gripped me, though, and I wanted to read more. I read on and heard a knock at the front door. I put the article in my shirt pocket, and peeked through the curtains and saw some native Indian boy.
What’s a kid doing here at this time? I thought.
Oh shit! It’s 7:20 p.m., dammit! What am I doing, wasting time here? Tiana and Taylor will be back from her mom’s soon.
I looked back through the window again and the boy was gone. How weird is that? I thought.
I didn’t have time for any of this. I rushed out the door.
I got home and called Jim, with Shelly on the other line. After a little negotiating, it
was set. It would be for this Monday, with the three of us, at ten a.m. Operation M-Three-Ten was born, and I was the designated getaway driver.
13
Breathe
I had everything in place and ready to go for the next day. I got in bed and called it a night. While in bed, trying to unwind, it was hard not to think of everything that was to come. I kept going over it all in my head. I turned on the TV to help me doze off.
Bzzz! Bzzz! Bzzz! I woke to the sound of my alarm clock and hit the snooze button. “Shit!” I yelled, remembering what day it was. Already behind schedule, Jim called my cell. I answered and said, “Hey man, yeah, I’m about ready.”
Jim replied, “Meet at Bell Bros. coffee shop parking lot on 52nd St. at 8:45 a.m. Oh, and Caleb? I’m going to say this one more time. Don’t fuck me!”
“Hey, I got it. Why the hell would I? I have just as much to lose as you do. In fact, I have more. It’s my family. I said I’m in!”
He hung up.
Later that morning, we all met at Bell Bros. coffee shop and went over the details to perfect our plan. Espie and Jim seemed eager and ready to go. I, however, was not. A gut feeling told me I needed to back out now. Knowing, however, that this was the only way to get my family back was what pushed me onward. There was no turning back.
With everything in place, we headed to the bank. The plan was to have Shelly close by, on watch, and to be a distraction in case something went wrong. I would wait in the car.
It was 10:03 a.m. on a clear Monday morning, and to my surprise the bank wasn’t even busy as we pulled up to the front of the bank. All I could think about were Tiana and Taylor. This is for them!
“Listen, Caleb, no matter what, do not panic, and do not leave this spot! You just wait here for me. This won’t take long. Do not fuck this up!” said Jim.
Those words, and that look he gave me, hit me hard. I knew I could not be the weak link. I could not crack.
“You hear me? You’re good?”
“Yes, of course. I’m good.”
Jim loaded his pistols and headed inside.
Deep breath and relax, you’re good, Caleb, it will all be over soon. Just breathe.
>
There I sat and waited for what seemed like an eternity.
I started sweating.
I leaned back while lighting up a cigarette, and noticed the time. I started to get antsy. I looked all around, with a feeling of being watched, as I tried to play it cool. Sweat began to drip from my forehead, and I became jittery. My knee bounced uncontrollably as I frantically looked all around me.
Bzzzz! Bzzzz! Bzzzz! Startled, I jumped back in my seat, realizing it was my cellphone
vibrating next to me. I ignored it, and kept my eyes glued to the bank’s front doors.
Shit! I thought, as I noticed a man staring right at me. Panic started setting in, as the continuous thoughts of the what-ifs plagued my mind. What the hell? I thought, as I heard a woman scream inside the bank. I looked to the entrance, and could not see anything through the
heavy, tinted-glass doors. More screams erupted from inside as passersby hear it and ran away.
This is not good, where is he? I thought. Paranoia began to set in as I realized something had to be wrong. We were running out of time!
All I could think about were Jim’s last words, before he went inside: “Listen, Caleb, no matter what, do not panic, and do not leave this spot! You just wait here for me. This won’t take long. Do not fuck this up!”
And then I heard it. Bam! Bam! Two shots rang out from inside. My heart skipped a beat.
Oh shit! Shit! Don’t leave. Don’t leave!
I slumped in my seat and peeked out of the driver-side window. This feeling of total helplessness had become too much to bear.
People began to look in my direction, and others began to stare. I couldn’t take much more.
That’s when I saw them. No! I thought in disgust. It was a woman and her little boy, walking toward the bank’s entrance, clueless. Seeing that little boy as he looked up and smiled at his mother really got to me. That innocent boy’s life could end on a day I would be part of?
Hell no! It changed everything, instantly.
My mind went blank to see they were now only a few feet away.
“Shit! Shit!” I said.
Just as the mother reached for the bank’s door handle, as loud as I could I yelled, “Bomb! There’s a bomb! Run!”
The woman grabbed her child and ran as the others scattered in hysteria. I started the car, knowing Jim would run out any second. I was ready to make our escape.
Seconds felt like minutes. I zoned out. Fear drew blood from my nose. I was completely paralyzed as chaos erupted around me. Even more people stared, as another person started to point at me. There were screams, the time, and just like that there was silence.
It was as if someone hit the pause button on a movie.
With it all becoming too much, I didn’t even think twice. I gunned it.
With a gut-wrenching feeling in my stomach, I slammed the gas pedal and peeled out. All I could hear was the loud screech of my tires spinning out from behind me as I sped away.
I looked in the rearview mirror and swallowed my stomach. There was Jim. I couldn’t believe it. Jim ran out into the middle of the street as he looked all around and saw me.
“Shit!” I yelled. Jim saw, as he pointed right at me, as I drove away. “No! No!” I yelled.
Sirens echoed all around, as dozens of police cars swarmed the area behind me. Jim was completely surrounded. “Oh no! No! What have I done?” I yelled, as I looked away in disgust.
Turn back! No, keep going! I told myself. Tears rolled down my face as I hit my steering wheel. I slammed the gas again, and continued to drive away. I know I was spotted by others, and even worse, I was guilty by association with Jim.
I was now a wanted man.
I couldn’t go back. All I could think of were my wife and daughter. I have to be free for them!
Where am I going to go now? I just need to get somewhere until this all blows over.
I didn’t have time to figure anything out. All I knew was, I had to get away. “You piece of shit! Fuck!” I yelled, as I slammed my fist on the center console.
I thought of Shelly. Yes!
I grabbed my phone and called Shelly who never answered.
Street after street I drove, passing tall buildings and cars with the fading sounds of sirens in the distance. My stomach was in knots, and I became lightheaded as I headed toward the
outskirts of town. I was dizzy and nauseous and I couldn’t stop it. I threw up, everywhere. The damn smell was so bad. I looked down and saw it was all over my arms and in the floorboard. I didn’t even care.
All I could think about was my little girl, Taylor, and Tiana. I wanted to see them so badly. I needed them!
As I proceeded driving to nowhere-land, I noticed a warning sign ahead for a sharp turn followed by a large wall. I picked up my phone and called Tiana but she didn’t answer.
That was when it all hit me. I wouldn’t answer me, either. I failed everyone. And I failed my family, most of all. Like the last few grains of sand slipping away through an hourglass, it was over. It was time to say goodbye.
I called Tiana again. “Caleb?” I heard.
“Tiana?” I replied.
Hearing her voice brought me instant calm. I said, “Listen, Tiana, you there?” as the connection got staticky. “Tiana!” I yelled again. The sounds of sirens become louder and closer. I began to fade, and blocked everything out.
A desperate urge to cry out overcame me. I just wanted plead to whoever, or whatever, was out there. From the depths of my soul, and as loud as I could, I cried, “God, please! Someone help me!”
Unsure if Tiana could hear or not, I hung up. I knew my life insurance policy and my mom would take care of them.
“You selfish piece of shit! You’re trash! You have been in their way since day one! They deserve so much better than you. They deserve better than this… I hate you!”
I gripped the steering wheel, closed my eyes, and accelerated toward the wall ahead.
Intense heat covered my body. My life flashed before my eyes.
The impact I anticipated never came, and I heard only silence. I jolted and opened my eyes and couldn’t believe it. Within in seconds from the wall, I saw someone walking in front of it. “Oh fuck!” I yelled while I yanked the wheel. To prevent hitting the man, I veered off the road toward a tree.
I sideswiped the tree, hitting my head on the steering wheel and car door. “Uh…my head,” I muttered in pain while trying to regain myself. Blood covered my hands and shirt. Oh no, that man! I remembered as I come to. I looked back to the wall behind me and didn’t see him. I backed the banged-up car, still running, and drove over to where I’d hit him.
Oh God, I killed him, I thought. I pulled over to the wall and got out for a closer look. “Oh shit! Are you okay?” I yelled out when I saw a young man in a construction pothole.
“Help! Down here!” The man yelled.
“Hold on! You’re going to be okay,” I replied.
I grabbed his arms, pulling him up to safety. “Are you okay? I’m so sorry. I hit you, are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m all right. I’m not hit. Are you good?”
“Just shaken up some, but I’m okay. How are you not hit? I know I hit you.”
I could see scrapes and cuts all over this guy, but to my surprise he appeared to be okay.
“What the hell are you thinking, walking so close to the highway like that? Are you crazy?” I asked the man.
The young man responded, “Crazy? Nah, not yet. I gotta say, though, I wasn’t the one going 200 around this curve here right towards a wall.” The young man asked, in a thick Latin accent, “Did your brakes go out? Or you’ve been drinking? I know it’s one of the two.”
Before I could answer, the man said, “Damn, man, you would have thought you were trying to kill yourself or something…” followed by a chuckle.
I grinned, replying, “Yes, actually. I was trying to do exactly that.”
The young man laughed and ceased his laughter when he noticed my face
was serious. “Ha! Ah, c’mon, man. That is funny, though.
I’m Maximino. Maximino Montez, Jr. You can just call me Jr.”
I replied, “I’m Caleb McCray. It’s nice to meet you, Jr. Standing here on the side of the road is not ideal I know. Wish it would have been better circumstances.”
What was it about this guy that drew my interest? From that point, we continued talking, and I felt as if I knew him. I was curious to know more about this Max and asked, “You’re not from around here, are you?”
Jr. responded, “Nope, we just moved here a few weeks ago. I must say, though, if this is how people drive here, I’m moving back.” He laughed. Jr. continued, “Yeah, man, my family and I just came here from Portugal.”
“Portugal? You’re kidding?”
“Yeah, bro. My dad wanted us to see other cultures and for us to share ours, while bringing a message of good.”
“A message of good? Don’t tell me you’re some kind of fanatic group?”
“Fanatic group? What’s that?”
“Never mind.”
“Nah, I’m just a messenger of positive and good of my heritage, from another place. You know, I represent my home, and where I come from. How you say it here? Em-bayssi-der?”
I laughed and replied, “Oh, you mean Ambassador?”
“Yes! That’s it. Or as we call it back at home, an Embaixador.”
“Ah, I see. That’s pretty neat. Well, I’m part Irish. Well, Scottish-Irish. Sorry, I’m still in shock over how I missed you. I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“Caleb?” said Jr.
“Yeah?” I replied.
“Can we stop with this acting now?”
“Acting? I’m sorry, do I know you?”
“Of course you do. We know each other well. In fact, we’re brothers from way before this. C’mon Caleb, you know this. You know why I’m here.”
“Oh yeah? Brothers, huh? Okay, why are you here?”
Unbelievable! Another lunatic? I’m trying to end this misery and there still drawn to me.
“I’m here, to save you. Or bail you out. As you asked.”
Embaixador Page 5
