by Harper W.
“This is bullshit! I need to talk to your father.” Ron was not going to waste his time anymore with Luca’s bullshit. He walked away and Dave followed him.
Luca was unaffected by how Dave talked to him, but him leaving the shop, made him really upset. “HEY ASSHOLE!” he cried hoping that Ron would hear him from outside the shop, “I AM YOUR BOSS NOW. I RUN THE SHOW… ASSHOLE!”
Burning with anger, Luca kicked some left over trash inside the empty shop while the boys just watched.
“Hello there.” a voice made Luca stop. He turned around and saw two police officers inside the shop. “Saw the doors of this shop opened after several years and thought I would see the owner Mr. Peters in here. But you.. I don’t know you.” Jerry said to Luca.
“Officer,” Luca said trying to bring a smile to his face, “Its not the right time, I am afraid. So its better that you guys leave right now.” Luca was definitely not in the mood.
Jerry and Sam were surprised to hear orders from a stranger in an otherwise closed shop. “I need to see some IDs, folks.” Sam said.
“Fuck Off Asshole!” Luca yelled! “I am in a really bad mood, right now.”
“Well I dont care what your mood is right now, sir! But I suggest you choose your words carefully and show me some ID.”
Luca quickly pulled out his gun from the jacket but did not aim it at anyone. “I don’t give a shit to what you suggest!”
The boys quickly took out their guns too, pointing them at Jerry and Sam. The cops realized that they were both outnumbered and outgunned.
“You are making a mistake.” Jerry said, changing his aim from Luca to the boys, “A big one!”
Luca had started calming down by now, “I am leaving this shit-hole.” he said walking out of the shop. The boys followed him, holding their guns at the cops. Soon all three of them were out.
Jerry and Sam stayed still for a few seconds and then ran outside, but the strangers were long gone.
“What the fudge is happening in this town?” Jerry said as Sam saw his hands shaking.
“Ron, what are you doing?” Sam said to himself.
Chapter 4 : Goodbye My Friend
Sergeant Roberts was standing behind the dais in the briefing room. But his usual smile was missing from his face, “This is getting serious folks.”, he said, “They threatened police officers with weapons and we cannot tolerate that.”
Listening to Roberts, Sam had an intuition that something bad was about to happen, but he was not going to say this to anyone.
“We need to nip this problem in the bud. Or else this is going to grow all over us like a wild weed.” Roberts said in his most threatening voice. The whole room agreed with him. “Sarge,” Jerry called, “We all should remember that these guys are heavily armed. And so everybody here should proceed with appropriate caution.” Roberts wholeheartedly agreed with Jerry, “Absolutely! From now on I need everybody in this department to carry their firearm with them. No leaving your weapon at your desk, oh no sir.”
The meeting was dismissed as Roberts walked out of the room. “We need to shut this gang down before it even starts its operations here.” Jerry shared his thoughts with Ron, who was already preoccupied in his head, “What?” he said.
“We need to stop these guys before something bad happens.” Jerry explained himself. “Oh Yeah! Yeah, right.” Sam said. Jerry patted his shoulder and moved out, “Then come on partner. We have a gang to deal with.”
Sam and Jerry stop outside an empty house in a small neighbourhood. “How did you come to know about it?” Sam asked his parter, looking at the house.
“Easy! These guys have been buying some empty houses in the town. I just asked a few realtors and the new owners of this house matched the description of the Fersko crew members.” Jerry said while checking his gun. “Check your gun and come with me.” he said, to Sam and got out.
Sam did as asked and followed Jerry to the main door of the house. “Springfield PD! Open Up!” Jerry banged the door. “We know you are inside. So don’t waste our time, yeah!”
Jerry banged the door a few times, but there was no answer. Frustrated, he walked back from the door and looked up, Something moved by the window. “Hey idiots!” Jerry yelled again, losing his patience, “I can see you.”
For some reasons, Jerry found it funny. He turned to Sam, chuckling, “Look at these morons. Kids can hide better than them.”
BOOM! — A bullet lodged in Jerry’s back.
“MOTHER…!” Jerry controlled himself despite severe pain! “Jerry!” Sam picked up Jerry as he collapsed on the ground.
“You fucktard!” Sam heard a voice yelling from the window above, “What did you do?”
Sam quickly pulled Jerry to the car and put him behind the door, giving him some cover, “This is Sam & Jerry!” he then yelled in his radio, “Officer down! I repeat Officer Down. They shot Jerry.”
“Jesus! You sound like I am dead already.” Jerry scolded Sam, trying to get up. But a sharp pain made him lay back down, “Damnit!” he screamed with his teeth clenched. “Shoot those bastards, Sam.”
Sam pulled out his gun and aimed at the window over the door, “This is your last warning, drop your weapons and come out with your hands on your head.”
In response, two shots were fired from the same window. Sam ducked behind his car, “Damn they are shooting” he said. Jerry looked at him like he was an idiot, “What were you expecting? Shoot back, kid!”
Sam aimed his gun at the window and squeezed the trigger, three shots went into the room. “Yeah! Thats more like it.” Jerry cried. But then something caught Sam’s attention by his legs, a pool of blood was dripping from the Car’s door and seats. Jerry was losing so much blood. “Jesus Christ! Jerry your blood. Its bad!” he said.
“Dont lose focus you idiot. Keep shooting. I am fine.” Jerry pushed Sam away.
Confused, Sam didnt understand what to do and so shot some more rounds at the house. This time, he heard a man crying with one shot going inside. “Gotcha, you asshole!” Jerry cried like a coach who saw his start player scoring a touchdown.
Right then, a barrage of bullets rained down on Sam’s car. Same took cover, with his hands over his head. “Shit!” he said.
The bullets kept coming for some seconds, and then he heard the engine of a car from behind the house. A few more bullets come from the house, before the car was heard driving away. Sam could see a car driving in the street behind the house. He ran to the house to get a closer look at the car, but it was gone. “Jerry!” he suddenly remembered and went back, but Jerry was lying with his stoned eyes, in a pool of his own blood.
“Send an ambulance, quick!” he cried into the radio, “Jerry has lost so much blood.”
“Jerry!” Sam cried, “Come on, old man. Don’t die on me.” But there was no response. Sam found some more bullet wounds on Jerry’s still body.
“Oh my god!” Sam was shaking as he looked at Jerry, “Oh god. Oh God no!”
“Oh god!”
Chapter 5 : My Best Enemy
Sam was looking at his uniform as it turned inside the washing machine. He could still see the blood stains that were not coming off. With each turn, that his uniform made in the machine, Jerry’s lifeless face flashed before his eyes. He was trying to remember Jerry in his laughter, but all he could see was Jerry’s dead eyes staring at the roof of the car. “What are you doing here?” Chris asked from behind, “You are supposed to be at Jerry’s house. What kind of partner are you?” he was not happy.
“I .. I was thinking..” Sam tried to speak up but words failed him. “Don’t think!” Chris said, “Just get dressed, and be with his wife. Jerry was family, and you don’t leave family alone.”
“Family!” Sam thought. Is this what Family does to itself. Suddenly, he was imagining Ron hiding in that room of the house, shooting all those bullets that killed Jerry. His face had changed so much in the years. There used to be a smile on his face, all the time. But now, its so … dead!
>
“What are you doing? I asked you to do something, son.” Chris yelled at Sam.
“Y.. yes, Dad!” he quickly got out of the room, trying to forget Jerry’s face.
“Oh Sam!” Pamela cried as she hugged Sam tightly. There was something in her touch that broke Sam completely down. “I am sorry Pam! I am so sorry!” he cried like a child, “It was all my fault.”
“Don’t be silly!” Pamela scolded Sam like a mother, “I am glad that you are okay. Its already worse losing my husband. I couldn’t have lost my son.” She hugged her tightly.
Sam realized that he was here to comfort Pamela and not to be another emotional burner on her. So he wiped his tears and put on his brave face. “I am here with you.”
“I know Sammy!” Pamela smiled looking at him. “Now come, sit down and have some water.” She was a brave woman, like her husband.
Sam could see everyone from the department looking at him. Even Angie. He could not take them staring at them and so he looked down to the floor.
“He Sam!” Sam saw Angie standing in front of him. “I am so sorry for your loss. I know Sam and you were like family.” Sam just nodded.
A cold and awkward air appeared between them. “Alright, I am here if you need me,” Angie said and moved away. As she turned her back to him, Sam realized he could have said something to her, but it was too late and so he stopped himself from saying anything.
Soon, everybody left and it was just Sam, Pamela and Chris in the house. “Pam, would you like Sam to stay here for couple of days?” Chris asked Pamela, looking at Sam, “You know to help with some guests who may arrive.”
“Oh no dear. Its alright. Besides, this is the time when Sam should focus more on what is happening in our town.” She looked at Sam, “Right Sammy?”
Sam felt as if Pamela indirectly asked him to go after Jerry’s killer, “Yes!” he said with energy, “I am going to find out who is behind all this.” Sam made a promise in his words to Pamela.
Sam knew what he had to do next.
The next evening, Sam started roaming all around the town. After driving for about an hour, he spotted a car with two men waiting inside on a secluded street. With his lights off, Sam observed the car from a distance. Moments later, the door of a shop opened and Dave came out.
Sam instantly recognized Dave from the evening he met Ron. Holding some supplies, Dave entered the car and they drove away. Sam followed them carefully.
Dave’s car stopped outside an old house. He got out of the car and went to the back. Sam patiently waited inside his car until Dave came back. He then drove away somewhere else, leaving one men who went inside. Same noticed that Dave went inside with some bags but came out empty handed. “I need to check this house.”
But right then, Sam’s phone buzzed, “Sammy!” it was Pamela, “Martha saw you driving in town around the empty houses. Tell me you are not doing something stupid.”
“Pam, I am a little busy here. I think I have found their safe house.” he said in a hurry.
“NO!” Pamela cried, “You come straight back home. You are not going in there.”
“Pam, I can’t. I am too close right now.” Sam said. Pamela cried from the phone, “You are not going in there all by yourself. They will kill you too.”
Sam listened and argued with Pamela over the phone while he wore a regular beige jacket over his uniform to hide his badge and dress. He then took out a handgun from under his seat, “These bastards are going to pay for what they did.” Sam said while getting out of the car.
Sam had parked his car in a dark alley and now he was standing in front of the safe house.
“Sammy! I am coming in, and I don’t have any gun. Okay?” Ron said as he slowly walked to his friend behind the wall.
Sweating, and shaking, Sam slowly walked away from the wall and presented himself before Ron. Both of them looked at each other and froze.
“Sammy!” Ron said after staring at him for almost a minute, “You have changed, brother.”
“Yes,” Sam said, “I have changed. Have you looked at yourself in a mirror lately, Ron?” there was a hostility in his voice.
Ron looked around and saw the dead bodies of his crew members. “We both have changed Sammy. A lot, it seems.” he looked back at his old friend, his brother.
“What now?” Sam asked, “You are going to kill me too?” Ron could not believe his ears, “Kill you?” he said, “You would have been dead if I wanted to kill you.”
Sam saw Dave and his men clearing the stash house and realized Ron was right, “I am not going to get you away with it. I will stop you.” Sam said firmly without fear.
Ron looked at him, from head to toe, “Really?” Ron went through Sam’s pockets. To his own surprise, Sam did not feel his privacy being violated. To him, it was like his brother jokingly patting him down, “Show me.” Ron said, “Show me your weapon.” There was nothing but a cellphone and wallet in Sam’s pocket. Ron threw back his wallet at Sam and showed him his cellphone, “Unless this phone and wallet are some weapons in disguise, you ain’t got shit to stop me.” Ron turned back to walk away.
“Ron, stop it right now. You don’t have to do this.” Sam held Ron’s arm.
“Ronny, cops are coming. Get out!” Dave cried from outside.
Ron looked at Sam and walked away, “Its too late Sammy. I am in the deep end now.”
Ron ran out of the house. Sam could see him get into the car and drive away. He stood there watching outside the window, until the police cars show up a few minutes later.
“Sam, are you in there?” Sergeant Roberts was outside, calling Sam in. He opened the window glass and called for Roberts outside, “I am okay Sarge! The house is clear come in.”
The sight of the house inside, made some cops run out and throw up.
“Good lord! Who did this?” Roberts asked staring at Sam with astonishment. Sam looked unaffected with any of this.
“I did Sarge!” he said.
The Departed
Chapter 1 : What Would Make This Man Happy
“Punch harder, kid!” Mr Black’s voice hit Ron’s sweaty ears, “Put your shoulder in your punches.”
9 years old Ron was sweating all over his body. His hair seemed like somebody poured a bottle of water over him. He wanted to stop and just collapse on the floor, but he knew Mr Black won’t let him. “Kep punching! Don’t you stop.” Mr Black made sure Ron is not forgetting his rule.
Soon, Ron started to feel that his arms were made of bricks and it was impossible to move them. But Mr Black had a rule — you don’t stop, till the pads are raised in front of your face. Mr Black didn’t train any quitters.
“I am tired!” Ron cried between his panting. “WHAT?” Mr Black, “I speak up, kid.” he yelled, not because he wanted Ron to show how tough he was, but because he was deaf.
“I AM TIRED, MR BLACK!” Ron yelled this time, taking some strength from his arms and shoulders. But Mr Black noticed his shoulders slouching, “Not yet, Kid! Just a few seconds more. Keep going.”
“I CANT!” Ron was taking more energy from his stamina just to make Mr Black understand him.
“What happened Kid? You told me you ain’t a quitter. Are you? huh!” Mr Black said in his condescending voice.
“No.” Ron murmured in his breath. He didn’t want to lose any more energy. And suddenly, his arms didn’t feel as heavy like earlier. “Yeah! Thats what I wanted to see. Hit me!” Mr Black could see a surge of energy in Ron.
Bam! Ron delivered a devastating hook!
The bell rang as Ron’s opponent fell down in the ring. The referee checked on the poor kid who probably needed medical attention after Ron’s punch.
Ron waited for the referee to check everything before he got up and raised Ron’s hand in the air, “WINNER!” he yelled.
Ron could see the stern face of Mr Blacks outside the ring. “I just knocked the champion out. What would make this man happy?” Ron thought.
“I don’t want no superstar
s in my gym.” Mr Black angrily said to Ron. “But I beat him, and you know I am good.” he pleaded back looking for his approval.
“So what?” Mr Black cried back, “You know how many people are out there who are better than you?” Ron had no answer.
“Millions! Maybe more.” Mr Black put forth some random statistics that he probably made up, “So if you are trying to win a race, I have a bad news kid. Its not going to matter.” Ron had no idea what this man was talking about. Maybe he had gone mad, taking in the numbers of years he had been on this planet, “You want to be good? I can make you good!” this caught Ron’s attention. “But you will have to stop thinking about being better than somebody else. And You know why?” Mr Black posed a question that Ron had no clue how to answer.
Looking at Ron’s blank face, Mr Black replied, “Because people who are good at what they do, don’t worry about other people.” Ron was able to make some sense out of it, “You want to be the best, be your own enemy, kid. That is all I have to say.” the old man said, while walking out of the gym. He didn’t even wait for Ron to get out and turned the light off before exiting the door. “What would make this man happy?” Ron asked himself again.
“Man you are the best fighter I know.” Dave said beaming with joy, “You could have been a boxer, Ronny. A real one. The ones with loads of money.” Ron and Dave were sitting by the streets enjoying hotdogs on a warm day. “I wanted to go to school.” Ron said wiping mustard off his face, “Ma used to send me and Sammy to a school but Bob doesn’t care if we go or not.”
“Who needs school? Its all bullshit!” Dave said knowing all. “Yeah?” Ron laughed, “You think you don’t need school?”
