Marvin 'Boomer' Blake
Sydney's camera placement wasn't quite up to snuff. But I could see the door and would know when fuck-nuts went in. Shit, Nick, I was taking him out. What else could I do? The boss wanted it done, and what the boss wanted, he got. Still, Nick and I had known each other for many years, decades even; from back in the old days when times were good, nothing like they were today.
"It working good Boom? You wants I should gets it better? I did the best I could. Is it good daddy?"
"It's fine Syd, just... shut your hole okay?" She wasn't the brightest candle in the... candelabra. But she was the only help I had.
Shit, the boss didn't think I needed any, that fucker, Nick was right about him. The boss didn't see the art in what we did, no respect for us or our work. He just thought you took explosives and stuck them wherever; there was much more to it than that. Shaping them, building them just right for the job at hand. You used different setups for a car than you did a building. Then there was placement. Do that wrong and well, the mark could live, get blown free of the building; this place would drop like a house of cards right into a nice rubble pile. Even if he did survive the blast, the falling rubble would get him. And if he somehow lived through that, by the time rescue workers dug his ass out, he'd be dead anyways.
Sydney came up next to me, lifted my arm and moved under. I could smell her sweat, she hadn't showered this morning. I guess I was to blame for that, made her get moving early. I turned my face towards her and kissed her on the lips. She was a good kid all in all. Great in the sack, wild fucking animal, banging her was like banging a Tasmanian Devil. What was it? Two years? Three? Shit time passed, how old was she now?
She'd been tied up, hog tied, and tossed in the ocean to die when I found her. Somehow she'd made it to shallow enough water to sit up and breath, but was badly beaten and wouldn't have made it to shore if I hadn't help her.
I untied her and helped her out of the water. There was a soapstone handled knife in her back. It had missed it's mark. That was the way the West Ender gang did their marks. Soapstone handled knife in the back after they tied their victims up then tossed them in the water. I hauled her to a safe house I had for myself with some doctor gear. I removed the knife, patched her up the best I could. Didn't think she'd make it till morning.
Didn't know what she'd done to piss the gang off, didn't care. They'd tried to hook up with Tullis & Company, boss didn't want 'em, killed the leader at the time to make his point. They got hooked with the Greeks instead. Tullis fucked up. The West Ender's ran a tight ship.
Syd made it somehow. Weak, sick, and generally fucked up from what the gang did to her. So I ended up with her.
My first intention was to get her healthy enough to pitch her ass back out on the street. After a couple weeks, she was better and I didn't have it in me to just chuck her out. Then I fucked her. Yeah, she was fun, really fun to fuck. So I kept her around, my private little piece of ass whenever I wanted it.
She was too young for someone of my age to be fucking, 12, 13, I can't remember. She was a sewer rat though, street kid, nobody cared about her. She'd be dead anyways if I hadn't happened along. Who was she going to tell? If she ratted me out for fucking her, her ass would be back in the stewpot; then she'd go for another swim.
After a while, it was more than just the great fucking, the sex, the everything. Girl could suck your cock so good... yeah, well, she started helping me do stuff. She may not have had much for education, but she wasn't a stump either. She learned fast, I taught her how to make some of my shit. At some point between fucking her and having her do my bitch work, shit, I fell in love with the rat.
Now here I was, targeting the only person outside of myself that knew about Sydney. I trusted Nick, now I was going to punch his clock but good. What could I do? If I didn't punch Nick's clock, the boss would have mine punched. If I warned Nick, failed at the mark, same scenario, my clock gets punched. Tullis was getting, fuck, he'd gone insane over this business with Nick.
What was the worst thing that would happen if he just forgot about Nick? Not like Nick was going to roll over on him to the Imperials. Nick didn't want his neck snapped anymore than any of us did, especially Tullis. It was all about power, control. If he let Nick walk away, then others might think they could, I knew the deal.
"Hey, daddy, it be alright if I toke a little smoke while we wait?" Syd asked.
"Please, Syd, I'm fine with Boom, Marv, but I'm not your daddy; plus it sounds bad, you know, because... I just don't like it, okay?" I'd told her a hundred times at least, not to call me 'daddy' but she still did.
"Because we're fucking. Sorry Boom, I'm not saying like you's my real dad, you're likes my sugar daddy." She said.
"And no, you sparking up, might be seen, can't risk it. Nick, he ain't no fool. Slightest thing make him skittish, we're fucked. That's one mother fucker I don't want hunting my ass."
"I thought he was your friend daddy, why you have to kill him, Boom, why you have to kill him Boom, not daddy, sorry."
I sighed. She should understand why, she came from a gang, she knew how things went down. "Because I have to; my boss wants him finished, so, that's why we're here."
"I know Boom. I just was hopin' there was some other way. The boys... they used to do things too, stuff they didn't want to, because he wanted them done." Sydney commented.
'He', she wouldn't even speak his name, the leader of the street gang that tried to oust her in the most painful and cruel way.
"Baby, go to the van and wait for me. I don't want you to have to see this, okay?" I told her with a smile.
We kissed and she grabbed my crank as we did. She was one horny bitch, that was for sure. It wasn't like I'd popped her cherry, she'd been fucked quite a bit when she was with the gang. I guess it was because I was more civilized than a street gang that it bothered me a bit that I was shagging a girl her age. I knew better, but fuck, what was I supposed to do?
"Alright, get going. You can smoke in the van, just go in back and close the curtains." I told her.
She smiled and nodded then headed off. I returned my attention to the screen I was watching the camera with. I wish she'd have aimed it up a bit more, and removed some of the grass from in front of it. This would have to do though. I didn't know how long Nick would be gone. The boss would probably be checking in on me soon.
I don't know how long I had waited since Sydney left, but I knew where she'd gone. She was back at the camera, fucking hell child! She cleared some of the grass then adjusted the position. The view was better, just about perfect even. 'Get the fuck out of there! I don't want you in danger Sydney!' I thought to myself. I couldn't be sure if she left, I saw her hands move from the camera and that was it. Fuck! If Nick saw her, this whole thing was blown to fuck. He'd ice her where she stood, and send her head to me as a parting gift.
Nicolas Gagucci, the boy with ice water instead of blood in his veins. Shit, liquid helium in his veins. He was one cold ass mother fucker. Only person I knew that could do a chick while he did a chick. The boss showed me a video of him in action once. He was in a group grope with another couple, him and this stray he'd picked up.
She wasn't so much a stray, she was a mark too, just like the couple. She was like a cousin or something to the other girl. Nick was on his back, the girl was riding him something fierce. The other guy was in the same position next to him on the bed with his wife riding him. You could barely see Nick's hand move, the next thing you knew, the guys brains spattered across the girls face. She only had time for her face to turn to fear; Nick shot her in the side of the head as she looked down on her dead hubby. The girl on top of him just started to scream, Nick kept her bucking though. She was shot right between the eyes. That sick fuck flipped her over, never taking his cock out of her, pinned her knees back and finished off in her.
That's one ice cold mother fucker; toast a chick while he's fucking her then take the time to cum in her after he's blow her brains onto the ceiling. Yeah, I didn't want to be on his short list. The boy had no mercy. Sure, I'd done my share of killing, but I didn't go and fuck a mark's corpse after I'd done 'em. That actually sounded more like something the boss would do.
As much as I shouldn't have, I was worried about her so I dug for my phone and called Sydney's. She answered.
"You back in the van girl?"
"Yeah daddy, I'm in the van. Did I do good? Is'n that better?"
"That was a damn fool thing you did, hear me? You need to be checking with me before you do any shit like that, ya hear me girl?" I told her in a rough tone, I was holding back from yelling. I was glad she was alright. She always tried to do her best and wanted to fix things when she fucked up. I relaxed my voice. "I'm glad your safe baby doll. Just..."
"I'm sorry Boom, I won't do it again. I'll check wit you from now on. Don't be mad at me, please."
A sigh came from me, I did worry about her. After what she'd been through with the gang boys, I hoped I was an improvement, of course I was and I wasn't mad at her. Shit! Nick was on his way in.
"Not mad honeysuckle, gotta go, Nick's going in." I said then hung up the phone.
I started my stopwatch. Two minutes from the time he entered, then BOOM mother fucker! Two minutes, that should give him enough time to get up the stairs and be in the hallway. I took care to line the hall good. He had a very secure apartment on the top floor. I should've brought a micro camera and put that in the hall, but fuck, this was an in and out job, no chance for forward reconnaissance.
Minute thirty, still good to go. Minute forty, minute forty-five, still good, minute fifty, I looked over to the box, I turned it on. Minute fifty-five. I flipped the switch that armed everything. This was going to be a masterpiece. Nick deserved my best work. If the blast, falling rubble, if they didn't get him, well then, the concussion from the blast, shit, that'd rip his innards apart.
Two minutes. I jabbed the key into the safety lock and turned it. The little green light that told me everything was armed turned red. Thunder erupted into the night, along with bricks, metal sheeting, rocks, dust, grass. Whatever was around or on the building took to the air, along with Nick's soul, if he had one.
I pulled the second box from my pocket. This detonator wasn't as intricate. It just had an on off switch and one button. I turned it on and pressed the button. The camera view went dark. Nothing left behind, parts, that the bomb boys would figure were a result of the blast.
Quickly stowing my stuff in a bag I high tailed it off the roof and towards the van. I could've done everything from there, but I liked to see the effects of my work, the flash of the explosives, the smell in the air. Though this time I didn't wait to smell the air, I had to move; get away from the area and report in. Fuck, maybe cock breath will even give me a bonus for Nick. Fuck, that tight ass, I'd get bunk.
The van was in sight now. Why hadn't Sydney fired it up? She had to have heard the blast. She was supposed to have the van running and waiting for me so I could jump in and we'd take off. "Damn it Sydney." I muttered under my breath. I grabbed the passenger side door and opened it up, she wasn't in the drivers seat. What the fuck? Did she get super stoned and pass out in the back I question to myself. Then, the lights went out, my lights that is.
-_-_-_-_-_
My head was throbbing, the back of it and my neck hurt like hell. I'd taken a blow to the back of the head clearly. My body, my muscles, they burned. It felt like what people said they felt like after getting tased. If whomever had clubbed me, why mess with a taser? I'd guess just in case the clubbing didn't keep me down.
Slowly I lifted my head and began opening my eyes. Sydney, was she still alive? And if so, where was she? The room wasn't brightly lit, it wasn't dingy dim either. It took me a few moments to focus, I had a bitch of a fucking headache. Who'd ever clubbed me, was a pro; they'd done me good.
I was expecting something, warehouse looking. At least, nothing fancy. On the fancy part, I wasn't disappointed, but it wasn't a warehouse that was for sure. There was those square tiles, linoleum I think. The walls were dirty but had once been white. There was a lot of lights in the ceiling, but none were on. There was a column, that supported the roof or floor above it I would guess. It was probably like the one I was handcuffed to. Yeah, those were handcuffs alright, and not cheap ones either. The chair I was in was metal, sturdy, and my legs were shackled to it. Yeah, whomever I pissed off, they were pro all the way.
Giving the room a better look, since I wasn't going anyplace, I thought it looked like it had been a hospital of some kind at one time. There was a counter, with that half glass partition, solid wood tables, weathered, and chairs that matched. Everything in the room was scattered. There were doors, in a row along one wall. A couple of broken beds on another, yeah, this had been a hospital. There were a few hurting wheelchairs on the end of the room.
This wasn't a hospital that you went to when you was just sick or hurt, the bars on the two windows I could see told me that. It wasn't just a psych ward either, this had been a full on fucking nut hut. Yeah, this was the type of place a pro would choose. Probably plenty of stuff left behind perfect for keeping somebody where you wanted 'em. Yeah, and stuff to help you work on 'em to get what you wanted out of 'em.
Sydney, there wasn't any sign of her or trace that I could see that she'd been here, at least in this room. It looked like a day room for patients or maybe a waiting area. She might be behind me or in one of the rooms. I decided to call to her, nobody else was around.
"Sydney!" I yelled, screamed even, as loud as I could. "Sydney! Baby girl, you alright?!"
Nothing. Not even a scurry sound from a rat running away because of the noise. I called again for her, trying to yell even louder. Maybe they'd done the same thing to her that they'd done to me and she wasn't awake yet. I hoped that was it, but I had the feeling, the bad feeling in the pit of my stomach, that whomever did this, didn't put any value on a street rat like Sydney. I was whom they were after, Sydney was just extra baggage; she was probably still in the back of the van, neck broke, slit, shot in the head. Yeah, that's what a pro would do.
Sorry baby girl, sorry it had to end for you like this. Just a piece of meat in the back of an untraceable van. Street rat the city would have to pay to bury. No one to cry over you. No funeral, just a box and a hole to toss it in, that's all she'd get.
Maybe Tullis had figured it out. Maybe Sydney was still alive, only to be snuffed out right in front of me as a lesson. I'd watched as that was done to Nick so many years ago. Cute girl. Bled a lot too. No, Tullis wouldn't use a place like this, he'd do it in the Tullis tower, he had rooms in the basement in an area no one but company people were allowed. This setup was actually too classy and thought out for Norval Tullis.
I screamed for Sydney again, even though I knew it was a waste. She was gone, I'd be next. Now an amateur would've kept her around and tried to use her to make me talk or whatever it was they wanted me to do. Then, you use their expectance of you playing along to save the person to give them false information. You know you aren't going to save the person, or yourself. Fuck, like after they take you and make you talk, they're really going to release you. Bullshit.
Footsteps, coming from behind me. Finally. Lets get this over with you fuck. "Bout fucking time. Whoever you are, go fuck yourself, I ain't talking. Just kill me now and get it over with; save yourself some time." I said back in the direction the footsteps were coming from.
They approached from directly behind me so I couldn't get a good look. The pillar that I was cuffed to with my hands around it blocked my view some as well. They were taking their sweet fucking time walking up to me. Yeah, like a pro would.
"I don't want to kill you Marvin. I want to cut a deal." A boy's voice said.
That voice, I knew it, I knew it very well. I recognized the voice of Nick Gagucci instantly. Marvin, yeah, he was formal that way. Hated being called Nick. 'A nick is what you get when shaving' he used to say before he insisted on being called Nicolas. He wasn't one for using short versions of names.
"Nicolas Gagucci, I should've known. Fuck, I knew going after you was a mistake. Shit, even the hitter shit face hired spun out and wouldn't do it once they found out it was you. Ya got a hell of a reputation Nicolas Gagucci. One hell of a rep. But Tullis... if I didn't do what he told me... you know."
I could hear in his voice that smile I'd seen so many times, I just hadn't been on the receiving side of it. "Yeah, I know Marvin. But, having you do the job, well, lets just say I played my cards so Norval would do just that. Whom was the hitter he tried to hire?"
Shit, he knew better than to ask that. "Tinkerbelle, the fairy. Give me a break, will ya Nicolas. You know I won't talk."
"Are you sure? There is a way you can walk out of this alive. Once you hear how, you'll understand why I'd let you live Marvin." Nick stated.
Yeah, right. Pull my other leg and it plays the William Tell Overture. Nick walked past me to in front of me, then turned and faced me; his hands were behind his back and he wore that pleasant smile I never ever wanted to see aimed at me. It made me skin crawl. Yeah, the best at what he did, professional all the way. I was a dead-man no matter what he said about a way to walk out of this alive. Sydney, yeah, she was dead already. Though now that I knew it was Nick that punched her clock, at least she wouldn't be found in the back of the van.
I had to ask though. "Sydney?"
Nick's eyes dropped to the floor, his lips pressed together and his cheeks tightened making his mouth a hard straight line, that told me everything I needed to know.
"Was it quick at least? She didn't suffer did she?"
He almost looked remorseful when he looked at me. He started to shake his head. "No, it was quick. Throat slit, both jugulars, over in seconds."
Ya, that was quick. I'd have rather he just blew her brains out, that would've been quicker than seconds, feeling yourself bleed out while you gagged and drown in your own blood.
"Thanks for that I guess. And for not doing her in front of me." I told him. Knowing she was gone, rage hit me like a sledgehammer. "Did you cut her neck while you were fucking her Nick? Is that how you did it? Cut her neck and once she was dead, bust your nuts in her? You sick fuck."
His face looked hurt, I don't know what came over me. I was pissed, hurt, and I knew I'd never leave this room alive. Fuck him, he had it coming.
"You know I don't like punching a girl's clock. But I couldn't trust her, Sydney the snitch, Sydney the betrayer. Neither could you if you take the deal I'm going to make." Nick said.
Deal, fuck him. He knew nothing about Sydney, now he ices her then wants me to make a deal.
"Fuck you Nick, you don't even know why she was called that. She didn't do shit. All that betrayer and snitch shit, that was started by that fuck that runs her gang, so he'd have an excuse to punch her clock. You know where I found her? In the ocean, soapstone handled knife in her back, hog tied and tossed in the water, that's how I found her. Sound familiar? You know how those fucks operate, they can't just dump a girl like normal people when they want to move on, no, these fucks have to put them in the ground. And unless they want their gang to ass fuck them and put them in the ground, they have to have a solid reason for icing her."
Nick's face held firm, his eyes though, I could see he was thinking about what I had told him. Wouldn't matter in the end though, she was gone, I'd be next. No fucking deal.
He shook his head and looked off then took a step towards where he looked. "Too late now anyways. But not for you. Ready to hear what I've got to say?"
"Fine fuck-face, lets make a deal. You let me go, I kill you later. If not me, then one of the other guys, maybe someone from another family, who the fuck knows. You can't let me go, as soon as I tell the boss you're still alive," this time I shook my head and scoffed, "shit, he'll put every gun he owns on your ass. You think that shit bird's crazy now, when he finds out about this little blunder, fuck me, all hell's going to break loose."
Nick's face didn't change, emotionless as ever.
"If you tell him. If you don't, he'll think I'm dead."
I scoffed again. "Yeah, then you turn up and I take your place in the Tullis morgue. No thanks, not my kind-a deal. Fuck off, just kill me sport. Save us both some time."
"True, at some point, he'll know I'm alive. But that could be a year or two down the line. I've got a plan, take the entire syndicate down. You work with me, well, you're a few years old than me Marvin. How much longer are you going to be useful to Tullis? Another five years? Then your heads going to be on the chopping block like the new years festival goose. He's not about to let any of his people walk away and retire. How would you like to be able to leave and have enough money to live on for the rest of your days Marvin?"
I had to scoff at him again, this was ridiculous, walk away and retire? Where the fuck was he going to get the kind of cash I'd need to live my lifestyle? I wasn't about to leave and live in some hovel fucking half pence hookers.
"Yeah right, what the fuck, I was born at night, but not last night you fuck. There's no way you're going to be able to take out the syndicate, get anyone out and give me a nice fat bank account. You're blowing smoke asshole."
His face never moved. "Tullis has a piggy bank. A vault he keeps all his money in. Diamonds, sapphires, rubies, bags and bags of crowns, boxes with wraps of hundred crown notes. Place is a treasure trove with more money than either of us could spend. I cut you in on a share, 12.5 percent each, the rest goes to people Tullis has ruined. Like a widows and orphans fund."
Now I outright laughed at him, piggy bank my ass. "Wow, you are delusional. You really think I'd fall for that bullshit? Fuck off Nick."
"Tullis' company brings in enough money to cover his operations in a week and change. Where do you think the rest of that money goes? He sure doesn't divvy any out to his people. Sure, we get well paid, to a degree, but he brings in a shit ton more money than he spends. How to you think he pays for things he wants? Cash from the vault. Where does he come up with the coin to hire a hitter? Make their down payment? Snyder doesn't come cheap. How do you think Rodric was able to up and retire, move away and live in the lap of luxury?"
Okay, he had a point and the piggy bank wasn't sounding so far fetch at the moment.
"Right, and he just happened to tell you where it is, bullshit Nick."
He shook his head and smirked. "No, he wouldn't do that, you know better. I'm a second generation employee of Tullis & Company. Mister Gagucci, my father, he was tight with Rodric. He passed a lot of information on to me. Rodric trusted him. Mister Gagucci knew a lot of things, he acquired much information that he wasn't supposed to know. You know the revenues, do the math in your head. Think about it, where does all that extra money end up?"
"Mister Gagucci, you still call him that, even after you shot him in the face at point blank range. Nice way to say thank you to your father. And now you want me to trust you? The first Gagucci tried to retire, you think I'm about to trust you after that?"
Nick shrugged. "You can trust me, we've know each other, shit, too many years; or you can put your trust in Norval Tullis. He has your retirement planned out already." Nick said, then he snapped around, I heard the noise too. Someone was coming.
Nick pulled out a pistol and moved to the end of the room across from me where the two large doors were. He took position against the wall so he could get the drop on whomever was coming. Probably streets, he'd plug them in an instant. Bad time to be coming here and looking for a place to stay.
The door opened, a girl walked in escorting someone with a black bag over their head. The girl looked like Sydney... sort of, but it wasn't Sydney. This girl was shorter, and didn't have as much chest. She also didn't have the hard face of a street rat like Sydney did.
"Fucking hell!" Nick yelled at her. He almost said a name but caught himself. "What the fuck?! She's still..." He looked at me then back to the girl. "Shit!" He yelled then went over to the girl. "Explain."
The girl looked depressed, but resolute. "Rule number one, no killing anyone unless they deserve it."
Nick's face became pissed. I knew that look well.
"Or unless it's necessary, that was the other part. It is fucking necessary for her to not be alive. Now get her the fuck out of here and do what I told you!" He yelled.
The girl shoved the person with the bag over their head that I assumed to be Sydney forward a bit. Her hand moved across Sydney's neck, she held a knife.
"Fine, you tell me why she deserves to die, and I'll do her right here in front of her boy. You give me one reason, tell me what she's done that she deserves to die!" The girl demanded in a gruff and loud voice.
The two of them stood there staring at each other while a knife was at Sydney's throat. My mind was a blur of thoughts. Nick was right, the boss would never let me walk away. We'd lost two of the older members of the crew a couple years ago, with no explanation as to why, they were just gone. The people they'd been training now had their spots. Nick was right, with Tullis, I had no chance, with Nick, there was at best a slim, very slim chance to walk away and a slim chance was better than no chance. And he'd survived Tullis this long.
"Have it your way." Nick said, I knew that dark tone of his all to well.
He pulled his pistol up and aimed it at the bagged head of my baby girl. He thumbed the hammer back.
"Fine, blow her head off, but you'll have to do it looking her in the eyes... dude." She almost said a name this time. The girl jerked the bag off from Sydney's head. She was crying and looked terrified. "She's the same age as me... fuck, what could she have possibly done that's worth her life? I've done more, worse stuff than she could even think about and she's a street girl, a street rat, isn't that what you call them?"
The girl let go of Sydney, taking the knife away from her neck and stepping back, holding her hands up as she moved.
"Go ahead, punch her clock. Just pull that fucking trigger and kill a girl. A girl who ain't done shit to anybody. We can call it... lesson 13, how to prove what a cold heartless bastard you are by whacking a 15 year old girl. Come on... shit, pull the fucking trigger already, kill this fucking street rat, that's all she is right? Just fucking shoot her in the head!" The girl said, screaming at Nick by the time she finished.
His index finger was moving, very little, I could see it though. He was going to do Sydney, right in front of me. At least it would be quicker than having her throat slit.
"Deal, you have a deal Nicolas. The cash and... Sydney, that's my deal. Let me keep her, you get your deal. Just tell me what I have to do, I'll do it. You're right, Tullis, he's... there is no chance with him. I'll work for you Nicolas, please, let Sydney live." I begged, something I'd never done in my entire life, beg; not even from Tullis.
The girl's eyes flicked over to me, held for a moment then went back to Nicolas.
"Shit dude, the guy's in love with her. You're not going to punch her clock right in front of him like your old boss would? Are you?" She looked at me again then back to Nicolas. "Come on, you've got me, let him have her, you're getting what you want, he doesn't even know what all is in this deal." She moves cautiously towards Nicolas and looks longingly at him. Her voice is gentle now. "Please lover, she's done nothing worthy of dying; what good does it do to take the one thing away from him that makes this deal worth it? Give him the chance to retire, with her."
Fuck, this bitch was good, she should be a fucking attorney. Nicolas slowly looked over at her. He held his eyes on her for a moment, then looked at Sydney. He put his thumb on top of the hammer of the pistol, held it, pulled the trigger back and slowly lowered the hammer then put the safety on and put it away.
Once the pistol was away, I realized I'd been holding my breath. The girl went over and walked Sydney towards where I was. Her hands were secured with cable ties.
"You just have to feed me information, stay in touch and when I need it, get me into TullisTower. It'll be a year or more before I'm ready. We get one shot at this. If we succeed, we're both free boys, rich free boys, and the world will be a better place without Norval Tullis in it." Nicolas told me.
"That's it?" I questioned.
Nicolas smiled, this time it wasn't like I was his victim. "To start, yes. You know the game and how it's played. There will be other things that come up that I'll need you're help on, staging things, dropping information at the right time, nothing huge."
I nodded, I knew how the game was played. "How you going to prove you're dead?" That was the next obvious question.
"The first part is already set up. There's a body that matches with the right ID. As for the rest of the details, I have a friend in the right place to make sure things add up." Nicolas told me.
"So, we have a deal, um... spose we should get moving then." The girl stated.
Nicolas nodded. "In a way, this actually works out. Give Sydney your knife so she can cut the ties on her hands. I'll hang the key to the cuffs on the peg above Marvin's head. Once she's free, she can set him free."
"Cool, oh, wait. One thing before we do that." The girl said then pulled out a smart phone.
"Come here, turn. Yeah. Smile." The girl said to Sydney after she positioned her where she wanted her. She took several pictures of her. "Alright, Sydney, now, come over here." She moved her next to me. "Kneel down, good girl." Next, she took several pictures of Sydney and I together. "Lean closer to him Sydney, maybe kiss him on the cheek." She said.
Sydney leaned in, her face was blank, so was mine. Nicolas complemented her on what she'd done. Yeah, it was a smart move. Now they had good pictures of Sydney's face, and pictures of the two of us together. Getting them to Tullis wouldn't be hard, fuck, he mailed Rhonda's head to the boss's wife.
"Oh, your van, it's in one of the parking lots. On the far end so you'll have to walk a bit to get to it." Nicolas told us then pointed to the door the girl had brought Sydney through. "Your exit is that way." He informed us.
The girl gave her knife to Sydney, after she wiped it down, that would be Nicolas' teaching I'm sure, while he hung the key to the cuffs above my head.
Sydney was working with the knife even before Nicolas and his tart were out the door. I could hear that they put something through the handles on the other side so we wouldn't be able to exit through the same doors they left through. I suspected Nicolas had our van parked on the same end of the building they would be exiting from and would have our way out exit as far on the other end of the building as he could.
It took Sydney a good 10 minutes to get her bindings cut, I tried to guide her the best I could, but it was hard to hold the knife and cut with her hands the way they were. Once she was free, she un-cuffed me and we left through the doors Nicolas had told us to. Maybe I could've forced the other doors open, but this was Nicolas Gagucci we were dealing with. I wouldn't put it past him to have booby-traps along that route.
While I was being held at the hospital, I wondered which one it was and why there weren't any homeless people around. The place was completely deserted, usually homeless or gangs took over such buildings. I got my answer as we followed the hall out. On the wall was the name of the hospital and some mission statement.
We were at Whispering Pines Mental Asylum. After what happened here, no one would get close to the place; most people said the hospital was haunted. I didn't believe in haunted places, but the fact remains that people have come here since the place closed, and either disappeared never to be seen again, or had their body turn up someplace inside with no explanation of how they died.