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Sunday, June 28, 2015

28 Born to Make the Kill


Tony dropped into the driver’s seat. He knew that line was a stretch as with Rudy’s boyish face it would only be seconds before the soldier realized he was too young to be either gambling or drinking in a casino. He might have won a stuffed giraffe in the arcade but certainly not dropping coins in slots. Tony glanced up at the sergeant. He already had a puzzled look with his eyes fixed on Rudy. Tony turned the key. The powerful engine came to life. 

“See what I mean?” Tony shouted up though the open door. “Temperamental old bitch! I appreciate your offer sir, but looks like we’re okay now.”

The soldier stood his ground. Hank came around to the front passenger door and got in.

Tony looked over his shoulder to Rudy. “You gettin’ in Tom?” He slid his right hand off the steering wheel and rested it on his jacket at his waist, right where the fully-loaded pistol hung. Rudy’s eyes were fixed on his hand and his face registered defeat. Rudy looked away and shot a helpless glance between the two soldiers, but then returned an angry glare to Tony. Without a word, he dropped back into the rear seat and slammed the door. 

Tony knew he had beaten the odds, but then—the house always wins. He had held control only by the implied threat. One wrong action from Rudy would have sent bullets flying and probably left two GIs bleeding out. Reno was a place where gambling was legal, but to put his plan on the line was more than he was willing to risk. He had to get to the end of this on his terms not on the whims of a weak tool like Rudy. 

Once the two soldiers were on their way, he dropped the Chevy into gear and eased toward the garage exit.

They had only driven a couple of blocks when Hank said, “Well I’ll be damned, look who it is?”

Tony looked up to where Hank pointed and saw the yellow coupe about half a block ahead unable to drive a straight line. “Our old fat bastard!” he said. “We have some unfinished business to tend to, I think.”

They followed at a distance and Tony kept the car in sight. After about five minutes, the coupe pulled into a parking lot next to a street level casino. Tony pulled into the lot and slipped in behind the parking stall the intoxicated man had driven his car into. No escape this time.

“Wait here,” Tony ordered.

The caldron had raged in his head right behind his eyes. Tony knew it could no longer be contained. It had to expel.

He left the engine running and shoved the door of the Impala open with his shoulder. As he ran around to the driver’s door of the coupe, he yanked the gun from his waistband. He grabbed the handle and with a quick yank, pulled the door open. The startled man looked up and to Tony’s delight, eyes filled with terror met his.

“Oh my God,” he pleaded, his eyes focused on the silver barrel. 

“He’s the only one who can help you now. The cavalry’s not coming to the rescue this time.”

“What … do you want?” he asked. Beads of terror-sweat formed on his brow. “I told you to … take my car.”

“We’ll, I’ve raised the ante. I don’t want the car anymore, I want you. Grab your coat.”

“Huh?” the man asked in his alcohol confusion.

“Your coat, there on the passenger seat. I want your damn coat!”

The man turned toward the passenger side of the car and picked it up. When he turned to hand it to Tony, he grabbed toward the gun with his left hand. Tony, prepared for just such a stupid trick, jerked the gun up and hit him hard under his chin with the barrel. The man’s head flew back against the headrest and he let out a shriek.

Tony reached across the man, pulled his jacket out of his hand and began to wrap it around the pistol. “I hate drunk drivers,” he said. “You’re a piece-a-shit drunk driver and drunk drivers too often get away with their crimes. Not you.”

“But I haven’t done anything!” he pleaded. “Please, don’t kill me! I have a family, children.”

“I don’t give a shit! The world is full of fatherless maggots,” Tony said with a sneer on his lips. He finished wrapping the gun and put the barrel against the man’s forehead, right between his eyes.

“Please, I’m begging you, don’t do this! I have money. I’ll give you whatever you want.”

“Money didn’t help my ma,” Tony shouted and squeezed the trigger.

Satisfied the muffled explosion barely escaped the compartment, he looked back at the drunk. His head had lunged to the right as the bullet tore through his brain, and a trickle of blood flowed down his nose. His head came to rest on the back of the seat. The comparison between the small invasion made by the slug’s entry and the blood spray and brain fragments that dripped off the passenger’s seat and side-window was exhilarating.

Like the dome of the volcano had breached, the heaviness flowed from Tony’s head. He dropped the coat on the lifeless man’s lap.


Rudy couldn’t contain the dread as he watched the altercation, but when the gun exploded he jumped and dread became horror. His heart raced into his throat, and he shook his head back and forth under the gray hoodie. What did I do? I just wanted to be with Natalie. Things had suddenly escalated. Rape and abduction were one thing, and, as evil as they were, murder moved the bar beyond comprehension.

“Jesus Christ!” Hank screamed as Tony returned to the driver’s seat. “You blew that bastard to Hell.”

“I hate drunk drivers.” Tony said in an even tone as he put the car in gear. “A drunk killed my ma. Mowed her down in a crosswalk. She was no saint, in fact, she was a piece-of-shit for a mother, but she was my ma. They never caught the bastard who killed her.”

“Payback’s a bitch,” Hank said and stared at Tony.

“The bitch alright!” Tony nodded toward the trunk. 

“See what I mean?” Tony shouted up though the open door. “Temperamental old bitch! I appreciate your offer sir, but looks like we’re okay now.”

Tony dropped into the driver’s seat. He knew that line was a stretch as with Rudy’s boyish face it would only be seconds before the soldier realized he was too young to be either gambling or drinking in a casino. He might have won a stuffed giraffe in the arcade but certainly not dropping coins in slots. Tony glanced up at the sergeant. He already had a puzzled look with his eyes fixed on Rudy. Tony turned the key. The powerful engine came to life.
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