Prologue

“If you only had minutes to live, what would be the last thing you would do? People may have heard this question at one point or another, during their lifetime, and often times more than once. They might have heard it at some forums, or group studies performing a social experiment, or online vlogs, or on some random Facebook post, or any other platform on the internet. It is after all, a reasonable question to consider, usually for philosophical purposes or debates of that nature. But how often, someone would truly ponder that question, as if it was happening for real, and your life was indeed about to end soon, much sooner than you would like to. It is one thing to try to answer this question during a heated discussion, and completely another, when you know, that death is knocking on the door. So, what would you do? Perhaps, you might want to talk to someone who is really close to you, and whom means a lot. But what if that person is not within close physical proximity at that dire time of need? Who would you call? Who would be the one you would like to speak to last, before your eyes close forever, and you become part of the earth? Your lover? A brother or a sister? Maybe your mother, or father? And what do you think you would tell that person? What would be the last thing you’d say, which you would most likely be remembered by?”

This was the unfortunate predicament Stacey found herself in, as she was lying down on the cold pavement, bleeding profusely from a gashing wound in her back. Her facial expression, which was the embodiment of joy and cheerfulness only minutes’ prior, was now becoming emptier and emptier, with every passing second. Her green eyes were full of tears of helplessness and sorrow, as they rolled down her rosy cheeks, which were becoming paler with every ticking second. Stacey was gasping for breath, but each gasp caused her further pain. The young woman was fighting with all her strength to hold on, as long as possible, to her final, precious moments of life, despite knowing the fight was practically lost, the moment she was fatally stabbed. She was starting to choke, and was sensing the end was near, nevertheless, Stacey clutched to her hope that she could see him again one more time, before she was to take her closing breath. The sound of police sirens could be heard louder and louder, as they were indeed approaching the scene of the crime, and that made her smile. “At least this last hope, will turn out fruitful”-she thought.

“Stacey! Stacey!”- his desperate cries meant she was right. “What happened to you, baby girl? Who did this to you?” - the anguished tone of voice came from a man, running towards her.

“Dad” - Stacey whispered, as she coughed, spitting blood out of her mouth. “I knew, you would make it” - she said softly, but the running man heard her, as he just reached her.

“Of course, my sweet girl”- the man smiled at her, as he gently embraced his daughter, crying uncontrollably the whole time. “I am here. I am here”- the man repeated.

“Not so tight, dad. It hurts”- Stacy whimpered.

“Don’t worry, honey. The ambulance is on its way”- the man responded, as he loosened his grip, but still holding his girl tightly. “They will arrive any minute. You will be okay. You will see.”

“No dad, I won’t. But don’t worry. I am going to see mom”- Stacey said, as she closed her eyes.

***

“It is time to begin”- John spoke softly, but firmly, as he took a look around the room. There were exactly nine of them, including him; four women and five men, all sitting in a circle, facing each other. Some of them appeared anxious, to get the whole ordeal over with. Others were jaded and had blank expressions on their faces. And yet there were those who simply hated being there, apparent from their irritation. Jon was well aware of that. He knew it was going to be difficult to get all of them talking, but was certain that eventually all of them would do so. They needed to follow the instructions clearly, as had been written on the letter they found upon waking up in the strange house. That was the only way if they wanted to leave. They all had to share their story, and be as candid and truthful as possible. These were the rules, and he intended on following them strictly. Karl Nichols was going to be the hardest to open up, as well as Molly Flowers, and possibly Sarah Pratchett. But he knew how to make all of them talk.  “So, come on. Which one of you wants to start sharing first?”-  John asked with a bit of annoyance. His blue eyes watched them sternly, but also with a mix of curiosity, as he liked to read people, and try to anticipate their actions. No one volunteered to go first, so John repeated his question. “Which one of you, wants to start sharing first? I am not going to ask again.”

“And who made you boss of anything?”- Ernesto snapped at John. “Why don’t you start?”

“I am not claiming to be a boss. But I am older than any of you. Also, I have experience with these sorts of things, and I promise you, if you listen to me and we all stick together, we will all get through this just fine”- John assured him.

“Experience with what exactly?”- Rosa hurried to ask before Ernesto could respond. “Kidnapping? Because this is what this is.”

“Experience with unusual situations. Such as the one we are facing”- John replied, unfazed by her question. “No need for all this extra paranoia. If we cooperate, we will be okay.”

“How can you be so sure?”- Ernesto asked.

“Call it intuition.”

“So, we are supposed to follow your intuition?”- this time it was Rosa attempting to undermine John’s leadership.

“Did I stutter?”- John was still successful with maintaining his composure, despite the slight irritation starting to creep in the back of his mind.

“And what if we don’t cooperate?”-  finally the man he expected the most resistance from, Karl Nichols, joined the conversation, trying to sound as haughty and arrogant as possible.

“I won’t allow it”- John’s voice was such that Karl’s premature defiance stood no chance.  “Now, does anyone else have any further grievances, or we can finally get a move on, and start sharing our stories, in the most honest way possible? Because I will be frank with you. I am a tolerant person. But even my patience has limits. Especially, when it comes to constant bitching and complaining. I am not asking you to do much. I am only asking that you all do your part and enlighten us on why do you believe, you are locked in this house. And for the love of God, please don’t give me cluelessness as an excuse. Even if you deny it for the time being, deep down you know, that if you are here right now, there is a good reason why, and you are aware what that reason is, or at least you have an idea on the subject. I believe we got all the pleasantries out of the way. So who is going to volunteer to start us off, and set an example for the rest of us to follow?”

“Do you think I should go?”- Edward asked hesitantly.

“No Edward, not yet. It is not your turn, and you know this very well.”

“Okay, I was just wondering”- Edward replied a bit embarrassed.

“No need for all that. We don’t want people to be wondering or assuming anything at the moment. We need certainties”- John continued to sound firm.

“Why don’t you start?”- surprisingly to John, this question came from Molly Flowers. John certainly wasn’t expecting her to speak out so soon. Sarah Pratchett – yes. Rosa Gutierrez- yes. Maybe even Shania Jefferson would give it a try. But not Molly. At least not that early. After all, there was no financial gain or incentive mentioned or offered. Thus, there was no reason for Molly’s interest to be perk up the way it did.

“Because, I am going to go last”- John explained.

“Why?”- Molly persisted.

“You will find out once I do. But not before. Simple as that.”

“You sound like you know, a little bit more, than you let on”- Molly wasn’t giving up so easily.

“If I give you a dollar to shut the fuck up, will you do so?”

“Look sir, I don’t know what you think you know about me, but I won’t let you be so disrespectful and rude…”- Molly was unable to finish because John interrupted her, this time sounding visibly flustered.

“Listen here, you spoiled bitch. I know it must be shocking that someone wants you to shut your God damn mouth, instead of using it to swallow certain objects with it, but I already had it with all of you. And unless one of you wants to proceed with his or her narration, I don’t want to hear it.”

There was an awkward silence in the room. Then after a few tense seconds, a young lad with shortly cut, dark hair, blue eyes, a slim physique and very confident posture, decided to speak up. “I think; I want to begin.”

“Finally. Alleluia!”- John exclaimed. “Very well then, young man. Introduce yourself.”

“Hi there, everyone. My name is Tony Turner” -the lad spoke cheerfully. “Guess, I will be the pioneer in this experience, presenting you with my narrative.” And having said that, Tony continued with the rest of his story, which gave the initial jolt to the ordeal, John was so impatient to initiate.

Chapter 1, Tony Turner

“I have been called many negative names. Faggot, cock sucker, meat swallower and many, many more. But I am used to it. In fact, you could say I am even proud of it. I am who I am. And I found that out at an early age. Don’t get me wrong. I tried dating girls, too. But it wasn’t the same. The attraction just wasn’t there. The only problem was that I have never been honest with the people closest to me – my parents. I am afraid how my father will react. Will I be a disappointment to him? And what about my mother? Will she cry dearly? Will she blame herself for how she raised me? Come to think of it, most of my friends don’t know either. I am after all from a prosperous family and have a bright future ahead of me. And where I am from, reputation and a good family name mean everything. I don’t want to ruin all that, if I am to come out and openly admit who I am. Still, I am starting to squander the opportunities given to me, with some bad choices I’ve made. Even though I studied in a top notch school, I dropped out and went into the business of selling drugs instead. I kept lying to my family, that I am only taking a temporary break, but the truth was, I may have very well taken my last class. Here is the moment to point out that there is no better teacher than the streets. The streets have taught me, way more than any classroom could. I met many influential and dangerous people. They showed me all I needed to know in order to improve my trade, skills and connections. I have been selling everything – from cocaine, to ecstasy, to amphetamines, meth and heroin. If you need something, I got you. I will hook you up. Some say that I can be cocky and manipulative, and they me be right. I have broken many hearts. Not on purpose. Okay, perhaps it was a little intentional. But hey, I got bored. What is a handsome, young man like me, is supposed to do? If a relationship has run its course, it is better to move on than try to fix it. Yet it was my cockiness, my manipulation, and arrogance, which led me to where I am right now. I made a terrible mistake recently, and I will feel the guilt of it, hovering over me, for a long time. Maybe even forever.”

***

It was almost ten in the morning, and Tony had just finished his breakfast. He was getting ready to meet his boyfriend Travis. The two had been on and off for a while, and the relationship was rocky by most standards. The biggest turmoil the young couple was facing was their different views on where the relationship should go. Travis was looking for stability. He wanted to be with someone, who felt the same. Someone whom he could perhaps marry someday and start a family with. Maybe even adopt a kid or two. This was in complete contrast to Tony’s view, who was primarily searching for new and creative ways to have fun. After all, Travis was almost thirty, while Tony was barely twenty-two.  Which was why Tony wanted to meet and date multiple partners while having countless parties that never ended, without having to worry about money, or any other source of responsibility. After all, life is short, and needs to be enjoyed fully. Or at least, this was how Tony saw it. He never felt badly for cheating on Travis, with a man named Angel. In fact, Tony was just combing his raven-dark hair in front of the mirror, when the phone rang. It was Angel.

“Hey baby. Did you miss me?”-Tony picked up enthusiastically.

“Actually, we need to talk”- Angel replied unmoved by Tony’s enthusiasm.

“We are talking right now, aren’t we? What’s up honey bun?”

“Please don’t call me that ever again. Matter of fact, don’t call me ever, period.”

“Is this supposed to be funny? I do not get the joke”- Tony replied with frustration.

“It is not meant to be funny. We are done.”

“What do you mean done?”

“Don’t you know, what “done” means? It means “finito.” We are over. Capiche?”

“But why?”- Tony’s voice was a mixture of confusion and disbelief.

“Because I found out, what kind of lying bastard you are. That’s why. One of my friends forwarded me a screenshot of a Facebook post. And you know what was on it? A sweet photo of you and your “main boyfriend.” I Just want to know, Tony. Did you really think, I wouldn’t find out? What kind of lying piece of shit, are you?”

“Oh, give me a break, Angel. Like you never had more than one boyfriend at once?”- Tony protested madly.

“I never had, and am not planning on it, either. And neither will you”- and Angel disconnected the phone.

“Fuck”- Tony screamed. Consumed with rage, he hit the mirror with his fist, breaking it into pieces.

***

“What happened to your hand?”, Travis asked Tony with concern, fondling it gently while sitting on Tony’s bed in his room.

“I accidentally broke a glass. Don’t worry, it is nothing” - and as he finished saying so, Tony gave Travis a passionate kiss.

“Listen, Tony”- Travis said, as he moved away from Tony’s grasp. “I have been checking some of the adoption homes in our area, and I’ve been getting familiarized with all the legal procedures, concerning an adoption. I mean, there are a bunch of documents that need to be filled out. And there is a waiting period. But from what I’ve found out, it is not as difficult as you thought.”

“Oh, not that shit again”- and Tony attempted to kiss him again, but Travis backed off.

“Why not? Don’t you want to get married? And start a family. It will be just like we talked about.”

“Correction. It will be just like you talked about. These are your dreams. Not mine.”

“I know, but why don’t you think it over?”

“Travis, do you even hear yourself? We are two gay men, fooling around for pleasure, and you want us to adopt a kid!”-  Tony wasn’t trying to hide his astonishment.

“And your point is? We won’t be either the first, nor the last gay couple, who has adopted a kid. Just think about it, Tony. We will be great parents.”

“Did you steal some of my drugs? Is this the reason why you sound so ludicrous? My parents don’t know that I am gay, and you are well aware of this fact. Neither do my friends. Starting a family with you, or anyone else, would mean that I have to tell them.”

“Then tell them. You will have to do so sooner or later. May as well do it now.”

“And ruin my life? No fucking way. Besides, I am not looking to build a family. I am too young for that. I am trying to have fun. And I have told you that multiple times. Including when I first met you.”

“I didn’t realize, I was ruining your life”- Travis responded in a sullen manner, and got up from where he was seated and headed towards the door.

“I didn’t mean it that way. And where do you think, you are going?”

“I am leaving you, Tony. I don’t want to ruin your life anymore. And I know precisely what you meant. I am not dumb.”

“You are not leaving anyone” - and Tony grabbed Travis by the arm, but was immediately deterred by Travis who, delivered a powerful smack to his face. Travis slapped Tony so hard on his right cheek that he left his hand imprint. Tony, bewildered and shocked, dropped down to the floor.

“Don’t touch me ever again, Tony. I do not want to be with you, anymore. You are just a spoiled, little brat, wasting mommy and daddy’s money, so you can party and have fun all the time. And you are too worried to tell the world, who you really are. Because, you are afraid of being rejected and ridiculed. But you know what, Tony. We all have fears, but how we face and deal with them differentiates us. Real men go head on towards what scares them. Children avoid the danger. And you are just a kid, Tony. I knew that ever since I met you. But I was hoping I could change you, because I fell in love with you”- Travis’ tears were choking his speech by that point. He stopped to compose himself for a moment, and then added, “I guess, I was wrong.”

“I thought we were having fun” and for the first time in a while, Tony was openly crying in front of someone.

“We were. Farewell, Tony”-  and Travis turned around and left. And just like that, Tony lost both of his boyfriends in a single day.

***

Tony was sitting alone in his room, feeling sorry for himself. He was trying to soothe the pain the way he usually did- by listening to sad songs while drinking coke with whiskey, and thinking about all the good memories he shared with Travis and Angel. But this wasn’t enough for him; not tonight. He needed some action to spice up the evening. Tony had never been rejected before, and now it was twice in a single day, and he didn’t know how to deal with it. It was also the first night in a while where he’d been forced to spend it alone. At this exact moment, an idea popped into Tony’s head. An idea which was going to change everything. Tony did not know it back then, but he was going to make a choice, which was to have major consequences not just for him, but for many other people. But Tony had no way of foreseeing it, and was completely oblivious to the danger, he was about to put himself in. He sat down in front of his laptop, opened up craigslist.com and selected the romance section. Without hesitation he clicked on the “man looking for a man” link and proceeded to scroll through the ads. He ignored them one by one until he saw the one he liked. He hesitated for a second, then he dialed the number listed on the ad. It rang a few times, before a rough voice on the other end of the line, picked up.

“Hello?”- the raspy voice greeted him.

“Yes, I saw your’ add on craigslist, and I am interested, but I do have a few questions first.”

“Go ahead.”

“So how much is it for one hour?”

“How much can you afford?”

Tony hesitated for a second, then responded: “One-hundred.”

“No fucking way. That will be a waste of my time”- and the line disconnected.

If Tony believed in signs or omens, he would have known right then and there, not to call back. But he didn’t so, undeterred he dialed the number once more. “What about one fifty?” -he asked as soon as he heard the familiar voice.

“Two hundred.”

“One fifty or no deal”- Tony persisted.

“Okay fine. What is your address?”

“Wait. I want to know, what I am getting for this kind of money?”

“I thought you said you read the ad.”

“I want to hear you say it.”

“Okay”, the raspy voice sighted. “My friend and I will come to your home, and fuck you roughly. So rough in fact, we will fuck your brains out, and then cum all over you. Is this what you wanted to hear?”

“Yes, I am satisfied. How soon can you be here.”

“Depends where you are at, but unless you live very far, we should be there within forty minutes or less, give or take ten to fifteen minutes.”

“Awesome”- Tony gasped eagerly, and foolishly provided them his address.

***

Just like the man on the other end of the line promised, he and his friend arrived at Tony’s place within the specified, agreed upon time. Tony could hardly contain himself. He had taken two ecstasy pills, to enhance his experience, and was already starting to experience the pleasant effects of the drug, when he opened his door to meet his special guests. But as soon as he did so, he was met with disappointment. The ad promised him two muscular men, one white, with blonde hair and blue eyes, and the other black, with chocolate skin, and green eyes. Instead, he saw two men who appeared to be of Hispanic origins. None of them looked muscular. In fact, both were shorter than Tony. One was skinny, with dark hair and a beard. Tony hated bearded men. He found them unclean. The other man, who passed through the doorstep of his apartment, also had dark hair and a beard, but unlike his friend, this one was fat with a round face, and missing two of his teeth, one from the upper and one from the lower jaw. Both men were wearing black, dirty clothes, which didn’t seem to have been washed or cleaned properly in the last two weeks. The skinny one simply wore two wooden shoes, over his bare feet, which appeared to be quite uncomfortable. Both men had sinister look about them and a cloud of dark energy seemed to follow them. Tony immediately felt uneasy, while the two men instantly started behaving as if they were at home, comfortably taking a seat on Tony’s coach. Despite consuming the two ecstasies, and been previously exhilarated and eager for the encounter, Tony’s erection and positive vibes were starting to fade away, as fast as his smile once he saw the two strangers. The short, thin one, even had the audacity to take off his shoes, without asking for permission, exposing Tony’s eyes to his stinky feet, whose toes were covered with large, uncut nails.

“We are finally here. Are you happy to see us?”- the skinnier man asked, adding an eerie smile, which contributed to Tony’s discomfort even more.

“And you are?”

“The man, who spoke with you on the phone, dummy” - the skinny man chuckled, while the fat man’s face remained blank and expressionless.

“Your voice sounded different on the phone”- Tony was pointing to the fact, that the newcomer’s voice was squeakier, then the person he spoke to, once he first dialed the number.

“It is my voice, sugar. Just sounds different in person, I guess. But regardless, are you ready to get fucked?”- and he laughed, but his laugh didn’t resonate naturally. It sounded more like someone trying to laugh, then someone who is truly enjoying himself.

“Can we at least introduce ourselves, first?”- Tony inquired, as he was not sure, what else to say.

“Of course. I am Emiliano Vasquez. And this is Fernando Parejo”- the thinner man pointed to his buddy. “He is what we call, the true fucker. You will have to pick your teeth from the ground, when he is done with you.” This time both of them laughed in a maniacal fashion. The deranged laugh gave Tony the chills.  “But we have been having too much small talk. Let’s get to it.”

“Okay”- Tony murmured.

“That means you have to start stripping”- Emiliano commanded.

“And you?”

“Don’t worry about us. You strip first”- Emiliano’s stern tone, didn’t allow for objections. Tony started to take off his shirt, but he was rudely shouted at by Emiliano. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“You told me to strip.”

“Not like that. This is how my grandmother takes off her clothes. I want to see you dance.”

“But I…”

“Dance bitch. Hold on, let me play you a song”- and Emiliano took out his phone, and after a quick search, selected the song in question. Tony started to clumsy undress himself, while the two men giggled and sneered at him. When he was done, Emiliano stopped the song, and slowly walked towards Tony. “On your knees, bitch. Don’t make me say it again”- Tony obeyed instantly, feeling regret for his decision, but it was way too late by this point.  “Good boy”- Emiliano smiled. “Now I want you, to unzip my jeans, using your moth only.” Tony began to cowardly approach him, while on his knees, when Fernando, who had been silent up to this point spoke loudly.

“Shouldn’t we clear the payment, first?”- Fernando asked impatiently.

“Of course, we should”- Emiliano grinned from ear to ear.

“Okay, let me get the money”- Tony got up slowly and went to fetch his wallet. He returned to the living room shortly with the money in hand. “Here, one-hundred and fifty. As we agreed”- and handed the money with a trembling hand to Emiliano.

‘Very nice”- Emiliano smiled.

“What about my fee?”- Fernando demanded impatiently, catching Tony completely off-guard.

“What do you mean? We agreed for one fifty”- Tony protested with desperation, as he knew where the conversation was heading.

“That was my fee”- Emiliano explained. This doesn’t cover Fernando’s expenses. “My dear Fernando, I think our friend, Tony here, is trying to scam you.”

Fernando furiously got up, and walked in a threatening manner towards Tony, who was shivering from fear. “Are you fucking kidding me? Do you want me to break your face?”

“No, please sir, I am begging you. How much money do you want?”

“For the stress, pain and suffering you just caused me, at least one-thousand.”

“One-thousand?”- Tony’s eyes became as big as pancakes.

“Do you want me to cut you, boy?” By now Fernando had taken out a small pocket knife and was shoving it in Tony’s face.

“No sir, I will do anything”- and with shaking hands, Tony handled over his wallet to his attacker.

“How much is in here?”- Emiliano asked suspiciously, as he took out the cash.

“Two-hundred dollars or so”- Tony mumbled.

“Are you fucking kidding me, boy?”- Emiliano forcefully picked Tony up by the hair. “Are you trying to make fun of us, pendejo?”

“Maybe he thinks we are just a bunch of clowns”- Fernando waved his pocket knife only inches’ away from Tony’s right eye.

“No, not at all.”

“Then why are you fucking with us? We told you one-thousand, didn’t we?”- Emiliano was practically spitting in Tony’s face.

“Do you want me to cut you, faggot? Is that what you want?”- Fernando was the one to yell this time.

“No wait, please. I have a safe.”

“Finally! I knew, you would come to your senses, laddie”- Emiliano cheerfully exclaimed. “Open this motherfucker up, then.”

Tony was trying his hardest to avoid telling them about the safe, since it was where he kept his drug money, which wasn’t truly his to begin with, but his bosses’. Unfortunately, he was also well aware, that these two men weren’t playing around, which was why he reluctantly showed them the safe, and unlocked it. But before they could take the money, he put himself in front of it, and pleaded with them one final time. “Please guys, don’t take this money. I need it for my mother’s surgery. She has cancer, and we don’t have insurance to pay for it” - Tony made up the lie on the spot, as one final desperate plea, not to get robbed further.

“You want me to cut you, maricon, and then take it myself?”- Fernando asked rudely.

“Please, it is for my mother’s surgery.”

“Fernando, leave the poor boy alone”, Emiliano pretended to scold his partner. Then turned around to face Tony. “I am not going to say it again. Move bitch, or I will tell him to cut you.”

“But what about my mother’s surgery?”

“Should have thought of that, before you called two strangers from craigslist, and invite them to come fuck you, Tony. Next time, you will know. But because you were cool with us, and cooperated from the start, we won’t take anything else. Say another word, and you will be left without a tv, laptop, the nice watch you are wearing and your phone.” Tony silently moved away, while the two men took all the money and put it in their pockets. “How much money is in this safe?”- Emiliano asked.

“Ten-thousand dollars”- remorsefully Tony admitted the truth.

“You hear that, Fernando?”- Emiliano’s eyes lit up. “I hope this can suffice for your grievances, which you had to suffer this evening.”

“This will do”- Fernando laughed with full voice. Then the two tied Tony’s wrists, without putting much effort into it, and before leaving, Emiliano took out a five-dollar bill from his pocket, and placed it gently near Tony’s face.

“For your mother’s cancer surgery”- he stated sarcastically. Then the two men left, leaving Tony tied naked in his apartment, alone with his sorrow and shame.

Chapter 2, Dangerous Agreement

After the robbers left, Tony didn’t waste much time in untying himself, getting dressed and calling the police. Two policemen arrived quickly to his address. Tony eagerly opened his door and invited them in.  “Thank you so much for coming so fast. I was just robbed”- Tony rushed to let them know about his terrible experience.

“Tell us what happened”- one of the officers demanded in a cold tone.

“Well, it is a bit embarrassing, but I invited two male escorts into my home, or at least that’s who they claimed they were. As soon as they walked in they robbed me at knife point.”

“How exactly did they rob you?”- the policeman leading the questioning, inquired suspiciously.

“They stuck a knife to my throat and told me to give them all the money I got, or they would stab me.”

“And you complied?”

“Of course, I didn’t want to get stabbed.”

“How much did they take?”

“Ten-thousand five hundred dollars or so.”

Both officers looked at each other funny. Then the leading officer asked. “So, they were already in your home, when they took out the knife?”

“Exactly.”

“And you stated that they were escort, or at least, that’s how they presented themselves?”

“Correct.”

“And you didn’t know them, prior to tonight?”

“No, never.”

The leading officer scratched his head, then took a look at Tony. “Why are your pupils so dilated, sir? Have you taken any illegal substances this evening?”

“What? No”- Tony answered shocked, but also scared. The ecstasy pills were already in full effect by then, and indeed his pupils were dilated.

“What do you think, Harry?”- the officer turned to his partner. “Does his pupils look dilated?”

“Can’t really tell. Maybe it is the adrenalin, you know?”

“Maybe”- the officer responded lost in thought. “In any case”, he turned back to Tony: “will you be willing to come down to the station to make a report?”

“Well, sure. But what exactly is the procedure? And do you think, I can get my money back.”

“It is unlikely, but if we catch them fast enough, who knows”- the officer shrugged.

“And how do you go about finding them?”

“You come down with us to the station, you make your report. Afterwards, we will have an investigation. Most likely, you might have to return for a second and maybe even third time to the station, in order to look at a lineup, and see if you recognize the perpetrators. We may also need you to look at photos, of some well-known to the police individuals, that sort of thing. Of course, we will have to knock on your neighbor’s doors, and ask around if anyone has seen anything, as well as the people living below, and above you. And that’s about it.”

Tony’s face got paler, when he heard the part about questioning the neighbors. That meant public humiliation for him. The one thing he wanted to avoid most. “Sir, is the questioning of my neighbors really necessary? I am pretty sure; no one saw or heard anything.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“I tend to be very discrete about these sort of things. I don’t want people to know my business.”

“Regardless, it has to be done. That’s the protocol.”

“Can we disregard the protocol?”- Tony pleaded.

“Nonsense. That’s why it is a protocol. It has to be followed.”

“So, there is no way around it? Even if I sign a special form, stating that I don’t want my neighbors questioned?”

“As I said already, absolutely not. If you make a report, we will have to question your neighbors”- the police officer was relentless and unwilling to make any exceptions.

“Then I do not want to make a report”- Tony answered sadly.

“Didn’t you say that they stole more than ten-thousand dollars?”- the officer raised his eyebrow.

“Money can be restored. My reputation won’t be so easily recovered. People don’t know I am gay. And they certainly don’t know that I invited male prostitutes to my home. If this information gets around, it will ruin me.”

“Should have thought about that, before calling them.”

“Yes, I should have. But it is way too late now.”

“Let me just confirm one final time, you don’t wish to make a report? If you do not, we can’t start an investigation”- one of the policemen clarified.

“I understand.”

“Very well, suit yourself”- the officer stated coldly, then turned to his partner. “We should get going, Harry.” Having said so, the two of them got up and left, leaving Tony alone and depressed, not knowing what to do about the stolen money. Then, suddenly it hit him. He knew exactly how to proceed.  Tony popped one more ecstasy pill, and took out his phone. It was time to call Chu Ying.

***

Dealing drugs for a while, Tony had met many dangerous people, with criminal backgrounds. Two of them included Alfonso Jackson and Chu Ying. Both of them were on parole, for different crimes. Alfonso for assault, Chu Ying for extortion and blackmail. Alfonso had chocolate skin and brown eyes, was tall, muscular and his black hair was cut short. He had one golden tooth in his bottom teeth. His body was covered with all sorts of different tattoos, and wore a diamond ear ring in his left ear. Chu Ying, on the other hand, who happened to be Alfonso’s best friend, was a Chinese immigrant, with black hair, green eyes, a slim physique, and a large, red dragon tattoo on his right arm. He was usually silent, yet his presence was always strong. Even though his stature wasn’t impressive, something about him made people either respect or fear him, when he was around. Not many dared to oppose him or start an argument with him. Chu Ying had a black belt in taekwondo, and was extremely quick and agile, with impressive flexibility and cat reflexes. Ever since he was eleven, he had gone through a rigorous training, which consisted of many strenuous physical activities and fighting techniques. When he turned twelve Chu Ying was an unwilling participant in illegal, gladiator-style underground fighting. Once he turned fifteen, he was placed in a foster home, where he met his current partner. The ones who knew Chu Ying best, such as Alfonso, had witnessed many times, Chu Ying being challenged by opponents who were twice, or even three times his size, only for them to regret painfully their decision to take him on. Chu Ying would not hesitate to break someone’s arm or leg and, if necessary he would kill without a second thought. He had done so previously but was proven innocent due to self-defense. Then again, rumors would appear that Chu Ying’s life had never been in danger to begin with, but those were never looked into or closely investigated. Regardless, if true or not, Tony knew that Chu Ying was by far the best man he knew, for what he was about to ask of him. Which was why he called him. Not even thirty minutes after the phone call took place, Chu Ying, Alfonso Jackson, and one other man, whom Tony had never met before, arrived at Tony’s residence.

“Who is this guy?”- Tony wanted to know, once the three men were inside, and had taken their seats.

“Tony” - Alfonso volunteered to make the introduction, “this is Alejandro Sanchez, and he is a private investigator. Chu Ying had your call on the speaker, and when we heard your reason for contacting us, I suggested we bring Alejandro with us. I have worked with him before, when I suspected my ex-girlfriend cheating on me, and believe me when I tell you, I was very pleased with his work.”

“Not pleased with the results, though”- Alejandro joked. He was tall, tanned, relatively thin man, with a thick moustache, grayish hair, and an unsettling smile.

“It wasn’t your fault the hoe cheated”- Alfonso chuckled. “At least you opened my eyes. Now that cheating bitch will never be able to open hers again”, and he laughed out loud. “But that’s not why, we are here now. We are here to help my boy, Tony. He got robbed tonight.”

“Did they tell you everything?”- Tony asked Alejandro.

“Yes, they have, no need to repeat the details.”

“And just to make sure, you don’t work with the police department, do you? Sorry, if the question sounds dumb. I want to make sure.”

“I work for whoever hires me and is willing to pay me well. It is not my business to know if what they are up to is legal or not. And unless, you are planning some terroristic threat, or something of that nature, I am not required to cooperate with authorities. I helped your friend, didn’t I? Now let me ask you, did these guys happened to mention their names?”- Alejandro explained confidently.

“They did as a matter of fact. But I am not sure, if these are their real names or not.”

“Doesn’t matter. What are they?”

“Emiliano Vasquez and Fernando Parejo.”

“They gave their last names as well?” - Alejandro inquired, pleasantly surprised.

“They did, now that I think about it. To be honest, they didn’t look very smart.”

“Obviously not. And what about a brief description? Can you write it down for me, along with their names?”

Tony complied, and handed a small sticky note to the investigator. “Does this help?”

“Perfect. I will be on it, as soon as, I get back home. Now for my payment…”

“They stole all the money I had.”

“How about this, then? When we catch them, we will see how much of your stolen money we can salvage, and then I get one third of that?”

The price seemed steep, but Tony had no choice. “Agreed.”

“We have a deal, then. Don’t worry, Tony.  You will be satisfied with my work, I promise.”

“Now the question is”-  Alfonso jumped back in the conversation, “what do you want Chu and I to do to these guys, once we catch them. Do you want the ex-girlfriend special?”- and he winked at Tony.

“No, please don’t kill them. I just want to teach them a lesson, you know. And get back my money, or at least a part of it, if possible. But I don’t want them dead.”

“You have a good heart, Tony. I personally am a big believer, in the eye for an eye treatment. But hey, it is your decision. If you don’t want these guys dead, then Chu and I will respect your wish. But we will have some fun, that’s for sure.”

“I can’t ask for more.”

“Well Chu, we should get going then”-  Alfonso turned to his partner, who had been silent up until that point.

“You guys go ahead. I will stay a little longer”- replied Chu with an ominous smile. Then after they had parted ways, he turned to Tony. “You heard, Alfonso. We will help you, Tony. But unlike Alejandro, I insist on getting my payment now. And I don’t mean money”- Chu demanded.

“I know exactly what you need”- Tony smiled, and started taking off his shirt.

***

It had been a few days, since Tony’s unfortunate ordeal. He was sitting alone in his living-room, reading a book, drinking a glass of wine, when his cell phone rang. Tony promptly picked up to find Chu Ying on the other end of the line. “I have one good and one bad piece of news for you, Tony. Alejandro found the two men who wronged you. That is the good news. Unfortunately, more than half of the money couldn’t be recovered. That is the bad news.”

“I had a feeling, this might happen”- Tony sighted with disappointment.  “Well, where are these bastards?”

“They are keeping Alfonso and I company. However, they are not in a position to say hi. In fact, they are not in a position to say much, if at all.”

“They are still alive, right?”

“For now. But this can change if you like?”

“No, please.  I don’t want any blood on my hands.”

“It won’t be on yours”- Chu Ying chuckled.

“Come on, we talked about this”- Tony begged him.

“Alright. You are such a party pooper. But don’t worry. I wouldn’t want to kill them, either. It will ruin the fun.”

“What do you mean by that?” - Tony’s concern was increasing with every second.

“Let us just say that the skinny one has one earlobe less, and the fat one, no longer has a nose. And I must say, they both look better this way”- Chu Ying laughed.

“Oh my God!!!”-  Tony could not hide his dismay and disbelief. “What have you done? Please, don’t disfigure them further. I will be right there. Are you guys at the agreed upon place?”

“We are. But hurry up. I might get bored while waiting for you.”

“Jesus Christ! What have I done”- Tony said to himself, as he disconnected the call. Cold drops of sweat appeared on his face. He certainly didn’t plan for this. But now that it had got so far, he had to figure out how to get out of the situation. And he had to do it fast, while he could still fix it. What Tony didn’t realize was that by involving Chu Ying, it was already way too late.

Chapter 3, Unexpected Complications

It was late in the afternoon when Tony arrived at the abandoned house at the end of a cul-de-sac, with no other houses or buildings within close proximity. There were, however, plenty of trees and bushes, which contributed further to the isolation of the place. This location was perfect for what Chu Ying and Alfonso had in mind, when they forcefully brought in their captives – Fernando Parejo and Emiliano Vasquez. The barrack itself was damp, cool, and quite moldy. Spider webs and rats’ nest were all over the place. A strong stench of urine and feces came up from the basement. There, tied onto two long, wooden benches, the two captives lay down. Their legs were bound with rope, the hands with zip ties, while huge portions of their bodies were duct taped. The two men’s heads and necks were also restrained with rope, and their mouths were gagged with dirty rags. They had been placed in this position for more than thirty hours, without the ability to eat, drink, or even relieve themselves, which was the sole source of the strong stench. Apart from having to cover his nose, Tony had to keep himself from throwing up, as he saw how badly his attackers were tortured. The two captives had been deprived off sleep as they were injected with heavy doses of adrenalin, and also their whole bodies were covered with bruises, due to the intense beating Alfonso and Chu Ying had given them. There were also cuts to go along with the bruises, caused by the constant stabbing and poking of pocket knives. Fernando had his nose decapitated, while the same was true for Emiliano’s earlobe. Last but not least, ever since the pair was kidnapped, they had been tased all over their bodies, with very few places left untouched. Even the victims’ genitalia weren’t spared the Tasers. Both of the men being held captive against their will, were becoming only mere shadows of what Tony remembered from the robbery. In fact, the shape they were in, was so poor, that it made the young man pity them, and regret bitterly ever having involved Alfonso and Chu Ying. He felt so sorry for them, he barely contained himself from shedding a tear right then and there. Instead Tony composed himself and addressed Alfonso with a cold tone: “I am pleased with what you two have done. I wanted you guys to teach them a lesson, and you bypassed my expectations by far. However, I think these two have had enough. I am certain that, they won’t repeat their actions. You can let them go, now.”

“Let them go?”- Alfonso repeated astonished. “Are you sure? We barely started.”

“Yes, I am sure. They seem like they have endured enough punishment.”

“I don’t know about all that. Besides, how do we know, they won’t try to rat us out, as soon as we release them?”

“Look at them. I mean, they are missing body parts. I doubt they will even consider snitching on us” -Tony replied determined.

“These two aren’t going anywhere”- Chu Ying joined the conversation. “I am sorry Tony, but you don’t call the shots around here. We recovered way too little of your stolen money, most of which went to Alejandro. Thus, it looks like we won’t be paid much, if at all. You owe it to us to have some fun.”

“But what if you kill them?”- Tony protested.

“Then, they will be dead” - Chu Ying concluded.

“But we agreed, not to kill anyone.

“I never agreed to that. You said it, but I never stated that I am fine with it.”

“Are you truly planning on killing them?”- Tony inquired terrified.

“I didn’t say that either. But I am not willing to let them go so easily.”

“So easily? You cut off a nose and an earlobe already”- Tony pleaded desperately.

“Correct. This means, that there is still one more nose and three more ear lobes, that I haven’t cut. Also, they still have all of their teeth intact, not to mention that their eyes have been untouched. And I haven’t even got to their hands, fingers, feet and toes. As you can see there are so many opportunities to explore.”

Tony’s face was getting as pale as a ship sail. He wanted to argue, but was signaled to stay silent by Alfonso. “That’s enough objections, Tony. After all, don’t forget, you needed our help, not the other way around. Now that you got it, you have to respect the stipulations it comes with. You started this job, when you contacted us. We are going to finish it”- and Alfonso laughed ominously.

“Well, can I at least be left in private with them for two minutes?”- Tony asked in one final decisive attempt, to save the men’s lives. The men for whom, despite all the pain and sorrow they caused him, he now was feeling responsible for.

“What for?”- Chu Ying asked suspiciously.

“These two stole from me, and humiliated me greatly. I still have PTSD when I think about that night. I would like to tell them a few things in private, while they are still conscious and can comprehend me. Please, allow me that little pleasure.”

“Hmm, this is unusual request”- Chu Ying muttered. “Just a second ago, you wanted to free them. Now you want to gloat at them. It doesn’t add up.”

“I wanted to free them, because I was afraid they may die. But having come to the realization that this is out of the question, I would like at least to fulfil my original desire, for wanting to have them captured in first place. I believe, I am entitled to a little gloat, after all they put me through.”

“But why in private?”- Chu Ying insisted.

“Because I need closure, in order to get over my PTSD and nightmares.  What I am going to tell them is very personal, and I need some space, that’s all.

“What do you think, Alfonso?”-  Chu Ying turned to his partner.

Originally, Alfonso would have been inclined to agree with his old friend. However, he also felt badly for misleading Tony, so despite having his own suspicions, he decided to side with Tony. This was why he responded by saying: “I think; we can give him two-three minutes.”

“Oaky, but if something unexpected happens, it is on you”- Chu Ying pointed at him with his second finger, and then exited the basement.

“You owe me, Tony”- Alfonso patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

“I won’t”- Tony assured him.

Alfonso slowly made his way out of the basement, completely overlooking one of the pocket knives, which was carelessly left on a small table located in one of the basement’s corner. Alfonso’s oversight was Tony’s gain, and he immediately grabbed it. Then he walked towards Emiliano and whispered to his ear: “I am sorry. I am so sorry. Please forgive me. I only wanted to teach you a lesson. I never meant for this to get as far as it did.”  Emiliano gave Tony a begging look, full of remorse and anguish. Tony immediately understood what he meant, and asked Emiliano with a soft tone: “If I remove your gag, you promise not to scream? Nod if you do.” Emiliano eagerly nodded. Tony removed the rag.

“You begged me to forgive you, I do, and also beg you to do the same. We never should have done, what we did to you”- Emiliano said, as tears started rolling from his eyes.  “My friend and I were in a difficult situation. We saw you as a solution to our problem- an easy prey; an opportunity. We never even thought for a moment for the pain and suffering we would cause you, and your poor mother”- unlike their original encounter, this time Emiliano sounded truly sincere.

“My mom doesn’t have cancer, and she doesn’t need surgery. I only made that up, so you wouldn’t take my money.”

“Doesn’t matter. We never should have taken it in first place. But for the love of God, please have mercy on us. Help us. If you don’t, we won’t last the night”- Emiliano’s voice was full of fear and hopelessness. “I swear, we won’t come after you, or go for revenge. We only want to go back home.”

“Okay”- Tony answered, and put the pocket knife in Emiliano’s pocket. “Use it wisely.”

“Thank you so much. I will never forget your kindness”- Emiliano was whaling at this point, which was making his speech difficult to comprehend, but Tony managed to pick up the message.

“I am going to go now”- he whispered. Then he placed the rag back in Emiliano’s mouth, and said loudly: “And this is what you truly deserve, you lowlifes. You should have never messed with me.”

***

It had been a few hours since Tony left. During this time, Emiliano had used every free second he had, to cut the duct tape, the zip ties, and the rope around his body. But it wasn’t easy to cut, not to mention, that he was often being watched by either Alfonso or Chu Ying, thus his progress was slow. Nevertheless, he got a lucky break, when Alfonso left the barrack to get some food, while Chu Ying was sleeping in the room above. Emiliano finally broke free. He ran towards Fernando, took out his rag, and started trying to cut him loose as well, when his friend told him: “Emiliano stop. You will never be able to free me in time. It will take you forever, until you cut it all. Alfonso may come back any minute. You need to try to run, while you still can.”

“I am not leaving without you.”

“You have to. Otherwise none of us are leaving. You can go get help, and then come back for me. I will be fine”- Fernando attempted to assure him.

Emiliano didn’t want to leave his friend behind, but he knew Fernando was telling the truth. So with tears in his eyes, he turned around, exited the basement, and started climbing the old, rusty stairs, attempting to make as little noise as possible. Once he reached the top of the stairs he was pleasantly surprised to see his jacket, hanging on a nail, right next to the door, that lead towards the main room of the barrack, where Chu Ying was sleeping. Emiliano quickly checked one of the jacket pockets, where he usually kept his cell phone, and barely contained himself from not screaming from joy, as he felt the familiar object in it. He wondered if he should call 911, but realized that he had no idea where he was, and was unsure if the police would have enough time to track his location before Chu Ying woke up. And Emiliano didn’t want to risk him waking up. Instead he put his phone on silent, and took a photo of his kidnapper. Then he sent it as a text message to his brother Ernesto, whom he had not heard from in a few days. The message Emiliano typed was: “Ernesto, Fernando and I have been kidnapped. We don’t know where we are. This is the man who did it. If something happens to us, show this to the police.” Satisfied with the message, Emiliano put the phone back in his pocket, and made his way out of the barrack. The sunlight blinded him at first, but he got used to it. He started making his way west, but only managed to barely cross fifty yards, before hearing a familiar voice behind him.

“And where do you think you are going?”

Emiliano turned stunned, only to see Alfonso behind him, carrying two plastic bags, filled with food and drinks. Alfonso himself was quite shocked at what he was seeing, and didn’t have time to react, when Emiliano attacked him with the pocket knife in hand.  Emiliano’s aim however, was far from accurate, and he only scratched Alfonso on the side. That didn’t deter the escapee who jumped with his whole body over Alfonso. Alfonso dropped the two bags, and started to struggle with Emiliano. The two men fell on the muddy ground below, and started to wrestle. Emiliano tried to choke Alfonso, but was brutally punched in the stomach. He let go of him, only to find himself crushed by the black man. Alfonso was on top of Emiliano, punching him madly all over. But in his rage, Alfonso had completely disregarded and forgotten the 45 magnum strapped to his waist. Even though he was receiving punch after punch, either in his face or chest, Emiliano somehow managed to snatch the weapon out of the holster, and without hesitation pulled the trigger, wounding Alfonso fatally. Alfonso spilled some blood on Emiliano, and then slowly got up from him, with the intent of walking away. But Emiliano was relentless. He shot Alfonso again. First in the leg, and then in the head, killing him on the spot. Alfonso’s body however, never hit the ground, as it was caught at the last second by Chu Ying, who had woken up from the commotion. Chu rushed out of the barrack, literally at the moment in which Emiliano shot Alfonso in the head. Seeing his best friend shot wasn’t enough to discourage the skillful Chinaman, not even in the slightest. He grabbed on tightly to the corpse, and used it as a shield against the shots, Emiliano sent his way. Unfortunately for Emiliano, all of the remaining bullets of Alfonso’s gun, went straight in the already dead man’s body, without even grazing Chu Ying. Once he was within a few inches of Emiliano, Chu Ying threw Alfonso’ s corpse on top of him, knocking the wannabe escapee back on the muddy ground. But unlike Alfonso, who was caught off guard, and was somewhat evenly matched with Emiliano, the fight between he and Chu Ying was ridiculously uneven, and ended almost instantaneously. It was practically a kid’s game for Chu, to reclaim the weapon out of poor Emiliano’s grip, and then beat him to a pulp with it. He hit his victim so many times, that it was impossible to distinguish which part of the skeleton was bones, and what skin. But Chu Ying’s anger didn’t subside with Emiliano’s death. He just witnessed his best friend getting shot, and he was completely livid. Chu immediately made his way towards the basement, where Fernando was still tied. Seeing Chu Ying covered with blood, the chubby man immediately knew something was wrong, and started crying. Chu saw his tears, and that made him smile in a deranged way. He bent over and whispered in Fernando’s ear: “Your friend didn’t make it. And neither will you.”

 Later, when the police finally uncovered the massacre and the pile of bodies, they found Fernando’s body in multiple pieces, with his organs literally spread all over the place.

***

Sometime had passed after Chu Ying finally finished dismembering what was left of Fernando’s corpse. Chu Ying was sitting outside of the barrack pointlessly watching the sunrise, drinking straight vodka. He didn’t want to think about anything and anyone. He only wanted to concentrate on the current moment, when he though he heard a soft, vibrating noise. It took Chu Ying a few seconds to trace the origin of the vibrating noise. He curiously opened Emiliano’s phone once locating it, only to freeze afterwards. Chu had just discovered, that Emiliano had sent a text message to his brother Ernesto, with Chu’s picture in it, instructing him to call the police. It was exactly at this moment, that Chu knew he had to leave the country. But he needed a fake passport and an id. And along with those he could foresee a few other expenses, in order for Chu to successfully leave for Mexico. Chu Ying roughly estimated, that in order for him to accomplish his escape, he would need at least ten-thousand dollars. Ten-thousand dollars, which he didn’t have. Without hesitation he called Tony Turner.

“Hello?”- Tony answered with trembling voice.

“Tony, there was an incident. I am not sure how, but one of the prisoners managed to escape. He killed Alfonso, so I killed him and his worthless friend.”

Tony’s heart sank. This is what he was trying to prevent all along. Instead, his actions had led to a massacre. But what’s worse, he had “put Chu Ying in the game.” Chu Ying could be like an injured predator when cornered, and that’s exactly what had transpired. “Oh my God!”- Tony exclaimed, not knowing what else to say.

“God doesn’t exist, Tony. Or if he does, he certainly wasn’t here tonight. Regardless, this is not why I am calling. How much money you can give me?”

“You mean now? Not much. Remember that wasn’t my money. It was my bosses’ money. I already gave what was salvaged back to them.  I will have to figure out, how to recover the rest.”

“So you can’t help me?”

“I really can’t, Chu. I am sincerely sorry.”

“Sorry doesn’t work for me”- and Chu angrily hung up the phone. Now Chu Ying realized one more thing. Not only did he have to leave the country. He also had to find a way to earn at least ten-thousand dollars. He was ready to do anything to get that money, even if he had to kill everyone and anyone in his way of getting it.

Chapter 4, Ernesto Parejo

While Tony Turner was sharing his story, two people visibly affected by it were Molly Flowers and Ernesto Parejo. Molly Flowers was quietly sobbing, during the part describing Alfonso Jackson’s death. In contrast, Ernesto barely contained himself from physically hurting Tony in the worst way possible. As the rules in the letter clearly stated, when someone was retelling their personal tale, they were not to be interrupted by the others in any way, until he or she were finished. Thus, Ernesto patiently waited for Tony to do so, and when he did, Ernesto immediately attacked him verbally.

“You fucking faggot. Because you couldn’t keep it in your pants, for one God damn night, my brother and his friend were killed in the most gruesome way you can imagine.”

“You are whose brother?”- Tony was caught by surprise.

“Emiliano Vasquez is my brother, you, dumb cunt. And it is all your fault, he is dead.”

“I am really, really sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen. I tried my best to save them.  I pleaded with Alfonso and Chu Ying, but both of them ignored my pleads. I also left Emiliano a pocket knife, in hopes of escaping. I wish I could have done more. And if I could bring them back, I would do it. But I can’t. Please forgive me.”

“You can shove your forgiveness up in your ass, faggot”- Ernesto yelled back at Tony, and got up from his chair in a threatening manner.

“Sit your ass back down, Ernesto”- John ordered him. “We are going to keep order, while we are together under this roof. And yes, Tony made many mistakes, but he never intended for any of this to happen.”

“Is this supposed to make me feel better?”- Ernesto asked sounding flustered.

“Perhaps not, but you should be able to see things from his point of view. And let’s not forget, you are also to blame for Emiliano and Fernando’s death. In fact, you are probably just as guilty, as Tony here.”

“Don’t act like you know me. You are not my dad.”

“Then look me straight in the face, and tell me I am wrong. Tell me, I don’t know what I talking about, and that you don’t feel even a little guilty for your brother and his friend’s early demise”- John replied with his usual calm but stern demeanor. Ernesto didn’t have a response this time. Instead he looked down at the floor, feeling ashamed. “You can’t, can you? Because you know, you are also to blame. In fact, had you not done what you did, we may not have been here today. Certainly Emiliano and Fernando would have been alive, and Tony would have kept his money and dignity, had it not been for your plan to rob him.”

“How do you know all that?”- Ernesto was unable to hide his shock.

“I will explain, but not now.”

“Wait a minute!”- Tony snapped at Ernesto. “So you are the reason, I got robbed in first place, and you have the audacity to blame me for what had happened. Ok I admit, I should have kept it in my pants that night. But at least I am not a fucking scammer like you are.”

Ernesto was ready to give a rebuttal, when Molly Flowers interrupted him.  “So, what happened to Chu Ying? You think he will get caught?”- she asked with concern.

“I sure hope so, Molly. We are looking for him, but for the moment he is at large.  The real question is, when we do catch him, will Mr. Turner be ready to testify against him?”

“Do I have to?”- Tony wondered with fear in his voice.

“I would strongly recommend you do. Before he figures out, how exactly Emiliano escaped, and thus caused the death of his best friend Alfonso, as well as his photo being taken and spread all over the media. And when he does figure that part out, if he hasn’t done so already, what do you think he is going to do to you, Tony?” - John inquired curiously. “But if you do testify, you can help us, to put him away for a long time”- John finished.

“I will think about that”- Tony answered in a sullen manner.

“Please, do so. In the meantime, I think we are well overdue for another story.  And who is better to lead us, than our friend Ernesto?”- John turned back to him.

“Okay then, I will tell you all you need to know”- Ernesto sighed, took a deep breath, and began his narration.

***

“I am Ernesto Parejo, brother of Emiliano Parejo, and friend of Fernando Vasquez. And as John pointed out, I am also to blame for their deaths, since the robbery was my idea. But before you start judging me, I want to explain, what made me do what I did.  First, it is important to understand, who I really am. Ever since a kid, I never got much discipline, and probably I should have. My father was rarely around, and when he was, he was usually dead drunk. My mother tried her best to raise us well, and give my brother and I a good education, but we always showed tendencies towards the criminal life. I have spent many years in juvenile school for breaking into cars. However, ever since I got my GED, I haven’t been sent to a correctional facility, not once. For me, this counts as a great achievement. Hell, getting my GED was a great achievement in itself. You may think that I set the bar way too low, but in comparison to my brother, I did pretty good, considering he couldn’t even repeat the same. Emiliano got arrested a few times for petty thefts. Fernando followed in my brother’s footsteps. The reasons for his incarcerations consisted usually of fights in clubs and bars, or simply acting drunk and disorderly. In fact, both Emiliano and Fernando were on parole when they robbed Tony at knife point. Actually, I never intended for them to rob anyone. But my girlfriend wanted to leave me, because she thought I had been irresponsible. Not that she was wrong about that, but I wanted to prove her otherwise. And for that I needed money. This in turn led to the unfortunate circumstances which were bestowed upon my brother and his best friend. Funny thing is, at the end, none of what we did mattered, or changed anything, because I ended up proving my Lupita right, and she left me anyway. When I first came up with my scheme, it all seemed like a really good idea. Now, I wish I could turn time back, but I am powerless to do so. I can only analyze everything that happened time and time again, and regret my actions. I can still see Emiliano’s face, in my mind, so clear as if he is sitting next to me. Just like he was on that fatal day.”

***

It was a day like any other. Ernesto did, what he liked doing most in his free time- playing video games with his online friends on his PS4. He was an average height, tanned man with short black hair, and brown eyes. He had an easy going personality and view on life. So easy going in fact, that many people who knew him well, would call him immature or irresponsible. But Ernesto didn’t care. Ever since Ernesto got fired from his job as a car mechanic, due to many complaints of being rude to the customers, Ernesto had been receiving his unemployment check for a few months and was spending his days at home performing his favorite leisure activity, along with watching movies or tv series on Netflix. He also had the habit of visiting night clubs or bars with his brother and their friend Fernando. Sometimes the trio would have a few beers and some tequila shots at home. While Ernesto was doing so, his girlfriend Lupita, whom he was sharing a home with, would work two different jobs, one in a restaurant as a waitress, and another one in a local car wash. Having two jobs, Lupita only had one day of the week to rest, and she usually spent it cooking, or cleaning the house. She also took night classes three times a week, in order to get a diploma from the nearby community college as a teacher’s assistant. Lupita was hoping to be able to teach kids in elementary school someday. But due to her busy schedule, she could only take part time classes. It wasn’t easy having to constantly work two jobs, but she had bills to pay, such as her rent and her son’s daycare. Lupita had a little boy from an ex-boyfriend, who had no intention of being in his child’s life and paid no child support. Which meant that Lupita had to raise her kid all on her own. When she first met Ernesto, he was willing to help her out both financially, as well as with the raising of Enrique - Lupita’s son. In the beginning, it worked out pretty flawlessly. Unfortunately, the effect was short-lived. Once Ernesto lost his job, things started going downhill. Ernesto was the type of guy, who lost motivation easily, especially when he was down on his luck. With time, he helped less and less, not just with Enrique, but with everything else, including the house chores. There were plenty of times, when Lupita got back home, and found her house a mess, with the dirty dishes floating in the sink, and the garbage cans full to the brim with rubbish. And while all this mess was unattended to, Ernesto was casually enjoying his regular relaxing routine, utterly clueless. Today, was another one of these days. Only this time, it was going to be different. Lupita had finally made up her mind, and as soon as she arrived home, she ordered Ernesto to turn off his video game. She had to repeat it twice, the second time significantly way louder than the first, until Ernesto complied reluctantly. “Look Ernesto, we have to talk”- she said impatiently, after Ernesto finally got around to do what was asked of him, and took a seat on the couch, facing Lupita with a blank, and somewhat dull, jaded expression.

“About what?”

“About us. I think, we should just be friends.”

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly, which part of the above statement, you did not comprehend?”- Lupita asked him irritated.

“Are you saying, you want us to break up?”

“This is what being just friends normally intends.”

“But why? I have been nothing but good to you. I have never cheated on you, never”- Ernesto protested.

“I am not saying you did. But you have been acting way too immature for quite some time. Ever since you got fired, you haven’t even tried to get another job. For the past six months, you haven’t attended a single job interview. All you do all day is lie down on the couch, stare at the tv screen, and be lazy and useless. I work two jobs, Ernesto. Two. When I checked the mail earlier, I found your unemployment check, and the letter addressed to you, which went along with it, clearly stating that this one is going to be your last. Furthermore, I need to add that all of my friends’ husbands or boyfriends, buy them nice stuff, or take them to nice restaurants or maybe they take them on a surprising vacation, every once in a while. In contrast, during the past year, you haven’t bought me a single follower. Now, I am not asking for a lot. I don’t need you to get me expensive, fancy or luxury presents, but I do want you to at least show me, that you care. Do you hear me, Ernesto? Not even a single flower!”- the emphasis Lupita placed on the last sentence, demonstrated she was visibly upset. Then she continued. “And what do I get in return, after coming home from work, being tired from completing endless long shifts? I get to see my no-good boyfriend on the couch, completely unable to get up to greet me at the door because his attention is occupied with leisure activities, having comfortably left the full pile of dirty dishes for me to wash. Well, you know what? I had enough of this shit. Which is why, I am asking you politely, for us just to be friends. And just to make sure, there is no confusion, this entails you moving out of the house, and finding your own place to stay at.”

While Lupita was talking, Ernesto was looking at her stunned, not knowing how to answer her. He knew very well that all she was saying was true. Yet he didn’t want to let her go. Not yet. Not after being together with her for so long. So during her monologue, Ernesto formed a desperate plan, which involved lying to her, as well as scamming someone for a huge amount of money. And he needed to do this quick. Ernesto Parejo proceeded by starting out with a lie. “Lupita, please give me one more chance. I promise I am going to get myself together, and secure a job. In addition, I shall start doing chores around the house regularly. This way, I will be able to contribute my fair share of responsibilities.”

“Empty promises are not enough to change my mind. I have been planning to do this for a while.”

“What if we take a nationwide road trip?”

“Road trip? What for?”

“Well, you did mention how the husbands or boyfriends of your friends, usually take them on surprise vacations. What if I did the same for you to prove you how serious my intent to change is? We can go to California and see Malibu. You have mentioned many times that you want to go there. Also, I know you have relatives in San Francisco, who you haven’t seen in a while. Then we can travel to Seattle, Chicago, New York, Miami, and finally we will return to Houston. We will drive the whole time, stopping at different motels, and enjoying the scenery. Just the two of us. It would be very romantic. You can leave Enrique with your parents. They would love to spend some time with him, anyway. And you can request a few weeks paid or unpaid vacation from your two jobs. You certainly earned it. You haven’t had any time off time in a while. So come on. What do you say?”

‘Well, the offer sounds tempting. I agree. But a trip like this will cost at least five-thousand, maybe even six-thousand dollars. How are we going to afford it? And with me being absent from my jobs for so long, most likely on unpaid leave for the majority of the time, how are we going to survive when we come back home, and don’t have any income to sustain our usual expenses? See? Here you go again, being unreasonable and immature.”

“I will pay for it. I will pay for it all. I have savings”- this was the best lie Ernesto could come up with.

“Savings?”- Lupita could hardly hide her shock. “How come you never told me this before?”

“I wanted to surprise you.  I was planning to buy you a ring, and organize a huge wedding for both of us.”

“Aww Ernesto, you are so sweet. But, I don’t need no big wedding. And I don’t need a ring either. All I need is to see that I have a man next to me, and not a kid. A man, who I can rely on during hard times. We don’t need to go on this trip, either. At least not now. Maybe in the future. However, somehow I don’t quite believe you about this savings account you mentioned.”

“Do you want me to go to the bank, and take out the money?”- Ernesto asked, hoping she would say no.

‘Yes, I would love for you to do so. And until I see the cash on the table, I will not trust you. Sorry for acting so suspicious, but your behavior up to this point has made me act this way.”

“But if I am to take out this money, we are going to lose on the interest, for taking it out prematurely”- Ernesto protested desperately.

“And how much money are we going to miss out on, if what you are saying is indeed true? Ten-twenty dollars at the most. I don’t care about that. But I do want to see, that you are a man of your word. And besides, weren’t you ready to take me on a trip just a moment ago? So, if you still care and want me to be with you, you will go out tomorrow, and empty up your savings account for me. Should you be telling the truth, I will be very impressed with you. Having a saving account shows you can truly be responsible, and that you can indeed change for the better. But if you don’t, then I will know that you just lied to me. Which won’t surprise me. It will only disappoint me further. After all, disappointment is what I learned to expect from you. Do you understand me, Ernesto?”

“I do. But please forgive me, I need to go out for a second. I ought to take care of a few things, which I just thought of. “

“I thought, you would help me with the dishes”- Lupita stated with dissatisfaction.

“I swear, I am going to start tomorrow, but there are some tasks, which I definitely need to accomplish today. Don’t worry; you will see; it will be all for the better. I am going to be a changed man; you can be proud of.”

“I doubt it. But okay, I will give you time until tomorrow afternoon.”

“Thank you so much. I love you. Now, I have to go. Please don’t wait for me for dinner”- and having said that, Ernesto left to meet with his brother and Fernando, in order to fulfil the other part of his plan, so he could hold on to Lupita.

***

“What exactly do you want us to do, Ernesto?”- Emiliano asked his brother, after Ernesto finished telling him about his troubles. The three men were all sitting around a wooden table, in Emiliano’s living room.

“We need to rob somebody. There is no other way to make five-thousand or more in one night.”

“No way man, I am on parole”- Emiliano protested.

“Me too”- Fernando supported him

“It is not going to be breaking and entering”- Ernesto ensured him. “That is bound to attract attention.”

“Then what?”- Fernando asked.

“Whoever our target is, they will have to have let us inside their own home on their own. And since we are going to rob someone, who we don’t know, there is only one possible way for this to happen, which I can think of.  You will have to pretend, that you are male escorts.”

 “You are joking”- both Fernando and Emiliano objected simultaneously.

“Not in the slightest. Just think about it. Who else will voluntarily invite two strangers into their home, especially around night time, if not for escorts? Only someone desperate enough to get laid would do such a thing. Also, if you can spare enough money for an escort, you obviously have some extra disposable income stashed away, somewhere in your house.”

“So we are going to be robbing some fat, ugly chick tonight?”- Emiliano joked.

“No, not a chick. You two will pose as gay escorts.”

“No fucking way, cabron”- Emiliano complained. “I am not doing that shit.”

“And neither will I”- Fernando concurred.

“You don’t have to do anything gay, pendejo. You only have to pretend, like you will”- Ernesto explained.

“But why not pretend to be straight escort?”- Emiliano persisted.

“Because it is going to be way more difficult to find a desperate chick, looking for an escort; that’s why. Not that there aren’t any, but they are way rarer to find. And it will be less likely, that they have enough cash to steal from, even if get lucky. With gay men, it is different. Men in general, tend to be far more promiscuous, when it comes to sex than women.  That makes them easier targets.”

“So, what exactly is the plan? How do we find prospective targets?”- Emiliano gave in.

“We will post an ad online advertising our services and let them come to us. Figuratively speaking that is”- Ernesto chuckled.

 “So which pictures we should use for the ad? Or do we need to take new ones for this purpose?”- Emiliano wondered.

“I am sorry, cabron, but you two are way too ugly. No gay man will go for your hideous asses, if you post your real mugshots. We need to do a little catfishing, in order for this plan to work. Emiliano, turn on your laptop. We need to get to work”- Ernesto ordered and launched google. After a few seconds, he found what he was looking for – a picture of one white and one black guy, both muscular, and both shirtless, standing side by side, posing cheerfully by the beach. “We will use this photo for our ad. It looks like it came from someone’s Instagram, rather than some magazine, and it appears genuine.”

“Do I pick up when someone calls, or you prefer Fernando to talk?”

“Neither. I will talk. I have the deepest voice out of all of us. Gay guys like men with deep voices. They may get suspicious if either one of you answers. Besides, I know exactly what to say.”

***

Ernesto was waiting patiently in his car, for Emiliano and Fernando to return, after dropping them off, in front of Tony’s apartment almost twenty minutes ago. Finally, they appeared, as pleased as ever. Ernesto cheered loudly as he saw them. Within a few moments both men were inside his car, their faces as gleeful as ever. “You were right, man. Your plan worked perfectly”- Emiliano could barely hide his joy.

“How much money did you get?”- Ernesto asked full of excitement.

“Ten-thousand dollars, bro. Ten-fucking-thousand and change”- Fernando replied.

“Seriously? That means we are done for tonight, boys. And we did way better than what I originally planned.”

“You should have seen it, Ernesto. This guy was so pathetic. He was practically crying, begging us to spare him. And he was so distraught, when it came to the money”- Emiliano laughed.

“Guys, we accomplished our task. Now let’s go celebrate”- Ernesto offered with exhilaration.

“I thought you needed the money, to show to your girlfriend, so she doesn’t leave you”, Emiliano wondered.

“Ah, don’t worry, pinche. I am only going to spend a little bit. Lupita will be fine. After all, we did far better job than we expected. We worked hard. Now, we need to play hard”- and the trio made their way towards a popular dance club, where they were planning to spend Tony’s drug money.

***

The first thing the three men did, once arriving at the club, was to take a picture with the fat stacks in hand, and post the photo on Instagram. Ernesto had no idea back then, but it was thanks to that exact photo, the private investigator Alejandro Sanchez, was able to track down Emiliano and Fernando a few days later, when the two men returned to the night establishment. After the photo, they all rushed to get inside. Ernesto started ordering shots for the group. He ordered round after round, until the group were heavily intoxicated. And the more intoxicated they grew, the louder they got. Their loudness attracted plenty of attention. These included two, very provocatively dressed hookers, who would visit the club in search of prospects. The hookers immediately caught Ernesto’s eye, and he called them over to his table. One thing about Ernesto was that he had difficulties keeping secrets. And he loved showing off; especially in front of good looking women in skimpy clothing. Not before too long, Ernesto had divulged in full detail, to his newly met companions, how he came about his sudden fortune. And the newcomers loved his story, as well as how much money Ernesto had in his pocket. It is also important to note that the two sex workers were not nearly as drunk as the adventurous trio. And as Ernesto was divulging more and more information, the prostitutes continued drinking only water, while their companions concentrated on hard liquor.  With every passing second, they were warming up so much to each other, it was only natural for the two ladies, to invite Ernesto with them to the women’s restroom. Fernando and Emiliano remained by themselves for what was almost an hour, when Ernesto finally returned with no recollection of where his pretty friends went. But this wasn’t the only thing, he had no recollection of. When checking his pockets, Ernesto also discovered that all the cash he had stuffed in them had mysteriously disappeared. Only the amount in Emiliano’s pockets remained. Thus, when Emiliano and Fernando were caught by Chu Ying and Alfonso Jackson, out of the ten-thousand five-hundred dollars, they had stolen from Tony Turner, only a little less than two-thousand were recovered. Close to one-thousand went to pay for Alejandro Sanchez’ services, and the rest Tony returned to his boss, with the hope that he would forgive him. Had it been otherwise, and had Chu Ying and Alfonso recovered most of the stolen amount, then Chu Ying probably would have been able to keep a big chunk of that, and be able to leave the country, even though the sum was less than what he estimated he needed. Had this been the case, the frugal Chinaman would have made some cuts, in order to make do with what he had. This way he would not have been “put in the game,” and wouldn’t have done what he did next. But alas, this was not what happened, since Ernesto managed to successfully squander the majority of the stolen money in one night. After all, people tend to be way more irresponsible with money they did not earn, compared to how they would be if they were forced to work hard for it. On the morning after he sobered up, Ernesto realized what he had done, but by then it was way too late. And not just for him….