Hermonos Para Siempre
A young, burly, Spanish/Caucasian man dashed through an abandoned steel mill. His black trench coat is flinging in the wind as he ran with much haste. A black duffle bag filled with money hung over his right shoulder as a Mac 10 machine pistol is in his left hand.
Junk piles, refineries, beams, garbage and wooden platforms are all scattered about in random locations of the rusty complex. It's a junkyard and a waste of space.
"Freeze!" a voice shouted, booming with authority.
The man with the duffle bag instantly froze as his brown eyes stared through black streaks of long hair at his exit fifteen meters away. His heart raced and his mind went to create an escape plan with his back facing his enemy. He is so close to being free.
A glock 18 is aimed at the fugitive's back. A detective for the Stillwater PD, wearing a black suit, held his grey eyes in a commanding stare and finger on the trigger as he continued to speak in a stern manner.
"Drop your fucking gun…. then your bag… and lay face down before you place your hands on your head!" He ordered.
Neither man moved an inch. Each individual could hear there own heart beat in their ears, yet they kept themselves calm and focused. They told themselves the same thing over and over; both determined to not let the other succeed in this silent showdown.
The man with the duffle bag outstretched his left arm with the gun but held on to it as he let the bag itself fall to the ground, the loud thud not breaking either man's concentration.
"Now your gun!" the Detective ordered knowing he's still holding onto it.
The Fugitive began to very slowly turn around not complying with the order and still holding his weapon. Once his face came into view The Detective's mouth slightly opened with shock. His light brown eyes are in disbelief.
"Nathan?" He mustered out, his weapon tilted downward slightly.
"Holy shit." Cursed the Fugitive just as surprised. "Neil… is that you?"
"What the hell are you doing? A bank? A fucking bank?" Neil shouted in anger. "Two cops got shot back there!"
"You expect me to be sorry. I lost two friends also so don't play that guilt trip bullshit with me." He spoke lowering his arms to his side. The Mac 10 not leaving his clutches.
"Why?"
"You know why. You know exactly why."
"If you needed money I could have helped you. You're my brother that's what I do."
"I won't allow myself to sink so low. I don't borrow from family especially from a cop."
"There are other ways then this." Argued Neil.
"Like what?" Shouted back Nathan. "Mopping shit for the rest of my life! I didn't finish school and I didn't make the right choices… I'm not like you. This is all I know and this is how I'm gonna make my own living" He then pointed at the duffle bag filled with cash in plastic wrapping. "And with what's in that bag, I can start over. Live the life mom and dad never gave me."
"Don't do this Nathan."
Nathan ignored his brother and leaned down to pick up what's his.
Neil dauntlessly pointed his gun at Nathan. "Don't move! You leave that bag right there. You hear me! Don't tempt me, Nathan."
Both men glared into each other's eyes torn between their way and family. They asked themselves the same question; would he shoot me? Would he let his objective, his goal, take over and actually shoot their own flesh and blood?
Silence, silence and even more silence as they only stared at each other, both wondering who will make the first move. Nathan stared down at the bag and his eyes filled with the word freedom as the hundreds of green paper bearing the face of Benjamin Franklin peeked through the open zipper.
He instantly glared at Neil and opened fire, his childhood memories forcing him to purposely miss and aim off to the side. A hail of gunfire exited the Mac 10 at intense speeds and Neil dashed to his right at the sudden sound. He fired back, of course, forcing his shots to miss and pass his brother as well. Neither man is aware that the other is deliberately aiming off to the sides.
They both dashed heading to their right to hide behind cover. The sounds of gunfire echoed in the void within the complex as Nathan hid behind a large steel container and Neil behind a small building, one used by the supervisor when the complex was in its better days.
Both men planted their backs up against their hiding spots and breathed heavily wondering if the other was intentionally trying to hit them or if they just got lucky. Neil peaked around the corner and the bag is still in place however, he didn't see where Nathan went.
Nathan, from where he crouches, he could see the money and glanced through a hole looking for Neil.
"Are you all right?" Nathan asked loudly. "Did I hit you?" His voice filled with some concern for his brother.
Neil checked his body wondering that him self with the amount of rounds that came his way. "No… I'm fine. You?"
"I'm alright." came the calm reply.
A sigh exited Neil's lips. He leaned his head on the back wall of his cover glad to hear that. He then leaned forward feeling that the situation is surreal and just a bad dream. He didn't want to fight his brother, nor did Nathan. However, each man is torn by vows, one to the Saints and himself, while the other the law and his own morals.
"What now?" Nathan asked.
"I don't know." Neil simply replied.
Again another long case of silence.
"Hey Neil…" Nathan got into a sitting position and leaned up against the container, wiping hair out of his eyes.
"Yeah?"
"You remember uh… you remember when we were kids we used to play behind Jenny Wilson's house?"
Neil smirked at the memory while staring at the ground. "Yeah, it was in that big field with that old wagon, right? I remember."
Nathan smiled. "You remember we used to play that uh… that game… what was it?" he said trying to remember.
"Sheriffs and Bandits"
"That was it! We had those wooden guns dad carved for us and we use to pretend that we were saving people while in that wagon..."
Neil held his silence reminiscing with a light smile.
"…you were always the sheriff, you being older and all you thought it was fitting." Nathan added.
"You are my only deputy, Nathan."
"Only one day I changed something… and the deputy became the outlaw." He then lightly laughed "I still remember the look on your face when it happened. But you went with it and then we had like this whole new era of playing that game. We became each others arch nemesis, you remember that?"
"Vividly" Replied Neil coming back to reality. "That was fifteen years ago, man."
"We made a promise to each other that day too, you remember?" Nathan's tone coming back to a serious one.
Neil felt Nathan's point coming along since the day seemed like yesterday.
"Your mind was so tenacious on being a cop I asked you that if we ever found ourselves aiming real guns at each other would you let me go. You said you would, remember? It's time you honored that."
Neil then remembered the rest of the promise.
"Yeah, but I also said if I caught you with drugs, or money or anything that was not right… you would have to leave without it. Do you remember that?"
Nathan sighed having it all come back to him. "Yeah… yeah, I remember." He said in disappointment.
"This goes both ways for us man if you just walk away."
"No! This goes for you and I walk away with a thumb up ass! I need this money. I want to do something else with my life. I don't want to be in this gang, I don't want to be in this city waiting to die. I hate this fucking place. If I walk away without that money I'm not going anywhere. I am not gonna settle for that."
Neil glanced out again seeing the black bag is untouched since it got put down. He then hid himself again knowing he must stick with what he believes to be right in this situation.
"You know I can't let you walk away with that money. I love you Nathan but this is not how I want things to go for you. If you take that money, cops everywhere will look and they WILL find you. That money links you to this robbery. If you leave without it no one will ever know it was you. You know how this city operates, no one would care!"
"And what's stopping you from taking it, huh?"
Neil grew more agitated at the assumption he would take the money. "What do you think I am? I worked my ass off to be seen and known as the cleanest cop in this city. To be one people can actually depend and count on. I would never take a dime that didn't belong to me and you know that!"
"Okay." Spoke Nathan calmly. "Okay, then this is how it'll be-"
"No! I'll tell you how this will be! You're going to get the hell out of here empty handed or you're going to go to jail because you are not leaving with that damn bag!"
"I see how it is now…" Nathan rose from his spot and prepared himself. He slowly began to move in a different direction looking to flank his brother. "From this point you are no longer my family. You understand! You are not related to me… and I will see you as another cop…"
"Don't do this Nathan." Neil spoke loudly clenching his gun, hearing the stern and coldhearted tone in Nathan's voice. The fugitive is adamant in his refusal to change his mind.
"…Another cop that's an obstacle in my way. An obstacle I WILL remove to get what I deserve. I expect you to do the same. I expect you to fulfill your duty as an officer of the law, Neil. Just like when we were kids"
"This isn't make-belief you idiot! We aren't holding fucking toys, don't do this!"
"I tried reasoning with you but what's said is done." Nathan said quickly before rising from his new cover. Neil saw him and ducked as a barrage of bullets hit the wall. Neil ran his fastest to avoid being shot. Nathan, now forcing himself to act on his own will, made a merciless attack to kill his brother.
Neil fired back, pelting the steel cover near Nathan's upper body trying to hit the man in self-defense. Neil got clipped on his left arm and yelped falling behind a large and rusty safe. The pain is flushing through his entire arm as he got all his limps safely behind cover and away from the sight of his brother. Bullets attacked the steel box ricocheting in multiple directions till Nathan's gun clicked.
Nathan fought his mental mind yelling at him to stop his relentless assault. He literally forced himself to believe that it's not Neil. He mentally placed it in his mind he's an only child, with no mother, no father and what he's fighting for is for his own freedom. He is fighting for what he strongly believes he deserves as well and if Neil won't let him have it… he has no choice but to kill his only family to get it.
Neil, shocked, scared and in pain, removed his blazer revealing a bloody wound on his left arm. His white sleeve is no longer white. The bullet grazed him but took a nasty chunk along with it He removed his loosened red tie and began to wrap and tighten it around his arm turning it into a darker shade of red. He bit down harder as he tightened the tie with his teeth. He breathed heavily hoping the pain would cease and numb quickly.
Setting his mind to a state where it's either kill or be killed he picked up his gun and held it close wondering where Nathan might be.
The burly fugitive reloaded his weapon and paused for a second, staring at his gun. His mind is losing in the battle of seeing his brother as someone else. His childhood memories and admiration for his older sibling are flooding his mind right now.
Cocking the weapon it cut the thoughts clean out of his head and he became focused once more.
"The money, do it for the money and your freedom."
Neil got on his toes but kept hidden (crouched) behind the rusty safe. He needed to move or he's a sitting duck. He couldn't head back to the supervisor's quarters since the run is longer that way. His goal is to make it to the stack of steel beams.
"Here we go… just run… go!" He muttered to himself and then he dashed once more.
Nathan glanced up and noticed Neil's running mission. Not allowing his mental thoughts to stop him, he lifted his gun and instantly resumed his firing. The rounds pelted the wall and materials in Neil's wake as he finally ran past his goal and out of sight of Nathan.
The fugitive cursed and went at a decent pace to intercept his brother's escape. Holding his weapon, ready for anything, Nathan scanned for Neil. He breathed in a calm state ready for anything.
Neil held his back up against a beam and waited. Nathan's gentle foots steps not far off. He couldn't believe it. His own brother, corrupted by greed and a false sense of freedom, is about to do the unthinkable. But Neil needed to think like it's no longer his brother. His brother in the right mind wouldn't have tried to end his life.
Neil instantly leaned out with weapon in hand and Nathan is gone. Not standing where the sounds of his footsteps were coming from. Neil grew nervous and paranoid. For a big guy, Nathan sure knew how to conceal himself.
Neil backed up with weapon aimed forward, looking up, down, side to side and the man is no where. He calmed himself waiting for Nathan to slip up.
Nathan then appeared behind Neil and held the gun to the unsuspecting detective's back about to squeeze the trigger. Only he paused for a split second. Neil noticed someone is behind him with a shadow and quickly turned. He aimed at Nathan but the burly man took Neil's right wrist (wielding the gun) as Neil did the exact same with Nathan's.
Shots exited Neil's handgun as did some from Nathan's machine pistol missing their targets. They held each others arms over each others heads as it became a battle of strength at its best. Nathan drove a knee into Neil's gut, causing the man to groan at the strike and then, with still hold each others wrist, Nathan pushed Neil back hoping he would trip. The Detective wanting to avoid such an occurrence moved backwards hoping not to trip over the materials littering the ground as he kept up with Nathan's forceful push. Neil's back got planted up against a steel container and with Nathan being stronger then his older brother the Mac 10 moved inch by inch towards his sibling's face.
Knowing this is a losing battle. Neil looked at his gun and released it from his hand but before it hit the ground he kicked it causing the gun to fly in a safe direction. Now having a free hand to use he moved it grabbing Nathan's gun arm and with both his hands on the machine pistol, he forced Nathan to squeeze the trigger. The weapon is angled in a random, yet safe, direction so it would stay away from harming anyone as rounds upon rounds ricocheted off the container. They both fought over the gun as the loud shots drained all thoughts and sound. Sparks flew upon impact on the crate and dirt shot up as the bullets interrupted their resting place.
The gun's hammer hit an empty magazine and then Neil drove an elbow into Nathan's face. A crack is audible upon strike only it didn't faze the guy. Another elbow went into Nathan's nose having him slighting in a daze. Since now that the gun is no threat, Neil let him go and planted a left blow into his younger sibling's gut. Nathan staggered back dropping the useless gun and collected himself quickly as Neil went in for another strike to the face with a right fist. Nathan blocked with his arms covering his upper body and quick jabbed a left fist directly into Neil's jaw. He then drove a right fist into his lower gut and then a left in the face again all in quick succession.
Neil's back hit the container once more and a right hook went across his face and slightly slouched over a repeated right hook sent him to the ground on all fours. Nathan then grabbed his brother by the clothing on his back and drove a firm left knee into his ribcage.
Neil grunted at the attacks with a bleeding nose and mouth. Out of desperation, he grabbed an idle pipe and with the one end jabbed it into his brother's lower gut. Nathan lost his breath and stepped away allowing Neil to rise to his feet. Neil raised the pole like a baseball bat and hit Nathan in the shoulder, the strike causing Nathan to jolt in the opposite direction. Going for another, Nathan caught on and ducked having it go over his head. Neil quickly brought it back in the opposite direction only the fierce fugitive grabbed it and left jabbed Neil in the face before charging and taking the man in a spear-like motion and lifting him off his feet.
Neil's back slammed into the container with incredible force once more. He then felt the air escape his lungs with the bear hug-like attack. He locked his hands together and hammered them into Nathan's upper back knowing it to be a vain move as it did nothing. Raising his arms high with open palms, Neil slammed them into his brother's temples simultaneously creating a loud "slap" upon impact.
Nathan felt the intense pain and released his brother having the man catch back his breath. The fugitive grabbed his now throbbing head and with his vision blurry he tried to focus his eyes knowing his brother has the upper hand.
Neil pushed himself off the container and readied himself knowing he's going to have to defeat his brother in this fight if he's going to detain him. He doesn't want to but he realizes his brother isn't holding back, so why should he.
Nathan shook his head and regained his vision before going for a right hook. Neil trapped it between his left and right forearm, moved it to the side and with his left hand backhanded Nathan's face all in one swift move. Surprised, Nathan staggered back. He then went for a left low attack only Neil lowered his right forearm, pushing the attacking limb out of the way before a left jab went into Nathan's neck. The burly fugitive coughed uncontrollably and Neil swiftly spun in a 360 and drove a left foot directly into his brother's chest. Nathan staggered back several more feet upon impact but due to his resilient form, remained standing.
The detective dashed for Nathan and in a heated yell speared his younger brother's abdomen. Using all his strength, Neil lifted the big guy off his feet and ran a meter before body slamming Nathan onto an old table, shattering it beneath their weight.
In a scuffle, Neil connected a right fist into Nathan's face and then another before Nathan's hand took the detective by the throat. Squeezing the air out of him, Nathan then grabbed Neil's bleeding wound with his other hand.
A loud yell escaped Neil and Nathan swung him to his side and the two switched positions. Nathan, now over his brother, returned a shot to the face before gripping his gloved hands around Neil's neck. Neil struggled to break free but to no avail. With Nathan's entire weight over him he is defenseless. The look on Nathan's coldhearted face sent a chill down Neil's spine. Gasping for air he felt himself grow weak with each passing second.
Using his hands he reached for his brother's face but his attempts not worth trying for a second time. He saw things flutter dark and white and his head quickly filled with silence only his slowing heartbeat in his ears is all that is audible.
.
About to give up since there is nothing he could do, Neil's left hand landed on a small piece of rubble A half broken brick, to be precise. Gripping it with what strength he has left, he slammed it into the right side of Nathan's head.
The loud "clunk" sent Nathan to his side and Neil coughed uncontrollably rolling over fulfilling his dire need of air. Nathan's head oozed from a fresh gash and he felt incredible weak from the blow to the head. He groaned with a very blurry vision and aching head, vaguely seeing a rusty crowbar a few feet from his reach. Without much to think about, he then slowly crawled for it as Neil already went crawling for his gun that recently got kicked in this direction.
Nathan gripped the large tool and very slowly got to his feet. Seeing Neil and what he was going for, he then forced himself to move a little faster. Neil gripped the handle of the gun and turned pointing it at Nathan while still on the ground.
The burly man stopped dead in his tracks.
"STOP!" Shouted Neil. "Jus… just fucking stop! I'll do it… don't make me do it" He added warningly still catching his breath. He rose to his feet in a groggily manner but never removing the aim off Nathan.
Both men are bleeding, bruised and covered in dirt.
The fugitive dropped the tool and fell to one knee and leaned on one hand, exhausted from the fight. Neil huffed and stood over his brother upset, hurt and angry for what has transpired.
"You're caught… it's over. You hear me! It's done."
Nathan shook his head not satisfied with this outcome. He isn't going to allow himself to be dragged off empty handed.
"I can't allow…. that to happen." He then very slowly went for a revolver hanging from his hip. His gloved fingers wrapping around the cold handle.
Neil took a step close and aimed the gun at Nathan's head. "Goddamn you! Don't!" He warned. "Please! Don't make me kill you man…" He pleaded nearly on the verge of tears. "Please… I don't want to shoot you but I fucking will!"
Nathan didn't move but held onto his gun. This is it… this is the final straw. He glanced up at his brother, the detective's eyes in a stage of fright for what might come.
Nathan slowly stood never taking his hand out from under his coat. "Not matter what happens here… right now… like dad always said…. Hermonos Para Siempre"
Neil knew what it meant with his father being Spanish; Brothers forever.
"Nathan…" Neil said furious to tears and gritting his teeth at his younger brother's stubbornness.
"I love you sheriff" Remarked Nathan calmly.
Neil's mind shot back to childhood.
Fifteen years ago behind Jenny Wilson's house:
Two younger versions of Neil and Nathan stood in a cane field. The Sheriff, Neil, held a wooden carved gun aimed at the deputy turned outlaw, Nathan.
"You under arrest deputy." said Neil really into his role as the principal law-enforcement officer.
"I don't go down easy…" spoke a younger Nathan holding a smile. "I love you sheriff."
Young Neil's serious look vanished and what was said hit home for him. Nathan drew his gun and aimed it at Neil. A first he grew surprised but then said; "Pow!" ultimately winning the draw. Nathan was kinda disappointed.
"Why didn't you shoots me?" He asked in his child-like tone.
Young Neil felt bad but something held him back. "I don't know" He said passively with a shrug.
"Isn't the bad guy 'pose to die by the good guy at the en? likes in the movies?"
"Ya but… I just couldn't. Oh well." He added again with a shrug.
Present Day:
Neil wondered if it is a test to fulfill his duty as an officer or if it is a psychological means of allowing Nathan to win. He couldn't pull the trigger back then and that wasn't even a real situation.
He froze but held his aimed gun at Nathan with his finger on the trigger. Total silence as the two never broke their stare.
Then Nathan drew his revolver and in a split second had it aimed at Neil. Both brothers went to pull the trigger… but only one shot went off.
X-X-X-X-X-X-X
Author's note:
Hope it was an interesting read. I definitely enjoyed writing this one. It's based off of an actual promise my brother and I made years ago. Thought it would be interesting to see what it would turn out like in a fictional sense.
Oh and I decided to end it the way I did so I could leave the outcome to all of the readers' creative minds. I know… how cruel of me. lol.
Leave a review if you have something you'd like to say about who you think would have or want to win, or just wish to point out my mistakes and such. If not interesting in leaving a review at all then that's okay and I do hope that you enjoyed it at least.
Stay Safe!