Chapter Two
The American Dream Becomes a Nightmare
I shifted the Mustang into fourth gear and hit the turbo boosters. My cars shot across the bay bridge at the speed of sound. Down below the clear blue water sparkled under the Miami sun. White and red speedboats and cabin cruisers plowed through the gentle surf. The people onboard them waved happily, I wave back. In the air, seagulls cruised on the air currents in a graceful ballet that had been done for hundreds of years.
Up ahead I could see a red light, so I began to slow down my little black rocket sled. As I drove through the city, barely anybody was out. It was a peaceful tropical scene. One of the many things me and my family loved about Miami. I had visited the Riviera with Randall and Irina one time. It was okay. It wasn't as much fun as Miami. Randall had agreed on his first visit to Miami. He's been trying to find a house for a while, but nobody was buying.
My car gently coasted to a stop outside The Calamari Café. It had bamboo- covered walls and a bright pink neon sign on the outside. I locked the doors on the car and walked in. Just as usual the inside was packed to the gills. Big lights hung from the ceiling and shone on the speckled black and green floor. The walls were purple and pink. All except for one, it had an orange, red, and black palm tree sunset mural painted on it. The bar was lined in fluorescent paint. What can I say, I built this place in the 80's, what do you expect? People were at every table and every barstool, except for one. Everybody looked up at me. Now, for most monsters, this would have been a nightmare. But, as I said before, they didn't care what I looked like. "Hey, Val. Hi Mr. Boggs! How's your family!" They all began to yell. The people that came into The Calamari Café were always well-behaved, nice people, even the tourists.
"Hey, everybody, everything okay in here?" I smiled as I walked over to the bar. "Oh, yes. Everything's great!" Nobody ever had a problem with the café. I sat down on the empty barstool. The bartender was a friend of mine; he always got me drinks for free. He was human, but he could make the best Vodka and Tonic in Miami, if not Florida. His name was Frank. He was about thirty-five. He wore a faded Led Zeppelin t-shirt. He had on a new pair of jeans and some old sneakers. "Hey, Frank. How are things doin' down here? Everybody seems happy." Frank smiled and grabbed a glass. "Yeh, Val. We're just fine down here. You want your usual?" I smiled; he was always a very nice person. "Sure frank, I'd love one."
Frank turned around and started pouring different bottles and ice into a small glass. Then he popped a little umbrella in it and handed it to me. "Here you go, Val." He was always smiling. It seemed he was always happy. He was one of the first people I met when I came to Miami, literally. It just so happened, that the door we came out of belonged to his little son, Jordan. He almost killed us at first; he was a crack shot with a pistol. But we talked things out. Well, actually I knocked him out cold and tied him up. Then when he came to, we talked things over. I explained everything. After that he didn't see why he should kill us. Jorden was a little harder to convince that we weren't going to eat him.
Frank was the one that helped us sell the diamonds and by our house, and he helped get the café and the club built. He was our front man for any business matters we had to take care of. Since he was unemployed at the time and I had all that money, I paid him a weekly salary. And when the café was built I offered him a well-paying job as a bartender. Needless to say he accepted.
"Well, I'll be seeing you, Frank" I got up from the stool and started walking out. "By Val, you come back sometime. You barely ever stop by." I smiled and turned around. "Oh, don't worry I'll drop by Monday, see you then." Frank waved by. "Okay, see you then." I walked out of the bar and back to my car.
I unlocked my door and climbed back into my car. My cell phone started ringing. I picked it up and pressed the talk button. "Hello." It was Mona "Hello, Val. I forgot to tell you something this morning." "What sweetheart?" Mona didn't call me in the car much so I knew this was important. "I forgot to tell you I love you." Mona was always very sweet. She loved me a lot, and I loved her just as much. It was calls from her like this that made life worth living.
"I love you too. Do you want me to grab anything at the mall? I'm going to grab an anniversary present for Randall and Irena. They've been married nineteen years." "Oh, no Val. I don't need anything, but there was one other thing I wanted to tell you." I smiled as I answered her remark. "And what is that?" There was a short pause on the phone before Mona half laughed half screamed the answer. "I'm pregnant!" I dropped the phone for a moment. Then I picked it back up. "Oh, honey. That's wonderful! I'll be home soon. I love you very much! And tell Sharlet and Amelia that I love them too. Oh, and one more thing. If Randall hasn't gotten up yet, make him get up, it's eleven forty-five. Nobody in Miami sleeps that late." Mona chuckled. "Okay, I will. I love you." "I love you too, I'll be home soon." I turned off the phone and put it back in its charger on the dash.
The engine again rumbled as I turned the ignition. My Shelby was one of the best cars I had ever owned. I pressed my foot on the gas and the car rumbled down the road. "Ok, all I have is too go to the club and the mall. Then I'll be done. That doesn't seem to bad." I came to a red light and threw on the brakes. I didn't feel like bribing my way out of a ticket today. I reached toward the radio and pushed the power button. " Hello, you're on Rocker's Choice 109.7, what do you want to hear?" Lately Stuart had been taking request on the radio. I thought it might get better ratings.
"Hi, Stuart. This is Steve, I wanna' hear Sharp Dressed Man by ZZ Top!" I smirked and cranked the volume up on the stereo. I loved it when they played ZZ Top. "Sure thing, Steve. Here's Sharp Dressed Man for Steve! On 109.7, Rocker's Choice FM."
"Clean shirt, new shoes and I don't know where I am goin' to. Silk suit, black tie, I don't need a reason why. They come runnin' just as fast as they can coz every girl crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man.
Gold watch, diamond ring, I ain't missin' a single thing. And cufflinks, stickpin, when I step out I'm gonna do you in. They come runnin' just as fast as they can coz every girl crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man.
Topcoat, top hat, I don't worry coz my wallet's fat. Black shades, white gloves, lookin' sharp and lookin' for love. They come runnin' just as fast as they can coz every girl crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man.
Then suddenly the radio went dead. "Huh? I guess they lost the signal." I didn't think anything of it. I drove over to the mall. I ran into a store to get the present for Randall and Irina. Problem was I couldn't think of what to get them. "Can I help you?" The cashier, asked. She stared at me for a few moments, she had probably never heard of me. She was probably about nineteen. "Yes, I'm looking for something for my brother and his wife, it's their anniversary." She smiled. "Well, I've never heard of a person getting gifts for his brother's anniversary. But, in your case, I'd say get them some really nice flowers.
"Ok, what kinds do you have?" She thought for a moment. "We have Roses, Anthuriums, Lilies, and about twelve different tropical species." I thought about it for a moment. ~Randall said Irina and him really enjoyed their last vacation to Hawaii. ~ "I'll take two of every tropical flower you have, and put them in a nice planter. A red one, if it isn't too much trouble." I pulled out a pen and a notepad. I wrote down the address and handed it to her. "Here's my address, please have them delivered here. How much do I owe you?' The girl fiddled with the electronic register for a few moments; her eyes were wide when the amount came up. "Three hundred and thirty-five dollars. And ninety-nine cents." I pulled out my wallet and handed her four hundred dollar bills. I smiled at her. "Keep the change." She almost fell over. "Thank you Mr., what do you want me to cal you?" I looked back at the young woman; she still had a smile on her face. "Just call me Val. You have a nice day." She giggled. "You too Val, you too!"
I walked back out to my car and got back in. When I cranked up the car I noticed the radio was still dead. I grabbed an Ozzy Osborne CD out of the glove box and replace the one in the player with it. I dialed it to number one. I floored the gas pedal and started driving to the club.
"Screams break the silence. Waking from the dead of night. Vengence is boiling
He's returned to kill the light. Then when he's found who he's looking for. Listen in awe and you'll hear him. Bark at the moon. Ha ha ha ha ha...
Years spent in torment. Buried in a nameless grave. Now he has risen. Miracles would have to save. Those that the beast is looking for. Listen in awe and you'll hear him. Bark at the moon. Hey yeah, bark at the moon!
They cursed and buried him along with shame. And thought his timeless soul had gone, gone. In empty burning hell - unholy one. But he's returned to prove them wrong, so wrong. Ooh, yeah baby!"
I loved the guitar solo in that part of Bark at the Moon. I was banging my head and thumping my hands on the steering wheel. I must have been doing at least ninety when I slowed down. People were staring at my car, even though they couldn't see me through the tinted windows. I think they could hear the music. Some of the teens on the sidewalk were doing steer horns with their fingers as I drove by.
"Howling in shadows. Living in a lunar spell. He finds his heaven. Spewing from the mouth of hell. Those that the beast is looking for. Listen in awe and you'll hear him Bark at the moon!
Hey yeah, bark at the moon!
Hey yeah, bark at the moon!
Oh yeah, bark at the moon!"
About half a mile up the road I could see the club Miami. It was pretty flashy, on the outside. It was a small two-story bright neon blue building. The roof and walls were lined with neon lights. There were no windows on the outside, only two large tinted glass doors that were also lined by neon lights. On each side of the doors were two large men in suits. Near the two suits was a line of people barricaded by velvet ropes. I pulled into my privet space and climbed out of the car. Everybody looked at me and cheered. "Hey, Leo, Tony! Let these people inside!" The people started cheering louder. They both smiled. "Sure thing Mr. Boggs." They opened the doors and every person outside flooded into the club. "Thanks guys." I walked past the bouncers and slipped them both a few hundred-dollar bills. "Thanks Mr. Boggs!" I smiled and walked in. "Don't mention it."
Inside the club, things were different from when I opened it. Roger had adapted it to suit the younger teenage population of Miami. In the center of the room was the dance floor. It was one of those retro light-up floors. Near the back was the bar. It was stainless steel and lined with steel bar stools. Along the other two walls were steel chairs and tables. No one was at the tables; they were all dancing or getting something at the bar. Large bright flashing lights hung from the ceiling. They flashed different colors in sequence. No body looked at me, I think some of them were high on disco biscuits and just thought I was a hallucination.
There was one thing that hadn't changed about the club. They still played my kind of music, older stuff from the Seventies and Eighties. While I walked toward the bar I could hear on of my favorite songs playing.
"Won't you come see about me? I'll be alone, dancing you know it baby. Tell me your troubles and doubts. Giving me everything inside and out and. Love's strange so real in the dark. Think of the tender things that we were working on. Slow change may pull us apart. When the light gets into your heart, baby. Don't You Forget About Me. Don't, Don't, Don't, Don't, Don't You Forget About Me" I was having a great time. I hadn't been to a club in a while. On kid looked at me. She was nice. She must have been around twenty-five. "Are you married?" I looked at her kinnda strange, I didn't believe in interspecies marriages. "Yes, I am." She frowned. "Oh, never mind." She walked off. She was a very strange young woman. "Will you stand above me? Look my way, never love me. Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling. Down, down, down . . Call my name or walk on by. Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling. Down, down, down, down . . . Hey, hey, hey, hey . . Ohhhh..... Don't you try to pretend. It's my feeling we'll win in the end. I won't harm you or touch your defenses. Vanity and security Don't you forget about me. I'll be alone, dancing you know it baby. Going to take you apart. I'll put us back together at heart, baby. Don't You Forget About Me. Don't Don't Don't Don't. Don't You Forget About Me. As you walk on by will you call my name? As you walk on by will you call my name?
When you walk away . . Or will you walk away? Will you walk on by? Come on - call my name Will you all my name? I say: La la la la la lalalala la la lalalala lalalala la la lalala la la lalala lalala lalala lalala... When you walk on by."
Finally after dancing my way across the floor I reached the bar. "Hey, Val. How's the bartending stuff going?" Deigo's son Val was behind the bar pouring up some concoction. "Just fine, sir. Just fine." I smiled at him. Val was a nice kid. He was smart too. I have no idea why he wanted to be a bar tender. "Do you know where I can find Roger?" Val handed somebody a drink. "Yeh, sure. He's upstairs in the office." I handed Val a twenty. "Thanks, here's a tip. I'll see you later." Val smiled back at me and waved while he poured a drink with his other hands.
Behind the bar was a flight of purple stairs lined with black lights. I headed on up them to see my son. Inside Roger's office things hadn't changed. It was still the old Miami art deco stuff I used to be into. There was a black desk and leather chair. Two black leather armchairs sat in front of the desk. There was a large tinted window that overlooked the dance floor behind the desk. On the opposite side of the room was a huge big screen TV. The floor was covered in a red shag carpet. Roger was looking out the window over the dancers. He turned around with a big smile on his face. I walked over and hugged him. "Hey, dad! It's good to see you!" "It's good too see you too! I haven't seen you in a while. Where have you been?" Roger kinnda frowned. "What, what's wrong Roger?"
He sat down behind the desk. I took a seat in front of the desk. "Well, dad. I'm engaged." I almost fell out of the chair. "What, to some human girl! Roger what have I told you about marrying out of species!" Roger lowered his head a little and spoke. "That's just it. She isn't human." I smirked a little at his comment. "What do you mean, she isn't human? I haven't seen a monster around here since me, your mom, and your two uncles came here." "I know. That's why you haven't seen me in a while. I went over to a friend's house and used his closet." "Okay, Roger. That's fine with me. But, who is this girl?"
Roger perked up a little. He pressed an intercom on his desk and spoke into it. "Send Camilla into my office." Within moments a young sleek looking monster walked in. She resembled a cobra with one set of legs and one set of hands. Each hand had four fingers with short black claws on them. I stuck my hand out. "Hello, I'm Roger's father. You must be Camilla. It's a pleasure to meat you." She blushed a little and shook my hand. "Oh, Mr. Boggs, the pleasures all mine."
For some reason her name rang a bell. "What's your last name?" She was surprised at my question, but she gladly answered. " Oh, it's Tessio. Why?" I lost feeling in my legs for a couple of seconds as I remembered exactly where that name came from. She was the daughter of Don Charlie Tessio. I used to work for him before I met Al. He had been a very nice man, but I hadn't seen him in forever. But, I didn't want to see him again, I didn't want back into that business. I had promised Mona after the diamond job I was out. And when I promise Mona something, it's finale. "No, reason. Um, Roger, I'll see you two later. I have to go. Drop by the house sometime. Okay." "Sure, dad. We will." I gave him another big hug and shook Camilla's hand again.
As I walked out of the club I had a sinking feeling something wasn't right. I jumped back into the car and grabbed my phone. Quickly I dialed the house. There was no answer. I slammed the phone down and floored the car. Suddenly the radio came back on.
"I have a mansion, forget the price. Ain't never been there, they tell me it's nice. I live in hotels, tear out the walls. I have accountants pay for it all
They say I'm crazy but I have a good time. I'm just looking for clues at the scene of the crime. Life's been good to me so far"
The car swerved around a corner as I plowed through the lunch hour traffic. While I drove I loaded and cocked my Uzi with the other two.
"My Maserati does one-eighty-five. I lost my license, now I don't drive. I have a limo, ride in the back. I lock the doors in case I'm attacked
I make hit records, my fans they can't wait. They write me letters, tell me I'm great, So I got me an office, gold records on the wall, Just leave a message, maybe I'll call
Lucky I'm sane after all I've been through. Everybody say "I'm cool"......"He's cool" I can't complain but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far.
I go to parties, sometimes until four. It's hard to leave when you can't find the door. It's tough to handle this fortune and fame. Everybody's so different, I haven't changed.
They say I'm lazy but it takes all my time. Everybody say "Oh, yeah"..... "Oh, yeah" I keep on goin' guess I'll never know why. Life's been good to me so far."
I finally just turned off the radio. I couldn't think with it on. As I reached the walls of my estate I could see the gate had been ripped down. Bitterman was slumped over out of the guard box. He was dead. The car flew up the driveway. I threw the breaks own with an ear-splitting screech. The front doors were wide open. I took the safety of the Uzi and walked inside.
Inside the air stank of death. I could here gunfire in the distance. I walked up the stairs and into my office. "Mona, Mona?" I had an arsenal locked in a small safe in the back. I locked the door behind me and turned around. What I saw will be burned into my subconscious for eternity. There, slumped against my desk was Mona. Her limp lifeless body was riddled with red bullet holes. In two of he hands were two smoking Uzis and about twenty empty clips on the floor around her. The walls were also covered in holes. On the floor in front of her were about a thousand empty bullet casings and two or three people's dead bodies, all of them had guns.
"No! Oh, god. No!" I almost fell to the floor. Inside my guts churned with pure grief and rage. I ran over to her and slumped down beside her. I gently stroked her cheek. "Mona, sweetheart, get off the floor. You're getting dirty. Come on baby, I wants to show you Rogers faience. Come on. Please." She didn't move. I wrapped my arms around her and cradled her. She was so cold to the touch. Tears began to roll down my cheeks. "Oh, what have I done to loose you, oh, god! What did I do! Why did you have to take her? She was innocent! Why!" Then it hit me, those bastards were still in my house, doing who knows what with the rest of my family. "Hey, Boggs! Open this door and get what's coming to you!" Somebody was at the door and wanted to get me. I could hear him banging on the door with his gun. Then, his voice was joined by others. "Come out you dog! Come out and die!"
I kissed Mona on the cheek again. "I'll be back, you stay here." I walked over to the gun vault. Finally the pain in by guts became too much and I vomited on the floor. The tears still flowed down my face. I walked over to my desk and pulled out the bottle of scotch. Quickly I sucked it down and threw the bottle against the door. "Come out Boggs! End this now!"
I smirked. "I'll end this shit when I want to! I'll bury all you cock-a- roaches!" I stormed over to the gun safe and opened it wide. Inside I had Tek-9's, Uzis, an Ak-47, and the one I called "The Peace Breaker." It was a large M-60 machine gun with a heavy-duty grenade launcher attached to the bottom. I grabbed it and loaded a fresh clip into it. I shoved about four or five extra grenades and clips into my jacket pockets. I grabbed a few other guns too. In my top hands was the M-60; in my other two hands were the Uzi and Tek-9.
"That's it Boggs! We're breaking down the damn door!" I snarled at the guy's remark. I aimed the grenade launcher at the door. "Say hello to my little friend!" I pulled the trigger. The grenade shot out of the gun and blew the door wide open. I could hear the thug's screams of pain. It just made me want more. I stepped out onto the landing out side the office door way. There were about thirty masked thugs standing at the bottom of the stairs in the foyer. They all raised their guns and began to open fire. I dove behind a column and got ready and reloaded the grenade cartridge. Around me the walls and columns exploded with holes. The golden railings on the stairs flew apart as they were ravaged by the relentless onslaught of gunfire. Once the gun was loaded I ran back out.
I stepped back out from my cover. My mind was flooded with pure adrenalin. My pulse raced. "You killed my wife, you killed my family! If you think I'm going to let you guys get away with that you're all bastards. With that I launched another grenade into the mob. Mangled bodies flow through the air in a shower of shrapnel and blood. Some of them landed in the fountain. The cool blue water quickly turned a sickly dark red. I took aim ad began firing my machine guns at the survivors.
The bullets ripped apart their targets with an almost beautiful swiftness. I wanted them to suffer, like Mona had suffered. Like my unborn child had suffered. "Die! Take the freakin' bullets! Take them to hell, you sonafabitches!"
I released my finger from the trigger. Smoke slowly rose from the barrels of my guns. The foyer was quiet. I stepped slowly down the stairs. "Randall! Irina! Kids! Where are you?" I walked down the hallway toward the kitchen. Inside it was sickening. Everybody was dead. Albuerto and his entire staff were lying on the floor. Two thugs stood at the end of the kitchen. They had their backs to me. "Are you guys def!" The two guys turned around fast enough to catch their two bullets in the face. I walked onward into the other rooms of the house. I fought and massacred my way through the ballroom, poolroom, dining room, and countless others. They were all filled with the bodies of my ill-fated assassins.
Finally all I had to do was check the guest bedroom. I knocked on the door. "Randall, you in there?" I paused for a moment. I could hear footsteps behind me. I turned around just in time to point my gun in Roger's face. "Dad, what's happened?" I got up. "I don't know." He started crying. "Mom's dead." I dropped my guns and embraced him. "I know, son. I know." I could hear him crying, ever so softly.
The door to the guest bedroom suddenly flew open. There stood Randall with a shotgun in his hands. Behind him stood Irina. She had a Colt .45. And huddled in the corner were Sharlet and Amelia. "Dad! We thought you were dead!" Randall patted me on the shoulder. "Yeh, man. I thought you were dead too." I looked at them all. We have to get out of here. Those bastards will probably come back when they know I killed their first platoon."
"Where's mom?" Amelia asked, she knew something was wrong. "She's dead sweetheart. She's gone to a better place." The two girls ran to me. They grabbed me as tightly as they could, as if to make sure I wouldn't die too. They were both crying. Randall looked over at me, Irina was at his side. "Oh, Val. I'm so sorry. I should have done something." I smiled. "You did. You saved my two little angels." The girls looked up at me through their tearstained eyes. "Shhh. It's gonna' be okay. Don't you two worry." We all walked down the stairs to the garage. They all climbed into my Limousine. "I'll come in a different car." I had to do something. Randall nodded. They drove down the driveway. I walked back into my once beautiful house.
I walked up the stair back to my office. I grabbed a few guns and put them in my car. Then I went back for one last thing. Inside the office I bent over and picked Mona up. "Come on, baby. Come with be." I kissed her on the cheek again. I walked out of the house with here in my arms. I didn't know what I was going to do. Mona was my everything. I opened up the Mustang and set her in the passenger seat. "I'm not leaving you here with those bastards." I buckled her into the seat and closed the door. I climbed into the driver seat and cranked the car. I looked back at my house one last time. I pressed my foot to the pedal and pulled out of the driveway. I looked up at the sky; Sammy flew into the afternoon sun, never to be seen again.
(Sharp Dressed Man is by ZZ Top. Bark at the Moon is by Ozzy Osborne. Don't You Forget About Me is by Simple Minds. And, Life's Been Good to Me So Far is by Joe Walsh. Some quotes and situations are from Scarface, but not much. If you haven't seen Scarface, watch it it's good. Thanks.)
I shifted the Mustang into fourth gear and hit the turbo boosters. My cars shot across the bay bridge at the speed of sound. Down below the clear blue water sparkled under the Miami sun. White and red speedboats and cabin cruisers plowed through the gentle surf. The people onboard them waved happily, I wave back. In the air, seagulls cruised on the air currents in a graceful ballet that had been done for hundreds of years.
Up ahead I could see a red light, so I began to slow down my little black rocket sled. As I drove through the city, barely anybody was out. It was a peaceful tropical scene. One of the many things me and my family loved about Miami. I had visited the Riviera with Randall and Irina one time. It was okay. It wasn't as much fun as Miami. Randall had agreed on his first visit to Miami. He's been trying to find a house for a while, but nobody was buying.
My car gently coasted to a stop outside The Calamari Café. It had bamboo- covered walls and a bright pink neon sign on the outside. I locked the doors on the car and walked in. Just as usual the inside was packed to the gills. Big lights hung from the ceiling and shone on the speckled black and green floor. The walls were purple and pink. All except for one, it had an orange, red, and black palm tree sunset mural painted on it. The bar was lined in fluorescent paint. What can I say, I built this place in the 80's, what do you expect? People were at every table and every barstool, except for one. Everybody looked up at me. Now, for most monsters, this would have been a nightmare. But, as I said before, they didn't care what I looked like. "Hey, Val. Hi Mr. Boggs! How's your family!" They all began to yell. The people that came into The Calamari Café were always well-behaved, nice people, even the tourists.
"Hey, everybody, everything okay in here?" I smiled as I walked over to the bar. "Oh, yes. Everything's great!" Nobody ever had a problem with the café. I sat down on the empty barstool. The bartender was a friend of mine; he always got me drinks for free. He was human, but he could make the best Vodka and Tonic in Miami, if not Florida. His name was Frank. He was about thirty-five. He wore a faded Led Zeppelin t-shirt. He had on a new pair of jeans and some old sneakers. "Hey, Frank. How are things doin' down here? Everybody seems happy." Frank smiled and grabbed a glass. "Yeh, Val. We're just fine down here. You want your usual?" I smiled; he was always a very nice person. "Sure frank, I'd love one."
Frank turned around and started pouring different bottles and ice into a small glass. Then he popped a little umbrella in it and handed it to me. "Here you go, Val." He was always smiling. It seemed he was always happy. He was one of the first people I met when I came to Miami, literally. It just so happened, that the door we came out of belonged to his little son, Jordan. He almost killed us at first; he was a crack shot with a pistol. But we talked things out. Well, actually I knocked him out cold and tied him up. Then when he came to, we talked things over. I explained everything. After that he didn't see why he should kill us. Jorden was a little harder to convince that we weren't going to eat him.
Frank was the one that helped us sell the diamonds and by our house, and he helped get the café and the club built. He was our front man for any business matters we had to take care of. Since he was unemployed at the time and I had all that money, I paid him a weekly salary. And when the café was built I offered him a well-paying job as a bartender. Needless to say he accepted.
"Well, I'll be seeing you, Frank" I got up from the stool and started walking out. "By Val, you come back sometime. You barely ever stop by." I smiled and turned around. "Oh, don't worry I'll drop by Monday, see you then." Frank waved by. "Okay, see you then." I walked out of the bar and back to my car.
I unlocked my door and climbed back into my car. My cell phone started ringing. I picked it up and pressed the talk button. "Hello." It was Mona "Hello, Val. I forgot to tell you something this morning." "What sweetheart?" Mona didn't call me in the car much so I knew this was important. "I forgot to tell you I love you." Mona was always very sweet. She loved me a lot, and I loved her just as much. It was calls from her like this that made life worth living.
"I love you too. Do you want me to grab anything at the mall? I'm going to grab an anniversary present for Randall and Irena. They've been married nineteen years." "Oh, no Val. I don't need anything, but there was one other thing I wanted to tell you." I smiled as I answered her remark. "And what is that?" There was a short pause on the phone before Mona half laughed half screamed the answer. "I'm pregnant!" I dropped the phone for a moment. Then I picked it back up. "Oh, honey. That's wonderful! I'll be home soon. I love you very much! And tell Sharlet and Amelia that I love them too. Oh, and one more thing. If Randall hasn't gotten up yet, make him get up, it's eleven forty-five. Nobody in Miami sleeps that late." Mona chuckled. "Okay, I will. I love you." "I love you too, I'll be home soon." I turned off the phone and put it back in its charger on the dash.
The engine again rumbled as I turned the ignition. My Shelby was one of the best cars I had ever owned. I pressed my foot on the gas and the car rumbled down the road. "Ok, all I have is too go to the club and the mall. Then I'll be done. That doesn't seem to bad." I came to a red light and threw on the brakes. I didn't feel like bribing my way out of a ticket today. I reached toward the radio and pushed the power button. " Hello, you're on Rocker's Choice 109.7, what do you want to hear?" Lately Stuart had been taking request on the radio. I thought it might get better ratings.
"Hi, Stuart. This is Steve, I wanna' hear Sharp Dressed Man by ZZ Top!" I smirked and cranked the volume up on the stereo. I loved it when they played ZZ Top. "Sure thing, Steve. Here's Sharp Dressed Man for Steve! On 109.7, Rocker's Choice FM."
"Clean shirt, new shoes and I don't know where I am goin' to. Silk suit, black tie, I don't need a reason why. They come runnin' just as fast as they can coz every girl crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man.
Gold watch, diamond ring, I ain't missin' a single thing. And cufflinks, stickpin, when I step out I'm gonna do you in. They come runnin' just as fast as they can coz every girl crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man.
Topcoat, top hat, I don't worry coz my wallet's fat. Black shades, white gloves, lookin' sharp and lookin' for love. They come runnin' just as fast as they can coz every girl crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man.
Then suddenly the radio went dead. "Huh? I guess they lost the signal." I didn't think anything of it. I drove over to the mall. I ran into a store to get the present for Randall and Irina. Problem was I couldn't think of what to get them. "Can I help you?" The cashier, asked. She stared at me for a few moments, she had probably never heard of me. She was probably about nineteen. "Yes, I'm looking for something for my brother and his wife, it's their anniversary." She smiled. "Well, I've never heard of a person getting gifts for his brother's anniversary. But, in your case, I'd say get them some really nice flowers.
"Ok, what kinds do you have?" She thought for a moment. "We have Roses, Anthuriums, Lilies, and about twelve different tropical species." I thought about it for a moment. ~Randall said Irina and him really enjoyed their last vacation to Hawaii. ~ "I'll take two of every tropical flower you have, and put them in a nice planter. A red one, if it isn't too much trouble." I pulled out a pen and a notepad. I wrote down the address and handed it to her. "Here's my address, please have them delivered here. How much do I owe you?' The girl fiddled with the electronic register for a few moments; her eyes were wide when the amount came up. "Three hundred and thirty-five dollars. And ninety-nine cents." I pulled out my wallet and handed her four hundred dollar bills. I smiled at her. "Keep the change." She almost fell over. "Thank you Mr., what do you want me to cal you?" I looked back at the young woman; she still had a smile on her face. "Just call me Val. You have a nice day." She giggled. "You too Val, you too!"
I walked back out to my car and got back in. When I cranked up the car I noticed the radio was still dead. I grabbed an Ozzy Osborne CD out of the glove box and replace the one in the player with it. I dialed it to number one. I floored the gas pedal and started driving to the club.
"Screams break the silence. Waking from the dead of night. Vengence is boiling
He's returned to kill the light. Then when he's found who he's looking for. Listen in awe and you'll hear him. Bark at the moon. Ha ha ha ha ha...
Years spent in torment. Buried in a nameless grave. Now he has risen. Miracles would have to save. Those that the beast is looking for. Listen in awe and you'll hear him. Bark at the moon. Hey yeah, bark at the moon!
They cursed and buried him along with shame. And thought his timeless soul had gone, gone. In empty burning hell - unholy one. But he's returned to prove them wrong, so wrong. Ooh, yeah baby!"
I loved the guitar solo in that part of Bark at the Moon. I was banging my head and thumping my hands on the steering wheel. I must have been doing at least ninety when I slowed down. People were staring at my car, even though they couldn't see me through the tinted windows. I think they could hear the music. Some of the teens on the sidewalk were doing steer horns with their fingers as I drove by.
"Howling in shadows. Living in a lunar spell. He finds his heaven. Spewing from the mouth of hell. Those that the beast is looking for. Listen in awe and you'll hear him Bark at the moon!
Hey yeah, bark at the moon!
Hey yeah, bark at the moon!
Oh yeah, bark at the moon!"
About half a mile up the road I could see the club Miami. It was pretty flashy, on the outside. It was a small two-story bright neon blue building. The roof and walls were lined with neon lights. There were no windows on the outside, only two large tinted glass doors that were also lined by neon lights. On each side of the doors were two large men in suits. Near the two suits was a line of people barricaded by velvet ropes. I pulled into my privet space and climbed out of the car. Everybody looked at me and cheered. "Hey, Leo, Tony! Let these people inside!" The people started cheering louder. They both smiled. "Sure thing Mr. Boggs." They opened the doors and every person outside flooded into the club. "Thanks guys." I walked past the bouncers and slipped them both a few hundred-dollar bills. "Thanks Mr. Boggs!" I smiled and walked in. "Don't mention it."
Inside the club, things were different from when I opened it. Roger had adapted it to suit the younger teenage population of Miami. In the center of the room was the dance floor. It was one of those retro light-up floors. Near the back was the bar. It was stainless steel and lined with steel bar stools. Along the other two walls were steel chairs and tables. No one was at the tables; they were all dancing or getting something at the bar. Large bright flashing lights hung from the ceiling. They flashed different colors in sequence. No body looked at me, I think some of them were high on disco biscuits and just thought I was a hallucination.
There was one thing that hadn't changed about the club. They still played my kind of music, older stuff from the Seventies and Eighties. While I walked toward the bar I could hear on of my favorite songs playing.
"Won't you come see about me? I'll be alone, dancing you know it baby. Tell me your troubles and doubts. Giving me everything inside and out and. Love's strange so real in the dark. Think of the tender things that we were working on. Slow change may pull us apart. When the light gets into your heart, baby. Don't You Forget About Me. Don't, Don't, Don't, Don't, Don't You Forget About Me" I was having a great time. I hadn't been to a club in a while. On kid looked at me. She was nice. She must have been around twenty-five. "Are you married?" I looked at her kinnda strange, I didn't believe in interspecies marriages. "Yes, I am." She frowned. "Oh, never mind." She walked off. She was a very strange young woman. "Will you stand above me? Look my way, never love me. Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling. Down, down, down . . Call my name or walk on by. Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling. Down, down, down, down . . . Hey, hey, hey, hey . . Ohhhh..... Don't you try to pretend. It's my feeling we'll win in the end. I won't harm you or touch your defenses. Vanity and security Don't you forget about me. I'll be alone, dancing you know it baby. Going to take you apart. I'll put us back together at heart, baby. Don't You Forget About Me. Don't Don't Don't Don't. Don't You Forget About Me. As you walk on by will you call my name? As you walk on by will you call my name?
When you walk away . . Or will you walk away? Will you walk on by? Come on - call my name Will you all my name? I say: La la la la la lalalala la la lalalala lalalala la la lalala la la lalala lalala lalala lalala... When you walk on by."
Finally after dancing my way across the floor I reached the bar. "Hey, Val. How's the bartending stuff going?" Deigo's son Val was behind the bar pouring up some concoction. "Just fine, sir. Just fine." I smiled at him. Val was a nice kid. He was smart too. I have no idea why he wanted to be a bar tender. "Do you know where I can find Roger?" Val handed somebody a drink. "Yeh, sure. He's upstairs in the office." I handed Val a twenty. "Thanks, here's a tip. I'll see you later." Val smiled back at me and waved while he poured a drink with his other hands.
Behind the bar was a flight of purple stairs lined with black lights. I headed on up them to see my son. Inside Roger's office things hadn't changed. It was still the old Miami art deco stuff I used to be into. There was a black desk and leather chair. Two black leather armchairs sat in front of the desk. There was a large tinted window that overlooked the dance floor behind the desk. On the opposite side of the room was a huge big screen TV. The floor was covered in a red shag carpet. Roger was looking out the window over the dancers. He turned around with a big smile on his face. I walked over and hugged him. "Hey, dad! It's good to see you!" "It's good too see you too! I haven't seen you in a while. Where have you been?" Roger kinnda frowned. "What, what's wrong Roger?"
He sat down behind the desk. I took a seat in front of the desk. "Well, dad. I'm engaged." I almost fell out of the chair. "What, to some human girl! Roger what have I told you about marrying out of species!" Roger lowered his head a little and spoke. "That's just it. She isn't human." I smirked a little at his comment. "What do you mean, she isn't human? I haven't seen a monster around here since me, your mom, and your two uncles came here." "I know. That's why you haven't seen me in a while. I went over to a friend's house and used his closet." "Okay, Roger. That's fine with me. But, who is this girl?"
Roger perked up a little. He pressed an intercom on his desk and spoke into it. "Send Camilla into my office." Within moments a young sleek looking monster walked in. She resembled a cobra with one set of legs and one set of hands. Each hand had four fingers with short black claws on them. I stuck my hand out. "Hello, I'm Roger's father. You must be Camilla. It's a pleasure to meat you." She blushed a little and shook my hand. "Oh, Mr. Boggs, the pleasures all mine."
For some reason her name rang a bell. "What's your last name?" She was surprised at my question, but she gladly answered. " Oh, it's Tessio. Why?" I lost feeling in my legs for a couple of seconds as I remembered exactly where that name came from. She was the daughter of Don Charlie Tessio. I used to work for him before I met Al. He had been a very nice man, but I hadn't seen him in forever. But, I didn't want to see him again, I didn't want back into that business. I had promised Mona after the diamond job I was out. And when I promise Mona something, it's finale. "No, reason. Um, Roger, I'll see you two later. I have to go. Drop by the house sometime. Okay." "Sure, dad. We will." I gave him another big hug and shook Camilla's hand again.
As I walked out of the club I had a sinking feeling something wasn't right. I jumped back into the car and grabbed my phone. Quickly I dialed the house. There was no answer. I slammed the phone down and floored the car. Suddenly the radio came back on.
"I have a mansion, forget the price. Ain't never been there, they tell me it's nice. I live in hotels, tear out the walls. I have accountants pay for it all
They say I'm crazy but I have a good time. I'm just looking for clues at the scene of the crime. Life's been good to me so far"
The car swerved around a corner as I plowed through the lunch hour traffic. While I drove I loaded and cocked my Uzi with the other two.
"My Maserati does one-eighty-five. I lost my license, now I don't drive. I have a limo, ride in the back. I lock the doors in case I'm attacked
I make hit records, my fans they can't wait. They write me letters, tell me I'm great, So I got me an office, gold records on the wall, Just leave a message, maybe I'll call
Lucky I'm sane after all I've been through. Everybody say "I'm cool"......"He's cool" I can't complain but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far.
I go to parties, sometimes until four. It's hard to leave when you can't find the door. It's tough to handle this fortune and fame. Everybody's so different, I haven't changed.
They say I'm lazy but it takes all my time. Everybody say "Oh, yeah"..... "Oh, yeah" I keep on goin' guess I'll never know why. Life's been good to me so far."
I finally just turned off the radio. I couldn't think with it on. As I reached the walls of my estate I could see the gate had been ripped down. Bitterman was slumped over out of the guard box. He was dead. The car flew up the driveway. I threw the breaks own with an ear-splitting screech. The front doors were wide open. I took the safety of the Uzi and walked inside.
Inside the air stank of death. I could here gunfire in the distance. I walked up the stairs and into my office. "Mona, Mona?" I had an arsenal locked in a small safe in the back. I locked the door behind me and turned around. What I saw will be burned into my subconscious for eternity. There, slumped against my desk was Mona. Her limp lifeless body was riddled with red bullet holes. In two of he hands were two smoking Uzis and about twenty empty clips on the floor around her. The walls were also covered in holes. On the floor in front of her were about a thousand empty bullet casings and two or three people's dead bodies, all of them had guns.
"No! Oh, god. No!" I almost fell to the floor. Inside my guts churned with pure grief and rage. I ran over to her and slumped down beside her. I gently stroked her cheek. "Mona, sweetheart, get off the floor. You're getting dirty. Come on baby, I wants to show you Rogers faience. Come on. Please." She didn't move. I wrapped my arms around her and cradled her. She was so cold to the touch. Tears began to roll down my cheeks. "Oh, what have I done to loose you, oh, god! What did I do! Why did you have to take her? She was innocent! Why!" Then it hit me, those bastards were still in my house, doing who knows what with the rest of my family. "Hey, Boggs! Open this door and get what's coming to you!" Somebody was at the door and wanted to get me. I could hear him banging on the door with his gun. Then, his voice was joined by others. "Come out you dog! Come out and die!"
I kissed Mona on the cheek again. "I'll be back, you stay here." I walked over to the gun vault. Finally the pain in by guts became too much and I vomited on the floor. The tears still flowed down my face. I walked over to my desk and pulled out the bottle of scotch. Quickly I sucked it down and threw the bottle against the door. "Come out Boggs! End this now!"
I smirked. "I'll end this shit when I want to! I'll bury all you cock-a- roaches!" I stormed over to the gun safe and opened it wide. Inside I had Tek-9's, Uzis, an Ak-47, and the one I called "The Peace Breaker." It was a large M-60 machine gun with a heavy-duty grenade launcher attached to the bottom. I grabbed it and loaded a fresh clip into it. I shoved about four or five extra grenades and clips into my jacket pockets. I grabbed a few other guns too. In my top hands was the M-60; in my other two hands were the Uzi and Tek-9.
"That's it Boggs! We're breaking down the damn door!" I snarled at the guy's remark. I aimed the grenade launcher at the door. "Say hello to my little friend!" I pulled the trigger. The grenade shot out of the gun and blew the door wide open. I could hear the thug's screams of pain. It just made me want more. I stepped out onto the landing out side the office door way. There were about thirty masked thugs standing at the bottom of the stairs in the foyer. They all raised their guns and began to open fire. I dove behind a column and got ready and reloaded the grenade cartridge. Around me the walls and columns exploded with holes. The golden railings on the stairs flew apart as they were ravaged by the relentless onslaught of gunfire. Once the gun was loaded I ran back out.
I stepped back out from my cover. My mind was flooded with pure adrenalin. My pulse raced. "You killed my wife, you killed my family! If you think I'm going to let you guys get away with that you're all bastards. With that I launched another grenade into the mob. Mangled bodies flow through the air in a shower of shrapnel and blood. Some of them landed in the fountain. The cool blue water quickly turned a sickly dark red. I took aim ad began firing my machine guns at the survivors.
The bullets ripped apart their targets with an almost beautiful swiftness. I wanted them to suffer, like Mona had suffered. Like my unborn child had suffered. "Die! Take the freakin' bullets! Take them to hell, you sonafabitches!"
I released my finger from the trigger. Smoke slowly rose from the barrels of my guns. The foyer was quiet. I stepped slowly down the stairs. "Randall! Irina! Kids! Where are you?" I walked down the hallway toward the kitchen. Inside it was sickening. Everybody was dead. Albuerto and his entire staff were lying on the floor. Two thugs stood at the end of the kitchen. They had their backs to me. "Are you guys def!" The two guys turned around fast enough to catch their two bullets in the face. I walked onward into the other rooms of the house. I fought and massacred my way through the ballroom, poolroom, dining room, and countless others. They were all filled with the bodies of my ill-fated assassins.
Finally all I had to do was check the guest bedroom. I knocked on the door. "Randall, you in there?" I paused for a moment. I could hear footsteps behind me. I turned around just in time to point my gun in Roger's face. "Dad, what's happened?" I got up. "I don't know." He started crying. "Mom's dead." I dropped my guns and embraced him. "I know, son. I know." I could hear him crying, ever so softly.
The door to the guest bedroom suddenly flew open. There stood Randall with a shotgun in his hands. Behind him stood Irina. She had a Colt .45. And huddled in the corner were Sharlet and Amelia. "Dad! We thought you were dead!" Randall patted me on the shoulder. "Yeh, man. I thought you were dead too." I looked at them all. We have to get out of here. Those bastards will probably come back when they know I killed their first platoon."
"Where's mom?" Amelia asked, she knew something was wrong. "She's dead sweetheart. She's gone to a better place." The two girls ran to me. They grabbed me as tightly as they could, as if to make sure I wouldn't die too. They were both crying. Randall looked over at me, Irina was at his side. "Oh, Val. I'm so sorry. I should have done something." I smiled. "You did. You saved my two little angels." The girls looked up at me through their tearstained eyes. "Shhh. It's gonna' be okay. Don't you two worry." We all walked down the stairs to the garage. They all climbed into my Limousine. "I'll come in a different car." I had to do something. Randall nodded. They drove down the driveway. I walked back into my once beautiful house.
I walked up the stair back to my office. I grabbed a few guns and put them in my car. Then I went back for one last thing. Inside the office I bent over and picked Mona up. "Come on, baby. Come with be." I kissed her on the cheek again. I walked out of the house with here in my arms. I didn't know what I was going to do. Mona was my everything. I opened up the Mustang and set her in the passenger seat. "I'm not leaving you here with those bastards." I buckled her into the seat and closed the door. I climbed into the driver seat and cranked the car. I looked back at my house one last time. I pressed my foot to the pedal and pulled out of the driveway. I looked up at the sky; Sammy flew into the afternoon sun, never to be seen again.
(Sharp Dressed Man is by ZZ Top. Bark at the Moon is by Ozzy Osborne. Don't You Forget About Me is by Simple Minds. And, Life's Been Good to Me So Far is by Joe Walsh. Some quotes and situations are from Scarface, but not much. If you haven't seen Scarface, watch it it's good. Thanks.)