River City Blues
Chapter 6: Bad Ties and the chase begins
" Operator." Quentin's voice spoke over the phone. Man did this guy ever sleep?
" Lance, its Michael." I said.
" Ah Michael! How are things up in River City." He said cheerily.
" Bad man." I said. " Up creek without a paddle' bad."
" Oh." He said, his voice faltering. " What's the problem."
" Well, first I get kidnapped at the airport." I said hurriedly. " I lose my stuff, my money, my merchandise."
" Oh, man." He said.
" Yeah, then to top it off. I end up working for some crime boss, my life for labor type deal."
" Wow." He said. " Do you want me to send down some help or-?"
" No I'm not done yet." I said cutting him off. " I just found out we have some competition moving in on the operation."
" Who?"
" The Russian mob." I explained. " Featuring R.H. Grant's crew, the guy's who I was working for."
" Oh god." Said, slamming his fist down on something. Probably my Uncle's desk. " What do they want with the operation?"
" Gun smuggling." I explained. " Vice city is a station in the channel of the Cuban gun running scene."
" So wait that means-"
" Yeah." I replied cutting him off. " Your plan fell through. No one is interested in dope dealing up here in River City. This is the gun capital of Western civilization."
" Ah man Tommy is going to kill me." He said, it sounded like he smacked his forehead. " What should we do?"
" Raise the alarm on all the protection squads in Vice City." I said. " The Boat yards, the Cab Company, even the strip club. I don't want anything like what Maria was going to do happen again. Keep a look out for any Russians or people with bad British accents hanging around the assets."
" All right." He said. " Want me to send some people down, or do you have another plan?"
" No don't send anyone down." I replied. " I'm holed up with a gun runner so we can probably fend for ourselves. But I'm getting the hell out of dodge."
" Alright." He said. " Anything else?"
" Yeah, how's Uncle Tommy?"
" The doctor's said he's in a light coma. So there's a chance he might get out of the whole deal" He explained.
" Wow." I said astonished. " Okay I want the best guard's around him, 24/7. Arm them with M4 Carbines."
" Ok, but why?" He asked me.
" Well if the Russians and the Brits have hit teams down there." I said. " They might try going after Tommy, like Maria did."
" Oh ok."
" Anyway I gotta go." I said.
" Hey Mike." He said stopping me.
" Yeah?" I replied.
" Watch your back." He said.
" Alright, you too." I shot back " Adios."
I slammed the receiver down, my head spinning. The change I had put in clanged to the bowels of the payphone. Oz was waiting in the Sentinel, idling the engine. We had dumped Sven's ass after we had killed him in the ocean. I yanked open the passenger's door and got in.
" What's our next move Fido." He asked me. Yeah he had heard the nickname somewhere, don't ask.
" First don't call me Fido." I snapped at him. " And second what hardware you got at home?"
" Some pretty heavy stuff I've been saving for a rainy day." He replied. " Why?"
" We're leaving River City kid." I replied tossing away my smoke into the gutter. " And we might get some protest form Grant's crew or the Russians."
" Wow." He said stunned, looking down at the wheel. " I've never really ever left River city. I mean my livelihood is here."
" I'll get you business in Vice City." I replied. " That is if the Vercetti Empire holds up. If not I have some friends up in Liberty that can help you."
" Wow, thanks man."
" No problem." I said. " But let's get over to your place."
============================================================================ ======
We got to Oz's near dawn, the horizon lined by a line of like tannish sunrise. Oz pulled the Stallion and parked it next to the curb, without opening his door he jumped. I followed suit, into the small garage. He took out a ring of key and unlocked the door, opening it to a dark and presumably empty abode.
But we we're wrong.
Oz flipped on the light switch next to the door. The lights stayed off. " What the hell
?" He said. He tried flipping the switch, but no response. But with a click the room was bathed in warm light.
And sitting in the middle of the room, in a leather recliner was Wyant, the hitman from Vice City. He right arm was resting on the armrest, and in his hand he held a nice sleek Glock 9mm aimed at us. I looked at him; he looked at us with content. In his mouth was a lit cigarette.
" Well, if it isn't the infamous Wyant." I said coolly. Oz was frozen in his place, he made small uh sounds as if trying to speak. " Tell me, what is it that you want know."
" Usually in my line of work Mr. Vercetti." Wyant said flicking his cigarette ash onto an ashtray next to him. " My employer's don't get killed. See when you killed Maria, she hadn't paid me for icing Kent Paul. I was penniless after I woke up in that hospital bed. And I wanted paid. Luckily an old friend, a Mr. R.H. Grant was very willing to employ my services, on you and Oz."
" That bastard." Oz piped up. " Why me?"
" Because you helped him find out the Russian's and Grant's plans for Vice City." He replied. " Thus you too were quite trouble some to his business and had to be cut off."
" Wyant did you ever find out who got you out of the water a month ago?" I asked him.
" The paramedics obviously." He said.
" No." I replied bluntly. " I did, Ok? I risked my neck to save you. And now you're gonna kill me."
" Michael you should no a hitman doesn't care about what you have done for him in the past." He replied. " If there is a price on your head."
" Yeah I know." I shot back. " I was just trying to exploit your weaknesses."
He smirked. " Cute, but considering you did save my life I'll show some honor. And kill you first Mr. Vercetti."
" DUCK!" Oz screamed as he flung himself behind me. We landed behind the TV console, in a pile of snaking A/V wires. A large blast was heard in Wyant's direction, and something thumped against the opposite wall. I heard Wyant let out a oomph. I drew my gun and jumped out form behind the TV, Oz at myside with his revolver drawn. The recliner was lying on its back, a growing fire protruding from it. Wyant pulled himself up form against the wall, we fired at him, and he ran and jumped through the window the glass shattering around him.
" Let's get out of here!" Oz shouted and grabbed me by the coat. He yanked me out the door and onto the street, the garage was engulfed in flames. A few seconds later it blew sky high, balls of fire exploding from the openings of the garage building. The blast knocked us back off our feet. I sat up with a groan, Oz was in shock as he watched his home fall apart before him.
" C'mon buddy." I said pulling him up off the ground. He was trembling. " What was in the recliner to make it do that anyway?"
" It was a pipe bomb." He said, staring at the burning wreck of a building. " Planted in the recliner, and triggered by weight. The fire must've hit the NOS tanks I was hoarding. And now."
" I looked at him blankly, I didn't know what to say. Poor kid.
" I'll drive." I said pulling open the passenger' side door of the Stallion.
We hit the freeway to the airport early morning, where the morning rush hour of daily commute was starting to kick into full swing. I had the roof lowered, the wind whipping through my hair. Oz sat in the passenger's seat loading his revolver. He pulled the SIG 551 from the backseat and checked the magazine, we had oen plus 2 extra's clamped to the loaded one.
" So how are we going to identify Grant's hit squad?" I asked over the roar of passing cars. " That is if there is one."
" They wear black trench coats." He said plainly. I shifted into 3rd and changed lanes. River City's freeways were built on concrete pillars, from the air it all looked very confusing. I looked over at Oz, he was hwite with dark circles under his eyes.
" Hey, you okay kid?" I asked putting my eyes back on the road.
WHAM!
A black Landstalker rammed into my side of the Stallion. The car swerved all over the road but I took handle of it. I looked back over at the SUV and found Roland pulling himself out of the sunroof, and wielding an AK-47. He raised the weapon and fired, bullets tearing it the concrete and the boot of the car. Oz who had to be very pissed off at the moment, slammed his head into the dash and jumped up onto his seat wielding his. He fired the weapon, the shots booming and deafening my ears. The slugs smacked into the side of the SUV, it swerved on the road. Roland wheeled back and regained his hold, he raised the AK again and fired at us, his shots were inaccurate. Though as he fired he hit an '86 bobcat next to us, the bullets tore though it's gas tank exploding. The car by its front wheels, launched upward from the exploding and flipped on it's back, the car kept sliding down the road sparks flying everywhere. It hit the side of a moonbeam and spun to s stop.
All the while Roland was still firing like crazy. His shots were getting accurate as they tore through the back seat of the Stallion. Oz took aim and fired a few more shots, the slug tore into Roland's right hand. He let out a scream of pain and his hand shot up to his hand clutching it in extreme pain. He disappeared into the Landstalker for a few moments and came back, his hand wrapped in a rag. He reloaded his AK and began firing at us again, his shots connected with an RCPD cruiser passing by. It hit it's lights and joined our chase.
Oz sighed and held out his hand to me.
" What?" I asked him, concentrating on my driving.
" Gun." He said, very vexed. I sighed and pulled my piece out from my jacket handing it to him. He took it and pulled out his heavy revolver. He stretched his arms out, each hand holding a gun. On our left was the SUV, he aimed my .45 at it. On our right was the police car with its sirens wailing. He aimed his revolver at it. He pulled the trigger's, unloading the guns into the vehicles. His shots at the cruiser tore into the driver's windshield, blood splattering on the window. His shots at the SUV tore up the passenger in the SUV whom was wielding a shotgun.
The cop swerved all over the road and unfortunately got in a semi's path. Roland reloaded his AK and took aim again, he fired and I heard the distinct gunfire I remember clearly. Oz dropped the handguns in the backseat and pulled out his shotgun. He cocked it and took aim. His shot tore into the back passenger side door. Roland took aim and fired at the hood. His the slugs made it fly up preventing me to see, Oz racked another shell and fired again at the hood. It flew off the car and into the landing on the ground behind us.
Another car joined the chases, this time an unmarked black, dented, Karuma police car, with a flashing light behind the windshield. The driver wielded an Ithaca 37 out his window and took aim at our boot. He fired, the shot hitting the trunk lid making it fly up. Oz climbed over the seat and slammed down the lid with his foot. He raised his SIG 551 and fired at the car, the shots hitting the front window. The driver of the car ducked and avoided the fatal slugs. He popped back up and racked another shell into his shotgun; taking aim. He fired hitting our windshield from behind shattering it. I winced as the glass shattered in front of me.
The Karuma pulled in between the Landstalker. I swung the wheel to my left sandwiching the cop car into the SUV. Countering my moved the Landstalker did the same, slamming the cop car into my car. The car was trapped in between my car and the SUV. The cop behind the wheel let go and racked another shell into his shotgun. He fired into the windshield of the SUV. The vehicle swerved and rammed into the side rail flipping over. It was just me and The Cop car now.
A roadblock was formed up ahead next to the off ramp, and I had a plan. I fell back behind the Karuma and put my foot to the floor and rammed the Karuma giving it some extra speed. It barreled into the barricade out of controlled and flipped over on it's back. With the way cleared I took the off ramp in West Heights River City.
TO BE CONTINUED
Chapter 6: Bad Ties and the chase begins
" Operator." Quentin's voice spoke over the phone. Man did this guy ever sleep?
" Lance, its Michael." I said.
" Ah Michael! How are things up in River City." He said cheerily.
" Bad man." I said. " Up creek without a paddle' bad."
" Oh." He said, his voice faltering. " What's the problem."
" Well, first I get kidnapped at the airport." I said hurriedly. " I lose my stuff, my money, my merchandise."
" Oh, man." He said.
" Yeah, then to top it off. I end up working for some crime boss, my life for labor type deal."
" Wow." He said. " Do you want me to send down some help or-?"
" No I'm not done yet." I said cutting him off. " I just found out we have some competition moving in on the operation."
" Who?"
" The Russian mob." I explained. " Featuring R.H. Grant's crew, the guy's who I was working for."
" Oh god." Said, slamming his fist down on something. Probably my Uncle's desk. " What do they want with the operation?"
" Gun smuggling." I explained. " Vice city is a station in the channel of the Cuban gun running scene."
" So wait that means-"
" Yeah." I replied cutting him off. " Your plan fell through. No one is interested in dope dealing up here in River City. This is the gun capital of Western civilization."
" Ah man Tommy is going to kill me." He said, it sounded like he smacked his forehead. " What should we do?"
" Raise the alarm on all the protection squads in Vice City." I said. " The Boat yards, the Cab Company, even the strip club. I don't want anything like what Maria was going to do happen again. Keep a look out for any Russians or people with bad British accents hanging around the assets."
" All right." He said. " Want me to send some people down, or do you have another plan?"
" No don't send anyone down." I replied. " I'm holed up with a gun runner so we can probably fend for ourselves. But I'm getting the hell out of dodge."
" Alright." He said. " Anything else?"
" Yeah, how's Uncle Tommy?"
" The doctor's said he's in a light coma. So there's a chance he might get out of the whole deal" He explained.
" Wow." I said astonished. " Okay I want the best guard's around him, 24/7. Arm them with M4 Carbines."
" Ok, but why?" He asked me.
" Well if the Russians and the Brits have hit teams down there." I said. " They might try going after Tommy, like Maria did."
" Oh ok."
" Anyway I gotta go." I said.
" Hey Mike." He said stopping me.
" Yeah?" I replied.
" Watch your back." He said.
" Alright, you too." I shot back " Adios."
I slammed the receiver down, my head spinning. The change I had put in clanged to the bowels of the payphone. Oz was waiting in the Sentinel, idling the engine. We had dumped Sven's ass after we had killed him in the ocean. I yanked open the passenger's door and got in.
" What's our next move Fido." He asked me. Yeah he had heard the nickname somewhere, don't ask.
" First don't call me Fido." I snapped at him. " And second what hardware you got at home?"
" Some pretty heavy stuff I've been saving for a rainy day." He replied. " Why?"
" We're leaving River City kid." I replied tossing away my smoke into the gutter. " And we might get some protest form Grant's crew or the Russians."
" Wow." He said stunned, looking down at the wheel. " I've never really ever left River city. I mean my livelihood is here."
" I'll get you business in Vice City." I replied. " That is if the Vercetti Empire holds up. If not I have some friends up in Liberty that can help you."
" Wow, thanks man."
" No problem." I said. " But let's get over to your place."
============================================================================ ======
We got to Oz's near dawn, the horizon lined by a line of like tannish sunrise. Oz pulled the Stallion and parked it next to the curb, without opening his door he jumped. I followed suit, into the small garage. He took out a ring of key and unlocked the door, opening it to a dark and presumably empty abode.
But we we're wrong.
Oz flipped on the light switch next to the door. The lights stayed off. " What the hell
?" He said. He tried flipping the switch, but no response. But with a click the room was bathed in warm light.
And sitting in the middle of the room, in a leather recliner was Wyant, the hitman from Vice City. He right arm was resting on the armrest, and in his hand he held a nice sleek Glock 9mm aimed at us. I looked at him; he looked at us with content. In his mouth was a lit cigarette.
" Well, if it isn't the infamous Wyant." I said coolly. Oz was frozen in his place, he made small uh sounds as if trying to speak. " Tell me, what is it that you want know."
" Usually in my line of work Mr. Vercetti." Wyant said flicking his cigarette ash onto an ashtray next to him. " My employer's don't get killed. See when you killed Maria, she hadn't paid me for icing Kent Paul. I was penniless after I woke up in that hospital bed. And I wanted paid. Luckily an old friend, a Mr. R.H. Grant was very willing to employ my services, on you and Oz."
" That bastard." Oz piped up. " Why me?"
" Because you helped him find out the Russian's and Grant's plans for Vice City." He replied. " Thus you too were quite trouble some to his business and had to be cut off."
" Wyant did you ever find out who got you out of the water a month ago?" I asked him.
" The paramedics obviously." He said.
" No." I replied bluntly. " I did, Ok? I risked my neck to save you. And now you're gonna kill me."
" Michael you should no a hitman doesn't care about what you have done for him in the past." He replied. " If there is a price on your head."
" Yeah I know." I shot back. " I was just trying to exploit your weaknesses."
He smirked. " Cute, but considering you did save my life I'll show some honor. And kill you first Mr. Vercetti."
" DUCK!" Oz screamed as he flung himself behind me. We landed behind the TV console, in a pile of snaking A/V wires. A large blast was heard in Wyant's direction, and something thumped against the opposite wall. I heard Wyant let out a oomph. I drew my gun and jumped out form behind the TV, Oz at myside with his revolver drawn. The recliner was lying on its back, a growing fire protruding from it. Wyant pulled himself up form against the wall, we fired at him, and he ran and jumped through the window the glass shattering around him.
" Let's get out of here!" Oz shouted and grabbed me by the coat. He yanked me out the door and onto the street, the garage was engulfed in flames. A few seconds later it blew sky high, balls of fire exploding from the openings of the garage building. The blast knocked us back off our feet. I sat up with a groan, Oz was in shock as he watched his home fall apart before him.
" C'mon buddy." I said pulling him up off the ground. He was trembling. " What was in the recliner to make it do that anyway?"
" It was a pipe bomb." He said, staring at the burning wreck of a building. " Planted in the recliner, and triggered by weight. The fire must've hit the NOS tanks I was hoarding. And now."
" I looked at him blankly, I didn't know what to say. Poor kid.
" I'll drive." I said pulling open the passenger' side door of the Stallion.
We hit the freeway to the airport early morning, where the morning rush hour of daily commute was starting to kick into full swing. I had the roof lowered, the wind whipping through my hair. Oz sat in the passenger's seat loading his revolver. He pulled the SIG 551 from the backseat and checked the magazine, we had oen plus 2 extra's clamped to the loaded one.
" So how are we going to identify Grant's hit squad?" I asked over the roar of passing cars. " That is if there is one."
" They wear black trench coats." He said plainly. I shifted into 3rd and changed lanes. River City's freeways were built on concrete pillars, from the air it all looked very confusing. I looked over at Oz, he was hwite with dark circles under his eyes.
" Hey, you okay kid?" I asked putting my eyes back on the road.
WHAM!
A black Landstalker rammed into my side of the Stallion. The car swerved all over the road but I took handle of it. I looked back over at the SUV and found Roland pulling himself out of the sunroof, and wielding an AK-47. He raised the weapon and fired, bullets tearing it the concrete and the boot of the car. Oz who had to be very pissed off at the moment, slammed his head into the dash and jumped up onto his seat wielding his. He fired the weapon, the shots booming and deafening my ears. The slugs smacked into the side of the SUV, it swerved on the road. Roland wheeled back and regained his hold, he raised the AK again and fired at us, his shots were inaccurate. Though as he fired he hit an '86 bobcat next to us, the bullets tore though it's gas tank exploding. The car by its front wheels, launched upward from the exploding and flipped on it's back, the car kept sliding down the road sparks flying everywhere. It hit the side of a moonbeam and spun to s stop.
All the while Roland was still firing like crazy. His shots were getting accurate as they tore through the back seat of the Stallion. Oz took aim and fired a few more shots, the slug tore into Roland's right hand. He let out a scream of pain and his hand shot up to his hand clutching it in extreme pain. He disappeared into the Landstalker for a few moments and came back, his hand wrapped in a rag. He reloaded his AK and began firing at us again, his shots connected with an RCPD cruiser passing by. It hit it's lights and joined our chase.
Oz sighed and held out his hand to me.
" What?" I asked him, concentrating on my driving.
" Gun." He said, very vexed. I sighed and pulled my piece out from my jacket handing it to him. He took it and pulled out his heavy revolver. He stretched his arms out, each hand holding a gun. On our left was the SUV, he aimed my .45 at it. On our right was the police car with its sirens wailing. He aimed his revolver at it. He pulled the trigger's, unloading the guns into the vehicles. His shots at the cruiser tore into the driver's windshield, blood splattering on the window. His shots at the SUV tore up the passenger in the SUV whom was wielding a shotgun.
The cop swerved all over the road and unfortunately got in a semi's path. Roland reloaded his AK and took aim again, he fired and I heard the distinct gunfire I remember clearly. Oz dropped the handguns in the backseat and pulled out his shotgun. He cocked it and took aim. His shot tore into the back passenger side door. Roland took aim and fired at the hood. His the slugs made it fly up preventing me to see, Oz racked another shell and fired again at the hood. It flew off the car and into the landing on the ground behind us.
Another car joined the chases, this time an unmarked black, dented, Karuma police car, with a flashing light behind the windshield. The driver wielded an Ithaca 37 out his window and took aim at our boot. He fired, the shot hitting the trunk lid making it fly up. Oz climbed over the seat and slammed down the lid with his foot. He raised his SIG 551 and fired at the car, the shots hitting the front window. The driver of the car ducked and avoided the fatal slugs. He popped back up and racked another shell into his shotgun; taking aim. He fired hitting our windshield from behind shattering it. I winced as the glass shattered in front of me.
The Karuma pulled in between the Landstalker. I swung the wheel to my left sandwiching the cop car into the SUV. Countering my moved the Landstalker did the same, slamming the cop car into my car. The car was trapped in between my car and the SUV. The cop behind the wheel let go and racked another shell into his shotgun. He fired into the windshield of the SUV. The vehicle swerved and rammed into the side rail flipping over. It was just me and The Cop car now.
A roadblock was formed up ahead next to the off ramp, and I had a plan. I fell back behind the Karuma and put my foot to the floor and rammed the Karuma giving it some extra speed. It barreled into the barricade out of controlled and flipped over on it's back. With the way cleared I took the off ramp in West Heights River City.
TO BE CONTINUED