Chapter IX -- Deception and Betrayal

Despite the briskly cold room, I awoke in a cold sweat. The sun had not yet begun its rise above the horizon, plus the fact that I lived in between two buildings, the room was dark. I threw off the thin sheet that lay upon me and stood up. A dim, yellow light bulb flickered to life as I pulled a dirty string dangling from the ceiling. I looked upon myself in the mirror. At first glimpse, I saw the bloody, distorted face of 8-Ball flash in front of mine. His skin was charred and peeling away, his mouth a gaping black hole. I blinked the image away and looked into my own eyes. They were glazed over and had a cold, still look to them. My vision sharpened as I studied the rest of my face.

I went and sat back onto the bed. Why do people do what they do? Why do they set goals and try to achieve them? What will it all mean when they're dead? Why work your ass off during your life, just so it can be taken away?

I sat there and pondered these questions, but no matter how hard I thought about it, it still did not make any sense. And until it did, I was going to live my life to the fullest. Fuck being good and proper and sweet. It's too damn hard. I'll do whatever the fuck I want to whoever the fuck I want. It's my life, and I'll control it. If I want to put a fucking gun to my head and pull the trigger, then I damn well will.

Satisfied with my thoughts, I threw on some clothes and got into my car. As I drove to Salvatore's place to receive my payment, I did my best to avoid glancing at mirrors, because every time I did, the dark illusion of 8-Ball's face appeared, and my heart sunk. Not because of love, or any sweet shit like that, but because of the mere thought of being haunted, and the thought of never seeing him again, and then the horrible feeling of guilt that strived to overwhelm me.

For the first time in my life here in Liberty City, I felt that I would fail. Fail to leave. Fail to escape this junkyard run by vicious and greedy dogs. I was like a small fish, in the wide, polluted, and never- ending ocean, running from shark after shark, with nowhere to hide in the vast emptiness. Onlookers peered at me from the corner of their eyes, afraid to make direct eye contact, but why? I wasn't a monster. I'm just a regular human being with a sharp skill to murder with no regret. But does that make me a monster?

No one would ever understand me for not only who I am, but what I am. I can't explain it, and I wouldn't if I could. If people can't understand me, then fuck them, I'll kill them and shrug it off. I despise the world, and the world despises me. I am what I am, and that's that.

The wheels of the gray sedan soon bumped onto the rocky dirt road leading to Salvatore's hillside mansion. I felt sick arriving to his place and considered turning back. But where would I go? What would I do? I proceeded up the steps and rapped my knuckles on the smooth wooden door.

The door was opened and some guy in a gray suit greeted me and motioned me inside. Salvatore was sitting behind a desk to the right. He seemed not to take notice of my presence. I shamelessly eavesdropped in on his conversation.

"Ah yes, for sure. Everything must be in place; if you screw this up I will have your head! Do you understand me?!"

He turned around in his chair and faced me. His eyes were filled with surprise and anxiety. He hung up the phone without another word.

"Vincent my friend! Come for another job have you? Excellent, ,I have- "

"8-Ball is dead."

"Why yes, I've heard. But as I was saying-"

"I don't give a shit about what you're trying to say! 8-Ball is dead! I want my fucking money! It's all over, just give me what I want."

"Hey boy, you don't talk to me that way! I'm Don Salvatore, the head of the Leone crime-".

"I don't give a shit who you are," I said drawing my gun, "Just give me the...fucking...money."

"Go ahead, shoot me! I'm a dying old man anyway! Go ahead, put me out of my fucking misery!"

I thought about what he said and lowered the gun to the ground.

"Now you listen to me you little shit. I could have killed you a long time ago, but instead, I gave you work. And this is how you repay me? By putting a fucking gun to my face! You're going to do this for me, and after you do, I will give you double the money.

Salvatore Leone offering double the money after having a gun put to his face didn't seem right. Something was on, but I couldn't pinpoint it. He went on.

"There is a car around the block from Luigi's club. The inside is covered in brains. We had to help some guy make up his mind and it proved a little messy. I need you to take it to the crusher before the cops find it."

Instead of trusting my instincts, I accepted the offer and got on my way. Something was wrong, but until I figured out what the hell it was, I was going to play along.

Halfway there I got a page from Maria. It said to meet her at the docks. I contemplated on whether or not to go. The curiosity that something big might be happening forced me to go. I turned the car around swiftly and proceeded to the docks.

When I arrived, Maria was standing on a small white boat with some oriental lady. She was dressed in a dull beige suit of somewhat. I checked the clip in my gun, it was empty. I never went anywhere with empty chambers, what the hell was happening to me. My mind flashed back to the scene earlier with Salvatore. If I would have pulled the trigger, and the cold, deathly click of an empty clip would have sounded, I would have been dead right now.

I quickly put a fresh clip into the gun and got of the car. The morning sun was slowly beginning its rise over the horizon. The sea, brown mud and pollution, smell of manure and salt. I approached the boat and got on.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"There is no time to talk now. We must leave this place, before they find out." The oriental lady said sharply.

"Before who finds out?"

"Wait, just wait. You will have your answers soon. But right now we must leave."

With that she started the boat and we sailed away into the sunrise. I wondered if this was this was the end of all ends, or the beginning of something new. But I waited patiently, for soon I would have my answers.

Author's Notes: I guess I owe all of my fans an apology. I am sorry for the long period without any updates. I know it has been awhile, and I hope I am not losing my touch. As always, please be kind and leave a review.