(continuation of chapter 24 of "The Journey"")
I get off the car, and walk into the "love shack" as George called it. This is the perfect example of why they say do not judge a book by it's cover. This place is actually nice. It resembles an old time bar, and even has a juke box in the corner. By my first impression, I thought this was going to be some kind of whore house. I try to keep looking around, but am shoved inward by Tony.
"Quit holding up man, we have a lot of drinking to do," he yells.
I walk in and see a pool table, and several couches around it. I can see a doorway, and just above it a neon sign that says, "Love."
Tony soon makes a request; "I think you should go in there Andrew."
I look at him and say, "No, I would rather not."
"That's it man, let's get him," yells George.
They charge at me and pick me up. I begin struggling violently but it's no use against Tony. They throw me in the air through the doorway, and I land on a soft surface. I sit up, and see that I am on a bed. I look around and find 3 scantily clad women staring at me from the corner. I stand up off the bed when they begin to speak to me.
"So you are The Andrew Tobis. The one who made this country what it is," asks one of them. She is a tall blonde woman with a dazzling face. I move away from them not answering her question, and walk out of the doorway with them following.
"Hey Tony," yells one of them, "I thought you said your homeboy Andrew was a love machine. He didn't even look down at my boobs!"
"Ladies," answers Tony, "He just needs to lighten up a bit. Cut the poor guy some slack. Andrew, let's play pool and drink some ever clear."
He throws me a pool stick, and a glass. George comes by and pats me on the back and pours in the ever clear. I look down into my cup and hey, it does not look so bad… I take a drink, and feel the taste of pure alcohol. I quickly swallow it and begin to cough up a storm from the burning sensation in my neck. My coughing ignites laughs from the guys. Tony comes up to me and hands me a soda.
"Here bro, mix it with that."
I mix the soda in with the ever clear, but put the drink down. There is no chance in hell I am going to drink that crap. What is real sad, is that these guys make it seem as if I did this with them every fucking weekend. What was I in this past life that I cannot remember? I feel like a big enough asshole already… I do not need to know anything else.
Tony and I begin playing pool, and considering that this is my first time playing, I am pretty good… Unfortunately, it was not my first time…
"Damn Tobis," says Tony, "you are still the man… I bet you still make hundreds a night doing this…"
"What do you mean," I ask.
George who has all three women around him responds, "Come on man, you are the master gambler. You pretend to suck just to snake rookies out of their money. You are a mad pimp!"
Again, I have lost even more respect for myself. I hand the pool stick to George, and sit down with the three women around me. By this time, they are pretty drunk, and judging by the way George is playing pool, I can say he is almost there. The three women once again begin to make moves on me. How can they expect me to do this? I am in love with Angie, and somehow, I am married with the doctor. I cannot look them in the eyes without seeing Angie there. I have to find a way to see her once more to explain to her what happened, and to get her out of there. My thoughts are interrupted when the 8 ball flies out of the table and hits me on my knee. The girls begin laughing at George's horrendous shooting. I pick up the cup of ever clear and coke, and take a drink out of it… It's not that bad mixed.
I take another drink, when a loud noise is heard outside. Tony shuts off the music, and we all begin looking around. Suddenly, the lights go out, and George says,
"God dam nit… it's probably one of those escapees again."
"You really think so," asks Tony.
"What else can it be?"
George reaches underneath the pool table and pulls out 3 handguns, and hands one to Tony and I.
"Remember guys, shoot to kill."
I look at George and ask,
"Dude what the hell is going on?"
"Andrew," he answers, "Either you kill whoever it is, or he will kill us. These guys are pissed off and fucking demented. No games. Shoot to kill."
We hear running footsteps outside and George motions to the ladies to get back into the room they were originally in. He begins going outside, and Tony pushes me to take up the middle. Once we get outside, George gives out the orders.
"Andrew, you and Tony go around the back, and I will go straight this way. Let's surround this fucker."
He heads off in his direction, as Tony leads me on ours. I begin feeling a bit nauseous as we search for this person. I really hope that it is just a stray dog or something, but I doubt it… in this "prefect society," I am pretty sure stray dogs are looked down upon. We turn the corner of the house, and see a figure with his back turned to us holding George and choking him. Tony runs at the figure and hits him in the back with a straight punch, as George falls to the ground coughing. Tony begins punching the man a few times and the guy falls to the ground. Tony gets up on the guy and begins punching him, but the guys overturns Tony, and begins unleashing an array of punches unlike any I have ever seen. I run to Tony's aid, and hit the guy with my gun on the back of his head. He falls down in a heap of his own blood, coughing in pain.
"Good hit Andrew," says George, "Now finish him."
I look down towards the man, and see a familiar face. I begin flashing back. Those eyes, that fear, it's Juan. He, my most trusted ally in the revolt… He looks at me with a face of disappointment.
"To…Tobis, so it's true?"
I look at him, and say, "Juan, it's not what you think."
"Finish him Andrew," yells George.
I look at him and turn away breaking down emotionally. I am now called to kill one of my best friends ever… what kind of man am I.
I fall to my knees crying uncontrollably…
"I can't do it man."
Tony lifts me up and begins walking me back to the room. As we are walking away, I hear Juan scream, and a gunshot that froze me in my tracks… I stood there for a while before I was lead back into the room by George.
Once we are back in the room, I sit on the chair shocked and silent. I move my legs, and drop my cup of ever clear…
"Oh no," yells Tony, "Andrew, you know the penalty for dropping ever clear!"
I stand there ambiguous to my surroundings at this point, and I begin walking outside, much to the chagrin of George and Tony. They grab me once more, but this time take me down. I begin struggling to no avail. George walks into another room and comes out with a bottle of everclear and a funnel…
"Tony," commands George, "Cover his nose… if he can't breathe he'll have to swallow it."
"Girls come on out here and help me," yells Tony.
The ladies come out and close my nose as George inserts the funnel in my mouth. The tall blonde lady kisses me on the cheek as George begins to pour the ever clear into the funnel, and into my mouth…