Amplified
Part1-Adrenaline Rush
Chapter 3
99 Problems
4:41 pm
Yo, let me borrow a microwave," Meryl asked sitting in-between Vash and Wolfwood.
"Are you still here?" Wolfwood asked more than annoyed. "Why the hell do you need my microwave for?"
"I need to cook something!" Meryl protested.
"Then give it to me, I'll heat it up for you." Wolfwood stated already smoking his fifth cigarette.
"Naw, I want to heat it at home."
"Your one crazy ass ho," Vash sighed leaning back in his chair.
With that Meryl slapped him stupid, leaving his body dangling on the ground. Wolfwood didn't even flinch, continuing to stare at the red horizon. His mind raced immediately trying to find a solution to their problems.
Meryl left in a huff. She walked down the yard until she reached the street. Peering to the left she stopped dead in her tracks.
Vash, from his position on the ground peered curiously as another figure joined her.
"Fuck," he whispered getting up, "Legato's here."
Wolfwood rolled his eyes, "Exactly what we need right now."
They both quickly got rid of their jewelry, hiding it beneath their chair, before they both sat back down nonchalantly.
Sure enough after his chat with Meryl, Legato pulled up to their driveway on his new bike. He stood up, displaying his massive shoulders and broad arms beneath the flannel shirt he wore.
"Whaddup playas?" He greeted in his smooth as silk voice.
"Notin," they both replied nervously.
Legato glanced at them both wondering what new item he could claim as his own.
The sound of a car backing up caught all three of their attention. They turned to see a little old man that went by the name of Leonof backing up out of his driveway. They continued watching until he was out of sight.
"C'mon Vash, let's hit it."
The blue eyes hiding behind a cloud of smoke bulged out at the thought, "Hell no!"
"Get over here!" Legato motioned with his arm as he was already halfway across the yard.
Robbing an old man's house wasn't exactly at the top of Vash the Stampede's to do list, but saying no to Legato was like getting a bullet to the chest.
Vash turned pleading eyes to Wolfwood, but he just shook his head, "You better get that money."
Frowning the blonde got up following Legato across the yard.
Wolfwood watched as Vash and Legato argued right outside the window. Vash eventually hoped in with Legato at his heels.
Wolfwood looked down the block making sure no one knew about the sudden burglary. It was unusually quiet today. No kids out playing or messing around. It was hot maybe to hot. He sat back down on his chair watching with contemplating eyes every car that passed by.
It seemed that an eternity went by, but still there was no sign of Vash or Legato emerging from within the house.
And then suddenly that old school car was back, shinning black under the hot afternoon sun.
Wolfwood whistled with all his might, signaling the arrival of the home's owner.
Leonof turned to look at him as he got out carrying what seemed to be a large suitcase.
Wolfwood simply smiled and waved.
The old man glared and continued on his path back up the driveway.
Just in time Legato and Vash came tumbling out, still arguing with one another.
"What happened?" Wolfwood asked. As the two jogged their way back to Wolfwood's porch.
"We were in their the whole time arguing," Legato grumbled.
"So you didn't get nothing?"
"Oh we got something, right Legs?" Vash asked grinning.
"No," Legato glared getting back on his bike, "I got something." With that he proceeded to ride his bike down the street stressing his weight upon the creaky old wheels.
Vash glared at his retreating form annoyed, "Fuck man!"
5:05 pm
The thumping of a heavy bass quickly burst against the peace falling on the projects. Soon enough a Volkswagen Jetta pulled up on the curb stopping abruptly in front of Wolfwood's house. A tall girl wearing small checkered booty shorts and a white tank top approached the duo.
"Oh no, it's your ho," Vash giggled exhaling smoke.
Wolfwood groaned in disappointment as Milly approached him, flicking her long brown hair behind her.
"Who do you think you are?" She began, striking a pose as she prepared to give her boyfriend the bitching of a lifetime, "Going around this city with some ho, you think am not going to find out?"
Wolfwood rolled his eyes as he got up.
Milly was still in the middle of her rant when Wolfwood pulled her into the house.
"Get your ass in there!" Vash shouted giggling to himself.
Milly glared daggers at him before getting in.
Wolfwood sighed as he looked towards the empty yard, "Look, I'm a straighten this girl out, you stay here." He said pointing to the porch with his index finger, "Don't go nowhere else."
"Alright." Vash nodded in his weed-induced slur, "Im a stay right herre."
Wolfwood sighed again as he locked the door behind him.
6:10 pm
"You need to control your funky temper."
"I know baby, you just need to be reminding me." Milly said sweetly as she got into her car.
Wolfwood smiled as he closed the door for her, "So we cool?"
Milly nodded returning the smile, "You know I love you baby."
"Really?"
"Yea baby, why?"
"Well," Wolfwood began scratching his chin thoughtfully, "Me and Vash got into some trouble, and well we need money, or else we might get killed."
"How much do you need," Milly asked eyeing him suspiciously.
"About…two-hundred."
Milly cocked her head to the side, thinking about it, "I guess so." She finally concluded, rummaging through her bag looking for her wallet. Wolfwood grinned ecstatically; happy to know he would live another day.
Behind him Meryl half whispered, half shouted his name in order to get his attention,
"Wolfwood…Wolfwood!" Noticing he wasn't paying attention to her, Meryl began tugging at his sleeve, "Wolfwood!"
"What!" he screamed, annoyed that she was disrupting his transaction.
"Let me borrow your car."
"No!" he growled ripping his shirt away from her grip. Turning back to Milly he realized she wasn't thrilled about the short exchange.
"Oh hell no, whose this bitch?"
"No one!"
"Oh you think you slick, asking me for money, well you're messing with the wrong girl Nicholas! You need money? Ask that bitch!" With that she stepped on the pedal, and flew down the street enraged.
"Dammit!" Wolfwood yelled as he watched his last hope racing down the street.
"Yo, Nick-"
"Get away from me!"
6:17 P.M
"What's wrong with your ho?" Vash asked as Wolfwood sat back down with him.
"Man, I had the money! Right in my motherfucking hand."
Vash shook his head lazily starring off into the horizon, "Man, you didn't have shit."
"So what are we gonna do?" Wolfwood asked already reaching for a cigarette to calm his nerves.
"Don't even worry about it, Knives is just playing."
Wolfwood stared at him, annoyance etched in every feature, "That's your problem Vash, you're the only one up in this hood who's playing. You said he had a gun when you saw him, right?"
Vash nodded eyes clouding over as he thought about what Knive's did to people who messed with his business.
"Well name me one brother in the hood who plays like that."
The sun was spreading a golden halo across the Mexican styled houses. The tin roofs gleaming gold under it's direct path. The setting sun cast it's shadow across the blonde who's hair glowed into a fiery red. His turquoise eyes gleamed orange as he stared down the cadmium road.
"You're right." He stated calmly.
From orange to violet, from violet to blue, the shadows changed, and the neighborhood settled into a deep purple as the two boys on the porch contemplated their situation.
"You're absolutely right. I'm gonna call him, and tell him you had nothing to do with this. I smoked up his stash, if I get dealt with, I get dealt with." Vash whispered, eyes still glued to the street, which was now a vibrant mauve.
Wolfwood got up abruptly running into the house. He headed to his room were he dug into one of his drawers lifting out a black 9mm. Loading the gun, he went back outside to where Vash had become eerily quiet.
6:55 pm
Vash sat on his bed cradling the phone with one hand while the other held his blunt. "Yo Knives, you called?" He asked with the most innocent look on his face, though Knives couldn't see him.
"I'm only asking this once Vash, do you have the money?'
Vash swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat. He scratched his temple watching through watery eyes as the smoke fell like rivulets of rain across his face. "No…Not yet, but-"
He didn't even finish his sentence when the dial tone on the other line told him Knives had already hung up.
Falling back on his bed he stared at the rising columns of gray.
"Shit…"
End Note: I was high as shit when I started this, so I guess I better go smoke up if I want to write more, but word this shit is mad whack. Its so weird when you read back on your drug induced labors of love. Sorry for so much delay, college is a lot harder than I thought, but I'm trying over here.