Mark ran up to their apartment building and froze. On the sidewalk in front of the door, the pavement was red with blood.
"Oh, no…" Mark said under his breath. He entered and took the steps up two at a time. He pulled back the sliding door of their loft apartment.
No one.
Mark sank onto the couch as the phone rang. He barely even heard it.
"SPEAK!"
"Mark? Roger? Pick up guys it's Collins!"
Mark leapt for the phone and answered. "Collins? Collins? Holy shit man, where are you?"
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An hour later, Mark, Roger, Mimi, Maureen, Joanne, and Tony were all sitting around Collins in a hospital bed. He had an eye patch and a bandage across the left side of his face, but he looked happier than ever.
Mark and Roger were really giving it to him. "Dammit, Collins, can't you get in our building without getting the crap kicked out of you?" Roger joked.
Collins continued to smile. He had told them the whole story. He admitted he had been feeling left out at the Life, but skipped over his little adventure in the bathroom of the Middle Eastern store. He told them about running into Benny, and how as he was opening the door, four men mugged him. He said that Tony had come to his rescue, and that he was also HIV +.
Tony was sitting on the bed close to Collins. "The doctors say you can go home tomorrow night."
"That's good news," said Mark, who had been very worried.
"We should get going, you need some sleep," said Maureen. She, Joanne, Roger, and Mimi left.
Mark sat down next to Collins. Tony went off to get him another pillow.
Mark looked around and sighed. "Great night, huh?"
Collins grinned. "Sure was."
Mark had been kidding. "Are you serious? You got your ass kicked! You're gonna have to wear that patch for a week!"
"Yeah. But I found what I was looking for." He gestured to where Tony had left.
Mark shook his head and laughed.
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Back in the apartment, the five friends thought the night was over.
Maureen and Joanne hadn't wanted to go back to their place, so they agreed to let them stay in the spare room. The two of them said their goodnights and went to bed.
Mark had decided it was time to tell Roger about Benny's request. "Listen, man. I ran into Benny outside the café. He said his wife kicked him out. He's got nowhere to go."
Roger stared at him for a second. He looked at Mimi, who sat next to him on the couch, and looked back at Mark. "Hell no! Not after what happened last year."
"I know, I know, I just thought I'd run it past you. He gave me his cell number; I'll call him right now." He picked up the phone and punched in his number.
"Wait," said Roger, "Let me do it." He snatched up the phone and spoke. "Hello, Benny. It's Roger. Mark told me about what you asked him, and I just wanted to say that there is no way in hell you are staying here, and we are not giving you any money." He slammed the phone down and laughed mirthlessly.
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Benny closed his cell phone. Those bastards would get what was coming to them.
He was still sitting in the Life, sipping on his sixth latte. They had taken everything from him. It was about time he got his revenge.
He left without paying and walked up the avenue towards there apartment. As he entered he slowly pulled a 9 mm handgun from a holster at his waist. He ran up the stairs and knocked on the sliding door of the loft.
Inside, Mimi said, standing up, "Who the hell?"
She walked over to the door and opened up. Benny.
"Hello, Mimi." He was standing with one hand behind his back, but Mimi didn't notice this.
Roger jumped up from the couch. He ran and stood between Mimi and Benny. "I told you no," he said with clenched teeth.
Benny pushed his way in and closed the door. He revealed his hidden gun and pointed it directly at Roger's face.
"You've screwed me for the last time, Davis." He kicked him in the stomach and sent him flying onto the floor.
"No!" Mimi screamed. Mark had stood up and was running towards Roger.
Benny gave an evil smile. "This is the end. This is the end." The gun was aimed at Roger. Benny's finger gripped the trigger.
BANG.
AN: Once again, very sorry about the cliffhanger. However, I have already finished the fic and I will update it very very soon. Perhaps some reviews will speed up the process...
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