Chapter 7: The Red Cross experience
The low-rider was fast approaching the train, the scenery flying by as the Savanna hit breakneck speeds. The train was still trundling through the crossing, the heavy trucks of the freight train slowing it down. Instinctively, Miguel grabbed the wheel, swinging it hard to the left. The backend swung out as the car turned in, lifting onto two wheels. The car launched into the air, the road disappearing from beneath it.
The car flipped wildly down the boulevard, the sides crumpling against the impact of the road. On-lookers rushed out of their houses as the car lost momentum, finally settling on three wheels, the other bouncing aimlessly down the road. A few pedestrians ran to the car to check for survivors, others got out their phones and began taking pictures. Layman hadn't seen anything like this in years. At least publicly anyway.
"They're alive!" shouted one woman to the crowd.
"Call an ambulance" called someone else.
Miguel stirred, his head pounding. His vision was blurred and his hearing distorted. He could hear crackles of people shouting over a high pitched ringing. His sense of smell was fuzzy, something was in the air.
"The car's leaking gas!" shouted the women. "Hurry! Get them out"
The last thing Miguel saw was a gang of men dragging him out of the car, the sound of the ambulance's siren in the distance…
x
Miguel awoke in a hospital bed, bandages around his head and chest. At least he was breathing he thought. He looked around the room. He was in a single cell, the cramped environment clinically white. A window lined one wall so he could see into the corridor and there was little furniture in the room; a desk, a side table and a chair. Miguel did a double-take on the chair.
"Shit" said Miguel.
"Yep. Pleased to see me?" the inspector grinned back. "When I heard there'd been a car chase and then a crash, I instantly thought back to you. You failed to catch Yen."
"Fuck you" Miguel said, venom dripping from his tongue. "Aww shit, Franco?"
"The dopes alive" Conway said, "For now. There fixing his broken face. Anyway, the money?"
Miguel shifted in his bed nervously. He didn't want to tell Conway anything.
"Yen just got away. I've got a lead though, just leave it to me" said Miguel confidently. He knew exactly what he was going to do and where he was going once he discharged himself.
"Right, right… of course you do. Mister Big ain't you? Get the money or your finished" Conway said, standing up. "You hear me?"
"Yeah, I hear you" spit Miguel. He watched Conway leave the room and breathed a sigh of relief. He pressed the buzzer next to his bed, he needed a painkiller. Then he was going to get Franco, collect Roxy and finish the double-crossing bastards of this town…
x
Conway strode down the corridor, admiring a particular nurse as he went by. He put his hand in his pocket and withdrew his phone, pushing past some people as he dialled the number. The recipient picked up.
"Rafa?" started Conway.
"He's right hear honey" said the female voice on the other end.
"Boss?" said a tired Rafa, getting up from the bed and walking into the hooker's bathroom.
"Keeping on top of things I hear" said Conway, chuckling. "Any news on the operation? I need to report to my source."
"We've set surveillance on Luca de Fidio like you asked. As far we know, he hasn't had any contact with his brother. Yakuza did launch a small team to track him as well. Think they wanted to know where Miguel went" the officer explained.
"Good, well done. I want you to swoop, bring him in. I want him out here. Give us some leverage against Miguel" ordered Conway, crashing into some men coming the other way up the corridor. His phone slipped out of his hand and skidded across the floor. One of the men, a big Japanese hulk, picked it up, handing it to the guy who had walked into Conway.
"My apologies" the man said, outstretching his hand. The oriental bowed low and carried on down the corridor. Conway watched the bald man continue down the corridor, flanked by the two heavy guards. Conway put his phone back to his ear.
"Rafa. I have to go…"
x
Yen felt the adrenaline rush around his body as he walked down the hospital corridor, the two bodyguards striding behind him. It had been easy to find out where the so-called hunters had been taken after their pathetic crash and he relished the chance to finish off this job. He would deliver the money and fulfil his terms of employment before finally restoring his families' fallen honour.
Yen smiled and signalled to his guards. Drawing silenced pistols, they checked the corridor for people and walked into the hospital room. Yen raised his gun and fired, killing the attendant nurse with a single shot to the head.
The man in the bed gasped and sat bolt upright. Yen waved his gun, the two guards grabbing the man and holding him down. Yen holstered the pistol and drew a combat knife. He ran the blade through his fingers, the man's eyes widening in fear, sweat beginning to form on his forehead. He tried to move but the incredible muscle of the guards had him pinned.
Yen grabbed the man's hand and bent back the guy's middle finger; a single silver ring adorning it. Yen smiled as he sliced the finger with his knife, the guards muffling the man to prevent his screaming.
"Hello Franco," whispered Yen as he cut, "Remember us…"
x
Miguel stretched as he waited for the nurse. His muscles felt tight and his body ached. It had been one hell of a chase. He stared as the ceiling looking at the stains. What kind of hospital was this? He heard footsteps coming up the corridor. He hoped it was the nurse.
"Afternoon Miguel" said a voice, a chill tone to it.
Miguel sat up and stared in bewilderment at the scene in front of him. It was unbelievable. At the bottom of his bed was a bald, pale oriental man. He had a bag in one hand and a silenced pistol trained on Miguel in the other. Two tall and muscular Japanese men stood to the side of him, their faces stern and their muscles tense.
"Yen?"
"That is correct. I am here to put an end to your meddling. Your small time. My boss won't waste any more time on you."
"It seems he is or you wouldn't be here" said Miguel defiantly, keeping one eye on the pistol.
"Cocky shit. No wonder your friends betray you. But I know how to deal with traitors" said Yen, reaching into the bag. He threw a package onto the bed; a blood drenched bag and several photos spilled out of the envelope.
"Holy shit!" shouted Miguel, horrified. A finger laid on his bed, a blood stained silver ring glistening in the light. Miguel looked up to see the grin on Yen's face.
"You fucking bastard!" he screamed as Yen cocked the pistol.
"Check the photos" Yen teased.
Miguel's face was covered in dismay and devastation as he picked up the photos. Franco led in his bed, a fingerless hand clutching a slit throat, his eyes paralysed with terror.
"I swear to fucking god I'll kill you for this!" he said, throwing the photos down.
"Not before you've suffered. Wait until you see your brother." said Yen coolly. He laughed and shook his head, regaining focus. "Enough of this, you're a dead man"
"Boss!" shouted one of the guards as the inside window exploded under gun fire. The guards drew there pistols firing blindly. Conway burst in, knocking the guards back with the door. He was backed up by several burly men. Miguel recognised them as Roses. Yen backed up against the wall firing a shot into Conway's right shoulder, the bullet exploding right through the inspector, sending him to the floor. Miguel jumped out of bed and leaped on Yen, pulling him to the floor. The Roses drove their way in, ploughing into the two guards. Conway got off the floor and swung at one of the burly oriental men, his fist cracking against the impact.
Miguel got to his feet, kicking the pistol away from Yen. The oriental drove to his feet, grabbing hold of Miguel and pushing him against the wall. He let go, throwing a punch into Miguel check. Miguel recoiled in pain as he flung a fist out wildly. The oriental ducked and hit Miguel again, sending him flying onto the bed. Miguel kicked out, knocking Yen back as he tried to attack again. He jumped off the bed and drove his fist into Yen's face, blood exploding from his mouth. Using his left hand, he threw another punch into Yen's stomach, the oriental keeling over winded. Miguel screamed as he kicked up with his knee, Yen's head snapping back from the force. The man was knocked out cold.
Conway was sent flying back, knocking Miguel to the floor. The huge Japanese guards had withstood the initial charge and where fighting back expertly, the Roses' brawling was no match for the guard's fighting style. Miguel pushed the inspector off him and swiped the pistol off the floor. He swung the gun wildly, accidentally knocking one of the Roses in the face. He brought the butt of the gun down on the back of one of the guard's heads, sending him to the floor. He felt a fist connect to his face as the other guard let loose, battering one of the Roses. Miguel wiped the blood off his face and cocked the pistol. He side-stepped around the guard and grabbed the guard's throat from behind, holding the pistol to the guy's skull.
"Goodnight bitch" he said, firing down. The body fell limp in his grasp. Miguel sighed with relief, dropping the dead man to the floor.
Conway rose and wiped his hands, ripping a piece of material from the bed and tying it around them. The Roses howled, the four of them slapping each other on the back. All was quiet except the sirens in the distance.
"Shit" cursed Miguel, looking at the state of the room.
"We need to move now" said Conway calmly.
"We're taking that bastard with us" said Miguel.
"Agreed. Let's go" Conway said, putting one arm underneath Yen's. He stared at Miguel. "Move bitch!"
