Chapter 20

The Meeting

The Philippines

Summer, 1943

"Don't stop moving!" Alvin shouted over the hail of gunfire. He grabbed a comrade by the collar and yanked him to his feet. "Right to the trenches, let's go!"

He surged toward the flashing lights of enemy gunfire dead ahead. Allied bullets struck the sand in front of the trenches, casting it high in the air.

Just a few more feet now… 15 more… 10… 5…

Then he leapt into the trenches, his feet landing on the solid ground. An enemy soldier charged him with a knife, but Alvin hit him in the face with the butt of his gun. Another soldier raised a rifle to fire at him, but Alvin knocked it out of the way and punched him unconscious.

Other American soldiers dived into the trenches beside him.

"Save some for the rest of us, Al!" One of them exclaimed.

"Keep your guard up, there will be plenty of resistance," Alvin replied. "We need this place cleared — disable the machine guns and the bazookas any way you can. Let's clear a way for our boys. You three" — he pointed to some of his men — "Come with me. We're going to sabotage the cannons so that our boats can get closer."

Already the tides were turning. Alvin looked down and saw the tear in his uniform — apparently a bullet had missed him by only inches. He could have laughed.

…

Los Angeles

1947

Tonight was the night. Alvin sat at a table in Ian's restaurant, occasionally checking his clock to make sure that he hadn't missed it. He didn't need to worry, there were still hours before the meeting time. At his foot rested a briefcase full of cash. Meanwhile he tried to go over every single way that he could possibly retrieve the necklace AND free Simon. But if push came to shove, what would he chose? He had to say his brother, he had to. But also a criminal could get away with a crime, and that was something neither he nor Simon would sit well with.

Brittany took the stage. Those eyes of her roved the crowd but seemed to pause on him. She winked, almost imperceptibly, but he caught it. At that moment, maybe it was the fact that he was distracted, but he didn't mind.

She began to sing, her voice strong and loud:

(The song is "GANGSTA'S PARADISE" performed by Postmodern Jukebox)

Before the song was over, Alvin stood and paid for his dinner, picked up the briefcase and checked his watch again. There was one last thing he wanted to do before the meeting tonight. He headed to the backstage without Brittany noticing.

…

By the time he emerged, Brittany was getting ready to leave the stage. He hadn't seen Ian all night, which was a shame, because he wanted to say something. Slipping into a corner, he checked his pistol — fully loaded. Many times before it had saved his life and he genuinely hoped that it would do the same for him tonight. Even so, he really hoped that he wouldn't have to use it at all. The last thing he needed was for his brother to get caught in the crossfire. But if all went according to plan, not a shot would have to be fired.

As he made his way to the door, he gave a quick nod to Theodore, clothed in a normal suit. In a case beneath his table was a Tommy Gun with a drum magazine.

Without saying a word, he shouldered his way through the door and into the darkened alley. His feet sent ripples in a newly formed puddle from the rain.

His heart beat quickly. Any minute now, somebody was going to jump out and attack. His cop's brain told him otherwise, though. This was a business deal, not a shootout. It was the same brain that saved his skin over in the Philippines in '43.

"Whenever you're ready," he grumbled, gripping the briefcase more tightly. "C'mon, I've got things to do, places to be."

"My, you're an impatient one," said a voice. A voice that Alvin recognized.

He turned around. Standing in the doorway he had just exited was Ian, holding a handcuffed and glasses-less Simon by the arm.

"Well, my munky friend," Ian said with a smile. "Shall we get down to business?"

Long time no see, everyone! Here is the next chapter, and guess what? We're approaching the climax of the story! Next chapter is going to be one of the biggest of the story. Does everybody want a sequel to this story?