Dead End Pt. 6

Part six of the series!

THREE MONTHS LATER FBI HEADQUARTERS LOS ANGELES, CA 

In the afternoon on this day, Danny walks in the office of the FBI headquarters to start his shift.  Every time he walks by each cubicle, an agent gives him a standing ovation and claps.  He looks at them each time and smiles. Right before Danny goes into his own office the director Stevenson follows him in there and stands by his desk.  “Good job last” he congratulates to Danny.  Danny sits down at his desk.  “Thanks” he replies while turning on his computer.  “You know Johnson I’ve been thinking and I been meaning to tell you that all it takes is one more assignment like that and then we might have to move your stuff upstairs” says Stevenson.  They both laugh.  “I really appreciate that sir, thank you” Danny says cheerfully.  Stevenson sits on the chair in front of Danny’s desk.  “Come to think of it you I was already impressed on your previous assignment with that Juan Hernandez guy” he says.  “Yeah I know, but to be honest with you that one ended real tragic” Danny retorted.  Stevenson folds his arms and crosses his legs.  “I know these cases get hard sometimes but you always have to remember one other thing and that’s the people who get hurt by these people we’re supposed to catch” he says as he fidgets.  Danny looks down and types on the keyboard of the computer.  “Man I’m sorry I just expected to catch him but not him commit suicide in front of my face” he says frustratingly.  “Did it traumatize you” Stevenson asks him.  “No but I always had this thing where I thought that nobody deserves to go out like that even if what they did in the first place was wrong”  Danny replies.  Stevenson leans forward on the chair.  “Wait a minute, you’re saying that he didn’t deserve that even though if you just caught him he would either be on death row or spend the rest of his life behind bars” he says assertively.  Danny turns his head around the computer and looks at Stevenson.  “That’s not the point, he did deserve death row and life in prison for murder and capitol crime assault of an officer and holding a family hostage” he says back to him in the same tone.  “So what is your point” Stevenson asks him.  “My point is not for the people he hurt or his punishment but for him personal on his own choice, for example say if we did capture him then he could have repented or maybe if he did get locked up then he could be you know like some of those inmates who read and change themselves” Danny explains.  Stevenson sits there, does not say anything for a moment, then gets up, and leaves the office.  Danny looks up and watches him walk away.  The next day meeting is being held in the conference room. 

Stevenson turns the protractor off and turns the lights on. All the agents close their folders and gather all the paper work off the table. Danny checks the time on his watch and leaves the room. Then he drives home and parks in the drive way. When he gets out he sees smoke coming up from the back of the house. He pulls his gun out of his holster and goes inside the house. He goes into the kitchen and looks out the window and sees Rochelle cooking on the grille with young adults in bathing suits swimming in the pool. Rochelle walks into the house. Danny rushes and puts his gun back in his holster. Rochelle comes into the kitchen. “I thought it was going to be just your niece and nephew” says Danny. “I thought so too but I guess they just invited some of their friends” replied Rochelle. Danny walks past her goes and upstairs into their bedroom. He rips the picture of his adoptive parents off the mirror and sits on the bed holding his head down with his hands. Rochelle walks into the room. “What’s wrong” asks Rochelle. Danny gets up. “Nothing, seeing these kids out there reminds me of us when we were younger” replied Danny. He puts his hand on her chin and kisses her on the lips. She kisses him back. He lifts her up by her hips and places her on the bed. She sits up and they continue to kiss each other while Danny stares at the closet in the bedroom. 

 

 

             ONE WEEK LATER 

 

 

Chris stands in an alley way in South Central leaned up against the wall smoking a cigar. A beggar walks up to him.  “You selling a little something youngster” he asks. Chris takes the cigar out of his mouth and throws it down on the pavement and puts it out with his foot. “Like I told my boy Lucas I don’t like these neighborhoods anymore then my home Queens” he says. The beggar twitches and scratches his neck. “I can’t stand y’all fiends, what do you need” asks Chris.  He reaches into his pocket. The beggar pulls out a revolver 45 and yells out “Freeze you’re under arrest”! Chris turns around and leans back up against the wall with his hands up. An LAPD squad car pulls up into the alley with the sirens flashing. Two police officers get out of the squad car. The disguised beggar handcuffs Chris. The two police officers throw him in the back seat of the squad car. The disguised beggar pulls out a walkie talkie and announces into the speaker “Suspect is in custody”. The squad car backs up out of the alley and drives into the street all the way down to the precinct parking lot. Both of the officers pull Chris out of the backseat and escort him into the police station. They take his finger prints and take pictures of his mug shot.  Then they walk him down to a cell block. All the inmates in each cell cheered and shouted out comments. At the end of the cell block the guard puts Chris in a cell by himself and locks it down. An hour later Chris gets sent to the call center, he sits down at one of the booths and picks up the phone.  In Lucas’ apartment the house phone rings. He gets out the bathroom and zips his pants. Chris holds the phone tightly to his ear and mumbles to himself “Answer, Answer”.  Lucas picks up the phone and answers it. “Hello” he asks. “It’s Chris, is this Lucas” asks Chris. “Yeah Chris it’s me” replied Lucas. “I got busted in South Central by the police” says Chris. “Oh no, they find out already” asks Lucas. “They got me for slinging on the corner but I don’t know if they know who I am” says Chris nervously. Lucas slams his fist on the wall. “This is not good, this is not good, and what do you want me to do” he asks in a panic tone. “Like you told me before, call your man Darius to represent me in court, I paid him already anyway” replies Chris. “Alright, I’ll call him right away” says Lucas. Chris hangs up the phone. One of the guards walks up to him and escorts him back to his cell. Lucas puts the phone down and runs out of the apartment. When he gets outside he rushes anxiously to his car pulling out his keys and getting in. He drives off quickly nearly speeding. On the porch of Darius’ house he sits there in a rocking chair drinking wine out of a glass cup. A second later Lucas’ car pulls up and knocks over the neighbor’s trash barrels. Darius drops his drink and steps off the porch. Lucas gets out the car and nearly trips on the spilled trash barrels. Darius walks up to him with his arms folded.  “What the hell are you doing” he yells out. Lucas runs up to him. “Chris got just arrested man” he yells back at him. “He’s only been here a few days, what happened” asks Darius. “On the phone he told me that he doesn’t know if they know who he is but he said that they’re charging him with possession and intent to sell” explains Lucas eccentrically. Darius backs away from him. “Wait, hold on, what was he doing in South Central” he asks. Lucas points at Darius and cries out “He was trying to make some extra money but all I know is he paid you and you have to help him”! In Chris’ jail cell he lies on the floor bare torso in an orange jump suit doing sit ups continuously.  A guard walks up to his cell and takes out a set of keys. Chris stops and sits up and looks up at the guard. “You made bail” says the guard. He follows the guard outside of the cell block and changes back into his casual clothes. Then he gets released out back and sees Lucas through the gate standing in front of his car. The guard outside buzzes the gate open and Chris walks out. Lucas opens the door of the passenger seat. Chris gets in and closes the door shut. Lucas walks around the car and gets in the driver’s seat. Chris rolls down the window on his side and leans up against it. Lucas puts the key in the ignition and drives off. Chris tilts his head out the window and spits. Lucas looks at him for a split second and looks back at the road. “I know you already prepared just in case you ever got in trouble with you hiding down here and everything but man you can’t be out getting arrested for something stupid” he says. Chris puts his head all the way back in the car and looks at him. “I was just on the corner minding my own business and this cop dressed like some crack head comes up to me and asks if I had a little something and then all of a sudden he pulls out a gun talking about freeze, you’re under arrest and then all these cops come out of nowhere” explains Chris frustratingly. Lucas pulls up to a street with traffic and waits in line at a red light. “I understand you were out there trying to make some more money but for what went down in Queens you have to lay low for a while, there’s too much heat on you and this really doesn’t help bro” exclaimed Lucas. “Just calm down, for what they don’t know doesn’t hurt” says Chris. The traffic light turns green and the line moves. Lucas drives up ahead and takes a left on the next street. “Did you talk to your lawyer for me yet” asks Chris. “Yeah I did, he’ll represent you” replied Lucas. Chris reaches down the seat and pulls the lever and reclines his seat and lies back. “Speaking of, when is your court date” asks Lucas. “Soon” replies Chris. At Darius’ house upstairs in his room he goes through his sock drawer and grabs a pair of black socks. He reaches his hand inside it and pulls out the same back roll of cash Chris gave him. He groans and throws it on the floor and slams the sock drawer shut. On his bed the blankets and sheets are wrinkled and scattered with a bra strap and a thong. He sits down on it and holds his head.  Danny sits on the couch in his living room and grabs the remote control off the coffee table. He presses the power button and turns the TV on. The first channel he flips to is a news station with a headline that says “Breaking News”! The camera man cuts to a female news reporter standing in the neighborhood of South Central holding a microphone. “This afternoon LAPD officers apprehended a man who they say intended on distributing narcotics in this very neighborhood and who is also a suspect in a double homicide robbery back in Queens, NY” she says. A mug shot of Chris appears on a blank screen and cuts back to the camera cuts back to the news reporter. A split screen of a male reporter in Queens, NY appears next to the female reporter. “From what were to be known as rumors has intensified the case when the suspect was found to be allegedly associated with career criminal Lucas Andrews” he says. He steps back a few feet with the camera man following him forward. “Here at this condemned corner store is where the crime occurred” he says while pointing to it. The camera focuses on a full screen of the female reporter in South Central. “Later in the afternoon shortly after his arrest bystanders say that Lucas Andrews was the one who posted his bail” she says while walking on the side walk with the camera moving in the same motion. Danny leans forward and looks at the TV closely. The front door opens and Rochelle walks in carrying a bag of groceries. “Hi baby” she says as she walks by. “Yeah, hey baby” replies Danny abruptly. He looks back at the TV and sees a full screen of the male reporter in Queens, NY. “That’s all for news back to you California” he says. The next day Danny walks into the bureau carrying a suit case looking at everybody in the office. A female agents walks by him reading files in an open folder. He turns around and taps her on the shoulder. She responds by turning around as well and looks at him. “Have you seen Stevenson around” he asks. She nods her head no and walks away. “Has anybody seen Stevenson” he announces out loud. An agent behind him on the phone hangs up and looks at Danny. “Hey Johnson” he calls out. Danny walks closer to his desk. “What’s up” he asks. “He’s in the dining hall” says the agent. Danny walks by him and mumbles “Thank you” to him. The agent picks the phone back up. Danny walks downstairs all the way to the dining hall and sees Stevenson and agent Wilson sitting across from each other at one of the tables on the right side of the room. He walks up to them and sits at the empty seat at their table. They both stop their conversation and look at him. “What can I do for you agent Johnson” asks Stevenson. “Sir, I would like to request some time off” replies Danny. “Why, if you don’t mind me asking” asks Stevenson. Danny grabs his suit case from the floor and places it on the table. “I don’t know if you heard but I was watching on the news last night about the LAPD and a dangerous suspect from New York that they recently arrested but he got bailed out soon after and I wanted to watch the trial in court” he explains while opening the suit case. “Why are so interested” asks Stevenson. “I was once an LAPD officer and I was telling one of the agents in here that I had a bizarre moment just like this” replies Danny imploringly. Stevenson and agent Wilson both laugh. “What do you mean by bizarre” asks agent Wilson. “An undercover cop dresses like a homeless person begging for drugs made the bust and it reminded me of a time when I had to save some kid’s life from the other officer by using force on him” says Danny. Stevenson looks at agent Wilson. “Oh I forgot to tell you that when you were gone and he took your case, he nailed it” says Stevenson. Agent Wilson looks at Danny and smiles at him. “Congratulations Johnson” he says. Danny opens his suit case wide open and pulls out a newspaper and puts it on the table. Stevenson and agent Wilson both look at it. On top of the front page is a headline caption in bold letters that reads “Queens Murder Suspect Invades South Central, Los Angeles”. Below it is a picture of the two police officers handcuffing Chris. Danny closes his suit case and puts it back down on the floor. Stevenson pushes the newspaper aside. “You’ve been working hard and I know if anybody deserves a break around here then it’s you” he says while nodding his head yes. “Thank you sir” says Danny. He gets up and picks his suit case up off the floor. “See you around Johnson” he says to Danny as he walks out. Danny walks up the stairs to the floor of his office. On that floor when Danny walks in he sees every agent sitting at their desk quietly doing paper work. As he walks pass each desk the agent sitting there looks at him until he turns the corner and walks into his own office. When he gets in there he throws his suit case on the floor and sits at his desk and turns his computer on.  When he logs into the system he flashes back to when he was watching the news and he saw the mug shot of Chris and another mug shot with named tagged as Lucas Andrews. He types in that name and a criminal record of him pops up with a profile picture of him in Santa Monica. Danny scrolls down and it reads list that says Assault and battery, conspiracy to robbery, driving while intoxicated, etc.      

                                    Court Day 12:30 AM 

A crowd of people walk into the courtroom and fill most of the seats in each row. Danny walks pass the metal detectors and shows the guard his FBI badge. The guard raises his chin up and lets him pass. Then he walks into the courtroom and sits up front in the second row on the left side of the room. Danny looks around the room at the jury and looks at the judge’s bench with the name tag saying Judge Robinson. The judge walks in from the side door near the bench accompanied by a bailiff. The judge walks around the bench and sits down in the chair behind it. The front door of the courtroom opens and in walks Lucas. Danny turns around and watches him closely. Lucas sits in the third row on the right side of the room. The front door of the courtroom again and in walks Chris and Darius. Everybody in the jury turns their heads to them and watches as they walk past them and sit at the front table that is labeled defendant. “All rise” commands the judge. Everybody in the courtroom does so and stands up. “Please be seated” commands the judge. The bailiff takes out a piece of paper and puts on a pair of reading glasses. “Your honour the defendant has been charged with possession with schedule 1 narcotics, possession of a handgun, and resisting arrest. Chris rolls up the sleeves of his white button up shirt. Darius grabs the container of water and the glass cup and fills it. The prosecutor sitting at the opposite table rises and raises his hand in the air. “Counselor Matthews approaching” he announces. Darius gets up and mimics the same hand gesture. “Counselor Johnson approaching” he says sarcastically. “Sit down counsels” ordered Judge Robinson. Danny folds his arms and looks at Darius and the judge back and forth. They both sit back down. The judge lifts up a pile of documents and places them down at his desk. “You have quite a record, how do you plead Christopher Harrison or Mr. Harrison I should say” asks Judge Robinson. “Not guilty” answers Chris. Lucas slides down the bench of his row and gets a closer look up front. “Counselor Johnson you may speak first” remarks Judge Johnson. Darius takes a sip of his glass of water and stands up. “Your honour I’m just going state the fact that my client was simply in that alley way for casual matters” he says. “What do you mean by casual matters” asks the judge. “If the arresting officers would have been more observant then they would have seen a smoking cigar on the pavement near my client’s feet burning out meaning that is all what he intended on doing” replies Darius. The plaintiff, Counselor Matthews immediately stands up and shouts “Your honour I object, they recovered evidence”! “Over ruled, wait until he’s done” says Judge Robinson. “I would also like to state that the undercover officer never got a full confession because my client only asked him if he needed something” exclaims Darius. “The report also says that the defendant reached into his pocket which would just so happen to be the same pocket where he was carrying the schedule 1 narcotics” mutters Judge Robinson. “Your honour nobody is to say or know his actual intensions after that point, all I know is that after that part the undercover officer pulls out a fire arm and the police show up” explains Darius persuasively. Judge Robinson signals with his hand for Darius to sit down. Darius sighs and sits down. Judge Robinson looks at counselor Matthews. He stands up and sorts the documents at his table. “It’s clear to me and I’m pretty sure everyone in this court can agree when I say that the defendant is an opposing threat to society” he says while looking at Chris and Darius. Danny unfolds his arms and stares at counselor Matthews. “I don’t even have to bring up his record from what you said earlier because like the charges that was read; he was charged with possession of a hand gun along with the schedule 1 narcotic” lashes out counselor Matthews. Darius stands up. “Your honour I object, the hand gun is registered in his name just to let you know” he says. Judge Robinson rocks back in his chair and scratches his chin. “So what is your response to counselor Johnson’s statement” asks Judge Robinson. “I think it is disobedience and it encourages lawlessness and I’m pretty sure the schedule 1 narcotics is registered to him too” replies counselor Matthews. Lucas twiddles his thumbs and fidgets nervously. Darius sits back down and takes another sip of his water. Chris looks at counselor Matthews and glares. Judge Robinson leans forward in his chair and looks at counselor Matthews. “You may take your seat now counselor Matthews” he orders him. Counselor Matthews sits back down and looks down at the documents. “These are some serious charges Mr. Harrison, so you have anything to say for yourself” asks Judge Robinson. Chris’ glare at counselor Matthews stops and he looks at Judge Robinson. “All I have to say is that I don’t mean to do those things that my records says about me, I just wish for people like me that other people would understand my own side of the story and what I’ve been through” replies Chris. Lucas sits there with his head down and whispers to himself come on Chris, come on Chris”. Danny scratches his head and grinds his teeth. “Jury have you reached a verdict” asks Judge Robinson. The head juror stands up. “Yes your honour, possession of a hand gun not guilty, intent to distribute schedule 1 narcotics not guilty, possession of schedule 1 narcotics guilty” she announces. “Sentencing will begin in ninety days, court is now dismissed” says Judge Robinson. He picks up the gavel and slams it down. Everybody in the jury gets up and begins to exit the courtroom. Darius and Chris both get up and walk in the isle towards the exit. Danny remains seated. When they walk by his row Darius looks at him and Danny winks at Darius. Lucas gets up and walks out the courtroom with them. Darius and Chris walk outside to the parking lot pass all the people leaving the court house. As they walk for a moment they don’t say a word to each other in an awkward silence. Chris stops walking and just stands there. Darius walks ahead of him and turns around and looks at him. Chris stares at him emotionlessly. Darius walks up to him and holds out his hand. Chris stands there in the same position for a moment and shakes Darius’ hand and squeezes it firmly. Darius lets go of his hand and walks away in the opposite direction. Lucas walks up to Chris and taps him on the back. Chris turns around and looks at him. “So what do you think your next move is” asks Lucas. “I don’t know I’ll see you later” replies Chris. He pats Lucas on the shoulder and walks away. While he walks away in a longer distance Lucas watches him and rolls his eyes. “Call me later and we’ll get a drink” he shouts out. In the courtroom Danny gets up from his seat and exits out of the court house’s front entrance with only a few people from the jury standing and talking outside. As Danny walks down the stairs he looks at Lucas pacing in the parking lot smoking a cigarette. Lucas stops pacing and takes another puff of his cigarette. Danny walks down the rest of the stairs and takes his eyes off Lucas while he pulls out his car keys. Lucas holds his cigarette in his mouth and looks at Danny walking on the other side of the parking lot and getting into his car. Danny backs his car out of the parking lot and drives off into the street. Lucas flicks his cigarette away and walks down the street to his own car. Darius drives to a gun shop and walks in there through the front entrance. The clerk up front polishes the display counter with window cleaner and paper towels. Darius stands in front of the entrance and looks around the shop and sees two customers in the back wearing trucker hats looking at hunting gear. The clerk stops polishing the display counter and looks at Darius. “Can I help you” he asks. Darius walks up to the counter. “I’m looking for at least a decent hand gun” replies Darius. “Any pacific kind like Glocks, Berettas, or revolvers” asks the clerk. “Can I look at your revolvers” asks Darius pleadingly. “Sure, follow me down here” replies the clerk. He walks down the display counter on the left side and points to the inside of it. “We got magnums and specials” he says. Darius looks down at all the revolvers on display and sees a silver 38 special revolver similar to the one he had in Harlem. He points at it. “I’ll take that one” he says. The clerk pulls out a set of keys and opens up the back the display counter and grabs it. Then he locks the display counter back up and grabs a small box of ammo and places it next to the silver 38 special on the counter. “That will be $350.00” he says while typing in the numbers on the cash register. Darius pulls out his wallet and hands him a credit card. The clerk swipes it and prints out a receipt. Darius takes back his credit card and puts it back in his wallet. The clerk puts the gun and box of ammo in a leather case and hands it to Darius. “Do you have any holsters with that” he asks. Danny sits in his car parked across the street from the court house and watches everybody who walks in and out of there. He turns the radio on and flips through numerous radio stations and turns it off. He looks back at the court house and sees counselor Matthews walk down the steps. He opens the glove compartment in a rush and takes out his FBI badge. Counselor Matthews walks into parking lot and pulls out his car keys. Danny gets out his car and runs across the street to the parking lot and yells out “Mr. Matthews”! Counselor Matthews stops walking and looks at Danny running towards him. Danny opens up his badge and hands it to him. Counselor Matthews reads through it and hands it back to Danny. “As you can see I’m an agent I was wondering if we can help each other out for today’s case” he says. “What can I do for you” asks counselor Matthews. Danny pauses for a second. “Well is there some place we can talk” asks Danny. They both walk together around the corner of the parking lot up to a black BMW. Counselor Matthews unlocks the driver’s seat with his keys. Danny opens the door to the passenger’s seat and gets in and sits in it. Counselor Matthews sits in the driver’s seat and closes the door. “How will you be able to help me with this case” asks counselor Matthews. “First off I just want to say that I don’t like Chris’ associate who we all know as Lucas Andrews and if I’m not mistaking then I think him and Chris are up to something” replies Darius. “Is the bureau going to be assigned to this case” asks counselor Matthews. “Well you see not just yet but what I know now is that what brought Chris Harrison into court today was something somewhat like a situation I was in when I used to be a police officer” explains Danny bluntly. “Did you come up with any leads of your own” asks counselor Matthews. “That’s right and like how I was telling my co-workers at the bureau how interested I was in this, I know how these things usually turn out and that’s the bad guy on trial planning to do something with someone he’s connected like skipping bail or get involved with the right person to get them out of it” replies Danny. “Do you know this for sure” asks counselor Matthews. Danny licks his lips and looks at counselor Matthews with his eyes squinting. “I think that’s what we want to prevent from happening” he says. “So you are you here to help me if anything changes” asks counselor Matthews. “That’s exactly what I’m here to do” replies Danny. “Well it’s most appreciated” says counselor Matthews. They both shake hands. “I’m going to have to quit chatting now, I’m taking my wife out tonight” says Danny. He opens the door and gets out the car. Before he closes the door he sticks his head back in the car. “Oh one more thing is if you have any more information on his associate Andrews then here’s my card” he says while reaching into the side pocket of his coat. He pulls out a card with his name and phone number and hands it to him. Counselor Matthews reads it and puts it in his side pocket. Danny shuts the car door and walks away. Counselor Matthews watches him walk away through the window of the passenger seat and waves him off. Danny waves him goodbye back as he walks away. Darius exits the gun shop out through the front entrance carrying the merchandise he just purchased. He walks up to his car and puts everything in the backseat. Then he gets in his car and drives home. When he gets into the living room of the house he straps a holster around his waist and puts the 38 special revolver in it. Then he walks up to the house phone which is aside on a trophy table with all his attorney awards next to his flat screen TV. He picks it up and dials a number. The phone rings and he gets an answer. “Hello Stacy, I’m going to need you here tonight” he demands as he listens in for her answer. “Because I had a rough day at work today and I could use some company tonight” he says angrily. He holds the phone tighter to his ear and listens to her talking and a moment later he hangs up by slamming the phone back on the receiver. He turns his back and the phone rings instantly. He turns back around and snatches it out of the receiver. He presses the talk button. “What” he answers in a loud tone. On the other line Lucas stands outside of his apartment with his cell phone and Chris waiting in the car behind him. “Do you think you can meet us tonight” asks Lucas. “What do you want now Lucas” asks Darius. “We just need to talk to you” replies Lucas. “About what” asks Darius angrily. “Me and Chris are trying to work something out and he’s your client now so you need to do your part” snaps Lucas. “Where do you want me to go” asks Darius. “Meet us here outside of my place at eight o’clock” replies Lucas. Darius hangs up the phone and slams it down on the trophy table. Back at Danny’s house Rochelle is upstairs in the bathroom wearing a red dress looking in the mirror putting make up on. She first uses red lipstick and then draws an outline of mascara over her eyes. Danny comes in the house through the front door calling out her name “Rochelle, Rochelle”! “I’m in the bathroom” she yells from upstairs. He walks up the stairs and goes into the bathroom. “You almost ready” he asks. “Just one more minute” replies Rochelle. She puts the caps on the lipstick and mascara. Danny puts his arms around her waist and kisses her on the cheek. “I’m ready now” she says. They walk downstairs to the drive way. “Let’s take your car” says Danny. She reaches into her purse and throws him the keys. He catches it and gets into the driver’s seat. Before she gets into the passenger seat she straightens out her dress and puts an earring on each ear. Then she gets in and Danny puts the key in the ignition and backs out of the drive way. In Darius’ bedroom he opens the box of ammo and loads a bullet in each barrel of the silver 38 special revolver. He shuts the barrel and puts it back in his holster. Near the door of the bedroom is a coat hanger with a tan trench coat. He walks towards the door and grabs it on his way out. Fifteen minutes later he drives to Lucas’ apartment and parks behind his car. Lucas and Chris get up from sitting on the sidewalk. Darius gets out of his car and walks up to them. “I don’t know if I can keep going on like this guys” he says while nodding his head. “What do you mean” asks Chris. “What I mean is you guys are too much trouble” replies Darius. Lucas steps closer to him. “That’s funny because I remember back when people like us would hire people like you to get us out of it” he says. Lucas pulls a cigarette out of a carton and a lighter. “That’s not what I’m talking about” exclaims Darius. Lucas lights his cigarette and takes two puffs of it. “Then what” asks Lucas suddenly. Darius reaches into his pocket and throws out a clipped bank roll of cash to Chris’ direction. He catches it and squeezes it into his hands. “Whoa, what’s going on here” asks Lucas in concern. “Chris I’m sorry but just take your money back and get somebody else” says Darius. Lucas points his finger in Darius’ face “Wait a sec, what’s going on with lately” he asks in distress. Darius pushes his finger away from his face. Chris stuffs the clipped bank roll of cash into the front of his pants and shoves Darius. “You trying to get me put away” yells Chris in rage. Darius shoves him back. “Get your hands off me” he shouts. Lucas spits out his cigarette and swings his fist towards Darius and misses. Darius jumps back and whips out the silver 38 special revolver and points it at Lucas and Chris. They both back away from him and put their hands up. “Did my lawyer just pull a gun out on me” Lucas asks himself. Darius puts it back in the holster and walks to his car and gets into the driver’s seat. Lucas and Chris walk up to it and stand in front of the door of the driver’s seat. Darius straps his seat belt on and rolls down the window. Chris reaches around his waist near his back pocket and pulls out a silver colt pistol. Darius puts his hand back on the gun in his holster. Chris hangs it upside down and unloads the clip out and kisses the top bullet of it. Darius takes his hand off the gun in the holster. Lucas looks at Chris and laughs. Darius takes out his car keys and puts it in the ignition. Chris loads the clip back in and tucks the silver colt pistol in the front of his pants and covers it with his shirt. Darius puts both of his hands on the steering wheel. “Both of you stay away from me” he says. Lucas and Chris both turn their backs and walk away. Darius reverses the car back a couple of feet and drives pass them. Danny and Rochelle walk into a restaurant with white sheeted tables and a shelf with wine and champagne in the back of the dining room. The host walks up to them and sits them at a table for two. Danny and Rochelle sit across from each other at the table. A waitress walks up to the table and pours them each a glass of wine. “Do you like this place” asks Danny. Rochelle takes a sip of her wine and nods her head yes. Danny picks up his glass and takes his first sip. “I’m glad you decided to take some time off” says Rochelle. Danny puts his glass down next to the silver ware. “You know I got to spend some time with my baby” he replies. Rochelle picks her glass back up and smiles at him. The host reaches under the podium and grabs two menus and places them at their table. They both open each of them and look through the selections. The waitress walks up to the table with a note pad and pen. “Are you all set to order” she asks. They both close their menus and look at her. “We’ll both have the lobster bisque” says Rochelle. The waitress writes it down and takes both their menus. Outside of Lucas’ apartment he and Chris sit on the curb of sidewalk next to each other. Lucas throws his cigarette to the ground. “So what’s your next move” he asks. Chris unloads the clip back out of the silver colt pistol and plays with it. “The only choice I really have is skip bail, I’m hot in Queens and now out here” he replies. “I don’t know what happened to Darius but maybe know you should just take that money he gave back to you and disappear” says Lucas. Chris pauses and flicks the top bullet of the clip out. Back at the restaurant the waitress serves Danny and Rochelle each a bowl of lobster bisque with a side of lemon and a container of butter in a bread basket. Danny and Rochelle each pick up a spoon and knife and begin to eat. Danny takes a bite with his spoon. “How’s work been going with you” he asks. Rochelle takes a bite with her fork as well. “It’s been okay but like always it’s just me and other gossiping black women” she replies while giggling. Danny puts his knife and fork down and grabs his glass of wine. “Just that alone sounds harder than my job” he says. The waitress walks back up to the table with a bottle of wine and refills each of their glass. “How did your last assignment go” asks Rochelle. “It went so well that it gave director Stevenson enough brownie points for to me to take some time off” replies Danny. Rochelle picks up one of the butter knives on the table and takes a scoop of butter and spreads it on one of the pieces of bread in the basket. Danny reaches in the basket and grabs a piece of bread for himself. “Hey well whatever works” says Rochelle. Lucas takes a carton of cigarettes out of his pocket and looks in it seeing that it’s empty and tosses it away. “Is there any places where you think I can go where they won’t find me” asks Chris. “I know that they can’t cross borders into Mexico and it’s not even that far from here” replies Lucas. “Do you know anybody out there” asks Chris. “Not really but I might have to soon because someday I wouldn’t mind taking what I got and kicking back for a while away from this place” says Lucas. Darius pulls into his drive way and sees two girls sitting on the porch. He takes the keys out of the ignition and gets out of the car. The two girls stand up. Darius steps on the porch and approaches them. “What took you so long” they both ask at the same time. “I had a run in with a couple of ex clients of mine” replies Darius. They all walk into the house and walk downstairs to the basement. The two girls walk ahead of him down the stairs. He takes off the holster and hides it behind his back. The two girls take all off the cushions off the couch and roll out the futon mattress out of it. Darius places the holster next to his photo album on his book shelf. Danny and Rochelle raise their wine glasses up and toast each other. Lucas and Chris get up off the street curb. Chris takes out his silver colt pistol and loads the clip back in. Lucas coughs twice and puts both of his hands in his pockets. Chris puts his index finger in between the trigger and spins the gun around like a western gunslinger. “Just get some sleep tonight and we’ll make a decision tomorrow” says Lucas. They high five each other and switch to pound fists. Lucas walks towards his apartment and Chris walks away in the street spinning his gun continuously. Danny and Rochelle both take their last bites of the lobster bisque. The waitress walks by the table and gives them the bill. Danny pulls out his wallet and puts a one hundred dollar bill down on the table next to it. “Ready to go” asks Rochelle. “Yeah” replies Danny. They both get up and leave the restaurant. Back at Darius’ house in the basement he lies down asleep with the two girls covered in a white blanket. He opens his eyes and wakes up. The two girls cuddle next to him on each side with their arms wrapped around him. He sits up and they both roll over in the other direction and continue to sleep. Darius gets out of the bed and walks up the book shelf. He turns around and glances at the two girls sleeping and grabs the photo album. He flips to a page with a black and white picture of his father Fred talking into a microphone and looks back on that time in his head. In the front row a photographer takes a few pictures with a flash. Fred takes the microphone off the podium and steps down closer to the front row of the audience. He lifts the microphone lift to his mouth and announces “That night changed the lives of me and my wife and son”! “As my son looked out the window of the living room and saw flames, bricks and bottles he saw right there a simple word called reality” says Fred. In the second row a female reporter stands up holding a note pad and pen raising her hand. Fred points at her. “How did you, your wife, and son escape” she asks. Fred stands there moving the microphone slowly away from his mouth and flashes back to that night. Five year old Darius sleeps in his bedroom and wakes up from hearing the sounds of glassing braking and police sirens wailing out. He gets out of his bedroom rubbing his eyes and looks out of the window in the living room. Fred and Betty both run out their bedroom up to Darius wearing bath robes. Two bricks out there fly towards the window of the living room. Betty screams and grabs Darius getting him away from the window. The two bricks come through the window and shatter the glass. Fred puts his arms around Betty and Darius. They all walk towards the door. Betty picks up Darius and holds him. Fred cracks the door open and peaks outside. He turns around and looks at Betty clutching Darius in her arms. “Come on” he yells out. He runs outside with Betty following him holding Darius. They all run in the streets pass the rioters and a few police officers. As they run ahead tear gas shoots out all through the air behind them. They turn corners and run into another block. Fred dissolves out of the memory and moves the microphone closer back to his mouth. “To answer your question we did what our people still have to do now which is run” he says. She sits back down and writes in her note pad. A male reporter stands up and raises his hand. “Ever since then did you and your family end up in a similar situation like that” he asks. “No” replies Fred. He sits back down and writes in his note pad. The same female reporter from before stands up and raises her hand again. “Are you still going to participate in the civil rights movement” she asks. The photographer stands up and takes another picture of Fred with a flash. Darius closes the photo album and puts it back on the shelf. Danny and Rochelle pull up in their drive way with the range rover and walk into the house. Danny takes his jacket off and hangs it up on the coat hanger. Rochelle yawns and walks upstairs to the bedroom. Danny takes his tie off and walks upstairs to the bedroom with Rochelle. She takes off her high heels and changes into her night gown. Danny takes his shoes off and slips into a pair of black socks sitting on the bed. Rochelle turns the bedroom light off. Chris carries on walking in the streets with his silver colt pistol in his hand. Then he walks across the street into another neighborhood. Up ahead he sees a man walking his dog with a lease and an elderly woman on a motor scooter. He tucks the pistol in the back of his pants and pulls his shirt down to cover it up. He continues to walk and a LAPD squad car drives by him on the road. He looks at it and sees one police officer in the driver’s seat pulling over at a stop sign. As he continues to walk he looks at the police officer and the police officer looks at him. They both stare at each other for a moment and the police officer takes his eyes back on the road and drives away. Chris sighs and walks towards that stop sign. Lucas looks around his apartment tossing the clothes and beer cans off the floor onto his couch. He looks under the coffee table and sees his cell phone on the floor. He picks it up and turns it on. The door of the bathroom creaks. He looks at it and goes in there. He looks at his cell phone and dials the number four and two five times. He hears a beep noise through the wall in the shower. He bends down and grabs a drill hole out from under the sink and drills three holes in a straight line through the wall in the shower. Then goes back to bottom of the sink and pulls out a sledge hammer. He hits each of the three drilled holes once and breaks open a hole on that part of the wall and reaches down below it. He pulls out a black duffel bag and opens it. Inside it are the same cullinan diamonds from the Santa Monica heist. He zips the bag closed and puts it on the coffee table in the living room and sits down on the couch next to the beer cans and pile of clothes. He picks up one of the beer cans on the couch attempting to take a sip out of it. Before he does he looks at the duffel bag and zips it back open. He pulls out one of the diamonds and looks through the crystals in it. While he rolls the diamond around in the palm of his hand he sits there in deep thought remembering the time back when he first walked into that jewelry store. He looks back on himself and sees when he and his girlfriend walked in there and when looked around the store while his girlfriend talks to the staff up front. The manager from behind the counter approaches her. “May I help you ma’am” he asks. “Just browsing like my silly boyfriend over there” she replies. A teenage girl walks out of the storage room and goes up to the front counter next to him. “Daddy, let me take care of this one” she says. He walks to the other side of the counter and talks to the other customers. Lucas’ girlfriend points at a picture of a diamond necklace on the wall behind the counter and says out loud “I would like that one”! The teenage girl employee looks at it. “Sorry we don’t have that” she replies. “Well I guess I better go to another store” says Lucas’ girlfriend. The teenage girl employee shakes her hand and holds it for a second and whispers “Nice meeting you anyway”. They let go of each other’s hands. Lucas turns around and looks at them. He and his girlfriend both leave the store and walk into the parking lot. She holds a tight fist in her left hand and opens it. Lucas looks at down it and grins. “We did it” she says excitingly. In the palm of her hand is a single silver key. Later on that same night Lucas and another man each puts a black ski mask on their heads. They both walk around the closed down jewelry shop to the back door. Lucas takes out that singe silver key and unlocks the door. Lucas snaps out of that memory and puts the diamond in his hand back in the duffel bag. Before he zips it shut he puts his hands in there and sorts through everything in there. He looks down and sees a bank roll of cash next to the diamonds. He stares down at it and remembers back to another moment. The next day after the robbery when he leaves his girlfriend at the motel room he drives back to the same area of the jewelry store and parks across the street wearing a hoodie with a winter hat. In front of the jewelry store is yellow taped police signs that say “Do Not Cross”. Two police squad cars are parked on each side of the building. Detectives and a forensics unit take pictures and collect evidence. All the employees including the manager and his daughter all stand outside in the parking lot watching the police and detectives. Lucas beeps the horn of his car twice. The teenage employee turns around and walks across the street to his car. She leans up against the door of the passenger seat. Her and Lucas shake hands and hold it that way for a moment. They both let go and she walks across the street back to the shop and stands with all the other employees. She holds her right hand in a tight fist while she stands there. Lucas looks at her one last time and drives off. She reaches down her shirt and tucks a money clip with one hundred dollar bills into her bra. Lucas throws a black 1911 9mm into the duffel bag and zips it shut. The next morning Danny and Rochelle wake up from the sun shining bright outside into their room. Rochelle gets up off the bed and goes into the bathroom and turns the shower on. Danny tosses and turns himself back to sleep. Rochelle closes the bathroom door and takes a shower. In the basement of Darius’ house he wakes up and looks on both sides of the futon and sees empty wrinkled spots on the sheets. He gets up and folds the futon back into the couch. Then he puts all the cushions back on the couch. Through the little basement window the sun shines bright as well. He walks up to it and closes the curtains hanging on it. At a gang house in South Central Chris sits in the living room on a sofa with the neighborhood gang members playing video games on a flat screen TV. The gang member sitting on his right passes him the controller to the video game. Chris takes it from him and pulls out his silver colt pistol and puts it on the table in front of them next to a pocket knife and a pair of brass knuckles. Lucas pours himself a bowl of cereal and milk and sits on the coffee table next the duffel bag. Before he puts the spoon in his mouth and takes a bite he looks around at his whole apartment. He slowly puts the spoon in his mouth and begins to crunch on his first bite of his bowl of cereal and then he chews it. He takes another bite quicker and puts the bowl of cereal down on the coffee table and goes into the bathroom. Next to the toilet is laundry basket. He carries it out to the living room and places it next to the duffel bag. Then he goes into the closet door next to the bathroom door and pulls out a backpack. He places it on the couch and packs clothes from the laundry basket into it. Rochelle gets out the shower and wraps a towel around her. Danny wakes up and sits on the bed. She walks into the bedroom and gets dressed into sweat pants and a T-shirt. “I have to tell you something Rochelle” says Danny. She turns around and looks at him. “About what” she asks. He stands up. “I don’t know how long I can stay out of work but what I can do is go back soon and see what I can do from there” he explains. “What about all that talk about you being some big time agent and you doing what you want” asks Rochelle. “It’s not that, the real reason I took a little time off was that there was this new case I was interested in and you know how like I went to court the other day, well that’s what it really was” replies Danny. Rochelle picks her purse up from the dresser “Are you back on another assignment” she asks. “It’s not official but if it gets any worse then somebody in my bureau probably will be assigned to it” says Danny. She puts her purse around her left arm and leaves the room. Danny opens the top drawer of the dresser and grabs a Glock 9mm attached to a belt holster. Rochelle walks down the stairs and leaves the house driving off in her range rover. Danny straps the belt holster around his waist. He looks through the top drawer of the dresser again and pulls out his FBI badge. Back at the gang house in South Central Chris has three gang members wearing black bandanas around their heads and ankles tied up on the floor in hand cuff form with his silver colt pistol aimed at them. He steps closer to them and puts his hands in each of their pockets and pulls out a fist full of cash from each one of them. He puts all of it in his pocket and walks into the kitchen a grabs a roll of duct tape. All the gang members squirm on the floor in the room. Chris walks back in there and tapes of their mouths shut. Then he walks towards the front door to leave. Before he walks out he shouts “Never talk to strangers”! He opens the door and slams it shut. When he gets outside he walks a block down the street. After he makes a block down the street he looks in back of him and sees a LAPD squad car drive up to the house that he was just at. Darius remains in his basement looking through his photo album. He flips to another page and sees a picture of him, Ray, and Tyrone at his graduation party. He stares at the picture deep in thought about all the things that happened when he was in Harlem. The next thing he things about is when he came back home from Harlem and read another newspaper that came in the mail. When he got dropped off by a taxi to his house he sees a newspaper sticking out of his mail box. He grabs it and drags his luggage into the house while holding onto it. When he gets inside the house he sits at the kitchen table and opens it up. On the front page it says in bold capital letters “Mass Murder in Harlem”. He looks down and reads the article and looks at the front page picture. It’s a pavement covered in a pool of blood in a numbered order. Ray and Tyrone assemble a whole crowd thugs and hit men in the warehouse where the party took place. They both stand in front of the crowd. Tyrone walks up closer to them. “We are putting contracts and bounties on anybody who had to do with last night’s shooting and if any of you knows who did then you better step forward now” he yells. One of the hit men in the back steps forward. “I’ve heard that it might have been the young punk who started that fight at that party” says the hit man. “Whoever shall kill him first or anybody who has anything to do with it will claim the bounty, dismissed” replies Tyrone. They all spread apart and leave the warehouse. 

 

THREE DAYS AFTER THE SHOOTING 

Corpses of civilians and one NYPD officer were found in the city park all lying dead in a pool of blood. Ray and Tyrone drive the black escalade pass a white meat truck. The driver of the truck unlocks the back of the truck and sees two hands in the back with the meat tied up against it. The truck driver’s jaw drops in shock. The hood of the truck burns up in flames and the whole truck explodes and sets the truck driver on fire..    
         

 

Lucas pulls up outside of his apartment in his car with Chris in the passenger seat. “Sit tight I have to get something” says Lucas he gets out of the car and goes into his apartment. When gets in he sees his ex-girlfriend on the couch. “What the hell are you doing here” asked Lucas angrily. “I just came here to tell you that I hired a private investigator to search here and he found some of work products as a pharmacist and if you don’t us to bring it to our next court hearing then you’ll give me $10,000” she says. “If you do that then I’ll kill both of you” replied Lucas. “Now you threatened me, that’s gonna cost more” she said while grinning. “You better stop playing around” Lucas demanded. “I hope you keep getting angry so I can have something else on you” she said while smirking. He glares at her and pulls out a Berretta and shoots her two times in the mid-section. In the car Chris hears the gunshots and jumps up. He runs out the car and pulls out his silver Colt pistol and runs into the apartment and sees Lucas’ gun steaming and a dead girl on the couch. “What did you do” yelled Chris. “She was going to get me arrested again and she wouldn’t leave me alone” replied Lucas shouting. “Why did you kill her” asked Chris yelling out. Lucas turns and looks Chris in the eye. “Don’t look at me like that, you act like you never killed somebody before” says Lucas. “That was different they had it coming to them but she wasn’t worth it” cried Chris. “I can’t believe what I’m hearing right now” muttered Lucas. He points the Beretta at Chris. “What are you doing” asked Chris softly. “What I’m trying to telling you is she was going to get me put away for ten years or extort me, now help get rid of her body” says Lucas. Chris backs up. “No I’m getting out of here” uttered Chris. “Hey” shouted Lucas. He shoots Chris in the right shoulder. Chris falls back into the wall and slides down it. Lucas aims the Beretta at Chris’ head. “Why are you doing this” asked Lucas. Sirens wail from the outside. Lucas looks out the window at the police cars and runs out the back door. When the ambulance gets there they strap Chris to a stretcher and put Lucas’ ex-girlfriend in a body bag. The next day at the bureau Danny walks up to Stevenson. “I might have a lead on the Lucas Andrews case” says Danny. “What kind of lead” asked Stevenson. “A sole witness” replied Danny. Stevenson rubs his nose and sighs. “Where did you find this source from” asked Stevenson. “An old friend” said Danny slickly. Chris lies in his hospital bed with his right shoulder patched up with see through blood stains. The nurse walks into the room. “You have a visitor” says the nurse. Danny walks into the room carrying a folder. He pulls a chair up next to Chris’ bed. “Good afternoon sir or should I say Christopher Miles” asked Danny. “Who are you” asked Chris stiffly. “Well from the initials on my badge I’m from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and I was hoping if you would be so kind to lead to a score” said Danny wittingly. “Do you know what I might be talking about” asked Danny. Chris nods his head no. “Let me jog your memory” says Danny. He opens the folder and pulls out a mug shot photo of Lucas. Chris’ eyes get heavy he looks at the photo. “Now Chris between you and me I know about your little incident in Queens and I might be able to help you if you can help me” explained Danny. “What do you want from me” asked Chris. “I want you to lead me to the whereabouts of your friend here Lucas” replied Danny. “All I know is that he always talked about moving across the border of Mexico just in case he got into any trouble with that stash of jewelry he had” says Chris. “Trust me I know about his stash of money” Danny implied. Chris puts his left hand over his should and groans in pain. Danny gets up. “Thank you for your time and get well” said Danny sarcastically. Danny goes back home into his room. Rochelle walks in the room with a laundry basket and looks at the mirror. “Why did you take your parents’ picture down” asked Rochelle. Danny opens the closet door. “You think I don’t know who my real father is” asked Danny. A pile of photographs fall out the closet of him and Darius in all different stages of their life. The picture on top of the pile shows Darius holding infant Danny with his adoptive parents and his birth mother holding him with a tear flowing from her eye. The others ones are of them at Danny’s graduation and FBI awards. Danny bends down and picks up one of the other ones in the pile and hands it to Rochelle. “This is my favorite one” says Danny.