Tevun-Krus #15 - DieselPunk

True Grime

True Grime
@AlexSCard

Jordan Sams downed that last of his Bourbon and placed the cup on the bar. He quickly surveyed the place, making sure no one was eying him suspiciously. The Island nation was under the Families control, but Jordan couldn't be too careful that there were some no good do-gooders around, and anyways, old habits die hard.

Someone bumped into the Dieselbox causing the needle to skip across the seven inch Vinyl that was playing. Even though the box was exhausted to the outside it was still filling the bar with fumes. It created an unusual high and probably allowed the booze to take hold faster.

Pulling a watch from his pocket Jordan checked the time. Deciding he it was close enough Jordan paid his tab and left the bar. He stopped at the door and watched as people ran from cover to cover trying their best to keep from getting wet. It was a well-practiced skill as it rained often here. When the Boss had asked him to move down here he promised an island paradise, but all Cuba turned out to be was one grey day after another. They blamed it on the industrialization of the island. Before the US had moved in the Cuba had been reliant of coal and steam, ruining the sky. The government was trying to clean it up, bring the island into the 20th century; converting the cars, trains and plants over to diesel. It wasn't that much of a help, yes diesel burns a lot cleaner then coal, but the amount of diesel they were burning sure made up for it.

Jordan didn't mind the rain too much, it reminded him of back home in Chicago and he did do his best work on these dark and gloomy days. He slipped on his fedora, pulled the collar of his trench coat in close and stepped out into the weather.

Jordan wasn't in the rain for long as he went to the building beside the bar and entered a door that led up stairs. He reached the room he was heading for and could hear noise coming from inside. He opened the door and went inside.

Vinnie screamed for help, but it was useless. Yes he could hear the jazz music from next door coming through the walls, but the people there were so loud and so drunk that they wouldn't notice. When he saw Jordan he shut up and glared at the man with eyes full of hate and defiance.

Jordan checked his watch; even if the bar next door was loud they would hear a gunshot so Jordan waited. He looked out the window at the world outside and studied the cars on the road below.

Rumblers past by with their large engines making the vary air vibrate. Jordan loved those cars and studied them with extreme detail. This was his other passion; when he wasn't doing a job Jordan was working cars. Their white walls were encased in a beautifully curved fender that swept back into a point. Chrome hub caps reflected the streetlights up towards Jordan, lighting up the rain from behind. The front seemed to stretch on forever before reaching the cab. Mounted to the back was a silencer which kept those behind from hearing the engine, but those beside the cars would have no such luck. A shiver of excitement ran through Jordan's body and he decided he would have to go for a drive after he was done.

"You know Vinnie I don't understand," Jordan began talking to his captive, "You had it all, you're part of the largest family in North America and you even had a straight shot to the top, but you did something stupid."

Jordan checked his watch again, only a few more minutes. He walked over to where Vinnie was tied to the chair. Jordan bent over and starred Vinnie right in the eyes.

"You know what I do understand, Vinnie you are just plain dumb, D U M, dumb," Jordan emphasized Vinnie's stupidity by spelling the word wrong.

Jordan flicked Vinnie in the head and continued, "Who shoots a cop? Vinnie even you should know that shooting a cop brings too much heat on the Family."

"He was touching my girl; no one touches my girl," Vinnie finally spoke, his anger blazed as he remembered the night.

"But he was still a cop Vinnie and even though your old man loves you he had to order the hit on," Jordan stopped and checked the time, it would be soon. "At least you were smart enough that as soon as you realized what you'd done you hid, but you know no one can hide from me."

Jordan smiled remembering the hunt, it was his favorite part, well the killing was pretty good too, but the thrill he got when his prey realized they were cornered was a high like no other.

"I'll pay you whatever you want to let me go," Vinnie started to beg; his tough resistance was beginning to wane.

"You couldn't pay me enough Vinnie; you know I ain't family and I never will be," Jordan shook his head as his captive began to break down, "So to keep tight with the Boss and the family I got a certain reputation to uphold and I can't be letting by query go."

Jordan checked his watch one last time and pulled out his pistol. It was an automatic; American made, she was a beauty. Jordan also pulled out a small cylinder from his pocket.

He showed it to Vinnie, "Do you know what this is?"

Vinnie didn't know what it was, but he didn't respond, his last ditch effort at defiance.

"It's called a suppressor," Jordan started to attach it to his pistol, "you know the same guy who made the silencer for them Rumblers also made this. Do you know what else is funny?"

Jordan waited for Vinnie to respond, but when he didn't he continued, "The guy is trying to sell them to hunters, but do you know what I think; I think he should be offering them to the military or even the Family. They could put these things to good use."

"You may wonder why I didn't shoot you earlier, but you know these things are completely reliable and who knows how well it works; I don't, this is my first time using one. Another thing is I am a creature of habit and I just can't shoot anyone unless there's a train around."

The light began to flicker and Jordan smiled.

"I guess our chat is over, it's been fun Vinnie, but orders are orders."

The air began to move as the train drew closer. The massive engine of the locomotive could be felt from miles away. As the train drew closer the building began to shake. Soon the noise was almost unbearable, even drowning out Jordan's thoughts, but he didn't need to think all he needed to do was pull the trigger.

Jordan inspected the strange pistol in his hand. It was oddly shaped and unusually heavy, but it did the job. He could have used it to do the whole job, but like he said he was a creature of habit and he just couldn't kill anyone without using his favorite pistol. To top it all off the smell of ignited gunpowder cleansed the air of the smell of diesel fumes.

He had used the odd pistol to incinerate Vinnie's body, removing all evidence of the crime, so having it with him wasn't a waste. Jordan pulled the trigger again and the device just glowed slightly and sputtered.

Jordan shook his head throw the defunct weapon into a case, "Good for only one use, no good for a fire fight."

Back outside in the pouring rain Jordan found a car he liked and using skills acquired while he was just a boy he broke in and started the engine.

Jordan smiled and leaned back in the driver’s seat; it had been a good night. Not only had he caught his prey, but he got to kill him and now he could feel the vibration of Diesel engine as he pushed on the accelerator.

With feelings of ecstasy Jordan drove off into the night.