Phantoms Among Justice

VII - An American Tragedy...

Vic and Santiago were driving yet again, but now to Milissa. To tie up, and hold hostage Vic's best friend, and Santiago's first real love. Damien was in the back, ever since he'd left his bodyguards at Jezabelle's house. This was a sign of incomprehensible trust on Vic and Santiago's part.

Vic was in deep thought of what had just happened and, on brief intervals, trembled. They didn't like what they were going to do. Santiago noticed something in his mirror though. "Please, I don't even smo-"

"Tell me not to smoke and I put it out on your fucking seat, get the message?" Damien said. Santiago was in the midst of speaking, but he closed his mouth in regard to Damien's blunt honesty. He nodded. Vic was able to speak clearly now, but he retained the ability. "Vic... you think their still in Milissa?" Santiago said. Vic did not move his field of vision from the window. Why's he asking me that? He knows that their still there... "I... don't know what their liable to do. Without us, their as good as a doornail. I'd suggest... their still in Milissa."

"Who are these two jokers?" Damien said. Vic could notice that Damien still remained unanswered, then he looked at Santiago. He was almost crying at the mere thought. "A woman, named Joanna De'Addison. One man whose name he had not disclosed to anyone, hell of an artist though. So, we call him The Artist." Vic said. Damien shook his head as he puffed, and Vic looked back in confusion. "His names not The Artist. It's Glenn. Glenn... Ah, damn... Wendell." Vic put aside the troubling things on his mind momentarily, and was in awe.

"How do you know all of this? The warehouse, Santiago, Myself, The Artist, everything?" Vic inquired. "I've got a rat on the inside. Only I know his name. You two? Let's just say... my own boys don't even know about it. I made a promise, I do good on it too." Damien said. Vic was confused, but he nodded anyway.

Vic slept until they reached Milissa. It was rainy, as always. Santiago was pale, sweating, and frightened. Vic felt guilt, especially when he looked at Santiago. He put his head up, and fluttered his eyes awake. "Vickie? Can I talk to you?" Santiago croaked. Vic looked down in shame, and nodded. Vic felt the car take a large turn to the right and stop suddenly. Santiago opened his door and slammed it shut. He put a cigarette in his mouth, lit up as he trembled, put his palm over his bald forehead, and slowly cried into his hand.

Vic got out slowly, and tried to console Santiago. "What's going on, friend?" Vic said. Santiago still sobbed. "You... know damn well what's going on! I can't fucking do it! I can't walk into that room! I can't ki-ki-" Santiago broke after that. He was almost on his knees when Vic helped him up. "Come on, I promise. We've not killed anybody. We've only released them into a different dimension. Better or worse. We don't murder. We don't. We're sure as I'm born aren't going to start." These comforting words did not help Santiago, but at any rate, he stopped crying. He still trembled when he talked though.

"This is Damien fucking Leonardi! Do you have any idea what he'd do to us?! He killed a stranger! Just 'cause he knew Eddie! Well guess fuckin' what?! We know Eddie!" Santiago was breaking into hysterics. Vic muttered an apology and swiftly brought his elbow into  Santiago's jaw, and he fell unconscious.

Vic brought the unconscious Santiago into the passenger side of the car, and sat him in. "You wanna tell me just what the fuck is going on?!" Damien yelled. Vic leaned in and spoke. "He is not well with all of this, so I'll be driving. You seen him, he wasn't well. Sometimes... just sometimes, I have to do this. Forgive me, I'm sorry you had to see the way I worked."

Damien nodded. "Thank you for your apology. Now let's get to where we need to be already, my fucking legs are getting cramped. We're dumping this piece of shit and getting a sedan." Damien said. Vic closed the passenger door and walked to the drivers side, and took his place. "I agree with you fully on that subject, but I think my friend is infatuated with this car. Forgive me Mr. Leonardi, but we're already killing one of the only things he loves tonite. I think two can and will do him in. He's experiencing an unbearable amount of mental trauma with this recent task, so you must forgive him."