CRYPTO: Infidelity (Book 1)

CHAPTER 5: SECRET

When I got to Uncle Blade's house, he wasn't there. I tore the whole house apart searching for his gun. I didn't care if there was an afterlife anymore. I just wanted the emotional torture to be over. I looked for hours, but couldn't find it.

Just when I was about to give up and use a different method, Uncle Blade came in through the front door. It was 3 am and he had blood all over his fur.

"What happened?" I asked. "Are you okay?"

"Crypto!" he exclaimed. He looked terrified. "Why aren't you in bed?"

"Uncle Blade, what happened? Are you hurt? Is someone else hurt?"

"It's not what it looks like," he said.

I finally noticed the gun in his paw. "Did you... Did you shoot someone?"

"Okay. Maybe it is what it looks like," he said. "You can't tell anyone."

"I'm calling the cops."

"No! You can't! Please, let me explain!"

"Put the gun down first, then you can explain," I said.

"Okay. Look." He set the gun down on the counter and stepped back. "I didn't want to do it, but they made me."

"Who's 'they'?"

"I can't tell you that."

I snatched the gun off the counter and pointed it at him. "You better start talking!"

"Okay! Okay! Just don't point that at me," he said. "It was the mafia," he said in a quiet tone. "They made me do it."

"The mafia? How do you know the mafia?"

"It's a long story, but please understand. I didn't want to do it, but the guy had betrayed us. They were gonna kill me if I didn't shoot him."

"You're part of the mafia?"

"They'd kill me if I told you. Please, Crypto. Put the gun down."

"No. I don't trust you."

"I've told you the truth."

"I know. Why would I trust a murderer?" I thought about shooting him and then shooting myself. At least, they wouldn't be able to put me behind bars that way and Uncle Blade would get what he deserved.

"Please, Crypto. You don't want to do this. I know what I did was wrong, but I didn't have a choice. Please. I'm the only family you got."

"Fine," I said. I pressed the barrel against my skull.

Uncle Blade lept over the counter and body-slammed me to the ground as I pulled the trigger. He ripped the gun from my paw.

"Are you crazy?! What were you thinking?!" he yelled at me.

I grabbed the gun and tugged on it, trying to get it back but my uncle had a tight grip on it. Blood dripped from his chest onto me. Fresh blood.

I let go. "Uncle Blade, you're bleeding," I told him.

He looked down. "See what you do?"

"I didn't mean to!"

He got off me and sat down. "**** it!" There was a lot of blood.

"You need to go to the hospital," I said.

"No. I still have someone else's blood on me," he said. "Just go get the first aid kit."

"You can't be serious."

"I'm serious."

I went to the closet, grabbed the first aid kit, and gave it to him.

"I'm pretty sure the bullet is still in me so I'm gonna need your help," Uncle Blade said.

"Why can't you do it?"

"Because I won't be able to see it. You're the one who shot me. You owe me one."

"You jumped in front of the bullet."

"I was saving your life."

"I didn't want to be saved."

"Crypto, just help me out, would ya?"

I sighed. "Fine. What do I need to do?"

"Grab those tweezers and pull the bullet out."

I did as he said and slowly tried to pull the bullet out.

"Ow! Careful!" Uncle Blade said.

"I'm trying to be careful! Stop moving!"

My uncle held his breath while I pulled the bullet out.

"Got it," I said.

"Thanks. I can take care of the rest," he said.

I stepped back. "I'm still calling the cops."

"You don't want to do that. Your DNA's all over that gun now and you've got my blood all over you."

"That's a good point, but I could just tell them the truth."

"You think they'll believe you? Innocent animals go to jail all the time."

"So... what are my options then?"

"You stay quiet and don't tell anyone, not even your friends. The cops are the least of your troubles now that you know the truth," Uncle Blade said as he bandaged up his wound.

"Was the mafia responsible for my parents' death?"

"No. An earthquake was responsible for that."

"The USGS said there was no seismic activity."

"Then I don't know what caused it, but as far as I know, the mafia had nothing to do with it."

"Well, I'm gonna take a shower and then I'm going to bed," I said. "Will you be alright?"

"Yeah. I'll be fine."