CRYPTO: Infidelity (Book 1)

CHAPTER 16: VIGILANTE

They say living in New York City changes a person. I had no idea just how fast it could happen until that day.

I waited in an area there wasn't much traffic for someone to park in the parking lot. When they did, I came to them as they were making their way to the store. It was a dad with his son beside him. I stopped them in the parking lot.

"Hey, I need to borrow your car," I told the dad.

"Are you crazy? No."

I pulled the gun out. "Don't worry. I'll bring it back. Give me the keys."

The dad pulled his son behind him and handed me the car keys.

"Thanks," I said.

I drove down the street, keeping both eyes out for my car. I noticed a cross dangling from the rearview mirror. I ripped it off so I could focus.

Eventually, I saw it parked in front of a parking meter. My guess was that the thief who stole my car didn't pay to park there.

I parked behind my car and paid the parking meter, then I tried to open my car door, but it was locked. I looked around. The closest building was a nightclub. It was too early to be going to a nightclub, but their doors were open so I went inside to find my thief. It was dead quiet and I didn't see a single animal there. I turned around to leave, but then I heard some muffled laughter. I followed the sound to the back corner of the room where there was a floor access door. I grabbed my gun, opened the hatch, and snuck down the stairs.

Sure enough, I saw three guys sitting at a table. One of them was the guy who had threatened me with a gun. I was sure he had taken my phone and car keys. In his paw, he held a gun. Most likely my gun.

The last step, creaked when I stepped on it and the three guys looked over.

I pointed my gun at them. "NYPD! Put your paws up!"

"Hey! That's the guy I hustled!" the guy with my gun said with a smile.

"You're not a cop," one of his pals told me. "You're too young."

"Yeah. Where's your badge?" the other asked.

"It was in my car," I lied, "which your pal over there stole."

"I didn't see no badge," he said, "but I did find this nifty gun. It came loaded and everything!"

"Put the weapon down and nobody has to get hurt," I said.

He laughed. "You're outnumbered, my friend."

"This is your last warning," I told him. "Put the gun down."

"Maybe you should listen to him, Lorenzo."

"You should take your friend's advice, Lorenzo," I said.

"It's okay, guys," Lorenzo said. "He's bluffing."

"I'm not bluffing," I assured him.

"Okay." Lorenzo stood up. "Go ahead. Shoot me."

"Have it your way." I pulled the trigger, but nothing happened.

Lorenzo shot at me. The bullet hit the gun, causing the gun to fly out of my paw.

"Yeah. That gun was never loaded," Lorenzo told me. He aimed the gun at me again.

I used my power to destroy the gun.

"Woah!" he shouted, jumping back.

"Just because I don't have a gun, doesn't mean I can't hurt you," I said. "Now, I would like my phone and keys back, and whatever else you stole."

"Who are you?" he asked. "Are you a Russian?"

"No. I'm Italian."

"Then we're on the same side."

"No. I'm a cop. You're a mobster. We're on opposite sides."

"So you really are a cop?" one of the mobsters said. He looked at his buddy and they both whipped out their guns and started shooting at me. I ducked behind a couch and pushed it into them. I then jumped over the couch, grabbed one of the guns, destroyed the other, and shot both of the guys.

I aimed the gun at Lorenzo. "Are you gonna give me my stuff, or do I need to get it myself?"

He put his paws up in surrender.

"That's what I thought."

"You can't be a cop. You must be CIA or something," he said.

"What makes you think that?"

"You're not wearing a uniform, you have a really powerful power, you're obviously skilled in combat, and you had no problem killing those guys."

"Let's just say, I'm a guy who wants his things back," I said.

"Alright, bro. I got you. Just don't shoot me, okay?" Lorenzo grabbed my phone and keys off the table and tossed them to me.

"Did you steal anything else?" I asked.

"Besides the gun, no."

"You didn't steal any money?"

"Alright. I took a wallet."

"Where is it?"

He reached into a bag and pulled out my wallet.

"Toss it to me."

He did as I ordered. "Are you gonna let me go now?"

"What do you think?" I shot him in the chest and went back up the stairs.