CRYPTO: Infidelity (Book 1)

CHAPTER 17: SOUTH

I took the car I had borrowed back to the parking lot, but I saw a cop car waiting there so I abandoned the car a little further away and took a taxi back to my car. I had a parking ticket waiting for me on my windshield so I paid $65 over the phone with my credit card. I wasn't having a very good day.

I drove out of the city just so I could sleep in my car in peace. I called Neil just to make sure he and Adi were okay but didn't tell them about what had happened. I didn't want to admit I was a cold-blooded murderer. They already knew I had killed before, but not like this. I couldn't justify killing them. I knew I should've turned them in once I got the gun, but even so, I didn't feel remorse for what I had done. They were criminals who worked for the mob.

It suddenly hit me. What made me any different from them? We were both criminals working for the mob. Did that mean we were both evil? I wasn't sure, but did it even matter anymore? Was there such thing as evil without God, or were right and wrong just preferences? If I got to make the rules, what I did was right. I got rid of three guys who were doing harm to society. For all I knew, the justice system in New York City was just as corrupt as Las Vegas. Those guys probably would've gotten off scot-free.

In the morning, I headed out onto the highway. I didn't know where I was going, I just knew I needed to get far away from any city. All the major cities were infested with criminals. I decided I would move to the country, but I would go south. The north was a little too cold for my taste.

After a couple of days of driving, I arrived in Texas. In town, there was a church on every corner so I kept driving, but all I saw were more churches. Why were there so many?

My phone started ringing. The caller ID said it was from Uncle Blade.

I picked up. "If you're in trouble, I don't want to hear it."

"Don't worry. You're uncle's not in any danger."

The voice was familiar, but it wasn't Uncle Blade.

"Who is this?" I asked.

"It's your old friend, Rockie. Don't you remember me? The boss isn't happy about you breaking your promise. You have 48 hours to get your tail back here before we go after your friends."

"I don't have any friends."

"Your yearbook begs to differ. We even know what universities they're going to."

"You better not hurt them."

"I'm not gonna hurt them. That's someone else's job, and they won't have to if you get here in time."

"How did you get my uncle's phone?"

"He let me borrow it. Don't worry about your uncle. He's on our side. We don't hurt those who are on our side. So are you coming or not? I have to tell the boss your answer."

"I'm coming, but he shouldn't be happy about that. I'm coming for him. Tell him to watch his back." I hung up.

A van pulled out in front of me unexpectedly. I honked my horn, but then I read their bumper sticker. It said, 'Honk if you love Jesus'.