CRYPTO: Infidelity (Book 1)

CHAPTER 18: ASSASSIN

As I crossed from Arizona to Nevada, I saw a giant billboard that said, 'Are you going to heaven?'. I had never noticed that sign before. Later, I passed a graveyard. I wondered if God was trying to tell me something. Was I about to die or was He just trying to scare me? I told myself I was being ridiculous. God wasn't real.

I arrived in Las Vegas at dusk and drove to the courtroom and waited in my car out of the street light. It was about time somebody did something about the corruption problem. My gun was loaded and ready.

When I saw Spiney come out of the building, I started up my car for a quick getaway and rolled my window down. I shot three times, but he didn't go down. I shot a fourth time, but the bullet seemed to bounce right off his scales. It freaked me out. I tried to speed out of the parking lot but crashed into a black car. I wasn't wearing a seatbelt so I flew into the windshield.

Two other cars pulled up next to my car and some masked strangers hopped out. I tried to grab my gun, but it had fallen onto the floor when I crashed and I didn't have time to bend down and get it.

I was grabbed and forced out of my car and into another as a bag was pulled over my head.

"Did ya miss us?" said a voice. It must have been Rockie.

I tried to fight even though I was blind. I clawed at whoever and whatever I could.

"Hold him still and tie him up!"

"Ow! I'm trying!"

"Grab his legs! Help him out!"

"It's hard to reach from here."

"I got him! I got him!"

My front legs were tied together. I stood up and tried to move, but something around my throat choked me. I turned around and tried to back out of it as I shook my head.

"Don't let him get free!"

"Stop or I'll shoot!"

"If you were going to shoot me, you would've done it already," I said as I continued to pull against my restraints.

Something sharp sliced deep into my shoulder and I yelped.

"That oughta teach ya!"

"What did you do to him?"

"It's just a scratch. Relax."

"Duke, you idiot! Now he's gonna get blood in my car!"

"Hey! Eyes on the road!" Rockie said.

"You better clean that up," the driver said.

"How about we just trade vehicles?" Duke suggested.

"Not a chance."

I finally slipped free of the rope around my neck and the bag came off with it. The same four mobsters I had encountered at my house were in the car with me. Beside me was Duke, the Doberman who had used the frying pan as a shield. On my other side was a mobster I didn't know the name of. He was the jaguar who had held my uncle hostage with a gun. Rockie was in the passenger seat and Cam was the driver.

With my paws still tied together, I reached over Duke to get to the lock on the door. Duke bit down on my front legs so I bit him back.

"Don't let him get your gun!" Rockie said.

I hadn't even noticed the gun until he said that. I let go of Duke and grabbed the gun with my teeth, but he held on tight with his paw and bit down harder on my legs.

The jaguar beside me bit onto my neck and shoved me to the floor, causing Duke to let go of my legs and me to let go of the gun.

Duke cocked his gun and pointed it at my head.

"Do it," I dared him.

The jaguar hit me in the head with something and I blacked out.