CRYPTO: Infidelity (Book 1)

CHAPTER 99: DEPARTURE

I walked down the sidewalk in the neighborhood as the sun rose higher. Everything seemed peaceful despite what had happened that night. I was hoping Birdie would come to her senses and come running after me, but she didn't. For whatever reason, she chose that murderer over me.

But I'm a murderer too. I thought to myself. No. It doesn't count if I killed for the right reasons. I only killed criminals. That's what criminals deserved: death.

But I'm a criminal. I had participated in the mafia's deeds. I even received money from them, lots of money. Do I deserve death too? Maybe I'm not being fair. Just because I'm not a sadistic psychopath doesn't mean I'm a good guy. There are plenty of criminals who chose that life because they were poor or were raised wrong. What excuse do I have?

What does it matter? It's not as if I will have to answer to God for everything I've done. There is no moral authority but my own and according to me, I have a good heart.

Good heart... Is that why I tried to steal Rocky's girlfriend? Is that why I lied to him and pretended to be his friend? I don't care. It doesn't matter. He was the bad guy. He was the sadistic, psychopathic murderer.

So where did the hint of guilt come from?

I wasn't sure what my next plan of action was so I just called a cab to take me to Rockie's house where I had left my car. I picked a direction and drove my car until I was low on gas. I just needed to get out of the city until I had a good plan. At the moment, it seemed that everything was hopeless.

I stayed at a hotel in the next city for a while and thought about just never returning to Las Vegas, but I didn't want to be a coward. The police department may have been made weak, but the mafia was weak as well. There had been many deaths on both sides. It made me wonder how heartless Spiney was to have even his own members die just to get rid of the good cops. It was clear that he saw the 'Family' as replaceable. It boggled my mind that anyone would risk their life for him.

When I got a call on my phone, I ignored it. I didn't want to get sucked back into the mafia so soon, but when I got a call from Birdie, I had to answer.

"Crypto, where are you?" she asked.

"What's it to you?" I asked her.

"Look. I'm sorry," she said, "for everything. Please. Just come back."

"Why? So you can keep playing my heartstrings?"

"I decided to keep it."

"Keep what?"

"The baby."

"I wonder what Rockie will think about that."

"I broke up with Rockie."

"You did?"

"Yes."

"It's about time," I said.

"So will you come back?"

"No. It's too dangerous there."

"But our baby needs a father."

"Our baby?"

"Yes, Crypto. It's ours."

I couldn't help but smile. I was going to be a father. "Okay. Well, I'm not going back to that city, but you can come to me."

"Where are you?"

I gave her the hotel address I was staying at and she hung up.

"Hello?" I asked. I thought maybe she lost connection or hung up by accident. It wasn't like her to hang up without saying goodbye.

The next day as I was leaving the hotel, a dark van pulled up beside me. I immediately knew something was off and I made a run for my car. I got there safely and put my key into the ignition.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," said a voice behind me.

I whipped my head around to see Victor sitting in my car, pointing a gun at my head. I quickly opened my car door and jumped out, only to be grabbed by another guy and shoved into their van in broad daylight.

Inside the van was Birdie with duct tape over her mouth and her paws tied together. She looked terrified. I immediately fought our captor, but he and another guy tied me up with rope.

The van door slid open and Victor climbed in with his gun in paw. "Cool it, Crypto," he said. "We only want to talk."

"You could've done that over the phone," I told him.

"Except you wouldn't answer our calls," he said. "This young lady, however, you answered her call right away. Shows where your loyalty is."

"Just let her go. She didn't do anything wrong," I told him.

"Her crime is the same as yours," Victor said. "You both interfered with the Family's good relationship. Now Rockie wants you dead."

"Yeah. That's why I left," I said. "How was your vacation by the way?"

"Refreshing," he said. "It has really cleared my head and made me remember what's really important in life: Family. Unfortunately, I don't think Rockie will ever forgive you for what you've done, and I don't blame him. Sleeping with his girlfriend right under his nose is a pretty vile thing to do."

"So what are you gonna do? Kill us? You wouldn't kill a pregnant female, would you? That would be worse than what I did."

"We didn't come here to kill you, or her. The Boss sent me to give you a new mission, one that is far from Las Vegas where you will be safe from harm."

"A mission? If that were true, why would you kidnap Birdie?"

"She's your incentive. If you don't go along with this mission, we will kill her and your disgusting hybrid baby."