Love Hurts

Twelve

Big Warning: This chapter is a very violent chapter. It talking about murder and characters are killed.

                   Hoss,

"Hey Jeremiah, how did your date with Kim, Camilla's friend, go?" I ask.
"It went great!" Jeremiah says, smiling.
"What are you two gossiping about over there?" Barry asks, coming up behind us.
"Aww, someone's a little jealous," I tease Barry.
Barry provokes me by making an offensive gesture. In response, I taunt him by suggesting that he lacks satisfaction in his personal life. I recommend that he discuss his issues with Olivia. This remark angers Barry, and he attempts to restrain me in a headlock. However, I am able to evade his grasp due to my agility. Mocking his slow reaction, I taunt him further by jumping around. Barry, determined to prove himself, reaches out to grab me once more.
        We were all gathered, laughing, when Lieutenant Kelley abruptly emerged from his office and called out my name.
"Rene Moore, in my office now."
  Jeremiah, curious about the situation, asks, "Oh, shit brother, what have you done to piss that man off?"
  "Fuck if I know," I reply, making my way towards Lieutenant Kelley's office. I knock on the door, and he immediately yells for me to come in and shut the door. Once inside, he instructs me to take a seat.
  I can't help but wonder what I've done to end up on his bad side.
  I sit down in a chair across from his desk and ask, "What's up, Lieutenant?"
  He looks at me sternly and says, "I have a case for you."          
  Sure, here's a rewritten version:
  The case I'm working on is related to a drug investigation. It will be taking place out of state, specifically in Georgia. Initially, it is expected to last for about a month, but there is a possibility that it could extend to a year.
I'm feeling concerned about how to break the news to Camilla that I'll be leaving for Georgia soon. I decide to ask Lieutenant Kelley when I'll be leaving, and he informs me that it will be in the morning.
I react with surprise, realizing that the departure is happening sooner than I anticipated. However, I assure Lieutenant Kelley that it won't be a problem for me to leave for Georgia.
That is not true at all. I am currently in a wonderful relationship with a beautiful woman, and I have no intention of leaving her. I'm not sure why these thoughts are suddenly popping up. Barry asked me about something as I was leaving Lieutenant Kelley's office. I have been assigned to a project in Georgia, and I will be leaving tomorrow. It could take weeks, months, or even a year to complete. In the past, I would have been excited about this opportunity, but now I find myself looking forward to spending every evening at Camilla's house. I realize that my previous comment was insensitive. I have no idea how to break the news to Camilla. She has just started to open up and feel comfortable around me, and now I have to leave for an unknown amount of time.
Berry slaps me on the back and says, "I understand how you feel, man. That's not a conversation I would want to have with my wife either."
"I apologize, bro. I informed the Lieutenant that I wanted you to come with me," I say.
"What the hell are you talking about! You better go back in there and tell him that you've changed your mind. That you made a mistake," Berry angrily responds.
I can no longer contain my laughter and it bursts out of me like bubbles.
"You fucker," Barry says, playfully punching my arm.
      "Yeah, I admit that was a bit inappropriate, but I specifically requested to have Mr. Spaghetti with me," I reply to Barry with a smile.
The following afternoon, I find myself sitting at my new desk, unsure of how much time has passed. I'm going through the file of the despicable individual I'm determined to bring down. I can't wait to see justice served to this sick bastard who has caused the deaths of countless young children with his drugs. Not to mention the innocent families he has ruthlessly taken from this world. However, amidst all this, I can't seem to get my girl out of my mind. Last night, when I told her that I had to leave for Georgia on a case, she was devastated. But she showed me such intense love and passion until the early hours of the morning. It's incredible how I managed to wake up so early and make my way to the airport for Georgia.
I will send her a text tonight to let her know that I arrived and that I miss her. God, I sound like a pussy whipped bitch already. But I don't care at all.
*Ping*
I smile the moment I see Camilla's name on the text. She must be thinking of me as much as I'm thinking of her.
Camilla: Hello handsome, I was just checking in with you to see if you made it to Georgia safely, and to tell you how much I miss you.
Me: Hello back at you, beautiful. Yes, I made it to Georgia. I apologize for not texting you yet. I was busy getting settled in and going through paperwork. I miss you even more.
Camilla: It's okay, I understand that work is more important than the girl back home.
Me: Oh, you have jokes.
Camilla: I thought it was funny.
We continued texting for a few more minutes before I had to meet my new team. During our conversation, Mr. Spaghetti became the center of attention. Micky Douglas, a fifty-year-old man with long black hair and a skull with fire tattooed on his left shoulder, is responsible for the deaths of countless children due to the drugs he distributes. He has also caused immense harm to innocent families in his pursuit of drug money. It is imperative that we take action and bring him to justice as soon as possible.
"So, here's the plan. We'll divide ourselves into teams. Two of you will be on the streets, two will be in a van on constant lookout, and two will go undercover to gain the trust of the dealers. Once we have their trust, we'll try to arrange a meeting with Micky. When he shows up, we'll arrest him." Lieutenant Andrews tells us.
"Kasey asks who will be the two officers going undercover. The boss replies that Kasey and Officer Moore will be the ones going undercover. Shorty and Officer Flueger will be on the streets, while Officer Burges and Officer Bush will be in charge of van surveillance."
I ask about my partner, Mr. Spaghetti.
"Oh yes, the famous Mr. Spaghetti. Are you okay with Shorty and Flueger buying drugs on the streets?" I ask Mr. Spaghetti.
Mr. Spaghetti sits down, pokes his chest out, and extends his paw for Shorty to shake. Everyone bursts into laughter.
"Well, I guess that's a yes," I say.
⃰ Woof! ⃰
"Alright everyone, let's head home and get a good night's sleep. We'll meet back here at five in the morning," Lieutenant Andrews instructs us. As I'm about to leave, Officer Kasey stops me.
"Hey, do you want to grab some food and maybe a beer? We can go over our strategies for the case," he suggests.
I want to go to my motel and call my girlfriend, but I decide not to mention that.
"Sure, lead the way," I agree.
Once at the bar called Hot Spot, we found a table and ordered our food along with a few beers. Curious about the person we were discussing, I asked Kasey, "What do you know about this creep?" Kasey replied, "According to Lieutenant Andrews, he has been responsible for the deaths of many children. His goons sell drugs to school kids, and he is targeting innocent families because someone owed him money and drugs."
I just want this person either in jail or dead, preferably the latter. I have a feeling that there is more to this story than what we've been told, but I'll keep that to myself for now. I don't want to bring up old wounds before our meeting with this person's associates tomorrow.
The next morning, we all gather at the coffee shop to discuss our strategy. "Alright, Mr. Spaghetti, make me proud," I say as his team walks out the door.
"Hey, are you going to talk to your dog all day?" Kasey asks. "Can we get some work done?"
"Seems like everyone's a comedian this morning," I tell Mr. Spaghetti, rolling my eyes. "Let's go, Kasey."
*ping⃰*
Kasey playfully slaps me on the back of my neck, signaling that we're ready to go.
"Good," I reply, "the sooner we get in, the sooner we can apprehend this criminal and I can go home to my girlfriend."
Kasey raises an eyebrow. "I didn't peg you for the wife and kids type," he remarks.
I shrug. "Why not?"
He smirks. "I don't know. You're more of a pretty boy."
I chuckle. "Aww, you think I'm pretty!"
Kasey hits me on the arm and tells me not to be a jerk. But I think it's actually Kasey who is being judgmental.
   Yeah, you're right, man. I'm sorry.
So, we're planning to meet Shorty and Flueger at a bar on the other side of town, along with Micky's associates, Joe and Bo. After half an hour, we're all sitting in the bar, including Shorty, Flueger, Joe, and Bo. It's difficult for me to hide my surprise when I realize how young these boys are - they can't be older than sixteen. I wonder how this guy manages to manipulate these kids into doing his dirty work.
I decide to talk to the boss about our meeting. He agrees to meet with you tomorrow, but warns that if he suspects any betrayal, he won't hesitate to shoot both of us in the head. Joe, or is it Bo, says this.
I ask the boys what time he would like to meet up tomorrow. They tell me that he wants to meet us tomorrow night around eight. Once we are out of earshot of dumb and dumber, I ask Kasey how he wants to approach the situation tomorrow. He suggests that we try to gain the guy's trust so he will show us where his drug house is, allowing us to catch him. In the meantime, Kasey suggests that we grab a bite to eat and have a couple of beers.
"It has been months, and we still haven't been able to gain this guy's trust enough for him to reveal the location of his stash house. We need to come up with a new strategy or else we're going to lose him," one of the team members expresses their concern.
The other team member disagrees, saying, "What are you talking about? We have him completely under our control. All we need to do is prove to him that we are the real deal, and he will let us in," Kasey confidently states while taking a sip of his beer.
  "And how do you expect us to do that, Kasey? Kill someone in cold blood or give drugs to kids?" I exclaimed.
"Wow, man, chill out," Kasey responded. "I know you're tired, and so am I, but we almost have him trusting us."
"Besides, man, you knew it could be a long journey," Kasey continued.
"I know, man. The guy is just pissing me off. I want to bring this guy down," I said angrily. "We've lost two more kids to his damn drugs, and there's nothing we can do about it right now."
"I know, buddy, but you're going to have to be a little more patient," Kasey said. "He wants us to meet him tonight in one of his warehouses."
"Well, that's a change. He never asks us to meet at his warehouses," I remarked.
"I'm going to step out for a bit," I told the guys.
Kasey asks if I'm going to call my lady back home. I respond sarcastically, asking why it matters to him. He tries to provoke me by suggesting that I'm jealous because I don't have a girl. I confidently reply that I have more than one woman and there's no jealousy here. As I walk away, I keep my head down and laugh, unaware of what's about to happen.
Suddenly, someone hits me on the head with a blunt object. I stumble to the side, my vision becomes blurry, and I start losing consciousness rapidly. In that moment, all I can think about is Camilla. I regret not being able to see her before leaving for Georgia. All I want is to call her and express how much I love her.
I'm filled with a mix of emotions as I realize that I may never see her beautiful face again. My mind is racing as I try to make sense of my surroundings. I find myself in the back of a van, although it's difficult to see clearly in the darkness and my vision is still blurry. The pounding in my head only adds to the confusion.
Suddenly, I hear a moaning sound coming from beside me. It's the voice of another man. Concerned, I reach out and ask if he's okay. The response I receive is filled with pain and uncertainty.
"It doesn't seem like it," the voice lying beside me replies.
And then it hits me. The voice belongs to Kasey, someone I know well. Panic sets in as I try to comprehend what is happening.
"What the hell is going on, man?" I demand, desperate for answers.
"Damn, I have no idea what happened. I went outside to check on you because you were taking forever, and out of nowhere, someone smacked me on the back of my head with something really solid," Kasey explains.
"Yeah, same here," I respond. "Do you think they've discovered our identities?" I ask him.
   "It wouldn't surprise me, Hoss. He's got eyes everywhere. His goons raped and murdered my little sister. I hope it's him so I can finally kill that bastard," Kasey yells.
  "I'm really sorry about your sister, but we need to stay focused and find a way out of here," I tell him.
   "The chances of us getting out of here alive right now are slim to none," Kasey tells me.
   We come to a stop, and I try to lift my head, but it feels incredibly heavy.
  "Damn, that hurts," I groan.
The back doors of the van swing open, revealing two armed men holding AK-47s on the other side. Our plan to kick our way out of here is now out of the question. One of the men yells, "Ubiraysya," and I instantly know we're in trouble. These guys are Russian. Kasey whispers,    "What the fuck did he say?" I reply in a whisper, "He said get the fuck out."
"Seychas!"
"Alright, we're on our way," I say, raising my hands and shuffling on my back towards the back of the van. The pain in my head is unbearable, but I manage to reach the back without losing consciousness. As we arrive at the back of the van, I see that there are additional men standing there. This is definitely not a good situation.
I test my voice, calling out, "Kasey, are you here?" But there is no response. As my vision gradually returns, I realize there is a window on the opposite side of the wall. It's nighttime outside, but there is a nightlight illuminating the area enough for me to see. And that's when I immediately understand why my partner didn't answer. He has been shot in the head. "Damn it!" I exclaim in frustration.
"I must find a solution to escape this situation before I become the next victim. I quickly survey my surroundings, desperately searching for any object that could help me cut the ropes and set myself free. My eyes land on a rusted pipe, and I realize that if I can move my hands back and forth with enough force, I might be able to break it. With determination, I begin moving my hands vigorously for what feels like an eternity, around 10 to 15 minutes. Just as I start to lose hope, I hear the sound of a door opening from above and the echoing footsteps of someone descending the stairs. A voice breaks the silence, 'So, you're finally awake, huh buddy?'"
I apologize for the behavior of your partner. He was continuously talking about his intention to harm us all. However, I believe I can make use of you as a bargaining chip. The police have allowed me to leave town in exchange for keeping you alive. Unfortunately, this plan won't work because the police are not familiar with me, and even if they were, they wouldn't let someone like Micky escape without consequences. I have some phone calls to make now, so enjoy your temporary peace," Micky says, slapping me on the back, causing a sharp pain to shoot up my spine.
Once Micky leaves, I immediately resume working on my rope. Finally, my hands drop to my sides. I try to get up off my knees, but I find myself unable to move. Frustrated, I lay down on my back to gather my thoughts.
"Come on," I tell myself. "You need to pull yourself together, or you'll end up like Kasey and never see Camilla again."
Camilla, my beautiful angel. Going home to her is essential. I have to ask her to marry me. I can't imagine my life without her, and I don't want to anymore.

@Crystal Steadman