Taste of Iron

Thirty Four: Every Bad Boy Has An Origin Story

Thirty Four: Every Bad Boy Has An Origin Story

"Yeah. It's true."

"Oh," Atlas didn't know what else to say.

Emil just confirmed what Stefan had told him but Atlas was certain that there had to be more to the story. It did not make sense. Atlas was a decent judge of character. Atlas knew that Emil was a good person.

"How does that make you feel?"

"Like you're not telling me the entire truth," Atlas stated. He had to be the stupidest person alive to have so much blind faith in a man he knew was a criminal, but he was simply following his gut. "I don't believe you could do something like this."

"Yeah?" Emil asked, a hint of a sad smile on his lips. Atlas nodded with determination. He was sure. "Stefan was right. I did get fired for being corrupt."

"But?"

"But that wasn't what happened," Emil added, and Atlas felt a huge sense of relief wash over him.

"What really happened, then?"

"It's a long story," Emil muttered.

"I want to know," Atlas spoke. Emil hadn't taken his eyes off him for a single moment. He pressed his lips in a thin line, before finally nodding.

"My mamá immigrated here from Puerto Rico when she was very young," Emil began. "She got a job working as a babysitter for this police offer. They had an affair and I was born. He fired her when she was barely making ends meet. Threatened her not to tell anybody. He didn't want to ruin his perfect image and his perfect family.

"So she raised me. Alone. She was great, you know? She didn't keep a thing from me. She was honest about everything. But I was... I was a difficult son. All I was desperate for was the approval of a father who never wanted me in the first place. By the time I grew up he had already been promoted to Captain and then left the force to be a politician. So I thought... I thought if I followed in his footsteps then maybe... just maybe he would accept me."

"Oh, Emil..."

"So I became a cop," Emil paused. "I did everything by the book. And I mean every single thing. Then a few years ago... mamá... she got caught in the crossfire of two gangs. Nobody took her to the hospital. She bled out... all fucking alone on the side of the road."

"I'm so sorry," Atlas whispered, walking next to the man to hold his hand.

"Everyone knew who was responsible. I wanted nothing but to see those fuckers behind bars and I made it my personal mission." Emil let out a bitter chuckle. "Little did I know they had half the force on their payroll. Including the Captain. There was so much proof against them but what could I do when they were being protected by the very people that swore to fight crime?"

"I went to my father. I begged him. He's a man of power and I went on my fucking knees asking for help. But he kicked me out," Emil's voice broke as he continued. "My partner... Lance was a great guy, you know? He was by my side every step of the way. We were still blind fucking idiots to believe that we could get justice."

"What happened then?" Atlas urged when Emil stopped speaking.

"We got a call about a drug deal in some random warehouse. It was supposed to be a small matter so they sent only the two of us," Emil closed his eyes. "It was an ambush. We were outnumbered. Both of us were shot. I survived but..."

"Lance didn't," Atlas finished. Emil nodded, his eyes beginning to water as he recalled that night.

"I wake up in the hospital, a miracle that I even lived and the next thing I know is I'm getting fired. There's a member of the gang involved, apparently the only one they ever caught, saying that they sent Lance and I money every month to keep out of their business and let them know of possible raids," Emil scoffed. "They not only disgraced me but Lance too. Who wasn't even fucking alive to defend himself."