Inside a warehouse: moonlit light revealed the dusty concrete floor along different-sized scattered cracked crates stacked against the bleached blue degrading walls. Two jet black-suited men are looking at one another, one of them, James, looks like he is in his mid-50s with his slick white hair and a full beard of the same color, being nicely fitted with slim black sunglasses. He pointed a gun at the other man, Rick, who was in his late 20s with long brown disheveled hair that fit with his bushy goatee, fitted with cracked sunglasses.
“Sorry for hitting you.” James apologized, pointing his gun away from Rick, who crouched and took deep breaths before exhaling in short bursts.
“Listen, Rick, you may not know my situation but it has come to a point of me being here thinking about whether or not to shoot you. I mean it's not what I want to do, you understand right?”
Rick's fist swung at James. James sidestepped it, he swung an uppercut with his gun that caught Rick’s chin, Rick staggered to his knees and cursed.
Rick groaned and spat a mouthful of blood at James, who pointed his gun at him, two of them remained like this, and James’ eyes narrowed at him.
Rick with a frown shouted. “I cannot believe you guys would stoop so low. Drugs I dig at that at any time– I would even willingly move some for you out of good time but this. James for love of a non-death sentence, why would you of all things be moving a literal child.”
James flicked his wrist. Bang! Rick dived away, upon checking himself he saw a bullet hole far way on the ground from him, he stood up, pointing a finger at James who rolled his eyes in response.
“Rick, I don't want to shoot you. I don't want to do anything to you right now, just answer my question. Where is she?”
“The cargos I helped you with, how many people did you have inside? Like bro, that's not how people are trafficked.” Rick said. James’ face twitched
“I get how this looks, as freaked out as you are, it was M’s way and it was a cheaper way… kinda, look I don't want to talk about this, can we focus on the important subject.” Rick’s eyes widened after James talked.
“Are you serious? Do you know how I felt when I heard one of the crates banging, then as I checked I saw a girl, shackled like some kind of animal.” Rick said with his tone increasing with each word to which James rolled his eyes in response, pointing his gun elsewhere before looking around and shouting. “Can you come out now? I like all of us to be present in this situation.”
Jimmy– a bald man looking to be in his 60s, swaggers out from behind a bunch of stacked crates dressed in all-black clothing: a thick sweater protruded by his beer belly, baggy joggers, and dusty leather shoes.
Rick’s breathing got heavier upon seeing him, taking a step back to which Jimmy cringed and pulled out a gun. Rick cursed, staring at Jimmy with a sweaty face.
Jimmy explained. “Rick, we are three fully grown adults. And as adults, I believe we should calm ourselves down and solve this issue with maturity. You see Rick, James and I worked a lot to get into this profitable business along with others of course. To be honest with you, it haunts you for some days but it's like a virgin. It hurts the first time, the second time it still hurts but it's easy to tolerate, and then the third and fourth times you feel blissful. Anyways, listen to me well Rick. I don't care why, I don't want to know how all I care about is where she is. You see James over here, he won't shoot you out of bond and whatever but you know me. I will not hesitate, don't also try to lie. You know me well so I shouldn't be saying this. I will ask in the kindest way I can muster which is if you try that stuff you were doing to James. I will shoot you, you know me. Now, where is she? If you give me useless information, I will have to hurt you, Rick. So now, from the bottom of my heart. Please, where is she?”
Rick coughed out some blood, and James handed him a napkin. “Rick, come on, we are having a rough day like you so please be honest with us.” James begged, Rick wiped his mouth with the napkin while staring at Jimmy.
“Okay, I discovered her, took her to a hotel I was staying at to give her clothes… I somehow evaded questioning, gave her some food, or rather she took it, and I called you guys to understand the situation. She ran away. That's what happened, you can shoot me man but I just told you the truth.” Rick answered to which Jimmy gave a sluggish laughter while focusing on him.
As James wanted to speak, Jimmy pulled the trigger. Rick screamed, slumping to the ground, while he clutched his now bleeding right knee. James jumped back and pointed his gun at a still-laughing Jimmy.
“What’s your problem?” James asked Jimmy who stopped laughing and shrugged in response, while Rick was cradling and wailing on the ground.
“Did you hear what this idiot said? Like, the plot holes in that story are insane, come on you know that deserved a bullet.” Jimmy answered James, who removed his blazer to tie around the bloody knee of a groaning Rick.
“Well now, we have to get him to a hospital,” James exclaimed, tightening the knot he made while Rick was spitting out curses at Jimmy.
“Hospital? We are not taking anyone to any hospital in the state we are in.” Jimmy responded, Rick threw the bloody napkin at him which he dodged.
James glared at Jimmy. “Then why did you shoot him? For God's sake, did you think about this at all?” James asked, Jimmy rolled his eyes and pointed his gun at Rick
“Better talk to him to speak,” Jimmy advised James, who looked at a sweaty and gasping Rick.
“Please. This is not a tale where you help a young girl whom I am sure isn't her first time in something like this. In case you don't know, I just recently called my better half, her name is unneeded, she should carry our little angel and go to stay somewhere as the house is not safe. Pretty sure I have a lot of explanations to do, and each idea of explaining this stuff leads to divorce. Straight to it, no counselor, no give it time. Divorced just like that.” James exclaimed, his hands trembling. “So please, outside is insane as we have multiple guys in uniforms probably looking for us. Rick, please.” James pleaded, hands now stiff. The sound of vehicles was the only thing being heard. The three of them were motionless.
A ringtone interrupted the silence, Jimmy brought out his phone from his pocket and looked at the caller's name, he frowned and answered it.
“First of all, what is going on in the police station?” Jimmy asked.
Jimmy's face twitched for minutes before looking at Rick, who was staring at him.
Jimmy pointed his gun at Rick. James pulled his trigger at Jimmy.
YOU ARE READING
CRIMSON LABYRINTH TALE
Misterio / SuspensoIf Rick had just kept his calm when he found Nancy in a crate and sealed it back, then this non-linear crime thriller of a botched operation leading to a series of events affecting surrounding people, wouldn't have happened. This story is the first...
