Shadows over Lost Heaven

An Offer You Can't Refuse

(1930)

It was a dark, calm night. No wind and the temperature was warm. A cab stood on the street, and a young man was leaning against its side door, smoking.

"I'd mostly drive nights because the money was better. It was at the end of those shifts when I first met Baz and Lewis..."

Several cars rush through the night city. Two men, a black-haired and a redhead duo, were speeding in one of them, trying to get away from the pursuers. The wheels steered to the side, as another car rammed against them. "Ah, shit!" Cursed the redhead. "Son of a bitch!" Joined in the black-haired. "Watch out!"

A loud crash was heard as their car collided with the edge of the stone curb and, breaking through the stone, fell to the level below. They quickly untangled themselves. The black-haired man pulled the shorter man with him, "Get up, Baz! There's a taxi here! We'll be okay!"

They ran from behind the building to the main street where Ryan was waiting. The mentioned boy jumped back, raising his arms above his head at the same time the man pointed the barrel of his gun at it. "Move it! Come on!"

Ryan threw away the cigarette, opened the back door to his car, and climbed into the driver's seat, starting the car. The taller man helped the redhead into the back seat and he himself called shotgun. The blond man looked at them in the rearview mirror, "Where to?"

"Anywhere. Fast!"

And with a gun still pointed at him, digging into his side, Ryan pulled the car onto the road. The tall man glared at him, "I got a gun pointed at you! They catch up, we're dead: but you don't get to walk away!"

"I don't want any trouble!"

"Those just started for you! Drive!"

Ryan nodded and continued, quickly speeding away from the cars, bullets shooting after him. His heart was thumping so loud that it nearly deafened him. The adrenaline helped him loop between the cars as they drove.

The man, that the dark-haired guy called Baz, signed, leaning back and hissing as the blood poured from his wounded leg. "How the hell did they know we'd be there?" He grumbled, closing his eyes. The other one frowned. "It doesn't matter now! We just have to lose them!"

Baz looked back, seeing the other cars. "Lewis, how many of them we got following?" The black-haired guy, Lewis, looked into the side mirror, humming, "One for now, but there'll be more."

Ryan followed their gaze, finding himself face-to-face with a guy with a gun. He noticed that a construction was nearby. "Hold tight, I'm going to try something."

The car jumped and screeched as it drove through the wooden roadblocks and into the construction materials, still the group held strong, maneuvering through it skillfully and losing the car as it crashed behind them. "Shit!" Baz gasped, pain shooting into his leg.

Ryan took a deep breath, mentally patting himself on the shoulder. "Who were those guys?"

Lewis gave him a side eye, he was probably not the most trusting person. "You don't get to ask questions. We need to get over the river! Take the Guiliani Bridge."

"Okay."

Lewis's eyes softened as he looked at the backseat, "Your leg okay up there?"

"Hurts like hell."

"When we're back, I'll wake up the doctor."

"I don't know, might be okay."

"He's going to learn about it anyway." Lewis turned his attention back to the driver, his eyes growing cold, "Hey, I see you listening, cabbie. You don't get to listen either!"