Marty

The Elevator

2 days later we had it all. The jumpsuits, the guns, the explosive device, and a getaway vehicle. As we were getting ready at Alfonso's apartment, Stella went over the plan one more time, but mentioned something else.

"Okay, so one of you will be on the basement floor working on the shaft. The other will be on the factory floor and will be in charge of setting off the explosive device in the elevator. Now I wanna change up a little something. You 2 rendezvous down in the basement floor and take all the Yakuza Gang Members out and try and find their cash. Should be in a small vault or something. Interrogate if you have to."
I sighed. "I don't know Stella. That seems a little risky doesn't it?"
"Kid, you gotta take risks in life. Otherwise, it wouldn't be fun"
I thought for a moment about that statement and nodded.

So now I know how me and Alfonso were getting paid. We not only cripple their production and kill some of their members, but we also steal their dough. God. This adrenaline is coursing through my blood and it feels...fucking amazing! My first big score.

As soon as we were ready, Alfonso put the Shotgun and Thompson's in the floorboard of the back seat of the van. We kept our pistols with us in the back of our pants. We were in the elevator repair jumpsuits and we had berets on. The shadow that formed over Alfonso's face in the light had brought out the mauve scar on his cheek more. It looked like someone just took a knife and cut down it from the top of his right cheek and made a slash all the way down to the middle of his cheekbone.

I didn't dare ask him about it. When we got in the van and Stella, who had been wearing a short and tight red dress, put a small .38 Snub-Nosed Revolver into her handbag. "I'll be at the club on Fleming Boulevard. Meet me there when this is done" she said to Alfonso. He gave her a kiss and replied "You got it babe". After this, he drove off and turned the radio on and we listened to a disc jockey talk to his viewers.

"Hey there all you loyal listeners! This is your host, Johnny Broker, for WFBY Radio. Your #1 source for the hottest hits of today! Coming up next, we got some Nat King Cole for you with "Too Young". One of my personal favorites as of late.".

Fuck. And I thought my voice was annoying. Alfonso had looked in the backseat again and looked at me and said "Remember to get your toolbox out of the trunk. There's one for you and one for me. Mine has the explosive in it". I nodded and said "You got it". As we were coming up on the bridge to across the river, I looked up and saw storm clouds forming over the evening sky.

Soon it started to rain. I could still hear those heavy rain drops like little pebbles beating against the van. 5 minutes later, we were approaching the factory gate. Alfonso stopped outside of it and waited until a guard came to the window and tapped on it.

"You my 7:30?"
"You betcha."
"Need some identification sir."
Alfonso pulled out a small card and handed it to him. He looked at it and handed it back to him and let him through the gate.

After this, he parked the van and pointed to an entrance. "We head through there and ask the secretary where the elevator is. It's all improv from there. Got it?"
"Got it" I replied.

We got out the car carrying our toolboxes and hurried to the door. We went in and saw a secretary sitting at her desk in the corner of the room and I approached her.

"'Scuse me miss?"
"Can I help ya?"
"We're here to repair the elevator."
"Alright. Through those double doors and follow the sidewalk to it. If you need down to the second floor, tell them I sent you and you're
repairing the elevator."
"Thank you miss."

Alfonso and I walked through the double doors and found the factory. About 50 people were working with machinery all wearing blue shirts with the sleeves rolled up and with their names sewn in the left upper side of the chest. I looked at the dark green clothing Alfonso and I were wearing and saw my name sewn into the left upper chest into mine and Alfonso's on his. Looks like playing dress up is even more fun when you have a gun with you. So we found the elevator after following the path around the playground of machinery.

Alfonso looked at me and tossed me some measuring tape.

"Take this. Head down the stairs and find the other door for the elevator. When you find it, act natural. Give each side of the elevator 3 loud taps with the hammer when you're ready. After this, close the doors and step back. When you hear the explosion, take as many members out as you can and take cover away from the shaft."
"What are you gonna do?"
"I'm setting off the C4 and locking the big door behind me when I get down to the second floor. After that, I'll put another set of the C4 in the middle of the place and that's when we run."
"Okay. Let's do it"
"Wait"
I stopped before heading to the big heavy sliding door diagonal of the elevator. Alfonso looked at me.
"Be careful Marty"
I gave him a nod and a smirk.
"You got it cat"

I slid the heavy door to the right, stepped in and slid it back shut. As soon as I was in, I headed down the stairs that led to the basement and went in. An Asian man in a suit stopped me speaking in Japanese. I stopped and showed him my toolbox.

"I'm here to fix the elevator sir"
Another Asian man came over who was wearing a factory uniform. "Over there. Get to it. We're on a tight schedule"

I went over to the elevator door and looked to my left. There was 4 other factory workers down here packing boxes. I couldn't see what they were packing, but the room was very small compared to the top floor. It was only lit by a couple dangling bulbs above them. I went over to the door and took some measurements with the measuring tape.

The others were talking loudly. Speaking in Japanese. I couldn't understand a lick of it, but I knew they were not happy at all. After the measurements were taken, I pried open the doors and looked up at the cold empty shaft. I looked up and saw the elevator stopped at the top.

I looked back at the other workers and saw them as they were packing more boxes and the Yakuza Members had been giving them commands. There were 8 of them. I turned to the elevator and tapped each side 3 times with the hammer. Those taps tapped loudly and I stood back. I waited for about 10 seconds and heard a loud kaboom.

Hell just broke loose.