I was not happy in Puerto Rico. It wasn't the dream of a man going on a holiday. Eating fruits and drinking out of fruits. The tropical dream. Puerto Rico isn't a place to dream. What I did in Puerto Rico was just a continuance of bad things I did in America. Seven years I was relaxed in Puerto Rico from the last incident. Done jobs here and there. The jobs that could only led me to survive not enjoy my life. My badge was on the table of my new ' nice and decent ' apartment. The apartment was located not in special place near the beach. No. It was located in the center of the city. I wasn't grateful but that's all I could manage after the incident. I walked to my balcony. Hoped to see the beach but all I could see was a banner with a guy promoting a well-known underwear. It was broad daylight. The sun shined across the city. Showing its beauty side. Hidden the noir quiet in the night. I sipped the drink of a glassed beer from my hand. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. I answered and saw Pablo. Pablo is a guy with a cliche Spanish name so that makes him either a Mexican or a Spanish. He kept referring to me as ' Gringo '. It is the United States Territory. Why did I have to be a gringo? Oh yeah, because most of the people here speaks Spanish rather than English.
" Gringo! How's my brother? Okay? " said Pablo. Pablo was the one who created all my new identification when we boarded the boat. " I'm great. " said me. He replied, " It's okay dude. This is Puerto Rico! Not all bars want a fresh Caucasian American drinking in their bar. " I replied, " That's kind of racist. " He laughed and replied, " Hahaha... So, today. How about we make some money? " I sat down my sofa and asked, " How? Do the same job? Robbing the rich? The bastards' money? Again? " He pour beer into a glass and said, " Yes. Easy job. Just like before. " I looked at Pablo and said, " After this, I want to earn honest money. " Pablo drank the beer and said, " In this world, there is no way to earn honest money. Salute. " I went to the bathroom and washed my face. Pablo yelled, " Ready yet? " I answered, " Wait. Let me just take my gun. "
In a car in front of a store that sells loans at that time. I saw people kept going in and out of the store. " This store is own by Alexander Kladov. The rich guy who people hates yet kept coming to him for money. First he gives you two weeks. The first week, his men come to your house and ask for Kladov money. No money? They beat the 'meirda' out of you. " said Pablo. I replied, " So, when we do this fucking job. We get the money and hope that Kladov will stop doing this 'honest' job? " Pablo nodded while wearing his mask. The mask of Richard Nixon's face. I wore my mask. The mask of John F. Kennedy's face. We had this voice auto change that made our voice sounded different from the original. I cocked my gun. The gun that was with me the whole time from the last time I was in New York until that moment. I thought of Holstein and John. Most importantly I thought of the drug, The Jinx. Pablo made me came back to reality. He nodded his head. I answered back. We came out of the car and charged straight into the store. Pablo shot his gun in the upwards. I said to the civilians in the store. " Stay down and put your hands behind your back. The same fucking procedure every time you're in a robbery. " The people were chaotic and scared. Crying. Pablo said to the employee, " Put your hands up on the table. Let me see them. Now, put the money and all the stuffs that are worth in these two bags. Now! " The employee quickly put them in the bags. I ran outside to the car. I started the engine. Pablo ran to the car and led me to held the situation inside. I took the bags and ran to the door. Before I exited the place, I said, " Thanks for your cooperation. " Then I hopped into the car. Pablo drove us to the safe house to dispose the car. The same fucking procedure every fucking time. We walked to our own apartment after dividing our 'earnings' in the safe house. I walked to my apartment and I saw my landlord. " Hey Mister Hooligan. " said I. Mr. Hooligan raised his hand to greet me. I shook his hand and gave him a thousand dollars. I said, " Consider two months rent done. " It was a payday for me.
I saw the news at night. " Two masked unknown men robbed a loan store in broad daylight. The two men were fully armed. One man was seen with an automatic rifle and his partner was seen with a handgun. The police officers are trying to do their best to find who robbed the store. " said the news. A police officer was interviewed by the news and said, " We will catch them. This is the 10th time they rob stores and get away with it. We will stop these two unknown men. Stop them from committing anymore crimes. " I drank the beer without any hesitation. Before this I was a man chasing robbers, dealers and murderers. Now I am man who committed robbery. What a fucking turnback. I walked to my bed and jumped. My body fell onto my soft bed. My eyes automatically closing. I slept like a baby that night. I woke up and saw Pablo was right in front of my face. " What the fuck. Pablo, what are you doing here so early? " He replied, " Early?! It is fucking 2 o'clock in the evening! Get up shit face. " I replied, " Pablo, what's with the mood? " Pablo answered, " Kladov knows that we shagged his store. " I was shocked and asked, " What the fuck?! How?! Who?! " Pablo answered, " This rat rented us out yesterday. His name is unknown. I don't know him. Coop, Kladov wants his money back. He wants them double before this midnight. " I replied, " Fuck! How can we get the money back double? How much did you spend last night? " Pablo answered, " I spent a couple of thousand bucks. " I was shocked and asked, " Why? For what? " He answered, " Weapons. I need to be prepare for another job. " I replied, " Fuck O Fuck! Fuck! Damn! How to solve this problem? Wait. We could hit another store today. " Pablo replied, " No. Not today. Too risky. The cops would be catching up on us. " I replied, " There's no other fucking way! I couldn't shit out money out of my ass! I'm not a fucking Yoda! " He replied, " Yes we could but I don't know which store we could hit. " I answered, " I do. "
We were in a car in front of a jewellery store. A blue Sedan just waiting outside the store. Trying to find a window where there was non. Trying to break the unbreakable wall with nothing but our fists. Stupid things to do. " Pablo, we need to be sure. No sloppy things. Get this job done and quick. No funny business. " He agreed by nodding his head. We wore our masks again for the second day. We took out our guns. We ran into the jewellery store. This time, we didn't say anything except shooting our guns upwards and broke the glass containers. We took the jewellery into the bags and all the diamond rings, bracelets. The things that only the rich can wear. Wear with full of ego and proudness pouring into their symbolism of richness and wastefulness. Symbol on ways of spending money on wasteful stuffs. The cops arrived before we could even got out. We were stuck in the store. No way out. I hid behind the counter. The civilians got out of the store. Pablo covered beside me. " Put your guns down and come out with your hands up! " said the cops. The cliche line when facing armed criminals. I looked at the Richard Nixon's face on Pablo and said, " Let's enter hell together. " He nodded. We started shooting towards the cops. I shot one cop in the shoulder. They kept shooting back. Pablo killed a cop by shooting in the head. I knew it was an accident because his actions became numbed for a while. I kept shooting at the cops. I looked at Pablo's reactions. I said to him, " Dude! Live up! You killed a cop! That's it! It's done! He's not coming back! You're not done yet! So swallow it and keep shooting! " I turned around and got shot in the elbow. This is pretty much where I left you guys right? So, let me continue. I couldn't even bend my arm. The pain was like someone's stabbing you in the elbow with a knife every fucking time you try to bend you arm. Pablo gave me a painkiller. I swallowed some of the painkiller. The pain removed for a while. Enough for me to make our great escape. I took a shotgun behind the counter and shot a wall. Creating a hole in the wall. I went through the hole with Pablo. The bags were stucked inside and couldn't get outside. We had to leave them. We ran for a couple of blocks to shake off the cops. I stopped for a while and Pablo wrapped the wound up. It was hurt like a motherfucker. " Can you bend your arm now? " asked Pablo. I tried to bend my arm. It was still hurt but not as much as before that. I tried to walk but the I was ran out of blood. I was too weak to move. We rested behind a trash can. It took me a few minutes to recover. We started walking to a hotel and Pablo checked in a room. I rested on the bed. Pablo took the bullets out and stitched up my arm.
I slept on the bed. I opened up my eyes. Pablo wasn't in the room. Before I fell asleep, he was watching the news. Pablo was nowhere to be found. I stood up and went to the curtains. I tried to look outside yet he was nowhere to be found. I sat on the bed and I looked at the clock. It was 1 a.m. Then I realized, Kladov's money. Suddenly, two men kicked the door down and rushed into the room. I was beaten senseless, then, they bagged my head. I couldn't see nothing. They took me for a ride inside a car. They opened the bag and hit my head. I was unconscious. Later that night, I opened my eyes and saw Pablo was tied up just like me. Tied up like punching bags ready to take a beating. Pablo was unconscious. Guessed they beat him up and knocked him unconscious. These guys like to do that. These kind of fuckers always gave a beating when people are helpless. Big arms with small balls. Fuckers. I looked around the room for a way to break me free. There was non. Two men in suits came towards us. I looked at them straight in the eye. Then, Kladov came into the room with a baseball bat. He hit me in the head with the baseball bat. It was painful plus dizzy. He gave a signal towards his ball-less men to throw water at Pablo. Pablo woke up with a face of a mad man. " Pal. Long night sleep? " I asked. Pablo answered, " The fuckers beat me up real good, Coop. " I chuckled and replied, " Likewise my friend. Likewise. " Kladov held my collar tight and said, " Where the fuck is my money? " I replied, " I don't know. Maybe... In a shit hole or something. " He punched me. Suddenly, a man walked out from the darkness straight at us. He was John Frier. He associated with Kladov. It was all about the drugs. He knew I was here all along. Kladov was aiming for his money and John was aiming for my death. John said, " Well. Well. Brad Cooper. I never thought I could see you here. The last time I saw you, you were sitting on my back while smoking. I was handcuffed and you sat on my back. Now, look how it turned up. You are tied up here and I am smoking in front of you. I could not sit on your back because you are currently in the position of vertical not horizontal. Well, seeing you being tied up is an entertainment for me too. " Then he spoke to Kladov and he left the room while saying, " Glad to me you back Coop. I'll tell Holstein you said hey. " Kladov said, " Yebat! Fuck this shit. I don't have time for this fuck! Hey, pytat' ikh chtoby vyyasnit' gde den'gi! Get the information out! Now! " I didn't know what they were talking about but this Russian bastard really want something from us. Yes, the money. We were beaten senseless. Nobody in the gave a shit about our screaming. From the beating, I could see my rope was partially torn out. I could just break free easily but I waited for the perfect window to make my escape a crescendo. Then, they left the room to I don't know maybe they went to take a shit or... I don't give a shit. My chances were as bright as a fucking spotlight.
I broke free from the grasp of a devilish rope that tied up my hands and gave the thugs to beat me. I grabbed a knife from the table and cut Pablo's tied rope. We didn't have time recover ourself. We were only time to escape with our bodies full of bruises and punch marks. I saw one thug was guarding the stairs. He was facing the other way. I put Pablo down behind a cover and I sneaked behind the thug to execute him. I dragged him down by closing his mouth and chocked his neck. I broke his neck with one thrust to the side. I took his gun and holstered it. I picked up Pablo to help him walked. He was heavy yet I couldn't leave him behind. He took care of me when I first arrived in Puerto Rico. I met him on the boat or the ship. I don't know. He gave me a heads up about the place. Where to go, who to meet, and what to do. He is my pal. He's nothing like John Frier. I held him tight and walked towards the stairs. We went downstairs and I could saw a lot of them were chatting and playing the fool out of each other. I quietly put Pablo behind a cover and sat beside him. We were vulnerable at that time. Anytime they could see us and kill us. I sat beside Pablo and though of the memories when I arrived at Puerto Rico.
" This my friend is Puerto Rico! " said Pablo. I replied, " Not so much like the states, huh. " He answered back, " This is better. People are nice here. You should know, Gringo. I grew up here. This place is like a paradise for me. You know? The beaches and the bitches. Oh, they're the best! The foods and the weather. Nothing beats this place. " I laughed a little and got off the ship. " Come! I'll take you to mi casa. My apartment is just by the beaches. You want to go to swim? Or sight seeing? Well, you can. This is Puerto Rico! " We arrived at his apartment and I could see the beach. The wide beautiful beach with seagulls flying up right at the sunset. It felt nothing like home. It felt peaceful. My mind wasn't peaceful at all. I kept thinking about Holstein and John. John is walking free while Holstein is trying to bust John's ass yet doesn't have enough evidences to do it. It was like a dog, chasing its own tail. It will not end. I walked into building and walked up the stairs until we reached the third floor. The number of the apartment was 22. We entered the apartment and Pablo said, " Welcome to mi casa. My home is your home for the next how many months you'll be staying. " I chuckled and replied, " Well thanks. I could stay here for a while until I could find my own place to crash. Thanks Pablo. " Pablo replied, " Hey, my friend. Relax. No need to thank me yet. Thank me when I really help you. Okay? " I asked, " This is not a help from you? " He replied, " This is a help but thank me when I really help you out in the future. Okay? " I nodded.
Pablo and I ran from the beach boys. We were in a car chase with them. They chased us until we reached a place where there's no more road. Only walls. People would say them a dead end. I yelled, " Why the fuck did you take right man? I told you to take the left. Left! " Pablo replied, " Fuck me Gringo. Why did you had to kick the boy in the nuts, Gringo? " I replied, " He threw a ball at me and my ice cream fell down. I like the ice cream man. " He asked, " What? We could buy another one. " I replied, " The ice cream was special! " Then the beach boys arrived with two convertibles. " Fuck me old man! You kicked Juan's balls. We do not like it! " said one of them. Pablo and I walked towards the five men came right at us. Three more men were standing by the cars. I said to one of them, " Back off. We don't need to do this. " Yet he punched me right in the face. I kicked him and he fell down. The situation became nuts. Pablo started to throw punches and kicks at them. One of them charged right at me. I dodged and countered resulting him to fall down. I punched the other kid right in the face and kneed him in the stomach. I grabbed his head and kneed the kid's head. He fell down and didn't stand up back to fight. I charged at another kid who was attacking Pablo and threw him towards the convertible. I slided over the convertible and kicked one kid in the face. I saw one of them stood on the convertible. I grabbed one of his leg and dragged it. He fell down onto the convertible and I went up onto the convertible's hood. I kneed his stomach while he was lying. I punched his faces several times and rolled over the hood. I ran towards one of them and gave a jump kick with two of my legs kicking his face. They were all down on the ground. I saw Pablo. He was beating the shit out of one guy and I patted his shoulder. He turned around and smiled. I said, " Fun eh? " He replied, " Fun as hell. I could do this all day. " I replied back, " Thanks for sticking your head out for me. " He answered, " Until the last day of my life. "
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