Thursday, November 25, 2010

Part 9

That was it.

Brick was cold, tired and hungry. His broken nose was throbbing with almost unbearable pain. And a man had just winked at him for the second time in one day. He had had enough.

Knowing that Sylvio and Harley would be more concerned with getting as far away from the Russian helicopter as possible, he didn’t bother to be subtle as he rolled onto his back. Never very flexible, he brought his knees up to his chest as far as he could and forced his zip-tied hands over his feet and to the front of his body, nearly dislocating his shoulder in the process. Then, with a determination that can only be accomplished through the power of spite, he chewed through the zip ties.

His hands finally free, Brick turned around on his knees and saw Sylvio and Harley arguing through the back window of the cab of the truck. He spit, cracked his knuckles, and then in one swift motion punched through the glass and pulled out the parking brake, bringing the big truck to a screeching halt and sending him flying into the cab.

Both Sylvio and Harley were thrown forward with the jolt and sat there, stunned. When they finally realized what had happened, Brick was facing them, covered in broken glass, his back against the radio, his legs sticking out of the gaping hole in the back window, and his nose dripping fresh blood. But he had a gun in each hand, one pointed at each of their faces. They both instinctively reached for their empty leg holsters at the same time.

“Now listen to me very carefully,” said Brick, his voice level and his hands perfectly steady. “First off, Happy Thanksgiving. Secondly, I want that gold. No more distractions. No more running around. I just want what I came here for. You can either help me, or I can kill you both right here.”

Sylvio grinned. “Just tell us what you want us to do.”

Friday, November 12, 2010

Part 8 - From Mario E. in La Quinta, CA

Thoughts were racing through Brick’s mind. It’s not like his brother and him were ever the best of friends, but he had always thought that they were at least there for each other. But now he was riding in the back of a pick-up truck, in a truck bed that seemed ravaged by countless wars and years of rust, tied up and feeling like the end would come fairly soon.

Humphrey already looked like he had a plan about to hatch. The rust on the broken pieces of the truck looked like they could EASILY cut through the zip-ties that were on their wrists. No sooner had Brick thought this than Humphrey showed him his un-zip-tied hands in triumph. Brick started cutting the zip-ties with his own side of the mangled truck, when the truck suddenly stopped.

Silvio walked out of the car with his goon to the back of the truck. “You didn’t think I was THAT stupid, did you little brother?” Brick looked at him with a blank look on his face. Humphrey exchanged the look, hoping along with Brick that Silvio had not figured out their plan to break free of their captives.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Silvio,” Brick replied in his low voice.

Silvio responded with his cold calculating tone, “Little brudder, you didn’t think I wouldn’t have been able to tell that you stuck this tracking device on the bottom of the car, did you? I work with the NSA, remember? We know aaaalll about tracking and finding information.” With that, Silvio took out his switchblade and cut a tiny transponder off the bottom of the truck.

“Okay, Silvio. I know in my current situation, with being tied up and all, I don’t really have any clout in trying to convince you that it wasn’t me. But in all honesty, I’m a little afraid, because even I don’t know who put that there,” replied Brick.

“Then who could’ve possi-” Silvio was suddenly cut off by the sound of gunfire raining down around them from a Havoc attack helicopter.

“Now the fucking RUSSIANS are involved?!?” exclaimed Harley. “What kind of shit ya’ bringin’ me into boss?”

Suddenly the firing stopped and a booming heavily accented Russian voice thundered down onto the ensemble below. “Give us the hunchback, and you will be allowed on your way. Failure to comply will result in immediate termination.”

Brick stared dumbfounded at Humphrey, who could only manage a wink before a rope dropped down and he grabbed on while the helicopter took off. Then the truck peeled out and took off with Brick still in the back. They drove around a bend in the crude jungle road, and his friend was obstructed from his view.