It had just rained during the day, and the night was cold. In the streets of J. City Antonio laid by the side of the road, on a cold tar covered with thin cardboard, the jacket he had done nothing to block the cold, he shivered as sleep was far from coming; he was cold and hungry. Both these facts made it difficult for one to fall asleep, after sitting there for hours in a fetal position blowing air on his hands to get them to warn with no success.
He stood up and walked around to warm himself up. The streets were quiet at this time of night, only one car would pass occasionally, the street lights in the alleyway he was walking in kept flickering like the bulb was about to meet its end as well. After walking for a few minutes half jogging trying to get his blood running and be a bit warm, he heard a noise up ahead.
He slowed down his jogging and tiptoed forward. He poked his head out to see what was going on right around the corner, a black SUV with the plate written M2 was parked not so far from where he was standing, he walked closer to get a better look at what was going on when he got close to the car the back door was opened but there was no one inside, both back and front.
He looked up ahead and saw three men. One holding a gun on the one on the ground while the other had his hands on his back watching. He looked around to see if there was anyone else besides the three but there was no one. He looked at the car beside him and saw a briefcase. It was silver, and it stood out on the black leather seats, next to it was a walking stick and those were the only things in the car.
He looked back at the men and saw that they were still occupied. So, he took the chance and snatched the briefcase quickly then hid it under his big jacket then ran from there; he ran for a long time before he looked back to see if there was anyone following him but there was no one; the streets were quiet but there was that one occasional car that would pass. He sighed in relief then looked around to see if he can tell where he was.
He noticed he was downtown, which was good because that meant that he could find a cheap motel here, but first he needed to open the case and see what was inside. The streets were his home since he ran away from the orphanage at eleven, so he knew just where to go to get the privacy he needed. He walked to the spot and when he got there; he looked around to make sure that there was no one around.
When he was certain that he was alone he took the case out to open it, he was disappointed to find out that it had a combination; he sighed then looked around and found a brick. Smashed the case with the brick until it burst open, a few dollars fell out as it opened, he quickly closed it taking the two hundred dollars that fell out and looked for a motel.
Whatever else that was in the case he was going to see it when he gets to the motel room. It was easy to find a motel as they filled downtown J City with them. He walked in and a later at the front desk was busy chewing gum loudly and kept making bubbles. Her lips were red like a vixen but Antonio had no time to be looking at women. When you are homeless, you have your priorities straight and those were to worry about where to get your next meal, not women.
“We have nothing to spare.” Said the vixen when she saw him. “I need a room.” He told her but would not meet her eyes. “Do you have money?” asked the woman bursting the bubble from her gum looking at him lazily. “Yes, I have money.” He answered still not looking at her, too she was not interesting but what was burning him at the moment was the case he had hidden under his arm, he could not wait to get into the room and open it to look at what is inside properly.
“That would be $150,” said the woman holding her hand out to take the money, he stretched his hand and gave her the crumpled two $100 notes. She took them then gave him a chance and a room key. He thanked her with a low voice and hurried to find the room. When he got to the door, he fumbled with the key and opened the door, then quickly slammed it shut behind him locking it.
He took out the case and put it on the bed then removed his jacket and threw it behind him and it fell somewhere in the room. He took small steps towards the bed where the case sat slightly open with dollar bills sticking out, he finally got to it and opened it. The case was full of cash and some documents. His eyes popped as he looked at the green bills in front of him. He had never seen so much money in his life; he shivered just by looking at it and that made him quickly close the case.
But before he did, something caught his eye, a logo, he stretched his arm and took the document. When he saw the familiar logo right in front of him, his knees gave in and he fell on the ground on his ass with a thud. He knew who the case belonged to, and he also knew that when the owner finds him, he is as good as dead.
Antonio sat there for a while thinking, he knew that logo very well; it was a logo of the mafia boss’s hotel, Lux; the hotel was one of the most prestigious ones in the city, only rich people can afford to enter there, middle-class people could not afford to spend even a night here and the likes of him could not even walk passed the entrance of the hotel. Yuri the mafia boss’s penthouse was there, and the place was a fortress with state-of-the-art security. He thought of returning the money but the problem was that he could only get as far as across the street from the entrance of the hotel. But then again, he knew what would happen to him should he return the money; he stole from a man no one dared to steal from and he knew what he was capable of. He had seen how his men killed people on the streets and have heard a lot of things about Yuri. So, either way, he was as good as dead. Then he thought of how he has been struggling on the streets for years now, he thought of the
“Where the fuck is my money Jacob?” asked Yuri standing by the window looking out into the night, his right-hand man Jacob and his third went to collect this evening. But something happened along the way and they lost the money including important documents. They had no valid explanation of where the money went or who took it. His second was standing by the door with his head bowed, the walking stick he carries was visibly shaking, he was afraid for his life, no one made such mistakes with Yuri’s money and live till the next day. “Boss we left the car to deal with that man and when we went back the money was gone, we did not see who took it and we asked around but no one saw anything, but I promise we will resume the search in the morning and we will find the money. Someone must have seen or heard something.” Jacob explained to his boss, he still had hope that he will understand, he knew the person Yuri was yet he still had hope that maybe this time, he will give him a chanc
Antonio I have been living at Lux hotel for more than a week now, I have extended my stay when the Russian’s people did not show to collect the money or kill me and I have been living my best life. Getting this money has forwarded me the opportunity to live my dream even if it is only for a short while but it is worth it. I am not proud of stealing this money but anyone who has was homeless will tell you that it is a jungle out there. The survival of the fittest and is not for the weak. The people I met when the streets first became my home lost the race and died for one reason or another. Even the man that treated me like a son when the man who made me did not even know if am alive of dead also died a few years back. I do not know what happened to him, but I know that he was sick, on the day he died though he was fine, he woke up early like he usually did when he was okay and went looking for food for us. He came back with a lot of food and
Antonio I see the look of envy in the people’s eyes whenever I pass, the way they look at the clothes I am wearing, and the car I ride in. The envy in their eyes I know all too well, I used to be like them and wished I was like those people who had everything in life, those who dressed well, rode in luxury cars, ate nice food every day. At least the way I saw them back then they looked like they had everything in life but I couldn’t be more wrong. These people had their own demons that they deal with every day and then put on a mask for the world outside when they go out. Same with me, they envy me thinking that I have it all figured out but they couldn’t be more wrong. The clothes I am wearing are my mask that is covering the years of dirt accumulated from the street. The suits, the car, and even the money they wished they had are not mine. I didn’t work hard for it as they do theirs; I stole it and if they knew how my life is, they would re
Antonio DJ and I worked till the early hours of the morning. The more he explained about the investments he was making with the money the more I understood, his banker came around three in the morning and took the money then gave us both black cards. With some of the money, we bought an accounting firm that was going bankrupt, and we invested the other in different companies. The banker left at around five in the morning; he was happy to be working with DJ again and told him a lot about how his wife spent all the money over the years. He told him she was selling the company now since she could no longer maintain it, I could see that DJ wanted it back, so I spoke to the banker aside and told him to buy the company when its value is low enough. I asked him not to tell DJ until everything was done, and the company is under his name again. We went to bed after that, and I was exhausted. A loud sound that shook the building woke us up, I jump out
Yuri I adjusted my tie when we got to the car; I have asked one of my men to run a check on those guys at the hotel. No one stays under my roof without me knowing who they are and the person who let them stay still needs to answer for that. I could have been killed because of their stupidity and I can’t have that from the people that work for me. Now my brothers have arrived, and it’s time I get my hand dirty and find this case myself. I am also admiring the person who stole it; I mean one, no one steals from me and he did that. Two no one ever hides from me for this long so that means he is crafty; three no one had ever made me feel the need to bring my Russian brothers here, but he did. Therefore, I feel like this person is more than what meets the eye, right now we are going back to basics, tracing my men’s steps from that night to see if we missed anything. As much as I want to kill him for what he did, I want to meet him more and get to
Yuri The drive back to the hotel is silent, I can see Boris keep stealing glances at me through the rearview mirror. He has questions I can see but I will say nothing until he does; they frustrate me sometimes. They don’t have the balls to stand up to me or even ask questions. I get I am not an approachable man but I have killed no one for asking questions. Well, except those I don’t like. “Boss,” he calls out and I look at him. His grip on the steering wheel tightens, how ridiculous! “I just want to know if we are giving up on finding the case.” I would like to believe that my people know me better than that, especially Boris who has been working for me for years now. And yet, he still asks the most stupid questions ever! The kid must do better than this. I don’t answer Boris because that shit he asked doesn’t deserve an answer; we drive past downtown and I see the beautiful hole Michail put in the middle of downtown J City. I smirked lookin
Antonio My shoulder hurts like a bitch, that damn Russian! But fuck am alive. I am still alive and he wants me to work for him. I don’t know why and I don’t think I want to ask. Or he might just be another bullet in me. DJ helps me clean my wound, he is quiet as he busied himself with the task at hand. “Say something.” His silence is bothering me now, DJ is never this quiet. “I am just trying to process the fact that we are still alive and now working for the Mafia.” He tells me and I am baffled. I think his logic is screwed. “How are you not happy that we are still alive? Or did you prefer us dead?” I asked not able to grasp the logic behind what he said. “No, but we are now targeting only he knows the man seems to like you. I saw the way he was looking at you like it fascinated him.” He tells me but I disagree. There is no way the guy who just put a hole in my shoulder with a bullet likes me. “Well, if he likes me as you say which I disagre