A February Story… Part 4

Photo credit – depositphotos.com

Links to the earlier episodes: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3!

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Rex really wasn’t his real name, but it just had a cool and dangerous ring to it. He adopted it on occasions like this. He stood at just above six feet, with well toned muscles, jet black hair, slightly larger-than-normal ears, sleepy looking eyes and a charming smile.

He had a tattoo of a shark on the sole of his feet. He had seen too many people in his profession get caught because of identifiable marks; stupid slips. So when he wanted a tattoo, he chose to put it where no one would normally see it.

On an ordinary day, he would just be an ordinary guy doing his ordinary things.

But today was no ordinary day.

He was working today and that made him extraordinary! And oh how he loved his job!

Yes, there was the other side of the job; the snooping around, trailing, impersonating, getting info and all that boring stuff.

But tonight… was the grand finale! Ok more like the opening performance of the grand finale and he was reveling in every minute of it.

He stared at the man in front of him, gawking like a buffoon at the phone in his trembling hands. He had made sure that the picture was as graphic as possible: he definitely needed the full effect he was getting at the moment. Oh how he loved this job!

“Are you done?”

Leye dropped the phone, startled by Rex’s voice. He had somehow forgotten that he had company. The graphic details of Tina’s death stunned and frightened him.

“I know how you feel right now. Shocked? Afterall this was a chick you saw a few hours ago, well and some more!”

He chuckled.

“Scared? This might, and probably will be your fate in the next couple of minutes.”

“Feeling guilty? Maybe you shouldn’t have left her on the roadside at such a late hour.”

“Angry? Who the heck is this vaudevillian villain that seems to love torturing and killing people? And trust me, I do! I really do!”

Leye was numb. Who the hell is this guy?

“Please, I’ll give you anything. Just leave us alone. Please!”

“Awww. Okay Leye. I’ll leave you alone.”

“Really? Thank you, what do you want in… thank you, thank…”

Rex smacked his own head in disbelief. Was this guy for real?

Leye suddenly fell to his knees, Rex jerked up from his seat, gun firmly aimed at Leye.

But the imbecile was only cowering in fear and thanking him. He lowered the gun, such an imbecile really!

The next events that followed happened at lightning speed.

Leye reached somewhere underneath the bed, retrieved a gun and had it trained at him.

All this happened before he could raise his gun again.

“Uhn uhn uhn…. Don’t even move!”

Leye had the gun trained squarely at him. He had him and he knew it.

“The gun, drop it. Drop it now!”

The gun fell with a soft thud on the rugged floor.

They stood facing each other. Victim turned victor, assailant turned assaulted!

Rex slowly raised his hands. Leye knew that the last thing he probably needed was a bullet in his head.

“Who are you? Who sent you?”

Rex just stared at him in the darkness, uttering nothing.

Leye felt the adrenaline pumping through his veins. He knew all those fitness and self defense classes would pay off some day. Still, he had to tread carefully; he couldn’t estimate what his opponent was capable of. He tried to analyze the situation while keeping his eyes and gun trained at Rex. These were the facts:

1. Linda was still asleep. Maybe she was drugged.
2. The room was dark… too dark.
3. The light switch was too far away and there was no telling what stunt Rex could pull off.
4. There was a phone on the bed. He could call for help.
5. He had to wake Linda up
6. He might probably have to kill Rex if….

“I’m going to ask you again, who are you and who sent you?”

…

Rex’s silence was infuriating him the more.

“LOOK…”

“Hey, hey… there’s no need to blow your lids off.”

“So talk!”

“I just did, didn’t I?”

“Fine, so answer my question.”

Rex sighed loudly.

He quickly glanced behind him; he had to wake Linda up.

Rex took a step towards him.

“I warned you Rex, don’t…”

Rex took another step.

“Do you want to die?”

He took another silent step.

“STOP!!!!!”

Leye pulled the trigger.

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It took the greater part of five seconds for him to realize what had just happened.

The gun wasn’t loaded!!!

Rex had started laughing. Slowly at first and then, manically!

But I always have this gun loaded. Did Rex know about the gun?

The dread crept back in; slowly and surely.

He didn’t see Rex’s leg till it hit him squarely in the chest.

He fell backwards… back on the bed.

“Leyeeeeeee. Come on, give me some credit. Come oooooon!”

As Leye struggled to stand up, he felt Rex’s hand on his and next thing he knew…

CRACK

Rex dislocated his shoulder!

“Arrrrrghhhhh, gaaaaad”

Rex moved quickly, still laughing like a maniac, flipped him like a rag doll and buried his face in a pillow.

“Please, do shut up.”

After a few seconds, he stopped whimpering and slowly raised his head to look at Rex.

“Well what can I say? Congratulations!”

What?

Rex started laughing again. He picked up the gun Leye had dropped and tossed it back on the bed.

It hit Linda and bounced off.

LINDA! Had Rex already…

Oh no…please no!

Leye quickly faced her and pulled the sheets off her.

The sheets were wet… blood!!!

Oh no…please no!

She had a bullet hole on forehead.

She wasn’t Linda.

TINA!!!