James and Dean arrived at the scrap metal warehouse. Standing from a distance, they scanned around the warehouse; it seemed like a legitimate business place, although the surrounding area stank.
Ricky was inside with two other mean-looking men, their tattoos coiling like snakes under their sleeves, engaging him in friendly banter.
Dean took a step back, fitted his silencer, and hid behind the baling press, keeping an eye on Ricky like a sniper.
James walked in through the front door. Ricky panicked at first but quickly composed himself so as not to show weakness.His men drew their pistols and pointed them towards James' direction, ordering him not to come any closer.
"Put your guns down if you want to get out of this stinking warehouse alive," James said fearlessly. James' boldness in the face of supposed danger flattened them.
"What do you want?" Ricky asked.
"Where is Bryan?" James asked him, ignoring his own query. "
And why should I tell you?" Ricky asked, trying hard to stay tough.
"Because if you don't, you will not make it out alive."
That drew the attention of everyone.
What audacity!!!.
"Okey I'll let you, but don't tell him I snitched on him please.
He took a notepad and wrote down a detailed address of Bryan's location and handed it over to James.
James didn't respond; rather, he turned around and stepped towards the exit.
Once he got out, Dean, in a low voice, asked, "What's up, Jammie?"
"It's showtime, baby," James said.
They both smiled.
The Devils are on the move; Destination LA.
The note Ricky handed to James had a hotel address: Oasis Hotel, 769 Olive Street, Los Angeles.
"Miles away," Dean said.
"Yeah, regardless, we move!" James replied, Determined to find Bryan at all costs.
Dean quickly pulled out his mobile phone and ordered an Uber while James called the hotel for reservations.
While they stood waiting, Dean lit a cigarette and said to James
"In a few minutes, our ride should be here..." Just as they spoke, a Toyota Prius pulled over. It was their ride; they got in, and the rider zoomed off.
"This is going to be a very long journey of about 38 to 40 hours," said the Uber rider.
Dean jokingly told him if he could beat that record....
"We wanna be in LA in 24 hours Max."
"If you achieve that I'll double your $1,300 pay."
After a 3,200 miles ride they were in Olive street in Los Angeles California.
"We should be stopping here, James said.
"We would prefer to have a walk down to our hotel"
"Let's exercise those legs you know, it's been one hell of a long journey Dean said looking at the rider with a deceitful smile.
Walking along Olive street in Los Angeles,
Sirens wailed non stop,
They walked causally but with eyes moving like Satellite.
"Here Oasis Hotel" James said to Dean with a slight gesture with his head.
"You sure we can trust that Cuban guy?" Dean looking a bit unsure about getting the ever elusive Bryan in the Hotel.
James nodded, "Ricky cracked under pressure, Said Bryan and his sister have been here for over a week now"
And finally at the hotel reception, standing before them was a beautiful lady who offered them the
Elevator by pointing at its direction but they thanked her and opted to use the stairs.
"We go in quietly, No guns till when
It is necessary" James said.
"We spare no one this time, Jazmin, Bryan... we spare no hesitations Dean added
James' voice turned cold.
"Exactly," he said, his facial expression suggested he wasn't yet sure what to do with Jazmin.
The Chase
At 11:00 PM on the dot, the hotel was quiet. James and Dean climbed the narrow stairs to the third floor; Room 23 was at the far end of the hallway.
Low music seeped through the door: old Notorious B.I.G's music, "Hypnotize." Dean pulled out two silencers and handed one to James.
"You are about to get hypnotized, you motherfucker."
Standing in front of Room 23,
James knocked.
No answer.
He knocked again,
louder this time, still nothing.
Bryan was alone and wasn't expecting anyone. He had already told Jazmin that if they stayed together, it was going to be too dangerous for her.
James knocked again; still no response.
He shot at the lock, it shattered, and with a kick, James collapsed the hotel door inside the room.
Dean burst in immediately; James followed, but the room was empty.
The bedsheets looked so kept. On the table was a half-eaten burger, and cigarette smoke still hung in the air.
"Someone just left," Dean muttered.
James walked to the window. It was open.
He looked down and saw a figure in a hoodie sprinting across the alley.
James's blood boiled. "Bryan"
They both rushed out of the room, running down the stairs and into the night.
Dead in the night - the chase was chaotic.
Everyone tripping and falling.
They kept shooting in Bryan's direction, but he kept on running; he ran like a professional athlete, darting through side streets, knocking over trash cans, and leaping fences.
James gave him a run for his money, almost catching him, but tripped over and stood up immediately, continuing to chase and shoot at Bryan relentlessly.
Dean went around to circle him, but he kept diverting.
He ran into a bush with a few trees and hid behind one of them.
James and Dean opened fire inside that bush, hoping to force him out of hiding, luckily for them while trying to sneak out of the bush without James and Dean noticing, he was clipped, a bullet hit him from behind...
Bryan finally crashed to the ground, blood pouring out. He still attempted to crawl away, occasionally firing off shots to keep James and Dean at bay, but they were getting closer. It seemed like death was inevitable for Bryan, but he was determined to fight to the very end.
In his desperate attempt to get help, he tried to make his way to the street. He first pulled himself into a garage filled with parked cars and hid under one, but his bloodstains on the concrete gave him away. James and Dean tracked him down to that garage.
As they closed in on him again, Bryan attempted to move but was feeling weak and sluggish. He shot at them again, but they took cover. He fired off several rounds, then there was nothing but silence. All that could be heard was the empty click of his pistol. With his eyes heavy from blood loss and pain, he noticed a large figure looming over him.
That was James.
He lowered back his head in defeat.
"I have another drive James," he muttered with his last strength.
"The one given to the police is fake.
You spare my life I'll save you from a life sentence...."