“Good job, "Hammer". You will get your Christmas bonus.”
His chief closed the phone and dialed again, “The birds have arrived in Mexico. Find them before those Russian bastards!”
“Yes, sir.”
The man on the other side of the line was at a strip club, and while the whore was rubbing on his dick, he turned to his buddy, “They are back. Macony, I’m telling you, these two are either the dumbest bastards I’ve ever seen or the craziest!”
“The important thing is that we’re back in the game. We need to get rid of the tail and to contact them. I suppose they will seek us too.”
Shortly before their program ended, the agents suddenly stood up and walked at the back of the club, where it was forbidden for outsiders.
The Russians tried to follow, but the guards stopped them. The two ex-super cops entered their car and drove off with dirty gas.
“Don’t you miss the good old days sometimes? Me steering in my boxers in the heat, while you’re dead drunk in the back seat...”
“You are driving the car now too, and only God knows how much I drank today.”
* * *
In Mexico, Capone contacted an old acquaintance from some Mexican cartel who arranged for them to cross the border the next day.
After that, Leo and Galfonino took care of Mariela, by leaving her with their old friend. It was time to act on the plan.
Again, agent Milidzhagoul detected them first. He took his phone and dialed a number.
“Hello, sir, it’s agent Milidzhagoul, I found...” he paused.
Someone was gagging him with hand, and between his eyes had the barrel of a nine millimeter.
Capone nodded at him, and he hung up the phone.
“You have a bad habit with finding us. Now it’s time for you to sing. Who is your boss, who is leading the operation, who is involved…? Everything!”
“Do what you want! I have nothing to say!”
“Kill him,” said Leo, “I doubt he knows anything.”
“Sure!”
“Wait, wait,” shouted the agent desperately, “I will tell you everything, let’s just go to some skate spot.”
They moved into a nearby motel and rented a room. Twenty minutes later…
“OMG. Everything was because of the fucking formula, not because of the drugs? I told you to deal with common drugs. But no... It was too boring for you to sell cocaine. Pff... Well, what are we going to do with the agent?”
“Put one between his eyes and let’s disappear.”
“But, please, gentlemen,” wept Milidzhagoul, “you promised to release me if I told you what I knew.”
“Did we?” Galfonino turned questioningly at The Sock.
“I guess. Let him live.”
The gangsters slipped out of the motel with Milidzhagoul’s phone. Leo dialed the last number.
“Hello, Jaco, something interrupted the last conversation.”
“It wasn’t interrupted, he had to hang.”
“Who is this?”
“The dude with the formula. If you want it, you will listen carefully without interrupting me. Tomorrow at 12:00 am, you will come to the address that I will text you later in a pink convertible Cadillac with a raised top. You’ll be alone with a suitcase filled with Benjamins. If anything goes wrong, I’ll go to the Russians. Is that clear?”
“Yes!”
At exactly 12:00, the Cadillac appeared, and the phone rang.
“Get out of the car and walk forward. At the first intersection, turn right. There you will see a blue van. If you understood correctly, just shake your head.”
The man obediently moved his head and walked towards the van. Inside he saw a note: "Lift the lid and enter the shaft". Once he got down the ladder into the sewer, Galfonino put a bag on his head, and they started walking. Only a minute passed before stopping.
“Remove the bag,” Leo took a paper from his pocket. “This is the formula and the method of preparation. Besides the money, I want clean slates.”
“Will be arranged. Now the formula?”
The Sock was about to lean towards him with the paper when he noticed that the head of the DEA was actually wearing a mask, “Are you fucking kidding me?” Leo growled. “Galfo, get his mask and check him out.”
Capone removed the cover and pickpocketed him. They found a transmitter in his watch.
Leo demonstratively tore the page to a dozen pieces and dropped it on the ground.
“Tell your boss that he has made a terrible mistake!”
A right-handed fist flew, and the agent fell to the ground unconscious. Both illegal immigrants ran with all their might. At a furcated tunnel, Capone threw the GPS in the right one, then continued to sprint in the left side. The tunnel was over, and they came out in the canal. In ten meters, a dark red Camaro was waiting for them.
“Is that your inconspicuous car?” Smith slapped his forehead.
“Then you should have gone and stolen one!”
The sound of the patrol cars broke the quarrel, and they jumped into the vehicle. The powerful American car was driving in the canal at a frantic pace. Lots of police cars drove on the top side. Soon the upper road merged with the channel, and the red beast got a long tail.
“Where the fuck have these cops even come from? I thought that the DEA worked alone...”
“I have no idea. But I think that might have something to do with the car...”
“With the car?” stared at him for a moment Leo. “Why, where did you take it from?”
“Ammm,” Capone innocently raised his shoulders, “from the police parking lot.”
“WHAT? You’re an idiot! Get your fucking gun from your pants and shoot some tires, you ignorant fuck...”
Galfonino quickly pulled out his weapon from his jeans, showed himself through the window and shot 14-15 times, then went back inside.
“Why did you stop shooting?” asked The Sock dumbly.
“Because we’re not in a movie with unlimited ammo!”
Cassis looked in the rearview mirror, “And from so many cars, you only managed to hit the poor dog?”
“That is not true, it was already dead!” snapped the Italian.
“Better throw your gun. Next time I’ll buy you a bazooka. That way you may hit something!”
Galfonino got angry, showed again from the window and threw the gun with full force in the nearest patrol car. The weapon crashed heavily into the windshield of the police car, which apparently startled the policeman. The car swerved and crashed into the wall.
“What are you gonna say now, huh?” the Italian watched his friend quizzically.
“You are pretty crazy! Here’s my gun, let’s see what you will hit this time. And shoot first before you throw it!”
“Ha-ha,” Galfo clapped his hand on the dashboard of the car, “very very funny. You are a funny guy!”
He showed out the window again and began to shoot. With the first bullet, he managed to hit the tire of a cruiser. The car spun and started to roll. The rear few could not avoid it and crushed one into another.
Leo smiled and cried vigorously, “Now that’s how you are supposed to shoot! From now on, that’s how you shoot!”
Smith turned on the radio and heard "Ludacris - Move Bitch". In some concurrence оf circumstances, that was one of their favorite songs. Capone sharply turned the volume up, and both started shaking their heads imitating rap movements, singing loudly and viciously, "Move bitch, get out the way..."
A minute and a half later, their car re-entered the city. A helicopter appeared from somewhere, which apparently announced their position and then not twenty seconds later, the first cops came. What followed were thirty seconds of wild driving worthy of the movie "Fast and Furious", when something unexpected happened. Leo jumped sharply on the brake pedal, and the Camaro tiresissued a stretching sound, drawing attention towards the gangsters. Ten meters in front of them, there was a massive traffic jam. Patrol cars stopped behind them and blocked the exit
. For a time, only the loud music from which clearly differed the voice of Mystikal with the infamous line, "Move bitch" could be heard. They quickly gathered a crowd to the nearest traffic light, waiting for the next action, which wasn’t late. The Camaro roared several times and slowly drove back. It stopped after no more than three meters, toyed, spun tires for a few seconds and drifted to the sidewalk. The space was too small, and sparks flew from the right side of the car, touching the wall. People fled immediately like on "Black Friday" before Christmas.
After a few blocks, the car stopped in front of a two storey house. The garage opened, and the Camaro went inside.
Chapter X
An hour later …
“How in the hell did those bastards manage to escape?”
“Sir, there was a tunnel in the basement that leads to the next house.”
The man, apparently angry, took his phone and dialed, “Chief, they have escaped, but the formula is in agent one.”
“I am in the lab. Come here right away. And also, I do not want anyone to know who the two fugitives are. Call agent Kenzo. He will fix the mess you made.”
“Yes, boss.”
After few hours in the lab, several people were waiting impatiently, including the head of the DEA. A scientist was studying the formula, and his assistant was making "the cocktail".
“Sir, it’s almost ready. All that is left is the last ingredient.”
Everybody came eagerly dressed in protective suits. The analyst added the last part, and everything was over. The mixture exploded so powerfully that only scattered corpses remained in the room.
Outside was dark and slightly rainy. Capone unpresentably watched through the window a beautiful woman spewing profanity at a car that had just sprinkled her with water and thought, “Wow, she knows how to curse.”
Suddenly, the phone rang and interrupted his thoughts. Leo waited for five rings, “Hello, it’s Macony. They took the bait. Everybody is dead. As we thought, the boss wanted to sell the formula to the Russian intelligence and had kept it all in secret from the department. It remains only to deal with the Russians, and you’re out of the game.”
“Good work, Mac. Get Arnold and come at eleven o'clock in the karaoke bar "Wild Cherry". There will be rock performances. We will talk there.”
It was already 23:05 when Arnold and Macony arrived. Galfonino immediately detected them at the entrance and waved. After the hugs the four, sat at the VIP table, ordered a bottle of whiskey and were about to talk, when costumed guards started to enter. Seven, eight people blocked the entrance and a few more scattered through the crowd. Finally, their boss went inside. The super cops immediately recognized him.
“This is the Russian Sergey"The Fuse", a big drug kingpin. Kicking everybody’s ass. His men once caught two random guys selling cocaine and drove them to him. He cut their hands from the wrists and let them go.”
“Quite comprehensive, Arnie!” Capone interrupted him. “But why should I care about that?
“The Russian agents who are hunting you work with him for the same person. The good thing is that he hasn’t noticed us, giving you a chance to get out of here.”
Leo and Galfonino exchanged glances. They abruptly stood up and headed for the back door. There, however, two guards were already present and the time travelers walked towards the singers' and dancers' dressing room.
A man of about thirty-something with a small mustache, slightly broken wrist and gay gait energetically approached them, “Which of you two cuties will replace Rusty and which will Ernesto?”
“Am,” they exchanged glances again.
One of the guards started pointing at them for some reason.
“I, I’ll replace him!” Leo said and grabbed the man’s waist. “Where is the dressing room?”
“Over here honey, please enter,” guided him the blushed man apparently liking Leo.
Once they entered the room, the stranger introduced himself, “My name is Lorenzo. If you need anything, just call me. You are on stage in fifteen minutes.”
“On stage?” asked in surprise The Sock.
“Yes, handsome,” stroked his arm the man. “Now get ready. I hope you can play well on piano and guitar?”
After he had left the room, Galfonino paced around nervously, “Let’s get the fuck out of here. It is absurd to go out on stage!”
Leo laughed, “You are a unique type. Do you have stage fright?”
Capone slowly opened the door and handed his head to look out.
“Well, is it clear?”
The Italian quickly went back, “No, unless we don’t count the two "wardrobes" in front of the locker room, besides the others! We are fucked, brother. We may need to fight our way out!”
“I have an idea,” interrupted Cassis. “We are in the dressing room, full of clothes, wigs, and whatnot. You get my thought?”
“You bet,” Capone rubbed his hands.
Arnold and Macony just thought to leave when suddenly "The Fuse" appeared on their table. He made them a sign to sit down and settle. Several guards surrounded them.
“I hear some things,” started the boss.
“People talk bullshit most of the time,” interrupted Macony.
The Russian just waved with a rhythmically slow movement and an apparent gesture, indicating he did not want to be interrupted, “That,” he continued, “the DEA underestimated our small dealers. I offer you a deal. I’ll pay you a million each if you bring them to me.”
The two agents just nodded.
“And now I leave you, but you should know that you have 48 hours.”
The two super cops were reflecting and draining cup after cup. Soon the show program would begin.
“Oh, I love rock'n'roll,” cried drunk Mac and stood dancing.
“Are you getting epilepsy?” wondered drunk Arnold.
“No, that’s how I dance,” cried Macony again continuing throwing hands.
“How do you manage to think about dancing now at all. Fuck it, let’s have some fun. Leo and Galfonino got away. Tomorrow we’ll talk with them.”
In the locker room, Leo and Capone were dressed in Jerry Lee Lewis and Jimmy Hendrix style. They stood slightly against each other.
“Wasn’t Jimi Hendrix black?” asked Leo.
“Details. Let’s merge with the crowd and disappear.”
They headed for the door when it opened and before them stood the already familiar guy.
“Oops, this is not good,” muttered under his breath Galfonino.
“Great, I see you’re dressed. Please, follow me.”
Leaving the room, they both looked around. It was clear towards the scene.
“I have to warn you that I can play only two songs on the piano. As a boy, I got a few lessons, but learned only Jerry Lewis "Great balls on fire" and one more.”
“That’s why you dressed like him. All the time you wanted to go on the stage, you manipulator. I must warn you that I’m like a god with the guitar, but if there are people, I become stiff. I’m not sure why is that.”
“We will improvise, whatever happens. Just follow my music and stay in the background. I will draw the attention.”
Leo called Lorenzo and whispered something in his ear. After a while, the man brought him a bottle filled with gasoline. Both gangsters stood up to the stage and waited. The musicians just finishing "La Bamba" had already heated the audience. The presenter of the show went up on the podium, “Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention? Tonight we have a special guest. He will perform "Burning Love" by Elvis Presley. Please, applause for Leo and company.”
There were a loud applause and whistling. The Sock got out with a bottle in his hand. He left it on the piano and got closer to the microphone. Then he hit it two, three times to check whether it worked. There was a slight feedback and people held onto their ears.
“Six, six. Am, there has been a little confusion. Tonight we won’t perform Elvis, but something else. But I’ll leave it as a surprise. I just w
ant to say that this is strong and personal for table six.”
At this point, turned almost dead drunk Arnold and Macony and although they didn’t see from the crowd guessed who that might be.
“Am, isn’t this…?” hissed Mac.
“Ah, hardly!” Arnie said, and they continued to drink.
A nondescript figure, resembling the famous guitarist Jimi Hendrix appeared at the bottom. He walked to the nearest guitarist, and the two squabbled something, but finally Capone managed to take the guitar in his hand, and when he noticed that people were watching him, bowed slightly, blushing. Leo adjusted his microphone to the piano and pressed a few keys to check it. He turned with his most serious face to the audience, “Some things you never forget,” he hit the piano keys again and sang, "You shake my nerves, and you rattle my brain…"
The first few seconds he played timidly, but then the gangster remembered all. As a boy, he was watching a movie with Dennis Quaid, who lit the piano on this exact song. People began to dance and shout like crazy. Leo was in full swing. He abruptly stood up and pushed his chair back a few meters. His hair tossed wildly, and he played from time to time with the left hand, right hand, some leg… Galfonino already quite excited by the melody emerged from the shadows and blew some crazy rock and roll on his guitar. From somewhere, somebody tossed him a plate, and he continued to play with it. Leo pointedly raised the bottle with gasoline. He poured it all over his piano and threw a match. Again, he frantically rushed at him furiously pressing the keys. The other musicians had long since stopped playing and silently watched the show, which one can only see in movies.
Galfonino attached his back to Leo and, with dance moves, blew back on the electric guitar with tremendous speed following the rhythm of his friend. After twenty seconds, the song ended. Two assistants came to extinguish the half burned lid of the piano. People cried and clapped thunderously, "More, more, more..."
The Sock said to the janitors to leave, whispered something to the saxophonist and Galfonino. Again sat down at the piano and began to play angrily, but this time "Little Richard - Long tall Sally". After another two-minute piece, the audience was literally ecstatic.
Gangsters In Time: Good Gangster, Crazy Good Gangster (A Leo and Capone Book, #2) Page 6