“So be it!” Leo said jauntily. “But I want it to be known in advance that if you die, my companions and I will be released on our way with the information!Furthermore, I want to fight with my weapons, which are in my chambers!”
“Huh,” Galfonino wondered aloud, “why don’t I remember such a weapons?”
Arnold nervously waved again to the slave, “Wine good woman, wineee!”
The battle of the century would take place an hour later at the same location. Gilgamesh gave a small metal disk to his personal servant and a small clay tablet to Sven, giving freedom to the gangsters in case he lost his life. The ruler went out on the arena topless, holding a sword with both hands, so thick that there was no need for a shield. His naked body made shade for at least three people, and his hand was as big as a human head. When he swung to test his weapon, a breath of wind lightly lifted the sand on the arena and sheets of the crowd flew. His sword probably weighed more than 50 pounds.
Mariela lowered her lips at the sight of this monster and her eyes popped out, “Ouau, am I the only one seeing this thing? Even though I worry seriously about my husband, I can’t help but wonder how big his dick might be!”
“Even a blind man won’t miss him. He is a fucking machine.”
Maggie, in turn, pulled out her phone, turned it on and started taking pictures. Galfonino looked indignantly, “You keep amazing me, honey!”
The girl smiled, “For Facebook.”
“Don’t forget to make a selfie with the giant in the background!” Joked the Italian.
“Already done!” Grilled Maggie and continued to shoot the video. “And here’s Leo.”
Dressed in his clothes, this time with Arnold’s sunglasses, The Sock had a lighted large cigar in his left hand, and was leaning Galfonino’s bazooka on his right shoulder. Capone twisted lips and shouted, “You know that it is from the Armenian and has a chance to not explode, right?”
“Fingers crossed then!” Leo yelled.
“And where the fuck did you manage to find that cigar?””
“Ask Arnold!” Smiled the Bulgarian.
The ruler squinted his eyes and, after looking at his opponent, laughed loudly, followed by the supporting crowd, which continued for at least another minute. Gilgamesh suddenly cracked his neck with all seriousness and powerfully strode forward with his huge weapon, brandishing it like a steak knife. At each step, a cloud of dust was coming out from under his heavy feet. Leo, in turn, smiled briefly, crossed himself several times as Tuco of "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" and shot. The legendary fighter blocked the RPG rocket with his sword, and it slammed into the ground. Everybody watched with perplexity what had happened. Galfonino snorted, “He is fucked. If I catch the Armenian…”
“Look, look,” Arnold nervously pounded him on the shoulder.
Gilgamesh leaned over the shell and began to touch it with interest. Drops of sweat appeared on The Sock’s forehead, and for a moment he leaned his glasses and looked with hope. Even he knew very well that no person on the planet could kill Gilgamesh in a fair fight. Probably even ten people wouldn’t be able to harm him. There was, however, a powerful explosion. The body of the heap flew in all directions. The only parts that remained on the spot were his feet, and his sword stabbed several people in the audience. There was a deathly silence. The audience lost their wits.
“How will history explain this, I have no idea?!”
“Don’t trouble your mind, Galfo. Rather, let’s get out while we can.”
The guards surrounded the foreigners and waited for the command. Their leader angrily stepped forward, pushed the metal disk into the arms of Leo and uttered something through his teeth. The Sock also apparently angry because of the fake weapons of the Armenian, also shouted, “Sven, tell this garbage here that I want an escort of a hundred men to the machine, and if he doesn’t stop growling, I will personally send him to his master.”
The Count translated the words of the gangster with little processing, just to avoid further clashes, but he made sure the man understood what type of people he was dealing with. The commander gritted his teeth and gave the command. In line and in pairs of two, the escorts stood on either side of our guys and walked with them. As they approached the machine, the soldiers were released.
“Hey, I did not believe we would come out alive from this situation!” Macony started the conversation.
“To tell you the truth, I did sweat a couple of times too,” smiled Leo. “It’s time to see what this metal disk does. Galfo, where should we put this thing?”
“In the wall on your right side, there is an opening.”
Chapter X
The Sock placed it and the disc went inside. A hologram of a visibly huge man appeared in the center of the machine. The group stared for a moment…
“This one looks like Gogo?!” Leo broke the silence.
“Apparently, myths about a race of giants are not fiction.”
The company looked at Galfonino.
“You think so?” Macony asked rhetorically, with hints of irony.
The hologram spoke of the already known Sumerian dialect.
“Sven, ask him if he knows how to destroy the machine.”
“Okay, I will try.”
The Count spoke and then listened to the lengthy response with interest.
“Well?” Asked eagerly the women.
“From what I understood, the ether and the dark matter cannot be separated without causing an endless growing black hole that will swallow everything.”
“Well, what a crazy situation!” Arnold got angry. “Is that why I nearly died and spent days without drinking? To tell me that the machine cannot be destroyed at the end?”
“When were you sober, I can’t remember?” Mariela asked angrily.
“Quiet,” intervened The Sock and continued, “the problem is bigger than we expected, but that never stopped us before. The only thing remains for us to do...”
They all held their breath in anticipation of the decision.
“We will return the machine back where we found it. This time, we will bury the place as if a human had never lay foot in there. Then we will hide and start with a clean conscience.”
“And if they find us? Or for some reason find the machine?
“We will drain all the energy from the machine before we return it. Thus we ensure that itwill notbroadcastanymore "random" signals. We will teleport a year earlier in order to have time to hide before they learn about us. If in the future, they find us, we will do what we do best...”
Everybody leaned silently for a moment. Arnold, who had suddenly fallen deep in his thoughts, emerged from the coma with surprisingly sober thinking inherent to his former skills of an FBI agent, “Is it certain that anybody knows that the machine is found and we have it?”
“I see that you have something in mind. Could you enlighten us?”
“Let’s review the facts once again. First, don’t you think that, if they knew about the machine, they would directly slaughter us while we slept and take it? Second and no less important, none of us were monitored, except perhaps Galfonino and his wife. And as far as we know, only his phone was tapped. Ask yourself why?”
Capone looked puzzled and suddenly brightened. Just before he said anything, Leo also got it and both cried out simultaneously, “The Armenian!”
Mariela began to massage her temples, “Don’t tell me that everything that happened was in vain?”
In a moment of understanding, Macony slapped his forehead and clucked with his mouth. Only Sven had not grasped the situation, “Can you explain?”
Galfonino looked at Arnold, “Explain to him what your genius brain has come up with!”
“Everything originated from that villainous, salable Armenian, which is one of the largest suppliers of weapons in Sydney. Most likely, the authorities chased him, and he gave up some of his clientele. It is entirely possible that they have had Capone’s phone tapped for more than a month. When did you start buy
ing from him and what?”
“About three months ago. I purchased some gadgets to equip Leo’s car and the summer villa too. Bazookas, grenades, Kalashnikovs, you name it.
“Well, you’re colossal,” smiled The Sock. “With all terrorist bullshit happening in the world, you have found exactly what to do. And at a time when we managed to legalize all business. Hopefully, they didn’t find out about our old identities, or we are fucked…”
“So we are wanted terrorists in Australia, right?” Mariela intervened again.
“Hardly. Our corporation is worth several hundred million dollars, and we are not Muslims, if that’s relevant. Rather, they announced us gangsters or a criminal gang. Although with such an amount of weapons, it is slightly doubtful.”
“Weeell,” Galfonino interrupted, “it is entirely possible I’ve installed some missiles on the yacht.”
Feeling where the things are going, the gangsters started to laugh…
“The past caught up with us again in one way or another. You kno what they say, "Once a gangster, always a gangster". Jokes aside, everything we’ve built is gone. Our only assets are twenty million in offshore bank, fortunately untraceable. The plan for the machine remains, however. We cannot risk anymore than we already have. Once we return Sven and completely exhaust the energy, we will bury it in the old place. Then we will make new identities and move to Central America.”
“I like it...” Mariela rubbed her hands.
“As you say, Leo, although personally, I prefer to "return the favor" to the Armenian first.”
“Don’t worry Galfo. Australian authorities will take care of him.”
“I have only one request,” Sven interrupted. “If possible, I want to get some history books from your time. After I read them, I will destroy them, naturally.”
“No problem, but you will not have much time after we return you. Remember what awaits the Templars.”
“I haven’t forgotten. The plan is clear, we will move too.”
Maggie finally decided to join the conversation, “I just didn’t understand, when are we going back to Sydney?”
“We’ll move to a better place, bunny…” shuddered Galfonino.
Sven pushed Leo gently by hand and whispered, “I think this girl isn’t veryperceptive?”
The Sock smiled, “Her beauty compensates for other things.”
* * *
The machine teleported them into the XXI century for just a moment to equip the Count with several volumes of history of the world and then returned him to the same place and time he was taken from. The farewell was brief.
Followed a series of teleports in order to drain the energy of the machine. With the last remaining, the device took them in the same cave near Varna in 2015, the place where everything started. Galfonino turned everything off and the gangsters left. Hints of nostalgia could be seen in the eyes of both travelers, while others just wanted to get out in fresh air.
“Every good thing comes to an end,” Galfonino said as he thought of the technology that had changed his life forever.
“Now, don’t you cry on me?” The Sock startled him.
“When did you ever see me crying?”
“Only once, when we played poker in New York, and you still thought that straight beat flash. It was a beautiful day.”
“Don’t remind me. I lost my favorite car, Morgana, back then. I will never forget that Mustang.”
“It’s time,” Arnold said insensitively. “Let’s go, I feel thirsty.”
“Enough, we are not in a hurry! You will get drunk, don’t worry.”
“I am not speaking of alcohol. I just wanna drink water.”
The others looked at him strange, as they had never seen him drink water…
“Okay, I’m just kidding.”
Everybody left the cave. Leo lit the fuse and went after them running. Seconds later, there was a loud noise, and the cave was overwhelmed with stones like the first one.
“That was it. Now follows a long walk under the moonlight to the city.”
On the road…
“I have a question. We have no money, and the gold finished in France. How do we buy new passports and airplane tickets?
“I have an apartment. The money from the sale should be sufficient. Unless you want to work a little?” Mariela grinned.
“I want to work as a pizza delivery guy, but I don’t have a driver,” joked Arnold.
Laughter lit up the road. Leo added, “We are so poor that if we get all our money together, we can’t even buy a Zjiguli…”
The humorous conversation continued until they reached the city. Once the group got to the apartment, they lay down for a day or two, overwhelmed by the adventures. The next morning, while drinking coffee, Arnold appeared with a stunning hairstyle, “I have to buy anail clippers because last night I scratched my back, and the place still hurts.”
“We decided to watch a movie for a change. It was so dull that I lost my will to live at some point!” Capone looked depressed when he remembered.
“Did the women choose it?” In turn, asked Arnold, scratching again while pouring coffee.
“Yes, problem?” Maggie asked angrily.
“No, no, just guessing,” he tried to gloss the situation. “My only problem is that this is only coffee!”
Leo appeared with the newspaper in his hand.
“Why did you lock the toilet. I had an emergency.”
“Arnie, bro, trust me, it’s for your own good. Because if you enter while I’m cleaning my ass, we will have to send you to apsychoanalyst. And what are you going to do inside when it’s occupied?”
“Well, there is a sink, right?!”
“You are having interesting conversations today.”
The afternoon was spent in a pawnshop, making the documents for the sale of the apartment.
* * *
Somewhere in Jamaica...
Leaned on two beach lounges, Capone and Leo, with cold beers in hands, were enjoying their Cuban cigars and the view. Against them was a field a few acres large, full with grown tall marijuana.
“Hey, that’s life, brother! Fuck all the millions and businesses in Australia. Here is the paradise. Two beach houses, a small hotel for the women to run and us to grow ganja and live like lords.”
“Arnie and Mac are doing great too. The strip club they opened downtown is full every night. We are set for life, nothing can happen now...”
Galfonino removed his glasses and looked at his friend seriously. Leo, in turn, took off his own and also looked seriously. Both violently laughed and gave each other cheers...
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
AUTHOR NAME is STANIMIR MIROV
Find out more at amazon.com/Stanimir-Mirov
FROM THE AUTHOR
If you enjoyed this book or received value from it in any way, than I’d like to ask you for a favor: would you be kind enough to leave a review for this book on Amazon? It’d be greatly appreciated!
Gangsters In Time [Part III] Veni, Vidi, Vici Page 8