Chapter Three
The cemetery went black and now Gabriel was riding in the back of an old 1930's car. The back seat was hard and uncomfortable. In the front was Johnny driving the car. He looked like he was in his early twenty's and the little boy had grown into a muscular man.
In the passenger seat next to Johnny was a beautiful blond woman who held Johnny's hand in hers. They were driving through a city street much like the one Johnny grew up on. Looking out the window ahead of them Gabriel could see a cop car with lights flashing. It was a road block of sorts and two officers were outside of the car motioning them to stop.
“I wonder whats going on?” The woman asked.
“I don't know, just stay calm sweetheart.” Johnny said as he let go of her hand and stopped the car. One officer walked up on one side and the other on the other side of the car. The one next to the drivers side tapped a night stick on the window and Johnny rolled it down.
“Hello sir.” Johnny said looking at the officer.
“Well, well what do we have here? You seeing what I am Steve?” The one officer said to the other. Steve began chuckling as he eyeballed the woman.
“Have we done something wrong?” Johnny asked uneasy.
“I don't know anything you wanna confess to?” Steve said looking right at the woman's breasts.
“No sir, we were just heading home after a movie.” Johnny said.
“Oh is that so?” The officer next to Johnny said.
“Why don't you two get out of the car.” Steve said opening the door for the woman.
“Are we under arrest?” Johnny asked getting out of the car.
“You look like a suspect that we are looking for.” Steve said still looking at the woman.
“Hand's behind your back, both of you.” The one officer said. The woman began crying and would not turn around.
“Do as they say.” Johnny said putting his hands behind his back.
“Better listen to him.” Steve said as he forcefully turned the woman around and placed handcuffs on her. The other officer placed hand cuffs on Johnny and they lead them over to the police car. Gabriel followed behind and got in the back of the car before the other two. Steve opened the door for the woman and placed her in the back.
“In you go.” Steve said smiling as he shut the door. Steve walked around the back of the car and pulled out his night stick. The other officer placed Johnny in the back seat. Just as he went to shut the door Steve smashed johnny in the head with the nightstick. The sound was a hard bone crushing crack and Johnny fell over limp onto Gabriel's lap as blood tinkled down his head.
“Oh my god!” The woman screamed as tears poured down her face.
“Listen here, you keep your mouth shut or you will be next!” Steve said pointing the nightstick at her. The officers got in the car and began driving. Gabriel tried to moved to get Johnny out from under him but he couldn't move. Johnny was still limp and Gabriel was not sure if he was dead or just badly injured. The woman tried to muffle her whimpering but it got worse as they began leaving the city. They turned onto a dirt road and started heading into a wooded area.
“Where are you taking us!” The woman screamed. Just as she did the car came to a halt. Steve got out and drug the woman by her hair out of the car and then slammed the door. Gabriel looked out the window as they lead the woman into the woods. For a moment there was a peaceful silence and Johnny began to wake up. Johnny tried to get up but just rolled off onto the floor board of the back seat. The silence turned to blood curdling screams from the woman.
“Hey you son's of bitches!” Johnny screamed as tears ran down his face. The woman's screams filled the night for what seemed like forever and johnny could do nothing. Then a deathly silence and Gabriel watched out the window as the two officers came back to the car. One of them was still buttoning up his pants. But the woman was not with them, she was gone.
“Where is she you mother fuckers?” Johnny yelled as the officers got in the car.
“Shut him up.” The one officer said as Steve pulled out his nightstick and began beating Johnny repeatedly. Everything went dark to the sound of Johnny's head cracking again. Gabriel found himself laying next to Johnny in a holding cell. Johnny was slowly coming to once again and was looking around the room with blood shot eyes. Vomit lined the floor of the cell along with passed out drunks.
Men of all shapes and sizes were crammed into the little cell. Just as Gabriel got up guards came up to the cell holding a fire hose. They aimed it at the floor and turned it on. The pressure sent vomit and water spraying all over the cell and the men inside. Most of the men ran for cover with Johnny and Gabriel.
“Hey man what the fuck!” One man yelled out soaked in water.
“We have to clean up the puke some how!” One of the guards said as they washed the vomit down the drain. As a blast of water hit Gabriel he suddenly found himself in an office. His clothes were still dripping wet and next to him was Johnny. On the other side of a desk was an officer in a nice suit. On his wall were awards and medals.
“I want to know what your men did with my girl!” Johnny shouted.
“I am sorry for your loss sir but did you fill out a missing persons report?” The officer said.
“I don't need to, I told you already when I was wrongfully arrested by two of your men took her into the woods. That was the last time I saw her!” Johnny said as he banged on the desk.
“I find this all hard to believe....You haven't filled out any reports yet you say this happened two weeks ago?” The officer said leaning back in his chair.
“Yes, it was two weeks ago and its taken me two weeks just to get in here and speak with you. The lady's at the front desk were no help and they said no other officers could help me find her.” Johnny said as his face was beat red with frustration.
“We are very busy, people come up missing all the time. Next thing you know they show up at a relatives house or just needed a break. Maybe you guys were having relationship problems so she left town for awhile?” The officer said.
“How many times do I have to tell you, she is missing because of your twisted cops!” Johnny yelled as he got out of his chair. The officer pulled a revolver from his desk and pointed it at Johnny.
“Now you sit down!” The officer said waving the revoler at Johnny.
“You listen, and listen good. We didn't do anything with your girlfriend. If you keep pushing this I will throw the irons on you right now and throw away the key. Now either your are confessing to her murder or you are leaving my office and never coming back!” The officer said as Johnny sat in his chair speachless. His hands trembled and Gabriel could tell that he wanted to jump from his chair and strangle the man.
“Well son which is it gonna be?” The officer said as Johnny got up from his chair and started to walk out of the room.
“Smart boy.” The officer said. Johnny stopped just before walking out the door. He clenched his fist for a moment and then just grabbed the door and walked out. In the blink of an eye Gabriel found himself in the cemetery just outside of showman's rest. Johnny was walking on the pathway and the elephant memorial was in site. Gabriel began walking with him and just as they passed the memorial Gabriel could see a man in a suit with a nice hat. His head was down so the rim of the hat covered his face.
The man looked up and Gabriel could see that it was Apollyon with a grin on his face. He tipped his hat to Johnny and walked by without saying a word. Johnny did not return the greeting and just kept walking. He seemed dead inside and completely emotionless. They walked through showman's rest slowly stopping at each marker as if to say farewell.
Johnny walked up to his fathers grave and next to it was a wad of clothing. Johnny picked up the clothing and underneath was a tommy gun. Johnny picked up the gun with a look of shock as he inspected it. Then Johnny held out the clothing to see what it was. It was a jester suit brand new with colors that shined in the sunlight.
“Thank you father! I won't forget you all!
” Johnny said as tears ran down his face. Johnny quickly covered the tommy gun in the jester outfit so that no one would see it and began walking out of showman's rest. Gabriel quickly went from walking to sitting in an old truck's passenger seat. It was pitch black out and Johnny was driving. Next to him was the tommy gun and he was now wearing the jester outfit.
Looking out the passenger side mirror Gabriel could see the truck was a large flat bed with wooden barrels in the back. Almost like ones used to haul alcohol or other liquid goods. Johnny pulled the truck over and it stalled out and died right in front of a bank. The streets were empty and there was very little light. Johnny got out of the truck and Gabriel followed behind him.
Johnny rolled one of the barrels off the truck and popped a hole in the side of it with the sharp end of a hammer. Johnny repeatedly knocked holes all over on the side of the barrel and he began rolling it a long the sidewalk in front of the bank. Gabriel could see a gray powder coming out from the holes all over in the barrel. When the powder blew in the breeze Gabriel could smell that it was Black powder.
Gabriel sat down on the running board of the truck as Johnny dumped out black powder all over around the bank. It filled the gutters, sidewalk and street. After emptying about twenty of the barrels Johnny began placing full barrels with wicks hanging out the bottom around the bank. They looked to be large sized pipe bombs. Or barrel bombs Gabriel supposed, but why all of this?
Johnny began placing barrels even around the building near by the bank. Until finally after a few hours Johnny was out of barrels and he had loaded up the empty ones. It looked some what unusual with so many barrels around and the streets covered in a powder. Johnny got in the truck and started it up before Gabriel could even get inside.
Gabriel grabbed a hold of the mirror and stood up on the running board as Johnny sped off around a corner in the truck. He circled around the block and then parked the truck a short distance away from the bank. They could still see the entrance though, and the bombs surrounding the bank and other buildings. Gabriel was amazed that not one person came by. But he could tell it was very late at night in the early 1930's in Chicago.
Getting inside the truck Gabriel sat and waited with Johnny. In one hand he was clinching the Tommy gun and in the other he held a flaming cocktail. Gabriel could smell the potent liquid in the bottle and the rag that was soaked and hanging out from it. It was clear to Gabriel that this would be no robbery. Gabriel had just hoped that someone would notice the barrels before anyone got hurt.
The sun raised up and lit up the streets, the powder now began to blend in with the dirt. It would be hard to tell anything was up except for the barrels and maybe the gutters that were filled with piles of black powder. People began showing up and a man unlocked the door to the bank as three women walked in. Other people began opening up their businesses all around the bank.
None of them seemed to notice the barrels or that anything was off. As a woman went to the front of the bank and flipped over an open sign Johnny opened the door to the truck. The sound was like an alarm to Gabriel's heart and it jumped and raced. He could feel the adrenaline race through his body and an explosion of emotion rush over his face.
While Johnny looked calm and collected as he placed the cocktail in a pocket in the jester costume. The Tommy gun stayed in his hand though. Gabriel walked behind him and watched it hanging at his side. A woman across the street from the bank saw him and dropped a stack of papers on the sidewalk.
“Ahhhh he's got a gun!” The woman yelled as she fled for a store door. Johnny simply picked up his pace to almost a run. The door to the bank flung open and Johnny raised his gun. There were only two customers and two lady's at the front desk.
“Everybody's hands in the air now!” Johnny yelled. A man and woman customer turned to look at Johnny while the two women clerks raised their hands in the air. A look of horror was on their faces and they wanted to scream but could not. As the two customers turned they too raised their hands in the air.
“This is a robbery and if you all want to go home to your family's then listen closely.” Johnny said pointing the Tommy gun at them.
“Now you yell for your boss.” Johnny said pointing the gun at one of the women.
“What....Its....Just us!” The woman shouted.
“I am not stupid, I seen him come in!” Johnny said looking down the sites of the Tommy gun.
“Freddy can you please come up here!” The other woman clerk yelled.
“What is it!” a males voice shouted from a back office.
“We....Have an issue with a customer!” The woman yelled. Freddy opened the door to the office and seen what was happening. He immediately raised his hands in the air.
“Freddy come here!” Johhny said pointing the gun at him. Freddy slowly walked over to him with his hands in the air.
“Now if no one wants to see Freddy die, then you will do as I say!” Johnny said.
“You two start getting money out of the vault and setting it on the counter.” Johnny said looking at the woman. They quickly went in the vault and began stacking piles of cash on the counter.
“That's good enough, leave the vault door open and come up front.” Johnny said and the woman came around the front of the counter.
“Very good, now I want you to pick up that phone and call the police.” Johnny said very calmly. The woman picked up the phone.
“Yes...Operator I need the police please.” The woman said as the phone was shaking in her hand.
“What should I tell them?” The woman whispered.
“Tell them where you are and that a man is robbing the bank.” Johnny said and the woman's eyes got big.
“You want me to tell them that!” The woman said surprised.
“Yes of course!” Johnny said chuckling.
“Hello, I would like to report a bank robbery.” The woman said.
“Its at 506 west rose street, the Gilman bank.” The woman said.
“Well of course I am sure!” The woman said hanging up the phone.
“Very good, now each of you split the money up four ways.” Johnny said and he waited as they began splitting up the money.
“Now take your share of the money and get out of here. Go home and if your home is within two blocks of here then go to a relatives. Get far away and don't look back, this is a second chance at life!” Johnny said as they all looked surprised. The male customers face lit up and he began stuffing his pockets with the stacks of money. The other three were hesitant and just looked at the money. The man quickly turned and ran passed Johnny and out of the bank.
Once the woman customer had seen the man get out she too stuffed her purse with money and walked out. Shortly followed by the two clerks who rushed out as well. There was no money left and Johnny walked around behind Freddy. He pushed the tip of the barrel up against his back and then began walking towards the doorway.
“Are you going to kill me!?” Freddy said with a trembling voice.
“We will get out of this alive if you do exactly as I say.” Johnny said as he pulled a lighter from a pocket and held it so Freddy could see it.
“Here take this.” Johnny said and Freddy grabbed it.
“What should I do with it?” Freddy said still trembling.
“When the time comes I will hold out a bottle with a rag. When I do you will light the rag on fire and then open the door. Once the bottle has been thrown, you will shut the door and we will both run for the vault. If you don't do exactly that then you will die.” Johnny said.
“Please I have a daughter and a wife.” Freddy said.
“Well if you want to see them again just follow my instructions. Otherwise they won't even be able to identify your body. Then most likely you will be buried in a mass grave called scumbags rest!” Johnny said laughing.
“So what do we do now?” Freddy said after a few moments of silence.
“We just wait....For them.” Johnny said as the first police car pulled up in front of the bank. Two of
ficers jumped out and drawed their pistols.
“You better not shoot I have hostages in here!” Johnny shouted.
“Please don't kill me!” Freddy yelled as tears ran down his face. The officers kept their guns drawn as more and more police cars began pulling in. Johnny just stood there watching and holding the gun to Freddy's back. Finally an officer began walking towards the bank unarmed.
“Sir I have no weapons, I just want to talk.” The officer said as he stopped just before the sidewalk.
“Is that ok with you?” The officer said holding his hands in the air. Johnny remained silent though and just tilted his head at the officer.
“You know I can get you out of this, but you have to work with me.” The officer said. Johnny still didn't respond to him.
“Please, we have the building surrounded. There is no escape so lets figure out what we are going to do.” The officer said. Johnny smiled as he said the building is surrounded.
“This one's for my girl!” Johnny said as he held out the flaming cocktail. Freddy fumbled with the lighter until finally the fuse ignited. Freddy opened the door but ran out to the officers. Just as he did the flaming cocktail busted at his feet. The door closed and Johnny started running for the vault. Bullets began flying in through the now inferno outside.
A bullet crashed into Gabriel's leg and he collapsed to the floor. Johnny made it to the vault and quickly shut the door. Gabriel was left out in the open though but the hail of bullets had stopped. Looking out he could see the streets were on fire and sizzling from the black powder. Boom! One of the bombs went off shaking the whole building. Boom, Boom, Boom....They all began going off as shrapnel and debris flew all around.
Everything went black and all Gabriel was left with were the sounds of explosions and pain. No matter how much his body endured he never got used to the pain. It was as though his body would not even go into shock. All he had was a cocktail of pain throughout his whole body. Slowly he could hear the final bombs go off and then nothing but the silence of flames.
Gabriel could feel his body trying to heal but then flames would reignite his pain. It went on like this for at least fifteen minutes until finally the flames around him had burned out. He began to heal again and could open his eyes. Most of the building was in shambles and the streets were filled with twisted metal from police cars.
The vault door came open and Johnny was covering his face with a towel. He barley was able to get it open enough so he could get out since debris had fallen around the door. Johnny ran out and passed the flames as fast as he could. Gabriel sprung to his feet and followed him through a haze of smoke. Cheech cheech cheech cheech cheech. Gabriel could hear the Tommy gun going off. Looking ahead of him he could see Johnny shooting at the few officers who survived the chaos.
One of them was smoldering and half burnt but some how he clung to life. Only to be chewed up by Johnny's bullets. After a brief look at all the carnage he had caused Johnny started running back towards the truck. But instead of getting in he went under the back of the truck where the flat bed was. He grabbed a crow bar and lifted a man hole cover.
Once inside he closed the lid and vanished from Gabriel's site. The air changed from smoke and ash filled to the fresh air outside of the police station. There were no cop cars parked near it as they had all responded to the bank robbery. In the street in front of the station a man hole cover started to move. It slide out of the way and Johnny's jester hood popped up from it.
Johnny came up from the man hole, with the Tommy gun still in his hand. He was now covered in muck and slime. The jester suit was tattered and stained in all sorts of foul sludge. Johnny headed towards the police stations with a calm and smooth sort of stroll. Gabriel followed behind but as he got close to Johnny he could smell the foulness on him.
Backing away Gabriel walked a good distance behind Johnny. Feeling the pressure of something pushing him towards Johnny, Gabriel realized it was better to deal with the smell than be drugged. They walked into the police station, all the people behind the counter were paying no attention to the door. They answered phone calls and went through piles of paper work.
Johnny walked right through them and not a single person even noticed. Walking down a hallway Johnny stopped in front of an office and gently knocked on the door. It was the same door of the officer who would not help Johnny bring justice to his girlfriend. There was no answer so Johnny knocked even harder on the office door.
“Who is it?” A voice called out from inside.
“An old friend” Johnny said.
“Did you check in up front?” The man said.
“Sure did.” Johnny said as he raised the Tommy gun from his side. Johnny grabbed a hold of the door knob and slowly turned it. The officer inside was the same one Johnny had talked to before. As soon as he saw Johnny he jumped under his desk. Johnny walked inside and closed the door.
“Remember me?” Johnny said smiling. The officer was still under the desk and they could not see him. With a cracking sound the officer popped up from under the desk. He had a small revolver in his hand and it was making the cracking sound. It was shortly followed by a defening cheeeech cheeech sound of the Tommy gun going off.
Papers and debris flew around the room. The sound was so loud inside the little office that Gabriel's ears were ringing. Both the officer and Johnny fell to the floor. As quickly as it had started it was now over. Both guns were silenced, and Gabriel looked over at Johnny. He had two distinct bullet holes in his head. One on his forehead and the other on his cheek. His eye's were open but the rage was stilled. Smoke rolled out from the end of the Tommy gun and Gabriel could smell the powder and flesh.
It was a strange combination, almost like that of burning hair. Looking around the other side of the desk, Gabriel could see Johnny had finished the job. The officer was riddled with a spray pattern of bullets. Slivers of wood and paper laid next to him and the revolver was in a death clutch. Looking out the window behind the officer Gabriel could see people walking around in the street like nothing had happened.
Inside the room it was like a bomb had went off. Yet on the other side of the wall people were going about their day like nothing had happened. The light of the room went to dark, and the strange smell faded. Gabriel was back in the field shaking Johnny's hand. Gabriel jolted a little as he changed from one moment to the next.