Chapter 2

. . .Two years later. . .

It was a busy mall and I wasn’t sure why I came here myself but something with pile of money and nothing to do all day isn’t a good combination for anyone. I had spent money of women, booze and every imaginable sport but today I had come to get myself a suit.

A suit of the highest standards for a mobster of such high standing was a fitting match.

It was during my aimless walking in the mall when I glanced upon her. Totally lost and confused like an abandoned puppy.

“You look lost, you need help?”

I asked this beauty of a lady that was totally out of her elements. Her long, golden hair blended in beautifully with her deep blue eyes.

“Ah! You surprised me. I wasn’t expecting anyone to guess I was lost.”

She shot back as she turned towards me. I held back from responding that it was very obvious how lost she was even from half way across the mall but knew better. Her voice and her face gave me a pause as it felt like I had seen her before long ago but I wasn’t sure if I was mixing her up with someone else.

“What lost in my beauty?”

She asked as I stared at her for a moment too long.

“I was simply admiring the beauty of god’s creation. I was told since I was a wee boy to admire the beauty of the world, which includes yourself.”

“I see that you can at least reply. I was trying to find Martha Suits if you’ve heard of them. I needed a new suit and can’t seem to find their shop.”

“Well, you’re in luck, that’s where I was heading towards. They have a cozy little shop so its hard to find it but….”

With a wink towards her, I continued

“… you follow me and I’ll show you what you want.”

With a small laugh, she followed me to the shop as we both got our own suits along with the usual flirty conversation.

I was feeling good for the first time in ages. It was something to do with her beauty, her comebacks and just the chemistry we had that made it enjoyable to talk with her even when it was late into evening.

“It was nice chatting with you but its late now and I need to head back. I fear if I stay any longer, you’ll be in bed under me.”

“Under you? You’ll be the one screaming when I’m done.” I shot back as she responded with her usual smirk before leaving for good.

It wasn’t a few minutes later I realized, I forgot to ask for her name.

“Ah damn! Guess we’ll meet again if we’re meant to be.”

*

Hazy vision. . .What seemed to be dozens of figures in the doorway. . . Shrouded in grey mist behind the staircase, curled up in a ball. . .Hearing the terrible information that changed a life forever. . .

"I'll make you a very rich man, James."

"Keep your money, I don't need it!" A voice spat back. The distant shadows of two figures, seemingly mere silhouettes in a blinding white light. The two men argued with each other at the door, with a mob of men behind the leader. "I do not need you or your cronies to provide me with your money."

"I suggest you reconsider, James. Think of your son." The voice said calmly. He was only around the age of twenty but looked dangerous at that age. "Think of Josh and his well being."

There was a slight pause in the conversation. ". . .You leave my little boy out of this!"

The men behind him laughed hoarsely. "James, you are a fool not to see it. You are a widower, don't you see? How else will you conjure up the money to keep you and your son alive? There is no other choice but to cooperate with us."

"You know," He continued. "Seeing that look of fear in your eyes. It puzzles me to wonder how you can possibly think you can make it in the Vice. Your wife was killed in a car accident just after she gave birth to your son. What more can we offer you then our loyalty?"

The one in fear had shining jet black hair that shone in the light. A small fire was glowing in the small home as well, the same pair of little eyes looking down at the crowd of arguing figures.

Looking down at a photo of his child and him standing together at the beach, the father did not know what to do. Was he to pull off another job to save his son's life? Or risk taking his own in a job that was just as dangerous as the others?

A heavy sigh hit the air. "What are you asking of me?"

"Come, we'll talk about it, outside." The man ordered, thrusting the younger man out the door. Looking to one of his other men, the ring leader held a dagger to his throat, motioning to one heading out to the door, unaware of what was to soon come. . .

With that, I woke up in a sweat.

*

Gasping for air and clutching my covers tightly, I awoke in a deep sweat, sweating bullets and beads of my own perspiration. It trickled down my forehead and on my chest as I began to remember where I was.

Clueless as to what nightmare had just happened to me, I got out of my comfy bed, noticing the woman whom I had slept with was gone, as usual. Funnily enough, I don't even recall her name. It was a normal occurrence in the life of Josh Kellett.

Looking outside, I realized again where I was. A deluxe, large suite in the penthouse I lived in everyday. It wasn't far from the King's Club, but it was maybe a two minute drive in one of my fastest cars.

The warm sun hit my bare chest as he pried open the curtains, looking out to see Miami looking the same as ever. Boring and dull, of course; an orange sun rising in the view, pouring the colour into the vibrant ocean. Even some cars were out to work already.

KNOCK! KNOCK! The door away from me signalled. Seeing it as 9AM, I was a bit nervous. No one ever came to my penthouse, especially this one.

Picking up a small handgun off the dresser, I cocked and locked the weapon, tiptoeing my way to the door. Walking past the living room where the large TV and entertainment system was, and past the kitchen where I had some leftover food sitting on the counter, I called out to the one outside.

"Who is it?" I said nervously. Suddenly, a recollection of something I thought I remembered a long time ago hit me. . .Deja vu, maybe?

"Josh, it's Mario!"

"Oh, Thank God." I breathed a sigh of relief, unlocking the door for Mario. He was dressed in a casual sort of way, wearing a bright orange shirt and white pants. Coated in sunglasses, Mario took them off to greet his friend.

"How are you doing, Josh?" Mario asked sternly, hugging me slowly. "We haven't heard from you in awhile."

Smiling, I laughed tiredly. "I've been busy, haven't I? Diaz has me pulling all these jobs for him, it's not safe for me to be revealing myself outdoors a lot. You know, we're lucky we live in the Vice, if we lived anywhere else, the cops would have nailed our ass long ago."

Leading Mario outside on the veranda, I grabbed a bottle of beer and leaned against the railing, looking out at Miami, seeing the view perfectly from my spot. "Josh, there's something we need to be telling you. . ." Mario spoke out, looking down at his shoes nervously.

"What?"

"I wasn't planning on saying it here, I was hoping I could break it to you at King's. And since you brought out that whole topic a second ago, I need to tell you this now." Mario stammered.

I glared at Mario in a bit of anger and worry at the same time. "Spit it out, I'm used to things going wrong in my life." Taking a swig of his beer.

"They caught Enrico, mate."

Nearly choking on the beer, I gasped for air and also dropped the beer from my hand and it crashed to the ground nineteen storeys below. Suddenly, all the feeling in my hands went numb and a shrill, cold feeling reached his spine and insides. "How? When?"

Trying his best to put it into words that I wouldn't be upset, I could see Mario trying not to disappoint me. However, I already was. I grabbed Mario by the shirt and yelled, "Answer me, Mario. Who busted Enrico?!"

"It was a female cop, Josh, honestly!" Mario said shrilly, feeling nervous being lifted in the air nineteen storeys above ground level. "Now come on, let me go!"

I put him down slowly. "Which female cop?!" I wanted to know, smoothing out his shirt slowly. "Do you know the name?"

At this, Mario began to laugh to himself silently, a smirk breaking on his lips. "That's the delicious part of your next assignment by Diaz."

"My assignment?" I said, emphasizing the word, 'My'. It was a normal fact that Mario and I always teamed up together for our own little assignments created by Giovanni Diaz. "And what assignment might this be?"

Suddenly, a ring hit my ears. "Right on time, he is." Mario smiled. "That's Diaz, waiting to give you your assignment."

"Yeah?" I said, answering the call quickly.

The nervousness in my voice seemed awkward. For some reason, I did not feel the urge to go out again, knowing that with Enrico out, Mario and I were wanted men around Miami Vice.

"Josh!" Diaz's voice blared out the receiver. "I assume Mario is alongside you right now, hmm?"

Glaring at Mario as he gave me a bit of a dirty look, I got back to the call. "I'm looking at his face right now. What do you need me to do?"

"This is probably going to be one of the most dangerous missions that we'll have assigned you to. It will not be easy and it may just land you a jail cell, however, I have a nice reward for you if you and Mario can succeed." Giovanni said, a sense of evil hidden away in his voice.

Swallowing nervously, I could still feel the effects of that cold feeling inside of me. "What is it, then?"

There was a silent pause for a few moments before I received the response. Feeling my body tense up, I finally heard Giovanni Diaz's voice again.

"The boys and I need you to break into the Miami Vice Police Department, disguised as a cop, and break Enrico out of there. Another note, we need you to find the name of the cop who brought him in."

Almost immediately, I lost all feeling in my body. I felt dizzy, and walked over to the couch to recollect what hadn't sunk in just yet. "You need me to break into the place we're trying to avoid most to bail Enrico out? And find the name of this cop? You better have a large sum of money for me on this one."

"I do. How does two hundred thousand dollars sound to you, Josh? You and Mario will both receive that sum of money each." Diaz said forcefully.

My heart leapt. That was a lot of zeroes going into my bank account. "Expect Enrico back home in five hours." I said courageously, shutting off my phone and getting ready to go have fun with Miami's finest.