Another tale about Sammer

 - Dad, can you tell me another story about him? – said Mark as his father Gale was about to leave the room.

- Really Mark? You’re in high school and you still want me to tell you stories about him?

- Please dad, they're really interesting.

- Okay, but I don’t think there’s one I haven’t told you already. – said Gale and sat on the bed next to him.

- You can think of something, please.

- Okay okay, I think I have one I haven’t told you about.

- Really? – Mark’s eyes were shining. – Tell me!

- Just get comfortable and let me start from the beginning, because what I’m about to share with you is the reason you exist in the first place.

* * *

"Darius Sammer. As you already know son, he was a dear friend of mine. Both of us met when we had a job at the mafia. He was an ex agent from the CIA and…well I was the detective who was doing all the cover ups for the murders he made. I was working on both sides. As I expected things didn’t go well for too long. Your mother was kidnapped. In a bright day some men came in our home and took her.

I was finished. I didn’t know what to do. Then Sammer popped up in my head. Immediately went to his apartment and broke in. I sat next to him holding my hands. He was looking at me carefully, probably because I was shaking.

- For what do I owe your great presence? – he asked spreading hands.

- Sammer, what I’m about to tell you is very important..

- Cut the bullshit Gale, just tell me why you interrupted my wine session.

On the table in front of us stood a glass full of wine. Every morning he was drinking it instead of coffee. In his words, it gives him more energy.

- My wife is kidnapped… they came in… took her.. and now..now I don’t even know what to do. Sammer, please help me. – tears were pouring down my cheeks. I was trying to stop them, but it didn’t help. Sammer looked at the table for several seconds. Then he turned his head to me saying.

- I want you to go to your house and take anything you can find that can be used as a weapon.

- Why? – I asked.

- Just listen to me. Come back here after you’re done. I need half an hour.

I didn’t exactly knew what his plan was, but if it meant saving her I had to trust him. I really did find I gun in my safe that I used only for special situations. Well this situation was extreme. I took a kitchen knife as well just to have a melee weapon in hand and drove back to Sammer’s.

He was talking on the phone in the living room when I came.

- Yes..yes, ok I understand. See ya. – and hung up. – She is in the old tobacco factory outside the city.

- How do you know that!? – I said.

- There’s a guy who knows about every crime committed in Detroit. He’s a friend of mine.

We travelled with my car. Didn’t spеак until we arrived. The factory was an old left from the God building almost collapsing on itself. Even one of the site was missing. I exited the car and as I did my knife dropped. Sammer stood next to me.

- Did you bring a fucking kitchen knife to a gun fight? – he asked.

- This may be useful who knows.

- Yeah, if they think about chopping your fingers it may be.

We pulled our pistols and walked ahead. He sticked his back to the wall and crouched. Then as we went under one of the windows he looked above it. I did so as well and saw her.

She was sitting on a chair with hands tied behind. Her makeup was all over her face and black spots of eyeliner were circling her eyes.

- I beg you… let me goo.. – she cried.

Three men were surrounding her with assault rifles pulled to their chests.

- Shut up! If he ain’t bringing the money you won’t be talking no more.

- So it’s about money, huh. – Sammer whispered.

He turned his head to me.

- Gale, I want you to go there! – he ordered.

- I what!?

- You heard me, go there and pretend as if you are bringing the money.

- And what are you gonna do?

- Worry about yourself. You’re the one who won’t follow the script. Just buy me some time, that’s all.

I walked around the building and approached the entrance. Although it was day the atmosphere was dark and the walls were casting shadows all around us. My steps were slow. He said to buy him some time, right? Your mother son, cried out loud when she noticed me and the men pulled their guns.

- Introduce yourself! – one of them shouted.

- It’s me! – I raised my hands. – I got your money!

They looked at each other in confusion.

- And where are they?

Sammer appeared from one of the doors behind them. He moved smooth like the wind. With a gun.

- In the car! - I said. – But first, let her go!

The men burst into laughing.

- You are in no condition to make orders, man.

At that moment Sammer shot one of them in the head and fell to the ground. The other two tried to act fast, but he killed another. The last guy hid behind a column. Sammer took cover behind a wall and was shooting at the other man while I was undoing the ropes on her hands. Both were sending bullets to each other but only one hit Sammer and he collapsed. I drew my pistol up and pulled the trigger several times. My job wasn’t even close to using guns so it was obvious when I didn’t hit the man. He saw my attempts and immediately stroke a bullet right through me. I fell on my back and was holding my chest which started to fill with blood. The man approached and raised the pistol against my head. I could see its muzzle and the darkness inside. My heartbeat was rising higher and higher. Just when he was about to kill me his whole mouth started to puke blood. His body dropped and fell on his forehead. Behind it was revealed your mother which was holding the kitchen knife in her hands. Her face was tomato red.

- You dropped this. – she said.

Then she wanted to call an ambulance, but I didn’t let her. If we even stepped in a hospital in this condition police officers were going to be all over us sniffing around. So I called one of the mafia’s private doctors to come. He was an old man with round glasses. He wasn’t shocked or didn’t even ask why there were three dead men laying on the ground, which shows that he has worked for a long time in the criminal environment. And just like that when he pulled the bullets from our bodies he left with his car not saying anything.

I hugged her so tight I thought she was suffocating. We were kissing. Sammer stood in the background and was smoking a cigarette. I went to him and for the first time I hugged him as well.

- Thank you, thank you, thank you! – I said.

- Be careful, my cigar’s gonna fall off.

I laughed, but he was dead serious.

- Just as you know, if you need anything just ring me, okay? – I said.

He smiled and replied.

- You already know how you’re helping me."

* * *

- Sooo you and mom fucked, because uncle Darius has saved you? – Mark said.

- Don’t you talk like that, boy!

- But you said…

- Shut up or you’re gonna be grounded for months!

- Ok ok, so when did this happen? – he asked.

- When I last saw Sammer. There are different rumors about where is he now. Some say he is in Los Angeles or California. Some even say he is hiding in an unknown country in Europe. Some say he’s dead, but I don’t believe them.

- And where do you think is he?

- Probably watching and laughing. Now now, go to sleep son.

Gale switched the lights off and went to his bedroom. Just when he was smoking by the window a human shadow appeared on the street with hands in its pockets. It looked at Gale and stood there for a brief moment. His wife appeared behind him noticing that he had saw someone.

- What is it, dear? – she asked.

Then the shadow walked to their car in front of the house and left something. He looked at Gale again and continued walking down the path of streetlights disappearing completely.

- Nothing..- he replied.

The next morning after picking the newspaper at the door he went to his car. Gale was worried if that man had done anything to it. There was just one piece of paper left on the window. He picked it and smiled.

It read.

“See ya.

- Sammer.”