Interlude
Todd was sitting in the interrogation room with his head down, worrying about his parents, his best friend, his girlfriend and boss and what they were going to think. He was also worrying about what his little brother was going to think, about him being in a police station for the alleged murder of his favorite Hollywood actress, Evaline Edwards, the kid practically worshipped his big brother, now he’s gonna think that he’s some psycho killer?? What’s gonna happen to his job? His school life? His social life? His love life? Would his parents cast him out? Would he even get out? Is he going to jail? Where the fuck did that gorilla looking detective go anyway?! Shutting his eyes he slams his head against the table. “Fuck!” he grumbles under the pain and frustration.
“That must have hurt” said a calm, cool and calculating voice. Todd snaps open his eyes finally noticing a middle aged man, wearing a black overcoat with a grey suit underneath, and complimenting his white shirt and thin black tie. He was at least six feet six inches tall and built like a line-backer; it was a miracle that he got in there so quietly. He was leaning against the door casually and almost friendly. He had a square face and a pointed jaw covered by his thick sideburns making his closely cropped haircut look bald in comparison, there was something in his eyes that told Todd that he could not be trusted.
“Are you a cop?” Todd asked nervously.
“You can say that my job is a lot like a cop’s” said the man “I put the world in order”
“Oh, now I get it…you’re the ‘bad cop’, right?” Todd demanded with diminishing security
“Sure, kid” said the man adjusting something in his pocket and pulled out certain death… “Cigarette?” asked the man “No thanks” said Todd in his best Dirty Harry impersonation.
“Smart kid, most people of your generation would jump at the chance to get a taste of sin” he lights his cigarette, “especially in this city,” chuckled the man. Oddly intrigued by the man, Todd continued the conversation. “I was born in Vegas, and I happen to like it here, despite the ugly sides of this city”
“Oh yes, I read your file son, you plan to enroll yourself into Harvard law school. This is a lot to say from a son of a construction worker and a…waitress. From what I can tell, you might just make it and graduate at the top of your class…You’re parents must be proud.”
“They are. Who are you anyway?” asked Todd, but the man continued
“It’s a shame, really, that you’ll soon become caught up in the lifestyle of the various sinners that inhabit this…city” “I mean, you really think that your parents are gonna just let you leave? That your friend won’t get you into trouble? That your girl is just gonna wait for you? I mean you have been gone for hours now…enough time to find a nice, hard co-”
The man never finished his sentence because Todd launched himself at the man with rabid fury. The man anticipating this grabbed the youth by the throat and threw the handcuffed Todd across the room. “Sit down, boy. I was just messing around,” chuckled the man. “But I must admit, I admire the determination that is inside you…maybe you will change this city for the better. You just lack the patience.” Cracking his knuckles he sat down facing opposite the boy, his back to the one way mirror looking into the room. Shoving his hands into his coat pockets he cleared his throat…
“I know all about patience” said the man as he looked into Todd’s angry eyes “, and I have to agree, it is bit of a pain to have to wait. Especially when you know that you are destined for much more. But it is the people in your life that slow you down…you might want to run away or you could walk up to the whore that is your mother and stab her in the throat” Todd’s face fell at this strange and dangerous man’s slip. Regaining his composure the man continued and lit another cigarette.
“You see, I like many impressionable and suddenly homeless/motherless youth, I found the army. I climbed the ranks rapidly and won various medals and achievements. I soon led a group of younger and impressionable marines into a covert mission that only we and those who really run this country were aware about…needless to say misguided and heartfelt? Betrayals ensued, eyes were lost and I was discharged dishonorably.” Breathing out the smoke through his nostrils the man lit another cigarette and continued. “I realized then that God closes a door and opens a window”
“And that window was an infamous New York Crime family…whose name eludes me at the moment. But you should have seen me; I was like a shadow in the night when I would go do the hits. My theatrics and age caused me to become replaced, ironically enough by the same misguided young traitor I once led…small world, huh?”
“Anyway, to make a long story short, cuz I know everyone wants to get to the good parts, I killed a whole bunch of people in my life, and like an artist, I love what I do only if I can perfect it. So here I am on a job from another big shot and because of contractual reasons I can not disavow the details…”
Looking at Todd as he puffed his cigarette he said “Eh, screw it. My boss is the boy billionaire that FORBES magazine loves to talk about” Todd looks at him with a confused face. “Oh yeah kid, he’s been killing off all of his former guests that went to a party of his. Why? I don’t know”
The man sighed and said “I am not much of a talker and your generation is not full of great listeners, but I must say that this conversation was…helpful…”
“But he has the blood of a good kid on his hands and quite frankly Im not ‘down’ with that” Michael withdrew the silenced gun out of his coat pocket shot Todd twice in the side, put out his cigarette and walked out of the room.
Gluttony
George Gallagher was thoroughly enjoying the news. He was watching CNN and heard about Gabby Gutierrez’s demise at the hands of her late bodyguard, ESPN’s main story revolved around the deaths of boxing champion Alexander Adams and baseball hall of famer Lou Livingston, Paige Parker and Evaline Edwards’s deaths were eclipsed by the sudden mental break down of Betty Burns. The senator, boxer, ball player, socialite and actress were dead; all who remained was the retired and drugged up porn star, Sabrina Saxton.
Yes, today is a good day thought the young billionaire. Thinking back from the incident, George thought that the circumstances were something out of a crime novel or a series of stories from an amateur writer. After the incident George needed six people to be killed, all high profile “hits” lucky for him he inherited from his father more than billions of dollars and estates, he inherited his connections as well. Connections such as the infamous Angelo New York crime family and they suggested their former best hit-man for the job, Michael.
George never met the man but the current matriarch of the Angelo crime family, Angela, was well versed in the tales of the exploits of the assassin known as Michael and from what he heard he knew that he was the man for the job and that he had no worries about the completion of the job.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door. “Who could that be?” he said under his breath.
Getting up from his expensive couch from his expensive room from his multi million dollar mansion on the outskirts of Vegas, George “People Magazine’s World’s Most Sexiest Man Alive” Gallagher headed towards the door. Pausing by a mirror he did not fail to notice his reflection, tall dark and handsome; he was the spitting image of his womanizing and late father. He reached the door and he got a surprise.
“I thought that we could play a little game now that the maids are gone…” said George’s secret lover, Rick. “Dammit!” exclaimed George dragging Rick in by his well formed bicep “What if they HAD seen you?? Do you have any ideas the lengths I’ve gone to keep us under wraps?!”
“Hey, if you’d just come out already there wouldn’t be a problem at all!” said Rick as he tore his arm from George’s grip
“Dammit you just don’t get it, it’s more than that…” said George as he turned his back to Rick
“No, I get it, you’re ashamed of me, of us and of whom you REALLY are…” said Rick as he faced George. He was about to say something when his phone rang, George walked over to the phone next to the couch. “Yeah?” he asked and signaled Rick to stay where he was soon as he heard the cold voice on the other end of the line. “Hello, the matter of payment is coming close to hand”
“I’ve killed the people that you sent me to kill, luckily there weren’t any witnesses…until about half an hour ago, don’t worry about him though, he should be dead by now. You should worry about what I’ve figured out.”
Gallagher, like many Americans likes to eat. When he’s hungry or when he’s not but especially when he is nervous. That’s why he has a bowl of nuts right next to the couch where he is sitting now and right now he is wolfing those nuts down, well, like the homo that he is.
“Why would a billionaire want to have half a dozen people killed if he could easily have them bought off? Could it be because of a secret so big that ‘came out’ during a party? Men in your position have so much to hide because even the smallest of secrets could mean doom, am I right…young gay Gallagher?” after this the murdering psychopath known as Michael started to laugh and he hung up the phone. But before that, George Gallagher started to choke on his nuts.
“Oh shit!” shouted Rick as he saw his lover fall to the floor clasping at his throat choking. “Babe, are you okay? Can you breathe??” he shook George by the shoulders and managed to get him to his feet and he got behind him, positioning his hands in the Heimlich position.
He gave five strong thrusts and with each one George’s tall dark and handsome body moved against Rick’s own tall blonde and blue eyed frame. “Come on, cough it out George! Spit it out” he administered the Heimlich maneuver for another minute, each time feeling George’s strong body and convulsions become weaker and fainter. Rick backed up a bit and with one hand gave him a strong blow…to George’s back. Nothing, George suddenly collapsed onto the floor, unconscious.
“Fuck!” Rick hissed under his breath as he kneeled down next to George. He turned his man onto his back and placed his ear on top of his strong chest trying and failing to feel a heartbeat. He straddled his dying lover and placed his hands on top of his slightly pudgy abdomen and he gave five strong upward thrusts. “Come on baby…breathe for me” after the round of thrusts he get off of George and kneeled next to him once again. He tilted his head back opening his mouth; he pinched his nostrils shut, took in a deep breath and sealed his mouth over George’s breathing for him.
Out of the corner of his eye Rick could see that George’s chest wasn’t rising.
He wasn’t taking in the breaths because of his blocked airway. “Dammit” said Rick as he made a tight seal over George’s mouth again trying to ventilate him once more, but once again only George’s cheeks puffed up with the air but his lungs weren’t getting the much needed oxygen. “Fuck” Rick said as he straddled George once more. He interlaced his fingers together and he placed them in the center of George’s chest “COME ON!” he said as he desperately administered chest compressions
“One and two and three and four and five and six and seven and eight and nine and ten and eleven and twelve and thirteen and fourteen and fifteen and sixteen and seventeen and eighteen and nineteen and twenty and twenty one and twenty two and twenty three and twenty four and twenty five and twenty six and twenty seven and twenty eight and twenty nine and thirty” he leaned in to give mouth to mouth again. He could see that George’s cheeks were puffing up but his chest wasn’t rising and as soon as he removed his mouth George exhaled the breath that he didn’t fully receive. “FUCK!” shouted Rick, he grabbed at the front of George’s button up shirt and he tore it open, sending the buttons flying. He interlaced his fingers once more and he brought them over his head and brought them down with a thud, George’s body shook with the blow, but he didn’t respond
“Don’t you fucking die on me George!” he shouted as he placed his hands one more time in between George’s nipple line and continued compressions “one and two and three and four and five and six and seven and eight and nine and ten and eleven and twelve and thirteen and fourteen and fifteen and sixteen and seventeen and eighteen and nineteen and twenty and twenty one and twenty two and twenty three and twenty four and twenty five and twenty six and twenty seven and twenty eight and twenty nine and thirty…come on, please…” he shuddered out as he leaned in to give a final kiss to his now dead love.
Doing all that he could he reached for the phone and dialed 911, but the line was dead. At that moment he looked up and saw that the whole power to the mansion was gone, and in the darkness he could see the shape of the silencer of the pistol move towards his head and that was the last thing that he saw.
Sloth
It was not as bad as he originally thought. He expected some sick sex dungeon. But, again, Sabrina Saxton’s hotel suite wasn’t as bad as he thought, of course there were still some posters from her former work but they were redone so that they would seem like almost acceptable films. Maybe there was more to this whore than met the eye, thought Michael.
He walked deeper into the former porn star’s den, towards her bedroom. He still had the silenced gun that killed Todd and George’s lover in his coat pocket but as soon as he made it he felt that he came too late. Sabrina Saxton was sprawled on her bed, still in the white mini skirt and tight black tube top that she wore at the club that she opened. What Michael saw scattered on the floor next to her bed were bottles of tequila and vodka with shattered shot glasses and empty syringes and an unfinished small pile of cocaine complete with the rolled up dollar bill.
He neared closer to the bed and saw that she was in fact breathing, very shallow, but still breathing. Almost relieved that he still was capable of finishing his job, (though his employer was dead and that payment was now impossible, Michael was operating on an honor system that only madmen can understand) he reached into his coat, ready to apply the finishing stroke of his masterpiece, he withdrew his journal and slid it under the bed. He reached in his coat once more and took out a large sized hypodermic needle and the vial of pink poisonous fluid that he himself invented.
As he was filling the needle with the untraceable fluid he could hear a young woman taking a shower in the bathroom near the bedroom. But she was far enough, so that the sound of the rushing water and her slightly off key humming; would provide Michael with enough cover. Michael leaned over Sabrina’s body ready to apply the needle to her arm, only to notice that it has become so scarred by last night’s habits. He looked at the small spaces in between her toes of her left foot to find the same thing; he lucked out with her right foot. Impatient, he rammed the needle in the space he chose, she gasped at the sudden jolt of pain only to have Michael’s strong hand clamp down over her mouth, smothering her screams. Her eyes widened as he pushed down the plunger, Michael maintained eye contact until Sabrina’s body grew limp then still. Content, Michael left Vegas.
“Well, I had a lot of fun last night, I just can’t believe that I actually slept with THE Sabrina Saxton!” a tall raven haired twenty something girl’s voice echoed from the bathroom as she was exiting “I mean, it was because of you that I got into my bi-curiosity, then again you must hear this a lot, huh?” She was wearing a black thong and bra that made her small breasts look a good medium size. The girl, Amber, was still drying her hair with the towel when she made it next to the bed “…Brina?” she dropped the towel and stifled her gasp with her hands as she saw Sabrina’s beautiful body on the bed, limp and with her eyes gazing at the ceiling of the Vegas suite.
Amber got on the bed kneeling next to Sabrina, remembering her EMT training she felt for a pulse on Sabrina’s neck, nothing. Amber placed her ear over her mouth trying to feel the slightest breath against her ear, nothing. “Shit” she whispered as she got off the bed and ran towards the living room. The posters blurred past her and she knocked over the laptop that had an e-mail message from her agent telling her that she lost the role to Betty Burns and picked up her cell phone. With a rushed but clear call to 911 she ran back to the bedroom where Brina laid
She jumped on top of the bed, causing Sabrina’s body to shake lightly but yet she still didn’t rise. “Come on Brina, breathe for me girl…” Amber whispered next to Sabrina’s face as she tilted her head back and opened her mouth clearing her airway, with a swift finger sweep Amber was sure that nothing was stuck in Sabrina’s throat. Amber took in a deep breath pinched Sabrina’s nose shut and sealed her lips over Sabrina’s mouth, breathing for her. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Sabrina’s natural D-cup breasts heave with the air that was rushing into her lungs. She removed her mouth and heard Sabrina quietly exhale the breath out of her body. Amber grunted in frustration and gave her two more rounds of mouth to mouth.
She checked for a pulse once more on Sabrina’s throat and felt nothing, quickly rubbing Sabrina’s breasts she caused her nipples to become erect, helping her find her mark Amber placed her hands in between her nipples and on top of her sternum, she started her compressions “one and two and three and four and five and six and seven and eight and nine and ten and eleven and twelve and thirteen and fourteen and fifteen and sixteen and seventeen and eighteen and nineteen and twenty and twenty one and twenty two and twenty three and twenty four and twenty five and twenty six and twenty seven and twenty eight and twenty nine and thirty” the compressions caused Sabrina’s breasts as well as the bed to shake “Come on!” Amber urged as she leaned in again to give her two more rescue breathes “Breathe!” Sabrina’s eyes were still open looking up at nothing, Amber yelled.
“Dammit” She placed her hands in between Sabrina’s breasts again and delivered another round of chest compressions “Alright, harder this time… one and two and three and four and five and six and seven and eight and nine and ten and eleven and twelve and thirteen and fourteen and fifteen and sixteen and seventeen and eighteen and nineteen and twenty and twenty one and twenty two and twenty three and twenty four and twenty five and twenty six and twenty seven and twenty eight and twenty nine and thirty” Amber could feel Sabrina’s breasts shake and her chest flex under her hands as she tried to resuscitate her one night stand. She pinched Sabrina’s nose again and breathed into her oxygen starved lungs, feeling how cold her lips were now compared to how they were last night. Her chest rose taking in the oxygen and her chest fell with the air escaping her lips in a silent whisper. “COME ON!” Amber screamed at Sabrina as she shook her by the shoulders trying desperately to revive her. Out of ideas Amber was kneeling on the bed next to the former porn star’s body pulling at her hair wishing that she had a defibrillator…like the one in the hall!
She jumped off the bed as she ran out of the room into the hall until she ran into the Paramedics “Oh! Thank God!!” Amber said clutching her chest “This way!” The male paramedic eagerly followed the scantily clad woman while his female partner tried to keep up with the defib unit in hand. “I don’t know how it happened, she was fine last night and I was taking a shower and then all of a sudden, she was just there!” Amber frantically tried to describe last night’s events for the paramedic. Upon reaching the bedroom the paramedic said “Holy shit! It’s Sabrina Saxton!”
Neglecting the re-breather in his pocket he dived on the bed and began giving manual CPR to his favorite (ex) Porn star as his partner came in “Sabrina who? Han?” asked the short petite paramedic. Completely ignoring his partner as he was looking over Sabrina’s body he said “um…charge the paddles, Greta” he grabbed her tube top and tore it off revealing the breasts that he’s seen and loved a million times before “And, uh…can you pass me the gel?” he asked with his arm extended. He smeared a small mound on his hands and slapped it over her chest, her stomach, her chest some more.
Seeing that Greta was still setting the dials he did a quick set of twenty compressions “Ok, charged at 200 joules…all clear!” Han slid off Sabrina and pulled Amber, who was in deep shock, a good step back. Greta rubbed the paddles together for good measure and put them on her chest, pushing the buttons Sabrina’s body simultaneously arched with the shock. Checking for a pulse on her neck and shaking her head “I got nothing, charging at 300 joules…” she rubbed the paddles together as Han moved in to give Sabrina’s cold blue lips a quick burst of breath that bordered more on a French kiss. “Clear!” shouted Greta, hand backed up as Greta slammed the paddles on Sabrina’s chest again and hit the buttons on the paddles. Sabrina’s body rose with the paddles as her body arched to the energy coursing through her heart, she slammed back down on the bed causing her breasts to bounce and lay still. “We’re losing her Han! Continue compressions…” urged the professional Greta as Han straddled Sabrina once more “one and two and three and four and five and six and seven and eight and nine and ten and eleven and twelve and thirteen and fourteen and fifteen and sixteen and seventeen and eighteen and nineteen and twenty and twenty one and twenty two and twenty three and twenty four and twenty five and twenty six and twenty seven and twenty eight and twenty nine and thirty, Come on, Breathe!” He leaned in and gave her a strong breath causing her ribs to rise, nothing. “Alright, last shot…360 joules, charged! ALL CLEAR!”
Greta placed the paddles on Sabrina’s chest and pressed the buttons. Sabrina’s body convulsed with the shock more violently than the last two attempts. But once more her body landed on the bed and her breasts slowly stopped jiggling. Greta placed her ear on top of Sabrina’s left breast and said “Im calling it, Han, go get the gurney yeah?” she closed Sabrina’s eyes and Han patted Amber’s shoulder reassuringly as he left the room. And with that Amber broke down and fell to her knees, crying hysterically only to find a journal at the seventh murder scene.
