Firecrackers and Actual Crackers

Silence – dead silence. It is heavenly to most, but to me, it meant getting caught. That didn’t scare me. Nothing scared me anymore. I’m Jax Enzo, a name to be reckoned with. In the heart of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota everyone knows who I am. What makes my life even better? I can go out in public and live a normal life with no restrictions No one knows what I look like. I’m that good. It’s amazing.

I run the town. Cops only know the name, not the face. Constant incognito makes any life easy. However, I wouldn’t say my life isn’t necessarily easy. I love my life, but it’s far from easy. In the given moment, I was high off of a natural adrenaline rush, causing me a form of my own ecstasy.

Ever since the economy went to absolute shit in 2050, these old classic cars are the only key to fortune anymore. The war left many dead, and if you weren’t dead, you wished you were. Those who survived, fight for food, water and shelter. Only in my town, is there any small shape of morality and any kind of currency. I was lucky to have as many classic cars, trucks, and any other type of motorized vehicle.

My business consisted of stealing and selling the cars I own. People hate me. I’m no easy bargain. No one in this town had much to offer in comparison to my beautiful finds.

To my left was my partner in crime – literally, Axel Smith, and he smiles at me, his bright, white-ass teeth glowing the in the midnight darkness. The man was like me, an adrenaline junkie. It’s why we work so well together. We aren’t scared to take risks, play it a little dirty, and get a little crazier than most on the jobs. It’s so worth the memories, that is if you come out alive. But we always do.

Axel was only in his early twenties, only have joining my business a year or two ago. A seven-year age gap seems perfect for this job. He’s twenty-two, I’m twenty-nine. I’m on that verge of being somewhat mature, keeping us both in line when needed, but he is always there to remind me what fun is and to live life to the edge. After all, you only get one shot.

Make your shot worth it.

That’s what we say about life, and ironically, every time we spring into action.

“Make your shot worth it, Jax,” he beamed.

What he never knew, was I kept a ritual of my own for our luck and safety. Deep in my pant pocket, my fingers grasped a necklace. Gently, I pulled it out and my eyes remained glued to the heart shaped locket that lay in my calloused palm. It was the ashes of my sister. We were abandoned by our parents at sixteen and we relied on only each other for survival.

Luckily, shortly after the war, Axel found me. I was alone and robbing everyone, even killing those I had to for the tiniest meal. It was worth it then, and still is to this day. Only now, I kill those who screw me over.

Before I lost my precious sister again, I shoved my hand back into my pocket, feeling more ready than ever to begin this task. I smile excitedly before I jump over the ledge of the building. In silent seconds, Axel is standing next to me on the balcony.

We watch as a couple walk to their bright red 2002 Corvette z06 convertible. It’s been on our list for a few months now, and tonight is our night to finally get the beautiful son of a bitch. We look at each other with a knowing look, a small nod of indication to begin. Axel climbs stealthily down the fire escape, making his way down to his bike. When the engine awakens the silent night, I know that’s my que to begin my task. I’m the eyes. Axel is the wheels.

I climb up the two balconies, the fire escapes having being broken and not bothered to be repaired. This is our favorite abandoned building. Once I’m at the top, I seek out for his yellow Apache RTR 160 zooming in and out of traffic down the freeway through my binoculars.

The brilliant bastard kept up with the corvette. I smirk deviously. “Axel, what’s the plan?” I ask into my cell phone.

“Whatever you want it to be, boss.”

“Anything in that crazy mind?”

He chuckles. “Oh, but of course, who do you take me for?”

I smile. “Surprise me then. But don’t screw it up.”

“Never,” and I hear the determination in his voice.

Quickly I hang up the phone, snapping it shut before I slip it into my boot. My eyes follow the two, watching every move. Axel makes it simple, easy and casual. I felt the anticipation and excitement in my feet, dancing with the pavement of the building. Suddenly the corvette is speeding up at a ridiculous rate. My heart jumps into my throat before my anger takes over.

I watch them closely, Axel on the car’s tail. With no warning, he jumps onto the car, his apache long forgotten. I could not believe my eyes. I blink a few times, hoping it wasn’t real. This was not the regular protocol. It didn’t matter anymore, because there wasn’t one damn thing that I could do to fix his ignorant mistake.

Axel disappeared into the car, making me do a double take. The car never stopped, just slowed down to residential speeds. I followed him as he made his way through town to a small gated community. I watch as he pulls the car into a drive way, hopping out of the car.

“What is he doing?” I growl to myself.

He pulls out the couple we watched only a little bit ago. My jaw drops in utter disbelief. Only they seem less alive, limp and unconscious. At this point, I was hoping they were dead. Axel was being reckless, and I did not want any damn cops. When the bastard went inside, I no longer could watch what he was doing.

Anxiety and I were not friends. It has me become scared, which isn’t good. I cannot afford the emotion that is fear. It felt like years before I saw Axel finally come back outside. He was watching closely over his shoulders before he went back into the corvette.

The world may be a crummy place, but the cops now show us how the media portrayed them for many years. They became everything those who accused them of being. Cops now would shoot and kill those in anger and for pure enjoyment. No such thing as good cops anymore. If any cop found me, a man who has been wanted for a decade, I will never see the outside world again.

I knew they wouldn’t kill me. I am way too valuable of a person. They would torture me into telling them my allies. Only one man who was above me, lived to see the outside world. Thomas King. His wife helped him escape. It was the most brutal and foul thing to witness and to even hear about. Thomas’ wife was just as heartless and brutal as him.

My phone rings, snapping me out of my thoughts. I look down and see it’s Axel calling me. “Yeah?” I growl.

Axel chuckled. “I didn’t mess up, man.”

“You better not have! This run is for Thomas King!” I snarl at him.

There was silence on the other end of the line. Only a small cough to declare his presence was still on the phone. “Well…” he murmurs. “I did not know that piece of information.”

“Well, you fool, it shouldn’t matter who the run is for, because we can’t afford to get caught! Do you want to end up in prison?”

“N-no,” he stammers. “I’ve heard the stories. Better off dead than in prison for what we would get charged for.”

“Exactly! So, you better know what you are doing.”

“I do! Just meet me back at the shop, okay?”

“We are going to the King’s shop. He wanted it right away. I will text you the address.”

I shove my phone into my boot again, and make my way down to the street. My eyes dart everywhere to make sure there are no cops or snitches lurking around, overhearing my conversation. I would not expect anyone to be awake at this house, but who knew what levels people will continue to stoop to for a quick buck or cheap crumb.

Walking over to my baby, my Gran Torino, I try to ease my nerves before I meet up with Thomas. He was the most intimidating man of our era. I was lucky to business with a man who killed my very own sister.