A Walk in the Park

CHAPTER 6: A WALK IN THE PARK

The tunnels were about as dark and eerie as one would expect. With Louie, Jimmy, and Manny all having gone their separate ways, Jimmy had to navigate the tunnels alone, using only a pocket flashlight for guidance and a revolver for defense. There was no resistance, but he kept his guard up nonetheless.

"What the..." said Jimmy, in a panic.

He had heard something crawling toward him, but when he looked down, he saw a swarm of rats making their way by. Jimmy sighed and shook his head. He was not normally this jumpy, but this whole situation had him on edge.

Just then, Jimmy heard another sound. When he looked up, he saw a silhouette run past the intersection. It appeared human, but he couldn't be sure. Jimmy swallowed hard and made his way closer to the intersection. He approached the corner and prepared himself for whatever was on the other side.

"If there's anyone there," he began, "Just come on out. I won't hurt ya."

Jimmy took a deep breath and slowly pulled the hammer back on his revolver. Jimmy counted to the three in his mind, then quickly turned the corner pointing his gun down the long tunnel. To his surprise, there was nothing.

"Huh?" he said.

Suddenly, Jimmy was pounced from behind by the figure. It held both of Jimmy's arms back while trying to wrestle the gun out of his hands. Jimmy responded by headbutting the figure, then smacking it across the face with his revolver. As the figure fell to the ground, Jimmy turned to face it. His flashlight revealed an individual wearing a purple shirt and white suit jacket. The man spat out blood and glared at Jimmy.

"You bitch!" he yelled in a foreign accent.

Jimmy pinned the man down with his foot. Through the man's partially-open shirt, he could see the top half of St. Basil's Cathedral tattooed on the man's chest.

"I fuckin' knew it," Jimmy muttered, "Bratva scum!"

Jimmy then pointed his gun at the man's face, but before he could fire, several other Russian mobsters appeared, all brandishing guns. They were led by a tall, hefty man with neatly combed hair and a scar over his left eye.

"Drop the weapon," he ordered, "Now!"

"Back the fuck off," Jimmy retaliated, "Or your boy fuckin' gets it!"

"You kill him, my men and I will fire upon you. There is no other way out of this."

The tense stand-off lasted a few seconds before a shorter man sporting a thick beard and round spectacles stepped in between Jimmy and his own boss.

"Enough!" he commanded, "We apologize for what Iosef here did to you, but you must trust us; we do not want to hurt you, son. Just put your gun down so that we may work together!"

"Like hell," said Jimmy, "I ain't doin' shit until you lower your guns!"

"On the count of three, then," said the boss, "One, two..."

Jimmy slowly remove his foot from the man's chest, allowing him to stand up and rejoin his crew. Everyone else pocketed their weapons.

"My name is Anton Scherbakov," said the Russian boss, "Head of the Zolotoy Brotherhood. This is my assistant, Piotr Ivovich. I am guessing you're Bernucci?"

"Yeah," said Jimmy, "They call me 'Jimmy Legs'. What the fuck are you guys even doing down here? I thought only we had access to these tunnels."

"You thought wrong," said Anton, "Other criminal organizations have been using them for years for various means. We even call it the neutral zone. I am surprised you were not aware. Perhaps you are new to the Family, yes?"

"Yeah, kinda," said Jimmy, "I don't suppose any of you Ruskies have a clue as to what's going on?"

"All we know is that the attacks began as early as noon, but the police had it contained at first. People were turning up in hospitals with strange ailments. Afterward, we heard rumors that the town was placed under quarantine, though I have yet to see that for myself, as we were forced down here some time ago."

"Speaking of which," began Piotr, "We must keep moving. We don't know how much longer it will remain safe down here."

"Right," said Anton, "My men and I were on our way to Rodham District to help evacuate civilians there."

"Doin' what now?" asked Jimmy.

"The neighbourhood is under our protection," explained Piotr.

"So," Jimmy said, dumbfounded, "You guys actually protect the people you extort protection money from?"

"We are a very tight-knit community," said Anton, "Lots of Eastern-European immigrants. They trust us more than they do anyone else, even the police."

"Sure," said Jimmy dryly, "Good luck with that. I mean, what do I care if you all get yourselves killed?"

As Jimmy and the Zolotoy navigated the tunnels together, they kept mostly silent until Anton broke the ice.

"What kind of name is 'Jimmy Legs' anyway?" he asked, "What is it with you Italians and your silly nicknames, eh? You want to know what they called me back home?"

"Lemme guess," said Jimmy, "Something to do with bears?"

Anton glared at Jimmy momentarily, then scoffed.

"How old are you, anyway?" he asked, "You seem young."

"Goin' on twenty four," Jimmy replied.

"Ah," said Anton, "Same age I was when I fled the Motherland and crossed the Atlantic in a shipping container to start my new life here."

"Geez," said Jimmy, "You really wanted out that bad?"

"Soviet Russia has a special place for 'businessmen' like myself; they call it the Gulag. America, on the other hand, is a land of opportunity...So they say."

"Yeah, so long as you know who to bribe, heheh."

"What made you join the mafia?"

"My uncle got me in. After flunkin' outta both school and the Army, I figured I needed to do somethin' with my life."

"I see. And your uncle is..."

"Enough with the questions, alright? You ain't my father nor my shrink, you're my fuckin' enemy! You should be glad I even let you live so that you can go...Be a hero, or whatever."

"So be it. Our exit is coming up, anyway. Best of luck to you and your boys. I mean it. Perhaps our paths will cross again."

"Yeah, you too."

---

Once the Zolotoy were gone, Jimmy completed the trek himself. The tunnel he was in led to the basement of an abandoned park ranger building at the edge of a forest. The forest in question lay at the centre of New Reiswald Grand Park, a 600-acre urban park that served as a surprising bastion of peace amongst the chaos afflicting the city. Jimmy stepped outside the building to find that the sun had completely set and it was now dark.

"Nighttime," Jimmy observed, "Great."

Further along the trail, Jimmy found several mobsters gathered around a pyre, smoking and discussing. Jimmy recognized one of the men as the caporegime he served under before working for Louie.

"Look who it is," said the capo, "Tony's nephew. Glad to see you survived. Where's Louie and Manny?"

"Pino, right?" asked Jimmy, "Louie's on his way. Manny ran off to find his sister at Armando's. Is this all that's left of us?"

"All of us that got the message," Pino said, lighting a cigarette, "Come, siddown. We gotta discuss our next move. The Don's in the bunker and he ain't comin' out 'till the path is clear."

"I don't know what the fuck we're waitin' for," said another mobster, "I say we haul ass outta town while we still have our lives. Fuck the Don, he's got his son and his consigliere! They can..."

"Fredo," began Pino, "Stai zitto! We been over this. You wanna leave, you're more than welcome to, but the rest of us are stayin'."

"Bah," Fredo said, "Fuck off, all of youze!"

Before the mobsters could discuss further, they heard a rustling in some nearby bushes.

"The fuck was that?" asked Jimmy.

Five police officers emerged, four of whom were holding submachine guns. The one officer without a weapon had parted red hair with thick mutton-chops. His uniform was highly decorated in comparison to the others.

"Chief Lindsay Roark," sighed Pino, "Of all the goddamn..."

Fredo stood up and aggressively approached the officers.

"You think this is fuckin' funny?" he asked them, "Pointin' them guns at us like that? Fuckin' maiale..."

Without warning, one of the officers fired a shot, striking Fredo right in the kneecap. The other mobsters jumped in surprise as Fredo collapsed to the ground, screaming his lungs out.

"Now that I have your attention," Roark said, with a smirk, "Happy to see most o' the city's trash in one place. Gonna make cleanup a little easier."

"Fuckin' hell, Roark!" Pino snapped, "You've been on the take for years! Why you wanna play hero all of a sudden, eh?"

"See," Roark replied, "While you scumbags were here wastin' air, the National Guard went and sealed this town up. Trapped like animals, we are."

"So it's true?" said Jimmy, "The military just locked us in? How could they do that? There are people still in here!"

"No need to remind me, son," said Roark, dryly, "Our boys in government are tryin' to control the infestation, stop it from spreadin' beyond our borders. Fair enough. But ye wanna know what I think?"

"Do we?" Pino mumbled.

"I think the Feds are so embarrassed by the state o' this place," Roark continued, "All the murder, extortion, corruption – That they're usin' this little disaster as their chance to clean house. That's why it's up to us - The NRPD - To step it up a bit if we ever plan on gettin' out."

"So, what?" asked Jimmy, "You think the Feds are just gonna forget all of the bribes you took and give you a big, fat medal for clearin' up the infestation, is that it?"

"Fuckin' hypocrites, all of youze!" Pino snapped, "We should be workin' together to stop the Slime! How the fuck do you plan on doin' yourself when we got more guns than..."

"The NRPD's well-equipped to handle the infestation on its own," Roark explained, "By the time we're done here, we'll be the bloody heroes and you'll all be a goddamn stain on this town's history. Now then, I have the whole park surrounded, so don't even think o' tryin' nothin'. Just take me to Don Bernucci and anyone else you have runnin' about, so me boys and I can get started."

Pino stared Roark down.

"Well?" said the Chief, "Get a move on, before I..."

A bullet suddenly whizzed by Roark, grazing his arm.

"ARGH!" he yelled, "Son of a..."

The officers accompanying Roark turned and fired toward the source of the bullet but could not see anything. The distraction gave Jimmy and a couple of other mobsters the chance to pull out their weapons and fire on the officers.

"KILL THEM!" Roark commanded while seeking cover, "WIPE THESE PRICKS OFF THE FACE O' THE EARTH!"

The situation quickly devolved into a massacre as more officers came pouring out from behind the bushes and trees and opened fire. Though Jimmy was able to kill some, he knew that he was outgunned and opted to make a run for it.

"Fuckin' hell," said Pino, as he ran alongside Jimmy, "We gotta blow this park!"

"This way," said Jimmy, pointing.

Jimmy and Pino were jumped by several officers hiding behind trees, but they managed to kill them all. However, one cop managed to sneak up on them from behind.

"FREEZE!" he ordered, "Don't..."

Before Jimmy and Pino could retaliate, the man was shot dead.

"Glad to see me?" said Louie, brandishing a smoking revolver.

"Fuckin' Louie!" said Jimmy, "It was you who shot Roark wasn't it? Glad you made it!"

"Just glad I could help," Louie said, "So...I guess Roark ain't on our side this time?"

"Nah," replied Pino, "Bastard decided now's a good time to start playin' cops n' robbers."

"We gotta get outta here," said Jimmy, "If we can make it back to the street, we can snatch one of their cars and make a break for it."

"Easier said than done, kid," said Pino, "This place is surrounded."

"We've survived impossible odds before," said Louie, "Come on, follow me."

The trio made their way through the park, arriving at a large pond. As they prepared to cross the bridge over it, several cops came running at them from the opposite side.

"Nevermind," said Louie, "In here!"

The trio avoided the incoming gunfire and sought cover behind a nearby gazebo. They returned shots at the incoming officers, but risked having their position overtaken.

"We need some kinda distraction!" yelled Jimmy.

Just then, the trio heard a panicked whinny. When they looked up, they saw a horse, still attached to its carriage, come charging through the area, knocking two of the officers down and crushing one beneath the carriage.

"The fuck?" said Pino.

"Eh," said Louie, "I'll take what I can get."

With the officers distracted, the trio finished them off. Now that the bridge was clear, the trio made their way across into a wooded area.

"We're almost there," said Louie.

"I hope so," said Jimmy.

Suddenly, a shot struck a nearby tree, shattering the bark and sending pieces flying everywhere. The trio took cover behind trees and rocks as the unmistakable sound of a shotgun being cocked echoed through the woods.

"Come out ya pricks," said a voice, "Don't make this any harder on yourselves!"

"Do you see the shooter?" asked Louie.

"No," replied Jimmy, attempting to look over his shoulder past the tree.

"One of us has to distract the guy," said Pino, "So we can get a clear shot at him."

"What if there's more than one guy?" asked Jimmy.

"There ain't," assured Pino, "Or they would've surrounded us by now."

"Well?" said the voice, "I'm waitin'..."

"I sure as hell ain't doin' it," said Louie, "I'm too slow."

Jimmy rolled his eyes and fled from behind the tree. He drew his revolver and fired several shots in the officer's general direction. The officer retaliated with another shot, giving himself away.

"Got ya," said Louie, "Ya bastard."

Louie then fired a shot at the man, striking him in the thigh. As the man reeled in pain, Pino tackled him to the floor, before mounting him.

"You think this is funny?" he said, "Do you?"

Pino proceeded to smash the officer's face in with the butt of his Tommy gun until there was virtually nothing left of it.

"Pino, mannaggia!" snapped Louie, "Would you hurry it up?"

"Yeah, sorry," said Pino as he stood up, "It's just...These fuckers killed our boys."

"I know," said Jimmy, "But now ain't the time. Come on!"

Pino delivered one last kick to officer's corpse before following his associates.

Eventually, the trio escaped the woods and made it to the street, where they found a handful of parked police cars. Their were a couple of officers guarding the area, which the trio gunned down. After taking what ammunition they could from them, the trio stepped inside the car with Louie at the wheel.

"Hold on," said Louie, as he drove away from the scene.

Once they were far enough from the park, Louie put the car in park and the trio sighed in relief.

"You think any of our guys made it out?" Jimmy asked.

"No," Pino said bluntly, "And there ain't much else we coulda done. Roark had the drop on us there. If there's anyone left, they're in town somewhere, or they made it out before quarantine."

"What's our next move?" asked Jimmy.

"I don't know, kid," Louie replied, "I don't fuckin' know. We can't escape, but we sure as hell can't hide in here forever, either. The only thing we can do is destroy the Slime ourselves. 'Cept, we still ain't exactly sure what it is or how to stop it."

"God," said Pino, "If only Lenny were here. Guy's into all this conspiracy shit – Aliens, government, you name it – Maybe he'd know what to do?"

"I'm sorry," said Jimmy, "Lenny?"

"Yeah," said Louie, "This was before you joined. Lenny the Loon, we called him. Always goin' on about weird shit, like Roswell. Whatever happened to the ol' bastard, anyhow?"

"Last I heard," began Pino, "He checked himself into Blackfield Asylum a few months back, right after that botched robbery."

"Ah-ha," Louie laughed, "Fakin' insanity to get outta jail, huh? Classic."

"Yeah, 'cept he ain't fakin'...Fuckin' guy had some kind of psychotic break. Somethin' bad musta happened during that robbery, cause everyone died except him, ya know? From what Fredo told me, he's become some kinda ramblin' lunatic."

"You shittin' me?"

"I wish I was. But he's still our best shot at figurin' all this shit out. Hell, I think he was onto somethin' when he started goin' on about guys with 'black eyes' and shit. Fuck if I remember."

Louie hesitated for a moment, then started the car again.

"Fuck it," he said, "We're doin' this. Let's go get Lenny."

"For real?" Jimmy asked.

"Unless you got any other bright ideas," said Louie, "Next stop: Blackfield!"