Eye for an Eye

The intruder pounds relentlessly on the flimsy barrier. The door cracks from the force. "Either open this door, or we'll break it down," the voice warns, glancing around the slum. The neon green paint is flaking off the hallway's cracked, cemented walls. The walkway's tattered carpet once was forest green with gold swirls. A dusty layered window sits off to the side. Hearing the commotion, a neighbor peeks out the door.

"Mind your own, " Esposito growls.

The man darts back inside.

Manny quickly glances around, trying to figure out what to do. 

"I'm not telling you again," the gangster says.

There's a loud thud. The barrier split down the center. I have to make a break for it. Manny looks out the window to find Esposito's man climbing the fire escape. A river of sweat gushes down his body. His heart beats so furiously that it feels like it's going to pound right out of his chest.

The door slams against the wall. Manny watches a picture of him and his family crash to the floor as a short, rounded Italian stomps through the door. He's dressed in a fancy, white-Italian suit. Gold rings dangle from every finger. Manny then sees the murderous look on his tan face. 

 Two burly goons fall in on either side of the man. Their attire, jeans and a muscle shirt, are stretched to the max across their brawny frame. Raising their guns, they take a shooter's stance. 

Manny glances out the window to find the two men on his fire escape are heavily armed. There's no way I'm getting out of this alive. His body trembles and his throat constricts, making it difficult to breathe. Tears form in his eyes. His stomach tightens into a large, hard knot. "Mr. Esposito, sir." Manny gulps.

Esposito tromps across the floor. "No one cheats me and gets away with it." He points his weapon at Manny's head.

 "I'm... I'm going to make it. Right. Right by you, honest," he stutters, staring down the barrel of a Colt 45.

Esposito cocks his gun. "You had your chance long ago."

"P... Please don't do this." Manny begs. Tears stream down his cheeks. He stumbles over the object behind him when he takes a step back. Losing his balance, he falls to the floor.

The burly Italian glances at the object he tripped over. "I see how you were going to make it right." Esposito kicks the suitcase away. Manny scoots further back. His enemy quickly closes the gap.

"I. I just got back from. From a job. I. I planned on using the money to pay you back." He moves again. His butt hits the wall. Pivoting, he continues to move away.

 Esposito pushes the piece against Manny's skull. He raises his eyebrows and says, "So, where's my dough?"

"Romero hasn't wired me the money yet, But he will soon."

"You better not be lying to me, boy."

"I'm... I'm not."

They hear shuffling in the hallway. Then, a deep, smoky voice yells, "Tulsa PD, drop your weapons. Do it now."

***

Two Tulsa detectives and the hospital security team are viewing footage taken from the hallway cameras. They're hoping to find the culprit responsible for Elizabeth's poisoning. Security monitors run the entire length of the teal wall. There's a stainless-steel table in front of them. A chocolate-colored rug covers the floor.

"Who's that?" The officer moves his toffee-colored chair closer and then leans toward the screen.

The technician pauses the tape. "He 's one of our surgeons, sir."

"I want to know who he is and why he's in her room at three AM."

"The chief of surgery will be able to tell you." The tech prints a screenshot of the mystery guest and then hands it to the second officer. "Dr. Gillespie should be in his office on the fourth floor. If he's not, one of his staff can page him." 

Nodding, the detective heads out the door.

The first detective turns towards the monitor. "Let's see what else we can find."

The tech hits a button. The tape resumes.

The detective glances at the video's timestamp when the visitor leaves. Three minutes is about the time it'd take to inject someone. "Who's that?"

The security guard pauses the tape again. "She's the head nurse, detective."

"I need to talk to her too."

"I'll see if I can find her." Unfolding his arms, the administrator, a sixty-ish, gray-haired gentleman, steps out of the room.

The officer watches the staff dart into her room. "Explain to me what's happening."

"Betty must've called a code." A few minutes later, everyone leaves. A security officer arrives shortly after. "I sent one of my men down as soon as they told me about the attempt on her life."

"You have officers watching the halls throughout the night, correct?"

"There are always two in this room, and two more make hourly rounds in the parking lot."

"Your men didn't think a surgeon visiting a patient at three am was suspicious?"

"Doctors often do follow-ups." Seeing the expression on the detective's face, he decides to elaborate. "Unlike some places, our staff genuinely care. That's why we're known to be the hospital with a heart." The catchphrase has been a part of their slogan for years.

"A visit at three AM?"

He shrugs. "They see patients when they can." 

I'd be pissed "if someone woke me up in the middle of the night just to see how I was doing."

The second detective steps into the room. "I asked the chief surgeon who the guy is, and he said he doesn't know. So, I ran the picture through software recognition, and it came back to Manny Abele."

"We need to let the captain know."

"I already did. Hold on." Taking his phone from his pocket, he answers it. "I'll let them know." Hanging up, he turns and says the local law enforcement is serving Manny a warrant for another offense.

***

A heavy tension falls over the dusty apartment. Manny is glancing around, trying to figure out a way to escape. He glances at the door and then the intruder in front of him.

"Drop your weapons." The officer repeats from the hall.

Esposito and his men spin around. A shower of bullets covers the dated hall.

Manny glances over to find the men on the fire escape gone. Seeing an opportunity to escape, Manny races toward the window. A stray bullet grazes his leg as he dives through. Gritting his teeth, Manny scampers down the metal steps. 

He sees a heavy stream of traffic in front of him when he reaches the pavement. Police sirens are screaming all around. Pedestrians scurry by, unaware of what's going on. Manny scans the area, trying to figure out which way he should go. Hearing heavy footsteps behind him, Manny turns to find the men from the fire escape heading his way. Terrified, he pushes his way through the crowd. 

The sun pelts against his sweat-drenched back. Blood gushes from his wound. Horns blare beside him. Onlookers gasp as they scurry out of his way.

Manny's thoughts become hazy, and his vision blurs. His body weakens from all the lost blood. I'm going to die if I don't get help soon. He quickly realizes that all his friends are a distance away. He looks down to find blood gushing from his extremity. I'll never make it on foot. He searched his pockets, then remembered leaving his cell at the house. 

Manny looked over to find an elderly lady shuffling towards her car, a bag of groceries in one hand and a cane in the other. This should be an easy heist. Staggering towards her, Manny grabs her arm and pulls her back. The older woman tumbles to the ground.

Granny glances up at her hideous attacker. He has a thick, scraggly beard. His black, greasy hair lays well past his shoulders. His clothes are filthy like he hasn't laundered them in weeks.

Daggers shoot from her eyes. She growls through her false teeth, "You're lucky I'm unarmed." She used the ice gun hidden in her cane to avenge her family's demise. Granny lifts her cane and whacks him in his privates.

Gabbing his privates, Manny folds over.

Granny smacks him upside his head, gets to her feet, and then takes a batter's stance. "You better get out of here before I give it to you again."

Straightening up, Manny says, "You don't scare me." He starts to step towards her when a firm hand grabs his arm. 

"Are you beating up old ladies now?" the intruder asks.

"I'll show you old," Granny mumbles, shaking her cane.

The invader gives her a quick once over. She's a short, rounded, gray-haired lady. Her makeup consists of a thin layer of lipstick and a dab of blush. Her flamingo pink dress hangs well past her knees, snugly fitting around her middle. "Spunky thing, aren't you?" he chuckles.

"He's just damn lucky you came along when you did." She smacks her attacker across his mid-section and then waddles to her car.

"I don't think you should be picking on her anymore, Manny." Chuckling, he adds, "You might get more than you bargained for if you do." 

"Who are you, and what do you want?" Manny asks, pulling his arm away.

"I'm here to pay you the bonus Romero owes." He explains, leading him down the alleyway.

A puzzled look crosses Manny's face. "I thought he was going to give it to me when I land."

"He decided to settle up early." The man reaches into his pocket.

Manny hears a high-pitched swish. A hot, burning sensation surged through him. Gasping for air, he tumbles to the ground.