His eyes color was hazel with his short neat light brown hair, he would be able to get any lady he wants if he was not too shy to talk to any of them. The only lady he could talk to and look straight to her eyes was his little sister, she was the only family that Michael Reynolds have left. He has not had it easy for the past years, he never knew his mother and his father died a year ago as he left him his old cab, which was the only thing, he had left he used to take care of himself and his sister until he met Braut.
He moved into a small room with his sister shortly after his father died, he needed a small place he could afford in Queens as he saved enough money to make sure that his sister continued schooling. He has been through a lot since he was a kid, life has not been too kind to him and that's why he uses sarcasm to shield himself from the cruelty of the world.
Everything was going back to normal gradually although he struggled with all the bills, he was still able to survive day after day until his sister got sick. He rushed her to the hospital that day, he discovered that there was not much difference between the hospital and his home because there were not enough drugs in the hospital. It turns out that the medical supply being sent to the hospitals were being hijacked always before they could even make their way to the designated hospitals. He watched his sister lie down on the hospital bed with little medication around to help her, he heard stories and watched with his own eyes as people died because the hospital did not have the proper medication available.
Michael knew he had to do something about this, his first idea was to visit the precinct and make a report, but they did not take the 23 years old seriously plus they already knew about it and claimed that they were trying their best to catch does that were doing the hijacking but the best that Michael saw was them sitting their ass down as they stuffed their faces with donuts. Michael had a feeling that something bigger was going on so he made some research but all he had was just speculation and no big evidence, he met a reporter that would help him make everything public but without enough evidence, the reporter was not even ready to hear him out. Michael realized that no one gave a shit about the little corner in Queens that they were living in until he met Braut.
It was a cold night; Michael was driving his Taxi when he got stopped by Braut and he told him the address that he was going to, so he just drove him to the place. Michael did not drive for long, but it was enough for him to realize two things about Braut; he did not like people that talk too much, and he did not like him that much. He dropped Braut in front of an old building that was under construction as he watched him go in, he turned to leave but as he peeped at the back of his Taxi where Braut was sitting, he saw a wallet that must have belonged to him, so he stopped as he turned around to go back and give it back to him. Michael came down from his Cab with Braut's wallet in his hand as he ran inside the dark creepy old building that he saw Braut go in.
Michael walked slowly as he reached for his phone in his pocket because he was really scared of darkness so needed to use the torchlight to see where he was going, he stepped on something before he could get to his phone deep inside his pocket, so he frantically brought out his phone to see what he just stepped on. He screamed as he saw that he just stepped on a man that was just lying down with blood oozing out from his head, it looked like a bullet wound but Michael was too light-headed to even examine the body so he curled around a wall with his hands in his mouth, so he does not make a noise in case the killer was still around.
Michael could hear his heart beating like he just ran a marathon, this was the first time he was this close to a dead body with a bullet in its head and blood everywhere, it was nothing like how he sees it in the movies. He tried to pull himself together and figure out what to do next and his first thought was to run back to his Cab and zoom off so he got up and tried to tip-toe outside but he heard voices and he could swear that one of the voices was the man that he just dropped off even though he could not hear what they were saying but his voice was unique because when talked it was like batman was talking but he had an accent so it was like batman with an accent. He tried to take a peep to see what it was all about and as he looked from the edge of the wall around him he could see that it was Braut, it was dark but not too dark for him to see that Braut was standing in front of armed guys that were like 24 feet away from him but they had their rifles and pistols pointed at him, Braut was pointing his two pistols at them too with a silencer attached to the front of his pistols.
Michael realized that it was a bad idea to just stand there watching them so he decided to just call the police, he bent down with his back on the wall so he could not be seen by armed men a few feet away from where he was squatting. He dialed 911 with his phone in his hand but immediately he dialed it, his phone made a noise - 'Calling 911.'
"Fuck! I still have this app active on my phone?" Michael mumbled as he fidgeted and at the same time, he tried to put his phone on silent, he peeped to know if the armed guys heard his phone, and they sure did because at that moment they were looking in that direction where he was squatting, and they all saw him when he peeped to know if they heard his phone.
"I'm dead...Shit! Shit! Shit!" Michael yelled repeatedly as he still squats there, he was still terrified to even lift his feet to run.
"Who's that?" One of the armed men that were pointing their guns at Braut asked and then he heard a gunshot.
Michael screamed as he checked himself to make sure he was not dead even though he was hiding behind a thick wall, he was not sure if the bullets could ricochet anyhow and hit him but then he heard someone grunt and hit the ground so he peeped slowly again and it turns out that Braut seized that second that the armed men were distracted to shoot one of them down as he rolled on the floor so quick before the other guys could take a shot, he dropped two as he squeezed the triggers on his pistols simultaneously. Michael was no longer scared, he was amazed, and it was like everything was in slow-Mo like in the movies, it was like he was watching John Wick in the cinema, but this was real. He watched how Braut rolled on the floor easily, shooting back with no bullet even touching him, he saw how his long hair was flowing with the wind and within 30 seconds all the armed men were on the floor dead and blood everywhere.
Braut was panting as he looked around and then saw Michael still staring at him so he walked to him but Michael felt his heart skip and was pounding once again as he hid behind the wall again, but he could still hear his footsteps echoing as he walked closer to where he was squatting.
"Please don't kill me, sir...I have not even seen your face, I don't know what you look like, and I will never tell anyone about what happened here. Please I have a little sister, I have a girl I love too although I haven't told her, but I will tell her tonight if you let me live. I mean I won't tell her about this, but I will tell her that I love her, and we will make love, please I'm still a virgin please..." Michael knelt as he was shivering while he rambled on and on trying not to look at Braut's face, but he could feel his hands on his back when he touched him, and he flinched as he yelled and begged him.
Michael heard a gunshot from a distance but at that moment he did not think about that, he thought that Braut just shot him so fell flat on the ground as he whined like a dog that was just shot but after a few seconds his senses came back as he opened his eyes to see Braut just looking at him as he made a fool of himself. It turns out that other armed men just came inside the building and were shooting at them, he hid behind the wall with Braut as he watched him change the Mag in his pistols and fired back at them, but it looked like they were just too many of them.
"Where did you park your Cab?" Braut asked Michael who was still trying to process all these.
"I have your wallet," Michael replied, he was still terrified, and his brain was not working properly yet.
"Where is your Cab!?" Braut yelled and that did the job because it seemed like Michael came back to his senses.
"Outside...It's outside." Michael gulped nervously.
"Okay good I will hold them off as you run to start the car, I'm coming" Braut ordered as Michael nodded, he could not talk anymore.
"Konge! we know it's you, come out and die!" A voice thundered; it was one of the armed men that were shooting at them.
"Okay, I'm coming," Braut yelled back as he looked at Michael who was yet to go. "Go!"
Michael nods again as he stands up and was running but was still looking at Braut who dipped his hand inside his Tux and pulled out a grenade.
"Of course! A normal person would have a fucking grenade inside a Tux." Michael grumbled as he ran outside and heard an explosion which must have been from the grenade, he just saw in Braut's hand.
Michael ran to where he parked his cab and opened his car door after many unsuccessful trials because he was paranoid and terrified. He jumped inside and started his car as he reversed to leave but he saw Braut run outside, he ran and opened the car door and jumped inside as they drove off Michael saw on his side mirror as some of the armed men ran out from the building, but they were long gone.
Michael drove Braut to a hotel where he was staying for that night, he did not say a word that night until he even went home, he could not sleep and after rolling on his bed with the images of dead bodies he saw that night flashing inside his mind he got up and go this car keys as he drove to see his little sister in the hospital. He walked to her bed, and she was sleeping already so he sat on the chair close to her bed where he normally sits when he visits her.
Michael finally dozed off late that night, so he did not wake up early enough the next morning, he woke up after his sister hit him on the back many times.
"Oh, baby girl you're up already?" Michael said as he yawned while looking at his sister in her pajamas just staring at him.
"I've been awake for hours" She replied.
"Hours? What's the time?... Fuck!" Michael cursed as he looked at his watch and saw that he woke up late, he looked at his sister and who was still staring at him.
"What?" Michael asked her as he realized that he just said a swear word.
"Shit! Sorry! I said another one!" Michael groaned but his sister was looking concerned with his apology.
"Alright, I will put the money in the swear jar at home."
"It should be up to 50 bucks in there by now." She replied as Michael groaned.
"Lily you're just 12, how do you remember all that?"
"I'm 12 not stupid!"
"Yeah." Michael sighed as he looked at the TV which was hanging in front of her, it was showing a kid's show but there was breaking news showing below: 'The head of the Katusha Drug cartel was shot dead in an old building along 100th street...'
"What the..." Michael paused as he looked at his sister who was waiting for him to say the swear word, but he did not say anything anymore.
Michael brought out his phone and googled about the Katusha Drug Cartel and it turned out that the body he stepped on that night was the head of the drug cartel and he was killed by Braut the same man he thought was bad. He might have just met a Batman in Queens; he thought aloud as he looked at his sister who was interested in the kid's show, but Michael had an idea; maybe Braut could help him deal with whoever it was that was hijacking the drugs. He has seen Braut in action and he was sure that whoever was hijacking these drugs will not be a match for him so all he had to do was to meet him first and tell him all about it, he needs to check the hotel he just dropped him.
Michael stood up as he kissed his sister goodbye and told her he was going to get him breakfast, he ran outside, and he zoomed off straight to the hotel. Michael came down from his cab as he walked inside the hotel where he dropped Braut off yesterday, he went to the front desk to meet a young lady in her early 30s.
"Hi."
"Hi." The receptionist greeted Michael back. "Do you need a room?" She asked with a smile on her face.
"No, I want to meet a man that is lodging here."
"Is he expecting you?" She asked with that professional smile still on her face.
"Not really but I know that he is lodging here."
"Okay, what's his room number so we can tell him he has a visitor?"
Michael was mute because he did not have an answer to her question, he just dropped Braut in front of the hotel last night. He also realized that he does not even know the name of the man he was looking for.
"Or his name so I can search for his room number with the name." The receptionist asked after she realized that Michael might not know the room number with the look on his face.
"Kongye..." Michael said lowly, he was not sure of what he was saying but he heard when one of the armed men called him that, but he was not sure that it was even his real name, it sounded made up like a nickname but that was the only name he could think of.
"What?" The receptionist was confused, she wanted to hear what he just said clearly, Michael cleared his throat.
"Kongye-e" Michael said a bit louder as he stressed it to imitate the accent, he did not even know which accent he was imitating but he was hoping that it would give the receptionist a hint, but it did not.
"Sorry, but we don't have any name like that."
"You did not even check." Michael opposed.
"Sir, that name is quite different so I'm sure I would have remembered it if someone came in here with that name."
"It's a big hotel just check maybe..." Michael was sharply interrupted by the receptionist, she was trying to sound polite, but Michael could tell that she was not.
"I'm sorry sir but I can't help you if you don't have the name or his room number."
Michael realized that there was nowhere he could meet Braut again, he was too traumatized to have asked him for his name or number, so he turned to leave. As he walked outside to open his cab door, he could not find his car keys, so he searched all his pockets and he saw his key and wallet. It was Braut's wallet, Michael remembered putting it in his pants pocket that night, but he never gave it back to him. Michael smiled as he opened the wallet, he was sure that he must see his ID or something with his name on it to use and identify him and he was right. He saw his name boldly written on it 'Cooper Raymond' and his picture was on the left side of the ID, Michael looked at the name for a while and he knew that there was no way that would be his real name or ID but it looked too good to not be true so even if it was not his real name or ID it must be the same ID he might have given to the hotel. Michael put the ID back inside the wallet and put the wallet in his pockets as he walked back inside the hotel.
"Cooper Raymond." Michael smiled at the receptionist who was just about to ask him why he was back again.
"Give me a moment." The Receptionist picked up the telephone and dialed a number after she checked the computer in front of her to check which room. "Who should I tell him you are?" She asked Michael who was reluctant to answer her, he did not know what to say at first.
"Tell him it's his Cab guy that carried him last night."
The receptionist exhaled as she waited for Braut to pick up the call and he never did, she tried several times but still no answer, so she just dropped the phone.
"Sorry, but he is not..." She paused as she looked at the staircase on her left and it was Braut who was just coming down, she knew it was him, that long blonde hair with his blue eyes and weird smile.
"Yeah, that's him,'' Michael said as he saw Braut too coming down the stairs in his Tux, he was looking all cute and innocent like he would not hurt a fly.
"You might not remember me but..."
"I remember you, kid, why are you here?" Braut interrupted Michael as he walked to him to talk, he did not give him the time to talk, and he seemed like he was in a hurry. Michael knew he had to give him something first before he could ask him for something in return, so he brought out the wallet in his pants and gave it to him.
"Thanks." That was all he said as he collected the wallet from Michael and just walked out of the hotel door.
Michael stood there for a while as he watched him walk outside, he expected more from him but he realized that he had more important things than just expecting more gratitude from a cold killer like him, so he walked outside with him.
"Please I need your help, I saw all you did last night, and I knew you could help me with this." Michael was running after him because he was walking fast on the sidewalk.
"Stop following me, kid." Braut was not even looking at Michael, he kept walking with his hands in his pockets, but Michael was not giving up yet.
Michael told him about the situation at the hospital, he told him about the hijackers and everything he knew about it, but Braut was not still showing any interest as he continued walking, Michael was still following without paying attention and he was following him too.
"You have to help me or..." Michael wanted to say something that will make him know if Braut was even listening at all.
"Or what kid? Mm?" Braut stopped walking finally as he turned to stare at Michael who was terrified that he might get shot now but now was not the time to be scared.
"Or I'm going to the precinct to tell them that you were the one that killed all those guys last night and..and...and I will also tell them that you have a fake ID... Don't even ask me how I knew that it was a fake ID, but I know there's no way someone like you would have a cute name like Cooper Raymond. If you help me then I will keep my mouth shut."
Braut moved closer to Michael who was shaking, and he could not help it so he stepped back too as he cleared his throat, but Braut kept moving close until he was an inch close to him.
"So, you're going to threaten a man with a pistol in a lonely alley?"
Michael turned around, he was not aware that they were in an alley, they were the only ones there and he did not notice where they were because he was focused on talking to Braut as he followed him without paying attention to where he was following him too.
"If...if...if anything happens to me then I have sent all I know to the police, I'm not lying." Michael stepped back, his heart beating faster, and he knew it was foolish to threaten someone he saw murder trained armed men like it was not a big deal.
Michael was thinking if he would be fast enough to run away now before Braut could pull out his gun which he was sure was under this nice Tux he was wearing right behind him. Michael was still thinking about what to do next, but Braut already pulled out his pistol with the silencer on it, Michael opened his mouth to plead but no words came out as he heard the gunshot, he fell to his knees with his eyes closed. He heard a thud behind him as he turned and saw someone on the ground bleeding with a pistol in his hand, he turned to look at Braut who put his gun under his Tux and walked past him.
"I'm sure more are coming kid, go home." Braut walked to the guy bleeding who was reaching for his gun, Braut picked up his gun and shot him in the head, Michael flinched as he watched him, and he almost threw up.
"Please help me, I know you can." Michael stood up as he walked closer to where Braut was with the body, he was trying so hard not to look at the dead guy with his brains all over the floor.
Braut was wiping the prints of the dude's gun that he used, he was not talking to Michael or even looking at him, he dropped the pistol on the floor as he stood up and was about to go but Michael was not ready to give up.
"Please the police don't care about people here, my sister has been sick for weeks now and many people are dying in the hospitals, but the cops don't even give a damn."
Braut stopped as he lifts his head and exhales, he turns around to look at Michael who was looking so pathetic.
"Okay kid, I will help you. Go home I will meet you later." Braut turned around as he put his hands back inside his pockets to walk away.
"Thank you! But how do we meet again?? Maybe you can give me your number so I can call." Michael was excited as he moved closer to him.
"No need for that, I will come to your place." Braut continued walking.
"That's not so believable, I'm not even sure you know my place..." Michael stopped blabbing as he noticed that he was saying too much again and Braut turned around giving him the Shut-the-fuck-up-before-I-change-my-mind stare.
"Sorry sir...Thank you, sir...I believe you." Michael cleared his throat as he avoided Braut's gaze.
Braut smiled as he walked away, Michael was feeling happy as he walked away too to go back to his cab.