HIS ARREST
Antonio stood at the edge of the town, staring at the dilapidated building before him. It was an old, crumbling warehouse, its brick walls worn and covered in graffiti.
With a deep breath, Antonio stepped inside, the door creaking as it swung open.
As he made his way deeper into the building, two men appeared from the shadows, their eyes cold and calculating.
They looked strange, dressed in mismatched clothes, one of them wearing sunglasses even though they were indoors. They didn't speak, just watched him with an unsettling intensity.
"I'm looking for your boss," Antonio said. "Andre sent me."
The men exchanged glances but said nothing. One of them jerked his head toward a door at the back of the room, signaling for Antonio to go inside.
He hesitated for a moment, then nodded and walked through the doorway.
The room he entered was small.
The man was middle-aged, with slicked-back hair and a cigarette dangling from his lips. He looked up as Antonio entered.
"So, you're the one Andre sent, huh?" the man said, leaning back in his chair. "Didn't think he'd send someone like you."
"I'm here for the package." Antonio said ignoring the man.
The man smirked, reaching into a drawer and pulling out a small parcel wrapped in brown paper.
He tossed it onto the desk with a lazy flick of his wrist. "There you go. Simple enough, right?"
Antonio reached for the package, his hand closing around it. But the man wasn't done.
"You don't look like the kind of guy who usually runs errands like this," he said, blowing a cloud of smoke into the air. "What's your story? You in trouble or something?"
Antonio remained silent, his eyes fixed on the parcel. He wasn't in the mood for small talk, especially not with this guy.
The man chuckled at his lack of response.
The man chuckled darkly at Antonio's silence. "What? Cat got your tongue?" He stepped closer, his boots echoing off the concrete floor. "Come on, talk. What's your deal? How did you get involved with Andre?"
Antonio clenched his fists, his jaw tight. He didn't owe this man any explanations. The less he said, the better.
"Nothing to say, huh?" The man's tone turned mocking. He leaned in, close enough that Antonio could smell the stale cigarette smoke on his breath. "You think you're smart, keeping your mouth shut? That's fine. But I don't trust silent types. Makes me wonder what you're hiding."
Antonio still didn't respond.
After a long moment, the man barked out a harsh laugh. "You're a tough one, I'll give you that. Think you're better than the rest of us, don't you?"
Antonio's eyes flicked up, meeting the man's gaze briefly.
The man's laughter died down, and he stepped back, shaking his head. "You know, I could make things a lot worse for you right now. But I won't." He grinned. "Because I like you. Got guts, I'll give you that. Even if you are Andre's little errand boy."
Antonio's silence was unwavering.
Antonio swallowed, his mouth dry, but he nodded slightly, making no other move. The man let out another dark laugh, clearly enjoying the power he held.
The man then handed Antonio the package.
"Get out of here before you start attracting attention." He added.
Antonio nodded, turning to leave. The man's laughter followed him as he made his way back through the building. He gripped the parcel tightly in his hand, his thoughts racing.
He didn't know what was inside, and he didn't want to know. All he wanted was to deliver it, finish this job, and be done with these people.
As he stepped outside he heard the distant wail of police sirens. His heart skipped a beat as he realized the sound was getting closer, fast.
Antonio's eyes widened as he saw the flashing blue and red lights, police cars screeching to a halt at the front of the building. The officers leaped out, guns drawn, their shouts filling the air.
"Police! Everyone down!"
Antonio froze. What was going on? How did the police know to come here? His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden commotion behind him. The men he had seen earlier were scrambling, one of them darting past him toward the back exit.
In the chaos, one of them shoved Antonio to the ground as they fled, knocking the parcel from his hands.
Scrambling to his feet, Antonio grabbed the parcel and turned toward the nearest exit, but before he could move, a voice stopped him.
"Stop!"
Antonio turned slowly, his heart pounding in his ears, to see one of the police officers running toward him.
"Don't make this harder than it has to be," the officer warned, stepping closer. "Drop the parcel and put your hands up."
Antonio tossed the parcel to the ground and raised his hands.
"I didn't do anything," he said, his voice hoarse. "I swear, I'm not involved."
The officer didn't seem convinced. He grabbed Antonio by the arm, yanking him toward the police cars. "Save it for the station."
"Please!" Antonio begged. "You need to hear me out. I have…"
"What part of save it don't you understand." One of the offers snapped.
Antonio struggled, trying to explain despite his words, but the officer shoved him into the back of a squad car, slamming the door shut behind him.
Through the window, he could see the other men being dragged out of the building, handcuffed and shouting.