Just don’t kill me. Please don’t kill me. I
don’t want to die. Here, take everything. “Quit your mumbling!”, Stu shouted. In
the next few seconds, things were crumbled, pockets were emptied, pendants and
rings were snatched. Even the slightest noises echoed in the parking. Joe had
no jewellery, some important client documents which were of no value to the two
robbers except the wallet which appeared to be quite swollen. Everything
was going smoothly despite the fact that it was a robbery attempt in the middle
of the night. No one was hurt, guns were pointed in places other than Joe’s
head. As they snatched the briefcase, those no value documents and some
photographs fell out. Not much heed was paid to them. Now the wallet was
opened, Rs. 5000 in 500 rupee notes. Joe realised that it wasn’t such
a nice idea to visit the ATM today. Generally he carried his debit card and a
little change to give to beggars and tip the waiters (and have a little
boy-ishy fun once in a while). Stu started counting the money. Piper stared into
the eyes of Joe as he’s trying to remember where he’d seen that face. Maybe
someone he robbed before. They were in no hurry to leave the place. After all
they’d be going to just another desolate and almost as boring a place after
this and frankly their shed was just two blocks away. They’d moved into this
area recently and Joe was the first victim so it was quite impossible Piper had
seen that face but he was having a hard time believing this. He contemplated
about how he should go on about this. ”I’m not asking a girl out”, Piper said
to himself. So after concluding that putting more stress may fry his brain, he
just let out ,” Do I know you boy?”. Stu almost completed counting the money
and it took him a little while because he could not help but admire the watch
he just snatched. “An actual treasure. What would that imbecile know of this
magnificent creation of man?” Stu was willing to trade all of his share of the
loot just for this watch. And why wouldn’t he? It was the dazzling white dial
inside a glowing circle of rose gold that is Patek Philippe’s 175th-anniversary
Grandmaster Chime. Such a timepiece was a luxury he doubted how could their
victim afford. It was far fetched even for the owner of this building. Such exquisite case, dials, movement, crown
and bezels. All so much, it was hard to believe human hands can craft such
perfection with complete absence of sharpness anywhere, truly a work of art. A
limited edition gem. Stu knew all this to the very last detail. Back when he
was an accountant, he used to wish for a timepiece like this but he knew it was
impossible to earn enough ever. It wasn’t just a watch, it was a dream. An
unfulfilled dream only till now. He got this watch when he least expected it.
He almost found it to be an insult for such a watch to be acquired by theft.
What was even harder for him to believe was how could Joe own it. It had to be
a gift, it had to be. Or maybe our poor victim might just not be as innocent as
they think him to be. Here, he felt satisfied if they’re stealing from an
undeserving thief. Although he had to know. Just as then, Piper asked him,”
have we seen this chap somewhere?”. After this sentence was the first time when
Stu actually noticed the face of the poor victim. Not that he recognised him
but there was something about him, the face wasn’t completely new. Now, what really
surprised both of them now was the man’s lips. A smile. Joe was grinning, pulled his head up and the
smile grew with it. The two men were now confused. Joe’s smile was growing
bigger bigger and bigger. Finally he burst into laugh. Maniacally in front of
the robbers, he laughed for a while. “poor lad lost his mind I suppose”, said Piper.
“c’mon man its just 5000, you can very well earn them again”. Now slowly Joe’s
laugh faded, he wiped off a tear from one of the eyes and still kept on smiling
while he said,” Just 5000? My dear fellas, its not just 5000”. Joe continued,”
if I count you both then I think it should add up to 10,00,000.” The two thieves
were completely lost by this time. Stu again pointed his gun at him hurriedly,
right between the eyes. “you see the irony here, the victim is holding the gun.
There is very little purpose of the weapon you’re holding now. It’s almost
useless now and sincerely sir what’s a weapon if it loses its sole purpose? If
you keep holding that gun that way, I suspect you’ll only end up hurting
yourself Mr. Johnson.” Stu was transfixed,”No more puzzles you worm, now shut
up and tell me how you know my name?” Piper was just as shocked by the sudden
surge of boldness in their typical clerk. He was no less shocked as even working
5 years with Stu he wasn’t aware of his identity beyond the name he told. Now Piper
wondered more deeply about where he’d seen that face. Who was he? An old enemy
perhaps. But who? Sure both of them hadn’t been ideal members of the society
till now but they didn’t remember any office worker who’d hold a grudge against
them. “perhaps you could talk some sense into him Mr. Reynolds”, Piper Reynolds’
eyes widened. “I see you’ve been holding that stick for quite some time now,
put it down and let’s all have a friendly chat”. Just then Piper swinged his
big rod towards him, supposedly to hit him in the head to make him unconscious.
But here Mr. Clerk put his skills to use and showed the thugs what they’re
dealing with. He ducked down and up in an instant, frighteningly close to Piper,
punched in the side of his ribs, hard enough to break. Snatched the rod, hit
him with it in the stomach then on the toes and finally a kick to his jaw to
drop him on the ground face up. All in a split second. Stu fired a shot in
panic without properly aiming at Joe. Joe hit his elbow with rod, then the
fingers and shifted the rod to his left arm and snatched the gun with the right. Fired
three rounds, two in the legs and one to the left arm. Joe dropped the rod, Stu can’t feel his right
arm, Piper is lying on the ground half conscious.
Keep on reading to the second and the final volume. There lies the end. And below is the customary complement clip.
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