Ray's got a hot ticket. But it ends up buying him a ride he didn't expect.

Chapter 1

The Ultimate Hot Ticket

By J.Vincent Martin.

Ah, Ts’ murder indeed, when one has to flee from justice. Especially, if one is fleeing from a murder charge. Even more so, if one is guilty of the charge.

Ray’s flight began in an alley behind a sleazy bar on the wrong side of town. You see, Ray had a bit of personality problem. It seemed he was born without any feelings or emotions for other human beings. However, he did enjoy the feeling he got when he watched people suffer, especially when he was the one causing the suffering. Perhaps,that is why he was so good at his chosen trade...a small time, yet successful mugger.

As a child, he had also acquired a talent for hiding the shortcoming . He had learned over the years how to use his eyes to make people feel sorry for him, kind of like a lost helpless child. Indeed, people always seemed to want to help poor Ray, even when he did his worst to them. It was that, and his unbelievable luck, that kept from his just desserts over his young twenty four years of life.

This particular night he had decided to amuse himself by targeting and tormenting a young college kid named Stan.. Stan happened to be at the bar doing some covert research for his Criminal Justice Paper. To Ray of course, he was just another unsuspecting patsy. So from seven to nine, Ray sat next to him contradicting his bar banter and needling him at every opportunity. As the evening progressed, his needling turned to outright insult, until Stan had finally had enough. He just gritted his teeth and made the offer Ray had been waiting for. “You know, something, I think it’s time for me and you to take this conversation out in the alley.” Ray smiled, “Oh, you’re a bad man, ha? Sure, let’s go tough guy!”

It was your usual dark alley with the garbage cans, the smell and single light bulb over the door. Once outside, Stan quickly removed his jacket and placed it neatly on the ground. Ray just stood there with his hand in his pocket grinning like a Cheshire Cat. Stan stared at him for a second, then put up his dukes with a,. “Okay, big mouth, lets dance! Immediately, Ray pulled a gun from his pocket and smiled, “Where’s your gun, man?” Stan shakily stuttered, “I thought we were going to settle this thing like men?” You thought wrong, my friend” Then without a second thought, Ray pulled the trigger shooting Stan in the leg. Stan dropped to the ground and Ray raised the gun again, this time pointing it at Stan’s head. Stan pleaded in pain, “Please... don’t kill me,. I’ll give you money.” “How much money?” “I’ve got a thousand dollars in my wallet. It’s in my coat pocket. Just take it and leave. I won’t say anything to anybody about this.” Ray lowered the gun for a second and took the wallet out of the jacket. “Damn man, you carry a grand with you and you ain’t got no gun?” “Just take it, it’s my book money.” “You a bookie?” “No it’s my text book money for school.” Ray chuckled, “Didn’t they teach you nothing at school, kid. Don’t you know with this kind of money, you need to have a damn gun? You’re really stupid kid. But you got one thing right.” Stan asked, What’s that? “You ain’t saying nothing to nobody!” Instantly, Ray raised the gun and put a bullet Stan’s head.

It was one of those neighborhoods where gun shots were just part of normal background noise. So Ray took his time cramming the thousand bucks in his pocket and quickly checked out the rest of the wallet's contents. “Bonus time” he smiled and he added three credit cards to his booty. Then as he flipped the wallet to ground and a lotto ticket flew out. He picked it up and checked the date. It was for the Super Lotto that night. “What the hell”, he thought, and quickly added it to the rest of his ill gotten gain. Then he chuckled to himself as he walked away, “A thousand bucks and it didn’t cost me but 22 cents worth of bullets. America! What a country!”

A half hour latter, Ray arrived at the door of Danny’s apartment. Danny was his brother and also the local neighborhood fence. “What do you got for me, Ray?” “Playing Cards, man” Three aces, The ace of American Express, the ace of Visa, and the ace of MasterCard.” Danny quickly invited him in. “Let me see, em.” Ray handed them over and Danny quickly checked the name on the cards. Suddenly his face went flush and he dropped them to the floor. “Are you crazy? You know whose cards these are?” “What’s the problem?” "These are Stanley Nash's cards, you idiot." "Who the hell is that?" "He’s the governor’s son and he just got whacked. It’s all over the news, stupid.” “No kidden.” Danny paused for a second and stared at Ray.” You whacked him didn’t you?” “Yeah, I whacked him, so what?” “They’re going to find you and fry you for this one, Ray. If you weren’t my brother I’d turn your ass in myself. There’s a $50G reward. ” Ray finally felt a twinge of remorse, for himself of course, not for Stan. Then he threw the eyes on his brother, “What am I going do, Danny?” “They probably got your name already. So I want you to get the hell out of here. Now!.” "Hey, Danny, I’m your brother, you got to help me, man.” “When the hell were you ever my brother, Ray? All our lives you did nothing but screw me. You stole from me, you lied to me, like I was stranger or some kind patsy. Why the hell should I help you?” Ray turned the eyes on again and pleaded, “Because I’m your brother, Danny.” "Don’t give the eyes, Ray, I ain’t buying that crap anymore.” The eyes weren’t working, all right, so Ray reverted to his true self, and kicked back,“It’s simple, man. If I go down, I’m taking you with me, and we both know there’s some guys in the joint that are just dieing to see you again.” Ray was right, going back to jail was a dead sentence for Danny and he knew it. So he reluctantly agreed to help.

You got any money, Ray?” “I got a grand on me.” “Then you got three things working for you. You haven’t had your picture taken since you were ten, except for that phony drivers license I made up for you, right?” "Yeah, I am still freaky about having my photo taken,ever since I saw Voodoo movie when we were kids.” “You still got the license?” “Yeah, I got it on me. What’s the third thing, Danny?” “The third thing is the cops ain’t here yet.” “So you’re going help me, Dan?” “I got no choice now, Ray. The first thing you got to do is go change those clothes. Go into my bedroom and put on one of my suits and ties. Then put your clothes in this garbage bag. I’ll make a few quick calls in the meantime. “

When Ray came out, Danny quickly gave him instructions. “Take the bag with you. Go downstairs and walk to next the subway stop, then take the train for six stops.” “Which direction?” “Any direction! When the train leaves the third station drop the gun on tracks between the cars. When you get to sixth stop, go upstairs, drop the bag next to some garbage cans, and take a cab to the Salem Motel on 62nd Street. There’s a reservation at the desk in the name on your phony license. Just check in, and stay in the room. Al will call you tomorrow night. Do not go to the bar! Just stay in the damn room and watch TV.”

Everything when smooth, and Ray settled into the room with a bottle of Vodka he picked up along the way. He poured a glass and climbed into bed. Then he started flicking the remote and scanning the channels. Finally, he stopped at the tail end of the news.

“Back to you, Mary.” Thanks, Steve. Well there’s one very happy person in somewhere in town tonight. There was only one jackpot winner in the Super Lotto drawing tonight. That winner will taking home $127 millions dollars. Here’s the winning numbers for you: 1, 27, 33, 34, 41 and 53. and Super Lotto number is 23 . So be sure to check those tickets carefully, folks. Now back to you Steve.” There was really nothing else on except the news stories about Stan. He knew all he wanted to about that, so he just closed the TV, flicked off the lights and went to sleep.

copyright 2006jvm

To Be continued???