Persuasion

Ethan turned to see them one last time, lifted his jacket, exposing the Uzi underneath, tapping him with the palm of his hand.—If you are smart, you will stay here in silence while we finish what we came to do, it seems to you.Noticing the Uzi hanging from Ethan's shoulder, the woman felt an intense fear running through his body. The African American man, who had grown up all his life in the ghetto, was not too surprised, but his instinct warned him that the white guy in front of him was not playing. With a firm gesture, he nodded, as his afro hair vibrated slightly with movement.Ethan walked over, took gray tape, took a couple of pieces to seal the man's and woman's mouth, making sure he couldn't speak. Then he and Job came out cautiously. Once they confirmed the exact location, they went straight up the fourth floor up the stairs.The echo of laughter and footsteps echoed around him.Ethan looked up, his eyes cold and calculating. A Ukrainian with a cigarette hanging from his lips and a black woman, dressed provocatively, went upstairs. The Ukrainian laughed out loud and slapped the woman on the buttocks, the sound echoing in the hallway. But as soon as they saw the two masked figures, the smiles were erased from their faces, and the cigarette fell to the ground.Without hesitation, Job took the lead, raised his Colt M1911, and fired without warning.— Bang!The bullet went through the Ukrainian's skull, throwing a fragment of bone into the air before his body fell like a dead weight. The woman, tanned in settings like this, reacted instantly, bending over and covering her ears with both hands.Ethan did not lose a second after Job's shot. He moved quickly, and in a matter of moments reached the top of the stairs. Without giving importance to the huddled woman, he passed over the body without hesitation, directing his attention to the closed door in front. The hustle and bustle that filled the building disappeared, leaving an absolute, tense silence, like calm before a storm.Job arrived with Ethan, moving with agility.—I cover you. — Ethan murmured.Both prepared. Ethan slipped a finger over the selector of his Uzi, adjusting it to a full burst. With a determined look, he stepped forward, shoving the butt of the submachine gun into his hip. He aimed straight at the door and without hesitation, pulled the trigger.— Rat-tat-tat-tat!The roar of the Uzi rang loudly as the bullets smashed the door, splintering and holes in the wood like cardboard. The caps flew and fell in a metallic concert on the ground. Within seconds, all 32 bullets had run out. From the inside, a thud, heavy noise indicated that something or someone had fallen.Job laughed out loud as, with lethal precision, he reloaded his weapon. With an agile movement, he began to shoot mercilessly in the room, unleashing chaos. The bullets flew in all directions, piercing walls and furniture.When the last shot rang out, a figure collapsed to the ground with a thud. Attentive to the smallest detail, Ethan took advantage of the brief silence to change the charger of his Uzi with impressive speed. This time, he configured the weapon in semi-automatic mode, firing with calculated precision inside the room.Job, without losing a second, rolled forward skillfully, approaching the door forcefully. With an accurate kick, he slammed it open and shot a motionless figure on the ground. Two more shots pierced the body, confirming what Job feared: that was not Olek. —Not here —Job muttered.They both turned quickly to the door on the other side. Job raised his gun and shouted:— Get away!Ethan quickly covered his head just before Job opened fire. The thin door was splintered by the impact of the shots, but Ethan, always calculating, advanced with his firm Glock, ready for any threat. He entered the room and the first thing he saw was a bloody figure on the floor, the carpet dyed red with blood. The place was strangely silent, until suddenly a gun appeared from under the bed, shooting randomly.Ethan, with the precision that characterized him, reacted instantly. Two dry, accurate shots smashed the hand holding the gun. Olek, who had been hiding behind the bed, rolled into Ethan's sight, writhing in pain.— Don't kill him! —Job yelled from the door.Ethan said nothing. He lowered his Glock for a moment, but quickly fired several more times, aiming at Olek's arm. The bullets pierced flesh and blood, spreading a shower of blood, destroying both arms. Olek's heartbreaking scream filled the room as he squirmed on the floor.— Who the hell are they? —the subject growled, Olek said, his eyes cold and merciless, waiting for an answer among the roars of pain.Ethan and Job did not respond. They crossed the room, making sure there were no more threats.— Where's Rabbit? —Job asked, pointing his gun.Olek, sweating and with useless arms hanging at his sides, scoffed:—When he comes after you, you will know.Job advanced, his expression hardened:—I'm going to make you want me to end your life quickly.Olek, with a strong accent, shouted:— Damn you!Before Job could react, Olek, in a final act of despair, suddenly sat up. Without hesitation, she ran to the window next to him. With a brutal movement, he broke the glass with his head and threw himself into the void. They both ran to the window and saw the Ukrainian body lying on the ground, right next to Job's car.Johnny, Job's driver, opened the car door and ran to the body.— Damn! —Johnny yelled, looking up.Job greeted him with a smile, but then his expression changed when he saw a group of boys taking photos from across the street.— Damn! —Ethan muttered.The boys, barely teenagers, had captured everything on their phones. Ethan and Job ran out of the building, but Johnny and the boys were already gone.Johnny's screams echoed in the distance. They both ran after him, rounding a corner, only to find themselves in front of a dozen teenagers. All the boys looked at them with defiance, ready for anything if they did not cooperate.—Look, there are two masks with masks on the other side —shouted one of the black men, part of a dozen guys who were across the street.—I wonder if they will also have superpowers. — added another, and several started laughing.Ethan, who preferred to avoid trouble, knew that there were many gangs out there, and more people could gather around him at any time. He took a bundle of bills out of his pocket, spread it out in front of him, and said quietly:—Look, we don't want problems. Here you have a few thousand dollars for their phones. What they say is not a bad offer.The dreadlocks man looked at the bills with bright eyes, but quickly took a razor out of his pocket.— What if we don't sell you anything better, and you give us the money? —he said, challenging.The other men, seeing the razor, raised their baseball bats and machetes with a threatening attitude.—Leave the money and you can leave our street unscathed, you fucking white shit. — they said fiercely.Ethan, seeing that money did not convince them, decided to take another approach. He reluctantly kept the tickets, raised his coat, and took out an Uzi submachine gun, pointing directly at the crowd.Job and Johnny did the same, taking out their weapons as well.—Shet —murmured one of the men when he saw the two machine guns and the gun. Most of them released what they were carrying and ran, while a few stayed, frozen with fear.Ethan smiled and stepped forward, the submachine gun still in hand.—Now why don't they turn in their fucking phones and fuck off, before I leave them like a strainer. —ordered in a threatening tone while facing them head-on.The trembling men quickly obeyed, handing over their phones. Ethan picked up the phone and put it in his pocket, ready to go, but the man with the dreadlocks, trying to save his pride in front of the others, asked:— What about the money?Ethan stopped, reached out quickly, and slapped the man in the face, puffing up his cheek.—Get lost before you kill assholes. —repeated with another slap —The man with the dreadlocks staggered after the slaps. Then Job shouted from behind:— Let's go! —He nervously looked at the buildings around, fearing that a bullet would come out of a window at any moment.All three ran back to the parking lot, and from afar saw an old black man ignoring the body that lay on the ground. With a steel bar in hand, he tried to open the door of Job's car.—Shet —Job growled. That car was his pride, and he had modified it with a lot of effort. He raised his gun and shouted:— Hey, fuck, fuck!The old man raised his head when he heard the screams and when he saw the men, one of them pointing a gun at him, dropped the bar and ran away at full speed.When they got to the car, Ethan looked at Olek, who was lying not far away with his neck twisted at a strange angle. His spider tattoo was deformed, stained red with blood.Ethan sighed. Although he had expected resistance from Olek, he had not hesitated to jump out the window, knowing that at least he had died quickly. However, he was unable to obtain information on Rabbit's whereabouts, which he regretted.They put away their weapons, quickly got into the car, but before they could get away, several black men ran towards them from a distance, with pistols in hand, quickly several shots rang out.— Bang, bang, bang!— Start now! —Ethan yelled from the back seat, and Johnny stepped on the gas, causing the tires to squeak as they fled the scene. Back at his residence, they put away the weapons and Ethan went straight to the bathroom to remove the smell of gunpowder. Her clothes were thrown into a basket, for Johnny to destroy later.Ethan came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel, drying his hair. Johnny, lying on the sofa, gave a loud whistle.—You're not bad, Ethan —said, looking at him — Although you're not as big as those guys in the gym.Ethan pursed his lips, downplaying it, and went to the fridge for a beer.—Go shower, and then we look for a place to spend the night.After each shooting, Ethan felt full of adrenaline, needing a place to release his energy.—Don't worry, I already have it all figured out for tonight —Job said, snapping his fingers and getting up off the couch. After washing, the three of them went up to the convertible and, with the night breeze, arrived at a strip club called Silver Dollar Club.Job got out of the car first.—Come on, I'll show you what the New York night scene is like. —said.Johnny and Job seemed to be regular customers of the place, greeted the guards and entered without problems. Ethan, however, was detained at the door to check his ID, causing laughter between the other two.Once inside, the atmosphere was like that of any other strip club, albeit with a larger dance floor and more strippers and gigolos. The place was crowded, and the hustle and bustle filled the air, but they led to a heavily reserved areaThe club's atmosphere was vibrant, with flickering lights and pulsating music that filled the air. The waitresses came and went, their trays overflowing with expensive bills and drinks. Ethan watched the scene with calculated calm, while a waitress left three trays full of money in front of them. He smiled at the amount and took a stack of one to five dollar bills, playing with them between his fingers.He looked at Job with a cunning smile.— You're going to go big tonight, right? —said Ethan, his voice charged with a barely concealed challenge and fun.The waitress, who was carrying the tray, gave him a grateful look and smiled sweetly at him, continuing to move gracefully around the premises. Ethan left the bills inside his tiny bikini and leaned slightly toward Job.—You won't regret it later, right? —Ethan muttered, his eyes flashing under the club lights.Job, with a cigarette hanging from his lips, shrugged as if it were the most trivial thing in the world. He took a deep drag and, when exhaling the smoke, his tone was carefree but direct.—Money is not what counts here, brother —said, his tone lightened, as if the weight of the bills was insignificant —. If you are in this game, it is to enjoy the trip. —A lopsided smile formed on his face as he raised an eyebrow with a conspiratorial air — As someone once said, "In this city, you are either someone ... or you are nothing."Ethan smiled, acknowledging the nod to one of his favorite movies. He adjusted his jacket and leaned back into his seat, relaxed but alert.—Well, in that case ... let the show begin —Ethan replied.Job, without changing his expression, crushed the cigarette against the edge of a glass ashtray and issued one last warning.—Just make sure you remember one thing, boy ... —Job muttered in a hoarse voice —. In this game, cards always have two faces. And nobody plays fair.Ethan shook his head and smiled. He grabbed a thick bundle of bills and threw it up hard.Under the flickering neon lights, a shower of bills exploded in midair, cascading down as the crowd erupted in cheers. The strippers, with their perfect curves and flirty smiles, approached with seductive movements, their eyes fixed on the group. But Job, always the most indifferent, simply waved his hand with a disinterested gesture.—Sorry, but tonight I'm looking for another fun. —Job said while still watching askance —The girls, puzzled by their rejection, quickly changed targets. They all turned to Ethan, who, with a mischievous smile, welcomed them with open arms, enjoying the moment.—Come on, leave that guy bitter, here is someone who knows how to have fun —Ethan joked, wrapping two of them in a carefree hug before starting to select.The music pulsed in every corner of the club, and as the bodies waddled to the rhythm of the party, muscular men quickly got up, approaching Johnny and Job, completing the show.—Have a good time, girls —Ethan said with a laugh, handing them stacks of bills like candy, before serving generous glasses of whiskey on the table.The club was an explosion of energy. The lights flickered, the bodies moved in unison, and the euphoria was felt in the air. Ethan, now surrounded by four of the most beautiful girls in the place, laughed out loud, raising his glass before taking a long drink.— For a night that no one will forget! —Ethan yelled, crashing his glass with the girls —Suddenly something caught his attention: some young men, sitting at the bar, seemed to be watching them with envy. Especially one, a blond man wearing a blue golf shirt.—Hey, Ethan —interrupted Johnny, pointing to the man — This is my cousin, Dwight.—Delighted, I'm Ethan —he said, reaching out with a smile.—Hi, I'm Dwight Steve —replied the blonde as he shook Ethan's hand firmly.Job, calmly smoking his cigarette, watched the scene without showing much interest. However, Johnny insisted:—My cousin is studying at the state university and I wanted to bring him in to have a little fun.—Now I understand why there is so much enthusiasm —Ethan said, laughing.Dwight raised his glass and pointed to three other boys who were at the bar.—They are Eric, Bobby and Mike, they came with me. Do you mind if they come together?Ethan nodded and raised his glass to the boys. They all seemed nervous, but Dwight motioned for them to come closer. The three of them got up, holding their beers with trembling hands, and walked towards them.Eric, calm-looking, was wearing a striped T-shirt. Bobby, smaller and chubby, had a big smile on his face while Mike, who was wearing a flower shirt, seemed more reserved.—Nice to meet you guys —Ethan greeted, as the strippers began to approach each of them.Bobby was the first to let go. With a laugh, he began to dance awkwardly with the stripper next to him, while the rest of the boys tried to stay under control.—Come on, guys, this is a party! —Ethan yelled, serving more whiskey.The small group drank and laughed nonstop. Dwight turned to Ethan and, pointing to his drink, joked:— Do you think you are capable of drinking like someone from the Steve family?Ethan raised an eyebrow, fun.—Well, let's see what you're made of.Dwight, smiling confidently, drank his whiskey in one gulp. Eric, who was not so convinced, cautiously raised his glass.—Except Eric, of course —Dwight joked, patting his cousin on the back.Johnny quickly intervened:—Hey, Dwight, don't brag too much. Ethan is not someone you should mess with —he warned, knowing that his friend had remarkable resistance to alcohol.But Dwight, feeling challenged, rolled up his sleeves and hit the table decisively.—No one in our family gives up on a drink.Job, watching with a malicious smile, asked for more bottles of whiskey. The drinking competition was beginning to heat up, this was just to give Ethan a hangover.Just then, cheers were heard from the booth in front of them. Ethan looked askance and saw a shower of bills fall from across the room, as a group of men with glasses looked at them provocatively.—This is getting interesting —Ethan said, with a challenging smile.Looking at the provocative expression from the other side, Ethan was confused for a moment.— What's going on? — He thought. When you go out for a drink, you meet a monster that slaps you and you don't even recognize it.If he were his enemy, shots would have already sounded.—Shit —said Dwight, who was sitting next to him, screaming angry — Why do I always end up meeting those bastards?— Do you know them? —Ethan asked, turning his head.Dwight nodded and replied:—We are all in the same university, but in different fraternities. We are Beta, they are GEK, and we are mortal enemies.Fraternities and brotherhoods have a long history in the United States. Yale's famous DKE fraternity, for example, has had five presidents, including Bush, among its members. The connections that form within these organizations go beyond school, influencing future life and career. Even in job interviews, belonging to the same fraternity can secure the position.To strengthen ties, parties are organized where sex is attractive to recent graduate students. However, entering a fraternity requires overcoming demanding tests and rigorous evaluation. Those who enter develop a strong sense of loyalty and pride.At the club, the tension with GEK increased. Several men with glasses threw bills into the air, covering the ground. Even the stripper in Ethan's arms was restless. In contrast, Dwight and his family had barely ordered a few beers.Ethan took a sip, ignoring the stripper who kept moving on his lap. Although in other circumstances he would have spent money, this time he was not willing to give them more.— So are things between fraternities? —asked Dwight curiously.Dwight, still upset, explained:—GEK, the "Nerd Brotherhood", now it has become our nightmare. To join them, you need high SAT scores and a thorough analysis of your future potential. Most of them are the children of millionaires.Ethan smiled:—With rich families and good heads, I am not surprised that they become a threat.Johnny, intervening, added:—In my day, the Beta were the most popular among girls.Dwight shook his head, frustrated.—That has changed. Now, the prettiest girls are leaving with those nerds.— Why? —asked Johnny, incredulous.—Come on, college is not high school. These girls are not stupid. If you had the chance, wouldn't you date a wealthy family nerd?Johnny nodded slowly, understanding.Meanwhile, the stripper with Ethan, discouraged by his lack of interest, looked the other way. Ethan also lost interest and decided to simply drink with Bobby and the others. Job, on the other hand, continued to enjoy strippers, until he noticed a group from the GEK fraternity approaching.The group's leader, an elegant blond young man in black-mounted glasses, wore two large handfuls of bills.—Dwight, why don't you keep throwing money? If you're missing, I have more to give you —he said with a provocative look before throwing the money on Ethan's table. The shower of bills made the men around him laugh.Dwight, furious, jumped up.— Fakeyu, Edgar! Get out of my way!Bobby, Eric and Mike also got up, pushing the nerds. The conflict was about to break out when the club guards intervened to separate them.Ethan, without getting upset, took the bills off him and took another sip from his glass. Job, somewhat bored, sat next to him and whispered:— Are you going to do something?—Forget it, they're just students, let them figure it out on their own. — Ethan replied.Job shrugged and returned to his place, letting club staff calm the situation. Johnny also just watched with a tired look. Once security personnel dispersed members of both fraternities, Dwight and his group returned to the sofa.— Who was that guy? —Ethan asked, pointing to the man who had caused the conflict.—That was Edgar, the leader of the Nerd Brotherhood —Dwight replied, clenching his teeth —. Bobby, after a long shot of whiskey, slapped his thigh.— Do you remember our last mission? —asked.— What mission? —Eric asked, confused.—To steal something valuable from the Nerd Brotherhood, just before we were admitted to Beta —Mike clarified.Bobby, looking at Edgar with narrow eyes, murmured:—We should do it tonight.Eric and Mike exchanged glances and then collided hands with Bobby.—Tonight —they said, determined.Ethan, intrigued, asked:— Can I join the fun?Little chubby Bobby was stunned. I didn't expect Ethan to be interested in his little games.—Do you have any idea — said Bobby —He looked at Dwight, something lost. Those kinds of decisions did not correspond to him.Dwight scratched his short blonde hair. His cousin's friend had been very kind to him and his younger brothers. As soon as they arrived, he invited them to a strip party.Without thinking too much, he reached out and clashed his fist with Ethan.—On behalf of the Beta Brotherhood, welcome. Parties, girls, alcohol, whatever you want.—But you have to promise me one thing —added seriously —. The Beta Brotherhood initiation ceremony is a tradition of our home. You have to promise me that you won't give any help to others.—Of course, I will honor your tradition —Ethan took his glass and drank it in one gulp.Little chubby Bobby and the others raised their glasses and cheered alongside Dwight. Bobby put his shoulders around Ethan and yelled,— Brothers, let's go conquer some university students! - Ethan smiled and winked at Job, before drinking with the rest.Job rolled his eyes. From the beginning I knew that Ethan's target was not so innocent. Now he was convinced that this bastard was targeting college girls and was going to take advantage of the boys to access them.With the effort of more than a dozen people, the drinks on the table quickly disappeared.Bobby and the others still had things to do that night, so Dwight didn't allow Johnny to serve more drinks and asked Ethan and the other three to leave the club.Ethan said goodbye to Job and Johnny. After spending so much time at the strip club, he knew that the girls there were more than used to everything, and taking them with him would not be an easy task. Searching for adventures with college students seemed like a much simpler option.Across the street, the nerd fraternity still drank enthusiastically. When they saw Dwight and his group leave, they raised their middle fingers as a mockery.Ethan and Dwight responded in unison. Due to her appearance and dress, Ethan fit perfectly among the students, looking like one of the bunch.After leaving the club, Ethan took out a cigarette and lit it.—Dwight, how did you get here?—By taxi —Dwight replied as he chewed his cigarette, walking towards the edge of the road.Ethan stopped him before he went any further.—There are no cars in sight and it may take time to find two taxis. Ethan returned to the club entrance and signaled to the club staff at the door.Soon, a man dressed in black trotted up.—Sir, how can I help you?— Can you help me get a limousine? —Ethan asked, giving the cigarette a drag.Little Mike with black hair and chubby Bobby looked at each other excitedly. That night's departure was definitely worth it.The man in the black suit looked at them in doubt, but Ethan took a wad of bills out of his pocket and gently waved it.— Any problem? —he asked with a smile, I quickly put a hundred dollar bill in his shirt pocket. —None, sir —replied the man, straightening his back. He pressed his earpiece and whispered something.Moments later, an extended white Maserati emerged from the parking lot and stopped in front of them.—Gentlemen, the vehicle is ready —said the man in the suit, opening the car door.Bobby and the others were stunned. Even Dwight had never had that experience. They looked at the luxurious car with their mouths open.Ethan, without flinching, slapped Dwight on the back.— What are you doing standing there? Get in the car!Dwight gave the instructions to the driver, waved, and got in the car with his companions. The interior of the limousine was impressive, with L-shaped leather seats, a bar with several drinks, and a karaoke system. Bobby, after studying the controls, turned on the neon lights.After the initial exclamation, everyone began to enjoy the atmosphere.Ethan took out a bottle of champagne and, after shaking it vigorously, the cork shot through laughter and cheers.As the Maserati advanced through the bustling streets of New York, Ethan looked at the illuminated skyscrapers. As they moved away, the views changed to quiet suburban areas.Already in college, the hustle and bustle returned. Girls with red plastic glasses danced to the music on the balconies.— Yes, baby! —Bobby yelled out the window, causing a standing ovation.Finally, the car stopped. Bobby came out first, looking around with pride.Dwight put his hands in his pockets and said to Ethan:— Are you sure you want to go with them? Why don't you go back to the Beta House with me?Before Ethan responded, Bobby and Mike grabbed him by the arms.— It will be fine with us!Ethan smiled and said:—See you soon.Dwight hit his chest twice and continued on his way, while the others continued with the night.