Chapter 80

Meadows Cameron was highly inebriated, flanked by two blondes, as they exited the bar. They made their way across the street to a hotel and secured a room at the front desk, all while garnering envious glances from onlookers. Meadows wasted no time and headed straight for the bed.

His laughter echoed through the room; he was in such high spirits that he didn't seem to care about hygiene. However, just as he was about to fully indulge in his excitement, an abrupt knock on the door shattered the mood.

"F*ck! Who's that?" Meadows shouted irritably, poking his head out from under the quilt.

"Please open the door. I'm a hotel staff member. We've found a snake in your bathroom that needs to be dealt with," came the voice at the door, which exuded an air of trustworthiness.

Snake? The girl on the bed screamed in fear at the mention of a snake and urgently pushed Meadows to deal with the intruder. Still bewildered, Meadows reluctantly put on his boxers and even flexed his muscles in an intimidating manner before opening the door.

But as soon as he did, a sudden kick to his stomach came from outside. Meadows was sent reeling backward, nearly retching from the previous night's indulgence. He fell to his knees, his face flushed, clutching his belly with bulging eyes.

"Hey, who are you?" cried out the two girls when they saw that something was terribly amiss.

"Madam, I am the priest from 178 Campbell Street. These are law enforcement officers. This man is a thief who stole the golden cross from our church," declared the man at the door. He had a menacing air about him, and a wriggling tadpole tattoo on his cheek added to his ominous appearance.

"These are our IDs," announced Gerbachio, producing a book from his pocket and flipping it open. He used Meadows' clothes to cover him up and wiped some oil from his eyes. Then, with an air of authority, he asked, "Do you know this man? Come with us."

"No, no, we... we don't know him," stammered the blonde woman as she waved her hand.

"Don't know him? Are you selling him drugs? Take her into custody as well!"

Pierce couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Had Gerbachio lost his mind? Or was he playing a part? He winked at Gerbachio, instructed the others to escort Meadows and Mosquito out, and then followed suit. The two blonde girls exchanged bewildered glances, not sure what to make of the situation.

As the hotel staff witnessed the commotion, one security guard attempted to approach the group.

Gelbacho glared at him and said, "This jerk dared to snatch a man, Falk!"

"Snatch a man?" The other security guards who had been about to inquire froze in their tracks, unsure of how to proceed. The crowded elevator became even more cramped as the group stealthily made their way inside.

"Fantastic! I think it's time to enjoy the show," Pierce remarked, turning to Gerbachio with a grin. "Did you really show them an AIDS certificate?"

"That's just an AIDS certificate," Gerbachio replied nonchalantly. A moment of silence filled the car as everyone absorbed the revelation. Gerbachio quickly clarified, "I found it on the ground; it doesn't belong to anyone." He shrugged.

The tension in the elevator dissipated as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and Mosquito wiped sweat from his brow.

"You're better at fooling me than I am," muttered the priest as he glanced around at the group.

As it turned out, his "178 Campbell Street" was not a church but rather a Chinese funeral home. He had heard it was for the deceased.

Felix, on the other hand, was back in his apartment, lying on the sofa and gazing up at the ceiling. His eyes were unfocused, and his breath was heavy. His anxiety was palpable, his heart seemingly ready to leap from his chest.

According to U.S. law, the maximum penalty for hiring a hitman is life imprisonment. But he couldn't just let it go. That third-rate director had slept with his wife? Unacceptable!

The more he thought about it, the more agitated he became. He sat up, rubbed his face vigorously, and poured himself a glass of water. Just as he was about to take a sip, the doorbell rang, and he nearly jumped out of his skin.

He patted his head, approached the door, and opened it. To his surprise, Pierce stood there with a sack at his feet.

"Good evening, Mr. Felix," Pierce greeted, raising an eyebrow as he checked his watch. "Christmas is still a few months away, but we've brought you an early gift."

With a snap of his fingers, he signaled for the priest and the others to bring the sack inside.

"What... what is this?" Felix stammered, his right cheek twitching as he feared what the answer might be.

Pierce nodded at the priest, who proceeded to open the sack. Meadows tumbled out of it like a sack of spoiled meat, and his head turned to face Felix's feet. Felix jumped back in terror, exclaiming, "How did you bring him here?"

"Don't worry, sir. He's not dead yet, and his body is still warm. After all, he came to you to resolve the issue, didn't he?" Pierce retrieved a dagger, handed it to Felix, and pointed to Meadows' right chest. "You should stab him here. Don't hesitate."

Felix looked at the dagger in his hand, his mind a whirlwind of confusion. He raised his head in bewilderment and stammered, "You want me to kill him? Didn't you say you would handle it?"

"The Lord said that those who kill shall go to hell," declared the priest solemnly, nodding emphatically as he touched his chest. "Amen. I will not commit murder."

"I've recently found religion as well," added Pierce, gesturing to the others. "We all have."

Feeling utterly deceived, Felix tossed the knife aside. Little did he know that Pierce's demeanor would suddenly change, his face contorted in anger. He snapped, "Sir, this gift is from our boss. You'd best accept it personally. He does not appreciate returns."

"No! You're all liars! You want to harm me!" Felix protested.

"You came up with that idea yourself, and we're just making use of it," Pierce asserted firmly. His patience was wearing thin. "Your lawyers may talk tough, but they won't be able to save you. Canine, help him out."

Annoyed, Gelbachio grabbed Felix by the neck, pushed him down, picked up the discarded dagger, thrust it into Felix's hand, and then held the hand firmly in place. "You fool, this is what you wanted," he scolded.

With a swift motion, Felix plunged the dagger into Meadows' chest, blood spurting out like a geyser, drenching both of them in crimson.

Thump, thump...

Overwhelmed with the weight of what he had just done, Felix released the dagger and stumbled backward until he landed on the sofa. The realization that he had taken another man's life weighed heavily on his conscience.

Pierce, however, seemed unfazed by the gruesome scene. He nodded in approval, glanced at the blood-soaked floor, and remarked, "Well done, everyone. Now, let's clean up. We can't leave such a mess in this expensive house."

As the group got to work, there was an air of discomfort, particularly for Mosquito and the priest. The priest tried to find solace in his own scriptures, but his choice of passage was cryptic and incomprehensible to anyone else. He seemed more interested in maintaining an air of mystique than making sense.

They disposed of Meadows' body in a San Francisco sewer, a place where it would likely be found the next day. However, without direct evidence linking Felix to the murder, even if he were captured, it would be challenging to pin the crime on him.

In the car, Canine, with bloodstains on his hands, asked Pierce about the fate of the lawyer and his wife.

"Send her to a human trafficking organization and have her sold to Mexico," Pierce replied nonchalantly. "Since she seems to have a preference for men, she can serve those bastards there."

To him, it was just another matter to take care of. After all, she wasn't his wife.