Ex-convict to Executive

Chapter 6

The masked men started ransacking the art gallery, they knew what they came for and they were determined to find it.

Dante took his phone out to dial the emergency number but it didn’t ring because there was no network, he put his phone back into his pocket, still hiding behind a table.

“Where is the Rhinestone medal?” one of the armed men asked loudly and no one dared answer in the middle of the fear and panic.

The police sirens started sounding from afar and the masked men grew more impatient, maybe the neighbors had called the police, opposite the art gallery was a bakery.

“I asked for the Rhinestone medal!” he shot the air and the bullet resounded making everybody to gasp in fear, not every worker knew each of the art pieces by their name so it was no surprise when some of them didn’t know what they were asking for including Dante.

The masked man dragged one of the staff by his throat as he threatened but it was clear he didn’t have the information, his face began to turn red and he was almost choking before the masked man dropped him angrily to the ground.

“Who is next?” the man shouted impatiently

“Over here” one of the masked men called out, he was in fact pointing at the Rhinestone medal, it was enclosed in a transparent box that needed a passcode.

The men inputted the passcode and got the rhinestone medal out, just then Dante was convinced that someone that worked in the gallery gave them info beforehand, it wasn’t an unplanned heist but a well calculated and planned robbery.

One of the masked men suddenly pointed the gun at Jean, in seeing that Dante adrenaline instinct immediately rushed forward and pounced on the man, they both fell to the ground with the gun moving to another direction.

They both hurried to take the gun, struggling on the ground. The other masked men couldn’t fire their guns in order to avoid shooting their boss, in spilt minutes as they continued struggling the gun sounded repeatedly, before Dante’s very eyes one of the bullets flew freely striking Jean in his head and he fell to the floor lifeless.

“Let’s g-o boss! The police are coming” one of the men shouted with a shaky voice to his boss who was still on the floor trying to get up.

Dante in the greatest shock of his life sees blood run from Jean head and his mouth, he rushes to Jean’s side soaking in a pool of blood, in the quest to save Jean’s life he killed him instead.

The masked men took the rhinestone medal, that was the only thing they came for, the other expensive art pieces weren’t any of their business.

“Boss we are closing in!”

The boss slowly got up from the ground but Dante rushed and pushed him again to the ground, this time with anger and pain of losing his friend, he gave him a heavy punch on his face that made the man groan in much pain.

Dante punched him again on his nose as he fought relentlessly, the masked man punched Dante in return and it sent him off balance with a ringing ear.

The masked man used the back of his left hand to clean his bleeding nose, then Dante sees a tattoo on his hand, the drawing of a pawn piece in cheese board, it looked very familiar, but he couldn’t recall where he had seen it.

Dante aimed to remove the mask from his face but he was too late, the other masked men dragged their boss up from the ground and they ran quickly outside to the van.

That instant the boss gun feel to the ground, Dante took the gun and chased after them, while shooting randomly at the masked men with gritted teeth, in anguish and revenge for Jean, they entered their SUV  hurriedly, speeding away.

Dante kept shooting at the car aiming for the tyre but kept missing, gunfire filled the air as the police siren got louder.

The police men arrived immediately the van left seeing Dante with a gun and blood all over his cloth, body guards dead on the ground and the damaged security cameras.

“The robbers just left now!” Dante shouted pointing at the direction they took “That way, black SUV!”

The police stopped their cars and took out their pistol guns pointing it to Dante in a defensive pose like he was the criminal, because of cause they he was holding a gun, they encircled around around Dante.

“Drop the gun” one of them said speaking into the microphone with a stern face, the police men surrounding Dante waited for his next move, and if he didn’t comply they were ready to shoot, they already had the command.

“Drop the gun and get on your knees” the police man said loudly again, Dante exhaled deeply with shaky trembling hands, it sure looked like what they thought it was, like he was the criminal, obediently he dropped the gun slowly and got to his knees

“Hands in the air where I can see them” Dante obeyed

One of the police man walked towards him and pushed the gun aside with his leg, from behind another officer took his hands and handcuffed him, he dragged Dante up mercilessly to his feet as he walked him to the car.

“You are under arrest, you have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law”

The paramedics arrived the art gallery, wheeling Jean body out of the building with a stretcher and a cloth over his face, his brother was confirmed dead. 

Dante looked away from the stretcher, his hands handcuffed behind his back as he was being pushed like a criminal to the police car, how did things go worst from being a free man to him going to prison and Jean dying, why?

As Dante is being escorted to the car his phone began to ring repeatedly in his back pocket, the police officer stopped him and took it out for him

“Must be my wife” Dante said with almost teary eyes

The police man looked at the text in his phone and then to Dante very aware of the sentence he told him before handcuffing him.

“You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law” he repeated the words again

The police man took another longer look at the text trying to understand the context scoffing to Dante’s lie.

“Your wife huh” he pushed Dante forcefully from behind in order for him to keep walking.

That text alone was an evidence that could keep Dante behind bars for life.

The police man sealed the phone for evidence, without showing Dante the text message that read:

“It was good working with you, you would get rewarded heavily on a condition and that is if you don’t reveal our identity to the authority”