THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY….(The Return of Saul)
Ziggy never got into Hugh. Pompous, condescending, arrogant, & rich. While he sifts through the suitcase with that high and mighty I’m gonna go through every last cent of this if I chose to do so disposition, Ziggy in his silent rage, would like nothing more than to seize the back of his hairless neck and bury his face in the goods.
On top of that, the pomposity of a guy that is betraying his own birth country like Hugh is right now! Takes a special breed. Zig wouldn’t think of doing it to his own. Zig hates this country, so he’s justified in being present at this undisclosed location on this special day. But Hugh?
He slams it shut and looks at Ziggy. ‘All right. Thankfully they got it right this time. Was worried about having my precious time wasted again.’ Ziggy shrugs, he didn’t want to get into it. ‘And there you go!’ Hugh says to Ziggy. ‘What?’ Ziggy asks. Hugh chuckles sarcastically, ‘Hello! The bowling bag I brought in’. Zig was taken back and wanted to floor him against the wall at that moment. He didn’t know what was in the bowling bag Hugh brought into the room earlier, it was never clarified! But this is Hugh’s M.O., enhances his superiority angle by trying to make everyone guess what he’s thinking.
*************************************************************
Ziggy’s cell buzzes the moment he places the device in the bowling bag in the trunk and steps in the car. It was Barko, ‘All …all right?’ in heavily accented English. ‘Without a hitch. Arrogant bastard but it’s all good. Should be in New York in approximately 9 hours.’ He could hear Barko sigh. ‘Why are you so far away again?’
‘Hugh’s choice. He’s into these supernatural locations or whatever and travels the country checking’em all out! Hell I dunno. So he was at this spot close by. Had no choice but to meet him in North Carolina!’
‘Well, okay. So long as you deliver it to the right spot in the end.’
‘Not a problem. Have the address. Lock the car. Cab to the airport.’
‘Yes. We have the spare key, ensure it’s locked. And your job is done.’
******************************************************************
The sound of the shot that blew out Ziggy’s tire was deafening, as if Ziggy fired the rifle himself. The car skids over to the side of this rural road in the middle of nowhere. Ziggy startled, yes. Surprised, no. He knew what he was into. He knew the players. The possibilities. The possible outcomes. He removes his 9 millimeter and charges out of the car, taking cover on the passenger side. Nothing or anyone out of the ordinary can be spotted in the thick surrounding forests. Just eerie dead silence. And crickets. Ziggy positons his aim in several different directions. Double cross by Hugh are his first thoughts.
Another shot knocks out both driver and passenger side windows, missing Zig’s head by mere inches. He jets into the woods behind him. Fuck the device.
Once in the woods, another shot misses his feet by inches, intentional. Another grazes a nearby tree, intentional. Ziggy runs. And the shots keep coming. A hit squad is after him, what choice but to run. Betrayal.
Not quite. Looking back from the path that he is now on, he zooms in on the silhouette of a presence following him. Good size man, for sure. Zig thought he could spot an assault rifle at his side as well, but didn’t bother to verify for sure, gotta keep running. This could be it.
The stalker aims and fires again at Ziggy, again, missing intentionally. Laughing at how it makes Ziggy run even faster.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Ziggy has made his way into a clearing in the middle of this thick forest. Almost like an oasis given his recent moments, but more than likely just a campground. A neat circle, vegetation spared. He spins around, aims, sees nothing to aim at, loses his pistol from his hand due to the next perfect aim shot!
Ziggy grabs his firing hand in pain and drops to his knees, moaning aloud. That’s when he is smacked in the head to the ground.
‘Look up at me!’
Ziggy does so. The stout muscular man towers over him, his piercing eyes cut right through him.
‘Who the hell are you?”
‘Nasty deed you are up to.’
‘Don’t know what you’re talking about!’
‘Yes you do. Got new for ya….it’s over. Ain’t gonna happen now…by you or any of your stooges. But you get a second shot. And that’s to work for me’.
‘And I ask again….who the hell are you?”
‘Open your mouth!’ Ziggy obeys, The man inserts the muzzle of the rifle into his mouth. ‘I lost Kozar. He fought for me. Need a replacement. Nod your head because you have no choice. Decline, you’ll never leave this spot alive.’
Ziggy frantically nods with the muzzle in his mouth, wide eyed of course. The man removes the muzzle. ‘Ok then. Follow me’. He turns to walk.
Ziggy gets up. ‘Fuck you!’ And runs in the opposite direction towards the backside of the woods. The big man stops and turns.
Ziggy trips and falls onto the ground. Head landing hard onto a large rock. Killing him instantly.
The man is stoic, unmoved. He lights a cigar and proceeds to walk away.
The sound of a little girl giggling is heard. It comes from the little mysterious girl now standing in the middle of this barren spot. She appears very amused at the latest turn of events.
Then she is gone.
CLOSE OUT: The Big Guy, Saul, is seen walking down the middle of the road with his rifle in one hand, the bowling bag in another.