Samurai Code Read Free

asked Natasha.
    Anguished, Melvin looked into the small room, but nodded and entered. Once inside, he allowed Natasha to treat his injury.
    Natasha spotted a clump of cat hair on Melvin’s coat and said, “By chance, that wouldn’t happen to be from the same cat who bit you before?”
    Melvin shyly nodded and said, “I adopted him. I call him Winston.”
    “Good name,” replied Natasha. “Last time we talked you mentioned he had just lost his front leg. How is he doing?”
    “That was when we first met. He had crawled up into the engine compartment of a parked truck to keep warm. When the guy came back and started his truck and drove off, I think Winston caught his leg in the radiator fan, but he’s better now, thanks.”
    “You said he took off after he bit you. Did he come back again later?”
    “No, it took a few days of looking but I found him a few blocks away. He didn’t mean to bite me. He was just hurting. We’re friends now.”
    “Does he have trouble getting around?”
    “He can run faster than me,” replied Melvin. “He is also afraid of people. Especially cars and trucks.” Melvin smiled at Natasha and added, “Yeah, I know what you’re thinking. Winston and I are kind of the same.”
    Natasha’s smile revealed that Melvin had read her thoughts correctly.
    “At night, he crawls into my sleeping bag with me and sleeps curled up on my chest.”
    “The piece of tin you fell on left quite a cut,” said Natasha, changing the subject. “I’m sure it’s painful.”
    “Yeah, but don’t worry. I won’t bite you,” grinned Melvin.
    ***
    Mad Dog scanned his rear-view mirror one last time before pulling in behind the warehouse and parking. Snake and Looner, who were in the car in front of him, had also parked. Mad Dog shut off his headlights and sat for a moment, peering around in the darkness. He lowered the car window and listened. He saw Snake get out of his car and stand scanning the area, as well. Looner was less cautious and gave Mad Dog a friendly smile as he approached.
    “Let’s do it,” said Looner.
    “Shut the fuck up and listen for a moment,” said Mad Dog.
    Looner listened briefly and said, “I don’t hear nothin’.”
    After a pause, Mad Dog replied, “Me either, but after this afternoon, I ain’t takin’ no fuckin’ chances. You search ’im good?” asked Mad Dog, with a nod of his head toward Snake.
    “Yeah, real good,” replied Looner. “He ain’t gonna rip us. It’s only you and me that got pieces,” he said, patting the butt of the .44-calibre semi-automatic pistol stuck in his waistband. “Besides,” added Looner, “I trust him. Can’t say as I feel the same about Pete and Bongo, though.”
    Mad Dog tried to qualm the rage he felt in order to think. It had been a bad couple of days. Less than three weeks out of prison for serving most of a four-year sentence for armed robbery and he was nearly arrested again yesterday afternoon. What the fuck happened?
    He replayed yesterday’s scenario over again in his head. He had already picked up his stash of killing machines. Two Mac-10s with silencers, two Uzis, and three Desert Eagle .44-calibre magnum semi-automatic pistols. As planned, he was to deliver them to everyone two hours before the armoured truck arrived.
    Mad Dog was on his way when things fell apart. He spotted the same car that ran a red light behind him the day before. Checking a piece of paper in his pocket confirmed that the number he had scrawled down was the same plate. He exchanged eye contact with the pig driving the car. The pig knew he had been burned and tried to cut him off in traffic. Mad Dog knew he had been extremely lucky. Lucky that I got a good memory for numbers. Lucky to get away.
    Immediately he called Snake and Looner on their cellphones. He was in time to warn them. Pete and Bongo were not so lucky. So how did the pigs find out about it?
    The plan to rob the guards from the Brinks armoured truck was something he had thought