Sunday, July 12th, 2009
Issue: 134   Editor: MikaMania


The Adventures of the Coyote Bandit: Chapter 3 MuneLight
I sprung out of bed as the sun peered through my window. Today was Monday, and it was the day I've been waiting for for nearly a week. I hopped into the shower and took a nice, warm bath. Relaxing as the water massaged my muscles. I got out of the shower, combed my hair, and brushed my teeth, before returning to my room to get dressed. Once I got dressed I sat down with my notebook and all of my chemical materials. This one had to be perfect. I read every note I had written in my notebook twice before doing anything. It took me 25 minutes to make this bomb, three times as long as it took me to make any of the other one. I will repeat myself, this one has to be perfect. After making the first, I made a second one just in case I needed a spare for whatever reason. I took just as much time in this one as I did the first one. They both had to be...well you get the point.

Once I finished making my bombs, I arranged them neatly in my backpack. I made sure as to not attach the detonators yet. I didn't want my backpack to press the detonator for me while it was still on my back. That would suck pretty bad. I kept the detonators in my pocket, all I had to do was wrap the cord around it and press the button. I sat my backpack at the dining room table and sat down. I looked around for the others, not seeing anyone. I glanced at the clock breifly, it was almost 9 a.m. Our meeting time was scheduled to be at 9:15 on the dot. I layed my head on the table and went over my mixture in my head. Making sure I had done everything currently. Do I need to repeat myself again? No, I think you understand.

I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. I sat up and looked in that general direction. Jeremy came through the door shortly afterwards.

"Morning Coyote," he started. "The operation begins at this time. All codenames are now in affect. Do you remember them all?"

"Yes, Wheels. I remember them." I responded.

"Very well, I'll pour the glasses out, and we'll begin when Vulcan and Ammo get here."

I nodded back as he walked away. Pour out the glasses? What exactly did he mean by that. He returned a short while later with 4 glasses of orange juice.

"Start the day right, Coyote. Vitamin C is very good for you when you first wake up. Plus it's another tradition that your father started."

He sat the orange juice down. One glass to each one chair sitting around the table. Just as he sat down there was a knock on the door.

"Coyote, they're here. Go let them in."

I got up promptly and expedited myself to the door. I opened the door and greeted my comrades with a warm welcome.

"Vulcan, Ammo." I said nodding at them. "We're ready to begin."

They smiled back at me before rushing past me and sitting there hats on the hat rack by the door. I followed behind them and sat down at my designated spot at the table.

"Start us off, Wheels." Vulcan started. "What do we have."

"Roger, Vulcan. The bears seem to be hybernating recently." He paused and looked over at me. "Bears are the codename we use for police, Coyote." He checked my facial expression to make sure I understood before carrying on. "Weather is perfect. Slightly overcast, with about a 20% chance of rain. Not too much to worry about in that category. So, our mission briefing is as follows. We all know what to do, but this is the first time we've touched this bank. Keep your senses open, if you feel anything is wrong, sound the alarm and get the fuck out of there. Our escape routes are the same as our egress plan. We all know the paths we're taking to get there, and the paths we're taking to get back correct." Vulcan, Ammo, and myself all nodded in agreement. Wheels then continued. "Ok, we'll meet at the car. It takes us exactly 2 minutes to get back to the car. If one of you doesn't return by 2 minutes, we're all leaving without you. Is this understood?" The three of us again nodded before he continued. "We will head to our safehouse and do our mission debrief and hang out until the bears go back to sleep. If you have any questions, now is the time to ask them." He looked at all three of us individually, and then he picked up his glass of orange juice and held it out over the table. Vulcan and Ammo picked theirs up and did the same. I followed with a bit of a lag, but hey, it's my first damn mission. "Best of luck my brothers, Familie und sieg!"

"Familie und sieg!" The three of us repeated before downing our orange juice and heading out to the car.

We got to the car parked 3 blocks away from Wheels house in a beat down garage with an orange tarp thrown over it. Ammo grabbed me and pulled me off to the side, standing next to Vulcan. Wheels walked up to the car and slowly pulled the cover off and folded it neatly in the corner. I could not believe what I was seeing. The car was a Silver 1927 Duesenberg. After Wheels was done showing off his car, Ammo walked over to what appeared to be a treasure chest. He fumbled through his keys before finding the right one, opening the box and grabbing Four Thompson Submachine guns. He loaded and cocked each one before throwing them to Wheels, Vulcan, and myself. Then keeping the last one for himself.

"Coyote, got the bombs?" Vulcan asked me.

"I have two in my bag ready to go." I replied quickly.

"LET'S RIDE!" Wheels yelled.

Wheels got into the driver seat and cranked the engine, Ammo got into the passenger seat, I got into the seat behind Wheels, and Vulcan got into the seat next to me and behind Ammo. My heart was racing as the garage door opened and we drove out onto the street. I peered out the window watching the city go by me. Listening to the sounds of cars passing, the birds chirping, and taking in all of the sites. We drove for at least an hour before the car came to a stop.

"This is it everybody, this is where all the time we put in comes into play. Let's do this. I'll see you at the bank in 2 minutes." Wheels said before getting out of the car and heading onto his path.

I got out of the car and got onto my own path as the others followed theirs. My path went behind the bank and came out front around the East Side, Vulcan's path went along the West side of the bank. Ammo came out from the corner of the parking long on the south side, and Wheel's path went straight from the car to the bank. Once we got to the door, Ammo directed us that it was time for our weapons. We pulled our Thompson Submachine guns out from the large pocket in our trench coat and stormed into the bank.

"EVERYBODY GET ON THE GROUND, GET ON THE GROUND NOW!" Vulcan commanded everyone in the bank to do. "TELLERS OUT FROM ON THE GROUND, GET OUT FROM NOW!" The tellers behind the desk hopped over the counter and layed on the ground out from like Vulcan had commanded them to. Ammo went to the other side of the counter looking for anyone who and disopeyed the order. Vulcan grapped one of the cashiers from up off the ground and held his Thompson up to the side of her head.

"It looks like you're with me sweetheart," He said calmly. "Tell me princess, where is the Vault to this bank, or do I need to spill your brains on the floor and ask someone else nicely." The cashier he grabbed tried to fight him, but she didn't put up much of a fight before her face filled with tears. "It's in the back," She said in a panicked, half-filled voice. "It's in the back behind the tellers desk, to the right side of that door."

"Hear that, Coyote?" He looked at me, throwing the teller on the ground. "Go blow that bitch up."

I nodded, and grabbed my backpack up off the ground. Ammo escorted me to the vault and I opened up my bag and tied the detonator around it. Before placing it on the ground directly next to the vault. I pulled the detonator around the corner for cover, and set it off. The ground shook madly, the people in the bank screamed loudly as the walls and the floor vibrated. Ammo and I took the briefcases around the corner and my heart sank. When the smoke from my blast had cleared, the door was still intact. I looked at Ammo disappointedly before I remembered I had a second round in my bag. I opened up my bag and Ammo took a sigh of relief.

"Nice thinking, kid." He said with approval.

I set up my second bomb, and rolled out the cord to the detonator. I kissed the button for good luck before pressing it. A second shockwave erupted, filling the bank with vibration. Screams echoed throughout the walls. I waited for the smoke to clear out before rounding the corner. Again, there wasn't even a scratch on the wall.

"NO WHOLES, THE DOORS TO STRONG. TAKE THE REGISTERS AND CLEAROUT!" Ammo shouted to Wheels and Vulcan.

Upon hearing this, Vulcan and Wheels grapped the cashiers and held the guns to their head while they opened the registers and took the all the bills they could fit in their pocket.

"THE BEARS ARE AWAKE, THE BEARS ARE AWAKE!" Ammo shouted seeing a cop car pull up in the parking lot outside the bank.

Panic set in as we busted out the side door and sprinted off to our paths. I ran as hard as I could on my path. I slowed down once I saw the car, only 100 yards or so to safety. I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my leg. I hit the ground hard. I grabbed my leg thinking that maybe I had a cramp, but my hand filled quickly with blood. I looked back and so 2 bear chasing after me, one of which had shot me in the back of my leg. I looked back to the car. Vulcan and Ammo had already gotten in the car, and Wheels was approaching it. I saw Wheels stop and look in my general direction, Ammo glanced out the window and saw me laying on the ground. I sighed in relief thinking that they would come save me from the cops, but my heart stopped beating when Wheels jumped in the car, and sped off. I slammed my fist on the ground cursing them allowed before I felt the body weight of the first cop jumping on top of me. I tried to pull away from him, but it was hard with no lower body strength. The second cop jumped on top of me and they quickly had me handcuff and pulling me away towards their cop car. When we got to the car they threw me into the back of the car, and walked around to take their seats accordingly. That's when the cop in the passenger seat turned and looked at me while the driver started the engine and drove off.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney present during questioning. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights?"

I nodded and turned away from him, looking out the window. The drive was a short trip to the Jailhouse. When we got out of the car the cop pushed me in the general direction that he wanted me to go. He led me to a small room with a single light and tied me down in a chair. My two arresting officers sat in a chair the same as mine across from me.

"what's your name, boy?" The first cop said.

"I don't know, pick for me." I replied as snobby as I could be.

The second cop got up and punched me in the gut.

"I'll repeat myself." The first cop said angrily. "What's your name, boy?"

I stared at them coldly. Pretending as if I hadn't heard what he said.

"Very well." The first cop said. He nodded towards the second cop and then left. The second cop got up and pulled the lighting fixture as far as he could to the right before letting it go, and letting it swing back and forth. He then followed the first cop out of the door, closing and locking it behind him. I had no clue what the purpose of him swinging the light was for until about 5 minutes or so of it going back and forth. At first it was annoying, then it grew nerve-wrecking. The swinging late went back and forth, in and out of my eyes, blinding me. The squeeking of the chain that it was fixed to grew increasingly nerve-wrecking. I did what I could to keep it out of my eyes, but my current chair-tied situation had my movement nullified. The light swung for 15 minutes before settling in a fixed point not 1 foot from my face. The heat of light caused me to start sweating, and the brightness of the light was blinding me. They left me alone tied to this chair for maybe 2 hours before returning. The two cops finally came back through the door. The first one turned back, closed and locked the door. The second cop came straight at me and punched me right in the gut.

"What's your name, boy?" The first cop repeated.

I didn't have time to think about what the first cop had said before the second cop punched me square in the gut. I tasted blood in my mouth and spat it on the floor. I began having trouble breathing and they were like sharks with blood in the water.

"He'll quit punching you when you answer my questions." The first cop said quietly, as the second cop again punched me hard in my gut. "What's your name, boy?" He again repeated.

"Zach," I coughed. "My name's Zach."

"Now see, that wasn't so hard. All you have to do is answer simple questions, and nobody hits you." He smiled a twisted smile before continuing with his inquisition. "Are you the son of James Gillis?"

"Yes."

"Were you apart of the bank robbery this morning?"

"Maybe." I looked out of the corner of my eye and saw the second cop clenching his fist in preparation for another punch. "Ok yes, I was." I cursed to myself in my head. Calling myself a wuss.

"Who else was with you?"

"I don't know their names." I lied. "They came to me yesterday at home and told me I was going to be apart of a bank robbery. They had guns and threatened to kill me if I declined."

As I finished speaking I felt a fist bury itself deeply in my chest. Blood poured out of my mouth onto the floor, and began coughing and gagging. Breathing was very difficult at this point.

"Really, they came to your home yesterday with guns?"

"Yes! I swear it!" As I finished lieing another fist hit me, this time across my jaw.

"That's funny, I thought your house burned down last week."

My heart dropped to my knees. I had completely forgot that we had done that. I was so tired when we did it to begin with. It didn't cross my mind that they'd remember something I did, when I didn't even remember it. The second cop grabbed me by my throat. Picking my limp body up, and exposing my gut. The next punch he threw would destroy me, if not completely puncture my lung and kill me right now. I had to think of something quickly, if I wanted to live any longer that was.

"Please stop," I asked. "I can't breathe."

"Names, Zach." The first cop said standing next to the second cop, who was about to deliver his killing blow. "I want names and details, otherwise I can't stop him."

I looked up into the eyes of the second cop. He smirked down at me.

"My Miranda rights." I smirked back up at him. "I have the right to stop the interview at anytime and seek guidance from an appointed attorney. I want to see my attorney."

The smirk on the second cop's face disappeared, and quickly turned into a grimace.

"Clean him up before the attorney comes," the first cop said quietly. "Leave him here for now."

The two cops left me tied to the chair and locked the door behind them as they left. They turned off the light, leaving me in the dark. Struggling to breathe I fiddle with my restraints, but to no avail. The longer I stayed in that room the harder it was for me to breathe. My heart began to beat faster and faster. I had no control. I was sweating profusely. I tried to slow my breathing down to slow my heart rate, but it hurt so much I couldn't concentrate. My heart continued beating faster and faster. I had sweat dripping off of my nose. The ropes across my wrist and my legs seemed to be getting tighter and tighter. I tried to tip my chair over sideways, so that I could lay down but the chair was bolted to the ground. The more I sat upright, the more it hurt to breathe. My heart continued beating and an uptempo rate. I squirmed in my chair, before screaming allowed in pain. I screamed for help repeatedly for 5 minutes but noone came to my aid. I began to cry. Tears dripping down my face. I was scared, I couldn't see my surroundings due to the darkness. My heart was still beating at an uptempoed rate. Sweat was getting into my eyes, causing it to sting like nothing I've ever felt before. I tried slowing my breathing down again, but again it hurt too much to even try. The next thing I heard was a large thud outside the door. I my immediately returned to normal pace. I listened closely and I heard a girl scream. There was another thud outside the door.

"HELP!" I screamed allowed. "I CAN'T BREATHE!"

I heard whispers outside of the door followed by a loud explosion. The explosion didn't help my breathing problems one bit. Nor did the smoke that settled in afterwards. Once the smoke and debree had cleared, my heart skipped a beat. Ammo and Vulcan were standing on the other side of the wall peering in at me. Ammo quickly ran into the room and cut the bindings on my wrist and legs.

"Holy crap, they beat this shit out of you. Can you walk?"

"I can barely breathe." I replied.

Vulcan ran over to me and picked me up and carried me out to the car. Ammo led the way carrying two Thompsons, shooting anything that looked like it was alive. When we got to the car he layed me down in the back seat across his lap. Ammo hopped in the front seat.

"We need to go to Hospital, Wheels." Vulcan said. "The bears beat the hell out of him."

Wheels turned back and looked at me before peeling out of the jailhouse lot.

"The hospital? Aren't they going to ask questions at the hospital?" I asked, with what little breath I had in me.

"Thanks for your concern he who knows so little. We have our own doctors that take care of us when we're hurt, how about you shut up and let us take care of you." Wheels snapped at me.

"Take care of me? TAKE CARE OF ME? YOU FUCKING LEFT ME THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE." I yelled at Wheels. "Why the hell would I let you take care of me now."

"I didn't leave you. I'm not going to jail with you that's for sure. You had 2 minutes to get to the car, you failed to do so. At our mission debrief the first thing we go over is rescuing our jailed comrades, because there's always one. And don't you EVER raise your voice at me. Especially after failing to do your job blowing up that door."

"Wheels, calm down." Ammo butted in. "The bombs he made had twice the explosive power that Reich had. We took the wrong approach in that bank robbery, it's not his fault. We needed a lockpick to get through that door. There's not a bomb in the world that would have gotten us through it."

"WHEELS STEP ON IT, HE'S DROWNING IN HIS BLOOD." Vulcan yelled looking down at me in concern.

I felt blood coming out of my mouth. I rolled over and began vomitting in the floor. Nothing but blood came out. I tried to breathe in but I couldn't. I coughed and vomitted several more times before I began to get dizzy. My eyes grew blurry, and then they faded to black.

__________

I woke up later laying on my side in bed.

"He's awake, Doc." I heard Vulcan say leaning over me.

The man he called Doc came over to me and put his hand on my ribs. Pressing in at certain areas. I pulled away in pain several times, before he walked away and sat back down. He lit a pipe and puffed on it looking me up and down.

"He seems to have about 4, maybe 5 broken ribs. Also, from what you described to me that he was doing in the car, I'd say both of his lungs are punctured." Doc said softly looking at Vulcan.

"Is he going to be okay?" Vulcan asked.

"He'll be fine. He's just going to be in a lot of pain for the next couple of days. Let him rest, and he'll be back up to speed within a weeks time."

Upon hearing this Vulcan turned to Wheels and said, "I guess our distillery in New York is going out of business isn't it?"

Wheels looked at me for a couple of minutes. "Not quite yet, I have a mission that might be more suitable for our little one here. He's not quite up to the task yet of doing Major bank robberies. But, he has proven that he can make bombs, and steal cars. So maybe, we can have him transfer a load of Moonshine from our distellery in California to New York, to keep them up in business until their next batch comes through." He paused looking me over, before returning to his thoughts. "I'll draft up a plan for you, Coyote. Once you get up to par we'll send you out to California to meet our men there. Now get some rest." He turned to Doc and said, "I need Coyote back in action by Sunday afternoon. That's when his train leaves here to California."

Doc nodded at him still puffing on his pipe. Wheels, Vulcan, and Ammo all left room. Doc got up to his feet and walked over, kneeling down by my bed.

"Go to sleep, Coyote. I'll bring you your dinner here when my wife finishes cooking." Upon saying that he walked to the door, turned out the lights, and left the room, closing the door behind him.