The car rolled slowly along the quiet streets. When youâre looking for fun you shouldnât go too fast, in case you overlook something.
Pete was holding the steering wheel casually with one hand, his left arm dangling out the open window, a cigarette between his fingers. Tapping in tune with the music that blasted at full volume from the loudspeakers. Nice evening. The weather not too hot, but still enough for the girls on the sidewalk to wear only skimpy dresses or shorts. A lot to look at. Just what he wanted tonight!
âHey!â The yell from the back seat made him turn his head, looking at the two guys sitting there. Enrique stared at him with his usual pettish look on his face. âWhy the hell weâre goinâ so slow?! Letâs get the fuck on with it!â
Pete took a deep breath before answering. Sometimes he just wanted to slap the younger man silly for always complaining, no matter what they were doing. âIâm really sorry, professor! But weâre out here looking for some fun, right?! And how the fuck do you think weâll find it, if weâre racing down the boulevard like frigginâ idiots?!â
The guy beside Enrique, Johnny, howled with laughter and slapped his thighs, enjoying the dumbfound look on his friendâs face. Pete looked at the girl sitting in the front seat beside him. She sat quietly starring out the window, but he knew that she hated it when he was making her brother look like the fool he was. Hell! Only proved that being stupid didnât run in the family! Angelina knew that speaking up against her boyfriend wouldnât be the right choice to make! He didnât slap her too often, but if she ever raised her voice to him âŠ.
He reached over to let his hand run slowly from her long, dark brown hair, over her bare shoulder to her left breast, pinching her nipple lightly through the thin fabric of her low-cut top. She winced, but didnât say anything and didnât turn her head to look at him. So the bitch was in a foul mood tonight? Well, sheâd better be a little more forthcoming once they got back home!
He turned and looked out the windshield again. Far too few people out tonight! And most of them someone they knew. No fun in sight! No FUN!
Suddenly he caught sight of a man that came jogging towards them. A black-and-white dog was running beside him, tail wagging, ears flying and tongue lolling out of its mouth. From time to time the man looked down, smiling and running a hand over the dogâs back. Pete made a face. Yawn!! So idyllic it made you wanna puke!
As they were slowly passing the running man, Johnny shouted, âHey! Thatâs the dude from that stupid TV-show! You now âŠ. â24â! Thatâs fuckinâ Jack Bauer, man!!â
âYeah!â Enrique said. âIâve seen some of it. Heâs really cool, man! Shoots about ten terrorists in each fuckinâ episode. And if heâs not killing them, heâs beating the shit out of them!â He looked back through the rear window. âToo bad weâre not in that show âŠ. Then maybe he could get HIS ass whooped for a change!â Both men in the back of the car howled with laughter. Angelina turned to look at them for a second, then turned back to stare silently out the side window.
Pete sat for a moment staring out the window, then suddenly slammed his fist down on the steering wheel. âThatâs it, man!â The others starred at him. âWhy donât we go see if heâs really so fuckinâ tough, or if itâs all stunt work!â He laughed out loud and quickly turned the car around.
In a minute theyâd caught up with the running man just as he was getting off the main street, heading towards a small, green area. It would be an overstatement to call it a park, but at least it had grass and a few trees that made it possible to close your eyes and dream of being outside the city, if that was what you wanted.
Pete stopped the car in a flash and jumped out, heading after the man and the dog. The two other men scrambled out, too, and ran after him. âHey, what the fuck is goinâ on, man?â Johnny shouted. âWhat are we doing here?!â
Pete didnât reply but started running, and the two others followed him as they always did. He was the leader, so there was no point in asking if he didnât want to answer. Behind them Angelina had stepped out of the car, too, but she was staying behind. Leaning against the car and hugging herself as her eyes followed the three young men running between the trees.
âHey!â Pete yelled as he kept running, the other two a bit behind him. âWait up, man!â The man jogging in front of him turned around, looking inquiringly at him. But he stopped, getting the dog to sit down beside him.
As the three young men caught up with him, slightly panting, the man said, âHi, how are you? Were you talking to me? What can I do for you, man?â He smiled but kept a distance to the three men. He stood seemingly relaxed, but Pete could tell from his stance and body language that he wouldnât be an easy target. Great!
âYouâre that guy from TV, right? That Jack Bauer dude?!â he said, stepping a little closer. Johnny and Enrique knew what to do, just old habit after all the previous times theyâd whacked someone, and they moved slowly to get behind the two other men.
âWell, you could say that, I guess,â the man in front of Pete said, smiling. âBut actually my name is Kiefer Sutherland. And Iâm not out chasing terrorists tonight, Iâm afraid. Just taking my dog for a walk.â He scratched the dog behind the ears and it leaned its head against his thigh.
Pete made an almost imperceptible gesture with one hand, and all three of them closed in on Kiefer. âSo .⊠are you as tough as you look? Or are you just some wimp using stunt guys, like all other Hollywood-stars?!â Pete stepped up to stand with his face just a few inches away from Kieferâs, while Johnny and Enrique stood on either side of them. To his surprise the other man didnât look away or even flinch, just looked him squarely in the eyes. As he got no reply, Pete raised his voice, âHuh?! Are you gonna answer me, man? Or do we have to test you?!â
âActually I do most of it myself,â Kiefer answered, âBut I canât see how it could be any of your business, and I donât have to prove myself to you âŠ.â His voice that had been friendly a moment ago now was cold as ice, and the look in his green eyes showed pent-up anger.
âIâm afraid youâll have to!â Pete sneered, at the same time taking a swing at Kieferâs jaw. He was surprised when he hit only air where Kieferâs face had been a moment ago â and even more surprised when his left arm was grabbed from behind and twisted painfully up his back.
âLetâs not make this into a situation âŠ.â A dark whisper in his ear, âJust go back to your car and let me finish my walk. OK?â Kiefer yanked his arm a little more, making him groan. Then he abruptly let him go, pushing him forwards as he did it.
Johnny and Enrique stood with their mouths agape, looking for some sign from Pete. He screamed at them, âDonât just stand there! Kill that mother-fucker!â They hesitated for a moment before closing in on Kiefer. They stood staring each other down for a few seconds, and then the two young men attacked at the same time. Kiefer quickly kicked out with his right leg, connecting with Johnnyâs knee. The sound of the knee cap fracturing was nauseating and Johnny went down screaming, clutching at his leg.
But Enrique had taken advantage of the situation and was now behind Kiefer, grabbing him and pinning his upper arms down. Kiefer tried to free himself by slamming the back of his head against Enriqueâs face. The young man howled as he felt the bridge of his nose breaking, but he managed to hold on.
Now Pete was in front of them, his face a thundercloud. âWho the fuck do you think you are, ass-hole?!!â His fist punched Kiefer in the pit of his stomach, knocking the air out of him. âLet him go, Enrique! I wanna take care of this fucker myself!â
Reluctantly Enrique let go of Kieferâs arms. A mistake! Kiefer turned around quickly, slamming his knee up into the young manâs crotch. Enrique just uttered a muffled grunt as he fell to the ground, clutching at his genitals.
A second later Peteâs fist landed a devastating blow to Kieferâs back, hitting him right in the kidneys. He went to his knees and then tumbled down on the grass to lie on his side, gasping for air. His head was swimming, and he fought to not pass out. He knew all too well what was likely to happen if he did.
Suddenly he felt a cold nose on his cheek and a warm tongue licking his face, a whimper coming from somewhere above his head. âOh, Molly!â he groaned. âToday I really wish you were a pit-bull in stead of a Boarder Collie .âŠâ The dog lay down beside him in the grass, whining and nuzzling him, clearly waiting for him to get back on his feet.
Then he heard a woman crying at the top of her lungs, âNo, Pete! Donât do it! Please, donât! What if somebody sees us! You wanna go to jail again?!â He managed to open his eyes and saw a young, Hispanic-looking girl come running through the trees towards them. He saw her grabbing Pete by the elbow. âPlease, Pete! Donât hurt him! Heâs done nothing to you!â
âWhat the fuck are you doing here? Keep your mouth shut and get back to the car!â Pete pushed her away from him roughly and turned his attention back towards Kiefer, who was still lying on the ground in a foetal crouch with Molly at his side.
Enrique was to his feet again, still holding his crotch, but screaming with anger, âKill that mother-fucker! He just about smashed my dick!â
Angelina was almost crying now, turning from Pete to her brother. âNo! Please! Letâs just go, OK? You attacked him. He had to defend himself!â She moved to stand between Kiefer and the two angry men, holding out her arms towards them. âPlease, donât âŠ.â she sobbed.