Ricky woke up to the sound of knocking at his door. He woke up and noticed that Harley was gone. He shrugged and looked at the broken skylight. The light was coming in. The knocking continued as he pulled himself out of his bed and pulled on his pants.
"GPD!" He heard someone call out. Ricky grabbed a shirt and walked to the door. He opened the metal door as he pulled on his shirt. "GP-" The female voice stopped mid yell when the door opened.
Ricky tiredly looked them over. One was a young beautiful woman. The other was a grumpy looking older man detective in a hat and trench coat. He was already smoking a cigar. "Can I help you?"
"Yes, umm… Mister…" The female detective pulled out a paper and they were clearly surprised that he even answered the door.
"Bell." Ricky told them as he rubbed his neck.
"Mister Bell, you work at the docks correct? Why did you leave early yesterday? No one at the dock would say anything but you were not there when the cops showed up but some people mentioned you being there until lunch." The female detective asked while the older detective glared at him.
"Because my boss died." Ricky answered as he yawned. "After he died, no one would pay me because I work for pay per hour with pay coming at the end of shift. Because he died no one would end up paying me so I decided there was not much point in sticking around. I doubt I am the only one who left."
"But immediately after the red hood gang left, did you not want to stay and give a report to the police?" The detective asked. Ricky raised an eyebrow before shaking a head.
"They showed up, killed people, gave a warning and then left. If that is it. I would like to go get ready for my day." Ricky told them as he prepared to shut the door.
"Day doing what?" The gruff detective asked from the back as a puff of smoke left his mouth.
"Of finding a job. Or did you not hear that I just lost mine because of this stupid gang war." Ricky pointed out getting a growl out of the man. "Was that all you wanted to know?" Ricky asked.
The man looked like he was about to blow a gasket but the woman raised her hand to stop the man. "Yes that is it. If you can remember anything else here is my card." She handed him her card, it had her number and name on it. Detective Renee Montoya.
Ricky grunted and closed the door before walking back into his gym. He looked at the destroyed skylight. He shook his head and got prepared for the day. Taking a shower before grabbing his wallet and phone. Tossing coat and then he walked around making notes in his notepad. He would have a few things to get today as he looked for a job as well.
But first he would go to breakfast. After he was done he stepped out the front door of the gym. He locked the door as some kids ran past him, probably heading to their school or bus stop.
As he walked he felt like something was glaring holes in his back. He ignored it for the moment as he walked past an intersection. Arriving at a diner he went to the door and opened it. He looked at the tired older woman who was working the bar.
He waved at her and she nodded to a booth. Ricky nodded and sat in the booth so he was facing the door. He pulled out his phone and sent off a quick message.
[Being tailed by detectives. A pair of them.] He looked at the car sitting parked in an alleyway across the street. It was facing away from him. But he could tell they were tailing him. [Standard black undercover vehicle.]
[Ah man, I was hoping for your help with the casino tonight. It does not matter, I am sending you a location. Go take care of your chores and then go there and wait. It is the location of one of the bat's hideouts. Keep watch for me.] Red Hood responded a moment later. He had renamed him on his phone to Spaghetti Man. Just to throw the police off if they checked.
[Understood.] Ricky answered and then the waitress came up to him. "Hey can I get eggs benedict and a coffee." The waitress nodded and then left.
Afterwards he started looking up locations to pick up the things he needed. The first of which was a bag to carry it all. He would need new bed sheets and a few more towels. A better first aid kit, because his new knowledge of medical skills would need it. He would also need to browse a few bigger things at some stores. But he probably would not buy anything.
As he was making notes and planning his day he was pulled from his thoughts as his food and coffee arrived. He put it aside and started eating. But as he was taking a sip of coffee he watched as a pair of kids with red hoodies walked in.
Almost immediately he noticed the bulges in their pockets. Ricky narrowed his eyes and then watched as the kids pulled the pistols from their pockets. One of them pointed it at the woman behind the bar. While the other pointed it wildly around the room.
"Hey yo! Pay up bitch! This is the red hoods' neighborhood now!" One of the kids screamed. They looked to be about sixteen and fourteen.
Ricky sighed as he stood up from his seat and walked toward the one that was wildly pointing his gun around the room. "Hey you sit-khith!" The kid bit his tongue as he nervously spoke.
Ricky walked up to him and shook his head. "No, what do you two think you are doing?" Ricky asked as the gun in the fourteen year old kid's hand shook.
"We are robbing this place for the red hoods!" The other kid shouted, his voice clearly laced with nervousness.
"No you are not." Ricky shook his head and pulled the gun out of the fourteen year olds hand. The magazine dropped out of the gun and onto the ground. He then cocked the gun and a bullet flew out of the gun. "Stop acting like gangsters when you are just kids. Why don't you head to school?"
The other kid pointed his gun at Ricky. "What would you know?"
"I know criminals. You two are not criminals. You are a pair of siblings that clearly heard something about red hood and ran with it. Except there is one problem with what you are doing." Ricky walked toward him after pushing the fourteen year old to the side. An older bearded man grabbed the kids shoulders and held him in place.
"What is that?" The sixteen year old asked as Ricky grabbed the gun out of the kids hand and did the same thing to it before tossing it on the counter.
"Only morons and the desperate stick up a diner." Ricky walked back to his seat. "Now sit and talk with someone nice about your problems. I don't want my breakfast to be bothered again." Ricky sat down and started eating while the woman behind the bar pulled the kids into a booth and started talking to the now nervous kids.
As he was finishing the meal the waitress came over with the bill but she also carried two other plates. One of the plates had the guns, bullets, and magazines. The other had a slice of apple pie. "Boss, says to give you these. Says you will know what to do with them."
Ricky chuckled, "yeah I got it. Can you get me a cup to go?" He shook his empty mug as he pulled the pie close to him and began eating.
"Sure, it's on the house." She answered and walked away.
Ricky tossed some money on the table and then put the guns in his jacket pockets. Making sure to keep both the guns and bullets separate. It was about time to start doing his chores for the day.
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