章 12: The war is over and the day is done
The war is over and the day is done
A week had gone by since I quit being in the criminal business. No disturbance from anyone, no cartel members knocking on my door or Mr. White for that matter. Everything was going well, really good. Staying at the house 24/7 was driving me insane so I found a job. An entry level cashier job at a nearby gamestop. The benefits weren't great and the pay sure as hell wasn't but it felt good in some sort of cathartic way. Sure I didn't make as much but at least I could sleep very comfortably at night. I never had a real job in this life, so I was having fun with it. The plan was to quit after three months, save up for the restaurant and take a 20 grand legal loan from Jane. I would pay her back in cash, of course but I was essentially converting the 20 G's into white cash.
Of course, the restaurant would be successful. Oh you could bet your ass it's going to be successful.
With all the money I had now, it sure as hell is going to be successful. Beyond that, I would try my very best to make sure that thing runs smoothly and provides a professional restaurant quality.
If the thing is hit then I could easily launder a million in about a year.
But that wasn't the point, the point was to re-invest the fresh converted money into Bitcoin and stocks. Apple and Tesla, primarily.
I could dump it all into Bitcoin and be a trillionaire but I had to be discreet and not greedy.
Greed is what gets most people. They wanted the biggest flashiest thing! I used to be like that but that's changed now.
I could be living pretty comfortably if those investments take off and that was all I wanted.
A comfortable and luxurious life where I wouldn't have to work for even a day.
I didn't want to be Jeff Bezos or Bill Gates, I didn't want to own the world, a couple of beers and a yacht would suffice.
"Excuse me…do you have the new Call of Duty." A kid with a crutch and a little bit of sutter to his voice, came to the register. I grabbed a nearby copy and was about to hand it to him. When I saw him, I realised who I was talking to. My suspicions were confirmed when a familiar voice spoke.
"Junior, you sure you don't want one more-" Mr. White stopped mid way when he saw me. There was an awkward pause but then I acted quickly.
"Here you go sir, the new call of duty. Will that be all?" I said with a giant smile. It was our store policy, thankfully I got used to it and did it by reflex now. It ended up saving me and Mr. White from the awkward moment.
Mr. White brought another videogame with him, I billed the items and bagged it for them. All with a friendly smile.
I let out a huge sigh of relief when I saw them exit the store, one of my co workers noticed and commented, "You know that guy?"
I turned towards her and said, "Yeah he was my douche chemistry teacher."
"Ouch! Guess he must be happy seeing you here working a deadened job." She said with a sarcastic smile.
"Yeah." I said shyly.
____________________________________________
I ended my shift after two hours and went back straight home. Jane was cooking dinner again. I reached my house within 20 minutes with the bus.
When I got the million dollars I decided to cut every tie I had with my previous life. Starting by selling my red honda and the new RV.
Clovis took them both for 9 grand and to be honest I didn't care about him shortchanging me, I was just glad to be rid of the accessories to crime.
Before I sold it, I drove around the desert digging holes for my money. I couldn't just leave it at home and risk Jane stumbling into it. I hid 100K in my house and buried the rest. I had all of the coordinates memorised. Memorising things was very easy for me, especially numbers. I used to be a really good accountant, remember?
I was careful not to establish a pattern or write them down in a single piece of paper.
I covered my tracks very carefully.
Even buried the lab equipment in a different hole. I didn't destroy them because you know…who knows when you might need to start cooking again.
Of course that was the worst case scenario where I lost all of my money and had to start from scratch again.
Before storing them, I wiped them clean for prints thoroughly.
As I was about to enter my house I had this sudden feeling that someone was watching me. I turned and let my eyes wander.
There! On the left!
I spotted a Pontiac Aztek parked near the curb of my home. I made eye contact with Mr. White's eye. He got scared that I caught him.
Suddenly I had this pit in my stomach.
I don't know why but that scene from Godfather 3 came to my mind. The one in which Al Pacino in his dry voice delivers his iconic line: Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!
I walked back to the road and walked straight to where he was.
He stumbled his keys and tried to get it from his legs unsuccessfully. I knocked on the glass and waited for him to roll it down.
"Jesse…Ah I, listen to me I can explain-"
"What did I say the last time we saw each other?" My jaw clenched as the words left my mouth. What was this idiot doing here?
"Look I thought I would check-"
"What did I say the last time we saw each other?" I repeated again but this with far more venom than I intended.
"We shouldn't talk-"
"We shouldn't talk to each other anymore!" I completed his sentence for him.
"I know why you're angry, Jesse but listen to me."
"No! That's the one thing I'm gonna not do. You better leave now before I call the cops." I was about to turn back and head back home to make good on my threat. That's when Mr. White's voice changed to a darker, more firmer tone.
"Do you know how much I make?" He asked rhetorically or rather mockingly would be more appropriate.
I reluctantly turned back.
I have to put up with this shit now!
"Take a wild guess, Jesse." He mocked me with a giant grin.
"You probably make a million this month, probably more next month." I said without any emotion.
My accuracy seemed to have startled him, wiping that smug grin off his face.
I had a momentary feeling of victory but I hid it quickly.
I didn't want to aggravate him, people who do, don't live long.
"Look, I don't care if you make a hundred million dollars but don't visit me again. If you don't leave after I get in my home, I'm calling the cops I swear! I'm not coming back. I'm done with that shit."
There was a flash of fear in his eyes but it passed just as quickly as it came. He returned back to his devious grin.
This guy really thought I wouldn't do it! He really must have thought I didn't have the balls to do it. What kind of a weakling did he take me for?
"Jesse, you really think I would need you! Wh-Who do you think you are? Huh? I have an assistant. He has a chemistry degree and is more useful than you. My god what was I..what was i thinking here? I came to check up on you! To think I was actually worried about you! You fucking junkie! I was concerned that you would smoke that money and get yourself killed." He ended up sounding angry for some reason. If you heard him, you would think I was the one in the wrong and not the other way.
And just for a second, I believed him. I almost believed his bullshit story and that scared the crap out of me. Mr. White, no Walter White was one of the most convincing liars I have ever seen in my life. The guy could spin the most elaborate story with the most believable anecdotes and quotes on a second's notice.
"Yeah…thanks for the concern, Walter. I'll be heading back home and if I see your ass here again, I'm calling the cops!"
"JESSE, come back here." He didn't shout but it felt like he did. I stopped dead in the tracks. Something about his voice froze me. Perhaps it was because he was my chemistry teacher.Maybe that had to do with the fact that I respected him so much. Or maybe it was because he could make the purest meth on this God's green earth.
Whatever it was, there was a small part of him that will always listen to him because of who he was.
To make matters worse I was just a needy attention seeking self destructing junkie.
How could I compare to the high and mighty Walter White.
I couldn't help but freeze up when I heard him speak to me like that.
"Now come back here." He said with his temper still cooling down.
I turned back to face him. The moment my gaze met his fiery bloodshot eyes. I understood what I had to do. I knew what I must do if I want to break this feeling of powerlessness.
I didn't say anything to him. I didn't want to.
So I opened my flip phone and started dialling. Once I had the phone to my ear, I kept staring at Walter White. Not daring to break eye contact. He frowned, his eyebrows moving downwards.
The phone was on speakerphone so he could hear when the operator picked up the call and said, "911, what's your emergency?"
It finally dawned on him.
"Jesse…what are you…."
I ignored him and started speaking to the dispatcher. "Hello, yeah there's a suspicious car parked near my home. The guy in the car seems to be eyeing my car."
"Jesse…" he mouthed off quietly.
"You want me to describe the car for you?" I repeated the operator's question just in case he couldn't hear it.
This put the fear of God in him. He tried to turn on the car but fumbled the keys.
"Yeah it's parked in the dark but I think it's a green hatchback or something. I don't know? It's an ugly car. Wait a minute I'll get you the number plate."
He looked at me terrified. I almost burst out laughing at that point but I stopped just when the laugh almost reached my face. Killing the giggle when it almost exited my windpipe.
"Yeah sure let me see…" I looked at the plate but before I could read it out loud, Walter managed to turn on the engine and drive off like a Nascar driver possessed his body.
It was funny watching the old Pontiac speed off like it was ferrari.
The operator on the line was asking for the number plate again.
"Yeah no sorry, I think it was just one of the neighbours."
"Sir, are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure. Sorry for wasting your time." I shut the flip phone before the operator could prod for more details.
The threat had worked and for some reason it really felt that this would be the last time I see him again.
Hopefully.
As I entered my home, I heard the music playing in the kitchen and Jane cooking me up some dinner.
Thankfully it looked like she didn't hear the scuffle outside.
"Hey beautiful!" I gave her a peck on the cheek. "Hey handsome!" She said with a bright smile.
I was done with that life and I'm so glad that I got out when I got out.
But just in case he was still there!
I walked up to the window and checked once more.
"Dinners ready!" Jane called for me sweetly but my attention was on the empty spot where Mr. White's car was parked.
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