LMLB[12]: The Escape

Morgan Jones downed another swig of rum as he organized his thoughts to continue his story. Colt watched him questioningly, his gun still pointed at his head.



The plan to steal the Amazonian jewel from the Chaotic City Art Museum was already underway. Morgan's next step was to secure the participation of Ulysses and his son Odysseus.



The father was a tough nut to crack, distrustful and haughty. He also didn't like losing his position of power within his sister Dolores's boarding house. As the months passed and the landlady's constant nightly visits to his room continued, Morgan took over the position Ulysses had once held.



The irascible man faded into the background and had to settle for minor tasks in the family business, with no say in decision-making. His son, Odiseo, on the other hand, a big, strong, but kind and trusting young man, was easy prey for the old, cunning pirate, who, with small gifts and promises, soon won the young man's complete trust. Odiseo began to see Morgan as the alpha dog of the pack and followed his every move and order without question.



When two years had passed and the city newspapers announced the upcoming exhibition of pre-Columbian works from Luther Klausman's private collection, Morgan waited until the exhibition opened to pay another visit to his old friend Carlos Suárez, the museum director, with whom he had maintained contact throughout that time.



After extracting all the necessary information about the location and times of the German's security guards' patrols, Morgan spoke with Ulysses and Odysseus, promising them half the loot, excluding the jewel, which would be entirely his. The young man readily accepted the offer of a great fortune without considering the consequences of participating in a robbery where they would murder at least 10 security guards.



Ulysses also accepted immediately, but he had no intention of sharing the stolen goods. The night before the day set for robbing the museum, he spoke with his young son, trying to convince him to pretend to go along with Morgan's plan: enter the museum, kill the guards, and steal the ancient gold sculptures inlaid with precious jewels. But once everything was done, they would betray the old pirate and kill him so they could keep everything for themselves. Morgan, alerted by the boy, overheard the malevolent plan and confronted Odysseus. Odysseus was now loyal to him and would not betray him, but he needed Ulysses and his strength to complete the plan. Seeing that his own son had betrayed him, the man flew into a rage, lost his temper, and shouted for his sister Dolores to inform her and hand Morgan over to the police. The two men struggled, the glint of their knives flashing in the night.



It was a short but intense battle. Ulysses had the advantage of his youth, being 30 years younger than his rival, as well as his greater size and strength. He was no novice; he knew how to fight and use a knife. But he wasn't a seasoned killer with over 60 years of experience in the underworld. Francis also helped his master. Morgan stabbed him several times and cut his throat! Ulysses's lifeless body fell to the ground in the boarding house's courtyard, bleeding profusely from his multiple wounds. Odysseus's screams mingled with those of his Aunt Dolores, who arrived just in time to see her brother lying in a pool of his own blood!



Morgan and Francis jumped the wall and fled the boarding house when their lover's cries for help and the police rang out! He stole a horse and galloped out of the city; he didn't have much time. Dolores knew he had a sailboat anchored in the port of La Guaira called "La Sultana." He and Francis had given their affectionate lover more than one Sunday cruise around the bay during these two years of their affair!



"You barely escaped! Otherwise, you wouldn't be here, you'd be locked up in a jail in Chaotic City!" Colt remarked.

"That's right, son. I had no other option but to flee the country! Dolores and Odiseo knew me very well. Besides knowing the name of my sailboat, they would have given my description and all the information to the police. Staying in La Guaira was too dangerous. I set sail that very morning and sailed to Curaçao!"



Morgan was so close to the Jewel of the Amazon that he didn't want to go far. From Curaçao, he could plan his next move. But he had time. He found the museum exhibit would only last three months, and two weeks had already passed. He needed to recruit a team of bandits to help him carry out the heist. He regretted not having his loyal rats under his command; with a couple of them, it would have been an easy task.



The problem for every bandit is gaining the trust of their subordinates, which can only be obtained in three ways: fear, respect, and leadership. In such a short time, he couldn't forge those bonds with the Curaçaoan criminals. If he recruited just anyone, there were two possibilities: they would be killed during the robbery or after obtaining the Jewel of the Amazon. There was no way he could trust those dangerous men so quickly!



The days passed one after another, then the weeks, and before Morgan knew it, the window of opportunity had closed! The pre-Columbian art exhibition had ended, the works were collected, and the Jewel of the Amazon returned to its hiding place to rest for another two years in a cold vault beneath the fortress-like mansion of the wealthy German banker Luther Klausman!



"Damn it, Dad, you let the chance to steal the Jewel of the Amazon slip through your fingers!" Colt exclaimed.

"That's right, my dear son, but I wasn't planning on spending two years forming a new gang of rats to go after it. I was too old for that, so I went back to my original idea of crossing the Atlantic and reaching Europe. I met an old Sicilian many years ago, when you were still a boy. He pulled off a big heist in Porto Velho and returned to his native island to live the good life that Francis and I deserve in retirement if we steal the damned Jewel of the Amazon!"



"And live like princes!!!" Francis shouted.

"If him were still alive, I'd have contacts. You know you only truly retire from this life when you're dead. If I negotiated a good price with Genaro, he could get the men I needed to carry out the Jewel heist in two years."


"What happened? I have a feeling you didn't make it across the Atlantic Ocean to Sicily!" Colt exclaimed.

"You're right, my son!"

"A damn storm!" Francis shouted.



To be continued…



#OriginalStory #Bigverso #BCHNostr