Pc Perk

Cotton Slim Season Finale…Episode 10

Episode 10

            Wilmen was inside the busy Fairmont Hotel.  Guests and workers were everywhere.  Wilmen was next to the extravagant mahogany front desk.  He was waiting for Webster, the man that got him the passes and the uniforms.  Wilmen was growing impatient.  He had been there waiting for thirty minutes. Webster said he would only be about five minutes but had been in the back for thirty minutes now.   Webster had left quickly, he needed some help bringing some alcohol to the bar that was inside the park, near the stage.    Wilmen looked at his phone, it was 1:45. He wanted to call Cotton, he had already received a text from Lawrence, so he knew he was there. 

            “Excuse me?” 

            Wilmen heard the comment but didn’t think twice it was for him.

            “Excuse me?”

            Wilmen looked straight ahead.  He  waited and watched for Webster’s big blonde head to come through the door behind the desk.

            “Excuse me!”

            Wilmen looked to his right.

            An older man looked at him with disgust.  “Room 210.”

            Wilmen turned his head to the left then to the right.  He looked back at the man.  “Me?”

            The man looked to the woman that stood next to him.  They both looked snooty and rich.  Her dyed blonde hair and tight designer dress matched his tailored suit, and nice watch.  “What the animals don’t understand English now either?”  He looked back at Wilmen.  “Room 210.”  The man’s head nodded to his bags. 

            Wilmen looked down at the bags then back up to the man.  “Oh Room 210.  Is on the second floor.”

            “No.  Take my bags to Room 210.”  The man looked at his wife with a smirk. 

            Wilmen didn’t smile.  He looked at the man.  “That is not my job.”

            “What do you get paid to stand here and look goofy?”

            Webster came out of the back room.  He motioned for Wilmen to come help him.  The woman from behind the desk looked at the couple.  “I am sorry.  I will have him take it now.”

            Wilmen walked towards Webster.  The woman from behind the desk stepped in front of Wilmen.  “We all work together on busy days like today.” 

            Webster came up behind the woman.  “Sheryl.  He isn’t going to carry the bags.  He is here to help with the bar, and we will have to get going.”  Webster, motioned for Wilmen to get the other boxes.  Webster looked at the older couple.  “Sorry, somebody will be with you shortly.”  Webster said as he walked by. 

            Wilmen grabbed the boxes, and followed Webster, and as he passed the couple, he growled and startled the man. 

            The woman jumped, “Well I have never,” she said as she placed her hand on her chest.

             Wilmen and Webster made their way through the crowd.  They passed through security with no problem, and as they got to the bar, Webster looked at Wilmen.  “Hey, no problems, and if you do get into some shit.  You don’t know me.”

            “No worries.”  Wilmen said as he started to make his way through the crowd.  Wilmen found his way to the bathrooms, that were located by the bar.  He walked into a stall and removed his tight-fitting clothes.  He rolled them up and walked out of the stall.  He walked to the trash can and threw them into it.  He figured he would have more problems with the uniform than without it.  He still had the pass around his neck.  He walked out of the bathroom as the music started playing.  He looked at his phone, it was 2:00 P.M.  He walked towards the stage.  He was amazed.  He had never seen so many animals and humans together in one place.  He saw beautiful human women dressed in the finest clothes, and every human man looked as if he was a model in a magazine.  He saw animals of every species dressed to impress.  He saw other gorillas, he saw wolves, dogs, cats and even bears walking around with designer clothes on.  He saw it as a splendid sight. 

This was a movement.  This was culture change.

 Every animal he saw was proud.  They were happy to be there, happy to be alive.  He knew it would come crashing down in about an hour.  He felt a shockwave of pain hit his stomach.  He hoped this trend, this new way of life for animals would go on after Rodrigo’s death.  He hoped it would just be a small hiccup in this movement, maybe Rodrigo’s death would spark the movement to an un-heard of change and success.  He walked to a good vantage point.  He stood there and watched these models, they all had a smile and walked with purpose and pride on the stage.  He felt his eyes get watery.  His throat became scratchy.  He was proud, he was motivated, but most of all, he was ready to finish this hit and get paid.

            Lawrence looked at his phone.  It was 2:48 P.M.  He looked towards the billboard.  No sign of Cotton.  He stood on the park gates that served as the entrance to the event.  He scanned the crowd and found Wilmen inching his way closer to the stage.  He looked around, the place was packed.  The music, the lights, this was a huge event.  The crowd was into it.  He then felt his phones vibrator go off.  Lawrence answered the phone. 

            “Hello?”

            “I am here.  Let’s get the headsets up.”  Cotton hung up the phone.

            Lawrence  called Wilmen.  Within seconds they were all three on the headsets together.

            “Okay Lawrence, come watch my back.  It’s time.”

            Lawrence quickly flew over towards the billboard.  He landed on top. He looked down in between the billboard walls and saw Cotton, assembling his gun.  Cotton looked up at Lawrence.  “How is the alley looking?”

            Lawrence looked towards Pecan Street.  There were two women walking through the alley, to get to the event.  “Two women walking towards us now, look like they are going to the show.” 

            “I saw two of those orange and white wood barricades at the end of the alley.  Are you able to move those so they block the entrance?”  Cotton said as he looked through his scope, checking the balance. 

            Lawrence looked towards Pecan St.  He saw the barricades Cotton was talking about. 

            “I think I can.”  Lawrence flew over to the end of the alley and landed next to one of the barricades.  He pushed, but wasn’t able to move it with much luck.  “Nah man.  Can you come and help me?”

            Cotton placed his gun down.  He quickly jumped off the billboard and ran towards Lawrence.  Cotton was wearing his black sweatshirt, with the hood over his ears.  He got to Lawrence, and he quickly moved the barricades, so they blocked the entrance to the alley.  Lawrence flew back to the billboard.  Cotton looked at his phone.  It was 2:55, he ran back to his position, and finished preparing his gun. 

            “You think that will keep everybody from going to the alley?” Wilmen asked un-certain.

            “From Pecan St.  I think it will.  Lawrence watch it.  Anyone tries to get over them, tell them it’s closed, and police are watching the alley.”

            “Got it man.”  Lawrence replied.

            Cotton looked through the hole he had previously cut.  He pulled out his knife, and retraced the hole, just making it a little cleaner, and cut a little more space so his scope would be able to view the stage with no obstructions.  He then loaded his rifle.  He looked at his phone.  It was 3:00.

            “When is this guy getting on stage?”  Cotton asked, growing impatient.

            “Relax brother.”  Wilmen said as he started to see movement behind the stage.

            The last model walked from the stage forefront, towards the back.  Then a man stepped out.  He was a human, who looked as if he was about forty-years old.  He was slender and when he came out the crowd became quiet.

            “Good afternoon Porte City!”  The man yelled out. 

            The crowd went wild.  They cheered and hollered as if it was a sports game and the home team scored. 

            The man walked back and forth on the stage.  He was wearing a nicely tailored blue suit, with a red tie.  “You guys ready to meet the man responsible for this?”

            The crowd cheered again.  Music started blaring from the speakers.  It sounded like a Spanish love song.  The curtains opened, and out stepped Rodrigo and about thirty people.  Rodrigo held his hands in the air and soaked up the emotion from the crowd as if he was receiving power from them.  Two human men wearing fashionable black robes, brought out a podium, and placed it in the center of the stage.  Right in Cotton’s line of sight.  Rodrigo’s entourage covered the stage.  He had some beautiful females of every species with him.  He had a few Rams, that looked like some serious bodyguards.  Rodrigo then stepped to the Podium.  He looked magnificent.  His suit was made of the finest fabric, and his black suit was blacker than anything Cotton had ever seen.  His horns shined exquisitely.  He looked at the crowd.  “Thank you, Porte City!  Thank you!”  Rodrigo paused.  He waited for the crowd to stop cheering. 

            “Well.  Thank you for the warm welcome.”  

            Wilmen looked up at the stage.  The prestige and power that followed this man, made Wilmen a fan.  He wished this hit didn’t have to be done.  Rodrigo was within twenty feet of Wilmen.  Wilmen wasn’t wearing anything but his holster and .45, that was hidden in his fur and blocked by his huge arm.  He felt the atmosphere; he felt great change and pride forthcoming for species.  He looked around.  The animals watched this man and almost looked up to Rodrigo on stage as if he were a God, visiting for the first time. 

            “Let me say!  I see Change Porte City!

            The crowd went nuts!  Cheers from animals and humans alike, sounded like thunder from a summer storm.  Wilmen wanted to yell, but his guilt held it back. 

            “I have been around the world.  This is where I need to be!” 

            Once again, the crowd roared.  Wilmen looked at his phone.  3:07.  Wilmen looked around, he wanted to hear his speech.  It was almost as if Wilmen had to go to the bathroom, but wanted to see the end of a sports game before he went.  He knew it was this animal’s final moments.  Wilmen kept his eyes on the Ram.  Watching this monumental final speech.

            The crowd quieted.  Rodrigo leaned closer to the microphone, that stood atop the podium.    “Good afternoon to both humans and animals.  Now you ask why I would say humans first.”   Rodrigo paused.  He looked through the crowd, then something amazing happened.  He locked eyes with Wilmen.  Rodrigo shook his head.  Wilmen nodded back.  “I say humans first, because without them, we wouldn’t be where we are at.  Some humans have accepted us in the workplace, and accepted us into their families, communities, and even their place of worship.  But.  Some humans push us away.  I am here today to say.  WE WILL BE PUSHED NO MORE!” 

            The crowd jolted in excitement.  Everyone held their hands in the air and applauded. 

            Rodrigo then stepped back, almost playing with the crowd.  He stepped back up to the microphone.  “In-case you don’t know my name.  I am Rodrigo!  I am a fashion virtuoso!”

            Wilmen smirked.  “This guy knows how to run a crowd.”  Wilmen said into the headset.

            “Yeah, well he has three minutes.”  Cotton said, not being impressed with what was going on. 

            The comment bothered Wilmen a bit.  He had to remind himself, who he was dealing with.  Cotton was a killer, although he and Wilmen were the closest of friends, Wilmen knew when Cotton had death on his mind, he was the coldest soul he had ever met.

            “I stand before you today with a gift.  I give you the gift of clothes.  I give you the gift of culture.  I also give you the gift of purpose and the gift of pride.  Pride once thought that can only be possessed by humans.  Now with my clothing line for all animals, we too can take our rightful place in this world; and be heard and treated as equals.  This of course is only the first step in equality, but this is an important step.  A step that gets us out of the fields.  Out of the jungles.  Out of obscurity.  In to the marvelous light.  Ladies and gentlemen.  This will be a great day for our kind.  A great day indeed.”

            The crowd roared once again. 

            Lawrence looked at his phone.  “One minute.”

            Cotton fixed his scope on the Ram.  He took a few breaths.  Rodrigo turned to one human that stood behind him.  He turned back around.  Cotton noticed something weird.  Cotton was in shock.  “It is not him.”

            Wilmen felt the rush of nerves.  “What do you mean?” 

            Lawrence also quickly replied.  “What?”

            Cotton almost couldn’t get the words out of his mouth.  “It’s not him.  His eyes are not the same color.  One is green, the other is grey.”

            “How do you know?”  Lawrence asked.

            “I watched all his videos online.  His eyes are green.”

            “Maybe it is contacts.  You know these fashion people.”  Lawrence added. 

            Lawrence looked at his watch.  “3:11.  Do it!”

            “Shit!  What do I do?”

            Wilmen was at a lost.  “They want him dead bro.  Do it.”

            “What the fuck?”  Cotton knew it wasn’t him”

            “Go Cotton!”  Lawrence shouted.

            Cotton took a breath.  He placed his finger on the trigger.  He exhaled, and slowly drew his breath back in, and held it, for a straight shot.  He squeezed the trigger. 

            Wilmen didn’t hear the gunshot.  The crowd was too loud.  He saw the Ram, fall back.  Blood shot out of the Ram’s head.  Some landed on Wilmen.  The Ram’s body fell limp.  His entourage hovered around him as he fell.  They looked up and looked for the shooter.

            Cotton calmly, took apart his gun.  He placed it in his bag.  “We clear in the alley Lawrence?”

            Lawrence looked towards Pecan St.  Then at the crowd at Fairmont Park.  Yeah.  Attention is on the park.  Go now!” 

            Cotton quickly slid out from the billboard, and calmly walked towards Pecan St, for his escape.

            Wilmen, stood there for a second.  He watched the stage.  He put his head down as if he was defeated.  He turned and walked away. 

            Lawrence took flight.  He watched the crowd run towards the park.  He saw one animal leaving.  It was Wilmen, slowly making his way against the rush of everyone running to see what happened.  Lawrence turned back around towards Pecan St., as he did, he saw Cotton, turn the corner, and disappear.

            Cotton walked about 100 yards.  Two police cars flew by him.  He kept his head down as they past.  His mind wasn’t right.  He was questioning himself, questioning his decision.  He kept seeing the eyes.  The eyes that didn’t match.  He wasn’t sure.   “That had to be him.  He was too passionate.”  Cotton realized he spoke out loud.  He quickly looked up, but nobody was around him.  He kept walking, he had never had that kind of hiccup.  He always pulled the trigger without any question, without any regard. 

            “Hey.”  The voice called out to him.

            Cotton didn’t even look up.  He didn’t want to show his face, he didn’t want to be recognized.

            “Cotton!” 

            Cotton turned around. He had already had a grip on Goldy. He stared at the black old model luxury car.  He looked into the front window.  He saw a panther; it was Lincoln’s driver. 

            “Get in the back.  We will give you a lift.”

            Cotton knew he didn’t have much choice.  He walked over to the car.  He opened the back door.  He slid in.  The car took off before he could even sit down comfortably. 

            “Well.  You held up your end of the contract.”  Lincoln said as he took off his black fedora hat.

            Cotton looked up.  “Yeah.  I did.”  Cotton said.  He wanted to tell him his feelings, and what he thought about the Ram he just killed.  He knew better.  “You did what they asked.”   He reminded himself in his head.

            Lincoln pulled a duffle bag from the floor of the car, He placed it on the seat, in between him and Cotton.

            Cotton opened the bag.  He quickly looked in. 

            “It’s all there, Rabbit.”

            Cotton shook his head, then zipped the bag back up.

            “Where you going?”

            “The bar.”  Cotton said as he looked out the window.

            Lincoln looked up at the rearview mirror at the panther driving.  He nodded his head, and the driver nodded back.

            “Don’t talk much after a hit huh?”  Lincoln said as he also looked out his window.

            “Nah.  Not usually.  Not one this big.  I like to reflect for a bit.”

            Lincoln shook his head up and down.  “We are alike.  I see that more every time I meet you.”

            “How so?”  Cotton replied as the car went over a set of train tracks.

            “Some kill because they think it is what is supposed to be done.  What they see in a movie or hear in a song.  They kill because of disrespect.  Respect is earned through loyalty, and life is lived through loyalty.  You don’t kill because of disrespect.  You whoop that ass for disrespect, because people who disrespect need to be put in their place, not in the ground.  They need to remember that shit.”  Lincoln looked at Cotton.  “We kill, because it needs to be done to keep balance.  We get paid to do bad shit, because somewhere, and somehow somebody upset the balance and people who don’t have the strength to kill, ask us to do it.”

            “Okay.  But how are we alike?  I know why I kill.  I get paid.”  Cotton replied

            “It’s deeper than that Cotton, you know that.”

            The car arrived at the bar.  Cotton grabbed the duffle bag.  He started to open the door.  He paused, and looked back at Lincoln.

            “Why do you kill?”  Cotton said as he looked at the yellow eyes of the panther.

            “For balance.”

             Cotton nodded his head.  He opened the door.  He stepped out of the car.  He was about to shut the door.

            “I will be in contact.”  Lincoln said as the door shut.

            The car drove off.  Cotton looked at the bag, then back at the car as it drove away.  “I won’t.”