[Music] years of routine had cemented my life into a predictable Rhythm steady work an active lifestyle and a marriage I believed was built on mutual respect but cracks began to appear as my wife's frustration surfaced in sharp words and icy silences the person who once felt like my greatest Ally seemed to view me as a stranger or Worse an adversary yet I couldn't bring myself to believe that The foundation we built would crumble completely despite the growing distance I clung to the hope that this was a phase one of those difficult stretches every couple encounters
it wasn't until I stumbled upon unsettling Clues small subtle changes in her routine and a growing secrecy in her behavior that I realized this was something far deeper than a rough patch the day I decided to follow her after work was the day my Illusions shattered plunging me into a Reality I never thought I'd face a deep involuntary groan rumbled from my chest as I struggled to shift positions Consciousness had only just returned yet my body seemed paralyzed ignoring the Frantic signals from my muddled mind to move quickly pain flared from every part of me
its intensity disorienting As I Lay sprawled on the gritty ground dust rose with each strained breath stinging my throat and filling my nose every inch of me achd my ribs throbbed my head Pounded and my limbs felt like lead weight pressing me down even the smallest movement sent shocks of Agony Rippling through my battered body somewhere I'd read that the human body can't feel pain from multiple areas at once but I'm here to say whoever wrote that article was a fool along with a groan I Heard a Voice cutting through the darkness hey idiot you
awake and ready for round two a mocking laugh followed cold and derisive nothing like The sound of genuine Amusement I lay still struggling to gather my thoughts the first thing that came to mind was my name Charlie Wilson I muttered barely above a whisper that's it that's my name I'm 33 years old an accountant I'm 6 feet tall about 200 lb I work out three times a week and run a 5k twice a week as part of my routine sometimes I mountain bike is a change I'm married to Pam Wilson she's 30 and we've been
married 5 years we don't have kids not Because I don't want them but because Pam does she wants to live a bit more before committing to kids now I remembered that's why was lying on the ground breathing in dust our home life had seriously Fallen apart over the past 6 to 8 weeks it wasn't just the lack of closeness in the bedroom no it was the whole deal mocking comments about everything I did or didn't do Angry outbursts over the smallest things insults about my masculinity my skin Color my hair my family everything Pam had
stopped cleaning up after herself and even refused to cook something we'd always shared before things got cold yeah I remember when we met how we started dating but right now I didn't feel like wasting time on those memories finally fed up with the misuse and neglect in our marriage I'd taken a day off to follow Pam while she went to her job at the local supermarket after her shift things took an interesting turn You know the old Chinese curse may you live in interesting times Well it hit today or rather tonight it was a warm
September Day turning into an equally warm September evening the temperature must have still been in the upper 60s as I lay there in the dirt reflecting on what had happened Pam left work and drove to the nearest convenience store I watched her pull a small overnight bag from the trunk of her car by the way she was driving a nice car courtesy of me Her meager wages hardly covered her clothes and makeup I didn't mind covering all the bills at least I didn't mind it until now I loved her and wanted the best for her
when she came out of the store she was wearing the shortest micro skirt I'd ever seen if she hadn't been wearing a string and been shaved you'd have been able to count every hair on her Mound without even trying hard her blouse was sheer and she wasn't wearing a bra she swung her hips as she Walked to her car heading for the sleazy bars on the outskirts of town I followed her she pulled into the absolute worst bar in town a biker hangout don't bother telling me there aren't bad bikers out there I know I'm
a biker myself but this wasn't the type of place where you find poker runs or charity events on weekends Pam parked her car at the the end of a row of bikes making sure her lap was visible to everyone as she got out a couple of bikers standing near the door Just smiled and nodded as she walked past clearly she was no stranger to these guys I parked some distance away from the bikes and got out of my old truck sure I could afford a newer one but this truck meant something to me my dad
bought this Dodge Power Wagon in the80s and he kept it in perfect condition until his end in an industrial accident I worked hard to keep it as original as possible except for the lift kit and new 20-in tires the original Chrome bumper had long since been replaced with a heavy wooden one the truck was a little loud but it was mine the guys outside gave it a glance as I closed the door it wasn't unusual enough for them to keep staring so they went back to their conversation as I got closer I caught the scent
of Dopey in the air which made sense given the location I was wearing jeans and an old t-shirt not my usual suit following my wife around wasn't something you do in Business attire I didn't exactly fit in but at least I wasn't in a suit I headed inside there was no cover charge at this place I made my way to the bar and ordered a beer no fancy craft brew today just whatever was on tap while sipping my beer I casually scanned the back bar mirror Pam was easy to spot there weren't many women here
tonight and Pam stood out Head and Shoulders Above the Rest of the biker girls she was already sitting on the lap of the biggest guy I'd ever seen he was at least a foot taller than her while sitting down and she was perched on his lap this guy had to be well over 6 feet tall and at least 250 lb and it wasn't all muscle from a beer belly he clearly worked out I was about to finish my beer and leave when Pam stopped kissing the Giant and glanced around making sure all the other women
saw she had the alpha male locked down her eyes found the back of my head she looked away then looked Back again crap she recognized me I muttered to myself I shot off the stool like it was coated in grease desperate to get out Pam's voice rang out by behind me that's my husband Charlie stop him someone he's going to ruin this for all of us before I could get far a guy grabbed my arm I spun around and shoved him into the wall hard enough to break free a few steps toward the door and
another guy swung at my head I have a hard head and I wasn't always an Accountant growing up in a rough neighborhood taught me how to handle myself his punch grazed my head as I ducked and I countered with a solid strike to his solar plexus he grunted doubling over struggling to breathe I I didn't stick around to make sure he went down I was almost at the door when another huge guy walked in Behemoth is yelling get him get him now someone shouted the guy blocked my way making sure to keep me inside for
a moment my Old football coach always said we had to block through our opponents so I dropped my shoulder and aimed for the open space outside the bar I punched him in the chest and drove him back but I didn't Shake him off completely he wrapped his arms around me and just as we cleared the door he hurled me over his left shoulder my momentum carried me down the stairs and I hit the dirt hard I got up quickly but now Behemoth was in the fight God he was huge and built he Hammered through my
defenses as I tried to protect my face and torso I don't even know if I managed to land a single punch on his rock hard body all I remember was pain every hit every punch every kick once he had me on the ground he didn't even seem to break a sweat as he took me apart and he kept taunting me the whole time saying like take this loser you think you can come into my place and cause trouble I'm going to screw her three times tonight just to Show you who's in charge I drill her
every night she comes here and then you get my sloppy seconds when she gets home the insults went on and on until I was barely moving as I lost Consciousness I could hear Pam laughing at my knocking body Behemoth told the others to watch me warning if he gets up let me know I want another shot at this little crap before I'm done with him when I regained Consciousness I had to come up with a plan to get out without taking another Striking or continuing the one I'd already received I didn't know what would happened
next and I wasn't eager to find out one of my eyes wouldn't open it didn't feel swollen so I assumed it was blood blocking my vision I worked my right hand which had been trapped under me when I fell until I could reach my eye it had been some time since I blacked out as I rubbed the dried blood away I finally managed to get my eyelid open and could see a little my my left Eye seemed fine not knowing where the Watchers were I hoped I was hidden in the shadows I began to slowly
inch toward my truck I moved a few inches at a time as quietly as I could stopping to make sure no one had noticed then I moved a little more I kept this up inching closer to the truck once I was behind the bikes near Pam's car I carefully got up on my knees I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek to keep from crying out from The pain my breathing was shallow and ragged so I guessed I had some broken ribs even taking a small breath hurt like hell sharp pain reminded me
to move slowly carefully once I was on my feet I looked around my Watchers were clearly distracted probably due to the extra dope and booze they had been given they were seated next to the building barely paying attention to anything happening around them the Taliban would have had a field day with these idiots I turned and Checked my surroundings no one was near my truck I hunched over moved slowly toward my ride I unlocked the door and opened it now would be the time for an alarm with the dome light flicking on like a beacon
in the otherwise dark parking lot I regretted jacking up the truck so high as I struggled to climb in the only thing keeping me from getting caught was the fear of being seen before I reached safety I sucked it up and got inside I slid into the seat put the key In the ignition and shut the door the dome light turned off I took a few calming breaths trying to figure out my next move move starting the truck would break the silence and alert my attackers how could I get away as I looked out a
smile slowly spread across my face crap my teeth and lips achd so the smile quickly faded right in front of me about 30 yards away was Pam's car and all the bikes lined up neatly did I have the power to make it happen I couldn't crawl Back out and engage the hubs so I'd have to do this in two- wheel drive this old truck didn't have the automatic hubs like newer ones it was time I cranked the engine and it fired on the first try dropping the transmission into low I floored the gas the Watchers
by the door blury eyed looked up just in time to see my truck charging toward Pam's car and the bikes the huge piece of Timber in front of my truck slammed into the left side of Pam's car the car was so light It almost lifted off the ground I know because I lifted it it crashed into the bikes on the other side the noise was deafening fully waking up the Watchers who began screaming I kept pushing forward until my progress was was halted I quickly backed up relieved nothing got stuck then Twisted the wheel and
hit second gear clearing the worst of the wreckage I twisted the wheel again and hit the rest of the bikes this time with enough Force to shove them right up Against the bar's door blocking anyone trying to exit unfortunately I couldn't smash into the building itself I would have loved to drop the whole mess right on Pam and her lover I backed up spun the truck around kicking up a cloud of dust as I sped out of the parking lot and away from town I was hurting and my breathing hadn't gotten any better despite the
effort of steering and shifting gears I needed a hospital but not the local community one no I was Heading about 50 Mi West to a trauma center for the first few miles I saw no one behind me the two-lane Highway seemed empty for some reason then a couple of headlights appeared in the distance and a few more followed close behind no red or blue lights though no cops soon the headlights grew closer I saw they were motorcycle headlights I guess I hadn't taken them all out a couple of bikes came up beside me and I
heard the sound of chain pieces bouncing Off the metal damn it I didn't think they could hurt the truck but they could definitely mess up the paint my mind raced trying to figure out how to stop them or Escape I knew their top speed was likely faster than my old truck so outrunning them wasn't an option in desperation I swerved over the center line and forced the two bikes alongside me off the road those big bikes didn't handle ditches well and both of them crashed while I took out the ones on the Left a few
others came up on my right another quick swerve and I sent them into the dirt on the right side of the road I caught a glimpse of one guy cartwheeling off his bike couldn't happen to a nicer guy I still had several more bikes behind me dangerously close I hoped they wouldn't get the idea to jump into my truck bed that would bring them too close for comfort as if they weren't already too close suddenly I slammed on the brakes and felt a small Thump I hit the gas again and when I looked in the
rear view there were no more headlights behind me crap in every movie The Bikers always pester the car driver until they win is it really that easy to beat a motorcycle when I neared Centerville and the trauma center my mind began racing again how could I keep Pam from Finding Me She and Behemoth would probably think I'd either go home to lick my wounds or head to the nearest hospital when they couldn't find me There they'd probably look further a field if I ended up in a regular bed at the trauma center how could I
protect myself I kept thinking as I slowed down to a crawl finally I remembered an acquaintance who owned some land near Centerville he rented out the pasture and rarely checked on it so it might be the perfect spot for me I headed to where I thought his small ranch was the place had been abandoned for years but the old farmhouse and barn were still Standing surrounded by tall trees I pulled in and parked my truck behind the barn I left my wallet and ID in the cab placing my keys on top of the rear wheel
where they wouldn't be easy to spot damn it hurt to walk but I needed to get some distance from the truck once I made the emergency call local law enforcement would be out looking for my truck I made it about a mile before the pain and shortness of breath became unbearable I sat down on the gravel Road's Edge and Pulled out my cell phone I dialed emergency Whispering when the operator answered help me I was abducted and knocking and woke up on the side of the road I don't know where I am please send help
other than lying about knowing my location everything else I said was true I really needed help the operator tried to get me to find landmarks but I just let the phone drop to my side I knew they could locate me via my phone's GPS all they had to do was ping it and They'd get a pretty accurate location unless I was on the edge of the coverage area I did whisper that I was on a gravel road but there were no signs to offer more details I then lay down to rest I must have fallen
asleep or lost Consciousness because the next thing I knew someone was bending over me at first I couldn't tell who it was had Behemoth or one of his cronies found me it was definitely a man so it couldn't have been Pam besides I'd wrecked her Car so unless she had another ride it wasn't her it was starting to get light out Daybreak couldn't be far off but what day was it had I been lying here for more than a day The Voice kept asking questions I made up a name for him in my head my
voice was still a whisper the Striking combined with not having anything to drink for who knows how long made it worse my name is Sam Adams I live in Wilsonville I'm 40 years years old and I'm allergic to penicillin Of course no one could refute my claims without ID and the man asking the questions didn't know that I just had to stick to my story I told him I must have been mugged knocked out and dumped here I asked him what day it was I nearly sighed with relief when it was clear I hadn't been
unconscious for more than a day soon an ambulance arrived and I was taken to the trauma center the paramedic in the back with me started an IV and gave me something for nausea and pain I Didn't complain much except when the stretcher hit a bump we were at the trauma center in just a few minutes a nice nurse carefully washed the dried blood off my face and the doctor Tut tutted over my injuries I stuck to the story that I'd been abducted Knockin and dumped in a rural area I told them my wallet was missing
so I had no ID I gave them a birth date that combined my mom's birthday with my brother's birth year I could easily Remember that lie the birth date would make me 36 instead of 40 but I figured they wouldn't care since I had been unconscious a few times since the Striking soon a police officer officer entered and began questioning me I gave him the name of a nearby town where the abduction supposedly took place there were plenty of small towns around Centerville so it wasn't hard to come up with something but when he asked
for my home address I realized I'd have to come Up with another lie too many lies might be hard to keep straight I also told him I was divorced and had no family that one would be easier to manage then the cop asked a strange question do you ride a motorcycle that one was easy to answer and I didn't need to worry about the truth I used to many years ago I said but I haven't owned a bike in a long time why do you ask I added curious we're investigating an accident or actually a
series of accidents about 20 M from here the officer explained two bikers were eliminated in one crash and six others are injured ranging from broken bones to critical head trauma none of the Riders can tell us what happened we have detectives looking into it because it doesn't add up these guys are hardcore r Riders and crashes like this just don't make sense the theory is that a rival motorcycle gang might have caused the wrecks I shook my head trying to seem as clueless as possible I don't Even know anyone in a bike club I replied
no one I work with owns a bike or does poker runs the officer leaned forward studying me any idea who might have wanted to hurt you nope I answered quickly I'm divorced live alone I work on a non-union Construction site and we haven't had trouble with the Union guys in a while I go out for a beer once a week but I have a drinking problem so I don't let myself get too drunk last time I didn't sober up for 3 or 4 weeks it was hell getting my reputation back my ex-wife remarried and seems
to be doing fine she probably left me because of my drinking I don't think her husband's jealous she probably tells him all the awful things I used to do the officer finally left and the nurse returned the doctor wants you to stay here tonight he's concerned about your kidney function there was some blood in your urine you've got broken ribs too which Need time to heal there's not much we can do about those except give you some pain medication so you can breathe properly I nodded and let them do their thing once she left I
pulled out my cell phone and called my brother Dave I know it's early but I need some help Dave's pretty laidback so he took it without question I told him what had happened and where I was including my fake name to use if he came to see me what do you you need right now he asked he'd always Liked Pam but didn't give me any grief I figured that might come later but not now I need my stuff from the house if you could arrange for a mover who won't ask questions and make sure that
woman doesn't interfere then my things could be moved to a storage facility can you handle that he didn't hesitate growing up in a rough neighborhood he knew a few guys who knew some other guys who were experienced at quick moves I texted him a list of what I wanted taken from the House I didn't care if they had to forced the door next I called a realtor an old friend from the neighborhood Mike I need a quick favor no problem Charlie what's going on Mike's voice was calm like always Pam's cheating on me with a
biker I don't know his name but he hangs out at Mario's out by the edge of town I'm not too worried about him right now we'll deal with that later what I need is to list my house and sell it fast so Pam can't move that idiot into my place I paused for a moment trying to keep my voice I bought the house right after we got married Pam's credit had ruined our chances of getting a house together so the mortgage and title were in my name only I'd always planned to add her to the
title but I'd put it off maybe deep down I'd known this day was coming sure she was entitled to half but we hadn't gone to court yet and I plan to make things as difficult as possible for her All right Charlie I get it Mike said his tone serious but what happens if Pam's at the house when I show up to do the market assessment and put the sign up right now she's just a tenant I replied she doesn't have any say about the ownership Mike was quiet for a second then asked okay but how
do I handle it if she's there I thought for a moment I think you should act as my rental manager take her a lease agreement month toon and tell her she has to maintain The property in sellable condition and be ready for showings make it clear that if she doesn't sign she'll be evicted Mike chuckled though it wasn't exactly a cheerful sound I don't think she's smart enough to fight it until she gets a lawyer and I don't think she'll do that until she gets served I told him about the movers who'd be coming soon
he chucked and said he'd pick up a new lock for whichever door got breached after that I was moved to a new room given Breakfast and managed to get some sleep I wasn't planning on calling a lawyer just yet let her stew for a few days Dave called me back later that afternoon Charlie it's all done he said his voice steady the guys went over grabbed your recliner microwave washer and dryer the guest bedroom set your tools and Tool safe and all your tools they even took all the dishes pans and utensils even though you
didn't ask for those they just wanted to make things as Inconvenient as possible for Pam I sighed rubbing my temple and the bed in the master suite Dave hesitated for a moment well some bleach spilled on it I don't think it's salvageable the room might need a couple of days to air out I had to chuckle though it twisted something inside me was she there they didn't see her anywhere Dave replied I think they were hoping for a confrontation you know the guys they don't like witches I agreed though my Tone was flat he wrapped
up the call telling me he'd come pick me up when I was released now you might be wondering how I was handling the finances did she have time to clean out the accounts well didn't I mention I'm an accountant a good one some of my clients come from the old neighborhood and deal with let's say less than legal income I make sure their money looks clean for the IRS I also only allowed Pam to have access to her personal account and a joint account I regularly deposited into the joint account but she couldn't touch the
savings or investment accounts sure I'd have to share it with her later but not until a judge decided right now she had only her wages from her cashier job to rely on unless Behemoth was covering her expenses I checked the account balances she'd withdrawn all the available cash from the joint account no problem I still had my own account where my paycheck went and it wasn't even at the Same bank around 6:00 in the evening Mark called me back I didn't know he had no love for Pam until he told me what happened Charlie your
wife was a little upset when I showed up at the house late this afternoon Mark began apparently the front door was wide open when she got home and stuff was missing she was polite at first but when I pulled out the new lock and started replacing the old one she didn't take it too well she wasn't happy when I put the key in a box On the door and secured it I grimaced at the thought by the way you're going to need a new front door that one's too damaged and could hurt the sail Mark
added I chuckled despite myself but it was the pain medicine they'd given me that really helped ease the discomfort did she have any issues with the fact that she's now a tenant and has to pay rent I asked Mark laughed bitterly oh yeah that went over like a lead balloon when I Told her the house was for sale she nearly lost it she yelled at me to leave I told her I was the new rental manager and that only the property owner could force me off the premises then I handed her the lease to sign
naturally she refused and kept asking where you were have you blocked her number she kept saying you weren't answering her calls I didn't think you'd want her to know where you are and honestly I don't know either I groaned well that didn't Exactly help her situation darn it Mark said his voice dripping with sarcasm did you tell her she'd be evicted if she doesn't sign the lease I asked yeah Mark replied but you know how some people think they know better than everyone else I gave her 24 hours to sign or I'd serve the eviction
notice I hope she doesn't sign if she doesn't she'll be out within 30 days I know a couple of sheriff's deputies who can't stand cheating wives and they'll Be happy to help her move out even if it's just to the curb after we hung up I checked my phone though I was a bit out of it and realized I had actually blocked her number there were several missed calls starting around midnight last night along with multiple texts instead of deleting them I decided to keep them just in case my future divorce attorney needed them along
with the voice messages I managed to sleep pretty well that night probably thanks to the Pain meds but I like to think the thought of making Pam upset helped more than the medication the next morning the doctor came by I was being discharged my kidney function had improved and my breathing was stable but I wasn't going to be doing any running for a while he was very clear about that I promised to take care of myself and of course not get abducted again when Dave arrived I'd already corrected my name for admissions and called the
Office to ensure they got the insurance details to the nurse since I still didn't have my wallet Dave took me to my truck and we headed back to our hometown I certainly wasn't going to call it my home anymore since now I was homeless once we got into town I checked in with work at least my boss was Furious about my disappearing for days he calmed down when I explained that I'd been abducted knocking and left on the side of the road to die He also wanted to know who might have wanted to hurt me
he mentioned that Pam had been trying to find me I'm pretty sure he didn't appreciate my dry laugh when I told him she could go to hell he probably had some desire to be with Pam and honestly if his wife was okay with it I didn't care I arranged to take a couple more days off since it was a slow period at work with quarterly reports done and tax season still far off I quickly found an apartment near my Office the local economy wasn't great but that made housing more affordable I signed a year long
lease paid the necessary deposits and got the electricity and gas transferred to my name I also called the cell phone company switched my plan to month to- Monon and arranged to shut off Pam's phone in a few days that would give me time to inform her she was on her own after that I went to a furniture rental place picked out a couch a Bedroom set and then bought some pots pans dishes and utensils I knew Dave's friends had taken all that but I figured I could give it back to Pam if she asked I
called Dave and set up a time for the movers to bring my things over I sat in my new place phone in hand and dialed my soon to be ex-wife to my surprise she picked up on the first ring hello is that you Charlie unless someone stole my phone it must be you why do you have to be so insulting I shot back where are You and why haven't you been home are you that stupid she responded cooly I stopped at a bar to have a beer and saw you with your new lover I didn't
even try to confront you after the way you've been treating me these last few months it was obvious you found someone new and I was just your convenient Bill payer I tried to leave but your boyfriend stopped me he beat me up while you just stood there and laughed I had to crawl away and ended up in the hospital for a Few days wondering if my ribs or kidneys would survive his attack and you're asking me why I haven't been back to the house are you really that deranged why would I put myself anywhere near
you so your new man can punch me again do you want me dead she started rambling spitting out a stream of nonsensical blabber but I cut her off I hope you're recording this I said my voice cold is that what you've been planning get me eliminated then spin some story maybe I Was jealous of your innocent relationship with that idiot then you get everything the house my money my pension and my life insurance Bravo too bad I ruined your little scheme there was a pause and then I heard her start to cry I need you
to come home everything's gone wrong she sobbed the house is for sale stuff's missing I think someone broke in before I got home and stole things I scoffed a dark Amusement in my voice yeah someone I Know broke in and took my stuff along with some things I needed to set up my new place I'll be all set up by tomorrow sucks to be you but I'm sure your new man will be there to support you she was almost frantic now how could you be so cruel that Realtor told me I have to pay rent
why do I have to pay rent for our home this isn't right I couldn't help but snort at her stupidity yes I actually snorted on the phone I said what happened to us are you really that Clueless or do you think I'm the one who's dumb look in the mirror if you want your answer you decided to treat me like garbage and start a relationship with a dirt bag before you even left me you spent my money on new clothes and went out drinking with him that night wasn't the first time you were with him
everyone knew who you were and who you belonged to then you stood there and laughed as he strike me half to death if I had made any noise when I woke up he Would have finished the job I have no doubt about that I paused for a beat before for delivering the final blow so kiss my bum you're now a renter and Mike is the landlord don't talk to me about rent just pay it or get out she was quiet for a moment before asking but I need some money there's nothing left in the checking
account there won't be I replied I'll keep paying the utilities until the house sells but you'll pay the rent with your paycheck you have a job Stop spending on makeup and clothes for a while You' got enough stuff to get by or better yet have your boyfriend pay for you her voice cracked as she responded but you're my husband you were supposed to take care of me yeah I snapped and as my wife you were supposed to cheer while your lover and his friends knocked me up guess we both lose huh there was a pause
on the line finally she asked what about a car my car's total and I need a way to get to Work I couldn't resist call your boyfriend you can ride on the back of his bike you're already used to straddling something that belongs to him she shot back quickly he's in the hospital with a head injury and mult broken bones he was chasing you when you hit the brakes he slammed into the ground and flew a few meters landing on his head Karma I guess too bad he didn't die I felt a sick sense of
satisfaction tell him I'll be keeping an eye out for Him if I see him first I'll avoid him otherwise I'll be carrying my tool and shooting instead of talking the excuses kept coming finally I told her to eat crap and die then hung up her number was still blocked so I didn't even have to turn my phone off I tried to sleep honestly I did but with no bed and too much pain to lie on the floor I couldn't I finally left the apartment and checked into a decent Motel just to get some rest in
a real bed it took everything I Had to get up the next morning God I hope I heal fast I wonder if boxers feel this bad after going 10 Rounds with someone is tough or tougher than they are I grabbed a quick breakfast and headed back to the apartment before long Dave's crew had unloaded all my things and set them up I gave each of them an extra hundred bucks for their trouble after that the rental place delivered the couch and other items I tipped them as well I'd need to hit the bank for Some
walking around money soon I like to keep a couple thousand in cash stashed somewhere easy to grab I'm not a saint and someone might one day take an interest in my accounting for certain less than legal clients so I've got my go bag ready and yes it's not in my former house I sat down in my familiar recliner and started thinking about my future should I lay low for a while or just go about business as usual and act like everything's fine When should I pull the trigger on divorcing my cheating wife should I string
her along for a while longer or should I act like we might get back together and then dump her nah the last option was pointless she just move on to Behemoth or whoever replaced him maybe I'll keep her guessing until she finally gets smart enough to hire a lawyer in our state the reason for a divorce doesn't affect the outcome unless she goes to jail for what her boyfriend did To me no judge will care why we're splitting up they'll just divide up what's public knowledge and she'll get at least 50% of everything the rest
will be mine so how can I make her life a little more miserable I need my retribution the gravy Train's over and now she'll have to fend for herself I hope the house sells quickly I priced it to go fast even in this market her boyfriend's in the hospital and I don't know how bad his injuries are but I hope He doesn't fully recover and ends up brain damaged fed through a tube for the rest of his miserable life and the same goes for any of his buddies who were involved when he strike me down
they all need to suffer for what they did do I expect his friends to visit yes eventually they'll try to fix what they believe was wronged against them I went to the spot where the movers placed my tool safe and pulled out my judge it only holds five rounds but can shoot Both 045 Long Colt and 410 Shot shells I loaded it with 410 slugs capable of blasting through a concrete wall I decided to carry it with me both in the apartment and outside with extra shells in my leg bag I sat and thought for
a moment the best offense is a solid defense so what's next who should pay for my wife's Affair I chose to wait and see what happened next the next few days were quiet I went back to work keeping the judge on me just in case then Pam's New number started texting me she thought we just had a minor argument but when I asked about Behemoth she acted confused I pushed asking about her biker friend and she finally said Steve is doing better but he might not walk or ride again I couldn't help but think Steve
doesn't strike fear but grizzly that's a name I can respect she still wanted to know when I'd come home to which I said never before hanging up and blocking her number a few days later a Biker tried to follow me from work with his leathers and long beard he stood out in the business district I took a few sharp turns to lose him in traffic leaving some frustrated drivers in my wake I kept the judge within reach just in case the next day another biker just as conspicuous tried to follow I led him to Pam's
house knowing he likely didn't know where it was after he passed I turned around and went back home hoping for a quieter night my bruises were Healing but they still looked bad the following morning two cops stopped by my work asking about my whereabouts the previous night I had no alibi and was surprised when they mentioned Pam's house being vandalized she'd claimed I did it but I quickly pointed out that damaging the house would lower its sale price something I wouldn't do while trying to sell I told them the truth she was having an affair
with Steve the man who knocked me up if they were Investigating they should talk to him the officers seemed to reconsider they mentioned reports of loud motorcycles outside my house the night before and agreed to check on Pam's story I explained that I had briefly stopped by Pam's place to grab more of my things and someone may have followed me assuming I still lived there I also made sure to mention that the house had been vandalized and that Pam would need renters insurance now one of the Officers laughed couldn't happen to a nicer person I
spoke to her yesterday I said she's still refusing to sign the lease agreement I'll stop by with an officer and let her know she's responsible for keeping the house in livable condition once the damage is fixed I assume you're not behind her discomfort no the officer replied I have nothing to do with it a couple of bikers probably behemoth's friends have been trying to follow me yesterday I led one Of them past Pam's house I'm sure the damage was a case of mistaken identity the police are looking into it and have questions for her boyfriend
Steve he chuckled again then I was interrupted by an unknown call I checked the display Pam I answered bracing for the worst what do you want she snapped why are you trying to get the cops on me why would I damage a property I'm trying to sell are you on something her aggression caught me off guard but I quickly regained my Composure I thought you'd be smarter than that Pam you're accusing me of vandalism now there was a pause followed by the sound of her swallowing nervously her tone softened Charlie I'm sorry when you were
mad at me I thought you might have done the damage after the cops left I called Steve he admitted some of his friends might have been looking for Revenge you heard a lot of guys and damaged their bikes I couldn't hold back my Frustration I heard someone I was the one knocked out cold after your idiot of a boyfriend touched me I don't know how you can say I heard anyone I was in the hospital Pam's voice wavered but she pressed on Steve and his crew think you're the one who ran them off the road
they were just trying to to stop you from going to the cops you didn't have to hurt anyone Jesus I muttered do you hear yourself I was the one knocking unconscious your boyfriend had people Waiting to finish me off when I woke up you stood by and cheered him on and now his friends trashed your house and you're trying to pin it on me keep popping those stupid pills you'll be turning tricks for Behemoth soon she started to protest her voice rising in Anger blaming me for everything shut up and listen I interrupted Mike will
be over to today to assess the damage for the insurance claim I'm only insuring the property as a rental now not as a Private home you'll need renters insurance but this is our home not a rental why are you doing this she asked her voice tinged with confusion and disbelief I had to take a breath what part of your cheating and throwing away our marriage don't you get this is on you I was happy to support you but you chose to start an affair and stand by while he strike me you wanted me hurt this
is all on you I ended the call and tried to focus on my day my ribs were Sore from breathing deeply to calm down my face achd from the healing abrasions and I was Furious as I left work another biker was waiting he didn't try to hide he just followed a couple of cars behind me I drove towards Centerville then made some sharp turns to lose him I stopped abruptly and turned my truck sideways blocking the street he couldn't maneuver and his bike was too big to slide like a dirt bike I got out Drew
my judge and Held it up just enough to show I meant business but not to threaten his life he looked sick trying to Bluff hey mister I don't know what your problem is but I just want to get home why the sudden stop and the tool I interrupted you followed me since I left work we 40 m from where you think you belong no more warnings you screwed up last week and watch Grizzly strike me down some of your friends paid for that mistake others are still recovering last night You vandalized grizzley's girlfriend's house thinking
you had me and now here you are all alone practically begging me to dve you like a bad habit how much Dumber can you get one shot from this tool and you'll be lying in the street a huge hole in your chest life draining out you'll be conscious long enough to know you're dying and there's nothing you can do about it he started to Bluster but stopped when I cocked the judge I told you no more warnings if you Survive I hope you tell your buddies how serious I am I've sworn out of protection order
against you and your friends if this goes to court I'll plead self-defense I don't think anyone will care if if I take a few of you out hell maybe I'll even get a humanitarian award for it I stepped closer look around do you see anyone watching us the neighbors probably heard your bike but don't want to get involved no Sirens the cops either don't know or don't care he Glanced around no one was in sight even though it was early evening I clicked the cylinder two stops he looked even more terrified I raised the judge
and shot out his headlight with a 410 birdshot shell no penetration but it sent a clear message now get this piece of crap turn around and head home it's getting dark and you've got no headlight I might follow and I'm guessing you won't farewell in a nighttime Collision he nodded and quickly turned his bike Around peeling off like a scalded dog I waited until he rounded the corner before heading toward downtown keeping a lookout for any of his buddies when I got to my apartment I parked behind the building as usual swapped the empty shell
for one with slugs and went inside No More Mr Nice Guy the rest of the evening was quiet I hope it would stay that way but the piece only lasted a month until Steve got out of the hospital one night I drove home checking My mirrors no sign of anyone following so I relaxed and parked as usual after a frozen meal and some football I was ready for bed when there was a loud banging on the door Steve had found me I turned on my phone's video recorder and called emergency explaining I was in danger
the dispatcher could hear the yelling and assured me help was on the way I considered opening the door but I didn't want to risk it looking like entrapment instead I waited for him to Break in when he did the door crashed open one hinge torn from the frame Steve grinning charged in well craphead time to pay for your mistake he raised his hands to strike but didn't notice the tool in my hand I defended Myself by firing two shots in his Direction aiming to stop his Advance his hands dropped and he staggered toward me with
a confused look I Sid stepped him and saw two more bikers entering they were here to finish the job but I didn't give them The chance I aimed carefully and each shot effectively neutralized the threat without further escalation those slugs have great stopping power it wasn't like the movies there were no dramatic slams against the door just bodies dropping and groaning I called emergency again telling them to send ambulances as I reloaded the judge I started hearing sirens and the Roar of motorcycles it seems Steve's friends didn't want to Stick around for an interview the
two bikers I shot were still alive breathing and writhing in pain likely hit in the ABD Steve appeared severely injured struggling to breathe as he clutched his chest he wasn't defeated yet still muttering curses you a hole why didn't you just die when I punch you she belongs to me now I looked him straight in the eyes I told her to tell you I'd avoid you but if you came after me I'd Put you down like a rabid dog clearly you didn't learn your lesson hope your friends do before I deal with them you think
you're tough I turned off my phone's recorder then leaned close to his ear I have friend who won't say a word they'll just make you and your buddies disappear no one will know where you went families will wonder but there will be no answers just a hole in the ground Steve's eyes glazed over and he took his last breath before I could say Anything else the cops arrived and I made sure to show I wasn't a threat by kneeling on the floor with the judge open shells in front of me hands behind my head the
first officer kept his tool on us while I was cuffed they cuffed the other two bikers even though they weren't a threat at that moment a quick search found Knives and Tools on the bikers and Behemoth was carrying brass knuckles when they examined his body ambulances arrived and the two bikers Looking pale were rushed to the trauma center the cops interviewed me after reading my Miranda rights I had them contact an attorney I knew and I gave my statement without holding back they took my phone timestamped the emergency call and found photos of my injuries
and messages from Pam I knew the da would have plenty of evidence I was booked on manslaughter attack and Firearm charges a detective warned that more charges could follow but once my attorney Arrived the question stopped the next morning I was released on my own recognizance the Press had already spun the story in my favor and the da had received calls demanding my release though charges were still pending I wasn't worried I had friends who would arm me again if needed the da also told me that Pam was changing her story claiming Steve had come
to make peace and asked me to be his accountant I laughed the da said the recordings Told a different story and he hoped the violence would die down I just nodded as I left Pam was waiting outside you butcher how dare you liquidate my man he just came to bury the hatchet she tried to slap me but two cops were nearby and quickly cuffed her my attorney had them press charges for domestic attack and they took her away hopefully the da would play the recording of the break-in and the attack for her but I doubted
it would shut her up since my apartment was Still a crime scene Dave took me to his place it was time to end this my attorney started the divorce proceedings with Pam then left Dave and I had a council of War about Steve's friends and how they needed to learn the consequences of their actions my old friends would help deliver that lesson first order of business the owner of Mario's the bar where all this started suddenly sold out to a group of investors the place was set to close Down and undergo a major renovation I
heard the new theme was going to be a venue for kids birthday parties the bikers would need to find a new spot to gather drink and do whatever else they got into before Mario's closed for Good a couple of tough-looking guys who made no effort to hide the fact they were packing serious heat walked in and sat down at the table used by the bike club for their business I later heard that everyone at that table walked away Knowing that any further attempts at retaliation against me would be considered a problem for my friends a
few names were even dropped old acquaintance and business partners with less than Stellar reputations I'm pretty sure the message hit home it took a few weeks but eventually the charges were dropped Pam tried to make a fuss but the da made it clear that lying to the police was a felony so she finally admitted that Stevie wasn't trying to hire me for anything he just wanted to make me pay for hurting his friends she didn't seem sorry about it I guess she truly thought she loved him and that he felt the same it cost me
half of my publicly known assets to get her out of my life but it was worth it and just to be clear only my publicly known assets a little birdie told me that a very unpleasant woman paid Pam a visit after the final hearing and Pam Decided to move far enough away so we wouldn't cross paths my friend didn't give me the full details but it seems the conversation involved some strong persuasion to help her understand what needed to happen Pam even tried to sue me again for hiding assets but after that visit she quickly
realized that money wasn't worth the trouble I don't know exactly what was said or how it was said but whatever it was she got the message loud and clear while Pam was Still living in the house it was quickly repaired I also paid for some upgrades the contractor promised would increase the House's value oh yes she paid the rent as I'd instructed I guess she realized I wasn't joking after Steve paid the ultimate price and after the final divorce decree and Pam's move the house was sold I made sure to deposit half of the proceeds
into her account that was the last of my known assets and yes I got my Tools back the police gave me a warning that they were keeping an eye on me but I just smiled and reloaded the judge even after my unnamed friend sent a warning to the bike club I was ready for someone to try to take me down some people never seem to learn their lessons I'm still working at the same accounting firm and I still have some of my old friends from the neighborhood as clients my boss boss is happy with the
revenue I'm bringing in so he doesn't question Who my clients are I also keep my go bag stashed somewhere just in case things start getting a little too hot around here especially after I had to take down one attacker and wound a couple of others it's amazing how something like that can get a few sharp cops watching you adding up little Clues and bits of evidence until they start connecting the dots recently my boss sent me down to Baja Mexico a new client needs help figuring out how to clean up his dirty Money and turn
it into legitimate business Revenue he's a nice enough guy but for some strange reason he keeps asking me if I like stew and as for dating once in a while I'll go on a real date with a real woman mostly I have a few friends with benefits but the true loves of my life right now are the two new German Shepherd puppies I adopted if you wake up to two little puppies wagging their tails and showering you with kisses you know your life is pretty Damn good [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music]