RPAGF Chapter 6 Entering the City
Chapter 6 Entering the City
Henry's words startled Zeke, making him stiffen and his mind go blank, unsure of what to do.
Just minutes before, he secretly thought that doing peripheral tasks like driving and memorizing passwords in this gang wouldn't be too risky; at most, he'd just be a lackey.
The record company used the robbery as a marketing ploy, the freight company got compensation from the insurance company, and the buyer got a low-priced supply of goods. Everyone in the chain got a share of the money, and no one was actually harmed. It was a farce that made everyone happy.
But in the blink of an eye, the bloody reality slapped him hard in the face. He finally woke up: gangsters are gangsters, they never have the elegance, civility and tenderness of "The Godfather", they are full of violence and cruelty at their core, and they can easily take a person's life at the slightest disagreement.
"So what do we do now?" Zik's voice was strained, and he almost squeezed out the words through clenched teeth. Regret welled up inside him like a tidal wave. He shouldn't have been so greedy and gotten involved in this mess.
Henry rubbed his temples, his voice heavy and urgent: "They've disposed of the body, but that guy's a low-level union leader, a bit of a figure in the industry. He's gone missing, the union will definitely be investigating, and the police will get involved sooner or later. We'd better go hide for a few days and see how things go. Do you have anywhere to go?"
After he finished speaking, he stared intently at Zeke, waiting for his reply.
Zeke's mind raced, and a thought flashed through his mind: this was the perfect opportunity to get away from these people; it was too dangerous, and he had to escape as soon as possible.
Going back to school and saving up for tuition can only wait; staying alive and avoiding murder is the most important thing right now.
"I'm about to head into the city," Qi Keqiang said, suppressing his inner turmoil and trying to keep his tone calm. "Maybe I'll find a temporary job in Manhattan first, and see if I can find a place to stay, so I can lay low for a while."
Henry thought for a moment, nodded, and instructed, "That sounds good. You have my phone number. If anything happens, contact me using a public phone, not your home phone, and don't mention this to anyone."
"I know." Zik nodded perfunctorily, his only thought being to leave this place as soon as possible and never have anything to do with these people again.
He turned around and hurried home, not daring to linger, quickly packing a few changes of clothes and stuffing them into his backpack.
As he sat in his old Chrysler, his hands trembled uncontrollably on the steering wheel, his fingertips icy cold. This was the first time he had been so close to a murder case; fear gripped his heart like vines, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.
Zeke took a few deep breaths, gripped the steering wheel tightly to calm himself down, then started the car and drove toward Manhattan.
It was rush hour, and the streets were congested with traffic. Horns blared incessantly. He drove carefully, keeping a watchful eye on his surroundings, afraid of being spotted by the police or other people.
After more than an hour of travel, he finally arrived in Manhattan. After parking his car, Zeke wandered aimlessly through the streets, pondering his next move. Popular records were indeed easy to sell and untraceable, but this time, with a murder case involved, he was still somewhat afraid. He dared not go to a regular record store, fearing that leaving a trace would bring trouble upon himself.
Besides that, he also needed to find a place to stay. He inquired and found that even the most basic motels in Manhattan cost $10 a night.
This made him feel a little pained; the few hundred dollars he had on him really didn't last long.
What unsettled him even more was the worrying state of security in Manhattan these days. Idle young people could be seen everywhere on the streets, and there were also suspicious drug dealers on street corners with shifty eyes, which sent chills down one's spine.
Just as he was feeling lost, he passed by the stadium of a private high school. Through the fence, he saw the children inside dressed in designer clothes, looking fashionable, and exuding confidence from their wealthy families.
Zik's eyes lit up; he had an idea.
He stopped his car, strode over, and called out to several boys hiding in a corner, secretly smoking marijuana. He took a cassette tape from his backpack and waved it around.
"Hey guys, wanna get the soundtrack to 'Saturday Night Fever'? Just got it from the record store, it's definitely authentic, and way cheaper than in the store."
Upon hearing this, the boys' eyes lit up instantly, and they immediately gathered around, bombarding the store with questions about the price. They had long wanted to buy the soundtrack, but record stores were often out of stock.
There were originally 50 tapes in Zeke's box. He kept 3 for himself, leaving 47. He gritted his teeth and quoted a price of $250, accepting only the package and not selling them individually.
The boys chipped in the money and quickly handed $250 to Zeke, who then happily took all the tapes.
Qi Ke, feigning a disheveled appearance, said, "Guys, I'm actually a record store employee. I just lost my job, and the boss is giving me these tapes as payment. I urgently need to find cheaper accommodation and a job. Do you know of any suitable places around here?"
One of the boys, with long hair, pointed in a direction not far away: "Walk two blocks over there, there's a Christian youth church. Sometimes when we run away from home, we stay there for a few days. It's only $3 a night, and the conditions are pretty good. There's a free swimming pool, basketball court, and gym. You can also meet a lot of friends your age. Most importantly, it's safe there, and no one will cause trouble."
Just then, a blonde girl walked over from the crowd. She was pretty, with a hint of shyness and a touch of boldness in her eyes. She looked Zik up and down and said, "You'd better hide your necklace; they might mind."
Zik paused for a moment, looked down at the cross necklace on his chest, and quickly thanked him, "Thank you for reminding me, I almost forgot."
As he spoke, he took off the necklace and put it in his pocket.
The Christian Youth Church is a Protestant religious peripheral organization, and this thing really needs to be kept hidden to avoid unnecessary trouble.
After thanking the wealthy young men, Zeke drove in the direction they pointed out, and sure enough, two blocks later, he saw the sign for the Christian Youth Church.
He parked his car, went inside to check in, and found that the rooms were similar to university dormitories, with several single beds and bunk beds. Although simple, they were clean and tidy, much better than he had expected.
Zik put down his backpack and lay wearily on the bed. Just as he was about to rest for a moment, he heard a knock on the door. He got up and opened the door. Standing outside was a middle-aged white man wearing a military green soft cap and a pilot's leather jacket. He was tall and had a gentle face.
"Hello, young man, I'm Reverend Miller, and also the director here." The man introduced himself with a smile, his tone friendly. "I heard a new colleague had moved in, so I came to check on him."
Qi Ke understood and greeted him with a smile.
He could tell that Reverend Miller was very pleased to see this Italian young man take the initiative to come and join him, since Italians, like the Irish, were mostly Catholics.
Reverend Miller entered the room and began to preach to Zeke at length, expounding on doctrines and the power of faith. Zeke had no interest in listening to this; his mind was preoccupied with the murder of the previous night and his plans for the future. But Miller was the host, and he couldn't simply kick him out, so he could only half-heartedly comply, nodding and agreeing occasionally.
After speaking for a while, Pastor Miller noticed that Zeke seemed a little distracted, so he smiled and invited, "Young man, don't just stay in your room, come with me to the basketball court. We have a long tradition of encouraging young people to participate in group activities, and you know what? Basketball was invented by one of our Christian Youth Church employees, it's a great way for young people to relax."
"Pastor Miller, thank you for the invitation." Zeke shook his head, "But I'm not really interested in basketball. I need to go out and find a job and settle down as soon as possible."
Reverend Miller wasn't in a hurry. He took off his military green soft cap, twirled it casually in his hand, and said gently, "I understand, young man. I was in your situation when I first left the army. I was down and out, depressed, feeling like nobody cared about my life or death, the whole world was tense, and there was no soft place to lean on..."
Zik's attention wasn't on what he was saying; it was completely drawn to the military green soft cap in his hand. He couldn't help but think to himself: "That cap's color is really unique. Could it be a gift from his wife?" He remembered that Protestant pastors could get married, so this taste was really questionable.
"...You felt like everything was terrible, right?" Reverend Miller continued, his tone full of empathy. "But then I realized you have to find your own fun, make some noise. If the world doesn't give you a stage, you build one yourself; if no one gives you warmth, you create it yourself..."
"Down and out, ignored by everyone, the world on edge..."
The fragments of words that Reverend Miller uttered struck Zeke's mind like pebbles, and a strange sense of familiarity welled up inside him, making him frown and desperately try to recall something.
"Young man, are you listening to me?" Reverend Miller noticed his absent-mindedness, patted him hard on the shoulder, and asked.
Zeke snapped back to reality, looked up, and stared intently at the distinctive triangular sign on the wall, past Reverend Miller's shoulder.
"Young man, YMCA, green hat, disco..."
These words collided, connected, and combined wildly in his mind.
"This is……"
Zeke was deeply shaken, as if by divine revelation. Countless images of song and dance flashed through his mind in an instant, accompanied by a disco intro so intense it was almost tangible, which boomed in his ears:
"Ding...ding...ding ding ding ding...ding~ ding...Young man! There's no need to feel down. I said young man..."
It's fun to stay at the YMCA, It's fun to stay at the YMCA
You can get yourself cleaned, You can have a good meal, You can do whatever you feel...
Reverend Miller was still saying something, but Zeke was completely oblivious; his eyes were filled with shock and ecstasy.
"This is America...they've prepared everything for you, so you can enjoy yourself to the fullest!"