《The Software Detective》13. Turn back the pendulum
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What a great day to be alive. I found the God of all cinnamon rolls. On top of that the beautiful pastry had peanut butter all over the top. It had gotten cold when I finally made it home, so I popped it into the microwave and heated it up for thirty seconds. While it was getting nuked, I went into the freezer and grabbed the ice cream. Grabbing a bowl, I put the warm bun in it with a scope of ice cream on the side. At last, my perfect evening snack was complete.
Leaving the bowl on the counter, I put on my alpaca onesie and sat in my favorite chair by the window. Sugar and people watching. What was a better way to spend the night? There were not too many people on the street, just couples holding hands. People were trying to hail cabs, and others were looking at their phones while they walked. Looking over, I saw a barber shop. In the window, the man in the chair was getting his hair cut. But that poor soul was receiving a bowl cut. He was in horror when the barber finished and spun him around to look at his new haircut.
Suddenly, I looked at the building across from me. Men in suits had burst onto the roof. One man had a white tie was leading the way, and two other men with black ties were carrying a bloody man with a ripped shirt in between them. The bloody man was kicking and screaming; to say he was having a bad time was an understatement. Finally, the men with a black ties stopped in the middle of the roof; the man with the white tie punched the guy being held. With each punch, he yelled at the bloody man.
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Stopping his onslaught of fists, he said something to the bloody man one more time this time. The bloody man looked him in the eyes and spat in his face. The man with the white tie took out his pocket square and wiped the blood off his face. Putting into his pocket, he then pulled out a knife and started to violently stab the resistant man held by the two men with black ties.
Okay, things were going very wrong, quick. Then suddenly my phone rang. It was from Syd. I picked up the phone. "Hey I can't talk Syd. Something crazy is happening."
"What are you eating your cinnamon roll? I was just calling to say we studied without you. So enjoy your bun." Syd paused. "Wait, why do you sound so freaked out?"
Before I could explain further, I noticed they looked over towards my apartment. It didn't help that my blinds were open, and I was standing there with a phone on my ear. They must have thought I was calling the police. The man with the white tie screamed, pointing at my apartment. Then the men with the black ties dropped the bloody man and ran to the entrance. "I gotta go. I think the mafia is after me."
"Whaa.." Syd said as I hung up the phone. Getting up, I dropped my delicious snack on the floor. Rushing to get my wallet, keys and put on my shoes, I ran out the door. There was no time to take the elevator, so I made it down the stairs and onto the street. I hailed for the nearest cab, and it pulled up right in front of me. But I wasn't quick enough because the men came out of the building across the street. They pointed and shout in Russian.
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Not hesitating for even a second, I got in the taxi.
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