Both men remained lost in their thoughts, contemplating the choices that had brought them to this clandestine exchange, the dirty cop more than Drew did.

After a while, Drew couldn’t stand the silence any longer. “You have it? ,” his tone more curious than confrontational.

The dirty cop let out a heavy sigh, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. “Not here,” his voice carried a hint of bitterness.

Drew nodded, understanding the desperation the cop had. “Survival,” he repeated, almost to himself.

The cityscape passed by the car’s windows like a blur. Drew wondered how many others were out there, just like him and the dirty cop, trying to navigate the shadows of life.

Extending his long fingers to grab the bag, Drew, a hint of bravery in his voice. “That’s what I was talking about”.”

Confirming, a revolver, fully loaded. A private smirk washed his face, a smirk that didn’t reach his eyes.

As they reached a secluded alley, Drew glanced at the dirty cop. “How much.”

The driver, a heavy clean shaven dude, extended his hand, “eight hundred.”

Drew’s face turned irritated, “what do you take me for? You want to pull one on me?”

Pulling up in a public garage, the car stopped moving. “You want it or not? It’s unregistered dude, the shit you do with it can’t be tracked down to you.”

Clicking his tongue, “ do you think I would have bought legit shit from you?”

“Two grad bro, that’s the best you can get this beauty for. You’ll thank me later”

If Drew did what he wanted to do with it, the last person he would want to be seen with is a dirty cop like him.

“That shit goes for like a hundred where I come from. I can get the same shit for free, you know.”

Drew is a good bargainer, given time he can get it for a ‘thank you’

“Why come to me then?”, the driver asked.

“A brother recommended you”, hunting for a possible collaboration, Drew tapped the man’s shoulder.

The driver, a dirty cop, was not in a hurry to respond. There was no way he would associate himself with Drew.

“What’s this about?”, he asked.

Drew brushed off his quest, not willing to share his business with a cop. “Will I get it for three hundred? Otherwise I’m not buying shit”, he retorted seriously.

“Jesus! Four. "

Drew counted four hundred dollars, passed them to the driver who confirmed it before starting the engine. “ Where should I drop your ass? “, he asked on the way.

“ Why the hell are you doing this dirty shit anyway? “, Drew asked dryly, not interested in what he was about to reply.

The silence that followed made sense. 

Drew had his reasons, and perhaps the cop was thinking about why he is doing this. They never shared their reasons, the best way to do that kind of transactions.

****

Outside an apartment building, Drew parked his truck. Taking a cigarette out, he waited patiently looking both ways, the entrance and the driveway.

Staring at the five story building in front of him, Drew thought.

‘Why the fuck is the guy drinking all night like that with all this wealth?

He should be in one of his cozy rooms smoking weed and thinking about the next month’s bills he was about to receive.

Or, maybe he should be taking a trip to Asia or somewhere exotic to relax.’

His stream of thoughts was interrupted when a homeless man, Ben, hit his window. He said, “what?”

He rolled down the window, Ben bringing his head closer to the window he whispered, “can I get a cigarette man.”

Angry, Drew wanted to curse at him, but instead threw a packet of cigarettes on his face which fell.

Picking them with gratitude on his face, the homeless man said, “can I get a lighter too?”

Clicking his tongue, Drew gave out the gas lighter he had taken from Matt on their first night and passed it over to Ben, who was more than thankful.

“What are you doing here?”, Ben asked after taking a deep whiff off the list cigarette.

Glaring at him, “get the fuck out of here.” Drew looked at the unmoving Ben in irritation before he started the car and drove away.

“ Fuck this “, he retorted.