"A Loss in the Neighborhood" Chapter Five

Bobby hit the game start button and began firing away, thumbs twitching furiously. When all was done Bobby ship crashed at only 981, 427 points. I had won, although I didn't feel like a winner. The arcade was silent until Ed spoke up.
"Rico wins!"
The crowd burst out in applause and cheers, although not as loud as I would have expected. Jose's absence from the competition probably had something to do with that.
"I'm gonna kill that little flyboy!" Bobby was foaming to get revenge on me.
"Come on man, its just a game," Jimmy pleaded.
Bobby shoved him out of the way and began to come towards Ed and I. We took the opportunity to shuffle off through the arcade door, hoping the mob would hold them back at least for a little time. We jumped the curb and ran towards the nearest alley. I could hear Bobby yelling for Jose and Jimmy to catch up. Looking over my shoulder, I could see Bobby and Miguel in hot pursuit.
I led Ed in and out an intricate weave between fencless houses. Suddenly, I spotted it. The black porsche. We quickly went over and hid by it.
The house door opened and we quickly ducked down. A man wearing a red and black striped business suit came out of the house. He had very long, mangy hair and a flowing, bristling goatee. He was just in time to thwart our would be capturers.
"Can I help you boys?" His accent was thick and it was like nothing I had ever heard.
"Oh...yeah. We're looking for two of our friends.
The strange man looked over at us, and then back to Bobby and company.
"Haven't seen them, sorry."
Miguel glanced over to our hiding spot and then replied, "sorry sir, thanks for all your help." We could hear Bobby muttering to himself and whining to Miguel about how they had us cornered.
The man turned to us and simply said, "go." We got up and ran away back to the comfort of my house.
"That was close, Rico."
"You're telling me Ed! Who was that guy?"
"I don't know," Ed spat out before gulping in more air, still trying to settle the lungs.
"Why do you suppose he helped us?"
"I don't know Ed. I don't know. At least I won the competition at the arcade. Too bad I couldn't have played Jose, but that's life. He would have killed me anyway!"
"Yeah, Rico, at least you didn't have to use the knife," Ed stated.
The knife! I had forgotten about it! Where did I leave it? The arcade? They alley? There was only one way to find out, and I wasn't going out there now--especially with the gang after us.

And elsewhere in town, a strange man in a strange suit was holding a very strange knife, intended for a strange mission.

"A Loss in the Neighborhood" Chapter Four

The next day on the way to the arcade, Ed and I were walking and discussing the final steps to our plan.
"I can't believe you thought I was going to cut his hand off Ed!"
"Well, the way you were going on and on about that knife, who knew? It only seemed to make sense. But anyway, go on about the plan one more time."
I rolled my eyes. "Okay Ed, I told you, you hit the lights, and I'll go over and cut the power cord."
"Why not just pull it out Rico?"
I smacked my head in frustration. "If we do that, then they can just plug it back in you idiot!"
Ed nodded to me in understanding. We were outside the arcade.
"Rico, you got the knife? Better hope they don't make you pay for the machine..."
"Don't worry, what could go wrong?" I trailed off as a shiny new black Porsche slowly slinked by. It darkened tint windows reflected the neighborhood back to us.
"Wow, what a car," Ed exclaimed.
"Focus Ed. Let's do it."

The door opened and the atmosphere was electric. Kids packed the arcade, as if it were the Super Bowl. When I walked in, the mob began to shout, "Rico! Rico! Rico!"
I looked to the left and to the right, but Jose and his posse were no where to be seen. Perhaps he had ducked me after all.
"Where is Jose?" I stated to no one in particular.
A little kid came up and explained that no one had seen him.
"You mean I win?" My hopes were rising.
"Not exactly." I strained to see where the voice was coming from. Jimmy stepped through the crowd and the kids silenced.
"Even if Jose doesn't show, you still have to play. It uh, says so in the code."
"What code?" I shot back.
"The Code of the Arcade," someone shot back.
I had never heard of it, but it sounded logical. "Okay fine, let me go then. If I play and he doesn't show, I win."
"Agreed," Jimmy responded.
My quarter went in, and in a few minutes I was done. 1, 181, 930. Not my best, but certainly not my worst either.
"There I win!"
Seeing as there was no one to oppose me, I raised my arms high into the air with victory.
As if in a movie, the door flew open and the people parted like the Red Sea. Bobby walked in, followed by Miguel and Jose. Someone suddenly shouted "Hey, Jose's got a broken arm!"
The news spread like wildfire. It was true. Jose Morales stood looking demoralized, his head down to the ground. My world was blown apart. The idea of cheating left my mind and I could only find myself feeling sorry for Jose.
"What happened Jose?" I asked genuinely.
"Skateboard accident," he said, short and sweet.
Miguel spoke up next. "Seeing as Jose was supposed to play you, and he obviously can't, Bobby will take his place. That okay with you Rico?"
I thought about it for a moment before replying "Sure...if that 's okay with Jose, I mean."
"Of courese it is, right Jose?" Bobby interjected.
"Su-sure." Jose meekly mumbled. I looked at him kind of funny and he quickly looked down to the ground again.
"If that's what he wants," I repsonded.
Bobby made his way to the Blasteroidz machine.