"OK!! EVERYONE, GET ON THE GROUND!!! NOW!!"

I fired a shot into the air.

I looked around and smiled at all the terrified faces. Each one was fixed on me, wondering what I was going to do next. Slowly I pointed my gun at each of them, motioning for them to keep their hands up. If I wasn`t careful, one of them could set off the alarm underneath their desk.

"LET`S GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE!!" Shouted Jonny.

He had returned with the money. Quickly without thinking, I grabbed one of the cashiers and pointed a gun to his head.

"This guy is coming with me! If any one of you calls the cops, he WILL die!!"

Of course, this was an empty threat. I had no intention of killing this guy if I could help it. That was usually Jonny`s job but you need to have one up on your targets. You need to make them believe that you mean what you say.

Together the three of us ran out and hi-jacked the nearest car. I laughed as I drove our new ride with the poor clutz we stole it from still hanging onto the door for dear life.

Eventually we shook him off and ended up throwing our hostage out of the car as well. Pretty good of us considering he could have ended up with a bullet through the skull instead. We unloaded the car with our winnings.

$100 K.

Jackpot.

A couple of days later, when the heat had died down, I needed to relax. I went on a date with some girl, picked up a couple of prostitutes, seen a movie and did some coke. You know? The usual stuff.

Out of the blue I get a phone call from Jonny.

"Hey it`s me. Something`s happened. Can`t talk. Come over as soon as you can."

Something weird was going on. Jonny was never this secretive. For a drug fuelled, alcoholic murdering psychopath, Jonny was usually pretty easy to get a straight answer out of. It was probably nothing though. Perhaps the drugs had finally turned him into the paranoid junkie he swore he`d never become. Ah well. It was bound to happen someday I suppose. Nevertheless, I jumped into the car (same one we stole a couple of days ago. Waste not, want not eh?), and sped off to Jonny`s apartment.

The door was unlocked so I let myself in. The lights were off. I turned them on and as I did, I heard the door shut behind me and felt a pistol at the back of my head. The last thing I heard was "Sorry kid..."

A thud.

And then total darkness.

I don`t know how long I was out for. But when I finally came round I was greeted to the sight of Jonny. Jonny, the guy I had worked with for nearly 10 years. A guy with whom I had pulled off the biggest robberies in history (according to our egos anyway...). A guy, who right now, was laughing and wiping the blood from the end of his gun.

My blood.

He continued to laugh. I went to lunge at him but fell not realising my hands were tied to a chair. Not very well tied either, I noticed as I lay on the floor.

He lifted me back up. He was pissing himself laughing. I could tell by his pupils he had been on the coke. His manic laughter and jerky mannerisms confirmed this.

"So..." I said, "Care to explain?"

I could tell this had thrown him. He was paranoid enough without me acting calm right now. It was the real life equivalent of sending a smiley face in reply to a devastating text.

He walked over to the table and took some more coke. Probably the last thing he needed but I really wasn`t in the mood to be giving him helpful hints like that.

Finally he walked straight up to me. His face pressed right up against mine. The pungent smell of whisky from his breath filled my nostrils. He pulled back and looked at me.

"How long have we known each other for? 9? 10 years?"

I nodded. Where was he going with this?

"And in all that time not ONCE have I been credited! It`s always been YOU! Mr Bigshot. The cool guy. Always gets the women. Whilst his `assistant` merely follows him around picking up the pieces and making sure he doesn`t fuck up!"

He was right. I was the better crook. No point denying it. But why should that be a bad thing? I`m more likely to be a target for the cops than him. As for me getting all the women...I guess I`m just a lucky guy.

"Well no more! I`ve set you up! That money we stole? The Leones would like it back please!!"

The Leones are one of the biggest crime families in the city. Jonny wasn`t only a drug fuelled, alcoholic murdering psychopath. He was also a fucking moron thinking he would get away with this.

"So what`s the plan Jonny?" I asked, calmer than ever. "You get Mr Leone over here to pay me a visit? He kills me. Then what? Only I know where the money is. I`m not fessing up. He`ll kill you too for an answer. Even if he doesn`t, you`ve lead him right to your fucking apartment! He could come back anytime he wants with his goons and take you out. But hey. It`s your plan. I ain`t gonna meddle."

Jonny looked terrified. He`d realised his mistake. This is why he never got any credit. This is why he needs me on a job. I erase his stupidity from any plan.

I decided now was the time to act. Whilst he was stood worrying and off his face I broke free from the poorly tied ropes and punched that coked up nose of his. Half expected a key of it to come avalanching out. Startled, he staggered about. I took the opportunity and grabbed his gun.

"E-e-easy b-b-buddy!" he stammered. I could tell he was bricking it. "Can`t we w-w-work something out here?"

I looked at him, my gun still pointed at his pathetic face. Ten years I had worked with him and now he wants to betray me over something so petty?

I keep myself to myself, but this guy is the only person I`ve ever considered a "friend". Hell, he`s like family. But can I really be family with someone who was willing to give up my life to make himself look better?

No. I can`t. But I can`t shoot him either.

Quickly I took aim and shot out the one light that was on the in the apartment. Jonny would be too disorientated in the dark to get to me. I ran out of the apartment, into the street and jumped into the car.

As I drove away from the traitor`s house, I noticed three black Sedans pulling up outside his apartment block.

I may not have been able to shoot Jonny.

Doesn`t mean I can`t let someone else enjoy it.