Love is tragedy

5 PM

*4:30pm. 30 minutes to the deadline.*

Container 14. Katwe.

Smelled like rust, urine, and fear.

Mr. Kato was already there.

Black suit. Gold chain. 2 men behind him. Big. Tattoos.

And Brian. On a boda 20 meters away. Watching.

Across the street: 1 unmarked police car.

In the car: Hassan. His lawyer. 2 detectives.

In Jimmy’s shirt: a wire. Taped to his chest.

In Jimmy’s bag: 50k. The trap.

*4:55pm. The Call from Jessica.*

Jimmy’s phone vibrated.

`Where are you? I’m scared.`

Jimmy typed with shaking hands: `Almost done. Stay home.`

Send.

Then another text came.

`I’m coming. I can’t wait.`

Jimmy’s blood froze. "No no," he whispered.

Alex saw his face. "What?"

"Jessica is coming," Jimmy said.

*4:58pm. The Wire Fails*

They walked in.

Mr. Kato smiled. "My favorite debtors."

Jimmy put the bag on the table. Opened it.

50k. Bundled.

"Count it," Jimmy said. Voice steady.

Mr. Kato nodded to one of his men. The man started counting.

That’s when Brian walked in.

Looked at Jimmy. Looked at his chest.

Brian’s eyes narrowed.

He walked straight to Mr. Kato. Whispered in his ear.

Mr. Kato’s face changed.

He grabbed Jimmy’s shirt. Ripped it open.

The wire. Exposed.

"POLICE?!" Mr. Kato roared.

He backhanded Jimmy. Jimmy fell.

"Where are they?!"

Outside, car doors opened.

"POLICE! DON’T MOVE!"

Mr. Kato’s 2 men pulled out knives.

*5:00PM. The Arrest... And The Chaos*

Police ran in.

Hassan ran in.

And right behind them...

Jessica.

"JIMMY!" she screamed.

Everything happened at once.

1. *The Fight*: Mr. Kato’s men swung. Police tackled them.

2. *Brian Ran*: He jumped on his boda and sped off.

3. *Mr. Kato grabbed Jessica*: Used her as a shield. Pulled a knife to her throat.

"BACK OFF OR SHE DIES!"

Everyone froze.

Jimmy was on the floor, blood from his nose.

"Don’t touch her," he said. Standing up slowly.

"Shut up!" Mr. Kato screamed. "You set me up! With your lawyer Dubai boy!"

Hassan stepped forward. Hands up. "Mr. Kato. This is over.

We have you on forgery, extortion, and illegal detention.

Let the girl go."

Mr. Kato was shaking. "You think I’m going to jail?

I have money! I have judges!"

He pressed the knife harder. Jessica cried.

*5:03pm. The Choice*

Jimmy looked at Jessica. Tears on her face.

He looked at the 50k on the table.

He looked at Mr. Kato’s eyes. Crazy.

And Jimmy made a choice.

He kicked the bag of money to Mr. Kato.

"Take it," Jimmy said. "Take it and let her go."

Mr. Kato hesitated.

Police were 3 meters away.

He grabbed the bag with his free hand.

And in that 1 second...

Hassan’s lawyer lunged.

A detective grabbed Mr. Kato’s knife arm.

Gunshot.

Not a real gun. A taser.

Mr. Kato dropped. Shaking.

Jessica screamed. Jimmy caught her.

*5:10pm. After*

Handcuffs.

Mr. Kato on the ground, foaming.

His 2 men arrested.

Brian gone.

Jessica was shaking in Jimmy’s arms.

"Are you okay?" Jimmy asked.

"I’m okay," she sobbed. "I’m okay."

Hassan walked over. "It worked. Mostly."

He picked up the 50k. Wet with sweat. "Evidence."

"You’ll get it back," he said. "After court."

Alex was talking to police. Giving statement.

*7:00pm. Police Station. Katwe.*

Statements. Fingerprints.

Mr. Kato was in a cell. Screaming for a lawyer.

Hassan told them: "He’s charged. He won’t get bail until Monday.

You’re safe for 3 days."

"And the money?" Jimmy asked.

"Court will decide," Hassan said. "But I’ll fight for it."

Jessica hadn’t let go of Jimmy’s hand.

On the way out, the DPC called Jimmy aside.

"Son," he said. "You’re brave. Stupid, but brave.

Brian is still out there. Be careful."

*9:00pm. Home. Bukoto.*

They were alive.

They were free.

But they were broke.

178k - 50k = 128k.

Rent due in 4 days: 150k.

Still -22k.

Plus now they had a court case.

Plus Brian was still out there.

Jessica bandaged Jimmy’s lip.

"You scared me," she said.

"You scared me too," Jimmy said.

Alex sat in the corner. "We won the battle."

"But not the war," Jimmy finished.

His phone buzzed.

Unknown number.

Text: `You think this is over? This is just round 1. -B`

Brian.

Jimmy deleted it.

He looked at Jessica. At Alex.

At the 128k on the table.

"New plan," Jimmy said. "We survive the weekend.

Monday we go to court. And we hustle that 22k."

Outside, it started raining again. Cold and ruthless like it usually is.

Mr. Kato was in jail. Frustrated but hopeful.

But Brian was free. Setting up different strategies to free up Mr. Kato, the loan boss,and to make Jimmy and his company pay for the time waste.

And the debt wasn’t gone. Still lingering. still haunting them like the demons from Savannah but they have to recover from it. They have to live.