Chereads / The Crimson Dragon Comics / Chapter 112 - Drive

Chapter 112 - Drive

Caleb is walking back to the bar. He opens the door and hears the yelling of drunk men and women.

Caleb: Shut up!

He walks over to the bar.

Caleb: I want my keys.

Bartender: You look sobered up.

Caleb: I don't want to talk about it.

The bartender hands Caleb his keys. Caleb grabs his keys and leaves the bar. Caleb gets in his car with his head pounding. Caleb thinks back to his argument with Will and Rachel.

Will: I've always been here for you. Even if you treated me like dirt because I know you haven't been the same since your father left, but your a real fucking asshole now.

Caleb slams his hands on his steering wheel. The horn honks again and again. Caleb pulls out of the parking lot.

Caleb: I need to clear my head.

Caleb's car slowly starts driving on the road as it starts to get dark.

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Kai wakes up at noon. He gets out of bed and takes a shower. Once Kai throws on new clothes he walks downstairs. Kai starts thinking to himself about the bank robbery. He mumbles his rapid thoughts under his breath.

Kai: If one person was outside then what was he doing? A mutant wouldn't need a lookout. He must have been doing something. Maybe he was the one controlling the guards? Who actually robbed the bank then? Was it the girl? I need to check on Cal's Soul Blade.

Kai gets in his car and drives over to the police department. Kai walks inside the building. There are a lot of B.L.A.D.E. soldiers walking around. Kai walks through the aisle of desks for detectives. Some of the police are working on documents as others are laughing and joking around. Kai walks up a small staircase. He opens the door to the biggest office in the building. He sits down in the chair. In front of him is Commissioner Owen.

Kai: Do you even have time for me now? You're a big time cop.

Owen: Maybe I can spare a little time. How have you been?

Kai: As good as I can ever be.

Owen: I hear you. I walk into the office praying I don't have a stack of papers on my desk.

Kai: That must be awful. I'm saying things are as good as they get while I just skipped out on work. You're sitting here doing paperwork all day.

Owen: You're right. You should stop complaining.

Owen's phone starts ringing.

Owen: One second.

Owen picks up the phone for a minute before ending the call.

Kai: What's going on?

Owen: Another bank was robbed. I gotta go. So, why are you here?

Kai: I need to see Cal's blade.

Owen: The blade the department picked up years ago from the Teflon killer?

Kai: Yeah, that one.

Owen: Alright.

Owen stands up and walks out the room. Kai follows him.

Owen: What's so special about this blade?

Kai: I think it might have something to do with the recent bank heists.

Owen: You think that the guards aren't lying?

Kai: If I'm right. There telling the truth.

Owen: I thought they were. It's too unbelievable to be a lie. I especially don't believe that all the guards would have been in on it. Not a single one of them said they weren't controlled.

Kai: That could always be good planning.

Owen: Now with multiple banks being robbed the same way? I don't think so.

Kai: Just making suggestions.

They walk into a room full of items the department has picked up. Kai sees Cal's giant blade on the floor.

Kai: They still haven't got it yet.

Owen: Why would they even know about this blade?

Kai: I have a theory, but there isn't really any backing for it. I think they both have soul blades, like this one. I know of a girl that has one, but we have no idea who is actually robbing the banks. There is still a good reason it isn't her because she seemed adamant on protecting good people and punishing the bad.

Owen: Not a single person has been killed during the heists. The good people haven't been harmed.

Kai: It's still sketchy.

Owen: Don't tell me it's sketchy. It's your theory.

Kai: Will you look after the blade while it's here? If the blade is taken then that woman could have something to do with the attacks.

Owen: Or it could be a coincidence. A blade being robbed from the police and bank heists are two separate events.

Kai: But what is the chance that there are multiple mutants or soul blade users active with B.L.A.D.E. soldiers all around?

Owen: It's not unheard of, but if the woman was really attacking these banks she would use that same controller power on all the soldiers here.

Kai: If you get controlled, tell me.

Owen: I can do that. Now, I gotta go.

Kai: I'll talk to you later.

Kai goes to the store and eventually drives back home. As his car pulls into the driveway the bus stops. Genki and the twins get out of the bus. Kai walks inside from the garage. The front door opens and the twins burst in.

Rachel: Can we play outside?

Caleb: Yeah, can we?

Kai: Of course you can. Your mother will probably make you do your homework once she gets back though. You got like an hour, go!

They run outside. Genki starts walking upstairs.

Kai: Bad day at school?

Genki: The kids stopped messing with me.

Kai: So then what happened?

Genki: I failed a test…

Kai sighs.

Kai: It's not a big deal. You being upset about it is what matters. You balance out a bad test with better grades. Your mother is better with the academic stuff. She'll help you out, and if you really don't understand we'll get you a tutor. What class did you fail in?

Genki: Math.

Kai: Don't you normally do well in math?

Genki: Yeah, I don't know what happened.

Kai: You're not going to get everything in math. You'll do well in some parts and worse in others. You'll do better on the next test.

Kai hears the door opening.

Kai: Go start your homework. I'll get Remi to help you out in a bit.

Genki walks up the stairs.

Remi walks inside and starts taking off her shoes.

Kai: How'd your trip go?

Remi: Terrible. The mutant camps don't have any story. They're just holding mutants. Everyone already knows about them.

Kai: You'll find a story. Stories are always happening. Eventually a mutant story will come up.

Remi sighs and walks up to Kai.

Remi: Can you just go fight somebody and tell me about it?

Kai laughs.

Kai: Just like the old days. When I would go take down a criminal and we'd tell each other about all we did that day.

Remi: You didn't even talk! All you would tell me about was the story. Then I would talk the whole rest of the time.

Kai: And you loved it.

Remi leans against Kai and he holds her.

Remi: Yeah.

Kai and Remi hear a crash outside.

Remi: Did you let the kids play outside?!

Kai: Only for an hour.

They both walk outside. The twins are rough housing. Caleb goes to tackle Rachel. Jet flames come off of his feet propelling him forward. A pink wall appears in front of Caleb. He slams into the wall and hits the ground.

Caleb: Ow!

Caleb starts crying and Remi runs over to him and swaddles him.

Kai: What did I tell you guys about powers!?

Rachel: Caleb started it!

Caleb: N-no I didn't.

Kai: Alright, you two need some time away from each other. C'mon Caleb.

Caleb follows Kai into the garage. Caleb sits in the back seat wiping his tears away. Kai starts the car. Kai pulls the car out of the driveway.

Caleb: W-where are we going?

Kai: We're just driving around. Just watch what's around you. Put down your window if you want.

Caleb looks out the window. He watches the houses go by. Then he hears barking. Caleb sees a dog running around.

Caleb: Look it's a dog!

Kai: I see him.

Kai sees Caleb get excited and forget that he was even sad.

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Caleb stops his car at a light. He turns onto the highway. His car starts picking up speed. Caleb is holding a liquor bottle he got from the back seat. He drinks another swig of the bottle.

Caleb: Car drives don't trick me anymore. It's not clearing my mind!

Caleb drinks another swing.

Caleb: My mother dies, my father leaves, my sister and best friend hate me, Genki moved and left me alone. I got fucking nobody!

Caleb keeps switching his lanes getting in front of cars. People are honking their horns, but the alcohol is drowning out the noise.

Caleb: See, god, we're in a fight. You're going to keep pilling the bullshit on until I've hit my limit.

Caleb drinks another swing.

Caleb: I won't give you the fucking satisfaction.

Caleb takes his hands off the wheel and flips off the sky. The car turns hard to the right. The car drives straight for a tree. The car swings left at the last second. The car smashes into the tree.