Just outside a very large storey building that went up to about nine floors, a large mass of people were gathered there. But these people weren't standing around just for the view or whatever scenery the building had to offer. No, they were mostly there for the same reason and that was the unrest and disturbance going on within the building.
The people standing outside the building were mostly news reporters and a few police men scattered about. Usually where there were reporters, there tend to be a lot of talking and noise in general going on. But this time around, the case was quite different as silence basically prevailed amongst them which was quite odd.
Well this happened to be so because of the infamous assassins they once thought to only operate at night were suspected to be in the building as at the moment. Thrillers hotel was owned by one of the big time people in the city. And just at about an hour ago, he was reported to have been dead.
Now with the police coming in to check and do a thorough sweep of the place and eventually getting into a gun battle with the assassins as suspected was beginning to make sense to a lot of people. The events now seemed connected to a lot of people that heard about it. But that was all they could do, theorize.
But the cause of the silence was because of the look on the few remaining police officers on the outside of the building. These were the ones that hadn't gone in since the fight had begun. The looks on their faces as they tried to reach their partners in the building to receive no answer said it all. It wasn't like they were suspecting the worst, they already knew the worst had happened.
At this point, this was becoming repetitive. Since the inception of the whole assassins madness, there hadn't been a time when the police met with these said assassins that one of their own walked back unharmed or alive. They had all simply fallen to these new terror every time it had struck.
At these point they were basically kamikaze soldiers going in with the knowledge that they wouldn't be coming out. But not all of them were this brave and neither did the higher ups force them like they would have done in most cases. It was simply irrational to force their own men to go and die.
And that is why they were instructed to minimize losses. In other words, they were asked to survive on their own. Main reason why even if some wanted to call for backup, they couldn't. But even as the few standing outside along with the reporters would trade anything just to remain outside and not get into the mix going on the inside, a certain person didn't quite share the same opinion as they did.
A car had driven into the scene and stopped in a screeching halt. But that wasn't what got the attention of the reporters and the few other people that were present there. No, matter of fact, what had gotten their attention was the person that exited the car with a gun in his hand and dashing straight at them.
Instinctively the police men on ground at that point had pulled out their guns pointing it at the figure that ran straight to them. And then they began to caution this said person not to approach any further but their warnings seemingly fell on deaf ears.
And just as the person running at them got closer, they began to understand why he had paid no mind to them all along. This was because this person was somebody they all knew well and most have probably worked with twice or more. This was the famous detective in the city of ZOA, this was detective Dave.
"Where's Hayley!!!" Dave asked rather sharply staring at one of the police men who wore the blue, red and black uniform which was their official uniform that also went along with a cap. Dave didn't even allow the man to give him an answer before he moved on to the next person to ask. After doing this with three police men and shoving them violently aside, the rest of them knew that when it came to their turn they had better have quick answers.
"In there..in there" one of the police man answered quickly as sweat ran down his face. It was clear Dave was not in the best of moods. And they had all seen how that went down with criminals and wanted none of it.
"And you guys are out here?" Dave asked clearly infuriated.
"Orders man, you gotta relax".... Another police man who was a little chubby said to Dave. Dave hearing this only chuckled slightly and then slowly began to make his way to the man who had made the comment. The others had gotten in the way immediately as they knew a fight could potentially happen if nothing was done.
And they weren't far from the truth as Dave had intentions of doing some facial reconstruction on the chubby man's face. But that had been put to a halt as the men had gathered to stop Dave from doing what he would regret as they called it.
"Let him be, it seems he has forgotten that he's now retired. If you really were that brave then why did you leave huh? And just so you know, certain rules don't apply anymore. You are not my superior anymore so just know that If you mess yourself up out here then I can arrest you even without thinking twice" the chubby man said to Dave. What he was trying to imply was one of the rules they had where an officer lower in rank couldn't lay his hands on a much more superior officer.
Dave laughed at this statement before saying .."You are right, certain rules don't apply to me anymore. Like the order stay back and remain cowards like you all!".And as soon as he had finished saying this, he blasted off heading to the entrance of the large hotel. Because of how he had ran off unexpected, the police men on ground could do very little to stop him. And they were far from being willing to head inside and get him.
"What is Dave thinking?" One of the officers said.
"I don't know, but I'm gonna miss that guy" the chubby man replied shaking his head as he made this comment. The others turned and frowned at him as they knew exactly what the chubby man had meant by those words.
But none of them could argue as even as they hadn't said the same thing the chubby guy had said, they all thought that way too. There was just no right from wrong in this scenario. They all did the natural thing expected of them.
"Dave!!!"
"Dave!!!""...." Stop "..
But that didn't look like it had worked as Dave just ran on and entered the building. The reporters though being quiet for quite some time on seeing this, the usual chatter had begun as they came up with different assumptions and theories as to what might have been going on.
"Just when it looked like the entire situation was beginning to quiet down as sounds of gunshot have seized, a new arrival might just have caused a shift..." The reporters began as they faced their camera.
*Breaking news: live outside the famous thrillers hotel where a lot had happened today and still a lot is going on, retired detective, ZOA's very own detective Dave has just gone into the building and it looks like he isn't meant to be around from the reactions of the police men on ground*.. A woman faced a camera and reported.
But she wasn't the only one doing this as the other reporters had said roughly exactly what she had said.
*Could it be that detective Dave has discovered something that could potentially change the tide?. Stay tuned as we bring you more update.....*Another one reported. And so the reports went flying around like that.
And after several minutes, of awkward silence as they struggled with what to report about because nothing had really changed other than a few gun shots they heard minutes after Dave had gone in, the large front entrance had opened up and a Lady walked out staggering and yelling something.
"Call the ambulance!!!"
"Call the ambulance!!!"
"Hey isn't that inspector Hayley?" The chubby police officer from earlier on pointed out.
"Yeah, but if she's out here....where's Dave?" Another police officer asked. And immediately the question started to revolve round their minds. But firstly they rushed to the lady who had now fallen at the entrance of the building sitting down and crouching in a foetal position.
"Hey....are you okay?" One of the officers asked.
"Where are the others?" Another asked all for Hayley to raise her head up and then shake her head with tears rolling down her cheeks. This came as a shock to them especially those that had been thinking of somehow approaching her and asking her out but get put off by the overwhelming air of confidence around her. They had never thought they would ever find her in this state. Just what torment must she have passed through to have been broken this way, they all thought.
****************************
Minutes later, ambulances had arrived and taken the bodies away. Out of the multiple events that had occurred concerning the assassins, this very one shook the citizens to their core. Why this was so was because, the very little hope they had about there being safety in the day time had just been violently shredded to pieces. They all felt like they all could be next at any instant.
Now while they all felt this fear, a certain person felt a different emotion all together. This was Hayley and she sat close to a bed where Dave laid sleeping. She has been checked up on and asked to just take some rest and use the medications provided to her. But Dave on the other hand wasn't so lucky as he had suffered quite a lot of deadly injuries and was patched up all over.
"I'm sorry....I'm really sorry. I was awake the whole time...but.... but I couldn't help you. I thought if I played dead then you'd do the same and that monster would lose interest. I thought ...I thought you caught my cue while I was on his back. I'm so sorry. ...I could hear it all happen...I".... Hayley sniffles and then continues..." I could hear the sound of how bad you were being hit. I heard the sound of your bones cracking ....but I...I played possum still. I'm sorry...you were really brave out there... And you stood up for me but this is what I made you pass through in return... " Hayley said and then broke into a full fledged weeping.
Moments later she stormed out of the hospital and left for home. As she arrived home, she got in her bed straight and resumed her crying. Well that was until ...
*crackle*
The sound of lightning hitting something entered her ears And when she turned around, she could see a figure.
A figure in an all white attire with gold trims standing in her room.
"This is a joke right, I have to be dreaming...right?" Hayley said out loud.
"I am Artries...and you will yield to my demands" the figure said with his eyes glowing white and sparks going off around them.