PART 1
It was the early morning when birds kept chirping. The sun was finally out after the overcast clouds seemed to stretch over head and make a day feel longer. Warming the stale air. The streets were curious in the way the locals glanced and stared from the sidewalk and out peaking from windows.
The dogs barked furious behind corrugated fences, hungry for the death they smelled in the air. A car drove infront of an apartment, a man walked out bidding the driver farewell. He tipped his hat then adjusted his coat and buttons. He sighed looking up at the cops and paramedics moving back and forth. Neon yellow and red tape set the perimeter of the building.
He ducked under it walking to the entrance of the building it surrounded without protest. He didn't need to take out his badge from his pocket, he already had it pinned on his chest close to his heart proudly. Waiting leaning on the door was a man with a square jaw that already had grey hairs sprouting from it, his eyes were hard and his hands were too. He shook the boy's hand.
"Detective Billerman sir, nice to meet you."
"I can't say the same. You're Copper Billerman?"
"Yes sir, Mr. Anderson sir."
"I was expecting your brother but... can't hope for miracles it seems." The old man sighed before leading the way up stair.
5 floors up empty stair and halls the sound of their step was finally occupied by other sounds. Camera snapping and mummurs in one open room. Anderson stopped at the door and looked at Cooper, "Have you 3v3r seen a dead body Billerman?" He shook his head and Anderson continued, "Well... you can go ahead and puke outside the window."
The air felt heavy as soon as he stepped in to the scene of dry blood that marked the furnitureand floor, bullet holes that speckled about the plain walls and a body wrapped in aluminum blanket readying to be thrown onto the stretcher. His pale face peaked through, calm fear was carved into his vacant visage.
"Should have seen the other guy." A woman said looking at what he saw, "His almost blew apart." She gesture, her hands still in her pockets.
Cooper blinked the image of the body from his mind and stretched a hand out introducing himself. She glanced at his hand and looked up, "Detective Cirkinsal." She finally said then took a look sniff of the air.
He was her senior so he moved for a solid salute, his right hand embraced his heart.
"What do you think rookie, gang related." She gesture to the room.
He looked at the empty spaces where he assumes blodies used to lie. "I don't know ma'am."
"I think it is." She quickly says.
"If it's you ma'am then you must be right."
She chuckled gesturing him to stop saluting, "The question is who."
Not sure what to do he saluted her again, and she sucked her lips walking out the building calling for him to follow.
PART 2
POV: Panam
I could feel it. It was like my skin was boiling beneath the surface. The same black fluid that covered my arms and strengthened them before was there, if I focused enough I feel like I could get them to do it again. It tickled more than anything. It was my only entertainment, the only thing I available was to spar with Constantine, run from Constantine, kill with Constantine. He said that he was teaching me to kill but he didn't let me kill anyone that night, he ended their lives before I can. Isn't that the same thing? 'We' killed them.
My finger bleeds, after being picked open by my nail. I don't banage the wound, I stare at it concerntrating as the flesh mends, slowly but 10x faster than normal surely. Five minutes pass and the cut is closed. I'v gotten better at this and impressed, but I'm not the only one who is. I look from my hand down the entrance stair at a man, hog tied to a beam. He's probably been there for hours now, but the hate he had in his eyes were still hot as deep smoldering embers as when he woke up. He would probably still be screaming if it weren't for the apple lodged and tied into his jaws, the drool pooled on the dirt.
There is I see a car drive past the open gates parking 15 paces infront of me, the door swings open to me and out comes Constantine. Face wrinkles deepen at the mid-day light, squinting at me then walks akwardly toward us. "Has he been good?" He ask and I nod trying not to look at him. Thankfully he looks to the man on the floor. Displaying his nonchalant strength like he does so many time picking up the guy by the collar, he gags as he gets put upright on his knees.
Constantine cracks his neck, then his fingers then more joint for 5 minute. He shook any lingering stiffness left before saying with renewed vigor, "Right... now, you're gonna tell us what we want to know. We could do this the easy way or the hard way." He said unconvincingly.
The man mumbled around the apple lodged in his mouth before Constantine roughly took it out breathing an apology. The man worked his jaw sighing, "I'll tell you..." he mumbled under his breathe, "I'll tell you. bloody mare, man." He repeated with more confidence and volume.
Constantine looked back at me, he seemed disappointed and probably wondered if I shared the same sentiment. I don't, but I shrug either way and he's sighs like the old man he is.
"You're no fun."
"I don't WANT to be your fun."
With that Constantine calls over his shoulder to me, "Hey kid, why don't you take a hike and mozie on off."
He wasn't asking it and I wasn't going to protest. I felt too tired, feeling weighed down by an invisible force.
"Touasè" I say bidding my 'teacher' farewell. I walk away pretending that I have places to be. I don't know what to do in my free time. I wander around the streets staste the craving for something in my tongue and I wonder where I tasted it from. Cookies, I realize and I waste no time finding a café sandwiched between retail stores.
I use the money Constantine gave me after my first mission. Cash thick enough to make wallets swell. I don't have a wallet though so my pillow and back pocket works just well. This was a mercenary job, more than a field day exercise he down plays it to be. I wonder why the old man lives in a scrapyard than an actual house.
The thought fades as I take the large raisin cookie from the packet and savour it with my eyes closed. I moan a breathy sigh, it's sweeter and more milky than my memory of it was. I remember to savour it as I'm half-way to finishing the large cookie and order two more with a coffee sitting down. I idly look around the store looking for the source of the high pitch buzzing sound until I realize that it was in my ears.
I try not to mind it, and after I empty my coffee cup and two cookies. I take the last as leftovers leaving the café and I feel somewhat at peace in the world. I make my way back through the last buildings that frayed close to the hill, there is a bridge built over a dry river bed I cross. The other is in incomplete, a road never put on the cobbled arch ways.