1
Royce drove into the city centre, to the station in a relatively moderate fashion. His heart was not moderate for some reason, something he could not rationalise was that Daniel was in danger and his worried state could barely comprehend if something would happen to him.
'You tried his communicator again?' Royce asked.
Erica sighed, part tired and part frustrated. 'Yeah it is not connecting.'
'You spoke to your boss?'
'No, but let me do that now.' Erica said and she tapped her ear. 'Yes, I need a search for Agent Bridgewater. He's been taken…Yes it has been a few hours. His communicator is non responsive.' Erica nodded for a few seconds and then said 'Thank you and please do.'
'Yeah?' Royce asked.
'He's been placed on HSA.'
'High search alert.' Royce said.
'Correct,' Erica replied, 'As soon as they know, we'll know.'
'Well if there is one team who can find him, then it will be yours.' Royce said. 'I just hope they find him alive, but I mean he did survive a thousand foot fall so, I'm sure, I'm positive he is fine.' Royce said in a way that sounded like he tried to reassure his own deep fears about it.
Erica nodded and smiled, but said nothing. She was worried as well and that normally she would be the verbose, loquacious one, spilling her thoughts out into the world, but Royce filled that void. There could not be two of them in the car.
She adopted the demeanor of Daniel. Kept her thoughts internal. Keep it cold.
'You're worried about him too?'
Erica looked at Royce and then looked away. She then nodded.
A few moments of silence.
'How is Alyssa?' asked Erica.
Royce was about to ask why Erica asked that, but it was the only thing in that moment they could talk about and converse without the double worry that they had felt about Daniel. 'Slept in the spare room. She cried herself to sleep.'
'Must have been hard to listen to.' Erica said.
'Trust me.'
'You did not feel like consoling her?'
Royce took a few seconds before he measured his reply between honesty and frankness. 'I wanted to, but wanting something, but doing what's right for you are kind of two different things. I'm still a little fucked up in what happened, like the whole day. Yesterday the whole fucking full spectrum of it was a rollercoaster. I'm angry at her, angry for her lies, but also angry that she spoke with such warmth about that prick. I'm having to rehash fucking everything Erica. Everything I felt nearly two years ago. It's all just exhausting.' Royce paused. 'It's a true conflict because I never want to hear her cry, but at the same time, I can't help this anger I feel. Like I'm wondering, like actually wondering if she's actually crying about me or crying cause she was thinking about him and it brought the shit she felt up again.'
'She was crying over you Royce.' Erica said.
'How can you tell? Women's intuition?'
'Cause I can see she loves you. I can tell that she's mournful and she's a human being. Mistakes are embedded in all of our DNA.' Erica said.
'She keeps making them.'
'You perfect Royce? You do everything right?'
'I didn't fuck anyone else. I tried, I really did. I wanted to. I wanted to understand why she felt like she needed to go there, to go to someone else and to him. But fuck me for being stupid because I made them shitty vows.' Royce paused. 'I'm a lot of things Chandler. But what I ain't, is a fucking cheater.'
'Even if you wanted to.'
Like I said, wanting to do something and doing something right for you are two different things. I'd be no better than her.'
Erica shook her head. 'You want to be better than her?'
'I didn't want to be anything more than her, but when this story is told, the shit between us, one of us has to have some moral high ground.'
'I don't think you should tell your wife that sentence.' Erica said.
'Why not?'
'Cause to me it sounds like you wanna be better and that you'll think you're better than her for the rest of your life. That you make her think that over and over and it will be used against her will kill her off Royce, I promise you that. I will kill off her soul and she'll either hate you for the rest of her life and her soul which has a lot of that love will be gone and stay not for the right reason, meaning not to fuck up again and she'll be living in fear for the rest of her days or she'll leave and you'll have nothing. I don't think you want that.'
'So what should I do?' asked Royce.
Erica sighed. 'I know you're hurt Royce. You got hurt real bad. Type of pain you can end things on. I haven't loved someone like you love your wife. I've never been that close or that lucky or blessed. I have seen how shitty it has been to throw away something, someone who meant a lot to someone and how it rips someone's soul. You don't want that. I know you don't want that. You don't need it either.' She paused. She considered her words as she had Royce's full attention as they pulled into the police station car park. 'You have to decide if this is what you want for you and what you want for her. If you are going to keep punishing Royce, let her go, find someone else. Let her find someone else. If you want to fight for this marriage, this real fucking ride or die love you have, you got to let go of this. Move on from it. Taylor's dead and gone. She ain't going to him again. You got her now and fucking forever if…if you want her and able to move on.'
Royce turned off the engine. 'And what if she does it again? I get distant and she goes off a fucks some other dude. What should I do then?'
'That a real pertinent question Royce. One that matters. I can only reply with a counter question. What if she didn't? What if you go distant and she doesn't do a thing? What will you do then?'
Royce went to answer, but couldn't. He nodded, but the colour just flushed from his face. Erica won that conversation, but left him with a little body blow and she knew she felt bad about it.
'I may not feel what you feel Royce. I've been fucked around not literally, but emotionally by guys who never loved me, not really. Not in the way that I wanted. I'm jealous.'
'Why?' Royce asked emotionally and he looked out into the car park.
'I'd rather feel your pain because you actually got something from someone. You know feel the way you feel because those deep feelings you got for your wife, they got reciprocated by her. She let you know she loved you and continues to do so. It hurts because it's meaningful and all I know is meaningless relationships from the men I've liked. I even fooled myself into loving one, but he was a fuck so there. I've never had that, what you and Alyssa have. May never be in love.'
'You're too young to sound so cynical and negative Erica. Way too young.'
'And you're too old to just give up on something, someone you've loved for decades.' sad Erica and she nudged him playfully. 'It's rare for me anyway to see and even more for me to believe in that, love, but I believe she does, and I believe you do too. No one's perfect Royce. You ain't. So isn't Alyssa and that is fucking fine.' She placed her hand on his shoulder and smiled.
Royce smiled as well. He knew that she was being nice and at that moment it meant a lot to him, so of course for him, he had to talk about something else. 'Whoo, so how about them Steelers?'
Erica laughed as did Royce. 'I'm the wrong person to talk about that, being a Bears fan and all.'
'I feel your pain.' Royce laughed and this was good.
They both needed the release. They also knew they had to get back to the day ahead and that they had to try and figure out where Daniel was.
A knock on the passenger side window.
Erica looked and saw a white officer who wore a thick patrol jacket and hat in front of her. She pressed a button to bring the glass down and said, 'Yes officer?'
'Agent Erica Chandler?'
'Yes, that's me.'
'Please take your hands out slowly.'
Royce looked confused. 'And why does she need to do that?'
The officer named Richardson said 'Detective Drysdale,'
'Richardson. What in the fuck are you doing?' asked Royce who swapped the tone of confusion with frustration.
'She needs to come out with her hands up and let me take her weapon.' Richardson said.
'Why am I under arrest?' Erica asked.
Richardson sighed. 'I'm doing this out here, so you wouldn't get it done in there, in front of everyone.'
'But leading her in with fucking cuffs is any better?'
'I won't lead her in with cuffs, but she has to come in with me.' Richardson maintained that same matter-of fact tone throughout.
'Answer the question, officer. Why am I under arrest?'
Richardson sighed. 'Oliver Harris made a call.'
'Fuck.' Royce said as he looked up and closed his eyes. 'This morning fucking sucks.'
Richardson continued. 'He is pressing charges for illegal entry to a private property and assault on his security and himself. You and Agent Bridgewater are both wanted for questioning and to possibly be charged.'
Erica just smiled and got out of the car. She lifted her jacket to allow Richardson to take her weapon and clips.
'Sorry about this.' Richardson said.
'Not your fault.' Erica said. 'There's only one man who is at fault for this and I'm going to see him again.'
'Let's go.' Richardson said.
2
Erica was led in by Richardson and was taken straight to the cells. Royce followed the pair just behind and very close.
There were not many officers in as they were out in the search for Daniel Bridgewater. Many were giddy for the search and others were a little hesitant, as they did see the man fall from the heavens and walk around fine only a few hours later.
Richardson stayed close, but kept his word about not bringing her in cuffed. Erica did think for a moment that she could just teleport herself out of there.
But what good would that do? she thought, it would be about Daniel and myself and not Marco and fucking Oliver Harris as she thought of Oliver's name she could not help but grit her teeth in anger.
Still the officers that were there, sat at their desks or stood around conversing between themselves and some stopped. They saw it and they knew it.
There was some decorum and professionalism as once they saw that walk and had a feeling about what had happened, but some looked away and went about their business, this was more due to the death stare that Royce gave each of them as they walked by, but others kept their nerve and watched and discussed every step.
Royce wanted to say something, but what would that do for this whole situation.
Erica was led around a corner and down some steps. This was a narrow hallway that reduced in width as the blue iron door came closer.
Erica had been down this way before when she went to get Daniel when he got arrested now it was her and she did not like this feeling.
She worked too hard to get here and here was at this moment, this horrible, lonely thing. The door opened and the heavy locks clicked open. The heavy iron door slid to the left and locked in and they were in the holding area.
There were less prisoners than before, but each eye looked at Erica.
'Lemme feel your ass baby.' said one prisoner. 'You look like you gotta pretty ass there baby, with the way you are walking. Lemme feel it. I'll make you happy.'
'And I'll make you bleed.' Royce said. 'Shut the fuck up.'
'Easy to say cop,' the prisoner said, 'when you're on the other side of these bars, cop.'
'I know dickhead. That's why I said it. It's probably good that you're on the other side. Save yourself an ass whooping.'
'COME GET SOME THEN!!!!' The prisoner screamed.
'I just had breakfast. Maybe at lunch, I'll feel the need to whip your ass convict. Right now, just appreciate the fact your teeth and jaw are in working order.' Royce said as Erica was led into a cell and the cell bars slid shut.
Richardson locked the cell and walked away. Royce stayed.
Royce leaned close and spoke quietly 'Look I know you can teleport yourself out of here, but I would really advise not to.'
'I'm not going to do that. That would bring more problems.' Erica said.
'How are you going to get word to your boss?' Royce asked.
'I assume that my boss will speak to yours about how he has heard from myself or Daniel, now unless your boss lies and breaks one of our rules,'
'You guys have rules?' Royce asked, surprised.
'Yeah a few. One is you don't lie to Alexander Bolton.'
'Why?'
'Cause he always knows. He can spot a liar better than anyone else I know of. When I first met him I lied to him like eight times. He knew them all and told me in real time.' Erica said.
'Perhaps he researched you.'
'He probably did, and some of the things I lied about, people could find out, but there were other things, he could not have known there were lies. Private things, personal things. He just knew.' Erica looked away, almost going back internally to that memory and sounded how she felt the first time. 'If Larry lies, he'll know and he'll pay.'
'He's that powerful?'
'Bolton? Yeah, the way he speaks to Bridgewater, he knows what he can do.'
'I speak to Bridgewater like shit.' Royce said.
'Only because he allows you to.' Erica smiled.
'Well, the only other way is Daniel comes in and gets you out.'
'That would be the worst option.'
Royce nodded. 'Ain't that the truth. He'll destroy everyone here.' he paused. 'This is bullshit. You are here behind these bars, Daniel somewhere and Marco is out there, and Oliver somehow has the upper hand.'
'We ain't done yet, Royce. We ain't done.' Erica said. 'Long as we are still breathing. We are still fighting.'
'I just hope we have a fight to join, or it could be too late.' Royce said and Erica did not reply.
Deep down, she thought the same thing.
3
Daniel Bridgewater stumbled out of the derelict building and walked through the crumbled, stone ground.
This area used to be something, but now belonged to nature as under growth started to take hold of the lower floors. He looked back at the building.
It looked like some sort of factory. Possibly a car manufacturer. Daniel shrugged, it was a limited question, he had to get back to his partners.
It did not help that he walked out of an area that was in the middle of nowhere. The birds chirped around him.
Planes were heard high in the sky. He wondered if he had enough strength to try and leap to save the walk.
It would save time, but after last night Daniel then remembered the beating he took from of all people; Oliver Harris. Closest I've felt to death in a long time.
The way his lifeforce seeped out of him and how he heard almost every major organ start to give in. It was something he needed to consider.
Daniel felt his knees. How are you feeling? Good? Good. He took a few paces back and took a deep meaningful breath. Took in all the air his lungs and sprinted down the street. He pressed down with his right foot and caused the sidewalk to crack and he sprung high into the air and he could see nearly all of Preston, in the distance he could see the city centre and at a glimpse the police station.
He rose high in the air and then dropped back down to earth, but from his estimate he covered around six miles or so.
As the ground came towards him, Daniel gritted his teeth, expecting furious pain to surge across his legs, but as he created a near crater when he landed and the ground around him shook a little as he leapt off high into the air as soon as bounced off the ground and he was high in the clouds again.
Daniel could help but smile as he almost hit what looked like a pair of blue jays. For some reason, the air is where he felt like belonged. He landed and made another crater with his feet and leapt high in the air once more. He got closer to the city centre and knew this would be his last leap, so took it all in.
The exhilaration of the climb away from the ground, how clean the air smelled high in the clouds and how quiet, serene and just peaceful it was up here. As he descended, he missed the clouds, the endless mass of clouds that was around him and as he looked up, he did yearn to spend more time up there.
Maybe it is because it is close to heaven Daniel thought and that was probably the reason he just felt that way.
He landed in a Walmart car park and created such a rumble that a few cars shook and jerked around as he met the ground again with force.
He looked around and saw the same car and the same couple the night he went to the warehouse and found the gun club card. They both sprung up in shock, both had clothes and hair that looked out of place.
'You guys will do it anywhere.' Daniel said with a smile. 'Get a room.'
They looked in a little shock as Daniel brushed off some of the concrete that flung up to his jacket as he landed.
They watched him walk off and he paid them no mind. To him he interrupted them being potentially arrested or having just a great time, so there was no point in lingering around.
He walked out onto main street and two, then three police cruisers sped past, then turned and headed towards him, one mounted the pavement and stopped Daniel from walking. The other two parked either side of Daniel, one in front, the other in the behind him.
Russo came out of the cruiser in front of Daniel with Sampson closely behind him.
'What?' Daniel said in frustration.
'You have to come with us, Bridgewater.' Sampson said.
'Why? What's wrong?'
'We got to bring you in for questioning,' Russo said, 'some incident at Engrave you and your precious little partner got yourselves fucked in.'
'Russo, bro, Erica would beat the shit out of you on her worst day.' Daniel said.
'Well I wouldn't hit a woman, but you,'
'You already have and how did that work out for you? I mean I can flick you across the street if you want?'
Russo smiled and unbuckled his gun. 'Thank fuck you are being difficult. I wouldn't want this to be a simple bring in.'
'You excel in simple Russo. Let me walk to your station.'
"We can give you a ride there Bridgewater.' Sampson said. 'No need to walk.'
'I have to hit my walk target, what is it like a ten-minute trek from here?' Daniel smirked. 'Need to stretch my legs.'
'You're coming with us, either quietly or you'll be engaged, and we will be right within our providence to use lethal force.' Russo said as Daniel noticed, Russo's hand moved slowly closer to his gun.
'You really shouldn't be a police officer, you're too quick to reach for your gun Russo, Sampson. I'm not a threat, I'm not in any stance, I'm not raising my voice in any way.'
'Good so you can hand your gun over and come with us.' Sampson said as he slowly walked over and took out his handcuffs.
'You put those on me and we are going to have a problem, because I will be within my providence to cause you all great pain.' Daniel said with a cold tone.
'Is that right?' Russo asked with a big grin across his face. 'Please choose that option.'
'What the dummy asks, is what the dummy will receive.' Daniel said.
Sampson went over to grab Daniel's left arm, but was flipped over by Daniel who kept his foot on the gun hand of Sampson who screamed in pain.
Russo took out his gun and tried to aim at Daniel, who moved too fast and lithe and was already in front of Russo who tried to react, but he could not in time, as Daniel already grabbed and bent Russo's right wrist with such speed and pressure that he dropped the gun and fell to his knees.
All Russo could do say the word 'Fuck.' repeatedly as the pain bore down on him but moving his arm very slowly, Daniel's fingers had caused near maximum damage to that wrist as other police officers ran over and pointed their weapons and screamed at Daniel to let Russo go. Sampson got up and did the same.
All screamed with their faces going bright red. As Daniel watched them, but also this caused a commotion as people watched as cars passed or parked, or walked out of restaurants and stores and took out their phones to record.
Daniel saw a familiar face among the emerging crowd. Brandon the miner with his colleagues. He watched Daniel as he was in such a tense situation.
The commands that were being yelled fell into the ether of Daniel's mind. Even Russo's screams of "SHOOT HIM!" were not important, he looked at Brandon and his friends all black and Daniel was at some sort of crossroads. He could take down all these officers, go about his merry way and be some sort of hero to the black citizens, like Marco was to some, but if he did that, long after Daniel would be gone, the grudge would be turned to those citizens or he could let go and surrender, but would that make him weak, when he knew what he could do.
It felt like a lose-lose to him, but he let Russo go without thinking and raised his arms. Sampson removed his handgun swiftly and did not blink as he did. Everyone continued to watch as the officers swarmed around him and tried to slam Daniel's head into the bonnet of the cruiser in front, but they could not move him.
Russo got up and took up his cuffs. 'TAKE THE CUFFS YOU FUCK!' He screamed.
'No.' Daniel said.
Russo brought Daniel's hands together and slapped on the cuffs. A second later Daniel broke the cuffs, by just pulling his wrists away from each other. 'GET ME ANOTHER.'
He passed some more and then the same thing happened again. Daniel snapped off that pair of cuffs as well.
'No.' Daniel said again.
'GIVE ME SOME GODDAMN ZIP TIES! I'M GONNA TAKE YOU LIKE THE,'
'You want to go there Russo, cause if you do, you'll kiss this fucking life goodbye.' Daniel said.
'You just threatened a police officer.' Russo said as he struggled to hold Daniel's arms together with three other officers doing the same.
'No I just threatened you, a man who should be nowhere near a badge and nowhere near such power.' Daniel said, 'cause you were about to say something you couldn't take back and your spine won't recover from.'
Sampson passed Russo the zip ties. 'Hold him. Hold the fucker.' Russo grimaced as he opened the zip ties and tried to place them on Daniel's wrists.
Daniel barely looked like he was giving any effort while the officers were utilising every sinew of effort that their muscles could provide.
Russo got them on and immediately Daniel snapped them off and flung all the officers that had tried to hold him down.
'I SAID FUCKING NO! I AIN'T GOING LIKE A FUCKING PRISONER YOU HEAR ME? YOU CAN'T SHOOT ME, SO I'M ASKING YOU DO YOU HEAR ME?'
Everyone stood in stunned silence apart from Daniel whose eyes darted around everybody around him.
'Now you can take me the fuck in and question me, whatever. I don't give a fuck, but if you put them cuffs or zip ties on me, hell if you even think it in your tiny little heads right now, I will hurt every single one of you. I will break things your doctors won't be able to repair and play catch with your kids? Them days will be over if you fuck with me, do you understand? I will not be disrespected or treated like I'm a criminal or treated less than human by you lot. You ain't going to do that to me. I don't give a flying fuck who you are. You ain't going to hurt me and you certainly won't disrespect me. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?' Daniel yelled and he calmed down.
All the officer, bar Russo nodded or murmured yes.
Daniel walked up to Russo. 'Prick?'
'You ain't my boss. I ain't scared of you. You ain't some god. You bleed like the rest of us. You can be hurt like the rest of us and I'm going to find out a way to hurt ya. It's going to be so pleasurable when I fucking do Bridgewater. Get in the fucking car so we can stop this fucking circus and take you in.' Russo spat.
Daniel smiled. He pointed to the cruiser to his right. 'This one?'
Russo just nodded.
Daniel walked towards the cruiser and looked at Brandon and his boys. They all just smiled at him. A few gave nods of approval.
Daniel just smiled back at them and he entered the back seat of the car as Sampson slammed the door behind Daniel as he entered.
4
Daniel was sitting in the same cell as he was last time. Erica was in the cell opposite him. She could not contain her joy at seeing Daniel alive again. She wanted to hug, but well she knew deep down that it would not go down well with Daniel. So she let go of that feeling.
He told her about the whole conversation between Marco and him. He also added the failed attempt of being arrested. That was part of the tale that he felt the proudest in telling.
'So you could have shot him and you didn't?' Erica asked as she sat back down on the bed behind her. 'The man so desperate to end this case, could have ended it there and then.'
'You know it's not that simple.' Daniel said. 'I don't kill just because I can, it is what I hope, the last resort, like I have no fucking choice.'
'Sounds like Marco was telling you the next time you meet he's not going to give you that chance.'
'You ever killed someone Chandler?'
Erica shook her head. 'If injured people did enough to put them down, but they have lived.'
'It isn't easy. Unless it is absolutely necessary, it is not the best thing. First time I did it, I killed someone. I saw their face for days. I couldn't shake it, despite the fact they were trying to kill me, I couldn't shake it. The fact I was in a situation where it was either me or them, that gave me solace, as I took from them what they were going to take from me, but those first few days, I felt horrible.'
'And now?'
'I know it is necessary if the moment calls for it. I don't take it lightly, but also know if I enter that arena where it is to kill or be killed. I won't hesitate, not anymore.'
'You hesitated?'
Daniel nodded. 'I did and I paid for it and I won't do it again.' He got up and walked to the iron bars he folded once before and placed both hands on them. 'The mistakes we make here. You can't walk them back no matter how much you try. Those are set in stone.'
'So be flawless then?'
'As close to that if you can, but something will always fuck it up.' Daniel said. 'I told you not to form relationships in these cases, but we both failed with that haven't we?'
Erica smiled. 'Yes we have.'
'That is a lesson to be learned.'
'Cause they won't remember us when we're done?'
'Hard shit to let go, you go through something like this with someone, it's tough to let go. I'm almost envious. They have it easy. To forget.' Daniel sighed. 'If I had killed Marco earlier, it doesn't end it, this case, not truly and you know it doesn't.'
'Oh you're talking about the caves below Engrave.' Erica said. 'The place where you almost died?'
'The place where it looks like Oliver Harris is trying to open up a portal to another world.'
Erica nodded. 'I assume in your experience, this is never a good thing?'
'No,' Daniel said, it usually revolves around world domination and annihilation. The usual shit.'
Erica wanted to laugh. 'The usual shit?'
'Yeah they don't put that on the leaflets they hand out, but that's the job.'
'So we could just break out of here?'
'But we won't.'
'While Oliver Harris is carrying on with his nefarious deeds and Marco Reilly flying the skies, killing everyone who gets in his way and we are in here.' Erica said as she stood up again.
'We have to be patient.' Daniel said. 'Bolton will come through and we'll be out again.'
'To finish this?' Erica asked.
'Undoubtedly.' Daniel smiled. 'Bolton will come through for us.'
5
Royce tried to do his part. He was on the phone to his Police Chief.
'Sir we need….Yes I know they went to Engrave….No I was not there. I was at home with my,' He paused. 'With my wife sir….Look we have a murderer on the loose who tore up most of East Street and what seems to be our city's favourite son doing something that may be dangerous for everyone and when I mean everyone sir, I mean like worldwide,' Royce sighed. 'Sir if we don't have Agents Bridgewater and Chandler out there with me, then we are fucked sir, I wish I could come up with another word, but fucked kinda seems real apt for the situation we are in right now. I need you to, sir, Harris doesn't not give a fuck about these charges.' The door knocked and Royce put the phone to his shoulder. 'Yeah.'
'It's Daniels.'
'Come in.' Royce said and Daniels entered Royce's office. 'Yeah.'
'I got the location of that man, you asked for David Windfeather, west of here, near Paradise Valley.' Daniels said and he put the post-it-note on Royce's desk.
'Thanks Shaun.'
'Mind if I ask you something?' Daniels asked.
Royce held a finger up as he had the receiver by his ear. 'Sir, I would like you to consider the fate of the fucking city you were voted in to protect, you, the mayor and the DA need to keep your hands out of the ass of Oliver Harris, go on suspend me, who's going to solve this case then? And when the bodies pile up you know who they'll blame for that and whoop-de-doo it won't be me!' Royce slammed down the phone.
'Whoop-de-doo Royce?'
Royce looked ashamed. 'I was in the moment.'
Daniels did not look convinced.
'It was not some of my best work, but that fucker is just, I don't know.' Royce looked at Daniels. 'The idiots out there are staying away from our agents?'
Daniels nodded. 'They haven't been bothering them. Though some of them are chomping at the bit to get them.'
'Well they could chomp on some fucking doughnuts before getting at them two.'
'You do realise we all don't like doughnuts.'
Royce sighed and rubbed his eyes in pure frustration. 'Yes I know that was the point of the joke I tried to tell.'
'That was a joke Royce.'
'Wait before I cry in a corner about this whole conversation, you asked me something when I was on the phone. What was it?'
'This David Windfeather, what do you need to know from him?'
Royce sat back. 'Just a hunch. He knows about the land round here. I'm thinking he could help us.' Royce looked at the post-it-note. 'No time like the present. I'm heading to Paradise. Call me if anything goes on here like as soon as.'
'Will do.' Daniels said as Royce had already grabbed his stuff and was out the door with the note in hand.
6
For some reason, the best time to drive in Preston was a Friday. There were not as many cars in the busiest regions through the usual golden period between eleven in the morning to around three in the afternoon.
If you wanted to go around Preston, Pennsylvania for a long drive this was the time. Royce had his own hypothesis on this. As it was a Friday, most would start work early and try to finish early or worked longer to get ahead of the next week. To Royce it was either one or the other.
That was the simplicity of being from Preston. Things usually ran as clockwork.
Paradise Valley was almost named ironically, but its residents. The only paradise was in the fact that the people here were left alone.
The valley which was a valley in not so much a loose term, but was several reservations rolled into one. Each reservation housed a different indigenous tribe, the first Americans.
As Royce rolled in through the gates and the sign welcoming people into the valley, Royce had realised this was a place he barely went to. Much like Andersonville, Paradise was only a place he would go to for the very worst and not the very best.
Usually a homicide. Though these had reduced greatly in the last five years, the only sad increases were the increased disappearance of women in the valley.
There were green fields and large trees dotted around the one floor homes, some of those homes were motorhomes and others were elevated by either wooden stilts or metal ones. These homes were spread apart, but there was not much of an atmosphere at this time. Probably as most of the adults were at work and the children were at school.
As Royce drove past, every other house a dog either ran past the direct path of his car or at the stoop in front a house, they looked at the car with a high amount of interest and chased the car and barked to show they were there and ready or showed such disinterest they barely moved their heads, and a flick of the ear was the closest sign to life.
Time had forgotten this place. There was peace here, but that was it. Royce did feel some kind of way. Where he lived every other house had the flag of this great nation.
No home here had it. He understood, the flag meant something for many and something else for many others and there was no reconciliation with that.
To Royce's right, he saw his first human here, a man who herded some sheep. The man looked focused, up until he saw the car and who was driving it. Royce expected a look of curiosity. What he received as a look of true indifference. The man kept to his job, pulled down the hat he wore and kept his focus on the sheep.
It was another seven minutes before Royce parked up in front of David Windfeather's house.
It was larger than most of the other houses and was on top of a steep hill that overlooked most of the valley. Royce parked in front of a red four by four with four newly polished rims. He got out of the car and then looked at the outside of David Windfeather. Red seemed the man's favourite colour. Red walls, red roof. He expected the metal fence to be painted red in due course.
Royce opened the gate and walked towards the house. He knocked on the door and David Windfeather opened it.
David Windfeather was in his late fifties, the lines on his face made him look a little older. He wore a red and brown shirt with lines on it and brown trousers and boots. He wore a headband with what Royce figured was markings of his own tribe. Two feathers were tucked in his headband and right near his ear. 'Number nine. Royce Drysdale, you're a day late. Come in.'
Royce smiled and entered the home. Number nine was his number when he played football. 'Thank you. You're the only one who calls me by my number.'
'How could I not?' David said. 'You had the real thing out in that field. Blessed by the spirits to throw that rock as far down the field as humanly possible. You gave a lot to this town, back then as you continue to do now.'
That touched Royce, he could not verbalise what he wanted to say, but the awkward smile he gave was good enough for David to know it meant something.
'Thanks.' Royce said as he looked around the living room. That was all he could say.
Pictures old and new of family. Of life. Paintings of his people in great green lands, in front of fires, hunting and riding horses and also maps, loads of maps were nearly on every wall.
'Sorry I got held up, some shit went down in the city.' Royce said.
'Yeah I heard about that, you got caught up in that? I thought it was a gas main explosion?'
Royce remembered most would have no clue after the previous night and what Daniel said with those faders. 'It was.'
'But aren't you a homicide detective?'
'I am.' Royce said and he thought You better think fast. This man is not an idiot.
'So why were you there? Did someone get murdered?'
'No, eh cause it was an extreme emergency everyone got called in to assist.' Royce said in a trail of words that streamlined into some sort of sense, well to him.
'Even you?' David asked, not that he looked like he bought it.
'Even me.' Royce nodded.
'Fair enough, that gas company is looking at a lot of lawsuits then.'
'They got the money.' Royce said.
'That is true. Sit, sit down Number nine.'
Royce did just that as he sat in a solo brown leather seat, the type that could recline back with a touch of a latch down the right hand side.
David sat in front of him on a chair that was identical to the one Royce was sitting on. 'So, I was told you needed my assistance.'
'Yes as you are someone who,' Royce's phone buzzed in his pocket and he took it out. It was Alyssa's number, he was about to answer it, but David looked at him.
'Number nine, I look like I have time, but I really don't.'
Royce nodded and cancelled the call and put the phone back in the pocket. 'Sorry. I need your help as no one round here, fuck anyone in this region knows the land here better than you.'
David nodded and smiled just to acknowledge what Royce had just said was true to him.
'I need your help with why Engrave built their main office in Patterson, as it looked like they really needed that exact location and they,' It was at this point that Royce had seen the colour on David's face just flush out of him, 'You okay?'
David stood up and went to the cabinet of draws. He fished through many rolled up maps and took out one. He then dragged a small wooden table between him and Royce. He untied and unravelled the map.
The map was dated in November 1923. It was of Patterson.
A hundred years ago, Royce thought.
'I told the board, I told them. I warned them.' David muttered to himself.
'Told them what?' Asked Royce.
'Not to let them buy that land.'
'Why?'
David pointed to part of the map that had a series of caves around it. 'Here , here is a part of the world, under the ground, that should be one of the wonders of the world.'
'Why?'
'Because if someone wanders into those caves, you will never see them again. Where they lead, no one knows the end. They call those caves the cursed caves of the endless wanderers. Some say that if you go down one cave and into one of the endless tunnels, you'll likely find hell. Another story said a man found himself all away across the world, going under each ocean. But you would come out old and not remember who you are. The ones who turned that say they are creatures unknown and unseen to modern man in those tunnels and that gods kept them at bay with spells, but that is not the worst thing.'
Royce sat forward. 'What is the worst thing?'
'What has been said is that a certain gap, between two tunnels, is a way into a whole other world, a whole other earth. That if opened, if whatever is allowed into our world, they will destroy us and turn it into their world.' David said as he jabbed the map with his index finger, 'and it right below where they made that building.'
'And do you think they knew about this?'
'How could they not? They knew about all this, that's why they picked them after they went around other places in Preston and Patterson.'
'What other places?'
David muttered something to himself. It sounded like 'Ah fuck I have to get up again.' and he did get up again and went back to the same cabinet, but this time selected the drawer above the one he got the map on the table from. He picked out another rolled map, walked over and unravelled that map, this was a map of Preston, dated 1923 as well, but this time in June. He pointed at other spots, some to the west and north of Preston and pointed to the south and east of Patterson.
Royce furrowed his brow. 'Wait. Isn't that where the warehouse is?'
'The warehouse with the twelve bodies? Yeah that's the one.'
'So each of these are warehouses of Engrave Corp?' Royce asked.
David nodded, 'And what do each of the locations have in common?'
Royce looked at the map. 'They all have those caves.' Each spot did have caves drawn onto them. 'This is a network of caves that leads to this one here in Patterson.'
David nodded.
'And whatever the fuck they are doing, the focal point is in Patterson.'
'I think they went down those caves and found their way to the spot that they needed, maybe they needed to get to those places prior to where their offices are.'
'For what?' Royce asked.
'I dunno, you're the detective.'
Royce thought about it. 'Maybe they needed to activate something in those caves in those places before getting to where they are now.'
'Not too far-fetched.'
Royce's phone rang again and again. It was his wife. Again. He hoped she rang from the station ready to give a statement.
'You wanna answer it?'
'I will in a minute.' Royce said as he clicked the phone off again. He looked at the map again. Really studied it. 'So all the shipments were sent to all these locations, probably to activate something in those caves and the one large shipment was meant for here in Preston, but was taken to the offices, but no trucks were seen from all accounts.'
'Maybe it was taken underground.' David said.
'Fucker.' Royce said without thinking.
'Hey what the fuck was that for hombre?' David said, surprised and annoyed. 'No need to call me a fucker because I came up with that first.'
'Royce snapped out. 'What?'
'Don't be calling me a fucker in my own home, Number Nine. You came to me for help, remember?'
'Shit sorry Mr Windfeather. I just say fucker, just for fucks sake, no that doesn't make any sense, I just said that because I think you're right.'
'Damn right I am. I know I'm right, them hombres called me crazy, but I was right about them. That company, coming in making all that money round here. Like it just appeared out of thin air.' David said.
'So this is all about bringing in a new world to ours.' Royce said.
'Yep, and we don't know how far these people have gotten Number Nine. hell they may already be there.'
'And if they are?' Royce asked.
'I think fucked is the right term for what would happen to us.'
'Why fucked?'
'Cause there is a reason why they are there and we are here. There has to be a reason why the worlds are separate. Meaning,'
'Whoever they are, or what is from that world... for,They are not meant to be in our world.' Royce said with an ominous tone. 'It is something we cannot be prepared for right?'
'No we can't.' David said. 'Not with the demons of old, possibly in those worlds.'
'Can I take these?' Royce pointed to the maps.
'Nope, but you can take some pictures with your phone.' David said. 'You do have one of those phones?'
Royce smiled and took out his phone.
'One other thing, Number Nine. You're not the only person who asked about my maps and the areas around Patterson and Preston.'
'Who else has asked?' Royce asked.
'He called himself Marco. A tall black man, built strong, very intense. He asked about the very things you have asked about.'
'Did he say anything, anything strange or that you could remember?'
'Yeah, he did say one thing that I remember. He said he's going to stop it.'
'Stop what?' Royce asked.
David sighed. 'He said the end of the world.'
7
Royce came out of David's, filled with so many emotions, delight that his hunch actually got him somewhere, but filled with dread as what he just uncovered turned into something that was not in his jurisdiction, but could decide the fate of the whole world.
This was above his pay grade and he needed the help of Daniel and Erica to stop this. He got into the car and shut the door.
His phone rang again and again. It was Alyssa again. This time he did pick up.
'Sorry Lyss, just been another morning in this case and I know I haven't spoken to you since last night, I just got you know little, my head is all over and I'm sorry I didn't say anything and that I, I dunno, I'm just sorry. Are you at the station?'
'Now if I was a bitch I would be all in my feelings right now.' said the clearly male voice who was not Alyssa Drysdale.
'Who the fuck is this?'
The man laughed. 'You should have picked up your phone earlier.'
Royce realised. 'Marco?'
'You could have heard her scream your name. I bet you haven't heard that shit in a real long fucking time.' Marco said after the laughter.
'What the fuck have you done to her?'
'Nothing for now,' Marco said, 'You and I need to have a convo. Long overdue, don't you think?'
'Let her go, this has nothing to do with her.'
'Fuck Royce, you sounded like you almost believed that shit you just spewed out into the world! You know this has everything to do with her. Now she ain't a ringleader, but she ain't no innocent party in this.'
'Don't hurt her. Marco. Don't you fucking hurt her. Please Marco.' Royce pleaded.
'Don't give me a reason to hurt her, Drysdale.' Marco said. 'You must really love her. Love her badly. How much do you love her?'
'I'd give my life for her.'
'I felt that way once, but like your lady, my wife betrayed me and well she gave her life for no one. What is it with women in this part of the world? They are always cheating! Fuck. it is just the luck of the game we all decide to play isn't it? Shit. Is she willing to die for you Royce? That is the question.'
'No the actual fucking question, Marco, is where do you want to fucking meet?'
Marco laughed again. 'You are a clever dude Royce. Yes, that is the question. I will text you a location shortly. If I smell, or feel any heat, any of your fellow officers or well the newcomers who have been working with you so well nearby, before the day is done and you think you have found some peace I will throw your wife's head in your lap. You understand?'
'I understand. Come alone.'
'You know what Royce, I think you are a bit of a genius.' Marco said. 'Come alone. Stay by your phone.'
The phone disconnected.
Royce looked at the phone and then realised something.
Fucking Harris, pulled whatever magic he had protecting her. That's how Marco got her.
Royce screamed and punched the steering wheel several times. He continued to scream and swear and his face went blood red. He stopped punching and calmed as both his fists went a little numb. He wanted to beat them again, but was caught between physical pain and emotional pain.
As he went through this, he thought of various memories of his wife. The happy days, the joyous days, the difficult days and the mundane ones.
Walks on a beach, trekking up hills, sitting in counselling sessions, the arguments, the storming out of the house. Being with her as the sun fell and the sun rose.
He would have it all again with her. He would trade it all to have her again. He realised at that moment that he would go through all that and the only thing he would change is that he would have told her that he loved her in the morning and would have held her. He loved her from the first moment that he saw her and despite the anger and the shame of not being with her. That if that was his last moment with her as he left her alone in their bedroom and shut the door on her, he would never ever forgive himself.
Now she was in the hands of a killer. Her fate was in Royce's hands. This is what he signed up for.
This is all that matters when it is all said and done. What are you willing to give to the one you love and does the person you dedicated every fibre of your being to, know what you are willing to do? Do they believe it? Do they trust it? Is that person willing to do it all for you without a second's thought?
Royce would march to Marco and tell him to let her go, leave her be and he'll gladly sate his bloodlust.
Life would not be worth living if it were not for her, and if she was not here, Royce felt he would not last anyway.
Alyssa Jane Drysdale was intrinsically linked to every part of him.
The grand romantic gesture aside, Royce did genuinely hope that the only death do you part would be from Marco. He got close enough to land three good hits on the man. He hoped he got close enough to shoot him.
His phone beeped.
Marco had sent the location where he wanted them to meet, and Royce did not hesitate as he turned the key and started the engine.
8
At the holding cells, a lot of pointless conversation could be heard.
Some prisoners could be heard in conversations about viagra. Others talked about how the demise of modern day music could be traced back to when American Idol was in its heyday.
One prisoner kept on messing up the lyrics to Mos Def's classic song, Ms Fat Booty from his Black On Both Sides album. He did repeat the word booty a lot as he stared and smiled at Erica who made every attempt to tell him to 'Go fuck yourself and stop singing that song to me.'
'It only makes me love you morErica,e baby.' The man said and he blew her a kiss.
Erica looked sick.
'I think the courtship is kind of wonderful.' Daniel said as he laid down on the bed beneath him.
Erica stood up and she paced around. 'Shall I tell him to focus on you then?'
'He's only talking about your arse, Erica.'
'Ever the gentleman.'
'You could just teleport over there, beat the fuck out of him and teleport back like nothing.' Daniel suggested.
'Yeah, but then I would really want to leave you here alone to get serenaded by the booty man over there.'
'You mean wanna be Mos Def?'
'He's a delightful rapper. I see a negative gold mix tape in his future.' Erica said.
Daniel laughed.
Erica realised that was the first time that she made him outright with an intentional joke. She felt kind of proud of that.
'Nice one.' He said.
They smiled at each other.
'So are we really going to just be in these cells like good citizens?'
The cells down the room rattled as a police baton that was flicked out tapped each bar making a loud clanging sound.
It was Russo who walked in with Sampson that caused this racket. He walked up their cells and stood in front of them both, Sampson had two chairs in his left hand and placed them down in front of those cells. Russo sat down first, then Sampson sat down.
'You're older than him right?' Erica asked Sampson.
'Yeah.' Sampson said.
'Yet you're the one who is being treated like a bitch. I don't get it.'
'Hey watch your mouth bitch.' Sampson said.
'Fuck you,' Erica retorted, 'Make me.'
Daniel was surprised by this outburst. This was not like her, but then again she just had someone mess up the lyrics to a song and to that for the last ninety minutes. That could drive anyone a little stir crazy.
'Come here, Sampson, I'll hurt you in front of your guy here and then if he's lucky, he'll get a piece too.' Erica said hyped up with rage.
'Can I get a piece too?' shouted the prisoner slash failed rapper.
'SHUT THE HELL UP!'
'You should.' Russo said to both of them. 'You got a lot of anger.'
'Why are you here, Russo?'
'I wanna know what the fuck are you. Like both of you. What the fuck are you?' Russo asked. 'You even human?'
'Very much so.' Daniel replied.
'Then how can you do the things you do?'
'Why the fuck do you care?' Erica asked.
'Cause if Oliver Harris, the prince of this town, wants to do damage to you, then I gotta know what you can do to hurt him? No actually I really want to know what he can do to hurt you.'
'If he sent you to us, then he is hurting us already. This banal conversation is hurting my head.' Erica smiled.
'You got jokes?' Russo asked.
'Clearly you haven't so I'm just filling the time with something.' Erica said.
Russo looked at Daniel who just watched him. 'You're silent.'
'She's handling you.'
'Why do you wanna nail Oliver Harris so bad?'
'Oh you're the one doing the questioning?
'I'm just wondering why you to aren't focusing on the fucking freak who's killing folk here instead of a man who's lived here all his life and has pumped millions into our city? Why?' Russo asked.
'And why ain't you caught the man who's doing yet?' Sampson yelled with way more energy that was required at that moment. Even Russo looked at him with the type of underlying disgust that Daniel gave him a few times.
'He's not the golden son you think he is.' Daniel said.
'Elaborate.' Russo replied.
'How about this, why haven't you done anything about the various black men who have been taken by the group known as the Greycloaks?' Daniel asked.
Russo sat back.
'That's a myth.' Sampson argued.
'No they are very much real and here.' Daniel responded with a rebuttal. 'Nineteen men have been missing for over the last three years. None have been found. You're telling me that all of these men have just been abandoned by the police.' Daniel asked.
'It's a big country, plus Canada is only a few hours away from here. They could be anywhere.'
'Shit excuse.' Erica said. 'There's been unfiled reports on several citizens, black citizens that have been disappeared and I bet there are loads of reports mentioning the Greycloaks and jack shit has been done.'
'Since we are asking about difficult questions, why don't you answer that?' Daniel said to Russo, who did not reply. 'This adoration for Harris is unfounded. The man is dangerous Russo and this power is played here by you, he doesn't give a shit.'
Russo laughed. 'Did you come here with the intention of destroying my city?'
'Did you sign up to the police to not serve all your citizens?' Erica asked. 'Or only serve the ones you want to serve and treat the rest like shit.'
'Cause that doesn't sound like real police to me. That's not protecting and serving everyone, which should be in your remit for the role you have dedicated your life to.' Daniel followed up.
Russo sat forward. 'The badge I hold. The badge I wear. I take seriously. What I do is none of your concern. You aren't from here. I do what I can for the best of this city. The very fucking best. You can't criticise me. You don't live here. You have no fucking idea what it is like. You've barely been here a week, but you two think you're the arbiter of all that is good and true in the world? You don't shit about my city. My world.'
'You don't know shit about your city either.' Daniel said.
'You gonna tell me about it then?' Russo said.
'You're going to find out. No matter what, Russo. You're going to find out.'
'At ease, gentlemen.' came the familiar voice of Larry Anderson as he walked over to the cells.
Sampson and Russo both stood up and stood to attention.
Larry laughed. 'I said at ease.'
They both relaxed.
'You're here to release us again, chief?' Daniel asked.
'Your boss has a lot of influence. He knows everyone. Even the presdient.' Larry said with a false smile. 'How does he do it? What does he have over the most powerful man in the world?'
'He reminds him that he's not the most powerful man in the world.' Daniel answered.
'And who is?'
'For me to answer that, I would tell you, but then I would be taken out and the rest of you would be too and that would be the end of that.'
Larry shook his head. 'Chilling. I would advice you to stay away from Oliver Harris, but you won't.'
'Correct.' Erica said.
'He has the most powerful legal team in this state. He will sue you both into oblivion and then sue your loved ones and casual acquaintances too.' Larry said. 'You wanna play that game?'
'Getting sued is the least of my problems.' Daniel said.
'You haven't been in this country long enough.' Larry smiled.
'You letting us go, Chief?' Erica asked.
Larry looked at Russo. 'Let them out.'
'But sir.' Russo pleaded.
'Let them out, Russo. Christ's sake. They are better out than in. What good are they here?' Larry asked. 'The quicker they are out and solve this, the quicker they leave, and we can continue as normal. I'm not going to ask you again.'
Russo sighed through his nostrils and large amount of frustrated air blew through. Daniel decided to not bend the bars. He wanted Russo to go through the indignity of having to release him.
The face of Russo as he unlocked the cell was a man full of burden.
The faces of Erica, who was opened first and Daniel who Russo really took his time opening, were one of pure, unadulterated glee.
They stepped onto the hallway and kept their smiles for Russo, whose red face flushed with rage had to be reigned in as Larry watched him with eagle eyed focus.
'Thank you, Russo. I hope you felt like shit doing that.' Daniel said.
Russo wanted to say something, but did not in the presence of his chief of police.
Larry walked up to Daniel. 'I'm not your boss, but you are in my city and I will not allow you to be disrespectful to my officers. There has to be a decorum here. Some respect and professionalism here. None of this sniping. None of this, what you brits say again? Some of those bullshit words you slam together and it becomes the king's english? Tomfoolery? Yes Tomfoolery. None of that round here and especially in front of you fellow officers and me.'
'Goes both ways.' Daniel said and he spat out the word 'Chief.'
Larry nodded. 'You go on your way now. Bring the fucker in.'
Daniel and Erica nodded and walked off.
They walked out of the holding area, down the long, narrow hallways, into the main floor and knocked Royce's door. No answer. They knocked again. No answer.
Daniel opened the door and Erica went in first. They saw that Royce was not here.
'Where is he?' Erica asked.
9
The road was long and rocky. Royce's car rattled and shook until it got to a long clearing. There were no homes or barns anywhere. Just green hills and long ranges of forests. Royce stopped at the clearing and the car needed to stop. Royce checked his phone's navigation app and he was at the right location.
This area had all the worst reception, and even if Royce wanted to call someone, he figured he would get ten to thirty good seconds before they could barely hear him. He got out of his car and walked up a small grassy hill and ground was flat at the top. It was a good view, and Royce could barely hear anything other than the stiff breeze that was at this part of the world and his heart, which beated fast due to nerves. Externally, Royce looked cool. Internally, he was anything but.
He unclipped the gun from his holster, just in case. He knew he was going to aim his gun at Marco, he just did not know when. He looked out to east and he saw Marco in the air. He flew towards him, he glided almost down right in front of Royce. He landed in such a graceful way that it looked like he had done this for years.
'Early bird.' Marco said as he took off his hood. He then looked at Royce's gun and it flew from Royce's holster to his hand.
Royce should not have been surprised, his gun was clearly in the view of Marco, but it was evident across his face.
'Had to take it, Chief.' Marco said.
'You planning to use it?'
Marco smiled. 'I don't need it. Bullets, guns have no purpose for me.' He chucked it back to Royce, who caught it. 'See?'
'Then why take it in the first place?'
'I thought that was clear. To show you that I can.' Marco said.
Royce put the gun back in his holster. 'Is she safe?'
Marco nodded.
'What do you want from me?'
'I wanted you to see what I did. That I did what you could not.'
'Lambert.'
'Yes, I saved the country with a great injustice. A man with that much charisma should not be able to wield it like a weapon.' Marco said. 'Plus, he earned his death.'
'Ask Bridgewater.' Marco said.
'I'm asking you.'
'He had a chance to be a decent human being, to pull me from torture. He did not. He watched me die and be brought back to life each day. He did nothing to spare me from my pain, so I paid him the same currency or lack of fucking currency.' Marco paused. 'I've met you a few times. You know that?'
Royce said nothing.
'We played against each other a few times on the field. I was a cornerback for Brent Johnson High; I picked you off a few times, got some TD's in my day, but you are a wonderful arm, great fucking accuracy. It's probably why you shoot so well. That hand eye co-ordination. Then years later you had that fall from grace and some shit went down and I saw you in a bar, some dive bar in town and you were telling everyone that you saw about Taylor Lambert not being the man he portrayed himself to be. That he betrayed your friendship. Fucked your wife. Some sad ass shit. You talked to me about that to me for like a good hour, bro.'
Royce could not believe what he heard, but in his heart he knew it was true. That was the drinking period and that was when he would have spoken to everyone and their mother about what had happened to him.
'I sat there and listened and we fucking went to Englewood that same night and we stood outside that gate. You took out your gun and you wanted to blast him away that night. I, the go you barely knew, the guy you talked to properly that very night talked you out of it. I had to literally drag you down from climbing the fence. Don't you remember that?'
Royce continued his silence as he did not remember, but it sounded like something that back then he would have done.
'Yeah, you were fucked, but I got it. The hurt. The anger. It was written all over your face. In some weird way, I wanted to get him for you. Maybe deep down I felt that way, not kill the man, but fuck him up for you. Then, as I dropped you to the front of your house and knocked on your door, watched the surprise in your wife's face as we were there in front of her, because I guess you weren't there at the time but still saw your home as your home, I watched her carry you in like twenty five minutes the greycloaks took me. Then I was tortured for two years and they made me into this.'
'Engrave.'
'They didn't get what they made. They wanted me to be an enforcer. A slave for them. They turned me into a monster and I'm turning myself into a fucking god.'
'What does this have to do with me?'
'You didn't know that they still communicated with each other long after you found out. After Taylor found out, I think they continued, I don't think they continued fucking, but hanging out and spending time, they were in each other's lives.' Marco paused. 'She saw me at the facility.'
'He took her there?'
Marco nodded. 'The only reason she is alive is because she actually tried to stop it. I remember that even with all the drugs pumped into my system.'
'How the fuck do you know all this?'
'I did you your job, I followed and watched each of them. To kill made men, you can't just walk up to them and shoot em or do whatever. It is about finding your moments and I had to find my moments with him. She happened to be in a lot of them.'
Royce did not know what to say, but he had to think about Alyssa and getting her back.
'I wanted you to see that I got him for you. That I did what you could not. I absolved that from you. You had the right idea, but you could not execute. I did it for you as he was living, the country, hell, the world would be more divided than it is right now.'
'How did you know, like, how did you get to that moment to kill him?' asked Royce.
'I followed him and felt that something was different in the air, the thing, the force that kept him protected, was gone.'
'Like someone offered him up to you?'
'I don't care how it happened. Long as it happened.' Marco said. 'Admit it, Royce. Admit it to me. You are happy that he is dead? That he is gone.'
Royce wondered if he could lie or be honest at that moment. He chose honesty. 'Just because he is gone, doesn't mean the damage he did to me goes away. He is still around here, still around my marriage. Still living rent free in my mind.'
'You won't find peace.'
'That's just the way it is.' Royce said. 'I need you to release my wife.'
'I intend to, but I need you to do something for me first.' Marco said.
'What?'
Marco reached behind him and took out a file and he floated it to Royce, who plucked it from the air.
'What's this?' asked Royce.
'Look and see.'
Royce opened the file and saw pictures of Oliver Harris and some men carrying crates from what looked like an airfield. 'What's in the crates?'
'Keep looking.' Marco said so Royce did as he flicked through the pictures.
Then he saw, Oliver Harris lifting up and checking out what looked like a rocket launcher. Then Royce looked at a small portable media card slide down the bottom of the file.
'Oliver Harris brought those weapons in illegally and Royce—well, you'll see the video footage with what he did next.'
'You want me to arrest him on illegally obtaining weapons?' asked Royce.
'Correct. I know there is a state law preventing that. Those were flown in by from somewhere else.'
'And how did you know about this?'
'The recently deceased Giovanni Pinkman. I made him tell me. I made him tell him take them pictures and the video.'
'You couldn't do it yourself?'
'I couldn't get near him.' Marco said with the shake of his head.
Royce shook his head. 'I can't make this stick, most of this shit is inadmissable cause I fucking got it from you!'
'I don't need to to fucking get this shit to your DA, who we both know won't do shit to him. What I have given you is enough for you to arrest him and get him away from that building. Then you let me know and I will do the rest.'
'You fucking want me to assist you in killing Oliver Harris?'
'Yes.'
'I can't, not under good conscious, can I do that.'
'Then your wife dies.'
Royce shook his head. 'You don't want to kill my wife.'
Marco smiled, then quickly that smile changed to a cold, dark look. 'I kill anyone to end my vengeance.' He started to walk around Royce. 'I saw heaven and hell when they tortured me. When I lost all hope, when I valued every breath I took and when I prayed for death when the pain was too much. WHAT THEY TOOK FOR ME AND THE FUCKING OUTSIDE WORLD GAVE NO FUCKS ABOUT ME!' He stopped in front of Royce. 'Your wife is surplus to this. All of this. I'll get Oliver no matter what, but I wanna get him now and stop him doing whatever he is planning to do. I want to be the one that does that, see his face in defeat, before I kill him. Then the peace you seem to elude for yourself, I will get myself and I will be able to live.' Marco paused. 'You have a choice, Detective Drysdale. You either help me or you don't. Make the choice now.'
Royce shook his head yet again . There was no point debating this. He knew what he was going to say. 'I will help you.'
Marco smiled. 'When you arrest him. You text me on your wife's phone. Show me some fucking proof that he is in there. If you lie, your wife will die, and I'll send you a recording of her last breaths. You understand?'
Royce nodded.
'Then you better get going.' Marco said and he was about to fly off.
'How will I know she is safe?'
'You don't need to worry about that. You need to worry about what you have to do.' Marco said. 'I believe you will want your wife to live, Royce. So don't tell anyone about this and don't fuck up.' he rose about the ground and flew into the air, high into the thick grey clouds.
Royce wanted to punch the earth. He knew he had to get back to the station and check this footage.