Two hours after driving through the mountains, a voice burst from the car radio.—Thank God there is a signal, I will call the police. —Jesse said, waking up several who were asleep while taking his phone out of his pocket.She opened the screen, surprised, and quickly dialed the police number.—Stop —Ethan interrupted her and shook her head quickly.Jesse, confused, asked:— Shouldn't we call the police?—No, we shouldn't —Ethan said, struggling to get his own phone out of his pocket. He gave it to Daria, who was sitting next to him — We will call the FBI.This gang of cannibals had been wreaking havoc in the mountains for years and had even set up a gas station to sell stolen items. Ethan suspected that someone from the local police station was collaborating with them, or worse, that one of them was part of the gang.He turned to Daria and said:—Help me find Racine in the address book.Daria handed him the phone after dialing. After a few tones, Special Agent Racine's hoarse voice echoed across the line.After the last closed-door hearing, everyone at the Banshee Police Department had Racine's number. Disregarding the local department, Ethan had decided to contact the federal authorities directly.The morning sun was shining brightly as a truck stopped in front of a ruined gas station. The wooden house was full of various objects, and next to the kitchen was a fridge. Ethan opened it; it was full of beer and food. He smiled slightly, had a beer, and went out.After a few hours, when Ethan and the others were almost done with all the beer in the fridge, the sound of vehicles approaching was heard.Special Agent Racine spotted the gas station sign and stopped the car. Upon exiting, her gray hair fluttered slightly in the wind. He watched the scene before him, took out a cigarette, and took a long drag.—Shit.Leaning against the wall, a man and three women, in bloodstained clothing, sunbathed as if on vacation, beers in hand, and shotguns at their feet.—Special Agent Racine, I appreciate you coming. This is a disaster. —Ethan said, seeing that only one car had arrived. Reluctantly, he took the last can of beer and stood up.After Ethan approached, Racine immediately smelled the strong smell of blood on her body.— Is it really that screwed up? —he asked as he scratched his cheek with the hand that held the cigarette and then took a sip of beer.Ethan shrugged, took him to the back of the truck, and lifted one of the indoor bedspreads. There were the bodies of Jessie and Carly's friends, who had hunted.—More screwed up than you can imagine.Racine looked at the gutted man lying inside and spat out the beer in his mouth. However, he had not been a detective in vain for decades. He nodded, reached into his pocket, and pulled out his cell phone to make a call.Soon after, as agreed, six black Chevrolet trucks stopped at the intersection with the police lights on, and people inside began to get out of the vehicles. In addition to the field officers in jackets bearing the FBI logo, Racine had also requested the support of a SWAT team.As planned, Daria and the three got into a car and left with an African American agent. Looking at the figures that were leaving, Ethan showed a smile on his lips.. Ethan had reviewed his confession with them beforehand and had said most things honestly, only hiding a few details, Racine had already contacted the SEAL team's central command, to confirm Ethan's story, but had to exclude his participation, so the credit of all the casualties would go to Ethan.—Come on, open the way —Racine said as he lit a cigarette and got in the car first.Under Ethan's guidance, the Chevrolet SUV convoy returned to the riverbank. A dozen FBI agents came and went among several wooden houses, removing corpses one after another. They also found a well behind some of the houses, full of bones.Occasionally, one or two young-looking officers would run out of a wooden house, grab onto the wall, and vomit wildly. Ethan, leaning against the hood of a car, realized that something was wrong again. He quickly stopped smiling and bit his cigarette.Racine's face alternated between green and white, and with eyes full of fury, he roared:
— You asshole, you're an FBI agent! Hurry up and swallow what you have in your mouth and do your job.
Under his cry, the young agent, pale, hastily wiped the corners of his mouth and ran back to the house.Ethan lit his cigarette and noticed that from time to time someone was watching him. Every time he raised his head, the person quickly looked away. At that moment, a man in an FBI field jacket approached, adjusted his glasses, and politely asked him:— Is that all?Ethan looked at the dozen corpses in front of him and shook his head.—No, going upstream there were a couple more cabins, upstairs they caught fire but they should be able to find the remains. —said pointing to the forest on the nearby slope.The FBI agent took off his glasses and, with a confused expression, asked:— Are you really a police officer from a small town?Ethan reached out and shrugged.When the glasses agent walked away in disbelief, Racine tapped his cigarette box slightly, thought for a moment, and then said,— What do you think? Are you interested in joining us?— To the FBI?Racine took a deep breath of his cigarette and, with an interested tone, replied:—Yes, I remember your father was also a police officer. With your record it shouldn't be difficult to join .. If you are interested, you will be welcome, you just have to go to Quantum for your training.Although Racine knew he didn't have much time left to live, he was still delighted by Ethan's talent and couldn't help but try to recruit him. Talents like yours were urgently needed in all FBI departments.Ethan shook his head.—Thank you. I'm fine where I am now, but if things change I'll make sure to call you first. Racine slapped him on the shoulder and said significantly:—Okay. Anyway, you have my number. Don't worry, I'll take care of the rest.Ethan had overlooked the local police and reported the matter directly to Racine, which was equivalent to giving him great credit. In return, he would need me to help him cover up some details, Racine asked one of his agents to take him to rest. After a two-day intensity, Ethan was also exhausted and fell asleep in the car.He didn't know how long it had been when the agent woke him up. The vehicle had stopped in front of a two-story wooden house with a black Chevrolet truck parked inside. Ethan rubbed his eyes and got out of the car.It was a remote community and the sound of car horns could be faintly heard. Seeing the lights coming from the house, with signs of civilization in front of him, Ethan finally relaxed. He no longer wanted to go deeper into the mountains.Knocking on the door, an FBI agent, dressed in a field uniform, opened it. He looked at Ethan a few times and stepped aside to let him in.— Where are my friends? —Ethan asked.—Second floor. They are resting there —replied the agent, while sitting on the sofa and taking a newspaper. — You should also rest, at least take a hot bath.Ethan went upstairs and, when he reached the hallway, hesitated a moment before entering the room with the door open. He threw his backpack on the floor and, seeing a servibar with small bottles of whiskey, he took four or five of them to drink.The low-quality whiskey burned her throat, but her attention quickly turned to the clear shower next to the bed. Feeling stinky, she quickly undressed and walked into the shower.The hot water gave him relief, while enjoying the moment.— Ethan? —a surprised voice called him from outside the shower.Ethan wiped the water off his face and poked his head out. Carly was standing at the door, with an expression of surprise. She was wearing a white coat, her wet hair fell on her shoulders. Clearly, he had also just showered.Ethan smiled at him and shook the bottle in his hand. Carly smiled back, dropped her robe, and ran towards him enthusiastically. Soon after, a loud roar was heard inside the room.— Why does Carly take so long to find the ice? —Daria stirred the glass, feeling the difficulty of drinking the hot alcohol.Jesse, sitting in a chair cross-legged, dropped a corner of the bathrobe, revealing her long white legs. He left a glass and said:—I'll go find her.As soon as he opened the door, Jesse heard a violent knock on the front room. He looked at the door ajar and saw a bathrobe on the floor. He quickly stepped forward, opened the door, and looked inside.The glass shower was full of mist, and no one could be seen clearly. Carly was leaning against the shower door, her wet curly black hair glued to her back. He bit his lip faintly and, seeing Jesse appear at the door, he quickly stretched out his arms and yelled at him:— Come help me!—Ah ...Right after speaking, something like a ferocious beast in the shower made her scream and she was dragged in. Jesse's heart was pounding, and the alcohol went up, making his head dizzy. At that moment, a loud snoring rang from behind.Daria was behind her, holding half a glass of brandy in her hand, her bright eyes. Jesse looked at the floor and saw a set of bloodstained clothing and a backpack. The style of the clothes was very familiar to him.Daria drank the brandy in one gulp, slapped Jesse on the butt, and walked toward the shower. The robe was thrown onto the bed, and her soft body disappeared into the mist. The sound of the crash stopped for a moment, then continued more violent than before. Jesse's heart was beating wildly, his face turned red.He looked into the hallway, entered the room with his long legs, and closed the door in silence.The four were carried away by emotion, while the constant sound of the falling water mixed with their broken breaths, creating a silent symphony in the shower. There were no words, only the language of their bodies, the intense looks and the subtle caresses they shared under the heat of the water. The drops hit their skin, as if trying to erase the vestiges of fear and danger that they had lived together. Each touch, each gesture, was a silent affirmation that they were there, safe, sharing something deeper than any threat they had faced.The reduced space of the shower had become a refuge, a place where the vulnerability of the previous days was transformed into an invisible bond between them. Water fell on their bodies like a protective veil, isolating them from the outside world and allowing them to connect in a way that words could not express. At his side, Jesse and Daria shared a similar moment, their relaxed bodies and their hands intertwined, as if they never wanted to let go. Both looked at each other in silence, without the need for words. The steam filled the small space around them, enveloping them in a kind of bubble where everything they had lived vanished, leaving only the present. Physical closeness combined with emotional closeness, creating an invisible current that united them beyond what any of them could have foreseen.At that moment, the outside world ceased to exist. There was no fear, no urgency, no imminent danger. Only the constant sound of the water falling on their bodies remained, the heat that surrounded them and the shared weight of what did not need to be said. The glances exchanged between them carried a load of deep understanding, a silent connection born from having faced the worst together. The danger that previously surrounded them had become a bond that, although intangible, was unshakable.Time seemed to stop in the shower. What would normally be a fleeting moment, lengthened with the weight of his emotions. Terror, adrenaline, pain, everything was channeled into the soft touch of the skin, into the faint laughter that still resonated with each other. It was not simply a physical relief, nor a passing attraction. It was the understanding that they had survived, that they were still together, and that, in that small space filled with steam, they had found a way to free themselves from the weight of everything they had faced.The water continued to fall on them, mixing with the heat of their bodies, while the physical and emotional exhaustion faded in the current. None of them was willing to let go of that moment, knowing that it was not just a matter of survival, but of rediscovering each other, of healing the invisible wounds left by those days of terror.Hours later, the dark room wrapped them in a blanket of calm. They had abandoned the shower to take refuge in bed, all together, barely covered by the sheets that kept them close. The night wind whispered through the half-open window, but inside, the atmosphere was charged with a feeling of tranquility and connection.Carly snuggled up next to Ethan, her fingers gently brushing on the skin of her arm, as if seeking to reconfirm that they were safe. Jesse, next to him, rested his head on Daria's chest, while his breaths mixed in a slow and serene rhythm. The shared experiences had brought them closer in a way that no one expected, and that particular night, their bodies and minds found a way to release everything within them.The danger they had survived had left a mark on each of them, a mark that slowly faded that night with each caress, with each silent gesture. In bed, there were no more fears, just shared warmth and mutual understanding.A week later.A ship was floating in the lake. The previously calm surface of the water undulated and splashed. Strong arms stretched out from the water, and fingers clung to the edge of the boat. Ethan used force to jump out of the water, turned around, and leaned back into the small wooden boat.Taking advantage of the last rays of light, Ethan finished his swimming exercise, took the wooden paddle and headed for his small pier. The camping trip was long over, and both Jesse and Carly had returned to Philadelphia. At Ethan's request, Racine included several of them in the report as anonymous victims.The small wooden boat stopped gently next to the tire hanging on the dock. Ethan climbed in, tied the boat to the wooden pile, got dressed, and drove his Dodge Challenger directly to the Davis Bar. Upon arrival, he asked Sugar to fry a large plate of beef ribs to satisfy his hunger.After dinner, he sat at the bar to talk to Sugar. Previously damaged items had already been replaced, giving the bar its original appearance. Over time, more people began to arrive.When he saw Hood enter with a blonde woman in his arms, Ethan left his glass surprised and looked at Sugar.The woman was Kate Moody, the wife of Cole Moody, whom Ethan had murdered. Previously, Ethan had seen Kate come down from the second floor of the barn where Hood lived, and he thought they were just having an affair, but he didn't expect them to be together publicly now.Sugar poured him a little more whiskey and shrugged:—We are adults, what is strange? Carrie, Hood's former lover, has been in prison. It is normal for me to find someone else.Ethan nodded, although it was strange to him. Although Kate was not particularly attractive, she had a strong figure. Kate had also been kind to him, even bringing an apple pie to the police station. However, Ethan had no interest in her, not out of resentment or lack of beauty, but because he couldn't bear the thought of sleeping with the widow of the man he had murdered.Seeing Kate smile at him from afar, Ethan raised his glass and returned the gesture.It was late at night when the drinkers at the bar began to disperse. Kate and Hood had already gone to the barn, and Sugar yawned. Ethan also got up, took the last drink from his glass, but just then, Job opened the door and entered.—I knew you were here.Job threw his wallet on the bar with disdain and asked for a drink. Ethan, without having seen him in days, noticed his new look: the little hair he had left was dyed pink.— How are the things I asked you going? —Ethan asked, toasting with him.—We will discuss it later.Job drank in one gulp, pulled out his phone, and made a call:—I'm with Sugar, come on.After hanging up, he threw the phone aside. Sugar refilled the glasses and, curiously, asked:— Didn't the trip to New York go well?Ethan raised his hands, puzzled, and Job shook his head, drinking his whiskey, depressed. At that moment, Hood entered with a smile and approached the bar. He had a drink and asked enthusiastically:— Have you found a buyer?Job looked at Ethan and took out a small black bag. He opened it, pouring dozens of diamonds on the table. They glowed in the light.—This is what we stole from Capital Diamond according to Rabbit's information —Job said, lighting a cigarette — A diamond in the rough valued at ten million dollars.Hood scratched his head, asking confused:— Didn't find a buyer? It's been a while, it shouldn't be that difficult.—I would accept 20%. That would suffice.—Not the buyer —Job exhaled smoke, crushing the butt in the ashtray — We were tricked by Rabbit.Hood, with a bad feeling, looked at Job with doubts.Suddenly Job grabbed the ashtray and forcefully threw it on one of the diamonds. The dull sound of impact echoed at the bar, and the bright diamond shattered.—Rabbit played with you. - I exclaim with the voice more and more annoying. —He fucked you, he screwed me, that damn screwed us all.Job tossed the ashtray aside, making a metallic noise when he fell onto the counter, scattering the ashes of the cigarette everywhere.He sat on the high stool, lighting another cigarette with trembling hands.—Fifteen years. —exhaled, letting out a cloud of smoke —. You spent fifteen years in jail for stealing a handful of fake glass.Hood stood motionless, looking at the shattered diamonds on the counter. His mind was spinning. I had always felt that he and Rabbit had a connection. It was true that he had survived those fifteen years in prison, suffering torture. Risking his life, to survive thinking of those ten million stolen diamonds, and the fact that Carrie had escaped Rabbit's control kept him alive.He thought the only reason he was still alive was because Rabbit wanted to get the diamonds back, but now it all seemed like a cruel joke. Suddenly Hood felt a burning in his face, and a hot stream of blood began to flow from his nose. He dried it quickly and, in a cold voice, said to Job:—We have to find Rabbit. This time it is not he who seeks revenge, it will be me.Job, still smoking silently, nodded slowly before releasing a column of smoke. — Don't worry, I'll be on Rabbit's trail as long as necessary.With that statement, Hood got up and left the house. The ten million in diamonds were his last resort, but now that they had been taken from him, he felt empty.She climbed the stairs to the second floor of the barn where Kate Moody was lying on her side in bed, tattooing her lower back peeking out provocatively. The red-painted lips released a puff of white smoke when he heard the door open. Noticing the expression lost on Hood's face, he asked curiously:— What happens?Without saying a word, Hood pounced on her like a hungry wolf. He just wanted to vent all the anger and frustration that burned inside him.Later, when Hood left, Sugar quietly picked up the towel, moving the glasses and cigarette butts into the trash.—Sorry. —Job, calmer, apologized with an embarrassed look.—That is new, it is the first time that you apologize. —Sugar took off his hat, hung it on the coat rack behind the bar, and then poured himself a glass of wine — Believe me, I know how you feel. I have also invested years of sweat, pain and effort so that, in the end, everything was in vain.With an ironic smile, Sugar rushed the whiskey in one gulp.—Look at me, I'm an old, gray-haired and overweight guy, taking care of this ramshackle bar. If I didn't say it, who would know that I was ever a boxing champion and dominated the ring in my golden years?—You are in good shape. —Ethan tried to animate the environment —. At the Banshee Festival, you shot down some bikers.—You don't understand —Sugar said sadly —. The body of an old boxer. How many more years do you think I have left to continue serving drinks?Ethan didn't know what to answer, so he just drank with them. Soon after, he and Job left the bar.Both cars were driving rapidly on the road, one after the other, until they reached Job's residence. After closing the car door and looking at the dark house, Ethan asked:— Johnny is not with you?Johnny, Job's gothic boyfriend, used to be with him.—He's in New York —Job replied, opening the door of the house with a grimace.Job's humor was still bleak. He thought he would get hundreds of thousands, but in the end, he was left with nothing. They entered the house, which unlike Job's residence in New York, was full of furniture. Job opened the fridge and threw a bottle of water at Ethan, who took a sip before asking:— Where's the one I asked for?—In the basement.They went down a staircase to an empty room, except for a bottle rack on the wall. Job smiled and approached the bottle rack, pushed it a few inches, and it opened like a door. The lights flickered to illuminate a small space of a few square meters, where a gunsmith was attached to the wall next to a table.On the table was a heavy black travel bag.—Here I have almost everything you might need —Job said while lighting another cigarette —. You will not have to search for arms dealers, you can choose what you want.Ethan opened the bag and, among the long, short weapons, his eyes fell on a silver pistol. It was a Desert Eagle. It weighed four pounds, with a brutal recoil and a magazine of only seven bullets. But Ethan held it firmly, knowing that he would have no problem handling it.— Do you have gloves?—In the side pocket —Job replied, taking out black gloves and giving them to him.While inspecting the weapons, Ethan selected several: the Desert Eagle, a Beretta M9, an AR-15, and an Uzi submachine gun. Job looked at him curiously:— Who are you planning to fight with?Ethan arched his eyebrows while playing with the Desert Eagle and replied:—With everyone.