Chapter 1- Deadly Arrival8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8eU7VB4Ssu
In the light of the day, as the sun shines bright, its golden rays glisten across the wide surface of the river, which stretches forward and curves to its right, there is a wide range of life because of the huge bridge crossing the river, right before the curve. At the starting point of the bridge, there is an oncoming intersection which curves in unison with the river. Right next to the intersection is a row of trees and grass the trees stem from, and across the river on the other side of the bridge, much more trees are aligned with a wider outreach with some closer to the water than others. Looking on further from the trees, there’s a huge rectangular building, which is at the end of the bridge and across from it stands smaller rectangular buildings with bigger buildings right behind these smaller buildings, ranging in different shapes and with one at the further right, reading ‘Philadelphia City Hall.’
There is then a main road piercing through the towering buildings, as lively as one anticipates, vehicles moving to and fro. One oncoming black SUV drives and slows down in front of one of the buildings, eventually stopping. The driver steps out, dressed in a butler outfit, black hair and a bow, and walks to the passenger’s door, opening it. Out of the car climbs a man in an expensive black and white suit, red tie and a silver watch. He is caucasian with short dark hair, trimmed beard and blue eyes. He walks to the entrance of the building followed by his driver. As he is walking in, there are people all around, he walks to a hallway and turns right, entering an elevator followed by his driver.
As the elevator door closes, out of all the people moving around, there is one standing at the end of the hallway, he has on a huge brown jacket with long collars, covering some of his face, with his brown eyes watching as the elevator door closes. He is caucasian as well with dark brown hair and pulls out a cell phone and looks at the screen and a picture of the man who entered the elevator is on the screen and it reads, ‘Target Acquired’. The man puts his phone in his left pocket, then looks at the time on his watch and enters another elevator which is just ten meters from the other one. He is alone in the elevator and is standing upright, facing forward as the doors close, with a serious expression showing lethal intent on his face.
In the other elevator, the man in the suit stands next to his driver as the elevator is moving up. It stops and five people enter, a man and woman with a child, no older than eight, and two other men. The man, woman and child are caucasian and dressed like any average citizen with middle-class attire, while the two men are of darker skin colour and dressed in jackets and jeans. Both pairs of groups are talking to each other and stand at either side of the suited man and his driver/guard as the elevator doors close. One of the darker skinned men shows the other something in a newspaper he’s holding, and on the cover it reads; ‘Range of Unresolved Murders Remain Unresolved’ with the date June 2015.
The little girl shouts at the woman, ‘Mom! It smells in here!’
The mother reacts immediately, yanking the little girl by her hand and looking down at her with eyes slightly widened and lips biting together, ‘Adeline! Mind your manners!’
The man’s face is red and he looks down, and this is when the suited man looks at him. The stare lasts long enough for the man to realize and look up then turn to the suited man.
‘Something I can help you with?’ asks the man.
‘As a matter of fact, yes. Get your family in line’ answers the suited man.
‘Excuse me?’ the man and woman both answer together, with the rest of the people in the elevator now looking.
‘You heard me. If a man can’t keep his own family in check, then his manhood is questionable in every aspect of his life.’
The little girl looks with whimpering eyes at her father, while the mother’s mouth is hanging and the two men with the newspaper look to each other and then to the other men arguing.
The father steps forward with his right pointing finger in the air, ‘Now you listen to me, douche! Yo...’
A huge bang sounds, cutting off the man before he could answer, and the elevator shakes with the lights flickering, stopping the moving elevator that’s now standing still. Everyone in the elevator staggers and looks around, dazed and confused.
‘What’s happening?’ shouts the woman.
The suited man’s driver pulls out his gun, ‘Sir, stay low!’
Before the people of the elevator could fully react to the sight of a gun, the elevator bangs again and shakes. This causes everyone to fall down, and as the suited man is in the center, he ends up on his knees sideways, looking up and then he sees a square hole in the roof of the elevator opening. The man manages to stand up as the shaking has stopped, but the flickering lights continue, with the lights going off and staying off for four to seven seconds at a time. As the suited man stands upright trying to keep balanced, facing the elevator doors, the lights go off again and as it goes on, a figure appears behind him.
The figure is masked and has on what looks like an iron chest plate, with metal covering the entire torso. The masked figure stands arms crossed but immediately opens its arms wide, balling its fists and holding them in a pointing position towards the people on the ground who are too dazed and shaken to register the event taking place, and what looks like smoke is shot out of the figure’s fists, causing the people on the ground to instantly stop moving and close their eyes. The suited man turns his head slowly to look behind him, but as he does, he sees a swift movement of a hand from the side of his face and blood splatters onto the elevator walls.
The man clutches his throat and the lights go off once more, and when they go on again, the masked figure is gone, leaving the man dropping to his knees and then collapsing onto his stomach, dead. There are a group of people standing in front of elevator doors on one of the top floors, and as the elevator doors open, the people are greeted by a scene of horror. There are people lying down scattered against the walls and blood all around the walls and on the floor, only coming from one individual, a suited man who’s throat is cut wide open.
‘AAAHHH!’ shouts the women in the group simultaneously.
The man, woman and child in the elevator awaken.
‘Mommy!’ shouts the little girl.
The driver wakes up as well and looks around confused, and then looks in front of him and sees his employer dead with blood everywhere. The other men also wake up and the driver checks on his employer, finding his throat was cut, with his eyes widened and mouth open. He then looks up and sees a rectangular hole in the elevator roof, which has nothing but darkness beyond it. That very night, as the sight of the city lightens up the night, there is another bridge, one with more significance, thrusting through the city that never sleeps.
The Brooklyn bridge, surrounded by the beauty of buildings lit up like Christmas trees, and in the center of the town there is a smaller building surrounded by different vehicles and people surrounding the vibrant nightclub, with some standing in line to get in while others are standing by their cars engaging in conversation. The attention of the crowd is drawn by the sound of revving from a sports car, which comes dashing and with screeching sound, stops at the entrance of the nightclub. It is a red McLaren 720S, and as its door opens, out steps a young caucasian man with light brown hair, a blue denim jacket and jeans.
He sees a man in red a few feet from him and assuming he’s the valet, he tosses his keys at him, ‘Try not to scratch it, bro’ he says as the man barely catches the keys and looks back at him confused.
The denim wearing man walks up to the entrance of the nightclub where a huge black man is standing with a menacing demeanour, and people are in a line in front of him.
‘Can I do something for you?’ asks the bouncer, while the rest of the line of people look on.
The bouncer and the denim wearing man look at each other for a brief period, and then both start smiling.
‘Lucas, my man!’ says the bouncer.
‘How you doing, Wilfred? You good?’
‘Yeah, yeah. Come on in, I’m sure your usual posse in there waiting for you’ says the bouncer as he gives way and Lucas walks passed.
‘Hey! How’s he get to cut the damn line?’ shouts a dark skinned man standing in front of the line with two ladies by him.
Lucas stops and turns around, looks at the bouncer then at the two women and smiles.
‘Hey Wilfred, let these two fine ladies in, dawg’ says Lucas.
The bouncer nods and gives way for the two women, who walk to either side of Lucas and he hooks them in as they hold onto his arms and he goes into the club with them.
The guy who was with them has his hands up and looks at the bouncer, ‘The hell? Who is that fool?’
‘He a VIP at our club.’
Lucas enters the club with the two women and as they’re on the dancefloor, he gently let’s go of their arms and looks at them smiling, ‘I’ll be right here if you two need anything, okay?’ he says.
The girls giggle and Lucas takes a step forward, smooths the inside of his open denim jacket, his fingers brushing the edges of the zipper and he looks around the nightclub. He walks towards the bar in front of him, where a bartender is standing and behind him the wall area is a dark purple with a minor shelving system hosting various good bottles of wine. Lucas stands in front of the bar area where there is a stool right beside him, its height reaching just above his waist, with three more stools to his left, ending at the wall and eight more to his right, with just four people occupying the stools to his right. Lucas puts his hands on the bar counter and turns his head slightly to the left, looking over his shoulder at the dancefloor seeing crowds of people all standing around and dancing, enjoying drinks and also a stage to his far left where there’s a slightly secluded DJ booth with a DJ playing music, and also further to his left there is the main bar which has lounging, a fancy bar counter and multiple female bartenders occupying their duties.
The bartender at the current bar steps in front of Lucas while cleaning a glass with a cloth, ‘Lucas Freaking Clarkson! What brings you to Club Ussix tonight, or more importantly, to my humble end of the place?’ he says.
Lucas turns and looks at the bartender and smiles, ‘Jerry! Nice to see you, man’.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnSJtP1uLh
The bartender is caucasian with short black hair and a slightly round body shape, seeming in his thirties.
‘You not here on “business” are you?’ he asks, putting down the glass.
Lucas face changes from a smile to a look of concern, ‘Actually, I am’.
The bartender, Jerry, looks to his left then right and leans over cautiously towards Lucas, ‘Really? Who’s the... you know, guy...?’
Lucas sits on the stool now, ‘Your boss, bro’.
Jerry’s face drops but Lucas immediately assures him, ‘Here’ he says, slipping a paper over the counter slightly hidden under his hand, ‘This will help you take care of yourself’.
Jerry cautiously takes the piece of paper and lowers it behind the counter and looks down at it, his face showing a maze of emotions. Then he looks up at Lucas and turns slightly to his left, where there is a blonde woman a few feet from them.
‘Okay, so, the usual?’ asks Jerry.
‘Yeah’ answers Lucas, turning to his right and noticing the blonde woman peeking at him.
Jerry hands Lucas a Scotsh with ice and Lucas gestures a cheers then smiles and takes a sip, after which he lowers his glass and turns his head to the woman again and as he catches her peeking, he raises his glass to her as well while looking her seductively in her eyes. As the woman lowers her gaze with a pleasant smile, Jerry notices two men coming through the entrance and staring right at Lucas with scowls, first standing for a moment and then rushing toward him.
‘Hey lover boy, not to ruin your fun, but you got some company’ says Jerry.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFxqm6IWR9
Lucas turns to his right while sitting on the stool and leans slightly forward with his right hand on his hip, looking at them from a diagonal view with a smirk. The two dark skinned men approach him and stand in front of him, then another man comes from behind them, the same man who was at the entrance, and as he reaches Lucas, the two women rush to him in an attempt to barricade Lucas.
‘This the punk ass?’ asks one of the two men while pointing at Lucas and looking back at the man from the entrance.
‘That’s him!’ says the man from the entrance.
Jerry looks on with minor concern while the blonde’s eyes are wide and the two women stand in front of the angry man with their hands up to him, pleading, ‘Barry! Please, please don’t do this!’ they cry.
‘Shut up, you skanks!’ shouts the angry man as he shoves one woman to side and she falls on her side, leaving the other to tend to her.
Jerry has a slightly astonished look but is all to familiar with such events, while the blonde woman is gasping and has her hands on her mouth, and Lucas just laughs slightly and gets up slowly from his stool.
‘Something funny, punk?’ asks the angry man.
‘I don’t want any trouble guys’ says a smug-looking Lucas with his hands up, almost condescendingly.
‘Well, too bad, you got it!’ says one of the two men as he grabs Lucas by his chest, gripping his denim jacket and shoves Lucas backwards against the counter.
Lucas with his unwavering smirk, turns to look at Jerry as the men stand behind him, ready to move, and Lucas just calmly takes a final sip from his Scotch and puts it down before winking at the uneasy blonde, then turns his gaze to the men.
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Chapter 2- The Superstar8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNswxRGoJU5
A nightlife vibe, loud and vibrant music, lively crowds of people all enjoying the scenery, and a standoff at the secondary bar area between three big black men and a denim wearing caucasian, Lucas Clarkson, sparking a chaotic scene. Lucas delivers a right handed punch at the man on his right, Man One, to which the man on his left, Man Two, responds with a right hand of his own, swinging and hitting Lucas in his face. The angry man steps closer and Lucas just touches his lower lip, then smiles again. The music switches over to the next song, Superstar by Jamelia, and as Lucas retaliates, it plays.
“People always talk about, Ey-o ey-o ey-o; All the things they're all about, Ey-o ey-o ey-o; Write it on a piece of paper, (Paper) Got a feeling I'll see you later, (Later) There's something 'bout this...”
Lucas delivers a straight kick to Man Two, causing him to stumble backwards, then Man One rushes towards Lucas and he ducks and then twists his body in a spinning motion, ending up behind Man One, and as the angry man gets closer, Lucas shoves Man One into him.
The song continues; “I don't know what it is, That makes me feel like this, I don't know who you are, But you must be some kind of superstar, 'Cause you got all eyes on you no matter where you are”.
Jerry looks with a knowing smile, and the blonde goes from frightened to impressed, other club attendees also start to see the scene of chaos. Man Two attempts to smash Lucas with a glass bottle using his right hand and Lucas blocks and grabs onto Man Two’s arm while Man One and the angry man both rush towards him but the quick Lucas swings a much bigger Man Two by his arm with so much power, throwing him into the other two men. As he does this, he looks back at the blonde again and smiles, but the angry man rushes in with a tackle and knocks Lucas to the floor. Lucas lands on his back with the angry man on top of him by his pelvis area, and as the man lifts his head, he notices Lucas still has a smirk on his face.
‘Stop your smiling, bastard!’ he shouts.
Lucas pulls up his right leg and kicks the man off him, while the other two rush to keep him grounded. Man Two grabs Lucas and in the struggle, he ends up behind of Lucas, holding him tight from behind and this gives Man One the opening to land a right punch to Lucas’ gut, followed by a left to the right rib, but in the same movement Lucas kicks Man One hard and uses his head to smash the man behind him in the face. As Lucas is now loose, the angry man rushes to him and Lucas ducks down and lifts the man over him and landing hard on his back. Lucas kicks the man in the rib and as Man One comes rushing with a punch, he blocks and smashes the man in the gut with his knee. Just then, a bouncer appears at the entrance and takes out his talking device and says something over it. Two more bouncers comes towards the fighting men, and Jerry sees the scene unfolding.
‘Ah, so that’s why he didn’t finish them right away’ says Jerry.
As Lucas has the angry man by the chest grabbing onto him with his left hand and delivering a few punches to him with his right hand, the other two men stagger towards him, still fueled with rage but unsteady, and this is when the two bouncers grab hold of the men, holding them back. The angry man takes his right arm and forcefully hits down on Lucas’ hand, releasing the grip, but as the man staggers backwards, his rage has turned into uncertainty, taken aback by this guy who is taking on three guys at once with a conceited smile throughout the ordeal as if he is enjoying himself.
‘Aw, come on, we done or what, tough guy?’ says a smirking Lucas, getting into a fighting stance.
Man Two gets loose from the bouncer that was holding him and rushes to an unsuspecting Lucas, striking him from the back with a clubbing blow, seemingly rocking Lucas as he falls forward before regaining balance, but as he looks up, the angry man has a stool in hand, swinging at Lucas. The quick and sure-footed Lucas side steps the attack and the angry man accidentally strikes Man Two, breaking the stool over his head and knocking him backwards to the ground, and in the same movement, Lucas delivers a right swinging backheel kick to the back of the man, knocking him forward forcefully.
A bouncer comes from behind Lucas and he shifts his hips and lifts his right leg again, striking the bouncer in the gut. Another bouncer (the one that was holding Man Two) comes at Lucas while Man Two and the angry man are both on the floor, and Lucas ducks and delivers a punch to the side of the bouncer. The other comes back, holding his stomach, and attempts to punch Lucas which he blocks and strikes back with a headbutt to the face.
‘Who... what is this guy?’ shouts a baffled and beaten down angry man as he is on his bottom on the floor.
The bouncer that was standing at the entrance now appears from the entrance and takes a moment, looking at Lucas and the others, then moves towards Lucas, who is now shoving one bouncer into another, and as the entrance bouncer, Wilfred, is behind Lucas, the denim wearing fighter turns around and delivers a backhand to the face of Wilfred.
‘Sorry, my man’ says Lucas.
Wilfred holds onto the side of his face, ‘What the... so you here on business?’
‘I am, bro’
Wilfred nods in understanding and moves forward to Lucas, who swings with a left punch and misses, Wilfred grabbing him from behind and the other two bouncers joining to restrain Lucas, and while Lucas is struggling and finally restrained, Jerry, the blonde, the three men and the rest of the club look on, all with collective looks of awe. A few moments later, in a backroom of the nightclub, Lucas is on his knees and has his hands tied behind his back, his mouth bloody and bruised forehead. There are three bouncers standing around him and a man guarding the door.
One bouncer standing on Lucas’ right delivers a right punch to Lucas, whereafter Lucas looks down. Lucas slowly looks up again and he is punched again, now spitting blood.
‘Had enough, punk?’ shouts the bouncer.
Wilfred stands to the left of Lucas with a look of concern. Lucas looks up at the bouncer and smiles, causing the bouncer to get a wide-eyed, rageful face to which Lucas responds by gesturing a kiss.
‘You... you... aaahhh!’ shouts the bouncer as he lifts his arm to deliver another punch.
Just then, the door opens, and a man in a white suit appears, and he has a look of a middle-aged man with blue eyes and curly hair.
‘What do we have here?’ says the man, as he slowly approaches Lucas and the bouncers.
‘A troublemaker here, Mister Fernandez’ answers the bouncer, who still has his hand in the air.
The man looks at the bouncer and he immediately puts his hand down, then he looks down at Lucas, who’s expression is somewhat more serious.
‘And who might you be, causing trouble in my fine establishment?’ asks the man.
‘This dump? You kidding me, right?’ says Lucas.
The suited man smiles, ‘You got some balls, kid. Too bad I’ma have to cut ‘em off’.
The man gestures with his head and the guard at the door opens it, then he gestures with his hands and the bouncers lift Lucas to his feet, Wilfred’s face now overflowing with nerves.
‘Get him out to the back, Wilfred, back to your position. If anyone asks, this unruly man was drunk and stumbled home. You got it?’ says the suited man.
Wilfred nods and the other bouncers roughly lift Lucas and takes him by the arms towards the door. They get outside behind the club in an alley. Lucas is shoved on his knees by the two bouncers, who stand at either side of him, and the suited man stands in front of Lucas with two guards behind him.
‘Do you know who the hell I am? I’m Arnold Fernandez! No one in this city messes with me!’ he says.
‘No man, you’re just my target’ says Lucas as he looks up with a mischievous smile.
Before a confused Fernandez can answer, Lucas jumps up to his feet and right-heel kicks the bouncer on his right in the gut and spinning kicks the one on his left in the face, knocking him out. Then he follows with a left kick to the bottom of the other bouncer who is clutching at his stomach, causing him to fall forward on his head, knocking him out. One guard standing beside Fernandez reacts quickly and grabs Lucas, but Lucas reacts quicker and kicks with his right leg, which the guard catches and holds onto, but Lucas pulls in his leg and headbutts the guard. The other guard rushes towards Lucas as well, swinging his fist and punching Lucas in the face.
The first guard catches Lucas from behind, but as the second one in front comes for Lucas, he front kicks him then gets loose from the guard behind him and also loose from the rope that had his hands tied and Lucas is now behind the guard and quickly takes out the gun from the guard’s pocket. The other guard pulls out his gun but is shot twice in his chest by Lucas right next to Fernandez, and then Lucas smashes the guard in front of him behind his head hard with the handle of the gun, knocking him out, leaving just Fernadez and Lucas standing. Fernandez looks around astonished at all the damage Lucas has caused, while Lucas stands before him out of breath and bloodied with a gun in hand.
Fernandez’s shocked face turns into a smile and he laughs slightly, ‘You’re good, very good. I could use someone like you at my side’.
‘Nah, I’m good’ says Lucas as he raises the gun and points it at Fernadez, ‘I actually like the job I got right now’.
Fernandez’s smile disappears while Lucas’ grows broader, and then two shots in the chest are fired, causing Fernandez to slowly fall back, clutching at his chest. Back in the club, Jerry is standing behind the counter and the blonde is taking a sip from her glass, but just then, Lucas reappears from the back, catching both off guard. He walks gingerly to the bar and reaches out his hand to the blonde, to which she smiles and takes his hand. Lucas nods at Jerry and leaves the club with the blonde. On the outside in the parking area at the side of the nightclub, Lucas and the blonde walk to Lucas’ sports car holding hands with Lucas leading.
He opens the door for the blonde, ‘Oh thank you, handsome’ she says giggling.
Then Lucas gets in at the driver’s side and starts the engine, ‘You ready, for the best night of your life?’ he asks before putting on some sunglasses and does one last rev then speeds off into the night.
The next day, a taxi cab drops off a passenger on a sidewalk, and as the passenger closes the door, a blue sports car speeds past, leaving the passenger and driver to nearly snap their necks looking. The blue car is a Ferrari with a black roof and decent features, and it is speeding on the main road of Brooklyn, getting to Brownsville and slows down before making a left turn into a significantly less busy road. As the Ferrari drives slower down the road where only one car passes, it stops in front of a building with brown walls, no higher than six stories. Right on the sidewalk, there is a toll-like structure and the Ferrari parks right next to it.
The driver hangs his arm out and has a card in his hand which he holds to the toll structure that scans the card, causing the old-looking garage door just ten meters ahead of the toll structure to open and slowly lift revealing a secret entrance. The driver, Lucas, pokes out his head and looks to his left and right, satisfied there is no one around, he drives into the entrance. He is now driving down an underground parking area, remote with pillars and limited parking spaces. He stops and parks in a parking space and opens his door which opens upwards. Lucas gets out and closes the door, wearing black sneakers, camo-cargo three quarter trousers, a leather jacket opened and a red t-shirt with a gold chain, sunglasses on and topped off with a bandanna tied around his head, complimenting his light brown hair.
He sees a black motorcycle parked right beside him and then looks left where there is a black metal double door which he walks to and opens. He walks down a hallway of only eleven meters where at the end there is a smaller door on his right and he knocks. There is a small slide at face level on the door and it opens.
‘Concern?’ says someone through the opening.
‘Horn and wings’ replies Lucas.
The door is opened and Lucas enters a secret room and as he walks in, there are lounging seats to his right, as much as four in a row against the wall with a square table in front of each. There are men sitting to the far right on the couches having drinks and engaging in conversation and across from them, as the wall goes along and makes a bend, there is a door that reads ‘Toilet’. The walls are white with a wooden pattern strip going along with it around the room, and straight across Lucas are more lounging seats against the wall with tables in front of each and more patrons sitting and enjoying drinks. To the left of Lucas is a part of the wall just five meters leading to a bar area where there is a big counter and several stools in front of it. Lucas looks around and smiles in familiarity as he approaches the bar counter, where a slightly elder man is standing with a glass in hand.
Some men on the far right notice Lucas walk in, ‘Hey look, it’s Prince’ says one man gesturing with his head to show the other man.
‘Oh, what a guy, huh?’ says the other man.
‘I don’t like that cocky prick’.
‘Hey, son. Saw your “work” from last night’ says the elder bartender.
‘Hey Carlos, yeah. It was nothing though’ answers Lucas as he puts his hands on the counter.
Carlos pours the glass he was holding with Scotch whiskey, ‘The usual, right?’
‘Yeah, man’ answers Lucas as he takes the glass and takes a sip.
Before Lucas can say anything else, from the other side of the bar a man comes walking from the back and locks eyes with Lucas, both engaging in a piercing stare down.
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Chapter 3- The Ghost8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfoiOayLRUk
A pair of light blue eyes and a pair of dark brown eyes, engaging in a staring match. Lucas slowly puts down the glass in his hand, while the other person is standing and not moving an inch.
Carlos looks at the other person then at Lucas, ’Hey! Tough guy, over here!’ he says snapping his fingers.
Lucas reluctantly looks away and down at his glass, and takes a final sip before putting down the glass and looks at Carlos, whose presence is that of commanding stature. The other man doesn’t break his stare, but walks forward and slowly towards the bar area.
‘If you two boys have a beef, then you squash it outside these walls. You know the rules’ says Carlos firmly.
‘No beef here’ says Lucas.
The other man approaches the bar counter, ‘Don’t worry, Percy, I’m good’ he says in a low but deep voice.
‘Dean’ says Lucas in an annoyed tone.
‘Lucas’ says the other man, who hands Carlos a gold coin over the counter, nods and leaves through the door.
Lucas takes another sip as his glass is refilled and doesn’t look around.
‘I still don’t get what your and Dean’s deal is, you both are top tier in your field’ says Carlos while putting the coin in a container under the counter.
‘I honestly don’t know either, bro’ says Lucas.
‘If y’all were anywhere else besides here at Essinals, what woulda gone down?’
Before Lucas can answer, the two men that were sitting on the far right have gotten up and are walking towards the bar.
‘You know, Chris, I don’t like how this kid is warming up to the boss so much. We were here longer’ says the one man to the other.
Before the other could answer, they were already a few meters from the bar, ‘Carlos! My man, didn’t see you when I came in’ says the man.
He walks towards the bar counter, brushing past Lucas as if he wasn’t there.
‘Prince, how are you, man?’ says the other man, Chris.
‘Yo, Chris. I’m cool, man. I’m cool’ says Lucas as Chris reaches out a hand and the two share a handshake and Lucas stands up from the stool.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFF3Fvqs7mM
The other man is still purposely not acknowledging Lucas, ‘I liked how you two handled that job where you had to make those witnesses vanish, Ethan’ says Carlos.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4TpWLIJqE
Carlos and the man are engaging in conversation while Lucas and Chris have their own.
‘Yeah, well’ the man starts saying as he confidently lifts his shoulders and holds his hands open at either side of him with a overly confident smirk, ‘We ain’t these new kids, you know. We’ve been around and know how to really get things done’.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDLsAq15IJx
As he says this, he looks over his shoulder to his right at Lucas, and his smirk disappears when he realizes Lucas didn’t hear him and has his back to him, talking to Chris.
‘Yeah man, I woke up next to this blonde chick. I’ll definitely give her a call later. It was a good night’ Lucas says to Chris.
‘That’s my man, loving ‘em and leaving ‘em hey, no wonder you’ve got such a reputation. The chicks are crazy over you’ says Chris with a glass in his hand.
Lucas reaches and takes another glass from the counter and rests it in his hand, ‘Nah, bro, I don’t exactly hit and run, or at least not right away. I like when they’re harder to get to, like it’s a turn off when a girl throws herself at me’
‘Okay man, I get you, but what about that Anna chick though? Weren’t you still dating like a week ago?’
Lucas’ smile immediately disappears when he hears this question, but he masks his change of expression with a sip of his glass, ‘Well, you know...’
Just then, the other man buds in and walks towards Chris, lightly but not subtly enough, brushing his shoulders against Lucas’, ‘Hey Chris, we should get some more drinks going, my man Carlos Percy over there just told me how proud he is of us getting the job done. You know, unlike these youngins who don’t got a clue what they doing’ he says.
‘I heard about that, nice work man’ says Lucas looking at the man, unbothered by the shade.
The man’s face becomes red and can’t be hidden behind a big sip from his glass.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2jVLg0lxd
Chris looks at Lucas then turns his gaze to his friend and points with his thump to Lucas, ‘This guy right here was just about to give some pointers on how to score with the ladies’
‘Well why would you need his advice? You’re older and more experienced than this snot nose kid’ says the man.
Chris touches his shoulder, ‘Come on, Ethan man, we just having guy tal...’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQPFZ6zIrap
The man, Ethan, turns to Lucas, shoving Chris’ hand off his shoulder, ‘What’s your problem, huh? You think you’re better than everyone in here, don’t you?’
‘No, of course not, bro. I just...’ Lucas tries to explain.
‘I’m not your damn bro, you hear me?’ says an aggressive Ethan, who grabs Lucas by the clothing on his chest.
Chris grabs Ethan by the shoulder, ‘Come on, Ethan, maybe we should go, you’ve had too much to drink’
‘I’m not drunk! This punk is a cocky prick who needs to learn a lesson!’
‘I don’t got no problem with you man, I’ve always admired you’ says a calm Lucas.
‘If you won’t adhere to the rules of this place, then maybe I should blast it into you!’ shouts Carlos from the counter, and as the others look over, they see a shotgun on the counter.
‘Let’s go, man’ Chris pleads.
Ethan eventually let’s go of Lucas, ‘Well, I don’t like you or that Dean Taylor prick! Just because you go to public places when you do a job and still never get caught while Dean or Plasmus, whatever they call him, assassinates people fast and gets out undetected like a ghost, don’t mean you’re better than us!’
‘Ethan’ says Chris.
‘I’m going, I’m going’ says Ethan as he heads to the door with Chris following.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZI9QsOq0bS
Chris looks at Lucas and Carlos with apologetic eyes before leaving through the door and Carlos keeps his gaze until they’ve left then puts his shotgun under the table while Lucas looks at Carlos and shrugs, sitting back down.
Meanwhile, in the central parts of Manhattan, where the central park meets the main road, a black motorcycle speeds through and turns right down a road leading to apartment buildings. The motorcycle reaches a garage door at an apartment building and it opens. The motorcyclist drives it slowly and as he reaches the inside and parks, the garage door closes. He takes off the helmet and places it on a nearby shelf and it’s the dark brown eyed man, Dean, from the bar Essinals. There is a white door just in front of him and he opens it and enters.
He walks in and to his right is a wall ten meters away and to the left of the wall there is a hallway and a door further across to an apartment, while to his left there’s a white wall with a staircase against the wall leading up. He walks up the stairs and there’s a middle point where he must turn right to head up the stairs further and he reaches the top where there is a door to an apartment ahead of him while to his right is the end and the left is another hallway. He takes keys out of his pocket and opens the door and enters. As he enters, he notices the television is still on. The news channel is on and shows a suited man being taken in an ambulance.
‘Police have zero leads in yesterday’s elevator murder. There were six other people in the elevator at the time and all have given statements saying lights were flickering as it stopped and they came to, they found the popular oil tycoon Muster Elistworth dead on the ground’ says the female news reporter.
Dean walks towards the television, ‘One detective had this to say’ the news reporter continues.
There is then a mic being held to a man in a grey suit and black bow and he is light of complexion and has slight blonde hair in an upward spikes, ‘There is no such thing as ghosts. This is just a skilled murderer, but a murderer nonetheless, and he will be found and brought to justice’ says the man.
Dean picks up the remote and switches off the television. He is in his living room which is not big but spacious. To his right as he stands by the door is a brown couch against the wall and next to it are some cupboards with a wooden desk platform on the top standing against the wall. In front of the couch (just a bed’s length) stands a cupboard with shelves and the television on it. To his left is the kitchen and a mini counter separates it from the living room with the sink just beyond it and the fridge across the sink. Forward across from him is the start of the hallway where the first door to the left is the bathroom and going further is the opening to the bedroom on the right.
In the bathroom, he washes his face in the basin and looks up in the mirror, gazing upon his frown. In his bedroom, he stands by his bed and dries his face with a white towel. He opens his closet and there’s a mirror behind the door and as the door stands open, a mask hangs at the back on the closet wall, the same mask worn in the elevator assassination. He closes the closet then turns to his bed and beside it there’s a desk and on it is a picture of a young boy with the same brown hair and eyes and two people beside him, a man with black hair and beard and a woman with brownish blonde hair and their arms are around the back of the boy as they all smile. Dean looks at the picture and his eyes battle with heavy emotion but after a blink of the eye and shifting his gaze, the slight vulnerability fades. Then his cell phone makes a sound and as he picks it up, he sees a message, ‘Your next target’ it says and his dark brown eyes brim with lethal intent.
Meanwhile, Lucas pulls up on a sidewalk in front of a supermarket. He exits his car and as he walks to the entrance, he has his cell phone in hand looking at it. He enters the supermarket which has no door and is only an opening at the corner point of the wall, and wide enough for people outside to see the inside of the market. He is greeted by a black haired, caucasian woman looking and smiling at him wearing a uniform. He walks to the paying counter where an elderly woman stands wearing a frown and he leans on the counter and smiles.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrt5xemMkuJ
The woman looks at him, ‘Hey there, I don’t see the watermelons anywhere’ he says to her.
The woman maintains her frown, ‘Ain’t here then’ she says.
‘Well, I’ll take your word for it then, my lady’ says Lucas maintaining his smile.
The woman looks at him sharply, a smile fights to appear but is blocked by her frown,
‘My lady? Been a minute since someone called this old gal that’
Another younger woman standing close behind the counter spots the conversation.
‘Old gal? No way, since when is mid forties old?’ says Lucas.
The woman blushes slightly and a smile brushes her face gently, ‘You must check your eyes, boy. I’m well past that age’ she says.
The other woman approaches them, ‘Well, didn’t think it was possible for Ma Rose to smile at all’ she says, wearing a smile of her own.
As Lucas leans in more, a woman appears beside him on his left, ‘Lucas?’ she says.
He turns to her and his smile slowly disappears, ‘Anna?’ he says.
She has brown hair with blonde lines, is light of complexion and has brown eyes. She is wearing a blue t-shirt and black pants with white striped shoes and is holding a basket.
The two stare at each other while the other two women look at each other and move their own way.
‘How’ve you been?’ both say at the same time.
Lucas has his hand on his head, his usual confident stance buckled while Anna’s eyes are fluttering heavily.
Lucas takes a deep breath, ‘Anna, I’m so sor...’
She lifts her hand, ‘Please, stop apologizing. It won’t change anything. The past is the past’
The other two women stare at them from a distance, ‘Who is that chick?’ asks the elderly woman.
‘That’s his ex, I’ve seen them come here a few times’ answers the other woman.
‘Ah, I see. What happened?’ asks the elderly woman.
‘I don’t know, I think he cheated or something’ says the other woman.
‘I don’t blame him, he’s so handsome and charming and she’s so... plain’ says the elderly woman as both look on.
‘Is there any chance I can try to make it up to you?’ says Lucas.
‘No, I think we should just leave it the way it is’ answers Anna.
Lucas shakes his head with a slight smile, ‘But we had a huge argument last time, how can we leave it at that?’
‘Alright’ says Anna as she turns her head and sees the two women staring at them, who then turn away, and she turns her eyes back to Lucas, ‘Let’s just forget about that. We said some things and it was the heat of the moment. We should just be friends’
Lucas nods, ‘Okay, I can do that.’
The two share mutual smiles and as Lucas’ smile shows agreement, his eyes shows a hint of heavier emotion. Meanwhile, Dean sits on his bed with his cell phone in hand and goes through pictures. One is of the small boy and the woman in the picture and another is of the small boy and the man in the picture then the next is of Dean and a woman who closely resembles Anna. He stops and his eyes flutter and then a notification goes off and he swipes to the message that reads, ‘We’re ready’. His eyes return to serious and then he stands up and opens his draw to take out his silver and black pistol. He corks it and puts it in the back of his pants. He then opens the closet and looks at the mask hanging. He slowly takes it and holds it in his hands. Then he closes the closet door and looks forward with burning fury.
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Chapter 4- Essinals Assassins8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0JnnS2ujjk
The night is vibrant and alive in the ‘city that never sleeps’ and as the lights shine bright in the night sky, darkness lurks close. A black SUV drives in a wide, busy road surrounded by buildings with boards hanging on them and lights in various colours. The SUV makes a right turn into narrower road and as it does, two black Cadillacs follow in unison. As it drives past smaller buildings with less people walking around and fewer vehicles parked roadside, two motorcycles with the drivers wearing all black clothing and helmets, follow them after turning down the same road. In the SUV, the driver looks in the rearview mirror and it seems clear as he focuses back on the road in front of him. He is wearing a black and white typical butler suit and is caucasian with visible wrinkles showing he is in the late fifties. In the passenger seat another man with the same complexion and slightly less wrinkles sits with nearly the same suit and white gloves, with an assault rifle in hand.
In the backseat, a man in black and white tuxedo sits with his arms crossed and leg over the other. He is of the same complexion but his face is slightly drowned in wrinkles, hinting at an age nearing seventy and his head bald. There is then a left turn and it is an alleyway where the lights of the city are now less visible. As the SUV and two black Cadillacs stop in front of a brown bricked, six-story building, the two motorcycle drivers turn down the alleyway as well where the building is a yard away. The man in the backseat of the SUV climbs out after the door is opened by a butler and he straightens his suit before walking towards the entrance.
Meanwhile, on the building at the start of the alleyway, which is no taller than three stories, on the top stands a masked individual, the same from the elevator. He stands with his warrior-themed suit, sporting two swords diagonally across each other in holders on his back. There are two knives at either side of him in holders and beside both is a holder with a pistol on either side. He stands and watches the movements of the men from the SUV, two black cars and the motorcycles. On the ground, as the bald man has entered the building, there are four more armed men standing against the wall of the entrance door. Then two men approach from inside, both in suits as well and one middle aged with black hair and the other with grey hair in the same age group.
‘Mister Lensworth, welcome’ says the grey haired man.
‘Skip the pleasantries, Harold, let’s just get this over with’ answers the bald man. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Yr8JQnV3X
Just then, they hear gunshots. The three men flinch and duck while the four men at the door turn and point their guns and steadily move towards the door. On the outside, the two motorcycle drivers are behind a wall shooting at the Cadillac drivers. The two men from the SUV rush from the building entrance to crouch behind the SUV while the four men from the two black cars crouch behind the cars, each firing shots when they get an opening. Two of the four men from inside the building then burst outside with mini machine guns in hand but one is immediately shot in the chest and falls backwards. While inside the building, the three men run upstairs with a red mat rolled down it and only one man has a pistol in hand. They hear the loud shots outside clearly and they reach the top of the stairs and head towards a door on the left. On the outside, as the shooting continues, one motorcycle driver takes out a grenade and pulls the pin before launching it forty feet (12 meters) towards the men from the black cars and SUV.
The grenade lands just before one black car at its side, ‘Grenade!’ shouts one gunman.
The grenade explodes and the car lifts at its side and rolls over as the two men dive out of the way. This is when the two motorcycle drivers each pull out semi machine guns and step out from behind the wall and fire away. On the inside, the bald man and the two companions have entered a room and stand looking at the door as they hear the outside chaos.
‘Don’t worry, they’ll never get in. There are enough men to hold them off outside’ says the man holding the firearm.
They stand in a room with a wooden counter top along its walls which is wooden brown at the bottom and white at the top. There are sofas standing towards the back wall and a window just across from the door. The window then breaks, startling the men who turn around and look at the window.
‘I knew it! Outside’s chaos is just a diversion!’ says the bald man.
He rushes towards the door, opens it and heads out as the other two men eventually follow. On the outside, two men are lying shot dead beside one black car while the others are shooting back furiously. The three men from inside the building are crouched behind the SUV along with the other two men.
One of the three men stops firing, ‘Get back in here! It’s just a diversion!’ says a voice over the man’s earpiece.
The man taps his partner on the shoulder and makes a gesture with his finger before standing up. He stands up and fires a few shots then heads up the stairs and his partner gets up and follows suit. Another bomb then goes off causing all the men to hold their heads as they crouch. The two men reach the entrance doors, passing the dead man that lay on the stairs and fire shots before entering. On the inside, the three men are at the next door as two other armed men come from the room and the three men rush into the room, the bald man first. In the first room the men were in, the masked man enters the window and stands looking at the door. It opens and a gunman rushes in but is immediately shot twice, once in the chest and then face by the masked man.
On the outside, one of the two motorcycle drivers gets closer while shooting and crouches behind a part of a waist-level wall that pokes out from the building they were standing behind. The other motorcycle driver also gets out of cover and fires shots. Inside the building, the masked man is out of the room and looks at the stairs as the two gunmen from outside rush upwards. The masked man shoots one in his knee and as he goes down and the other looks, the masked man throws his knife right through the side of the looking man’s head. He then stands at the railing, looks down and shoots the other man in his head as well. Just then, from the door where the three men are in, a gunman emerges and fires at him. After several shots to the stomach, chest and face, the gunman gets wide eyed as he looks at the masked man not flinching because his suit is metal and bulletproof.
The masked man points both pistols at the gunman and fires several shots causing the gunman’s body to jerk violently as he’s filled with holes and he falls to the ground. The masked man’s expression remains unreadable because of the mask covering his face but his brief stance after the shots hints at a relishing gaze. He then retrieves his knife from the dead man’s head and looks up at the door. Inside the room, the three men have two armed men around them. One black haired and another brown haired, younger looking.
‘You two, stand by the door! Don’t let them near us!’ shouts the bald man.
As the two head to the door, the black haired one in front, a shot goes off and it’s one of the three men who is holding a firearm that is shot in his neck and he drops to his knees, holding his neck before falling forward on the floor and as the black haired man turns around, his shoulder and chest is shot and he falls over as well. The brown haired man then turns his face to the two remaining men, and it’s Lucas.
The bald man and grey haired man both has their mouths hanging open looking at the men just shot as Lucas aims at them and smiles, ‘Oh, look. It’s just the three of us now’ he says.
‘Who are you? Do you know who I am? I...’ the bald man says, masking his nervousness.
‘Yeah, yeah’ says Lucas as he slightly lowers his firearm, ‘Richard Lensworth, businessman with stakes all over the city, owns buildings, blah blah, whatever. Just another job for me honestly’
‘Essinals Assassins, that’s who’s behind this hit, isn’t it?’ asks the grey haired man.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJGa3kvhimq
Lucas smiles again and lifts his pistol, but just then, the masked man enters the room and Lucas turns immediately and shoots and the masked man shoots as well. Two shots each with Lucas’ shots hitting the masked man’s chest and face causing him to stumble backwards while his shots hit Lucas in the chest and the other shot hits the grey haired man in his side. The bald man, Lensworth, uses the opening to rush to the window. Lucas and the masked man regain their footing and take their stances as both point their guns at each other.
‘You asshole! I had him!’ says Lucas.
As they turn and look though, Lensworth jumps out of the window while the grey haired man stirs while lying back on the couch. The masked man shoots the grey haired man in his head and lowers his pistol as Lucas lowers his and turns around as both head to the window. As they look through the broken window, they see Lensworth on a small ledge just below the window. He looks back slightly then jumps over towards the next building across. He slips and falls, causing him to hang from the edge of the building. Lucas and the masked man jump out of the window onto the ledge. As Lucas attempts to jump, the masked man grabs onto his arm. Lensworth pulls himself up and onto the top and rushes ahead.
‘What are you doing, Dean?’ shouts Lucas as he shakes the masked man’s hand off him.
Another attempted grab from the masked man and Lucas shoves him aside before leaping over to the other building. As he lands, he rushes after Lensworth who is at the edge of the other side of the building, but as he gets closer, shots are fired at his feet. Lucas turns around and points his pistol and finds the masked man standing and pointing at him as well. The two motorcycle drivers enter the room and take off their helmets, revealing Chris and Ethan from Essinals. They poke their heads out of the broken window and spot Lucas and the masked man on the next building.
‘I dare you, Dean’ says Lucas as he stands pointing.
Chris and Ethan reach the building top, ‘What are you guys doing? The target is getting away!’ shouts Chris.
‘Typical youngins, damn amateurs as I’ve been saying! I say let them blow each other’s heads off while we get the target’ says Ethan.
Chris turns to Ethan, ‘The window just closed, we not getting him now’ then he turns to Lucas and the other, ‘Guys! Knock it off! No time for your stupid feud!’
Lucas and the masked man stay focused on each other, ‘Come on, Dean. Let’s do this, Plasmus!’ says Lucas.
Ethan smirks while Chris’ expression is heavy, ‘Percy won’t like this!’ he then steps in between them both, them now pointing at him.
‘What are you doing, Chris?’ shouts Ethan as his smirk disappears.
Lucas’ eyes betray the confidence on his face. The masked man, Plasmus, slowly takes out a grenade and throws it on the ground. Smoke emerges from it, causing the others to cover their faces and cough.
‘That son of...’ (coughs) ‘a bitch!’ says Ethan.
As the smoke clears, Plasmus has disappeared. The three look at each other, the smoke isn’t toxic. Lucas looks at his chest that was shot and takes the bullet off his bulletproof vest. They then hear sirens and look at one another before making their way off the building. Moments later, several police cars arrive in front of the building. Just behind the police cars, a pickup Ranger arrives. The three police cars stand with their siren lights flashing as the policemen head to the bodies on the ground. Then a man climbs out of the pickup Ranger. He is light of complexion with slight blonde, spiky hair and is wearing grey suit with black bow.
From the passenger side, another man climbs out. He is light skinned black with short afro hair and a goatee. He is wearing a black and white average suit. The two men walk past the bodies and towards the stairs where there are two more bodies.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ99Mj9SJd6K
The first man takes out his badge and shows it to the policeman, ‘Detectives Jason Fisher and Oscar Prince, what do we got?’ he asks.
‘Well Detective, eight dead and there’s probably more inside. This looks like a shootout’ says the policeman.
The second man looks at the first, ‘We could’ve left this one for Meyer and Isman. We are still far from solving last night’s nightclub murder and last week’s elevator murder’ he says.
The first man puts his hands on his hips, ‘I don’t know, Oscar. I just gotta feeling about this one’ he says and then looks around, ‘There must have been at least four shooters behind this’
‘Which begs the question, why are we here, Jason? The guy we chasing only kills single targets and leaves zero clues behind’ says the other man, Prince.
The first detective heads to the pickup Ranger, opens the door and takes out a file. His partner follows.
‘What you got?’ asks his partner.
‘The last few murders, all were top businessmen with stakes in almost every business in the city. If we find another one of these men inside then we have a real case, it could all be connected’ says the detective.
‘And if it’s not?’ asks his partner.
He looks at him then looks up at the building, ‘I don’t know. I just know this; we not chasing a ghost, we chasing a man. This man will slip up eventually, and I’ll be right there waiting for him’
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Chapter 5- Origin of Evil8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrsES7uD60E
The next day, a black Rolls Royce pulls up in front of a building opposite times square and a man in a butler suit opens the back door and out climbs the elderly, bald man, Richard Lensworth. He stands and looks at the building as the door is closed behind him by the butler and three other cars are parked around his car, two in front and one at the back, ranging from Rolls Royce's to Cadillacs. Six men in suits and sunglasses then stand beside Lensworth and he walks towards the entrance. As he enters, a curly haired, middle aged man approaches him wearing a brown suit jacket and black pants.
‘Mister Lensworth, I didn’t think we’d see you today after what we heard last night’ says the man.
‘It takes more than an attempt on my life to keep Richard Lensworth away. I’ve been in this game for over fifty years, nothing can surprise me or take me down’ he answers as he passes the man.
Lensworth and his guards stand in front of an elevator and then it opens. There are four people in the elevator, two blonde women and two Latino looking men and Lensworth enters. He stands in the middle and the six men start to enter one after the other.
Lensworth looks right to the men, ‘All of you can’t get in here, take the next one please’ says one man.
‘Actually’ says Lensworth as he gestures with his hands and the guards shoves the two men out, ‘you take the next one, my safety is of great concern’
The two blonde women look astonished as the six guards stand beside Lensworth. As they reach the floor and he exits the elevator and walks towards a nearby door in a hallway on the sixth floor, he sees a young woman standing at the door with a file in her arm.
He approaches and smiles at her before opening the door, ‘Ah, Miss Wilson, shall we?’ he says as he holds open the door and gestures with his arm.
The young woman, Anna, Lucas’ ex, enters while fainting a smile. One guard tries to enter as well but Lensworth puts his arm on the door, blocking his way.
The guard’s face filled with confusion but Lensworth looks at him sternly, ‘I don’t need you in here’
‘But, sir...’ the guard pleads.
‘Just stand by the damn door, I don’t need you inside. It’s not like I need protection from a young lady’ he says before shutting the door in the guard’s face.
Anna stands by a desk behind her and office chairs at either end of the desk. Lensworth pulls the chair from behind the desk and places it behind him as he stands with his back towards the windows and face to the door and then he sits down.
‘Please, be seated the same way. Let’s be as comfortable as possible’ says Lensworth as he gestures to the chair at Anna’s end.
‘Okay’ says Anna with a smile that attempts to hide the discomfort in her eyes.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8N1W3l7pK5
Lensworth leans back in his seat with a unconcealable grin, ‘Tell me about yourself, young lady. What brings you before a powerful man like me?’
Anna shifts her eyes uncomfortably while holding her smile, ‘I just have to do this paper for my class about businessmen in the city and how they got to their positions’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡop9g0ak33b
‘Yes, yes. I am aware of the paper, but I am more interested in you, who you are and where you are from’ says Lensworth as he leans forward.
Anna swallows and looks at him before taking a glass of water from the desk and sipping it, ‘I am just a girl, mister Lensworth. A regular college girl’ she says as she puts the glass down.
Lensworth’s glaring eyes make her uneasy and so she looks at the water and back at him and smiles but her eyes hint to something darker. Meanwhile, at Essinals in a backroom with a red sofa and brown interior design, smooth wooden ceiling with a ceiling fan, the room no bigger than an average living room, stands Carlos Percy with his arms crossed and the two men before him, Dean and Lucas. Dean stands with arms behind his back beside the sofa while Lucas sits on the sofa leaning forward.
‘That was a very important job, we were paid upfront because of our stellar reputation, but now, not only do we owe the money back, we also have a target who is walking around having seen your faces!’ shouts Percy.
Dean and Lucas keep their gazes forward, Lucas’ expression slightly heavy while Dean’s is nearly stoic.
Percy has his hands on his hips, ‘I am so disappointed in you two. My best men who can’t keep a childish feud aside long enough to get the job done’
‘Let me fix this, Carlos. Please’ says Lucas.
Percy looks at him sternly.
‘Let me go after him, I’ll be quick in and out’ says Dean.
The two men briefly throw their gazes at each other, and Percy shakes his head, ‘No, he already suspects you two. The flair of Prince is subdued and the mystique of Plasmus faded. He needs to be hit with someone, something he’ll never expect’ he says.
As Percy says this, at the same time Anna walks down the stairs of the lobby floor and heads for the exit. Lensworth sits in his office and suddenly chokes and holds his throat. He jerks back and forth and the water jug falls from the desk.
The glass breaking alerts his guards and the one that was at the door rushes in, ‘Sir? Sir! What’s going on?’ he shouts.
Back at Essinals Lucas leans forward even more, ‘But we are the best here, us and Ethan and Chris. If none of us are going after the target, then who?’ he asks.
Dean’s expression remains unreadable while Percy faces the door, ‘Don’t you worry about that’ he says.
At the same time, Anna exits the building, a wicked grin on her pretty face. As she exits, a black SUV pulls up in front of the building, right behind the other black car, and a man in a black and while tailored suit steps out. He is caucasian, middle-aged and has a bald crown. His gaze catches Anna’s and there’s a brief, neutral look before both turn their gazes away.
A man with grey hair exits the building in haste and looks at the suited man, ‘Mister Lensworth! Come quick! It’s your father!’ he shouts.
The suited man rushes towards the entrance as Anna walks off. In the room, Richard Lensworth lay on the floor on his back, his body jerking back and forth violently while he kicks and fights to breathe.
‘Is the ambulance on the way? Is there a doctor around?’ shouts one guard as two others scramble around.
The suited man enters, his eyes heavy but nowhere near tears, ‘Father! Father, what’s happening?’ he rushes to his father’s side and leans beside him, ‘Help him! Help him you idiots! How could this happen?’
As the suited man hold his father’s hand, he stops kicking and his eyes roll back in his head.
‘Father! Dad? No, no, no!’ he shouts.
Moments later, Dean lies on his bed facing the ceiling. The white colour blurs and it seems as though it pulls him in. Looking down, he is now sucked into a memory. A blue hoody wearing individual exits a room and steps into the hallway, and as he turns, it’s a younger, teenage-looking Dean. His face less stoic, less confident, with innocence showing in his eyes. He walks with his hands in his jacket pocket and he reaches a door at the end of the hallway where noise comes from. He takes a deep breath, swallows and then enters the room. As he enters, there is a crowd of people. The room has a thirty feet (nine meters) high ceiling, is two master bedrooms wide from where Dean is standing, left to right, and is about seven master bedrooms long, across from where Dean is.
There are men and women all around, looking around the same age as Dean. The spaces between each individual is limited because of how many people are present. Dean moves forward slowly and unsurely and just then he sees someone to his left who looks at him and smiles.
The guy approaches, he is dark skinned with a mini afro, wearing an open green jacket and black jeans, ‘Yo, Dean. What’s good?’ he says.
They shake hands, ‘Hey Phillip, where’s Lucas? I thought he’d meet me here’ says Dean.
‘Not sure, last I heard he was with some other chick, bro’
The music plays loud so Dean leans closer to Phillip, ‘What about Anna? They’re dating aren’t they?’
‘Man, if he ain’t tell you, his best bro, then ain’t no way he’ll tell me’ says Phillip.
Dean nods and a brunette girl standing with some others a few feet away looks their way and smiles. Phillip looks her way and smiles in recognition before touching Dean on the shoulder and gesturing he’ll be right back. Dean walks amongst the crowd, his face losing the battle to hide his nerves.
Just then, someone bumps into him, ‘Hey, watch where you’re going!’ says the person.
Dean looks at him, he is a boy around the same age as Dean and same complexion but his face is slightly red and there are some pubic spots and his body is slightly rounder.
‘Hey look, it’s Dean the bean’ says the boy as he and his friends laugh.
Dean looks left and right, his face battling while his eyes are fluttering, ‘Don’t call me that’ he says with a soft tone.
‘Yeah? What you gonna do about it, loser?’ says the boy as he steps closer to Dean and his smile is replaced with a serious expression.
As Dean stands and clutches his fists, the other boy, Phillip, returns and stands beside him, ‘Yo, Dank, be cool man. We at a party here’ he says.
‘Whatever, let’s go’ says the boy as he and his friends walk off.
‘I had it, you didn’t have to defend me!’ says Dean.
‘Hey man, he’s been kicking your butt since grade school. Being in high school doesn’t mean you suddenly tougher. He’s still bigger than you’
Dean’s eyes shift from nervousness to fury and it darts at Phillip who steps back before Dean storms towards the door. That night, four guys stand outside at a pickup, one of them is the bully, Dank.
‘You sure you don’t want a ride?’ one of them asks Dank.
‘Nah man, I’m good. I can’t go home drunk, my dad’ll kill me. I’m waiting for my cousin to take me to his place’ he answers.
The other boys get in the pickup and drive off waving. Just then, Dank hears a sound. He is startled and turns around to find an angry Dean standing about seven feet from him.
‘You asshole!’ shouts Dank.
‘I’m not afraid of you anymore’ says Dean calmly.
‘Oh really? I can be drunk, but I will still kick your little ass like I always have’ says Dank.
‘No! That stops right now! I’m not a loser that can be pushed around!’ shouts Dean with his fists clenched beside him.
Dank leans over laughing, ‘You ain’t gonna do nothing, cause you can’t do nothing!’
Dean charges forward and shoulder tackles Dank and both land on the gravel ground. Dean attempts to punch him but he blocks his fists. Dank overpowers Dean and shifts his larger frame until he’s on top of Dean.
Dank throws a right punch but Dean blocks his hand and holds on onto it, ‘No! No! You can’t win! You can’t!’ shouts Dean.
Dank’s eyes widen as he sees the sudden strength from the smaller Dean who now has both his hands, holding by the wrists and he smashes Dank with his head to his face. Dean then throws Dank off him and sits on top of him raining down punch after punch.
After more than thirty-five punches, Dean stops and breathes heavy while a bloody Dank cries, ‘Please man, I’m sorry’
Dean’s eyes increase in rage, ‘Sorry? Sorry! You know what you did to me? Do you remember when you shoved me in that locker?’ shouts Dean, ‘In my... underwear!’ he says as his voice breaks with emotion.
As Dean is about to throw another right punch, Dank shoves him off and Dean tries to regain his position but Dank kicks him backwards. Dank scrambles while on his hands and knees and as he gets to his feet, Dean charges for him again. The tackle sends both into a nearby wall and then tumbling towards the ground. With both separated, Dank looks up and sees a brick. He scrambles towards it with fear in his eyes and as he gets to it, Dean is nearly on top of him again but Dank kicks him backwards again. He then stands up, brick in hand, and Dean sees this as he looks up. A sudden and even more rush of rage flows through him and he jumps up.
‘Come on, stop man!’ shouts a fearful Dank.
Dean charges as Dank lifts the brick in defense, and Dank falls backwards with the brick falling beside him as Dean lands on top of him. As Dean sits up on him, he sees the brick and he looks back at Dank’s terrified face, but all he can see is the boy who has caused him so much trauma, so he picks up the brick.
Dank tries to stop his arm but lay in an uncomfortable position, ‘No, wait!’ he begs.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDm3ItsSkw
Dean has the brick in hand and smashes him on the side of his head, causing blood to gush. Dean hits him again and then again and with every strike, the life drains from Dank’s body and more blood flows. After nine strikes, Dean stops, out of breath, and he realizes Dank has stopped moving.
Dean’s eyes go wide as he drops the brick and gets off Dank, ‘Dank? Dank! Oh no’
Dean stands up and looks at Dank’s lifeless body, his heart races and he looks around in disbelief. Dean holds his head and turns around, but then instinctively he turns to the brick and picks it up. He looks at it and then at the lifeless Dank, then he turns and runs away. The murder scene dissolves and Dean’s dark brown eyes stares straight ahead, and after recalling that night, his cold eyes remain while a wicked smile joins in.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdzshNuzb8
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Chapter 6- Fisher of Trails8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGk8kMOyug
Later that day, a red McLaren stands outside in front of a restaurant in downtown Brooklyn. The building has a green sun roof in front of it as well as several tables and chairs underneath it, which are all white and grey with green umbrellas at each table. Lucas sits at one table outside with the blonde from the nightclub sitting across him. Lucas is wearing a blue printed t-shirt with a silver chain hanging just above his torso and silver bangles on his wrists with a black jeans and red sneakers. The blonde’s hair is loose and she is wearing gold teardrops and a necklace of her own with a light blue sundress and black high heels. Lucas leans forward on the table with his hands together as he looks at her.
She plays with her hair and smiles, ‘I gotta be honest, I didn’t think I’d hear from you again’ she says.
‘For real? Nah, I ain’t like that’ he answers with a smile, before leaning back and looking at her slightly sideways, ‘You mean to tell me you used to guys not calling back after a hot night?’
The blonde gets flustered, ‘No, no, of course not. We did meet at a club and go home the same night, but that doesn’t happen with everyone, because... well, not every guy comes in and whips three people’s asses all at once’ she says as a concealing smile appears.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMwwU8qgaXA
Lucas nods and leans forward again, but just then, he looks over her shoulder and sees a familiar face across the street. His smile immediately disappears when he realizes it’s Anna. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlrJ0OhPd1
The blonde notices him looking past her, ‘Is everything alright?’ she says as she turns to see what he’s looking at.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdVwO10hpQ
Lucas stands up, still looking at Anna who is walking amongst the crowd on the opposite side, ‘I... I’ll be right back’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2BqG8Lc20q
‘Wha... the food hasn’t even arrived... yet’ says the blonde but Lucas is already walking past her towards the other side of the road.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JtFtQtz9G
A car passes and a hasty Lucas rushes across the road towards Anna who is already around the corner almost.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuPPPhlr8Y
Anna, with her hair loose and wearing a sleeveless white shirt and blue jeans, has her cell phone to her ear, ‘You better return my calls, I expect payment by tomorrow’ she says before putting away her phone.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE5rHo4E9f6
Lucas is now behind her by a few pedestrians, ‘Anna! Hey, Anna!’ he shouts.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCg6K6awMCc
He passes four pedestrians and catches up to her, ‘Ann...’ he reaches out his hand.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupd3sTsMk5
She turns around swiftly as though on edge, ‘What... oh, Lucas. It’s you’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpyQgIPaBOf
He now walks beside her, ‘Yeah, what’s up? Everything okay?’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtc2BS24I5k
‘Everything is fine, Lucas’ she says.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZDNexXbZa
They continue walking past the building, reaching a corner, ‘Hey, why don’t you join...’ says Lucas but just then, he sees a bald man with beard looking suspiciously their way from their left across the street.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjdoXzReL7I
Lucas turns and as he looks behind him, two more men are following.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPSlxhw4zg
‘Anna, we gotta move’ he says, grabbing onto her arm.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ahEFATL8D
‘Why? What are you doing?’ says Anna as Lucas walks faster, pulling her behind him.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4YOebqwNs2
The men behind them start walking faster and Anna turns her head around and notices, ‘Come on’ says Lucas. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPEYt0Ps5EZ
As they turn right, the man from across the street rushes over and the two men rush as well and just then, a black van pulls up behind them. Lucas takes out his pistol and fires a shot at the van, causing people to scream and scramble, blocking the pursuing men’s way as Lucas and Anna turn right into an alley.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsOCt7W69RR
‘Lucas!’ shouts Anna as they run.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfcpW5trlK
‘Come on, this way! We gotta lose ‘em!’ says Lucas.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bL2hWydgu
The men all climb into the black van after drawing their guns and the van turns right into the alley and speeds after Lucas and Anna. With the van nearly at their heels, Lucas fires more shots at the front window and tires. The men in the van poke out their heads with sub machine guns in hand and start firing, but Lucas pulls Anna behind a pillar structure that stands out from the wall on their right. He fires multiple shots at the van in defense. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpgYuOnIG9
Lucas then hands a key to Anna, ‘If you run fast down there, you’ll reach my car’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4vxnYbtxa
Anna takes the keys and looks at it, ‘What, no, I can’t just leave you’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYa42VlInFg
Lucas pushes her by the shoulder, ‘Go, now!’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2pEa3wSyGs
Anna reluctantly turns and rushes and Lucas then rushes across and fires at the van that has turned slightly left. The men fire back but Lucas is now out of the alley and behind a wall, reloading his pistol. Shots are fired and he holds his head and then the van emerges from the alley and the men have Lucas in sight just twenty feet (six meters) from them but just as they point their guns, shots are fired at them from the other side, hitting one of the two pursuing men in his head. An astonished Lucas looks straight ahead and sees Anna with a pistol in hand. The car is just behind her so she turns and rushes to it. Lucas moves as well while the van turns their way.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1HdjnCA5NF
As Anna approaches Lucas’ car, the blonde who is ducking inside the restaurant, sees her, ‘Hey! That’s not yours! Lucas! Where is he?’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHKXzofMGO
The black van then comes around the corner, steam-rolling towards Anna. She dives behind the car as shots rain and hits the car. From an oncoming Lucas’ point of view, it looks as though Anna was shot.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6j5MYgKbs
His world stops, and everything seems to move slower, sound fading into the background, ‘Anna! No!’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzo09mVDrZG
The van is still in sight and attempts to turn so Lucas instinctively gets into a stance and fires at them repeatedly, causing the van to stop briefly. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8YiNgvmO5D
He reaches the car where Anna pokes her head out from behind, ‘Oh my gosh, Anna! Are you okay?’ 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKcJnrWFNJ
Anna throws his keys to him, ‘We gotta move!’ she says. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFFKjjB2gl
Lucas hesitates but snaps back to reality when he spots the van turning, and he opens his door and gets in. Anna enters the car from the other side and they speed off with the van pursuing. Lucas turns right as the blonde sits in the restaurant holding her head along with the other terrified people and she looks on. Lucas and Anna look back frantically as the van gets closer and more shots are fired.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7OPiIvYHBz
Anna pokes out her head and fires back, ‘We have to lose them!’ she says as she pokes her head back in.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZfVReIIWx
‘I just need to get to the highway and we’ll lose ‘em’ says Lucas as he speeds past other vehicles.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyN4VQ2wF6e
They are now steadily ahead of the slower van, that is three vehicles behind them. From the van’s view, the red car’s speed is overwhelming as it is far ahead of them. Then the red car turns left down a road. As the van approaches, they turn left as well and the red car has vanished. The men drive further looking around until they pass an alley, and as soon as they do, the red car smashes into the side of the van. Lucas fires several shots as he’s parked into the van’s side, pushing it towards a sidewalk. The van stops as it is smashed against a light pole on the sidewalk and Lucas reverses and parks in the road and gets out of the car then points his pistol at the van. The driver and passenger both lay hunched over forward as Lucas looks at them before he walks to the back of the van and as he does, Anna exits the car.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxk9RWou1Rp
‘Stay there’ says Lucas as he gestures Anna with his hand.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvl3YEoPivx
He then opens the back of the van and is met with a gunman lying on his side, rifle in hand about to pull the trigger when a shot goes off and the gunman’s head is blown open. Lucas looks back and sees Anna with both hands on her pistol.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKLsYTcRxBk
Lucas lowers his pistol, ‘Why’d you do that? I could’ve let him tell me who sent them’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLBFhUpIGtn
Anna lowers her pistol as well and throws a diminishing look at Lucas who faints a smile before walking towards the car, ‘Come on, we gotta get outta here, those are sirens. Lotta people saw what we did’ he says.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvfQQy7FpeL
Both get in the car and speed off as sirens get louder. Moments later, they arrive at a suburban area in Queens, where Lucas then pulls up to a house as Anna looks around. Lucas gets out and opens the big, double gate before re-entering the car and driving into the two-door garage which contains another blue car inside. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3BV3wp0DC
The garage door closes behind them as they’ve parked, ‘So, this is where you live now?’ says Anna, breaking the silence.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYtLjkPrY4s
Lucas still has his hands on the steering wheel as he turns to face her, noticing she’s still facing forward, ‘Yeah, nice, huh?’ he says as his fragile smile is held together by confidence.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH0YsNWVYSM
‘So, you just pluck me off the street and take me home?’ says Anna, now turning her face to him.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDGC3TKlr5
‘You almost died back there, Anna!’ Lucas raises his voice, stunning her and even himself as evident in his light blue eyes.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMPPe80ZOI
‘Calm down, I was trying to lighten the mood, you know, since we were shot at?’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpaLKi3nS1
Lucas takes a deep breath and faces forward as his mask of confidence is swallowed. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCTpKqNlURP
He then turns to look at her again, ‘I’m sorry, I just... just almost thought I lost you for a second’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEdQhfparYh
He faces forward again, his heart beating faster, reminded of the feeling of vulnerability only Anna could bestow upon him. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfeSf6jrIFV
She turns to him and her expression softens, ‘It’s okay... I’m okay’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMcEPM7nOl
He turns to her again, one hand now at his side, ‘Wanna tell me what that was back there?’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgGLQ4WzCn5
‘What was what exactly?’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpXSJ1KGwRd
Lucas shakes his head, ‘You shooting like that, I didn’t know you had a gun, or could shoot’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5H1J5XXtF
‘Yeah well, people change, learn new things’ says Anna as she sighs, turning forward again.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmJ6ZEi225s
‘We were broken up for just a month, no way you could learn that in just a month’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJIjeBpfVD
‘Hey, you see other people, I train myself to shoot. To each its own’ says Anna.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ303NSK0vRG
Lucas runs his hand through the hair at the back of his head, ‘Okay, look, we gotta lay low for now. Let’s head inside’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFTd0M4thF
‘I’m not staying with you, Lucas. Take me home’ she says as her eyes dart at him.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEN9FMSs8Pr
Lucas’ eyes hint of frustration but the rest of his expression is softer, ‘Okay, I’ll take my other car, this one will have heat on it’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGW3Xq1GRDT
Anna nods and Lucas’ face becomes even more dipped in despair, hinting of guilt, ‘I should have never ran after you, those assholes were probably watching me’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7ufuHJVPW
Anna smiles softly, but her eyes hints of guilt of her own. That evening, Detective Fisher stands at a desk with a file in hand as he looks at it. The brown, wooden desk has files scattered across it with a laptop open and a telephone beside it. There is an office stool behind the desk and wooden shelves waist-height standing left from the desk with files filling each layer and in front of the desk the name tag reads; ‘Det. Jason Fisher’. Detective Prince then walks into the office and stands before Fisher.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKnnspAPYt
‘You going home tonight, man?’ asks Detective Prince.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6hBm3VjNi
Fisher looks up at him and before he can answer, the phone rings and he sets down the file to pick it up, ‘Hello, Detective Fisher’ 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3ENFg1MPe
Detective Prince looks on, ‘Oh, Hel... Detective Meyer, what you got? Oh, okay... alright, thanks’ says Detective Fisher before he puts down the phone.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxa0n3kjaBn
Detective Prince looks at him with an asking face, ‘Meyer says there’s something identical about the shooting earlier today and the one from last night’ says Detective Fisher.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJ21x23uXL
‘Oh?’ says Detective Prince as he moves closer.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUEK3ojlBQm
‘The men from last night were all working for Lensworth LTD, but inside we found Harold Wenter’s body and his bodyguard’s. Richard Lensworth dies today after a suspected poisoning and then this shooting takes place and the men in the van, two of ‘em worked for Wenter’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3jwwyPrX6
Detective Prince nods in agreement, ‘Ah, so the two were doing business together and now both are dead. Most of the major players are falling, who’s left? Lensworth would be a prime suspect because of past allegations but now he dead too’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIT2TLypCHn
Detective Fisher’s eyes widen as though a light bulb went on, ‘Lensworth LTD gains the most from this, namely Lennor Lensworth. His father dies and he is the only heir’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡksLhkIN5jN
‘That kinda makes sense, but murdering his own father though? I don’t know, plus the guy was like seventy or something, why not do it long ago?’ asks Detective Prince.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgCqksI2g9
Fisher lifts his finger and moves it up and down before rushing to a file on the shelf, ‘He needed leverage of some sort, if we can find out what business dealings they were having shortly before the deaths, we might know what’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkWjH1jh3u
‘These are still just hunches though, we have nothing against him to arrest him and he can’t be behind the murders himself, so maybe employees?’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMf97goMCJv
Fisher shakes his head then faces the floor, ‘We don’t need to arrest him, we just wait for him to slip up. I think he already has’ says Fisher as he walks to his laptop and looks on it. ‘All the other killings were swift without a trace and these last ones are... messy, so we have to assume there’s some kinda power struggle in the underworld. I think gangs or hitmen are being used, like real pros’ Fisher continues as he clicks on the laptop.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPsnLhMq9Y5
Detective Prince stands beside Fisher looking at the, ‘Is that...?’ he asks.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNd0c5R0J3N
‘Yes’ says Fisher as he points on the screen, ‘A man and woman were being chased in a red McLaren 720S by a black Peugeot Boxer with four men according to these camera feeds. And get this...’ Fisher continues as he stands up straight, ‘That same red McLaren was at the club Ussix the other night when the club owner was killed’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJbDRLxknP
Detective Prince looks at him with slight glee, ‘So that means...’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmtSVrGGZfD
‘Yeah, we find the driver, we find the key suspect. Get an APB on that license plate and alert the others. We got him’
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Chapter 7- Murderous Memories8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3huRKU6JsE
Later that night, the unsuspecting Lucas lay in bed with the lights off. He is topless but still wearing the chain. His eyes closed but a restless twitching appears. In his mind, he sees himself in front of the black van shooting the men. Then he sees himself shooting the club owner, the life exiting from his eyes. He then recalls turning around seeing Anna with a gun in her hand. Then he sees himself in a room that seems like an apartment with two brown sofas to his right and a cupboard behind him. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QZ2h12OOK
The walls white and Anna stands before him shouting, ‘I can’t believe you, Lucas! 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUfdq4ZR36
Again? How many more second chances you expect me to give you?’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡArhv2b7Jig
She is wearing a pink t-shirt and blue jeans, white sneakers and hair tied. Lucas is wearing a white tank top with a silver chain and camo cargo pants with black sneakers.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrR6WygSHYT
Lucas lifts his hand in sincerity, ‘I... I’m so sorry. I...’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWR65BZww2
‘Sorry won’t do it this time, you asshole! I’m through!’ says Anna as she holds her clenched fists beside her.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53hUSMfJzy
Lucas’ face drops and he looks down at the floor, ‘Please, Anna...’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwNVZDEKmH
‘Tell me, do you love her? Or is she just like the last one? Another girl...’ her voice then breaks, ‘just to cheat on me with?’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHvP1OeFbG
Lucas’ face is in his palms but then he raises his gaze to her, his eyes heavy with remorse. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNu2up0jLP
‘I hate you! You hear me? I’ve given you my all since high school. I hate...’ she cries.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5hZtzED3kg
Lucas’ closed eyes twitches furiously, as his dream continues; he walks closer to Anna with his hands out, attempting to touch her, ‘No!’ she cries, ‘After everything! You are such a disappointment... No wonder your father left!’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOO7v9rKQ7r
Lucas’ expression is filled with a mixture of shock, betrayal and despair as he is frozen before her. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSRgLNZ9Ri
After a brief pause, he clears his throat, ‘Why would you say that?’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQf26FbJIu5
Anna crosses her arms, tears still streaming down her face, ‘Your mom was right about you...’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBmE9Xtzt0i
‘No!’ snaps Lucas, ‘You not going there! You know how she treated me growing up...’ Lucas’ voice breaks.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7Z1eak1KO
Lucas tosses and turns in bed, then the memory of himself and Anna dissolves into another scenario; a younger looking Lucas faces forward, seemingly in his teens. He stands in a living room area with a sofa ahead of him to his left and a cupboard with a television on top of it to his right, standing against the wall. He wears a blue hooded jacket with a white t-shirt underneath and black jeans. A little girl, aged around 8 years old, runs towards him. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr1wkphVkN9
He opens his arms, ‘Hey, Maddie. You okay?’ he says.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNobb92oZdb
The little girl with brown hair hugs him tightly while she looks back over her shoulder, her fearful face and blue eyes concealing tears. Ahead of them sits a man on the floor in front of the sofa, smiling at them mischievously.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbQ7TP6j08
‘If you kids need anything, your daddy AB is right here’ says the man.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVJZSK1DpXa
He is heavily tanned, has black curly hair and is wearing a black tank top and grey tracksuit pants. Lucas looks down at the little girl, embracing her with reassurance and then he throws his gaze at the man, stabbing him with his stare. Lucas in bed tosses to his side, breathing heavy, as the dream continues; he stands in a kitchen, the square counter in the middle with top shelves all around the walls and to his right is a counter against the wall and the stove ahead of him and fridge to his left. A woman stands at the sink next to the stove with the same man standing behind her holding her.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLrnDdF6wl7
‘Mom...’ says Lucas, but they don ‘t hear him as they are teasing each other and giggling, ‘Mom!’ shouts Lucas.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLAwSKDDNt5
They turn around, Lucas points to the man. He tosses around to lay on his back now, his dream continuing; ‘Lucas! How dare you throw such wild accusations at your stepfather!’ shouts his mother.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUSr2aGlkK
‘But mom, I saw...’ 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGuRkUgvoXy
‘Shut up, boy! You little liar!’ shouts the furious stepfather, AB.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzi0harjoFO
The stepfather storms forward but Lucas’ mother keeps him a bay before turning her sharp gaze towards Lucas, ‘You... I’ve had it! The lies, the disappointments! I’ve had it with you, child!’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJLdZZ4N2yb
Lucas’ expression drops and is even heavier, eyes teary as he looks at his mother’s face, and his stepfather grinning. There is then a flash of light, and Lucas finds himself walking through the front door of the house, as he does, he hears a scream. He looks down the hallway immediately and rushes to the rooms, knowing it’s his sister. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ekQpDPCVo
He passes one room door and there’s another next to that he opens and a crying little sister comes running towards him, ‘Lucas! Lucas!’ she cries.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKIWP2Bikxc
He catches her in his embrace and looks up to see the stepfather in her room, and his blood boils immediately.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtvaNc8leiL
The stepfather smiles, ‘Hey, boy, you better not say nothing’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPR3V29BzUv
The rage overflows in Lucas’ body, ‘Maddie, come here’ he says softly, before taking her hand and opening the next room door and gently pushing her in, ‘Stay there, don’t leave the room, you understand?’ he says adamantly. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb7rLJtNDJ0
Lucas closes the door with a reassuring smile, then turns around as the stepfather exits the other room.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCjW7I4iQP
‘You bastard! That’s my sister!’ shouts Lucas, his fists clenched beside him.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVpqP1anqI
‘You ain’t gonna do nothing boy, I’m her daddy now... and I’m your daddy. Your punk ass father left, remember?’ he says smiling.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2TG0TUfw7
‘You monster! She’s just 8!’ shouts Lucas as he moves towards the stepfather.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8C7gi6M69W
The stepfather, AB, shoves the smaller Lucas back who battles to keep his stance. As Lucas regains steadiness, he looks at AB and charges forward. AB catches Lucas who is leaned over into him and throws him left into the room door. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20IYMfZewo
‘You little prick! You want a piece of me?’ he says before heading towards Lucas.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmm5J9a6dPF
Lucas is on his hands and knees but lifts himself quickly as the stepfather throws a right punch. The first one misses, going over Lucas’ head but the second, a left handed punch, knocks Lucas in his face. He grabs Lucas by the chest and punches him again as they fight past the bed and towards the window. Lucas tries blocking the punches as best he can, but punch after punch lands, and he can hear his sister crying in the other room. AB trips slightly as he goes for another punch and Lucas stumbles backwards but remains on his feet, and in this small opening, Lucas grabs AB’s arm and pulls hard. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm4nyooQyP8
The same momentum AB uses to swing his other arm and both tumble backwards and through the window. They both lay on the grass outside, Lucas on his stomach and AB on his back rolling to his side. Lucas’ mouth and nose is bleeding, there is a cut above his right eye and his arms have several cuts from the glass while AB’s lip is busted and also has several cuts on his arms. Lucas looks up at him and lifts himself slowly. AB turns to his stomach and lifts himself up as well. Both staggering to their feet, Lucas cautious and AB enraged, charging towards Lucas but as he does, there is a large piece of glass in his back. Lucas sidesteps AB and takes him down, slamming him back first on the grass. As he lands, his eyes widen immediately and his body twitches.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHSHbH4ywv
Lucas gets on top on him and punches him with a right hand, and then another and after two more, he notices AB not moving, just eyes wide staring into the abyss. Lucas gets off him and sits on his knees. AB turns to his side and Lucas sees the large piece of glass plunged deep in his back. Lucas looks at the scene in front of him in a trance-like state, which is broken by the cry of his sister. Lucas stands up and faces the broken window. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdgBHLZmKr8
He walks towards it slowly, ‘I’m coming, Maddison!’ he shouts.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuRcHzstlna
Just then, AB gingerly stands up, ‘You... little...’ he says as stands with another piece of glass in his hand.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ78aAgvy4ZY
He charges for Lucas, who grabs onto his arm and manages to pull the glass from his hands. In the struggle, both fall facing each other, Lucas backwards and AB on top of him. As they land, they face each other. AB’s eyes wider, blood streaming from his mouth while Lucas’ eyes rageful but hinting of fear. As Lucas looks down, he has both his hands on the piece of glass, cutting his palms, while most of the glass is stabbed into AB’s chest. AB groans before his eyes roll back and he collapses on top on a shocked and bewildered Lucas. He struggles and manages to get out from underneath a motionless AB, who he turns to lay on his side while he sits on his knees and looks at his bloody palms with rage, disbelief and angst.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQIjG0p76p0
There is a piercing scream and Lucas wakes, sitting up immediately. His face sweaty and breathing heavy. He looks around and then starts slowly breathing normally. He slides the sheets off him and turns to sit at the side of his bed, hunched over and facing forward at the digital clock which reads ‘4:13am’ before lowering his gaze to the floor. Meanwhile, at Anna’s house, she lay in bed and her eyes open, hearing loud barking outside. She wearyingly turns her head as she listens to the dogs barking relentlessly, but then, amongst the barking, she hears another sound. A door slamming sound from a vehicle peeks her intrigue.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtUJlgkSydF
Anna sits up and looks at the window to her left. She gets up slowly, wearing a black full-length nightgown, and heads towards the window. As she moves the curtain slightly to the side, she sees a black van with a sliding door standing on the sidewalk in front of her house. She then heads to the desk next to her bed and opens the draw. She takes out a pistol and corks it before exiting the room door, opting not to switch on the light. She stands in the next room which has a desk in the middle and shelves around the walls and peeks out for a better view and then she sees two figures entering through a small gate in front of the house.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvBEXUbdV0j
Anna rushes to pick up a phone behind her and presses to call and after short moment, to her surprise, there’s an answer, ‘Hey, I need your help’ she says.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68TZTYfhUx
‘Anna? What’s wrong?’ answers Lucas on the other side, still sitting on his bed.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPaL7Fnb2re
‘Someone’s here, outside of my house. I saw a black van’ she says. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg14vniwc41
Lucas stands up immediately, ‘What? Who’s there? A burglar?’ he asks.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8ydT9bGEk
‘I don’t think they wanna break in... can you get here?’ she says as the barking outside dies down.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT2FTfZzfqo
Lucas rushes to his closet, ‘What you mean? I... yes, I’m on my way. Stay hidden’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVBSPFrndQ
They hang up and just then, the front door’s keyhole has a fidgeting sound coming from it. Anna heads to her room again, holding the pistol tight. She crouches behind her bed, but as she does, she reassesses her surroundings. Two men then enter her front door, both wearing all black with burglar masks, which shows only their mouths and eyes. They each hold their pistol at their sides, walking slowly and softly. Meanwhile, Lucas rushes into his blue Ferrari and speeds out into the night. Anna sits crouched behind her closet which is right beside the door and listens as the silent footsteps draw closer.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGBSt7fd2G
The two men make their way down the hallway and reach the room door, which one opens carefully as the other watches. They enter with their pistols raised, one points at the bed ahead of them and the other at the closet area to their right, finding no one in the room. The two men exit the room and to their right, the end of the hallway, is the bathroom. One man touches the handle and twists it, and as he opens the door, Anna comes flying out firing two shots at him and another at the one behind. The first man drops down immediately as the shots penetrates his chest and the other is hit in his side but reaches out his hand in time to stop the next shot. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoI0ajqEN2V
A struggle now ensues, with the intruder trying to grab the gun from Anna and her trying to shoot. At the same time, the shots alert the others in the van outside, as the door slides open and three more men with masks and all black, carrying assault miniguns, rush towards the front door through the gate. Inside the house, Anna fights for her life, as the intruder has one hand on her wrists and other on his gun, his body against Anna’s. She manages to move backwards hard enough to knock the intruder back first into the wall, causing him to drop his gun. Both are now struggling for the gun in Anna’s hand. The man puts one arm around her neck, attempting to choke her out, but this allows Anna to use her elbow to strike his exposed rib area, knocking his wind out.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprNr1qyFmD
The struggle turns in Anna’s favour as she turns her body to face the man who is now slightly away from the wall. Both still have their hands on the gun but Anna’s grip is more firm and as the gun is at both their stomach level, a shot goes off, stunning the intruder who is shot in his stomach. Anna follows up with two more shots, causing the man to drop dead, but just then, she hears the front door flying open. The three men storm in and rush to the hallway, where they see an out of breath Anna standing over their two dead accomplices. Anna backs towards the bathroom door and the men raise their guns. A wide- eyed Anna backs herself quickly into the bathroom and shuts the door as the men open fire. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhe0WlxndH5
Meanwhile, the blue Ferrari reaches the front of Anna’s house as Lucas pulls up just behind the black van. He jumps out, micro SMG in hand, and points it. The van driver pokes out his head and shots are fired at him. He returns his head inside just in time but Lucas is now right by him and fires a shot at him through his head. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOh1HMdrijg
Lucas then hears gunshots from inside Anna’s house, his eyes go wide, ‘No! Anna!’ he says as he rushes through the gate towards the front door.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr52eEd3524
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCB6UWBMXPx
Chapter 8- Old Flame, New Fire8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjnn3YYGXR
Lucas is now inside and rushes through the living room towards the hallway, where he sees three armed gunmen firing at the bathroom door. Lucas immediately opens fire at them, hitting the first one but he takes most of the shots, allowing the others to turn around and return fire at Lucas. Them having bigger and more rapid firing guns, causes Lucas to step back and hide behind the wall. The shots are intense, as pieces of the wall start flying off and Lucas hold his head. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG5x2cPf1g3
Meanwhile, in the bathroom, Anna lay on the floor looking at the door and hears the shots being fired away from her, ‘Lucas!’ she says in realization. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXpG7efoWT
She carefully crouches towards the door and peeps through on one of the holes. Not being able to see much because of the darkness, she takes a big chance and opens the door. This distracts one gunman, and that one moment is when Lucas takes the opening and re-emerges from behind the wall, firing several shots which hits the front gunman. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEK2dQcTD5F
The second one sees this and raises his gun, but at the same time, Anna spots his action, ‘No!’ she screams as she leaps out and grabs him by his legs from behind.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2g2Irwtep
Distracted, he is wide open to a shot through his head by Lucas. With the man down, being the fifth dead body in the house, and blood everywhere, Lucas and Anna look at each other, searching for their breaths and regaining steady heartbeats as their hearts were racing and adrenaline pumped. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ613ayYjvp
Lucas lowers his pistol and heads towards Anna, who is still on her knees, ‘Anna, are you okay? Were you shot? Let me look’ says Lucas as he kneels beside her.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cqxHojRIx
‘I’m fine...’ (breathes heavy) ‘I wasn’t shot’ says Anna.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHVJI7dWZn
Lucas reaches out his hand with the gun in the other and Anna takes it as he lifts her to her feet. For a moment, they look deep in each other’s eyes, but the moment ends when Anna hugs Lucas. They hold each other, Anna’s eyes heavy with emotion, regaining her breathing while Lucas rests his head against hers in relief.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYIxcxdVE4X
They soon return to reality, ‘We have to get outta here, no doubt people heard the shots and called the cops’ says Lucas. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5CQjs9PKg
They release their embrace and he takes her hand and turns towards the door.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAHYrTb6wq
‘Hold on’ says Anna as she rushes to her room.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3uDHlzD5i7
‘Anna, we gotta go right now. If you need clothes, I can get those for you, but we have to go now’ says Lucas as he stands by the door.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKhondCrce
‘Be right there!’ answers Anna, who is already in her room and goes into her drawer, taking out a small drive-like device.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ22sLxcwVZh
She goes to Lucas again after hiding the device beneath her clothing. They head outside and as they walk towards the car, Lucas stops at the van.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvV72uXUuOe
‘What are you doing?’ asks Anna.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI78U9GjWWf
Lucas opens the front door and searches the pockets of the dead driver, taking out his cellphone, ‘We’ll need this’ he says, showing the cellphone to Anna.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5bX8rUGEuX
They get in the car and Lucas drive off and as they drive, Lucas hands the phone to Anna, ‘Look for the number that last texted or called’ he says.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxtauzxQJd
‘Wha... Why?’ says Anna.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAEBrJNynI
‘Just do it, we’ll find out who sent them’ 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pkgnDWhng
Anna looks on the phone, ‘Here, it says “Is the girl dead?”’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUOjSQpBezT
‘Answer it, say “It’s done, some casualties on our side, though”’ says Lucas.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡibQ4piC3EY
Anna is sceptical and hesitates but Lucas gives her a reassuring look, so she sends the message. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡycgocVzU5O
‘That’ll throw ‘em off your trail for a bit’ says Lucas.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDWbJowcxz9
‘Where are we going?’ 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS4QiEulZMv
‘I was thinking of a remote motel but I know a guy who’ll be a more reliable choice’ says Lucas, as he turns his gaze to Anna briefly.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTfZ1GNk8p
Lucas takes out his cellphone makes a call, ‘Jerry, yo man. Sorry for calling this time of the night, but I need your help’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlYZ3DKOCD
Anna looks at Lucas as he speaks, ‘Alright, cool. We almost there. Relax, bro. Just a girl I know... Yes, yeah, her. Alright’ he says before hanging up.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Cf09pG4Bz
Moments later, they pull up to a house. There is a big double gate with walls twenty feet (six meters) high. The gates open and Lucas pulls into the driveway towards the big garage. Next to the garage is the house, which is further back as the wall of the garage stretches outwards. They enter the garage and find it is spacious, with two range rovers standing one on the right and the other next to it. Lucas parks next to it. As they exit the car and walk towards the door to the inside of the house, they are greeted by Jerry. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgjww3Uj4RD
‘Hey, Jerry, thanks for this, man’ says Lucas as he shakes his hand.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzB89KBM46e
‘Yeah, well, you are the only one I’ll get up in the middle of the night for’ says Jerry.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7oMtqiDdqk
He turns to Anna, ‘You must be Anna, I’ve heard so much about you’ he says as he shakes her hand.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3iWWks4K9h
Anna smiles nervously, before they head inside. Moments later, as the morning sun rises, Anna’s house has several police cars standing outside. There is also a pickup Ranger and Detective Fisher stands with his hands on his hips, talking to a policeman. A brown car then pulls up and Detective Prince climbs out. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU5ywKLqxlJ
He approaches Fisher, ‘What time did you get here, man? It’s six in the morning’ he says.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOODDPdyFV
Detective Fisher just throws a quiet stare at him, the clear bags under his eyes, so Prince stands closer as the policeman walks off, ‘What you got?’ he asks.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE0FminJ9R1
‘There’s five dead inside, all armed, and one dead in the van. This house belongs to an Anastacia Wilson’ says Fisher.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSw6ASR7aZC
‘So then, where is she?’ 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfdCIMa84b
‘That’s the thing, everything inside indicates she was here but she’s disappeared’ says Fisher as he looks at the house.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQKES5LqxgP
‘And the dead men? No way she did that herself, and what even happened here, a burglary?’ asks Prince.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvd2Oa3hDck
‘It was definitely an attempt on her life and my guess is, someone helped her. The guy in the van was killed first, so the helper came from outside and went in to shoot and kill those men. After that, he and the girl must’ve disappeared’ says Fisher.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzW3Dt44jtj
‘So weird, all of this’ 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6bTFmSIw5
‘Yeah’ says Fisher as he turns to Prince, ‘I will bet my career that the same guy and girl who killed those men from the van yesterday are the same ones we dealing with now, and this is the same people behind all the recent assassinations’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvEJs215ohW
Just then, a policeman approaches them, ‘Detective, units were sent to the address of the owner of the McLaren 720S. No sign of anyone there, but the car is there’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnqntbQdqr
‘Okay, so they both on the run. We’ll find them, run the prints on that car’ says Fisher as the policeman nods and walks off.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBoXrtKcqM
Fisher heads to his vehicle, ‘Hey man, where you going?’ asks Prince.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpFUuthWkZ
‘To follow up on some more leads’ says Fisher as he stops and turns around.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LpMpH8mff
‘Look man, your work ethic is incredible, but you gotta stop for a minute’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4W8rVvYcQY
Fisher turns back towards his vehicle, ‘I can’t stop, I’ve got a job to do, and so do you’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFkRPrj3uh
‘Look man’ says Prince as he catches up with Fisher who stops, ‘I know it’s tough with what happened to Wayne and your divorce, but it’s not healthy to keep going like this. I’m just saying, take a moment to breathe’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡArXD2fWKl5
Fisher stops, hands on his hips, face down with a conflicting expression, ‘I can’t... I got a lead on this guy. This is my job, all I’ve got and I’ll catch this ghost even if it kills me’ he says as he turns his face briefly to his partner before heading for his pickup.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1982IMlvBG
Meanwhile, moments later, Anna sits on a bed in a room with grey painted walls and a brown ceiling. The bed is against the wall at its side and head against the wall to her left where there’s a medium-sized window. Before the window is a chest of drawers against the wall. The room door is to her right and stands half open.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OxiCieaRO
Lucas knocks on the door and enters slowly, handing her a glass of water, ‘How you feeling? Did you get any sleep?’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3COq8fd3M
She takes the glass and after a sip, looks at him, ‘Well, did you?’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzNe8xvOfO
‘What do you mean?’ asks Lucas unsurely.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHGKjEYcuKk
‘You picked up the phone immediately last... well this morning, which means you were awake when I called’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmJuT97pcxP
Lucas runs his fingers through his hair, ‘I uhm... got up to use the bathroom’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVPeeL7pOfD
‘Or, you couldn’t sleep, probably another bad dream. You can be honest with me’ says Anna as her hands are beside her on the bed.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDMpw73x2B
‘Oh, honesty, huh? Well why don’t you start? Why were men at your house trying to kill you?’ asks Lucas as he leans forward.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTm3MliqOJ
Anna turns her gaze away, ‘I don’t know, this is New York, home of mobsters’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡglrhAcJko7
‘Anna, look at me’ says Lucas as Anna reluctantly turns to face him, ‘Those men yesterday, they were after you weren’t they? It was just lucky I was in the area or I don’t know what could’ve happened’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH7syc9yX20
Anna stands up and crosses her arms, ‘I can take care of myself’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ81MsibnOG
Lucas stands up as well, ‘Anna, you could’ve been killed, both times! Let me help you... please. Just tell me what’s going on’ he says with his arms out beside him.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjny2ejKNP
Anna’s expression softens, ‘I messed up’ she says.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ZvXIV8QSj
Lucas touches her shoulder from behind, ‘You can tell me anything, I’m here for you, always’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWVuiC7agp
Anna turns around and looks at him with a quiet expression, arms still crossed, ‘I killed Richard Lensworth’ she says.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtrltFm8yJG
‘What?’ says a shocked Lucas, ‘That was you? Why?’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUVUfc8n6A
Anna turns around again and Lucas steps closer, ‘Anna, I know we have a history, we’ve been together on and off since high school. I know I messed up big time but I swear you can trust me with this. I told you I’m an Essinals Assassin’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMqBDookM8
‘So am I’ says Anna, rocking Lucas whose mouth hangs and eyes wide.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKX2DU9QlJM
‘What? I... you... since when?’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTuDcH7LVSg
Anna holds her head, ‘Since... three months ago’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2UnFaYpk5Z
Lucas turns around, hands on his hips and face fighting to hold back rage, ‘So, while we were still together?’ he says as he turns around, ‘How come you never told me?’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRTkLyghtWn
‘We were going through a lot. The thing with my parents, the health scare, and you with that girl...’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2u1Dib3XJ0
‘Okay, I get it...’ says Lucas as he bows his head in shame, ‘So, Percy approached you? I can’t believe he didn’t tell me’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYpwtLjkrQ9
‘Actually, it was Thomas, but when I met with Percy I begged him not to tell anyone, least of all you’ says Anna as she blinks in discomfort and she bites on her lip slightly.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVsuoSW43TQ
Lucas stands closer to her, and touches the side of her face with his right hand, ‘I will always care about you. That’ll never change. You don’t have to face this alone’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcF38d2ByVj
Anna loses herself for a moment as he touches her, looking in his light blue eyes and his brightening smile forming on his face. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPfxONWVSt
He leans his face closer, ‘You hurt me so much Lucas, the one person I trusted the most’ she says.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJbepRch4m
‘I’m so sorry, Anna. I never meant to, I wish I could take it all back’ he says as his lips reaches hers.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrAor5cHkS
Just then, Jerry appears at the door, ‘Hey, Lucas. I...’ he sees them standing close and quickly moving apart, ‘Did I interrupt something?’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2XxUi4Vsw8
‘No, no...’ (clears throat) ‘nothing’ they both answer as they stand awkwardly beside each other.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5VFhtVqjCt
‘Lucas, we need to get some firearms from a location’ says Jerry.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHdFXoaZpv
‘What about her?’ asks Lucas.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6nphh01bza
‘She’ll be fine here without us for a few hours. No one knows you’re here and there’s an extra secure security system’ says Jerry.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlSUVCoNplb
‘Hey, I don’t need a babysitter, I’m a big girl’ says Anna playfully. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvIW5Mf3wBx
Lucas smiles and walks with Jerry. Meanwhile, Ethan and Chris sit at a table in a diner. The small, white table is surrounded by brown lounges and they sit with their plates of food empty.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKIc6Zv5Wck
‘That hits the spot’ says Ethan before he looks at Chris, ‘You ready?’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5TC9zjPjIk
‘I don’t know about this. The girl is Lucas’ ex’ says Chris.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvi52o6bqNY
Ethan smiles, ‘That makes it even better’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIX7bUXNBo
‘Come on, man’ says Chris.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqe2p3GqvG
‘If you back out, I’m good with that. The full amount will be all mine’ says Ethan as he leans back.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8Yf7gjkHr
‘No man, I’m with you’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZwr02OvmT
‘Good, I’ll just go pay. No, no, it’s on me this time. Sit your ass here, I’ll be back’ says Ethan as he stands up and heads to the counter area. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdrxxO0S37Z
Chris sits and contemplates, then he picks up his phone and makes a call and after some minutes, there’s an answer, ‘Hey Lucas, finally, it’s Chris. You good?’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQVsyLokPw
‘Yeah man, I’m cool, you?’ says Lucas on the other side as he drives.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaX7gUEW21b
‘I’m alright. Listen, are you and that blonde a thing now?’ 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa67M7SALG8
‘Yeah, I guess. Why man?’ asks Lucas.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTF0R3I3Nn
‘Just was wondering, I thought you and that Anna chick... you know’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj7oHxaSZ7W
‘Oh, well no bro, it ain’t nothing like that’ says Lucas.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbpJ2jD0YZ
They both then hang up and Ethan approaches Chris, ‘Let’s move, I got a location’ says Ethan.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡij5fAVIw2r
Chris gets up, his expression slightly heavy before he goes with Ethan.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Fy0T2D1gC
As they leave, diagonally across from where they sat, sits Dean with his back towards them. His eyes are telling as he looks in front of him with a conflicting expression. He takes out his cellphone and makes a call.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTKbFkAyPAJ
‘Come on, come on, pick up’ he says.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZMzOlqGo1K
‘You have reached Anna, please call again as I am not available at this time, or maybe not soon. Please leave a message at the tone, cheers’ says the voicemail.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2WxGnAVa0e
Dean makes a call again, then after a few seconds, there’s an answer, ‘Lucas’ he says.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7300Bbpws8
‘Dean? I thought you lost my number’ says Lucas as he drives.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAlVYxahkNK
‘Listen’ says Dean as he stands up, ‘Anna is in trouble. Where is she, with you?8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy9d74Jv2v0
‘What are you talking about? I know we have our history but Ann...’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSbn0KNlEAC
‘Just tell me where you are and I’ll come to you! Anna is in danger man, I heard them talking!’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKoAItFqMk
Lucas’ eyes are slightly wide and he tells Dean, ‘Okay, I’ll be there as fast as I can!’ says Dean as he hangs up and rushes out of the restaurant, hoping he won’t be too late.
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Chapter 9- Re-alliance8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyNOhDnKvY
A white Range Rover with slightly tinted windows and sparkling silver rims is driving in a busy road with a few smaller buildings on the left and marketplace buildings on its right with a gas station on the right corner that it’s heading towards. It makes a sharp right turn at the station into a 180 and heads back the way it came. In the driver’s seat sits a focused Lucas, with eyes hinting of uncertainty and is leaned forward with both hands on the steering wheel and in the passenger seat is Jerry backwards in his seat, arms wide and holding onto the seats.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNTekuObbdj
‘Lucas! Lucas! What you doing, man?’ asks a panicking Jerry.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLt3kgQlwu6
‘Anna is in trouble!’ shouts Lucas, focusing on the road.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡovNns64kgt
‘Slow dow... Lucas!’ Jerry regains his posture somewhat, ‘That pick up has to be made’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIotx6bGwgi
‘Can’t do that! Sorry’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAetgNX2uIs
‘Okay, okay! Look, man. Drop me off and I’ll go do it myself’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9qnEcKXIK
Lucas looks at him with an asking face, ‘But...’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2Gn3GmFpZ
‘Percy really needs it done, come on’ says Jerry as he looks at Lucas.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRTablsruSo
Lucas nods then slows down and stops where other cars are parked against the sidewalk. Jerry exits and Lucas speeds off. Meanwhile, Dean is on his motorcycle racing through the street, weaving left and right through traffic. At Jerry’s house, an unknowing Anna stands in the bedroom in front of the closet that is just ahead of the feet of the bed. There is a mirror on the closet door and she stands slightly to her side as she looks in the mirror. She puts her hair behind her ear and loses herself in the sight of herself in the mirror and her thoughts. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqehAcM7oS
Just then, she hears a car pulling up outside. She looks towards the window briefly but then turns her focus back to the mirror, unsurely scanning her body. She then realizes she doesn’t hear the gate opening and recalls Lucas and Jerry said they’d be gone no more than three hours, and it’s only been an hour. Anna walks towards the window and then moves part of the curtain aside with her hand and sees a silver car standing outside the gate. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSsBg9N144E
Anna reaches under the bed and takes her cellphone out and switches it on. She sees missed calls from Dean and Lucas and texts from Lucas reading: ‘ANNA! I THINK YOU’RE IN DANGER! PLEASE HIDE S...’ but as she reads, there’s a knock on the front door. Anna sets down her phone and reaches for the cupboard where she opens a draw and takes out her pistol. There is another knock on the door. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGp4loG2NHs
On the outside, Ethan and Chris stand at the front door beside one another, ‘You still with me on this?’ asks Ethan.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7hExY9wsO
‘I’m with you’ says Chris, voice with conviction but his expression restless.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡibLz8DB2Uj
Ethan smiles then gestures with his head and Chris stands aside, pistol in his right hand and Ethan charges the door with his shoulder, knocking it open. Anna hears the sound and a shiver goes through her as her shoulders twitch. She stands in the bedroom with the pistol at her side clenched in both hands, her expression a mixture of uneasiness and determination. Meanwhile, Lucas speeds past a row of traffic vehicles, all hooting at him furiously. He makes a left turn at a three-way crossing and as he does, there’s a motorcycle that almost drives into him from the right.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRx4yDOpThD
Both make sharp stops, ‘Watch it, asshole!’ shouts Lucas through the rolled down window.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfloO3eSHD
The motorcyclist is wearing all-black, including the helmet and he immediately removes it as he stands leaned to the side. Lucas’ eyes blink of astonishment as he sees it’s Dean.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjA0qOj3pQo
‘We have to get there, now!’ says Dean.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkNIXQSh1S
Lucas’ mind races and Dean sees his asking face and as Lucas’ mouth opens, Dean speaks, ‘It’s Chris and Ethan! They’re on their way to her. She’s a target, I don’t know why!’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJild7D7OEj
Lucas nods and their eyes share a moment of vulnerability, as though being transported back to when they were still friends. Lucas turns to drive in the direction of Jerry’s house and Dean follows. At the house, Chris and Ethan make their way down the hallway, firearms in front of them. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTAXTIRjXZQ
Chris opens the door to his right of the bathroom, ‘Clear’ he says before they continue onwards.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjAm0aOpzSZ
Ethan opens the next door on the left, ‘Clear’ he says.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcw6XBHq1Cm
Then they get to the last door on the right before the hallway ends and slowly open the bedroom door. They enter and find an empty room and then look at each other with knowing expressions. Meanwhile, Anna is crouched behind the Range Rover in the garage, with her pistol in hand. She sits and listens attentively for the sounds. She is at the edge of the Range Rover and pokes her head out, watching the door to the house and after a brief moment, it opens.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsXIXXu5Oa7
Anna fires at the opening door, ‘Shit!’ shouts a dodging Ethan as he and Chris both position themselves behind the wall at either side.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1uHRCJyC87
Anna stops firing to reload her pistol, uneasiness in her eyes, but as she does, Ethan and Chris nod at each other and Ethan leans into the doorway and fires with his micro-SMG. The rapid fire shots against the vehicle causes Anna to hold her head. With Anna unable to fire back, Chris moves from behind the wall and crouches towards the vehicle’s direction. Although the bullets thuds against the vehicle and windows breaking, Anna still sees a shadow moving her direction. She puts the pistol to the ground and fires towards the shadow, causing Chris to jump up and Ethan halting his rapid fire to keep from accidentally hitting Chris.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnFA1u7rRJ
Anna lifts herself and rushes forward out from behind the vehicle in a crouching position and fires shots. She quickly reaches a metal slab that’s waist height and squats behind it. Chris regains his footing and fires at her, hitting the metal slab. The wall is directly behind Anna, so now she’s between the wall and metal slab. The two men and Anna all realize she is cornered and she is a bullet away from death. Anna looks to her right (she’s crouched facing the wall) and then to her left, seeing the next slab is seven feet (two meters) away. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqlRwKpuQVB
Ethan steps out from behind the wall and moves until he is at Chris’ side, ‘Okay, little lady, better come on out. Ain’t nowhere for you to go’ says Ethan as they both point their guns.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFSPtZiEZy3
Anna sits and pauses, taking a few breaths, ‘You guys are so tough. First you send five men and now two, all for one “little lady”. So macho’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvaMfUsTqy
Ethan and Chris share confused gazes at one another, ‘What... look, get outta there or we blast you outta there!’ says Ethan as they turn their attention back to her.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWH0hAYfnIa
‘Alright, alright!’ says Anna as she stands up slowly, turning to them with her hands raised and pistol in the right hand.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9hXyz9MFe
‘Drop it’ says Ethan as he gestures with his gun.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRwh3ISmZg
Anna slowly puts down the gun on the ground. Ethan gestures his head to Anna as he looks at Chris, who moves towards Anna, then searches her as Ethan points his gun. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVM3PnsF9jm
‘She’s clean’ says Chris as Anna lowers her hands and he takes them behind her back.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGkGb6Vep8Z
Ethan lowers his gun and approaches Anna. As he does, she kicks the gun out of his hand and simultaneously strikes Chris in his face with the back of her head. She kicks with her other foot but Ethan grabs it and they struggle back and forth until Ethan grips and holds her tight from behind while Chris holds on to his bloody nose. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGOs23aPU5E
Meanwhile, Lucas and Dean pull up in front of the house. They rush through the gate and into the house, guns drawn. As they enter, they look around, Lucas rushing towards the bedroom area, but as he is on his way, there’s a female scream they both hear coming from the garage. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡztH2WmEJcm
Lucas turns to the door and Dean rushes towards it, ‘Anna!’ screams Lucas.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlS82OMorWn
They open the door and Lucas heads through it first, finding Anna being held by Ethan from behind with a gun to her head and Chris pointing his gun at Lucas.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXvPjc6SfVj
Lucas stands and points while Dean is crouched behind the wall, ‘What the hell you think you doing, guys?’ asks Lucas.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBWDTWC8I1t
‘Lucas?’ says Chris.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1ZgOfiEkm
‘This is a job, pretty boy. Our job, so get lost’ says Ethan, tightening his grip causing Anna to wince. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmDGtXIMSVt
‘Yeah? Who gave the order? This is crazy... Why would... I don’t get it’ says Lucas as he looks back and forth at both men fiercely but at Anna with melting eyes.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDpBtKUpQut
‘Sorry about this, man. I did call and thought you moved on’ says Chris.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2U1DC3sGq
‘Wuss’ says Ethan, throwing his gaze briefly at Chris.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJrr6gsBz1
‘That doesn’t mean I don’t still love her or want her dead!’ says Lucas with a mixture of rage and despair.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEMonAXw5t
‘A job’s a job’ says Ethan coldly as he points his gun at Lucas.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyxXoCGaUT1
Chris’ grip on his gun loosens, his arms lowering slowly. Then, just as Ethan begins to pull the trigger, Chris’ gaze flicks to the gun, Lucas’ eyes widen, and Dean lifts himself out of cover. Anna sees this as though time has suspended, and bites Ethan’s hand, causing the shot to miss Lucas. Chris instinctively returns fire but his shots miss as well because of the distraction of Dean emerging from the door, and as Lucas and Dean fire their shots, Chris pulls on Ethan’s arm and both stumble back over the metal slabs, bullets missing them by inches while Anna falls down the other way. Lucas and Dean are crouched behind the front of the vehicle as Ethan and Chris fire back, but as Lucas and Dean peek, they see Anna lying on the ground in the line of fire.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQLjYpHLIM
Ethan and Chris keep firing back regardless, while Anna lay covering her head and face with her arms, ‘We gotta get her outta there, or one of us will hit her!’ Lucas says to Dean.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb4gFT9PX7P
Dean nods then takes a breath before dropping his firearm as shots halt momentarily from Ethan and Chris, and he stands up arms raised, facing them, surrendering, 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7a7jQWZ1n
‘What are you doing?’ says Lucas.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9u4597ih4e
Dean throws Lucas a slight reassuring look and faces forward again as Chris and Ethan stops firing and peek, Anna looking confused at Dean as well. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTnhJKajRAJ
‘Get your ass out here too, Lucas!’ Ethan demands.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaJCPqdhEH
‘We just want the girl’ says Dean, arms still raised.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡptb9feJ7kG
‘So do we!’ says Ethan.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡowpu5qmVl4
Lucas’ face drowns in reluctance but he eventually sets down his firearm and stands up slowly, arms raised beside Dean.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMHoSmQJYD
Both share defeated expressions and look at Anna as well who lay and looks at them in confusion. Ethan and Chris stand up slowly, pointing their firearms. Ethan aggressively pulls Anna by her arm to her feet. Chris moves closer to the boys slowly while Ethan holds on to Anna and as Chris gets to Lucas with a remorseful expression, he proceeds to search Lucas. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55cpB1jvch
‘Clean’ says Chris and then he searches Dean, ‘Clean’ he says as he turns to face Ethan. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVFpAPyVQjC
Ethan smiles condescendingly, ‘Alright, so this is how this’ll work. You-’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzcc685erea
Just then, Dean grabs Chris from behind and swiftly pulls out a knife from his ankle area and throws it over Chris’ shoulder and across the room into Ethan’s shoulder. He tumbles backwards and Anna twists her body to grab the gun but it hits her on the head as Ethan falls, knocking her to the ground. Lucas’ expression shifts from uncertainty to determination as he looks at Dean holding Chris and he rushes towards Ethan who lands on his backside and hands, attempting to stand back up. Lucas dives into Ethan before he can get to his gun, while Dean and Chris are in a struggle. Lucas is on top of Ethan who is wounded but fighting back, kicking and swinging.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYWQHj9L6y
‘I won’t let you hurt her!’ shouts Lucas.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPynsl3z3fs
‘Let go... of me!’ says Chris as he is held by Dean and the two fall backwards. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnfmzIeiUM
Ethan manages to knock Lucas off him and turns so he’s on top of Lucas, holding him down and punching him, ‘I’ll kill you, prick!’ he says.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBOX38FBpk
Lucas blocks some punches while others land in his face and head, so he hits on the knife that sticks out of Ethan’s shoulder that causes him to wince. Lucas knocks Ethan off and onto his back. Chris punches Dean but is blocked, Dean’s enraged face looking up at him as he uses shocking strength to throw Chris to his side, then sits on him and punches him. He turns his gaze to the back over his shoulder, seeing the gun Chris dropped, and Chris notices it too. Dean lands a big right punch, making Chris dizzy, before turning and crawling towards the gun. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡylivJMoe0B
As the gun is in reaching length, Chris turns and grabs Dean’s ankle. Dean kicks once then twice and a third time but Chris holds on with both hands, determined to keep Dean from the gun. On the other side, Ethan lay on his back as Lucas dives forward on top of him but he blocks with both feet as his legs are bent and he kicks Lucas backwards who tumbles towards the wall and just as he feels the impact, Ethan is up and charging towards him. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAXzaH7gCzz
Ethan has his shoulders in Lucas’ gut as Lucas is leaned forward, trying to lift Ethan. He shoves Lucas into the wall hard, making him lose his grip slightly then Ethan lifts himself straight up and right-hand punches Lucas who falls backwards against the wall but stops himself from going down with his hands against the wall, but another punch sends him down. Ethan then pulls out the knife from his shoulder slowly as he grunts.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJoRKOfitt0
Dean lay on his back with Chris on top of him, both holding each other’s arms, ‘Why... are you here... Dean?’ says Chris as they continue to struggle, ‘That’s... Lucas’ girl, not... yours’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphfgupQmpu
Dean’s expression becomes even more enraged, ‘I care... about her... too!’ and he gets his left hand loose. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MTJOlj7QJ
He gets hold of the gun and smacks it hard over Chris’ head, knocking him down on his side. Dean kicks Chris also as he separates himself fully from him and stands up slowly, holding the gun pointed at Chris who lay on his side, looking up with hands surrendering and a defeated expression. As Dean looks to his right, he sees Ethan looking back at him over his shoulder, standing and pointing his gun at Lucas who lay on his back, with the same expression as Chris.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGIcA2o0CE
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Chapter 10- Raw To The Core8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQKfPNkAA2D
Both pairs have the upper hand, having the other down at gun point on their respective sides. Their gazes moving between the one on the ground and the other standing across from them as they stand in the large two-door garage area which has a Range Rover at the end just before the wall where Dean is pointing down at Chris, close to where the vehicle is. On the other side, about twenty feet (six meters) away, stands Ethan pointing down at Lucas, towards the side wall.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWHhmrGVciP
‘Look at us...’ says an out of breath but smiling Ethan, ‘Quite the pickle we in’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTn5HYp5PlR
Lucas lies and looks up at Ethan, his concealing expression fading and when he looks at the unconscious Anna, it deepens. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeqTWQczYb
Ethan notices Lucas looking over at her and his smirk grows and he then looks back over his shoulder again at Dean, ‘I got more to bargain with than you do, Plasmus’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9OoisNrgBL
Dean looks coldly at Chris, then back at Ethan the same, but as he looks at the knocked out Anna, his expression softens. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSpU88PLAZ
His eyes then return to cold as he swiftly turns towards Ethan and points at him, ‘You better not do what you thinking. It ain’t gonna end well for you or your friends’ says Ethan looking back.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfq9CuVqFq9
A smile forms at the side of Dean’s mouth, ‘You’re pointing at the wrong one. I don’t care if your bullet kills him, only her’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY4UMEjUnmS
Chris, Ethan and Lucas’ expressions all change as they realize what Dean is willing to and about to do, his finger on the trigger, but just then, the garage door opens. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWWqCqlBl3N
Everyone’s expression widens when they see Carlos Percy and another man beside him, standing before them.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ot9id60XW
He is wearing a black t-shirt, blue hipster jeans, brown leather-like shoes and a silver watch, ‘What in the hell is going on here?’ he shouts.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQWhF7Fo8YJ
‘They started it!’ says Lucas and Ethan at the same time while pointing at each other.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1o9So9Ac2
Percy enters with the other man following who is wearing a tuxedo and bow-tie with short blonde hair and is light of complexion with slightly chubby cheeks and body. Percy raises his hands and gestures them to lower their firearms, and Ethan does immediately but Dean looks at Chris with malice and then closes his eyes and reluctantly lowers his firearm. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hSuqJDOey
‘What is the meaning of this?’ Percy demands as Lucas and Chris respectively lift themselves to their feet.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyAZnGfzNpJ
The men look at each other, ‘We are on a job and these two lovesick losers came to spoil it!’ says Ethan as he turns to face Percy.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJm4aYLz5z
‘Ain’t no way anyone put a hit out on Anna, you just trying to get at me!’ says Lucas.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHucSC02OhB
‘Enough!’ says Percy, as he stands with his hands on his hips and scans through the faces of the four men then looks at the unconscious Anna, ‘Who ordered the hit?’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsiRAiOzuJz
Chris and Ethan share expressions of confusion, ‘Didn’t you, boss? All the jobs go through you first’ says Ethan.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJErCsRac6v
Lucas and Dean also now exchange looks of disbelief.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85h47CPqOA
‘No, there was nothing sanctioned by me’ answers Percy.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPzHO1fsHEv
Lucas walks gingerly towards Anna and leans beside her, touching her face as he looks at her, before turning his attention back to Percy, ‘Well, there you got it. I’m taking her to safety’ says Lucas before lifting Anna and carrying her in his arms.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyOVKMPbcSX
Dean sees this and his expression hints of anger, his eyes twitching slightly and an open mouth bite on his lips. Chris looks over at Dean and notices, before walking towards Ethan.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx0LupOyLFg
‘You two, come with me’ says Percy looking at Ethan and Chris, ‘And you two, we’ll talk later’ he says looking at Lucas and Dean, before turning towards the open garage door and walking with the blonde man following.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBU4TRoCo0
A dark blue SUV stands in the driveway and the blonde man opens the back door on the left and Percy stands and looks at him, ‘What am I, Taylor Swift?’ he says and the man closes the door, before Percy gets in the driver side.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq038qgVcE4
The blonde man stands by the door as Ethan climbs in the passenger side, throwing a slight condescending gaze at the man while Chris climbs in the back, followed by the man and Percy drives off.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWwFnvkcHr
Moments later, Lucas places Anna on the bed in the bedroom, his blue eyes blinking with concern as he looks at her. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGcRQCarkE
Dean appears in the doorway, expressionless, ‘How is she?’ he asks.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmj69bKlvU
Lucas’ gaze remains on her, ‘She’ll be okay, just a few bruises. There is a first aid kit somewhere around here’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHSzyPxxuaf
‘Good’ says Dean as he turns to walk away.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4urODXtkc
‘I appreciate you calling and letting me know she was in danger’ Lucas says as he sits on the bed beside Anna and faces Dean in the doorway.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhPmzAjG9UN
Dean stops and turns his face left towards Lucas and takes a breath, ‘I didn’t do it for you’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8a25QS0FB
‘It don’t matter, the fact is, she’s safe now because of you. So it’s good, even though you were willing to get me popped back there’ says Lucas, his expression serious but softer.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5pev1zsN34
Dean now turns fully towards Lucas, and for a moment, in his cold brown eyes, Lucas can see the man who was once his best friend. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJidGzzKrb
There is then a bang sound, ‘What in the… what happened to my house?’ says an entering Jerry.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9TIIxq40s
He walks perplexed through his living room towards the hallway and sees Dean standing by the last door looking at him, ‘Dean… Taylor? What’s…’ he says.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQfsOvK96wA
Dean throws one last look at Lucas and Anna before walking sharply past the oncoming Jerry. As Jerry stands in the bedroom doorway, Dean is out by the front door and closing it behind him. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUcBD3xH98W
Jerry looks at Lucas and Anna with his mouth open, ‘They came for her, man. One of our own’ says Lucas looking at Jerry.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3kh84Gf9D
Jerry’s expression still is asking, his mouth unsure how to form for all the questions he has, but his eyes give away something, as though a hiding thought. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOAjE4cVXyq
Lucas is facing Anna now, touching her hair, ‘Something doesn’t add up, bro. Why would so many be after her? And even guys from our organization while Percy don’t know who put out the hit?’ 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFH3onXcTAx
‘I don’t know, L. No idea what even happened here’ says Jerry, followed by a slight nervous chuckle.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxT4WMOBcY
‘We’ll figure it out, anyway. I won’t rest until I find the one behind this, and end ‘em’ says Lucas as he turns to look at Jerry, his expression going from concerning to cold, while Jerry smiles to the side uncomfortably.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡctTpcDZnBP
Meanwhile, Percy walks into a room with Chris and Ethan following through the door, Ethan closing it behind him. They stand in the same backroom in the secret location, Essinals. Percy stands before the sofa, his back against the cupboard and arms crossed. Ethan and Chris sit down on the sofa, Chris’ bottom lip swollen and his right eye purple with a broken nose while Ethan has a swollen jaw, cut above his left eye and a bandage over his shoulder. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7KqRJhsri
‘I’m telling you, Percy, that letter came through with the job listing, price and everything on that girl, man’ says Ethan as he sits leaned forward.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQxApNmGkT1
‘Okay, we will have to halt all operations until this matter is resolved. Either someone’s screwing with us, or I’m losing my shit’ says Percy, arms still crossed.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymaHh9XVf4
He turns to his right where just two steps away is a small wooden table waist-height and a see-through glass bottle of whiskey stands on it with a wide, round glass which Percy takes and pours a glass, ‘As for you boys, you gotta learn to get along. Your lives literally depend on it in this business’ he continues.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwkd8CEImP
‘Yes, Percy’ both answer.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9T0PqlKhHL
Percy stands leaned from his side against the table with the glass in his hand, ‘You can go’ he says as he gestures with the glass.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMHdbhRq2d
The two nod and stand up then walk towards the door, Chris in front, ‘We are family here, we gotta look out for each other’ Percy adds as they continue out of the door, but then, as Chris is already out, Ethan stops in the doorway, hands on the door frame.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrL4mmx9cW
His expression is a conflict between ego and acceptance, and Chris turns around and notices. He opens his arms and gestures to Ethan, who just throws him a knowing gaze, before stepping back into the room and closing the door.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1NYAi7jad
‘You forget something?’ asks Percy as he takes a sip of his glass.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡASbZhnGFtt
Ethan moves to stand a few feet before Percy, ‘Chris is like family to me, not these other guys. I am loyal to him and to you, I don’t care about these other assholes’ he says with his arms beside him.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSaN698M6Hw
‘If that’s how you feel…’ says Percy, putting down his glass on the table, ‘I get it, but I just want you guys and Luca-’ 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfWrIRQyQM
‘No, I don’t think you get it!’ Ethan snaps. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv2JNuadAys
Percy looks at him, somewhat perplexed, ‘I don’t like those two little punks! If you hadn’t shown up, I’d have killed ‘em. I can’t stand how everyone likes them, how they are the two golden boys of this establishment, this organization’ Ethan rambles.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKqMNX07AZ
‘Watch your tone’ Percy warns.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN0FlwkHYDd
‘Why?’ says Ethan with his arms out, ‘They don’t deserve to be in the position they in, I do! What, ‘cause they remind you of your estranged son, that it?’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN7TfEfzaHT
Percy storms forward in Ethan’s face, ‘Don’t you dare mention my son! Don’t you talk about my family!’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66Xi799M4R
‘At least they still around! I don’t got no family!’ says Ethan, banging his open hands on his chest.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1tuadnUMbL
Percy takes a step back, his anger shifting to concern, ‘I lost everyone I cared about… The woman I love, my ex… ex-wife, couldn’t stand to be with me no more…’ Ethan says with tears forming, ‘Now she’s raising my kid with… someone else’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvt5jQyefJu
Percy looks down to the floor, his eyes sympathetic, before looking up at Ethan again, ‘I was down and out, shitfaced, ready to jump off a bridge or into oncoming traffic when… when you found me…’ says Ethan, pointing to Percy, ‘You gave me a purpose, a place to belong to… and Chris, he’s the only one out of all these guys who sticks by me no matter how… a lot, I can be’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUpORBARry
Ethan continues fighting to hold back tears, facing downwards as he tries to get out more words. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrqqO9TKHzB
Percy takes a step forward and places his hand on Ethan’s shoulder, which he looks at and then turn to face Percy, ‘I’m sorry if I made you feel like you ain’t important here anymore’ says Percy.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRcZdfrjaa8
Ethan snorts, then wipes his eyes, ‘Man, I feel like such a bitch right now’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujkxiDWudk
‘Hey, if you promise to give the other guys a chance, I promise I won’t tell anyone’ says Percy with an appearing smile. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrf0rSrSiiD
Ethan cracks a slight smile as well, ‘Come on, I got a good vodka under the counter, on me’ says Percy as he taps Ethan on the shoulder.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GHqGzOBuj
Ethan winces, ‘Ow, ah!’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ34QH5L3IO7
‘Come on, tough it out. Gotta get your rep back that you almost blew in ten minutes’ Percy jokes as he leads Ethan out of the room with his hand on his back.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4jIIarLy98
Meanwhile, in a big, busy road in the city, a black SUV drives under a bridge towards a building with a black Cadillac following and another SUV behind it. The vehicles stop in front of the tall building that’s entrance is slightly covered by the shadow of the bridge. As they stop, a man in butler suit climbs out of the front SUV and walks to the Cadillac and opens the back door. A man climbs out wearing a tailored black and white suit with a black bow-tie and has a bald crown. Several men in suits and sunglasses also exit the vehicles and as the suited man walks, they follow.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuwcp0ogsTP
Just then, a Ford pickup Ranger pulls up behind the last SUV, wheels screeching, causing all the men to stop and look. A man in a brown suit, Detective Fisher, exits the pickup and walks towards the men.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXRC39ldvYp
He takes out his badge from inside his jacket pocket and shows it to the suited man, ‘Lennor Lensworth, Detective Jason Fisher. Mind if I ask you a few questions?’ 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCS2a53qFrJ
The man, Lensworth, stands looking at the detective with a slight smirk, ‘I know who you are, Detective. Your reputation proceeds you. May I ask what this is about?’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgdZxkcKmo
‘It’s about your father’s passing that day, my condolences by the way’ says Fisher as he scans through the faces of the seven men behind Lensworth. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwygO0JJX0f
‘I’ve already talked to the police, not that it helps. I got there and it was too late, he was already dying’ says Lensworth, placing his hands behind his back, ‘I am uncertain why you asking me about this. It was a terrible accident’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0O97VVvrKu
‘I don’t believe it was an accident, I suspect it was murder. I ask for the sake of being thorough, you know, with my reputation and all. Your father deserves justice, despite the type of man he was’ says Fisher, his hands on his hips. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1b5CC7z0pS
Lensworth turns and looks around at his men, fainting a shocked expression, ‘Oh? That’s news to me’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1wiGoNPJPq
‘Yes, just like top businessmen who’ve been murdered all around New York City and we investigating a possible connection’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVE3STgcVY4
Lensworth places one hand on his chest, ‘I still fail to see how this relates to me, I was a victim as well, losing my father and all’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡasBV8YZZ6L
‘Yeah, well, it’s quite convenient how these men in the same class of business as you end up dead and now your father as well, while Lensworth LTD has been buying up all the stocks and benefitting the most. Don’t you think?’ says Fisher with an accusing expression.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGbptpIDe0
Lensworth looks around at his men and chuckles before taking a few steps until he’s in front of Detective Fisher, ‘Am I being accused of something here, Detective?’8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡglvt85pnMa
‘I was just asking questions, Mister Lensworth. No need to get defensive’ says a defiant Fisher.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWuwMFqvmBn
‘Careful Detective, asking the wrong questions could have you ending up like your old partner. What was his name, Wayne Brockson?’ says Lensworth condescendingly.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9PUCE4Uuh
‘You threatening me, Lensworth?’ 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZu8O3MoCoz
‘Just making a statement, no need to feel threatened, Detective’ says Lensworth, his expression more serious.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRwduCGKrZ
Fisher takes a small step back, looks at Lensworth’s expression and takes a last look at all the men, ‘That’ll be all, you have a nice day further now’ he says as he turns around and heads to his pickup.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡohd3JdjinC
Lensworth stands and watches as Detective Fisher drives off, ‘Get me Tenness, now!’ he says. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNsKwIGP9xM
One of his men makes a call then hands him the phone, ‘I want you to watch your damn colleague, find out everything he knows!’ he says then hangs up and hands the phone back.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxaSq4rKU0y
They continue walking to the entrance of the building that’s only fifteen feet (four meters) away, ‘What’s the plan, sir?’ asks the man who has the phone.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9lbMU5W2zi
‘We gotta get rid of these loose ends, I need to talk to Collins. That girl should be dead now’ says Lensworth.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgJ3c7IIEZ
‘But, Sir…’ 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEu7WEZhXU2
‘I know, I know. That damn assassins club will try putting up a fight, but it’s only a matter of time before I own them too. Then, no one will stop me from executing my master plan’ says Lensworth with a wicked grin.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgk6uxRJi0j
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and then Add to home screen.