Many said that one experience could change everything, it happened to me. I‟m a much better

man than I used to be many years ago. Out of the shadow of the cold streets of Applebay

City, but the past is a ghost waiting to strip every flesh from your body, ready to suck the

very life out of your soul. I armed myself with a P.I badge and a gun, thought that it would

act as a floodgate that will shield me from evils of the past. But, I was wrong.

The year was 1935, the place was here. Applebay City for me wasn‟t exactly a paradise

known in books, or on the reels of fancy cinemas. Applebay City was the city of the

condemned, the city of murderers. The city was more like a battlefield in some distant land

rather than a city located inside a civilized nation.

October 1935, the city was covered by rain, mercilessly covered the city in water, and

silenced the dramas in play. I sat on the chair, alone in my office on the eastside of Applebay.

The rotating fan dangle on the ceiling meanwhile the smokes coming out of my cigar filled

the air. I just got off of phone with my colleague from the media. It made me sick, goons

posed as the police protecting the local business from other goons; meanwhile the police is

busy hiding under their badge and stuffed the green papers down their mouth. The quietness

was quickly gone and my mind was suddenly eased up when I heard a knock on the door. A

figure walked into the room, my mind was gazing at that figure inch by inch. A dame, she

walks in looking like she‟s just stepped out from a page of an upscale fashion magazine.

“What can I do for you ma‟am?” It was seems like an hour before I finished gazing and that

figure and got her completely on my brain, then a word came out of my lips “Liliane

Kathleen, Applebay PD‟s detective”. Liliane was my old colleague, just like me she started as

private investigator. The 1933 bank robbery lifted her popularity. She brought everyone

related to the case, into the jail.

She rested a big brown map onto the table, I put down my cigar and asked “Mind if I ask

what‟s on the map”. Her smile injects suspicion into my brain.

“I have a case that only a gumshoe like yourself can solve” she replied.

“Well I don‟t work for the police, and I don‟t think the police needs my help”.

She reached into the map and took several pictures and put it onto my desk. “A woman by the

name of Eleanor Fleming is murdered on an alleyway between 11th

and Rosefield, witnesses

claimed to see an expensive hotrods passing by during the minutes of the murder”. One of

them was indeed a picture of tire‟s mark on the road not far from the alleyway.

I responded “And why do you need my service? Is there no one capable of handling a murder

case in ACPD?”. She was shocked; I can see her taking a step backward. But, she was one

tough dame “Watch your words Mr. Everett” her voice turned high but maintained some

tenderness “illegal races are one of many activities controlled by the mafia, my guts tell me

that this one might go high, some of my colleagues have warned me about this case including

the Captain himself”.

She tried to reason with me but looking back at my history, I thought that nothing good

would come up. So, I kindly put everything back in the big map and said “Pardon me. But, I

don‟t do jobs from or for the police, I have right to pick my own clients haven‟t I?”

She took a deep breath as if I just threw a large rock of disappointment toward her “If you say

so Mr. Everett…good evening”

She walked toward the door and out into the darkness, sometime I wondered how could a

beautiful dame get into such a Noir world?.

--

10:22PM, I locked the office door, turned off the lights and walk straight into the car. Driving

through the night, the city was closing its eyes ready to welcome the uncertainty of

tomorrow. My mind was twisting. Something odd came from that murder case I heard earlier

that night. And so I slammed the brake on my car and went toward the crime scene.

11th

and Rosefield, The emptiness and the darkness really reflect the very nature of this city.

A road which lead to nowhere but an abandoned neighborhood. “Why a woman would walk

this street alone” I wondered. I went to the side of the road and walked myself to the

alleyway. Another darkness and emptiness, the police had cleared everything on the scene, all

I could find was some trashes and papers. “Nothing fits the puzzle, 11th

and Rosefield leads

to nowhere and yet this dame was walking on this street alone” I took a piece of paper hoping

for some evidences that are long gone.

“Eleanor Fleming was an employer in Applebay City District Attorney Financial Crimes

Division” I turned my back and saw a figure walking out of the shadow

“Detective Kathleen, how did you find me?”

“I have my own instinct, I supposed” she smiled. She was adding more pieces to my puzzle,

the unfit ones. She added “10 penetrated gunshot wounds were found on her body. But, we

found neither bullet cases nor the weapon”

Right then, I knew that the murderer must be one hell of excellent shooter. I knew that I need

to be more thorough on this one and so I asked “I need to see the evidences and the coroner

report on the victim”

“the department has decided to close this case, this doesn‟t look good, the only guys who able

to do that kind of shooting is either military trained or a professional hitman working for the

organized crimes” she explained.

I light up the cigar and said “I‟ll take the case. But, I need more leads, file the report and give

it to me tomorrow, of course if you still consider me as your gumshoe”. I walked out of the

alleyway and back into the car. The screeching tires and the smell of burning rubber covered

my way back into the city‟s darkness.

--

06:30 AM, the rain was still hailing and dark clouds covered the city in darkness, it made no

difference whatsoever than last night. Clues and leads were waiting on the office desk and so

the screaming of Eleanor Fleming. I suit up and drive to the office.

My personal secretary Theresa Guildford greeted me just like she did every single morning

since I hired her “Mr. Everett, a woman by the name of Liliane Kathleen left this suitcase for

you, I told her to wait. But, I think she was in a hurry” said Theresa in her fashionable pinky

dress, I grabbed the case and walked straight into the office. I hung my coat, and put the

suitcase on the table, she promised me to bring some leads and reports regarding to the case.

But, I wouldn‟t expect to see this so much evidence. After a cup of tea Theresa made, I

opened it..

Pictures, documents, papers, more than 30 pages of them, I started from her identity. “Her

name was Eleanor Fleming, she was 27 years old and was working for the district attorney as

an employer, she lived in 3rd Gallagher Street, Southside” I put the paper down and grabbed

another one. 7 pages of coroner report, crime scene report and some photographs of the

victim. I scratched my head in confusion, the leads brought me nowhere. Usually when the

killer fired lots of bullet on its victim, it indicates that the target was someone important or

the killing was done in the name of vengeance. But again these facts hit the “wall” when I

looked back to the fact that she was no one compare to the big names hanging on the walls of

local precincts.

“Theresa could you please do me a favor, I need you to make some phone call, I need to

know her exact position in the D.A office and who‟s responsible for her, can you do that”.

Theresa replied “Yes, Mr. Everett”.

“…and…uh…I‟ll be out for few hours I need to work on it more thoroughly” I picked up the

coat and embraced the coldness outside.

--

Southside Applebay, perhaps the nicest place to live in this city of death. Sun shines brightly

and the sound of laughing children would complete the days. But not today, the falling rains

forced them to stay inside, washed the smiles, and the joys out of Southside. But, I wasn‟t

going to let rains and some muddy grounds ruin the investigation.

Number 49, the place she used to live was a luxury for a 2nd

class citizen. Nice Wooden-

Brick walls, a wide yard, and a garage. I didn‟t want to go directly inside, so I took out the

note and walked into the house Number 50. A lovely smile greeted me as I said “Excuse me

ma‟am can I talk to you”.

“Come in youngman its rainy outside” said that nice old lady. She invited me to sit on a big

couch on her living room. I took the case note out of my pocked. “So what can I help you

yougman” said the old lady.

I pulled the pen out and said “My name is Clyde Everett, I‟m a private investigator I just

want to ask you couple of question regarding the house neighbor. Ms. ?”.

The old lady replied to me “Ms. Hawking. Brenda, Hawking, I‟m the owner of the house

number 49”. Her statement blew my mind away, I thought she was talking non-sense or

perhaps trying to cover up something. But, then she clarified “I rented the house for other

people”.

A sign of relief, I was in the room with someone who at least knew her well, and so I asked

“Ms. Hawking do you recognize with the person who live on that house?”.

“Of course her name is Eleanor Fleming, she‟s been living there for at least a year, she‟s kind

and passionate young woman” she said.

I took a deep breath and told her about what happened to her just a day earlier “Eleanor

Fleming was found dead by the police 4 days ago”.

She was shocked. I could see that from the rapid change of her facial expression. She was

leaning on her couch for few seconds, and then said “Oh my God, she was such a nice young

woman, I thought she was out of town for a business trip, oh dear Lord what happened to

her?”.

“She was found murdered with at least 10 gunshots penetrated her” I replied reluctantly. The

old lady then burst into tears. Perhaps she just couldn‟t believe that someone would do

something that horrifying to Eleanor. I took some times and let her drown in her tidal of

emotions, and then brought up more questions “Is there anything suspicious about her house,

and her personally?”.

She wiped tears of her eyes and said “Nothing, mostly she went home late. But, that is

because of her job in the D.A‟s office”. I wrote every single word that came out of her mouth.

“Did she have any relatives or friends?”

“She had no family in this city, I think she had friends on her workplace but they never stop

by or visit her home.” She was adding more questions rather than providing answers to this

big puzzle of mine. But then “She had a boyfriend, I recalled he was tall and look a bit mess”

she added.

A boyfriend, potential suspect, jealousy became the primary motive in many cases that I‟ve

ever worked on. I put the case note and the pen back in my pocket. Then I reached at my

pocket and picked an ID card out of the coat and said “Ma‟am thank you for your assistance,

and if you have anything to add to your statement please contact me right away”.

She smiled although tears could still be seen at the corner of her eyes “You‟re welcome

young man” she then walked me to the front door.

The rain was getting stronger when I walked out of that lady‟s house, the fogs covered every

single corners of that neighborhood. Then I walked into the house number 49, that place was

dark and the smell of rain water that washed the dusts off filled the air and strengthening the

miserable and creepy atmosphere. A red tape and a wooden obstacle separated the house

from the world outside. The writing on the wooden barriers that says “Applebay PD‟s Crime

Scene, Stay Clear” but to me it appeared as “Welcome to hell”.

I entered the house, it was unlocked. I could see that the house has been cleared, everything

was proper there. I entered all the rooms and found nothing, so I opened one of the windows

inside that house and light up my cigarette and inhaled deep and let the smokes fill my lung

and breathe it out. Then I noticed that there was a note barely hidden under the telephone, I

picked it up and read it thoroughly. It says, “Things are so complicated, I should talk” Then

on the right corner of the note I spotted a telephone number. I ripped that page of the note and

walked toward the front door. But, when I reached the handle, I could see vehicles stopping

in front of the house. Then, some armed men came out of the vehicles and started to spray

bullets into the house. I jumped behind a couch but unlucky me, a bullet landed on my leg, I

fell off and dragged myself toward the back door. Outside, They were still shooting and

laughing at the same time.

I dragged myself out of the house and into the backyard, I could hear an explosion or two, my

leg was killing me. I‟ve lost a lot of blood, I couldn‟t take it anymore and so I fell into the

ground. I look at the rainy skies and wait until death took the soul out of my body. But then, I

heard car tires screeching followed by the sound of police sirens…

--

I was dreaming, in that dream life was good, the world that needs no law enforcers, no police,

and no private investigators. At the very first moment I knew that it was a dream. But, I

didn‟t resist nor tried to wake myself up. Driving around that city was a heavenly moment;

sun that shine brightly, kids playing and running around a playground. Then I found myself

walking in front of the house number 49. I remember reaching for the handle and went in,

and there I saw her, I saw Eleanor Fleming. She was inside with some people that I don‟t

recognize. They‟re tearing her body apart, eating her flesh and drinking her blood. I reached

for my gun but found nothing. Then I rushed toward her, trying to safe her only to find

myself falling into the unknown. It felt like falling from an airplane. But, there was no ground

to break my fall, just cold winds and stormy clouds. Eventually, I could see the skyline of

Applebay far below me and at that same moment voices started to appear on my ears “Hey

are you alright?”…“Get him to the hospital quickly”…“Stay with me Clyde, you‟re gonna be

just fine”…“Doctor we need a help over here”…“Prepare for surgery”…“damn it, we‟re

losing him”.

I open my eyes and everything gradually slid into focus. “Where am I?” that was the first

words that I said when I gained consciousness. Then I sat on that bed and a figure was

rushing toward me. “Thank God, you‟re alright you‟re in hospital now”. And there she was

Detective Lilian Kathleen standing next to me. “You are officially my lucky charm Detective,

keep finding me in times of need” I said,

A smile came to her face as she explained “Not this time Mr. Everett, An old lady called the

police when she heard gunshots on the house next doors, a patrolman found you and brought

you here”. She reached into her purse and took out the note that I ripped from that house. “I

thought the officers were doing a good job and gathered all evidence. So, tell me!”.

I lifted my arms and reached for a glass of water right beside my bed. Although I was

working on her case, still I couldn‟t trust her. She was the one who told me that this case

might go “high”. She might not be part of those corrupt police within the Applebay Police

Department. But, as a private investigator, Preparing for any odds or eventualities has

become a habit. And so I told her “There‟s nothing to tell, perhaps just some personal issues”.

“So, any news or some progresses on the case?” She asked, the glow on her eyes told me that

she was dying for answer. So I gulped that glass of water and explained

“She was a lonely woman; an old woman next door confirmed that her job was everything

she got in this city”. She put the note right beside me. As she walked toward the exit, she

turned back toward me just before she reached the door handle and her face became serious

“Look! The Vice Division knew that someone‟s asking around about the case, they asked if I

knew anything about this. But, I said no. like I said Mr. Everett this might go „high up‟, know

your game” she then reached the handle and walked outside

I hated the words that came out of her lips, nothing was personal. But, what she just said

blurred the current conclusion of the case and put it right back into the box of mind

confusion. Why would the vice division bother with a typical homicide case?, I sat on the

bunk and tried to put everything in one piece. Her boyfriend is my prime suspect. So far I

knew that he was an illegal racer who drives around in his Hotrods. I couldn‟t just sit tight

and so I went back. I jumped into the trashcan and dragged my wounded and exhausted body

back to the office. As I walked through the streets, a taxi driver put his attention on me and

offered me a ride. I jumped onto the taxi and ride back to the office.

--

19:45PM, I asked the driver to drop me off a block away from the office, and so after he

helped me get off of the car, I went straight into the office. I could hear the gramophone plays

inside the office and the lamps were on. “Theresa! Where are you?” I called for her. Then she

rushed out of the office.

“Oh my God, Mr. Everett” Said Theresa as she rushed toward me. She held me with her arms

as my body slipped onto the couch. “Mr. Everett you‟re bleeding, we have to get you to the

hospital” she panicked.

I mended my position and lay down on the couch then I said “I just escaped from the hospital

Ms. Guildford”. She was stunned “You ran away from the hospital? But, why Where have

you been these last 2 days?”.

“It‟s a long story, so what do you know so far on the case” I replied. She looked at me in

disbelief. Perhaps she was thinking what kind of mental person would put his job in front of

his life.

And then she said on a rather high tone “Mr. Everett you‟re wounded now, you should be

under medical supervision!, my uncle was a retired army doctor please let me take you

there”. She helped me back on my feet and led me into her car.

For some reason I couldn‟t concentrate on resting, or at least to the pain that my body

endured. My mind was all over that case, and thinking about that case was the only thing that

could ease my pain “Miss Guildfort I want to know everything you‟ve got so far” I asked.

“Mr. Everett, please just rest your head, I won‟t let you working on the case at your current

condition” she said as we drove across the bridge that led to the outskirt of the city.

“Please, I just want to know where we are heading now on this case” I insisted. She looked

down and gasped. I knew that whatever she is going to say it would not be a good thing.

“She was a full time assistant working for D.A‟s investigator named Sebastian Dearing. She

was one of the best employers in the office. But, no one knew her as well as Sebastian

Dearing himself”.

At that point I knew that I couldn‟t just run into the D.A‟s office and start firing up questions

and so I told her “Theresa. Listen carefully. I need to talk to Detective Kathleen, so I want

you to arrange a meeting between us”.

“I will call her right after this” she nodded. But, then I remember what Kathleen have told me

back at the hospital…”…Vice Division knew that someone is asking around about the

case…” her words afloat on my mind for few seconds and then I told her “No, I don‟t trust

the operators, just be more secretive, I don‟t need any unnecessary attention” I said to her.

Though confused, she seemed understood and nodded and so I tune on the radio, rest my

head back and let myself drown unto the melody.

--

Minutes later, she took a turn from the main road and slowed down in front of a house. “We

are here Mr. Everett” she woke me up.

Ms. Guildfort‟s uncle was a guy with quite a lot of fortune, the Victorian style house matched

perfectly with the flowers and plants that grew up right in front of it and the balcony on the

2nd

floor would offer anyone fantastic view of the city. But, the only let down was the rain

and the coldness. As if the darkness of downtown Applebay has reached and conquered the

entire country. I lumped all the way to the front door while she rang the bell.

“Wait, wait, I‟m coming” said that raucous voice from the inside. Then a figure appeared in

front of me and Ms. Guildford. “Theresa?” said that man.

“Ward, I need your help, please” she said while looking at me. That old man starred at me in

confusion but then he saw the white bandages on my leg and then replied “Oh yeah, sure get

him to the bed”. They brought me toward a small bed inside that house. After that old man

put me down, he checked on my wound. “Hmm…I think you‟re in healing process, you

shouldn‟t be down here, you should go to the hospital for intense recovery” he asked the

same question as Theresa‟s. At first I didn‟t know how to respond to that, I needed to find a

way to tell him that I couldn‟t go to the hospital because people might go after me. Theresa

could understand that because she worked for me. But, it would be hard to break it down to

her uncle who probably had no known knowledge about me prior to that evening.

“I…I..can‟t” that was the only word that came out from my mouth, my mind went blank and

couldn‟t say anything else. He responded with a smile then he got on his feet and walked out

of the door

He confronted Ms. Guildford with a rather high tone. Even though I was sort of trapped

inside that isolation room but I could hear them talking at each other. “Theresa what you‟re

getting yourself into?, this guy was wounded by a gun he could be a mobster” said the old

man.

She replied with equally high tone “Ward, he is my boss, he‟s the detective “.

They then probably realized that they were talking too loud and so they lowered their voice

till I couldn‟t hear anything but my own breathing. Couple of minutes later, Theresa opened

the door and behind her I could see her uncle said “Alright, then. Just because you‟re my

niece okay” Then he was looking at me with a cold and forced smile on his face.

“Mr. Everett” she sat on a chair close to my bed “do you want me to go back to the office, I

think I forgot to lock on the doors because we were leaving in such a rush”.

Right then I remembered that most of my case-related documents were still stashed there. I

immediately looked at her and replied “Just, be careful, I think they knew about my existence

already, and I need you to move all the case related documents out from the office”. She

nodded and then strolled out of the room.

I was just there lying on that bed waiting for the death angels to lift the life out of me with

their black wings. It felt like eternity just looking at the passing times, nothing to do or to

anticipate. On the right corner of that room I saw a cuckoo clock. I knew the cuckoo wasn‟t

working. But, the clock was working and It had been 12 minutes since Theresa left me in her

uncle‟s house. 12 minutes felt like 12 years in this asylum like chamber, the only conciliation

was a window right next to me that provided a clear view of the city‟s skyline.

“I guess God is crying or something, this rain just keep on pouring down the earth below”

Ward‟s voice broke the silence.

“Or perhaps the clouds sucked on too much waters from the harbor Mr. Ward” I turned

toward him. He smiled and then put down a bottle of whiskey and 2 crystal glasses onto a

small table next to the bed

“You shouldn‟t be walking around you know, a sleep is good for your recovery” he said.

Those eyes of his were all pointed toward me as if he would stare deep inside me and reveal

every secret in my life.

I responded cynically toward his words and that stare “Cut the act old man, I know you

dislike me for being wounded by a gun”.

“The name is Leroy Ward, and. well I didn‟t know you‟re Theresa‟s employer.” His stare

were now directed toward his whiskey bottle “this is an insane city, you know that. The

Police are either corrupt or ineffective, law and order was no more and the list of obituary on

the newspapers is getting longer and longer by the day”. He was right, he had all the rights to

be concerned. He paused long enough, and then sat on the only chair in that room.

“Its alright, I probably would be the same if I was you” a smile then appeared on his face, and

lightened up the mood that night. He then reached for the glasses and poured the whiskey into

it. He took one of them for himself then offered the other one to me.

“Thanks” I took the glass he offered me and gulped the whiskey down. Ward then put his

glass down and leaned on a wall. Shine that came out of his backyard‟s lamp partially

enlightened his face. As I paid close attention to it, I could see his face even more clearly…a

face of hard worker, face of people who‟ve made it to the top through hard work.

He said “I was a senior field doctor once in the armed forces; well that was 18 years ago. I

was stationed somewhere in a distant battlefield. War was savage and inhuman, mutilated

corpses and genocide. I remember one day, the enemy stormed into my station. I ran as fast

as I could and as I look back toward the post that I left, I saw that place being bombarded

savagely. Such monstrosity. I thought I would never see anything like that when I went back

home to this city. But, I was wrong. The distant battlefield is now the city‟s streets. Black

suited mafias replaced the grey suited enemies. Perhaps that‟s the reason why I told my wife

to bring our child far off to the south, So that they can be protected by the southern sun from

rough and cold nights of the north. She is a nice kid you know. A passionate girl chasing on

her dreams, though her dreams brought her to a place where dreaming is a sin and punishable

by a gunshot”.

I took another sip and sank into the night‟s atmosphere. Then, I saw something, a corridor

that stretched out from the room. A family portrait must be a happier time. “I have to do

something, the bottles are right on the cabinet if you need them” he said as he walked out of

the room. Right then I realized that we were all lost souls, we have all long dead. But, instead

of heaven or hell, we were all paying for all the sins we have done in a purgatory called

Applebay City, a city of lost souls, and demons.

06:30 AM, I opened my eyes and lights start raining down my tired body, the wound was

healing quite fast, I stood on my feet and walked toward the kitchen. Theresa, and Ward was

there having breakfast already.

“You overslept young man?” he said with his tender smile of a father. I sat on one of the

chair and replied “Not, really”.

“So how‟s the wound, let me take a look at it”, he took the bandage off and checked on the

wound “that is one great metabolism, you‟re healing quite rapidly”.

Theresa brought out some fresh baked breads and looked at me “Nice to see you all well Mr.

Everett, the documents are on the table right there”. I could see it all on their eyes, haunted,

and afraid. The sunny day couldn‟t light up their heart from terror that I brought.

“Racetrack” Theresa‟s voice broke the silent out of the room. She continued “Some of these

street hot roaders are actually amateur racer working on professional events”.

I took a sip of the tea in front of me then I replied “So, this boyfriend have you identified

him?” She looked at me in disbelieve at a moment I thought I‟ve said something that mock

her intelligence. But, then a her lovely smile appeared on her face as she said “2 phonecalls

solved it all. Although she was new at the office, she did follow her workmates habit. Across

the D.A‟s office there‟s a Diner regularly visited by the whole D.A‟s employees” She picked

a cigarette and light it up, and then she continued “Apparently our couple met on that diner at

least twice a week, I rang the diner and the owner recognized him as Brady McMuller”.

Something heavy knocked on my brain, it was her words. I picked up today‟s newspaper that

sat near me waiting to be read. Brady McMuller‟s name was on the paper that morning, he

was one of the racers competing on that day. “where is this Eaglin Motorsport Park?”

Ward put more sugar to his coffee and replied “Braunstein Hill, 1 hour away from the city

limit”,

“Ms. Guildford we have to go there” she looked at me and she probably thought that it was

the dumbest idea ever. She wanted to say no. But, I looked at her deep into her soul, and

something changed her hesitation.

“Yes, Mr. Everett”.

Right after the breakfast, I took my coat and my hat. Small patterns of blood was still there, I

could hear the sound of the car engine being turned on, I went downstairs and wrote a note

then got onto the vehicle. “Make sure we stop over the central precinct”, She nodded and put

her feet on the throttle.

“What‟s your plan Mr. Everett?” she asked,

“Capture this bastard”, the sweet music from the radio was my siren as we drove along the

streets, “Do you have it?” I asked, a cynic and mysterious smile appeared on her lips as she

replied “pistols, submachine guns, long range rifles”

“You‟ve learnt a lot Ms. Guildford, maybe you should get a private investigator license for

yourself” A compliment boost her driving performance, she went faster than before.

She slowed down right before the precinct, we could see policemen around the premises.

Theresa looked at me and asked “What should we do now?”

I opened the car‟s window and said “Hi, good looking. I knew you‟ll be here”, Lillian

appeared from a building shadow in an alleyway and put her hands on the roof of Ms.

Guildford‟s car “Explained to me why I shouldn‟t yell for help right now?”

I light up my cigarette and handover the note. “what is this all about?” she said, I smiled a

little bit toward her and told Ms. Guildford to drive. She was still looking toward me until we

went out of that street.

--

Eaglin Motorsport Park, Proving ground of the semi-pro drivers, when you look at the place

from the outside everything seems normal. Events regulated and held by legal racing sport

organizations, sponsors, banners, and everything. But, when you look inside, nothing was

normal. Mafia was behind every races, controlled every events. Even the drivers were chosen

by the families.

“Park right over there” I pointed an empty spot right behind the tribune. I looked around and

there was only few vehicles parked.

“I don‟t think this is one of those prestigious events” she said.

I opened the trunk and picked a revolver pistol and put it in my coat. I told her “Listen, if

things went south, get to cover and wait for backup”, I ran straight toward the ticket box, Ms.

Guildford was trying to say something. But, I was already too far to hear her clearly.

A beautiful young woman greeted me “Welcome to Eaglin Motorsport Park sir would like to

have a ticket please”,

“Yes, please. Actually my director sent me here, he wants me to observe potential drivers to

be sponsored”.

“Well, then the ticket you want is for the VIP‟s and guests, please head straight toward the

office on your right side sir someone will gladly assist you”.

I put out my cigarette and replied “Well, I have no time for that, can I have 1 regular seat

ticker please”. She gave me the ticket and I gave her the money. I sat on one of the benches

and light up another cigarette. The announcer‟s voice broke the silent “Ladies and gentlemen

welcome to Eaglin Motorsport Park for today‟s Clubman Semi-Pro Event…”. Then the

announcer announced names of all the drivers “…and then driver on car number 22,

representing the Milestone Motors, Brady McMuller…” I pulled out my notepad and wrote

Milestone Motors on the paper.

The parade lap marked the beginning of the racing, the blue hotrod number 22, he was there.

I stood up and ask around, there was a betting post right under the balcony. I raised my hat

and said “Excuse me, I need information on driver number 22”

a man starred at me “Do you want to bet on an underdog?”

I chunked and replied “underdog?”.

The man gave me an unfriendly look and said “Yeah, he‟s a damn punk, he‟s good driver.

But, not here under professional pressure. Bet for Jay Walther car number 6, he‟s one fast

nigger”.

I showed him a paper the ticket woman gave me earlier today “But, according to this paper he

had won at least 3 out of 5 racing events on this year” he looked around as if someone could

hear our conversation, he leaned forward and whispered

“You do know that mafia runs this joint right?, and so the racings. Clubman events are the

dirtiest events, this is where mafia decides who win the race.”

I lowered down my voice and asked “Is there anything you can tell me about this Milestone

Motors?”

He whispered “I know nothing about Milestone Motors, that is a new team to the series “. I

gave him some money as token of appreciation.

The race went on for 45 minutes, and on the last lap, Jay Walther was on the lead. But, then

right on the last corner, Jay Walther slowed down and let Brady took the lead and so he won

the race. The guy from the betting post said “I told ya, there‟s no way a racer would slow

down and let his enemy pass”. People went out to the track to congratulate the winners and I

slipped through the crowds and waited on the pit stop. It was a quick celebration and

everything was over even before I realized it.

I walked straight toward his pit garage, and just looking around. A man shouted at me “What

the hell are you doing here?”

I looked at him “I‟m looking for Mr. McMuller, I‟m here on the behalf of my company.”

“The one you‟re looking for is Mr. Randy Marcus” he said. Before I could tell him not to

bother calling the guy, he already yelled calling for his boss. Then a tall man came in from a

backdoor. Mr. Marcus looked at me curiously and said “Can I help you mister?”.

I shook his hand “Yes, my name is…uhm…Leroy Hawkins from Dryden‟s Oil, my superiors

sent me here to find some drivers willing to be sponsored”.

A smile appeared on the guy‟s face and he led me to a VIP room right upstairs. It wasn‟t

really a fancy room. Just a chair, a couch and a coffee table with windows facing toward the

track, “So this Dryden‟s Oil Company, how come I never heard of it?” He asked

I sat on the couch “Our main office is located in New Cranston. We‟ve been funding young

and talented drivers for around 2 years now”. He didn‟t say anything, perhaps his mind was

somewhere else.

“So what a great race huh?” I tried to keep the discussion alive.

“The storm engulfed this track for days and fortunately it dried out right before the event, so

we were kind of lucky”. He chuckled but it wasn‟t the weather that he was interested in, it

was me and so he got straight to the point “So, what do we have to do to be sponsored by

your company Mr. Hawkins?”

“According to my sources, your team haven‟t yet participate in events higher than semi-pro

events, what do you say about participating in professional events?” My words shocked him

out, he stood up again and light up his cigar.

“Mr. Hawkins I‟m afraid we can‟t do that, I do respect your offer, and you might have some

kind of deal if you‟d be our sponsor in the clubman semi-pro events. But not with

professional events”. His rejection was so sudden. I was very close from losing my temper.

But, then again, I realized I was facing a mafia, this is how mafia rejects someone and

especially those who are not in the interest area of their works.

“Can I ask why Mr. Marcus?” I tried to squeeze some „incidental‟ confession from him

“The Clubman Events Association serve the best interest to my team, that‟s all I can say”.

Before I stood up on my feet, a man walked into the room. It was Brady McMuller. He

looked at my eyes deep, his face emotion changed. Like being stabbed by a knife, his eyes

were frozen upon my gaze. And then he yelled “That‟s the guy”. The words “I‟m

compromised” flooded my brain and into my muscle, those words triggered my quick

respond, and so I drew my handgun and shot Mr. Marcus couple of time until he got thrown

out of the window, then I aimed at McMuller and threw some rounds. But, I missed him. I

could hear his footsteps rushing down the stairs. I looked downwards toward the window.

But, I couldn‟t see anything. “I bet everyone has already rolled down the carpet for me down

there” I said. Then I ran downstairs, and broke the door. Gunshots welcomed me, like an

angels of death trying to drag me down to hell. I hid behind a wall right beside a door and

fired back. The room was filled with the scent of gun powders, and people yelled “Kill him”.

I didn‟t know where they came from. A quiet and peaceful motorsport park turned into a

battlefield. I tried to spot him. “There he is” I said as I looked at him, he was hiding behind

his beloved vehicle.

After minutes of gunfight, I could hear police sirens approaching the area. For few seconds

the place became very quiet. They were confused by those sirens, and many of them ran into

random directions. I took off from my cover and released 3-4 shots and killed 2 men.

McMuller ran outside, and I ran after him. I said “Brady McMuller stop!”. On the starting

line, police vehicles were already all over the place. He raised his hands. But, then 2 hotrods

rushed nearby his position and I heard someone said “get on the vehicle quick”. And they

took off.

When I thought I‟ve lost them. “Mr. Everett get into the vehicle”. I looked back and

Detective Kathleen was there with a V12 powered vehicle. I jumped on the car and rushed

toward the fleeing McMuller with 4 or 5 patrol vehicles behind.

“I thought you didn‟t get the message” I looked at her with a relieve smile.

“You might be one hell of private investigator. But, I‟m still a detective Mr. Everett”

“So what do you have on them?” I asked.

“Brady McMuller is a member of a top hotrod club called The Street Brawlers, speeding and

reckless driving are his only felony”, she continued “Members of this hotrod club frequently

gather at a brewery they controlled, called Abner, that place is not really that far from the

racetrack. Just off this road”.

The police cars were following our lead like horsemen charging into the castle of their

enemy. But, in front of us there was nothing, the gateway car was far in front of us. I looked

at her and said “I bet those bastards have told everyone in the brewery”

She replied “Nothing is easy”. We got off of the main road and into a cobbled private road.

We could see the smokes that came out of the brewery‟s chimney. And so we arrived at the

gate of the brewery, Lilian quickly organized the policemen. But then Ms. Guildford

suddenly rushed toward me “You left me”,

“I‟m sorry Ms. Guildford, please stay with the officers out here” I replied. Then I rushed

toward the gate when Lilian said “Breach in now!” 4 officers stormed in the gate and gunfire

welcomed us, I ran toward a stack of barrels right in front of the gate, couple of police

officers brought along a submachine gun and they cleared out many obstacles for us.

Lilian shouted “disperse check every warehouse, don‟t let the bastard get away”. Someone

tried to sneak below the pipeline. But, I saw him and took him out fast. Strayed bullets torned

my suit, and I quickly ducked into cover. Someone was firing from the pipe networks above

us, I fired my pistol and injured the gunman.

One of the police officers rushed out from a warehouse “this warehouse is empty”.

We kept charging along and pushed them back, and then few minutes later, we reached the

other end of the brewery, inside that complex there was a big field with nothing but

construction materials, some rusty pipes and hotrods on it

“There!” I shouted toward Lilian. Brady ran toward one of the vehicles, turned it on and

drove off.

“Don‟t let him get away” Lilian warned the other officers of the fleeing car. As the car

reached the back gate that was opened 4 police officers armed with shotguns and submachine

guns fired their bullets at the car and punctured the car‟s tires and sent the car into a concrete

wall.

I ran straight toward the wrecked vehicle and dragged that son of a bitch out of the car.

“Come here you ass hole” I punched him right in the face and then threw him down to the

ground.

“take him into custody!” Lilian caught her breath. An officer cuffed him and put him inside

one of the patrol cars but before that patrol car and Lilian could leave, I grabbed Lilian hand

and asked “where are you taking him?”

“to the office of course” she replied as trying to get her hand off

I was surprised by her words “What?, the vice people will chew you, their attorneys will

throw cash at you”

“I‟m taking him to Meehan precinct, I won‟t tell the vice detectives about this fish” She got

her hand back, got into the patrol vehicle and drove away. From afar I saw Ms. Guildford

rushing toward me “Are you alright?” I asked her as she tried to catch some breath “Look, I

need you to go back to the office alright, I‟m going to the D.A office”. She nodded and

rushed back toward her car.

Meanwhile, the police officers were sweeping the corpses, that place was a battleground with

the smell of brewed liquors. I should‟ve felt relieve but I didn‟t despite the fact that I had

apprehended that slimy hotroder. I went back to my battered car, and drove off

“This Dearing guy better be in his office” I said to myself.

I needed to recollect information I already have to strike a deathly blow at this case and put

an end to it. I drove to Castaneda in downtown Applebay City where the DA office located.

--

It was almost dark when I reached the office, I parked right across the building and rushed in.

“Good afternoon sir, how may I help you?” a pretty-looking dame on the front desk greeted

me.

I took my cap off and replied “My name is Clyde Everett. I‟m looking for Sebastian

Dearing”. She picked up a book with the words ‟appointment list‟ written on it and look for

an appointment for Sebastian Dearing at that hour. She pointed at that book with a confusing

expression on her face. I guess she couldn‟t find anything and so she smiled at me and asked

“Pardon me sir have you made an appointment with Mr. Dearing, I can‟t find any

appointment for this hour”.

I checked on my coat for my PI badge and card but I found nothing “Damn, I must have left

it in my office” I cursed with my hand still reaching for anything inside my coat‟s pockets.

The lady was getting suspicious and quickly grabbed a phone beside her.

But before she could speak any words I interrupted her “Wait, I‟m a licensed Private

Investigator I‟m here for Mr. Dearing. But, I left my badge and identification in the office”

She was frowning sure she didn‟t buy any my words and kept on dialing numbers. I really

thought that this is it, in seconds security would jump at me and arrest me and later the police

will show up and take me to their office…there goes my investigation. But, Suddenly, out of

nowhere a hand showed up beside me with a badge and a familiar voice “He‟s with the

ACPD. We‟re here to question Mr. Dearing for police business”.

I turned my back and to my surprise Detective Kathleen was standing there with 2 police

officers behind her.

“I didn‟t recall calling for backup” I have to admit that I was quite surprised to see her.

Perhaps the case have forced both of us to move in one same line, like 2 musicians who play

in the same band, despite the different instruments and different sound those instruments

created they will eventually blurred into one, creating one hell of a song.

. “Like I said many times before, investigating is also my area of expertise” she put her badge

back into her pocket, I could see a mocking smile was visible on her face.

The frowning dame was now smiling, knowing that these visitors, us wouldn‟t put a bullet

inside Dearing‟s head “Mr. Dearing office is on the 4th

floor”. I nodded and proceeded

through.

District Attorney‟s Office of The City of Applebay, a place where the saints, the demons and

those who were in between sat together to discuss the fate of the city, “This must be it”

Detective Kathleen pointed at a door with Dearing‟s name on it. I knocked on the door and a

voice came from behind that wooden door “Come in”.

Ms. Kathleen then took her badge and showed it “Mr. Sebastian Dearing, my name is

Detective Kathleen, and this is Detective Everett from ACPD. We would like to ask a few

questions regarding the murder of Eleanor Fleming”. To my surprise our sudden appearance

at his office didn‟t wonder him. Sebastian Dearing a man in his late 30‟s. From the look on

his face I knew that he wasn‟t a new deal in this city. He has heard, saw and probably

experienced every sickness this city has to offer.

“Well, Detectives I‟m sure that you have all the information you got. Aren‟t you guys putting

the investigation off and declared the case as cold” At that time I knew he was merely testing,

and his concern was right. With the kind of corrupt police still out there, you better watch

your mouth or someone will come and put you to sleep. Usually, I would along with this

bullshit but not at that time. Honestly, I got tired since day 1 and I simply want to put an end

to it.

“Mr. Dearing” I raised my voice “If you don‟t trust the ACPD I don‟t blame you, its

completely reasonable with those corrupt fucks out there but you can trust both of us. Since

day one we‟ve been busting our asses for this case. I got shot at victim‟s house and ran

through hail of gunfire at Eaglin and in a brewery close it”. Dearing eyes were sharply

looking at us as if they try to peel the skin of our heads and reveal horns that hidden beneath

it.

In that awkward silence moment I could hear the sound of raging rainfall outside, as if the

heaven itself is melting into tiny pieces of water pitchfork. “Funny you put it that way”

Dearing broke the awkward silence with an equally awkward joke. He knew that I was right

but refused to openly acknowledge it.

Dearing stood up and walk toward the nearest window from him“I suppose you have figured

out that what happened to Ms. Fleming wasn‟t a mere accident, or a low kind of crimes. It

was something high and I put her into this”

Kathleen fired up the first question “What do you mean by „you put her into this‟ Mr.

Dearing?”

Dearing reached for his desk and put a document onto the table. “A couple of months ago a

report came to my desk. It was a money laundering case and Matthias Pennybaker was the in

the spotlight of it…”.

“Matthias Pennybaker?” Kathleen looked at me, looking for an answer

“I surely know him, the guy talk politics but inside he‟s nothing but a very rich criminal. He

is the true cancer of this fair city”

Dearing nodded and continued “The man purchased the neighborhood 3 years ago and he

planned to turn that abandoned slum into riches‟ playground. We suspect that the

neighborhood he purchased and the hotel he‟ll build is an attempt to convert the huge amount

of money he received into assets and make it untraceable. But, we found no hard evidence,

we found no money and with the cancellation of the hotel we have to close the case. But, Ms.

Fleming then found something. She said that it was something big and she came to me and

asked if I could re-open the case. I said no. I told her that whatever it is she found, it must be

very crucial to get the case re-opened. I thought she was listening and put an end to her

investigation”.

“But she absolutely didn‟t” Kathleen elaborated

That concern came back to my mind, the kind of concern when you realize that your

investigation might go back to square one. We got out of that building with evidences and

leads regarding the death of Eleanor Fleming. We parted outside and I headed toward my car

and started the engine but then suddenly Kathleen ran across the street toward me

“The vice squad is on its way to the precinct, we have to get to that boy before them”.

I told her to get into the vehicle and then we drove away at speed.

The Vice squad of ACPD had warned her not to carry on the investigation. But, she went

rouge and carried on the investigation. This was the price of being rogue. “Someone talked,

damn it I knew I shouldn‟t trust him to anyone other than me” she cursed. I replied

“It‟s too late for remorse. just make sure we get him before the vice-roys”.

We rushed through traffics and immeduately arrived in the police station before the Vice

Squad. Detective Lilian Kathleen rushed inside and talked to one of the officers there “10-91

on Brady McMuller. I want him to be ready for transport in no more than 2 minutes”.

The officer then grabbed the phone beside him. I also rushed toward the nearest telephone

and call my own office. “Detective Everett‟s Office” Theresa answered

“Ms. Guildfort, its me”

“Mr. Everett what‟s happening?”

“Theresa, go to your uncle‟s home now and stay put! Things are about to get worst, please for

your own safety”.

As usual she argued at me and refused to go home. But, after some explanations she

understood and rushed toward her vehicle and drove away. The officer rushed back at

Kathleen and said “ Suspect is in the vehicle ma‟am”.

Kathleen then ordered some officers to escort him and dragged me back into my vehicle and

again we drove away. We went east through Lewith industrial park and then drove toward an

abandoned mill deep inside the woods. Kathleen herself dragged McMuller out of the vehicle

and into the mill.

“Speak or I swear I‟ll kill you” she drew her pistol and aimed it toward McMuller‟s head.

That prick was shivering like hell and slurred his words. “I swear I did not kill her”.

Kathleen then looked at an officer beside her and he handed over a nightstick. She then put it

to a good use. She swung the nightstick toward his face real hard and blood started to flow

down his face“Let‟s start with how did you know her?”.

Words came out of his mouth “We went to the same school years ago. When we graduated

she moved out of our hometown but then suddenly we bumped into each other not long ago

and we haven‟t met each other for more than a month”.

“A day before she was murdered, she met you didn‟t she. We found a note on her house

before you gunned the house down”.

“Yes. But, it was just a talk about our relationship” he answered. I stepped closer toward him

and pat Kathleen‟s back “Why wasting your breath on this Goddamn idiot? We have the

evidences and some eyewitnesses. He obviously killed his girlfriend because she was

investigating a serious money laundering crime committed by Matthias Pennybaker who

happens to be the owner of Milestone Motors, the company that funded this bastard on the

racetracks. He even threatened her just a day before her murder”.

Detective Kathleen nodded and cocked her handgun “You‟re right why we should waste our

breath…”

The bluff worked, scared McMuller raised one of his hand to please for mercy “Wait a

second, alright I‟ll tell you everything. I did not kill Eleanor, when she was investigating

Pennybaker she found out that one of his companies funded me on the tracks, she confronted

me and told me to get out of the races. But, for godsake racing is everything I have. A day

before that day she called me and we met at a park not far from her home, I told her to stop

her investigation and just let it go. I told her this because I knew that Pennybaker has

„smelled‟ her and was planning to eliminate her. But, that lady refused and persisted. She said

that something big came up and she was ready to drag Mr. Pennybaker to the court. And at

the very evening Mr. Pennybaker ordered me to accompany his friend in this business and we

went to that empty neighborhood. The next thing I know, he burst his sub-machine gun at

someone on that alleyway and he told me to drive back fast. I didn‟t know that it was her

until the newspaper printed the story on the next day”.

Detective Kathleen looked at me as everything was linking up and pointing up to one

direction and she then asked “And who is this man, the one who killed her?”.

To my surprise Brady McMuller responded to the question rapidly and his voice tendered

down “His name is John Scofield. He is the leading hired gumshoe for Mr. Pennybaker”.

Everything went quiet as if the time itself has stopped. The only thing we could hear was the

sound of rain splashing on the mill‟s metal roofs. But then, thunder-like noises came from the

outside. It took us several seconds before realizing that those aren‟t thunders but gun fires.

“Detective!” rushed an officer into the room “we got company rushing in”

“Get him out of here” she told the officer and immediately got on her feet

We headed out and went into a bigger storage room. There, the officers were already busy

with the gunmen in black suits.

I counted that there were 4 gunmen and they are armed with sub machine guns and all we had

were low powered pistols and severely inaccurate shotguns. Everything was beyond chaos,

bullets were flying inches away from our heads and disintegrated fragments from wall behind

us were raining down our heads. “We must get out from here” I said to myself as I looking

for anything that could lead us out. And then, I saw an opened door at the corner of that

room. “Hey, there‟s an exit right there” I pointed at that opened door

She fired couple of rounds and then nodded toward me. We then rushed outside and made it

out.

“Son of a bitch” she cursed while looking at her car with gunshots all over it. We figured that

there‟s no way that car would take us anywhere, so I looked around for a solution and saw a

police wagon nearby. Behind us, a gunman rushed out of the mill and shouted “There they

are”.

We got into the police wagon and dashed deeper into the woods. We exhaled from exhaustion

thought that we were already safe but how wrong we were. 2 cars suddenly appeared behind

us and the gunmen in it started to discharge their guns toward our car.

“Who the fuck are they?” I grunted, tired of running.

“The Vice-roys” She said but didn‟t look concern about it

“How did you know?”

“I recognize one of them, I slept with him once” I think she tried to pull some sort of joke but

weirdly I decided to believe in her anyway.

I put my foot hard on the throttle and the engine roared, I tried to shake the steering wheel

occasionally to prevent their bullets from nesting in our head. Beside me, Kathleen was busy

firing her snub revolver. I was hoping that one of them would eventually messed up and

crashed onto one of the trees or the edged cliffs but after a while I realized that none of those

would happen.

After few minutes we finally made some distances with them but in front of us there was a

wooden bridge that slowed us down severely.

“Stop” she jammed the steering wheel with her hand “There‟s no way we will make it across

safely. We must end it right here” Kathleen then reached for a Tommy gun at the back of the

passenger seat and went out

“What the hell are you doing?” I tried to stop her but it was too late. She then stood right in

the middle of the bridge and exhaled deep. I then reached for my pistol and stood right beside

her

“Let‟s send these bastards to hell”

Not long after the 2 vehicles were approaching the wooden bridge at high speed. I made sure

that my gun was loaded and then looked at her. Bullets that came out of the guns of the Vice

shattered the grounds around us and after few seconds of silence Kathleen pulled the trigger

of her Tommy gun and illuminated that forest with flashes from her Tommy gun.

She burst rounds after rounds against the incoming vehicles. One of them was immediately

hit on the tires and rolled out uncontrollably toward the river under the wooden bridge and

exploded. Seconds after, the driver on the last vehicle was shot and he slammed the steering

wheel and launched the car toward series of pines on the right side of the dirt road.

Slightly yellow tinted patterns colored the forest as the flames engulfed over the wrecked

vehicles. Kathleen and I were still standing there in the same position when the rains poured

over the forest as if the God was trying to cool the situation down.

I moved closer toward her and took the Tommy gun off of her “Let‟s get out of here”

We drove on and finally reached the main highway that led us back to the city. The road was

as quiet and as lifeless as the situation inside the wagon. Her hands tremble like crazy, at that

moment I knew that she just poured all of her angers through her sub machine gun.

“This is KGPL to all units we have 10-33 situation on outer Lewith industrial, all available

units please code 3 over” said dispatch over the radio. I was expecting a reaction from

Kathleen but she didn‟t give any reaction, just kept on staring out of the window. It was now

official, we were wanted fugitives. Hunted by the law and by whoever masterminded Eleanor

Flemming‟s death.

The name John Scofield was still ringing in my ears, we had now the confession that could

put that Scofield guy behind the bars but since we just experienced a sudden and massive

status change from heroes to zeroes, none of those matters. If we wanted to give an end to

this, we had to do that our own way.

--

We drove through South Craigston bridge and pulled over at a hotel just beside the Vickers

Avenue piers. Soaking wet and covered with the smell of gunpowder, we checked in.

It wasn‟t a 5 stars hotel like many rich people would stay. It was just a simple room with a

double bed, hot water and a radio. But, to our surprise, the room was pristine clean and all the

furniture were in perfect condition.

I was hanging my soaked cap and coat at the hanger when Kathleen suddenly embraced me

from the back. I turned around and she kissed me deep and passionately on the lips. For a

moment I let myself sunk into her affection and she was too. I completely forgot about the

problems we were into as if they were eroded by the falling rain.

I woke up to the sound of a thunder and tried to reach for Kathleen hand. But, it wasn‟t there.

I sat on the edge of the bed and tried to make sense of my surrounding. “Where is she?” I

asked myself as I stood up and walked toward the window.

Outside, the rain was still pouring and the night was getting darker and darker. I couldn‟t

remember how long has it been since I left the comfy of my office chair as a Private

Investigator and then ended up in that hotel room as a wanted man. I looked out through the

window and I saw Kathleen wandering around the piers. “What is she doing?” I wondered. I

reached for my still wet coat and hat and then walked outside.

Before I went out of the building, an old lady strolled in and offered me her umbrella for no

reason at all. At first, I wanted to refuse because I was already wet, more rain water wouldn‟t

make much different. But, as I look at her wrinkly smiling face I realized that all she wanted

was to restore her faith in the existence of kindness and humanity, 2 things that have long

gone from this city. I took her umbrella and returned her smile.

As I walked through the quiet and wet street toward the piers, I recalled the way that old lady

smile at me and at the same time it made me wonder about this city. Long before it was

„haunted‟ by the „lost souls‟.

There was nothing but emptiness in the Vickers street, the only parked vehicles visible there

were the police wagon that I used and a pickup truck nearby a fish market. I followed the

wooden piers and saw her sitting on the edge of one of the piers. I walked closer to her till my

umbrella covered one of the lights on that pier and projected a shadow that fell around and in

front of her.

“Before the life corrupted me, I used to fish a lot of with my old man” she said without

looking at me “The weather was fairer then and we usually catch big fishes. Looking at those

beautiful days sometimes I wonder about what I‟ve become now or where am I?”.

I stood closer toward her and sheltered her from the rain “Sometimes life would drag you

very far away from where you were. Your home and your family, you may try to resist, but

you just can‟t. Until you get to a moment when you open your eyes and find out that there‟s

no familiar voices to greet you in the morning, no birds singing in the sky, and no sunlight

shining upon your face. All you hear is the familiar sound of rains and the reaching lights of

the city…” I paused and put my right hand on her shoulder and she greeted it with her left

hand “But, I like to think that it is just a temporary. One day as we grow old we shall return

and reclaim those years that we have missed”.

Though I couldn‟t see her eyes that night but I swear that she was tearing up.

“Come on, we are going to end this once and for all” I took her hand and she stood back up.

We went back to the police wagon and drove it through the easing rain.

--

Matthias Pennybaker was resided in Aberdeen, the place was known as the most beautiful in

the city and a place for the riches. But, I knew that beneath those layers of gold and paper

money, that place was actually surrounded by the darkness of organized crimes, the place

where the mafia bosses and corrupt politicians lived. For me that place was the poison in the

apple.

With each streetlamp we passed, I realized that we were getting closer and closer to what

could be our final hour.

Matthias Pennybaker‟s mansion was the biggest in Aberdeen. A renaissance style building

with huge pillars and windows, a tall concrete-brick wall surrounded the house and gave it an

impression as if it was an impregnable fortress.

I parked the car right in the middle of the park, it‟d be easy to spot my vehicle from anywhere

on the house during sunny days. But, that night no lights penetrated the skies and the rain

blurred everything. I loaded my pistol and she assembled a shotgun from the wagon.

“You do realize that this is suicidal?” Concern and fear came from her voice

I gazed upon her eyes in confusion and tried to find Detective Kathleen that I knew “Are you

backing down, now?”

She didn‟t answer. Instead she put the last round into her shotgun‟s chamber and pumped it.

We hid behind the bushes that stretched in front of a bungalow, right on the edge of the park.

2 black vehicles covered the road and some armed men were visible, my hearts were

pounding and my hands were shaking, not because of fear but because of the mixture

between adrenalin, rage, and anger in my system.

A thunder came and I fired my first round toward a man with sub-machine gun and fell

lifelessly. That one gunshot was enough to alert the entire compound. Kathleen fired her

shotgun and killed the man who hid beside the black vehicle. We rushed into the mansion‟s

gate and we could hear people from inside barking orders “Move it, move it”, “protect the

boss” and many more.

Stretched between us and the mansion was this huge yard with a fountain at the center of it, I

dashed and hid behind the fountain meanwhile Kathleen went to clear the motor pool on the

right side of the yard. I then caught a figure running toward the motorpool. I took a quick

decision and kill him before he could get to the motorpool. Few minutes later we cleared the

yard and proceeded to the main entrance door of that mansion. Before we stormed in, I

reloaded my pistol and planted my left ear slowly on the door and I could hear noises that

came from the inside. I knew that they were anticipating us so I looked back to the mansion‟s

entrance and I told Kathleen “Hold here for a while, I‟m bringing in the big gun”.

Kathleen kept firing at the window and kept them occupied while I ran toward one of the

cars. I punctured the gas tank and trail of gasoline formed beneath the car as I drove the car

near to the entrance. Kathleen stopped firing and then rush to find a cover. Shortafter, I threw

a match directly onto the trail of gasoline.

Before the burning matchstick touched the gasoline I jumped behind some green hedges and

started to count “1000…2000…3000…” it felt like eternity. But, then a loud and deafening

sound of an explosion struck my ear and forced me down to the ground. The shrapnel hit the

hedges behind me but no one hit me.

“Are you alright?” Kathleen shouted from afar.

“I‟m okay, let‟s move in” I checked on myself and stood back up.

The door was blown to pieces but there was a man rushed downstairs with a chattered sub-

machine gun and the bullets shattered the wall just inches beside Kathleen. I responded

quickly and shot him in the head.

We went into the mansion, and a stair stood right in front of us. I could hear the noises that

came from both the second and first floor “we have to split up, I take the second floor and

you clear up the first floor”.

She nodded and we went our separate ways. Bullets burst onto priceless antiquities on the

second floor as I raided the second floor. “Somebody do something, they‟re just 2 people

goddamn it” I didn‟t see who said that but I was sure that it was the voice of Matthias

Pennybaker himself. I moved from one corner to another and killed the armed men one by

one.

The noises disappeared and replaced by silence and then followed by the sound of raging

thunder outside the mansion. I put fresh magazine into my pistol and then carried on.

Pennybaker‟s chamber was hidden between labyrinths of countless corridors. I busted those

doors one by one. But, then few doors later a man jumped out hoping to ambush me by

bursting his machine gun. I quizkly threw myself to the ground and one of the bullets took the

hat off my head. I fired my pistol and carved a hole on the guy‟s head and then he fell

lifelessly to the ground.

I stood up and broke the door of the room on my left side and I found no one but a woman

dressed in waitress suit. I assured her “I‟m not going to hurt you, but I need you to tell me the

location of Mr. Pennybaker‟s chamber please”.

Poor waitress, she was shivering like crazy and corn-sized sweats dropped down from her

face to the carpet below. But she managed to pull herself together “His…his…room is down

this corridor to the left“.

I thanked her and she rushed out of that room. I followed the corridor to its end. Before I

reached the chamber‟s door of Pennybaker, I met up again with Detective Kathleen. There

were 2 bullet holes on her coat and a scratch on the left side of her forehead. “I‟ve been

prettier you know” she joked with a slight smile on her face.

Kathleen then smashed the door and there we saw Matthias Pennybaker. He was messy and

utterly terrified by my pistol and her shotgun. With his tremble voice he kneeled and begged

“Please, don‟t kill me I beg of you”.

Kathleen stepped forward and put her shotgun barrel right in the middle of Pennybaker‟s

forehead. The freezing wind that blew in through the opened windows of Pennybaker‟s

chamber froze the time. He knew that it might be the end of him. But, before Kathleen could

pull the trigger and finish him, the sound of distant gunshot was heard and a flash of light

passed in front of me toward Kathleen.

“Kathleen, no” I cried as she fell onto the floor. Pennybaker stood up and dashed out through

the broken door. She was hit on the side of her stomach and the blood was pouring out, I

applied some pressures to stop the bleeding and tore down the curtain inside that chamber

and used it as bandage. She opened her eyes and pointed at the door Pennybaker used to

escape “Chase…that…ugh…bastard”.

“No, I‟m going to get you to the hospital first” I replied while keep on pressing on the wound.

But then, she grabbed my collar and looked at me in the eyes “Clyde, if you don‟t stop him

now, then you will never be able to stop him, just leave me here. Besides, I think the police is

already on their way here”.

She was right, I could hear the police sirens roaring in the distance. So, I left her there in an

upward sitting position. I looked out through the balcony and heard Matthias Pennybaker

cried “Let‟s get the fuck out of here”.

I wondered who was he talking to but then I realized “John Scofield”. A tender kiss marked

our farewell that night as I rushed downstairs and into the night. Scofield‟s tires screeched

just few meters away and I looked around for vehicles. The only vehicle left inside that yard

was one of the parked sedans on the gate. I wired the car and dashed off at speed, the wind

blew up from the broken window on the right side of the car.

I chased the car through a corner and right on the edge of my rearview mirror I could see

some police vehicles rushed into the mansion from another corner. I got lucky, they didn‟t

see me leaving that road, if I took that corner a millisecond later no doubt they would have

spotted me and hunt me down.

We went down from Aberdeen to East Chadwick and Roth Avenue, in the distance was the

landscape of Applebay‟s skyscrapers stretching high like pillars with their edge scratching the

clouds above.

“KGPL this is Baker 10-23 repeat we‟re 10-23, we got multiple bodies and a wounded

detective, requesting immediate medical assistance now” Said a police officer over the radio

that I had inside the sedan. I wasn‟t sure whether she made it or not. But, I just couldn‟t get

my mind off Pennybaker and his vicious pet dog Scofield.

We entered the city and paced through empty streets, the finish line of our little race was a

mystery until the sedan went into the corner that led us directly toward the construction site

of Hardwood Sporting Complex. The proud symbol of Applebay City, I remember when the

Mayor held a lavish banquet to celebrate the beginning of its construction and when he was

murdered by a gun-for-hired in his hotel room with his wife right afterthat. After 2 years halt,

the construction recommenced. But, at that time there was nothing there but construction

steels and gigantic metal structures that served as the skeleton for the planned International

Stadium.

“Why would they go here?” that was the first thing that came to my mind, they could

obviously go somewhere else but they chose this stadium as a stage for our grand finale.

Several police vehicles were parked in the complex‟s main entrance and I could see police

officers were firing on my vehicle. I ditched my vehicle and took cover behind a news stand.

Pennybaker and Scofield took advantage of the situation by running off toward the

construction rows at the center of the complex. I had to get rid of these shooters so I drew out

Kathleen‟s revolver that I kept in my left holster and started to fire back. I realized that I was

firing on police officers but that was the only way possible to get a closure of the case. Like a

knight on a quest in an endless labyrinth I had nowhere to go but forward, I had to reach the

exit or tomorrow the papers would have my name as their headlines as a crook who

threatened the lives of Matthias Pennybaker, owner of successful enterprises and several

ACPD officers.

I took on 4 officers on the entrance before I proceeded. The wet ground glued my shoes and

an unpleasant sound came every time my shoes touch the muddy ground. Before I realized I

already found myself standing in the very middle of the stadium. I could imagine the stadium

when its full and the sound of tens of thousands of spectators filled the air. But, there was no

spectator, just corrupt cops looking forward to iced me

“Kill him” cried a corrupt police officer as he approached me with his weapon. Matthias

Pennybaker has summoned them to kill me which explained why they led me here. Rain of

bullets came straight at me and more corrupt officers appeared from behind the benches. I

dodged the bullets by taking cover from one place after another. After sometimes, I lost track

of how many officers I have killed. My hands were shaking as the adrenalin rushedinside my

system and the yellow lights of the stadium corridors blurred my vision.

I stepped on and found nothing but bodies of officers I killed, at that very moment I thought

that Pennybaker and Scofield have escaped. I returned to the center of the football field and

gazed upon my surroundings.

“BANG…BANG” 2 gunshots were heard and 2 bullets hit me right in the back, but I didn‟t

know I was shot until the pain started to strike every single bones in my body. It

overwhelmed me completely and I dropped down toward the ground. I looked aside and there

I saw Matthias Pennybaker, a gunshot wound made his right shoulder bleed and his blood

tainted white suit was a mess. He looked at me angrily “So do you think you can kill me

huh?”. Words and curses came out of his mouth. But, I could barely hear him thanks to the

wounds. If I had to die that night at least I die without having to hear what Pennybaker said.

He came closer toward me with his weapon pointed at me, I felt the rush of blood as it left its

circulation within. “Goodbye Mr. Everett”.

1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds, I was waiting for the click, my eyes were nailed at the end of

the barrel. Suddenly, the thunderous sound of a gunshot broke the silence inside that stadium.

The smile on Matthias Pennybaker‟s face washed off and replaced by the expression of fear

and pain. He dropped lifelessly onto the ground. A wound was visible on his left upper chest.

I tried to get up and spot the shooter around but I simply didn‟t have the power anymore. I

dropped back into the ground and closed my eyes. At that moment I thought that I was

already at the end of the final chapter, now I was waiting for the angel of death to raise my

soul and send me to the afterlife. But, I was damn wrong, it wasn‟t the end. But, it was only

the beginning of something much bigger and I was still at the center of it…

…