Episode 107
Lance was inside his office, deep in thought with his arms crossed across his chest when the Mayor walked up to him.
“A dollar for your thoughts, detective.” The mayor says with a smile, five of his personal securities were standing next to him.
Lance looked at him finally noticing his presence. “I’d pay a million dollars to gather my thoughts right now.”
“I know a lot has happened since you got here Lance but you must not let those incidents deter you from accomplishing your task.” The mayor says.
“Don’t worry Mayor; I’m not a man who’s easily held by his emotions.” Lance says.
“Good, now about those tasks. Do you truly have evidence on the corrupt political officials who are working against me? Cause I heard the chief has refused to reveal anything.” The Mayor says.
“He doesn’t have to, I already have all the evidence I need but before we go into the details, we’ll need to revise our contract Mayor.” Lance says.
“We do?” The mayor asked.
“Yeah, cause the initial deal we had was for me to arrest the gang leaders in this city but now that I’m going to be investigating corrupt politicians as well, that’s a separate task which will require a separate pay.” Lance says.
“Well, that’s true but…” The mayor was saying but Lance cuts him off.
“It’s okay if you don’t want me to investigate the political officials, let’s just stick with the initial plan. After all you’ve got so many security agents to do that for you.” Lance says.
“What security agents? After what just happened with the chief? Who knows how many more of my security agents are working against me. I feel you’re the only man I can trust right now detective.” The Mayor says.
“Well this trusty detective doesn’t come for free.” Lance says.
“Alright, how much do I have to add to the initial payment?” The mayor asks.
“An additional twenty million to make it a total of fifty.” Lance says with a smile.
The mayor was silent for a while and then he said. “Alright I’ll have the money sent to you. Just make sure those traitors are brought to book.”
“You can count on me.” Lance says and the mayor leaves.
Lance picked his phone and made a call.
“Hello.” A female voice came from the receiver’s end.
“Hello, it’s me.” Lance says.
“Lance?” The woman asked excitedly.
“Yeah.”
“Oh my, how long as it been?”
“Sorry but I’ve been quite busy. How is she?”
“She’s been very ill lately.”
Lance’s heart was broken on hearing this. “Did you get the money I sent last week?”
“Yes but she said she does not want your money, all your grandma wants is to see you, Lance.” The woman says.
“You should understand more than anyone else why I can’t be there nurse.” Lance says as much as it breaks his heart to be so far away from the only family member he has left, the nature of his job does not allow him to stay close to the people he cares about, not after what happened to Louis he wouldn’t want something bad to happen to his grandma because of him, he’ll never forgive himself for that. “That was why I hired you to look after her.” He added.
“I understand Lance but she also expressed great worry about your job, she feels you’re following in your father’s footstep and she’s afraid you might meet the same fate he did. You should come home soon it’s been two years since you paid a visit.” She said.
Has it really been that long? Lance wondered. “I’ll come home soon, once I’m done with what I’m working on right now.”
“She’s in her bedroom right now, should I go and give the phone to her?”
Lance was silent.
“I’m sure she’ll be happy to speak with you.”
Lance would have loved to speak with her right now more than anything but he feared hearing her voice might break his resolve and have him taking the next flight back home neglecting his whole mission, but this mission was way too important to be neglected. Not after years of searching for clues and looking for answers, not when he was so close to finding the secret. “No,” Lance says. “Just take good care of her, please.” He says and ended the call.
Lance sighed and sat in his chair rubbing his forehead. If there was one thing Lance Elliot was afraid of it’s the thought of been alone but yet he can’t be in a relationship either. It was his curse to bear, he once gave love a chance but that ended tragically. He hasn’t had much luck with friends either, all his best friends had betrayed him at one point or another. He still couldn’t believe that Stan of all people would turn against him. Even Zach had once betrayed him as well, maybe he trusts too much and that had always clouded his judgments.
Just then Frank, Jeff and Josh came in.
“Where have you guys been?” He asked.
“While you were having a meeting with the mayor we found out that Lucy was shot yesterday.” Josh says.
“Shot?” Lance asked he was shocked by this. “How?”
“She went after Bob Goatee on her own and that was when it happened.” Josh says.
“Just makes me hate that Bob even more.” Frank says with a stern look on his face.
“Oh geez, where is she?” Lance asked worriedly, he had really gotten to like Lucy as a friend. She’s a gentle and very kind person.
“She’s been admitted at the hospital. That’s where we’re coming from.” Jeff says.
“How’s she?” Lance asks.
“The doctor says her condition has been stabilized.” Josh says.
“I should go pay her a visit.” Lance says and makes for the exit.
“Hold on Lance,” Frank says holding him back, he had a worried look on his face. “Before you go, I just wanted to ask, if you’re okay?”
“I’m fine, why do you look so worried?” Lance says.
“Because of the things that’s been happening during the past couple of days.” Frank says. “With your best friend missing and your old friend trying to kill you and all that.”
“Not to mention that we still don’t know where Zach is.” Josh added.
Lance smiled at his friends and said. “Those incidents are truly bothersome but believe me I’ve been through worse and look at me, I’m still standing. I’ve learnt to bottle up my emotions a long time ago.” Lance says with confidence but his friends knew he’s a very emotional person although he tries hard not to show it.
“That’s good to know but I just want to let you know that we are always here for you Lance.” Frank says.
“Thanks.” Lance says with a smile and makes to leave.
“Before you go, I have a question to ask also.” Josh says.
“I’m listening.” Lance says.
“You said you have evidence against the crime godfathers, what evidence do you have? I thought the flash-drive got lost in the explosion.” Josh says.
“Did it?” Lance says raising an eyebrow.
“It did unless…” Josh was saying.
“That’s not the real flash-drive.” Frank completes it for him.
Lance smiled and produced a flash-drive from his pocket.
“That’s the drive?” Josh asked excitedly.
Lance nodded. “I couldn’t trust Simon and his boys with such important evidence so I borrowed it from his office.” Lance says.
“You mean you stole it.” Frank corrected.
“Same thing.” Lance says. “Anyways the one that was destroyed in the explosion is the fake duplicate, which I replaced it with.”
“Wow, that’s brilliant.” Jeff says.
Frank and Josh agreed.
“So now all we have to do is to crack its code and we’ll have all the info we need.” Lance says.
“I’ll start working on that right away.” Josh says.
“You don’t have to start today; I think you’ve all earned a break.” Lance says. “Go home and we’ll start tomorrow.”
“One more thing, detective.” Jeff says it was his turn to ask a question.
“What is it?” Lance asks.
“I’m not sure if this is a good time but this thing has been boiling me up and I think I really need to know.” Jeff says then he paused, thinking of how to put the question.
“Go ahead and ask.” Lance says.
Frank and Josh were also curious to hear what he has to say.
“What’s your real reason for coming to this city?” Jeff asked. “Cause I know you’ve been planning to come here long before the mayor called you here.”
“What makes you think so?” Lance asked.
“For one you’ve built a house here long before your arrival and I’ve seen your basement detective. I’ve seen the weapons. I just feel something big is coming and you’re the only one who’s getting ready for it.” Jeff says.
Lance was silent.
“It’s okay if you don’t want to tell, I’m just so curious to know. Sorry for asking.” Jeff says and makes to leave, wondering if he had offended Lance.
“Wait,” Lance says and he stopped. “You’re right; I’ve been planning to come here for a while now. That’s why I sent Michael here to get everything set up.” Lance paused. “I don’t know who to trust anymore so I’m not sure if I should reveal this secret to you but I don’t want to keep you in the dark either while you risk your lives working for me.” Lance looked into their eyes and asked. “Can I trust you guys?”
They each responded positively.
“You’d know if we were lying right?” Josh added.
Lance looked into their eyes and smile. “Okay, I’ll tell you.” He said. “As any of you ever heard of the Sin City? And I don’t mean Vegas.”
“No,” Jeff says.
“Nope, never heard of it.” Josh replied.
“What’s so important about this city?” Frank asked.
“And does it even exist?” Josh asked.
“It does and its location is very close to Evergreene city. That’s why I’m here to find out where it is.” Lance says.
“Let’s assume it does exist, what will you do if you find it?” Josh asked.
“When I find it,” Lance says with a mean look on his face. “We’re going to burn it down, because they took everything away from us and now we are going to take everything away from them.”
“Us?” Frank asked.
“You mean there are others?” Jeff asked.
“Why do you think I needed so many guns?” Lance says with a smirk. “That city houses something very evil that needs to be stopped. It’s just like you said Jeff, something huge is about to happen, a war is coming and this city will be the battlefield, and trust me when I tell you that all hell is about to let loose.”
(2 months earlier)
Tony
I sat in the front seat with my uncle while he drove the car through a desert. The two other guys sat in the back neither one had muttered a word all through the ride. I wasn’t in the mood for a conversation anyway; I was still shocked by the reality that my wife is dead, along with my unborn child. One night was all it took for my whole world to turn upside down. I had my head against the car's window sulking and crying profusely, the tears won’t stop flowing as my mind was filled with the thought of my dead wife, I couldn’t get the image of her lying down in cold blood out of my mind. The pain was unbearable, it felt like I was been stabbed in the heart repeatedly.
"Are you okay boy?" Uncle Freddie asked.
“Did you just ask if I’m okay? I just witnessed my wife’s death and you’re asking me if I’m okay, of course I’m not okay.” I yelled taking my anger out on him. "Where have you been all this years and how did you find me?" I asked. I still couldn’t make sense of what was happening. After leaving for so many years, and now he showed up out of the blue with armed escorts. Where did he even learn to use a gun, I thought he was a lawyer.
"I've been keeping a very low profile kid, I came back a week ago after so many years to meet you but I didn't have the courage to approach you not after so many years. So i stayed here in this city and I was watching you." He said.
"Let me get this straight, you came back just so you can meet me, but you've been here for a whole week without meeting anyone and you were watching me? What for?" I asked not falling for his story.
"Cause I felt something like this was going to happen. Son listen, there are those who are after our family, those people are the same set of people who killed my wife, caused your father's death and sent me to prison. I came here the second I heard you got married; I knew you'll soon be their next target."
"Are you trying to say that my father was murdered?"
"Exactly." He said.
"No, this is just too much, but even then what was the need to kill those officers? They were just doing their jobs."
"Those guys work for the enemy. Killing them was the only way to save you. Tony, you are the last hope of our family and I'll do anything to protect you."
"Who are they?" I asked.
"I don't know for sure, but we are going to find out very soon."
"Where are we going?" I asked wondering why he was driving through the desert.
"I'm taking you to a place where you'll be save, a place far from the reach of the enemy or the cops." He said then he speeds up the car.
We drove for a couple more minutes before my uncle stopped the car in front of what appears to be a thick forest. He and his boys got out of the vehicle and I followed them.
"This guys, who are they?" I asked, still wondering why we’ve stopped in front of a forest.
"You mean this two?" My uncle asks, I nodded in affirmative, "The short one is Jeremy, the one with the big head is called Carl. They work for me." He says.
"What are we doing here? There’s nothing but trees here." I said.
My uncle smiled and walked up to a particular tree.
"That's what it looks like but it's actually a doorway." He said as he pulled one of the tree branches down like a lever and the trees opened up like an elevators door would. My mouth fell open in amazement.
"Come on." He said walking through the entrance with his boys.
"I...i..um still have a lot of questions." I said as I followed them in.
"And all shall be answered, in due time." He said and the entrance closed.
I could feel a slight movement where I stood as if we were being transported somewhere else. Then the entrance opened up again and this time we were standing in front of a large rock.
"Ever heard of the city of sins?" Fred says.
"No, but I used to have this crazy dreams where I was being chased by a huge storm and you came to save me, then you took me to a place that looks like heaven." I said as we approached the huge rock.
"This city is many things son, but it’s no heaven." Fred says with a smile. "Brace yourself kid as you are about to be wowed." He continued. Now standing close to the rock he said. "Gold." And the rock opened up.
I looked upfront in amazement and saw a dark city, there were people walking around, some had horses, I saw a few cars, and the houses looked ancient, bright lights shone from some houses but the rest were pitch dark. The city goes as far as my eyes could reach.
"Tony, Welcome to Sin City." My uncle said.
"It's a whole new world!" I exclaimed, in utter amazement.
…………………………………..to be continued………………………
