Vanishing Point

- warning: game spoilers -

Chapter One: The Bonds That You've Burned

A low buzz repeated several times, stirring awake a disheveled dark haired man from his sleep. He grumbled, immediately frowning from the bad taste in his mouth and wishing he hadn't drank so much last night.

His phone continued to vibrate before he fumbled a hand to reach it from the side table, knocking over several empty glass bottles beside it before seeing who on earth would be calling so early in the morning.

'Sis'

His heart immediately dropped as he read the caller ID.

They hadn't spoken a word since parting ways nearly two years ago. Moving his thumb to hover the screen to accept the call, he hesitated at the last second. What could he possibly say to her after all this time? An apology…? Ask about how they've managed to restart their lives after being torn away from their home because of him?

This wasn't even the first time they hadn't spoken in so long. You would think he would be used to this by now…

The guilt.

There wasn't a day that passed when he didn't feel it. While he had no regrets about the lengths he went to make things right in his own way for his niece's death, it didn't stop the guilt of screwing up everyone's lives that had been involved in his own. His niece paid the ultimate price… as did Clara. All he took away from the last couple of years was that he was meant to be alone. It was the only way no one else could get hurt.

But as the phone buzzed within his hand, he couldn't deny how much he missed his only family. His sister and nephew… they were all he had left in his life that he cared about. Finally pressing the button to accept the call, he placed the phone against his ear before lying back down on the couch. Staring at the low yellow stained ceiling above, he softly greeted almost as a question, "…Nicky?"

"Hey Aiden," she replied after a pause. "It's been awhile. How've you been?"

He took in a breath. "About okay as I can be… How are you and Jacks?"

"We've been doing okay. Jacks… he still likes to keep to himself most of the time. I think it's been making it harder for him trying to adjust to the new school here." She sighed. "…But he's been doing the best that he can." She fell quiet before adding, "Sometimes he'll ask about his uncle whenever he finds something that mentions you in the news… or on a wanted poster. I guess it's safe to say you've been keeping busy these past few years, haven't you?"

It was hard not to miss the disappointment in her voice. "Yeah… I guess you can say that. It's about all that I have left in my life," he replied.

"I wonder why, Aiden."

Her words stung.

Shifting his glaze towards the slanted partially broken blinds of his window, he noticed a few flurries of snow slowly drifting below to the parking lot near his motel room. "I miss you both, you know," he finally replied, his voice nearly faltering.

He truly did with all his heart. There probably wasn't anything he could say to express how much he did. Growing up wasn't easy for them as kids, but she was the only reason he was able to get through it. She was his rock, and he was hers. No matter what life threw in their way, they could overcome it, but now… things really could never be the same.

His sister sighed. "We miss you too, Aiden… and I just… Look, there's a lot I want to say, but… I don't know where to even begin."

"Its okay, Nicky. I get it."

"But… For now let me start off by saying that me and Jacks are coming to Chicago tonight for Christmas Eve."

Immediately sitting up in surprise, he said, "You're what?"

"It's not for very long, just for a dinner with an old friend and her family. But if you want to meet somewhere for a short while before then..."

"Oh, Sure," he quickly replied. "I'd really like that… if it's okay with you."

"Long as you promise you're not endangering us in any way meeting with me and Jacks, then I'm okay with it."

"I promise. I wouldn't want to meet if I felt that I was."

"Then I'll call you later today when we arrive then, okay?"

"Okay, talk to you later Nicky… and thank you."

Ending the call after her goodbye, he placed the phone beside him on the bed's comforter. Worry washed over him briefly, wondering about how truly safe they would be coming back to the windy city. While things had died down considerably since seeking his retribution for his niece nearly two years ago, occasionally he would run into a fixer who was out for his blood.

Jordi was still chasing after him for the high dollar contract hanging above his head, just like all the rest. Aiden had done well in never staying in a place for too long for the past couple years. Moving from hideout to hideout each week wasn't exactly the kind of life he wanted, but he managed to make it work while using ctOS to his advantage to stay one step ahead.

Over the current year, it seem most had given up trying to find him for one reason or another. He didn't sleep any easier, but he had a bigger freedom of fulfilling his own contracts to keep himself busy while keeping an eye on the crime circuit. If a contract benefited Chicago in someway in dismantling a wannabe gang drug ring or corrupt officials, he would take it. Over time he felt amount of fraud and lies that overrun the city almost seemed endless, and to make matters worse he always found ctOS and Blume to be in the heart of it.

Something needed to change.

Especially since in the last few months he's been hearing rumors that ctOS was moving into a new phase. What it all entailed, he wasn't sure. DedSec was still around, becoming increasingly more radical in their public messages and rather a nuisance in his opinion. This ever looming war they warned about... he wasn't sure if it was empty propaganda or something more.

Rubbing his tired eyes, he sat up from the bed as he debated if he really should meet with his sister. He still didn't even know where Nicky and Jacks had moved to for both of their sakes, but with them coming here it was going to make him feel uneasy no matter if he met with them or not. He would want to at least keep a watchful eye over them until they left to have a peace of mind.

The brother and uncle inside of him couldn't help but want to see them for just for a few minutes or even seconds. It would make him happy and that was something he genuinely hadn't felt in such a long time.

It shouldn't be a big problem if they meet, he reasoned with himself. He was good at staying out of sight when he wanted to be. It was how he was able to keep running into the streets night after night to prevent crimes with the help of his profiler, or simply lose himself in the nightlife because he simply wanted to.

The nights he bar hopped were slowly becoming a problem that he chose to ignore. He couldn't even being to count how many times he had woken up face down in the middle of a field or slumped behind some billboard on top a rooftop without any idea how he got there. Between drinking and taking an interest into digital trips, it wasn't normal completely blacking out a whole night at least twice a month.

He didn't care to think about why he did it or the fact how much he endangers his life by impairing his senses. All it takes is just one second between you and a bullet. He supposed drinking to him it was simply was another distraction the city offered outside of being Chicago's deemed vigilante. It was one reason why he loved living here despite the corruption. It was never short of distractions.

After stretching his aching muscles for a moment, he walked towards the small bathroom and flicked on the light which took several seconds to blink on. Once he turned on the shower, he took off his white undershirt and turned towards the mirror. He sighed when he saw one of his newest bruises forming a deep shade of purple across his lower ribs. Most times when he took down someone non-lethally, he didn't have too much trouble if he took them by surprise, otherwise it can easily turn into a chase which can result in a few wounds like this if he wasn't quick enough to end it.

After showering and getting dressed into his usual long brown leather coat with a hood, he put on his hat before entering outside into the brisk cold. Hands in pockets, his steps crunched against the white snow as he descended down rusted metal steps to one of his newest cars he more or less legally bought in full with cash. When he was ready for something new, he would trade it in for something different which he personally enjoyed switching it up every now and then. While it was easy to steal cars every week with a press of a button, the cops could flag him down a lot faster once the car was reported. The more he could keep himself anonymous as he drove throughout the city, the better.

Saving most of the money he had acquired one way or another, he usually only spent it only on things that he needed. There wasn't much point investing in a house or an apartment when he could never live there for very long. Perhaps when he quit his hacking days for good he could. Quitting this… what he'd barely call a lifestyle… it was something he often thought about, but wasn't sure if he could really follow through with it all the way to the end.

Could he ever truly disconnect himself from the city? Always knowing who or what was around him, it was hard to think about just letting it go. Ignorance really was bliss… and that he certainly didn't have the luxury of it anymore. He hated living with a gun in his hand and an eye over his shoulder, but he wasn't sure if he'd ever know how to live any differently even if he wanted to. Besides, where else would he go? He could never live with his sister and nephew again. That was just a fleeting dream, much like wanting to be apart of their lives again.

He sighed, turning on the ignition of his car before finding his way into the busy street. Instead, this was his reality and daily routine. Wake up, get coffee, wander around the city searching for answers that he didn't know the questions to. Ruin some asshole's day of trying to harm innocent people, and if he was lucky, find information on Blume or other organizations to keep ahead in what felt like an endless game.

Rinse and repeat.

After driving for about twenty minutes deeper into downtown, he came across a small coffee shop he hadn't been to before on at least this side of the city. Finding an open parallel parking spot, he parked his car and easily hacked the digital parking meter beside it to always display that it was paid for. Exiting his car, he casually joined the bustling crowd moving along the sidewalks.

Scrolling through his phone with a single finger, he placed his other hand within the warmth of his pocket. High School Teacher, income 36,636. Divorced three times. Groundskeeper, income $21,300. Recently moved from Iowa. Graphic Designer, income $39,900...

Wiping away a melting snowflake from his screen, he quickly scanned through the information for anything peculiar which had become a second nature to him. He hardly saw people anymore through the aid of his phone. They were numbers and statistics. Glancing up to sweep a look around him, he wasn't sure what was sadder. Not seeing people anymore behind the data, or the fact he constantly is looking for anything or anyone who seemed suspicious.

He felt like he was one step away from paranoia.

It was another reason why he thought about just giving everything up to break away from the system. Living off the grid to be free to do whatever he pleased without always second guessing himself would be a welcomed change. The thought that stopped him the most was just not knowing what the future held. At the end of the day, whatever happens with Blume's control with ctOS wasn't really his problem… he was just one man. How much of a difference could he really make that someone else couldn't do?

Stepping inside the coffee shop, he stood at the end of the waiting line. His eyes lifted from his phone to the divider between the lines which happened to be a bookshelf filled with magazines and novels. He felt inwardly irritated when he noticed a familiar black and white book cover with the title: 'Aiden Pearce: The Man Behind the Mask'.

It was written by Jack's physiologist, Yolanda Mendez and had been just released a couple months ago. He had read the first few sentences before realizing what complete garbage it was. The woman was simply banking on the fact she had worked with his family, using it as an excuse to write this so-called tell all book. She didn't even know him. How could she write a novel about him about his apparent psyche when they had hardly spoken before Nicky had disappeared?

Sighing, he moved forward as the line slowly shortened before him. His green eyes locked briefly with someone who was curiously staring at him before quickly turn away, no doubt recognizing who he really was. It was also thanks to Mendez that he was thrown back into the public spotlight. While the media would occasionally talk about his long laundry list of charges and arrest warrants against him by the state of Illinois, her stupid book was making him become more recognized when he took the streets.

While he was lucky that most people didn't report him, occasionally someone would which he would have to use signal scrambler to instantly drop any call. If he didn't have enough time to initiate the hack, he would grab the phone right out of their hand and break it into the street. He didn't enjoy doing it, but he absolutely couldn't have anyone report and pinpoint his location if it was possible. The one time he didn't, fixers and police were on his ass which resulted in a high speed chase throughout Chicago.

It didn't end well.

After ordering a small black coffee which they gave to him right away, he paid and pressed a few buttons on his phone to run his signal scrambler before exiting towards the back alleyway. It was better to be safe than sorry.

His drink steamed against his bare lips as he took a sip, welcoming the warmth in his throat to take his mind off the frigid cold around him. Leaning against the corner of the tall bricked building, his thoughts shifted to meeting his sister and nephew tonight. He felt inwardly excited about it, but had to wonder about why she wanted to now all of the sudden.

Maybe it was just because it was Christmas tomorrow and she felt some small amount of pity for her big brother. He could only speculate, but supposed he was thankful for her giving him a chance. All he really wanted to see was that they were doing alright. He didn't want to regret not being their lives for the past two years. The distance was meant to ensure their safety, but it couldn't do anything about them struggling to adjust to their new lives thanks to him.

Perhaps that was what this was mainly about… moving on. She said there were things she wanted to say to him. He dreaded the conversation, but he owed her the truth about the kind of person he had been hiding all these years. The things he had done in the past… things that she wouldn't be proud to call herself his sister.

It made him afraid of losing them both forever of being honest to the people who mattered the most in his life, but deep down he felt he already did the moment Lena was taken out of their lives forever.

Crumpling the empty paper cup in his hand, he tossed it in an open dumpster before walking back towards the busy streets. Deciding to head back to the motel to keep a low profile until his meeting with his sister, his phone alerted him of a crime seconds before looking up across the street to catch a glimpse of a dark blue hooded man frantically pushing past people. There was a woman in tears a small distance away; yelling that he had stolen her purse.

"God damn it," Aiden cursed, already turning directions to run along the street to follow from the other side. When the thief started to cut down an alleyway, he had no choice but to rush across the non-stop traffic so he didn't lose him. Bolting between the cars as he gritted his teeth, people slammed on their brakes and honked the moment they saw him dart across. The small amount snow and ice on the road made one of the cars slide uncontrollably towards him, causing him to painfully slam and roll over the hood before reaching the other side.

Grimacing at the pain shooting across his already bruised ribs, he picked up his speed even more determined to catch the thief who was now desperately running up a building's fire escape once the man realized who of all people was chasing after him.

Following him up the stairs, he had hoped the man would race towards the rooftop and get himself cornered, but instead rushed through an open window into someone's apartment. A scream sounded seconds before he jumped inside as well, ducking backwards nearly missing a swing of a frying pan whizzing above his head. Grabbing the handle, he took a step back from an angry elderly woman in her bathrobe.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he quickly explained. "I'm just looking for the guy who ran in here."

About to ask where he had gone, he saw the front door was swung wide open into the hallway. Dropping the pan without another word to follow, he glanced both ways down the dimly lit apartment building before peering over a banister which overlooked the spiraling stairs that connected all the floors together.

Catching sight of his thief running towards the building's entrance, he hopped over the railing to swing to the floor below. Quickly tapping through his phone as he landed, he found access to the buildings security, locking all the doors from the inside and out.

"Fucking shit!" a voice yelled near the entrance, hearing a repeated shaking against the barred metal door.

Aiden quietly approached from behind, baton in hand. Slamming the hooded man into the metal door in surprise, he made a deep punch to the side which knocked the wind out of the thief, crumpling to the tiled floor in pain.

About to knock him out cold with the end of his weapon, he stopped at the last minute when frightened tear stained eyes stared right back at him. Lowering his clenched hand in disbelief, Aiden shook his head with a troubled sigh.

He was a fucking kid.

"I-I'm sorry!" the teenager stuttered, shakily holding up the purse. "I didn't… I didn't mean to. T-Take it."

"Bullshit," Aiden replied, pushing the stolen object back towards his chest. "You didn't run all this way by fucking accident." Pulling the boy up by the neck of his oversized sweater, he forced him to stand. "Get up."

Profiling the boy to find out his name, he added, "Your name is Luis, correct?"

The teen flinched in surprise at hearing his name as more despair seemed to cloud his dark eyes, but hesitantly nodded in confirmation.

Unlocking the door with his phone, he coerced out, "If you try to run, you'll regret it. Do as I tell you."

With another silent nod, the young man followed his instructions to go outside. Aiden said nothing more besides to move forward, letting the unknown fear sink inside the teenager as he told him to keep walking towards the disserted alleyways.

Walking a few steps behind him, the vigilante fought to stand up straight, not wanting to appear weak or wavering as they journeyed across the building fallen snow around them. Pain kept shooting across his ribs every time he took in a breath. He hoped it was only because he re-injured the same spot with a sensitive bruise. If it was fractured, he was going to be so screwed for the next few weeks.

Eying his phone at images of the camera surveillance around the block to search what he was looking for, he told the kid to start heading towards the street. When they appeared in the crowd, he held a strong grip against the back of the boy's hoodie to ensure he didn't try to disappear within the passing people around them.

It wasn't long before they came upon a distraught woman who was sitting hunched over on a bench with her head inside her hands. Forcefully pushing the teen towards her, he said, "Apologize."

Luis's face was red with embarrassment as he did so, handing back the snatched purse from before.

She looked to Aiden after reprimanding the teen and said, "T-thank you."

"It's no problem. Up to you what you'd like to do about him."

The woman looked through her bag, checking to see that everything was still where she last left it. Lifting up her cell phone, she glanced between the two males, lingering at Aiden before placing it back inside her purse.

"He returned it… so I won't call the police," she replied.

Turning to Luis, he evenly said, "Consider yourself lucky. If you try to do something like this again, don't think I can't find you."

Nodding, the teen quickly apologized once more before running away into the crowd.

Aiden felt lucky as well avoiding the police himself, but just wished the pain in his chest would go away. Going to a hospital was very risky in exposing himself, likely to be reported by anyone on staff. While he's gone in the past without issues, he certainly wasn't going to chance it until his family officially left Chicago.

He could manage the pain by then.

To Be Continued~

[ Author Note: Hello, this is my first time writing something for a video game series which is a little weird for me. I really enjoyed the game overall, and this little story is inspired from end game discussion with a friend.

General Warning for any future chapters: Rating may change at any given time which may include graphic content. I do not usually put warnings at top of other chapters for specific possible content. Read at your own risk.

I write for fun (for the lulz :p). While I try my best, there will always be grammar mistakes, etc. I don't claim to be a great writer or editor.

Thanks for reading~

Note: Image used for "book cover" is from a cool art installation I came across called Vanishing Point. It's by a UK group called United Visual Artists. Check out their work on their website if you dig environmental design. ]