Blood of Liberty

Prologue – Escape.

The dark of night did not provide the solitude that one would expect. Silent and swift, Claude ran through the shadows of the abandoned Carcer City Zoo. At every noise he paused, there were stories about Monkeys that used sawn off shotguns that had a taste for human flesh, whether they were real monkeys or people dressed as such, he did not know. But he did know that the last thing he wanted to do was be caught up in another gang fight after just narrowly escaping from The Smileys.

A cloud shifted and a bloody full moon shone ominously, Claude shivered subconsciously and moved deeper into the shadows. He had to reach the docks before the 1 a.m. Cargo Ship to Liberty City left. It was his last chance to escape Carcer and the underground snuff film industry he had been roped into; if he did not escape tonight, the director would notice his absence and have him the next snuff film victim. He either preformed for the director or he was killed. The choice was easy.

Scaling a wire fence, he landed with a dull thud and scurried down an embankment. Cargo containers where silhouetted in the reddish moonlight and the outline of a ship was just beyond. Claude ran to the closest Shipping container and crouched down, eyes straining for any sign of other humans.

It was eight years ago that Toni had helped Claude escape Liberty City, even though he had created himself an empire, he still had a lot of enemies that were willing to put an end to his rein. Toni had smuggled him to Carcer City with a promise that he would deal with those that threatened him. With no where to go Claude took shelter in a derelict shopping mall. Unbeknownst to him, however, a gang that called themselves The Innocentz, had made claim to that area and Claude soon found himself running for his life, as they came at him with weapons. That was how he got caught up with the Director and why he had not been able to make his return to Liberty City. He only hoped now that Toni had been true to his word.

He heard a horn blare and jumped into action, it was almost time for the ship to depart. Sprinting across the dock he saw the large boat, already laden with cargo, preparing to leave. Grunting, he forced his leg to move faster, he was close.

Maniacal laughter carried through the night; Claude jumped in surprise and threw a look over his shoulder. Running down the embankment was a group of men wielding meat cleavers with masks that looked like Smiley faces. Claude grimaced; it looked like the Director already knew that he was gone.

The Smileys were a gang that had taken control of the asylum, they all were mentally retarded and that made them more dangerous. Claude dunked behind a shipping container for protection as they closed in. He bent down and continued to move, he had to reach the ship, it was now or never.

A Smiley jumped in front of him and swung his cleaver wildly. Claude dodged, but only barely, feeling the rush of air across his chest as the blade missed by only an inch. He leapt to his right side and rolled, the Smiley followed slowly, but more of them where coming up from the rear. He couldn't fight them all without a weapon and he didn't have time. He had to make the ship.

Coming to his feet he started to run again, The Smileys close behind him, swinging their weapons dangerously. The ship became closer, he could see some sort of raft tied behind it, he wasn't sure what it was for but he decided to aim for that rather then the main ship. The black water crashed against the stone edge of the docks. He had to jump.

Claude let out a roar of pain as a meat cleaver sliced through the top of his arm. The Smiley responsible laughed menacingly and prepared to deliver the final blow. Gritting his teeth Claude pushed off the ground just as the Smiley let the blade swing down. He hit the cold water with a heavy splash as the Smileys milled around where he had once stood, looking confused. The ship gave one last defining blast of its horn and started to move, cutting through the dark water, away from Carcer City.

Authors note.

Rated M for language and Violence that is to come.

The prologue of my story is a Manhunt/GTA crossover, but that is the last of the Manhunt crossover, however maybe not the last of Carcer City altogether.

Please read and review, I would really like to hear some feedback and ways I could improve this chapter.

Stay tuned for the next Chapter.

Thanks – Cager.

~Edit for some spelling, and to agent, thanks heaps for your review, the plot holes will be explained throughout the story. The director is a Manhunt reference as the Prologue is a Manhunt crossover. The rest of the story is just GTA though.