Fractured Mind

Chapter 1: Suppressed Rage

Gotham City; Bayside District….

Nearly over 200 years, Gotham has been known for its corruption and abnormally large crime rates. Anyone who lived there could tell you all about it. Even now in the 2040's, all of these elements were as high as they ever were so no one was really safe these days anymore those before them and how anyone still lived here was beyond anyone else' comprehension. Inside of an old warehouse, two crooks were strapped with a rope while seated on chairs with a light hanging above them and they were horrified as hell as they watched the barrel of fancy looking revolver with golden flowers spinning around while a towering young man was holding it and giving them a rather empathetic look on his face. The man looked to be in his late twenties to early thirties and possessed short brown hair with a few bangs hanging above his forehead, green hazel eyes, a powerful physique but still lean to where it was hard to tell through his dark blue striped suit, a red tie, a white buttoned undershirt, black jeans and shoes. He stood at 6'4 and despite his intimidating stature, he looked to be regretful with what he was doing but the two crooks couldn't see that. His name is Edward 'Ed' Samson and he was someone who lived by the choices he made….whether good or bad.

"You're scare, horrified…" Edward said, still continuing to spin the barrel. "I know the feeling, we all do. I wish things could've been different for the both of you. Hell, you could've had a better life than this. Living like a criminal, it's NOT a good job prescription. When you've seen the terrors that this city has like I have, you change with it. It's like an old saying 'If you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back at you.' My problem was is that I blinked. I couldn't face the demons this city has but I've learned to….tolerate them. From the looks of it, you two couldn't have even faced the abyss because it was damn horrifying to look at!" He stopped spinning the revolver which made the two crooks flinch as if they knew what was going to happen next but to their shock and relief, Edward started to walk around them like a shark waiting to kill it's prey which immediately got them shaking. "You're like kids trying to act like adults in a man's world but who am I tell to you that? I'm only what? 5 or 6 years older than you two but when you've dealt with the tragedies I've had to face in my life, you tend to grow up early in order to find a way to move-" Edward raised an eyebrow as one of the two, a long haired red head with numerous piercings on his nose and lips, was trying to speak up but was scared that he couldn't even move his lips so he lowered his gun and said, "Go on, speak."

"P-P-Please!" The redhead sputtered out. "D-D-Don't kill us! W-W-W-We won't say anything! I-I swear!" The towering young man turned away from the two men and let out a heavy sigh as he thought, 'You're not making this easy…' Edward cleared his throat before he turned back to the red head and said, "I would let you two go, if I had my way. I'm sorry for what led you down this path because the last thing I'd ever want is for someone, let alone a kid turn out to be like me. Unfortunately, my boss lives by a code of 'Speak when spoken to' or in other words I keep my mouth shut, I keep my kneecaps." Edward aimed his gun at the two crooks who whimpered like babies but gave them some reassurance before he pulled the trigger.

"I always make my final decision with a flip of a coin," He said, taking out a quarter that was clean on one side but was brown and rusty on the other side. "Heads, I let you go and have a head start before my men outside see you and try to shoot you on sight. Tails, Be a man and take your death with some dignity. You two decide, tick tock…" The two crooks looked at each other for a minute as they were making their final decision while Edward looked on to them and looked at his watch then the other crook with a shaved head spoke up and said, "Heads."

"If anyone of you believe in God, pray that it lands on heads…" The towering man said in a dark tone. With a flick of his thumb, the quarter went flying in the air for a few seconds but for the crooks, it felt like an eternity until the coin landed back in Edward's hand then put it in his other hand and proceeded to open it up to reveal his decision. The two crooks tried to see what the coin landed on while praying that it landed on heads but their hope instantly faltered as Edward looked at them with a grim look and before they realized what happened, two gunshots went off. As the blood dripped down their foreheads and onto the dirty floor which had the occasional rat or bug infestation now and then, Edward gave a silent pray to the now deceased crooks before opening the door where two men sat by to keep out for...unwelcome guests.

"Clean it up," The towering man said without darting an eye at the two. "Tell Marcelo the rats have been taken care of.." The two gave a nod before closing the door to dispose the remains while Edward got into a black limousine that was waiting for him. Once he got in, there was someone else in there with him and it was a man in his late fifties to mid sixties with a balding head despite having a long ponytail at the back of his head, a scar that ran through his left eye which left him partially blind, a right brown eye, was of mexican descent and wore a black coat, a red buttoned shirt, a black tie, black pants and shoes. He was Juan Alonso, the right hand man to Marcelo Sanchez, a small time crime lord.

"Want one ese'?" Juan asked, holding a cigarette.

"I don't smoke," Edward said with a glare. "You should really lay off those, they'll kill you eventually."

"You sound like mi madre," Juan said, returning the glare back. "You look like someone killed a perro. I killed one, got on my nerves."

"Well unlike you, killing leaves a bad taste in my mouth," Edward said, taking out a wipe to clean his revolver.

"You'll get used to it," Juan said. "I know I did after my first kill. So what did you do? Torture those two puntos who got arrested a week ago?"

"I gave them a choice to escape with their lives," The towering man said, putting his revolver away. "Unfortunately, it didn't go so well for them."

"You act like you care for those ratas," The right hand man said with raised eyebrow.

"What if I did?" Edward retorted. "Not everyone is meant to become a criminal, it just happens by chance. If anything, they must've got pressured into this and thought it was cool until they realized just how dangerous this life can be."

"Shoulda just kept their mouths shut like Marcelo told em'," Juan said, smoking a cigarette.

"They're kids, what do you expect?" The towering man said.

"When you become a part of Marcelo's crew, you're family.." The right hand man said exhaling the smoke out of his mouth. "He treats you like a son, puts a roof over your head, provides whatever you need but cross him in anyway well...you're done, gone with the wind as the americans say."

"Sounds more like a liability," Edward said, looking out the window. "You have one strike and if you blow it, you're out. Stop here!" The driver stopped and parked at an old hotel but surprisingly was able to stay in business after so many years. "Call when Marcelo needs anything." Edward shut the door behind him and made his way inside where he spotted a short old hotelier sitting behind a desk and once she saw him, she gave a smile and said, "Good evening Mr. Samson, is everything alright?"

"They are Debra," Edward said with a fake smile. "Just had a long day at work." He hated to lie, especially to her. He had lived here for about 7 years and thought she was the sweetest little thing you could ever meet. She always had a smile and it helped lift the burdens he had on his shoulders a little.

"Aw you poor thing," Debra said with concern.

"It's nothing to worry about," The towering man said with a REAL smile. "But I do appreciate your concern Debra."

"Well if you ever wish to talk-" The hotelier said, letting Edward finish her sentence.

"I'll know who to talk to," Edward said with a nod. "Have a good night." Once he passed Debra and headed to the elevator, he dropped his smile and sighed again. He hated doing this, lying to people to cover up what he really felt but it wasn't easy especially when he was a part of a criminal empire like Marcelo's. If you left, you're sure as hell not going to leave with your life intact and not to mention, he'd lose all the money Marcelo paid him and he would be out in the streets. He went through that once and he did not EVER want to go through that again! He made his way towards his door number and went to open the door but it wouldn't budge so he added more strength into it before he accidently ripped off the doorknob from the door and looked at it with a frustrated look as he said, "Wonderful…" Edward knelt down and had to feel around for the lock until he managed to grab it and unlock the door then made his way to his bed and crashed on to his bed. He happened to find himself staring at the ceiling, almost trying to find some kind of answer for a question he didn't have then Edward took his quarter out of his pocket and looked at it with a new found curiosity which actually gave him a question to ask to no one in particular.

"Why does fate have to be such a cruel mistress?" Edward asked as if he expected to get an answer from the coin.

Hello there! It's Red1998 and I bring you a new story! For those that are not familiar, this is an old story that I made but I felt that it wasn't all that good so I wanted to fix it so please give me some feedback and expect another chapter soon! Also I will be making another chapter of Fire and Lightning so expect that as well.