Chapter One - The Sokovia Accords
Manhattan was bustling full of people as usual and I'd had managed to navigate my way from store to store, slowly but surely pilling up the purchases I'd made, a small perk from Tony – money. Call it retail therapy; I had gotten at least 3 new pairs of shoes, 2 purses, several pieces of jewelry – thank you Harry Winston and a nice collection of dresses and that's just half of what I bought.
I started to head back to my car, it was the new Tesla with a few tweaks here and there made by Tony to suit the needs of The Avengers. The sleek blood red color was one for attention so I wasn't surprised when I saw a teenage boy lingering around and staring at the vehicle in awe. I pulled out her keys, unlocking the car and automatically opening the trunk. The young boy turned and I caught his attention.
"Nice car" he sighed wistfully only stare back at the car.
"Thanks – how long you have you been standing there? Not plannin' on stealing it are you?" I joked after storing my bags away in the trunk, I looked at him from behind my aviator sunglasses and analyzed him to see if he posed a threat or not – something I learned from one of my mentors, Natasha Romanoff.
"Oh no- no of course not, just admiring…" he blushed, finally turning around to look at me properly – he's that Spider kid Tony was telling me about. I couldn't help but let out a small smirk, he seemed like a sweet kid, he sported a worn down hoodie, printed t shirt and skinny jeans with converse adorning his feet – a big contrast to my freshly pressed, designer attire.
"You gonna stand there all day or what?" I asked while the trunk closed itself
"Uh…yeah…I mean no! No…uh sorry" he fumbled, nearly tripping over his own two feet, for a newbie superhero he sure is clumsy
"You don't sound too sure" I smiled, sliding my ray bans up to rest on my head revealing my green eyes
"no- no I'm sure, I'm totally, totally sure" he nodded, his gelled hair bouncing slightly and moving out of place
"Alright then, well see you around kid" I took my seat behind the wheel and rolled down the window to look at him
"yeah bye" he smiled
I smiled back before, sliding my sunglasses back on and pulling out on to the traffic jammed roads of New York only to catch him wave through the rear view mirror.
So that's Spider-Man? He's just a kid.
Traffic was slow but I headed up to the Avengers base soon enough, parking the car in the garage and hauling all my things to my room, my heels clicking against the floor with each step. I kicked open my door before slamming it behind me with my foot due to both hands being outrageously full, I quickly dumped all my bags in my already full closet along with the other bags of new items from my previous shopping trip – I needed a lot of retail therapy…
I turned on the TV switching to the news only to find an update on our latest mission in Lagos
"11 Wakandans were among those killed during a confrontation between the Avengers and a group of mercenaries in Lagos, Nigeria last month – the traditionally reclusive Wakandans were on an outreach mission when the attack occurred" the reporter announced
"Our people's blood was spilled on foreign soil, not only because of actions of criminals but by the indifference of those pledged to stop them – victory at the expense of the innocent is no victory at all" The Wakandan king spoke for his people, which just added to the guilt that I've been carrying since Sokovia.
Knocks sounded at my door taking my attention away from the news to Natasha who stood in the door way "Starks back" she said, staring me down "You been shopping?" her eyes went to my open closet that was over flowing with my extensive collection of full shopping bags.
"What's new?" I shrugged, slipping off my red Louboutin's to ease my aching feet
"Come on, we have a visitor" she said before leaving my door way
I followed soon enough, walking beside her barefoot, as we made our way down the hall "Who?" I asked
"The Secretary of State" I could almost hear the disdain in her voice, we knew this had to be important, not that I knew much about politics but it always seemed to stir trouble in my eyes.
"Well this can't be good" I sighed, nothing ever good came from when we were dealing with the government – the missile in New York and Hydra infiltrating SHIELD are just a few issues that come to mind.
Eventually we were all sat in the meeting room, Wanda looking solemn, Vision who I still think looks strange wearing normal clothes, Steve who was flanked by Natasha and I and of course Sam and Rhodey and Tony sat at the very back, keeping to himself which I found unusual since he loves being the centre of attention.
The secretary of state radiated an aurora of authority, his graying blonde hair perfectly swept and his suit pressed to Italian perfection, not to mention his perfect posture that never seemed to falter thanks to his many years of service in the army.
"Oh…5 years ago, I had a heart attack. I dropped right in the middle of my batting swing" he began to explain his story, "Turned out, it was the best round of my life because after 13 hours of surgery and a triple bypass. I found something 40 years in the army never taught me: Perspective" he explains this, staring down at us, I glanced at Tony over my shoulder but he didn't take his eyes off the man in front "The world owes the Avengers an unpayable debt. You've... fought for us. Protected us. Risked your lives. While a great many people see you as heroes. There are some... who would prefer the word "vigilantes."
"And what word would you use, Mr. Secretary?" Natasha asked
"How about dangerous?" my eyebrows rose at this accusation "what would you call a group of US based enhanced individuals who routinely ignore sovereign boarders and inflict their will wherever they choose and who frankly, seem unconcerned about what they leave behind"
"Unconcerned? You really think we're unconcerned? That we don't give a shit?" I asked back at him, my manicured nails rhythmically tapping lightly on the mahogany table
"Rose, don't" Natasha warned me from Steve's other side
"No, Tasha- Mr. Secretary to say you think we have no concern for the consequences of our actions is uncalled for and frankly untrue, we care deeply for the world which is why we do what we do" I argued
"Is that so Miss Duchenne? Then how do you explain this?" he turned to a that screen appeared behind him showing footage of our missions "New York" Chitarie tearing down buildings, the Hulk smashing through a building "Washington DC" buildings going up in flames, the SHIELD carrier crashing into the water, flooding over civilians "Sokovia" people running for their lives, the ground rising to the air causing building to collapse crushing anything beneath it "Lagos" smoke and flames pouring out of buildings that I try to contain as bodies are being moved.
Through this entire display, he kept his cold eyes on me, taunting me with the consequences of our actions "That's enough" Steve called, breaking his stare and switching off the screen.
"For the past 4 years, you operated with unlimited power and no supervision. That's an arrangement the governments of the world can no longer tolerate. But I think we have a solution" he is handed a large document, pristine and white which he hands to Wanda "The Sokovia accords. Approved by 117 countries. It states, that the Avengers shall no longer be a private organization. Instead, they'll operate under the supervision of a United Nations Panel, only when and if that Panel deems it necessary"
"What?" I was stunned – The Avengers under government supervision?
"The Avengers were formed to make the world a safer place, I feel like we've done that" Steve comments as Secretary Ross makes his way over to him
"Tell me Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now? If I misplaced a couple of 30 megaton nukes, you can bet there'd be consequences. Compromise. Reassurance. That's how the world works. Believe me, this is the middle ground" Secretary Ross tries to assure us but I don't buy it, not one bit.
"You're not seriously comparing Bruce and Thor to nuclear weapons are you?" I scoff
"Bruce has control and is safe! Trust me if he wasn't then he'd be hard to miss and as for Thor? He's a GOD from Asgard! It's not like I can send him a quick message to have a coffee and catch up!" I was controlling myself best I could but that didn't stop my fingertips from blackening the table top where I touched it, thankfully it was fire proof – Tony learned his lesson after these years around me and most of the furniture in here had that upgrade. I knew I was causing a scene but I didn't care, he was testing my patience, insulting my friends, degrading us, I would've continued my rant had Rhodey not cut me off.
"So, there are contingencies?" he tried to divert the attention away from the unstable young adult
"Three days from now the UN meets in Vienna to ratify the accords. Talk it over" he left us with the document and began to leave
"And if we come up with a decision you don't like?" Natasha asked
"Then you retire" he answered "And 21 is a pretty young age to retire, don't you think Miss Sinclair?" he emphasized by former surname making a chill go down my spine.
Steve placed his hand on my shoulder, a show of comfort to distract me from Secretary Ross and his last words. I turned to face the super soldier and smiled slightly, we'd grown a lot closer since the incident in Washington, Natasha too.
Tony stood and made his way out of the meeting room, the rest of us following him to the private levels where most of us lived and towards one of the kitchens.
"You shouldn't have done that" Natasha whispered to me as we walked side by side, the accords in her hands.
"Well I did" I quipped, not looking her in the eyes but keeping them trained on the man in front of me, Tony's back was stiff, unyielding, something was wrong.
"Wasn't a smart move kid" Steve replied, walking beside Natasha and taking the accords from her as we turned to enter the kitchen.
Tony immediately flopped down on one of the gold couches, his hand covering his face. Wanda and Vision shared the couch opposite and Steve took a seat to the right, Natasha sitting opposite him, her back to the island. I, however, went straight to the snack cupboard, grabbing a bag of hot Cheetos, choosing to sit on a stool behind the island and watching as Sam and Rhodey began an argument that we all saw coming.
"I can't believe that he said we don't care-"I muttered, tearing open my bag of junk food
"Well to be honest, as much as I hate to say it, to the public that's probably what it looks like" Natasha answered, turning slightly to face me from the other side of the counter.
"Look just because we're 'enhanced' doesn't mean we're not people, we have feelings, we hurt, we feel pain – we're human too just with a few upgrades" I snapped back, I was offended and my pride was hurt but seeing Wanda nod slightly in agreement made me smirk a little.
"Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honor, which is 1 more than you have" Rhodey argued with Sam, they both stood to the side as I turned my attention to them and watched.
"So, let's say we agree on this thing. How long is it gonna be before they lo-jack us like a bunch of common criminals?" Sam bit back
"A 117 countries want to sign this. 117, Sam, and you're just like, "No, it's cool."
"How long are you going to play both sides?"
"I have an equation" Vision spoke up
"Oh, well this'll clear it up" the sarcasm clear in Sam's voice as we all turned to face the red man in J-Crew, including Steve who was reading through the accords.
"In the 8 years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man, the number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially. And during the same period, the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commissive rate" he explained
"Are you saying it's our fault?" Steve looked almost insulted
"I'm saying there may be a causality. Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict... breeds catastrophe. Oversight. Oversight is not an idea that could be dismissed out-of-hand"
"Boom" Rhodey finished as if that we're to justify everything
"Tony…you're being uncharacteristically non-hyper-verbal" Natasha turned to look at the billionaire who was still sprawled on the gold couch
"That's because he's already made up his mind" Steve put in
"Boy, you know me so well" I looked at Tony, seeing the frustration written all over his face, he's tired and it's not hard to miss, he moved over to the sink to grab a cup of coffee "Actually, I'm nursing my electromagnetic headache. That's what's going on, Cap. It's just pain... it's discomfort" he stares into the sink before turning once again to all of us.
"Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal? Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?" he stops next to me and sighs before dropping his phone in the fruit basket and pulling up a hologram photograph of a young African American teenager.
"Oh, that's Charles Spencer by the way. He's a great kid. Computer engineering degree. 3.6 GPA. Had a floor level gig. An Intel plan for the fall" as he poured his coffee I could see where this is going, I couldn't even touch my Cheetos "But first, he wanted to put a few miles on his soul. Before he parks it behind the desk. See the world, maybe be of service. Charlie didn't want to go to Vegas or Fort Lauderdale which is what I would do. He didn't go to Paris or Amsterdam which sounds fun. He decided to spend his summer, building sustainable housing for the poor. Guess where, Sokovia" my stomach dropped, I put down my bag of Cheetos and began picking at my manicured nails as a distraction from the guilt that just seemed to build-up inside "He wanted to make a difference, I suppose. I mean, we won't know because we dropped a building on him while we were kicking ass" I hid my face with my dark hair, my head down in shame – Sokovia was a terrible day for us all.
"There's no decision-making process here. We need to be put in check. Whatever form that takes, I'm game. If we can't accept limitations, we're boundless, we're no better than the bad guys"
"Tony, if someone dies you don't just give up" Steve tried to clear the air but it was useless, Tony was stubborn and persuasive, no good could come from this
"Who says we're giving up?"
"We are, for not taking responsibility for our actions. These documents just shifts the blame"
"Can I just remind you that SHIELD was overseen by the World Security Council" I sighed, trying to make my point "which I believe was made up of a group of politicians from the world's most powerful countries and they decided it was a good idea to send a missile to New York which then resulted in Tony having to fly up into a space portal and can I just add that for quite some time while still under the authority of that council which was government based, SHIELD had been infiltrated by HYDRA the entire time– this doesn't give me a reason to trust them at all" I finished, seething.
"I'm sorry Steve, Rose but that... That is dangerously arrogant. This is the United Nations we're talking about. It's not the world security council, it's not SHIELD, it's not HYDRA" Rhodey pointed out, looking thoroughly disappointed in me. Though Rhodey didn't understand, he wasn't in Washington the day SHIELD fell. I was.
"The point is, it's run by people with agendas and agendas change" Steve added, I nodded in agreement, ever since Washington and what SHIELD or HYDRA tried to do to me, I could no longer look at the world the same.
"That's good. That's why I'm here. When I realized what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands, I shut it down and stop manufacturing them" Tony explained as he walked over to stand by the Captain. We all knew what Stark Industries was and what it had become, there was a large difference between the two.
"Don't understand why you started manufacturing them in the first place" I muttered
"Tony. You chose to do that. If we sign these, we surrender our right to choose. What if this Panel sends us somewhere we don't think we should go, what if it's somewhere we need to go, and they don't let us. We may not be perfect, but the safest hands are still our own" Steve tried to reason with him
"If we don't do this now, it's going to be done to us later. That's a fact. That won't be pretty"
"You're saying they'll come for me?" Wanda clarified, I turned to look at my friend- she's been through a lot, I knew everyone in this room would protect her at all costs.
"We'll protect you" Vision assured her
"Maybe Tony's right, if we still have one hand on the wheel maybe we can still steer" the assassin added, agreeing with the billionaire which surprised not just me
"Aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss our ass a few years ago?" Sam tried to clarify, questioning her new motives
"I'm just…reading the terrain, we have made some very public mistakes. We need to win our trust back"
"Focus up. I'm sorry, did I just mishear you or did you agree with me." And Tony's back, I rolled my eyes along with Natasha.
"Oh, I want to take it back"
"No, no, no. You can't retract it. Thank you. I'm impressed by what you did. Okay, case closed. I win"
"I have to go" Steve interjected, his comment ignored by the Iron man and myself
"Yeah like that solves everything" I rolled my eyes, still picking at my manicure
"Well what do you know Rosie?" he snapped turning on me which surprised everyone in the room for a moment, he took a deep breath he continued his verbal assault "You don't know anything; all you've been doing is shopping, mindlessly wasting time! Just skipping around New York as if nothing is going on, like nothing ever happened – hey life's great, la de da – bullshit" leaving his coffee on the table he made his way back over to me "So while you're in your own merry little world with my money, by the way, we're all here in the real world – when you joined this team you were given a responsibility to protect humanity at all costs but what have you got to show for it? New shoes? Grow up kid, people are dying out there and it's our fault" he's demeanor had faltered, Tony had been through a lot but we all have. I could see his arrogant façade cracking as he stared at me, his eyes betrayed him – he wasn't angry, just like Rhodey he was disappointed. From Rhodey I could take it but Tony? I never wanted to disappoint Tony.
I'd never argued with Tony before – it's always him and Steve at each other's necks and I was just a bystander, an observer – but now I had caught myself in his iron jaws and felt hopeless. His stare never left mine till I walked away, leaving my untouched bag of Cheetos behind.
"That wasn't cool man" Sam pointed out as I left the room
I knew I was acting like a pouty child but I didn't know how else to react. Everything he said was true, not that I wanted to admit that.
FLASHBACK
"Rose! Le diner est pret!" the red headed woman called upstairs to her teenage daughter who no doubt couldn't actually hear her due to the ear buds shoved deep in her ears, music blasting.
I see fire, inside the mountain
I see fire, burning the trees
I see fire, hollowing souls
I see fire, blood in the breeze
And I hope that you remember me
The girl was sprawled across her bed, bare feet dangling off the edge of the mattress, her phone in her face, the screen illuminating her features. She quietly sang along to the music till she heard a knock on her bedroom door.
"Oui?" she called out
"Rose! Peux-tu m'entendre?" her mother stood in the doorway, hands on her hips and her bangs falling over her eyes as she looked down at her daughter impatiently.
"Sorry mom" the girl smirked, taking out her earbuds and sitting up to face her mother
"I said le diner est pret – tu n'ecoutes jamais" the two pairs of green eyes met as she scolded her daughter and ushered her out of her room.
The two made their way to the table where dinner had been set out on the small dining table that fit the two of them. Sitting in their usual places they began to do what they'd do every Sunday on the mother's day off, have a nice 'family' dinner. A comfortable silence fell between the two, occasionally questions were asked such as "How was your day?" "Anything interesting happen at school?" the silence didn't' bother them as they appreciated the company.
The bungalow was quaint, big enough for the two and easy to keep up with bill wise, money isn't always easy as a single parent. Two bedrooms, a kitchen, living room and shared bathroom, it was all they needed and they were happy. They had each other and they wouldn't have it any other way, yet someone else begged to differ.
A loud knock at the door broke the silence in the house, the mother getting up and walking across the kitchen to check the peep hole. What would've been an ordinary Sunday evening was ruined by one man.
"Rose, go to your room" her mother tone was firm and yet quiet, she also spoke in English which was something she only did when Rose was in trouble or if something was wrong "and be quiet"
Rose stood from her seat carefully and quietly, her bare feet padding across the hardwood floor silently. She turned to close her bedroom door and as she did the loud knocking began again.
"Celine? I know you're there" a harsh, gruff voice echoed from the door way – Rose could just pick it up. Her heart sank as she recognized the voice of her father.
Her mother stayed silent yet the knocks turned into bangs, his fist pounding against the door with a terrible force and each hit made Rose more and more anxious.
"CELINE OPEN THE GOD DAMMED DOOR!" he roared from the other side of the wood, Celine shook nervously as she stood by the door, praying that he'd leave "Celine, let me in!" her prayers weren't answered.
"Go away, Rodger! You're violating your restraining order!" her mother bit back, her voice just as harsh. Rose knew her mother was a force to be reckoned with.
"Fuck the restraining order, let me in Celine!" he yelled, his fists repeatedly banging against the wood, rattling the frame.
"No!" she snapped "Leave or I'll call the police" she threatened, her hands clenched fists at her side.
There was a moment of silence. Rose – in her room felt her anxiety slowly ebb away till she heard the voice once more "Please Cel" he begged, using the nickname he'd given her mother when they started dating "Please, let me see my Rosie" his voice softer, cracking almost – despite this, it didn't calm Rose at all.
"You know I can't do that Rodger, please just go" her mother attempted once more to be rid of the man that plagued her and her daughter's life.
There was silence once more
"She's my daughter too" he growled, any softness from his voice previously had vanished. A loud bang sounded – a gun shot.
Rose peeked through the gap in her door and saw that he'd shot the lock off, allowing him entry into their little bungalow. Her mother jumped back in shock, only for the door to be slammed open and a large burly man marches through.
Celine was hit by the stench of tobacco and alcohol – of course, he'd been drinking, no surprise there but what did surprise her was the small black gun in his hand. After every attempt to take Rose away from her, he'd never used a weapon. Force? Yes! But never a gun, till now.
His dark eyes were clouded and red, his pupils dilated, clearly, he was intoxicated, his large frame wobbled slightly as the alcohol took control of his body, leaving him unbalanced. His gray and green plaid shirt was buttoned up half way, stained and left untucked from his cargo pants.
His eyes locked on his former lover and he marched over to her, Celine's eyes widened as she backed into the dining table, her hand slowly and inconspicuously grasping a nearby fork.
"Where is she?" he demanded, standing tall over the woman, his eyes darted over to the table noticing two place settings. So she was still in the house? His eyes then moved to the bedroom door that had been left open ever so slightly, a strand of raven hair peeking through.
He turned away from the woman he once loved towards the door, Rose saw him make his way towards her and ran to hide behind her bed. As he reached the door and pushed it open, Celine swiftly made her way behind the man, fork in hand she stabbed it into the hand that held the weapon making him drop it as he howled in pain.
She scrambled for the gun, quickly stepping back with it firmly in her grasp and aimed it at the intruder "Get out. Now." She threatened, pointing the gun at his torso.
"Come on Cel, you're not really going to use that are you?" he smirked slightly at the sight of the petite red head with the gun in her hands, she said nothing, her hands shaking "you couldn't even if you wanted to, you don't have the guts-"
She cut him off by firing a warning shot into the ceiling before turning the barrel back to him "Don't underestimate me" she growled, her grip now steady on the weapon.
He unexpectedly charges at her, grabbing her hands and pushing them so they're above her head, another shot is fired as plaster crumbles from the roof. He then pulls her hands to the side and slams her wrists on the table behind, releasing her grasp on the gun. Rose watches as her parents fight in a way she's never seen before.
He releases her wrists, as he bends down for the gun Celine raises her foot, the heel of her boot slams into his solar plexus making him stagger backward and leaving him slightly winded. She goes for the gun again but just as her fingers are an inch away from the fire arm, he grabs her hair by the pony tail and yanks her back to the floor with him, making her yell in pain.
Rose, hearing her mother cry out, opens her door, even more, seeing her parents both on the ground in front of her bedroom; her father rises to his feet once more. Feeling the need to assist her mother, Rose grabs the closest thing she could defend herself with – her guitar. She knew her mother was a force to be reckoned with but so was she.
Holding her guitar above her head by the neck, her eyes land on her mother who's clutching her head in pain. With all her might she swings her guitar making it slam into her father across the head making him fall back to the ground. Before either adult can get up, Rose rushes to the gun and kicks it to the other side of the bungalow, it slides beneath a couch.
Her father looks at her, his eyes wild- he clearly wasn't himself. She holds the guitar up once more as a warning, as he makes another advance she swings again but he dodges the attack, she tries once more but he grabs the body with both hands before it can hit him. Yanking it from her grasp, he throws it behind him.
Rose stumbled back in fear, he grasps her neck with his bear sized hands, his grime covered fingers locking off her air supply making her gasp. Her hands come up to his trying to pry him off, he only lifts her from the ground.
"Stay out of this Rosie" he growls
Pain shoots through her neck, her eyes start to water but as she feels her consciousness slipping, her mother sends a punch to the side of his face, releasing her from his grasp. Rose drops to the floor gasping for air and blinking away the clouds from her vision.
He stumbles to the side and reaches up to touch his cheek only to pull away and find blood "you bitch" he snarls
While Rose is preoccupied, Celine runs to the living room trying to get the gun before him, unfortunately, he pushes her aside and gets there first. He quickly crouches down to grab the gun, as his fingers curl around the weapon Celine tackles him to the ground. Flipping him over, her knee is placed painfully in his crotch making him squeal. She throws him another punch for good measure, making blood splatter over the two of them. In a final attempt to grab the gun she wrestles it from his hand.
Rose watches as the two fight for the weapon before she can get to her feet she hears another gun shot and the two bodies still. Bile rises up in the throat as she waits to see who's injured only to witness her father pushing her mother's lifeless body off him. Blood stains her red t-shirt and trails onto the floor, she can smell the cooper from the other side of the room.
A scream finds its way out of her mouth, suddenly she's at her mother's side. Crouching down beside the lifeless body she brushes the stray fiery locks from her face, she looks down at her lifeless green eyes, her porcelain skin slighting bruised and the flush from her cheeks missing.
"M-mom?" she stutters, the sobs that threaten to surface making her stutter, tears spill when she gains no response.
"Celine?" a croaked voice sounded next to her, she raised her head to see the bloodshot eyes of Rodger. He leans over her body, next to Rose "Oh god what have I done? Celine, I'm sorry" His cries fall on deaf ears, he turns to face his daughter, they share the same raven hair and slightly olive skin "Rose?"
She looks at him with such rage and horror it pains him "I'm so sorry Rosie, I never meant for this to happen" he tries to explain himself, he rises to his feet and starts pacing the carpet and muttering to himself as tears stream down his face.
Rose is crying, begging and pleading for her mother to come back as she holds her lifeless body in her arms "Mom please, please come back"
"Rose?" his voice calls to her and she slowly looks at up at her mother's murderer "I promise you'll never see me again" he chokes out, his breaths ragged "I'm sorry Rosie"
Deranged, filled with guilt and still under the influence of several drugs and alcohol, Rosie watches as he raises the barrel of the gun to his mouth and before she can even blink, he pulls the trigger.
Another scream erupts from her, blood cakes the wall and pools on the hardwood floor which now harbor two corpses. Still clutching her mother's lifeless body as she sobs uncontrollably, blood slowly soaking her jeans and coating her hands and arms, she continues to cry.
A white hot rage fills her, all the pain and the tears finally push her over the edge and the house erupts in flames.
3 weeks later
SINCLAIR FAMILY MURDER STILL TO BE SOLVED
3 weeks since a bungalow outside the city of Quebec burned to the ground. A case that had been labeled as arson and a homicide are still yet to be solved. Home to Celine Duchennes and her 15-year-old daughter Rose Sinclair, the quaint home had been reduced to nothing but ash, what local authorities had believed to be arson by non-other than Rodger Sinclair, Duchennes' ex-husband and Rose's father – the man was charged with the kidnapping of his daughter several years ago and has been held on a restraining order since the ordeal. He was seen in the area by several witnesses on the evening of the fire; however beliefs of Sinclair's responsibility soon vanished as his body was found amongst the ruin along with his ex- wife's. Witnesses claimed to have heard several gun shots and screaming that very night, it was later confirmed by the coroner that before the fire that the cause of death for Celine Duchennes was a bullet to the chest and the death of Rodger Sinclair seemed to be suicide, a bullet through the mouth. The daughter's body is yet to be found which allows us to believe that she is still alive and makes her the only lead left for the case. Rose Sinclair has yet to be located and hasn't been seen since the morning before the fire by locals. It is possible that she is responsible for the death of her parents and the fire. If anyone sees this girl please call the Quebec Police Department at ….
END OF FLASHBACK
Trust me, I knew how it felt to have the death of innocent lives on your shoulders, I knew what it felt like to disappoint the people you loved; I've just done it all over again.
Please leave a review! Hope you like the first chapter and enjoyed the introduction of Rose Duchennes!