The sixth or seventh shot of whiskey burned its way down his throat. He set the glass down and stared at the bottle, contemplating of he should have another drink. He had been drinking a lot, he noticed. Edsel reached for the bottle again and poured himself another glass, though he spilled some on the counter. It was the only thing that picked him up anymore, the only thing he looked forward too. Why did he feel this way? He had everything he wanted. He had money, all the cars he's ever dreamed about. He ran the biggest motorcycle gang in the history of Los Santos. They had wiped out The Lost and The Damned for Chris's sake! He has a big apartment, nice furnishing. He had everything he ever wanted. The liquid burned its way down as the thought of Marnie pushed it's way into his head. Ah, there's the source of his depression. He loved her. That's why he came to San Andreas. She left him without a word. They had a life together in Liberty City. A shitty life, but a life. He used to be part of The Lost, but they kicked him out when they found out that he was trying to get Marnie to stop buying drugs from them. That was long before Johnny started leading the group. Edsel poured another glass and drank that one too. Marnie had a problem, and he tried helping her quit. She ran out of money and left their apartment. He found her the next day, high as fuck, mumbling about a "man with kind eyes." He brought her home and tried to get her to quit again. He loved her.. He didn't want to see her hurt. She was starting to clean up too, but then she relapsed. She ran out of their home and he couldn't keep up. She always was faster than him. He hasn't seen her since. He ran into a man while he was looking along the streets for her, it had been several months after she disappeared. Johnny had taken over The Lost, though they never offered to take him back. He didn't want to go back. The man he ran into, had brown hair, and dark eyes. He had an accent. Russian if he remembers correctly. He remembered asking. Bulgaria or something, he doesn't remember. Edsel was asking random people if they knew were Marnie was. No one did. Until he met the man. What was his name? Nick? He doesn't remember. The man said Marnie went back home. She left him without saying goodbye.. Edsel hasn't said a word since that day. He vowed the next words he spoke would be "I love you." And they would be to Marnie. He heard there was a man in San Andreas that could track down anyone, so he used the rest of his money, and just left. He drank another glass full as he tried to recall how he got to where he is now. Lamar! He remembered texting Lamar and letting him know he would be in town. He grew up with Lamar when he lived in Los Santos before he moved to Liberty City to join The Lost. Lamar said he would pick him up at the air port. Lamar introduced him to Gerald and Simeon. He started doing odd jobs for them. He butted heads with The Lost a few times, but they didn't know him here. Then he got the call. The guy he was trying to find so he could find Marnie found him. Lester was his name. He offered some jobs to Edsel and he took them. It was because of Lester he met his best friend, and lieutenant of his gang, Raven Varnas. He found out him and Raven had a lot in common. Both liked motorcycles, both liked guns, both liked music and cars. The one difference was, Raven knew some people who wanted to start a gang. They just needed a leader. It worked perfectly. They named themselves The Rejects. He was their king. The King Of Rejects. He started working for Trevor Phillips Industries, and some guy named Martinez or whatever. Edsel didn't care. He only worried about Marnie. It was weird being friends with Raven, but Raven accepted the fact that Edsel didn't talk. Edsel was glad to. Then one day, Edsel just stopped caring about himself. He let himself go. He had a clean shaven face, and a buzz cut. Soon stubble started to grow in and his hair started to grow. His hair touches his shoulders now and his beard needed a shave. He sent Lester a text, asking him to find Marnie. Three days later, he called him back. After Marnie had finished rehab, she had moved to San Andreas. Edsel got excited, but that's when Lester gave him the news. She was married, and was pregnant. Edsel could feel his heart break. Everyone in the gangs club house could hear it shatter like glass. That's when his will to live left him. He became reckless. The Lost was holding a funeral for Johnny. Edsel didn't even know he was in San Andreas. Edsel walked into the grave yard, wearing his black leather jacket, with his gangs logo on the front and back. Some member from the lost approached him. The kid didn't look more than 19 years old. He asked Edsel to leave or at least pay his respects to Johnny. Edsel put a bullet in the kids head. More than half of The Lost went to that funeral. They all left in body bags. He stole Johnny's motorcycle, and used that to lead his gang. That's when the drinking and the drugs started. Every time he felt guilt, he drowned it out in cocaine or whiskey. Slowly he hunted down the rest of The Lost, and killed every single one of them. Raven started to question him. Edsel never answered. Edsel never spoke. Just led his gang silently. He was at the top of the world. He had a giant house, a bunch if cars, all the drugs his gang could traffic. But he wanted more. He got greedy. He tried to rob a bank. Him, Raven and two other guys walked in with guns, and masks. Only Edsel walked out. Raven got shot in the head, one if the other guys died, and the last guy was sent to prison. They didn't get a single dime. That was weeks ago. They made all of their money by selling drugs and guns now. He had more money than he could spend. But he was depressed. And now here he was, leaning against the counter, staring into the eleventh or twelfth glass of whiskey this morning. He set it down without drinking any and stumbled into his room. He fell into a nightmare filled sleep. Hours later Edsel woke with a start, his cell phone ringing. He clicked answer and Lester said he had some news for him. He gave him an address, and told him to be there in an hour. Edsel hung up without a word, walked down to his garage, ignoring his hangover, and climbed onto his custom Western Daemon. White with black flames. It was Marnies idea a long time ago. He typed the address into his gps and started driving. He let his mind wander, it's not like her cared if he would crash or not. And within the hour, he pulled up. A nice little house, in the middle of the country. He pushed the kickstand down on his bike, took off his sunglasses and bandanna, and put them into his jacket. He walked past the new S.U.V in the driveway and walked slowly up to the door. He ran his hand through his greasy, long, dark brown hair and then knocked on the door. He hear footsteps against the wood floor and the door opened, and he came face to face with.
Marnie. Both of them stood there, not knowing what to say. It was Marnie who spoke first. It's not like Edsel was a talker to begin with.
"Lester told me you would show up." She said to him. Edsel remained silent. Marnie laughed and said "He also warned me about the not talking thing." She stepped out onto the porch and sat down on the porch swing. Edsel stayed rooted to the spot, not quite believing his eyes.
"We need to talk." She said. Edsel only nodded and walked over to lean against the railing. She started to speak.
"Lester called me a few months back and said you were in the state looking for me. I told him I didn't want to talk to you, because I figured you'd hate me. Yesterday he called me and told me that you weren't gonna be around much longer." Edsel cocked an eyebrow at her last words.
"You look like shit Ed. When was the last time you cut your hair? Or showered? Or slept?" She asked softly. Edsel looked down at his boots. He heard Marnie stand up, and her footsteps get closer. He looked into her eyes, her warm brown eyes.
"Listen to me Ed. You need to move on. I'm married now, my husband is at work, my son is taking a nap in the house. I have a new life now." Edsel's eyes started to fill with tears. He hadn't cried in years. When she left was the last time he cried. He looked her in the eyes, and spoke softly, with a voice that sounded like it was literally rusty.
"But I love you Marn-Marn."
Tears started to flow out of her eyes. "I'm sorry Ed. I just can't leave my family. You understand right?" Edsel nodded his head and shrugged her hands if his shoulder and walked over to his motorcycle. He put on his bandanna and his glasses, looked up at Marnie one last time, and started the engine. On his way back home he encountered a few members of The Lost on the freeway. The next Marnie heard about him was in the crime section of the news paper the next day. 'Known Crime Lord of Rejects MC Found Dead on Freeway."