"Excuse me, everybody, if I could have your attention please." the host of the party clinked his glass with a fork, "I would like to say thank you for coming to Rachel's graduation party, I'm sure she'll appreciate all of you for coming. Well, maybe not you Frank."
The guests laughed, the host was a great guy, and they knew it. He always had a joke up his sleeve, no matter the occasion. He was an optimist, and that might have been the reason why people were attracted to him in the first place. His perfect white teeth, his gentleman-like demeanor, his serene blue eyes, and his combed hair made him popular with women. Unfortunately for them, his wife passed away only three years back, and he hasn't been interested in any relationship since then.
"And not to give any extra praise to anyone else, but…" he looks to the left side of the table, near the other end, "Thanks for coming especially, Walker. I know your not much of a people's person, but that just makes your appearance here tonight all the more special, thank you, my friend."
All eyes turned to Walker, a man of very few words. At first, he may seem rather grim, but he has a kind heart and an aura of absolute confidence and nonchalance emanating from his very being. His hair as black as the abyss above, and his eyes a strong brown, he was definitely one to try to figure out, for he was rather mysterious. People want to learn more about him, but he shrugs to every question he's asked like not even he knows the answer. Though he definitely does. He also doesn't drink alcohol or smoke. He's a man of purity and willpower. And, he may not have said it himself, but others are guessing he's a man of celibacy.
Walker was curling his handlebar mustache when he was all of a sudden the center of attention. He simply shrugged his shoulders in response to the host's thanks.
"Say, Adrian, where is the girl anyway? She not attending her own graduation party?" a guest asked the host.
"Rachel is just tying up loose ends back at the university, she'll be here soon. Anyway, I don't think she would mind if we start without her, yeah? Cake anyone?"
The party was bustling with life and joy. The younger guests were having diverse conversations and danced along to the DJ's music, the older men went outside to smoke some cigars and laugh, and Walker… Wait, where'd he go?
"Hannah? Hannah?" Adrian called for his daughter.
Hanna, his daughter of 18 years, was on the second floor of the large house, and looked over the railing, "Yeah?"
"Could you go find Walker? I wanted to give him something important. And I think I saw someone leave through those doors over there into the backyard, might be him."
"Didn't you lock those doors though?"
"Ha, yeah, that just confirms that it was Walker."
"Can't you get him? I barely know the guy, he's your friend after all."
"I'm not asking you to get to know him, just fetch him for me."
"Hmph, fine."
Hannah went down the stairs and squeezed passed several groups of people laughing and drinking and finally made it to the doors leading into the backyard.
She pulled on the door handle and saw that it really had been unlocked, "Huh, that's weird."
She entered into the backyard onto the balcony overlooking it several feet down and saw Walker leaning over the railing looking at the mountains over the horizon.
"Hey Walker, Dad wants to see you."
Walker looked over his shoulder and glared at Hannah.
Nervously, she said, "Dunno why he didn't want to come to find you himself, guess he's just lazy. Or… Maybe a little intimidat-" she was interrupted by Walker lifting his finger up, signaling her to be quiet, and he intently listened.
"What, I don't hear anything?"
Walker looked up from the floor after listening to the pure silence of the house and said something that made her heart skip a beat, "Exactly." in a serious whisper.
Walker quickly ran past her through the open doors without saying another word. He entered the kitchen and saw through the open bar that everyone, including the people upstairs, gathered in a large crowd and were staring at the middle of the living room.
He pushed some people aside and got to the front of the crowd and saw the large TV switched to the news channel.
"Breaking news, Bartlett University has been attacked by heavily armed terrorists wearing white masks. They're equipped with military-grade weapons. The whole campus has been shrouded in some sort of deadly gas. Yes, yes, we're getting reports of multiple first responder casualties as well. Yes, and I'm also getting confirmation that classes were indeed in session when the attack first started."
Adrian violently shoved a few people out of the way and saw the news headline.
"No, no! Rachel is still there! Fuck!" he screamed in despair, "I have to go get her! She could die!"
"And so could you, dad!" Hannah grabbed him from behind.
The news lady continued speaking, "We're receiving word now that a special anti-terrorist team has entered the campus grounds and are dealing with the threat as we speak."
"Oh god, oh god," he cried into Hannah's shoulders, "Please keep her safe, please help her! Please! I can't lose her, not like Barbara!"
Walker knew he could help; he knew he could eradicate these terrorists from existence. He knew he could save Rachel and bring her back alive to her loving family. He knew he had to do something. But...
He knew that he doesn't want to go back to being the man he once was. And so, decided to put his faith in Rainbow, hoping they would come across Rachel and save her. Hoping that this terrorist threat will be dealt with and the world will be at peace once more.
That was his first mistake, and his last.