Chapter 29:

Tree Hill, North Carolina

0930 Hours Local Time

It was just another day at Tree Hill High after Henry O'Malley left to return to New York. Nathan was in school just gradually getting by, even though Henry had left him to go home, he understood why he had left, Tree Hill was nice enough place, but Nate couldn't help but understand that Henry felt homesick in Tree Hill.

All the stories he had heard about New York from Henry, Nate couldn't help but laugh at how Henry adored the City of New York, especially it's history and the way he smiled at every little mention of the City that Never Sleeps.

His thoughts flooded to Haley who was on his mind as well, he couldn't help but think if she was okay, the thoughts about her beautiful smile that had lit up his world when they were together made him think of the picture, he kept on the bedside on their wedding day.

He often thought about the words he had spoken when Haley left to go with Chris Keller, the words echoed in his mind, "If you leave, it's over between us."

He had let his own impulsive actions take control and he was angry that he had said that to her, he was mad at himself that he didn't think before speaking.

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Nathan didn't notice that Brooke came up beside him as he said, "You okay?"

"I should be asking you that, are you okay?" Brooke asked. Nathan shook his head as he said, "I'm not sure, it's my fault about Haley, I didn't think, I acted on my worse feelings and I paid the price."

Brooke smiled sadly and said, "She'll be home, trust in what you believe. That girl loves you, you love her too, I know you do."

"Thanks Brooke, promise me if I ever screw up, you let Henry kick my ass!" Nathan asked. Brooke smiled, "Of course, though I'll have to wait a few hours, so that I can kick your ass first."

Nathan nodded, "I have no problem with that."

"I'm sure Henry's okay, if he's what you say he is, then he's obviously very strong, he's strong in surviving." Brooke had said. Nathan nodded, "I know, it's just I'm worried he'll get himself killed or hurting worse than ever."

"We're all worried about what's going through his mind." Brooke said.

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Soon enough the bell rang and everyone started heading to another lesson of school. Brooke stayed by her locker, she thought about the letter that was in her bag, she had already read it, she also knew that she wasn't going to hold a grudge against Henry.

She smiled at how he had done everything he could to get to her when Felix kidnapped her, she was thankful for his friendship, his loyalty and the way he respected her. Brooke was evidently surprised when Henry told her what his real name was, she was touched that he was named after his Grandfather.

But what had surprised her was when she read up on the O'Malley Family, a family of patriotic Americans who immigrated from Ireland, all the men in the family were known as The Hero with No Fear. Their fearlessness in battle, their desire to fight on the frontlines leading the charge.

In her eyes, they were the bravest men to read about, Henry was obviously the bravest person in her eyes, she couldn't help but think about how he had gone through hell and back thousands of times and risked his own life to help people.

It was almost as if he had a death wish of his own. She wouldn't know what it was that drove him to be this person.

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St Brendan's Catholic High School

Brooklyn, New York

1230 Hours Local Time

Meanwhile, in Brooklyn, New York. Henry O'Malley was sitting outside on his lunchbreak with his buddies on the baseball team, there was also his friends from the cheerleading squad.

Even though Henry had not been close with any of his friends he had grown up with, he was close with Elizabeth and Rachel, even Millicent who he trusted with his life and his heart.

Loyalty meant a lot to him, especially to his parents and Grandparents who forged a bond with his uncles that only existed in combat, the bond that existed throughout his childhood through love, honor, pride and their duty to protect them all.

As he grew up, he watched to see the ones he loved stand in his corner, they supported him, even though the losses he had suffered, they cried with him, they lifted him up and he fought back hard. The kind of love that had held him together was the very same love that had strengthened the bond he had with his brothers, his sisters, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and his grandparents.

But now he was only afraid that he would lose more and more people in his family that he loved with his life.

Looking to his friends, he then said, "Excuse me a moment, I need to go somewhere." They all nodded with smiles on their faces, Elizabeth watched Henry's retreating form as she said, "It's great to have him home again."

"It's just like the old days. The hero who has New York City in the palm of his hand, the man who would walk the streets without fear, the man who knows what goes on without a single rumor said or spoken." Rachel replied.

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Walking away, Henry found himself in the confessional booth, across from him was Father Kelly who had said, "In all my lifetime, I've never had a student who would come to confession so much."

"They say a little cleansing of the soul is good for you. Still to be honest, I couldn't clean my soul if I could. I've hurt so many, I've lost so many people I called my family. Fear leads to anger, anger to hate, hate just means that suffering will always be with me." Henry had said.

Father Kelly then replied, "Your stubborn resistance has been a trait I admired about you, you put up a tough bit of Armor, you fight as you're going to war. you may not be a politician, but you fight like you're a soldier, perhaps being a soldier is all you're good at."

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm better off a soldier, for so long I've lived in a world of hate, I've hurt people so badly, I've allowed my anger to drive me, I allowed fear to conquer me, I'm driven by everything that makes me into someone I hate." Henry had said.

Father Kelly then spoke, "Don't underestimate the seduction of the darkness, for the purest of hearts are drawn into its web. I know what you are going to ask of me, I give you my undivided blessing, my word of honor as a soldier, you will receive no interference."

"That is all I ask for Father. But I ask if you feel my hate, my rage, my fear take over, ask yourself: Was I any different in my younger days?

"I don't think anyone was same, especially after the war grew on, we didn't want to be over there, but what mattered was that nobody was left behind even if some didn't make it back whole." Father Kelly had said reminiscing about his days in Vietnam.

He continued however with this, "Your father wasn't the same either, he tried to hold on, but all that was there was the anger he felt, it was similar to yourself and your grandfather." "I know what I have to do." Henry said with a voice that looked to send shivers down the spine of Father Kelly.

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Wall Street, New York

1500 Hours

Meanwhile in Manhattan, Kathleen was patrolling the streets of the Lower East Side wearing her patrol uniform, she was partnered with Michael Galzetti who was her father's longtime friend when she was born.

Kathleen had every member of the family wrapped round her little finger so tight, she could get away with murder batting her dark blue eyes like that.

When she had gone missing, the whole family had been more than ready to burn the city to the ground trying to find her. The Galzetti, Capelli and Donarelli families were primed and ready to raze every gang to the ground, every mob family, every drug gang, sexual predator hid for cover afraid for their lives. Anybody that looked at them the wrong way, they ended up facing the deadliest, terrifying and frightening individuals to have set foot on the soil of America.

Kathleen looked around her surroundings, she could sense danger from around every corner. Every sense in Kathleen's being had her on tight alert, even her additional senses were in full alert, looking to her father-figure in Michael, he then asked, "You sense it?" "Yes, what is it?"

"That's danger itself, they're all around us, I count 20+ hostiles, small arms, we're outgunned, outnumbered." Michael said, his years of service as a soldier in the Army hadn't slipped away, nor had his time as a member of New York's Finest dulled his tactical skills.

Kathleen looked down at her gun in her sidearm, she was a good shot herself, but as an Army veteran of 4-years in the service, serving in Baghdad with the 101st Airborne kept her on point and on her toes.

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Suddenly though, they were attacked in quick speed, Michael's beatings were slow and tortuous, Kathleen herself was shot in the shoulder and given a beating of her own.

But the man who led the torture of the 2 NYPD patrolmen was none other than Rodriguez Diablo, the very man that Henry nearly killed.

Rodriguez had several scars across his face, one was a line going down his right eye, but the pupil itself was damaged, only his left brown eye was left untouched.

Michael snarled as he saw Rodriguez lay a hand on Kathleen stroking her cheek, but she flinched away from his touch, he then said, "Don't you touch her, scumbag!"

"I'm merely entranced, I always knew that the O'Malley family had such good genes, but this only proves my point…" Rodriguez stroked Kathleen's cheek, who again flinched away before spitting in Rodriguez's face.

The man snarled as he back-handed Kathleen for her defiance, she snarled, "You have no idea what we are capable off."

"Your own brother did this to me, he killed my family…" Rodriguez said with very little emotion on his face. Kathleen darkly laughed, "Imagine what he'll do when he gets to you, he is not merciful."

"Nor am I, O'Malley!" Rodriguez snarled, he pulled out a gun and shot Michael Galzetti twice, blood coming from beyond his kevlar vest which Kathleen cried out, "MIKE!"

Mike fell to the floor bleeding from his stomach, he then said, "You have no idea what you've done, you've no idea what hell you've brought upon us, pray now… some things are far frightening than death itself."

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The very quote that Rodriguez heard from Michael Galzetti struck a chord, it was the very chord that Madison O'Malley had stated in her last breath before he killed her, even then, he could hear her snarl in his voice at her last words.

"You have no idea what you've unleashed here today, there is only one thing far more frightening than death itself."

Hearing the very words from her mouth had filled Rodriguez with nothing renewed anger and hate for the O'Malley family, he was determined and eager to crush the O'Malley family no matter what it took, nothing would stand in his way to accomplish that task.

Evacuating the scene, only Michael Galzetti was left as he bled from his mouth, but with his last ounce of strength, he radioed in, "10-13, officer down, repeat officer down, be advised, Officer Kathleen O'Malley is missing, Omega-8, repeat, Omega-8!"

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At the 1PP building, a police officer raced to the Chief of Department's office, banging on the door, Joe Capelli looked up as the officer saluted almost perfectly, the stoic former Marine veteran then said, "What is it?"

"Sir, we have an emergency, Sergeant Michael Galzetti is down, Officer Kathleen O'Malley is missing in action!" The officer spoke panicking. Joe I stood up as he said, "Anything else?"

"Omega-8, Chief, Omega-8 was used." The officer said.

Joe Capelli's head turned so fast that it nearly spun off, his blue eyes were hardening into a glare, he then said, "Do the other Chiefs know?"

"Chief Donarelli, Chief Lynn are aware, even Chief Bacciarelli too, they're on the way up here." The officer had said.

Joe nodded as he said, "Get out, I'm making a phone call." The officer stood to attention and saluted as Joe said, "What are you standin' around for, get out of here!"

The officer ran out of the room as Joe made several phone calls, informing his family of Omega-8, Joe dropped the phone as he made a personal phone call as he said, "Father Kelly, it's Joe, inform our boy, it's happened."

Just as he dropped the phone, the Chiefs walked into the room, Tommaso then said, "Omega-8?"

"Just been declared, all hell is about to break loose." Chief Bacciarelli spoke. Chief Lynn then spoke, "We found Riddle, he's in a bar in Harlem, Chief Cole's clearing the streets and making sure that there is no escape."

Joe nodded and said, "Get everybody ready."

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Meanwhile at St. Brendan's Catholic, Henry felt a sudden rush of emotions flow through him, he heard the voices which spoke clear.

"Attack them!"

"LOOK OUT!"

"DON'T YOU TOUCH HER!"

BOOM! BANG!

"MIKE!"

"There are some things far frightening than death itself."

"10-13, officer down!"

Henry closed his eyes hearing the agony, the agonising pain in his Godfather Michael Galzetti's voice, but the one thing that made his emotions clear as day was 2 words that he didn't want to hear. The very words that would ultimately push him down a dark path, one on which he would stay on itself.

"Omega-8."

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Henry growled silently but very deeply, deadly fire grew with anticipation in his blue eyes, but the mixture of red and amber battling with his blue eyes, it made him almost feel invincible.

His heightened senses, hearing the footsteps of Father Kelly approaching, he knew what was going to happen.

Outside the building, the city descended into deep clouds, fog descended over New York.

Within minutes, Father Kelly gathered Henry informing him of the situation, it was already as feared when Henry left the school, there was nothing but unparallel anger, fear and hate coursing through Henry's veins, the dark blue eyes no longer were there, but instead blazing red and amber eyes appeared.

Everyone felt the shiver of the fierce emotions that Henry had projected, they were running for cover.

When Henry arrived at his home, he had taken off his school jacket, he put his gun holster on, grabbing an M1 Garand, he headed out the door once more and drove to Manhattan. But in the car as well was a baseball bat, whatever Henry planned on doing, there was no doubt that the city would be on fire, blood would be running throughout the city itself.

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Even though I watched the episode of when Haley left Nathan to go on tour with Chris Keller, it has been a while since I watched the episode, I'm guessing he said something along those lines, but do comment what the actual line was.

I hope you're enjoying this story, we're almost there.