-9-

Old Acquaintances

Lynn had made it to the Royal Woods First Precinct, the epicenter of the city's police work. Here is where Chief of Police Adam Roxberry was stationed. He had been an officer of the law for over twenty-five years, before the Royal Woods Police Department was even founded. Because the town was so small, and had only seen a boom in population over the past fifteen years, it used to be a Sheriff's office policing the town, with Roxberry serving as deputy. After the Sheriff retired, and the mayor at the time determined that the increase in population would require a larger police presence, the Sheriff's office was dissolved and the RWPD was formed in its place. Because of his previous service, Roxberry was promoted to Captain, and eventually made Chief of Police.

He was known among the precinct "Iron Fist" Roxberry because of his strict and ruthless demeanor, especially when it came to criminals. But even though he was tough on those under him, he was vehemently fair to his subordinates, and made a point to stick his neck out for those under his command. Thus he gained an enormous amount of respect from the troops. Lynn had seen him in person only a few times, but never spoken with him directly. As she stood in front of his office door, she could feel her heart beating in her chest. Tentatively, she rapped three times on the door.

"Come," came a voice from the other side. Lynn obliged, entering the office. Roxberry sat at his desk, going over case notes. He was a barrel-chested man of fifty-five, his thin, gray hairs slicked back in a feeble attempt to hide his bald spots. A gray, bushy mustache covered his upper-lip, with thick, horn-rimmed glasses covering his eyes. He wore a simple white, striped dress shirt with a loose tie around his neck. She felt surprisingly at ease around him, for some reason. Perhaps, in a way, he reminded Lynn a lot of her late grandfather, Albert.

"Officer Loud," said Roxberry, gesturing for her to sit in the chair in front of his desk. He put the case notes in a manilla envelope before turning his attention to her. He sat there for a few minutes, sizing her up. Lynn felt her nervousness return, but didn't let it show.

"I just spoke with the Mayor," he said finally. "She says you want in on the Wild Card case."

"Yes, sir," said Lynn.

"You have quite a reputation for a rookie," said Roxberry. "Your Sergeant says you're a maverick, and that you tend to act first and ask questions later."

"I just try to get the job done," said Lynn.

"I didn't say it was a bad thing," said Roxberry. "But at the same time, I'm not keen on rookies calling up their Mayor sisters in an effort to weasel their way into a high-profile case."

"Sir, that wasn't my-"

"Let me finish, Loud," said Roxberry, lifting his hand. He paused for a moment while Lynn remained silent. He reached into his desk and pulled out an old photo, passing it to her. There were two young cops in dress uniforms, looking as if they just graduated, both with an arm around the other's shoulders, smiling happily.

"That's my brother," said Roxberry. "We went to the academy together, later became beat partners for the NYPD. He was my best friend."

Lynn handed the photo back to him. "Was, sir?" She asked.

Roxberry nodded, returning the photo to his desk. "We were called in on an armed robbery," he said. "The perp managed to get away from us. We pursued on foot, and my brother ended up catching one in the chest. He was dead before he hit the pavement."

"I'm so sorry, Chief," said Lynn, shocked.

"Nature of the job," said Roxberry simply. "But the hardest part was that the bullet was meant for me. He stepped in front of me and took it, saving my life." Lynn looked sympathetically at her superior officer. She had fully expected a lecture or even to be yelled at for going to Lori to convince him to let her on the case. This was a side of the Chief that, based on his reputation, she didn't know existed.

"I understand Wild Card knows about your brother," said Roxberry.

"He killed him, sir," said Lynn, coughing slightly as the words caught in her throat.

Roxberry considered her for a moment. "He's targeting you, Loud," he said. "You and your family. I suppose that it's too late to tell you to not get involved. You're already involved, whether we like it or not. And I know what it's like to want to bring a brother's killer to justice. You're on this case, Loud, but on a few conditions: Peters is in charge. You are to abide by his orders. No cowboy police work. And you are not to engage Wild Card without approval. Understand?"

"Yes, sir," Lynn affirmed.

"Good," said Roxberry. "Now I want you to–"

Suddenly, there was a loud rapping at Roxberry's office door. He looked confused as he beckoned them to enter. One of his detectives rushed through the door, a look of urgency on his face. "Sir," he said. "Channel 5, now!" Roxberry turned the television on sitting on the table adjacent to him. Lynn gasped in shock as the familiar black and white face mask appeared on the screen, sitting in the anchor's chair with his feet on the desk.

"Hello, people of Royal Woods, Michigan!" Shouted Wild Card into the camera. "Wild Card here with an important news bulletin. I'm afraid your regular anchor couldn't be here today. Had a spot of bad luck I'm afraid." The camera panned over to the floor next to the desk, revealing the former reporter turned anchorwoman, Katherine Mulligan, collapsed on the floor in a pool of blood, having taken a bullet to the head.

"However, I have agreed to fill in for our dearly departed Ms. Mulligan," said Wild Card, the camera panning back to him. "It seems that our very own "Officer Friendly", Lynn Loud, didn't seem to take me seriously when I told her that if she didn't surrender herself to me, people would die." He leaned forward menacingly as the camera zoomed in. "I told you I was a man of my word." Lynn felt her stomach drop at the sight of Katherine's corpse, cursing internally.

"It seems that I need to make a stronger point to convince Officer Loud of my sincerity," said Wild Card, standing up and walking stage right as the camera followed him. He approached a slumped-over figure sitting in a folding chair. There was a large hole in his chest, crimson blood staining his white shirt. The words "Bad Luck" were scrawled over his face, the same way Bianchi's was back at the warehouse. "So I said to myself: 'self, what is the best way I can get this lovely lady's attention?'" He grabbed the face of the dead man, turning it into his ear, as if the corpse was whispering something to him.

"Of course!" Shouted Wild Card, releasing the dead man and allowing him to drop to the floor. "That's a great idea, Bunko! I just need to up-the-ante! Which is why I decided to have a very special guest with me here tonight!"

With a dramatic "Ta Da!" from Wild Card, the camera panned to the left, revealing a frightened woman in a torn business suit, bound and gagged in an office chair, her blond hair disheveled and eyeliner running down her face. She struggled immensely at her bindings as she tried to get free, to little avail. Lynn blanched, feeling as if she was ready to vomit at the sight.

"Lori!" She whispered, horrified.

"I have to say, I'm surprised to see you again after all these years," Said Lori.

Roberto Santiago had surprised her with a visit to her office once she had gotten back from the Safe House. It had been ten years since they had last spoken to each other, not since he had broken up with her and moved to Great Lakes City. He looked even more handsome than she remembered him. He was clean shaven (having shaved that peach fuzz she remembered as he attempted to grow a beard in high school), his black hair parted smartly, wearing an expensive Italian suit.

"It has been a long time," Said Bobby. An awkward silence stretched between them. They were riding in a limo that he had taken from Great Lakes to see her, with him having invited her to dinner. He said he had missed her, wanting to reconnect. It was all so sudden, but considering the hardship she had been enduring the past few days, she found herself welcoming a sense of normalcy.

"You've done well for yourself," She said, breaking the silence. "I shop at one of your Mercados every time I need groceries." Bobby had gone to business school after graduating from Great Lakes High School. He had found his passion working at his grandfather's Mercado, and was able to expand operations to include several stores throughout the state of Michigan, eventually forming a corporation under the name "Mi Casa Mercados", bringing in a lot of newfound wealth for his family. She couldn't say that she was surprised, as he had always had a strong work ethic, considering how many jobs he held while still attending school in Royal Woods in order to help his mother make ends meet.

"You as well," he said, smiling. "Mayor Lori Loud. Can't say I'm surprised. You've always had leadership skills."

"Comes from being the oldest of 11," said Lori. The silence returned when Lori mentioned her family. She could tell it was still a sore subject for the both of them. Considering that neither of them had spoken of The Incident in ten years, she was having difficulty ignoring the elephant in the room.

"There never was anyone else but you," She said. "After you left, I was heartbroken. I never thought you would ever want to speak with me again." Bobby said nothing in response, looking out the window of the limo, prompting Lori to continue. "Why did you really want to meet with me?"

Bobby was silent for a few minutes before finally turning to face her. "I just want to know. . ." he said slowly, before taking a breath. "You were my light, Lori. My angel. My everything. That's what made it so hard to understand. Just . . . why?"

"Why what?" Asked Lori.

He looked her dead in the eyes. "Why would you think your brother was bad luck?"

Lori felt as if the world dropped out from under her. Fear began to rise from her heart into her throat. "How. . .?'' She stammered. "How did you find out about that?!"

"Simple," said a voice from the passenger seat of the limo. Lori let out a yelp of fear as the masked face of Wild Card turned to face her, his eyes seemingly burning a hole into her very soul. "Because I told him."

"Wild Card!" She whispered.

"You were expecting someone else?" Said Wild Card, before letting out a horrifying cackle.

"Bobby, what's going on?" Said Lori.

"I'm sorry, Lori!" Said Bobby. "I had no choice."

"You played your part well, Bobby-boy," said Wild Card, clapping facetiously. "A real stellar performance. Maybe not Oscar worthy, but definitely an Emmy!"

"Bobby, how could you do this?" Said Lori. "This man is a psychopath!"

"He has Ronnie Anne," said Bobby, tears streaming down his face. "He said he'd kill her if I didn't help him."

"Aw, you don't have to worry about that anymore, Roberto," said Wild Card.

"You let her go?" Said Bobby, hopefully.

"Of course!" Said Wild Card. "Right after we put a bullet in her brain." He threw his head back and cackled, as if he told the greatest joke in the world. The blood from Bobby's face drained, horror etched in his eyes. Lori felt her heart breaking just looking at him, reminding her of how she felt when Lincoln's finger was recovered.

"No," said Bobby, weeping into his hands. "NO!"

"She was quite the spitfire, too!" Wild Card continued. "Took down three of my boys before we finally managed to shoot her. I love a woman with a little fight in her."

"Then you'll love me!" Snapped Lori, drawing a small pistol from the concealed holster on her thigh, pointing it directly at Wild Card.

"Ooooo, scary!" Said Wild Card, unfazed. "Your reputation precedes you, Mayor Loud."

"Stop this car and let us out," Lori growled. "Or I'll be making a new hole in your head."

"Well then," said Wild Card, leaning forward and placing the muzzle of the gun against the forehead of his mask. "What are you waiting for?"

"I-I'll do it!" Said Lori, surprised by this action.

"Oh, I know you will," said Wild Card. "But if you do, then you'll never find out the truth."

Lori balked. "What truth?" She asked.

"What really happened to your little brother," Said Wild Card in a low voice.

Lori could feel her hands shaking as she struggled to keep the gun aloft. "I know what happened to him," Said Lori. "Y-you killed him!"

"You seem to have it all figured out, don't you, Ms. Mayor?" said Wild Card. Though his face was covered, she could hear the smug smile in his voice. In a blinding flash of movement, Wild Card snatched the pistol out of Lori's hands before she or Bobby had time to react. He held the gun out of reach before ticking his tongue, wagging his finger disapprovingly.

"Tut, tut, tut, Ms. Mayor," he said. "Choosing to fold when you should have been all in. Hesitation is the enemy of preparation, you know."

"What do you know about my brother?" Asked Lori, cursing herself internally. She had her chance to end this, but mentioning Lincoln had caught her off guard. The only thing she could do now was keep him talking in hopes she could find out just what he intends to do with them. Maybe she could find another way to get away from this monster.

"Oh, we have so much to discuss," said Wild Card. "But first things first - Sorry, Bobby, but I'm afraid that three's a crowd." He turned Lori's gun on Bobby and shot him square in the chest. Lori shrieked as blood began to flow out of the open wound. She took off her jacket and pressed it to his chest, trying to stop the bleeding. She desperately tried to keep him awake as he began to gag and cough, blood filling up in his lungs.

"I'm . . . sorry . . ." he managed to say, holding his hand to her cheek. A moment later, his hand dropped to his side, and the light left his eyes. Lori sobbed, screaming his name while more maniacal laughter echoed throughout the limo.

"That's right, ladies and germs!" Said Wild Card, standing next to the bound and gagged Lori. "You see, my lovely assistant here has graciously offered herself up as a sacrifice! So now we get to play a little game of 'find the cop!' Once again, Officer Loud, it's up to you to put an end to this little game of ours. You only have one hour to show your hand. You don't want another death on your conscience, do you?"

He pressed a button on a small remote, and the dark drapes behind Lori dropped to the floor, revealing a giant digital clock behind her. "You have one hour," Said Wild Card as the clock began to count down. "Tick, tock, tick, tock."

The screen went dead, showing a "please stand by" message, leaving Lynn shocked and horrified. He has my sister, she thought to herself, desperately trying to remain calm. She could feel the blood boiling in her veins as she clenched her fist.

Not this time, you bastard, she thought. This ends now.