Shady Seeds Avenue. The poorest neighborhood of Royal Oaks and one of the biggest sections for an 'upgrade' in Doyle Tetherby's plans to make a new Royal Oaks. Many of the residents worked for Tetherby Enterprises in menial labor if not in crime or on welfare. There had been a time where Flip almost had the whole neighborhood in his employ, but with that cheapskate, was it any wonder they all left?

There was one house that was particularly run down: fading paint, a screen door that was just plopped in front of the actual door, trash littered everywhere, and some awful smell escaping the windows, along with an always blaring TV.

Within said house there was Taylor, bound and gagged on a bed she was handcuffed too, tearstained cheeks and muffled screaming as she struggling to break free.

"I'm back!"

Taylor froze and began to pay that the owner of that voice didn't come down to the basement.

DM-LH

With a takeout bag in his clutch, Smiley bounced into his house, making his way over to the couch across from the TV.

"Hey mom. Hey pop. How was today?" The teen asked the two he sat between. He got no response. He then remembered something; he reached into his pocket and slipped a card into his dad's shirt pocket before grabbing another. "Here ya go dad. Maxed it out. Just one more, let's hope it lasts, huh? Mr. Durant doesn't pay me until next week, after all."

Still no response. Smiley chuckled as he opened his takeout bag, popping some dumplings into his mouth before opening Chicken Chow Mein and losing himself into the TV, which he flipped through as he ate.

If one wondered why Smiley's parents didn't respond, all they would have to do to look at them to understand: They were long dead, their necks slit and their skin turning a greenish grey with flies flying around them.

Finishing his dinner, Smiley stood up to stretch and made his way to his room before catching a glimpse of the small yard behind the house.

"Oh yeah! I ought to check on those two."

Smiley made his way outside; were he saw a doll sitting upwards across from an empty tea set and shovel. The teen leant downwards to beside the shovel and hearing nothing, adopted a confused look before grabbing the shovel and beginning to dig.

A minute later, he smirked at what he saw:

"Oh yeah, he's gone."

There was Hank, or rather, his body. Smiley looked over to the doll and asked in a rather sweet voice:

"Did you have fun with him, sissy? I know he was kind of big and dumb, but hey, I DID promise to bring you friends, right?"

The doll said nothing.

"Oh right!" Smiley chuckled, quickly reburying Hank before turning the doll over, revealing a tiny tombstone…..just as his cellphone rang and Smiley groaned. "Gimme a sec."

The teenager made his way over to the counter where his cell was charging, was annoyed at whomever was interrupting his off time before he saw who was calling him.

"Mr. Durant! How can I help you? No, no, I just got in. Hank? Oh no need to worry about him. Yeah, he's taken care off. So, what're we going to do now? Oh? Oh. Aw, man…I was looking forward to…Oh, I get her back when she answers your questions? And I get to take some of the cop who drove us' bribe? Nice! 10 minutes? Yeah, we'll be ready. See ya soon!"

The teenage psychopath then ended the call and opened the door to the basement, spying Taylor just as he had left her.

"Mr. Durant wants to speak to ya." Smiley giggled. "Apparently, Any and Pablo were too beat to speak, so you'll have to explain what happened. But we got a few minutes before our ride arrives, so…"

Taylor begged under her gag as Smiley advanced on her.

To be continued….

A short surprise chapter, to hopefully make Smiley almost, if not more loathed as Durant. Plus, with Halloween days away, I figured this story needed something 'scary' or 'shocking' to make up for not seeing Lincoln's face.

Smiley's character is based off how he was written the Darkman novelization. As you can tell? REAL piece of work, this kid. Anyone want to see him go?

Next chapter, hopefully up Thursday, will be the much needed slice of life/adjustment chapter, with some much needed comedic moments in it.

Until then? Stay safe out there!