Epilogue
Quick note: This is the epilogue to this story. There will be final words afterwards. Enjoy!
Various news outlets covered the fallout of what happened after Dick Hennessey was exposed, as well as the proven innocence of Jack Slate.
From Kip Waterman of KLAY 17:
"Information has surfaced that implicates key officials in both City Hall and the Grant City Police Department in what federal authorities are already categorizing as capital racketeering and organized criminal intent. Central among those implicated is Deputy Chief Dick Hennessey, head of Grant City's Anti-Crime Squad, and the target of many who feel that his strong-arm tactics fell beyond the law. Also among those implicated was the city's own Mayor William Pinnacle, who was recently believed to have been working with some criminals…"
From Marla Bales of GCNews 23:
"In other news, Jack Slate, a well-known fugitive accused of killing Grant City's philanthropist Augie Blatz was recently proven innocent as information was surfaced that implicated that he had been framed for the murder. Among the information was that Slate's father Frank, who was a private detective at the time of his death, as well as a former Grant City police detective who was removed from the force due to killing an unarmed person, was also found innocent. Newly appointed Mayor Gloria Exner had this to say…"
One month after everything got squared away, Jack was issued a pardon. It turned out that Senator Copeland came through for him. His criminal record was washed away. He was allowed back on the force and was assigned to a detective position. His best friend Chris was given a promotion as captain, and Inness was promoted to lieutenant.
Jack held onto his promise from Ruby's dying wish. Right before she passed from her injuries, she told Jack to find her mother and apologize for her. She gave Jack the photo of when Ruby was a little girl and her mother. Even though Ruby betrayed Jack, he knew that she still loved him, but she had very little smarts in the crime world and also in options to get out while she still could. If she hadn't gotten in too deep, she would still be alive.
Hildy stayed the night with Jack after he was taken to the hospital. She went to visit him on a daily basis until he got better. Chris did the same as well. Hildy also told Jack that she was going to apply for a position as an EMT, as well as apply to be a dance instructor. Jack told her that was great and was happy to see her apply herself with her personal expertise.
Things seemed like they were looking up, but something hit Jack that made him think that his work was not done. Hennessey, Pinnacle, even Rafshoon Diggs was among those who got arrested and sent to Iron Point Penitentiary. Jack felt that his father's murder wasn't fully resolved.
"Slate?" A female voice grabbed Jack's attention. It was Michelle Powell.
"Oh, hey, Powell," Jack said.
"Listen, I'm sorry for everything, not believing you and all that," Michelle said.
"Don't worry about it," Jack said.
"I can't believe I trusted Hennessey," Michelle said.
"He's in jail," Jack said. "He's not getting out, not after all the shit he pulled."
Michelle looked down and away. She had a hard time looking Jack in the eye, especially after she got invasive with Chris helping Jack, as well as tried to search Hildy's apartment without a warrant.
"Well, listen, I got you your mail." She said holding up an envelope and a box.
"Really?" Jack said in a confused tone as he looked down towards with a look of a similar expression.
"Yeah, these are for you."
"Well, thanks." Jack looked at the fine print which said "For Jack Slate." The return address was a PO Box, but it didn't say it was from whom, but something grabbed his attention when the box and envelope had "From the Dark Order" inscribed on them.
Suddenly, Jack's eyes widened. He knew what that meant, but he was not about to check the mail at the station. This was going to be saved for later.
In the halls of a prison, a couple of guards walked alongside a man in an orange jumpsuit. This wasn't just any man. It was Dick Hennessey, formerly of the Grant City Police Department.
"So I have a visitor, huh?" Hennessey said to the guards. "Who came to see me?" Hennessey chuckled.
"You'll find out," One of the guards said.
The door opened. Hennessey walked into a room where there was only a table at the center.
It wasn't long until the door opened and in walked Jack, wearing a black jacket over a blue button-down shirt with a tie and slacks. He looked Hennessey dead in the eye with the same type of rage and hatred that he had when the two got into a scuffle the previous month. In fact, Jack's blood boiled at the sight of him. Jack held a folder in his hand. In that time, Jack pushed the button on the camera in the room.
"Well, Slate, what a surprise," Hennessey said.
"You fucking piece of shit," Jack said.
Jack circled the table with that look venom in his eye as he carried the folder.
"What do you want me to say?" Hennessey said. "Whatever I did, I kept Grant City at the palm of my hand. I served the greater good. But you, I tried to keep you on a leash. You just couldn't keep your nose away from where it didn't belong. Neither could your father. I had to get you two out of the way somehow."
"You could have had Patch kill me instead of frame me," Jack said.
"Well, I did do that later on," Hennessey said. "You just kept getting closer. Shit, Jack, I found your fucking dog's fur at places. That's how I knew it was you who shot up Sanderville's place. That's how I knew it was you at the docks."
"Is that so?" Jack slammed the folder to the table as hard as he could. Hennessey jumped from the impact as Jack stood before him and looked him in the eye.
"Cut the bullshit, Dick," Jack said. "It's over. You think I deserved all of that? First my dad, then me, then Hildy, shit, even the Preacher? I guess everyone gets what they deserve, huh?" He said it in a rhetorical and sarcastic manner.
"That includes you," Jack said and pointed at him. "You ready for life in prison?"
"What are you talking about?" Hennessey said.
"The first thing I want to know is why," Jack said. "Pinnacle told me about why you killed my father, about he got close to Pinnacle's operation, but you couldn't let that happen. I know you and my father had history. You two were friends at one time, but you knew that he was a better cop than you. Tell me, were you planning on killing him even if he didn't, how you put it, 'stick his nose where it didn't belong'?"
Right then and there, Hennessey's blood boiled as his squinted and his eyebrows wrinkled. If there was one thing about Hennessey it was that his skin wasn't that thick that Jack knew what to say to get his blood boiling.
"Fuck you, Slate. Don't give me that shit. I've been on the force way too long, Slate, laying my life on the line for what? A lousy $40,000 a year? Well to hell with that. You screwed up my entire operation."
"Yeah, yeah, keep talking, Dick, because the people at Iron Point are waiting for you."
Jack opened up the folder. It showed evidence of someone taking pictures of having some of Hennessey's GAC cops planting evidence at place. Some of which were people who refused to play ball with him.
"Some of them you put away wrongfully," Jack said. "I'm sure they'll be happy to see you, as well as your GAC boys. Have a nice life, Dick."
Jack stood and walked towards the door.
"That's a fucking death sentence," Hennessey said. "Slate, you can't. I won't last a day in there!"
As soon as Jack got to the door, he looked over his shoulder. "That's the plan."
Hennessey looked down at table in fear and anger at what had just happened.
Sometime later, Jack, Hildy, Chris, and newly free Preacherman all went to the Peaceful Shores Cemetery to go visit Jack's parents' gravesite. Jack also brought along Shadow, as he was back to being used on the force as well. After everything that had happened, Jack felt he needed some closure in the whole ordeal. It didn't mean he would stop visiting his parents' grave after that. It just meant that Jack wanted to bring closure to everything.
Chris and Preacherman gave flowers to the grave, as did Hildy. All Jack did was look down. Chris gave a salute to the tombstone. He always liked Frank and Dolores as people as he grew up with Jack, but at the same time, Chris wanted to pay his respects towards a fallen cop, detective, family friend, a husband, and a father.
"Your folks were good people, bro," Chris said.
Jack nodded as he looked down.
"Look, if you want to be left alone…"
"Nah, you could stay, I just need time to think right now," Jack said.
Hildy turned her attention to Jack and gave him a hug.
"I just want to say thank you," Hildy said.
"Hildy, no, please, not after what you went through," Jack said.
"Jack, I was by your side when you were taken to the hospital and also when you were at the hospital. I came by every day to visit you. You saved my life, and the city. Saying two words is the least I can do."
"Yeah, but I couldn't save the man who saved me so many times," Jack said. "And here we are, another posthumous goodbye."
"Then honor him by being who you are, a good cop, just like he was," Hildy said. "Jack, I love you, I have always loved you and will always love you, but I know you're not ready for anything like that. Just know that I'm always here for you. You can call me anytime. When you're broken, I'll fix you. Just…pick up the tab once in a while."
"I love you, too, Hildy," Jack said. "And you're right, I'm not ready for a relationship or anything like that right now, but I will call you soon."
The two leaned in and kissed each other.
"See you, Jack," Hildy said.
"Later, Hildy," Jack said.
As Hildy walked away, Jack looked down with Shadow crawling towards the headstone. Chris and Preacherman still stood there and paid their respects for Frank.
"How are you holding up, Jack?" Preacherman said.
"Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned," Jack said.
Interesting that Jack said that, because Preacherman wasn't a priest as he was married and had a son. But at some point he found the Lord and wanted to serve God. Preacherman was a deacon, but he had his ways of serving the Lord.
"I know, I have heard about everything that happened after you broke out," Preacherman said. "Chris told me everything."
Jack looked to Chris with an expression of "is that right?" Chris nodded in response.
"I wanted to thank you for what you did," Preacherman said.
"It wasn't much," Jack said.
"Oh, you did plenty," Preacherman said. "You always told me to have faith. You are just like your father. These are trying times. You can't lose faith."
"I always did tell you to have faith," Jack said. "Faith, Padre, faith."
"After your mom died, your father used to come to mass," Preacherman said. "He found peace that way."
"I'm not really looking for it," Jack said.
"Well, if it's any comfort to you, you were your father's pillar of strength, son," Preacherman said.
"And he was mine, and now he's gone," Jack said.
Preacherman touched Jack's shoulder. "You're not alone. If you need me, you know where to find me."
Chris patted Jack on the shoulder. "If you ever need to talk to a friend, you know I'm here for you, bro."
"Thanks, Chris," Jack said.
As the Jones father and son walked away, all who was left at the gravesite were Jack and Shadow.
After everyone left, Jack walked up to the tombstone with Shadow following him. Jack pressed hand on top of the headstone.
"Goodbye, Mom, goodbye, Dad. I will see you soon."
Jack took one last look at the gravesite and walked away.
"Come on, boy, let's go home," Jack said to Shadow.
Things may have looked up, but Jack just had to remember everything that he had gone through, whether it was all those months ago after getting framed and almost getting electrocuted in prison, as well as almost getting killed, this was all because of his unfinished business. Now that everything was settled, Jack had to look up, even if he didn't want to because all he could think about was losing both of his parents.
Thankfully, he still had some support in his life.
Final words: And that was it. I can't believe it took me almost two years to finally finish this, but let me just say that I didn't think I was going to go this long.
I had stated a while back that I was going to change up some elements of the story while it followed the plot of the 2002 original. I did use some elements of Retribution. You could say I did a little "canon welding." For example, Hildy was a composite of Faith from "Dead to Rights: Retribution."
I also kept Eve around because I wanted to do more with her rapport with Jack. I didn't like that she was killed off like that in the original game, but at the same time, I wanted to do more with her. She became more than just a sidekick to Jack, as I did what I could to develop some sexual tension between the two, as well as show that the two were alike in some ways.
Also, regarding the three ladies, I kind of did a Betty and Veronica (of Archie Comics) situation for all three, but it went like this. At first, Hildy was the Betty (and was the Betty throughout the story), while Ruby was the Veronica. But then when Eve came in, she became more of the Veronica while Ruby was a different kind of character where she was less of a love interest but more of a plot device. Jack still cared about her, but not in that way. You could also compare Hildy and Eve to Elena and Chloe from the "Uncharted" games, or even Stacy and Rebecca from "Dead Rising 2."
I used a lot of things as inspiration, whether they are action movies as well as games. I won't pretend that I didn't use elements from "Max Payne" in past chapters. Hell, some of the bits of the ending were from "Sleeping Dogs."
It also must be said that why this went on for a bit longer than I initially wanted it to was because I wanted to more with the characters, as well as also implemented elements from the "Dead to Rights" comic book, like Sanderville and his organization, as well as Pearl. But it could have been different. Before I got the comic, I thought of using more elements from "Dead to Rights II" as part of the plot. Hell, I wondered about "Dead to Rights: Reckoning" as part of the plot. Thankfully I knew my limits and would likely save them for a spin-off or a sequel.
Speaking of which, although this story is over, that doesn't mean I can't continue with it. I may do a sequel or a spin-off at some point. I have something in mind. I shall see.
To those who have read and followed this story, thank you so much. This had been quite the project.