Max Payne- Chapter 2: Snap

The ominous feeling in my gut had returned, this day wouldn't end well, and if it did, it would be a pleasant surprise. I was almost ready to give up, to just turn myself in and end this cycle of pain and suffering that I started years ago.

After only a few moments of sitting in peace, a nurse, an attractive one at that, entered the room. She gave a warm and compassionate smile, and walked straight over to me.

"Well, it's good to see you're feeling better, Detective. Sleep well?"

"Hardly..."

"What's that?"

"I said, "Just great"."

"Oh, alright, would you like to watch some TV?"

She reached for the remote, and the TV chimed to life, the image dark at first. I knew that I wasn't in the mood for this, not for anything right now.

"No, no...That's alri...", I managed to get those words out before I heard the reporter speaking on the television.

"Fugitive murder suspect, Mona Sax, was found today, hiding out in an old warehouse on 114th Street and Maple Pines Boulevard. She was quickly taken into custody. When she seemed to be giving up, she struggled free from the hold of the Officer, and took his gun from his holster. The team of police that were there took swift and drastic action and opened fire on her immediately. She was shot dead. No officer was harmed in the shooting. Mona Sax, dead at 32. In other news..."

My mouth sat there, hanging open, I must have seemed like a fool, but what did I care? I could feel my jaw dropping halfway through, I knew that she was dead as soon as she took the gun. I...she's dead. She's not coming back this time... I felt the pain of tears stinging at the corners of my eyes, this was too much. First my wife and daughter, now Mona? The bullet moved to the center of my brain, releasing it's deadly venom into my thoughts. It exploded, brain matter all over the room, my eyes rolling to the back of my head.

"Well, I'm glad she's gone. I heard that she killed over 50 people! She..."

My brain snapped in two.

"...was nothing but a menace to society. She would have killed me if she had the chance, I'm sure!"

I felt my body collapse beneath it's own weight, knees giving in, crumbling into my chest.

"Oh, didn't you know her Detective? Must of been some run in! No doubt she put you in here..."

I came to reality again, my eyes focusing on the nurse.

"Excuse me, for a moment." I said, standing up from the bed, also hearing her turn off the TV with the press of a button. I stepped out of the room for a moment, seeing a police officer standing outside my room. I poked him in the shoulder lightly, trying to get his attention.

"Excuse me, officer?", I said harshly. My voice growing hoarse and painful.

"Yes, Detective? Whoa...are you alright?"

"Yes...I'm fine. But, you're not." My right hand balled into a fist, swinging swiftly and connecting with the officer's face. He went down like a sack of potatoes, nothing but dead weight. I quickly crouched down and removed the pistol he had inside his holster. I reached into his pockets, taking any clips he had, and the keys to his car. I held the gun up in the air, and everyone in the hallway automatically ducked and ran and began screaming in panic. I returned to my room.

"Mr. Payne, what's going o..."

She immediately backed away when she saw the gun pointed at her. She had no reason to worry, though, I wasn't going to kill her.

"Get out."

She did as she was told, leaving the room quickly and running down the hall. I went over to my roommate's bed, Jim Bravura, Lieutenant Chief James Bravura. He had been the lead officer on Mona's trail. It's his fault that all of this happened, he could have stopped it, he could have done...something.

"Jim...you could have stopped all this. You just wanted to save yourself, huh? You really managed to survive dozens of bullets to the chest, you fight to live, why? Well Jim, no more fighting, no need. You're done.", I placed the mouth of the pistol to his temple. "Survive this." I pulled the trigger, his monitor now showing his pulse flatlining.

More screams could be heard, but I didn't stick around for someone to do something about it. I ran from the hospital room, throwing on my trench coat. People automatically scattering out of my way, I was almost on the top floor. I ran for the elevators down the hall, my finger smashing into the button with impatience. Sweat began rolling down my cheeks...what had I done? The elevator doors opened, I almost entered, but I soon realized that the elevator was not unoccupied. I looked up to see to policemen inside the elevator, my heart stopped almost. They must've gotten the call, as all of the other elevator doors began opening up with more policemen stepping out. I bit down on my lip, and dove towards the ones in the elevator in front of me. My gun fired off two shots, taking both down before they could draw theirs, and landing inside the elevator. I pressed the 1st floor button, the other policemen began rushing down the hall to get to me, but as soon as I saw a blue uniform flash before my eyes, the doors closed. Safe for now, and not a scratch. I picked up one of the guns that now lay on the floor, he wouldn't need it anymore.

"Fuck! He got away. Alright boys, let's take the stairs, it's quicker. Let's move!" The squad of officers began filing quickly down the hall into the stairway that led all the way to the bottom of the hospital, if I was lucky, I would be able to reach the bottom before they could get to me.

The elevator doors flew open and I ran out into the lobby, through all of the sick people waiting to be seen by the doctors. No signs of cops yet, but as I turn the corner to the front doors, the squad from upstairs bursts out of the stairwell and began aiming at me. Morons, innocent people are going to get hurt. I ran faster, out the front door in a flash, I didn't want anyone to get hurt that didn't deserve it. They were smart than I thought, because as soon as reached the doors and everything was clear, they opened fire. Time seemed to slow down, bullets rushing past my head. I felt invincible, unable to be stopped by anyone. That is...until a bullet went tearing through my arm. I didn't feel it. Adrenaline. I dove to the outside, it was cold, raining, and unforgiving outside. Just as how I had left it not too long ago. I pulled the keys out of my pocket, quickly looking at the number carved into the end of it. "147252". It was the number to the officer's car. I looked around, not being able to see it, bullets still flying at me. I stopped and turned to them, diving backwards, letting out a barrage of bullets from my pistols. It was a group of 7 cops, and I took out 3, injured 2, and the other 2 left unscathed. A bullet pierced my side, but the pain was minimal, seemingly dull. I lay down on the ground, guns pointed at the officers, waiting for the next move.

"Drop your weapons, throw them away, and put your hands behind your head!...Hey! I won't ask you again!"

I rolled backwards through mud, bullets fired at my feet, and I sat upright onto my knees and fired one bullet from each gun. One went through the left officer's throat, the other went through the second officer's knee. They fell to ground, the one who had been shot in throat was now flopping around like a fish out of water, he was suffering. I stood up, mud now dampening my clothing, I pressed forward to the feet of the suffering officer.

"I'm sorry it had to be this way." I held my gun up and pulled the trigger, the bullet piercing the officer's skull.

I ran in the opposite direction, like I had been doing previously, searching deviantly for the car that I needed. And there it was, sitting right next to a beat up van. I ran even faster when I spotted it, my hand already holding out the keys in anticipation. When I reached the car, I pushed the key in and twisted, pulling the door open and sliding inside. I was soaked from the rain and mud, nothing I could do about that. I shook my head about like a dog would after stepping in from a storm or after a bath. I stuck the keys into the ignition, turned and listened to the car roar with victory. I backed out slowly, and pulled out of the parking lot on towards the scene of Mona's death, where I was sure they still were. I pulled out onto the highway, leaving death behind to finish his dirty work.