The Deal

It had been 20 minutes since Jack's attempted murder, as Jack, along with Chris and Eve had taken a drive out to North Field West. It was close to midnight, but a lot had gone down that night. Jack went to his old precinct to find some evidence that his former police lieutenant had. It became apparent that Hennessey had a lot of the city wrapped around his little finger, but Jack wanted to bring that to an end.

On top of that, Ruby, Jack's ex-girlfriend, had gone to his hideout, likely at the behest of Fahook Ubduhl, to kill him. Jack figured that one way Fahook would let her live is if she took him out. In any case, all Ruby had to do was get out of town as soon as possible.

The trio stopped at Razwell Autos. At this time of night, Hildy agreed to meet with Jack, but he didn't come alone. Hildy turned on the lights to her brother's garage and unlocked the front door of the business. With her brother and her mother asleep upstairs, she told Jack and the other two to be as quiet as possible so that they wouldn't wake up.

"What's going on, Jack?" Hildy said as she stood there in a bathrobe with her pajamas underneath, which was just an old Grant High t-shirt that she kept since her high school days, as well as plaid pants.

Jack busted out the box and set it on a table in the lobby area. In that same room, there was a door that led into Hildy's brother's office as it said "KEEP OUT; OWNER MICHAEL RAZWELL" on the window. Jack opened the box. Suddenly, Hildy's eyes shifted towards the tabs in the box, along with small plastic bags in there.

"What the hell?" Hildy said. Some of the folders drew her attention. But what drew her attention the most was the one of F. Slate, as well as P. Jones, among others like W. Pinnacle.

Hildy looked at the files. "Holy shit, Jack, your dad was framed." Hildy shifted towards Chris. "Your father was framed, too. I really don't know what to say about all this."

"If you think that's bad, look at this," Jack said and pulled out the VHS tape. In the office there was a small CRT TV with a built-in VCR. Jack pushed the tape into the VCR slot and turned on the TV. All four people watched the footage on the tape. Hildy gained a look of "oh my god" on her face. Eve had a look of surprise, but more in a different sense, like if she was surprised that this crooked cop admitted to his wrongdoings. Jack and Chris didn't react in any way, as they were there when it happened, especially Jack, who was front and center.

"So this cop killed your dad?" Hildy said.

Jack nodded his head. "I want you to take some of these files to the press, they'll run a story on all of this."

"But does this have anything to do with your dad's murder?" Hildy said.

"Some of it does," Jack said. "It turns out my dad's case had a lot to do with a stash of gold that the mayor had found and made a deal with Fahook Ubduhl, but my ex-captain had all of this information. I think he's the real mastermind behind all of the crime in Grant City."

"Shit," Hildy said. "I don't know what to say."

"So will you do this for me?" Jack said.

As the two talked, Chris and Eve looked at each other with a touch of confusion. It was as if something was a bit off about this suggestion. Hildy sighed in skepticism.

"Jack," Chris said and pointed out the doorway. "I need to talk to you over there."

As the two men walked away, Hildy was left in the room with Eve, who had taken a liking to Jack when she started working with him. However, Hildy had history with Jack, with the two growing up together and having been in a relationship years prior. The mutual feelings that Jack and Hildy never had gone away, but Jack had felt an attraction towards Eve as well, despite not wanting to be distracted in his personal mission.

In the garage area, Chris stood near a car with Jack in front of him. "Are you fucking crazy, Jack?"

"What? What's wrong?" Jack said.

"You want Hildy to give Hennessey's files to the press, but you don't think Hennessey could have one of Fahook Ubduhl's men or those crazy twins to kill her?" Chris said. "Or you don't think Hennessey could have any of his crooked GAC members get her?"

"Hildy doesn't have anything to do with this," Jack said. "She could easily bring the files to the press."

"Come on, Jack, you yourself said that Hennessey's got the whole city on lock," Chris said. "If he had some shit to get my pops in jail, as well as know who Hildy is and that you and her were close. Shit, Jack, I can see that you're still close with her."

Jack turned around and saw that in the room that Hildy looked at some of the files while Eve talked to her.

"Just know this, bro, if you care about Hildy, you wouldn't have her do this," Chris said.

"Hennessey killed my dad," Jack said.

"I get that, but you got to remember that I just got off the force," Chris said. "I've seen other cops do some shit he says. You see that he is connected. I'm saying this as your friend, this isn't a good idea."

Jack took another look at Hildy. He couldn't but think that Chris had a point about all of this. Fahook could have those twins kill her, or even kidnap her but kill her family. Hennessey could probably have some other ways to get to her.

In the other room while the men talked in the garage, Hildy looked at the pictures and other files.

"You and Jack go way back, don't you?" Eve said. "You two had something special."

Hildy looked up and looked Eve directly in the eye when she heard the assassin say that. "What did you say?"

"I can tell, I see it your eyes," Eve said.

Hildy sighed. "Not sure if I should answer that."

"It's okay, doctor, I've helped Jack lately," Eve said. "You can tell me."

"I don't know, how do I know that you won't…?" Hildy already had a vibe from her, especially if Eve had saved Jack from being killed, as well as had something to do with the body count at the docks.

"I may be a killer, but I know my limits," Eve said. "Most of the people I kill, it's usually a job, but I have my own code. Jack is a good guy. I don't kill good people. I've helped him out."

Hildy took a deep breath. "It's just been crazy lately. I don't know what I got myself into."

Eve saw it in her eyes that she had been through a lot. Hildy was at the docks at the same time Jack was getting tortured. Somehow she suspected that something was up, especially with how there was that other young woman with Hildy.

"You killed someone, didn't you?" Eve said.

Hildy looked up in shock at what she had heard. "What?"

"Trust me, I know the feeling," Eve said.

"I don't know what you mean," Hildy said.

Eve sat down next to her. "Doctor, I do this shit all the time. I know the feeling of someone who has never done this before."

A chill went through Hildy's veins. She had been kidnapped. She was almost trafficked. She had killed a person.

"That guy was almost going to kill me and my friend. I did what I had to do, but I just didn't think I would actually do it."

Eve responded, "That was self-defense. If you didn't do what you did, you wouldn't be sitting here right now."

Then it hit Eve. For all of the danger that Jack had been in, as well as herself, she saw that Jack wanted Hildy to deliver the files to the press, but it was only a matter of time if that dirty cop would find out that his evidence was gone. If that cop had dirt on a lot of criminals, he had connections, and chances were good that Hildy would be targeted in some way. She also saw that Hildy was still shaken over shooting someone, self-defense or not. This woman was not a killer, nor was she a criminal. For a professional killer, Eve had a way of seeing things and also had a heart.

"Excuse me," Eve said. She walked out of the room and into the garage where Jack and Chris were.

"Jack, don't make her do this," Eve said.

Jack nodded his head. "I actually agree. I can't let Hildy get involved in this."

Jack, along with Chris and Eve went back into the room while Hildy still looked at the files.

"Hildy, I changed my mind," Jack said. "I'll do it myself."

"Jack, I want to help," Hildy said.

"I know, and I appreciate that," Jack said. "But I can't get you involved in this. Besides, I got into some shit tonight."

"What happened?" Hildy said.

"Ruby came to my place, she tried to kill me," Jack said.

"Are you fucking kidding me? Ruby tried to kill you?" Hildy said.

Chris cut in, "And she had these creepy twin girls with her."

Just then, Hildy remembered those twins from the other night. She remembered that they had really short hair with a silver job and wore all black. There was something sinister about them, especially when one of them shot an innocent woman in cold blood.

"I can't believe this," Hildy said with so much disgust in her voice. Jack was aware that Ruby was involved in Hildy's abduction.

"Don't worry, this is going to end really soon," Jack said.

"So what are you going to do?" Hildy said.

"I'm going to lie low for a bit longer," Jack said.

"Where will you go?" Hildy said. "You can't stay here."

Hildy was right. With Jack having second thoughts about having Hildy bring the evidence to the press, the last thing he wanted was to put Hildy in danger. The same could be said about her family.

Chris cut in, "Jack, I would have you stay with me, but Melissa won't like that. Plus, Hennessey's got to know something if I helped you earlier."

"He can stay with me," Eve said.

"I don't know about this, Eve," Jack said.

"Nobody will find you at my place," Eve said. "Nobody has found me yet."

"Good idea," Jack said. "This will give me some time before everything gets settled."

"Well, Jack, you owe me big time for everything," Eve said with a bit of a smirk. "I have saved your ass, as well as covered you. Now I am allowing you to stay with me before all the heat dies down."

"I will have to repay you somehow," Jack said.

"Well," Eve said as a smile rose on her face. "I'll think of something." She said it in a flirty tone.

Hildy looked at Eve with such suspicion about this. Because Jack and Eve had been working together a lot lately, the thought hadn't occurred to her until now that Eve was attracted to Jack. Hildy knew that Jack's feelings for her never went away, but with Eve in the mix of all this, she wondered how she should feel about this. But she should also know that Jack was not ready for anything romantic. After all, despite being an old girlfriend, she also saw Jack as an old friend as they grew up together.

Jack picked up the box of evidence. He agreed with Chris and Eve about how he shouldn't have Hildy involved in this, despite her wanting to help Jack.

"Looks like I am on my own for this," Jack said to Hildy. "Soon enough, you'll be back at your place."

Hildy nodded her head and then wrapped her arms around Jack. "Be careful out there, okay?"

"I will," Jack said and then was on his way out along with Eve and Chris.

"Wait, Eve," Hildy said, and then Eve turned towards her. "Listen, I want to thank you for saving him that night. Well, actually, those other times you saved him, too. I was so scared that he was going to die. He thinks he doesn't have much to lose. How could I ever repay you?"

"I'll think of something," Eve said. "As for the other thing, I don't have a lot to lose myself. When your main motivation is getting revenge for a lost loved one, it could cloud your own judgment. I should know."

Right then, Hildy saw what Eve meant, as she saw that there was more than met the eye in Jack's motivation, as well as Eve's motivation. Although Eve wasn't clear as to whom her loved one was, but she saw that this woman still had a heart despite being a killer.

Hildy also thanked Chris for helping out Jack with breaking him out of holding and getting away from Hennessey. Jack, Chris, and Eve all left. Eve stood there and watched as they took off. Hildy then locked the door and then turned off the lights to her brother's garage, along with the other rooms, and then finally went back upstairs. Her brother and her mother were still asleep and none the wiser.

Chris took off back to his house. Jack drove Eve back to her hideout. Apparently any time she was on an important job, she would either steal a car so that it wouldn't trace back to her, or she would find a ride to get there. She would drive her own car depending on the situation. She had driven her own car that night at Sanderville's mansion as well as to Dock 765. Jack had hoped that this idea of staying with her would work.

MEANWHILE, ELSEWHERE, EARLIER THAT NIGHT…

That same night, Hennessey went to Warden Air Force Base to meet with Fahook and Pinnacle, who had called for a meeting because the three had been working together. Also there was Rafshoon, who was there as Pinnacle's bodyguard, despite also having worked for Fahook.

Fahook sat at his desk with a bottle of champagne. "A toast, gentlemen?"

"We're not here for a drink, Fahook," Hennessey said. "I'm here to discuss something. In fact, you called me over here when I dealt with my shit."

"Quiet, you and I have had a deal, remember?" Fahook said. "Because you have the power over me, you still wanted a piece of the deal that me and the mayor have."

Pinnacle stood there as he lit a cigar, not being phased one bit by what Fahook said.

"What do you want from me, Fahook?" Hennessey said. "Do you want Slate? That's not going to happen. I have him. He's not going anywhere."

"I'm afraid you're wrong about that…Richard," Fahook said. With him addressing him by his full name, it appeared that he meant business, especially with that pause.

"My associates likely had taken care of him already," Fahook said.

"But that's impossible, I have Slate in custody," Hennessey said.

"That's where you're wrong," Fahook said. "My associates found him. They likely took care of the problem already."

"What do you want, Fahook?" Hennessey said with so much derision in his voice.

"What I want from you is a little adjustment to our arrangement," Fahook said.

"You already know that there is nothing you could do," Hennessey said. "I could put you, and the mayor in jail. With all the shit that you've been doing, you could be rotting in Iron Point right now."

"Not if I get out of the country first," Fahook said.

Hennessey gritted his teeth and glared at Fahook for that remark.

Pinnacle cut in, "Please, can't we just discuss this like gentlemen? Besides, Dick, didn't you get what you wanted? You already have your share of gold from our stash. Plus, with Slate out of the picture, you don't have to worry now, don't you?"

Pinnacle then turned towards Fahook. "And Fahook, you were the one who helped out with the project with the subway. You wanted a piece of the action of my stash, you helped fund for the new subway. We all had deals. Slate is done. There's not much else to worry about."

However, unbeknownst the other two, Pinnacle had talked with Jack about eliminating Hennessey, but with him gone, there's not much else to be done.

Fahook took a sip of his champagne. "Now that our problem has been settled, among other things, I think it's time we split in our control of Grant City."

"Not a fucking chance," Hennessey said. "You assholes work for me. Grant City is mine, and don't you forget it."

RING! RING! RING! Suddenly, Hennessey's phone rang.

"Hello," Hennessey said. "What? He's gone?! WHAT?! ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?!"

The way Hennessey shouted, Fahook and Pinnacle looked at him like something was wrong, but mostly for the crooked police lieutenant. If that wasn't enough, Hennessey started to growl. It was like Fahook and Pinnacle knew what was wrong.

"Well, I guess maybe you have a problem, don't you, chief?" Fahook said.

"Fuck you," Hennessey said.

RING! RING! RING! Another phone rang. This time it was Fahook's phone.

"Hello," Fahook said, and then quickly started talking in Arabic. ["What? Slate's alive? Ruby's gone? You go find her. No, don't kill her. I want to deal with her myself before she dies. Bring her to me."]

Although there was a language barrier, all the men in the room, ranging from Hennessey to Rafshoon to Pinnacle, it seemed that the tone in Fahook's voice meant something was not right in that moment.

"What's going on, Fahook?" Pinnacle said.

"Slate's alive," Fahook said. "And I think I know a way to get to Slate once and for all. After ruining my operation, having my weapon shipment taken away, he must pay."

But Hennessey had an idea of his own. He knew that the last thorn in his paw was still out there. He thought maybe he should take him out instead.

The next night, Meeshaka and Shadraka managed to find Ruby. They complied with Fahook's orders to bring her alive. Inside a torture a chamber, Ruby hung by a rope tied around her wrists. She was in her underwear, with bruises all over her bare body, ranging from her legs to her abdomen to her face. Her face was moist, too, from the blood, sweat, and tears at the hands of Meeshaka and Shadraka, who used whips and batons on her.

The door opened. In walked Fahook, as well as Rafshoon. Ruby was lucky that Fahook didn't use Rafshoon on her, as if she was his punching bag that he would use to hone his boxing skills.

"You're probably wondering why you're still breathing, aren't you, Ruby?" Fahook said.

Ruby didn't answer. She had already suffered a lot lately.

"You're also wondering why my associates didn't just shoot you," Fahook said. "The only reason you're alive is because I allowed it. But because you betrayed me, whether it was stealing gold for Sanderville, as well as letting my latest supply of women free, it's a wonder you're breathing."

"Fahook…," Ruby said with so much weakness in her voice. "I…"

"You what?" Fahook said and grabbed Ruby by her jaw. "There's nothing you can do."

"You…have to…give me one more chance," Ruby said.

"You had Slate in your sights, you had your chance," Fahook said.

"I know a way to bring him here," Ruby said.

"Oh, do tell," Fahook said with a mild touch of derision.

"You want to take out Slate yourself," Ruby said. "I also know someone who could be perfect for your trade."

"Who is it?" Fahook said.

"Her name is Hildy Razwell," Ruby said.

Fahook nodded his head. "You better not fail me this time, or else you will die."

Ruby nodded her head as she breathed hard with sweat and tears dripping down her face down to her chest.

Fahook got out of the chamber and approached the twins, as well as Hennessey and Pinnacle.

"Well, it looks like Ruby is playing ball," Fahook said. "She told me the perfect plan to get Slate to all of us."

Fahook turned to Hennessey. "I know that we have our deal, but you need to do something for me. I need you to look for Hildy Razwell."

"That won't be a problem," Hennessey said.

"Good, then I'll send Meeshaka and Shadraka to get her," Fahook said.

"No, let me do it my way," Hennessey said.