This is Fan Fiction based on the Max Payne Computer game series. It is based on a fictional (yet looks to follow the original) time line of events set years before the first Max Payne game, in particular the years before Max enrols into the NYPD academy.
Chapter 4 – Return of the High School Hero
It was dawn as I left the hospital and headed towards the subway. I played with the book of matches on the platform as I fought with the unwanted combination of my confused thoughts, and my heavy eyelids. It had been a whirlwind of emotions over the last 12 hours or so, starting with an intriguing answer machine message from an old flame, to the hell of seeing the handy work of some scumbags on the very same person. As I boarded the train I was still debating what to do next. I had this little book of matches blazoned with the name of an Irish bar that told me that if they didn't belong to Jen's then they more than likely had been lost by one of the bastards that had paid her a visit last night. I asked myself some million-dollar questions; what do I do now? Do I call the cops? Will get the Justice she deserves? Maybe justice that the cops could offer wasn't enough for Jen.
Before too long the train had reached my stop, and I was heading back to my apartment. The sun was bright and I could feel its warmth on my face, even for the time of day that it was. I felt like I was in a dream and that any moment now the 'real' phone call from Jen would break my slumber and put what I had experienced down to nothing more than a sick, surreal nightmare. Sadly, deep-down I knew that this wasn't the case. I lit up a smoke and pondered once again as I took in a long draw and exhaled.
Then all of a sudden, my head cleared. It was as if someone had turned on an extractor fan in my skull and with it my decision making became finite – I would sort this mess out – I would make amends to what happened to Jen.
Her high school hero had returned!
I got in the apartment and crashed on the sofa. Surprisingly, given what had happened, I fell asleep fairly quickly.
Nothing had changed my mind when I woke up after a couple of hours. If anything I had convinced myself that finding the scum that had attacked Jen was absolutely the right thing to do. Why she was attacked had become less important and I thought further on what I was going to do next.
What the fuck are you going to do next then Max?
The bar – Flanaghan's – that was worth checking out first. Then what?
One step at a time Max…