The defects and fault of the mind are like the wound in our body; after all imaginable care has been taken to heal them up still there will be a scar left behind. François la Rochefoucauld (French writer)
WASHINGTON, D.C
PLACE UNKNOWN
"Come on jimmy, let's go…we are late already…we have an agent to kill today", the brown eyed man with military built and a scar cutting his left eye in half asked to Jim who was doing pushups with one hand on the floor.
"I don't feel like doing it…Ronald you made a promise…we don't kill woman", He asked with remorse lacing his voice.
"Oh come on…. we are not gonna kill her our way…we are gonna kill her theirs way….see there is a difference in that…I am holding my end of the promise… don't forget that…", he asked excitedly and brought out the black mask from his bag, "Besides I don't think I have killed feds before…we should get a new medal for that"
"Doesn't make it any easier bro", he said with his head lowered down in shame.
"Come on bro…don't be like that…I promise we will make it quick…don't forget the bleach…those goons should be good for cleaning after all", Ronald said wickedly.
"Let's get it over with…", Jimmy said while putting the hat on his head.
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WASHINGTON, D.C
U-STREET MUSIC HALL, SATURDAY, 7:00 PM
"Wally …sure moves fast", Kaldur said while taking a sip from his beer. Kaldur, Richard and Wally were in the club and Wally as usual was dancing with some unknown brunette on the dancing floor. Richard was waiting for Zatanna to show up and was currently sitting on the sofa beside Kaldur who was looking more sophisticated than usual.
"So, what's up…I am pretty sure you didn't join us to have a party. What's on your mind", Richard inquired as he noticed the stress in his demeanor.
"Is Artemis coming?", Kaldur asked instead of giving an answer to his previous question.
"No, I couldn't get a hold of her…She must be in lecture Hall…She had those seminars on weekends", Richard answered truthfully, "why….was there any problem with the report?"
"Look first I was just told that I was to access her because of her history of some psychotic illness. I didn't know she has a connection with the most prolific serial killer in our database" Kaldur asked again, "The whole reaper thing….did you knew about it…"
Richard smiled and asked in a questioning tone " she didn't have a connection… she was a victim…It's Selina isn't it…", Kaldur didn't reply instead gave him a hard glare as an answer, "Well if that's the case…let us be clear on one thing I know her and her past doesn't define her…", he replied back with the same intensity as him, "…As far as I am concerned, this talk is over. Whatever your reservations are please think twice of its implications before doing anything…", Richard said as he got up from his seat and waved Zatanna who was just entering into the club, "Hey …Zee over here".
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"Where is she?", Zatanna asked as she took shot of Vodka.
"She probably didn't got the text", Richard said while taking a shot of beer himself, "Shouldn't you be drinking wine?"
"Nah wine is for girls…vodka is the real drink", She said as she got up from her seat and eyed Wally having fun with the some girl on the floor, "you know I am missing Artemis here…she keeps him in line…"
"You are right….besides I think she needs to get out of that hell hole of hers more often…give me a minute…be right back", Richard excused himself from Zatanna and dragged Wally away from the dancing brunette. They argued about for a while then Wally dejectedly left the club.
"What did you do", Zatanna asked with the smile.
"I told him either he is to get Artemis here or Kaldur is gonna make him clean the HQ for the whole month ….washrooms included …as a penalty for not participating in Team bonding activity"
"Wait….could Kaldur do that?", Zatanna asked surprised.
"Nah..", Richard answered with a cheeky smile.
"You are good", Zatanna appreciated
Richard laughed and asked, "wanna dance"
"Thought you would never ask, Mr. Brain"
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FBI- BEHAVIORIAL SCIENCE UNIT, TEACHING FACILITY
SATURDAY, 8:30 PM
"Walls….Wally…Wally…hey jackass get up", Wally jerked up awake instantly at the sound of Artemis's slang, "get your lazy butt out of here…I have to lock up the Hall", Artemis said tiredly not wanting to deal with anyone after three hours of lecture.
"Hmm", Wally got up from the seat and yawned while stretching his hands "Really …I scarified my precious one hour and 17 minutes to be exact from my very…very important GL-night and that's how you are treating me? How rude?", Wally wined as he saw her locking the hall and moving towards her room as a good irritating friend he was he followed her too.
"GL-night?... And BTW you were asleep from the moment you sat down. Why are you complaining?", Artemis asked as she got inside her room, took out her brief case and start arranging files on her desk.
"Hey...totally not my fault…your lecture was so boring that I had to put myself in self-induced coma to survive", Artemis snorted and Wally passed her an innocent smile, "and FYI GL-night means…Getting laid night", Wally explained with a wink as he start helping her adjusting the files.
"Gross….get out of here right now you pervert", Artemis answered with fake anger, "I don't remember giving you a booty call", Artemis teased with a smile on her face.
"…..", Wally face become as red as his hair in an instant, "I didn't mean it like it that…"
"Oh really… mind if I ask why are you waiting for me at your getting laid night", Artemis asked as she took a step towards him with a predatory smile on her face enjoying his discomfort.
Wally gulped and took a step back, his heart racing at the speed of light, his hands becoming sweaty and his mouth becoming dry, "I was …hoping to take you…to bar ….everyone…", Wally stuttered as he struggled to complete his sentence.
Artemis leaned in more closer to him, "and you say you are not here for getting laid …getting drunk …getting laid… is that my big boy's plan…mama will be so proud", She lightly whispered intentionally looking towards his lips with a playful smirk on her face.
"hey it's not like that…you know…. I wouldn't …even …touch you… with a ten foot… pole", Wally said this time without stuttering hoping to regain some of his dignity back which was proving quite difficult now because she was just standing a centimeter away from him, her hot breath leaving its mark on his face and the sweet pine forest smell from her hair invading his nostrils impairing his ability to think.
"Oh really…are you sure", Artemis inched forward and moved a little more closer to him, she bit her lip intentionally and move closer to his ear, "…. Relax Wally… I am not gonna rape you", Artemis said loudly and wally become tomato red in a second, "Oh my God, Wally….you should have seen your face …holy shit…", Artemis was laughing so hard that she was having a difficult time standing on her feet so, she took support from the nearest thing which happens to be Wally's jacket.
"Very funny Arty", Wally snorted but let her laugh her heart out, "Would you stop it?", Artemis ignored him and keep on laughing, "Yayyy you made the joke of the day…congratulations now will you stop laughing like an idiot", Wally said after a while sarcastically clearly not like being played; embarrassed but hating himself for liking the sound of her husky laugh. 'My heart has lost its mind', he thought to himself and kept on holding the stupid girl laughing like a clown in his hands.
"Oh my god …..I think I am gonna be sick…", Artemis said while recovering from the fit of laughter, she sat down on the chair while holding her stomach; laughing lightly.
"So the maniac finally decides to come back into his senses, I felt relieved", Wally said while handing her the glass of water and came to sit beside her.
"Seriously Wally! Please don't embarrass yourself anymore and perform the honors of telling me what exactly are you doing here?", Artemis said while taking a glass of water from his hands and , " and thanks".
"I was doing you a favor….. Everyone is waiting for us in the bar…Kal, Zee, Dick … they thought it would be good idea if they sent me here to pick you up because you were not answering your phone…..of course naturally I objected but since it was an order I have to come here. Now would you please drop your stupid act and come with me… we are already late", Wally explained to her in one breath.
Before she could reply, Artemis phone start ringing. She took a one glance at number and said instantly, "Sorry got to take that", she got up from the sofa grabs a pen and notepad from the table and walks a few paces away from him.
"Yeah sure", Wally said with a smile and then mumbled afterwards sarcastically, "Wally's rent a car service; take all the time you need", he got up from the seat and start looking into the files placed on her desk. His bored expression turned into the frown the moment he opened the file.
"You are working for CIA?", he asked the moment she got back in the room.
"Doesn't anybody tells you to mind your own business, you jack ass", Artemis conveyed the message by snatching the case file from his hand, "and yeah I am So what?"
"Look FBI and CIA they just don't date ok…we are like the natural enemies or something and you are asking me what's the problem here? Bruce will have your head on the stick if he figures out that….", Wally tried to explain the problem but Artemis cut him off.
"FYI I not only work for CRIG..i work for NCAVC too and this case I have been on it for the last three months…. So, please don't put too much pressure on your airbrain, it will burst…get out of here I had to go too", Artemis opens the door for him to move out.
"But what about the club?...Kaldur said it's essential; some team bonding exercise or something", he asked innocently as he start moving out of her room.
"Club and essential…", Artemis raised an eyebrow at that while wally returned the dumb expression with pleasure. She sighed and thought for a while, "Does metro downtown stop comes in our way?", Wally nodded in agreement, "fine let me get my jacket", Artemis said tiredly while Wally said with joy, "Finally"
Artemis's phone beeped again. It was a message from the Kaldur, "Text me when you are free. We need to discuss something", Artemis typed "ok boss" and ran to catch up with wally.
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WASHINGTON, D.C
DOWNTOWN METRO STOP, 9:00 PM
"Just wait over here for a minute, I will be right back", Artemis said as she move out of the car and instructed Wally.
"Let me come with you… it's pretty late and….. Downtown metro stop …at 9 trust me not a good place to be alone", Wally insisted, "What are you doing here anyway?"
"Hello Wally…CIA remember…you know how they feel about their secret identities…I just have to give a number and a code to my locker in the Baltimore to an agent…stop acting like someone is gonna kill me down there", Artemis said while waving a pen in the air, "I will tell you about the case later"
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U-STREET MUSIC HALL.
"Ouch…", Zatanna complained as Richard stepped on her foot, "I thought you were good at this". They were dancing on a slow song with Richard holding her through waist and Zatanna had one hand on his shoulder and one intervened with his hand.
"I am… really…it's just you …make me kind …of nervous…", Richard confessed while admiring the beauty of a girl in his arms.
"I do?", Zatanna asked with a teasing smile
"Yeah….like kind of a really really…nervous", Zatanna laughed whole heartedly on that while Richard said awkwardly; "I am acting weird, don't i?"
Zatanna laughed again and pressed herself closer to him, "Don't worry I can handle weird"
"Does that mean that I got a chance at you?", Richard asked getting more closer to her face now.
"You already have it", Zatanna smiled once more and backed away a few steps from him and challenged, "I am just waiting for you to take it"
"Well maybe I need to learn to take more chances then", Richard asked while tilting his head and moving closer to her again. He leaned more closely to her and gently touches his forehead with her.
Zatanna smiled and said, "May be you do". Richard smiled and slightly brushed her lips when she didn't back away, he kissed. The time went still as his lips touched her. He could feel his heart beating hard and fast against her chest. A kiss so passionate and yet so innocent that it overwhelms their whole existence. Their lips moved together in a perfect synchrony making them forget about the whole world. Zatanna pulled away for air, her forehead leaning against his. Richard smiled a sweet smile making his already beautiful blue eyes look even more beautiful than usual. Zatanna couldn't help but grin too.
"Wow", they both said at the same time. Richard laughed loudly and said, "Talking together huh…Does that mean we could go to honeymoon now?"
"Depends where we are going?", Zatanna asked seductively.
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WASHINGTON, D.C
DOWNTOWN METRO STOP, 9:00 PM
The metro stop was deserted to say the least. Only five people were waiting to be on board on the incoming train. Two of them with the hats on their head were sitting on the bench reading the newspaper with their bag packs placed along with them while the other three were just standing around doing nothing. Artemis came down from the stairs and looked around. A man in his 40s with the long black coat on was standing in the middle with his hands in the pocket observing everyone very cautiously. Artemis knew right away that he was the agent.
"Agent McCarty", Artemis asked as she stretched her hand out for the shake and the train stopped at the station behind her.
"Detective Queen", he greeted her pleasantly, "glad we could meet…hope it wasn't too out of your way"
"No problem", Artemis smiled while the train behind her announced its departure.
"Now the business if you don't mind", he asked with the smile and brought about the notepad. The way he smiled puts Artemis on the edge. Artemis deliberately looked around and become alerted in a second because none of the other four guys have entered into the train.
The smile on the man's face disappeared instantly as he noticed they were made. Their eyes met for a second and the hell break loose. He brought out a knife from his coat pocket and takes a swing at her. Artemis ducked down to avoid his attack and noted the position of all other attackers through her peripheral vision. Two from the behind and two from the front, only two of them were wearing mask of some sort while all of them having gun but surprisingly none of them looks like they are going to use it. The man standing in front of her takes a straight jab towards her stomach and Artemis stepped out of the way a little bit just to avoid the cut, she placed a one hand on his shoulder blade and the other to his outstretched wrist, with the single blow to his elbow joint with her right leg she fractured his arm, he crumpled down to the floor in pain. She delivered a leg kick to his temple causing him to fall into unconsciousness.
The rush of an adrenaline causes her a smirk to appear on her face. The second attacker approached her from behind; Artemis took out a pen from her pocket, avoided his bear hug by spinning around him and came behind him. With the forceful blow to his neck with an opened pen, she punctured a minor artery in the neck and applied the pressure on one of the pressure points behind his neck causing him to lose consciousness in less than 10 seconds. She left the pen in his neck but before he could crumple down to the floor, Artemis took out the teaser from his attacker's back jean pocket and electrocuted the approaching men with it. "Got to love Dinah for that", Artemis announced out loud as she saw two man lying unconscious while one down withering in pain.
Now the only two masked were left behind, one of them approached her from behind, Artemis electrocuted him but to her surprise he did not go down instead he continued like nothing touched him, before Artemis could counter he delivered two solid punches right below her rib cage. Artemis backed away two steps from him and then charged again by throwing a punch to his head, he dodged and sends a leg kick to her face and Artemis avoided it with the use of her left hand. But before she could do anymore damage, the other masked man came from behind and put her in strangle choke with his arm. The first man came at her again and delivered two temple punches causing Artemis's face to explode in pain and losing the breath she had left. Artemis tried to elbow the man behind her but to no use, her vision starts fading because of the strangle choke while the second man delivered few more punches to her unprotected ribs sending her in the world of agony. Just when Artemis was sure she is gonna die because of strangulation he released her and let her fall on the ground. He delivered a strong kick to her chest resulted in Artemis spitting blood from her mouth.
"Last chance, Miss Queen tell us the locker number and the code or tomorrow everyone will be reading how the depressed agent jumped in front of the train and committed suicide", he said as his partner picked her up from her hair and made her sit down on her knees with her hands pinned behind her. He leaned in closer while Artemis spit blood on his mask. His eyes turned cold at that looking into her soul piercing it with its intensity. Artemis could feel him smile behind his mask and that unnerved her, "So you are not going to tell us", he said with an amusement lacing his voice. He leaned do to her eye level and again smiled, "In that case…Change of plans dear… looks like I get to do things my way after all", he nodded to the man behind her who first glared at him for a while but then brought down the barrel of his gun to her head.
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Since he become tired of playing angry birds after ten minutes, Wally decided to check up on Artemis. He was only half way down the stairs when he saw a man with his back towards him trying to awake an unconscious person who was lying on the floor with his hand bent at an odd angle. Two men were also lying on the floor just beside him. He brought out his gun and shouted, "FBI put your hands in the air" and walked the rest of the stairs down quickly. The man didn't turn around instead he just turned his head and looked towards the stopped train like he was conveying a message to someone. Wally just ducked down in time to avoid the bullet to the head came from a masked man on the train and take the refugee behind one of the pillars on the station. The man who was first leaning down on the unconscious man made a straight run towards the train. Just when he was about to enter in the train, Wally peeked out from behind the pillar and made a shot. The bullet hit him on the shoulder but he made to the train by making the dive into the train.
The other man helped the injured man into the train and opened fire towards the Wally while cursing loudly at him. As the station announced the train's departure, Wally again ducked behind the pillar to avoid the bunch of bullets fired from inside of the train; he circled down to the other side of the pillar and peeked out again. His heart stopped beating as he saw Artemis lying on the train floor hand cuffed to the one of the pole of the train with blood covering one side of her face. His view got blocked by the masked man with the gun aimed to his head; he tried to dodge but wasn't fast enough.
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"Hey dude are you alright", a skinny kid not more than 18 came into his line of sight. Wally saw his lips moving like he was asking something but couldn't hear his voice. There was a ringing in his head and he could feel a sharp pain in his right ear. Wally turned his head to the side and saw a train passing by; in an instant he remembered where he was and tried to get up. "Dude are you a cop?...Fuck what happened in there", the kid acquired as he saw him carrying a gun and the badge and three other people unconscious on the floor.
Wally forcefully pushed the kid to the pillar and said, "Call 911". The kid answered scared, "I already did man" again he saw his lips moving but didn't hear a sound. He commanded again, "Call 911, tell them there has been a shootout…and a fed has been kidnapped tell them it's code red…Send reinforcement ASAP…do you hear me?", Wally said while panting heavily and the kid nodded. He took a few steps towards the railway track but couldn't keep up and fell down to the floor. The kid again came in his line of sight and shouted something but Wally's vision became blurry and ringing in his ear intensified ten folds, he clutched his ears in pain and was surprised to feel something sticky in his right ear. He brought his right hand in front of him and the blood on his hand was the last thing he saw before losing consciousness.
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WASHINGTON, D.C
WASHINGTON GENERAL, HOSPITAL.
SUNDAY, 4:00 AM
"Doc…. FBI", Richard said anxiously while waving the badge to the doctor sitting on the reception, "Wally West…FBI Agent brought here an hour ago….how is he?". Zatanna also came running down behind him and expectedly looks towards the doctor.
"He got acute acoustic trauma in his ear that is caused by loud noises mainly explosion but in his case… a bullet, luckily the bullet just grazed his ear. He has a small tear in his right ear eardrum and we are treating that with the bonding agent. Most likely it will heal itself in a week or two", Doc answered professionally.
"Most likely?", Richard asked skeptically.
"The condition can sometimes become permanent. He might also could have problems regarding motor co-ordination. I would suggest...", Doctor was cut off by the fighting noises coming from the nearby room, "That's your friend…", Doctor announced and rushed towards the room with both Richard and Zatanna tailing him from behind.
"Sir…please don't rip the IV off…Sir", the nurse was trying to calm Wally down while he was already on his foot and his IV ripped off.
"Where is my phone…I need my phone…", he asked angrily. The doctor came in and said with authority, "Agent west, lie down"
"Doctor I am alright…", Wally explained anxiously while moving here and there in hospital gown "Where are my clothes…I need to find…"
"Wally …Calm down…Stop it…doc I got it…" Richard entered into the room and immediately went to the Wally while requesting the doctor to step aside.
"Richard…Artemis …did you…did you find her?", Wally said nearly begging him to say yes.
"Wally…we didn't …yet but we will. Okay….you need to calm down first", Richard explained hesitatingly.
Wally turned around, grunted and punched the nearest wall in anger, "My clothes, please?", he asked in fury.
"Your go bag is on its way. The moment doctor here clears you… We are going to HQ…ok….Come on dude …you are gonna be more help to her with your head in the game rather than shitting yourself here…man…So calm down", Richard answered in the same pitch as him.
"Who took her?", Wally asked after releasing a sigh.
"We don't know yet…Bruce said he will debrief us in HQ", Zatanna piped in for the first time. The room became silent for a while then Zatanna added after noticing the tension in both Dick's and Wally's demeanor, "Come on…Guys you know… we will find her…we are the best remember, So chin up boys…she took out three guys without a gun… I am pretty sure it's them who should be worried", She said with a fake smile trying to lift up their confidence while not believing a word of it herself.
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WASHINGTON, D.C
BEHAVIORIAL ANALYSIS UNIT, HQ
SUNDAY, 4:30 AM
Wally, Zatanna and Richard all entered into the Bruce's office and become surprised to see three more people already in there. "Roy…what are you doing here?", Wally asked surprised.
"Doing job …what else….Glad to see you are ok", He answered with affection. Wally nodded, "You know about the case Artemis was working on?", he asked concernedly.
Wally become more surprised than before and acquired, " All I know she was working with the CIA on some criminal cartel and she was supposed to give some information to an agent…Do you know Artemis?".
"Yeah…she is my adopted sister and my fiancée; jade's…biological sister", Roy answered while pointing towards the black haired beauty who was just entering the HQ, "Its complicated", Roy simply answered the unasked question for everyone.
"Has your missing agent shows up, yet?", Bruce asked in mechanical voice, Roy shook his head in no, "then we are starting without him", Bruce tiredly rubbed his temples and tells everyone to come to the conference room.
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"Michael Russo…A very known and wanted vicious, little Drug lord thug within our ennie meenie minno moo agencies… or if I put a better understanding word to it is …the heir of the copycat killer. In Baltimore, 45 cops, 2 soldiers and 20 civilians slash potential witness have been dead so far…all having some kind of a ties to the criminal cartel run by this man…CIA got involved with this case after 40th murder of the cop…We have already made an arrest and also had two potential witnesses that got him cold…who are at the safe house right now", Jade explained the case with an emotion less voice.
"The heir of the Copycat killer?", Wally asked.
"A very organized killer or psychopaths working for Russo…the 20 civilians were all the potential witnesses in murder cases. Each was found killed exactly in the same way like the victim they were to testify…So the name Copycat killer", Roy explained for everyone.
"How were the cops killed?", this time it was Kaldur who raised the question.
"Brutally murdered…tortured in the every way possible…massive over kill…that's why nobody wants to go against Russo", Roy explained again.
Jade took a deep breath and came to the core matter, "Artemis got involved in the case three months ago…there was a shipment deal caught by us…my team failed to get the confession out of him…Artemis profiled and interviewed him providing us with the confession to his ties to drugs thus giving us the strong case for putting him away for good…She was also the one who convinced one of the victim's daughter and father to come forward as the witnesses…in my opinion, the only reason why he had her kidnapped is the personal vendetta", jade explained while digging her nails in her arm in worry.
"I don't agree…they wanted information from her", Bruce cut her off; "I have interviewed one of the man police picked up from the crime scene. The attack on Artemis today wasn't to kidnap her but to get the information about some locker. Their orders were clear. The Plan A was to get the information somehow and then throw her in front of the train to look like a suicide accident. That's why nobody used a gun during the attack instead they preferred small knives… Either it was to keep the forensic evidence to minimum or they simply underestimated her abilities… The goons also have bleach with them probably to remove any blood stain from the scene…..Only the two masked man know the plan B…and by the information you have just provided I am taking a leap that there are two unsubs… we have copycat killers in our hand…", he explained.
Jade's breath get caught in her throat, she instantly sat down on the seat not trusting her knees to carry her weight right now. Roy noticing her discomfort came to stand behind her seat but didn't try to physically approach her. Everyone become silent for a while giving jade some time to compose herself. "Jade…we have to find her before it's too late. I know it is hard for you right now but you are well aware of the fact that our only chance of finding her alive is in first 24 hours…I need you to be focused here, please", Bruce surprised everyone with the sincerity in his voice.
Jade nodded and took a calming breath, "the locker…why would they kidnap her for the locker. Agent McCarty also know about the location of the locker. She maybe the only one who know the code but McCarty knows the locker position. Where the hell is Mac anyway?", She asked Roy who only shrugged his shoulder as an answer.
"What's in the locker?", Zatanna asked anxiously.
"The location of the safe house…it was our working agreement…proper procedure to keep witnesses alive….Artemis is... Damn it", jade become horrified in the instant and turns towards Roy, "I think McCarty is in trouble…he is the only one who knows about the locker besides Artemis and if they have called her from his cell, Artemis is bound to reply. Damn it", Jade hysterically took out her phone and called CIA field office and tell them to check at his house.
"Would you like to explain what's going on?", Wally asked angrily as he jerked the Roy's arm to get his attention.
"The location…only Artemis knew about the primary location…McCarty was the one and only back up. In case of any emergency if we needed the change in location, we gave her the no. of mac and advised her to give the locker code just to him…if anyone else from the CIA contacted her, she was strictly advised to not to give location to them..", Roy explained grimly.
Jade came back with the emotionless face but her eyes spoke the volume of sadness, "the Police Department just filed the report of double homicide in McCarty's house"
CHAPTER END
Coming up next…General Lawrence Crock …Dilaudid….. Torture
I had a hard time writing fighting scenes..hope you guys like it…Please review and tell me your thoughts about the chapter :)…and lightening rod please don't die I am serious