***IN A WORLD CALLED EARTH, IN A CITY NAMED MANILA***

***Daniel***

Daniel’s speeding 911 Carrera reach two delivery trucks and instead of slowing down, made a sharp swing to the left, into the small opening between them. He accelerated even faster as he left the horn blowing and curses behind.

Normally Daniel is not a reckless driver, but tonight he simply needed the experiment. Two hours ago, he was declared officially as a second-term congressman in the second district of manila… and he felt nothing. The near-suicidal stunt with his Porsche also didn’t give him any adrenaline rush.

‘What’s wrong with me?’ he thought to himself.

His phone rang twice before he picked it up.

“Jerry,” Daniel said.

“Where the hell are you?” Jerry asked. Daniel could feel the annoyance of his campaign manager across the phone.

“I’m going home.”

There was an awkward silence before Jerry exploded. “Seriously?! That’s your answer?”

“I’m tired, Jerry. Can we do this tomorrow?”

“You just won the election,” Jerry said, trying to collect himself. “You're expected to go to at least 6 parties tonight and go back to your headquarters and say thank you to your supporters. Four of your biggest backers are waiting on the phone to congratulate you and you even ditched your bodyguard… She’s pissed by the way.”

The edged of Daniel’s mouth curved upward as he imagines Netanya’s face as he gave her the slip in the men’s room. As a former Mossad operative, she is a professional, and she hates losing her primary.

“She’ll get over it,” Daniel Said. “I’ll give her a full bouquet of flowers tomorrow and say I’m sorry. The rest you can handle. Used your famous Jerry magic to soothe those feathers. Tomorrow I’ll be a good boy and I’m all yours, alright?”

Jerry sighed. “I know today has a lot of meaning to you and not just the election, but you need to get over it and start your new life. You’re a fucking congressman, for christ sakes.”

Daniel’s vein turned to ice. The bastard simply has to go there when he is doing everything in his power to forget about this day.

But he simply cannot. Today is the sixth year anniversary of him losing custody of his beloved daughter Mara to his harpy ex-wife. Then a year later, Daniel lost Mara completely when she and his ex-wife plus her new husband, went to Vegas for a vacation but then a stupid drunk driver smashes his car into them, killing them all instantly. ‘I wasn’t even able to say goodbye to her,’ He thought bitterly.

“I understand Jerry. Goodbye.” And he hangs up the phone. He sighed. ‘I need a smoke,’ He thought.

He spied a seven-eleven store down the road and he eased the car next to it. He jumps out, look around and entered the store.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“How you doing tonight?” Daniel asked the clerk who looks completely bored next to the counter.

He asked for his favorite brand.

“That’ll be 49.99”

Daniel drops a fifty peso bill and the clerk scoops it easily. While waiting for his change, he noticed a mirror behind the clerk and observes himself.

He is in his late 40’s now, but no white hair has shown yet in his thick black hair. He examined his tired brown eyes and a broken nose that gives him character. The suit he is wearing looks good on him except for a slight bulged in his belly.

Daniel is admiring himself when a young man stood behind him. He’s holding something shiny.

A gun.

The boy pointed the gun at the back of his head and pushed. “Show me your wallet, motherfu-“

Without any fear or a single thought, Daniel turned and deflected the gun with one hand and clocked the would-be robber right on the chin, with the other. The gun fired and shattered the mirror in front of them. The female clerk screamed and duck behind the counter. Daniel felt the young man’s chin crack as he followed through with the punch. The gunman is already falling, but he grabbed the young hooligan by the hair, then smashed his face in the marble counter. The would-be robber simply drops to the ground, his face a mask of blood.

Daniel checks the man’s vitals and despite the continuous wail of the clerk, he felt a strong pulse. He kicks the gun away before standing up again.

“He’s out cold, so calm down,” Daniel told the clerk, his voice automatically using his command voice and the clerk responded. At least, she stops screaming. “Cops will be nice right about now. Call 411 and tell them to bring some help here.”

Daniel heard a pop and he could not understand why the clerk started screaming again. He felt a burning heat and when he looks down, a red patch is slowly growing in his chest.

He turned and another youngster, this one wearing a green hoodie, stood in front of the door holding a gun and pointed at him. The Barrel of the gun is still smoking.

‘Oh shit. A lookout.’

The gunman shoots him twice more in the chest and Daniel fell to the ground.

‘That was sloppy of you, Danny boy,’ He thought to himself without fear or any real regret. Curiously, he feels no pain as well. ‘Just sloppy…’

Blood oozes out of his mouth as he watches the youth, angry and confused, snarl at him. ‘Oh well. I don’t mind. I’m ready to be with my daughter. I’m really tired.’

Somewhere, someone is screaming hysterically. The gunman step in front of him pointed the gun in Daniel’s face and pulled the trigger.