1

Russo and Sampson could not have timed their entrance any better. Everyone on the main Police station floor looked at the shut door of Royce's office.

Sampson leaned in close to Kathy, a woman in her forties, tough as nails, who looked similar to Dolly Parton at the same age. He slyly looked at her chest before he asked. 'What's happening here?'

'Hey,' Kathy said, 'Look up at my face when you ask.'

'You can't have them in front of me and for me not to look.' Sampson said with a grin.

'You are two fucking seconds away from a disciplinary. You want me to press that button, married man?' Kathy said and kept her eyes on the floundered face of Sampson.

'No sorry.'

'Ask again and look up.'

'Shut the fuck up Kathy and answer the question. What's happening?' Russo said, fed up with what he just heard between the pair.

Kathy did not have the energy for Russo. 'Police Chief is ripping Royce and the two agents a new one.'

'Why?' Sampson asked.

'I heard they went up to Patterson,'

'And fucked with Oliver Harris.' Russo smiled.

Kathy nodded. As the loud voices stopped and got considerably lower.

The door opened and Larry walked through and shut the door behind him. He looked at the main floor. 'You are all doing an excellent job. Keep it up.' He said and he swiftly walked out.

Russo sat back and just smiled. 'Let's put a nail in this coffin.'

'After you, good sir.' Sampson said as Russo stood up and walked towards Royce's office. He was followed by Sampson, who kept close. Russo knocked the glass twice.

'Come in.' Royce said, his eyes heavy as the sleepless hours ticked by.

Russo opened the door and faced the three.

Royce looked at Russo quizzically. 'Officer Russo. How can we help?'

'By letting us know when these freaks will be on their way and taking their bad luck with them.' Russo demanded.

Daniel replied with his back turned. 'Fuck off, what's your name again? Russo. Leave.'

'How about I don't and you say I did?' Russo responded.

'Nah, that's no fun.' Daniel turned to face Russo. 'It's more fun this way. I can make you fuck off. But by choosing that option, you are choosing the painful option and that Russo is on you.'

'Please try. You've been getting your ass whipped all over town.'

'I gotta get a win someday.'

'That win ain't today.' Russo added. 'So, try motherfucker.'

'Ok.' Daniel walked up to Russo who ran forward and slammed a punch on Daniel's jaw. It caught him clean, but the punch barely moved his head.

Russo grabbed his hand and screamed out in pain. 'Fuck!'

Daniel lifted his right hand and flicked Russo in the forehead. Russo flew out of the room, over the head of Sampson and everyone else on the main floor, and hit the wall with such force that he made a little crack.

Russo landed on the floor hard.

'DONNIE!!!'' Sampson screamed and he threw a punch at Daniel, but before the punch motion was complete, Daniel caught up and slid his hand down and started to crush Sampson's wrist. 'ARRGH.'

'I didn't come here for this.' Daniel muttered as Sampson dropped to one knee and then the other.

'Daniel.' Erica said as she moved forward with caution.

'I ain't fucking around with you lot.' Daniel said. 'Leave me the fuck alone to do my fucking job.'

'Daniel.' Erica raised her voice as he looked to the main floor and everyone raised their weapon at Daniel, who let go of Sampson's wrist.

Daniel turned and faced the weapons pointed at him and he stood strong.

'Daniel, don't you.' Erica said.

'What are they going to do?'

'Arrest you, Bridgewater. They are going to arrest you.' Royce answered.

Russo said as he stood up. He smiled despite being in great pain. 'You took the words right out of my mouth.'

Erica walked next to Daniel and leaned in close. 'Don't do anything stupid.'

'Too late.' He sighed. As someone shouted out to raise his hands. Daniel complied.

2

The walls in the holding cell were granite grey. The iron bars were painted black and blue.

Daniel laid down on the single bed, which was just about long enough for his long frame.

He was the only one in the cell.

His jacket was not with him, they took that away. He only wore his grey long-sleeved top, black trousers, and boots. Other men and women in other cells looked at him with envy; they were grouped together. They muttered among themselves, small conversations laced with profanity and threats of violence.

The way Daniel felt at that moment, he wouldn't have minded someone to come in and antagonise him. He couldn't do much to whoever came in, if he flicked at someone again, it would be even more painful as the walls here were thicker.

He thought about the first time he was in a cell. He was fourteen and was far more scared than he was now. It was Colindale police station and he thought he did the right thing at the wrong time and he got arrested for it. This was the mid nineties and a few years after Stephen Lawrence and his mother...

Daniel gulped at the thought of his mother, how fearsome she was to him then. His mother was the only person he truly feared. He feared her because he loved her more then anyone else. He was fearful of being labelled and her disappointment. Daniel sat up. As he sat there, it was the first time he thought about his mother for a long time and not thought about what happened to her and the sadness, the dominance of that sadness. Past tense was always attributed to pain when he thought about her.

More than anything, he would love to fear her again. She would be alive to give said punishment.

It was the night back in nineteen-ninetythree that changed his life. It was the night he met a far younger Alexander Bolton for the first time. They had been in their lives ever since.

He heard a heavy lock being opened. It was from the far side from the hallway. The only door in and out of this holding area. A police officer came through first, he was tall, well built and looked a little mad, this was shown in his stride, that was forceful and direct. Erica followed behind him and she was dwarfed by the man.

They walked past the various cells. Whistles went past as she walked along, she was catcalled by both the men and the women in the cells.

Daniel kept his eyes on her. He watched how composed she was even as both sexes said they wanted to do things that would probably be illegal in several states to her. She kept her eyes on him and how he stood up when she entered. They got to his cell and the officer whose name on his badge was called Jenkins opened the cell door. Erica walked in.

'Thank you.' She spoke.

'Ma'am.' Jenkins said with a gruff, yet oddly friendly tone.

She stood in front of Daniel and smiled. 'You, okay?'

'I'm fine. Ain't my first cell.'

'Said with such care.' Erica carried on the smile.' You're free to go and carry on.'

'Bolton?'

'Of course. He had that Larry eating out of his hands. You ready?'

'You know, I could have gotten out of here any time.' Daniel remarked.

'Bullshit.' Jenkins said. 'You ain't that strong.'

'I am Linebacker.' Daniel got up and stood in front of Jenkins. He effortlessly bent the iron bars like they were plastic and stepped through. He then bent them back.

Jenkins nodded to himself. He kept nodding and then fainted and landed hard on his back.

Erica looked at Daniel, who looked at Erica. 'I didn't do that. That was all him, you saw that right.'

Erica just nodded. She looked at the unconscious frame of Jenkins and she thought. Please let me be able to do that.

3

Daniel collected his gun, clips, his identification and his jacket, which was the thing he embraced the most out of all the things that were given back to him from release desk near the front of the ground floor.

Erica stood next to him. 'How strong are you?' Cause I swear you flicked a man across a room like he was a bug.'

'Very strong.'

'Like compare yourself to a superhero. In terms of your strength.'

Daniel thought about that question and really gave it some consideration. 'Superman.'

'That strong?'

'For me to hit my hardest punch, I have to destroy some mountains and even then that's like seventy percent power. My hardest? even that scares me. I hopeI never get that angry.'

'You destroyed a mountain?'

'A few, but they were in Norway, and they have plenty more.' Daniel answered.

'Fuck.' Erica said and then she remembered to let Daniel know something. 'We've been invited to dinner.'

'By whom? Russo?'

'No,' laughed Erica, 'Royce.'

'Him?' Daniel said surprised.

'His wife want to meet us.'

Daniel nodded and could not hide his smile. 'I can't wait to meet her.'

They walked down the hallway that led out to the car park. As they walked other officers kept their gaze at the pair of them. Both could see the stares, but ignored them blissfully and carried on their conversation.

'He's already off home. I think he was excited to get there, finish early for once.' Erica said.

'So, we're portalling it there? You know where he lives?'

Erica nodded, 'Yep, he told me where he lived before he left and I called it in.'

'I'm really looking forward to this.'

'I know, so please don't do anything embarrassing please.' Erica said as they stepped out of the police station and they went around the corner. They walked on to an alleyway just behind the police station.

'I don't want to make promises I know I ca,'

'You can't keep. I know.' Erica said as they both looked around as a portal opened up in front of them. 'But try you know? Actually try just once.'

Daniel nodded to Erica and to himself as well. 'I'll try.'

'Thank you.'

'I do promise to acknowledge and apologise when I fuck up though.' Daniel said.

'I know.' Erica smiled.

'They both stepped through the portal which closed behind them.

4

Daniel and Erica stepped out of the portal into a quiet suburban street. There were the high oak trees and wide roses.

It was night-time and streetlights ran for miles, but it was so quiet. It was eerily peaceful. Each home had either a four by four or some new version of Sedan parked on the street or on their drive. Some houses had their lights on and some were in complete darkness.

Erica said to Daniel, 'This way.'

He followed her to the house in front of them to their left. A nice house, looked like a four bed, with the male friendly Camaro and there was a Toyota Avensis. This was Mrs. Drysdale's car.

The veranda had was lined with wooden panels that gave it a older cabin like feel, but the rest of the property was made of brick, mortar and a tiled sloped roof. Around the veranda were nice nightlights, and in front was a nice, newly cut lawn and a picket fence around the house. The Garage was to the right and every light on the ground floor looked on.

As Daniel walked to the house he felt the same way as he did at Engrave. He stumbled a little. Erica grabbed his left arm so he would not topple over.

'You, ok? That's happened again,'

'Yeah, I must be hungry or something.' Daniel said.

It did not look like that Erica believed Daniel as her left eyebrow rose in question, but she moved on from it as soon as he did.

Daniel steadied himself and looked fine, so Erica let him go.

They walked up to the door and Daniel knocked the door and almost broke off the hinges.

'Whoa.' Both Daniel and Erica said as they heard hurried footsteps, and the door was flung open as Royce pointed at his weapon at Daniel and Erica.

'What the fuck?' Royce said as he realised who was in front of him. 'What was that?'

'I knocked the door; I guess my strength got the best of me.'

'Man, I know you do some weird shit in England, but that don't fly her in Penn, you understand?' Royce asked as he put his weapon back in holster.

'I just knocked the door, Royce.' Daniel said frustrated.

'There is a doorbell right here.' Royce pointed to his left, right by the door. There was clearly a bell on the brick wall near the door frame. 'Maybe you should have stayed a couple more hours in the cell.'

Both Daniel and Erica did not look amused.

'That was a bad joke. You should know Bridgewater.' Royce said with a sigh.

They both stayed silent, as they maintained that look of bewilderment.

'Ah, fuck off, that was funny.' Royce reacted. 'You two dummies gonna come in or what?'

Erica smiles and passed him a bottle of wine.

'Where the fuck did you get this from?' Royce studied the bottle.

'Walmart.' Erica stated. 'It was a last-minute stop; I couldn't come empty handed to dinner.'

'Thank Ms Chandler. Come in, well you go in and wanna speak to inmate number thirty-five here for a minute.'

Daniel smiled. He laughed a little. 'That was funny.'

Royce smiled as well. 'I know.' He laughed,

Erica shook her head. 'Men.' She walked and Royce waited for her to enter and slowly closed the door.

Royce faced Daniel. 'Look, I wanted to explain why I did nothing.'

'Ain't your fight. Russo stepped to me.'

'I have to keep my allegiance with my team, the force, but I didn't like what he did, Russo is kind of intense; he wants to be outta uniform and being on these big cases.' Royce said.

'His career trajectory stalled?'

'Complaints of aggression towards our citizens; it's fucked that most of those complaints, which have been brushed under the rug, are citizens,'

'Who happen to look like me?'

Royce nodded. 'I think he has a bias or well not or, he's got prejudice, but I don't think,'

'If you're going to say what I think you're going to say, you better commit to it or don't say it at all, because if you're wrong and you know you're wrong, but trying to convince me otherwise, then what does that say about you?' Daniel commented, and he just looked at Royce with total seriousness.

Royce went to say something but stopped himself. He nodded. 'I didn't want you to think I didn't have your back, because I do and I know you have mine. But with certain things,'

'Self-preservation is key I get it. I get it.'

'Don't let this lower your admiration of me.'

'It was already low. But that and joke has earned you some points back.'

Royce smiled. 'Good. Let's go in I'm hungry.'

'Me too.'

They both entered the house.

5

It was warm. This was the first thing that Daniel noticed. The hallway looked like every other hallway seen on the countless American shows Daniel had seen. High staircase.

Wood flooring, but with a long rug along the floor. There was a coatrack to the right and right next to it was a key rack.

The living area was warm, with easy-to-the eye colours, tope colured walls and ceiling, and a nice thick circled rug at the centre of the room. The big screen television was around fifty or so inches. There were a lot of photos of the Drysdales. They spanned several decades from high school to college to adulthood.

Royce walked in with his wife, who was dressed in a thick cream coloured wool jumper and black, loose-fitting trousers. 'Agents Chandler, Bridgewater, I'd like to introduce you to my wife. Alyssa.'

'Hi.' Alyssa said a little sheepishly and she walked over and shook both of their hands. 'I have heard a lot about both of you.' She looked at Daniel in particular.

'I bet you have.' Daniel said.

'Well, dinner is ready.' Alyssa added.

'I wondered what that great smell was.' Erica said as she walked in with Alyssa, they were already friends, it seemed. As she walked away she passed her jacket to Daniel who took it and stood there.

Royce stood there. 'You've been marked my friend.'

'Nope.' Daniel through her jacket on the nearby settee and walked into the dining room.

Royce shook his head and without hesitation picked up the jacket and walked into the room and he helped dish out the food onto the plates.

There were roast potatoes, rice, macaroni pie, roast chicken, sage and onion stuffing with gravy to garnish the food.

It looked splendid and smelled even better.

'Royce told me how horrible your eating habits have been since you got here. So I thought it would be nice for you both to have a decent meal while you are here.' Alyssa said.

Daniel's belly rumbled. At that moment he decided to relax.

'Dig in.' Alyssa said with a big smile.

6

As they finished the food, Daniel wanted to give himself credit for not eating like a barbarian. He had realised it had been many, many years since he had a home cooked meal, and not just that, but a good home cooked meal. He sat back and had to stop himself rubbing his stomach. He, like everyone had satisfied air. Plates were clean of food, trays little left and only thing full other than each of the four stomach's were the glasses of wine in front of each time.

'I work for Dennison's, a property developer. Now made partner after fifteen years of working my butt off, taking shit from ignoramuses, fuckers and getting the company money.'

'She also has an in.' Royce said as he nudged her elbow.

'I am also part of the north-eastern Pennsylvania land commission board for Preston and Patterson.' Alyssa said with not as much bluster as her previous statement.

'Isn't there a conflict of interest?' Erica asked. 'You being part of a board that people have to apply to your broad I presume?'

'I'll tell you something,' Alyssa took a sip, 'All the board members have an outside interests that are you know beneficial them. It's the game Agent Chandler. It's the game and it is all rigged.'

'You just have to know how to play it.' Royce said.

'Never has a truer word been said.' Erica agreed as she took a sip.

'Can I ask you two a personal question?' Erica asked.

'Shoot.' Royce said.

'What's it like to be together for that long?' Erica asked. 'Like over twenty years.'

Royce and Erica looked to each other and just laughed.

'I don't know,' Alyssa said and she looked deep into her husband's eyes, 'learning about each other still. I don't know him fully, but that's fine. It's good. It keeps it interesting and you need to keep it interesting. Without that,'

'It is a losing game.' Royce added.

'And it is a game you can't afford to lose.' Alyssa said as she stroked his hand. 'Not when you put everything on the line.'

'Is it supposed to be that hard?' Erica asked.

'Anything good is…it should be easy, but the things of value, there's always a journey. Royce and I have been on this wonderful,'

'Intense.'

'Interesting.'

'Loving.' Royce said as he stroked her hand.

'It's been a lifetime and I hope and know we plenty more years together.' Alyssa said. 'Not everything is easy and there's time's hope can feel like it is lost, but you have to decide if you want to fight for this person and that person means to you and then you mean to yourself.'

'I used to think that whole put that other person first thing was bullshit, but then you have really do that to understand what love is, sacrifice and appreciation of one another.' Royce said. 'You have that shit on lock, you'll be fine.'

'He has such a way with words, right?' Alyssa said proudly with love in her eyes.

'Fuck you do love him.' Erica said, before burped loud. She looked profoundly mortified, while everyone else stifled their laughter. 'Oh my god. Excuse me.' She covered her face with her hand out of embarrassment.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

'Not just a pretty face.' Royce nodded and looked proud he came up with that.

'What about you?' Alyssa asked Erica.

'Me? Love? I'll have more chance playing the lottery and winning a Powerball than finding someone I could tolerate, let alone, you know not be crazy.' Erica said as she wiped her mouth. 'I don't know what I do deserve it, but my fucking spotter has been out of wack since high school.' Erica paused. 'My Mom's been alone since I was born and had a few guys here and there walk in and try to fuck up her life, but she's got too much about herself to let them to do that, so her tolerance factor for bullshitness and tomfoolery is real low and god bless her for that.' She paused again. 'I have, shitty fucking luck when it comes to men, so I stopped looking.'

'You got time.' Royce said.

'Time, I got. Patience, I don't. Not looking to get fucked around again. I have this career now and I'm going to focus on that. If someone comes my way and appeals and don't try to fuck up my life and adds to it, great. If not, I keep it moving.' Erica said and she almost punched the table. It was almost like she said that to motivate herself into believing it.

Alyssa looked at Daniel. 'What about you Mr. Bridgewater?'

'Nice try honey. You're going to get more luck getting blood from a stone than him giving you any real information about his life.'

'I've been in love twice.' Daniel said without thinking. He looked around at the table. The only person who did not look surprised was Alyssa. There was no going back at this point, but how to answer without giving too much was something that Daniel did so well. He knew he could do it at this point. 'One is no longer here. She passed away. The other is halfway across the world and hates my guts.'

Shit. I said too much Daniel thought.

'Why?' Alyssa asked.

'We both lost someone, we have a long history of doing what we do and…part of me has always felt like we got together because we both lost people.' Daniel paused. 'A lot of things got in the way between us, something things are hard to reconcile.'

'You still love her?' Alyssa asked and she leaned a little forward.

'I don't know.' Daniel said. 'I know I don't hate her. That I know.'

'Why does she hate you?' Erica asked.

'Because she knows me. She knows me as good as anyone. I spent a long time putting it, my pain which was our pain on her. She has a right to hate me and she did the right thing in leaving.'

Royce sat forward. 'Where she at now?'

'As far as I know, she's in Tokyo.'

'You thought about,'

'It's done.'

Alyssa tried to ask again. 'I mean you could give her a call.'

'It's done.' Daniel said with curtness.

Alyssa nodded and stopped her line of questioning.

Daniel realised he made it awkward and excused himself at the table. 'Where's the bathroom?'

'We got a downstairs one,' Royce said, come out this room and take a right, then next left and the door is there.'

Daniel thanked Royce and followed the instructions that he gave. The bathroom was on the left. He entered the room and shut the door. He splashed water across his face and looked at himself. He gave himself a look of disgust.

You idiot he thought. What were you thinking? Why did you say all that? Why did you bring them up? What do you want to do Bridgewater? Care about these people when the first fucking chance you get you're going to leave them? To the mission of your life to see the people you lost again. You planning to jeopardise that for these people?

You let Bolton fuck you up again. You let him play with your life again. Inviting Erica Chandler into my life and for what to open you up? To be weaker?

You really are an idiot. FOCUS. DON'T CARE. JUST FOCUS.

He splashed more water on himself. The look of disgust was replaced by a steely gaze. He fortified himself again.

No fucking emotional shit Bridgewater, they can ask you about the case and about the agency, but no past shit and no emotional shit.

He turned the light off and left the room and went back to the dining room. He entered when the three of them laughed.

'What's so funny?'

'I was telling Alyssa how you flicked Russo across the room at the station. Like flick a fly, this motherfucker, flicked a whole grown man across a room.' Royce said within his laughter.

Daniel smiled. 'He was asking for it.'

'That he was.' Erica said. 'And he got it too.'

Alyssa looked at Daniel. 'How long have you been an agent?'

'Too long.' Came Daniel's reply.

'How long is too long?'

'Over twenty years. Close to twenty-five. I lost track.'

'Dedication.' Alyssa nodded.

'It used to be, now it is the only thing I know how to do well. Get the bad guy or stop them.'

'This guy, is he the worst?'

'The man in black? Right now, no.'

'Then who was worst?' Royce asked.

'There was once a person—let's say he was mage, a being of immense magical power. He wanted to hold the world to ransom, said he could consume the world's oxygen and kill billions if didn't get the economies of the five richest countries to pay them all their wealth. They thought this man was joking, until he spun his globe and picked a small town in Belgium, took out the oxygen from that town with some spell, that only effected that part of the world, those people, those poor people, all a hundred and fifty in that little town died.' Daniel paused. 'Then they knew that man was serious, deadly serious. Then they sent me in.'

'And what happened?' Alyssa asked.

'I ended his existence. That's what happened to him. I mean, he tried to end mine, so it was only fair.'

'How did you beat him?' Erica asked.

'I pretended I was dead and got him at his most arrogant.' Daniel said. 'I enjoyed killing him. I knew the world would be better without him in it.'

For a few moments, everyone took stock in what Daniel just said.

'Fuck all these stories and experiences you have.' Alyssa marvelled. 'What I don't get is how all this crazy shit hasn't been on the news, any press or videos about what's been happening.'

'We have a team.'

Erica asked, 'What team?'

'A team who keep all this down to a bare minimum. No one outside of Preston will truly know what is happening here and the people here, won't question it.'

'How?' Royce asked. 'Like if I drove to the next town past Patterson and went to the square and started screaming all of this,'

'They would stop you and you'd wake up in your bed like nothing happened and you wouldn't remember doing it either.' Daniel answered.

'Who's this team?' Erica asked.

'They are called Faders. Clues in the name. They come in wipe memories or change memories to fit the narrative as the agency and the country's government see fit.'

'I ask again, how?' Royce said.

'They mainly come at night, they are invisible, so they can't be seen. There's like a thousand of them and they can phase through solid objects and change the memory narrative even if you are awake. You could be driving and yeah, your mind will have those memories syphoned out and replaced.' Daniel said.

'And you don't feel anything?' Alyssa asked.

Daniel shook his head.

'So, at the end of the case once over?' Royce said.

'They will come, and you all won't remember us. It will be like the case solved itself and you move on with your lives.'

'And this happens every time?' Royce asked.

'Yeah, without fail. Loose lips, high liability. It's for your protection.'

'Fuck.' Royce sat back, as he looked shocked at what he had just heard. 'I don't know how to feel about that.'

'Feeling don't matter. It's just the way it is.' Daniel said. 'That's how it is supposed to end.'

'So, you have no friends by the end?'

Daniel nodded.

'You don't feel bad that all these people you helped or got to know, won't remember you, but you remember them.' Alyssa asked.

'I don't.' Daniel said.

'Shit.' Alyssa said.

'What?' Royce asked confused.

'I believe you when you said that. You really don't care.'

Daniel sighed. 'It is the only way to survive this job.'

'Then you, Mr Bridgewater may be in the wrong job.' Alyssa s

Daniel sat back and smiled. He said nothing in return for a few moments and then he asked, 'Can I ask you a question, Alyssa?'

'Shoot.' Alyssa said with a warm smile.

'We visited, Oliver Harris earlier today. He's a prick no doubt, but he said some unsavoury things about you to us. Why would he say those things?'

Alyssa for the first time, looked a little shaken, frustrated and uncomfortable.

'Honey,' Royce said, 'you don't have to answer.'

'What did he say to you?' Alyssa asked.

'He's a fucker. That's it.' Royce said to his wife. He then looked at Daniel. 'Drop it.'

Daniel raised his arms up in mock surrender.

Alyssa looked at Daniel. 'What did he say?'

'That you hurt your husband and Oliver kept on asking Royce why he was with you.'

'Oliver said that because he was jealous of Royce, because was loved because of who Royce is and people that love him. Oliver was only loved because of his money. Jealously turned his soul dark and his mind fucking stupid.'

'Did you hurt him?' Daniel asked.

'Fucker.' Royce said with underlying rage. 'Leave it.'

'No, what do you want to know? Do I feel bad that Royce's football career ended because he looked at me when I screamed his name? Yeah,' Alyssa said, 'yeah.' The second yeah came across as more subdued and mournful. 'I think about that every day.'

'It wasn't about you. I didn't see the push rusher coming towards me, I didn't react. I didn't do the move—well, any move to protect myself.' Royce articulated.

'I see how you look at your trophies. How you watch the games on TV. I feel your loss baby and you can't articulate it. The pain you feel and I can't help,'

'But I keep saying,'

'I see it, baby. It was taken from you and you are doing something wonderful now, serving your community, protecting your community…but it is hard to replace something you loved since you were seven years old.' Alyssa said and she was close to tears as her lips trembled. 'Like, I wish I could give that to you. I really do.'

Daniel was not sure if this was genuine emotion or the drink coming through. He figured it was a combination of both factors.

'You give me enough, baby. You give me more than enough. If someone asked me, like, fucking put it down on a table, two tangible choices would be in front of me; You or football. I'm fucking picking you every time and I ain't saying that because you are here in front of me, or because you two are here in front of me. I'm saying that because a man, if they are lucky get a good ten years in the league. That's no injuries, consistent games and all that.' Royce paused almost for dramatic effect. 'That's ten years. I got a whole fucking lifetime with you. A whole fucking lifetime with you babe and you need to fucking remember, I wanted you in my life when I was fourteen, so football only had seven years on you.'

Daniel could certainly decipher that Royce was a little inebriated, but he also swore like a sailor who came off the dock from a long tour early on a weekday and carried on that profanity for the rest of the day, so he could have been sober too.

Alyssa kissed her husband. She stroked his face with both hands. 'Oliver Harris thinks he could hurt me husband. He is not a factor to mine or Royce's life. He has a shitty soul. That's it. He has one and I, we knew him long ago and he was good, but once Royce got the starting position ahead of Oliver and because he is a fucker, he couldn't take it so there.'

That seemed to end that as the couple kissed again and it became apparently and awkwardly that coitus could be in the air.

Daniel and Erica said their swift goodbyes and left quicker than a person could say Bugs Bunny.

7

Erica closed the door behind Daniel, concerned that he would actually rip out the door. He stumbled down the steps and shook his head.

Erica ran over and grabbed his arm again. She steadied him again. 'What is up with you?'

'You ever hear of the notion that I don't fucking know what's wrong?' Daniel said.

'Whoa. What was that about?'

'Don't ask me consistently silly question like that. I clearly don't know why here or at Engrave.' he trailed off and stopped his walk.

'Look, I get that, that whole thing in there was kind of intense and you said more about your life in there, then you ever said to me or Royce.'

'Why did I feel the exact same way at both places?' Daniel said out loud. 'I felt really light-headed there, but same shit different place.'

'So, what are you thinking?'

'I'm thinking we call a portal and get the fuck to Engrave.'

'Wait a minute,' Erica let go of his arm and looked surprised, 'a late-night investigation from Mr. Nocturnal Hunter over here and he's inviting me?' She pointed at herself and looked dainty. Daniel was aware of the sarcasm that dripped from her. 'You want to include me?'

'Well, it saves you saying anything stupid or annoying after I do it.'

'Hey!' Erica looked genuinely annoyed herself.

Daniel ignored that last thing she said as he tapped his ear. 'Yeah, we need a portal to Engrave Corp in Patterson, PA, please.'

8

Royce landed on the bed as Alyssa pushed him. He spread his arms and flexed his fingers at her. Alyssa leapt on him and missed where she was supposed to, and both her knees landed square on Royce's crotch with her full weight.

There was not any amount of sexual exhilaration and adrenaline that could cover the pain as Royce shouted a loud 'FUCK!' and rolled to his side, and clutched his crotch. 'Fuck.'

Alyssa looked mortified. That was as close to a passion killer as you could get by accident. 'Babe. I'm sorry. So sorry. Shit.'

'It was an accident. Accidents happen.' Royce said, back turned to his wife and he clutched his crotch for protection. The tears were due to the sheer pain and had stopped falling.

'Well, I ended that.'

'I just need some ice, some prayer and some time to get the feeling of no pain to my balls and sack, honey. That's all.'

Alyssa sighed and said 'Fuck.' to herself. 'I didn't mean to.'

'I know.' Royce said.

'I finally get a night with you and I do that.' Alyssa said with anger towards herself.

'Yeah, I can't lie there, Hun. You screwed the pooch on this one.'

'And I'm not going to be the pooch.'

'Sad but true.' Royce said. 'You wanna talk? Talk about Oliver.'

'I don't want to ruin the night anymore by talking about him.' Alyssa said.

'Okay.'

'I do want to talk about Taylor though.'

'Of course.' Royce sounded resigned. He knew that this was a conversation that he was going to have with wife eventually. This right here was unavoidable.

'People have been talking about him and... You know?'

'Oh I know.' Royce said. 'What did I tell you about people talking.'

'Not to listen, but you, you know and I know, there's a part of you, that's.'

Royce's eyes opened and he slowly, though still in pain, sat up and faced his wife. 'What Alyssa? Say what you got to say.'

'That some time you wanted him dead for... is a part of you happy he's gone?'

'For fuck's,' Royce stood up slowly and got up, 'I can't believe you had the audacity, the gall, the motherfucking front to ask me that? Why would you think it would be okay to ask me that?'

'Royce.'

'What are you trying to justify to me? That stupid fucking question after what you did? You trying something here.'

'I'm not trying something here and I thought you had, in your own words, put that shit in the rear view?'

'WELL, OBVIOUSLY, I FUCKING HAVEN'T ALYSSA!' Royce said, 'How can any fucking guy do that? Would you?'

Alyssa went to answer but thought best not to, so she stayed silent.

'Baby girl. Out of the two of us, it is clear—it's really fucking clear that for most things, you got the brains. You are smarter than me. You always had em. Ever since I met you, but sometimes,' Royce laughed to himself, but the laughter was laced with anger, 'you say something or do something that is so staggeringly inane and vastly, no expansively stupid, and gigantically idiotic that I fucking wonder if I'm talking or am with the same fucking woman I married.'

Alyssa shook her head. 'I should've known it was a lie. You said what you knew I wanted to hear so I would come back. What else have you lied about Royce?'

'Don't play this game, Alyssa. Don't play it, cause for damn fucking sure the whole who's lied more, yes, it's probably me, but who did the worst lie, the most destructive and most heart-breaking lie? That, as we both know, was unquestionably, unmistakeably you, so if you wanna rehash the same ol' game where you fucked around and found out, so be it, but you're not going to ask me that fucking question and think you, you are the innocent party here. No way, no fucking way, Alyssa.'

Alyssa looked at his husband as tears fell, but no sobs came. 'You finished?'

Royce nodded. 'Yeah.'

'You going to storm off now?'

'Yes and don't give me fucking directions like I'm a stage actor or some shit.'

'Go Royce. GO!'

'With pleasure.' Royce said and he left the room.

Alyssa put her hand in her hands. 'Fucker.' She said to herself. That was directed to Royce, but also to herself.

9

A portal opened just down the road from the business park that led on the main office if Engrave Corporation on the outskirts of Patterson.

Daniel and Erica walked out of the portal that quickly shut. It was another quiet part of town. The hustle and bustle of earlier was not replaced by anything, other the sounds of vehicles far away going along the highway.

They walked to the building, and they passed many others, that you looked closed or just had security, but Engrave had several floors with lights that were still on and as they entered the car park. There were at least fifty parked cars there and none of the vehicles looked cheap.

'So, what's the plan? I mean, do you do have a plan or we going on one of your world-famous hunches that have got you so much success so far?'

'Hush. Puppy.' Daniel said and he put his hand in front of her face and Erica swatted it away.

'No, you're not going to just do that to me, Bridgewater.'

'Shush for fucks sake.' Daniel said. 'I'm trying to concentrate.'

'On what?'

'On ignoring you, you are making it fucking hard right now.' Daniel said.

Erica was flabbergasted, but kept her mouth closed. That's how shocked she was.

His iris turned grey, and this was the first time, Erica had seen it up close.

'What in the fuck?' She said with her mouth wide open. 'What are you?'

'What am I?' Daniel said as he looked through the entire building, going through each room, seeing who was in or out through pulsating images, like radar. Each wave formed a perfect picture, and Daniel could see who anyone was, their height, weight, and what they were doing as he saw them. 'I'm the man who's just seen Oliver Harris who is still there.'

'And what does that have to do with?'

'I'm going to question him again.'

Erica sighed. 'Because that went so well the first time.'

'Try, try, try again till you get it right.' Daniel smiled.

'If you keep that up and live by that philosophy, Daniel, then you will be veering really close to the definition of madness.'

'Well, there' nothing wrong with having a little edge in one's personality.'

'Something could be wrong if it gets you, me or worse, Royce in the shits again because you want to be the big guy in this scenario.'

Daniel smiled. 'I am the big guy in this scenario.'

'You know what I mean.' Erica said. 'The blowback.'

'Will land on me and no one else.'

Erica sighed. 'Not just you, by yourself, big man,' she brushed past Daniel, 'but me too. I'm here too. I'm here with you, and fuck, I'm going to be here with you. Despite my best judgement. I'm here with you.' She walked on. 'So let's do what the great John Lewis said and start some good trouble.'

Daniel caught up to Erica and looked at her. He smiled at her. She smiled at him. They walked on.

They got to the glass door, and Daniel stumbled, but not only stumbled; he dropped to his knees.

'You... You ok,'

'Fuck,' said a woozy and disorientated Daniel, 'I ain't felt that.'

She picked him up. 'I got you.'

'I know.' He looked at her. 'I know. Let's keep going.'

'Okay.' She reached for the door and a big and bright light hit them and both left the ground, flew high into the air, right over the entirety of the car park and they landed on the grassy plain several yards away from the nearest parking spot.

They landed hard and they laid down and stayed down. They were both unconscious before they hit the ground.

10

Royce sat with a beer on the swing seat. He took a few sips and looked at the street in front of him.

He loved the quiet.

He assumed that other families, other couples had similar arguments, like the one he had earlier with his wife, but you wouldn't hear it. Not round here. This was kept between the walls.

Royce and his wife lived on this street for the last decade. They had good neighbours. The ones who had barbecues on a warm day for this part of the world, that helped out an electrical or automotive query, that always wanted a chat when they were at the same spot in their respective driveways or backyards at the same time. These were not brief chats, by the way. These were stories that had three acts—a clear yet sometimes unwieldy beginning, middle, and ends.

These men were serving, or former cops, and every cop has a story. Now it all depended on if, said story was any good. Many were bad parables that set up bad punchlines to even the worst jokes. Others had a real blue movie feel to them and felt like someone from Boogie Nights wrote it and wrote it badly. On purpose. The last set were ones of the serious variety. The ones you could not ignore. True parables. A true summation of what was seen as evil. The worst of humanity. The things that either preserved your career as a cop or ended it.

No matter that those stories stuck with Royce.

It was a close-knit community here, far, far away from the communities they were served to protect, but every cop needed a safe haven, That was the internal nickname for here, For the outsiders, who felt underserved by their police force, round here was called Cop Land like the film, but to the cops, this was Safe Haven. A land a way from the hell of the world.

Land. Royce thought. Land, Engrave, something to think about. I'll ask Daniels and Roberts to check on something.

Royce sat in peace. So of course, the front door swung open and Alyssa came out covered in a thick duvet and sat next to Royce.

They sat in silence for what felt like minutes. Minutes that stretched, uncomfortably between husband and wife. The talking it out part of a fight where you both parties came to a reasonable solution and some compromise was always hard.

'I didn't ask.' Alyssa said. 'Is anyone sitting here?'

Royce shook his head and sat forward. 'It's your seat.'

Alyssa nodded. 'I told you why I did it.'

Royce nodded.

'I was lonely. I was shitty and I just didn't think. I want to blame you because you were not there, but I would only be pushing past what I did. I was the catalyst for it. I made it happen and I wouldn't,' she paused, 'I wouldn't know what to do if you, if the roles were reversed. There could be a limitless amount of times that I could apologise, that if I could go back and build a fucking time machine, I would stop myself, but all these things, pale to the fact, I've lost something in you. Maybe it is the way you look at me, maybe it's the way you touch me. It is certainly times of trust and I feel this anvil over my head Royce and it's hard to handle.' Alyssa brushed a few strands of her hair that slipped across her eyes away. 'Do you, can you move past it, Royce? What I did was, can this be overcome, or are you going to wake up and just one day think fuck it, this and her, and leave?'

Royce stayed silent for a few moments, took some deep sips from his beer.

'I ain't going to lie, Allie. That thought had crossed my mind a fair few times. Times when, when you did what you did and I still was processing it, I thought I could handle it, I thought about doing it myself so you could feel the pain, understand how it feels to be... I couldn't look at you the same. You weren't the same girl from ninth grade that made me like girls in the first place. It changed, cause I had you on a pedestal. I had this perfect fucking framework of innocence and virtue because of you, but that brought it down to earth. It reminded me you weren't an angel. You were a mortal like the rest of us.' Royce sat back. 'I once was coming home from work and I felt like not coming home. I felt like disappearing, not telling you a thing. Leave to some other part of the state or leave the state in general. Find a new place. Find a new woman.'

'But you didn't.'

'Nope.'

'You came home.'

'I did.'

'Why?' Alyssa asked.

'Cause when I weighed it up—all of it, all the options, I couldn't live without you. Despite all the pain you cause, and I felt and all the shit in-between. I couldn't see a path, a life without you Alyssa and I tried, I fucking tried, but I couldn't. My heart was yours since ninety-four and it remained yours.' Royce looked at her. 'That, despite everything, isn't going to change, so to answer your question, I will overcome this. I will. I just need time and don't say stupid shit to me like that. It's going to make me react, and I don't want to act like that with you. I never do.'

She touched, then stroked and lastly held his free hand. He held her hand too.

'I love you, Royce.'

'I love you, Alyssa.'

There was another moment of silence between them, but this was the rewarding type of silence. Between their souls, there was peace. Between their souls, there was love.

'I,' Royce said, 'I did want him dead and there was a part of me. The husband part of me, not the cop that wanted to punch the air when I heard he was gone. I felt happy and horrible in equal measure. I got close once to being able to do it, getting him myself, spent days looking for him and when I finally found him, I had the gun in my lap and was just watching him ..I just…I couldn't. Cause killing him would get me into prison and would get me no peace. So, when I found out he was dead and internally rejoiced, I then felt horrible because for a long time he was my best friend. He was like a brother. Then he got closer with Oliver Harris, and it was the end of our friendship. It just brought it back.'

'How do you feel about him now?'

'Nothing. I don't feel anything. Well, I want to catch the guy who killed and bring that man to justice. That's what I want to do. So, I guess I do feel something about him.'

Alyssa snugged up to her husband, who gladly held her under the cover. 'You're going to get him, baby. I know it.'

They kissed.

'What do you think of my two partners on this?' Royce asked.

'I do love Erica. She's great. Daniel, on the other hand, is…Intense.'

'Ain't that the truth.'

'He's holding a lot in or keeping himself withdrawn.'

'All right, Doctor Philomena.'

'You can see it. He's this deep reservoir of repressed emotions.' Alyssa said. 'You don't see it.'

Royce shrugged. 'It's who he is.'

'Who he is now, but his sense of humour shows that he was someone else a long, long time ago.'

Royce thought about that.

'It also means he is on the edge, so I would be careful.'

Royce held her close. 'I can handle him, honey.' Royce sounded confident, but his face looked unsure, as if he even believed what he said.

11

As Erica's eyes opened slowly, all the world went back into focus. There was no avoiding that the sleek Smith and Wesson 45 aimed her head was mighty close.

She looked to her right and Daniel opened his eyes and saw the same thing. Two men stood above and in front of the pair, guns drawn and looked trigger happy.

'Move and make me happy.' The one who was closest to Daniel said. They both wore, black combat pants, a grey top and a black bulletproof vest.

'You practice that in the mirror? Like to say to someone, anyone or did you save that gem just for me?'

'Fuck you.' The man replied.

'We've gone from letting your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt to a simple fuck you in a thousand years. Talk about evolution.' Daniel said.

'Ah, you mouthy punk. Give me a reason.'

'I'm giving you plenty bro. I just wonder if you're quick enough to do it before I take out your partner here and grab you and throw you over this car park and onto the roof.' Daniel said. 'Because I think I am fast enough, but I don't think you are.'

'You ain't faster than a bullet fucker.' The man splenty,aid.

'Let's find out, shall we?' Daniel said.

'Bruno. Calm down.' Came the familiar voice of Oliver Harris who emerged from the car park and came between the two-armed men and parted them in the middle. 'Agents? Back so soon?'

'I realised that I didn't get to shake your other hand.'

'That's not going to happen.'

'Seriously, ah well then we would like to come inside and have a snoop around, maybe see what was delivered to you the night the twelve died.'

'And I would like my two men here to shoot you and your partner to death. But we don't always get what we want in life don't we?' Oliver smiled.

'You ain't shooting no one tonight, especially her.'

'I know Agent Bridgewater. I just told you that. You have this habit of not listening or choosing what to listen to.'

'I don't listen to self-absorbed pricks who ain't got a lot to say.'

'Then you mustn't listen to yourself at all.' Oliver said.

Daniel clapped. 'Ah well done, Harris. That was quick. Funny and effective. It won't be funny when I make you eat those weapons your men are pointing us for dinner. You'll be shitting lead for weeks.'

Oliver shook his head. 'You always got something to say.'

'That's quite an effective security system you got there.' Erica said.

'Cutting edge technology.' Oliver said.

'That was magic.' Daniel said. 'And you know that is.'

'Is it so unbelievable that we could develop the world's first force field?' Oliver said, 'instead of what did say, magic, some spell? What kind of fantasy world do you live in?'

'The one where you put salt, pepper and whatever sauce you like on those guns, I'm about to feed you.' Daniel said.

'Fantasy,' Erica said, 'You just said out loud that you have a force field.'

'We prepare for the future and this new world that is coming into our lives.' Oliver said.

'I hope your future includes gun eating for Oliver Harris.' Daniel said.

'YOU ARE NOT GOING TO FEED ME THESE WEAPONS YOU FUCKING IDIOT' Oliver screamed frustrated. 'STOP GOING ABOUT IT!'

Daniel smiled. There he is.

'You both need to leave, or I will call the local police and that will then get,'

'Yes, Larry will be on us. We'll be on our way Mr Harris.' Erica said as she got up with Daniel. 'But we will be back.'

'Of course, you will, and we will be waiting.' Oliver said. He looked at the two men. 'Escort them off our land.'

Both men nodded as Oliver began to walk off.

'Oliver.' Erica said and Harris stopped but didn't turn around. 'He could make you eat those guns. I've seen him do it to someone else. Plus, Agent Bridgewater only makes promises he aims to keep.'

'I do love that I live in a world where I can tell a woman to fuck off and she knows it's what she said or did. Fuck off.' Oliver said. 'Get ready for the new world that's coming.'

'That was weak. He's better then that.' Erica said.

'He is.' Daniel said.

'Men.' Oliver walked on as the two men ushered them to walk out. 'Have a terrible night.'

The men followed behind Daniel and Erica guns drawn right until they reached the end of the street and turned back.

Daniel turned around as saw that the men had grey hoods on their backs. Grey hoods? The tops looked tucked in.

'What do you see?' Erica asked.

'Grey hoods. It is like what I was told at the diner by one of the patrons.'

'The grey cloaks. I mean if Taylor was involved, why wouldn't Oliver Harris?'

'Good question Chandler. Good fucking question.' Daniel said as they walked on.

'So we are talking about Magic and not Force Fields here.'

'That wasn't tech. That was powerful magic, A shield spell.'

'Do they have name, these spells?' Erica asked.

'Some do, but old magic, you don't need to say a word. The magic just comes through the being who conjures it.'

'And that being is, Oliver Harris?'

'It could be or it could be our guy. The man in black.'

'But why would Harris do that, work with him.'

'He may not be, but we must consider all scenarios. All I know is that guy, is hiding something and we got two people we need to get.'

'Nail.' Erica said as she tapped her ear. 'The Belladonna motel please.'

'That too. That is going to happen. We are going to untangle this mess.'

We need to before it is too late. 'Erica said as they walked towards the portal. 'Wait.' Erica stopped which caused Daniel to stop. 'We have just forgot one thing. You felt the same way here at Royce's. meaning,'

'That there's magic at Royce's house.' Daniel finished that thought.

'Does Royce look like a wizard to you?'

'Anyone could look like one. But I would have thought it would have been used when we got attacked outside the Lange's.'

Erica nodded. 'We do have to ask him.'

'Yes, we do. He's going to love that.' Erica said as a portal appeared in front of the pair, and they stepped through it.