Inspector Morell was focused on the stranger who had invited himself to the office quite early in the morning. There was an altercation with the guards. The man wouldn't turn back and was quite persistent. He had blurted out something about how his tax money being wasted on lying scum which he immediately took back seeing their expression change.

He of course knew it wasn't a wise thing to do in a police station. Morell was quite bemused at the whole situation. He had gone out and instructed the men not to do anything drastic. "You are not doing yourself any favor by reacting to this gentleman here. All you are giving him by doing that is to provide ammunition to what it looks like some washed up writer of an obscure tabloid that even his friends don't read." The man had insisted that he have a talk with him. And now he was sitting in front of him and was stressed out.

"I don't have time for this. Please be quick" Morell said.

"Sir, as I told to those guys who cussed me out, I heard the alarm ring in the middle of the night... the whole street could hear it... I and few others rushed to the place... We heard gunshots from the distance. When we reached the house, everything was over. The rooms in the second floor looked like stuck in a tornado. Door was blown up and portion of the walls damaged... most importantly, the woman was still alive, she was wounded. We were able to get her help on time. We found her son crouched behind a heavy shelf... which was dented in some areas..."

"Did you call the police?"

"Yes, I did... cops arrived a little while after we arranged the ambulance. The boy looked like he saw a ghost. They asked me and the others some questions and left"

"What makes you cause a commotion this early in the day? This seems like normal procedure. You need to have some patience my man. These things take time. We will take care"

"No sir, you don't understand. After they interrogated us, everybody left. But I couldn't go back. I waited for the cops to return. When they returned, I asked them what's up. They gave me dirty looks which is understandable I guess, but they told me it was most probably an electric fire and shooed me away. A week has passed, and I petitioned for information and got nothing. I never saw cops in the area after."

"I understand that you are traumatized. You are overthinking this. Policing is not a civilian's business. Things will move according to protocol... it wouldn't change just because you are paranoid about it."

Morell was receiving a call which he acknowledged but did not attend.

Morell finally said "If you feel that there hasn't been prompt action on our part, you can go ahead and register a complaint." He motioned to his subordinate "Please guide him on this." The man obliged. He picked the call.

"Kelly here."

"Been a while. Let me guess, some bad news?"

"Depends on how you look at it" Kelly replied.

She added, "I met Collin, from the jailbreak. He wouldn't return calls. Neighbors told he is holed up there all day. With some persuasion, he agreed to work with me. He told me that there were similar unscheduled visits to other cells. All while unguarded. Physicians, it seems. He could identify one of these people. Like who Victor was with before being kidnapped. That's how I -"

"Hey, I'm sorry. We've been trying, I and Finn, there is pushback from above. You know what we are dealing with more than anyone."

"It's not about that. We checked the camera footage that you sent us over, for all traffic leading to that creepy light house. It's as we suspected. There's a day's gap in footage. I've stopped being surprised at this point. Just wanted to confirm it to you."

"Another dead end."

"I saw the news about Alex's mansion."

"Forensics are trying to gather every detail possible. There's not much that can be said right now"

"Good luck with that Morell. Wish I had more to contribute. I am trying. I just can't get the doors I want to get opened, opened."

"I understand. You could just rest till we figure things out."

"Please make it quick. Integrity is short on supply in the department. Is there anything else I need to know?"

"Yes, do you remember the name of the lady we interrogated ... the one you got too excited about placing the tracker and everything?"

"Are you kidding me right now... the name is Cindy... and I am pretty sure her son is a killer... if I might add."

"I am reading the complaint registered by a weirdo who showed up this morning. I think the house was attacked."

***

Jaimie was in a hurry. He grew restless as he approached the traffic signal... The minute it took to change colors felt agonizing. It was a short phone call that woke him up. It was from Daniel. He parked his bike haphazardly and entered the hospital. He went up to the receptionist and enquired for the room details.

He didn't know he would be affected by people this way. He wasn't the type to get attached or clingy. He was always able to end a contact on his own terms. He for the most part has lived without regrets. Whenever he did feel regret, he was able to get back on the person responsible. He loved living with a blank slate. He loved the sense of freedom the most in his life.

Yet he was here, looking out for a misguided, borderline sycophantic teenager caught in a tangle of his own making. The shoot-out at the mansion took a toll on him. He was starting to have nightmares again. The thought of Judy was bittersweet at best. He didn't know what was up with him. It was unlike him on so many levels.

"Hey Jaimie. Wanted to see you in person." Will said with all enthusiasm he could muster

"I'm good. What just happened?"

"Short version, I got attacked by drones... right in my room... in the middle of the night"

Jaimie turned his attention to Cindy. She was sleeping.

"Is everything okay?"

"Mom was shot on the shoulder. It would've been fatal if I didn't do something. My burglar-alarm went off in the middle of the night. In my home cameras, I could see drones approaching. Within a few seconds two of them entered my room. There were a couple more at least. I think they were patrolling the surroundings. The first shot missed and I turned off all the lights in my home. Man isn't home automation great?"

"Seriously? Does this look like a joke to you?" Jaimie was angry.

"Woah cool down big guy. It's been a couple of days since I spoke out loud. I've cried my eyes out like a preschooler at this point. Those fifteen minutes felt like I went to hell and back. I crapped my pants. Those damned drones had strobe lights and infrared vision. That heavy steel shelf that I always wanted to sell, ended up saving me. They detonated themselves after the neighbors called the cops." There was silence.

Will gladly accepted the fruit basket that Jaimie had bought for them. They stopped talking when the nurse entered the room to change the IV fluid and a checkup.

"Let's go somewhere private." said Will, pointing to the spot shown in the map in the hospital's brochure.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

It was a visitor's room with comfortable furniture. Will could finally address why he sought Jaimie in person. This was tough for him.

"Mom knows, Jaimie. She wouldn't say it to my face though."

"I fucked up. I had to try it. My mom has nothing to do with this. When the drones were targeting her, I panicked. I wanted to get them off her. I was freaking out. I did not want to anything to happen to her. I tried to make her pull the trigger on me. I failed. I underestimated her. I don't know what to do." Will gave a wry smile. "You were right all along Jaimie. I am a fool."

Jaimie patted Will on the shoulder in an understanding manner. "I'd have done the same. Targeted attack within our homes? Could this be what he had warned us about?"

"I don't know. I wish none of this happened."

"We all have those moments." Jaimie assured him.

"There is one more thing..." Will was nervous for the second time in a day.

"She'll understand."

"Daniel doesn't. He warned that he would kill us both if something gets out."

"That bastard."

"I don't work for him just for giving me a fighting chance. He promised to pay for a portion of the debt we've accumulated. What I do might not be squeaky clean, but it pays the bills and I continue my studies. I am planning to move out soon after I secure my internship. From his perspective, the warning he gave was obvious self-defense. I plan to lay low anyway."

"Wake the fuck up, dumbass. Daniel is a murdering piece of shit."

"So am I." Jaimie couldn't formulate his reply when Will continued.

"I have to tend to my mother. You can leave after this. Don't be mad at me. We'll meet after I get patched up"

"What is it?" Jaimie asked wondering if it could worse.

"Judy's in trouble. The day when we did... things... in the mansion, I chased after Mark... the car was rigged... I told Daniel about it"

Jaimie was feeling heavy.

"I've been dreading to say this to you... believe me, I've tried it... " Will stuttered as he scrolled through pictures in his phone, settled on a few of them and showed it to Jaimie.

It was a screenshot of an email. The subject was: Like father like son... the picture in it was a face he clearly remembered from his nightmares

***

Judy was exhausted after her last dance for the day. She needed a long shower and was hoping that the new foot and shoulder massagers that she had bought would be welcome once she reached home. Today's earnings were great. She changed to her street wear in the dressing room. She exchanged parting words with her friends. She was waiting for her car to arrive from servicing before she was stopped by an unfamiliar voice.

"Do you have some time?" She turned back to see a woman whom she could only describe as a normie.

"Was going to say the playtime's over, but haven't seen you around here. Did you by chance forget your placard at home? Such good weather to be going to hell. "

"You are mistaken... it isn't about your work... I'm Clara. Need to have a chat with you"

Judy was a little weirded out. "What is this about?"

"I saw your name in our donors list... for the counselling center... Mike ... I'm his ... friend..."

"Oh... nice to meet you" Judy said extending her hands. "I don't have much time..."

"What do you want from Mike?... I've not seen him this stressed out... I want to know what's going on. He was first attacked on street... I am getting threatened in my own website... I know you are on to something... I want to know..."

"Did he say I was blackmailing him?"

"Pretty much"

"Why didn't you call the cops on me if you knew my club?"

"I would have. But an ex-cop called me up on today. She said the lawyer who convicted Mike's father was murdered last week."

Judy pretended that she did not hear what was said.

"She told that an arrest will happen soon and taunted me. She wanted to check our stuff and I refused to cooperate without a warrant. I ran a search on her... suspended due to illegal tracking... Can't even trust my shadow right now. I've informed Mike. He wants me to move out. I don't know what to do. It will be more suspicious"

"Yet you walked right into me? That's funny. You know I blackmailed him. Are you going to beat me up to get the info you need?" She looked at Clara like a cute cat that once decided to show up in her place.

"Hope it doesn't get to that." Clara warned, but she brushed it off.

"Judy, just hear me out. I have a feeling that you are not wrong when it comes to Mike. That's the thing that worries me the most. I don't want him to be wrong. But I don't know. You see this... these are the kind of disturbing things I get as comments... the torture pictures. It keeps me up at night." Clara showed her the phone.

"Mike admitted to this. I don't want the cops to find it out. Not before I have a sense of what all this means. It worries me that I might not know him fully. The person I know wouldn't do this. I've been with him for years now. But if he has hurt people, I have to do the right thing. I have to let it out."

"Does Mike have anything to do with prisons? The cop told me that Mike could've visited Mark before he broke out of prison... I don't know how to take all this in. He won't tell me anything."

"I'm sorry Clara. Mike did visit prison cells. He got involved with the bad kind of people. Yes, he did in fact torture that woman in the picture. And many others like that. I can't forgive him for that. But I understand him. I'm just trying to get him to do the right thing. Unfortunately, that cannot be done without pushing him. I have more pictures. We shouldn't have met."

She was not sure how Clara would take it in. She continued,

"But I can't let you go the cops with those pictures. Just understand that Mike's head is in the right place. And he likes you... a lot... he did it for both of you. He had to do it. That's his father's legacy."

Clara did not know how to continue the conversation. She might've even blushed a little.

Should've been a different day.

"Tell me what you are comfortable sharing." Clara said with resolve.

"August... that's the woman you see in the picture. She's a human rights activist. She sent me out of the city when I was a teenager. She was to look into the rights violations that allegedly happened behind bars when the city was under prohibition... her report was controversial... I was the collateral damage... She is my found sister... in her fifties... probably... "

"I'm sorry." Clara tried to be empathetic

"Don't be... "Judy smiled. "When you see the people responsible for the worst part of your life... getting honored for the same... no, it shouldn't happen to you... you look sweet." Judy chuckled regained her composure.

"Enough sob story. Sorry, that I involved you in this. If everything goes fine, he will be alright. Just don't go to the cops and complicate things. "

Judy checked her phone. They were texts from Jaimie. She was on alarm. She observed the surroundings once again before whispering in Clara's ears.

"Let's go... No point waiting for the car ... "

They got in a cab that passed by.

Judy announced to the driver, "General Hospital."

She affirmed Clara "We are just going somewhere public. Don't panic yet, we are being followed."

Clara was taken aback... "What do you mean... I don't see anything... "

Judy replied "Trust me."

Judy could see cars tailing them. Clara was panicking. They were coming straight for them not bothering to stop at the signal. Judy wondered why that out of all the days, today was the day she ended up with a driver who cared about road safety. The vehicle was not gaining the pace that she had hoped for.

"This is no sports car... if you don't like it, drop the cash and fuck off... "

"For fuck's sake dude, get a move on... I'll pay you extra."

"Are you getting followed? This isn't my business... I'm calling the cops." The driver was furious

"Don't care who you call after this is done... just stay on this lane if you can't gather pace... this being a busy road is the only reason we are alive right now... "

"Should've thrown you out ... fucking bitch"

A car hit them from behind. It gave them a jolt, the faces of the passengers crashed against the front seat and the driver was acting on pure adrenaline swerving away from hitting the car in front. The impact was not fatal as the vehicles were close to each other.

Before he could regain composure, the car to the right hit them... the driver was able to manage to not crash into the barricade on the left... then he couldn't believe his eyes... the car to their front reversed out of nowhere and hit them. Clara and Judy were really hurting from shattered glass.

They were trapped by vehicles on the side. The driver had passed out and was bleeding. Judy and Clara managed to get out of the car after activating the SOS from driver's phone. They jumped the barricade and ran along the walkway short on breath.

Daniel's men were not in pursuit. It felt weird. As they were running for the lives, Clara dropped to the ground after calling out to Judy. Judy rushed to Clara's aid. Pulse was normal. She came to the realization that she was just asleep. Nothing made sense.

She carried Clara on to a bench and sat her there. She saw a couple of men approach her. They showed hostility. Just before she could take out her stun gun, they punched hard and kept kicking her maniacally.

She was thrown into the road where she laid shielding her head as much as she could, while taking a beating. There weren't many on the walkway at this time of the day. She could've sensed them a kilometer away if she wasn't sidetracked by Clara. She always could... She did not become Daniel's trusted informant for no reason. Clara... she had nothing to do with it.

She composed herself and peered into the eyes of the assaulters... their kicks weakened... she took out the stun gun and tazed the now temporarily blinded men. She might've escaped a certain death by the skin of the teeth for now, she had to be more wary.

She remembered the faces that tortured her during her childhood...the psychological trauma she was subjected to. How they kept calling themselves 'gifted'... all for her sister's silence regarding similar atrocities in a different time... her life was never the same.

She parted ways with her with no ceremony, to the unforgiving streets of the town that made her what she is today. She had no regrets. It was more than just liberating her sister.

She believed that her resolve granted her the ability to dish back what was dealt to her. One that would not be broken by silly tricks that she deduced was performed by powered individuals capable of manipulating sleep, adrenaline and possibly a third who could chain these powers.