Blink {Featured}

Chapter Thirty Four

JOHN FINNIE (35y) 2023, 18.02

The Police Headquarters' lights were off, the office block dark and foreboding. A flag flapped in the breeze in the dusk sky. John walked behind Marty, keenly aware of each footstep echoing in the parking lot, the city noise dimmed and distant. For once Marty quipped no jokes, his gun cocked and aimed ahead, his brows furrowed, his stance tense.

The uniform made Marty seem altogether a stranger. A man from a cops and robbers movie, not his friend from school. The years seemed to fall on John's shoulders all at once. They were older now, past the vigour of youth. It was a sobering moment, made all the more solemn by the darkness and silence that greeted them.

Whoosh!

The sword cut past him, froze his heart for a second. Glancing behind, he saw Semila grinning her gold-toothed joy, armour donned. She looked fucking badass, even more than usual. He smiled and she returned it.

Once Marty had arrived at John's place, earlier that day, they'd sat for an hour discussing their plan, convincing Marty of the fact that the world was at stake. Now, each understanding their role perfectly, they headed for their epic moment, the final confrontation. Time to take down the Collector. God, he was glad Marty had left the office to meet with them, had believed him. He'd been there since the beginning. Since Tom. The only one who had believed him. Well, besides for Semila of course, and Samantha-- she was a different story. She was in love with him. That was different. Marty...Marty was his only buddy, back from the dead and now risking his balls for John and the world with it. Marty pushed the front door open slow, pointed the gun at the shadows. Nothing. The three shared nervous looks, then Marty stepped in, John and Semila close behind.

'Hello? Boss?'

Silence. Marty clicked his gun's barrel against a door to the left, it creaked open. Sounded louder in the dimness. They followed the passage, John twitching at every noise. They ascended the steps to the second floor where the interrogation rooms were. Somewhere ahead a light went on, flickering, making that tinging sound.

Marty turned to them, whispering, 'He's probably in the fourth room, the Chief's favourite. Unless there's been a confession...' he trailed off and John bit back his anger.

'Dad isn't the Collector, Marty. I told you the truth.'

'Yeah, I know John. C'mon, what do you take me for? It's just, the Chief--Blake--he's known for his interrogations. Brutal Blake they call him. He always gets the guy. Always. Sometimes we here the suspects screaming from downstairs. It's bad, some of the suspects come out without teeth. He beats them till they spill the beans...'

Semila's eyes widened.

'All I'm saying is he could've got a false confession from your Dad given enough time.'

Horror and nausea soured John's gut. They had to get in there ASAP. He'd lost his Dad once, he wasn't going to do it again.

'Okay, everyone to your positions. I'm going in.' Marty tucked his gun into his belt and strode casually to the interrogation room, flicking on the passage lights as he went. The lights flickered, kicking to life slow, one or two refusing to go on at all.

From across the room, Semila smiled at John then shuffled behind the curtains. John crouched behind the desk closest to the door and pulled out his camera. He snapped a picture of the office and tucked the photo into his jeans' back pocket. This had been part of the plan. In case something went wrong, they could come back here. A second later a loud bang came from room four, but John's eyes were trained before him where a slightly older version of himself and a still as sexy Semila from the future appeared out of thin air. The Future John turned and gave him a wink. 'Things are going to get feisty and confusing any second now,' he shouted, no longer looking in John or Sem's direction. 'If you need us, I'm John Two, Sem is Sem Two. Got it?'