Book- Misunderstood

Chapter 14

I remember the days so well, as I should, being in the profession I am now, learning forensics, fighting techniques for defense, how to mark evidence, and how to make inferences from where evidence and key marks are such as blood, scratches, holes, rips, and other pieces of noticeable 'segments'. I coined the term simply because it works for me to see it as pieces of a story in 'segments' until they piece together to make the story, with it's many events until the earth shattering conclusion. By the time we finished, I was good friends with Rea who had shown me to many places over the course of three years, having parties together, going to bars, hell... even being chased by the guys we worked with. We were having a day at the office on our first day when we got our first job."Guys! There's a robbery going on at the gas station between 26th and Thrain St."I turned as we heard the announcement in the hallway, the police chief announcing as if it was something exciting more than it was a crime. Rea suddenly burst out shouting as he stood up, saluting like a kid being given his first toy."With all due respect sir, I want... er, I would like to accept this task with my partner, Officer Irsa if that's alright with..." I quickly placed a hand overs mouth, noticing that he was nervous and looked at the police chief who had walked backwards and looked at Rea with a cocked eyebrow, and a smock that seemed to laugh at the way he was talking. I spoke this time, keeping calm as to make sure to say what Rea had meant to say."Sir, I would like to take my partner with me as to apprehend the criminals. If thats too much, then I understand."The police chief then looked at me with eyes that seemed to accuse me as if I was the one who was criminal, before smiling bright at us and holding up two pistols. Rea looked at me with a grin on his face, his teeth pearly and white, excitement within his eyes."Then you'll need these. From this day on, these will be on your person at all times. Even if you're at home. We don't need officers getting robbed or anything, and I certainly don't want you just pointing this at civilians. This is a proof of trust. Don't. Break. It."As he placed emphasis, he held out the guns toward us. I saluted him quickly as to show my respect for his decision and decided in my heart I would not do anything to break this trust. Secretly though, I merely wanted to protect people from the treatment I had received when I was young and to stop them from the grief they would feel. I looked at the gun in my hands, seeing the tool of both evil and justice in my hands, smiling at it's feel. I holstered it and breathed in deep, before I looked at Rea who was marveling at his gun."C'mon dork, we've gotta go. We can't let them get away."He made a sudden mock frown and pointed the gun at me and I held up my hands only for him to smile and holster it."Don't call me a dork... dork."I laughed and we both walked with purpose outside to our police car, and I got in the passenger seat as he quickly took the wheel, the small zipping sound of the seatbelt being placed on with a click, before I copied him only a moment after. The lights came on, and he looked at me before he moved his eyebrows up and down, starting the car."WE GONNA SHOOT SOME HOES."I looked at him blankly, completely shaken by the fact he said something so stupid. He looked at me, waiting for me to laugh for a while until the expectant look faded from his eyes and his eyes went wide in embarrassment as we reversed and left."I'll shut up now."I laughed at this as his voice was small compared to it's usual tone, holding my hand over my mouth as to not show him how hard I was laughing. Rea was one to take it when someone laughed hard as a way to cheer them up. Though he could tell as I saw him smile slowly in the corner of my eye, he held up his hand and began to make shooting motions as we sped down the highway."Gonna pop a cap in someone's ass then take them to jail where they'll drop the soap."I stopped laughing suddenly from the stupidity of what he said only for him to lead up again."Technically the guy who dropped the soap has a cap in his ass."I began to laugh with a horrified expression at this revelation, slowly holding my stomach in pain as I laughed harder than I had before, tears gathering in my eyes. Slowly, I came to a stop as I had lost my breath, looking ahead as I breathed heavily, watching cars and lights pass us by until we turned. Suddenly, I felt an odd sense of tensity in the air, dispelling the fun we had. Rea tapped my shoulder with his hand and pointed as we approached the gas station."Get your gun ready, we don't know if they're armed."I was surprised at his quick change to being serious when he had just been so silly. Either way, I knew he was right and unholstered my pistol and held it ready at my right side, coming upon the gas station. When we stopped, I heard the sound of the brakes screeching, the tires against pavement, and quickly flung open my door and used it as cover as Rea grabbed the transceiver attached to the dashboard and spoke over the intercom on the front of the car."Come out with your hands up. Any resistance will be met with force."I aimed directly at the entrance in case whoever lay inside came out with a weapon of any sort. Suddenly a the door of the station was flung open, a man flung to the ground quickly led by another who held a gun to the mans head. I held up my hand for Rea and I to hold our ground, yet remain alert. It was a hostage situation which meant they were most likely buying time."Come any closer and I'll blow this guy's brains out!"He had kneeled and placed the gun next to the temple of the man, who I now quickly observed as to keep track of targets. The man with the gun was of large build, his face covered with a mask that was of one out of an opera show from some sort of TV show, a coat around him that hung low and black. The hostage had a blue shirt with a name tag, pants that were black and white shoes. The features of his face were soft and stressed right now due to the situation, tears of fear running down his face. The victim was suddenly lifted by the robber and pushed toward a car near the gas pumps."Damn... If he gets too near those, we can't shoot him.... What do we do Rea?"I spoke low as to keep the robber from hearing, each step, each moment precious time as we watched the man being held with a gun to his head, made to walk. Rea didn't look at me but kept his eyes trained on the scene."Shoot at the legs. If we can wound the robber then we have a chance to retrieve the hostage. We have to be quick though."I nodded at this and now aimed my gun with the purpose to harm as I aimed at a pair of the 4 legs that seemed to move together, until the man was pushed to the ground again. Suddenly, as if time stopped for a moment, Rea and I fired, one of our bullets hitting the robbers leg, the sound of something metallic, like keys dropping to the ground. Suddenly the man pushed the robber before he could recuperate, the gun dropping from his hand to the ground a little ways from him. The man grabbed the keys from the ground and sprinted to the car, opening the door and getting in quickly, Rea and I running towards the robber, The robber quickly going for the gun, and the car starting all in succession. Suddenly the car sped off with the hostage as the only person inside, and I stomped on the robbers back when I reached him, his hand only an inch from his gun. Rea was quick as he used his brute strength, taking the hands of the man behind his back and began to handcuff him. I slowly began to read him his Miranda rights as Rea hoisted him up. When I finished, Rea looked at the man, sizing him up and down before looking at the mask."Now lets see who you really are punk!"Suddenly, the man began to writhe and scream as if what we were doing was something that scared him. Rea though, didn't take heart and pulled off his mask, his screaming increasing as we began to yell in horror at what we saw. Beneath that mask, was a faceless horror of torn muscles and bone sticking out, the skin of the mans face completely torn off, stitches made to attach what was left of his sides to the muscle. I suddenly shivered at what kind of inhumane person would have done such an atrocious thing, and turned to see Rea throwing up, the man still screaming."PUT IT ON. PLEASE OH DEAR GOD! IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS HELP ME!"I took the mask which had fallen to the ground and placed it back on, the face of the robber becoming what I hoped was a smile before the mask was fully on him. I just stared with wide eyes at what had just happened. Even more so, why of all things was his face gone? What exactly was going on? These were all questions that plague me even now.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~In another location....The victim laughed inside the car as he slowly parked it, feeling at the small clasps of skin hidden by his wig and tore off the face of the man who had been taken instead of him, his true face slowly covered by the darkness of an overhang when his car stopped. He took off the uniform, his legs and arms dressed in bills that all were labeled as '100', done in a fashion as to make sure his body wouldn't look too noticeably different. He had succeeded in taking the drop that was made to be done there, by a gang which had now lost its revenue. He began to slowly laugh and clap his hands as he pulled free a phone, seeing it's screen as multiple red dots were blinking, a connection of a banks network on it. He spoke, his voice deep, scratchy, a whisper that was sinister."And now chaos can occur. Lets see the police stop exactly what I'm going to do...." He slowly opened his door as he left, the overhang slowly casting more and more shadow over him until all that was heard was just his deep laugh again which escalated from its normal way to a laughter that was loud. And then, there was silence.