Midnight: A Foxvalley Thriller (First Draft)✔

Chapter I: Bullets

May 16, 1:36 P.M.

New York City, New York

Danger occupied the three-story abandoned factory on the sea side of Manhattan. On most occasion, it seemed like a quiet place. Not a single voice heard, nor vehicle. The only sound was the soothing splash of the blue waves, hitting the coast behind the great red brick factory.

Walls two stories high held large clusters of smaller square window panes. Dozens of holes and deep cracks embedded into them. Some shattered windows left only sharp glass fragments sticking out of the wall, waiting to sink into the flesh of curious birds. A black SUV made a silent stop, along with a black S.W.A.T. truck behind it. Their motors mumbled in the heat.

The passenger side door of the black SUV swung open. A man stood up out the car a little over six feet tall. He stared down at his reflection in the door rear-view mirror. He brushed his hand through his silky dark brown hair. His dark-green eyes darted from the mirror towards the decades-old abandoned factory. He straightened the black tie, stretching around his neck. He let it rest down on his white button-up shirt. The black of his overcoat matched the color of his dress pants. A man in similar apparel sat in the mumbling vehicle. The man outside leaned towards the open door. "Are you sure this is the place, Higgins? I mean it looks like no one's been here in a hundred years, let alone a master criminal," He asked, pursing his lips as he scanned the building.

"According to our tracking systems this is the place," Higgins answered. "Even if he is in here, make sure you don't kill him, Budsworth. We’re already in enough trouble from you shooting the last one in the face."

The man standing outside the SUV, Budsworth, stepped back. Rage crept through his veins. Seriously? He thought,would he ever let me down over that. "He's the one who pointed the gun at me."

"You shot him even after I grabbed his gun."

"He had another one on him. It was self-defense!" Budsworth argued, growing annoyed.

"That was empty. You know what, just don't kill him, got it?" Higgins asked. Budsworth nodded and rolled his eyes. How could've he'd known at the time it was out of ammunition, he had it in his pocket and went for it. Budsworth stepped up to the S.W.A.T. Truck behind them. 

The window of the passenger side door rolled down. A S.W.A.T team member, sitting in the front seat, poked his head out the window, watching Budsworth. "Is this the place, Agent Budsworth?" He asked in a roughened voice. Budsworth nodded. The door of both sides of the carpool swung open. Both of the S.W.A.T. team members rushed to the back of the truck. They opened the back trailer door, and a flood of other S.W.A.T. members fled out. All carried assault rifles longer than the length of their entire arm span. Black helmets strapped around their heads. A bulletproof vest that labeled, "S.W.A.T," on the back in bold white letters defended each of their chests. All the S.W.A.T. team members hustled up to the front door of the factory. Two carried a hundred pound battering ram to the door. "Three, two, one, go!" One of them shouted, counting down from three to one with their black-gloved hand. The two with the battering ram rammed the circular front end of the ram into the door. The lock busted, and the door burst open.

They flooded into the building like a swarm of ants. They aimed their assault rifles at everything and everyone in the building. They marched through the first floor searching every part of it. Budsworth looked around for clues leading to where the man could be. A trail of dirt markings covered the concrete floor in the shape of a footprint. Budsworth followed them to a metal staircase leading up to the second floor. He must've returned upstairs.