The Next One

Chapter Hét

July 8th, 2017

5:16pm

Unfortunately, my hunger for fried chicken had overcome me, brainwashing me into take a bite of it's moist goodness. So now here I am walking, or rather sneaking over to McDonald's in the middle of early evening. The hustle and bustle of city still as fast paced as it was earlier. Luckily, the time I'm going is during their dinner rush, so I won't be noticed easily by the police. Hey, a bully-killer can treat himself every once in awhile.

The police haven't caught me yet, so going out wasn't really a worry for me. I doubted they'd find me now. Maybe it's just my ego talking. Feels pretty good not to have been caught for a full year. Besides, I haven't exactly found that new "victim" yet. Call this a spring break for me.

I step inside the fast food restaurant, letting the aroma of obesity overtake me. This place brings back memories. I recalled the times just one year ago when Max and I would spend long nights at McDonald's drinking McFlurries and sharing a twenty set of chicken nuggets while running through diagnostic reports and descriptions of the criminals.

I recalled making many portrait sketches here, and Max cracking up when we were finished with a case and I'd draw all over the old sketches' faces. I missed that smile, Max's old laugh was contagious. Nowadays, from what I saw, Max didn't laugh very much anymore. He'd grown stone cold, wearing only a rigid expression on his face. I would've done anything to protect his smile, but now I couldn't care less. Or maybe I did, somewhere deep down.

I suppose a lot has changed since last year.

I walk up to the front and speak to the cashier. "I'll have a twenty piece chicken nugget and...a McFlurry. How much would that come to?"

I stood there for a few moments in silence, ripping out my wallet so that I could pay with cash, since all my credit cards had been declined since I revealed myself to the police. Cash was my only way to go. Luckily, since robbing Brandly, I had a surplus of it.

"How much is it?" I repeated. "I don't have all night, lady."

"Hank Keegan, I'll be damned." A familiar voice spoke back to me. A voice I despised.

I looked up to see the face of Lindsey, Max's old slut of a girlfriend. Wonderful. Hated her then, and I sure as Hell hated her now. I had forgotten about her, and her abuse towards Max all those years ago in middle school. She deserved to pay. But not now. Not in public.

It's like this day kept getting better and better. Definitely a bit more excitement than I was used to while trying to hide out.

"Oh look who it is." I smirked. "Listen, I don't have time to catch up. Just give me my meal. How much is it?"

Lindsey looked exhausted, like she'd been here all day. I'm guessing an eight hour shift at McDonald's was not an easy one at that. The bags under her blue eyes were enough for me to guess that she was in a horrible, shit mood. She yelled back my order.

"So, it comes to around five dollars and sixty five cents." Lindsey grabbed the twenty from my hand. "Lemme get you your change." She muttered.

"McDonald's, eh?" I asked. "That sucks."

She glared at me, handing back my change. "You have no place to judge."

"Oh?" I questioned. "I don't think your boss would approve of you sassing your customers. You could get fired."

She rolled her eyes. "Like I care, if I get fired here; I'll just go get a job at Burger King next door."

"Your complaints are as amusing as always, Lindsey." I muttered sarcastically.

"What've you been up to, Hank?" Lindsey asked, raising an eyebrow. "You look like shit. I'm guessing you don't work for the police anymore."

"You don't look so great yourself." I smirked. "Let's just say, I'm more of a freelancer now."

"Yeah?" Lindsey laughed. "Well, from what I've seen on the news, your freelance work isn't very appreciated around these parts." She gestured to the waiting area. "It'll be a few minutes. Go wait there and I'll let you know when your meal is ready."

I watched Lindsey as she turned the corner into the kitchen. I watched her slowly dial a number and call someone. I knew who she was calling. She wasn't very sneaky. A pain in the ass to run into someone from my past who I should've killed. Max would be here in a few minutes, with a gun pointed directly at me.

Well, guess she'd have to pay for that. I'm not about to let myself get caught because of a little princess.

I walked up to the meal I had ordered, which was now ready. "Much appreciated." I took it and stuffed everything into my hoodie pocket. I sipped the McFlurry and headed out the door. I gave a curt little nod to Lindsey in the back. "I'll be seeing you soon."

As I ate, I formed a small plan in my mind. I'd wait in the alley, wait for her shift to end, pull her into the alley where no one could see us, then strike when no one was looking. Gunshots would be too loud, a knife was required for this mission, or something smaller. No, she'd still scream. I'd have to cover her mouth first.

The only problem was how fast Max managed to get here.

If Max arrived, it would lead us into a stand off, or worse, I'd get captured or killed. But let him come. This day would be fantastic if I managed to kill him and Lindsey in the same day. Middle School Sweethearts...Dead in an Alley! I could see the headlines now, and how unbelievably ironic.

But first, I had some chicken to eat.