Twilight Bridge: Immersion (Volume 1)

Chapter 19: Collision (Part 1)

About twenty minutes have passed since he was put into custody. Mr. Dolph, despite already realized that his own son betrayed him, was still in a heavy shock. He couldn't believe why did he do such a thing to his father! The cell that he was imprisoned in wasn't yet his definitive accommodation. But it was dark enough to make him feel like he had been there forever.
With nearly a million thoughts, and explanations running through his dazed mind, the hopeless Candy-Man felt as though he wasn't alone. He sensed faint steps that were getting closer slowly. Could that be his son? Could he come to rescue him?! But at the moment they stopped, Mr. Dolph heard something like a pointed gun.
Once he raised his head to see, he didn't find his son. He didn't find anyone he recognized. His eyes saw a mysterious cloaked person with a dark skull mask.
"W-what...what are you?!" Mr. Dolph hesitantly asked.
The mysterious cloaked man pushed his hands through the metallic strands. He pulled the trigger as he said "It's. Show. Time.."

~BANG!

The morning following the Homecoming dance, the Maplewood Highschool was closed for a week due to the incident that occurred during the dance. All classes were canceled, and the campus was full of police officers instead of students or faculty members. Most of the Southeren students were sent to interrogation, while most of the Northerens were sent to the emergency room.
Eugene was one of those at the hospital, but he wasn't hurt. He was sleeping in a chair next to a hospital bed that Julia was in. She wasn't apparently conscious, and there were two catheters attached to both arms. The oximeter that was beeping woke him up.
"Huh..!" he opened his eyes. "She's still asleep.."

Eugene rubbed his eyes, and then got up to hit the washroom.
As he was splashing his face with cold water, Eugene remembered how did the previous night had dramatically ended.
Back when Chico was about to hurt Julia and Kym. He said something about Julia being originally from the Southside.
.
.
"It's such a shame, but it's ironic.." Chico said. "How someone like you who belong with us become a Northie bitch!"
.
.
Flashback were still coming back to Eugene. How Chico ended up tossing Julia to the side so hard that she lost consciousness. But then, Jaden jumped behind him and punched him fast. That hit was capable of knocking him down until Principal Cory arrived. The principal brought with him some officers whom thanks to, that nightmare was over.

Eugene went back to see Julia. When he got closer to her face, he notice that she started to wake up.
"Ehmmm.." she moaned as she opened her eyes. She gazed at Eugene who was looking directly at her face in relief.
"Julia! You're up!" he said happily.
"Ehh-- Eu-" she tried to speak.
"Yeah, it's Eugene!" he said. "Don't tire yourself! Do you feel any pain?"
Julia wrestled with her agony, and tried to adjust herself in bed.
"Where am I?.." she mumbled.
"We're in the hospital. You had a mild concussion" Eugene replied. "Kym and Blake are here as well, but I don't think they're awake yet.."
"Does..my dad.. know?" she managed to say.
"Yes, he was here all last night! He was worried sick, though.. but he went to the Sheriff's Department with Jaden."
"Okay.." she muttered.
The nurse entered the room few seconds later and checked Julia's vitals and administrate her medications. Eugene stepped away, and stood near the window.

--- 'She can't be trusted for now, so keep your eyes over her'- huh!, Eugene wondered about what Jaden had told him. What're you thinking, Mado?..

The Sheriff's department was crowding with officers when Jaden arrived. The crime scene, which in this case was the department's cell, was horrifying. The dead body of Mr. Dolph had already vanished, leaving behind his punched-in mask.
As he was walking around, and looking for any useful hidden clue, Jaden saw both the Sheriff and Mr. Park.
"All the cameras were still working when it happened." Sheriff. Scott said.
"And it was the same person who murdered Derek!" Mr. Park replied in concern.
"I'm afraid so." said the Sheriff. "According to his son's description, that is.."
When they walked by him, Jaden noticed that the Sheriff was holding something that could have belonged to the Candy-Man. So he decided to join them.
"Ohh, hello- sir! I came to ask about what could've been left out of the Candy-Man before the incident.." he hesitated.
"And why would you want that?!" Mr. Park intervened.
"These are crime scene evidence." Sheriff Scott held the small transparent sack with his right hand. "We can't just let it get contaminated before the investigations are over."
"But sir, I'm a reporter at the school newspaper!" Jaden tried to persuade him. "The Candy-Man incident is obviously related to the fight that occured at the dance! Besides, the Candy-Man has been also seen on school grounds at that same night. So, the students are terrified to think about going back to classes if some things didn't get cleared up."
"Hmmm.." the Sheriff stroked his chin. "You only need to see them to finish your report, isn't that right?"
"Yes, I'll only need to look." Jaden replied.
The Sheriff accepted, and permitted him to take a look. When Jaden opened the sack, he found few things that didn't have any value. Most of what was there were some necessities.
There's nothing here that could be beneficial, he thought to himself while trying to keep up the thorough act. But as he was looking at every item in front of him, Jaden noticed something else.
"...What is that-?" Jaden picked up an old small key labeling tag that was written on it using a marker.