Chapter one
Dark skies
Darkness is a relative term. For some it’s the dark they see outside their windows, the darkness of their dreams and thoughts, the darkness of someone’s eyes or soul, the darkness of someone’s heart. Darkness is all around us, but is it only during night?
Los Angeles, California a city that truly never sleeps. It’s Friday night and no one seems to be sleeping. All of the buildings are lit up like a Christmas tree. The noise of cars and loud music is in the city streets.
Josh isn’t looking at the buildings neither the cars passing faster and faster behind him. He is looking at the night sky, which people never seem to notice. The sky is pitch black from smoke and other industrial gasses, but still that doesn’t stop the stars from shining.
Josh smiled while looking at the stars which were his only joy as a kid. He clenched his black leather jacket and looked up at the sky one more time. The moon was getting closer to north, he checked his watch and it was midnight. He locked his car and walked up into a building catching an elevator up to the penthouse suite.
When the elevator stopped and the door opened, he could only hear techno music ponding against his eardrums. He covered his ears with his hands for a moment, so that he could adjust to the music. He walked out the elevator and looked around. The lights were dimed down, and there was a bitter smell of alcohol in the air.
It was a typical high-end party. All of the people were his age or younger. There were couples making out on the sofa, against the walls or on the hard wooden floor. Two girls were making out just to be in the center of attention just like any spoiled rich kid would. Guys were stumbling from high level alcohol in their systems. There were crumbled up plastic cups all over the place.
Josh carefully stepped around the sticky floor trying not to step in vomit. He shook his head in disgust and tilted his head up just to notice a drunken girl checking him out. He smiled and looked at the girl. She was dead drunk holding an almost empty red plastic cup. She was giggling and laughing uncontrollably. He gently pushed her and continued walking to the center of the room.
He stood remembering his mission. Closing his eyes, the images of yesterday morning appeared.
He was jogging up a sleepy street when he had an upcoming call. He answered his phone and heard a familiar voice.
*****
“Josh, I need a favor, I’ll pay you a million dollars. You have never done such a thing, but I trust you. I need you to kidnap Senator Manson’s daughter. Come and meet me…” the voice on the phone said in a hurry and hung up.
The voice was familiar, but Josh has never actually seen this man before. He would always sit in his leather chair facing the window or in his library in the corner were the shadows rule. He has gone to a lot of trouble keeping his identity a secret, and Josh found that intriguing. The secrecy gave him a lot of mystery, but Josh didn’t care for him or the money.
A black van with tinted windows showed up and opened the side door. Two men were inside, and Josh quickly jumped in. He was in the back and didn’t quite know where he was going. He never really did, but he was never afraid.
When they arrived the door opened and he was in the middle of a forest looking up at an old mansion. He walked in and followed the two men upstairs into the office.
The office was small, but comfortable with a big desk and leather chair. There was only one window behind the armchair. The chair was facing the window and someone was sitting on it. Josh sat opposite of the chair waiting for further instructions.
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Scars
Mystery / ThrillerJosh is troubled by a past he doesn't even know of.His past is filled with secrets beyond his wildest imagination. He and his strange and cunning group of friends are ready to look into his past. What will become of this mysterious assassin when he...