RECKLESS HEARTS

PROLOGUE (L)

"Chief... Why me?", I let out in disbelief. I had been apart of the force under Chief Turner's command for 6 years now, but still there where much more experienced detectives who I would have thought to have been first choice, unless they were all smart enough to say no.

"It's your time Knight, trust me. If anyone can get close to these lowlifes it's you." I look at him allowing his blunt words to sink in. My father was one of the biggest lowlifes I had ever met, and I had dealt with him my whole life, until he died from one of his drug deals gone wrong, three years ago.

Good riddance, my mother and me, as well as the whole world was better off.

My father was most probably why I had been described as relentless when it come to chasing down criminals.

"You have that fire in your eyes Knight. That Cole Slater is a known hot head, if anyone is reckless enough to trip him up it's you." I put my head in my hands trying to ease the tension of the day, only to look up at the time and see it's only four in the afternoon. 

I groan inwardly, scanning the documents of my new identity. A new hometown, new hobbies, new everything for god knows how long. 

"We have set up a secure server for you to communicate with your partner Detective Victor Wilds, but obviously you wouldn't be able to physically meet him. Nor will anyone else expect for our unit know what you are doing." The deafening pounding in my neck doesn't slow down at his words. Without knowing, my eyes focus in on the pictures on the board, the bloodbaths and coke victims, Slater has left and it's as if an shot of adrenaline hits me, my eyes narrowing in on Jonathan Slater.

I'm not saying no to this. I'm not passing up on the chance to put a whole load of Mafia member's in prison, regardless of the fact the Chief only wants the son. I'm taking them all.

Anyone who works for the Mafia are vile... Plain and simple.

"Alright, then. When do I start?", the determination in my tone making Chief Turner grin. He runs a hand through his greying hair and his brown eyes look merry. His faith in me just cements my decision, he was more of a father figure in my life than anyone.

He pulls out a bottle of aged whiskey and pours it in two glasses, and rises his glass to mine. "Here's to taking down the bad guys," Chief clinks my glass with his and we both drink, the alcohol shooting right to my head. God, I'm gonna have to get used to this if I'm going back to university. At least I wasn't that much older than the fake age of William Lane, but it was safe to say 6 years on the force had hardened me, with my partner Victor constantly calling me an old scowling man. Not that he was only better, but out of the two of us he was the blonde charmer, with my gleaming smile, while I was the opposite. 

I head home and look around my empty apartment, packed ready to start my new life as William Lane, not before sending my mother a vague lengthy text explaining my disappearance for a while, trying not to worry her. It was somewhat a comfort that she lived on the other side of the world, safe from all this, but she still liked to get worked up about my job.

I wash my face, free from my stubble and watch the new man in the mirror. William Lane... Seriously, that was a stupid name. My lips quirk up in the mirror as Victor's word's echo in my head after I had told him about the assignment later on. "It's not like your actual name is any better, man. I mean, come on, you're a police officer named Knight, I mean you can't make that crap up." 

I stand up straighter, wincing when I realise why I felt so uncomfortable. I look like my father without my beard, and I hated that. Same black hair, same blue eyes.

I got the name Knight from him, but he was anything but a shining knight in armour for my mother and me. Most of the time he was the reason why we were in trouble. Years of banging and shouting at the door, with my mother rocking me in her arms, eyes glistening while telling younger me that everything was going to be okay, meanwhile my father was no where to be seen for days when people where looking for him.

My mum was my knight in shining armour. I protect people like her, because though she loved my father, she had the strength to get out and take me with her. 

That's why bringing down the Mafia is so important, they are like the disease infecting a community. They deserve a piece of their own medicine, Slater's Mafia was known to never treat anyone with mercy, so that's what I'm gonna do. 

One by one they will fall.