Present Day...
8pm
Daunthill
21st December 2020
The bright fluorescent lights in the store sufficed for the encroaching night's darkness. Every corner sniffed of air-conditioning and new clothing. The store was nearly empty and the time was indifferent just like Kenneth had planned.
The air-conditioner above Dimitri showed off its ability as he stared at the hoodie in his hands. He couldn't tell if he was more excited by the suave surface which comforted his fingers as he moved them hither and thither or the grey colour which naturally affected his senses.
Thehoodie looked like the one his mom had made for him six years ago for hiseleventh birthday back in Atlanta. She was quite a handy woman. He'd loved thehoodie, not just because of the silly designs she'd put on it, but because ofthe time and energy she'd spent working on it.
He remembered how he'd worn the hoodie all the time until Cole spilled meatball sauce which never got off. Dimitri had flown out the handle. He'd eyed Cole with fumes.
His arms crossed on his chest, he turned left to see Kenneth still engaged in his vague conversation with the checkout guy. Dimitri quietly approached their colloquy.
"So... how long has this store been around?" asked Kenneth.
"I don't know," the checkout guy blurted, his eyes observing a window-shopper. "I got employed this holiday."
"For real?"
Kenneth furrowed his brows. "You look like you've been here your whole life."
The checkout guy stared intently at the man in the Christmas elf mask in front of him. Suddenly a grey hoodie accompanied by some other clothes fell on the counter. After a few beeps from the bar code reader he said, "that'll be 90 DE"
"90?" queried Kenneth. "Don't you guys have a holiday sale or something?"
"Yeah, that's the discount price."
Kenneth fiddled with his wallet before slamming some Daunthill Euros on the tiled counter. "I'll do my best to leave a horrible review on Google," he snapped.
Dimitri shook his head as he picked up the bag of clothes and followed Kenneth. Lifting his free hand, he attempted to scratch his face but Kenneth caught sight of this and scolded him.
"Stop touching your face kid, you'd smear the paint."
"Then why the hell did your driver friend get one mask?" Dimitri asked.
"Kid,' Kenneth drawled. "We've been through this already. The store was out of masks."
"Whatever bro," sighed Dimtri as he paced forward before being encumbered by Kenneth's hand.
"What now?" he asked.
"Shh," Kenneth whispered looking at two window-shoppers from the corners of his eyes. "Those two guys. There's something off about them. They've been here since we walked in and haven't bought anything."
"Sure" said Dimtri staring staidly at Kenneth's elf mask. "I can barely take you serious with that thing on."
"Stop messing around and take a look"
Kenneth spun Dimitri's head to look in his desired direction.
Dimitri caught sight of two men at the other end of the store both in different sections not far from each other.
Dimitri observed the one in the baseball cap staring at what seemed to be a teddy bear.
"What the heck is he doing in the women's section?" Dimitri thought aloud as he noticed the second window-shopper.
Dimitri let go of the shopping bag in his hand and hot-footed towards the man who was in the women's.
Kenneth's loud whispers of caution seemed to fall on deaf ears. Clenching and releasing his fists incessantly, he entered the women's section.
"Hey" he called out through a steely base voice.
Disconcerted, the man spun rapidly to face Dimitri with a Rugger in his hand.
"Woah!" exclaimed Dimitri "Chill out mahn I just had to tell you, you're in the women's aisle.
"Huh?" the man gawked as he looked up to see the women's clothing sign Dimitri was pointing at.
Dimitri lowered himself and with his right leg, speared the man to the ground at god speed. As the man's face kissed the floor, Dimitri thumped the gun off his hand. After a few head butts, he rained some punches down on the man's face.
Dimitri remembered his training with Ryan. He would pour himself out on the punching bag, but Ryan wouldn't budge on the other side. The fitness trainer kept reminding him that his emotions wouldn't give him the upper hand in the fight rather it was a weakness on his path. Co-ordination and strategic moves were key. Iva usually stared at Dimitri from another end of the room looking like she'd seen a totally different person.
Regardless of Ryan's teachings, it was hard to make strategic movements when emotions are the fuel the most fights. The checkout guy who'd earlier crouched beneath the counter for shelter gradually raised his head to catch some remnant of the skirmish.
Meanwhile the sound of crashing items at the women's section had alerted the few customers shopping at the clothing store. They'd taken to their heels before things could escalate. The strange man in the baseball cap strode towards the hot session. Just as he arrived there and was about to pull out something from his waistline, Kenneth blared at him "Freeze!"
The man seemed more determined than reasonable. He pulled out the metal, but before he could place an aim, he dropped on a glass shelf which harboured some designer glasses and wristwatches. Then there was Andrew standing at ease with a smoky Glock.
Kenneth gaped at the lank man. He was slightly astonished by what had just occurred. So, Daunthill drivers kept a Glock handy?
"Hey Newsboy!" yelled Kenneth "I had the shot already."
"Okay" Andrew smirked, raising both shoulders at the same time.
They both advanced for the women's aisle where, an exhausted Dimitri, threw sluggish punches at the bleeding man.
"Alright kid, that's enough."
Dimitri stood gradually still staring at the man like he would rise suddenly and take out his revenge.
His knuckles bedraggled in blood, he turned to Kenneth. His white pyjamas now flaunting its new red designs and the white section of his face paint had acquired some scarlet stripes.
"Let's take him, he might know something," couched Dimitri.
"I don't think he'd be telling in his condition," declared Kenneth as he eyed Dimitri's bloodstained pyjamas.
"We should leave now" said Andrew.
"No" retorted Kenneth.
"But whoever sent these men could have more tricks up his sleeves."
"Exactly. Which is why we shouldn't be commuting around in a car that has the Daunthill police department logo at an obvious spot on its windscreen."
Kenneth handed the bag of clothes to Dimitri.
"So what?" asked Andrew. "You want the sticker off?"
"No, you take the car and report back to the station. Tell them what happened here."
"But..."
"Go!" barked Kenneth "And maybe tomorrow we'll talk about how my driver became an armed bodyguard.
"If I recall right, I'm your agent."
"Yeah, one that drives me around," Kenneth blustered. "Now keep moving."
They left the store to the Mercedes parked across the road.
Andrew passed Kenneth's suitcase, and raised his newsboy cap as a farewell gesture.
He got into the car, cranked up the volume of the stereo and zoomed off.
As the car roared down the street, a thought crossed Kenneth's mind. He'd noticed something. Andrew's hair, it possessed a certain dark glow. Like that of the strange kid he had encountered at the train station.
"So what now?" Dimitri questioned as he waved off a buzzing insect coming from the radiant street light above them.
"We go home." Kenneth pulled out his cell and dialled a number.
"Ken?" said the voice on the other end.
"Yeah Jacob, get down here."
In a few seconds, a black Lexus LS 460 emerged from a nearby alley and pulled over in front of them. The tinted glass at the driver's seat dropped to unveil a stern-looking dark man with a low haircut.
"Kenny!" hailed the man with a wide smile.
"Don't call me that," growled Kenneth. "Kid get in the back."
Kenneth stowed himself in the front passenger seat before the car got into motion.
"What took you so long?" asked Jacob.
"We ran into some trouble," Kenneth quipped. He swiped across his phone to unlock it.
"Hmm," breathed Jacob as he turned to see the scarlet stripes on Dimitri's face. "Typical."
The car drowned in imperceptible tumbleweeds after that.
"You're Dimitri right?" Jacob broke the silence.
"Yeah," replied Dimtri. His dim eyes gazed at vanishing objects by the high street.
Jacob took his off the road for a split second "Your face is gonna be all over the news by tomorrow. Serial killer victim escapes station."
"Cool."
"Ha, I like this kid," chuckled Jacob.
"Whatever" Kenneth sighed. "You said you got a place?"
"Yeah, it's in Holbrook." Jacob glanced at the digital clock on the dashboard. "A Safe and quiet area it's just waht you need."
"Great." Kenneth wondered the meaning of safe in this place and at this time.
"I'd be careful if I were you though" Jacob cautioned. "I heard rumours of a break-in a few days ago."
"What happened to "Daunthill: The Safest Town"?" Kenneth enquired.
"These are difficult times Kenneth. And Daunthill residents prefer calling it a district. How's Nora by the way?"
"She's... holding.." Kenneth stuttered. His eyes on his cell phone. "She's holding up. Any leads on Nkibo?"
"Zero." Jacob wagged his head. "But we've seen a few death row faces. And we're here."
Dimitri eyed Jacob.
The car pulled over at a standard Daunthill-style duplex. It had a roof made of overlapped sheets, white paint, a garage and of course a chimney.
Dimitri followed after Kenneth. He could hear the sound of his footsteps echo through the streets. Years back, he'd heard tales of tranquil Holbrook. He'd wondered what the residents did during evening.
Usually, by this time in Fellwalk, love birds roamed some spots, lying to each other. The moon would always aid their cause staying unmoveable until satisfaction felt close. Well, standing on Holbrook now, the experience was far beyond any lousy description. Jacob got out of the car and handed the house keys to Kenneth.
"There's a Toyota in the garage," Jacob noted. "I thought you might need one."
"Thanks Jay," said Kenneth. "You're the best."
"Don't call me that."
Back at the clothes store, the checkout guy hurried to exit the building. He stormed right out of the glass door nearly crashing into a black Range Rover.
Three men emerged from the vehicle which was just by the exit door. Two in masks, one with a black bandanna concealing all of his face save for his eyes. The checkout guy assumed the unmasked man was the leader of the trio, especially with his calm-down gesture. "Hey there" he called out.
"I... I called.. The police" stammered the checkout guy.
"And you got us," the man sneered.
The unmasked man placed his gun on the belly of the checkout guy.
The tone of his voice was as commanding as it was polite.
"I'll need the keys to the CCTV control room."