The Clearwater Chronicles (Book 1): Shadows in the Light Read online

“I don’t think it’ll be changing anytime soon.”

  “We’ll see.”

  She placed her hand on my shoulder and gave me a smile that you gave a puppy trying to climb stairs. “Try not to go off on one again and keep up the good work.”

  “You to.”

  She stood up off her chair and scooted it around to her own cubicle. Giving me a smile before disappearing behind the wall that divided our cubicles.

  I checked the rest of my memory cards but there didn’t seem to be anything that I could use for any of the articles we were writing at the moment. I slid them all into my bag, slipped my bag over my shoulder and grabbed my camera from my drawer. After tonight I’d have to fork out for an actual camera bag since I wouldn’t have a desk anymore.

  I left the office, giving Earl a nod before heading out into the street. I stood outside the building where I had no job anymore and picked a direction. My feet hit the pavement as I weaved between people. Passing by office buildings and little diners. People ignored me but every one that passed me by, I analysed.

  Men and women wearing their suits heading to jobs. Mothers pulling along their children to the shops. I quickly darted past some cars and jumped onto the tram as it came past. There were actual stops where people could get on dotted around the city but this was quicker.

  As I stood on the edge I watched the riders sitting, playing on their game pads and their phones. No one talked to each other, the driver was even playing on some kind of gadget whilst the tram followed the grove in the concrete and the electric wires that hung over head.

  I people watched until we arrived at the area of shops that sold the cheaper stuff. The low-end shops and the pawn shops. I hopped off when the tram slowed at a drop off point. Heading across the road, dodging cars and buses before I was save on the pavement.

  Within half a hour I had visited over ten shops and hadn’t found anything. Sitting on the tram back towards the centre of the city, I thought about the choices. Most of them had been too expensive and the cheaper ones were too disgusting to put a camera inside of it.

  Half-way back towards the office I heard something, shouting. I looked behind me and as we passed an alleyway I saw where the shouting was coming from. Two guys were beating on a single man. Shouting at him about money or something.

  I didn’t know why I did it but I jumped off the tram and ran across the road towards the alleyway. I brought up my camera and started taking snaps of the three of them. I got closer and closer. I slipped my camera into my shoulder bag and hid it behind a dumpster. I didn’t know what was about to happen but I didn’t want it getting damaged.

  I got closer and breathed in, preparing my manly voice. “Leave him alone!”

  They both looked at me. Then they started moving towards me. “Why don’t you ignore what you’ve seen and mind your own business. Just walk away.”

  A part of me wanted to turn and walk away but I looked down at the man on the floor. I could see the cuts on his face and the bruises already starting to form. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ve already called the police. They should be here any second now.”

  “I don’t think you did.” The white one out of the pair walked closer. “You haven’t called anyone.”

  “I have.” I didn’t know how I could try and convince him but there my luck suddenly jumped. A siren cut through the noises on the horizon. The man looked in their direction as they got louder. “Believe me now?”

  “Fine.” He turned and spoke to his criminal friend. “Pick this piece of rubbish up and let’s go.”

  I jumped forwards, “Leave him alone. Just run.” I didn’t know what they wanted with the guy but they couldn’t take him with them. The beating wouldn’t stop and he would die. I couldn’t have that on my conscience after getting involved. “Stop!” I yelled.

  The man just turned and swung a fist. I had no idea it was coming and all I could do was watch as it came closer and closer until it connected, sending me to the floor. The pain moved out from the spot and filled my head. My eyes went black and I felt the thud of concrete before passing out completely.

  30/06/2014 PM

  I looked down at my hands in the sink as the warm water washed over them. Rubbing them together, rubbing away the blood. The red water sliding down the sink, taking away any evidence I had been in a fight.

  That was until I looked up. There was a nice cut down the side of my jaw where one of the men had sliced me with a broken bottle. It didn’t matter. I couldn’t remember much about my life but I knew it would be gone by the morning.

  I lifted my hands up once I dried them on the towel to my left. I placed them on my mask, slipping it around, getting it back into position. Then I just stared at my features. The jaw line with a little bit of stubble on it. My mouth. The bottom of my nose poking out underneath my mask.

  Then my eyes. They were dark blue. A very strange colour to have. They stared back at me. My expression blank just like my memory. There was nothing inside. All I knew was what I am and what I am is someone who helps the less fortunate. I keep out of the media and I keep out of the public eye. Most importantly I keep away from the police.

  I stood up straight, reaching behind my head I tightened the straps that keep my mask tight against my face. The thin material easy to keep on whilst fighting. I didn’t want it falling off. Not only to keep my identity a mystery to any enemies but also to myself. If I didn’t know who my friends or family were then no one else could find out. It would keep them safe.

  I looked over the rest of my outfit. My black jeans and my black t-shirt were still intact. My jacket on the other hand was sliced open on my forearm. The attack hadn’t drawn blood but it was yet another jacket I would have to throw away. I might have to look into a different outfit, something less damageable.

  I walked out of the bathroom and into the rest of the apartment. The sun was almost disappearing behind the buildings I could see out of the windows. The nightlife of the city was starting to wake up.

  I kept walking around, checking on the little things sitting on counters and little tables. Then I walked into the bedroom. Lying on the bed was a man. I had never seen him before in my life, usually I would have left him there to die. However, he tried to help someone he didn’t know. I had watched him stand up to two men who were much bigger and who were clearly, very violent.

  I didn’t know his reason for trying to stop the fighting but he did and I had to respect that. The city was running low on people like him and I couldn’t have left him there, unconscious. Someone could have found him and robbed him.

  I leant up against the doorway as the man slept, slightly snoring. I looked down at the hamper sitting against the wall. It was where I had placed his bag when I brought him here. The bag flap had fallen open and I could see the contents.

  There was the wallet that I had used to find his home address but then there was something I didn’t see before. A camera. Either this guy had a hobby involving photography or he worked at a newspaper. If it was the latter then he could be a valuable asset. After all, I wasn’t able to keep on an eye on the whole city.

  I pulled it out and saw the memory car was filled. I switched the camera on and flipped through the photos. I saw the last ones taken. It showed the faces of the two men who had attacked my friend here. A perfect shot. I would be able to get a match from it.

  I took the memory card and left the camera, putting it back inside his bag. The memory card was slipped into my pocket and I left through the window, climbing up onto the roof and making my way across the city, jumping the gaps between buildings.

  I ran until I heard something. Stopping and finding the source. I watched through the window as a couple argued. The woman shouting louder than the man and also seeming more likely to be the one to attack first. This wasn’t my problem, just a domestic argument.

  I fled off into the darkening night. I managed to get back to my place by the time the stars had started sparkling on the blanket of black. I walked up to the
door. My hand ran over the brick work until I found the loose brick. I pulled it out and punched my code into the hidden keypad. Returning the brick to its resting place I pull the now unlocked door open. It squeaked as it swung, shutting behind me, the bolts locked automatically.

  I made my way down the stairs and into the apartment at the top of the building. Putting in a different code at the second door I finally enter the room I call my living room, bedroom and toilet. I walked into the middle of the open planned room. I didn’t like walls. They made me feel claustrophobic. I couldn’t remember when this feeling started but it was there deep in my mind.

  I walked over to the wall where there used to be a door. I had bordered it up and left a nice little stash of money to the owner. I also left a note that told him to forget about the apartment. Pretend it wasn’t there. So far he had listened.

  I had a back-up plan if anyone got suspicious. Inside the wall were pockets of explosives. Any disruption in the wall and it would blow. My exit strategy was the window where I had secured a rope to grab and slide down to street level. I haven’t had to use it yet but it was there just in case.

  I moved back away from the wall and headed for my corner. The only thing sitting in my apartment was a bank of servers and three computers. I’m not very technologically enabled but being able to steal most things made it easier to get things done.

  I slipped the memory card I’d taken and put it into the slot I had labelled. The computer processed the images and they came up in some kind of album. I flicked through them and found the ones involving the men I encountered. There was a close up of the coloured one.

  This one wasn’t needed. I had smashed his head through the wall and left him there. I doubt he survived. The other had run off just before the police arrived. I had to get out of there before I got caught. Can’t let the authorities know that there’s a vigilante out in the city doing their job for them.

  I flicked through the photos until I got a close up of the white male. His ugly face looked angry. It was a perfect shot of him. I pressed the button I had labelled face recognition and sat back, waiting for the machine to do all the hard work.

  I didn’t fall asleep but I didn’t do anything else, just sat there watching the computer screen whilst the servers buzzed away in my apartment. Hacking into the server they held at the police records building. Checking any convicted felons, from small time crooks to big bosses.

  I had no idea how much time had passed before it pinged. My finger tapped the enter button and it brought up the file, page after page. I flipped through them until it brought up a hand drawn tree with names everywhere.

  This guy, Marlon Davis, was at the bottom of what seemed like a much larger operation. An operation that’s headed by an unknown person. The police hadn’t been able to find the names for the four names under the boss either. Plus one a little further down.

  I went back to the file and made a mental note of the last known address for this Marlon person. He was going to get a visit from me and I was going to get some information from him. Whether he was feeling co-operative or not.

  Before I left the apartment I sent my computer on a search for the other names on the list. It would have plenty of files downloaded by the time I get back.

  It took me a while before I found the right building, using the roofs as my road above the city. I perched myself on the edge of the building opposite the street. Keeping my eyes on the three windows that belonged to his place. There were no lights on. I would have thought he would be back nursing a black hole after the punch I gave him.

  I moved along the building top trying to get a better look inside. That’s when I saw the fire escape that clung to the side of the building. It would be the perfect way to get a closer look and also enter the apartment.

  I lined up and from my crouching position pushed off over the road below. My body flew through the air, the straps of my mask flicking in the harsh wind. My hands hit first then my feet crashed into the metal. I felt the give in the material and the loud creek shook up and down the fire escape.

  I flicked my legs over the edge then started making my way down to the right level. As my feet hit the bottom step a light popped on inside the flat. I looked through the window and could just make out the shape of a man in the kitchen light. Then on came the rest of the lights.

  I didn’t take notice of anything in the apartment. All I saw was the man. This man was short and bulky. He also had long hair instead of Marlon’s short hair. This was someone else and this guy looked worse.

  He walked into the apartment, his long coat swaying around his feet as he walked. I watched, looking for clues why he was here. Then there was a sound at the door. My time was up, Marlon had returned from whatever he had been doing. The door slowly opened. It was definitely him.

  Marlon’s face dropped as soon as he saw his visitor. He dropped the fast food bag he was holding. The man spoke, “Welcome back Marlon.”

  “Look, I can get the money back for him. He just has to give me a little more time. I almost had the guy but I was interrupted by some man with a camera and then some crazy guy attacked us.” Was he describing me as crazy?

  “Yes, he’s heard all this already.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You don’t think he has ears inside the police force. They found your partner inside a wall, dead. They’ve heard many stories about random people helping out. The truth of it is, you got bested by a man wearing a mask. A simple vigilante.” The man took a step closer to Marlon. “You two couldn’t even take care of one, simple man.”

  “He wasn’t just a man.”

  Marlon was hushed by a simple hand gesture. “Stop talking. I have my orders.”

  “What about the camera guy. He took photos. I could take care of him.” Marlon’s voice was full of terror.

  “Those photos will only be significant when the police find your body, rotting inside your apartment.”

  “Wait, you don’t have to do this.” Marlon’s eyes widened with fear as a gun came out from under the long coat. “Wait!”

  “No more waiting.”

  I watched as the gun was aimed. I had a choice. Do I save this man or follow the gunman. My mind tussled with the choice as I carried on watching. The scene seemed to move in slow motion as the choice rolled around in my head.

  Then I moved. It might have been the wrong decision but I knew Marlon was part of this operation. I had no idea who this guy is. My hand grabbed the window and I yanked it up, the lock breaking from the pressure. I ducked through the gap and sped across the room.

  Not at the men. I moved sideways. Making my way around the room, my muscles in my legs moving me like a blur. The guy in the long coat had started turning at the noise the window made but I was already on the other side of the room.

  I hoped over the counter and into the kitchen. Manoeuvring through the arch I came out next to both men.

  I shot out a fist, hitting Marlon back against his apartment door. His head slumped to the side. He was knocked out cold. Then I turned as this new guy spun back around to face me, gun held high. My forearm came up to block his swinging arm. A loud bang came from the barrel as a bullet skimmed past my head.

  I shot out my fist breaking the man’s right arm. His hand opened and the gun was dropped. A follow-up punch to the man’s gut doubled him over in pain. I blew out a breath before lifting the man up with one hand, carrying the body to the nearest chair. I sat him down, the man trying to catch his breath from my punch. Sounding like he was suffocating.

  He coughed a few times before coughing up some words, “What are you?”

  I leant down and brought my face inches from his. “It doesn’t matter. What does matter is what I will do to you if you don’t talk.”

  “About what?”

  “Who sent you to kill Marlon Davis?”

  “I’ll be killed if I talk.”

  “Then you find yourself with a choice. Talk then get killed by them or get killed by me righ
t now, really slow.”

  His eyes hit mine, scanning to see if I was telling the truth. “I don’t know who hired me.”

  “You’re lying, I heard you talking to Marlon. Who sent you?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Anger boiled up inside making me lash out, bringing my fist down onto his knee. He screamed, clutching at it. “I do that again and I’ll shatter your knee cap. Tell me the truth this time.”

  “Fine, I do know who hired me but I will never talk. There’s nothing that you could do that they won’t do worse.”

  “Oh really. I think you’re underestimating me.”

  “No, you’re underestimating them.” His voice changed lending him more confidence. You have no idea who you’re up against.”

  “Actually, I do. I have my information, I just need a little more from you.”

  “Like what?” He coughed again.

  “Like, who sent you? Is it the same person who hired Marlon? If not, then we can chat about that in a minute?”

  “You say you have information but you’re asking such small questions.”

  “What questions should I be asking?”

  Another cough, this time followed by a spurt of blood. Maybe I had hit his gut harder than I thought. “You should be wondering just how far his reach is. You should be afraid that he’ll find out you’re interfering with his plans. Above all, you should be scared.”

  I grabbed his knee roughly, squeezing with a little pressure. He screamed at the pain and it brought a little smile to my face. “Do I look afraid to you? I don’t get scared by men who hide away behind others. People who use low-life scum like a hit man to do their dirty work for them. The person who should be afraid is your boss because I’m going to get to him and show him what it’s like to get your hands dirty.”

  I let go of his knee. He coughed more before whimpering, “Fine, I’ll give you the information you need.” He pulled a phone out of an inside pocket. “Dial the number five, five, five.”

  “What is it?”

  “Just dial it. You’ll get everything you want.”