Adventure in the World of Crimes

2.11 Harsh Reality of Injustice

Warren was again miserable for the second time around just within that hour, he was driving the car to no particular destination, and he had already cursed himself for not asking them where that store they were talking about was, There were so many stores around the corner that he already went passed by but there was no trace of a robbery, riot or something else there. He just knew it was Jeffrey Street from what he had heard the officer said but he didn't know where that was. So that left him with no other choice but to call the only person expert in times like this.

"What do you want? I'm currently in the middle of a break, Velmont."

Of course, no other than the geek, Dahlia Dawson.

"Since when did you granted yourself a break, Dale?" He asked, chuckling, but when receiving a no reaction, he continued, "Please help me find the store who was robbed just now by... uh, kids."

Warren instantly heard a fast typing sound of the keyboard as soon as he finished talking. He was always fascinated by just hearing those very talented fingers hitting the right keys without even looking down at the keyboard, but Dale was doing it flawlessly like her hands belong to be on those invariably. On the other hand, Warren couldn't even find the letter L on that without looking.

"They're a g**g, not kids. From Hudson Street Police Station, it was to the right, go straight and turn left, that would be the Jeffrey Street, then a certain Fille Store was the name of the robbed store based on this post ten minutes ago."

"Got it! Thank you." He said, then ended the call, driving to the U-turn because he took the left way from the police station.

He reached the store with a few people surrounding the police car with the light still on and only two police officers left soliciting the owner and those who had witnessed it of their statement.

Warren casually went past them, ducking his head a little lower so they wouldn't see him. The other officers were not there, so he considered there was a chasing happened especially that there was still fresh fog and the smell of smoke came from possibly their motorcycles.

Luckily, he remained unnoticed, now looking left to right and vice versa to find where they were. But seemed like it was not needed as he saw a glimpse of the chasing game, thanks to the police car's blue and red light that was very apparent in the dark route of Jeffrey Street.

He sped up the car, but still putting in his mind the words of Senior Merit that he should stay out of their business and remain invisible, so he made sure to have adequate distance from them as he watched them throw profanities at each other and the officers shouting and trying to stop them. Good thing was that they were far from the houses and only fields were on each side, no other people would be disturbed by the commotions they were doing.

"Stop your motorcycles, imbeciles!" Officer Sergio shouted on top of his lungs, his tendons were showing and his face was red in anger.

There were four boys and only two motorcycles, the other two were riding at the back while the boys who were driving were busy thinking of the way to get away from the police. The black plastic bag they used to gather their stolen items was dangling through the motor's handlebar.

"You have to promise you won't cuff us!" One guy riding in the back shouted back at the officers. He had his brow trimmed in the middle making him look like a cool guy, at the same time, a thug.

"We promised!" Officer Sergio answered almost too immediately, he had half of his body out of the car's window. "Now, calmly stop your motorcycle and let us talk about this matter without shouting."

The four boys looked at each other, whether they would be persuaded by the officer or not, but the boy who had a ring in his nose and was the one riding the motor on the left slowed down, the other one following reluctantly.

Warren who was watching the scene unfold before his eyes parked his car on the very side of the field, enough to hide it fully through the high hays, he then went out of the car and crouched by the side of the road, moving subtly near them to hear even a bid of their conversation.

"You exhaust us." The officer standing next to Sergio Carpio, the one who claimed himself as the latter's right hand, Officer Terrence, said. He had his hands on his waist as he acted like panting.

"Stand in line. Why are you running away? We've let you go once." Officer Sergio said, getting a pack of cigarettes inside his left pocket and a lighter on the right.

The boys stood in line, bowing their heads like a little kid getting scolded by their moms. The motorcycle was properly parked on the side. "We were just scared of you, sir."

"The last time we were in a situation like this, you said you won't do this again if we let you boys go. What are you doing now?"

The boys didn't say anything, they were just feeling how the boss of the police troop was circling them four while spattering the cigarette's smoke right on their faces. The other officers were also having a fun time, chuckling as they watch how scared the boys were.

"I don't think you are. You were very audacious earlier. Where is that courage on cursing us now?" He asked, stopping in front of the guy with a slit brow. He took out his cigarette from his mouth and pinned it to the guy's arm like a human ashtray which sent the guy squirming and screaming that echoed loudly in the vast space of the open field.

"This is what I miss doing. That officer was restraining us from our routines." The fattest officer, the one who took the phone call, said to Officer Terrence.

"He'll be out tomorrow. Sir Sergio just took a liking to him because someone called him to try to take him on the team, but I think he doesn't like the sharpness of his tongue, he was reminded of the senior." Officer Terrence answered, hearing another scream but from the other boy.

On the other side, Warren was gritting his teeth at the treatment of the officers on the four boys, he was wondering why they couldn't just settle it in the precinct instead of prolonging their time at this dark, uncrowded, and itchy place, at least on his part.

"Sir, we'll go with you. Don't hurt us." The man with a huge tattoo on his arm pleaded, raising his hands in submission. But he was not heard, for the fourth cigarette being lit by the officer, not for himself but to have something to t*****e the boys, he screamed and writhed in pain as the burning piece of the cigar was squeezed on his nape.

"Why? Don't you wanna be free?"

It was scary that even from afar, Warren could see Sergio Carpio's darkened face and sinister sarcastic smile, then to the boys who were looking at him with fear like they were looking at a monster, one even stepped back.

"W-we want it." The boy answered, stuttering.

The unknown Sergio Carpio glimmered, stepping away from them which the only time the boys were able to breathe. He stood beside his troop again, hands wide open behind him as if asking for something as he talked to the boys.

"In my count of five, if you're still here, I'm sorry." He said, but even without counting yet, the four tumbled their way down to their motors. "One!"

"Two!" "Three!"

The other officers started counting fastly, laughing evilly as the boys begged to slow down their count and count back to a normal pace. They were still having a hard time kicking the motorcycle to ignition, probably because of nervousness, which Warren also felt as his hands dampen and silently urging the boys to go, and will just tell Senior Merit to deal with this in later days.

"Four!" One other officer shouted following with a boisterous laugh, clearly enjoying the scene.

"I'm running! Your motorcycle is junk!" The guy with a tattoo shouted as he started running, the other lads following behind.

"Not so fast, kids!" An officer gave Sergio Carpio a g*n.

Warren's eyes widened as he was also about to stand and protest but were too late when a deafening bang of a g*n filled the open field, not only once, but four times. All bullets hitting each of the escaping boys.

"You're still a good shooter, sir." The officers complimented him, instead of paying attention to the boys who were making a b****y mess, lying lifeless on the pavement.

Warren was frozen, he couldn't move, his face was pale, throat went dry as he fell on his knees. He saw how the four, pleading to be taken to jail just not to be hurt, but they did more than just hurting them. They killed them. The police killed the defenseless boys.

The four who might be robbers, criminals, but not to the point that they needed to be killed. Warren just wanted them to be taught manners and behaviors, not to be forever silenced.

"Clean my g*n and put it in the hand of one of them. Also, slip drugs into their pockets." Sergio Carpio ordered, going inside the police car as he let his men do what they were told to do.

Warren realized that this is the police's way of getting away from the suspicions. If their reasons included drugs and fighting back, the people would believe the authority.

It was the harsh reality of injustice.