Bloody Riddle

XIII : Face to Face

That night the Woods couple went to bed early. Louis got into the blanket, didn't go to sleep. There are books that he hasn't read. He wants to finish it tonight.

The telephone in the living room rings. Louis looked at the half-closed door. He stopped reading, put the book on the table.

“Honey, the phone." His wife curled back inside blanket.

Louis sat, kissed his wife's head and descended the stairs immediately, picking up the call.

"Woods residence.”

“Sir, it’s me Williams. There’s an emergency.”

“What’s wrong?”

"James, he's gone."

"What do you mean?"

After hearing explanation, Louis, rushing, put on the jacket he had hanging from the hanger. He brought his car key, turn the knob.

"Honey, where are you going?" Louis stopped and turned, found his wife came from the stairs, wearing a sleeping mantle. She walked over to her husband.

“Something wrong?”

"Sorry dear, it’s an emergency, I'll be back soon." Then Louis kisses his wife. "Be careful." Louis nodded and went out of his house.

He sped his car into the office as fast as he could. When he parked his car, he saw Karin and Philip waiting in the parking lot. Louis slammed the door and half ran to his subordinates. "What time did he disappear?" Louis asked, half-panting.

"Maybe since the afternoon, I'm not so sure, but everything is clean."

"Did you find anything?" Philip asked. Karin nodded. "A box, storing firearms."

The hunch Louis was right. James is hunting down the killer. And now he's disappearing the way he used to. It will be difficult for them to look for it.

"Anything else?"

Karin pocked her jacket and pulling out a James's phone and they sighed in unison.

"Well, this is difficult." Louis said.

**

James knows for sure the risks he faces when he walks through the city at night. Hands in pockets, keeping out the cold, James kept walking. Standing neck hair. He knew someone was following.

James sped up the road, twisting into a small alley. He turned and stepped back, paying attention. But the man who followed him walked away. He sighed.

"Miss me?"

A hand took James's shoulder. He turned around forcefully, knocking the hand back. James stared at someone. From the darkness, the man stepped forward and showed his face.

James pulled out his gun.

"We meet again, Matt, or I can say David Eiden."

David smiled. "Nice to meet you again, James. It's pleasure."

"I'm going to get to the point, David Eiden, you're arrested for murder."

David's smile made James feel bad about it. His hand gripped the gun firmly. Beads of sweat appeared on his temples. This guy is dangerous.

"You think you can stop me with that thing?" David smiled wider. "Shoot me."

James pulled the trigger. Eye glared as David dodged and run toward him at full speed. His right hand grabbed James's gun and tossed it aside. James backed away and took a stand. James glanced at the gun that was lying some distance away.

"Come on, attack me. I know you have the skills to defend yourself."

He attacked James, punch his left cheeks. James moves away, sticks his left hand forward to fend off David's hand. David didn't give up. He used his left hand, punch right into James's solar plexus, making him half-jumped because of the pain he receiving.

James took hold of his stomach. He was off guard and let David get closer to him, landing a blow right in his face. James fell down.

A salty taste appeared in James's mouth, spits sideways. Thick blood landed down. With his sleeve, James wiping the rest of the blood from the corner of his mouth.

David walking sideways but not taking off his eyes from James, still smiling. James balled his hand, attack again.

They ran and hit and fend each other. James's movements slowed down because of the injuries he'd received a while ago. James, who had lost a bit of concentration, gave David a chance to hit him right on his jaw. Not too hard, but still hurts to him.

James fell to the asphalt. David walked straight to him and kicked right into James's stomach. He immediately winced from the pain, breathing tightened. James could feel his ears buzz.

David grabbed James’ collar, forcing them to look at each other. "Give up yet?" James closed his eyes.

A quick move works for David. James's leg hit the stomach. David stepped back. James doing round and successfully landed. "Yeah, in your dream." He said arrogantly.

David laughed. He felt a tremendous pain in his stomach, but he didn't care. He's getting more excited to beat James. David ran, crashed his body with James, dragged him toward the wall.

James tried to revolt by hitting David's head. Unfortunately, this man's body is so strong. David grabbed James's head and slammed it against the wall.

James fell to his knees, holding his head, vision blurry. The world is spinning around him. James could sense that something was flowing. Grabbing back of his head, dark red liquid in his hand. When he titled his head up a blurry figure coming. James couldn't move. He panicked when a hand touched him.

"This is fun." David whispered, pulling the syringe out of his jacket pocket and sticks it in James's neck.

A strange sensation fondled. James's breath shortened. His body went limp, fell to the ground. He couldn't feel anything completely numb. He glanced at David crouching next to him. He whispered something in James's ear. "Good night." Then his view turns black.

**

Karin hardly slept all night. After checking or rather hacking some cctv cameras on the streets. Every screen shows nothing or a figure she knows. James is hard to find if he doesn't want to be.

Karin massaging her neck, glance through the window. It’s already in the morning and she still found nothing. Karin pushed her chair back and stood up. She looked at her friend. Philip beside her slept soundly on his desk. As did Louis, who slept in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest.

Karin walked out of the office to the cafeteria downstairs. When she opened the door, there was a faint smell of food. Karin gulped. Hand holding the stomach.

Karin came closer to the counter and saw someone was on his back. But because hungry, Karin kept looking at the meal being prepared. The man then turned around.

"You want breakfast, miss?" the man asked. Karin nodded. The man smiled as he walked toward her, carrying a tray. Karin picked up the tray and picked out her food.

"Is there a black coffee already?" asked Karin. The man looked back at the coffeemaker. "I'll get it, please wait."

The man came back with a cup of coffee in his hand. He then put it on Karin's tray.

"There you go."

"Thank you." and Karin sat at the table near the window while enjoying her delicious breakfast.

Karin so enjoyed her quiet breakfast when she heard footsteps getting closer. Karin didn't notice or pretend not to care when Philip opened the door and walked toward her. Philip sitting opposite Karin.

"It's good, you eat alone." Philip took the bread out on the tray.

"Hey." Karin glared. 

Philip ate the bread instantly, regardless of Karin's groaning. "You want to ruin my beautiful breakfast morning by taking my bread. How cute." He shook his head. His mouth chew bread and swallow it slowly.

"You know yesterday there was a 911 call." He said.

"Then?"

"They reported that there was a gunshot from an alley in downtown."

"Does it matter, you still ruin my breakfast. f**k off, Phil." She was demanding, but Philip stay.

"I'm not done yet, grumpy. So, they're checking in there and they found a gun."

"Guess what, in the gun there is a fingerprint and it's belong to James."

Karin almost spouted her coffee when she heard James’s name called. "Are you sure?"

Philip nodded.

"I made sure by talking to Kate just now, she confirms it." Karin immediately finished her coffee in one gulp. She stood carrying the tray to the counter and back again quickly.

"Let's check it through cctv, you know where it is, right? His position last time?"

Karin and Philip returned to their room and found Louis talking to someone. They walked closer and heard a bit of their conversation. "Focusing to find James. Okay, I understand, thanks." the man nodded and walked out of the room. Louis sighed and waited.

"I assume you've heard it." Karin and Philip nodded together. "Well, the bad news is that they think James is off track and he's taking it out on someone."

"Then we have to check it." Philip walked over to his desk and started typing quickly, according to the position he heard when he talking to Katherine, a window popped up and the video played by itself. Louis and Karin approached from behind, looking at the screen.

"It's James?"

Karin half whispered. The video showing the last time they saw James; he rushed and turned into an alley, soon after James disappeared. Unfortunately, the video wasn't so clear, so they didn't know what happens next.

"Just like that."

"You put your hope too much. Unfortunately, the city security department doesn't install cctv in the small alley." Philip said, then turned his chair back to face two colleagues. "What do we do now?"

**

The sound of bird chirping woke James from his long sleep. He feels his head is very heavy. He slowly shook his head, trying to shake off the dizziness. James's eyelids drifted. his greenish eyes are still dashing.

About to stretch his body, James felt his wrists couldn't move. James moving his body again. He didn't fall asleep lying down; he stood completely with his legs slightly dangling.

James looked up to find his hands tied by nylon wires. His consciousness was fully back, and he realized if he feels cold. And the worst, he's completely shirtless.

"What the hell!"

James looked around. He is in a room with white paint but dull. There are some tools on the table. It's like an operating tool, he thought.

The sound of footsteps coming closer and James knowing who it was. The door opened and David came down from stairs. A smile flashed clear on his face. By the time he reached the floor, James was awake. His expression was furious.

"You crazy psychopath. Where's my clothes?"

"Good morning, James, I assume you're fully conscious." David smiled. This is the first time anyone has ignored him, and it offended. "You didn't answer my question." James stares at David, who is busy wearing a white robe.

"I'm sorry, James, but unfortunately I'm busy and can't answer your questions."

James saw David walking away toward a door at the far end of the room. James glanced slightly from behind his raised hand. He felt something uncomfortable in his heart.

David didn't take long to come back carrying a surgical table. There, hidden under the white cloth that covered it. James stared curiously.

"You're wondering what's here?" David's fingers tapped the end of the table. Slowly but surely, James's heart beat faster as David unrolled the cover.

A woman bound with her mouth smothered by a cloth, whimpered. She only wearing her underwear. David walked over to the table to pick up something.

"You know James, this is the best part of an art." the man spoke in a low voice.

"You can decide which part you want to paint with your hand."

James glared. He tried hard to release himself. Although he knows his efforts are useless.

"Don't you dare!" He shouted and David ignoring him.

David pressed a knife against her skin. Blood flowed slowly to make James shiver. What this guy is crazy. The woman crying. Her green eyes turned back to James as if to ask for help.

"How does it feel when someone ignores you James. and now this woman will pay what you did to me."