Assassin's Doubt

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A very familiar, booming voice called the young adult's name. "HAYDEN!" The boy walked in, hair a mess, rubbing one eye, but upon seeing his adopted father's face, he very quickly snapped to attention.
"Yes sir?" He asked calmly. His hands fell to his sides and he slipped them into his pockets.
"That damn detective is back! He's getting WAY to close to here, I need him gone. You're on the job, I wouldn't trust any of the rest of these airheads to do it right."
Hayden nodded. "Yes sir. Consider it done." He said with a dismissive wave of his hand. Hayden ran a hand through his bedhead as he headed back to his small room in the house. It had a bed and a desk, and a bathroom off to the side. It wasn't much, but it was his home.
Going to the desk, he opened one of the drawers. Slowly, he pulled out a dark grey hoodie. It looked like a regular hoodie, but there were pockets sewn on the sides, several pockets, all which he filled with his own small gadgets. After sliding the hoodie on, he slid into a pair of black jeans and black tennis shoes. The tennies shoes were slightly modified with a thinner sole and more cushion support on the inside, and no laces. After putting the slightest bit of gel in his hair to style it, he grabbed a backpack. Two days worth of clothes, a gun, snacks, and a sketchbook. He always packed in case he had to lie low for a few days after a job. Didn't want to be caught. Throwing the backpack onto his shoulders, he headed back to the main room. Hayden waved goodbye to everyone and then started out the door.

The city was huge, and the assassin wasn't completely sure where to start, but he figured the crime scene where the detective was supposedly gathering the leads that would get him too close. He idly walked towards the crime scene, looking like anyone else in the crowd.
 
Thomas Baker kneels beside the smashed window of a gas station, carefully picking up one of the shards to examine it further. It hadn't been an inside job. He could tell that already. The glass had been smashed from the outside.

He huffs and tosses his brown hair out of his focused blue eyes before holding the glass shard a bit closer. There's nothing out of the ordinary, so he assumes it must have been broken with a bat or another blunt object. But nothing's been stolen from the display case behind the broken glass. That's the weird part.

Thomas frowns and gets to his feet, pacing the gas station window. It hadn't been used as an entry point, either. No dusty footprints like those found in the rest of the station. So why was the window broken? He mumbles to himself under his breath and heads back into the station, adjusting his trench coat before nodding to the shaking manager.

"What exactly was stolen? Looks like they didn't get anything from the front of the store. Not even a bag of cheese puffs," he says calmly.

"I - well, no. It's the office that got broken into. Some of our floor plans are gone," the manager stammers.

Thomas raises an eyebrow. "Floor plans?" he echoes. "Someone sure went to a lot of trouble to steal floor plans. I'm pretty sure the smashed window was a distraction - that, or a really violent bar fight. But there's no blood, so it's probably not that. Can I see the office?"

"Of course. This way," the manager says, leading Thomas toward the back of the store. The excitement of the crime had quickly dissipated from the morning crowds, and now only a few onlookers mill around outside to see what happened. Everyone, including Hayden, has a clear view of the ametuer detective in a trench coat and the store manager.
 
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Hayden examined the scene closely, and upon spotting the detective, he very carefully pulled the hood onto his head. Staying near the middle of the crowd, he slid his hands into his pockets, one hand stealthily sliding along the knife he held in his pocket. Glancing around, he moved towards the edge of the crowd, trying to get a better look at the detective, the way the man moved and how observant he was. After all, getting caught would be a worst case scenario.
 
It's not long before Thomas disappears into the office with the manager. Still, although the gas station is technically closed, there are a few people inside looking around. It should be easy to follow the detective.

Inside the office, the manager pulls open a drawer and huffs. "This is where the plans were kept. I always lock this drawer myself, and I have the only key with me at all times." He pulls out his wallet and shows Thomas the key inside to prove it.

Thomas nods and kneels beside the desk to examine the drawer. "I see," he says slowly, running a finger across the lock. His eyes narrow, and he leans in a bit closer. "Hm. Looks like the lock's been picked. Not too surprising. But where'd the thief get in and leave from . . .?" He glances at the ground to find the dusty footprint trail. Then he follows it carefully, heading right back out into the main gas station towards the bathrooms. He's too involved in his quest to take much notice of the people around him. Thomas is an amateur detective, after all.
 
Hayden tightened his jaw as the detective disappeared from view. He walked in slowly with the crowd. Making his way to the office, he made like he was looking at something on the floor. He listened carefully to the progress the detective was making.

When the office door opened, he stayed knelt down, staring at a small piece of glass that reflected the ceiling. As Thomas walked by, his eyes flickered up, trailing him. The moment he walked into the bathroom, Hayden slowly stood. He rubbed his stomach, as if it were upset, and started towards the bathroom, head down, arm around his stomach. He reached the door and paused a moment before opening the door. His other hand was still in his pocket, but... he couldn't grip the knife. He stood a second, eyes on the detective, his hood shadowing his face, before he dashed into one of the stalls, shutting the door. Now his stomach really did feel upset. Why didn't he take the kill?? He sat down, rubbing his face. Maybe it was just the sleep, he'd not been sleeping well, perhaps he wasn't thinking right. He ran his fingers along the side of blade in his pocket, slowly standing again. He could do this..
 
Thomas jumps as one of the bathroom stall doors slams shut beside him. He shrugs and continues to glance around the room, still following the trail of footprints. Anyone bolting that fast must need the restroom urgently. Especially if a broken gas station is the one they run into.

He blinks and rubs his scruffy chin as he notices a loose vent near the ceiling, and then reaches up to tug at it. The vent squeaks open. "There we go," Thomas mutters under his breath. "That's got to be the ticket." He scrambles up onto the counter. Then he shoves his way inside the vent, army crawling through the dust and grime.

He's sure the vent must lead out of the store at some point. The further he crawls, however, the darker and harder it is to see. Thomas soon has to feel his way forward. He swallows and reaches into his back pocket, pulling out a dim flashlight and flicking it on. It's still hard to see more than a foot in front of him. Hopefully the vent isn't too long.
 
Hayden opened the door and realized what way the detective had gone. "You're pretty good.." he mumbled to himself. He started out of the station, headed towards the back of the building, though he stayed out of sight, behind some trees. Hayden still wasn't sure he could do this... He wondered if he was sick. He'd never hesitated... he pulled the knife out and examined it carefully, sighing. "Maybe I just want them to get caught..." he muttered to himself.
 
A few minutes later, Thomas falls out of the vent and crashes into an empty shipping crate below, coughing and covered in dust. He groans and drags himself to his feet. Then he sets to work climbing out of the tall container. "Well, that's probably the way they went," he murmurs, hanging on the edge of the container to look around. "Now, where'd they go after that . . .?"

He carefully examines the ground from his precarious vantage point, trying to find the trail of dusty footprints again. He has no clue he's only feet from a trained assassin.
 
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Hayden's eyes flashed upwards as he saw the detective fall. It was then that he realized he was right... he wanted them to get caught. Sighing softly, he tucked the knife back in his pocket and pulled the hood further to shade his face. After glancing around, he made his final decision.
He wouldn't go back to his 'father'. He would protect this man, as much as he could, until the criminals would caught.
He would do his best not to be discovered, and hopefully save the investigator's life.
 
Heaven knows Thomas is going to need the extra protection. He barely has the required training to take on a case, much less an entire group of criminals. It's not going to stop him from trying. He sets off after the footprints into the forest, heading towards Old Man's Cabin.

Most people never travel there. It's a hive of criminal activity, full of underground passageways and one-way tickets out. But since the footprints are heading that way, so is Thomas. He yanks on his trench coat and narrows his eyes, huffing and picking up his pace.

(Boy oh boy, Hayden's going to have his work cut out for him XD)
 
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(This is gonna be fun XD)

Hayden glanced up as the detective started to move. He followed in the shadows, ready to defend the man. After only a minute he knew exactly where the detective was going and his heart sunk. Hayden wondered if the man knew what he was getting into... he gripped the knife in his pocket and slowly pulled it out, on the ready.
 
(Ooh yes XD)

Thomas' shoes sink into the mud as he continues to follow the trail left behind by the mysterious thief. All at once, Thomas gasps and snaps his fingers. "That's it! Old Man's Cabin is expanding their underground tunnel system. That must be why someone stole the gas station floor plans - the building's right on the edge of the city," he bursts out to himself, sure he's alone.

Soon the rickety cabin comes into view. Thomas shoves his way through a bush, pausing as he finds the front porch of the cabin guarded by chained pitbulls and a man in a rocking chair with a gun. He swallows and slowly starts up the dusty dirt path towards the building, instantly realizing that the dust is the same left by the thief's shoes. "Must be on the right track," he mutters, stiffening as he slowly walks into the guard's line of sight.
 
Hayden watched as the detective pushed through one of the bushes. Climbing a tree, he followed the man from above. Quickly realizing what he was trying to do, he quietly tore a stick from the tree, throwing it and smacking one of the dogs. It's head turned towards the forest and growled.
"Dumb dog.." Hayden smirked and threw another further behind the porch. He watched as both dogs jumped up, running at the stick, but stopped by their leash, both barking as loud as they could. Once he had the dogs distracted, he quickly pulled a dart gun from his backpack and loaded it with a simple concoction that was much like a tranquilizer. He fired it, the dart smacking the guard in the neck.
 
"What the - ?" Thomas mutters as both the dogs and the guard are quickly taken out of service. He glances around to try and figure out who's behind the attack, but he can't see anyone. He shrugs and heads into the cabin.

Old Man's Cabin is set up as a bar, and the atmosphere is charged with tense comradery and boisterous conversations where tables are pounded and glasses occasionally smashed. Thomas coughs and waves the stench of smoke and alcohol away from his face as he winds through the crowd, trying to find a trace of the stolen floor plans.

Then he spots them. What looks like the blue paper is lying atop a pile of chips, stacks of bills, and jewelry. It's part of the pot for a game of poker. Thomas grits his teeth and huffs. If he's going to steal the plans back, he'd better find a quick exit first.

(They're not actually the plans, but Thomas doesn't know that XD)
 
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(This is great x). )

Hayden dropped from the tree and quietly followed the detective inside. He leaned on the wall, keeping his head down, watching to be sure no one spotted the detective. Anyone who turned around was quickly blocked by Hayden, who would turn their attention back to their games. He knew most of these people and they trusted him. He sighed internally and turned back to the detective. He walked up behind the man. "there's an exit to your left." he spoke very quiet, but enough for him to hear it. He kept his back to him, looking at one of the more drunk tables.
 
(Hooray! Glad you think so ^^ I'm having a blast so far :D )

Thomas jumps as a voice whispers beside him, whipping around to find a hooded figure at his side. Then he glances to his left. Sure enough, a doorway is cracked slightly open. He nods and quietly edges toward the table. Somehow, he finds himself trusting the stranger. After all, if the man had wanted to hurt him already, he would have. Thomas' mouth runs dry as he tenses and stands directly beside the table. This is it. If he messes up here, he could wind up in more trouble than he was counting on.

He pulls in a shaky, quiet breath. Then he grabs the blue paper and bolts. Old Man's Cabin explodes in a fury of screams in less than a moment. Thomas barely manages to yank the door open and stumble out of the cabin before at least five men run out after him, their heavy boots pounding the wooden planks as they jump off the stairs.

Thomas takes a hard right and skids down a dirt path. Pebbles spray behind him as he runs off the path and instead heads into the deep forest, unknowingly heading straight for a ledge with a swamp below.
 
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Hayden turned on his heel as screams erupted. "Fuck.." he chased after, quickly surpassing the crowd. He noticed how the pebbles seemed to veer a little and he let himself fall behind as everyone followed the path. Turning, he bolted off in the way the pebbles slid. "no no..." he realized the direction and started to run a little faster. He knew the forest almost by heart... And that's when he spotted the detective just barely ahead. "WAIT! there's a drop!" he yelled. He heard a twig snap behind him and ducked just as a larger man lunged. The man landed headfirst in the dirt ahead of him and Hayden pounced, putting him in a headlock. He looked up, hoping the detective heard his warning... He let go of the man who had now passed out and started to jog, listening for any more threats.
 
The stranger's voice calls out behind him again, but Thomas is too focused on running to catch what was said. Then his leg catches on an upturned root. Thomas stumbles forward several feet with a cry of surprise, falling straight over the drop with a loud splash.

It's not a far fall. But Thomas hadn't been prepared for such deep, murky water. He thrashes and breaks the surface with a sharp gasp as he frantically slaps the mud. Then his legs brush against the seaweed below. He jumps and kicks harder, eyes wide as he tries to find a shallow part of the swamp to crawl out of. "H - help! Somebody help me!" he screams.

(Slow clap for Thomas XD)
 
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Hayden hears the yells and worries that someone reached him first. He speeds up and reaches the ledge, but before he could slide down he's tackled into the swamp, landing only a few feet from the detective. The woman who tackled Hayden stands, a sickening smile on her face... But it didn't last long. Hayden lunged up from the water, slamming her down breaking one of her legs with his knee. He has blood from a busted eyebrow covering his face, mixing with the mud. He turned to the detective, putting his hood back on as he approached. Grabbing the man's wrist, he gently pulled the detective to his feet. "Calm down, its all good." he said calmly. He pushed him gently. "Go that way, towards the reeds." he whispered, hearing more approach.
 
Everything is a blur of motion as Thomas flounders through the water. Then someone tugs him to his feet. Thomas coughs and splutters, wiping his soaked hair out of his eyes to try and figure out what's going on. The stranger in the hood stands before him, leading him towards shallow water. "Th - thanks," Thomas gasps out at last. His shoes stick in and out of the mud with loud squelching sounds as he struggles forward, and water drips down his soaked clothes. Even his trench coat is weighed down.

Thomas glances up with wide eyes as more criminals approach in the distance. Then he sees the stranger standing right out in the open. "What are you doing, you idiot? They'll see you! Get over here!" he whispers fiercely. He reaches out and attempts to yank the boy down into the reeds with him, and then sinks further back below the plants. Only his eyes and nose are out of the water now. He clenches his teeth and tries not to think about the seaweed only a few feet away.
 
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