Assassin's Doubt

  • So many newbies lately! Here is a very important PSA about one of our most vital content policies! Read it even if you are an ancient member!
Hayden is surprised as he gets yanked down. He backs up a little and listens as they start down the hill. He stands protectively in front of the detective. "No matter what, do. Not. Move." he whispered, slowly pulling the knife from his pocket. He wouldn't let these creeps get ahold of the man, at least not while Hayden was there. Several of the men ran to the woman and a few began searching.
 
"What? But - !" Thomas starts to protest. He clamps his mouth shut as a group of men approach. There's no way he can take all of them on.

One of the men, a burly bouncer with heavy boots and a gold necklace, shoves his way through the swamp and cracks his knuckles as he tramples seaweed beneath him. "What're you hiding, kid?" he asks Hayden. His voice is low and rumbling. He doesn't sound angry, but he's certainly tense. "Where's the little thief what stole our dog fight roster?"
 
Hayden slowly moved from the detective and stood up when he was several feet away. He put his knife back up and wiped some blood from his face. "Well if it wasn't for her I would have had him!" He motioned to the girl. "I was at the top of the ridge and she tackled me. Cracked my head, once I got her down, he was already gone." Hayden said angrily. "Don't you dare accuse me of hiding anything, I've been chasing this guy down when I saw him run off." He sighed. "Jesus, my father's gonna kill me when I get home..." he rubbed the injury gently. "Anyway, he ran off that way." He motioned towards the thicker reeds on the opposite side of the swamp. "Scared to death of the weeds." He rolled his eyes, keeping an eye on everyone. The whole time he was talking he had one hand in his pocket and was slowly walking towards the reeds he'd pointed at. He hoped these guys fell for this... if not, it was going to get very violent... and Hayden didn't exactly want that.
 
The man groans and rubs his temples, turning to head back towards the woman. "Honestly, Cassie, how many times do we have to tell you?! Just go after the thieves we're looking for, no one else!"

Cassie snaps a reply back as the man helps her to her feet. The rest of the group rushes off into the thicker reeds and then beyond, convinced they're going to find Thomas. Several minutes pass before their yelling and running fades to silence. Eventually, even Cassie and the bouncer leave. The only remaining sounds are the soft rippling of the pond and the wind between the trees.

Thomas heaves a deep sigh and gets back to his feet, wringing his coat out before offering Hayden a smile. "Thanks for the help. That could've gone a lot worse," he says, offering a hand to the boy to shake. Then his smile slips into a concerned frown. "Are you okay? That cut looks pretty nasty."
 
  • Bucket of Rainbows
Reactions: Kitten_
Hayden stopped as everyone went running. Once everyone left, he sighed and pulled his hood back up.
"I'm fine..." he muttered, of course he wouldn't admit that he had a pounding headache and felt a tad dizzy.
"Let's get you out of here. You've got a job to finish." He headed towards the ledge that they had fallen down. He wasn't going to climb it, but he would follow it over to the edge of the swamp.
 
"Your blood's dripping onto your hoody. I don't think you're fine," Thomas says softly. He waves the rolled-up dog fight roster and nods. "Anyway, I've almost got the first case wrapped up. The manager's got a copy of the floor plans - I saw them in his office. And I'm sure the police will be more than happy to stake out the gas station and Old Man's Cabin to make sure that tunnel doesn't get finished."

He shoves the roster back into his pocket and pats Hayden's shoulder. "The tunnel won't get built in a day. I'll let the police and gas station manager know what's up after we get you patched up. Anyway, I want to look into this dog fight. By the way, you got a name?" He holds his hand out again and walks beside Hayden towards the swamp's edge, being careful to avoid the seaweed. "Mine's Thomas Baker. Private eye extraordinaire, at your service."
 
  • Love
Reactions: Kitten_
Hayden hesitated. "Hayden.." he said a as he followed the detective. He had to keep wiping mud and blood away from his good eye, his other eye already pretty swollen. "You're in a bit deeper than you think, if I may say..." he sighed, stopping and closing his eyes a minute. He shook his head and the opened his eyes and walked towards the ledge again. "I need to go back by the gas station, my bag is there.." he said calmly, remembering he'd left his bag in one of the trees before following Thomas.
 
Thomas raises an eyebrow before clawing his way up the steep embankment. "Fine by me. The gas station's close, and they're bound to have a first-aid kit." He grunts as he heaves himself back up onto dry land. The mud on his boots is already starting to dry and harden as he stands up and wrings his coat out some more. "If you don't mind me asking, what exactly am I deep into? And why have you been following me?

"Not that I don't appreciate it," he adds, grinning and kneeling down to offer Hayden a hand up. His gentle blue eyes flick back and forth as he waits for the boy to accept his help.
 
Hayden grabbed his hand and scrambled up the slope. He hesitated to answer, but finally did. "I was sent to kill you. You were getting close to toppling my father's criminal network and so he sent me to kill you, just like he's done a million times to other people since he adopted me." Hayden continued towards the gas station. "But... I couldn't. So I decided instead to protect you... no matter the cost. They will go down." He kept his gaze on the ground, fearful to look up. He didn't want to see Thomas's expression..
 
Thomas' jaw drops as Hayden finally reveals his secret. He stands silently for a moment and staggers back, blinking. Then he shakes his head to snap himself out of his daze. "You were sent to kill me?" he echoes, searching Hayden's expression. All at once, he bursts out laughing and slaps Hayden on the back. "Well, you sure didn't do a very good job, saving my life twice in a row."

He clears his throat and smiles. "I believe you. Really. But if you're worried I'm going to turn you in, forget about it. We've got bigger fish to fry. Why don't you tell me all about this network I was close to toppling, and we can go from there?" Thomas is already convinced Hayden means no harm. If he really intended to murder Thomas, he'd had plenty of chances already.
 
Hayden looked highly surprised and looked up. "W-wait... you're serious..? Promise?" He asked, his eyes meeting Thomas's. There was almost a child-like hope in his eyes. If Thomas was serious.. he could have a chance to a normal life, possibly. He hoped so.. He was already thinking of how to topple his father's network.
 
"Really," Thomas says softly. "Besides, I could use the extra help. Especially since I'm, um . . . not the most seasoned detective," he admits, clearing his throat. He pushes the gas station door open and ushers Hayden inside. "But first things first. Let's get that cut cleared up."

The manager rushes over as the boys walk through the door. "Detective Baker! Have you found the floor plans?" he asks.

"Not exactly. But I know who's got them and what they're doing with them," Thomas says, gently trying to push Hayden into an office chair. "Tell the police to get over here and I'll explain the whole thing. And Hayden, you sit still. This is going to sting," he adds. He opens a cupboard and reaches for the first aid kit, pulling out a medicine container before pouring the contents onto a clean rag.
 
Hayden nodded a little and relaxed. "You may not be experienced, but that sharp eye of yours picked up clues most others hadn't come close to.." he sat down when they reached the gas station. He felt pretty dizzy now, closing his eyes and sitting back. After hearing Thomas's warning, he nodded and rest his hands on his lap. He was still thinking about how to topple the network, knowing it would take a lot of effort... but then another thought came to mind... where was he going to stay? He couldn't go home.. and this wasn't a one-say job either. He sighed slightly, but decided he'd worry about that later, once things maybe calmed down.
 
Thomas gently tilts Hayden's chin up and dabs at his eye, being extra careful not to hurt him. "I try my best. Anyway, the good news is they didn't get you too bad. A quick rinse and an ice pack should get that swelling down," he adds.

The cops arrive shortly after, during which Thomas tells them just enough to look into both the illegal tunnel and the dog fighting ring. He doesn't tell them anything about Hayden or his breakthrough in the case. By the time they've left, Thomas finishes patching Hayden up and hands him an ice pack for his bruised eye. "Here. Bring it with you. We've got work to do," he adds, giving the store manager a polite farewell as he heads for the door.
 
Hayden didn't move until Thomas handed him the eyepack. He opened his eyes, feeling a little better now that he was clean. Gingerly holding the ice to his eye, he stood to follow Thomas. As soon as they got outside, he paused. "i need to grab my bag.." he said calmly. "It's behind the store. I set it down when you started up to the shack." He said calmly, starting to walk around the building.
 
"Oh, right. Almost forgot," Thomas says with a chuckle. He follows Hayden at a casual saunter, hands loosely stuffed in his pockets. While Hayden searches for his bag, Thomas leans against the side of the gas station and tosses his hair out of his eyes. "So. Your dad's the head of a crime syndicate, huh?" he asks softly. "I'm sorry. That's got to be rough. I . . . I can't even imagine going through something like that."
 
  • Love
Reactions: Kitten_
Hayden struggled a little, having trouble getting high enough, but managed to pull it down and sling it onto his shoulders.
"He's... not my biological father.. but he found me young enough that it really didn't matter I suppose. It was hard, but y'know... I didn't know it until now." He rubbed his neck a little. "I didn't even realize what I was doing was wrong until a few years ago... Never knew who was wrong or right."
He looked like he felt extremely guilty, but that faded as he continued. "But I'm hoping to set things right. To fix the damage I've done." He nodded. "Take his network down and win the battle."
 
(Last post for tonight, I'll be back tomorrow!)

Thomas listens solemnly, never once interrupting Hayden. At last he nods and walks over to pat his shoulder. "I'll help you. And just this once, I'll take the case free of charge," he adds with a wink and a smile.

He sets off down the street and stretches his arms over his head with a yawn. "Now, I don't know about you, but I can't work well on an empty stomach. How about supper at my place?" The invitation serves dual purposes. For one thing, if Hayden's father is a crime lord, Hayden will be in danger no matter where he stays. Thomas would rather he can keep a close eye on the man who saved his life. For another, Thomas wants to get to know him a bit better. If he shows enough promise, he might wind up with a partner to help him solve cases and go on adventures. Thomas smiles just at the thought of having a friend with him instead of having to work alone.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kitten_
Hayden nodded every so slightly. "Sure, that sounds like a pretty good idea." He said with a faint smile. It would give him more time to protect Thomas, as well as maybe finding somewhere to stay. He kept the ice to his face, following Thomas and still keeping a sharp eye out for any dangers. "It feels kinda weird being on the other side of the spectrum.. not bad, just weird." He chuckled. He slid his empty hand into his empty pocket.
 
"What, on the side of the law, you mean?" Thomas asks with a grin, heading to the front door of his apartment building. He chuckles and unlocks the main door to lead Hayden inside. "Don't worry. You'll get used to it." He lives at Pinewood Apartments, Room 321, and he's used to no one being around besides the reception area manager and ocassionally the janitor. It's a quiet building.

Thomas heads up two flights of stairs before arriving at his room. He pulls the door open to reveal a small living room, a kitchenette, a bathroom, and a bedroom. Stacks of books spill off a shelf and onto a couch. A half-eaten pizza is still sitting on the counter, and several soda cans are scattered across the tile floor by the kitchen. Thomas clears his throat and rubs the back of his neck. "Sorry it's not the cleanest. I, uh . . . I wasn't expecting company."
 
  • Love
Reactions: Kitten_
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back