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Chapter 1 GUNSHOTS

Justin... Justin...

"Yes, Papa?"

Wake up!

Justin's eyes came wide open just then, not because the sleep had left them but because he had been trained to respond that way. He could still remember his father's words...

"There are nights when bad things could happen... very bad things. Do not let sleep make you appear weak before your enemies. Get up and fight!"

Fight! That was the keyword.

"What's going on, Pa..."

"Shhh..." A dried, crooked finger crossed Justin's lips as his father urged him out of bed. Somehow, all his senses were already working, even when he had barely had enough rest. It's not like he had gotten enough sleep the night before. He and Papa had been on some "operation" that had taken all night. Papa had called it operation. He was simply instructed to wait somewhere behind a vending machine. There were gunshots and then, there was Papa, handing over a large bag to him with the instruction: - "Remain here till I return. Stay wide awake. Stay alert!"

His eyes had been wide open like that of an owl all through, his heart pounding. He must have been that way for an hour or so before Papa suddenly resurfaced again and stretched out his hand.

"Let's go, son..."

Now, here he was supposed to be sleeping but for some reason, he was here staring at... Just then, he swore his ears picked up a sound. There was someone in the house?

"Hide... You know where."

The wardrobe... Like everything else he had been taught, his secret hideout resurfaced in his head. He jumped down the bed and ran to the wardrobe. He pulled the doors open and shuffled through the hanging clothes to open the secret compartment behind. Pushing the entrance, he slid in and sealed it up, waiting.

There was a brief silence and then, he swore he could hear voices. They were muffled and from where he was, he could hear nothing but soon, there came the sound he could hear loud and clear.

A gunshot...

His heart skipped a beat.

"Papa..."

Then another shot.

"Mama..."

He waited but there was nothing. The curiosity was killing him. What if his parents were wounded and their survival depended on how soon he came out?

"...And when you hide, you will remain there until I come toget you..."

His father's words echoed in his head. But what if he was never coming to get me?

Justin's heart raced as he slowly pushed open the entrance and made his way out. There was no way he was going to hide forever. Fight!

The five-year-old was already forgetting just how old he actually was. He picked up a piece of wood and crept out through his room and into the sitting room. What he beheld was a memory he would never forget.

"No..." He croaked, tears brimming in his eyes as he saw his mother sitting with her head on the table and her eyes wide open, blood gradually spreading over the brown wood and beneath the flower vase that stood at the center. Then there was Papa, not so far off. He lay on the ground in an unconscious state, a gun in his hand and blood slowly soaking up his white shirt.

"Papa... Mama..."

Justin fell to his knees and with a loud scream, he broke down in tears.

"Oh, poor child..."

He spun immediately from reflex on hearing the voice from behind, holding up the piece of wood. A man slowly materialized from the shadow, a dark, tall, huge figure with a bald head and clean shave.

"Relax child... If not for me, your parents' killers would have found you..."

There was something about him that assured Justin that he was safe. He couldn't hold up any longer as he dropped the stick and broke down in tears. The man drew closer just then and pulled him in a gentle embrace.

"I am so sorry for your loss, my poor boy." He waited as Justin sobbed harder, then he whispered in his ears: -

"This is only the beginning... this is your new beginning..."

***

This is New York City, a place that many would call "paradise..."

The cars drove slowly beneath the cloudy weather as it made it's way beneath the towering bridge above.

For many, this is the city where dreams come true. Everything you ever want, everything you ever need, this city is always there to answer.

It wasn't the brightest day as anyone would have it in New York but an atmosphere like this was just perfect.

This city answered me and now, I live for the city, and the city lives for me....

Justin's train of thought faded off as he watched. Two cars were slowly making their way towards the building where he was positioned. He stood by the window, high up in the uncompleted, abandoned building. He raised his telescope to his eyes briefly, then lowered them and brought his phone to his ear.

"James, they've arrived."

"I've got you. Keep watch..."

Justin lowered the phone and returned his stare to the cars parked at the corner. A group of men had emerged from them now and were opening up the booths of the cars. One of them was yelling out an order in a foreign language. The others were busy with something else, carrying out sack loads from the bag and moving it towards...

"They're loading the truck..." Justin said to the phone as the men opened up a large container. In it sat many other similar sacks.

"Keep praying they don't notice..." James replied from the other end of the phone. Justin bit his lips, praying indeed, his heart racing. The man who opened the truck seemed distracted. He simply loaded in the other two sacks and shut it back. Justin gave a sigh of relief as he watched the men get back into the cars.

"They're leaving..."

They drove out now, reversing to return to the roads.

"Almost..."

Both cars were on the road now, speeding down the lane until they were totally out of sight.

"Now!"

Justin immediately jumped through the window, about two stories beneath him. He paused, held by a rope as he lowered himself. When he had settled down, he tore the buckle loose and ran towards the large container that sat on a mighty truck. James was already by the container, working his way through the locks. Once he was done, the doors fell open to reveal the two newest deliveries. Justin and James knew just what to do. They opened up their bags and bringing out the fake sacks they had, dropped them in the truck and replaced them with the real goods.

James shut the doors and Justin replaced the lock. They both paused now as they wore their bags, panting. A wry smile crossed the faces of both guys.

"We did it..." James announced an edge of tearful victory in his voice. Justin's face couldn't conceal the joy he felt either as he wore his smile boldly.

Then something changed...

Justin's eyes narrowed, looking behind James.

"James..." He whispered. James immediately knew but it may be too late. Behind him! Justin nudged James aside in a terrible fall.

A bullet was fired.