Perhaps this wasn't the wisest choice.
Perhaps she had moved on.
Should he have stayed at the office and tried to assist there?
Should he have joined the Unit going to investigate the Mall?
He wasn't sure if he had made the right choice. Perhaps it was foolish of him to even try.
But, honestly, what choice did he even have? He couldn't just sit around at the office.
If he had stayed he highly doubted it would've yielded anything. Maybe he would've been able to question a hospital patient at one point; but, he questioned if they would've been able to provide anything new. He already knew she was fast, blonde, and dangerous...
Doug tapped his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel of the police car he had borrowed from work. It was one of the civilian-looking ones, designed to be inconspicuous under any watchful eyes.
His eyes were locked on the apartment complex's doors, occasionally scanning the parking lot, the nearby roads, and sometimes in the rearview mirror.
The wait was eating at him.
Should he go?
Should he stay?
Nothing new was being discovered. Each passing second was a potential clue lost.
He turned his gaze towards the clock in the center of the console[1].
9 PM.
The night was almost through.
For some reason his gut, despite the twisting of doubtful anxiety, was warning him that this was the only chance he had. If he messed this up, then there was no turning back...
His fingers tapped the leather of the steering wheel harder. Faster.
Perhaps he was messing this up.
Right here.
Right now.
Maybe he shouldn't be here? What if the unit at the Mall was already in chase with his target? Then, he would've sat here like a dumbass for nothing. Not only would that damage his reputation within the force, but it would also bring into question his employment status. What use was a sitting duck?
He watched as a gaunt, messy figure left through the apartment complex's double doors. They stopped, tiredly fidgeting under the street light.
Doug couldn't help but feel a small speck of familiarity with the man. Perhaps he was just like him. Waiting. Waiting for something new.
He looked the part. Anxious, depressed, messy on the inside and outside. He looked as if he was just barely holding on.
Doug couldn't help but wonder why. Was something going on in his life, or was life just playing hardball like it usually does? He could relate to hardball. In fact, when had life ever thrown him a softball?
As if to ease him out of his thoughts, a common white car rolled up next to the gaunt man, a figure he knew stepping out from within.
Doug's eyes widened, breath hitched.
There she was.
His target.
With blonde hair wildly blowing in the wind, her slender fingers twirling a set of keys, and a sense of arrogant Pride written all over her face; there she was. Approaching the gaunt man that looked ever so fragile in comparison.
Doug's back straightened, cold sweat running down his spine. His heart began to race. To pound harder than it had before.
Should he get out? What if that scared her off?
What was she doing here?
Why was she talking to that gaunt man? What was their connection? Did she know him? Did he know her?
He gripped the steering wheel nervously, sweat covering his palms.
His unnamed target talked to the man under the streetlight, the man looked unimpressed--or rather, perhaps the word Doug was looking for was "unfazed" or "apathetic". She gripped his hand in a quick hand shake before she got back into the vehicle, the man--now his suspect--making his way back into the apartment complex.
Doug chewed his lip anxiously.
His target was beginning to drive off.
He had seconds to make his choice...
Should he continue to follow her or stay behind to identify his new suspect?
He watched as the car began to back up.
What if she didn't return? What if this was her last visit at this location?
Doug gripped the radio found in the center console, finger nervously hovering over the button.
What if his new suspect was just as antsy as his target? What if his new suspect didn't live here? What then? Then the only man that knew his target would be gone--just like she would be if he didn't make his choice.
He watched as the white car did a U-Turn around the parking lot. When he caught a glimpse of the car in his rearview mirror, he made his choice.
"Dispatch, this is Unit 14 of the 'Gusto Case Extended' team, requesting Unit 15 to respond to The View Side, immediate response is needed. Suspect is a white, young adult, black hair."
He backed up out of his parking spot as he called in through the radio, his eyes locked onto the white car.
He had to follow her. In comparison, she was too dangerous to leave alone. She had injured too many in such a short amount of time.
If push came to shove, he could always come back to help identify his new suspect.
Either way, a lead was discovered.
Perhaps he hadn't made the wrong choice after all...
***
Mell clicked her tongue in distaste. She had planned to go to one last location before the Tower opened in three hours but a car had been following her since she had made the drop off with Evan.
"Seriously?" She grumbled in irritation. "Who is this bastard anyway?"
She turned around a dark corner and sped up, skillfully bypassing other cars on the road. The grey car that followed was hot on her tail--trying ever so desperately to remain unnoticed.
If it had been anyone other than Mell, perhaps the follower would've had a chance. But Mell was no fool--especially when it came to Human tricks of deception.
What followed was a game of cat and mouse.
About halfway through, it became apparent to her pursuer that she had caught on. Once that revelation had been made, they had dropped their act and was pursuing her head on.
She clicked her tongue again when she saw police cars around the corners, starting to follow her. Sometimes they came ever so close to pit maneuvering her.
These bastards better not have a helicopter on her ass...
"Wow guys, would you believe this? I have cops on my ass this playthrough. Who is it anyway? Doug?"
Doug was the only self-righteous prick she could think of that would both be alive during this time and dumb enough to attempt something like this.
Little did she know she had guessed right.
***
Alone Evan sat, staring at his computer screen, lazily clicking his mouse.
Thud.
With each click, an audible thud could be heard as another item was purchased.
Thud.
Swords.
Thud.
Armor.
Thud.
Potions.
Thud.
Some crappy Artifacts.
Thud.
If only he could buy something to take the edge off.
Thud.
There were only ten minutes left until the Tower opened.
Thud.
Ten minutes left until this pathetically small speck of safety was gone.
Thud.
He wanted to run.
Thud.
He closed his eyes, fingers beginning to tremble on the mouse.
Thud.
Tears began to pathetically run down his cheeks, fear enveloping his heart.
Thud.
He wanted to hide.
Thud.
He wanted to distract himself from this new reality he was trapped in.
He clenched his teeth, trying to swallow down an audible sob that threatened to escape his lips.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
He couldn't hold it back anymore. He bent over, a bloodcurdling wail pouring out from within his stomach and into the silence of his bedroom. Tears poured down his face while trails of snot disgustingly ran down his nose.
He didn't want to do this.
He didn't want to watch anymore people die.
He didn't want to watch as their entrails spilled from gaping wounds, to hear the disgusting squelch of blood dropping down onto the floor. He didn't want to be coated in that burning hot warmth that always found a way to drench him. He didn't want their desperate cries for help, for mercy, to plague his mind in dizzying circles that kept him awake and dominated his nightmares.
He didn't want to be trapped in that never ending nightmare. He didn't want to remain so helpless. But he didn't have the strength. It seemed he could never find the strength...
He dropped onto his knees onto his bedroom floor and began to pathetically hug the items he had purchased like some desperate beggar. Each touch brought a flash of blue digital light before the item was added to his inventory.
"Please..." He wailed, sobs barely making his words intelligible.
"Please, please, please, don't do this!" He desperately gasped for air as his sobs began to choke him.
"Please... I beg of you!"
A firm series of knocks emitted from his apartment door. "Sir! Are you okay? Police department!"
Evan began to chuckle hysterically, snot and tears mixing together on his face.
What the fuck was the police going to do?
They can't do anything.
"YOU CAN'T!" He screamed, the force behind his words scratching against his throat. "YOU CAN'T HELP ME! NO ONE CAN!"
He laid onto his back, sobs and laughter choking him--competing for every breath he took.
He wanted this to be over.
Please, be over.
Tears blurred his vision. But it couldn't blur what came next.
A blue digital window popped into existence, colorful confetti following its bright, cheery appearance.
{Welcome to the Tower Frozen Dreams!
Congratulations for being chosen to participate in this grand Tower!
Enjoy your stay!}
Evan's heart plunged into his stomach. He tightly clenched his eyes shut, as if his eyelids blocking the sight of the window could protect him from what came next.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" He screamed, that one word tearing from his throat, leaving it bloody and hoarse.
The world around him seemed to warp, bringing him to some foreign land.
"AHHH!!!"
"What the hell is this place?!"
"Where am I?"
Desperate and confused screams could be heard.
A bright, bubbly chuckle soon followed, the sound freezing Evan's heart. "Welcome, welcome! Quiet now everyone! I have so much to tell you!"
"What the hell is that?!" Someone called out.
"Yo, he's kinda cute!" Someone else commented.
"My name is Administrator Ko De Oako and this is the First Floor of the Tower: Frozen Dreams!" A series of dull claps could be heard as cotton cloth could be heard clapping against each other. "Let's all do a round of applause to welcome this once in a lifetime opportunity! Welcome to Rebirth!"
Evan buried his face in his hands.
"Hey," a voice could be heard close by, as if they had knelt beside him, "are you okay?"
Evan remained still. Deathly silent...
It had begun...
[1] I've tried Googling it, but is it correct to call the, like, radio section that is found in the center of the car the center console? When I search it up it basically shows like the cupholders and shit so I'm not sure.
I'll probably correct this at one point later down the line. If I ever do find out an answer to that question.
Also, sorry to mobile users, I figured out these blocks of text cannot be ignored for some reason.
I salute you brothers and sisters. I am so sorry. I wanted these to be discrete and optional but I guess it can't be so; only for PC users.