Ash Black

PROLOGUE

ᴊᴜɴᴇ 20ᴛʜ, 1998 - ᴡɪɴᴅʜᴏᴇᴋ, ɴᴀᴍɪʙɪᴀ.
ғᴏᴏᴛsᴛᴇᴘs ʀᴜɴɴɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴅɪғғᴇʀᴇɴᴛ ᴅɪʀᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴs ᴛᴏ ʜɪᴅᴇ ᴛʀʏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ sᴇᴇᴋ sᴀғᴇᴛʏ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴜᴛʀᴀɢᴇᴏᴜs ᴅᴇsᴘᴀɪʀ ᴡᴇ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴄᴀᴜɢʜᴛ ᴜᴘ ɪɴ. ᴛᴏᴅᴀʏ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴀ ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴄᴏʟᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄʜɪʟʟʏ ɴɪɢʜᴛ ʜᴇʀᴇ ɪɴ ᴡɪɴᴅʜᴏᴇᴋ, ɴᴀᴍɪʙɪᴀ. ᴀs ᴛʜᴇʏ sᴀʏ ɴᴀᴍɪʙɪᴀ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʀᴀᴠᴇ. sᴄʀᴇᴀᴍs ғʀᴏᴍ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴡᴇᴇᴘɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴀɢᴏɴʏ, ʟᴏᴜᴅ sɪʀᴇɴs, ʙᴏᴍʙ ᴇxᴘʟᴏsɪᴏɴs, ɢᴜɴsʜᴏᴛs ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟsᴏ ɢʀᴇɴᴀᴅᴇs ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜʀᴏᴡɴ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʜᴇᴀʀᴅ ᴍɪʟᴇs ᴀᴡᴀʏ. ᴛʜᴜs, ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴀ ᴄᴏʟᴅ ɴɪɢʜᴛ ᴡʜᴏ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ɪɴsᴛᴀʟʟᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴜs ᴛʜɪs ғᴀᴛᴇғᴜʟ ɴɪɢʜᴛ. ɪ ᴡᴀs ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴄᴀʀʀɪᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴍʏ ᴍᴏᴍ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴅᴀᴅ ʀᴜɴɴɪɴɢ ᴀʟᴏɴɢsɪᴅᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴜs.

ᴛᴇᴀʀs ʀᴜɴɴɪɴɢ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴍʏ ғʀᴀɢɪʟᴇ sᴡᴏʟʟᴇɴ ᴄʜᴇᴇᴋs, ɪ ʟᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ᴅʀᴀɪɴᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴀʟᴇ, ɪ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴏɴ, sᴏ ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴀsᴋ ᴍʏ ᴘᴀʀᴇɴᴛs ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ, ɪ ᴀsᴋᴇᴅ:

"ᴍᴏᴍ, ᴅᴀᴅ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴡᴇ ɢᴏɪɴɢ" ɪ ᴡᴀs ᴄʀʏɪɴɢ ʙᴜᴛ ᴍʏ ᴍᴏᴍ sʜᴜsʜᴇᴅ ᴍᴇ, "ʜᴏɴᴇʏ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ɴᴏɪsᴇ ᴏᴋᴀʏ". ᴡᴇ ᴡᴀʟᴋᴇᴅ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴀʟʟᴇʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀs. ɢᴜɴ sʜᴏᴛs ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʜᴇᴀʀᴅ ᴄʟᴏsᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴇ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴀʟʟ ʜᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ.

ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ᴀʟʟ sᴛᴀʀᴛᴇᴅ ᴀ ᴡᴇᴇᴋ ᴀɢᴏ ᴡʜᴇɴ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴏᴜᴛsɪᴅᴇʀs ғʀᴏᴍ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ ᴄᴀᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴏᴜʀ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ, ᴏғ ᴄᴏᴜʀsᴇ! ɪ ʜᴇᴀʀᴅ ᴍʏ ᴅᴀᴅ ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀᴍᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ, ɢᴇʀᴍᴀɴʏ ɪ ɢᴜᴇss ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ɪᴛ. ʜᴇ ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴᴇᴅ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴛʀʏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ʙʀɪɴɢ ᴀ ᴛʀᴇᴀᴛʏ ᴛᴏ ғᴏʀᴍ ᴀɴ ᴀʟʟɪᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴏᴜʀ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ , ᴀs ᴀɴ ᴀʟʟʏ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴛᴏ ʜᴇʟᴘ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ʙᴜᴛ ᴅᴀᴅ sᴀɪᴅ ᴏᴜʀ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ ʀᴇᴊᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴇᴀᴛʏ. ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ (ɢᴇʀᴍᴀɴʏ) ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴡᴀɢᴇᴅ ᴡᴀʀ ᴀɢᴀɪɴsᴛ ᴜs , ғᴏʀᴄɪɴɢ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇ sʟᴀᴠᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʀᴀɴsᴘᴏʀᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ ᴛᴏ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏᴡ ᴡᴇ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʜɪᴅᴇᴏᴜᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀ sɪɴᴄᴇ, ᴡᴇ'ᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ sᴛᴀʏɪɴɢ ɪɴ sᴏᴍᴇ ʙᴜɴᴋᴇʀ ,ᴍᴏsᴛ ᴛɪᴍᴇs ᴡᴇ sᴛᴀʏ ɪɴ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ʜᴏᴜsᴇ ʙᴜᴛ ᴏᴜʀ ʜɪᴅᴇᴏᴜᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴋɪɴᴅᴀ ʙᴜsᴛᴇᴅ. ᴅᴀᴍɴ! sᴏ ʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʀʏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ʟᴏᴏᴋ ғᴏʀ ᴀ sᴀғᴇ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ᴛᴏ sᴛᴀʏ ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ɢᴜᴇss ᴛᴏᴅᴀʏ ᴡᴏɴ'ᴛ ʙᴇ ᴏᴜʀ ʟᴜᴄᴋʏ ᴅᴀʏ .

ᴍʏ ᴅᴀᴅ ᴛᴏʟᴅ ᴜs ᴛᴏ sᴛᴏᴘ, ᴡᴇ ʀᴇsᴛʀɪᴄᴛᴇᴅ ᴏᴜʀ ᴍᴏᴠᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪᴅ sᴏᴍᴇᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ɴᴇᴀʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴜᴍᴘsᴛᴇʀ ᴄʟᴏsᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴜs. ᴀʟʟ ᴏғ ᴀ sᴜᴅᴅᴇɴ ғᴏᴏᴛsᴛᴇᴘs ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʜᴇᴀʀᴅ. " ɢᴜᴛᴇɴ ᴛᴀɢ!" ( ʜᴇʟʟᴏ- ɪɴ ɢᴇʀᴍᴀɴ) sᴀɪᴅ ᴀ ᴠᴏɪᴄᴇ , ᴛʜɪᴄᴋ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜɪs ᴀᴄᴄᴇɴᴛ. ᴄᴏɴғᴜsᴇᴅ ᴀs ɪ ᴡᴀs, ɪ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʟᴀɴɢᴜᴀɢᴇ ʜᴇ sᴘᴏᴋᴇ, ɪ ᴏɴʟʏ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ᴇɴɢʟɪsʜ. "ᴀɴʏʙᴏᴅʏ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ, ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴏᴜᴛ ɴᴏᴡ " ʜᴇ sᴀɪᴅ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ ɪɴ ᴇɴɢʟɪsʜ ʙᴜᴛ sᴛɪʟʟ ʜᴀᴅ ᴀ ᴠᴇʀʏ sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ᴀᴄᴄᴇɴᴛ, ɴᴏ ᴏɴᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴏᴠᴇ . ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ sɴᴀᴘᴘɪɴɢ sᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴏғ ʜɪs ɢᴜɴ ᴡᴀs ʜᴇᴀʀᴅ " ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇᴠᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ, ᴜɴʟᴇss ɪ'ʟʟ sʜᴏᴏᴛ" , ғᴇᴀʀ ɢʀɪᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴍᴇ , ɪ ᴡᴀsɴ'ᴛ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴅɪᴇ ɴᴏᴡ ɪ'ᴍ sᴏ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇɴ'ᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ʀᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴘᴜʙᴇʀᴛʏ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇʀᴇ ɪ ᴡᴀs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍʏ ᴘᴀʀᴇɴᴛs ᴀɴᴅ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀs ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇᴍᴘʟᴀᴛɪɴɢ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ʟɪғᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ. sᴏᴍᴇᴏɴᴇ sᴛᴇᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ʀᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴜɴғᴏʀᴛᴜɴᴀᴛᴇʟʏ, " ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ɪ ʙᴇɢ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ sʜᴏᴏᴛ" sᴀɪᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴ ᴏʙᴠɪᴏᴜsʟʏ ᴀ ᴍᴀɴ ᴡʜᴏ ᴄᴀᴍᴇ ᴏᴜᴛ." ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜᴀɴᴅs ᴏɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜᴇᴀᴅ " ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜɪᴄᴋ ᴀᴄᴄᴇɴᴛ sᴀɪᴅ .

"ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇsᴛ" sᴀɪᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴇʀᴍᴀɴ ᴀᴄᴄᴇɴᴛ . "ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ" sᴀɪᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴍᴀɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ sʜᴀᴋʏ ᴠᴏɪᴄᴇ ᴀs ɪғ ʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜᴇ. " ᴀʟʟ ᴏғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ, ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴏᴜᴛ sʟᴏᴡʟʏ ғʀᴏᴍ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜɪᴅɪɴɢ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ", ᴡᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ɴᴏ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴄʜᴏɪᴄᴇ ʙᴜᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟʏ . ᴅᴀᴅ ᴘɪᴄᴋᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ ɪɴ ʜɪs ᴀʀᴍs ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ᴍᴏᴍ ᴡᴀʟᴋᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴅᴀᴅ ʙʏ ʜɪs sɪᴅᴇ, ᴏᴛʜᴇʀs ᴡʜᴏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʟʟᴇʏ ᴄᴀᴍᴇ ᴏᴜᴛ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʜɪᴅɪɴɢ, sɪɴᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ɴᴏ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ ɪɴ ʜɪᴅɪɴɢ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs sᴜʀʀᴏᴜɴᴅᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴇʀᴍᴀɴs ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ, ᴏʙᴠɪᴏᴜsʟʏ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ ɪɴ ʜɪᴅɪɴɢ? . ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴡᴇ ᴄᴀᴍᴇ ᴏᴜᴛ ɪ ᴡᴀs ᴅʀᴀᴡɴ ᴛᴏ ʜɪs ᴏᴜᴛғɪᴛ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴀs ᴀ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴏғ ғᴀᴄᴛ sᴜɪᴛᴇᴅ ʜɪᴍ ʙᴀsɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴅᴇғɪɴɪᴛᴇʟʏ ʜɪs sᴛʏʟᴇ, ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴠɪᴠɪᴅʟʏ ᴍᴀᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ ʜɪs sᴛᴏɪᴄ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴍɪɴᴀɴᴛ ᴀᴜʀᴀ,ʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴅʀᴇssᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴀ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ ᴡᴏᴏʟ ,ʜɪᴘ- ʟᴇɴɢᴛʜ ᴅᴏᴜʙʟᴇ - ʙʀᴇᴀsᴛᴇᴅ ᴊᴀᴄᴋᴇᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʀᴏᴜsᴇʀ ᴡɪᴛʜ sᴋᴜʟʟs ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏʟʟᴀʀ ᴘᴀᴛᴄʜᴇs, ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴏᴜsᴇʀ ʜᴀᴅ ᴛᴀᴘᴘᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴄᴜғғs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴅʀᴀᴡsᴛʀɪɴɢs ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴀᴘᴇs ɪɴ ᴏʀᴅᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ғɪᴛ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀᴄᴇ-ᴜᴘ ᴀɴᴋʟᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴛs ʜᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ᴏɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ʟᴀʀɢᴇ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ ʙᴇʀᴇᴛ ᴡᴏʀɴ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ʜɪs ʜᴇᴀᴅ.