The Ex-Celeb

Mission 1: Angela Herald

Angela Herald was pretty average for a person. She had a routine, but occasionally broke it at times to go do whatever. But no matter how long I watched her, I couldn't figure out how she had become a target.

All the information I had collected pointed that a number had been placed on her head. What bothered me was the fact that even with such a hefty price, not one person had taken action.

I couldn't jump into action without knowing where the threat was coming from. So that left me with following her around until I found out who else might be tailing her.

She worked at a small newspaper company and the most intense thing that I'd seen them do was illegally tail a few minor celebrities. The newspaper only had a few employees and from what I had been able to dig up, they were all struggling to make ends meet.

None of that explained what was going on, unless of course... I sighed, it was time to look deeper into Angela's life. If her day to day work life wasn't telling me anything, then I needed to take a look at her private life.

It didn't take me long to find her apartment, for someone who's life was in imminent danger, she had terrible security. Her apartment was cozy, but a little empty despite having been lived in for several years. It didn't seem like she had a lot of visitors either.

She had a basic set up, sofa, coffee table. Her bedroom was just as empty, practically barren. Something caught my eye, on the floor by her wall bookshelf, were faint scuff marks. I only recognized the signs because I once had a similar set up. A hidden room.

Hers was small, no bigger than a walk in closet, which it probably had been originally. What really caught my eye, was what covered the walls. It seemed that behind closed doors, Miss Harold was investigating a man by the name of Tyler Rufino. I knew the name.

He was a lowball crook, not really involved in any thing big. The people he worked for however, were preparing to swim in the deep end. And he took orders from them. What didn't make sense though, why was Angela digging into this man?

Everything that I could see revealed nothing as to what she was looking for. One thing for certain though, she had enough on this man to put him away for a very long time.

I heard a noise and hurried out of the room, it took a moment to close the bookshelf door. There was a rattle of keys in the door and I froze. I didn't have a place to hide, but if I stayed there was a chance I could find something more.

Glancing around I saw a window and flung it open, climbing through as I did. My timing wasn't so great though and I cracked my head on the window sill hard enough to blur my eyes. I barely had time to get the window closed back.

A split second later Angela walked in. She was on the phone and from the look on her face, something was wrong.

I leaned in close to the window but I couldn't quite make out what she was saying past the slight ringing in my head. She ended the call abruptly, slamming the phone down onto the table. For a second she stood there unmoving, and then she slumped onto the floor, crying.

I flinched, I had never really understood deep emotions and every time that I was around it I got flustered.

Someone banged on her door loud enough that I could hear it. She jumped to her feet and hurriedly wiped her face.

"Yo Angela! Open up!"

She hurried to the door and I lost sight of her. There was a thud and a large man shoved his way into the apartment. I recognized him immediately as one of the men Angela had hung on her wall.

But what was he doing in her house?

"What is it Derrick?"

Derrick pulled something from his pocket and slapped it on the table. "This ain't cool, you promised my name wouldn't show."