**********
I knew I had nowhere to go. The first place the police would search was my house. Then they would search my news office. All I had was my van and my disguise to help me. After watching the police car zoom past, I got into my van and drove. A hotel was a bad idea; if the police were actually trying to hunt me down, they would search all hotels. Even my car wouldn't be safe for long; they knew that this was the car the 'murderer' got into- I would also become a suspect. However, I knew I had at least one night in safety- maybe more. I decided to take some rest, in my van. I couldn't sleep though. There was one thing which was running through my mind all night. That man I had just killed, had the photo of that girl. I knew her. I knew her really well. I hated her. I hated her so much that mere words couldn't explain. I didn't want to harm her, at least not intentionally. No, I just wanted to know how and why that man had her photo. I was successful in deceiving the police first, and now I deceived sleep.
Next morning, the first thing I did was get a newspaper. 'Journalist flees after killing thief, injuring 2 police officers.' I skipped the article which was all about what I did- I had no interest in that. I went to the page which had details about that thief.
"Javier Saj... previously arrested for trying to rob Di Caprio"
Javier Saj. I knew his alias. I once interviewed John Swinn, who is now in LA jail. He mentioned that his alias, Javier, would do anything for money- from kidnaps to murder. To know more about why Javier had the photo with him, I had to talk to Swinn. Also going to LA meant that I bought more freedom from the NYPD. All I needed now was an ID- a fake one which would allow me to go into the jail, as a journalist. That's where friends help. I called Rick Holland, my colleague who asked for my camera the previous day, to arrange a fake ID for me. I met him, he took a photo of the new me, and for the fake ID in an hour. Mr. Daniel White was now Rory Edmondton. I took the next train to LA, and in three days, I was in LA. I rested for a day, and then, I went to the Twin Towers Correctional Facility. I showed my ID and asked for Swinn. They showed me the way to his cell. So far so good- no hiccups.
The officer opened the door of the cell in which Swinn was kept. Once the officer left, he spoke before I could.
"I never knew any other journo who would interview a criminal in a jail, except for you White."
I was surprised as to how he knew it was me.
"Ahhh I guessed right. The expression in your face tells it all. So tell me. What brings you to LA?"
"Javier."
"What about him?"
"Some guy killed him- rather brutally."
"I'm not sure where I come in."
"You're the whole story."
"Uh huh."
"The guy who killed him was...err...me."
"When did you come on this side of the boat my friend? Feels good doesn't it? The police chasing you, your photo in the wanted section of the paper. The adrenaline. Pumps you up doesn't it? Anyways, why? Why did you clip him?"
"I don't know. It was like a flash. It just...happened."
"The first timer less eh? Gotta say, your are indeed a quick learner."
"Keep the volume down. You say I'm wanted in NY. I came here to ask your questions. I want the answers and then I'm outta here."
"Shoot."
"Where can I find these people? You know, his gang, his aliases, people who knew him, eh?"
"Tell me why."
"Before I killed him, I saw a photo in his hand. He was looking at it, but I caught a glimpse of it too. It was her."
"Ahhh. She was with you wasn't she? The last time you interviewed me. Taking 'bout her?"
"Yeah her."
"I see where this is going eh. Wanna kill her? Is that it? I don't see any other reason why you would wanna know why Javier had her photo."
"Maybe I want to. I was running from NYPD so I thought I'd hide somewhere far. I came to LA and I thought I'd talk to you about the photo. That is all."
"There's a shack, pretty apparent one. Go to Charleston. There is this park there, and near the river there is a small shack. You'll find Rodrigo there. He might be of help to you. He knows Javier better than his mum."
I got up and called out to the officer. He opened the gate, and I had almost left the cell, that Swinn spoke.
"You'll see hell on this side. Go back to where you were. Start fresh once you're done with this. It's still in your hands. Change before it gets out of your zone."
A word of advice from a criminal. That was in my mind throughout my return journey. That, and his opinion that I wanted to kill her. I had it in me; somewhere deep inside I wanted revenge, but I was over all that. I too was confused if I wanted to harm her, or not.
Three days later, Rory Edmonton walked towards the address given by Swinn. I found the shack pretty quickly. I knocked on the door. A man opened it, with a gun in his hand.
"Err.. Rodrigo? Swinn sent me."
After a long thought, and looking around if anyone was watching, he showed me in.
"Why?" He had a deep voice, a scar on his forehead and a fierce way of looking assuring around.
"I want to know about Javier. Everything. What he does, his last task everything."
"And why should I tell you?"
"Because I murdered him and I saw something interesting in his possession. I want to know how and why he had it."
He immediately took out his gun and pointed it to me.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. I'm wired up, whatever you say gets recorded. The police is about a hundred feet from here, your stand no chance."
He reluctantly kept his gun down.
"What do you wanna know?" He said.
"Seconds before I murdered him, I saw that Javier had a photo in his possession. A photo of Gibson. Alexandra Gibson."
"Ah. Yeah. I remember. Javier told me the that there was some guy who paid him to kill her. He said that the guy didn't meet him personally, but left her photo and five hundred dollars in that envelope. He also gave a photo of himself- just in case they meet unexpectedly. For ID purposes."
"Uh huh. You have that guy's photo."
"Are you a cop or something?"
"Do as I say. Give me the photo."
"Fine fine."
He reached out into his pocket, and gave me the photo. I was shocked; shocked so much that I couldn't contain myself. It was my photo.
"This is the guy. He wants Alexandra dead."
I couldn't believe my eyes. I didn't remember paying anyone. I didn't speak a word. I got up and left. He followed me out.
"Oi. You know that guy? He's wanted. For Javier's murder. You say you murdered him. Why? Why kill him? Why do you want Gibson dead?"
Now the name affected me. I ran back into his hut, took his gun, and shot him in the head. I fired a few more bullets. He was surely dead.
I walked away. I was walking as quickly as I could. My heart beats matched up to the pace at which I was walking. At one particular bend, I saw two men pointing at me. Once I noticed them, they started running towards me.
"That's him! Get him!"
They were now chasing me. They were Rodrigo's friends for sure. I ran for my life. After a while, they caught up with me. We fought. They missed the bullets they fired towards me. I pushed one of them down. Something fell out of his pocket- it was Alexandra's photo. There again, something changed within me. I snatcher the gun from his hand, and shot them both. I guessed I didn't faint after killing Rodrigo and his aliases because there wasn't much of blood. All this had happened in a lonely alley. Nobody noticed, or at least I thought so. I dropped the gun, and walked away.
***********
"I guess you're lucky you had guns at your disposal. Had you fainted, you would have been killed by Rodrigo's aliases. What happened next?"
