Checkmate || OUAT Fanfic || DISCONTINUED

Chapter 20; Gone Like The Wind

"My hands are bleeding poetry tonight."

~ @sixwordshort / / Twitter

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Alice's P.O.V

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    "Hurry up, Ray," Jerome whispers.
    I crane my head back to face the boys and the metal reflects the dim light into my eyes as Ray fumbles with the lock. A cool breeze hits us, blowing my hair into my face. I shake my head as I push the stray strands of hair away from my face. I glance back at the street, keeping lookout in case anyone starts approaching us. The road may be barren but you can never be too careful.

    "I'm trying," Ray mutters.
    "Well, try harder," Jerome rushes him. "The sheriff could suddenly show up and arrest us for attempting to break in."
    "It doesn't look that that'll happen. I haven't seen another person since this afternoon," I say, my back facing them.
    It was like Cassie disappeared along with everyone else, replacing all signs of life with an eerie silence.

    "Where is everyone?" Isaac asks.
    "No clue," Andrew replies.
    "I think I've got it," Ray announces. "Wait, no."
    Jerome lets out a frustrated groan. "Asa can you take over?"
    "I don't know how," Asa replies.
    "I thought Will taught you how to pick a lock?"
    I picture Asa shaking his head. "I'm the tech analyst not the lock picker."

    Jerome begins to say something but the sound of the lock opening interrupts him.
    "Done."
    "About time," Jerome mutters, pushing past Ray and opening the door.
    I turn around just in time to see the boys filing into the sheriff's office. I glance back at the empty streets before entering the office with the rest of them.

    "Who's the lookout?" I ask.
    "I'll do it," Andrew says, stepping up.
    I give him a curt nod. "Thanks."
    The tall boy shakes his head. "Don't mention it."
    Asa sits on the chair in front of the computer as Andrew takes his place next to the front door. He grins as the screen lights up. "Okay, let's see what secrets this computer holds."

    "Type in Ethan Rodriguez into the search system," Jerome says.
    The preteen nods, typing on the keyboard. A list of names soon appear on the screen and Asa turns around to face me.
    "There's one thousand and fourty eight Ethan Rodriguezs in the system," he tells us.
    "Try gun fights," Ray offers.
    Asa keys in the words, and computer beeps as the list shortens, but not by much.

    Asa makes a face. "There's still fifty-one names. Give me more."
    I think about all the things that Tia told me about the killer. "Try searching for gang members with broken homes. He might have been kicked out of school at one point or sent to jail."
    Asa nods, his fingers flying across the keyboard to type in what I just said.

    The computer beeps again, shortening the list once more. Asa perks up as a mugshot appears on the screen. "Bingo."
    I lean over Asa's shoulder, peering at the screen. The photo shows an Eurasian man in his early thirties. His hair was in a buzz cut and he had piercings all over his face and tattoos all over his torso. His eyes were a piercing blue shade and he had black hair.

     The preteen begins to list what's on the thug's file. "Ethan Rodriguez was a runaway who joined a notorious gang called The Snarks when he was fourteen. He- Oh that's awful."
    "What?" I ask.
    "His gang leader killed Rodriguez's younger brother because he refused to join them," Asa says. "And in turn Rodriguez killed his leader and everyone who opposed him."

    "That's probably why he started recruiting brothers. He formed The Scorpions with the remaining gang members and has been recruiting members since his early twenties. Intel says that he stopped recruiting a few years back."
    "Have you checked his-"
    "-I'm checking his paper trail right now."
    That was fast.