Retaliation (Larry Stylinson)

Prologue

Thunder boom in the late night sky, rain pelting against the windows of the room. A man looked out the window, observing the weather and people outside trying to get inside.

There was a soft knock at the door and a faint voice asked, "Sir?"

The man narrowed his eyes at the window and said without turning to face the door, "Come in."

The door opened and shut quickly and quietly. It was silent except the rain pelting against the window and the occasional boom of thunder. Lightning flashed across the sky as the man asked, "What do you want?"

The visitor shook in his boots, his hands holding folders of papers. His hands were shaking and he said quickly, "I have the information you asked for."

The man watched the window for a few more seconds before finally turning his chair around to watch his visitor. He looked to the folders shaking in the guy's hands and he said, "Perfect. Set it down."

The visitor set them down and made sure it was neat and in front of him. The man opened the folder, looking through its contents. He plucked out a single photo of a man. He gritted his teeth and set the photo down.

He looked through the other photographs of a room filled with blood and other dead bodies. He looked at the reports of the incident and finally the photo of the murderer.

He studied it for a few and asked, "This man is in jail already for the murder, correct?"

The visitor nodded and said, "Yes sir, life sentence for murder and dealing."

The man nodded and closed the folder, putting it aside. He'd look at it closer later. He asked the visitor, "Did you get the information on the other boy?"

He nodded and handed the man another folder. The man opened it up and ran his finger over a photo and said slowly, "Harry Styles..."

The visitor nodded and said, "Very smart kid. Has community service for his troubles with Leon the past month. Going to college in the summer to start early about an hour from his home town."

The man nodded and flipped through information sheets on Harry. He read about his college plans, the incident with Rick, and the incident Ryan. He took out Harry's photo and examined it in front of his face.

There had been many photos and his appearance had changed through them. This was the recent one. He had no glasses this time and his hair swooshed up. He was wearing skinny jeans and a plain white shirt. The man set the photo down and said, "I want a copy of this photo."

The visitor nodded and grabbed it, walking over to the copy machine. The man turned in his chair to watch the window again. A large crackle of thunder boomed, but it sounded like a gun shot to him. He cringed, seeing a man in his head.

He turned back to his desk when the visitor brought the two pictures back. He out the original photo back in the folder and closed it. He placed it on top of the other folder and gave the copied image to the visitor. "I want everyone here to know about this kid and what he has done. Do you hear me? Tell them he's mine and I want research done."

The man nodded and pocketed the picture. He walked to the door and opened it as the man settled back in his chair, examining a picture frame on his desk. The visitor stopped midway through the door and looked to the man.

The man had the picture frame in his hands and was stroking a young man next to him in the photo. He looked to visitor as he set it back down.

The visitor shrunk under his gaze and said, "I was wondering sir, if they ask why he's our next target for whatever, what should I tell them?"

The man looked back to the picture frame he was just holding. It was of him and his son, Rick. He looked to the visitor after a few seconds and said, "I want him dead."