Quest For Yzerchuk: Murderous Corruption (Special Edition)

Quest For Yzerchuk Part 4

Galchenyuk walks out to the body and drops down to it, surveying the wound. A single bullet shot. Then on the left side of the body, facing away from the arena, he spots a small penguin keychain on the ground a few inches from the dead Canadien's hand.

"Hey Vladdy, come check this out!?" Galchenyuk calls out.

"Come on Brayden," Vladdy says as he starts out into Thunder Alley with Brayden at his side. He halts beside Galchenyuk, who is pointing toward the keychain and the blond blinks in shock. "It's a penguin?! So...what does this mean?" He looks at Galchenyuk, who has picked the keychain up and is looking the penguin over in his hand.

"It could mean that Pittsburgh did this?" Galchenyuk suggests.

"Oh, this wasn't supposed to happen! No one was EVER supposed to get KILLED...but why would Pittsburgh do this?" Vladdy says, worriedly.

Galchenyuk sighs and snatches Gallagher's phone, which is sticking out of his pocket. "Normally I respect privacy, but in this case...before the police and detectives show up, you know--"

"Ha, you sound just like me, when I found TJ's phone back in 2015."

Galchenyuk nods and taps Gallagher's screen. He freezes in place at the lock screen picture and sniffles. "He never changed it..." He falls backward and glances at Gallagher. "Maybe, deep inside, he still cared about me...underneath all that insanity."

Vladdy pats Galchenyuk on the shoulder and suddenly he gasps. "If there was a way to save him...from evil..."

Galchenyuk wipes his eyes. "No, it's okay. He was beyond repair. I wish there was a way, but it doesn't look like it." He looks at the lock screen again. "I'll miss my buddy Gally though. But what's done is done. He went too far. If only he knew at the time where revenge would lead him to."

Vladdy sees the picture on the phone: Brendan Gallagher and Alex Galchenyuk with their arms around one another and both in big, cheesy smiles, filled with happiness. He looks at Brayden, who lowers his head down.

Galchenyuk hacks the phone and pulls up the latest text message. "Vladdy," the ex-Hab whispers. "This isn't good..." He shows the blond.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll get you Vladdy Namestnikov's stupid stick!" Vladdy reads the text message. "And I'll get me, his beautiful head!"

Vladdy gasps, "Who wanted to kill me? Other than Gally."

Galchenyuk then starts pacing the area, "Okay, who else hates you Vladdy? And plays for the Penguins?"

"Not Geno...we're both Russian! Maybe Kessel...no, not him, he's too nice..." All of the sudden, Vladdy gets up and shouts, "Crosby!"

"Why him?"

"Well, he's evil. But I've never done anything bad to him!"

Brayden then springs up and says, "I know why Crosby hates you!"

Vladdy and Galchenyuk look at the young rookie in shock, "What is that reason?"

"Well, you see, Crosby could think that you're a threat to his team. You might stop his evil."

Vladdy nods in agreement, "That makes sense. Good job Point."

Point smiles and nods, "It wasn't me. It was Kade's idea." Brayden then points to his imaginary friend.

Vladdy just shakes his head and sighs, "Okay, good job Kade, but we need to let the team know about this! And quick!"

The group of men then run inside Amalie Arena, only to run into the whole team just inside the McDonald's Box Office. Vladdy, Galchenyuk, and Brayden all stop suddenly, catching their breaths as they see the captain of the Bolts, Steven Stamkos, standing in the way, looking pretty mad at the trio of players who tried to find Yzerchuk.