GONE WITH THE GUN

EPISODE 22

21st December, 1994.
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Many things make up a man, but one thing can break a man. Mr. Hills was now a broken man. He had killed his best friend and wife, his son was nowhere to be found, his wife had left him with the unborn child. It had been three days, and Mr. Hills was still in a haze. He was moving about life like a lifeless body, just gliding through time. Everything was confusing. He was filled with guilt and anger. Or maybe, just plain guilt.

He was in his home, laying low. The cops had taken away the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Woods and Child services had taken their daughter Nicki. That was the last news Mr. Hills watched on Tv. Since then, the house had been like a coven. No noise. He just paced around the house, gulping down bottles of gin. The only time he was away from the bottle was when he was crying. After that, it was back to drinking. If only drinking could kill him, or at least make everything right. Put everything back to how they were. And if not, then, can it make him forget. Forget everything.
 
Mr. Hills was lying on the floor of his sitting room. A bottle of Brandy in hand. He lay on his back, staring up the ceiling. His eyes were open but he wasn't looking at anything. His mind was not there. 

Something was ringing in his ears. It sounded a lot like his door bell. Yes it was. Mr. Hills saw himself get up and open the door, but he actually didn't. He just lay there. What if it was the cops? They should have been to his home two days ago. Does that mean that they didn't suspect him at all? And now they do.

Mr. Hills slowly got up, walked to the door and opened it. He was ready to go to jail for what he did. He deserved it. How could he have done what he did? 

When the door swung open, it was Xavier. Xavier was the man Mr. Hills had called to appoint as his personal bodyguard.

Xavier was skilled in combat. Mr. Hills had wanted to appoint him as his bodyguard and if satisfied with Xavier's work, he would ask the Don to consider Xavier as the Don's own bodyguard. 
Now the Don was dead. Smoked to ashes by Mr. Woods. Well.

Xavier was dressed in a black leather jacket and a black denim jeans. He wore black huge military boots and he was smoking a cigarette. Mr. Hills let him in.

Xavier was met by a sight he could not explain. It was like a frat house party had been done there an hour ago. Everywhere reeked of alcohol. It was just a mess. Mr. Hills smelt like a dead horse. He smelt like he had not had a bath in three days. That was true.
 
Mr. Hills signaled Xavier to seat down. Xavier sat down on a couch, after haven taken away the tissues and bottles that were on it. He wanted to ask what happened there but he just didn't.

Mr. Hills spoke first. He sat on the couch opposite Xavier. He still had his half empty bottle of Gin in hand.
 
"Xavier, how are you?"

Xavier wasn't comfortable. This was not what he had imagined. He was hoping to meet at a warehouse or something. Somewhere he could show his skills. Or maybe be sent on an assassination mission. Something was wrong with his about to be boss.

Xavier had done his research a week ago. Mr. Hills and one Mr. Woods were said to be top ranked men in the heavily feared Himano gang. This man doesn't look like a top ranked man in anything. He more or less looked like an alcoholic. Maybe Xavier was in the wrong house. This man cannot be Mr. Hills.

Mr. Hills asked Xavier again.
 
"Tell me Xavier, why are you here?

Xavier didn't understand the question. If this was Mr. Hills, he should know why he was there.
 
"Sir, if you are Mr. Hills, you should know why i am here"

Mr. Hills stood up. He staggered towards the window. Trying hard not to fall on his bottle. He was drunk as hell. He said to Xavier,

"If you were Xavier. You should have known that the head of the gang is dead. And that my best friend Mr. Woods is dead too"

Xavier didn't know this. This meant that there was no job for him then. He had been told that if he qualified after the trials, he would meet the boss. The boss is dead. So that's why Mr. Hills was drowning himself in alcohol. 
"Sir, i never knew that something like that happened" Xavier said.

"Well it happened. And i am responsible, or partly responsible."

"How do you mean sir?"

"I want to tell someone. I really want to. I can't keep lying to myself. I was the one that did it. Now everyone is gone, everyone."

Xavier wasn't getting what was being said but he wasn't going to give up either.

He stood up from the couch, walked to Mr. Hills and slowly slid the bottle off him. Mr. Hills tried to grab the bottle back but his balance was weak.

He fell to the floor.
 
Xavier helped him up and made him sit on the couch. He went upstairs and finding the bathroom, he made water for a bath. He came down and told Mr. Hills that he should go have a bath.

Xavier, helped Mr. Hills up the stairs. He dumped Mr. Hills into the bathtub and left him there. He would soon get hold of himself, especially when he starts drowning in the bath.
 
Xavier went down to the sitting room and started cleaning up the room. He got rid of the bottles that lay everywhere. He cleaned the couch and floor. In about twenty minutes, the room was clean.

Then it occurred to him that Mr. Hills was still in the bathroom. Maybe he had actually drowned. Xavier had killed his boss on his first day at work.

He ran up the stairs and into the bathroom. On opening the door, He didn't see Mr. Hills. He walked towards the tub, thinking maybe he had drowned but Mr. Hills was not there.

"Where had this alcoholic gone to." thought Xavier.

He searched the rooms. No one. He walked downstairs again to the sitting room and there he was. Sitting on one of the couch. Mr. Hills was looking relaxed. He may have actually washed off the alcohol in his system.

Xavier was glad. He sat opposite Mr. Hills. Maybe now he would explain what he meant by "I was the one that did it" did what?

Mr. Hills had a look on his face. A look that can only be explained as bitter guilt. He forced a smile, nodded and sighed.

Xavier was dying to hear what he had to say.

Mr. Hills called to Xavier

"Xavier"

"sir" Xavier answered.

"Listen carefully. What i am about to tell you, no one else knows. Am telling you this only because I want to trust you. Now, before i start, i want you to give me your word that all i tell you will remain a secret."

Xavier was ready. This was what he came for. This was the real deal.
 
"You have my word sir" Xavier said.

Mr. Hills proceeded to tell Xavier the whole story.

How he killed Mr. and Mrs. Woods. How Mr. Woods had killed the boss, Don Alvarez. How his son Jason was kidnapped and is currently missing. How his pregnant wife had left him.

Everything.

It had taken half an hour for Mr. Hills to complete his story. He gave a detailed account of everything. 
Xavier had heard it all. He now understood why Mr. Hills had been drinking. He was mourning and hurting.

Xavier decided then that he would help Mr. Hills pull through this. First, they would have to cover up anything that would make Mr. Hills a suspect in the crime. Xavier will come up with a way to do that.

Next, they would have to decide what to do with the gang. If the business would continue or not. Then most importantly, they would have to find the missing boy.

Xavier was ready. He loved to know that his work was set out. He will see to it that all these are settled.   

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