Chapter Three: The Face Of God.

 ‘You are a lucky man; taking my spot just like that.’

The car drove through the night streets with its headlights on, slightly exceeding the speed limit. The man seated in the back looked out of the window, pulled his suit jacket forward, and straightened it.

‘Really nothin’. I’m just good. And It’s just that you're getting old-’

‘Watch your mouth. Don’t forget who started this business.’

The man next to him, holding a golden cane in front of himself with his left hand on top of his right with the cane on the bottom. The old man was looking down, giving him the side eye.

‘Got it. Got it. At least I’m giving you a vacation of some sort.’

The old man scoffed, smirking.

‘Like I need one.’

They sat in silence, the street lights they passed by lit up the car for a split second before dimming it into darkness.

‘Just don’t screw it up.’

The young man then turned his head to the old man. The old man stayed silent, looking down at whatever he was looking at. Probably his dress shoes. They are pretty nice. The young man chuckled through his nose, turning his head back to the window.

‘Alright.’ He muttered, smiling.

The driver then drove up to the gates of the Lake residence. There was a box to the left side of the gate, six feet away from it. The driver pulled out his ID, which allowed the box to scan the barcode of the ID. The box tinged and turned green before opening the gates. As the gates opened, the driver drove into the driveway. There stood a beautiful mansion, white, grey on the roof, and light yellow. The car parked as it reached infront of the house.

‘Well, I’ll be seeing ya.’

The young man then opened the door and got out of the car. He turned back to the car, bending his body over to poke his head inside the car and get a good look at the aging man.

‘And also…take a vacation.’

He patted the roof of the car before closing the door. The old man grumbled as the car made a U-turn around to the gate, and then left.

As he walked up to the double doors of the house, his daughter couldn’t wait any longer, she opened the door and ran to him, pushing her small quick legs as fast as she could.

‘Daddy!’

He smiled widely, laughing loudly as he kneeled. She ran into his arms giving him a big hug with her tiny arms as he did with a long arms. The wife then stood outside of the door, smiling. The man looked up at his wife and smiled back.

‘So daddy! Did you get it? Did you get your promotion?!’

He then looked at his daughter before scooping her up in his arms causing her to let out a squeal as he said.

‘You know it! Your dad’s the CEO!’

‘Yes! That means you’ll make more money! And get me more toys!’

He then shook his head, the corner of his mouth involuntarily pulling upwards.

‘Oh no no! You got enough of those, little missy.’ He said as he walked to his wife.

She pouted, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly, burying her face in his shoulder, and looking away. He sighed, rolling his eyes with a smirk.

‘Okay! You can get a new toy on Christmas.’

She then lifted her head with a cheeky smile on her face. He gasped.

‘Oh, you little monster!’ He said as he pinched her nose, causing her to giggle.

As he walked up to his wife, he put down his daughter. His wife then fixed his suit, then tie.

‘Look at you. My husband. My CEO.’ She then wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling.

‘All in a day's work.’ He said, smiling cockily.

She giggled at his cockiness before leaning in and kissing him. When she pulled back, he smirked.

‘I’m feeling thirsty.’

She smirked back at him.

***

As the driver drove through the empty streets of nighttime to the destination of the former CEO’s home, a police car came out of an alleyway they passed by, blaring its siren. The driver looks through the left side mirror, sighing before pulling over onto the sidewalk. The old man looks up, furrowing his eyebrows. Through the side view mirror, the driver can see the supposed police officer stop the car behind them, turning off their siren before getting out. The person then walked to the vehicle infront of them.

As the person passed by, the old man followed the man's movements, squinting his eyes. When he reached the driver's window, the driver rolled down the window, looking out the window, at the officer. He looked him up and down, seeing he had on a police uniform. The driver then looked him in the eyes, searching him.

‘What seems to be the problem, sir?’

The man then smiled.

‘Is everything okay? How’s life?’

The driver raised an eyebrow.

‘It’s…okay- may I ask what’s this about?’

He then nodded.

‘That’s good. Okay is good.’

The driver then nodded back slowly, unsure of what to say.

‘Yeah. But, you didn’t answer my question.’

‘Oh! Sorry! I just need you to face forward.’

The driver then furrowed his eyebrows at the man.

‘Face forward…?’

The man nodded, still with a crooked smile on his face.

‘Cmon. Do it.’

The driver sighed, his hands still on the wheel. He then turned his head forward, his eyes still turned to the man.

‘Yeah, like that. Just take your hands off the wheel and put them by your side.’

His hands slowly left the wheel and then positioned themselves by his side. The man then pointed his finger at the driver's eyes.

‘Eyes forward.’

The driver then quickly turned his eyes to the windshield, staring out of it. The old man sighed, looking down as this happened. He didn’t have enough time for this.

‘Can we hurry this-’

Then a loud, but soft sound rang through the car causing the old man to jump with his eyes wide, looking up. He then saw his driver’s head fall sideways, landing on the armrest of the car. But before he could react, the door to the left of him swung open, diverting his attention to that as two hands grabbed him and tossed him out of the car, leaving his cane in the car and his face landing on the ground. As he pushes his upper body up, he looks up only to see a 1911 pistol with a silencer, pointed at his head. His eyes widen as his heart stops.

‘You're gonna do exactly what he says.’

***

She had her head down, working diligently on her paper. She looked up at the computer, then down at the paper like she was watching something while writing, or copying something. A tap on the desk half caught her attention as she kept writing, fixing her glasses.

‘What is it?’

‘Hey, uh, where is evidence lockup?’

The woman sighed a deep sigh as she looked up. She was met with a man in a police uniform, leaning against the receptionist's desk. There was a smile on his face, but it kept twitching like he didn't know how little or how much he needed to smile. She raised an eyebrow at his facial expression before looking at his name tag. Peter Marshall, it said. She then moved her eyes down to the computer, at a specific spot.

‘It's only been five minutes.’

She said, looking back at the man. The man raised an eyebrow before clearing his throat, putting his fist over his mouth and bringing it down.

‘Five minutes of what?’

She raised an eyebrow. He must be stupid. She leaned forward, resting her chin in her right palm.

‘Break?’

One of his eyebrows raised before both of them did, letting out a ‘oh.’ He then shrugged, brushing it off.

‘Eh, I got bored.’

She scoffed with a smirk on her face, rolling her eyes.

‘That’s a first.’

She used her pen and pointed at a door in the corner back of the precinct. She waited until he fully turned in the direction she was pointing her pen at before speaking.

‘That door. More doors behind that door, last door to the right.’

He then nodded, committing what she said to memory, and left without saying thank you or thanks. She looked down, muttering your welcome.

As he walked to the door in the corner, he looked back while walking before turning forward. When he opened the back door, he was greeted with more doors. Remembering what was told of him, he walked to the last door on the right. The door had a square window he could use, as he checked through the window, he saw shelves with boxes and bags on them. Lots of them. He frowned before walking inside. He took a deep breath and exhaled as there were two shelves in the middle of the room and three shelves backed up against the wall, matching the curvature of it.

He walks to the middle shelf on the right. He looks it up and down, seeing how taller it is compared to him. He puts his hand out, grabs at one of the bags, looking at the date.

‘11/14/94.’

He puts the bag back and grabs another one.

‘12/20/94.’

He then grabs one last bag, holding the December bag in his other hand.

‘10/10/94.’

He sighs, putting both bags back, and looking down. This was gonna take a while. Or so he thought. As he thought about something, he suddenly looked up with furrowed eyebrows. He grabs one bag in his left hand, then another in his right, seeing they both have the same year date of ‘94. He puts back the two bags before grabbing one more to make sure. As the last bag says the same year date, he turns to the shelf on the left. He takes one of the bags off there, seeing the year ´95. He puts the bag back and walks around the shelf to the back shelf on the left. He points at the shelf, muttering a year before pointing at the middle, muttering another year.

Then his eyes land on the shelf in the back to the right. He lowers his finger with a smirk before quickly walking over there.

***

He took his tie off his bed and faced forward to the mirror that had a golden outline around it, and a golden dresser beneath it with lotion, perfume, and cologne. He wrapped his tie around his unfolded collar and tied it. He pulled up on the knot until it closed up the opening of the collar. He now folded his collar, covering the piece of tie that went around it. He walked back over to the bed, grabbed his black suit jacket, slipped it on, and buttoned it up. He pulls on the suit jacket, looking in the mirror before smirking. As he goes to get his cufflinks that are on the dresser, the phone begins to ring. He looks over at it and grabs it, looking at the number. It’s just the phone number, no name, no anything. He presses the green call button before putting it to his ears.

‘Hello? Who’s this?’

There’s silence on the phone before a voice is heard.

‘Hello, Mr. Lake, I’m Detective Shawn from the Kent Police Department, and we have reason to believe you’re being targeted.’

Lake then furrowed his eyebrows.

‘Targeted? Targeted by who?’

On the other side of the call, Detective Shawn is in his car with his partner, Rich, at a park. Shawn is holding the phone to his ears, facing forward while his partner looks at him.

‘We don’t know exactly who yet. But we have suspicions it could be the same person that killed your friend two weeks ago.’

Shawn then raised an eyebrow, putting his left hand in his pocket.

‘Friend? Killed a week ago?’

Shawn then put his right hand on his cheek, scratching it.

‘Yeah? William? Is he not your friend?’

Lake looked down at his socks.

‘How did you get this number?’

‘On William’s phone. It was on his contacts.’

He then raised both of his eyebrows, lifting his head before scoffing.

‘Hm. So he didn’t do it.’

Shawn then raised an eyebrow. Rich looked at him, wondering what was going on.

‘Well, detective, whoever this guy is, the only he can do is look at me.’
Shawn then furrowed his eyebrows. He didn’t like the way this guy was talking.

‘Look, I know you got the best security and all, but that won’t stop him. Plus, we don’t even know it’s just one person-’

‘Then what it is? A group? If he has a group, then I have an army.’

Shawn sighed, putting his hand that was on his cheek, on his forehead.

‘I don’t think you should be downplaying this.’

Lake goes to speak, but someone yells, stopping him from moving his mouth, coming from outside his open door.

‘Honey! Breakfast is ready!’

He looks at the creaked opened door, putting his phone to his shoulder, calling out to his wife.

‘I’ll be there in a sec!’

He then takes the phone off his shoulder, putting his phone back to his ear.

‘Look, I gotta go. This guy, whoever he is, he’s not touching me.’

‘Wait, we’re not-’

Lake hangs up before Shawn can finish. There’s more important stuff than that. He’s fine. Just fine. He puts the phone in his pocket before picking up his cufflinks and slipping them through the buttonholes on the left, then the right side of the cuff opening on his white dress shirt. He then opened the door wider, walking through it, then down the stairs.

Shawn dropped his hand on his thigh, leaning back and looking up. He then turned his head to his partner with a frown. Rich looked at him, folding his lips in, shaking his head. Shawn then leaned forward, started up the car, and drove away from the park.

***

They made a turn into the parking lot of the precinct. They drove past the lots of cars that filled up the parking spaces. There was one open space, it was far down to the right. As they reached the spot, Shawn parked the car inside the open space, putting the car in park before leaning back and sighing. Shawn and Rich sat in their silence before Shawn broke it.

‘He’s not safe.’ He said, shaking his head.

Rich looked at him before sighing. He opened the car door, getting out as Shawn followed, taking the keys out of the ignition lock.

‘Well, he did say he was safe.’

Shawn closed his door, locking the car remotely.

‘Well, that's what he thinks.’

They then walked down the parking lot.

‘Look, the guys a CEO now. His security is top-notch. I say we try and protect the small fries. Ones that probably- barely anyone would know have been killed. Like that William guy. If he’s smart, he’ll probably do that.’ Rich said.

‘Whose to say he’s not smart enough to get past Mill’s security?’

Rich then scoffed.

‘He’s gonna need an army.’

Shawn then looked at him.

‘Yeah. Himself.’

‘What makes you think he’s so smart that he can get past security like that?’

Rich said, raising an eyebrow.

‘I don’t know. I just know to be cautious.’

Rich looked at him in the eyes before turning his head away, shaking his head. Then they both walked in thought, slowly getting closer to the doors of the precinct. Shawn, with an idea coming to his head, then broke the thought of silence.

‘Okay, maybe we can both make this work.’ Shawn said.

Rich then looked at him.

‘We call everyone on William’s phone that could have been in his high school graduating class.’

Rich then raised an eyebrow.

‘And…?’

‘And send a dispatch or two to each of their houses.’

His partner then faced forward.

‘That’ll probably be a lotta people to call and send. Why don’t we send them to their families home or somethin’?’

Shawn shook his head.

‘No. The culprit has the yearbook records and data, so they have the houses their parents probably still live in.’

Rich then rubbed his chin.

‘Probably..’ Rich said, quoting him. ‘What if the people he’s targeting moved?’

‘Then that’s good. But the data will probably have the parent’s house phone number or individual parent's emergency contacts on there. Scratch that, definitely.’

‘So what you're saying is that they can probably track them?’

Shawn nodded. Rich groaned, rubbing his face.

‘Damn. Then let’s hope this guy's phone has the people the culprit is targeting.’

‘Don’t worry, we’ll track them first.’

Rich sighed.

‘Yeah. No need to worry…’

They then reached outside of the parking lot before making a right, passing an alleyway with a green dumpster with a black cover, backed against the right side of the precinct wall. There, the precinct was to their right, infront of them. They made a right and then walked up the steps. Shawn opened the door for Rich before walking in. As they did, they walked past the receptionist, who was down in her work once more. They had their minds set on the evidence lockup room. When they reached inside, Shawn went inside and stopped right beside the door.

‘I’ll wait here.’

Rich nodded before heading off into the room. Not even a few seconds later, Rich yells out, his voice concerned.

‘Shawn! Where did the phone go?’

Shawn raised an eyebrow.

‘What do you mean ‘where did the phone go’?’

Shawn then pushed himself off the wall, walking over to Rich. As he reached Rich. Rich was looking into the bag before pulling his head from the bag, and onto Shawn. He then opened the bag infront of Shawn, opening it wide to show that the phone was missing.

‘Amy!’

Amy groaned as she stopped her work before lifting her head to find whoever was calling her.

‘Wha-’

‘Did anyone go into evidence lockup?!’

Shawn’s voice was quick and angry as he walked up to the desk. Amy was caught off guard, eyes wide as her heart quickened.

‘Y-y-yeah. A-a officer.’

‘Officer? Who?’

‘S-someone named P-peter M-marshall, I-I think.’

‘Where’d he go?’

She then pointed to the double doors of the precinct. Shawn looked at Rich before they both stormed out the double doors. Amy’s eyes followed them as she slightly gripped her cross around her neck.

When the two detectives reached outside, they hurried down the steps. As they reached down, Shawn looked around but saw nothing. He sighed as he looked down. Rich walked up next to him, putting his hand on his shoulder before a female police officer busted through the double doors, looking at the two detectives.

‘Detectives!’

They both turned their heads backward, looking at the girl who hurried down the steps.

‘There’s been a murder- two murders! And a kidnapping!’

Their eyes widened as the petite officer stood in front of them, panting.

‘What?!’ Shawn yelled.

She nodded, catching her breath.

‘A police officer over at the 10th police station was killed. He was stripped of his clothing. And the car over there was stolen too. Then was a murder over and Barnes and Lowry! We’ve figured out that the car belonged to the now former CEO of Lyzer Pharmaceuticals.’

‘What the hell…’ Rich muttered.

‘And the worse part is that Lyzer himself was in that car!’

Shawn ran his fingers through his hair, clenching his teeth as he spoke through them.

‘Damnit…’

Rich’s eyes then widened as he pointed over at the alleyway.

‘Shawn.’

Shawn then looked at Rich.

‘What?’

‘Look.’

Shawn then followed the direction of Rich’s finger and so did the officer. There, came a man, in his underwear, stumbling out of the alleyway before dropping. Shawn’s eyes widened before instantly rushing to the man. He crouched down to set him against the wall, sitting his body up. He then lightly slapped his cheek a few times. Rich and the officer stood behind Shawn, waiting for the man to become conscious.

‘Hey. Hey! Wake up! What happened?’

The man then rubbed his head, groaning.

‘What happened?’

‘I’m asking you that…’

The man blinked a few times before fully becoming more alive. He looked down at himself before looking up at Shawn.

‘Why…why am I in my underwear?’ He said, groggily.

‘I wanna know that too, but you gotta help me. Do you remember what happened to you?’

The man then leaned himself up more.

‘I-I don’t know. I was on break and some guy came outta nowhere. I think the alleyway, and told me there was something wrong with his friend. He pointed at a spot in the alleyway, behind the dumpster. I walked over there to check and there was no one there. But as soon as I went to turn around, everything went black.’

Shawn then looked back at Rich. Rich looked back at Shawn with a scowl on his face as he shook his head.

***

I walked into my house with two stuff weighing me down. They were in my pockets. They felt the second one, but the first I don’t feel at all, but I know it’s there, and not in the way I think I know it.

I closed the door and walked to my couch, sitting down in it. I sighed as I reached for my left pocket, pulling out a Bernardelli P018. I dropped it on my coffee table. I felt the heaviness lifted, but I couldn’t help but look at it. I never used a gun before, but knowing I was going to use it…it made my heart beat faster. I shook my head. No, no second-thinking now. I took out a phone out of my left pocket. I just looked at it, I folded my lips in. Stop it, stop, stop, stop! I breathed in, and breathed out, closing my eyes. I then pressed the power button. As the phone turned on, I instantly pressed the search button. The names slowly came upon on the contacts. There, the first name I saw, Mill. Sometimes I feel like Mill is the reason William used to act the way he did back in high school. Mill was an ass If this person is getting revenge on people like Mill, he’s definitely where to start. I then called Mill, putting the phone to my ears.

***

Mill was in the backseat of his car with his arms folded, his left finger tapping on his right bicep as his feet bounced up and down. His driver looked at him through the rearview mirror before looking at the road.

‘Is everything alright, Mr. Lake?’

‘Yes, I’m fine.’

Silence then filled the car as the driver drove to the destination. Mill then stopped shaking his feet before leaning back.

‘It’s waiting for me.’

The driver furrowed his eyebrows, looking through the rearview mirror before facing the road again.

‘What is, sir?’

‘My seat.’

The driver raised an eyebrow before chuckling after realizing what he had meant.

‘Oh, sir. No need to worry. Nothing's gonna stop you now from getting to that seat. You're almost invincible.’

He then smiled widely as he looked through the rearview mirror. Mill can feel the smile directly towards him. He smirked, looking out the window as his feet stopped shaking.

‘Yeah, I am.’

His phone began to ring. He looked down at his pocket, taking it out and scanning the contact. As he sees it’s just a phone number and no one familiar. He sighs before answering it.

‘Mill?’

Mill raised an eyebrow.

‘Yeah, that’s me. Who are you?’

‘You’re not safe.’

Mill’s eyebrows raised. He’s quick with it. He then scoffed, smirking.

‘I’ve been told that already.’

I raised an eyebrow. Who else could have reached Mill? It was that detective, wasn’t it?

‘By who?’

‘A detective. I think his name was Shawn or something.’

My eyebrows rose. So he got to Mill before I did. Is he now under protective custody? He could have been my only way to reach the murderer. If the murderer was going after him first. If not, I have a lot more contacts to go through. I then began to drown myself in my thoughts.

‘Hey, you sound familiar. And you never answered my question, who are you?’

That snapped me out of my thoughts. Should I tell him? He doesn’t need to know it’s dead friend's brother right now.

‘Who I am is not important. If you were told by a detective that you’re possibly not safe, you definitely should take that at face value.’

Silence then slashed its way to us. Damnit. Why am I giving a damn whether I tell this guy my name or not? And also worrying about if he’s safe or not? Maybe if he’s alive, I can use him…yeah.

‘Joseph?’

My eyes widened as he figured out who I was. I didn’t know I sounded that familiar. I sighed, looking down.

‘So, it is you…I’m sorry about William. Only if he had the protection I had.’

That caught me off guard. That made me feel…angry. No way this guy. This dick was gonna make me care about what he said, or make me feel this way, especially towards William. But The emotion was heavy. No, this wasn’t me, this was William. I clenched my teeth, trying my hardest to hold back.

‘What did you say?’ I said through my teeth.

‘I said that if he was protected like I was, he probably wouldn’t have died.’

I breathed in and breathed out. H-he probably meant it in a…different way- yeah, a different way. William, I hate you for this.

‘Okay, stop it. This isn’t about William! You're not safe, Mill! Go to the’

‘I’ll tell you what I told that detective; the only thing that bastard can do is look at me. Now, if you want to see that for yourself, come down to National Hall, where I will be inaugurated as CEO for Lyzer Pharmaceuticals.’

I tried to say something, but he hung up. Damnit, he’s too cocky. I removed the phone from my ears and looked at it. My eyes snapped between the phone and the pistol, each drawing, yearning for my attention at the same time. You know what? I’ll see for myself. I stuffed William’s phone in my pocket before leaning forward and grabbing the pistol, standing up, and walking out the door.

***

He hung up the phone, putting it in his pocket before turning his head right to see that he’d already reached his destination. He smiles as the car stops.

‘Have fun, sir.’ The driver smirks, looking at him through the rearview mirror.

‘Oh, I will.’ Mill says before getting out of the car and closing it.

He stands in front of the doors of National Hall, straightening out his suit, and pulling up his tie before walking through the double doors. He walks past the two bodyguards standing beside the left and right doors. Everybody has this rich sense of them. Fancy watches, necklaces, and bracelets. Perfume and cologne definitely filled the air, along with the food on the tables in the corner, which consisted of many different exquisite dishes. And a rich party wouldn’t be a rich party if it didn’t have champagne and wine. More bodyguards were looking around with their shades on and mic pieces in their ears, and one standing in the back entrance. Must be where the parking lot is. Everybody’s eyes land on Mill as he smiles.

‘The CEO of the hour! Let’s give him a round of applause!’

Everybody starts cheering and clapping for him, which he relishes. His ego is being filled by the hour. His ego makes him smile. His ego makes his head big. It’s as if it’s a bacteria. More or less filled with bacteria.

***

I leaned forward, looking through the windshield. As I finally came upon National Hall, it looked like more of a courthouse than a national hall. It had the pillars, but it wasn’t white, it was brownish as just the hall itself was. I stopped my car across from it, next to a nice grass area, which had a U-turn with the road separating it from the Hall. I took the pistol out of my pocket. I looked at the national hall, then back at my pistol. Risky. Very risky. But he could be in there. I gripped my pistol tightly. Screw it, too risky. I threw the pistol in the passenger seat next to me before getting out of my car and locking it. I walked across the road with my hands in my pockets. As I reached the entrance, my hand raised to knock on the door before I stopped myself. What am I doing? I shake my head before opening the door.

The bodyguard on the right turns his head to the door, seeing it turn open on him. He instantly walks around the open door to face the person who opened it. As he sees me walk in, he puts his hand up and he stops me as I slightly look up at him.

‘Who are you?’ He says, his voice was deep. The intimidation must be in that, and the height.

‘I…I was invited here.’

He raised an eyebrow at me. ‘No. You weren’t.’

I furrowed my eyebrows at him. I mean, he’s right, but how can he know that?

‘You don’t know that.’

He looks me up and down. ‘I do know that.’

It took me a while to know what he meant, and when I realized it, I scoffed.

‘Y-you can’t be serious.’

He just stares at me. He’s probably a guy that has never joked in his life. I then try to walk in, but he stops me by placing his hand on my chest as I say.

‘Look, I need to talk to him. He’s in danger!’ I say a bit loudly as I point at Mill.

Mill is talking to people, smiling with them before he catches my voice. He looks over at me, causing some people to look over. I stop trying to push my way in, looking at him. He then shakes his head, smirking as he turns his head away from me, pointing his thumb in my direction as he says something inaudible to my ears. It causes people to laugh, one woman covering her mouth as she giggles as their attention is back on him. I look in disbelief. He can’t be serious. Does this guy want to die? But why do I care? I shouldn’t- I don’t care about him, he only leads to my true purpose- I’m then caught off guard by a push from the bodyguard, causing me to fall back onto the ground, landing on my ass. The bodyguard then shuts the door, leaving me there. I stand up, straightening myself out. If I can’t go to him, then I’ll wait for him. I stormed to my car, got in, and sat down. I look at the pistol, then at National Hall before grabbing it and stuffing it in my pocket. I keep my eyes trained on the building.

Mill talks to few a business people, enjoying his time a bit too much before someone comes behind him and taps him on the shoulder. He turns around to see a blonde-haired man smiling widely at him with his hand out for a shake.

‘Congratulations on making it to CEO.’ His smile looks inviting and genuine.

Mill slightly smiles as he takes his hand.

‘Thanks. You are…?’

‘Jonathan. But my people call me John.’

Mill nods his head as he lets go of John’s hand. John puts one of his hands in his pocket, smirking at him.

‘So, how does it feel?’

‘Hm?’ Mill raised an eyebrow, caught off guard by his random question.

The man chuckled. ‘Becoming CEO. How it does feel, knowing that you’ve become the leader of a top company that is nearly a supplier of everybody?’

He then smiled, the aura of cockiness covering him. ‘Feels wonderful.’

The man nodded. ‘I see. You’re like God to them. Do you believe in God?’

Mill then raised an eyebrow before waving his hand dismissively. ‘I don’t believe in that type of stuff.’

The man then tilted his head. ‘Then how have you come so far?’

He then let out a huff of laughter, smirking. ‘What do you mean? This is MY hard work. Not some guy in the skies. All of this…’ He then gestured his hand around everybody before continuing. ‘It’s for me. What I’VE done.’

The man kept smiling at him. ‘Pride hath carried thee so far, but still, its feet won't tread v'ry far.’

Mill was taken aback by what he said. He just stood, blinking as he took in what the boy John said. John then turned to leave. But as he walked, he just had to let him know one thing, to…

‘Well, do enjoy the party. Have fun. Have it like it's your last.’ He then waved as he walked away to the bodyguard who stood by the food table. Mill looked down a bit before shaking his head. Some random guy, saying some random things. He then went back to being the life of the party.

But as he talking, his phone began to ring. When he took it out, he saw that the name was the phone number. He sighed, tired of these no-names calling him. He thought it was either Joseph or Shawn. He just pressed the hang-up button before putting the phone back in his pocket. Then the phone rang again. Mill clenched his teeth before taking out his phone again. Just numbers, not a name. Mill slightly groans before looking around. His eyes then land on the bodyguard that’s standing next to John. He stares at the bodyguard before the bodyguard looks over at him. Mill lifts his hand, his fingers moving back and forth at the bodyguard. The bodyguard nodded before walking away from John, to his ‘boss’. Mill walked to a small hallway in the corner of the room, the bathroom doors waited, alone. Mill stopped, waiting for his bodyguard. When his bodyguard finally reached, Mill walked into the bathroom.

‘Stay here. Stop anybody that tries to come in.’

The bodyguard then stood infront of the door, looking out the hallway. Mill then took out the phone as it vibrated. He sighed before answering it.

‘Whoever this is. Screw-’

‘Lyzer’s gone.’

Mill’s head slightly recoiled at what the person over the phone said. His heart began to pump a bit faster like it was on a treadmill.

‘W-what? Who is this?’

‘It’s Shawn. Detective Shawn. And like I said, Lyzer was kidnapped. His driver is dead. The culprit dressed up as an officer to kidnap him.’

Mill swallowed a lump in his throat. Maybe he was beginning to feel something, possibly fear. No, his ego couldn’t allow it. He can’t fear, he’s almost untouchable. Lyzer was only with his driver, he had bodyguards with him. Mill loosened his tie.

‘Okay…? What do you want me to do about it?’ Trying his hardest not to voice crack.

‘It’s not about what I want you to do. It’s about what I want you to see.’

He forcefully scoffed as his hand slightly shook. ‘See what?’

‘That you’re not safe either. Use your brain. Either come to us or stay with you’re ‘army’.’

‘I-I told you…’

The phone then hung up. Mill panted a bit. He looked at himself in the mirror, the mouthwash began to wash out the bacteria that had plagued his head. He felt vulnerable but more aware. Who could he trust? What if it is one person? One person disguised as someone so they can get to him. Or it could be multiple people…multiple people that he doesn’t trust dressed up as multiple people that he does trust…

The phone rang again. Mill looks at it.

Unknown Caller ID.

It can’t be Shawn or Joseph. Who could this be? Mill, in a vulnerable state, starts shaking more. He shouldn’t answer, but he should. He doesn’t know what might happen, what might be told.

He answers, putting the phone in his ears slowly. Silence holds him tightly until a voice is heard.

‘How does it feel?’

The voice was a voice changer, it was deep and didn’t sound like a voice a person would hold. But Mill couldn’t deny, that it did scare him. Mill’s pants, if he didn’t hold it in, would have been soaked. Once the bacteria had left his head, he was stuck, not knowing what to say. Words formed, but they formed shakily.

‘W-who…w-who are you…?’

‘You sound scared. It’s okay. I’ve forgiven you.’

‘F-forgiven-?’

‘Yes. Forgiven. That won’t do anything though. You’re scared of dying, so, I’ll relieve you a bit. You’re death…it won’t be in vain.’

Mill’s forehead began to sweat beads as his eyes widened. His legs became spaghetti as he leaned back against the sink counter.

‘J-just…please…please…I…I…’

‘Don’t worry, I understand. Just go home.’

The phone then hung up. Mill looked at his phone his right hand shaky was holding. Oh god, this was real.

Mill busted through the door, startling the bodyguard a bit as he walked fast down the hall.

‘Take me home.’

The bodyguard stood there, standing in confusion.

‘C'mon!’

The bodyguard snapped out of it, shaking his head before following him down the hall. As they reached the party area, everybody turned to look at him. One guy came Infront, holding a glass of champagne.

‘There he is! We were waiting for you so we could cut the cake!’

Mill looks at the cake. He would have smiled, but it’s gone. No smiling now. Mill looks at the party, scratching his neck.

‘Sorry, but I have to go. Something came up.’

Everybody looked taken aback, people whispering to each other.

‘What?! Cmon!’ The man with the champagne said.

‘I know, I know.’ He chuckles forcefully.

‘We gotta at least cut the cake!’ The man gestured his hand towards the cake, smiling.

Mill looked at the cake, staring at the blue frosting that spelled out ‘CEO’ on the face of the cake. He should leave, he should, but the cake... they were all waiting for him. It is HIS party, but still. He clenched his fists. This is probably what the killer would want: to catch him when he least expects it. He’s gotta go; he needs to be with his family. He sighs.

‘Sorry, but I really-’

‘Sir, look out!’

Before Mill can react, his bodyguard tackles him to the ground as a gunshot rings through the air, catching everybody’s attention and causing them to scream and run. The bodyguards take out their pistols, looking around.

‘Levi, is Mr. Lake okay?’

Levi gets off of Mill.

‘He’s fine.’ He said as he looked at Mill getting up.

‘Sir, we have to get you home!’

Mill nodded, which caused Levi to grab Mill and run through the crowd, through the back entrance. The bodyguards get a clear view of the shooter as the place clears. He has a buzzcut with a blue suit on. His smile is wide and uncanny.

‘Put the gun down!’ One bodyguard said, pointing it at him.

He slowly turns his head to the bodyguard, still smiling. His pistol was lowered as he stared him down.

‘He said that if I did what was told by god, I would dance with the angels. But I can’t do that if I’m not dead…’

He then raises his pistol slowly.

‘Don’t do it!’ The bodyguard grips his pistol tightly, his finger slightly pressing back on the trigger.

‘I’m sorry-’

Before he could finish, a bullet went straight to the side of his head, knocking him sideways and falling as blood tried to cover the brown tiled floor. The bodyguard's eyes widen as he turns his head right to where the bullet came from to see his coworker panting as he lowers his pistol.

Levi held Mill’s arm as they rushed down the parking lot. When they reached Levi’s car, Levi opened the car door for Mill quickly, letting him get inside. As Mill closed the door, Levi quickly rushed over to the driver seat, getting in, and starting up the car. He backed out of the parking lot, catching my attention. I watched as everybody stood outside, scared. I turn my head back to the driving car. I made the right choice not going inside. I then drove away, following them as the police sirens sounded in the distance.

Every turn they made, I made. I’m glad there were more cars on the street, made me look less suspicious. But as I kept following, there was a part where no cars drove, and that was to a mansion. As the car drove a lonely road to that place, I made a right, parking my car next to some apartment building. I got out of my car, and walked on foot to the lonely road, walking in the grass area, which had trees in the distance, probably more around the mansion.

The car then drove up to the gates. Behind the walls that surrounded the mansion, there was a black Ford Contour, the tinted window made it harder to look in there since it was surrounded by trees, which surrounded the walls and the mansion.

‘What’s that car over there?’ Mill said.

‘Oh, that’s just extra protection. Getting a more wide angle on things if somewhere to attack.

‘Why not add more?’

‘You know, sir. People can’t go inside without going through the gates. And even if they could, they’d have to walk through the forest. It’s okay, sir. You’re in good arms.’

Mill then sighed before leaning back. That made the bodyguard smile before he rolled down the window to the black box that scanned IDs. He took out his ID for the box to scan. As it scanned the ID’s barcode, it dinged green before opening its gates. The bodyguard placed his ID back in his pocket, slowly driving through it. There were a lot of bodyguards watching the place, 7 or 12 of them, scattered about watching the area. As the car stopped, Mill instantly got out, speedwalking to his home. Levi followed as two bodyguards were standing on either side of the door. They saw Mill coming over quickly and then opened the door for him. As Mill walked in, there was more bodyguards in the house. But not as much outside. But what was there, was Mill’s wife concerned expression on her face as she was seated on a chair, shaking her legs. When she looked up to see Mill walk in, she stood up and immediately walked over to him.

‘Mill, what happened?! I-I saw on the news-’

Mill then grabbed her shoulders gently, staring directly into her eyes as if to calm her.

‘I know, I need you to go upstairs to Millie.’

‘B-but what about you…?’

‘I’ll be upstairs, just not in the same room, okay?’

His wife then sniffled before nodding. Mill smiled before kissing her and letting go. She then hurried upstairs. When she came upstairs, she went to her daughter's room, opening the door slightly to see her sitting around her little pink play table. There are two chairs, she’s sitting in one, and across from her is a doll, most likely a Barbie doll. Mill’s wife smiles as she fully opens the door to walk in and close it. Millie turns her head to her mother, smiling widely.

‘Mommy! I’m having a tea party with Beatrice!’

she says, holding up a pink toy tea kettle.

The mom smiles, nodding, looking a bit off.

‘That’s good, sweetie…’

Millie’s smile slightly disappears as she sees her mom's what seems to be a sad tone.

‘Is there something wrong…?’ She says, tilting her head sideways.

She snaps out of her expression and forces another one, a wide smile that is supposed to reassure her.

‘Everything’s fine. I just came in here to have a tea party with you!’

Millie’s frown instantly disappears. The smile that plagued her face when her mom first walked in, back to fruition.

‘Really?!’

Her mom nodded.

‘Okay, okay! You can sit with Beatrice! Just put her in your lap!’

Her mom looked at the small chair, chuckling genuinely slightly at how small the chair was. Nonetheless, she walks over to the chair and picks up the doll to sit.

Mill sighed, his hands rubbing his face. His bodyguard then came next to him.

‘We’ve got more bodyguards coming in.’

Mill turned to his bodyguard, raising an eyebrow. More? He’s already got enough, what’s that gonna do? If anything, it’ll be harder to count.

‘More? I didn’t order to get more.’

‘It’s for you’re safety, sir.’

Mill then looked down, thinking about this. It’ll make it harder to get in, so, that’s good. Mill then sighed.

‘Alright.’

Mill and the bodyguard began to make their way upstairs, the stairs wailing in their steps. Meanwhile, outside, the two bodyguards standing next to the door on both sides look at a black car, two black cars drive up to the gates. One bodyguard lets out a ‘hm’, nodding.

‘I guess that’s backup.’

The window rolls down as a hand comes out with an ID, putting it in the face of the black box. The gates then slowly open as the cars drive through them. Once the cars stop, a hand comes out the window again, but instead of an ID, it’s a pistol. The bodyguard's eyes widen as they run to duck. The bodyguard shoots as people from both of the cars come out.

‘Take cover! This is them!’

The other bodyguards on the premises look to see about twelve people altogether come out of the car, hiding behind it. They begin to have a shootout. Bullets fly through the air as it hits the cars and buildings. The bodyguards downstairs get into position as they cover behind objects, pointing the gun at the door. Mill looks out the front window, seeing people shoot.

‘Sir, back away from the window.’

Mill backs away from the window, sighing.

Millie jumps as she hears the gunshots and looks at her mom.

‘Mommy, what’s that?’

The mom rushes to the daughter, holding her close.

‘Shhh, don’t worry about it, okay?’

Millie then holds her mom tightly.

‘Where’s daddy? Is he okay?’

Her mom then looked at her daughter, smiling slightly as she trailed her fingers through her hair.

‘He’s fine, it’s okay. Let’s take a nap, okay?’

Millie then nodded, putting her head on her mother’s shoulder. She picked up her daughter and carried her to her pink bed, laying her down in it, and putting the blankets over her. She sat on the bed with her, smiling. Millie smiled back, closing her eyes as the gunshots kept firing outside.

Then, suddenly, the window shatters as a bang is heard. Millie and her mother both jump as they turn their heads behind them to see me stepping into the room, the white awning at the side of the mansion

6 holding my feet as I step into the room. The wife instinctively screams, catching the bodyguards, and Mill’s attention. Mill rushes towards the door before being stopped by his bodyguard.

‘It’s best you stay in here.’

‘Let me go, damnit!’

‘Sir, I said… you should stay in here.’

The bodyguard then looks down at the man with a smirk…a heinous smirk. Mill looks at him as his eyes widen. A yell of ‘NOOO!’ is heard as it catches me, and the family's attention. I know that must be him. I ran past the family to the door, opened it, and ran to the scream. As I came upon the door, I instantly opened it to see the window wide open with Mill gone. The wife shows up next, seeing Mill is gone and covering her mouth to cry. A lot of creaking floorboards are heard behind us as we both turn around. My eyes widen as I see a dozen bodyguards standing at the steps.

‘Get him!’ One bodyguard said as they started to climb the steps.

I ran and jumped out the window, failing my landing before getting up and limping to jump over the wall, running into the forest that the mansion was in. The bodyguards reach the window, and some of them shoot at me. One of the bullets hits my shoulder, causing me to fall, but resilient as I am, I get up and keep running.

One of the people hides behind their cars before getting a call-in from their earpiece.

‘It’s done.’ The voice says.

The person then stops hiding, coming out of the hiding spot. The other fake guards look too, knowing what they must do, they get out of hiding and stand up too. The bodyguards wonder why there isn’t any more shooting, they slowly peek their heads, seeing that there just standing there.

‘What the hell…?’ One bodyguard says.

All twelve people then put their pistols to their heads. The bodyguard's eyes widen as they see this. The people then pull the triggers on themself, multiple bullets sounding like one big loud bullet as bodies drop. The bodyguard walks over to the car near the forest. They open the passenger door, putting the unconscious body of Mill in there before getting into the driver seat. They slowly back out before driving off into the busy road.

***

I’m not gonna make it very far. The itch on my shoulder as about as persistent as my hunt for this guy. I’m getting colder. Is it spring, or is it still fall? As I kept it pushing, my right shoulder became more painful to move. I should give up. Look at where this has gotten me, a bullet in my shoulder, I’m literally nowhere surrounded by trees. And…and that river. A river. My eyes widen as see the river with clear water. My thirst for water boosted everything in my body to move, and so I ran. But what it didn’t boost, was my vision, as I tripped over a rock, dropping the pistol out of my hand. But atleast I landed my face in the water. I lifted my head out of the water, shaking the water out of my hair, before scooping up the water with my hands, drinking it. I sigh in relief as I smile. But my happiness didn’t last very long as I felt the sound of a cock of a gun and a cold barrel pointed at the back of my head.

‘Raise ‘em. Slowly.’

I didn’t feel like dying, so I did, slowly. As I fully raised them, I felt something collide against my head with a powerful force, knocking the wind out of me.

***

Mill is awoken, his eyes groggy and blinkful as he awakes. When he can fully see what’s going on, he notices that he’s in a dark room, a lamp above him as it illuminates a good portion around him, except for the wall Infront of him, fifty foot away. He tries to talk, but the tape on his mouth restricted it. He shakes, trying to get out, but every limb of his body is tied. He keeps thrashing until his body tips over, causing the chair to fall with him. He then hears footsteps, multiple footsteps. His eyes widen as he sees them, ten people walk out of the shadows until they are fully seen before stopping. Mill looks at them, and tries to talk, but it’s only muffled. He keeps thrashing, and thrashing. One of the ten people walks up to the chair, and sits it back up, causing him to sit up with it. The person stands next to Mill, holding the back of the chair as he looked down. Then what could be heard is thumping, slow thumping as someone walks down the pit of darkness. The thumping gets closer, and closer with every step. Then it stops. Then what bounces off the wall, is a voice, a voice that doesn’t sound like a frog stuck in the throat, it’s like someone gurgled acid and swallowed it before doing it again.

‘Are you ready, Mill…?’

Mill’s eyes widen as he hears the voice. His heart starts pumping as he tries to thrash again, but the chair is held still by the man. Mill slowly starts letting go of his tears. His fear is off the scale as he keeps trying to escape, yelling only muffled things.

‘It’s okay. Just remember what I told you…’

Everybody then tilted their heads. Mill looked at them before looking at the shadows. His breath heavy as he breathes in and out through his nose. He then walks out of the shadows. Mill’s heart drops as his body runs cold. What…what he’s seeing, he doesn’t know. But I do know what he say. What he saw, was The Face Of God…