Chapter 56 - going back to the hood (Part 14) - a detour part 2

As I opened my eyes, I found myself lying at the observatory, the sound of police sirens filling the air. Detective Tracy was by my side, a look of concern etched on his face.

"Hey kid! Are you okay? We were all frantic when you vanished from the hospital without a trace..." I knew I had some explaining to do, and it wasn't going to be easy.

I recounted the events, including Boulder's death, but Detective Tracy's response left me stunned. "You're sure about that, kid? Maybe you're dreaming. The mayor is still alive..." What the...? Was I losing my mind? Did Damien do something to me?

I was reeling, trying to process what was happening. "Then...what's going on here? Did I miss something?" Detective Tracy filled me in on another De Santo gang member's death, along with a few civilians caught in the crossfire.

The detective's eyes narrowed. "Where did you go, kid?" I knew I had to come up with a convincing story to hide the truth.

"I was searching for clues about Damien," I started, my hand instinctively reaching for my pocket, hoping the floppy disk and note from Boulder were still safe. I prayed Damien hadn't found them or altered their contents. Was it all just a dream?

I revealed the evidence to Detective Tracy, whose eyes widened in surprise. "This is...," he trailed off, stunned.

"Is this enough evidence?" I pressed, trying to convince him.

Detective Tracy's expression turned thoughtful. "Not sure, but it's a good lead. We need to investigate further." He gestured for me to follow him to his car, bound for the LAPD office. Once inside, he suddenly closed the window and tried to disconnect the CCTV cable, leaving me wondering what was happening.

"Seems like something big is going on, and Damien is at the center again... just like Darrel..." Detective Tracy's words trailed off, and he explained that the connection between the clones and the De Santo gang was just a diversion from the bigger picture.

"Then what about this disk?" I asked, as Detective Tracy took the floppy disk and examined it on his laptop. His expression turned puzzled as he showed me what he found.

"Looks like this belongs to the Mayor..." he said, confusion etched on his face.

"Then... who the hell is the guy who looked like him?" I asked, just as Detective Tracy explained that they had found a dead body and wanted to examine it further.

"Dammit!" I cursed, realizing I'd left Darrel's bike behind at the observatory. Detective Tracy raised an eyebrow.

"You left your bike? The morgue is close to the observatory; we could swing by and grab it.”

We headed back to the observatory, and I breathed a sigh of relief to see the bike still safe.

But my curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to investigate the area again, searching for signs of a grenade explosion from Damien's side.

My hunch was correct; there were clear signs of an explosion. Detective Tracy's eyes widened in surprise.

"Looks like you were involved in a conflict? Or was it Damien's doing?”

I nodded, still trying to process the events. "I couldn't believe it felt like a dream... but I found a bullet casing from an assault rifle involved.”

"This is... standard military ammo," I said, remembering that Boulder's bodyguards were armed with the same weapons that used this ammunition.

I searched the area for more clues, revisiting the spot where Boulder was killed. The bloodstains on the floor caught my attention.

"This... I've got to get a blood sample for a DNA check," Detective Tracy said, using a popsicle stick to collect the sample and storing it in an evidence kit.

"Looks like something fishy is going on, kid. Mr. Hawk and Nat are worried sick about you, and your friends are too," Detective Tracy said, calling Mr. Hawk on his phone.

"Yeah, I found him. He's fine, he's with me," he said, as I continued to search for clues. I found a footprint leading to a wall, which seemed strange. I pushed the wall, and it swung open like a door from an Arabian Nights tale. Damn, I guess I do have a knack for finding hidden things.

Detective Tracy was surprised and told me to "wait here, kid. I need to call for backup." He radioed for assistance from his car, while I explored the small tunnel. This was the strangest thing I'd ever seen - a hidden tunnel inside the observatory. The walls looked pre-war, like those from the World War 2 era.

"As I ventured deeper into the tunnel, I noticed something strange - the lighting seemed unchanged, as if it had been preserved since the place was built. Detective Tracy instructed me to stay put, but my curiosity got the better of me. The blood trail led further in, and I felt an overwhelming urge to follow it.

But then, a voice echoed in my mind - it wasn't Frederica, but Darrel. "Kid, remember what I told you about the classic ambush tactics used during the Serbian war…"

Yeah, I remembered. Darrel had warned me about the dangers of small tunnels like this, how they were often rigged with mines. My heart raced as I considered the possibility.

Do I stay put or follow the trail of blood? The voice in my head urged caution, but my curiosity pushed me forward. I knew I had to make a decision quickly.

"I cautiously proceeded forward, my instincts on high alert. The tunnel was exactly as Darrel had warned me - a metal wire stretched across the floor, rigged with a claymore mine. Damn, I didn't have a knife to cut it down. Just as I was assessing the situation, Detective Tracy's voice echoed through the tunnel.

"Hey kid! Where are you?!”

I called back to him, explaining the situation. "I'm in the tunnel, but it's booby-trapped! It's definitely the work of a professional, but I'm not sure who would be behind it. Maruk or Soro don't seem like the type to leave traces, and Damien... I don't know, it doesn't add up. Boulder's men, maybe? But Boulder himself... impossible, he's supposed to be dead.”

I paused, thinking aloud. "Detective Tracy, do you have a knife or something I can use to disable the trap?”

Darrel once told me that each person's booby trap had a signature design, a unique way of tying the wire. I muttered to myself, "Boulder's knot resembled a bowtie..."

My mind raced as I realized my hunch was spot on again. Could it be Boulder's doing? I thought I had recently learned about his signature knot, but now I wasn't so sure. My thoughts were a jumbled mix of curiosity and caution.

Detective Tracy nodded thoughtfully, "You seem to know your stuff. Darrel taught you, didn't he?”

I replied, "Yeah, he did. He prepared me for situations like this. Darrel was the type who didn't leave anything behind, not even his methods of killing.”

Detective Tracy fell silent for a moment, seemingly impressed. "At least I know you're not just an ordinary 15-year-old kid. You've been trained by a soldier who's been in wars.”

I carefully worked on the knot, managing to disable the claymore and set it aside. Detective Tracy examined the weapon and noted, "Every weapon issued in the US military has a recorded release date. This one's dated September 15, 1991 - the same year the Serbian conflict occurred.”

I explained, "Boulder was once a US Ranger black ops who went rogue, but Darrel convinced him to join his side. Now, that tame wolf has taken down another tiger... the irony of it all.”

As we finally opened the trap, a policeman entered, "Detective, all clear. Is this the kid you mentioned?”

Detective Tracy nodded, "Yeah, he's with me." Then, to my surprise, he offered me a badge. "You're now a deputy. Consider it special access to the LAPD. You're one of us, a cop.”

I hesitated, "No way, man. I'm not your slave to be ordered around.”

Detective Tracy chuckled, "Nope, this is my way of acknowledging you as part of this team. You've earned it.”

I reluctantly took the badge and pocketed it. One of the policemen asked, "What about his friend waiting outside? What do you need to do?”

Detective Tracy replied, "Keep them outside for now. It's too dangerous. This kid just disabled a bomb, so let's not take any chances.”

The policeman's eyes widened in shock. "You should call the bomb squad, then!”

Detective Tracy shook his head. "No need. This kid is enough. Besides, I'd rather not draw attention to this situation right now."

Damn, I'm supposed to be uniting gangs, not dealing with some guy disabling traps," I thought to myself. But my curiosity got the better of me. "Detective Tracy, Damien mentioned something about a missing puzzle…"

Detective Tracy's eyes lit up with interest. "A missing puzzle, a riddle, or another clue... could it be?" He pulled out the disk and note that belonged to Boulder. "Your time is... up. Could it be that there's only one person who knows about this?”

Just then, his phone rang. It was Mr. Marcus. "Hey Marcus, you said something about 'your time is up.' Does that ring any bells?" Detective Tracy asked, his tone hinting at a larger conspiracy.

Mr. Marcus's voice was laced with concern. "Are you kidding me? That means I can't even trust anyone in LA? Uh-huh... damn, this is getting out of hand. At least the kid is safe... don't worry about a thing.”

I was shocked. How did Detective Tracy know Mr. Marcus? This was getting more complicated by the minute. I needed to have a long chat with Mr. Marcus about this.

Detective Tracy exclaimed, "Hey kid, that's a code! Does it ring any bells?" My eyes widened as I recalled Darrel's teachings. "Wait, I remember! It means the cover's been blown!"

Detective Tracy's eyes lit up with understanding. "That's it! Kid, I've got it!" He stood up, determination in his voice.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed through the hallway. Detective Tracy, Ed, and I readied ourselves, weapons at the ready. "Ed, take point," Detective Tracy ordered.

My heart raced as I felt a sense of foreboding. Frederica's voice echoed in my mind, "Get out of there, it's them!" I grabbed Detective Tracy and Ed, pulling them out of the way just as a bullet whizzed past us.

I spun around, horror in my eyes, as the same clone reappeared. My gun was drawn, ready for a fight. This clone was different, its eyes seemed to hold a hint of reasoning.

"You've got something that doesn't belong to you," it stated, assuming I possessed the disk and note. My mind raced, no Soro to back me up this time. Ed tried to shield me, but I knew he'd be no match for the clone.

"Hey kid?" Ed's voice was laced with concern, but I knew I had to act fast.

"Just stand still, she's extremely dangerous..." Detective Tracy warned, her gun trained on the clone. "Especially in this tight space.”

Ed stood frozen, his eyes fixed on the clone's arm, where a small switch holder seemed to be taunting them.

"Hand me the disk and the note, or else..." the clone threatened, her voice cold and detached.

I knew I had to act fast. "Or what? You'll take us down with you?" I sneered, trying to sound braver than I felt.

The clone smirked. "If one head is down, two shall come out from it..." she quoted, her eyes glinting with a sinister intensity.

I felt a jolt of surprise. "Satu kepala rebah, dua akan timbul," I muttered, the Malay phrase slipping out before I could think.

The clone's eyebrow shot up. "Seem you know your stuff," she said, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

"Don't tell me...you're related to me?" I asked, my mind racing with the implications.

The clone's smile grew wider. "There are a lot of things you shouldn't get involved with. That's what happens when you touch it..." she trailed off, leaving me with another cryptic riddle to unravel.

I switched to Tausug, "Si hakim ba, o ibang tao?" (Are you a friend or an enemy?)

The clone smiled, "Hindi... may mas malapit pa sayo" (No... there's someone closer to you). I was confused. What did she mean?

I swore, "Fuck you, tell me again, who are you?" She smiled and switched to Latin, "De mandato Fratrum, minatus es" (By the order of the Brothers, you are a threat).

Ed translated, "She said you're a threat to them." I locked eyes with her, demanding answers.

Just then, Detective Tracy signaled that backup had arrived. A flashbang and smoke grenade exploded, disorienting us. I instinctively fired at her arm, hitting the switch, and we made a run for it.

"SWAT team is here!" Detective Tracy yelled, briefing them on the situation. "She's extremely dangerous, proceed with caution!”

The SWAT team nodded, "Yes, sir!" and moved in. Gunshots echoed as we tried to get out of the way.

Detective Tracy instructed Ed to get to safety. My inner voice urged me to act, "You've got to save them! They don't stand a chance against her!" I knew I had to act fast.

"Detective, go on ahead!" I asked him to fall back while I re-entered the tunnel. "Kid, it's too dangerous!" he warned.

But I knew the SWAT team was in trouble. "Those guys won't last long! They need to pull back!" I argued.

Detective Tracy tried to reassure me, "Those guys are SWAT, they're professionals. Just leave them!”

But I didn't listen. I headed back into the tunnel, finding one of the SWAT officers wounded on the ground. "Hey, what happened?" I exclaimed, relieved that his injuries were only to his shoulder and legs. I carried him out of harm's way and asked Detective Tracy to take him to safety.

"She's like a machine, just like those Terminator movies!" the officer exclaimed.

I knew I had to act fast. I re-entered the tunnel, now filled with smoke and debris. I found an MP5 and took it, slowly making my way deeper into the tunnel. I found another officer, holding onto his wounded colleague. I helped them escape, searching for the others.

The tunnel led to a massive chamber, resembling a hangar from the 1930s. "Shit! Where are they?" I exclaimed, my voice echoing off the walls.

I heard a commotion from the other side, sounds like the SWAT team. "Pull back!" one of them shouted. "Dammit, we can't take her down!" The SWAT team was in panic mode.

I knew I had to intervene. When I arrived, it was chaos - most of the team was injured or down. I had to stop her, but how?

"Kid, what the hell are you doing here? Get the hell out!" a SWAT officer warned me.

I carried him while calling for the others to pull back. "Tell the others to retreat! She's dangerous, we have to fall back!" Another officer called for retreat.

We made our way to the hangar, accounting for everyone, but the clone was charging towards us. I pulled the trigger, holding her back while the team escaped. I grabbed a smoke grenade and flashbang from one of the officers.

Once we re-entered the tunnel, I slid in front of the door and waited. "BOOM!" The flashbang went off, and I aimed at her legs, taking her down.

"Get out! We have to seal this tunnel!" But she was covered in C4 explosives. I shot at her arm and leg, but she kept standing. I slowly pulled back, trying to take her down, but she refused to go down.

I heard a distant voice from one of the SWAT officers. "Hey Kid, we've made it!" I retreated, but she kept chasing me.

My inner voice urged me to stop her, but I refused to take another life. Darrel's voice echoed in my mind, "Homie, you have to do it, or it will haunt you.”

I approached her, guns aside, and she sat down, looking at me with a mix of confusion and recognition. "When I look at you, I remember something important..." Her memories of Frederica seemed mixed up in her head.

"Tell me who you work for?" She smiled and whispered, "Home..." before pushing me aside and shooting my arm. She closed the door, and an explosion went off. I woke up to find her gone, leaving behind another clue: “home."

What did she mean? Mom? Family? I stood up, head spinning, and made my way back to the entrance. A SWAT officer approached me. "Hey kid, I heard an explosion. What happened?”

"She blew herself up. Lucky me, I managed to close the door in time.”

The officer nodded. "Thanks, kid. If you weren't there, we'd all be history.”

I looked down, trying to process everything. Darrel, mom, family - what was going on? I realized I had to keep this incident to myself, it was meant for me.

As I emerged from the tunnel, I was met with the concerned faces of my friends - Mariam, Mika, Amin, Luis, Isabella, Nat, and Mr. Hawk. Their eyes held a mix of confusion and suspicion, demanding answers.

"Darrel, what secrets are you keeping from me?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "Are you entangled in something even more sinister?" My mind raced with doubts about my friend's involvement.

I turned to my mom, my eyes pleading for truth. "Mom, what secrets are you hiding from me?" The silence was deafening, and I felt a growing sense of unease, as if a dark force was stirring within me, threatening to consume me.

I realized that something was growing inside me, something dark and sinister, struggling to break free. "Allah, please give me the strength to resist this evil, to prevent myself from hurting my friends." The words were a desperate cry, a plea for salvation from the clutches of darkness.

The chaos and events all pointed to one thing - a sinister connection that bound everything together. I knew I had to uncover the truth, no matter how painful it might be.