“Your hands are my tools. Don’t for a second think they are yours. You’re not the least bit in control of your situation nor will you ever be. Your flesh is simply a loan from me to you. You’re an instrument for my use and nothing more. Instruments do not have any use for regret or remorse or empathy in the slightest. Get rid of them.”

Adam remembered every word, even the exact cadence, for these were the words that began his new life. Four years ago, it was Holly and his 8th birthday. They both received two presents that year. The first was shared by both. Their mother abandoned them to the wrath of their “father”, Samuel Sinclair, without an uttered word or a single goodbye. The second present was exclusive to each sibling. Holly was given a bear, big and beige, while Adam was given his very first kill. While Holly’s cheek was warmed by soft fur, Adam’s was warmed by the blood of three deadbeat gangsters outside a shitty motel.

At first, Adam killed out of fear. Fear of the consequences if he didn’t. However, as time went on the words of his father became comforting. None of it was his fault, none of it was worth regretting or feeling bad about. Sinclair’s words soothed his racing heart and calmed his extraneous worries. It soothed and soothed and soothed until there was nothing left to soothe. Pulling the trigger became easy. No racing heart nor worries to be seen. He began to realize that there was nothing even worth pondering or giving a second thought. He was just the tool that needed to do as told. Everything else would be taken care of.

This is how Adam lived, and the complacency was somehow freeing. It actually felt good now, to be completely disconnected. To not worry about where you are going or what you are doing. It was how his father taught him. Adam was just another tool, barely different from Samuel’s silver pistols. A tool that just happened to speak from time to time.

At least, that was what he thought, but today’s events had changed things.

Adam’s fists tightened below his cuffed wrists. He was trash to be thrown away, an asset to be used. Sinclair made that quite evident when he shot Holly through the skull. Both of the kids were nothing to him and yet if that was true, why did the old man surrender. The very thought of it made Adam’s blood boil. The detective, Caliban, had captured Adam while he was posted in his sniping position. The detective held him hostage to try and get a leg up on Sinclair. The idea was preposterous, or at least so Adam thought. When Grey failed to capture Sinclair, Caliban revealed Adam as his hostage. Sinclair should’ve just sighed and unloaded a bullet into each of their skulls, and yet he did no such thing. He surrendered! WHY!

Adam’s jaw tightened as his complacency began to crack. Now they were here. Samuel, Adam, Caliban, and Grey, weaving through the city crowds, the two Sinclairs’ locked in cuffs and the two detectives following closely behind.

Caliban pushed the group forward as Grey looked over his shoulder. The large man’s face bent into a frown. The thick smoke from the burning concert hall rose high above the tops of the other buildings, they could see it even from this far a distance. They were already a few blocks away but the whine of sirens still overpowered the bustle of the city crowd. Grey said a silent prayer, asking for the safety of Figaro’s children in the blazing inferno. They didn’t deserve death solely for being in the care of a lunatic.

Sinclair walked barely a foot in front of Caliban as Adam did with Grey. The detectives both stayed close to their captives. Under his fur coat, Caliban pointed his gun at Samuel Sinclair’s back. Caliban didn’t want to incite any unwanted attention from the chaotic crowd of the city. Not like they would really notice to be fair, most of the people on the sidewalk were distracted by Figaro’s fiery spectacle. To everyone else they would just look like a regular group of men, going along their way. The naïve public had no clue the monster that walked among them, a jackal striding through a flock of sheep.

As Sinclair walked ahead of him Caliban shifted, wiping his sweaty hands on his coat. Sinclair’s aura was unbelievable, and it far dwarfed that of Adam’s. That feeling of dread that Adam had given him earlier paled in comparison to his fathers. Caliban’s whole body was screaming for him to run, to get as far away from Sinclair as he could. It was completely overwhelming, it was like he was drowning in despair. Despite being in handcuffs, Sinclair was no caged beast. He was the devil masquerading as captive and Caliban knew this. If he wanted, Sinclair could slaughter everyone in this crowd in a matter of moments and yet he stayed still, completely calm, not walking out of line. Caliban’s heart pounded uncontrollably and his lip quivered. Even the gun to Sinclair’s back might as well have been a kid’s toy. The detective bit his lip, he needed to calm down. Once they got to the station, justice would be served and this nightmare would be over. Sinclair would die alone in a box for the crimes he had committed. The thought provided a twinge of solace.

Caliban assessed the situation, trying to clear his head. They needed to get to the station, or even just to a station, anywhere with good thick metal bars. They needed to get Sinclair and the boy off the streets as soon as possible. They were about 10 miles from the nearest station, way too far to walk, and with Avaes on their ass, there was no way to get back to the car. Caliban swore to himself as he scanned his surroundings. A sight caught his eye and filled him with hope. A subway. One of the railway stops was a short walk to a police station. That was their escape. He quickly caught Grey’s attention and without words, Caliban pointed his chin towards the subway. Grey nodded. It would be better if they kept their captives in the dark.

-----------------------------------------------------

The subway car’s doors opened and a stream of people leaked out.

“Fucking finally,” thought Caliban

They had only waited about 8 minutes for a northbound train but every moment felt like an eternity. The platform was completely empty and no one in the group had said a word. On top of that, neither of the captives had even once stepped out of line. The whole time Adam seemed lost in thought and Sinclair stayed stone-faced and silent. However, this fact almost unnerved Caliban even more. He had spent the entire time eyeing the staircase leading back outside, waiting for Avaes boots to descend them. The thought terrified him.

The outflow of people finally stopped. Caliban holstered his gun and pushed Sinclair forward lightly. Grey patted Adam on the back, signaling for him to follow behind. Caliban and Sinclair stepped onto the train and then it happened. Instantaneously and without warning the subway doors shut, barring Adam and Grey on the other side. Caliban looked back and tried to hide his panic.

“SHIT,”  thought Caliban, “why did it just close like that!”

Even Sinclair looked back in slight interest along with the 20 or so people still in the subway car. On the other side of the double doors, Grey’s face remained calm. He gave Caliban a thumbs up and kept his other hand on Adam’s shoulder.

His partner’s reassurance provided no comfort for Caliban. Grey had a bad habit of underestimating bad situations. This surprise change in plans was nothing but bad. Leaving Grey alone, weaponless with Adam was a death sentence.

The train started off, throwing Caliban off balance for a second. They needed to find a seat, the other train-goers were staring at the two men. Caliban pushed Sinclair to the back of the train, trying to seem inconspicuous. As they walked, LCD displays that ran through the train repeated their destination and showed their northbound path. As the two sat down Caliban fished for his phone but couldn’t find it. He needed to tell Grey what to do next but it was no use, the phone was nowhere to be found.

“Worried about your partner?” said Sinclair, his voice so low only Caliban could make it out.

Caliban lied blatantly, “No. Once backup shows up Detective Grey will be perfectly fine.”

“There’s no backup,” said Sinclair frankly.

The words made Caliban tense.

Sinclair continued with his whispered tone, “Detectives don’t go in alone like you two did. If you had backup they would’ve been here already. So, either you two aren’t detectives at all or you came after me without your chief knowing. I’ve already seen your badge so I’ll say it is the latter.”

Caliban’s lip quivered again. The fucker was reading him like a book.

“So why wouldn’t you be let on the case? Maybe you weren’t experienced enough or maybe you were too close to the case? You walk as if experienced so let’s say you are too close to the case. Too close how though? Did I kill a family member or someone you knew?”

Damn it, he was just messing with his head. Caliban’s temper began to rise, and anger began to boil.

“Your current partner must be new. You gave him Adam to watch over instead of me, that coupled with your constant worrying means he is probably a rookie. So, it was a partner then. I killed your last partner.”

Caliban shoved his gun into Sinclair’s side. “Do you want to die?” said Caliban seething. The gun was out of sight for the rest of the train-goers.

He should just shoot the fuck right here and now. He would be doing the world a favor. One less monster on the earth. He deserved to die.

“Maybe more than just a partner,” said Sinclair unfazed, “A friend, and maybe even more than that.”

The train began to slow, getting close to its first stop.

Caliban’s grip on the gun tightened. Maybe he could just say that Sinclair tried to run or that he threatened to kill the people on the train. What was the worst that could happen? Would he lose his badge? Maybe go to jail. It was so tantalizing, the thought of seeing Sinclair full of bullet holes.

Sinclair’s eyes lowered to meet the gun. His stare sat on the watch around Caliban’s wrist.

“Green eyes,” said Sinclair, “Hazel skin and dark hair. Clean shaven with a slim nose and sharp jaw. Studded earrings and a messed-up tooth that jutted out a bit farther than the rest. That was his watch wasn’t it?”

Caliban’s breath stuck in his throat and his eyes stung. How did he remember all of that? The train stopped completely and people began leaving.

“Your partner was a bit too good of a detective. He dug a little too deep into Avaes and became a threat. Would you like to know what his last words were?

That was it. Caliban had decided, he was going to splatter Sinclair’s brains across the seat. He would never take another damn breath.

People continued to leave until there was no one left except them and one other. The train closed its doors and started back up.

Screw the system. Sinclair DESERVED this. No, he deserved worse for taking away EVERYTHING.

The displays on the train all went black and then flashed back on. In unison, the displays began to speak in a digitized voice.

“Be careful detective. We wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt.”

Caliban tore his attention from Sinclair and stood, looking up at the displays. Everyone else had left. The only other person on the train was a hooded figure sitting at the other end.

The displays shone white with a single word written in black script.

“Cicero,” said Caliban.

The digital voice giggled before continuing, “Now that we are all caught up Mr. Detective, why don’t you go say hi to our little friend.”

Caliban looked at the hooded figure. They didn’t stand or make any advancement, actually upon closer inspection they looked like they were shuddering. Caliban walked towards the figure. Sinclair stayed seated and observed the scene.

The train’s speed increased as Caliban stepped closer and closer. As he came within an arm’s length he could hear muffled trembling breath. Caliban lifted the hood slowly.

It was Dandy, gagged and shaking with fear. Tears flowed down the girl’s face.

Caliban was caught off guard. He looked down at her chest and unzipped her hooded jacket.

The detective stepped back in fear. Her chest was strapped with pounds of explosives.

The voice over the displays seemed excited,

“It’s time for a new game Mr. Detective.”