December 12 ,1967 .747Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy7Lsin83Gu
Doc shrugs the white snow deposited on his shoulders and on the brim of his black hat as he enters the bar.747Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwhM9Nle7z
The cold weather is finally gripping the city ruthlessly not that he wasn’t used to such extreme cold ...his skin was thick from all the stake outs and night shifts he had covered during his active years as a cop .
The bar is Half filled ..... sprinkled with people enjoying a jazz band playing softly in one corner .Christmas lights donned the otherwise dark stern looking bar . Doc scans the familiar atmosphere for Gerald ....no sign of him.
747Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7blg5kLZrC
The idea of seeing Gerald send a shiver down Doc’s spine. It felt out of place for Gerald to ask him out for drinks ....no Deputy chief of NYPD has the time to meet an retired cop especially during festive season .
Doc is hoping that Gerald just drops the damn obsession with the case and moves on from it ... enough of it already. Doc Settles at a secluded spot ....no patrons anywhere near the table .
747Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSsuGnfw3i0
8:40 p.m
Doc orders a Black Russian.A thick fog of smoke Encircled the room ....laughter and applause broke as the band finishes their set .
747Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RbAsiBOd4
“What is it with you and this crappy bar ? “Doc’s thoughts break as Gerald Meson’s fills the air around him .
Doc says ‘’What can I say the nostalgia keeps pulling me here ‘’...... Doc didn’t expect himself to sound as defensive as he did .
747Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4SIxRiyimd
Standing 6’1 tall proud , Gerald in his dark green coat , settles in the seat opposite to him.
It took Gerald a min to take in Doc’s antiqued look ...... he Had aged at least 15 years since the last time they meet which wasn’t a long time ago .
747Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwws2fFLQwO
“How you doing ? Precinct isn’t missing their favourite chief ? “ Doc Asks with his eyes straying , his words caustic.
Gerald answers “ it’s alright going slow these days , surprising “
Gerald orders for a sweet and sour whiskey.
Doc says “I know it isn’t my welfare you came to ask ? “
Gerald answers his voice laced with humour and sarcasm “Oh come on I can’t meet my old man out for drinks ? When did you get all bitter “Gerald slightly surprised with Docs directness sounding unusual to his charm and genteel.
Doc answers with slight weariness “I rather cut to the chase Son than beat around the bushes,I don’t have to he energy and zest like I used to “
747Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0vsONFKsn
Gerald asks “How’s health ? “
“Yeah fine doctor has asked me to quit smoking and go easy on the drinks .....just like they do always “
Gerald says sipping his drinks “Alright...good to hear ...”
A comfortable Silence slipped between themDoc finally says “Spit it out will ya “
Gerald finally says “Yeah I want you to go through Claude’s case again “
“Not that again ,Who’s reopened this case I thought when I retired I had shut the file and tossed it in the back “
Gerald says with his eyes straying “I reopened it “
Doc is stunned.
Gerald explains himself “I believe there’s more than what meets the eye there “
Doc says “It’s was what 5 years ago “
Gerald answers “I don’t know I just have this instinct, something doesn’t add up and Charles thinks so too “
Doc puts his drink down “Charles ? Where did he come in this “
Doc sounds extremely astonished on the mention of his ex partner .
747Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxfjHmWLp0o
“Yeah it’s a long story I’ll tell you some other time my point is I need a fresh set of eyes to look on it “
Gerald removes a slick black file and hands it over
“Alright “doc said without resistance .
They drain their drinks fast and head out of the bar.
The snow is now steady and the traffic simmered off .
Doc says patting the file in his coat .
“ I’ll give you a call over this “
747Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ828mr3v0dY
“Alright “ the gentlemen tip their hat edges in agreement and Leave .
After walking a couple of paces in the direction opposite to Doc’s, Gerald quickly entered in a crowded diner reversed his coat which now looked a shade of navy blue , stiffs up his collars hiding much of his face and bolts towards Doc’s direction .
747Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbIbZxYO5z
9:00 pm the streets are almost empty ,seldom with cars rushing past by and early Christmas shoppers rushing home.
The wind is still yet cold but that didn’t bother Gerald.
Doc’s dynamics changed, the delicate slow and genteel is now walking with a speed of a man in his 30s to Gerald’s surprise.
Docs trail ends at a well know cemetery.
Entering through the ornate wrought iron gates was easy as there was no one to stop Gerald .
The glow of the street lamps lighted the verdant path .
Not so far from the entrance Doc turned left .
Quickly walking towards the bushes Gerald sees Doc turn towards a Man facing a grave .
After a while, Gerald accustomed to see in the dim light could see clearly it was Charles ....
“Oh crap “Gerald covered his mouth as he could see a wild dog coming his way through the bushes ..trying to save his cover he carefully ducks out of the shrubs and lands himself back to where he was ,the main pathway.
Trying to comprehend as to what was going ‘
A load bang echos ...preparing himself for what is going to come next ....Gerald takes his gun out and bolts to the lane where he last saw Doc enter .
747Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYSjSrBTiN6
Charles lay sprawled on the floor unable to see in the dim light , Gerald didn’t see him move .
747Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiiUxIsCeZ5
No sign of Doc around .
Going closer to see Charles he saw a pool of blood growing steady.
A cool metal rim touched his neck
“ It was none of your business to be here ,
you know the drill Son , drop your weapon “
Geralds heart pounds in his chest he turns around putting the weapon in front of him
Doc says coldly with a calm confidence like he’s done this millions times before
“ ah ah not there , throw it in the bushes “
747Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF9PC5tvBDb
Gerald does what he’s told and says trying to control his fuming anger at his mentor.
“ You bastard , the whole precinct looked up to you “ .
His stomach was stinking not because of the gun pointed at him but at the betray he received .
“Charles was right you were involved , I should have believed him “ 747Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRjOk7rb1Sc
Doc says with a smile that Gerald had never seen before “ He told you what ? That I am the famous “Masquerader “.
Doc continues “I knew this Claude murder case would get me in trouble but this idiot won’t mind his business would he ? Kept annoying me for sometime” Doc said pointing out to Charles body.
747Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAj7gkxtIee
Gerald spat at him“I fucking looked up to you all my life “
Doc says as if that hurt his conscious “ I was good most it “ and continues after a pause
“ I was meant to be the chief you know it ...all those years of working honestly, helping out for fucking what ?! People took undue advantage of me “
Doc continues with a tear swelling up in his eye
“But then I decided to be my own hero and save my ass ...my Alias “masquerader “was working marvellously ..trafficking coke , leaking tit bits ,you name it “
Doc smiles as if proud of his achievements .
“10 glorious years until this moron decides to dig the Claude case again “
Gerald finally asks,
“You did murder Claude that night didn’t you when he was going to leak who the mole Was? “
“ Any last wishes you got kid ? “
In a final attempt to grasp what had just happened Gerald says
“You were my hero “
Doc answers in a cold chilling voice
“I am not that person anymore “
Gerald stood there a hostage to his former hero waiting for his fate to be decided .
ns216.73.216.176da2
