BLOODLINE Episode 4 by Ironkurtain

BLOODLINE Episode 4 by Ironkurtain

Eric felt the chilly weather as he filed out from the bus with the other passengers. He wore only a plain white T-shirt with a singlet underneath and the seven hours smooth ride in the bus that was comfortably warm made him feel quite cold on stepping out of the bus. Earlier he had checked the weather conditions of his destination and brought a sweater and a jacket to keep himself warm. But he will have to get his bag from the trunk of the luxury bus in order to do so.

While bearing the weather and waiting with the other passengers for the bus conductor to open the bus trunk, Eric casually looked around the bus station and the activities going on in the place. There are quite alot of people and movements going on around the place. The large crescent shaped station building has a large ‘EAST-HILL BUS STATION’ sign overhead the entrance. Buses, both big and mini, arriving or preparing to go to their various destinations. Passengers, station workers, hawkers and some people of shady characters hanging around the place or struggling with their luggages.

Federal capital state, Eric thought to himself as he took a deep breath of the cool air. He had seen the welcome sign about thirty minutes ago when the bus was still on the freeway. Federal capital state is the nation’s capital and it’s Easthill city being the largest city in the country. The second largest being Metro city of South Delta, where Eric lived. There are more buildings and high rises compared to Metro city. The air smelt different, the people seem less friendly and the weather quite colder.

Soon the trunk was opened and all the passengers left carrying or dragging their bags and luggages with them. Eric slide his phone in his pocket and walked briskly Towards the taxi park after exiting the bus station building. He just finished making a phone call to a guy called Mr Benson who gave him the address and direction of the place they were to meet.

Eric still can’t believe how it all went so fast. Two weeks ago he got an email from a movie production company wanting him to perform some stunts for their upcoming movie. They told him that they had reviewed some of the videos of his fights at the karate tournament and decided he was the right guy for the movie.

He had told them of his interest but lacked the funds for the expenses because he was told it will be a four day movie shoot. He let them know about his situation and the company immediately deposited thirty percent of the money he will be paid into his account and also informed him that even if the movie shoot didn’t go as planned, they will forgo the money already paid to him. It was a considerable amount of money.

Not being sure of how his mother will react, he broke down the news of his new job to her. And got surprised by her attitude and response. She always had reservations on where ever he wanted to go or whatever he wanted to do. But this time she gave him the go ahead, telling him it was time for him to start exploring and knowing what is out there for him.

“Young man, where are you going?.

Eric saw the cheerful looking man in his mid forties standing near a clean taxi.

“Am going to this location”, Eric responded and gave the taxi driver a piece of paper with an address scribbbled on it.

“Hm…….”, the driver studied the address written on the paper with his glasses and then handed it back to Eric. “Okay…….what about your bag?”, he asked and pointed at the duffle bag slung over Eric’s shoulder. “Do you want it in the trunk?”.

“No i will just keep it with me at the back seat”, Eric replied.

“Okay then……hop in let’s go”.

***************************************

Eric stared out of the window of the back seat as the taxi cruised smoothly through the busy street and making some brief stops at the traffic light. He observed some of the activities his eyes were able to capture and took note of some buildings and landmarks.

This was his third time coming to Easthill. The first time he was just five years old and ten years on his second. On both occasions he came with his mother to visit his father’s grave for the fifth and tenth anniversary of his death. This time he is alone and the city is much more different from how he saw it eight years ago.

“You seem new to this city”, the driver said to Eric after glancing at him several times through the rearview mirror.

“Oh me?, well……kind of”, Eric replied.

“So which part of the country do you reside?”.

“Metro city in South Delta”

“Hm…….Metro city. You are from the sunny city”, the driver said with a smile. “Welcome to Easthill, the hustle city……you can see the people getting lost in the epidemic of the hustle”, the man gestured outside the taxi.

“Definitely sir”, Eric said and glanced at the bustling crowd.

The driver laughed as he worked the steering wheel and made a right turn.

“So what brings you here”, he asked. “Visiting a relative, education or joining the army of young people trying to make something for themselves?”.

“It is private sir”, Eric answered and took out a pamphlet that has the map of the city from his back pocket.

“Okay”, the driver murmured.

Then silence settled between them. Eric flipped the pages of the pamphlet as he studied the map and circled some points with the pen he had with him. Out of the corner of his eyes he could see the driver steady glances at him through the rear view mirror.

“I think i have seen you somewhere”, the driver began as Eric was about to say something to him.

“Who?…..me?”, Eric asked.

“Yeah i think i have….. but cannot remember where”, the driver said thoughtfully. “On t.v or perhaps the newspaper”.

“Internet?”.

“No i don’t even know how to use that”.

“Well unless if u are living next door to me in Metro city.”

“I think missing person”, the driver said thoughtfully again.

“Um…….sir, when are we going to arrive at my destination?, Eric asked impatiently.

“Almost there”, the driver said and pointed at the next block ahead.

The taxi slowly grinds to a halt near a back street adjacent to the main street. The driver heaved a sigh and looked at Eric.

“That is Cole street”, he said and pointed at the one-way back street that was just wide enough to park a car on one side. “Further down the street like a hundred metres from here, u will see the Hilton motel”. Then he looked at the street. “Am sorry i cant drive u in there because it will be quite difficult turning the car around”, he apologized.

Eric looked at the map he held, then to the street and back to the map. He scanned the buildings around the area and looked at the map again.

“Are u sure this is the place?”. He asked.

“Sure……there is only one Cole street that have a Hilton motel in this city”, the driver answered.

Eric dipped his hand in his back pocket and pulled out his wallet.

“Thanks”, the driver said with a smile and handed Eric his change. “Take care my boy, this city is full of surprises sometimes. So be on guard and watch your back”

“I will remember that sir”, Eric said and got out of the car.

The driver waved and drove off. Eric slightly pull up the left sleeve of his sweater to check his wrist watch and saw it was 4 pm to the dot. With the duffle bag slung over his right shoulder, he started walking down the street. As he did so, he glanced around the seemingly seedy area that looks empty and quite dirty with filths lying here and there. He passed an overflowing large trash can surrounded with trash bags. Some where torn open with their contents spilled out.

Eric read the neon signs of the buildings that were mostly four or five floors. They indicated what they housed. Billiard rooms, internet cafe, bathhouse and a rundown bar. One building is a motel and of low class. It wasn’t the Hilton motel. Near the entrance stood a girl in her early twenties. She wore a short blouse and a mini-skirt that is very revealing.

Her make up looked severe and she wore an unusually big circle shaped earrings that made Eric wonder if anyone have ever mistaken it for a bus handle. She was chewing and popping gum noisily as her fingers worked her cell phone with a scowl on her face. She paused and looked at Eric who walked by and continue what she was doing. Eric wasn’t in anyway focused on her. But on the two guys who seem to be following him.

Eric had earlier walked past a mini convenience store and both men stepped out of the place and followed at a steady pace. He had sized up both men with a casual glance. One was a bit chubby, bald shaved and average in height. The other was above average in height and below in weight. He suspected their movement and his suspicions was confirmed when he increased his pace and they followed suit. And also did the same when he decreased it.

He wondered who they might be. Thieves?, muggers?, kidnappers?……….organ harvesters?. Eric smirked at the thoughts of having the wrong luck of being attacked and having his organs harvested. Even the thought of adding the word ‘harvest’ to organ made it feel like a very awkward situation that no man ever wishes to encounter.

Perhaps he is being too suspicious, Eric thought to himself. Maybe it was because he is new in town, walking in an almost empty seedy looking street with two seemingly shady characters behind him. Well, he is almost near the Hilton motel as he could see the building with the sign. So he will just get into the lobby and call Mr Benson.

As Eric approached the building, the driver door of a black Honda accord sedan parked near the motel opened and a smallish looking guy wearing a black leather jacket got out. He started walking towards Eric with his gaze fixed on him. He looked determined.

“Okay……..something is about happen”, Eric thought to himself. He was beginning to feel the adrenaline rush. But he remained calm and composed. And making his calculations.

He had a pair of shoes, a few cloths and briefs in the duffle bag with some thick, hard cover books neatly packed at the bottom. Eric felt the weight of the bag with his shoulder and decided it was good enough.

The chubby guy behind him is at his left and his partner at the right. The bag on his right shoulder is exactly where he wants it to be.

As the guy in leather jacket got closer, he dipped his hand in the right pocket of his jacket. Then the two guys behind Eric increased their pace, almost running towards him. Eric calmly let his bag slide from his shoulder down to his arm. He could now hear their breath sound and tightened his grip on the bag strap

******************************************

Eric wiped his blood stained knuckles on his sweater. He maintained his composure and controlled his breath as he looked around the street cautiously to see if there were any other assailants. He glanced at the three men sprawled on the ground and noticed that what just went down didn’t attract any attention. Except the promiscuous looking girl he had seen standing infront of the cheap motel he had earlier walked past. She was the only one that witnessed the violence that just happened.

The girl stared at Eric with a frightened look on her face. Like she was expecting to be assaulted. What she just witnessed was something she only saw in the movies. All she could remember was seeing fat guy and probably his friend going at duffle bag boy from behind with another guy in leather jacket coming from the opposite direction. Suddenly, with one movement, duffle bag boy swung his bag all the way to his back and clobbered fat guy’s face with it.

Then he dropped his bag and at the same time threw a right elbow strike to his back and hit fat guy’s friend on the jaw. Grabbing the guy’s shirt and it’s collar with both hands, the boy hurled the guy over his shoulder like he was nothing with a judo flip and sent him crashing into leather jacket guy who got knocked down like a bowling pin.

Fat guy, who had quickly recovered from the stunning blow, charged at the duffle bag boy like a wild animal and got stopped by a front kick to his mid section followed by left and right hooks to the face and jaw that rocked his balance. Then a blow from a round house kick caught him squarely in his neck and fell him down like a chopped down tree. And made him hit his head on the paved ground and passed out.

Leather jacket guy and fat guy’s friend regained their stand and attacked duffle bag boy, with leather jacket coming with his right hand raised in a stabbing position. He was holding a syringe in that hand. The boy went at him first. Blocking the right hand with his left and sending leather jacket guy sprawling on the ground again with a right hammer-fist punch to the face. Fat guy’s friend managed to landed a couple of punches on duffle bag boy but the boy was unfazed. So he went for more and got taken care of, real good.

The sounds of fists meeting jaw and cheek bone sent cold shivers down the girls spine as she watched the boy unleash an unending barrages of ferocious punches at fat guy’s friend, bashing him left and right. And had him laid out on the ground unconscious, bleeding from the mouth and nostrils with lumps on his face.

“Do you know this guys?”, Eric asked her as he started checking the guys and searching their pockets.

The girl keep staring at him and said nothing. Too petrified to say anything.

He went over to the guy in leather jacket. He was the only one of the three men still moving. Eric picked up the syringe the man dropped when he was being slugged. He looked at it’s needle and studied the yellow coloured liquid in it. Then he looked at the girl.

“Do you know them?”, he asked her again.

The girl shook her head and said nothing. With the syringe in his hand, Eric stood over the guy on the ground and stared at him. The guy stared back at Eric with fear in his eyes, expecting terrible things to start happening. Then Eric bent over the guy with one knee on the ground and held the syringe in front of his face.

“What is this?”, he asked.

The man said nothing and Eric took a swing at him, hitting him across the face and sending blood and saliva flying from his mouth.

“You see…….i have this condition that have to do with emotions…….”, Eric said quietly as he searched the hurting man’s pockets. “…….emotions associated with the fight or flight response to any event that seem to impact us negatively. But my condition made mine quite unique. The flight response is nonexistent. The fight response is best described as using a flamethrower to light a barbecue grill”, Eric pulled out the man wallet and checked his i.d card. “Years of my personal therapy had made me able control it.

But when i start getting impatient while trying to get some information in an event that seem to impact me negatively, it hits overdrive and becomes uncontrollable”. Then he glared at the man. “So answer my question before something real bad happen to you”, he continued.

“Its tran…..tranquilizer”, the man murmured and passed out. Eric felt he might have hit him too hard.

Eric got up and glanced at the other two guys lying on the ground. The chubby guy seems to be moving. Eric ignored him and looked at the i.d he got from the man wallet. Then he stared at the black car parked near the motel. He did so thoughtfully and shift his gaze to the entrance of the building. He took out his phone and dial Mr Benson’s number. Then he heard the sound of a phone ringing. It was coming from the inner pocket of the leather jacket the guy on the ground is wearing.

*****************************************

With his bag slung over his shoulder, Eric was heading towards the main street in a fast pace, almost running. He was sure that he will make it to the bus station on time to be able to get the ticket for the night bus back to Metro city.

He still couldn’t believe what was going on. He had being set-up. But for whatever reason is what he is still trying to fathom. Was the movie production company some kind of a kidnap ring?, if so then why go through all the troubles to bring someone from hundreds of miles away just to kidnap the person when there is an unending supply of humanity available in this city.

And alot with money. The words that the taxi driver said to him about watching his back and the city being full of surprises started coming back to him. Now his main objective is to get out of the city, this state and start his investigations inhis home state.

As he approached the intersection, a solid grey coloured 2009 model range rover sports parked at the junction ahead of him. Eric slowed down and approached cautiously. The rear passenger door opened and a lady in black suit and wearing dark sunglasses stepped out and shut the door as she is busy with her phone.

She took a quick glance at Eric’s direction and continue dialling her phone. Then she paused and looked in that direction again. She was staring at Eric as he got closer. She took off her glasses to get a better look and Eric recognized her face.

“Eric?,……..what a surprise!”, the lady began. Eric could hear the click clack sound of her black high heels as she came towards him. “What are you doing here?, when did u come to Easthill city?, she asked.

“Hi Mrs Nina……..well…..i just came in town a few hours ago but i intend to leave now”, Eric replied.

“Already leaving?……..why?……and what is that u are holding in your hand?

For the first time Eric remembered that he was still holding the syringe and it made him feel awkward. He had wanted to dispose of it somewhere else because of the way the promiscuous looking girl had stared at it. She must have known what it is and he was afraid that she might use it on someone else or an unfortunate customer. But he was so caught up in his thoughts about what just happened to him that he forgot about it.

“I was attacked by some group of guys and they wanted to use this on me”, Eric sighed.

“Do you know them?”

“No mam”.

“Let me see that”, Nina demanded.

Eric reluctantly handed it to her and she examined it.

“Did you call the police?, Nina asked without taking her eyes off it

“No mam”.

“Can you show me where it happened?”.

“Yeah it is close to a……….”. Eric began and turned to point at the direction. Then he felt a sharp pricking sensation on his shoulder. It made him to turn around quickly and saw Nina holding the syringe that was now empty of it’s content.

“What the hell……”. was what Eric could say before the effects of the tranquilizer took over him and he collapsed on the ground.

BLOODLINE Episode 4
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