CHAPTER 1
AN ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED FAMILY
In the city of Azuria, in the town of Galaxy, there were poor families living on the dark, edgy side of town, where shady deeds were common, and people with questionable behavior resided. This was because people in those areas were often neglected and bullied by the city's so-called elites. The law enforcement agencies especially the cops, were underfunded.
The so-called elites, spent funds on buying themselves customized supercars like the Bugatti La Voiture Noire, upgrading their mansions and mega-mansions, hiring private bodyguards from other cities' military forces, throwing the craziest parties and dating multiple women, buying private jets, purchasing various real estate properties, and spending lavishly on antiques at auctions held in different countries. The area also lacked infrastructure and basic amenities.
A nuclear family, who had unfortunately found themselves in that situation, lived in a rural area with their only child, David. His friends in the neighborhood called him Dave. The names of his parents were Mr. Jackal and Mrs. Sunderland. David was raised by his father, who did his best to care for him, but his efforts were not enough to meet even his basic needs. The only one taking care of David was his father, even though his mother was still very much alive. Due to the lack of support from David's mother, he was not properly taken care of. At a very young age, he had to learn to take care of himself and was able to do almost all the chores in the house. His father helped him sometimes when he came home early, but his mother didn't deserve to be called a "mother", she was a complete opposite of what anyone would call a mother. David was called names by his so-called mother who also disciplined him without reason and even hit him to the point of near death if he made mistakes. David did his best to be perfect, but he is a human being, not a robot. His father took him to his workplace which was an auto repair shop, during all holidays, that was why David knew a lot about cars and was skilled at driving even at a very young age. Otherwise, when he comes home from work, David would be half dead.
David's father was a mechanical engineer by profession who tried his very best to provide for his family, while his mother was jobless. She wanted to be a housewife, but her husband refused. After many arguments about her finding a job, Mr. Jackal finally gave up.
David and his father looked happy with the little they had even though his mother was unsupportive, they shared with others who had nothing. David and his father helped others, but his mother, Mrs. Sunderland was a lazy woman and a gold digger who always complained about the family's situation. David, seeing one of his parents doing good for others, decided to follow that positive example.
David attended a public school in their community, which was free after the people had begged the corrupt government for seven years. David did not complain about his parent's financial status, unlike other kids. But instead he helped them in whatever ways he could. In school, he was the top student in his class and made his dad proud. After he finished his final exams in elementary school, he got a scholarship to one of the best private schools in the city: Kingston high school.
When he got home that day he showed his dad his results, which were the best in the entire school. Then his teacher called from school to congratulate him and encourage him to work harder, reminding him that he had a bright future. He told his father about the scholarship that he received to the best school in the city: Kingston High School. His dad was very happy and impressed by his son's academic performance. His mother, on the other hand was not impressed. She saw it as the perfect time to break the news by asking for money. She knew he didn't have the amount she was asking for, so she used that as an excuse to ask for a divorce.
She asked her husband, "Give me money to buy clothes for a party."
Her husband immediately replied "Woman, what's wrong with you? David, your son, our son, is going to high school soon, and he will need money to buy school supplies. Isn't his education important to you? So, there's no money for any bullshit party. If you want to go to a party, get your lazy ass up and start working."
An outburst she hadn't seen in a while. It was rare for him, yet she said nothing. She didn't care. Instead, it strengthened her determination to leave. David tactfully left for the bedroom where they all sleep and laid down on the mat, he was certain that this time his parents were going to get divorced. David couldn't be happier; he wants his mom to regret her decision to marry a rich man. He had heard that children were mostly affected if their parents divorced but he was the happiest in the world. Because she deserves to feel some pain for what she had caused him and his dad. That gave him the determination to work hard. He went to bed earlier than usual so he could wake up very early the next day.
She replied, "Look on that table. The divorce papers. Sign them, I am not going to continue staying with a poor and useless man like you. My new rich husband is waiting for me, so hurry up and sign the divorce papers."
"I will only sign on one condition," he said to her. "I have full custody. You are not taking David with you." "I am not going to take on a burden and a liability anymore. I am leaving tomorrow," she said.
Mr. Jackal immediately replied, "don't you ever talk about my son in that way. He's not a burden, and he may one day save your life."
He immediately signed the divorce papers and gave them to her with a heavy heart but he got rid of that feeling instantly. David overheard his parents' argument. He was happy that his father stood up for him, but what his father said stuck with him: "He may one day save your life." His dad came to the room and tucked him in to sleep. Little did he know that a whole new chapter of his life was about to start.
At around 2:00 a.m., David's father got up from bed and stepped outside for some air because he could not sleep. The thought about the divorce between him and his wife kept him up; he was wondering how it would affect David.
His parents' marriage failed, and he grew up with a single parent, his "mum," who died while he was a teenager. He doesn't want the same for his son, but what other choice does he have? He had signed the divorce papers; besides, his wife never showed love to their child in any way, and her love for him had gone cold, so there was no point in looking back.
At that moment, he had flashbacks to when he was a little boy. The day his father, driven by greed, left his mother for her friend, who had money and a life he envied. He could not forget the smirk on their faces as they made his mother sign the divorce papers. They mocked and abused her, calling her all sorts of names. His mother loved her husband, even though he was mean and always treated her badly. But the moment they threatened to take him away, she signed the papers instantly.
A few years later, while his dad drove around with his new wife in a luxurious supercar, he and his mother were in deep poverty, and she collapsed on the floor while they were picking bottles together. His father was coincidentally driving by, and Jackal begged for help from him. Though he wanted to help, his new wife told him to leave the past behind and focus on the future with her. Then he told his son and his dying mother that he couldn't afford to let their stench of poverty into his car, because it was bad luck. He said this smirking, and gave him and his mother a disgusting look before he drove off in style. Since he couldn't get help quickly, his mother unfortunately died. He was very hurt and angry after he buried his mother. He had no one to turn to, so he made it his mission to avenge her death.
It was all his father's fault, so he went after him and his family. Because he had known about cars at a very young age so he sneaked into the highly secure estate and made a few changes to all the vehicles in the garage.
The next day, he went to the estate and knocked on the heavy gate. Surprisingly his father came to the door to see who was there. When his father appeared, he told him that his mother had died.
His father gave him an "I don't care" look. Then, his wife showed up from behind her husband and said, "What do you want us to do, kid, take you in? Nah, that's a big nope from us. Now buzz off; you were interrupting something. Go pick up trash like your dead mother, you good-for-nothing bastard."
She kicked him to the ground. He landed hard, the air leaving his lungs in a sharp intake of breath. He shot a glance at his father, but the man's face remained a mask. He wore that same stupid smirk he'd held when they made his mum sign the divorce papers. He had no regret or remorse for what he had done; the boy clenched his fist and left.
They took his silence for weakness, but boy, were they mistaken; this was the last time they would ever hear from him. After leaving the house, he stayed around the estate a little longer to watch his plan unfold.
His father, Mr. Abs, was going to the Civil Affairs Bureau to claim all assets belonging to him and his late wife, including their house. He headed for the garage and told his new wife that he would be back soon. It was then that the mayhem began.
All the keys to the four cars were kept in the garage. Wanting to get there as fast as possible, he decided to take the BMW 3 Series (E90) and grabbed the key from the lockable key safe. He unlocked the car and got in. The electronic display turned on, but the engine was dead and wouldn't crank.
He was confused and frustrated, so he got out and went to take another key from the lockable safe. Placing the BMW key in the repair section of the lockable safe, he took the key to the Range Rover (L332).
He tried to open it, but the car refused. Frustrated, he placed the Range Rover key in the repair section of the lockable safe.
He grabbed another key from the lockable safe and walked towards the car.
His face was filled with so much rage and frustration that you could literally see his veins, as the German Beast sat in front of him.
He inserted the key and slid into the cockpit, the leather seats clinging to him. He switched the German engine on and put it in sport mode; the engine rumbled like a Predator.
He put on his cool shades and looked over to the mirror on his left. He let go of the brakes and zoomed out of the garage. The wheels screeched on the asphalt.
He was driving at 100 km/h when a sharp turn approached. He hit the brakes, but the grip wasn't there.
His face was pale and worried, as if he had seen a ghost; his life flashed before his eyes as the car went straight and crashed into a tree.
The crushed car was upside down, lying lifeless and smoking behind the tree. Every part of the car was totaled, except for the engine, which was still hissing and steaming from the crash. He kicked the door open and fell to the ground from the supercar. As he crawled away from the smoke, the cold realization hit him: he couldn't feel his legs.
He crawled away from the destroyed car and finally rested his head at the root of a tree. Then, he brought out his phone, which had a big crack from the crash, and dialed 911. He woke up to see a woman in a paramedic's suit calling his name. "Hey! Can you hear me!" As soon as he was back to reality, he responded to the call from the medic.
As the medic helped him up, he got a call from his neighbor. Upon hearing the news, his phone fell from his hand, as he collapsed to the dirt.
Meanwhile, his wife was planning to go out, so she headed for the lockable garage safe and picked up the keys to the 2005 Cadillac Escalade ESV Platinum Edition. Since it was the only car left available in the house that was in good condition, she climbed into the Cadillac Escalade ESV Platinum.
She opened the door, but she sensed something was off as she entered the cabin. The white letter seats filled the cabin giving the perfect touch of a luxury interior; she looked towards the dashboard, while the glow of the pristine dashboard reflected in her eyes.
She was about to push the key in the ignition, when she got a call from her friends; she accepted the call from the dashboard. "What's up, girl? When are you going to get here? The party is about to start!" She replied, "I will be there in 10 minutes, girls don't worry." She pushed the key into the ignition. The dashboard didn't just shatter; it turned into a spray of liquid fire, melting the "Cadillac" emblem instantly.
Jackal grinned as the events unfolded, then a man in uniform slammed handcuffs on him. At that moment he knew he got caught, and he was happy that his plan succeeded.
Minutes later he was handed over to the police, who questioned him at the station.
An officer in his mid-30s walked into the interrogation room. Looking at the suspect, he softened his expression and gave a fake smile. "So, kid, care to explain what you were up to in the estate at the exact period tragedy befell the Cash family?"
"The Cash family, really? That's what they're called," Jackal replied with a smile.
"Look, kid, I don't think you understand what's going on here. You're the only suspect in the death of the Cash family."
The Sergeant looked directly into his eyes to find any sign of guilt, but Jackal didn't even bat an eye. Hecontinued.
"During that time, we got clear CCTV evidence placing you at the estate at the time of the murders." He paused, waiting for Jackal to respond, hoping he would stumble over his words in defense.
"Wait, officer, I don't get it. I just lost both my parents, and you're here trying to accuse me of their murders? This is insane! So you mean because I was at the estate at the time of the murders, you think I killed my parents? You damn cops had no idea that my biological mom died just yesterday," Jackal said, raising his voice.
"Why would you even think I would kill my parents?" he asked with pain in his eyes.
The Sergeant replied as he opened the file on the desk. "Well, the record shows that your father was a violent alcoholic and he divorced your mom to marry his fiancee. Now, my guess is that he and his mistress forced your mom to sign the divorce papers. Am I right, Jackal?"
"You're right, officer. It's almost like you were there the night it happened six years ago. But my dad, being heartless and leaving mom and me to suffer isn't enough to kill him and his family," Jackal said in a firm voice.
"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing too, that this wasn't enough to end his life until I saw this." He turned his laptop around and played the feed. Jackal watched as the recording played.
"So, Jackal, how do you expect me to believe you didn't retaliate? Especially after your father and his mistress caused the last incident that led to the immediate death of your mother."
"Officer, as much as I hated that bastard and his mistress, I wouldn't kill them. Retaliation would be an understatement to what I would do to them if I could. Do you think I killed them? If you're still holding onto the fact that I was at the estate at the time of the murder, let me tell you why: I was at the estate to tell that sperm donor that my mother just died. Let me ask you this: why would I even be at the estate if I had murdered them? Wouldn't I be solidifying my alibi? Wouldn't I be taking the alleyway instead of the main street where the camera could see me?"
A heavy silence fell on the room. Both the cop and detectives in the observation room were confused as to what to believe. The cop looked past Jackal at his own reflection in the one-way mirror, fully aware that the team was watching him sweat. He was sure they were just as stunned as he was.
The Sergeant looked straight at Jackal searching for a slight weakness but nothing. Jackal held the cop's gaze, completely unblinking, his confidence was enough to make them doubt everything.
His partner from the observation room pressed the intercom button and said, "five minutes break." He got up, and the investigation was put on hold.
The Sergeant came out of the interrogation sweating, his partner met him as he was walking out.
"You got cooked in there," his partner said.
"It's not funny, but I know how to turn the tables. Confirm if what he said is true and meet me in the observation room."
Knock on the door. "Lieutenant, I got a case for you."
The Lieutenant, dressed in street clothes and looking more like a gangster than a cop, leaned back. "What do you have for me, Sergeant?"
"A double homicide on the Cash family, Lieutenant. We have one suspect in custody."
The Lieutenant got up from his seat and took out a Beretta 92FS, covered in black customization from his drawer. Then he and the Sergeant left for the interrogation room.
The Lieutenant entered the observation room and found out their suspect was a teenager.
"Everything the boy said is true; he has a solid alibi," the detective said.
Okay guys, let's get the party started," the lieutenant replied.
He entered the interrogation room.
"Look, dude, they have been saying a lot of things about you. They think you were involved in a double homicide of the Cash family. So be straight with me: who put you up to this? 'Cause I don't think you did it alone. Or did you?"
"Officer, this is a personal revenge against the Cash family. Even if I wanted to, I would do it alone," Jackal said, waiting for a reaction.
"I like you," the Lieutenant said. He brought out a gun and placed it close to Jackal's hand on the table. "You know what that is?"
"Beretta 92FS. Gangbangers carry it around on the street like it's a trophy."
"Now imagine if it was your father sitting exactly where I'm sitting, and you have that gun in your hand?" the Lieutenant asked.
"While wearing gloves, I would check if it was loaded. If it is, I would empty the magazine and check the chamber. Then, I'd give it to him to decide who should die," he paused.
"While he was deciding, I would lay down nylon on the floor. Since he would obviously choose his life over mine, I would swiftly collect the gun from him, put the first round in his forehead, then fill up the magazine and empty it into his chest. Then, I'd turn on his phone location for the loan sharks he borrowed from to find him and do as they please with him."
"Sounds like you already have a plan for him, kid, but unfortunately it didn't happen that way." The Lieutenant paused, looking Jackal straight in the eye.
"Their killer was smart, just like you. He made the attempted murder of your father look like an accident, and damn, was it clean. Even the Feds' forensics team was called in, but they found nothing. But for his wife, things got personal. Real personal. The killer cooked her, or should I say 'roasted'?" the Lieutenant said as he asked for the pictures taken from both incidents and showed them to Jackal.
"Who would do this to a human being?" Jackal asked.
"You tell me, kid. Who could carefully stage an accident as carefully as this? You know what my gut tells me? This is a vengeance mission, but the killer needed to find a diversion while he crossed every T and dotted every I, so he used you to be in the estate as cover, knowing the cops would take the bait as lazy, incompetent morons. Or maybe that's what the killer wants us to think."
"You mention the killer attempted to murder my father but failed, which means he is still alive but injured," Jackal said, maintaining eye contact with the Lieutenant.
"Ooh, that must have been a bad crash. Is he alright, though? Such a pity that his mistress wasn't as lucky. Whoever did this really, really hated both of them, and you're sure that nothing is missing from the house? It could have been a robbery plot or a deal gone sideways. What are the odds? But you're right about one thing though: cops are very lazy. The word you used perfectly described them. What was it? 'Incompetent morons'."
"Look, kid, I like you. I love that killer instinct that makes you good at whatever you do. Though, what the killer did was justifiable, the system isn't the best. In fact, it's broken. It's good kids like you that are at a disadvantage. These cops here don't understand the pain your father cost you. And your mother needs to be avenged. They're only trying to solve a case, reopening and cutting into wounds that are about to heal. So wherever the system or these cops push you, I've got your back. You call me, and we'll figure things out together," the Lieutenant said as he left the interrogative room.
"That kid isn't a killer; his mother's death forced him to do this. I have seen kids like him, kids that the system turns into the part of themselves they weren't supposed to know about. But he is different from them all; he is calculating and dangerous. He shows no remorse for his actions. You ain't getting a confession out of him. Sergeant you need to handle this case carefully and cautiously. I will leave it up to you then," the Lieutenant said as he went back into his office.
Since he was under eighteen, they couldn't put him in regular prison. As they prepared to take him to the juvenile detention center, a cop was assigned to watch him. Jackal asked the cop how long he had been on the force, noticing his long-sleeved uniform.
The cop proudly and aggressively said, "You street fool don't deserve to know."
"Okay then, this won't hurt," Jackal said. He unlocked his handcuffs and knocked the officer out.