Dan & Pinkie VS.
Chapter 10 – Saying Goodbye.
It was a dark day. The clouds above obscured the mid-day sun and casted shadows upon everyone, threatening to let down a pouring rain.
It seemed like the weather itself was reflecting the emotions of all the people present in the small grassy field that day.
It has been eight days. Eight days since Dan computer failed, eight days since they made the road trip to Silicon Valley, eight days since they broke-into Ditmer’s HQ. Eight days since Elise died.
Today it was the day of her burying.
Very few people were present to witness the casket lowering. Chris was there; his eyes dry like the dessert, he had no more tears to shed. Instead his stood emotionless, his movements resembling that of a robot. In fact, he wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Fluttershy’s support.
For the last week, Fluttershy had been there to keep him company, even forgoing getting back home to stay and take care of him. She had become his anchor to his life and though he didn’t express it verbally, he was grateful to her.
Elise’s family was also present. Don, Elise’s father, was putting a strong front and comforted his crying wife, Elise Sr.; Ben, Elise’s younger brother, stood solemnly with very prominent dark circles around his eyes, he had always been very distant and apathetic personality and right now he was regretting all the times he avoided spending time with his sister and how he’ll never be able to apologize to her.
Pinkie stood next to them in completely black clothes and looking uncharacteristically somber. The most telling sign was that her long puffy hair was now completely straight. She felt horrible for the lost of her friend but there was someone who felt even worse. Dan.
Gone was his usual attire, instead he was wearing a black suit like every other man at the funeral. He stood next to Pinkie with a lost look on his face and dark rings around his eyes.
He hasn’t been able to sleep all week, every time he closed his eyes he saw the horrific scene play over and over again.
-
Elise was standing over the fallen for of Pinkie with a gun in hand ready to end her life. That was the scene Dan stumbled into after he had recovered an axe to defend himself. In a pure instinct-filled move, he threw the axe towards Elise.
The axe flew twirling in what it seemed like slow motion. Dan’s eyes were filled with a mixture of emotions that it was difficult to pin-point exactly what he was feeling. But as the axe approached its target, his eyes settled into silent horror when he realized what he had done.
After the blink of an eye, Elise’s body hit the floor never to get back up again.
-
Every time he looked at his hands he saw the spilled blood of an innocent. No matter how many time he washed his hands the red never left, and it will probably never leave.
Elise was dead because of him, he guilty of murder. He was standing in the funeral of the person he killed. It made him feel so sick he began trembling and a felt the need to empty the content his stomach.
Then he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. He turned around and looked at Pinkie’s blue eyes. Once her eyes were big and full excitement, now they only reflected the sadness in her soul.
Though they didn’t exchange any words, Dan understood what Pinkie was trying to say. She too was guilty. It was because of her that Dan threw the axe. He saved her life and in return she did the same.
Pinkie knew that Dan would be convicted for murder and sentenced to capital punishment. She would’ve never been able to forgive herself if another one of her precious people died, so she decided to cover-up the murder.
At the time she had no idea what to do. But lucky for them, the answer came from the most unexpected source: Hiram, the crazy axe murderer.
Though Hiram’s hatred for Dan was great, his hatred for Barry Ditmer was greater.
After baiting him into the HQ, Hiram had the opportunity to finally get his revenge against the man who ruined his life and stole his sanity.
The resulting chaos was enough for them to destroy the computer that served main system which regulated and controlled all aspects of the building itself, causing it to collapse and burn down to the ground alongside any evidence that could proved what they had done.
Thankfully, before the building collapsed on itself, the electronic locks of all the doors broke down, letting Fluttershy and Chris escape the room they were locked in.
After that, it was easy to pin the blame for the murders and the collapsed building on Hiram. The police was already investigating the disappearances of various travelers who disappeared on the road leading there.
The hard part was telling Chris that his wife was dead. Since they had no idea why was Elise on the HQ to begin with, Pinkie lied saying that Elise was there because of her job. She was trying to make a deal with Ditmer on behalf the company she worked on, and she was caught in the cross fire of Hiram’s revenge.
Pinkie lied to save Dan’s life and because of that she became his accomplice. They we’re both responsible for the crime. The both of them now shared the guilt and will take guard the secret for the rest of their lives.
Dan put his hand over Pinkie’s and held it tight. She didn’t have to cover for him and possibly ruin her life. Still she did it and he was indebted to her.
-
While the ceremony was taking place, someone was watching the procedures from afar, doing its best to remain undetected.
“Elise Pearson…five years as her contact and only when she is dead I get to know her real name.” The unknown person said in a masculine voice. “And she was married too. Can you believe it, Zach?” The man said to his ever present companion while lightening up a cigarette.
The figure was a man with no real unique features aside for a long scar across his left eyebrow and temple. He was dressed in a black suit and had a red tie with white lines crossing diagonally and parallel to each other.
“You’re right, her death makes no sense,” The man agreed with Zach, “How could Dancing Shadow die at the hands of a homeless madman with an axe?” Dancing Shadow was elite trained in many forms of hand to hand combat and the use of all kind of fire arms, there was no way she would’ve die so easily.
The man stood there smoking his cigarette, thinking off possible answers for this enigmatic case. Occasionally hearing whatever theory Zach offered. This continued for a while until the silence was broken by the sounds of step on the grass.
“What a surprise!” the man said after seeing who the person walking up to him was.
“It’s good to see you too, Special Agent Francis York Morgan.” the new arrival greeted with a very monotone voice which unnerved the man known as York.
“Aren’t you a little far away from home…?” York asked in a genuine curious manner, “Private Investigator Willibald Feivel Cornfed.”
“Cornfed is just fine, thank you York.” said the P.I. using the only tone he apparently had, monotone.
Cornfed was a short kinda chubby man, but strangely enough he was very popular with the ladies. He was wearing a suit similar to York’s except his was brown instead of black; also he was wearing a matching fedora hat to complete his look as a P.I.
“Came to pay respects to Dancing Shadow?” York asked at the shorter man and offered him a smoke.
“No thanks!” Cornfed declined, “And yes, I came here to pay my respects, but also to do a small investigation.” He too was a contact for Dancing Shadow.
York raised his tight eyebrow at the P.I but said nothing, he knew Cornfed was going to tell him regardless if he asked him or not.
“As you may have already noticed, the circumstances surrounding DS’ murder are strange and highly illogical.” York nodded at Cornfed, he too already figured something was up. “I decided to have a look around.”
“I’ll assume you aren’t here for official business, do you?” York wasn’t surprised when Cornfed shook his head. “If you were, that duck-face partner of yours would be prancing around chasing tails despite this being a cemetery.” York didn’t know how Cornfed could work with such a guy.
The P.I didn’t say anything at that comment, he knew it was true. “I just wanted some answers before the agency sent their team and took all possible clues away.”
York brought another cigarette to his mouth and lighted it up. York knew that despite him being one of the best FBI agents and renowned for his use of criminal profiling, the victim had a very top secret background that was out of the FBI jurisdiction.
“I’m sure they’ll find something, they are very good at their job.” York was disappointed for not being able to take the case, but he was confident in the investigation team would do their jobs just fine.
Cornfed then shook his head and sighed. “I’m afraid the agency out-sourced the investigation to ISIS” Cornfed wasn’t surprised that York let his cigarette fell into the grass below with shock all over his face.
“Are you absolutely sure?” York asked letting his cool demeanor slip for a second. After Cornfed confirmed once again with a nod, York took out one more cigarette and light it up. After a couple of smokes, York regained his composure.
“At least tell me you find something good.” York really didn’t have any faith in ISIS agents doing their jobs. Just what the heck was the agency thinking?
“Yes, follow me to my car.” The P.I said and walked back the way he came from. “You coming?” he asked back when he realized York wasn’t following him.
“Just a second.” York turned to look at the proceedings, which already ended, before walking up to Cornfed, “Come on let’s go.”
After a short walk, both men arrived at a parking lot and walked up to an 80’s Buick.
“That I’m about to show you may shock you, so please remain calm.” Cornfed warned to York, so simple shrugged. He didn’t really need the warning. York had worked in very disturbing cases before.
After opening the trunk, Cornfed took out a small black bag out of the car and opened it.
It was the severed head of a woman.
“What the…!” York jumped backed away surprise.
“It is not real, it is a robot!” Cornfed said slightly annoyed. He did warn York though.
After regaining his cool, York took a good look at the head. It was a blond woman with unnatural purple eyes.
“It’s one of Barry Ditmer’s many robots, and the only one that remained almost intact from the destruction of the building.” The PI explained. “I’m sure the HDD is still inside the head and it could shed some light on exactly what happened that night.”
“I’ll assume that you couldn’t extract the data, otherwise you wouldn’t be carrying this thing around.” The FBI agent deduced perfectly.
“Correct. Barry Ditmer was a technological genius so trying to access the data would be difficult, almost impossible. ” The shorter man stated still monotone as always.
“And you can’t give the head to ISIS or the agency, because they’ll know you acquired it ‘unofficially’ and mark you as a criminal.” York deduced once again, arriving at the right conclusion.
“Correct. But I can’t bypass the security codes right now, I need the right equipment.” Cornfed confessed, he didn’t doubt his ability to access the data, it just that it would take more time than he expected.
York nodded and remained silent. He knew that if someone was going to crack this mystery, it was Cornfed. But there was still one thing that York and even Zach couldn’t figure out. “Why tell me all this?”
“Because if something were to happen to me; I want you to continue with the investigation. I trust you.”
York closed his eyes and sighed. His arm moved towards his pack of cigarettes took one out. “What do you think, Zach? Should we accept?” he asked to his companion.
York remained silent for a few seconds before taking the cigarette and put it back in the pack. “. Zach and I wouldn’t like it if the culprits remain free. I accept.”
-
After the ceremony ended, everyone walked away with the intention of returning home, except for one person.
Fluttershy remained standing in front of Elise’s grave. She told Pinkie she wanted to stay a little longer. Her friend agreed, wanting Flutershy to say goodbye and have some closure, and took Chris back home, she would look after him while.
Fluttershy stood there looking at Elise’s grave without moving a muscle and with a very passive look. The girl stayed for who-knows-how long in complete silence. That is until she broke it.
“Hmm…hmmm.hmmm..” she began humming while her eyes changed from passive into something else. “hhmmmm..hmmm.hmme…hme..he.he..he..he..he” she continued until she couldn’t hold it back anymore. She drew her head back and turned towards the dark sky above.
“He, He,He,He,He,He….,HA,HA,HA,HA,HA!” What began as a small humming turned into a maniacal full on laughter, which began hurting her inside for how loud she was being.
“I…I..I can’t believe my luck! The one thing that stood on my way no longer is here! And I didn’t have to do anything! She died on her own!” She then kneeled on the recently dug up dirt and put her face up close to the tombstone.
“What do you think Elise?” She taunted to the stone with a big grin, “This is my perfect victory! That’s right I won!” she said to the stone, which remain silent.
As silence was setting back, Fluttershy lost her grin and regained her previously calm demeanor. As she stood up and took a step away from the grave, Fluttershy piercing gaze never left the cold unmoving stone.
“It was fortunate of you to die that day, Elise.” She said solemnly, “Because that wasn’t the case, you would’ve died after hearing this” In an instant her cold and calm demeanor changed again but this time into a more happy and angelical one. So much that she was almost glowing.
“That day I couldn’t stop myself and now…”
“…”
“I’m with his child! My own sweet little Angel!”
[Bad End Unlocked]