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| Chapter 8 |
| I wanted to stick around to find out what was going on but I could tell Mac was uncomfortable with me hanging around. I took a walk down the street and opened the gate behind the Golden Gate Hotel in hopes to find Gary, and there he was. Something was different though. He was not speaking his usual sermon. He was sitting, on the ground, all quiet. He had his hands on his face. "Gary, are you okay" I asked with concern. He looks up as if he were looking directly into the sun. "Who's there...oh, Mr. Murphy, how do you do?" "Have you heard about Rook?" "Yes, yes I have." The look on his face growing cold. "Gary, what's the matter?" "Nothing, nothing at all. Now is there something you came to tell me or are you just making small talk" I was surprised at his snappy answer, this is not like Gary at all. "Well, I do have a few questions to ask you. If that's okay." "Do what you have to do Murphy." "Have you heard of the Pagunda?" "No, I... haven't heard of such a thing" He was holding something back. He gave a look around the alley, then came closer to me. "Murphy, stop here. No more, it has to end here." "What does?" "Your investigation. I..." He was now whispering, as If someone was listening in on us. "I know what's going on, and it is out of your league Murphy. Don't fall into it's trap. It will get its hand on you too if you are not careful." "What will, what is this thing? Tell me what you know!" I just had to find out, even if it landed me in danger. "No Murphy! Leave it alone!" "Don't hold out one me, I am already in the thick of it! I have a client which doesn't even exist, a nut case going around shooting people and now you! Isn't there anything?" "You are a foolish man. But I see there is no stopping you so I might as well tell you. But be wary of what I tell you." "I'm listening" "A man came to me, yesterday. He was tall, he asked me where he could find a Mr. Lee. I said I was the man he was looking for. He sat down with me and started to talk. He told me about the coming end. He spoke of a Pagunda and that it will spare all those that are good and bring them to a 'sanctuary'. I did not want to believe him but he said that I would be spared if I believed. I told him to leave and that he only spoke of evil. He did not like what I said" Gary lifted his left hand of his face to reveal a huge cut to the left of his eye. "Oh my god, Gary, we need to get you to a hospital!" "No, they know what's going on. They will find us, and they will not let us go until we believe. Don't you see, you must stay away from this, or they will have you too!" "But you're..." "I'll be fine, now go. Save yourself from this before it's too late." Just as I got up I heard two shots fire from Rook's and there was screaming and yelling. I took one last look at Gary and then ran straight over to Rooks. I could see Rook's in view. Also there was a crowd surrounded the door, looking down. I quickly ran over, and shoved my way in. To my shock and surprise, Mac was lying on the ground with his left hand, holding his right arm. Blood was coming out. He had been shot... But by who? "Murphy... Our suspect went mad and screamed, and to our surprise he pulled a gun on us, and I was the lucky bastard who he got. He then made a run for it. My.... men... think he went into the secret wall that... ah... leads into Rusty's." Mac said in pain. Just then we heard a someone yelling. It was coming from the roof of Rusty's Funhouse. Everyone looked up, and saw the man from the pawnshop who had shot Rook and Mac, jumping from the top of the funhouse. Within seconds he went splat on the ground... The police were all over the scene by now. The man was surely dead, his gun still clutched into his hand. I came down to take a closer look, but as I walked closer I was instructed by an officer to stand back, and go home. Just as I took a last look, the man's eyes opened. "He's still alive" one of the officers yelled. The paramedics rushed to the man in hopes of keeping him alive. Just as I came closer to the man, he began to speak. He was choking on his own blood. "F........Find, him....a..and....you, ..you will find the.....the....answer." He was looking directly towards me. Why me? "Who, find who?" I tried for an answer from his last breaths. "Joseph....... find Joseph." "Joseph, who is Joseph?" Just as I spoke, his eyes rolled into the back of his head. He was dead. Who was Joseph? Why would he have all the answers? I was instructed to leave the scene. I walked back up to my office, and went to the bedroom. I had to lie down on the bed. What a day. Rook and Mac are in hospital, Gary is in danger and all of a sudden this 'Joseph' pops up? But the thing that scares me the most; how is Rook linked in with all of this. Perhaps he knows something more than he is letting on? First things first, I will have to find this Joseph. Perhaps I need to have a long talk with Rook to clear things up a bit, Maybe he knows about this 'Joseph'. |
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