3: Flashback

The Great Escapade is a sci-fi, thriller, action, fan-fiction adventure in the dystopian future, revolving around politics, people and revenge.

The table set a different atmosphere. Intimidated, fear and pressure were the main attributes listed among the few faces seated along the round table, with the head Palfer in a very distinct pleasure, who is still unknown of the meeting and it's utmost purpose. 

The doors of the room flung open as Alec Morris led the way. Mercer Finch and Coulis Resto followed closely behind, as they were named in Zzytes memento alongside Alec. The table consisted only of Palfer and Kole. 

"I'd like to know the agenda for the meeting, Alec." Palfer said as he sips his dark coloured, sweet, tender coffee. His expression was still daunting from the celebration of Gabriel's win. Alec, Mercer and Coulis sat down by the empty seats, with the former his second of the day. 

"I have files. I have a note. I have the most feared criminal busting out of jail." Alec said as he threw the details across the table. Palfer beckons to Kole to take a look. 

"Most feared criminal? Surely you're kidding, Alec. Under your statement, every criminal once feared, once locked up, is only once feared. Other reasons are undermined, unnecessary and uncritical of the situation we're in. What a way to disrupt the atmosphere." Kole passes the paper onwards to Palfer. 

"I'm out of my prime. But I should note to you that this criminal is no ordinary criminal." Alec says as the other two detectives watch on. 

"What? You mean Keld Rod? He was just a fake business man. His company, doped. His wife, dead. His own insurance, done. Though he pleaded, he was still nothing." Palfer's words seemed to mean what the files translated - Keld was the first imprint on the page. 

"No, Palfer. You ought to understand the circumstances seven years ago. Seven years ago," Alec straightened his body, arms on the table, "I repeat, is not long. Palfer, have you forgotten what we held as an oath that very day? 10th of December, 2043? Exactly seven years ago?" Palfer's minds were still hard on the files, though nothing has still been told. 

"Refresh my memories, Alec. Be kind." 

"Seven years ago, we inducted a crime law. We put an end to suffering, we put an end to criminals disobeying the law. You and I - we know what's coming. We know exactly what has cost us when we invented that law that seemed inescapable. The law, inevitable, sentenced criminals to jail for a complete ten years no matter their sins, no matter their prophecies nor what they did. That, was the statement we carved out seven years ago." 

Palfer threw down the files, unknown the notes were still in them as he didn't intend to care. 

"That statement was a law processed by me. We merely remarked it upon the centuries as they wane upon us. Straight to the point, Alec." The direct message meant clear that he knew the storm that was coming and the situation marked upon it. 

"Zzytes Hefrald. The guy you sought to capture. The guy you ended up almost killing. The guy that gave the society everything and almost made a fool of us. He's escaped. And I don't think he means business." Alec points to the note falling out from the files. Palfer flips it open and scrutinises it with grazing eyes. 

"Have you forgotten the way it's written? It has the names of your side-kicks and yourself, Alec. Does it concern me not?" Alec inspects Palfer's speech. A negative review and much more damaging, he felt his truth betrayed by the ferocious tongue rolling of Palfer's lips. 

"That is not the main reason Palfer. When we made that law, everyone was included. But the law is dead, and we're alive Palfer. He's not coming for the law; he's coming for us!" Alec slams the table, a furious attempt to make Palfer eat his words. 

"I understand Alec. I understand everything you mean. This man, Zzytes Hefrald, we know him. We know of his powers, his magnificent artwork hung upon the wall, and the very gall of you to underestimate him when your men should have done much better! And you know that is true, Alec. That is certainly true to my words." 

"We can start an argument any day and any time Palfer. Now is not the time for petty works and pointing fingers. Even if I am killed, Zzytes will still come for you. Your not the more safer one Palfer, neither am I. And what I'm trying to display is we're all part of our own making. This day is a foreboding of ourselves and what has come to fruition is not generically a statement. We thrust this on to ourselves Palfer. You, me, the whole parliament, the whole government, the whole authority. This day has it's reckoning." Alec stood up and took back his files and note. "Don't cry like a baby if he finds you. Because I know I won't. Before this, over a hundred people have escaped due to Zzytes's work from the Hover Field Prison." Alec beckoned to Coulis and Mercer as they start moving towards the entrance. Palfer stared straight down as he wiped his forehead with his sleeves. 

"By the way Palfer. To quote him," Alec took out the note, "Rhettaus is nothing but dust, so is our forefathers. And in time to come, you'd realise much farther. We'll talk again lest our relationship gets strained once more." The speech ended as Palfer watched on. 

"He does have a point, sir. Do we want to review this point?" Kole asks. 

"No. Keep every prison in check, step up investigations, keep this criminal down. Everything you can, everything we can, we will do it. I'm not doing it because our lives are on the line, but because everyone else's are." 

----- 

The rain dripped across the window as Alec stared down the streets below. 

'What have I done'. 

The room outside Alec's was silent as Coulis and Mercer sat with despair. 

"Our names, written on chalk. I understand, but why us?" Mercer asks, Coulis pursing his lips. 

"He doesn't need names, the authority has plenty worth full of deaths. We're not the first in line for the firing squad, but we're also not vermins dying on the streets. Let's not forget we were just Alec's accomplice when Zzytes was caught." 

"That doesn't relieve us of any details nor any punishment. We're detectives, but our role isn't big. We were just there when the capturing took place." Mercer concludes. 

"It puzzles me throughout. What if we are intended victims, scapegoats for the authorities of Rhettaus? Will we die like them? Or are we just a name on a sheet?" Coulis's question could only be aborted, but certainly not a one-word answer could solve easily. 

Alec plopped back down to his desk, opening his drawers one by one. 

'What other secrets have I kept? What other secrets are there that needs revealing? What other secrets have I kept to Rettaus.' 

The lower cabinet to Alec's left was dragged open, as the body also swung back as the force outweighed the mass of the body. The cabinet was black and empty. Alec picked himself up and strutted towards it. He put both hands, wide into the small opening and touched the sides of the cabinet, top and bottom, left to right, knocking them simultaenously. A knock stopped Alec's movement, as if he had found what he was looking for. 

A box carried in Alec's sweaty palms emerged from the darkness of the cabinet. He held it firmly, the contents tightly locked inside. The flashback occurred as he flipped the cover open. 

'9th December, 2043 

It was a year after Dramner Zopkamp won the elections as our laws started getting tighter and more stricter. The streets of Rundial on the North-side of Rhettaus show-cased the serious attitude the law brought. It didn't just bring encapsulation, but it also brought about stricter judgement. I remember receiving a call at Lorrete Police Station from my current comrade, Mercer Finch. 

"Sir he's waiting for you inside." Mercer said as I neared him as he passed the files to me. The files represented a baton; the huge task of shouldering a responsibility was now lifted having passed the baton over to the next person in charge: me. 

"Name?" I asked, flipping the files. 

"Zzytes Hefrald." Mercer responded swiftly. The door swung open, revealing the face off Zzytes as it slowly creaked close. Coulis stepped outside, waiting for my interrogation. 

"What has he done?" 

"By the Law of Ravaging Act - also known as LORA - claimed that should anybody do anything suspicious, terrified or an act that can be as dangerous to a criminal to a state or country, should be brought in for questioning. He was brought in." Coulis answered in detail. 

"What has he done?" I repeated, as the three of us exchanged expressions. 

"His information is in the files. We only accessed them shortly after we were given to by a police officer named Reeves Guile. His idealism separates himself from the other. He holds the law like a knot in the eye." 

'Another police officer upholding justice, a fake justice by any means necessary to be called.' 

"So he robbed from a street market, beat up a few people and he mocked the authority? Do we need to get people like me to settle in for this kind of s**t?" My detectives looked at each other before replying with a vivid 'no'. "I'll handle this. Thank you, gentlemen." 

I opened the door as the room was cold and intense. The atmosphere as dark as the face that Zzytes's emotion didn't extort. His face reminded me of my younger days, but that striking blue-collared jacket would not stop making a commotion in my mind. Dark blue jeans and laced-shoes were what's left of his clothing. His exterior - few dimples on his side of the cheeks, and his hair straight sloped from the side to the front. I couldn't see anything else coming. 

"Hello Zzytes. I suppose you know who I am." 

"If I don't, are you gonna' introduce yourself?" The question speaked for itself. He was brought in for some stupid s**t that he himself cannot be figuring out for some time. 

"Okay. I am Alec Morris. Chief head of the police department Rhettaus alongside Palfer and may I know your age?" Detailed, but not detailed enough. 

"I'm 13. Now before you go on and start pissing yourself on some tragedy I'm not speaking about, may I know why they called you in since it's a small s**t like mine?" The words felt as if Zzytes had overheard the conversation between Coulis, Mercer and myself. 

"I was hoping to ask the same. I'm going to go by the law." 

"The law is dead." Zzytes interrupted. He was a tough nut to crack, especially at just 13. Is he mature? I'd like to think so. 

"The law is dead, I know, but we have to follow them anyway. Now by going with the law, I'm going to ask you what you have done to be caught in this current state." 

"Easy. I stole an apple, a chocolate bar, a big hamburger, beat my neighbours for not helping me clear a simple misconception, disfigured Palfer on a small bonfire, and I'd like to know my offence Mr. Morris. A dumb police officer going by the name of Reeves Guile stepped in and his idea, just like yours, mentioned true utter obscurity that I cannot even mention and I have to agree that you're going to ask me, 'is that all?'. And yes, that is all." He leaned back, his speech finished. It was now my turn. 

"Well then Zzytes. Stealing is a crime." 

"I was hungry." 

"Beating people is a crime." 

"When I needed help the most, they never came to me like I did to them." 

"Mocking the authority Mr. Zzytes. Mocking Mr. Palfer." This sentence didn't provoke Zzytes into another intervention, but it struck a careful thought from him, with his fingers on his lips. 

"You see, Alec. Do you mind if I call you that?" I shook my head. No disrespect, I felt. He beckoned me to come closer. "Everyone in Rhettaus; the lonely alleys, the silvered society, the death of the millions: we all have one thing in common. With Palfer, we don't hate him. We think he deserves punishment that is much more painful than any of us is going to bear." Zzytes whispered softly. 

"You're going against authority Zzytes. I cannot let you do that. Not on my time." 

"That is the problem. But what can I do? I'm just a lowly citizen, garbage to society, s**t to emnity. I am nothing, but I have one thing uncommon with the rest of you - I have nothing to fear." 

"Are you threatening me, Zzytes?" I stood up, arms forward, in an attempt to show him that I have power over him. 

"Relax chief. Have you forgotten the bail? 50 thousand dollars," he scratched his head before continuing, "that is a big amount of money. And no, I don't have that load on me, neither my parents. Both dead before I know about them and I probably never will." 

"Suit yourself Zzytes. You'll be spending in jail for the next 20 years." I said, ending the conversation. 

"Wait, Mr. Morris." I stopped in my tracks, twisting my head with his body in my view. "I'm only spending half of that years. I have powers that will fascinate you. And I'm afraid that if I say it, you might not even believe it." 

'Enough is enough.' 

"Keep your fairytales to the next police officer, Zzytes. That joke of yours will come in handy someday." 

"We'll meet again, Mr Morris. I'm sure of it." 

The irritated and high-pitched shriek coming from the phone call destroyed the flashback. He proceeded to replace his box as he went over to answer the call. 

"Alec. I believe our conversation is not over." Palfer's voice echoed through the phone, thundering at the other end. 

"I don't have time for your petty jokes, Palfer. Zzytes is hot on our trails and you think I'd really give a damn about your eternity?" 

"Our government needs to know the threat we're dealing with. A high order meeting has imposed and it will begin tomorrow at 10 in the morning. Don't be late." 

The beeping sounds looped over the transmission as Alec dropped the phone. The end of the call made Mercer and Coulis enter the room. 

"What is it?" Coulis asked, seeing the mixed emotions on Alec's face. 

"A meeting tomorrow. Gather every politician, current and old. Tell them to be at Korrend Hall tomorrow morning at 10. Palfer has a speech to deliver. Go now." 

Coulis and Mercer nodded, beginning their work for the day. Alec hung up the curtains as the day came to a close. He'd never let himself get tangled again. But now he seems as though one mistake has cost him his life - and that is something that whatever he does, cannot be re-proven easily in another entirety. Zzytes has to be captured, dead or alive, and mistakes has to be known, wrong or right. 

'All of it is not too late. I hope.' 

Author's Note

The Great Escapade will be the first of my works, so please give me feedback so I'd know if the story is good enough or is it a rip-off. Effective criticism is welcomed. Thank you!