A la mañana siguiente, Ethan se despertó y, después de hacer ejercicio como de costumbre, fue a la cocina. Abrió el refrigerador y sacó el filete que Proctor le había enviado la noche anterior. Asperjó algunos condimentos para marinarlo, encendió la estufa de gas y colocó la sartén.
Cuando la sartén estaba a la temperatura correcta, puso un trozo de mantequilla que se derritió rápidamente. Luego, con pinzas, colocó el filete grueso en la sartén, que chisporroteaba al contacto. El aroma comenzó a llenar la cocina. Después de unos minutos, se quitó el filete y lo puso en un plato, listo para comer.
A su llegada a la estación de policía después del desayuno, Alma le entregó varios documentos: el Formulario de Informe de Incidentes, el Formulario de Supervisión del Estado y el Formulario de Uso de Armas de Fuego. Ethan se rascó la cabeza y luchó por completar la información. Siobhan, al ver su dificultad, le dio una patada amistosa.
—Si lo encuentras problemático, puedes pedirle ayuda a Alma. Una vez que se resuelva el asunto, cómprele una botella de vino para expresar su gratitud.—
Ethan aceptó la sugerencia e hizo el archivo de manera decisiva, dirigiéndose a la recepción para manejar los procedimientos.
Ethan se acercó a Alma, que estaba organizando algunos documentos. Ella levantó la vista cuando lo vio.
—Hola, Ethan. Cómo va el papeleo?— Alma preguntó con una sonrisa comprensiva.
Ethan cayó en una silla frente al escritorio de Alma, mirando las formas con desdén.
—Not as well as I would expect. I have a little trouble dealing with all these documents. Could you give me a hand?—
Alma approached him with a kind look.
—Sure, you can leave it to me.— She took the forms and started reviewing them carefully. —Let's see, here you need to complete the Incident Report Form. Just make sure to detail all aspects of the case.—
Ethan watched Alma fill in some fields quickly.
—Thank you, Alma. I feel like I'm drowning in paperwork. I don't know how you do it.—
—Don't worry. It only takes a little time.— Alma passed him the State Supervision Form.
Ethan nodded with a grateful smile.
—Yes, I am. Thanks for your help. Seriously, I owe you one.—
—No problem. I'm always here to help.— Alma continued assisting Ethan efficiently while he completed the paperwork with her help.
—By the way, I like rosé wine.— she commented without looking up at the documents, apparently, it was an unwritten rule of the police station.
—Ethan, what are you doing here?— Brock asked when he saw Ethan return to the station.
—What are you talking about?— Ethan was confused.
—Administrative leave. You can't officially go back to work until the results of the Cole case investigation are clear.— he commented, taking a file from the desk. —By the way, would you like the office to organize some kind of psychological counseling?—
—No problem. If I need help, I'll let you know.— Ethan, who had escaped from the office the night before, realized the leave wouldn't last long. As for psychological counseling, he flatly rejected it. He saw no need to seek help for something he didn't consider a problem.
—Don't worry, the prosecutor has told me that the matter will be resolved in three days.— Lotus commented while patting Ethan's back.
After driving the police car for a few minutes, Ethan decided to go home to change his uniform and car. He felt like he was constantly on patrol, which he didn't like. When he got home, he changed his clothes and put his badge and weapon back on.
Although the weapon in the storage space was more convenient, he felt a different weight with it around his waist. If any of the Moody brothers tried to get revenge, they would think twice when they saw the gun.
He drove the Ford F150 and decided to buy an additional weapon. He felt that the only weapon he had wasn't enough for his safety. He headed to Oak Street, to Old Sam's hunting and fishing store.
When parking and opening the door, a copper bell rang, announcing his arrival. An old man with a white beard and a cowboy hat was behind the counter. Seeing Ethan, he greeted him with a smile and continued dismantling a weapon. The wall behind the old man was covered in rifles and shotguns, and on the counter were pistols and knives.
—Welcome to Old Sam's hunting and fishing store.— said the old man.
Ethan approached the counter.
—Officer Morgan, how can I help you?—
The white-bearded old man smiled at him. Ethan was already well-known since the Cole incident the day before, so there wasn't a person in town who didn't know who he was. —It's a small town.— he commented when he saw the young man's confused face. —Just call me Sam.—
—I want a gun that is really effective and reliable.— Ethan replied.
Sam leaned forward with interest.
—In that case, I think I have just what you need. I have a Beretta 92X, it's the best I have available in my store. You know, I only have one of these beauties in stock.—
Sam went to a shelf and pulled out a gun with an air of pride. He placed it on the counter, showing Ethan its characteristics.
—This beauty has a Vertec-style steel frame and a Brigadier slide. It weighs only 1,350 grams, which ensures maximum stability and minimizes detection during the shot.— Sam explained, pointing out the details of the weapon.
Ethan raised the gun, feeling its weight and balance.
—It seems to be just what I'm looking for. What's the price?—
—For you, Ethan, I'll leave it at a good price—$1,400.— Sam said, offering a smile. —I'll give you a couple of extended magazines as a gift, with a capacity of 15 rounds.—
Ethan smiled, satisfied with the choice.
—Perfect. I'll take it.— After deciding, Ethan also bought an M4A1 Assault Rifle, accompanied by two extra magazines and two ammunition boxes for both weapons. Sam told him he could pick up the weapons in the afternoon, as the process was faster for law enforcement officers.
—Alright, let me prepare the papers.— Sam said as he began filling out the necessary documents. —I assure you that this Beretta will not disappoint you.—
Ethan waited while Sam prepared the sale, feeling more secure with his new acquisition. Even though the price was a bit high, his father's insurance check had left him with several thousand dollars in the bank. But the first priority was ensuring his survival.
Upon leaving the store, Ethan was still concerned. The weapon he had purchased seemed insufficient for his needs. He couldn't wait for the Moody brothers to come after him. He decided he should act first and find a black market weapon. The one he had acquired was only for self-defense.
At that moment, a BMW roared past him, and a little girl leaned out of the sunroof, laughing happily. Ethan recognized Deva Hopewell, the daughter of the district attorney. According to the plot of the original story, a Proctor worker named Hanson organized a rave in an Amish barn, bringing ecstasy to the youth of the town.
Is there one of Hansen's clandestine laboratories around? Ethan thought quickly, deciding to follow him. Surely, in a place like that, it should be easy to find a black market weapon.
After driving down a remote rural road for more than ten minutes, he saw the BMW in front of him turn toward a fork in the road. The smoke and dust raised by the wheels stopped.
Ethan slowed down and drove a few hundred meters, then found a hidden corner and parked the car.
After a while, he walked to a ruined house. Ethan bent down and hid behind the brush to watch for a while. The BMW was parked in front of the house, moving away and leaving only a couple of old cars at the entrance.
From inside, music was heard. Ethan saw that there were no sentries in sight. He approached a window that was open, and after carefully pushing it, entered the house. The music grew louder.
Through the door, he saw two people lying on the bed, clearly too drugged to wake up. He opened the window completely, crawled into the room, and upon landing, stepped on a slowly spinning vibrator. He pulled it apart with disgust and began to search carefully among the clothes lying on the floor. He found some wrinkled bills and a used syringe.
Fuera de la puerta, se escucharon fuertes pasos. Ethan se acercó a una caja fuerte; parecía que los idiotas se habían olvidado de cerrarla. Al abrir lentamente el cajón, encontró pistolas y revistas desordenadas junto a varias pilas de billetes. Tomó una pistola M1911, una revista adicional y una caja de munición Colt .45, colocándolos en el espacio de almacenamiento.
Miró las pilas de billetes y decidió no tomar más, pensando que podrían surgir oportunidades futuras para obtener más. Ahora tenía lo que estaba buscando, así que era hora de salir del lugar. De vuelta en el coche, Ethan encendió un cigarrillo, tomando un arrastre para relajar los nervios antes de alejarse.
Todavía era temprano, así que decidió ir al restaurante de Milles para matar el tiempo antes de dirigirse a la casa del Viejo Sam para recoger las armas. En el restaurante, Ethan estaba teniendo un almuerzo descuidado, y Daria pasó por él por sexta vez. Cada vez que pasaba, ocurría un accidente trivial.
Por ejemplo, si una servilleta cayó accidentalmente al suelo, se inclinó frente a ella coquetamente para recogerla. O si la salsa de tomate le manchaba los dedos, no dolía lamerlos para limpiarlos.
Después de terminar su almuerzo, Ethan decidió lavarse las manos. Se levantó de la mesa y caminó hacia el baño del restaurante, donde el eco de sus pasos resonó en el pequeño espacio. Al abrir la puerta, vio a alguien siguiéndolo de cerca.
Daria lo miró fijamente, su respiración entrecortada.
—vine a limpiar... pero parece que también necesitas.... un poco más de servicio. —ella respondió, con una sonrisa juguetona y nerviosa al mismo tiempo.
Ethan no respondió con palabras. En cambio, dejó que sus acciones hablaran. Acortó la distancia entre los dos, atrapando a Daria contra la cerámica fría en el fregadero. La miró fijamente, buscando algún rastro de duda en sus ojos, pero lo que encontró fue deseo.
Daria no esperó más. Ella se arrojó hacia él, atrapando sus labios en un beso urgente, lleno de pasión contenida. Sus manos corrieron por el cuerpo de Ethan, sintiendo la dureza de sus músculos debajo de su ropa. Él respondió con la misma intensidad, acariciando su cintura, deslizando sus manos debajo de la tela que la cubría.
El baño, que parecía demasiado pequeño hace un momento, ahora era el escenario de un encuentro desenfrenado. La ropa se dejó de lado, sus cuerpos chocaron con la desesperación, buscando satisfacer una necesidad que había estado latente durante demasiado tiempo.
El sonido de sus respiraciones rotas, el choque de piel contra piel y el temblor de la cerámica bajo el peso de su pasión llenaron el espacio. Cada movimiento era una mezcla de deseo y urgencia, como si ambos supieran que este momento era inevitable desde el principio.
Cuando finalmente llegaron al clímax, se abrazaron, respirando pesadamente, sus cuerpos aún se entrelazaron. Ethan acarició el cabello de Daria, mientras ella descansaba la cabeza sobre su hombro.
—El caso de todos los nuestros no acquentibles estará en un baño —, dijo Ethan en un tono divertido.
—Si tienes suerte. —Daria respondió, sin moverse de su casa, con una sonrisa.
Después de unos minutos, ambos comenzaron a vestirse en silencio. Cuando estaban listos, Ethan le dio a Daria una última mirada antes de salir del baño.
—Nos vemos afuera —, dijo, volviendo a su tono habitual, aunque el fuego en sus ojos aún no se había apagado.
Daria asintió, mirando la puerta cerca detrás de él. Todavía sentía el calor de su cuerpo, la adrenalina corriendo por sus venas. Ella sabía estas cosas complicadas, pero por un momento, no le importó.
Al salir del baño, Daria respiró hondo, tratando de calmar sus latidos. El restaurante estaba tranquilo, como si nada hubiera pasado.
Después de un tiempo, su teléfono celular sonó y Sam le informó que los procedimientos se habían completado y que podía ir a recoger el arma.
Al regresar a la antigua tienda de pesca y caza de Sam, Ethan compró algunos accesorios, puso muchas cosas en el asiento trasero y se dirigió a casa.
Cuando llegó a casa, inmediatamente sacó una vieja mesa de madera de la sala de herramientas y la colocó frente al campo de tiro simple que había instalado anteriormente. Colocó la Beretta 92X, M4A1 y M1911 sobre la mesa en orden.
Ethan primero tomó la Beretta 92X. El cuerpo de la pistola de acero y agarres negros, sacó la revista hasta que se llenó el cartucho. Agarró el arma y apuntó a la delgada placa de hierro no muy lejos. Con un sonido de "explosión" amortiguado, se perforó un pequeño agujero en la placa de hierro.
Ethan smiled with satisfaction as he felt the recoil of the Beretta and continued to pull the trigger to fire the remaining five bullets, practicing his aim. The recoil was quite strong, but with his improved physical constitution, he did not feel the slightest of it.
Ethan left the Beretta and picked up the assembled M4A1 he had set aside. This weapon, most used by the American army, over the years he saw it in many films, so now that he had the opportunity to own one, of course he had to buy it.
He pressed the butt of the gun to his shoulder, adjusted his posture, and aimed at white spray-painted targets on the ground twenty meters away. When the flames emerged from the muzzle, the bullets quickly penetrated the fixed targets. It's a shame that without the blessing of skills, the precision was average, not as accurate as when using a handgun.
After finishing a magazine, a beep appeared on his head. Ethan quickly opened the system panel and discovered that a firearms ability had changed due to his actions.
Number: Ethan Morgan
Combat Skill: Rookie
You have acquired some practice and show better coordination and control in combat.
Short Firearms Handling: Competent
You have a good understanding of gun handling and can fire accurate shots in a variety of situations. You are able to use the weapon effectively in combat.
Long Firearms Handling: Rookie
You have begun to familiarize yourself with rifles and shotguns, showing basic competence in the use of long firearms.
Dimensional Space: One cubic meter
Skill Points: 0
Mission: None
Happily, he replaced the magazine and, after a while of shooting the targets, kept the Beretta and the M4A1 in space. As long as the skill is generated in the system panel, once you get the skill book in the future, you won't have to worry about learning about the skill.
In the end, he took the stolen Browning M1911, first disassembled the gun into parts, carefully cleaned it with gun oil, and then reassembled it. At aiming at a couple of scattered cans, the shot was very smooth and the landing points were very dense. Ethan blew with satisfaction. The weapon had been well maintained before.
After packing everything, Ethan went to the tool room and found a shovel. He loaded it and walked into the woods next to the house. The sound of fallen leaves on the ground caused some small animals to flee.
His was the only family nearby. Old Morgan had bought a large area of surrounding mountains and forests and surrounded them with simple wooden fences to prevent unauthorized entry. Now it was an advantage for Ethan.
Arriving a few hundred meters from the house, Ethan found a hillside full of light yellow flowers. It was very beautiful in the sunlight. He stepped on the soft ground with his feet. This land was really fertile.
Ethan took off his shirt and started working with a shovel. After more than an hour, he estimated that the depth was almost there. Ethan wiped his sweat, threw the shovel, and left the well with his hands. Pushing the shovel toward the nearby mound, Ethan whistled and returned home, jumping into the lake to wash the dirt off his body.
Night soon came. Ethan put on black sportswear and a visor cap and drove to Forge's Sugar Bar.
On arrival, he saw Chief Hood sitting on the barn stairs eating. The bar was quite lively. As he recalled, Cole's wife would hold a wake here and he believed that the Moody brothers would also be there.
Not long after waiting, Dex and Marcus soon appeared. The two pointed their weapons at Hood, who was apparently trying to dissuade them. The dispute quickly subsided thanks to the friendly deterrence of Sugar, who was armed with a double-barreled shotgun.
From a distance, the two could be heard continuing to roar about seeking revenge. Ethan smiled, took the bottle of water and took a sip, while watching the scene. He would not be prey to two idiot villagers. After the conflict ended, Dex and Marcus returned to the bar to continue drinking. Hood quickly went up to the second floor of the barn to rest after finishing his meal.
Ethan continued to wait patiently. Around ten at night, people at the bar dispersed. Marcus and Dex got into a truck and left the scene, not foreseeing that they were being followed.
Ethan followed them from a distance and the vehicle soon stopped at Savoy Gentlemen's Club. After the two entered the club, Ethan parked the car next to their truck, turned off the engine, and waited. He had to be patient if he wanted to get it right. The good thing about rural places was that there were no traffic cameras and most people didn't pay attention to their surroundings.
This time he waited until after 1 a.m. to see them both stagger out of the club. The two arrived at the front of the car and helped each other to urinate in the bushes.
Ethan looked around from the car and made sure there was no one around. He no longer hesitated, lowered the wing of his hat, opened the door, and got out of the car. He pulled the prepared wooden stick out of space and quickly walked behind the two of them.
Hearing the footsteps, Marcus, drunk, shook his head, looked back, and saw a wooden stick whistling toward him with the sound of the wind breaking.
After knocking them both out cleanly, Ethan threw the wooden stick into space, took out two rags, and put them in their mouths, then tied them with ropes, picked them up, and threw them to the back of the car, covering them with a tarp to quickly leave the scene.
Soon, the F150 arrived at the place he had prepared today. He went up to the back to lift the tarp. Marcus and Dex had already woken up and looked at Ethan in horror. Their gagged mouths groaned and they twisted in the truck bed.
Ethan said nothing. He pulled the two of them out of the car respectively, kicked them into the pit, threw the wooden stick he had just used, and took the M1911 out of space. He took a deep breath, raised his gun, and aimed at the two people at the bottom of the pit —Bang, bang.
The sound of the shots scared a crowd of night birds and the moonlight fell particularly brightly over the mountain forest.
After saving the gun, Ethan took the shovel and continued working. It took a lot of effort to dig, but the filling was pretty fast. He used the car to move over the hole from side to side several times. After the terrain was completely level, Ethan left. He believed that the flowers in this place would bloom more strongly next year.
De vuelta en la casa, Ethan conectó la tubería de agua, enjuagó el barro de los neumáticos del automóvil y el cubo trasero varias veces, luego condujo el automóvil de regreso al garaje y lo estacionó. Ahora, era solo cuestión de esperar y volver al trabajo, no tener enemigos buscando su cabeza.