Chapter 19

"I'LL DO ANYTHING, PLEASE JUST GET THEM OFF OF ME!"

Alexei watches as the half mutilated police officer screams for his help, a piranha biting the man's ear.

"Should've thought about your future consequences before you killed Amir."

Shutting the yacht's window, he makes himself a cup of coffee as the man outside continuously knocks on the round piece of glass.

After five minutes, the young law student opens up the window, and drags the man in, throwing him onto the floor.

"The quicker you tell me about Merderaé, the quicker we can find a way to ease your pain." Alexei says, putting his shoe over the screaming man's mouth.

The older male nods and the young law student removes his shoe.

"I swear on my life, I don't know anything about Merderaé except that it's a group that can boost your fame!"

"So then what the hell did Amir have to do with that group? You at least have to know something." the young man asks, squatting down.

Ian shakes his head.

"He had nothing to do with them. I was hired to kill him off by the police chief. According to the chief, the department had falsely accused your friend of a crime when he was younger."

Alexei nods, motioning for the man to continue speaking.

"After you went viral for finding that loophole in that celebrity case, the chief knew that as soon as you graduated law school, you and your friend would file a hell of a lawsuit against the department."

Alexei's eyes grow dark.

"So what you're saying is everyone on the department knew Amir was innocent and not one person had the audacity to say anything?!"

Frightened, Ian quickly nods.

"Then that bastard of a chief decided it was just best for Amir to be killed rather than the department being drained of even one penny, correct?"

The police officer nods once more.

Standing up and taking the handgun from his coat, Alexei points it down at the man whose eyes widen.

"Since you've complied, I'll help put you out of your misery. Look on the bright side, though. The chief will be joining you soon."

The police officer nervously chuckles and shakes his head.

"W-wait, I-

*BANG! BANG!*

"Two in the stomach." the young man says.

*BANG!*

"One in the chest."

*BANG! BANG!*

"Two in the neck."

Sighing, Alexei puts his gun down on the small coffee table and turns to the now dead man before smiling.

"If you happen to see him, Amir, fight him for me."

--- Friday; 4:30 P.M. ---

"Do you think they'll love the cookies, Mr. Kazimir?"

Khristina happily skips along, holding the taller man's hand.

"I'm sure they will, Khristina. We do make a mean baking team."

Entering the park, Kazimir hands her the picnic basket and watches as the young girl runs over to some of her new friends.

He sits down on a bench under a tree, taking out his phone to continue researching his next victim.

The Claiza City Police Department's chief.

It had been six years since his sister's death but the young detective remembered it as if it happened an hour ago.

He could vividly recall overhearing the old man say to his officers about how he wouldn't have mind to have slept with a dead yet pretty schoolgirl.

After writing down the police chief's address, Kazimir closes his notebook and puts it to the side.

"Hey, Kazimir!"

The young man turns around to see his co-worker, Pierre, carrying a little boy.

"I've got someone I want you to meet. This is Prince Richano, my son! I'm currently teaching him how to be a lil' player. He already has 100,000 followers on his page!"

The little boy looks away from the game on his phone and smiles, pointing down at Kazimir.

"I told you the fake eye man was real, daddy!"

Kazimir sighs and smiles.

"Well, hello to you too, Prince. However, my eyes aren't fake, I was just born with a genetic disorder in which my eyes lack an actual color and just appear to be red."

Pierre chuckles and puts his son down, the little boy spinning around.

"Alright, one more picture before you go play with your friends. Put your hands out in front of you like you just released a new mixtape."

Kazimir watches as the little boy poses for the picture.

"There we go! Now remember what papi told you. If the other kids don't believe you when you tell them your clothes came from Dior, bring them over to me so we can show them the receipts."

The young detective rolls his eyes as Prince runs off towards his new friends.

"Damn, he's sure grown a lot since the last time I saw him." Pierre says, posting his son's picture on a social media website.

Kazimir sighs.

"How long was that?"

"About five years ago. It wasn't until this past winter that the courts finally forced the chick that I had him with to let me see him. Anyway, what's your favorite food? I need to order it ahead for tonight."

"Just get whatever." Kazimir replies. "How's the drug case going?"

Pierre turns to his co-worker.

"Which one?"

"The one with the 58 officers that were poisoned to death."

Pierre shrugs.

"My team didn't get assigned to it. Well, that blonde-haired bastard decided to take the whole case on himself. We already told him that it was a case of accidental food poisoning, but according to him someone intentionally did it."

Kazimir nods.

"Maybe he's right. Maybe someone in the department held a grudge against some of the officers. I wouldn't find it surprising if the current murders and the 58 deaths were both related to each other."

The older detective turns to him.

"I thought you were supposed to be on my side."

"I don't take sides. As long as I keep my stance neutral, then no one can actually put a blame against me that I'm being a traitor." Kazimir replies.

Pierre chuckles.

"You've got to be the most complicated person I've ever worked with, jeez."

"Excuse me, Mr."

The two men turn forward and look down.

"Hey, Kale. How're you today?" Kazimir asks.

Climbing up on the bench, he wedges himself in between Pierre and Kazimir before sighing as if he just came home from a long day of work.

"I'm doing just fine but may I ask you a question?"

"Sure." Kazimir replies.

"Is Khristina allowed to have a boyfriend?"

Kazimir blinks a few times and Pierre laughs.

"Kale, don't you think you're a little too young to be focused on having a girlfriend right now?" Kazimir asks.

"No! It can just be a play relationship! It doesn't have to be real until we go into middle school because then we're going to be grown!"

The young detective chuckles and sighs.

"How about you take it easy and just start off by being her friend for now, okay?"

Kale nods.

"Khristina said she has two older brothers and I'd really like to have a man-to-man conversation about their little sister so that I can know more about her. Could you call them and tell them that I'd like to talk?"

"Well, I do know her second eldest brother is actually supposed to be arriving here any minute." Kazimir replies.

"And her first eldest is supposed to meet me here, too." Pierre adds, looking forward. "Speak of the devil, there they are."

The three look as two cars pull into the parking lot and Kale jumps down from the bench.

"Woaahhh! A Hellcat and a Rolls-Royce! Khristina has the best brothers in the world!"

Kazimir softly smiles.

"You haven't even gotten to meet them yet."

Kale shakes his head.

"I don't have to meet them to know they're cool! I bet we're going to become good friends and they're going to let me take Khristina out for pizza! Look, here they come!"

Kale watches as the two men walk over and smiles up at them.

"Hey, lil' man!" Dréy says, giving Kale a high-five.

Smiling down at the small boy, Alexei waves.

"Hello there."

Kale quickly waves back and watches as the two men take a seat on the bench.

He turns to Kazimir, who smiles and gives the young boy a thumbs up.

"Excuse me, Mr. Khristina's brothers?"

The two brothers look up and turn to each other, before looking down at Kale.

"Wassup, lil' boy? What's yo' name?" Dréy asks, leaning forward and crossing his hands together.

Kale nervously blinks a couple of times and takes a deep breath.

"I'm Kale and I have a question. May I take Khristina out for pizza?!"

The two brothers look at each other.

"Why? You like her?" Dréy asks, looking down at his phone.

"Uh, as a friend! I do think she is really cute, though."

Alexei smiles.

"Let's ask Khristina what she thinks."

Kale nods and runs off to get her, the two returning in less than a minute.

"Khristina, would you like to go out for pizza with me?"

"Yeah!" the small girl replies, grabbing the boy's hands.

She turns to her brothers, who both did not look happy.

"Dréy, Alexei, can we go tonight?"

"How does tomorrow sound? I'm a bit busy tonight." the young law student replies.

"What bro said." Dréy adds, fixing his glasses.

"Okay!" Khristina replies. "Can we go during lunchtime? Like 12:30?"

"Yeah." Dréy says, turning to his brother.

Alexei nods.

"Certainly. Is that fine with you, Mr. Kale?"

"It's fine with me!" The little boy says with a smile.

"KALE!"

The six watch as the rest of Khristina's friends run over.

"Can you teach us your basketball secrets now?" Layla asks, bouncing the orange ball up and down.

"But I wanna play in the sandpit with Khristina!" Kale says, crossing his arms.

Khristina giggles, jumping up and down.

"Kale, I wanna know too!"

Kale sighs and smiles.

"Okay! Come on, I'll show you all!"

The four men watch as the younger children go onto the basketball court, each taking turns shooting the ball.

"Why Khristina seem like she growing up quicker than usual?" Dréy asks, looking at his watch.

"That's just how all kids are. Take it from me, I'm a father." Pierre replies. "Don't worry, she'll still come to you when she really needs help with something."

Alexei sighs.

"I do hope so. I suppose it's just hard for Dréy and I to see her starting to interact with more of her male counterparts."

The law student then turns to Kazimir.

"Mr. Cizetto, may I have a word?"

"Sure." the young detective replies.

The two step off to the side and a small smirk appears on Alexei's face.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to formally request your help in the assassination of the Claiza City's police chief."