Prologue 2: Unexpected end

Joseph opened his eyes as a dim light entered his vision, he slowly adapted, and stood up to looking around.

As expected, he was in prison, the good news was that there wasn't anybody inside his cell, so Joseph supposed he doesn't have a cellmate.

As he explored the room, he found some food next to the metal door, he started to eat slowly as he thought about what recently happened to him.

He thought about the company that he worked so hard to build, he thought about the clients that he came to know, about the people that he left in the dust, at last, he even thought about Arthur, about how they plunged into what they thought of as heroic battles, while for their seniors it was just children playing, and how Arthur betrayed him so coldly.

He finished eating as he slowly laid on the bed that he found in the corner of the room, he slowly closed his eyes as he drifted asleep, trying to not think too much about those events.

This was how his time in prison started, he was slightly apprehensive at first, and came to forget things later, but he never forgot the face of the person he hated the most, his sworn brother, his trusted aide, and now... his enemy.

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8 Years have passed since then, and now the prison's doors opened as an inmate exited the building while being escorted by 2 guards, as he came outside the guards took off his handcuffs and went back inside to continue their duties.

The inmate felt the cold wind stung his face as he saw fallen leaves everywhere, he finally felt free after all that years, yet strangely he couldn't shake away a certain feeling of constriction that sprouted in his heart.

"I have been finally left out of that place, I should go back home and take a hot relaxing bath"

He sighed and then started walking down the road to the bus station that he could see in the distance, eventually, the vehicle arrived, and Joseph entered, he found himself a seat as the bus started moving, he looked outside at the quickly appearing and disappearing trees and scenery and could not help but say in a low almost murmuring voice:

"Autumn, This certainly brings back some unpleasant memories, it seems I should give my old friend a visit before everything, lest I collapse from holding it in."

As he said these words, he trembled for a second as his eyes gleamed with renewed vigor, while a sinister smile formed on his face.

After a long trip, he exited the bus and started walking towards what probably was the only place he could still call 'his' house. He looked around the streets only to see that barely anything he remembered was still present.

He just reached his destination as he gazed with nostalgia at the old run-down building, he lived here before he became a succesful businessman, even before the army, his parents always used to say that the while the home still stands, the soul shall bask in happiness.

He stood there for one more second, as he walked into the house, he went up the stairs and stopped in front of a door, as he was prepared to break the door to get inside, he saw the house owner, It had to be known that Joseph only possessed one of the apartments in this flat, the rest either belonged to someone else or were rented.

He walked to the now more wrinkled landlord and said:

"Good afternoon miss Johnson, I'm the owner of 204, Remember, I paid the rent for a dozen of years ahead after winning the lottery? You see, I haven't been home for a few years, and now that I'm back, I realized I don't have the keys with me, I hoped you would lend me your spare keys for my apartment."

"Ah, Joseph, right? I remember you, of course, how could i forget such a generous and wise man like yourself, gosh, how much have you changed, Ah right, Please wait a minute, I'll go get the key.."

As she said that, she turned around, and entered the door which indicated apartment No.207. Obviously nothing Joseph said just now was true, he never won the lottery, just amassed a decent fortune.

She didn't keep Joseph waiting, as she indeed came out soon while holding a blackened bronze key.

"Here, take it, make sure not to lose it, it will be a pain in the ass to make a new one, and take care of the apartment it should be all dusty and broken down by now."

Joseph said his thanks as he took the key and opened the door to his apartment.

What hit him was not an overly disastrous situation, or so thought Joseph, the rooms were quite dusty, but everything else seemed fine.

He spent some time getting rid of the thick dusts on the important furniture such as bed, and well... bed? Then lied down, as he tried to get some shut-eye, his gaze stopped on the picture frame on the wall, a collective picture of his family, as well as another person, one that although different, fit right into that friendly atmosphere. Arthur, As he once again remembered his smirking face when He was in the questioning room, Joseph couldn't help but stand up, walk to the wall, and punch it with all his strength, quite a few neighbors were startled by the sudden noise, but they quickly ignored it and continued doing their own things.

Joseph looked at the wall that now had a slight deformation, and suddenly started laughing, at that moment, he made his mind, until now he knew that he had to get revenge, but how? Now, however, as he took in the minuscule damage from hitting the wall, he decided, there was only one thing he needed to do, only one thing that had to happen.

Arthur. Had. To. Die.

.

Then he turned, reached the bathroom, washed his face, and headed straight for the closet, he took out a case and grabbed a bunch of dollars thrown about, he knew that when he was arrested, everything in his possession was forcefully taken by the state and part of it probably went to that bastard.

It was a good thing this house officially belongs to one of his former acquaintances, he was a programmer, and he left the house for Joseph while he himself was hit by a truck the next week, on paper, Joseph made sure to make everything clean, and registered the new owner with a fake identity.

He frequently came around to commemorate his friend and clean the furniture, now however he was in no mood to pray, nor tend to the already old fashioned items around the room.

Joseph changed into some tight black pants and with a green T-shirt and a black leather jacket. He then left the house and left for the nearest internet cafe, he booked a computer for an hour as he entered in the search the name of his former company.

As expected, it was slowly falling apart, there was barely anything left of what has once been one of the top businesses of Washington, as he confirmed his thoughts, he searched further until he found more information about his own company, and when he decided that it was about time for him to act, he took a taxi straight to the national park, he remembered clearly that Arthur often came here to take a walk, or have a date with one of his 'girlfriends'.

Joseph wasn't sure that Arthur would still keep that tradition, but Lady luck seemed to be on his side, as only as he entered the park he saw him, sitting on a distant bench, wearing a comfortable white tuxedo and smoking a cigar.

Joseph immediately felt his blood boil as he saw his biggest enemy, but he controlled his emotions by biting his lips and looking away slightly, all as an effort to not make a mess of that bastard, right here, on the street

He walked to a couple tens of meters behind the bench Arthur was sitting on, and waited for him to leave so he can follow him and they could have some time alone.

His wait wasn't long as only 10 minutes later, Arthur received a call and left in a hurry with a worried face, Joseph could probably guess what Arthur seemed so bothered about, he must have just been informed that he already left the jail.

It's too sad, it was already too late for Arthur to run away as Joseph followed him from a safe distance while trying to understand where they were heading, surprisingly Arthur entered his mansion, Joseph house, before being sent to prison that is, it seemed Arthur really had it good with all the things he took from him, this only convinced him more than the man he once knew was no more, and this one did not deserve to be forgiven.

Joseph entered the mansion through the back door, as the former owner he obviously knew how to enter the house undetected, however, something happened that was out of his expectations, Arthur was standing just in front of him searching around the kitchen for something, as he heard the foreign steps, Arthur turned to the sound, only to see that familiar, yet distant face of Joseph.

"NO, You shouldn't be here yet!"

As he said that, Arthur took a knife from the open drawer and threw it professionally at his target, but he forgot one thing, Joseph is a former military officer, one higher than him in rank that is, even if he went to prison, that only served to make him stronger.

As Joseph saw the incoming threat he gently ducked his head to the side allowing the knife to cut through the air right next to his neck, and just as the sound of the knife meets solid wall rang out, Joseph moved with a practiced hand and took the now stuck knife and flung it back to the sender in a small but effective hand sweep.

The knife that pierced the air in an effort to reach his heart suddenly stopped its motion as Arthur knocked it aside with the cutting board. Joseph did not let his opponent get a chance to relax, however, Joseph rushed in and slashed with the broken wine bottle that appeared in his hand in some magical way while Arthur wasn't looking, Arthur dodged some attacks and finally managed to knock aside The attacker's hand, which flung the glass pieces onto the wall, Joseph did mot let go, however, and grabbed his foe's hand and twisted it slightly to the left while kicking Arthur strongly in the stomach.

Arthur was stunned as he slid on the floor for a meter or so before falling on the ground while holding his abdomen with his hands. He looked at Joseph fearfully as he knew his end was nearing. Joseph couldn't care less for his emotions as he approached the now trembling man.

He reached for the cleaver on the table stand and slowly closed the distance between himself and now the fearful man.

As they were only one meter apart, Arthur could see Joseph in the eye, but he instantly regretted his actions, as what he saw made him fear the man in front of him even more, he saw no emotions that he expected to be seen in his old colleague, no anger, no excitement, his face was blank as if he wasn't just about to kill a person but make himself a sandwich.

Arthur already gave up all his hopes and lowered his head, he was ready to take the punishment for what he has done, when with just the corner of his eye he saw something roused his fighting instinct as he jumped up unexpectedly and pushed the attacked away.

He kicked Joseph hard as he retreated to the door.

Joseph naturally chased after Arthur when he regained his footing. He quickly caught up to Arthur, however, he was fast enough to press a button on the wall.

Joseph naturally knew what that button was, it was a security button, he installed it himself when he still lived here so he could quietly call the police in case of robbery, however, fate played him a joke, as that very same button was now used against him.

It had to be known that the police department was only 2 blocks away, they would arrive at Joseph's house in less than 4 minutes.

Joseph quickly gave up on torturing Arthur as he knew he needs to hurry. He pushed Arthur to the wall as he took the knife in a reverse grip and put it to his throat.

Arthur was quick to react as he blocked the incoming knife with his free hand and lost a finger in the process, the pain was indescribable, but He still pushed through and kicked Joseph in the balls while pushing him away.

Then he retreats to the corner of the room trying to buy enough time his guard to arrive. After moving in 8 years ago, Arthur had made sure to change every electrical device in the house with a new one, including the button which he then set up to connect to the nearest mercenary corps.

However at that moment, the loud sound of a broken door was heard as numerous armed soldiers entered the house, their steps could be clearly heard in the seemingly quiet environment.

Joseph immediately dashed to the door he entered from. He left the house in a hurry, he never would have expected the police to react so quickly, only about 30 seconds have passed. How could they already be here?

As he was thinking about it all, he finally reached the street after a couple of quick maneuvers, but what was waiting for him made Joseph have cold sweat, a dozen or so armed men were pointing their guns at him.

He desperately tried to turn back and find another exit, but how could they let him go? Just as they saw Joseph they opened fire, in only seconds, Joseph was already on the ground, his corpse disfigured.

He couldn't accept such an outcome, he has waited for this day for a whole 8 years, and now it had all gone away, the fact that he was cornered so quickly angered him to the core, now that he thought about it, he couldn't believe that it was the police that came here so fast.

Joseph simply couldn't understand how this happened, as he was thinking about all of this, a familiar face was looking at him while holding a gun in his right hand, he slowly said:

"You reap what you sow Joseph, you shouldn't have come back"

As his words reached Joseph's ears, another shot was heard and Joseph's brain splashed everywhere on the ground.

Joseph felt his vision of the world alter between black and white as it slowly stopped on black, he remembered for a moment the whole entirety of his life.