The Smell of a New Car

August 4.

A car alarm blares early in the morning, awakening those who are unlucky to be near it. An officer(Barry Harold) of the nearby apartment complex awoke to the disturbing alarm, his irritation shows clear with his reaction. He walks around the complex to the alleyway parking lot where the sound originates.

The car is draped over with it's car cover. The lone officer approaches the disturb car and finds out the cause of the disturbance. Shards of glass, from a beer bottle, is at the hood.

"Fucking, drunk bastard"

He then walked up to the front of the car, he lifts the cover and sees the licence plate. The irritated officer knew who owns the car and heads up to their apartment room. He marches pass 2 people, possibly tenants of the complex, sitting by the benches. The officer ignored it and continued his march up to the tenant's room.

"Here we are" He arrived at Room 403, to the right of glass elevator from where the elevator door opens. He can still hear the sound of the blaring noise, only faded. He knocks at the door and asked if there is anyone there, but to no reply. He continued to ask and mention his car, to the extent that he starts hammering down on the door.

"OPEN UP!"He yelled as he hammers down, the tenant on the room adjacent to the left - 402 - gets out. "No one's home" She said, her arms cross and annoyed. Instead of getting a clear reply she was ignored and the officer continued to hammer down.

"NO ONE IS HOME OFFICER! If someone is home they would have already responded to your noise"

The officer stopped and walked up to her, trying to be intimidating to her. His pride and authority must have been hurt by her response. Still, she is unbothered of his showing.

"Do you, by any chance know where the tenant here is?" He slowly asked, with the same showing of intimidation.

"He seems to have been gone for 2 days, no idea where he went"

She replied, quicker than how he asked. His eyes darted to what is behind the tenant, camera's on her bed, tripods set up, a small telescope faced to the sky, and several other things needed by a film-maker. She zips up her hoody, misinterpreting the officer as a pervert as his eyes dash across and behind her.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, thank you for nothing"

"Huh" The officer continued to knock on the door and the tenant on the room parallel to 403 -405-, gets out. Awoken by the noises this time of the officer.

"Can you be quiet officer, just let it pass" the tenant said, a soft but stern male voice. The officer turned around, also trying to intimidate him but it seems to have the reversed effect. The man stands at 6'3, taller than the officer who stands at 5'7.

"hmp, damn… well, good evening to the both of you, sorry for the ruckus"

The officer elevated down, his pride in shatters and his authority weakened. He stands in the elevator tapping his shoes, irritated. He tries to sit through the noise but, he gives up and attempts to switch the alarm off himself.

"Fucking.. loud pie-" He keeps muttering to himself. He pulls cover, but ended up making himself more angrier, the strap of the car was still locked. He unlocks it and starts to pull it off from the hood, a distinct stench enters his nose.

"What… what the fuck… SHIT!"

The smell drove him mad and he starts to vomit. He feels squeamish as he continued to pull off the car cover. To his absolute horror, he sees something that will haunt him. He calls the police and he mumbled on his words, he cannot speak, too terrified to speak.

"Hello, sir calm down, please" Worried words of the dispatcher through the phone, the man is inaudible.

"PLEASE I DISCOVERED A DEAD BODY! A murd- sucid- dead dead dead person"

He waited at the scene of the crime as the police cruisers stopped. A police line is put around the scene. The officers statement was taken by one of the investigation officers.

"Just tell us what happened, what did you do, and what was the time?"

"I was… awa- awaken by the alarm" He starts to speak frantically, stuttering, and choking on his words.

"If you need sir, you can take a breather"

"no no no, I can speak, ask away"

"Okay, same question sir"

"I was sleeping, nodding off in my sleep, and then a loud noise came from the car. I checked whose car it is, by looking at the car plate" He recounted everything he has done, accompanied with the time when he did those things.

"I woke up, it was… 12:12, then it was about 12:22 I was at the 4th floor"

"What did you do?"

"I… confronted the tenant who owns the car, but he was not home… turns out… that's him"

"You know his name?"

"Corey… Wright… Corey, that's his name"

"Okay, you went up and 2 other tenant's came out and talked to you?"

"yeah…." He replied as he zoned out whilst staring at the sky. The man seems to have not recovered from the shock. The interviewing officer called one of the medics to take him out of the scene, but he insisted on staying instead.

The primary detective(Eustace Smith) arrives at the scene, with his partner (Ray Gregorio) and a eccentric kid(Arthurt Bailey) who seems to be excited. The detective went up and examined the body.

"You poor, poor bastard look at ya"

"Chocked to death right Eustace?"

"Indeed" Eustace stepped backward and let the forensic photographer do his job. Taking precise photos that shows excellency and skill. Eustace would look at it with every snap that the photographer takes, it is a normal occurrence when he is the primary detective.

"Yep.. look, bruising and scratches"

The victim's neck has clear indications of a struggle, something was used to choke him, something definitely smaller and thinner than a rope. It was a tough material as his neck is covered in scratches, but they cannot make out what the weapons was.

Eustace turned on the flash light of his phone and looked on the chair itself.

"It's soaked in blood, move the body"

"Yes sir"

The 3 stepped away from the victim and his scar and started to throw ideas.

"The car cover is clearly a cover up" Literally speaking as Eustace said.

"the man was murdered by someone at the back, meaning the person could have been close to the victim"

"Most likely" Gregorio said, doubling down on the possible identity of the suspect. As they think of the possible suspects, a man tries to enter the crime scene but was stopped. One of the officers asked who the man is and approached Eustace.

"He is the, boyfriend of the victim, sir"

"Crocodile tears" Arthur whispered to himself, the 2 heard it but he kept quiet.

"Alright, question him"

"Yes sir"

"Okay, we'll head to his room"

"Sir, if you do not mind, I can lead you to it" The shocked officer, insisted on bringing the detectives to the apartment of the victim, which they thanked him for. The 3 rides the elevator to the tenant's room. From where they stand, they can see everything in front of them, including Arthur who waves them as they ascend.

"What is he doing?"

"Nothing, he'll just run around, do not worry"

Arthur grabs his phone and turned the lights on it, he sees 2 tenants who seems to be unbothered by what is happening. An officer stands beside him.

"Hey!"

"Oh… Ricky, uhm.. have you interviewed them?"

"Yes actually, I was about to give this to Eustace, but well they are up there"

"Oh I'll give it to him"

"Are you sure?"

"yeah do not worry, but first can I check the body out"

"Why?"

"So that I can get Eustace up to speed"

Ricky seems doubtful but he was easily persuaded. He stepped out of Arthur's way and he quickly moved towards the body, he puts on a glove and checks the glove box of the car first.

"Nothing… nothing, ooh something" He picks up a box of cigarette, as he slips something into his chest pocket. He shows his find to Ricky who asked for a evidence bag to put the box in. He seemed excited just as Arthur was.

"This might be useful right?" Arthur quickly took photo of the product and handed it to the officer, then he continued to rummage through the things but the only relevant thing he found was the cigarette.

"Welp that's all"

"You might see something in the apartment"

"Yeah, oh the paper"

"here you go"

"Thank you" Arthur looks down on the body and notices the stab wound, but instead he quickly rushed towards the glass elevator, just before he notices the boyfriend acting suspicious. He seems to be restless as he walks around and confused.

"Weirdo" Said the weirdo. He pulls the paper that he slipped in on his pocket, a plane ticket with the flight date from 2 days ago, he takes a clear photo just as he arrives at the 4th floor.

"Arthur" Eustace greeted him.

"Found anything?"

"A box of cigarette" He comes out of the elevator and shows Eustace his found. He then asked about what they found, but nothing.

"Can I check the apartment out?"

"Sure, go knock yourself out"

"if you want too, there are 3 suspects that you might to interview, Ricky will tell you who"

"Sure" Eustace and Ray rode the elevator down and also checks on the photo that was taken.

"Heavy smoker, an a heavy drinker"

"He looks bloated"

"Maybe he's just fat"

They get off the elevator where Ricky meets them, before he can say anything Eustace made a turn towards the boyfriend. Ricky looks confused and looks for Arthur who hid down as their gazes made contact.

"Mr… Hugh"

"Detective"

"So I understand you have been interviewed, and are you sure you have told them everything?"

Eustace kept a straight face, intimidating the man. The suspect killed the victim from the back, someone who is comfortable with, but it cannot be him. Eustace tried to speak but he was cut off by the man suddenly turning emotional. He was tearing up, and it was clear he needed space.

"Sorry, I should give you some space, just speak t-"

"NO! THE PERSON I LOVE IS DEAD, FIND OUT WHO KILLED HIM!"

Hugh scolded them. He felt a sudden shame wash around him, but it did not stop him from passing down a letter to him. A suicide letter. The contents were expression of the man's regret of being corrupted, abusive, and cruel. Eustace turned around and his face turned angry, "Crocodile tears" He angrily said, implying of how wrong Arthur was.

And Arthur did not realize as he move through the apartment looking for something. He uses his whole body and strength even to get under the bed.

"Phone!" He screamed, he tried to get up but bump his head, he tries to turn it on but it was drained of power. He presses the power button many times but nothing, he asked one of the officers for a evidence bag.

"Huh… you are definitely his" He stands slowly stands up and noticed a mug on the island of the room. The design faced towards him, he looks closer to the cup and smelled it, but there seems to be nothing out of the ordinary.

He was about to walk outside until he steps on a beer bottle. He walks out and noticed an ashtray on the bedside table, he took photos of the oddly burnt cigarettes and the not so empty beer bottles.

"There is so many bottles here, shit!"

He steps out of the room, annoyed. He seems to walk in a limp and looked at the bottom of his rubber shoes; glass shards. He takes the shard off carefully as to not ruin his shoes. He takes a deep breath and sees Eustace speaking to the other 2 people at the scene. He knocks on the room 402, but he gets no response.

"I already told the police what I know! LEAVE!" Arthur steps turns around and was about to leave, he hears the door open and he turns around to see the room. But the door was slammed. Officer Barry taps Arthur's soldier and told him of the girl.

"Hmm… thank you, and you are?"

"Barry Harold"

"Nice to meet you" They shook hands and Arthur left to go join Eustace.

"You were his client?" He asked them the same question to the 2 tenants on the scene, Larra Kops and Perry Oaks, one after the other. The timing of their arrival near the scene of the crime matches what Barry said, and a bit of suspicion was laid off; but they are still suspects.

"Yes, I hired him because someone was threatening my convenience store" Larra Kops replied to the question.

"Yes, my wife was filing me a lawsuit" Perry Oaks replied to the same question.

"So, he was asking for more money?" Eustace asked.

"Yeah, $50,000, originally we agreed for $35,000 but he made me do a favor" Kops replied. Eustace asked but she seems to not want to talk about it, so he refrained from questions regarding that 'favor'.

"Yes, $85,000, my wife paid a compensation of $150,000"

"More than half of the compensation?"

"Yes apparently extra fees for something"

"Did he mention what these fees are?"

"No"

"He asked for more?" Eustace asked to both of the former clients, the 2 replied "Yes". Eustace seems to be leaning on them, fact that one of them have the motive, and can very well be the murderer. But the small voice in his head tells that the boyfriend could very well be as well. The 3 of them are the main suspects.

"Anything?" Gregorio asked.

"No, the boyfriend was most likely not here when the murder happened, he was on vacation and was with the victim, but I cannot find a ticket"

"Could very well be National?"

"No, they were in Morocco"

"Well Eustace, I'll leave you to it, I'll give you a heads up if anything comes up"

"Thank you:

Gregorio gave Eustace some space to think. And as he thinks deeper into everything, the suspect, and the crime scene he sees someone circling around a blue car.Unbothered at first, but due to the glare of lights towards him it made him lose his mind..

"CAN YOU TURN THAT BLOODY LIGHT OFF!" An infuriated Eustace screams to the person who is moving around the light. They switch it off and it was Arhur, who apologizes but he continued anyway. Eustace marched towards Arthur, but he was beaten to it by Perry Oaks, who seems to be in terror upon Arthur's examination.

"Hi, do you have a problem with my car?"

"Yes" He said, but he stopped speaking, he notices something in the car and he shines on it, for a split second he saw what he was looking for. He also looks down on his hand, both his middle fingers has small bandages wrapper around. He goes in for a shake but Oaks denied it.

"Yeah, I was interested in buying a car like this" He smiled and left the car alone.

"If anyone is looking for me, which I assume is no one, you can find me at the convenience store!"

He steps back, Oaks started to walk back to his chair and Arthur notices an odd detail about his shoes. He sees white things in the soles of his shoes, and he seems to walk with a limp.

Arthur turns around with a big smile across his face and hops towards the convenience store. "How convenient" He said, and he laughed at his own pun, which satisfied his shallow sense of humor. He entered the store and was greeted by the clerk. He immediately checked around the store, looking for something to buy.

He checks the shelves.

"Cable tie, cable tie…. nothing nothing…"

Moving around the whole store, from the front to the back, tapping on anything even the xerox machine; which made annoying sounds. He stops in front of the clerk as he looks at a cigarette, a familiar one that is. He opened his phone and looked on a photo. With everything he is doing it eventually annoyed the clerk.

"Do you want to check the CCTV footage?"

"hmmm" He gave her a look that was as if she was talking to someone else. He gazed at the camera, which the clerk picked up since what he was doing.

"You seem to eye it the whole time, weirdo"

"Right… how much to watch the footage?"

Arthur bribed him as the store clerk remained on the front of the stare, reading comics, and eating. Arthur looks through the footage from the past 1 week., so far nothing. He looks on his video and photographs he took, he scrolled pass them as he plays with a box cutter.

His eyes darted back to the monitor as something caught his eye. He replayed it and examined it once more, for a split moment before the cut there was a glare. He keeps replaying it to see the source and it was car, but he cannot make it out.

"uhm… shhh hmm…" He starts to get irritated as with the repetition. Being distracted on the outside, he looks over to the view of the shelves. The cigarette boxes, despite being black and white it was noticeable.

He kept repeating the same part of the footage and he never loss sight of the boxes. He keeps repeating it and he giggles every time. His eyes then reverted back to the glare of the car's front lights and he kept repeating it, he looks further down the street and notices the back lights.

"U-turn… cool cool"

He rushed out of the break room and bumps into Eustace, who is clearly irritated of Arthur who has been gone for almost 20 minutes. He looks through his phone that has recorded that specific cut.

"Got anything?"

"A… lead of sorts, follow me!" Arthur left in a hurry and Eustace followed him. They ran around the block and the boy seems to be looking upwards on the left. Eustace notices it but he just let the kid do what he is doing, and followed him.

He knows that the boy has something, and he might explain it to him. Arthur suddenly picks up the pace and stops at a street corner.

"Eustace?" He asked as he pant heavily, the boy is not athletic and he regret what he did.

"yeah?"

"Time of death?"

"18 hours, what time was the murder?"

"Murder took place about 12:14 approximate"

"Ohhh, that's good"

"What?"

"Nothing, because our murderer was here about 11:00 to 11:07 in that convenience store"

"Really?"

"The footage had a weird cut, I could show it to you, the murderer had access to the footage, and deleted the portion, they knew what they were doing"

He handed him his phone and Eustace plays it, he quickly noticed the lights on the street, and that was pretty much it.

"So, you guess they made a U-turn?"

"Yep… and the person who saw that is right around here"

"Are you sure?"

"let us ask!" Arthur and Eustace split and knocked on the doors of the people who works or lives there. Even the small house just behind the apartment, but they seem to know nothing. Most them were asleep during that time, except for a certain shop.

"Auto-repair?"

"Yeah"

"The murder happened yesterday, Sunday, the people who owns this are Christians"

"Thanks, I needed that"

The return back to the alleyway parking lot, which sits right in front of the store. Arthur is noticeably disappointed as he looks at his photos, until he looked up to the sky.

"Waning gibbous" He told Eustace as he pointed up to the sky. The old man looked at his finger which darted to the room on the 4th floor, 402. Eustace seemed confused to the motion, he shook his head and moved forward.

"Come on kid! It's no use, the murderer got away, we'll start a sweep through the area to find them"

"tch"

"Do not worry kid, you'll get your break"

Arthur can only follow Eustace, whose trust and support he has now loss. He slowly walks behind and notices a piece of glass shard on the ground, he grabs the sharp object and made a poking motion.

"Something is missing Eustace, and I think it's pretty clear"

"The murder weapon"

Eustace can hear a clicking noise coming from the boy, retracting back and forth. He turns around to see him playing with a box cutter, he mouthed off "murder weapon". And showed it to Eustace. He then grabs one of the garbage bag on top, and it seems to move around. He cuts it open and liters of beer pour through.

"I figured it out, the murderers too and how he was killed, why the cover… and who broke the glass"

"what the fuck is this?"

"Waste"

He gave Eustace the glass shard which gave him a small cut, but not too painful. He asks Ricky to bring the 3 possible suspects together, and they all came along quietly. Confused, angry, calm, sad, those emotions were clear and through. Arthur looks to their faces 1 by 1, and he engaged in a stare-off with Oaks, who has interest in the stunt he is about to pull.

"And, if you do not mind, where is officer Barry?"

"Over there, by the ambulance"

"Okay"

Arthur quietly steps forwards to where everyone can him, he was obviously noticed, but he chocked. He coughed and gave a strong declaration to everyone.

"Mr. Oaks, killed Corey!" He nervously said, his unconvincing declaration did catch everyone's attention, and waited for him to speak. But he did not.

"Okay, how did I kill him?"

"You just did"

"I just did?"

"Most likely he was choked from the back, meaning it was someone he was close to"

"Could that not be his boyfriend?" Oaks gave his argument, but Arthur proves to be ready with a rebuttal.

"Yeah, he might have, but he did not know this place, he might not even be gay"

Everyone fell into disarray at his confident statement, and Hugh seems to not deny it. He eventually nodded in agreement.

"I am not gay"

"But you guys did meet, over 2 days ago right, Morocco?"

"Yes" He looks confused, Eustace then asked the boy how he knew this and he replied by showing a ticket, he slid his fingers and it shows another piece of paper. A hotel receipt about 2 days ago, the same day the crime happened.

"Why did you not tell this?"

"So that the murderer cannot run away"

"Ah so it's not me?"

"Murderers, I mean"

"ers?"

"Yes, you had an accomplice, and oddly enough, it was the owner of the convenience store" Arthur approached her with his eyebrow lifted, a confident accusation that he would further explain.

"I recorded this, and if you guys want you can pass it around"

He gave it to one of the officers and started a long relay of passing his cellphone and watching the contents, even down to Barry. They all pointed out the sudden disappearance of glare, and the change in time.

"Look at the shelf in front, and replay it, look closely at the magic"

"The cigarette box?" Ricky replied and Arthur nodded. "Swipe to the right" He commanded Ricky, and it shows the ash tray, and he swiped once more and it was 1 hand holding 5 sticks of cigarettes oddly burnt.

"Look at them, he was a smoker, but something weird happened to the cigarette, some of them are burned from the butt, in the middle, they were just burnt, the beers too, well me Mr. Smith found the beers, and emptied it on the parking that is why my shoes are wet"

He then grabbed his phone and Oaks has something to say.

"This is all baseless accusations, just… speculation you have no proof that it was us, we may sound like we have a motive, but we did not kill him, we did not strangle him"

"Who said he was strangled?" Arthur smiled and continued.

"The man was also left handed, and mostly likely smoke with his, well, left hand, and proven by Our friend Mr. Ricky, that there is a scorch mark on the passenger sit of a Mr. Oak"

He turns around and sees the door open and one of the Ricky checking in, he gave a thumbs up of a scorch mark. He showed the photograph and Arthur showed the same photo that he took to Eustace.

"All right, what is your big evidence Arthur, incriminating evidence "

"Wait" Kops spoke stopping Arthur from speaking.

"What?"

"He called us"

"hmm, which was probably planted as well, like everything in his room"

His confidence was clear and everyone waited for the next words to be said by whoever. The silence was killing them.

"He called us…. he was asking to return or double.. money, it was money"

"Do you have any proof of this?" Hugh slowly approaches Arthur who is expecting them to answer, and he gave him a note. Hugh did not say anything else and went back down to sit. Arthur opens it up and he went quiet, he was loud and arrogant but he was humbled and quiet.

"Why is this printed?"

"Oh wow"

"Its pretty obvious, I saw a machine on the convenience store"

He crumbled the paper in a ball and threw it away, one of the officers picked it up as evidence. Arthur looks like he has finally given up, he was on the edge, nothing more to think and nothing to connect to them.

"Yeah, baseless, you have nothing"

"How long did alarm went off?" Arthur asked, no one seems to know. "What time did you hear it he continued?", but no one replied. It was quiet, they were waiting for something to happen.

"6:10" Barry replied, "6:19", when he went up to confront the tenant's. "6:27" When he investigated the car.

"There was no alarm, alarm's supposed to go off for 20 minutes until it is turned off automatically, unless it was manually switched off"

"2 things were missing, the car keys and the weapon, the weapon is most likely a box cutter, looking at than thin and incision, and the car keys suddenly stopped"

He calmly said. The look on Arthur's eyes are completely different, he was serious; angry almost. He directly stared into Perry's eyes and he continued to speak.

"The hotel receipt, Ms. Kops, did you and the victim, by any chance engaged in sexual intercourse?"

She has no reply but trembling.

"Did you offer sexual favors…. your body, in exchange for money?" They are all in shock for how those words easily passed his lips. Everyone kept quiet, even Eustace, he did not do anything but let Arthur do as he needs to.

"The car, Luna will tell us"

"Luna?" Confusion arose, they once more have no idea what the kid is saying, but he stares up in the air. And whispered "waning gibbous" once more, he looks at the elevator with an occupant descending down to their level.

Barry recognized her as the tenant of apartment 402. She carries with her a camera and shows gave it to Eustace. He looks at the camera and plays a video, it was the street they were in earlier. No wonder the boy kept looking to his left.

"You were looking for the camera?" Eustace asked.

"6:00 AM, August 2, he arrives at this apartment, where most likely he does some weird shit"

"go on"

"7:15, PM, August 3, that is where he most likely went, to the hotel, where Ms. Kops did what she did"

The woman can only listen as the boy put her in shame.

"8:50, he went back home, but he met someone Mr. Oaks, he lit a cigarette and to provoke you he burned your car seat, and he left the butt in there, but you forgot, so that you guys can resume, then you contacted him"

Ricky walked up to Eustace and gave him an evidence bag, it was a creased cigarette butt.

"Is this a guess?" Oaks said, he had clear indications of aggression, and Arthur catches him where he wants him to be. So he continued, this time with a smile.

"10:45, you guys called him, he did not call you, there he waited in his car"

".…."

"11:00, cable ties, you guys already met up on the hotel, you guys bought cable wires and brought a box cutter, 12:07, He was shocked to see Ms. Kops, arrive at the alley, and he entered the passenger sit for more room"

"How did he enter?" Eustace asked, Arthur opened his arm as if he was reaching for something, the old man immediately understood the motion. He signaled Arthur to continue his deduction.

"While he was being distracted you ma'am stabbed in on the side, then Mr. Oaks you chocked him from the back, you wrapped the cable tie around your fingers and he was stronger than you expected, the adrenaline made him stronger but difficulty in breathing beat him"

Eustace walks up to Oaks, and asked him to unwrap his finger from the bandages. Eustace had to force the man to do it with intimidation.

"Then you guys emptied out bottles of beer, burned cigarettes, printed a fake suicide note, and left it his room, you used the fire exits, to go in and out"

"You were looking for the door as well?"

"Yep, and if you are looking for the weapon, or at least the blade, look down on his shoe"

"May I?" Eustace asked, but Oaks was quick to act. He grabbed his shoe and teared the sole off, there was the blade, still covered in bits of blood. The car keys are also hidden in the same sole. Arthur puts on a glove and presses the buttons on the car key, unlocking the car.

"Yesterday was a Sunday, the auto-repair shop was closed because the owner was on a mass"

"The glass breaking? What about?"

"It was some random drunken bastard… it was a new car as well, the Putrid Smell of a New Car"

Oaks slowly sits down on the ground, and Larra suddenly attacks him with blade. The officers rushed in and pulled the 2 away from each other, "You said you'd fix this!" she screamed. Her loud thin and high shrieks disturbed everyone, and she stops. Crying and given up.

Arthur pats himself clean and walked back to Eustace's car, he was followed by him. He does not know how to start a conversation with a kid, but he just blurted out a word at the end.

"How'd you do it?"

"They stayed, it was obvious from the start, but at the same time, they killed a criminal"

"Yeah, Corey Wright, he is involved with some shady guys"

"Drug lords, and kingpins, and they do now even know that"

Arthur turns around and sees the body being carried, he asked one of the officers if he can check out the body, and he was allowed because of Eustace's authority. He searched around the body for something, and he notices a strange tattoo.

"Skull, wrapped around a brain"

"It's them"

"Belua?"

"Yes"

"So begins, a look into the drug lords"

"Yep"

The 2 entered the car, relieved. Eustace grab a stick of cigarette and lights it, he puffed the smoke through the window as they drive. Arthur pulls down the window so that the stink can go out, he grabs the cigarette and throws it out.

"And that is how, our journey began, to bring justice, which would eventually be Eustace's nick name because it rhymes"

"Did it feel good, Arthur"

"Yeah, at first, but… it was fun, ups and downs, rights and lefts, at the end, I know, I am still me… the enemy"