Chapter 4 - Trevor

This was Trev's first encounter with a major crime at his workplace. Typically, he dealt with abusive customers or individuals protesting the bank's involvement in certain industries. Expecting at the worst a robbery, he was taken aback when confronted with a double murder. He luckily never had to utilise the skills he had learned back home, but when the time came, he would be ready. A woman and two men had entered the vault, but now the two men lay dead and the emergency exit stood open. It appeared to be a straightforward case. Given the inspector's previous behaviour, her line of questioning, and her keen interest in the vault, it was evident that the woman was wanted by police.

Shortly after Trev entered the private vault, the inspector followed, shouted a name and left in pursuit of the woman via the emergency exit. There were two bodies, one in the hallway with a fatal stab wound to the neck, and the other in the vault, seemingly shot in the head. According to the private security there wasn't anything missing, so this was likely a professional hit, rather than a robbery gone wrong. If the man had a large contingent of private security it was likely someone wanted him dead. Although the vault remained untouched, one of the private security personnel noticed the absence of the dead guard's firearm.

Within minutes, five police cars arrived at the scene, sirens blaring and lights flashing. The officers rushed inside and cordoned off the crime scene, compelling Trev to go back to his post. Luckily for him today was only a half-day, because he would typically have afternoon classes, but it was summer break. This meant he only had a short time left in the shift. Yesterday, he was full of adrenaline, and the pain of being shot seemed manageable, but today he was struggling, which his health bar mimicked. His low health prompted concerned inquiries from his coworkers, but he dismissed their concerns, attributing his condition to a drunken stumble on his way home. He suspected a cracked rib but hoped it would heal without having to see a doctor.

The recent occurrence of the Second Evolution had not driven people into madness this time, but it had certainly amplified their irritability. Trev had witnessed a series of incidents during his shift that demanded his intervention. While most customers directed their anger toward the tellers, two men engaged in a physical altercation, necessitating Trev's involvement to break it up.

Once work was finished, Trev originally had drinking plans for the afternoon, but he had to abandon them due to his discomfort. Instead he went home, which unfortunately consisted of walking. The distance home was not great, but it would take twice as long as usual in his current state. Unfortunately, summer cancellations had also left him without a bus option, and a taxi was unaffordable. On his slow walk home Trev had to pass an abandoned warehouse. Normally it was locked up, but today the door was slightly ajar, which he wouldn't have noticed if it wasn't for the gunshot that resonated from within.

Pausing outside the warehouse, Trev contemplated whether to investigate, call the police, or simply ignore the situation. Usually his instinct was to investigate, but after already getting shot once in the past few days he reconsidered. However, he deemed a quick peek harmless. He crept up to the door and looked inside, but couldn't see anything in the small lobby beyond. However, he could hear a conversation between two women. The conversation was surprisingly civil despite the yelling, but from here he couldn't really make out what they were saying. Against his better judgement, Trev resolved to enter further, aiming to eavesdrop while remaining concealed.

He slowly opened the door and crept into the lobby. Unfortunately the pair had ceased yelling and were now talking normally. Annoyingly, he still couldn't hear, so he crept around the corner and into the warehouse itself, hiding behind a large box and listening.

"So, it seems we have reached a stalemate," said the first woman.

Trev sensed familiarity in her voice, a nagging sense of recognition he couldn't quite place. Could they be a customer from the bank? No! It was the police officer, Inspector Dean.

"Go on, try to out shoot me. I know you want to," provoked the second woman, with a surprising air of calmness within the conflict.

Trev recognized her voice too, but it seemed unbelievable. He needed to hear her speak again to confirm his suspicions.

"Give up Fredricka. What is your gameplan from here? Kill me and escape? Then you will be hunted for being a cop killer," the inspector pressed.

"I don't enjoy killing cops, you've got me there. But it is better than the alternative, and unfortunately it wouldn't be the first time I've killed a cop to avoid prison," the woman named Fredricka replied nonchalantly.

With certainty, Trev recognized the unmistakably calm, composed and soft voice. It was Elena. However, the inspector had addressed her as Fredricka. Fredricka must be an alias, as underworld figures often employ numerous false identities. Or alternatively, maybe she had given him an alias? There was no way for him to know. But there was one thing he did know for certain, Elena was an assassin. It was the only explanation for the unfolding events. Anxious to grasp the situation fully, Trev yearned for a glimpse to confirm his suspicions before his thoughts spiralled further. He turned around and attempted to peak his head around the dark corner. But instead of doing it stealthily like he had envisioned in his head, he had forgotten one key piece of information. The health bar above his head revealed his position. So, as he went to peek around the box the conversation abruptly stopped, and the inspector yelled at him to come out. He had fucked up.