Chapter 3: Crime Moves

12 hours earlier

Jackie opened his eyes, and regained consciousness. It happened so fast. After getting kicked in the face, he attacked his assailant only to be handed his ass on a silver platter. HE tried to catch his breath. His right eye was swollen shut. He could feel his ribs broken in several places and it hurt just to inhale. Blood dripped from his mouth and his lips were more than busted. Who is this man? He thought to himself. He looked around, each of his men, beaten to a pulp and more. The man that interrupted his game snagged Jackie by the collar and struck him three more times. A right hook to the face and two right uppercuts to the liver. He spat out blood. He tried to hit back but his arms were bent in the completely wrong direction. "Who...who are you," he coughed. The man brought him in closer, his face was too hard to make out. "Me? No one of importance." He slammed Jackie to the ground and stepped on his face. "I hear you're quite the bigshot. At least to a certain extent, so I'll use you."

"Use me for what?"

"An example."

"Example?"

He grabbed Jackie by his hair and dragged to the wall. He placed his heel on Jackie's ribs. "I need you to send a message for me." He dug his heel into Jackie, "Don't worry, I won't kill you. Not in front of her. But like I said, a message. A clear one. They'll understand when they see you."

"They?" Jackie coughed up more blood.

"People like you, the people of the criminal society"

"What are you trying to say?"

"Nothing really, but they'll know."

"Know what?"

"That I'm back and coming. Nothing will save them from me."

"You fool, the entire criminal underworld is here, one man can't stop them."

"I did it before, I'll do it again, and this time I'll make sure they don't come back."

"You did it before? Impossi-" Jackie interrupted himself and smiled.

The man released his heel from Jackie and went to pick up the unconscious Jessica. "The press and police should be here in the morning, that'll be enough exposure for me." Right before running off with Jessica, he made sure Jackie knew what exactly or who exactly he was. "Do me a favor, if they forget to turn on the T.V. let them know. I would hate to surprise my biggest fans." Jackie laughed amongst himself, coughing out blood every so often, and smiled. It was almost masochistic. The man that crime feared has returned. "All hail the return of the King," he muttered to himself before he passed out, "all hail the King of Freedom of Falls."

********

The next day, when the media showed the world what had happened, there were a few certain individuals that keeping a close eye. The ones that understood the message. The criminal masterminds of the underworld. From every corner of the planet, every archetype, from your gangs to your drug lords, from your typical gangster to corrupt corporate overlords, all those who were involved in Freedom Falls, understood the hidden message. To what may look like a brutal vigilante to the public, was a grim reminder to the criminal underworld. The "King" had returned to reinvoke his reign; however, this time, this time it wouldn't be so easy. Those who had established themselves in Freedom Falls, weren't going to just kneel. This time, they were ready. This time, there was going to be a new battle in Freedom Falls, nay a war between a king and those who dare challenge him.