Revenge Best Served Cold

The crisp night air blows through the cab as Carl zips down North Druid Hills. He's after his biggest nemesis of all, Marcus Riviera. The perp is thought to be the godfather of one of the largest crime rings in Atlanta. Believing to dabble in a little bit of everything.

Carl and his partner, Jack, worked relentlessly trying to take Rivera down, but with higher-ups in his pocket and a few dirty cops on his payroll, every attempt the duo made led to a humiliating defeat.

This cat and mouse game between Marcus and Carl continued for the greater part of the detective's career. It became such an obsession that he couldn't think about anything else. He'd work late into the night. He'd often fall asleep at his desk, trying to find a lead.

This is a long time coming. With a death grip on the steering wheel, Carl swerves around the slower traffic.

After years of hard work and determination, Carl finally managed to take a few of his crew members down. Marcus, the main target, escaped the shakedown on a small technicality. The captain said it was still a win, but Carl took the loss as a personal defeat. He even offered Marcus' men a plea agreement in exchange for their testimony against their boss. Carl soon discovered they'd rather do a hefty stint upstate than turn states' evidence on their leader. Carl figures Riviera probably threatened to kill them and everyone they loved if they opened their mouths. The way Marcus tried to do to him.

Your threats may terrify them, but they don't scare me. Fury surges through every fiber of his being when he recalls that horrid day.

***

The detective came home to find his sick wife, Millie, tied to her bed. A note was pinned to her pillow, saying he better back off or the next time he'll find her dead.

He and his team investigated the threat, but their efforts proved to be fruitless. The security company said the alarm had been disabled from inside the house. The street cams in front of his home and the surrounding area just happened to be down. A glitch in the system, so they were told.

The rope used to restrain Millie was taken from his garage, and the message was written on his wife's stationery. The desk, paper and pen had been wiped down.

Millie said she doesn't know what happened. Said she fell asleep reading a book and woke up that way. Carl believes she might've been drugged even though her drug screen came back clean.

***

Not only did Riviera make him look like a fool, but he also cost him his job, and became rich off the city in the process claiming false arrest. I'm going to make sure he's not around to enjoy the fruits of his labor.

Carl realizes getting Riviera won't be easy being surrounded by his goons day and night. He figures the only way he can take Marcus down would be to single him out. After doing some extensive research, he discovers Marcos' biggest weakness is his family, his mother most of all. Carl didn't want to hurt or even threaten to hurt the sickly woman but knows she's the only way he's going to get his target alone. After a lot of careful planning, he figured out how to use the mother as bait without getting her personally involved.

This is going to end once and for all. A sinister smile spreads across his face when he pulls up to a dimly lit apartment complex. It's an older red-brick structure that sits a distance off the main road. It was one of the nicer, high-end apartments in its day with its spacious yard, stone walkway, and the fancy portico leading to the white marble entryway. Like everything else, time and neglect have taken its toll. The portico is in dire need of repair. The elegant walkway and the once well-kept lawn are now overrun with weeds.

Parking alongside the curb, Carl hops out of his truck and takes a quick look around. The dark, eerie street is blanketed in a thick fog, but besides a yapping dog, there doesn't seem to be anyone around. It's just the way I'd hoped.

Scooping up the drones, Carl dashes up the sidewalk to the darkest area of the yard. This should be a good spot. He positions the devices on either side of the walkway and then heads to his truck. Now to make sure they're out of sight. He lifts the equipment in the air. I can't see them, but I can hear their hum, and their noise might make him run. He lifts the drones higher. Much better. He makes a mental note of their height. I'll have to make sure they're up there before he reaches the sidewalk. Carl lowers them to the ground. Now to get him over here.

Climbing into the truck, Carl grabs his phone from the dash. He pulls up the spoofing apps and then follows its instructions. Carl first enters the number he wants to be displayed on the caller ID. He then enters Marcus' number and hits dial. Excitement courses through every cell in his body when he brings the phone to his ear. I've been waiting for this takedown for a very long time. Beads of sweat pop out across his forehead. His heart pounds in his chest as he waits for his call to connect.

A few seconds later, Riviera's gruff voice echoes through the phone. "Hello?"

Carl puts the phone on speaker and then pushes play on the recorder. A young woman's frantic voice blares through the cab. "You have to come quick, Pappy. Mommy is sick, and I don't know what to do." Carl pauses the tape.

Marco presses the phone to his ear. "Anna?"

Carl pushes play again. "Please hurry, Pappy, please, before she dies." The voice sobs. Carl imagines his victim's panic-stricken face. Smiling, he disconnects the call. I wish I could be there to see it. That's alright; I'll get my revenge soon enough. Carl figures he deserves a little retribution after everything Riviera has put him through. This ends tonight.