Black Hood: by Nick Venom (good ebook reader txt) 📖

Chapter Eight "Leaving (1)"

One of Wick’s assassins with the codename of ‘X’ perched himself in the building across from Matt’s house. He watched as Spec left Matt’s house, around six in the morning, returning to his home. As he observed Spec, a muffled scream echoed throughout the room he sat in. He glanced to his right at a family of four---tied up and gagged---struggled to get out of their restraints. He chuckled softly before going over to the family. He brandished a knife laced with poison from a holster on his right, bringing it to the father’s throat. He grazed his throat and walked away. The father’s eyes filled to the brim with tears as the poison made its way throughout his body. His veins started popping out and his pupils widened. He started choking while blood gushed out through his nose. The mother and children began screaming but the sound was muffled by the gags. X chuckled, laughing at their pain, before turning to face Spec’s house waiting for his next move.

 

 

***

 

 

Spec woke up on Matt’s couch, looking around. He glanced to his left seeing Matt sleeping with his head on the floor and his body diagonally on the edge of the couch. He smiled, laying Matt properly on the couch. He then went over to the door and opened it, closing it behind him as soon as he left. 

Now outside, he basked in the crisp air for a mere moment before returning to his home. He opened the door, entering the house. Inside, Lin waited with her arms crossed and pouting. “Where were you?” She asked.

“U-Uh, I f-feel asleep at M-Matt’s house.”  Spec stammered.

“Why would you do that? Lin shouted. “People tried to break into our house! They could’ve done the same thing while you were gone!”

“I would’ve stopped it before they could get to you.” He argued.

“Not before they would kill me!” She exclaimed, her cheeks reddening. 

“I was in earshot. I would’ve saved you before anything could happen!” Spec declared. Lin turned her back on Spec and ran to her room, slamming the door behind her. Spec let out a big sigh and softly shook his head. He went into his room and grabbed the briefcase out from its hiding place. He left the house in a hurry and headed back to Matt’s house, barging in. He went over to Matt and shook him. “Matt! Matt! Matt!”

“D-Don’t leave me,” Matt whispered. Spec shook him again, effectively waking him up. “What ya’ want?” Matt asked, slightly irritated.

“I brought the money. You need to leave now!” Spec shouted.

Matt sat up and nodded. “I’ll get Maddie, you get Lin. I’ll take them downtown.”

Spec shook his head. “Lin’s mad with me right now. I doubt that she’s going to listen to me or even leave without me.”

Matt bobbed his head. “Do what you have to do. Knock her unconscious if you gotta. It’s gonna sting at first, but it’s all to ensure she has a good life.”  Spec nodded. 

“If I have to, then…” His voice trailed off. Matt stood up and rested his left hand on Spec’s right shoulder. He dropped his head before walking towards Maddie’s room.

Spec rested the briefcase on the floor and left the house, traveling back home. He entered his home and went over to Lin’s door. “Lin, open the door.” He shouted.

“No!” Lin shouted from the other side of the door. “I don’t want to.”

“Lin, I need to talk to you about something,” Spec said. Spec waited for a couple of seconds before speaking again. “Lin, it’s serious.” He again waited a couple of seconds before saying anything. “Lin, we need to talk.” This time, the door opened and revealed Lin with bloodshot eyes and tears streaming down her cheeks. 

“What is it?” She asked, her voice irritated.

“I’m sending you to downtown to live with Matt and Maddie.” Spec blurted out. Lin was taken aback and speechless. “I’m not going with you,”

“B-B-B-But why?” She stammered.

“I made some enemies,” Spec whispered.

“Everybody is an enemy!” Lin declared. 

Spec shook his head. “Matt and Maddie are family .”

“You’re my only family! You can’t leave me!” Lin shouted, clinging onto Spec’s shirt. Spec patted her head and apologized. “I’m not leaving without you! I won’t!” She declared.

“That’s what I feared.” He whispered. Lin looked up at her brother, tears spilling to the ground. Spec looked away and bit his tongue. “I hope you can forgive me,” He muttered as Lin looked at him, puzzled. Spec raised his hand and curled it into a fist. He slammed his fist into her jaw, knocking her lights out. Tears started filling his eyes as he dropped to the ground and repeated his final words to her. “I hope you can forgive me. I hope that you can forgive me. I hope that you can forgive me!” He said, increasing the volume of his voice after each loop. 

He pummeled the drywall with his fist, crying out. He didn’t kill Lin, but the act of knocking her unconscious and forcing her to migrate was a burden he never had wanted to deal with. 

 

TBC…

Chapter Nine "Leaving (2)"

Xavier and Alicia made their way towards the house with the generous man. They woke up ten minutes ago on empty stomachs with their only plan being to ask for money from the generous man that they met a couple of days ago. Xavier’s stomach grumbled as they neared the house. “Don’t forget to play on your empty stomach. Let’s hope that he is generous again. They got to the doorstep and knocked on it. They got no response.

“Maybe he isn’t here,” Xavier said.

“Knock on it again. Maybe they didn’t hear us.” Alicia said. Xavier complied and knocked on the door again. This time the door opened. An older man opened the door and looked down on the street rats.

“Who are ya?” The old man asked.

“U-U-Uh, d-do you have money to s-spare?” Xavier asked. The older man looked around his home and noticed something. He stepped away from the door, keeping an eye on the street rats, and picked up a briefcase. He rummaged through the briefcase taking out a wad of cash. He handed the cash to the street rats. Alicia’s eyes lit up while Xavier stood speechless.

“Hurry out of here before any of the gangs or other street rats see you with this money.” The old man said, ushering them off his doorstep. They happily ran off with their prize. The old man smiled and turned around, closing the door. “Grandpa! What do you mean we have to leave!” A twin pigtail girl asked him.

***

Summer didn’t show for her new job at the third factory she was assigned to. She chose to utilize one day to find clues and hunt down the infamous Black Hood. She didn’t care that she lost a day’s worth of pay. She only needed to find him.

She went through every neighborhood looking for clues. Her first clue was the cloak Black Hood wore, however, she noticed that many people wore cloaks since they’re used as substitutes for the lack of clothing they had. Undeterred, she continued to ask around and noticed that Black Hood received a mix of hate and love. Some hated him for the lack of work they endured while some loved him for stepping up against Wick while some felt a mix of both sides. 

This motivated her to find Black Hood as soon as she could, passing two street rats with glee on their face. Strange, she thought as the street rats passed him. She ignored it and continued down the street, noticing a teenager carrying an unconscious girl from a house to another. She shook her head and looked down, avoiding eye contact with the teenager. “Sick bastard,” She muttered under her breath. “Raping a little girl… such a sicko,” She walked quickly past him and to the next neighborhood.

***

X chuckled as he noticed a blonde in sweats speed-walking past Spec while muttering under her breath. “She must think of him as a sicko.” He said before letting out a small laugh. He looked over at the family and threw a knife at them. The knife hit the mother, who was already dead and stuck into her cracking skin. The children---the only ones left---screamed as they moved away from their parents. X shook his head as he continued observing Spec.

***

Spec carried Lin out of his house and went over to Matt’s house, seeing a blonde woman misunderstanding the situation. He entered Matt’s house and carefully laid Lin on the couch. He then turned towards Matt and Maddie. “Was this necessary?” Maddie asked, pointing towards Lin.

“Think about it. She wouldn’t have left Spec behind willingly.” Matt argued.

“She’s going to hate you,” Maddie added.

Spec nodded. “I’m prepared for that.”

Maddie’s face scrunched up. “You’re not prepared for anything! You keep saying that you are, but you aren’t!” She shouted in his face. “What if she doesn’t want to live a new life?”

“She has a chance in downtown, but here, in the slums, she can die anytime. It’s best if you don’t attack his decision.” Matt said.

“Grandpa! He’s-” Maddie shouted.

“Maddie!” Spec shouted. “I made up my mind. I want her to have the chance that I never got. I want her to live a full and exciting life, and not to die on the street like a dog!” Spec exclaimed. Maddie closed her mouth and lowered her head. Matt let out a sigh and nodded her head.

“I’ll get them downtown by noon.” Matt declared.

“Thank you, Matt. I’ll see you guys one day.” Spec said, walking towards the door. He turned the handle and opened the door. He walked outside and closed it behind him. Maddie opened her mouth to say something, but she couldn’t find the words to stop him. Matt rested his left hand on her shoulder and comforted her.

 

Black Hood takes over…

 

TBC…

Chapter Ten "Rumor"