No7

Twenty years ago, a what to become a prestige hospital is being constructed. John Park was on his way to the airport with his son. It was a Friday night. His in-laws live in Japan, his plan is to stay there for the weekend and return on Monday. He asked his in-laws if they can take care of his son, their grandson as the hospital’s construction is ongoing. This was his first big project as an architect. The timing was perfect. His son, Steve, age 9 is on a school break. The grandparents happily agreed as they don’t get to be with their grandkid that often. He called his in-laws to let them know that they are on their way to the airport. It will be a good 2-3 hour travel. The grandma sounded excited. He ended the phone conversation and seeing that they have ample time, they went to the construction site to pick up some documents before leaving for the weekend.

As he parked his car in front of the construction site where he usually park, he can’t help thinking how his design ended up out shining all of the other designs. The building would be a semi-private hospital and the people responsible for the construction made a move that was never been done before. They announced a design contest which aims to open opportunities to architects to showcase their skills, architects who had never had big projects. Architects from different provinces submitted their designs but one design out shined them all; it was John’s work that made a great impression to the developers.

He asked his son, I just need to pick up some important documents,, would you like to stay here in the car or do you want to come with me, I’ll be quick. They boy just smiled and opened the car. “All right, but just stay with me as it is dark there and also youre friend won’t be here.”

Steve, replied “Got it dad.”

Richard is the friend that his dad mentioned. They weren’t school mates. The two kids met at the construction site. Richard lives around the area. After school, he would sell snacks that his mom made which will be sold out almost in an instant. Construction workers, passersby and students are his common patrons. Steve would also help in selling the snacks. After the chore, the two would play at a park near the construction site as John is working with the engineers and builders of the construction. This has been Steve and Richard’s routine ever since they met when the hospital construction took place.

John’s phone rang; he answered it while they were going in the site with his left hand holding a flash light. “Hey what’s up Sean?”

The young man replied “I’m the one who should ask you that, are you sure you don’t want me to take you to the airport?“.

Sean is a young doctor. John and Sean met three years ago because of an incident. Sean was still a medical student back then when a couple men tried to mug him. John and a very young Steve were on their way home when they saw a student being robbed. John honked his car so loud that caught the attention of many people including the police around the area making the non-good doers run as fast as they can. Since then, John and Sean became the best of friends, even like brothers.

John : We’re good, where are you anyway?

Sean: I’m around the area, I just bought this new videocam. 10, 15 or after 20 years after you become a famous architect and me a famous doctor, we’re gonna remember how we started . He was smiling as he checks out his new gadget.

John: Ha! Just don’t forget to always video me on my left side, which is my good side. He was smiling as he and his son carefully gets inside the construction site.

Meanwhile, a police detective is seen chasing a petty thief near the construction site. Officer Nick is known for his prowess in catching criminals. Nick is a young police detective who was just transferred to the police station in the same city where the ongoing hospital construction is located. A young police detective, athletic, intelligent, has a lot of potential but one thing that describes him by most of his colleagues, he’s a peace maker. He wanted to catch all the criminals. A mindset that all police should posses but a principle that is hard to realize, Nick knows it. He can only do so much that is why he ceases every opportunity to ensure safety in the area that is under his care.

“If criminals won’t rest then so am I.” Nick always says to himself. Nick calls for backup as he chases the criminal.

Andy is a petty criminal. He’s been apprehended a couple of times, warned a lot of times for trespassing, vandalism, petty theft. This time, he messed up at the wrong time and place as Officer Nick is patrolling around the area.

The thief being out if breath from all the chasing and running decided to enter the construction site hoping that he would lose the detective. Being sneaky, he went to the back of the construction site.

Sean, the young doctor’s phone rang, it was John;

John: “Sean, are you still around the area?” with a worried voice.

Sean: “Yeah, actually I’m on my way to the construction site, are you still there?”

John: “Sean, listen, can you get Steve? He’s at the back of the construction site where we drink coffee near the vending machine. Take him to your place just for tonight.”

Sean: “What’s happening? Is everything alright? John, are you still there? Hello?”

Meanwhile, the chase continues as Officer Nick entered a dark alley.

Nick turned right where he found himself at the back of the construction site, he slowed down for a bit trying to perceive the situation. He’s in a dark alley, perfect for retaliation. He prepared himself for any kind of attack. He saw a bit of light down further, he started running until he bumped into something. Nick looked down, he saw someone, a boy with a familiar jacket.

Nick: “Are you ok? Why are you still here? No one is here to buy your snacks. Have you seen someone running around the area? You shouldn’t be around this area at this time of night kid.”

Before the boy gets to say something a man from behind struck the detective yelling “Don’t hurt the boy!” Nick was hit at his right shoulder. He could have easily avoided the attack if he wasn’t distracted. Nick turned around immediately yelling “I’m police!” with a gun aiming to the man. Then the man put down the wood that he had picked up from the site, the man yelled “Nick is that you?!“, “Oh my oh my, are you ok?”

It was Captain Ronald, Nick’s senior.

Nick:“Cap?” touches his shoulder “What are you doing here?”

Capt. Ronald: “I was on my way to the station when I heard you on the radio, you sounded urgent so I wasn’t able to respond back, I just immediately pulled over.” “Where is the guy anyway?”

Nick: “I think he have might entered the construction site.”

Nick fell down on his knees, he was badly hurt.

Capt. Ronald: “Let’s have someone patrol the area, let me drive you to the station and tend to your shoulder.”

Capt. Ronald drove down to the station with Nick and the kid. The kid was then entrusted to Officer Elsa, also a rookie police. The kid took out a piece of paper with a phone number and gave it to Elsa. Elsa tried to call the number, the kid’s guardian, to let them know that the kid was brought to the police station.

Medics in the station applied first aid to Nick and then he was rushed to a nearby clinic. The doctor performed stitches to his right shoulder. Capt. Ronald then drove Nick to his home. As they arrived, senior detective assisted detective walking down at his front door. Nick opened the door and lied down on the couch. The Captain told him to get a good night rest and that he doesn’t need to go back to work until next week.

Capt. Ronald: “I’m giving you a week off or two.”

Nick: “I don’t wanna get stuck here, I’ll be bored.”

Capt. Ronald: “Well you have to recover. I’ll visit you tomorrow.” He added.

The Captain bid good bye and left.

Nick took the pain meds the doctor asked him to take before he goes to sleep.

Saturday morning, the alarm went off. Detective was reaching for the alarm clock then he suddenly yelled “Ouch!” He forgot that his right shoulder was injured last night. The alarm keeps beeping as the Nick slowly rolled to his other side and with his left hand, he shuts the alarm off. It’s 7 in the morning. He got up, turned on the television as he walks down the kitchen. He opened the coffee maker and threw away the used filter. He opened the drawer and grabbed a coffee filter put it in the coffee maker. He scoops 3 table spoons of dark roasted coffee and turned on the coffee maker. As he waits for his coffee, he heard something familiar on the TV.

He walked away from the kitchen to see what’s on the TV. It’s the news.

A tragic news was shown on TV. Vice Mayor Brown made a devastating announcement.

Vice Mayor Brown: “There is supposed to be a meeting between Mayor Foztix and some potential investors this weekend but an unfortunate accident occurred. On his was to the meeting, the bus that will take the Mayor to the venue had an accident. No one survived. Everyone on that bus, including the Mayor perished. According to the our fire fighters who first responded to the accident, all were burned as the bus leaked gas and the fire were all over the place.”

Vice Mayor Brown: “I am grieved and I extend my condolences to the late Mayor’s family.”

Another tragic news.

The ongoing hospital construction site is filled with reporters and police. They found 2 dead bodies at the construction site. One of the body was immediately identified by Nick, it was Andy, the petty criminal that he was chasing last night. He then grabbed his phone and dialed a number. He called the police station.

Nick: “What the heck is going on, where is Cap?”

The officer at the other end recognized his voice and told him that the Captain was on his way to his house. He remembered last night that Captain Ronald told him that he will visit to check on him. The door bell rang, Nick quickly opened the door, he knew it’s the Captain.

Capt. Ronald: “How’s your shoulder?” and handed him a pot.

Before Capt. spoke another word, Nick told him to take him to the construction site as he cannot drive by himself with his injured shoulder.

Captain spoke ” I’ve seen the news. The other police station is taking over that incident. I called their chief and it seems it was just an accident.”

Nick insisted, he wants to personally see and check what happened.

Capt. Ronald: “Ok I’ll take you there but shouldn’t you at least try the soup? My wife made it for you. I told her what I happened and she really felt sorry for you and even yelled at me for making such mistake.”

Nick: “I’ll eat it on our way to the construction site. What happened to the Mayor?”

Capt. Ronald: “You wanna also go there? It’s an hour and a half away from here.”

Nick: “Let’s just head to the construction site.”

They arrived at the construction site. They’re just in time as the forensic team is almost finished with their data gathering. They’re about to take the 2 dead bodies. Nick and Capt. Ronald entered the scene, there were 2 police officers guarding the entry. Nick showed his badge. Captain Ronald just walked straight and passed the 2 officers, he is a known man. The officer let them in. Nick asked one of the forensics “What’s the cause of death?” The man answered “We still have to take them to the lab but it seems that they both fell down. There were no indications of fighting or struggling.”

Nick shook his head.

Nick: “Just what I thought. Who’s the other person?”

Forensic guy: “He was identified to be Mr. John Park, the architect of this construction project.”

Nick: “I was chasing the other guy last night. He ran here and I’m pretty sure he’s not familiar with what’s in here. Maybe he bumped to the architect as he tries to ran away from me and they both fell.”

Forensic guy: “That’s what we thought too. We ran a background check on the other guy, he has some criminal record. We were also told that last night, he was being chased by an officer around this area. So it was you who’s chasing this guy?

Nick: “Yeah.”

Nick exited the accident scene. He looked at the Captain who was talking to a bunch of police officers he said to himself “Looks like he knows everyone here, even people in different stations.” He’s walking towards the car and decided to just wait there for his senior. He felt hungry, he thought of finishing the soup. Just as he’s about to enter the car, a man approached him. He couldn’t clearly see his face. The man is wearing a cap. The man spoke in a soft voice.

Man: “The news is wrong. It wasn’t an accident.”

Nick, having encountered different weirdos in his line of work, replied back.

Nick: “Do I know you? What are you talking about?”

Man “You should investigate more.” How’s your...”

Before the man has a chance to finish his word, they both noticed Captain Ronald is walking down their way. The man quickly walked away.

Captain Ronald: “Is he from another station?”

Nick: “I don’t know him. There’s a bunch of weirdos these days”