Cops Kill A Black Man's Twin, Unaware He Is The Deadliest Delta Force Commander Ever

For years officers Briggs and Reynolds harassed humiliated and brutalized without consequence knowing that they were Untouchable then one day they stopped two black twins Malcolm and Isaiah Carter the brothers were unarmed the officers didn't care when one twin pushed back refusing to be treated like a criminal they escalated words became threats and threats became force and then when Malcolm moved they shot him Dead his brother was left beaten handcuffed forced to watch his twin bleed out on the pavement now Isaiah Carter a Delta Force operative with a debt to settle is coming for them they

thought their version of events would be the only one that mattered they thought their power made them Untouchable they thought the system would erase their sins just like it always had but this time the system won't save them because Isaiah Carter is coming and nothing will Stop him from getting his Vengeance before we go any further comment where in the world you are watching from and make sure to subscribe the hum of the engine purred beneath them as the smooth black Dodge Charger coasted through the quiet streets its polished frame reflecting the Golden Glow of

the street lights that lined the pristine sidewalks inside Malcolm Carter sat behind the wheel fingers drumming lightly against the steering wheel his sharp gaze Flicking between the road and his twin brother in the passenger seat Isaiah more relaxed but always observant sat with his arm resting against the window watching The Well manicured Lawns and neatly trimmed Hedges roll past in uniform Perfection you ever notice how these neighborhoods all look the same Malcolm mused shaking his head slightly every house damn near identical like someone copy pasted the whole block Isaiah smirked Ava liked that when she

Bought the place said It felt safe safe Malcolm scoffed rolling his eyes I bet it feels real safe when you actually live here but for us you think they see two black men in a charger at this hour and think oh they must be visiting family Isaiah let out a quiet breath knowing exactly where this was going Malcolm don't start I'm just saying man Malcolm continued his fingers tightening around the wheel we're driving through one of the richest neighborhoods in the City and you know damn well we're going to get side-eyed for it Isaiah sighed

rubbing his Temple we're not doing this tonight it's been a long month I want to see Ava have dinner and not think about any of this Malcolm exhaled sharply his jaw still tight but he didn't push it further he just let the silence settle between them as the houses passed by in perfect symmetry each one illuminated just enough to highlight their exclusivity then just as he was about to Switch the subject Isaiah's eyes flicked to the rearview mirror his posture subtly shifting cop car he muttered Malcolm didn't react at first just kept driving but his

grip on the wheel hardened slightly where just past us on the other side of the street marked unit neither of them turned their heads to look but they could feel it the weight of being noticed the unspoken calculation happening behind them the cruiser rolled past slowing just Slightly as it went by just enough for its occupants to get a good look at them then came the moment neither of them needed to see to understand the uturn Malcolm let out a low chuckle humorless eyes never leaving the road ahead well look at that right on schedule

Isaiah exhaled slowly his voice steady but firm Mal just keep driving normal yeah Malcolm muttered like that matters the blue and red lights flared to life behind them the unmistakable whale of The siren cutting through the Stillness of the night commanding them to stop Malcolm flicked on his turn signal because God forbid they give them a reason to claim they weren't cooperating and eased the charger to a stop at the curb the world outside was still eerily silent apart from the faint rustling of leaves in the breeze and the distant hum of a lawn sprinkler

all right Isaiah murmured shifting in his seat to face his his brother let me do the talking Malcolm's jaw twitched yeah and what's that going to change it's not about changing anything Isaiah said his voice calm but firm it's about getting to Ava in one piece Malcolm didn't answer just stared Straight Ahead his nostrils flaring slightly then slowly he placed his hands on the wheel fingers spread wide making sure they were visible Isaiah did the same placing his hands on the dashboard moving movements deliberate controlled they had both been Here before they knew the script

footsteps crunched against the pavement as two figures approached the vehicle a flashlight beam swept across the interior pausing for just a second longer than necessary on their faces then came the voice Gruff authoritative laced with the unspoken certainty that this wasn't just a routine Stop License and Registration Malcolm didn't move his expression blank but Isaiah was already reaching for the glove compartment his Movements slow exaggerated for the sake of appearances it's in here he said evenly looking up at the officer making sure his tone was neutral measured no sudden movements no agitation the rules they

had been forced to learn the Second Officer hovered near Malcolm's window his gaze sharp scrutinizing where you two headed tonight Isaiah kept his focus on the first officer handing over over the documents without breaking eye contact we're on our way to our sister's House she lives a few blocks up the first officer took the documents without acknowledging the answer glancing at the IDS before shifting his stance slightly the Second Officer Briggs stepped closer to Malcolm's window eyes narrowing slightly step out of the car Malcolm let out a slow breath through his nose his fingers tightening

on the wheel for just a fraction of a second why Brigg's expression didn't change because I said so a muscle in Malcolm's jaw twitched But Isaiah spoke before he could officer can we ask why we're being stopped the first Officer Reynolds spoke this time there have been reports of break-ins in the neighborhood you match the description malcol let out a sharp humorless laugh shaking his head oh yeah what's that description black and breathing Isaiah's pulse quickened Mel Brigg's voice hardened I said step out of the car Isaiah turned back to Reynolds his voice still steady

look We're both Military Officers Delta Forces our IDs are right there we're just trying to visit our sister we're not looking for trouble Briggs scoffed that right then you shouldn't have a problem stepping out the tension inside the vehicle had thickened to the point of Suffocation every second stretching longer the air growing heavier Malcolm exhaled sharply through his nose eyes locked on Briggs every fiber of his being screaming at him to push back but Isaiah was still looking at him the weight of unspoken understanding in his gaze Malcolm clenched his jaw then finally slowly reached

for the door handle the moment it clicked open Brigg's hand went to his holster the night was about to turn deadly the door eased open the soft click of the latch barely audible over the weight of unspoken tension hanging between them Malcolm stepped out first slow measured his every movement deliberate as he rose To his full height standing just a few inches taller than the officer before him his hands remained visible fingers spread slightly at his sides a silent acknowledgment of the invisible rules men like him were forced to follow Isaiah followed mirroring his brother's

controlled movements as he stepped around the front of the car placing himself just slightly ahead his stance protective without being confrontational the night air felt colder now or maybe That was just the edge of something far more dangerous creeping in pressing against his skin like a storm waiting to break the officers remained rigid their hands resting a little too comfortably near their belts watching the twins with the kind of studied intensity that spoke less of protocol and more of personal suspicion turn around hands on the car Briggs ordered his tone leaving leaving no room for

discussion Malcolm didn't move his jaw tightened nostrils flaring As his fingers curled slightly for what his voice was sharp but not raised not yet because he knew better but the weight of it was there simmering beneath the surface Briggs arched a brow his lips curving into something that wasn't quite a smirk but carried the same quiet arrogance Because I Said So Isaiah already anticipating where this was going lifted a hand slightly not in surrender but in a silent request for calm look officer he started his voice Controlled steady the practice tone of a man who

had been here before and knew exactly how little room for error there was we're both Delta Force we understand protocol if this is a routine stop we've given you our IDs you can check them see we're exactly who we say we are we don't want any trouble we're just trying to see our sister Briggs gave a slow nod eyes narrowing slightly before he reached for the IDS Isaiah had handed over earlier he flicked on his Flashlight letting the artificial glow skim over the laminated cards as Reynolds stepped in beside him peering over his shoulder the

two men exchanged a look barely noticeable but Isaiah caught it out of town Briggs muttered his voice carrying a tone of immediate skepticism neither of you live live here Malcolm let out a low humorless chuckle shaking his head that's what we told you we're visiting our sister Briggs ignored him flipping the ID over before glancing Up again so let me get this straight you expect me to believe that two guys with an address across the city just happened to be driving through this neighborhood in this car at this hour because your sister lives here Isaiah

exhaled slowly through his nose forcing himself to keep his voice e even yes that's exactly what we're telling you because it's the truth Reynolds who had remained quiet up until now shifted slightly the light from briggs' flashlight casting Deep Shadows Across his face as he spoke for the first time yeah and what does your sister do to afford a place around here Isaiah stiffened his eyes locking onto reynolds's in that Split Second exchange where the weight of the question was fully understood it wasn't phrased outright but the implication was clear a black woman living in

this kind of neighborhood the suggestion hung in the air thick and suffocating Malcolm's lips Parted his patience fracturing audibly in the sharp breath he sucked in excuse me Reynolds held his gaze unflinching as if daring him to press it further just saying not a lot of people from your side of town end up in places like this without a good reason Isaiah stepped forward before Malcolm could react his body positioned just enough to physically interrupt whatever was about to happen she's a lawyer he said his voice sharper now clipped in a way it Hadn't been

before graduated top of her class works for one of the biggest firms in the city that a good enough reason for you Briggs let out a slow exhale tilting his head slightly as he studied them both as if weighing their words their worth then without another comment he turned walk looking back toward his squad car Isaiah let out a quiet breath thinking for just a moment that maybe just maybe this was about to deescalate but then Briggs stopped turning slightly Over his shoulder stay where you are he muttered disappearing inside his vehicle Isaiah could hear

the faint sound of radiostatic crackling from inside the car a murmur of indistinct voices exchanging information a background check they were running them through the system they're stalling Malcolm muttered under his breath shaking his head running our names like we're godamn criminals Isaiah didn't respond immediately just kept his eyes on the Officers his hands loose at his sides but ready they were pushing looking for a reason an excuse something to justify whatever was already forming in their minds let's just keep cool Isaiah murmured though even he could feel the control slipping the the space for

logic closing in Malcolm turned slightly toward him Voice Low edged you think that's going to change a damn thing before Isaiah could answer Briggs returned his face unreadable but his Presence carrying something heavier now something more Resolute he stepped back toward them the flashlight still in his grip and gestured all right he said hands on the car both of you Isaiah took a slow breath bracing himself come on man we gave you everything everything you asked for you know exactly who we are where we're going what are you still looking for Briggs didn't waver stepped

to the car Malcolm didn't move Brigg's hand went to his holster Isaiah saw it Happen in slow motion the shift in posture the way the air seemed to thicken the silent understanding of what came next if they didn't comply his own breath caught for just a second but then with a slow reluctant motion he turned placing his hands against the cool metal of the Charger's Hood Malcolm hesitated a second longer before finally begrudgingly following suit the moment his hands touched the car Briggs grabbed his wrist Isaiah saw the first real Flash of emotion break across

Malcolm's face a sharp flicker of something Primal something Furious and that was all it took the spark had been lit the night was about to ignite the cold metal of the Charger's Hood pressed against Malcolm's Palms the rough texture biting into his skin as briggs' hands moved with unnecessary force over his back pressing hard against his ribs before sliding lower the pressure wasn't just about the search it was meant to provoke To remind him who was in control the weight of the moment settled over him thick and suffocating the air sharp with the unspoken tension

of a game that had already been rigged against them before it even began spread your legs wider Briggs muttered his tone clipped edged with an arrogance that sent a hot pulse of anger straight through Malcolm's chest Malcolm exhaled sharply adjusting his stance but only barely just enough to avoid giving them anything they could Twist into non-compliance his fingers curled slightly over the hood man come on he muttered his voice low brimming with frustration ain't like I got a damn Arsenal on me Briggs didn't respond didn't even acknowledge Him just continued the search his hands pressing

rougher now shoving at Malcolm's Pockets his grip tightening like he was waiting for resistance you got a problem Briggs asked his breath close now deliberate as His fingers dug into Malcolm's arm Malcolm shifted slightly his muscles tensing beneath the touch yeah I got a problem my problem is some punk throwing me up against my own damn car like I just knocked over a damn convenience store Brigg's grip tightened Isaiah still pressed against the charger beside him felt the shift in the air before the words even fully registered this was it the moment the officers had

been waiting for Mal Isaiah warned his voice tense But controlled his eyes darting toward his brother with an urgency that was more than just a plea it was survival Briggs let out a slow amused breath listen to your brother boy he muttered the last words sliding out of his mouth like Venom slow and deliberate meant to cut deep the night snapped Malcolm jerked twisting slightly his head snapping toward Briggs his breath sharp his entire body coiled like a loaded spring Isaiah moved instantly pressing Forward shoulder against Malcolm's physically blocking him before the last thread of

restraint could break Malcolm stop Isaiah's voice was steady but laced with urgency his hands raised slightly in a plating motion not here not now but Malcolm's breath was already coming too hard too fast his nostrils flaring his fingers flexing at his sides his instincts were screaming at him demanding that he fight back that he refused to let them turn turn him into a Victim Briggs tilted his head smirking just enough to let them know he'd already won that's what I thought he murmured then slow and deliberate he reached for his belt Isaiah's pulse Spiked All

Right Briggs said pulling out his handcuffs letting the metal glint under the streetl we're detaining you both while we confirm your story Isaiah stepped forward detained for what Briggs Shrugged resisting a lawful search possible obstruction hell maybe even Suspicion of intent we got plenty of reasons that's a lie Malcolm snapped jerking away the moment Briggs reached for him and that was all they needed Brigg's grip latched onto Malcolm's arm yanking him toward the car with unnecessary Force his shoulder wrenching forward at an awkward angle Malcolm instinctively Twisted trying to regain his balance and in that

Split Second Reynolds stepped in gripping his other arm and pushing against his back trying To force him down Isaiah reached for Malcolm's shoulder trying to stabilize him just go with it man just let them let go of me Malcolm barked his voice cracking with the raw frustration of a man who had been through this before who had been humiliated enough times to know where it led he wasn't fighting he wasn't attacking he was reacting but that didn't matter to them Briggs shov oved hard Malcolm staggered he's resisting Briggs shouted his voice Already changing twisting reality

into a lie Reynolds pulled back his hand moving quickly to his belt he's got a weapon Isaiah saw it happen before it even did the words were still in the air when Briggs reached for his gun his movements rehearsed practiced like he'd been waiting for the moment to make the call Malcolm Twisted One Last Time breath sharp teeth bared and then The Gunshot cracked the air open Malcolm jerked violently his entire body snapping Backward his chest arching before his knees gave out beneath him his breath hitched a sound halfway between shock and disbelief before he

crumpled onto the pavement Isaiah's scream tore through the night Malcolm he moved without thinking lunging toward his brother but before he could reach him a white hot explosion ion of pain surged through his chest the taser hit him full force electricity ripping through his body locking his muscles into place Stealing the breath from his lungs his legs gave out his vision swimming as he hit the ground officer down he tried to grab my gun Briggs was screaming now his voice frantic but Isaiah could hear the lie in it the premeditation the way it was already

being molded into the version they would tell back up needed Reynolds echoed his voice High breathless his hand still gripping The Smoking Gun Isaiah fought against the paralysis gripping his limbs his vision Hazy his ears still ringing as he tried to push himself up his body rebelling against him his eyes found Malcolm his brother lay sprawled just feet away his chest barely Rising his fingers twitching weakly his mouth parting slightly as if he was trying to say something Isaiah dragged himself forward his body screaming against the movement Malcolm hold on man Malcolm coughed a wet

ragged sound his fingers weakly grasping at the air before finding Isaiah's arm gripping with what little strength he had left his lips trembled as his breath hitched his eyes searching Isaiah's with something heavy something Isaiah didn't want to understand Isaiah Malcolm's voice barely came choked strained each word of fight his fingers dug weakly into Isaiah's sleeve I'm sorry Isaiah's breath shattered no no no don't hold on just his voice broke his hand pressing over Malcolm's wound as if he could force time to reverse to undo What had already been set in motion Isaiah's hands trembled

as he pressed down on the warmth spreading across his brother's chest his breath coming in short ragged G gasps his heart slamming against his ribs so hard it felt like his entire body might shatter beneath the weight of what was happening Malcolm's body twitched weakly beneath him his fingers barely moving the warmth of Life slipping away faster than Isaiah could hold it together Malcolm stay with Me man Isaiah begged his voice cracking under the force of his own Panic the words coming too fast too desperate come on man you're good you're good you hear me

just breathe just his voice broke as Malcolm's eyes fluttered barely open his lips parting but no real sound came out Malcolm please Isaiah choked his hands pressing harder against the wound as if he could force his brother's life to stay inside his body as if sheer desperation alone could undo the horror Spilling out between his fingers look at me man just look at me you ain't going nowhere you hear me you're not Malcolm let out a weak wheezing breath his fingers twitching against Isaiah's sleeve grasping barely holding on his lips moved voice nothing more than

a whisper broken and trembling don't let them Malcolm coughed his body seizing up under the pain his fingers tightening with what little strength he had left don't let them get away with this Isaiah's breath hitched his vision swimming with hot stinging tears as he grasped onto his brother's hands squeezing them refusing to let go no no no don't don't say that you hear me you're not dying man you're not you can't then came the voices get off him hands wrenched at the back of Isaiah's jacket tearing him away with a violent yank that sent him

sprawling backward his knees scraping against the pavement as he fought against them his arms Clawing forward trying to hold on to Malcolm no no please a sharp blow slammed into his ribs white hot pain exploding through his side as his breath punched out of his lungs the impact sent him curling inward instinctively shielding himself before another hit crashed into his side then another each one a brutal punctuation to his screaming G grief stop resisting Isaiah gasped as he was forced onto his stomach the rough asphalt scraping against his Face as weight crushed down on his

back a knee digging into his spine so hard it made his ribs groan in protest his wrists were yanked behind him his arms Twisted at an unnatural angle metal clamping down against his skin with sharp biting Force you think you can attack us a hand fisted into his hair yanking his head back so he was forced to look up forced to stare into briggs' face his teeth bared his eyes gleaming with unchecked Fury you killed my Brother Isaiah screamed his voice raw shattered the words barely making it past the sheer force of his rage and

Agony you shot him he didn't do anything Briggs scoffed shoving Isaiah's head back down like he was nothing yeah that what you think cuz what I saw was a dangerous suspect resisting arrest Isaiah's chest heaved his body trembling beneath the weight pressing him into the pavement he was unarmed you murdered him his voice cracked his throat burning Each word dragged from the deepest part of him the part that had just lost the only person who had ever understood him completely you killed him in the street like a damn animal and now you're going to act

like we deserve deserved this Briggs twisted his grip harder pressing his knee down with more Force until Isaiah let out a strangled cry you know how this works right who do you think they're going to believe Isaiah sucked in a shaky breath his entire body going Stiff as a hollow gut-wrenching realization settled over him this was always how it ended Briggs stood dusting off his uniform like this was just another day another routine nothing more than an inconvenience we'll take it from here he called out to the other officers arriving his voice steady confident dripping

with the certainty of a man who knew he would never face consequences Reynolds hovered beside him shifting slightly his hands shaking as he Holstered his weapon his eyes flickered toward Isaiah something hesitant in his expression but it was gone as quickly as it appeared he stepped back nodded he reached for a weapon Briggs said smoothly his voice carrying across the street as if the LIE had already been accepted as truth we had no choice Isaiah's stomach Twisted file rising in his throat the words had already changed the story was already being Rewritten his breath stuttered

a fresh wave of Nausea rolling through him as he turned his head just enough to see Malcolm's body still lying motionless on the pavement his blood pooling beneath him dark and thick seeping into the cracks of the concrete his brother his twin his other half gone and they were going to erase him hey a new voice cut through the chaos sharp and demanding what is going on here Isaiah barely processed it before he was yanked up by his cuffs his body hauled forward like dead weight his Vision swam dizziness crashing over him the world tilting

violently as he was dragged toward the back of a squad car you're under arrest for assaulting an officer someone muttered but the words barely registered White Noise against the static roaring in his head the door wrenched open and then he was shoved inside his body slamming against the hard plastic seat with enough Force to make his ribs scream in protest through the smeared glass Malcolm was still Lying there still alone still bleeding out in the street while the men who murdered him stood over him deciding what version of the truth they would tell the world

Isaiah's fingers curled into fists behind his back Nails digging so hard into his palms that he thought they might break skin Briggs walked past the window his expression calm composed already moving on like he had just checked another box on his to-do list the last thing Isaiah saw before the Door slammed shut was Malcolm's lifeless body left behind on the pavement like he had never mattered at all the world blurred Isaiah sat slumped against the cold plastic seat of the squad car his wrists still bound behind him the metal digging deep into his skin but

the pain barely registered his breath came in short Hollow gasps his chest rising and falling in uneven bursts as the blood rushing through his veins drowned out everything else he could still still Feel the weight of Malcolm in his arms could still hear the Tremor in his brother's breath the way his voice had cracked those last words slipping out barely above a whisper don't let them get away with this his throat tightened his teeth clenching so hard that his jaw achd but it didn't matter none of it did because Malcolm was gone and he hadn't

been able to stop it the night passed in fragments red and blue lights Flash dashing against the pavement indistinct Voices shouting orders the cold press of cuffs the rough hands shoving him forward the scent of sweat asphalt and blood clinging to the air at some point the car had started moving the weight of the moment shifting as the squad car rolled away taking him with it dragging him away from Malcolm away from the only piece of family that had ever felt like home he didn't know how long they drove the streets blurred together indistinct shapes

and neon signs streaking past the Window like something out of a dream but none of it felt real nothing felt real his fingers twitched uselessly behind him his nails digging into his palms his muscles locked so tight his entire body felt like it might snap under the pressure his mind kept looping back kept dragging him back to the last time he and Malcolm had been in a car together just hours earlier laughing about identical houses in a neighborhood that wasn't made for them Ava liked that when She bought the place said It felt safe safe

a choked bitter sound pressed against the back of his throat but it never made it past his lips the weight of grief was too thick too heavy coiling around his ribs like a steel Vice his head tipped back against the seat his gaze unfocused his thoughts slipping into the past like water through trembling fingers he and Malcolm had always been together always from the moment they were born side by side their Mother holding them close Whispering their names like they were meant to be spoken in the same breath Malcolm and Isaiah Isaiah and Malcolm they

had fought together laughed together bled together they had survived as kids they had learned young what it meant to be feared before they were even old enough to understand why they had learned to keep their hands visible in convenience stores to stay still when a cop car rolled by to smile just enough to seem Unthreatening but not so much that it looked forced they had learned to control their anger to bury it deep to push it down so far that it couldn't be used against them but malom had never been able to push it far

enough Isaiah had always been the one to step in the one one to keep him grounded the one to pull him back when the world tried to push him too far but this time this one time he hadn't been fast enough he hadn't been strong enough he hadn't Saved him he squeezed his eyes shut his head pounding his hands curling into fists behind him it should have been him if he had just stepped in sooner if he had just kept Malcolm from speaking from moving from breathing too freely in a space that was never meant

for them the car slowed turning sharply and the sudden motion yanked him out of his thoughts his eyes opened his breath catching as the reality of the moment crashed back into him the precinct Loomed ahead its fluorescent lights buzzing against the night sterile and indifferent the car rolled to a stop a door opened then hands were on him again dragging him forward forcing his body upright as his legs struggled to catch up with the movement his feet stumbled against the pavement as they hauled him out of the car the shift in motion sending another wave

of dizziness crashing over him his ribs throbbed his skull still aching from where he had Been slammed into the ground but the officers didn't slow didn't care the inside of the station was just as harsh all white tile and dull overhead lights the scent of sweat and coffee thick in the air he was shoved forward past rows of desks past officers who barely even looked up as he was dragged through the booking process barely more than a body barely even a person they took his fingerprints his mug shot they took everything and through it all

he said Nothing not because he had nothing to say but because none of it mattered Malcolm was dead they had won time passed in a haze he didn't know how long he had been sitting there his body slumped in a hard plastic chair his hands cuffed to the table in front of him his head hung low his breathing shallow his thoughts Tangled in something too thick too dark to pull himself out of the door creaked open Isaiah barely reacted his body too heavy Too exhausted the weight of his grief sinking so deep he wasn't sure

he could ever climb out of it then Isaiah The Voice snapped through him like a jolt of electricity his head lifted Ava stood in the doorway her eyes wide her chest heaving her entire body radiating something sharp something barely contained her hands trembled as she stepped forward as she took in the bruises blooming along his jaw the dried blood crusting at the corner of his Mouth the way his wrists were still bound to the table like he was the criminal for a moment she said nothing then her breath hitched and her face Twisted into something

Isaiah had never seen before something shattered and Isaiah realized she already knew the weight of it crushed him all over again Ava stood in the doorway her breath shallow her fingers curled into fists at her sides as she took in the sight of her brother his head bowed his wrists Shackled to the table his entire body slumped with the weight of something she couldn't begin to put into words Isaiah barely moved he sat there still as Stone his chest rising and falling in slow uneven breaths his face was bruised dark splotches blooming along his jaw

and beneath his right eye his knuckles raw dried blood still crusted at the corner of his mouth his clothes were stained dirt sweat and something darker smudging the fabric But none of that was what made Ava's stomach twist into knots it was his eyes they were empty Ava swallowed hard forcing down the burn in her throat as she stepped forward the sharp click of her heels against the lenium cutting through the heavy silence she wasn't here to cry she wasn't here to grieve not yet right now Isaiah needed her she pulled out the chair across

from him scraping it against the floor as she sat down Isaiah her voice was steady firm it Took him a second to react his gaze slowly lifting to meet hers his eyes were bloodshot ringed with exhaustion so deep it looked like it had settled into his bones he blinked once sluggish as if pulling himself back into the present required effort they killed him he murmured his voice hoarse raw from screaming a inhaled sharply through her nose her jaw tightening she forced herself to push through it to keep her composure to shove aside the grief Clawing

at her insides long enough to get him out of this room I know she said the words barely above a whisper I know Isaiah he let out a slow uneven breath his fingers twitching against the cold metal of the Cuffs they shot him in the street like a dog his voice cracked slightly but there was no real emotion behind it just emptiness just fact Ava reached forward her fingers brushing lightly against his wrists against the metal Digging into his skin we're getting you out of here a flicker of something crossed Isaiah's face not quite hope

but something close enough to it that Ava held on to it with everything she had they're charging me he muttered assaulting an officer resisting arrest they're going to say Malcolm attacked them they're already saying it aa's stomach Twisted of course they were the lie was already forming already being pushed forward in official statements And press briefings already being shaped into something that painted the men with badges as Heroes and Malcolm as the aggressor Isaiah's breath shuddered his hands clenching into fists he didn't fight them Ava I swear to you he didn't Isaiah Ava reached forward

again her grip firm but careful I believe you I believe you Isaiah closed his eyes for a brief second just enough to let the weight of her words settle over him before opening them again they're going To get away with it aren't they Ava's lips parted slightly her throat tightening she wanted to tell him no she wanted to tell him that the law worked that there was a path forward that Malcolm would get justice but she wasn't about to lie to him instead she took a breath straightened her spine and forced every ounce of confidence

into her voice right now I need to focus on getting you out of here after that we fight but we don't get to do anything if you're still In a jail cell understand Isaiah held her gaze for a long moment before giving a slow reluctant nod good Ava said already shifting into action she reached into her bag pulling out a stack of documents setting them on the table with sharp Precision I've already spoken to a judge I filed for e emergency bail consideration but the police are pushing back they're claiming you're a Flight Risk Isaiah

scoffed shaking his head a Flight Risk you serious they're stalling Ava confirmed her lips pressing into a thin line buying themselves time while they craft their story if they keep you in here long enough they control the entire narrative I can't let that happen Isaiah exhaled sharply his jaw clenching so what's the plan Ava sat forward I filed motion for an immediate review of the charges which means I can argue for your release in front of a judge first thing in the morning but that's not enough I need leverage I need pressure Isaiah frowned slightly

his brow furrowing what kind of pressure Ava glanced toward the two-way mirror knowing full well that someone was listening and lowered her voice just slightly I called every journalist I know every activist every civil rights lawyer Everyone by morning the entire city is going to be watching this case the more eyes on it the harder it'll be for them to bury the truth Isaiah stared at her a flicker of Something unreadable passing across his face you really think that's going to work Ava leaned in I think they want to make you disappear but they can't

if we make sure the entire damn country is looking at them Isaiah swallowed his throat tight he wanted to believe her he needed to believe her but but he had seen too many names turned into hashtags Too Many Bodies left in the street with no justice to follow Ava could see the doubt the exhaustion the raw Hopelessness clawing at him she reached out again this time grasping his hand her grip firm grounding I'm getting you out of here she repeated her voice steady unwavering I swear to you Isaiah you are not going to rot in

here while they turn Malcolm into some Thug deserve to die not while I'm still breathing Isaiah exhaled something deep in his chest Shifting the moment Isaiah stepped out of the station the air hit him like a slap to the face cold sharp too open After the suffocating walls of the holding cell he inhaled deep filling his lungs but it wasn't enough the weight in his chest didn't lift the shackles on his wrists were gone but they had been replaced with some something heavier something that no court order or legal maneuver could undo Ava was beside

him walking with purpose her heels clicking against the pavement her posture straight and controlled but Isaiah could see the tension in her shoulders the way Her fingers clenched the strap of her briefcase too tightly she had won this battle barely but she was already bracing for the war ahead outside the precinct a wall of reporters and flashing cameras lined the barricade es microphones extended forward voices shouting questions news Vans parked along the curb their headlights Illuminating the chaos Ava had done exactly what she said she would the city was watching Isaiah do you have anything

To say about the charges against you Isaiah what happened that night do you believe the officers acted unlawfully he didn't stop didn't look at them his jaw was locked his fingers curling into f fists at his sides his pulse roaring in his ears he couldn't be here he couldn't breathe with all these people shoving microphones in his face waiting for him to break waiting for a quote waiting to twist whatever words he said into something neat and palatable for the 6:00 news Ava didn't stop either she pressed forward her grip firm on his arm as

they moved toward the waiting car the cameras flashed the questions kept coming but the moment the car door shut by behind them the world outside became nothing more than a distant hum Isaiah stared ahead his jaw tight his body stiff Ava exhaled beside him her fingers pressed against her Temple her breath unsteady for just a moment before she composed herself again you okay she Asked softly he didn't answer because no he wasn't okay he had just been released from a cell after watching his brother die in the street he had been beaten cuffed accused and

now the same system that let those officers pull the trigger was still holding him by the throat still twisting the truth still making sure that he was the criminal no he wasn't okay but what did that even matter Ava exhaled again shifting in her seat we going straight home she said you Need to rest we'll talk about everything tomorrow Isaiah just kept staring ahead the first thing Isaiah noticed when they walked through the door was how normal everything looked the living room was still warm with the scent of lavender and wood polish the couch still

had the same deep indent from where Malcolm always sat their mother's old quilt still draped over the back like she had left it there herself for a split second Isaiah could almost pretend Malcolm was In the Next Room almost pretend that if he just walked down the hall he'd find him there scrolling through his phone smirking at some stupid joke breathing but then the weight of reality crashed down again and the silence in the house felt unbearable Ava set her briefcase on the table rolling her shoulders as she exhaled all right first thing tomorrow we

start putting pressure on the DA's office I already have a few people reaching out but we need to push harder They're going to try and stall hoping this blows over but it won't not this time Isaiah sat on the couch leaning forward his elbows on his knees his fingers laced together as he stared at the floor and if they don't do anything his voice was quieter now steadier but still heavy with something unresolved Ava hesitated for a fraction of a second before responding then we take it higher we push for federal involvement civil rights violations

anything we can throw At them Isaiah nodded slowly but the emptiness in his eyes didn't change and just like that the days bled together the calls were made the paperwork was filed the protests outside the police department grew larger the city boiled with tension and every single attempt at Justice was met with the same response we're still reviewing the case there isn't sufficient evidence at this time to proceed with charges the officers were acting in the line of duty Isaiah Sat in silence as he listened to the news updates as he watched Ava's frustration Mount

as he watched every single person with the power to do something step back fold their hands and do nothing every door they knocked on led to another excuse another delay another carefully worded statement about ongoing investigations and due process the system wasn't just broken it was doing exactly what it was built to do and Isaiah could feel something shifting Inside him a slow burn a weight pressing against his ribs pushing harder making it impossible to breathe Isaiah was sitting at the dining table staring blankly at his untouched plate of food the news droning in the

background Ava sat across from him her phone pressed to her ear her free hand gripping a pen so tightly her Knuckles turned white that's not good enough she snapped her voice sharp laced with an anger she was barely holding back they have body cam footage Where is it why hasn't it been released Isaiah barely heard her his eyes had drifted toward the TV the headlines scrolling across the screen press conference police chief speaks on tragic incident involving Malcolm Carter the screen cut to a Podium the police department's emblem displayed proudly behind the man standing in

front of the microphones the loss of life is always unfortunate the chief said his voice steady smooth rehearsed our officers Were faced with a life-threatening situation and they responded according the suspect was hostile uncooperative and attempted to reach for a weapon they had no choice but to defend themselves the camera panned slightly Briggs and Reynolds stood to the side their faces blank their uniforms crisp then Briggs stepped forward it's always difficult when situations escalate like this he said his voice just the right amount of Solemn just the right amount of regretful we never want to

take a life but when an officer feels threatened we have to protect ourselves I feared for my life Isaiah's fingers curled into his palms I wish things had gone differently Briggs continued but that man left us no choice something inside Isaiah snapped The Emptiness in his eyes burned away replaced with something sharper something hotter something that made his entire body go rigid Ava was still on The phone her voice Rising ing but she must have seen it the way his entire demeanor shifted the way his hands trembled with something far more dangerous than grief Isaiah

he didn't respond because at that moment the fire had consumed him completely and he knew if the system wasn't going to give him Justice then he was going to take it himself he hadn't realized his nails had dug so deep into his palms that they drawn blood until Ava's voice cut Through the air Isaiah it was cautious a name spoken not in Authority not in reassurance but in knowing he didn't look at her didn't move didn't do anything but keep his gaze fixed on the television as if burning holes into the screen would make the

lies unravel Ava set her phone down exhaling sharply Isaiah talk to me his jaw twitched his fingers flexing you heard it he said his voice lower than usual rough as if it had been scraped raw from the inside out You heard every damn word Ava hesitated then nodded slowly I did Isaiah inhaled through his nose forcing himself to keep the anger contained but it was pushing against his ribs slamming against his chest burning hot enough that it felt like it might split him open from the inside he turned toward her then his movements controlled but

his eyes his eyes they were different no longer Hollow no longer grief St they burned and what do we do now his Voice was eerily calm the kind of calm that existed only in the moments before a storm Ava's lips parted slightly her fingers tightening around the edge of the table as she measured her words we keep fighting she said her voice firm unwavering the words carrying the weight of someone who had spent her entire life navigating the legal Battlefield someone who had built an entire career out of push against an immovable system we go

back at them harder we apply more Pressure we make sure they don't get to control the narrative Isaiah let out a sharp bitter exhale shaking his head the narrative he muttered the word tasting like acid in his mouth that's all it is to them isn't it a damn story a version of events they get to shape get to bend until it fits what they need it to be Ava held his gaze her breath steady but Isaiah could see it the flicker of unease beneath her composure the way she was bracing herself Isaiah leaned Forward placing

his hands on the table his knuckles white Malcolm is dead Ava his voice wavered for just a fraction of a second before it hardened again and they're going to walk you know it I know it hell they know it every time we apply pressure every time we push harder all we're doing is playing their game but the system is already rigged and we're the only ones still pretending like it's not Ava swallowed her fingers gripping tighter Isaiah you told me to believe in The system Isaiah pressed on his voice Rising not with hysteria but with

something deeper something raw and unfiltered you told me there was a way forward that there was still a chance for justice and I did I sat here I waited I watched you fight for every angle and all we've gotten is locked doors empty statements and those pigs standing up there on National Television calling my brother a threat Ava's face tightened but she didn't speak Isaiah Exhaled sharply shoving away from the table pacing his hands running over his head frustration rolling off of him in waves self defense he spat fear for their lives he let out

a harsh humorless laugh shaking his head that's all it takes huh that's all it takes to justify murder Ava pushed up from her seat now standing her voice stronger you think I don't know that she snapped and for the first time there was an edge of something unrestrained in her voice Something that slipped past the controlled mask she always wore you think I don't know exactly how this goes Isaiah turned toward her his breath heaving his chest rising and falling with something that had been brewing for too long Ava's lips trembled slightly before she pressed

them together stealing herself you're right she said and it was so quiet at first that he almost didn't hear it everything about this is rigged everything about this is Designed to protect them and I hate it Isaiah I hate it but you have to let me keep fighting this the way I know how Isaiah shook his head his fists clenching at his sides and how do you know it's going to work how do you know we're not just giving them more time to clean this up to erase Malcolm completely how do you know Ava inhaled

sharply her throat bobbing I don't she admitted and the honesty in it was enough to make Isaiah stop I don't know But if we go outside the system if we if you do something you can't take back then they win they'll get exactly what they want Isaiah stared at her for a long suffocating Moment The Silence between them thick with every everything unsaid then he shook his head they already won he murmured and Ava knew she knew the moment his voice dropped like that the moment the fire in his eyes settled into something colder something

unchangeable something final her stomach Turned Isaiah but he was already stepping back already turning toward the door already slipping away from her like a shadow breaking from its anchor Isaiah wait Ava pushed forward reaching for his arm desperation creeping into her voice now but he was already gone already moving toward something she couldn't pull him back from she watched the door shut behind him watched the final sliver of light disappear as he walked into the night and for the first time since this All started Ava felt fear the Knight wrapped around Isaiah like a second

skin the cool air brushing against his face as he moved through the city with a new kind of purpose each step measured each thought sharper than the last he had always been disciplined military training had drilled that into him but this was different this wasn't combat this wasn't a mission sanctioned by the government this was something far more personal he Had no plan at first not a solid one anyway just the quiet steady hum of Rage pushing him forward the certainty that he needed to see them Briggs and Reynolds needed to look them in the

eye again needed to watch them in a way they had never expected the same way Predators stalked prey before the kill it didn't take long police officers weren't as Untouchable as they thought they had routines patterns lives outside of the job and Isaiah was good at what He did better than they could ever know the first thing he learned was that neither of them had a wife no children no families waiting for them at home Briggs lived alone in a modest but well-kept house in a quiet part of the city a neighborhood that was mostly

white mostly upper middle class the kind of place where people trusted the police because they had never had to fear them he got home at the same time every night parked his car in the driveway and took Exactly five steps up to his front door before disappearing inside no porch lights no security cameras Reynolds was the same name a small apartment clean unremarkable he spent most of his time alone except for the nights when he drank himself into a stoer at a local bar a few blocks from the precinct it wasn't enough Isaiah needed to

know them needed to see past their uniforms past the carefully curated personas they presented to the world he wanted to Understand what kind of men they really were not just the ones who had pulled the trigger that night but the ones they had always been so he dug deeper and the more he found the worse it got the first thing that sent a fresh wave of Fury rolling through him was the complaints there were so many excessive force racial profiling suspicious stops Isaiah spent hours combing through old reports finding patterns that no one had cared

enough to investigate too many black men Stopped for no reason too many injuries sustained during routine arrests too many names attached to complaints that had mysteriously gone nowhere Briggs had been in the department for years long enough to build a reputation long enough to know exactly how far he could push the line without consequences he had been accused of brutality seven times but every single report had been reviewed and dismissed the details made Isaiah's stomach churn a young man Barely 19 beaten so badly during an arrest that he had suffered permanent nerve damage an older

black veteran pulled over for a traffic violation slammed against the pavement when he asked why he had been stopped a father arrested in front of his children for disturbing the peace when he had simply been recording police activity outside his home each story was worse than the last each one a reminder that Malcolm's death had not been been An accident not an isolated incident Briggs had been hunting men like Malcolm for years and no one had stopped him Reynolds wasn't much better he had fewer complaints fewer marks on his record but that only made it

worse because Isaiah could see the pattern of Silence the way he had watched and done nothing the way he had backed up briggs' lies time and time again the way he had let black men suffer under his partner's hands without ever stepping in Isaiah found body cam Footage from 3 years ago a case where a young black teenager had been stopped while riding his bike through a predominantly white neighborhood Briggs had done all the Talking his voice smooth condescending barely masking his hostility the boy had been scared his voice shaking as he answered their questions

his hands trembling as he reached for his ID then Briggs had slammed him against the squad car accusing him of reaching for something Else of acting suspicious Isaiah watched the footage his breath locked in his chest the boy hadn't fought hadn't resisted he had just stood there too scared to move too shocked to react and Reynolds had done nothing the video ended with Briggs shoving the kid onto the pavement handcuffing him his voice calm as he told him he was being detained for failure to comply Isaiah shut his laptop the anger had been a steady

hum before now it was a roar Something hot and Alive something that made his fingers tremble with the effort it took to stay still this wasn't about Malcolm anymore this was about all of them every single name buried under police reports every single man who had been beaten humiliated locked in a cage left in the street erased like their EX existence had never mattered this was about every single man who had been Briggs and reynolds's prey and never got to fight back Isaiah clenched his jaw Exhaling slowly forcing the air through his lungs before it

burned him from the inside out he pressed his hands against the desk grounding himself steadying himself he had all the information he needed now it was time to decide what to do with it trus he left the apartment in the dead of night his hood pulled up his steps silent against the pavement briggs' house was first Isaiah stood across the street watching from the Shadows his gaze locked on the dark Windows on the faint glow of a television flickering inside he imagined Briggs sitting there drinking a beer flipping through channels without a second thought about

the life he had stolen Isaiah exhaled slowly reynolds's apartment was next same routine same watchful silence the bar down the street was still open half full of cops just getting off shift laughing over Cheap whiskey letting the world Fade Into static because none of them had ever had To care Isaiah turned away his fists clenched his path was clear now and soon Briggs and Reynolds would finally know what it felt like to be hunted the Knight wrapped around Isaiah like a cloak the city stretching out before him in a dull Haze of neon signs and

distant Sirens he moved through the streets with purpose his body loose controlled his steps silent against the pavement the fire burning in his chest had cooled into something else now something colder Something sharper the anger was still there raw pulsing alive but it had settled beneath the surface honed into Focus he wasn't just a grieving man anymore he was a predator and tonight Reynolds was the prey the bar was exactly what he expected a dimly lit hole in the wall tucked away on a quiet street just a few blocks from the precinct the kind of

place where cops gathered after their shifts to drink to laugh to blow off steam without worrying About the wrong eyes watching it was barely half full when Isaiah arrived just a scattering of officers nursing beers engaged in low conversation their backs turned to the World outside and then there was Reynolds he sat near the center of the room his body slouched comfortably in the booth a whiskey glass held Loosely between his fingers his uniform was gone replaced by casual clothes but he still carried himself the same way relaxed confident shoulders Squared like a man who

had never known real fear Isaiah lingered in the shadows near the back close enough to listen without being noticed he could hear the low murmur of conversation the occasional clink of ice against glass but it wasn't until another officer leaned in grinning amused that Isaiah's blood ran cold man the media's eating this case alive the other cop said shaking his head you and Briggs going to be good Reynolds smirked lifting his Glass you know how it is standard protocol internal review a couple weeks of paid leave then we're right back to it he took a

sip his expression completely unbothered as if this was nothing more than a minor inconvenience Isaiah's fingers curled against the edge of the table beside him his breath steady but deep the other officer chuckled gotta say man that was one hell of a shot you sure that guy didn't have something on him Reynold scoffed shaking His head please if he did we'd have found it PL Ed it whatever it took doesn't matter though that kid sealed his own fate the second he got mouthy I swear they never learn Isaiah's World tilted the breath left his lungs

in one sharp violent exhale his muscles going rigid his nails digging into his palms they were bragging laughing mocking Malcolm like he had been nothing like he had been just another name another statistic another inconvenience erased With without consequence Reynolds leaned back shaking his head voice dripping with Amusement Briggs had to put on the whole shaking officer act for the cameras but between you and me we did the city a favor ain't nobody going to miss that guy Isaiah barely heard the response barely felt anything other than the slow controlled rage sinking its claws into

his chest burrowing deep wrapping around his ribs and squeezing until till he could barely breathe his Ears rang his vision narrowed and in that moment he knew there was only one path forward no courts no appeals no pressure on the system he wasn't going to fight for justice anymore he was going to make it himself Isaiah stepped out of the bar inhaling the crisp night air letting it settle in his lungs letting it cool the fire burning inside him just enough to keep his thoughts Sharp sharp Reynolds and Briggs thought they were Untouchable thought the

badge Gave them power gave them the right to decide who lived and who died Isaiah was going to show them how wrong they were he had been turning over the possibilities in his mind for days what to do how to do it whether to make it slow or fast whether to make it a message or a simple execution he had studied them memorized their routines learned the patterns of their lives the way a sniper learned his targets weaknesses but now now the decision had Been made they were going to die exactly like Malcolm did the

same fear the same helplessness the same powerlessness Malcolm had felt when they threw him against the car when they slammed him to the ground when they pulled the trigger and let his blood soak the pavement Reynolds was going to feel it first Isaiah exhaled pulling his hoodie tighter around his face his mind already constructing the next steps he would need timing isolation the right location It couldn't be rushed it had to be perfect Reynolds left the bar around the same time every night usually alone he walked to his car in the back lot away from

the main road away from the street lights too cocky to be cautious too confident to even consider the idea that someone might be watching Isaiah checked the time he still had 15 minutes before Reynolds would stumble out slightly buzzed but still steady enough to drive perfect he moved quickly slipping around The side of the building staying low moving through the alley until he reached the parking lot he found the spot a shadowed Corner near The Back Fence just beyond the range of the security camera mounted near the entrance and then he waited the cold air

did nothing to dull the steady pulse of anticipation thrumming beneath his skin his muscles coiled with the kind of tension he had only felt before battle the kind of singular Focus that came Just before the first shot was fired his breath was slow steady he could already picture it Reynolds stepping out unaware completely at ease walking to his car with the same arrogance he had carried in that bar Isaiah would let him unlock the door let him relax let him think for one final moment that his world was still exactly as he had left it

and then Isaiah would drag him to the ground shove him against the pavement press his face against the asphalt just like they Had done to Malcolm and then he would let Reynolds understand fully completely with no Escape no mercy exactly what it had felt like to be Malcolm in those last gasping seconds Isaiah's fingers flexed he heard the bar door open it was time Isaiah stayed still his breath steady his body coiled his muscles tense but controlled as he watched the door to the bar swing open the dim yellow light spilled onto the pavement stretching

shadows out across the lot casting long Dark lines that flickered and shifted as Reynolds stepped outside he moved just like Isaiah had expected comfortable unhurried oblivious his posture was loose his shoulders relaxed the confidence of a man who had never known true danger who had never had to look over his shoulder who had never once considered that the violence he inflicted could ever find its way back to him Isaiah clenched his jaw watching waiting his fingers curling into fists As Reynolds dug into his pocket pulling out his car keys and whistling softly to himself swaying

slightly from the alcohol still running warm through his bloodstream he wasn't drunk not enough to stumble but enough to dull his senses to make him sloppy Reynolds reached his car pressed the unlock button and the chirp of the alarm cut through the night air that was when Isaiah stepped forward he moved slow deliberately his steps measured as he let his presence be known The sound of his boots scraping against the pavement just enough to pull reynolds's attention the officer stiffened slightly glancing over his shoulder and for a split second there was no rec recognition no

real concern just mild irritation as if Isaiah was some drunk who had wandered too close then his eyes sharpened he knew a slow arrogant smirk spread across his face well well Reynolds muttered turning fully now pocketing his keys didn't Expect to see you out here Carter Isaiah said nothing Reynolds tilted his head slightly looking him up and down with the same condescension he had seen that night outside aa's house the same easy arrogance of a man who thought he was Untouchable what he said voice laced with Amusement you come out here looking for some answers

hoping I'll admit something for your little court case he let out a sharp chuckle shaking his head man I got to say I respect the Dedication but I already told you there's nothing to fight here it was a clean shooting Isaiah inhaled slowly through his nose forcing himself to stay still to hold back the fury curling inside his chest like a living thing Reynolds scoffed stepping closer his smirk widening come on don't look at me like that it's not personal it's just the way the world works you and your brother made a mistake and you

paid for it I mean Malcolm was always going to End up dead sooner or later right might as well have been me that put him down Isaiah moved before he even made the conscious decision too his fist slammed into reynolds's mouth the impact cracking through the night air the force behind it sending the officer staggering back into his car the arrogance vanished Reynolds lifted his head his lip split open blood dripping down his chin shock flickering across his face before it morphed into something uglier anger Disbelief fear you crazy son of a Isa was on

him again before he could finish his second punch crashed into reynolds's ribs his knuckles slamming into flesh and Bone and the officer grunted wheezing as he hunched over Isaiah followed up his elbow smashing into reynolds's Temple the sharp impact sending him stumbling sideways his hands scrambling for balance against the car you didn't think I was going to do anything did you Isaiah's voice was low Even deadly he took a step forward as Reynolds straightened his breath coming hard now his hands lifting instinctively not to fight not yet but to plate all right Carter listen Isaiah

didn't listen his knee drove into renold's stomach cutting off whatever pathetic excuse was about to leave his mouth the officer gasped his body curling inward spitting blood onto the pavement as he stumbled back Isaiah didn't stop he wouldn't stop he grabbed Reynolds by the collar Yanking him forward before slamming him face first onto the hood of the car his cheek pressed against the cold metal his breath ragged this what it felt like Isaiah muttered his voice low seething his grip tight against the back of reynolds's neck when you threw Malcolm down when you put your

knee in his back he pressed down forcing Reynolds against the car grinding his face against the metal his breath coming in sharp broken bursts this what it felt like when you Held him down and let Briggs put a bullet in him Reynolds struggled his body twisting his hands pushing back but Isaiah barely felt it you you don't want to do this Reynolds panted his voice strained you put your hands on a cop Carter and you'll never walk free again Isaiah yanked him back spun him around and drove his fist into his stomach Reynolds choked doubling

over over a wet gasping noise tearing from his throat Isaiah grabbed him by the collar again Dragging him upright forcing him to look at him you think I give a damn about walking free Isaiah's voice was a snarl now his chest heaving the weight of Malcolm's death of every Injustice of every name erased by men like Reynolds and Briggs boiling over reynolds's eyes widened a flicker of something real passing over his face now understanding this wasn't a grieving man throwing punches in Anger this was Vengeance and Isaiah wasn't done not even close he Slammed Reynolds

against the car again twisting his arm behind his back his grip tightening against his wrist until the officer groaned in pain his knees buckling beneath the force of it Isaiah leaned in close his breath hot against reynolds's ear you ever hear a man beg for his life before he murmured reynolds's breath hitched because I have Isaiah continued I heard my brother plead I heard him fight for every last breath after your partner put a bullet In him Reynolds swallowed hard his throat bobbing Isaiah pulled him back just slightly just enough to let him get a

breath before slamming him back down you think you know fear Isaiah's voice was ice now steady deliberate you don't but I'm going to show you and for the first time Reynolds understood this wasn't a warning it was a promise Isaiah pressed down harder wrenching reynolds's arm behind his back forcing a choked groan from the officer's lips you feel That Isaiah muttered his voice dangerously low steady in a way that sent a cold Primal dread through reynolds's veins that's the feeling my brother had in his last moments the weight against his back the helplessness the realization

that no matter what he said no matter how much he pleaded none of it was going to change a damn thing Reynolds shook his head weakly blood dripping from the corner of his mouth but please Isaiah's stomach Twisted Violently at the sound of that word coming from this man's lips because Malcolm had begged he had pleaded and Reynolds had laughed Isaiah leaned in closer pressing his lips near reynolds's ear that's the first time I've ever heard you say please pleas he murmured his voice almost thoughtful you think you deserve Mercy Reynolds let out a garbled

whimper his body twitching under Isaiah's weight Isaiah closed his eyes for just a fraction of a second feeling The weight of Malcolm's absence pressing down on him feeling the raw unchecked rage that had been simmering inside him for days solidify into something lethal something final no more warnings no more Second Chances had spent years praying on people terrorizing black men who had done nothing but exist in the wrong place at the wrong time he had stolen lives stolen dignity stolen Futures and now Isaiah was about to take something from him permanently Isaiah's grip Shifted his

movements precise calculated not just the wild force of Revenge not just unrestrained violence but the trained Precision of a man who had spent his entire career learning exactly how the human body worked how it could be broken in ways that no surgery no Rehabilitation no amount of money or connections could ever undo his fingers found the right point at the base of reynolds's neck right between the cervical vertebrae a single perfect Target you ever hear what happens when you sever the right part of the spinal cord Isaiah's voice was almost convers ational calm unshaken Reynolds

gasped his body trembling now his weight shifting as he tried to thrash free Isaiah let him struggle for a second for one final moment of Hope before taking it away forever then he struck a quick brutal jab precise unforgiving there was a sharp sickening pop the kind of sound that wasn't loud but carried all the Weight of something irreversible reynolds's entire body seized his limbs locking for a split second before collapsing completely his breath hitching his mouth opening but no sound came out his throat spasmed uselessly his hands twitching before going limp Isaiah took a

slow step back watching as realization flooded into reynolds's wide horrified eyes he tried to move his legs nothing he tried to speak nothing the Panic came all at once his breath Hitching his fingers scrabbling uselessly at the pavement as his body failed him as his lungs stuttered through the first gasps of a man who truly understood for the first time in his life what it meant to be powerless Isaiah crouched beside him resting his elbows on his knees his head tilting slightly that feeling right there his voice was quiet almost eerily soft that's the same

feeling every single man you and Briggs put down felt in their Last moments that's the same fear Malcolm had that's the same helplessness you let him die with reynolds's eyes burned with pure Terror his mouth still trying to form words but nothing came his spinal cord was severed too high his vocal cords were gone he would never speak again never move again never hurt anyone again Isaiah exhaled standing slowly he let himself take in the moment let himself watch Reynold struggle let himself feel the weight of what he had Done settle into his bones before

he turned away his exit was clean quiet controlled he moved through the alley his footsteps blending into the night his body slipping into the Shadows like a man who had never been there at all no cameras had caught him no Witnesses had seen by the time Reynolds was found by the time someone realized what had happened Isaiah would be long gone and by the time the officers at the precinct gathered around their fallen brother Whispering in hushed horrified voices about the mysterious permanent irreversible injury that had left him a silent broken shell of a man

Isaiah would already be planning the next move because this wasn't over not until Briggs felt the exact same thing the city pul around Isaiah like a living thing a quiet hum of Life moving on Untouched by the war unfolding in the shadows he moved with the Knight a ghost between street lights unseen unnoticed This was the point of no return he had known it the second he left Reynolds broken in that parking lot he had felt it settled deep in his chest in the slow burning calm that had taken root inside him there would be

no Redemption no running no hiding the police would figure it out and they did faster than he expected Isaiah had been careful methodical but the second reynolds's condition was reported the second the department Realized this wasn't some random street attack they had moved fast the precinct had gone on high alert and within hours they had pieced it together they knew it was him and that was how Isaiah found himself watching his own house being raided from the Shadows he stood at a safe distance tucked behind an old industrial building his hoodie pulled low his hands

in his pockets his breath slow and measured as red and blue lights flashed against the windows of the place He had once called home officers moved in and out weapons drawn at first then lowered as it became clear that he wasn't inside they were too late Isaiah had abandoned it the moment he knew what had to be done he had left nothing behind but the Furniture the past the ghost of the man he used to be still he watched as they tore through it as they searched as they called out his name over radios his

name was no longer just a name it was a Target he should have Felt something Panic dread regret he felt nothing because this was inevitable because he had work to do then his phone vibrated he pulled it from his pocket check the screen Ava his stomach tightened instantly Isaiah stepped deeper into the Shadows before answering keeping his voice steady yeah but the second she spoke he knew Isaiah he was here his entire body locked Ava he said carefully his voice dangerously low now tell me exactly what happened her Breathing was uneven tight but controlled he

could tell she was pacing could hear the slight shift of her heels against the heart hardwood Briggs showed up at my house barged in he he was panicking Isaiah he was out of his mind Isaiah's Vision blurred with heat what did he say to you his grip tightened around the phone he's losing it Ava continued her voice strained layered with something she rarely let slip fear he said he knows it was you he kept Saying he could feel it that you were out there watching that you were coming for him good Isaiah exhaled slow steady

and what else she hesitated just for a second then he put a gun to my head Isaiah the world stopped everything inside Isaiah went still he said if I don't tell him where you are Ava continued her voice quieter now controlled but shaking just enough for him to hear it he's going to kill me first then come for you silence Stretched between them thick heavy ready to snap then Isaiah closed his eyes and his voice came out calm deadly where is he now Ava swallowed he left I don't know where he is Isaiah barely blinked

he knew Ava knew her well enough to hear the war waging inside her you don't have to do this she finally said her voice steady but pleading I already told you the police are on you your house is gone Isaiah it's a crime scene now they're going to find any loose thread they can To pin you down if you stop now if you Ava his voice cut through the air sharp unyielding she went silent Isaiah exhaled through his nose you know I can't stop and you know why there was a long pause then she whispered

almost too softly yeah I know that was the thing she did know she knew exactly what this was exactly what had to happen even if she would never say it Isaiah took another step back watching the last of the officers move in and out of his House watching the scene that no longer had anything to do with him the man they were hunting was already gone you need to leave your house Isaiah told her his voice firm now an order not a request now pack a bag go to a hotel pay in cash don't tell

anyone where you are just stay out of this Ava you think running is going to I'm not running Isaiah interrupted voice sharp cutting Briggs is is silence then be careful she said it was the closest thing to an admission He was ever going to get and then the line went dead Isaiah slowly lowered the phone his jaw clenching as he turned away from the raid his feet carrying him toward his next destination Briggs had made his move he had made it personal he had gone after Ava which meant this ended now Isaiah wasn't going to

let him run he wasn't going to to let fear turn into desperation no Briggs was going to feel everything and when it was over Isaiah would make sure he never lifted a Gun against anyone ever again Isaiah moved through the night with singular Focus his breath steady his hands tight around the wheel as he sped through the streets Briggs wasn't just running he was cornered desperate unraveling by the second he had already stormed into Ava's house once had already put a gun to her head and Isaiah knew that if he didn't stop him now he'd

go back maybe not tonight maybe not tomorrow but soon because men like Briggs didn't let go of Control they lashed out tore things apart dragged everyone down with them if he felt like the walls were closing in if he thought for a second that he had lost the last sliver of power he had left he would try to take something with him Isaiah wasn't going to let that happen he had planned for this days ago while studying Briggs he had placed a tracker on his car a small untraceable device tucked into the wheel well hidden

under Layers of grime never noticeable unless you were looking for it Isaiah had learned a long time ago that winning a fight wasn't about brute strength it wasn't about rage it was about preparation and Isaiah had prepared for this exact moment the screen in the passenger seat flickered showing a blinking red dot weaving through the city Briggs was moving erratically cutting through back streets doubling back trying to shake an enemy he Couldn't even see not fast enough Isaiah tightened his grip adjusting course feeling the weight of inevitability settling over him he wasn't just chasing Briggs

he was hunting him the engine roared as he pushed the car faster the distance closing the streets thinning out as Briggs unknowingly led him into a stretch of road with no traffic no street lights nothing but darkness and asphalt perfect Isaiah's pulse was slow measured as he reached under the Dashboard and cut off his headlights his car melted into the night the sound of his tires lost in the hum of the city behind him Briggs wouldn't even see him coming the Red Dot blinked Isaiah could see the shape of briggs' car now just ahead swerving

slightly a sign of a man trying to watch every angle at once looking for threats in places where they weren't except this time the threat wasn't behind him it was coming from the side Isaiah exhaled slowly steadying Himself then he jerked the wheel hard to the right the impact was instant the front of Isaiah's car slammed into briggs' driver's side metal crunching glass shattering tires screaming as the officer's vehicle spun violently across the pavement the momentum sent Briggs into a sharp skid his car slamming into the guardrail the force rattling through the frame Isaiah barely

felt The Recoil he had braced for it Briggs hadn't Isaiah was already moving before the Cars had fully settled his door flung open boots hitting pavement as he closed the distance in seconds Briggs was Dazed struggling against the seat belt his breath coming in short stunned bursts as he tried to push himself upright his gun was on the passenger seat Out Of Reach Isaiah didn't give him time to recover he ripped the driver's side door open grabbed Briggs by the collar and yanked him out of the wreckage the officer hit the pavement hard coughing struggling

His hands grasping at nothing as he tried to orient himself and then Isaiah saw it the fear briggs' eyes were wide wild a man completely out of his depth a man who had never felt powerless until now Isaiah stepped forward the weight of the night pressing in around them his shadow stretching over briggs' shaking form the officer blinked up at him dazed his mouth opening like he wanted to speak to reason to say anything that might save him Isaiah didn't let him his Fist slammed into briggs' face the impact snapping his head to the side

a sharp grunt tearing from his throat as his body recoiled against the asphalt Briggs groaned rolling onto his hands and knees spitting blood onto the pavement wait he gasped his voice shaking Isaiah's boot crashed into his ribs sending him sprawling back onto his side his breath hitching in a choked wheeze you weren't waiting when Malcolm was begging were you Isaiah's voice was Low even dangerous Briggs coughed violently one hand clutching his ribs the other lifting weakly as if to ward off the next blow I I didn't have a choice he panted Isaiah's laugh was cold

no he said now you don't have a choice briggs' breath came faster Panic leaking into every trembling limb his body instinctively trying back to fight but it was useless Isaiah grabbed him by the collar again dragging him to his knees forcing him to look up and in that Moment Briggs knew this was it there was no badge to protect him no backup coming no system to twist reality in his favor Isaiah had him and before this was over Briggs would feel everything Malcolm had felt the fight had just begun Briggs coughed violently his body trembling

as he tried to push himself off the pavement his breath wheezing from the impact of the last blow blood dripped from his split lip pooling beneath him Staining the ground like a slow moving reminder of everything he had done of every life he had ruined under the protection of his badge his hands clawed at the asphalt his arms shaking with the effort of lifting his own weight but Isaiah wasn't finished not yet the second Briggs shifted Isaiah's boots slammed into his ribs again sending him rolling onto his back with a pained gasp he was coughing

blood now the sound wet and broken but Isaiah didn't care you Like to throw people around don't you Isaiah's voice was low even each word deliberate as he stepped closer his shadow stretching over Brigg's battered form you like making people beg you like watching them squirm knowing they can't do a damn thing to stop you his breathing was controlled but his hands were clenched his knuckles still warm with the officer's blood how does it feel now Briggs he crouched low grabbing the front of briggs' shirt forcing him To look up how does it feel knowing

there's nobody coming to save you Briggs let out a ragged breath his eyes flickering with something Isaiah had never seen in them before real honest fear but then even through the trembling even through the blood leaking from his nose and the swelling already forming around his eye the bastard smiled you think this changes anything he rasped his voice hoarse but dripping with arrogance you think taking me down makes You a man you're just another angry Thug looking for a fight just like your brother was Isaiah saw red his fist collided with briggs' jaw the impact

sharp and brutal sending the officer's head snapping to the side he grunted choking on his own blood but Isaiah didn't stop his hands locked onto Brigg's collar again yanking him forward before slamming him back against the pavement say his name Isaiah growled Briggs coughed his body twitching in Pain say his name you racist llife Briggs let out a weak bitter chuckle his Blood Stained teeth flashing through the swelling you're really going to stand here and cry about your brother that mouthy criminal had it coming you know it I know it your sister probably knows it

too his smirk Twisted even as his face face twitched in agony bet she's real proud of you now huh watching you turn into exactly what they think we are Isaiah didn't hesitate his fist slammed Down again and again and again the rage that had been simmering controlled calculated restrained for so long finally snapped its chains he let it take him Briggs grunted with every impact his body convulsing under the force of each hit his blood splattering onto the pavement onto Isaiah's Knuckles onto the ground like a slow rain he tried to lift his arms tried

to Shield his face but Isaiah wasn't giving him an inch you don't get to talk about my Sister Isaiah snarled his breath coming fast his heart hammering against his ribs you don't get to talk about Malcolm you don't get to say his name you don't get to act like you know anything about the people you put in the ground Briggs spat blood onto the ground his breath rattling as he finally went completely limp his head rolling to the side his entire face was a swollen mangled mess his cheekbones fractured his nose flattened his lips torn

open in places Isaiah hadn't even realized he had hit his breaths were ragged uneven struggling but still he laughed it was weak broken nothing more than a bubbling sound through bloody teeth but the arrogance still lingered beneath it you think you win this Briggs wheezed his voice slurred from the damage Isaiah had done to his face you think this is Justice this ain't Justice this is just you signing your own death warrant his lips curled into something almost Resembling a grin despite the blood pouring down his chin you're going to be running for the rest

of your life boy Isaiah Froze that word that one word the same one Briggs had used when he had Malcolm on the ground when he had been pinning him down handcuffing him like he wasn't even human the same word Isaiah had heard his whole life the one that had always meant one thing you are beneath me Briggs had never been afraid of him not really because men like him Never thought they could lose even now beaten bleeding broken on the pavement he still thought he was above Isaiah Isaiah's jaw clenched his breath steadying he already

knew what Briggs was saying was true there was no going back the police would be after him until they had him in cuffs or until they put a bullet in his back no matter how much they had protected Briggs no matter how many crimes they had covered up for him they would never let Isaiah get away With this he had known it from the second Malcolm hit the ground he had known it from the second he decided that Justice wasn't enough he wasn't leaving this night as a free man but neither was Briggs Isaiah let

out a slow exhale his mind clearing the rage was still there but it wasn't Reckless anymore it was something else now finality Briggs lay sprawled across the pavement his breath coming in short ragged bursts his body limp broken struggling against the Weight of everything Isaiah had done to him blood painted his face streaking down his swollen cheeks pooling at the corners of his mouth his teeth stained red with the price of his arrogance his hands twitched weakly at his sides his body trying to push back to rise to resist but there was nothing left in

him now no power no control no smirk no sneer no easy lies to Shield him just fear Isaiah stood over him fists still clenched breath still slow but the fire Inside him had not burned out not yet the rage was there steady waiting whispering to him telling him to finish it it would be easy one movement one final strike he could end it here right now and no one would mourn him no one would fight to avenge him no one would say his name the way they had cried out for Malcolm the world would move

on unchanged and for the first time in his life Briggs would be nothing but a statistic Isaiah took a slow breath his Fingers flexed Briggs coughed his swollen lips parting his bloodshot eyes flickering with something desperate something weak but not entirely broken he wanted to speak wanted to say something another plea another lie another final grasp at Power Isaiah didn't want to hear it because he wasn't in that moment anymore he was somewhere else somewhere darker somewhere colder he was on the pavement kneeling beside his brother Malcolm's hand had been Trembling in his his breath

coming in wet stuttering gasps his body fighting for every last second Isaiah could still feel the way his grip had tightened weak but insistent his eyes locking onto his own desperate to keep him there desperate to make sure that he heard him don't don't let them get away with it Isaiah had sworn that he wouldn't and that was why Briggs wasn't dying tonight because death was too easy death was an escape a release a way to disappear into Nothing and never have to live with the consequences Briggs had never known suffering he had never known

what it was to feel powerless to feel his body fail him to feel fear coil around his ribs to know that no one not the law not his fellow officers not the system that had always shielded him was coming to save him Isaiah exhaled the decision settled deep into his bones calm final Briggs would never get to lift a gun again never get to press his knee into Someone else's back never get to shove another man against a car never get to choke the breath from a person and call it Justified he would live but

like Reynolds before him he would never walk again Briggs must have seen it in his eyes because For the First Time his fear turned to panic wait he coked his voice hoarse thick with blood please don't Isaiah knelt his grip tightening in briggs' shirt forcing his battered face to meet his gaze you were right about One thing Isaiah murmured his voice low almost soft but there was no kindness in it only certainty only Justice I will be hunted for the rest of my life his breath was steady even but so will you Briggs is entire

body tensed Isaiah didn't hesitate his hands moved with Precision the kind of brutal practiced expertise only a soldier could have the kind of skill that didn't just break a body but left it trapped inside itself conscious aware breathing but useless Briggs let out a sharp gasp as Isaiah's fingers pressed deep into the base of his spine the exact spot where the nerves were most vulnerable his body seized violently his back arching for half a second his muscles locking in place before everything went completely still Isaiah let go Briggs collapsed his chest still Rose and fell

his breath still came but his legs did not move his arms twitched once a weak feeble movement before they too fell limp Against the ground briggs' mouth opened nothing came out Isaiah watched as realization flooded into the officer's face the shock the horror the understanding he tried desperately to lift his arms to turn to move his fingers to do anything but lay there on the cold pavement staring up at the sky like a man who had finally learned what it felt like to be helpless but nothing happened Isaiah's expression didn't change You ever hear a

man beg for his life before his voice was quiet now measured because I have Briggs let out a weak Broken Sound something between a sob and a gasp something pathetic something meaningless Isaiah stood Briggs didn't Isaiah turned his body slipping into the darkness his movements unhurried steady knowing that Briggs would never stand again behind him Briggs tried one last time to move his fingers twitched his chest shuddered his lips parted maybe to Call for help maybe to beg maybe just to scream nothing Isaiah didn't look back Isaiah kept walking his breath steady his hands loose

at his sides his fate already sealed the police would come for him the system would hunt him the weight of what he had done would never leave him but Malcolm's voice echoed in his head steady search a reminder of why he had done this in the first place don't let them get away with it and he hadn't Briggs would never Hurt anyone again the city was alive with flashing lights the distant whale of sirens splitting through the night the police scrambling hunting trying to contain the chaos that Isaiah had Unleashed he stayed to the Shadows

moving with Precision slipping through alleys avoiding cameras keeping his head low the hunt was already underway way Briggs and Reynolds were both out of commission paralyzed useless and every officer in the city would be out for Blood the force would not take this as a loss they would take it as War Isaiah had taken down two of their own had left them broken and helpless had made them feel something they had never felt before powerless and now the weight of that humiliation would turn every badge into a Target aimed at his back he had expected

it what he hadn't expected was Ava being caught up in it Briggs had made that decision for him when he had forced his way into her house put a gun To her head tried to use her as leverage that was the one thing Isaiah had never wanted Malcolm was already gone buried under the weight of a system that had stolen his last breath and called it justice Ava was the only thing left and now she was in the crossfire because of him Isaiah clenched his jaw as he slipped into the back entrance of a quiet

apartment building moving swiftly through the stairwell climbing two steps at a time his breath steady despite the Burn in his legs the walls here were thin the air stale with cigarette smoke and something old and forgotten the dim glow of hallway lights barely cutting through the darkness but it was safe for now he reached the door at the end of the hall knocked once a pause then the lock slid open the door cracked just enough for him to see Ava's tired knowing eyes staring back at him she didn't speak she just stepped aside letting him

in Isaiah moved past her Feeling the weight of everything pressing down on him as he stood in the small quiet space it was a temporary place not her home she had already abandoned that the second Briggs showed up at her door a suitcase Sat by the couch half zipped papers stacked neatly beside it always prepared always 10 steps ahead he turned to face her meeting her gaze I'm sorry he said quietly Ava didn't react didn't Flinch didn't try to interrupt she just crossed Her arms exhaled slowly waiting for him to say what they both already

knew this wasn't supposed to touch you he continued his voice low steady but heavy with something deeper I knew what what I was doing I knew what was going to happen to me but I didn't want you to get dragged into it I didn't want them looking at you the way they're looking at me now Ava scoffed shaking her head a humorless bitter sound slipping from her lips you think this is the first time They've looked at me like that she leaned against the counter arms still crossed her expression unreadable you think because I wear

a suit and argue in court instead of throwing punches in the street that they respect me that they don't see me the same way they saw Malcolm the same way they see you Isaiah didn't answer because she was right she sighed looking down at the floor for a moment before meeting his gaze again you did what you had to do and I can handle Myself he exhaled through his nose glancing at the stack of legal documents on the table at the unopened letters at the weight of everything she was carrying because of him doesn't mean

I don't regret it Ava tilted her head studying him carefully do you Isaiah didn't answer right away he thought about Briggs about Reynolds about the terror in their eyes when they finally understood when they finally felt the fear they had inflicted on others he Thought about Malcolm's last words about the promise he had made about the way Justice had failed them at every turn no he said finally his voice firm steady I don't Ava held his gaze for a long moment before nodding her expression softening just enough to let him know that she understood Isaiah

sighed rubbing a hand over his jaw knowing what had to come next I have to go the words felt final because they were Ava nodded again her eyes flickering with something Unreadable something unspoken something neither of them had the time to say out loud where he shook his head doesn't matter she exhaled through her nose looking away for a brief moment before stepping forward placing a firm hand on his shoulder they're never going to stop looking for you Isaiah nodded I know they're going to spin this however they want make you the monster make you

Public Enemy Number One I know Ava's fingers curled slightly against the Fabric of his jacket her voice dropping lower more serious Isaiah if you ever need he shook his head before she could finish I don't want you waiting for a call that isn't coming he forced himself to hold her gaze to let her see see the truth in his eyes I need you to be okay you're the only thing left Ava her jaw tightened but she nodded then go Isaiah inhaled slowly taking in the moment the last piece of home he had left he stepped

back gave her one last look and Then he turned disappearing through the door without another word he didn't look back he couldn't by the time the police realized where he had been he would be long gone a ghost in the Wind another name on their list another problem to hunt down and bury but they would never find him because Isaiah wasn't running he was already gone time moved differently now there were no weeks no months just the passage of days the cycle of sunrises and sunsets that Blurred together as Isaiah kept moving staying ahead of

the hunt staying invisible in a world that was always watching the moment he had walked out of of aa's apartment the moment he had disappeared into the wind he had known there was no returning to anything that had come before he was a ghost now the police had come down hard harder than he had even expected the media storm had erupted overnight headlines screaming about an ex Delta Force operative turned Cop killer about a vigilante with military training who had assaulted and crippled two decorated officers in what they framed as an Act of calculated terrorism

they didn't mention Malcolm they didn't mention why it had happened they Twisted it controlled the narrative turned it into something bigger than Isaiah himself something dangerous something monstrous something that justified every resource they threw into hunting him down but Isaiah had planned For this he had been trained for this and unlike them he had no rules to follow he moved through cities like a shadow slipping in and out of places before his name could ever come up before his face could ever linger too long in someone's mind the first thing he had done was strip

himself of everything that tied him to the life before no phone no bank accounts nothing traceable the military had taught him how to disappear but that had always Been under controlled conditions with a mission structure with an extraction plan waiting at the end this time there was no end this was forever the new identity had been easy enough there were people who specialized in making men like him disappear in selling clean paperwork in setting up new names new lives his money had gone far cash only nothing electronic nothing that could leave a trail the man

he had been was dead a new one had taken his place Somewhere quiet somewhere where no one looked too hard at a stranger who kept to himself a small town tucked deep into the hills the kind of place where people didn't ask questions as long as you kept your head down where the roads were long and empty where the days passed without urgency it wasn't home it never could be but it was enough he worked under the table jobs that paid in cash things that let him stay in the background construction repairs anything that let

Him use his hands keep his mind occupied keep himself steady in a life that wasn't real but was necessary the people in town knew him just enough to nod in passing but not enough to ask where he came from he was nobody here and that was exactly what he needed to be but the past never really left him and sometimes the radio would catch his attention the flicker of a News segment reminding the world that the Manhunt was still alive that the police were still looking that There were still Whispers of him being seen in

places he had never been false leads ghost sightings but they were still searching and they always would be then one night sitting in a quiet bar on the outskirts of town he heard her name Ava Carter his chest tightened but he didn't react didn't move didn't even look up from his drink as the news Anchor's voice filtered through the static laced audio detailing the official findings of the Department's Internal investigation Briggs and Reynolds had been painted as fallen officers victims of a violent Ambush but the department had been forced to acknowledge the deeper rot beneath

it all briggs' misconduct had been exposed reynolds's record had been picked apart the people they had brutalized the cases that had been swept under the rug it had all come to light too late for justice too late to mean anything for Malcolm but enough to send a shock through the Department enough to make them Retreat just a little enough to make them let Ava go her legal battles had been long but she had survived no charges no threats of disbarment she had been questioned harassed followed but in the end they had nothing on her because

she hadn't done anything she had just been his sister and that wasn't a crime the news report moved on shifting to another headline and Isaiah finally let himself breathe she was safe she was free that Was all he had wanted he finished his drink left a few bills on the counter and walked out into the night his breath curling in the cold air as he made his way back toward his rented room on the edge of town his life had become quiet now his days bleeding into one another time moving in ways that didn't feel

real but that was the price of Disappearing the only price that mattered because Malcolm had asked him for one thing before he died don't let Them get away with it and they hadn't Reynolds and Briggs would never hurt anyone again and Isaiah Carter Isaiah Carter was just a ghost now another name lost to the world and that was how it had to be the sky was overcast the kind of gray that stretched endlessly muted and heavy the clouds thick with the weight of something that never quite became rain the cemetery was quiet tucked away on

the outskirts of the city far enough from the noise from the world That had kept moving from the people who had forgotten what was buried here but Isaiah hadn't forgotten he stood at the edge of the path his hands in his pockets his breath slow and measured his heartbeat steady despite the way his chest felt tight despite the way his feet felt heavier the closer he got one year it had been one year since he had last seen Malcolm's face one year since he had felt his brother's hand gripping his own one year since that

last breath Those last words that final promise that had set everything in motion don't let them get away with it he hadn't but it had cost him everything he took the last few steps the wind Cold against his skin his jaw tight as his eyes fell on the headstone Malcolm Carter beloved Son devoted brother taken too soon Isaiah swallowed hard his throat burning the pressure building in his chest until it cracked until his knees hit the ground until his hands pressed against the Earth like he was trying to pull Malcolm back from the other side

the grief hit him in waves slow at first then sharp then crushing the kind of pain that didn't fade that only learned how to settled deeper his shoulders shook his breath hitched and for the first time in in a long time he let himself break I'm sorry he whispered his voice horar raw the weight of the past year pressing down on him all at once I tried Malcolm I did everything I could I made them pay I made sure they'd never touch anyone again I did what you asked me to do he exhaled sharply his

fingers digging into the dirt but I still lost you a sob Broke Free his head bowing forward his body curling slightly as the grief consumed him as the memories rushed back too fast too strong too much the laughter the late night conversations the way Malcolm had always looked out for him always been the one to keep them steady his brother had always been the Calm one the one who thought before he acted the one who never let the anger take him the way Isaiah had and now he was gone Isaiah wiped at his face his

breath still uneven his heart aching I wish you were here he whispered I wish I didn't have to do any of it I wish they hadn't taken you from me his fingers traced the edge of the stone his voice breaking but I wouldn't change it not one damn thing A Familiar warmth settled beside him a quiet presence a steady Hand resting gently on his back he didn't Flinch he didn't have to look to know who it was Ava knelt beside him silent at first her touch firm but comforting her fingers pressing gently against his shoulder

she didn't say anything didn't rush him didn't try to pull him back from the grief she just let him feel it he closed his eyes exhaling slowly steadying himself you found me he murmured Ava let out a quiet breathy chuckle but there was no humor In it only understanding you think I wouldn't isaa sniffed shaking his head slightly didn't know if I'd ever see you again Ava's grip on his shoulder tightened for a moment before she finally spoke you needed time she said simply and I knew where to find you when you were ready Isaiah

swallowed nodding his fingers still pressed into the Earth still trying to ground himself in something real he turned slightly finally looking at her she looked good Stronger tired maybe but steady in a way that told him she had made it through the storm he let out a slow breath are you happy Ava tilted her head slightly considering the question happiness is complicated she admitted but I'm okay that's enough for now Isaiah nodded staring at Malcolm's name carved into the stone that's all I wanted Ava shifted closer her voice softer now and what about you Isaiah

let the question settle let himself feel the weight of it He had spent the past year running rebuilding disappearing he had no home no future no real past anymore just a a life that kept moving just another name another face that didn't exist in any system but he was alive and so was she he turned back to her his expression calmer now I'll be okay she studied him for a long moment searching his face then nodded I know he exhaled the tension easing just slightly and then for the first time in a year he pulled

Her into an Embrace Ava let out a quiet breath against his shoulder her arms tightening around him her grip solid real grounding the weight of everything they had lost and everything they had survived lingered between them but they were still here together when they finally pulled back Isaiah let out a small almost reluctant chuckle I know I can't stay Ava nodded her gaze unwavering but you can always find me a small smile flickered at the corner of His lips and you can always find me Ava smirked shaking her head slightly that Parts a little harder

you are pretty damn good at disappearing Isaiah exhaled glancing at the grave once more before finally pushing himself to his feet Ava followed brushing dirt from her hands her expression unreadable but warm there were no goodbyes not this time he reached out gave her hand one last squeeze and then turned walking away slipping into to the distance once more Ava watched him go her arms crossing over her chest her eyes steady knowing he would never be too far he had disappeared once but now now he knew where to find his way back I hope you

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