The scene outside the Wild Foxes club was a brutal chaos shrouded in horror and illuminated by the brightness of the midday sun.
Sirens screamed through the air as patrol cars, ambulances, and crime scene vans lined the street in a chaotic procession of urgency.
Yellow crime tape stretched around the crime scene, cordoning off the area from throngs of reporters and stunned onlookers, kept behind metal barricades.
Police paramedics worked frantically, their gloved hands slick with blood, while a forensic expert took detailed photographs and samples needed to uncover the real perpetrators behind the attack.
Nearby, a young detective was speaking to his supervisor, giving detailed reports of the information gathered from the scene.
"Sir, we have solid evidence that proves that the gang responsible for this carnage are the same people who attacked our police station."
"Okay..." The supervisor, an average, mature, tall and lanky man in his mid-forties, nodded his head in agreement.
"Also, according to one of the traumatised survivors, who happens to be a young girl working as a stripper in the club, the attackers were a group of masked men led by this man." The detective pointed to a printed image recovered from CCTV footage in one of the VIP rooms.
The supervisor adjusted the reading glasses on the bridge of his nose, narrowing his gaze at the picture.
"Are you sure about this, detective?" He demanded looking up to meet the young detective's curious gaze.
"Yes, sir. We've carried out a visual inspection and metadata analysis on the image to ensure its authenticity. But we are yet to execute database matching. Do you by any chance know the man in the picture?"
The supervisor nodded his head slowly in response, his face etched in concern.
"This is Matt Shawls, the criminal-minded younger brother of Senator Gregory Shawls. He recently got released from prison on parole. And now this?" The supervisor let out a frustrated sigh.
"They never learn, sir." The detective's expression hardened as he assessed the level of destruction carried out in a single night, alongside his injured colleagues currently receiving treatment at the hospital. "This city is safer with such monsters gone."
"I totally agree." The supervisor concurred, faking a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "But do not breathe a word of this to anyone until we have completed the database matching and the fingerprint identification. We cannot afford any mistake."
"Yes sir." The detective hesitated a little before adding. "But sir, the mayor has given us only three days to fish out the perpetrators of this crime. I also heard the FBI are on their way to take over the investigation. Do I have your permission to hasten things a little?"
"Yes. Now get to work."
"Yes, sir." The detective saluted before returning to his previous assignments while his supervisor hurriedly left for his car.
Inside the privacy of his car, the supervisor dialled a number and brought the phone to his ear, his heart slamming wildly against his chest.
The line connected, and the rich voice of a man echoed in the background.
"Detective Kaine, how good to hear from you. To what do I owe this unexpected call?"
"Good day, Senator. I am afraid I have some bad news for you. I wanted to be the first to let you know before things get out of hand."
"It's your brother." The supervisor's voice was laced with concern and slight anger.
There was a brief pause before the senator's deep voice echoed again.
The supervisor was taken about by the cruelty and unhinged rage in the senator's voice.
"I'm sure you are aware of the incidents that took place last night at the Wild Foxes and the police station."
"We have reasons to believe that Matt led the attack."
"Three police officers were brutally killed in the attack and government properties were destroyed. The mayor wants the perpetrators brought to justice. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice are also involved in this case. If Matt is found guilty of the attack, this might mean the end for him."
"You have my permission to arrest and charge him accordingly for any offence committed. If his crime warrants the death penalty, then so be it."
"What!" The supervisor's jaw dropped.
"And going forward, do not call me concerning Matt or any other members of the Shawls family. Anyone who falls victim to an offence should be ready to face the law. Good day."
The line instantly disconnected, leaving Detective Kaine in complete shock and at the same time relieved.
After learning of his wife and son's kidnapping by the same people who had attacked his home and taken his daughter, Matt almost went insane with rage.
Not only had he lost his entire family in a single day, but he had also lost the only leverage that he once had over his wife.
The safe house where her parents were being held hostage had been attacked, and everyone killed, including Lilian's parents, or so he was told.
On top of these misfortunes, he had become the most wanted man in Salvine City, charged with the death of three police officers, multiple homicides in a brutal gang war.
Also, he was been chased by unseen shadow of his former ally, now turned enemy–the Don.
Through backstreets, across borders, under false names and borrowed faces, Matt vanished into shadows, always one step ahead. He told himself he would return when the dust had settled and when he had found his family.
But everything changed when he got wind of a message that carved through his chest like a dull knife.
Images of his wife, his son and his daughter all lying in a pool of their blood haunted him. They had all been murdered, gang style with no mercy.
Instantly, something snapped in Matt. His knees buckled beneath him, and he fell to the ground, his entire world shattered.
However, the pain currently ravaging his soul didn't even compare to the scream that never left his throat.
The thought of his precious daughter being defiled and slaughtered all because of him and the choices he made gnawed at his bones.
That night, Matt didn't run. He didn't even bother to hide after taking off his disguise.
He walked into the nearest countryside police station at sunrise, clothes wrinkled, eyes bloodshot, and soul hollowed out.
"Isn't that the..." The local police officer on duty stared at the picture of the most wanted man in the country, pasted on the investigation board before snapping his gaze back to Matt, his hand already on his gun.
"Yes. My name is Matt Shawls. I'm the one you've all been looking for. I'm done running." He stretched both hands forward in surrender.