11:00 a.m.

Rick did not have long to wait before a red personal vehicle stopped outside the station, Brick stepped out and looked around. Spotting Rick but not recognizing him Brick nodded to him before entering the station. Rick, not seeing any conspicuous cameras walked up and slipped into the back seat to wait.

                Normally someone would end up getting roasted in a vehicle that was off, but Bricks car was a higher end car, so it had batteries dedicated to turning on fans to keep the temperature bearable while the vehicle was not running.

                Rick only had to wait a couple hours until Brick exited and entered the car. Rick sat up and placed a gun to the base of Brick’s skull.

                Brick screamed, “Who are you?”

                “Drive.”

                “What?”

                Rick pressed the barrel of the gun harder against his skull. “Drive.”

                “Ok.” Brick pulled out of the station onto Mid St. headed away from the Nexus. “I don’t know who you are but I can pay.”

                Rick ignored him and just instructed him saying,“Brick, turn left toward the river district.” Rick continued to give directions until the car was parked in front of a dilapidated warehouse, yellow tape with the black letters saying condemned wrapped the building. “Do you recognize this place.”

                Brick said nothing, he just shook his head no.

                “It figures you wouldn’t recognize, you just authorized my wife’s murder, but you were too much of a coward to do it yourself.

                “Who are--”

                “I am Rick Arthur Ethel the man who you called friend and yet killed his wife! And do not say anything, what justification could you have? You did not immediately realize it was me because, let me guess, I am not the only man you have authorized the murder of his wife. Am I right?”

                Brick sat stiffly, his hands shaking on the steering wheel.

                “I asked. Am. I. Right.? Answer me!” Rick screamed. Jamming the barrel of his gun into the base of Brick’s skull until he drew blood.

                “Yes,” he spoke softly before slamming on the gas aiming for the canal, Right before they hit Brick sent out radiating from himself translucent green poles to hold himself in place. But Rick, unable to use Inchemy and not buckled in was slammed around inside the vehicle as it crashed into the water.

                The next thing Rick remembered was being dragged by Brick out of the water, his vision swimming, and vomiting down the front of himself. Brick dropped his body onto the concrete, squatted, and aimed a gun at Rick’s head.

                “You were supposed to be dead.”

                “I was supposed to be dead many times over.” Rick slurred out.

                “I am sorry about what I have had to do to you, but you refused to play ball, and you refused to step aside, I am sorry.” Brick began to squeeze the trigger.

                “Brick I am sorry, but the system is broken, and I think I actually agree with Rick, this vigilante justice is something you deserve.” Alice spoke.

                “Wha-” Brick questioned, confused by the high-pitched voice and clarity of speech but he was unable to say more as Alice acted as puppeteer and controlled Rick’s hands to wrap around Brick’s throat and began to squeeze. Rick in a panic tried to move his gun to shoot but he was shoved up and off Rick causing him to lose his grip on the gun. Alice continuing to control Rick grabbed it off the ground and pointed it at Brick and spoke with tears in her eyes, “we considered you family, I am sorry I wish we could believe you would receive legal justice but we both know that won’t happen.” She then squeezed the trigger and scattered his brains across the stones. “Let’s see what state the apartment is in and wait for the end.” Alice sighed dropping the gun into the water.

                Rick his vision swimming simply nodded.