The bar was dimly lit, and the air was filled with the soft hum of conversations and the clinking of glasses. James leaned back in his chair, eyes wide with curiosity as he listened to Henry, the detective. They had been talking for a while now, and the story Henry was telling had taken an unexpected turn.
"So, what happened after that?" James asked, his voice eager, trying to process everything he had just heard.
Henry took a deep breath, staring into his glass. "Well, you see, I was one of them," he said quietly. "I was in their gang, working undercover. I spent years trying to get close, gain their trust. They had no idea I was a cop."
James looked shocked. "You were one of the gang? But how—why didn't they suspect anything?"
Henry gave a small, bitter smile. "It wasn't easy. I had to play the part perfectly. I knew their plans, their moves. I acted like one of them, learned their ways. But the truth is, Jack really did mess up that plan. And yes, I was the one who tipped off the cops about the ship. I told them where the container was."
James leaned forward, his voice almost a whisper. "But why, Henry? Why did you do it?"
Henry sighed. "It was my job, James. I had to take them down. But Jack… he was desperate. He wanted to be more, to be someone. And that desperation led him to make a deal with a big drug boss. That deal was what messed everything up."
James nodded slowly, still trying to understand. "So, what happened after Jack died?"
Henry's face darkened. "Things changed. The other three—John, Mark, and Robert—they went on with their business. For a few years, they were untouchable. But then we got enough proof, and the police moved in. We sent the biggest force we'd ever seen into Darkden, thinking we had them."
"And?" James asked, holding his breath.
Henry shook his head. "They were gone. Vanished without a trace. It was like they knew we were coming. We couldn't find anything, no leads, no trails. They left Darkden clean."
James frowned, confusion on his face. "So, where are they now?"
Henry shrugged, his eyes tired. "No one knows. They disappeared. There's been no word, no case related to them for years. It's like they fell off the face of the earth. I think they're out there, somewhere, living quiet lives. Maybe they've given up that world. Maybe not."
James was silent for a moment, thinking about everything he had just learned. "But what about this case we're working on now? The one you mentioned earlier?"
Henry looked at James, his face serious. "That's about a guy named Tony. A big name in the underworld. He was found dead in a motel last week. Shot in the head. It's a mess, and it feels like something big is about to go down."
James's eyes widened. "You think it's connected to the old gang?"
Henry shook his head slowly. "I don't know. But I've got this feeling, James. This feeling that something's coming. Those three might be out of the game, but their shadows still linger over Darkden."
The room seemed to grow quieter as Henry's words hung in the air. James felt a chill run down his spine. "So, what now?"
Henry looked at him, his eyes hard. "We keep digging. We find out who's behind this. But remember, James, this world isn't simple. People change. They betray each other. They make mistakes they can't take back."
James nodded, the weight of Henry's words settling in. "And those friends? The four of them?"
Henry sighed, his voice filled with regret. "Their story ended in blood and betrayal. Jack made a mistake, and it cost him his life. The others… they're out there somewhere, living with what they did."
James looked down at his drink, his mind racing. "So, the case we started with, the one about Tony… it's just the beginning, isn't it?"
Henry nodded. "Yeah, kid. It's just the beginning."
The chapter ended with James staring into his glass, wondering what lay ahead, while Henry sat back, lost in the memories of a time when he was part of a world he had sworn to take down.