Chapter VII: Darkness
November 23 2031
Lexi was at the cafe as she was looking at the time on the clock and it was seven twenty three p.m. There was a snowstorm happening outside and nobody was at the cafe today so she decided to check the financial records while talking to her friend.
Skylar and Lexi have been friends for years now and have always been there for each other and supported each other.
Skylar: Lexi, you should really go back home. The snowstorm is getting worse and plus no one's gonna come to the cafe today.
Lexi: I know but I just need to check these financial records then I'll head back home.
Skylar: You can do that later, plus Jennifer is alone at home too.
Lexi: No, Jennifer's not at home right now. She's staying with Sabrina and Aaron for a group study. She even told me that she will even stay over at Sabi's house too.
Skylar: Oh I see.
Lexi nodded and continued looking through the records as she was thinking about something and Skylar noticed it as she said something to her.
Skylar: What's the matter, Lexi? I noticed you've been thinking about something for the last few days now.
Lexi was silent and looked at Skylar until Kaufman said something to her and Skye was listening to her.
Lexi: It's just. . . . . . I've been thinking about Jim.
Skylar: Jim? Isn't he the one you were talking about, when Jennifer and Aaron broke into his home because they thought the place was abandoned.
Lexi: Yeah that's him. To be honest, I know Jim isn't his real name. Just a fake name he made up. Aaron told me, the manor that they broke into belonged to Alex Ambrose.
Skylar: Wait a minute? Alex Ambrose? CEO of Hope Enterprises?
Lexi: You know him?
Skylar: Me and Caleb went to one of his parties many years ago. But then he disappeared and nobody has heard or seen him since then.
Lexi was shocked when Skylar said that as she was wondering what happened to him and why he was living in isolation for so long.
Lexi: When I came to the manor to get Jennifer's phone. I noticed some pictures on the table and wall. Looks like he had family and a girlfriend.
Skylar:. . . . . . His parents and sister Chloe died in a house invasion, leaving him an orphan. He was then adopted by his uncle but. . . . Last I heard, his uncle died eleven years ago. . . . . . I don't know about his girlfriend.
Lexi felt a wave of sadness and shock in her heart as she felt bad for Alex and everything that he has been through. However Kaufman also had this feeling there was more to his story.
Soon Lexi and Skylar decided to leave the cafe as they closed it up and were about to leave until they heard a notification and opened their phones as it was a news report.
Reporter: A severe snowstorm has struck Gotham, blanketing the city in heavy, wet snow, causing widespread disruptions. Communication systems have been knocked out in several areas, leaving residents isolated and unable to make phone calls. With visibility severely reduced and road conditions treacherous, authorities have increased police patrols throughout the city to maintain order and respond to emergencies. The storm is expected to last for sometime with authorities urging people to stay indoors and avoid travel unless absolutely necessary.
Meanwhile Alex was at the restaurant as he was looking around the kitchen while some of the staff were watching the news on the television.
Reporter: Husband and wife found murdered in their sleep this morning.
Reporter: Mayor Mitchell who sponsored Dents rehabilitation had this to say just days before Dent's release.
Mitchell: As a city, we have to give Harvey every chance to return to society. We must believe we can all defeat our own private demons.
Reporter: Murder rates on the city's
subways have reached an all time high.
Reporter: Kidnapping, murdering victims despite the ransom being made is a line that the mutants have crossed. This marks a chilling escalation from a group many are already calling the worst criminals of Gotham City has seen since the Joker.
Reporter: Storm coming in like the wrath of God about to hit Gotham.
Alex was listening to the news reports and felt his hands shaking as he closed his fists and took a deep breath before he said something to the staff.
Alex: You should all go back home now.
The staff nodded and closed the television as Alex was staring at them and sighed to himself. He went to the bathroom and splashed water on his face as he was breathing heavily and looked at his reflection in the mirror.
He took a towel and wiped the water off his face as Ambrose exited the bathroom and was about to leave the restaurant until Alex noticed the staff were still inside as he was confused and looked at them.
Alex was about to say something until he noticed the staff were terrified and scared as he was worried and continued walking until he saw the mutants sitting by the tables as they pointed their guns at the waiter and waitress who were scared and had tears falling from their eyes.
Mutant: [Laughs] I knew there was someone else here!
Mutant: [Smiles] I'm thinking, we should paint this whole place red with their blood!
Mutant: Good idea. Let's slice and dice them.
Alex:. . . . . . . Don't do this. Leave them alone.
Mutant: [Laughs] And what will you do?
Mutant: Cry, scream or call the police. Nothing will happen now.
Mutant: Thank god for the storm. Because of it, nobody can call and nobody can hear you scream.
The staff were scared and were shivering in fear as the mutants were laughing and Alex was staring at them.
Alex: Look. . . . . . Let them go. . . . . If your here for the money. I'll give it to you all.
The mutants laughed at him as everyone was scared until the mutant said something to Alex.
Mutant: Okay then. Be quick, otherwise there will be fireworks happening.
Alex immediately nodded as he went to the counter and began getting all the money as he saw one mutant holding glass carafe with coffee in it as he began pouring it around the restaurant while the mutants were laughing at him.
Soon Alex got all the money and began walking towards the mutants, however time slowed down as he was staring at everyone. Ambrose saw the fear in the staff's face, they were helpless, defenseless and wanted to go home. Then he saw the mutants, who enjoyed the chaos, the fear and knew that even if they got the money, they will still kill everyone because to them, they want to watch the city burn in fear.
As Alex was walking, he began hearing the new reports replaying in his mind as multiple visions of a burning house, the robbery at the manor, the villains he fought over the years, the civilians crying for help all played in his mind as he continued walking towards the mutants.
Anna: Alex, don't! Just give them the money and tell them to leave!
William: Alex! Don't do this.
Alex continued walking towards them as he remembered everyone he has lost over the years as his hands were shaking and he heard a voice speaking to him.
????: Don't spare them.
Anna: Alex, please don't do this! Please!
William: Move on! Please for the love of God! Don't make any mistake!
Mutant: Took you long enough.
The mutant took the money from Alex's hand as he was staring at them and remembered the news reports of what the mutants did as he stared at them.
Mutant: That's all you have?
Mutant: You have more?
The mutants laughed at Alex as they were gonna say something until Ambrose grabbed the glass carafe and smashed it on the mutant's head as hot coffee and glass was on his head and he was screaming in pain.
The other mutants were shocked as one mutant tried to attack Alex but Ambrose grabbed his arm and twisted it before he broke it and hit a four direction throw, tossing him towards the table.
Mutant: Get him!
One mutant tried to slash Alex with a knife but Ambrose grabbed the knife and slammed it on the hostiles knee as he was screaming in pain before Alex hit a powerful front kick, sending him flying towards the television, knocking him out.
The staff were shocked and horrified as one mutant tried to attack Alex from behind but Ambrose ducked under the attack and grabbed the hostile by the throat as he was shocked.
Alex began repeatedly slamming the mutants head on the table before he lifted him up and slammed him on the counter before he punched him, knocking him out.
One mutant grabbed him from behind until Alex kicked his groin before Ambrose slammed a checkbook on the hostiles mouth. Alex wasn't finished yet as he grabbed the mutant and slammed his head on the table with the checkbook, breaking some of his teeths as he was screaming in pain.
Alex saw one mutant pulling out a gun as he was gonna shoot him but Ambrose grabbed his arm and forced him to shoot two mutants in the leg as they fell down, screaming in pain while holding their injured legs.
Alex wasn't finished yet as he grabbed a fork and slammed it on the mutant's hand as he was gonna scream until Ambrose hit the mutant in the face with the gun, knocking him out.
One mutant tried to attack Alex with the knife but Ambrose took down the hostile.
Alex saw another mutant charging towards him but Ambrose hit a powerful spinning back kick, sending him flying towards the vending machine, destroying it and instantly taking down the hostile.
Another mutant tried to attack him but Alex took down the hostile.
Alex saw the last mutant trying to attack him but Ambrose grabbed him and tossed him towards the chandelier, instantly knocking him out and the restaurant was clear.
Alex was breathing heavily as he saw the mutants carrying their friends and running away in fear as Ambrose was breathing heavily and looked at the staff.
The staff were terrified by what Alex did as Ambrose realised what he has done as he looked at his hands and saw blood as his eyes were widen in shock.
Alex: Oh god. . . . . . . What have I done?
The staff saw Alex was shaking and he was shivering as they wanted to speak to him but Ambrose immediately ran out of the restaurant and got inside his car as they were shouting his name but he didn't listen to him.
Alex started the car and began driving away as he was still shaken by everything that has happened.
A/N: Thanks For Reading And Stay Cool :)
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