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So if anyone spots any mistakes tell me.", "writing": "Part Two\nFrom Bad to Worse\n\nChapter one\n“The Funeral”\n\nKarl looked down at the gravestone. Written on it was the sentence ‘hey babe I’m in heaven’. Karl chuckled as he thought about the good times he spent with Ginger. Karl was wearing his full dress uniform which looked like a green suit covered in military insignias. Karl was a German Sheppard badly scared from the war he had returned from. Next to Karl stood some old friends; Lieutenant Jack Bell a tall bulldog, a champion boxer and a good soldier Jack was kind to everyone. Duncan Crombi-Noble a German Sheppard with a good sense of humour. Tom Gardner a small bulldog who aspires to be a film director.\n\nJack walked over to Karl and asked what he would next. “I don’t know. You guys are safe you can get on with your lives. Me I’m going to be hunted down to the end of the world,” said Karl. He shook Jacks hand and said good bye to everyone. He then walked out of the graveyard to find Abby waiting for him. Abby was a cross between a border collie and a springer spaniel. Karl put his arm over her shoulder and they began to walk home. When they reached The Dog House Karl gave Abby a kiss goodbye and told her to look after herself. He then carried on walking down the street. What Karl didn’t notice then was that he was being watched by a person clad in black leather on a motorbike.\n\nKarl headed for the centre of town but before reaching it he turned off down an alley to a rundown building with broken windows and cracks in the walls. He knocked on the decaying door and a racoon dressed in overalls opened it. “Yeah what ya want?” The racoon asked. Karl took out the chain he wore around his neck and showed the racoon the key that hung on it. The racoon led Karl inside and down a hallway. The racoon opened another door and gestured for Karl to go through. Karl went through the door and came out in a large hall filled with large storage lockers. The lockers were big enough to fit a large car in. \n\nKarl went over to the one furthest away from the door. Took off his chain and put the key into the lock at the bottom of the locker door and opened it. A cloud of dust went into Karl’s face making him cough and his eyes to water. In the locker there was a wardrobe in the far right corner and all along the right side there were large metal trunks. All along the left side was a second wardrobe but bigger than the other and a Harley Davidson motorbike. \n\nKarl went up to the motorbike and stroked the petrol tank. This motorbike was Karl’s first. Unlike the one that Karl had parked outside The Dog House this one had a larger fuel capacity and was faster. “Whew that’s a lot of junk,” said the racoon that had just walked up behind Karl. “Yeah I know but I couldn’t part with it,” said Karl getting on to the motorbike. “What the hell does that monster run on?” The racoon asked sitting down on one of the trunks. “It runs on cooking oil as it was originally a diesel engine I had a friend of mine convert it so it was more economically friendly,” said Karl getting off the bike.\n\nThe racoon went back to wherever he had come from leaving Karl to look at all of his stuff. Karl opened one trunk and found a CD player and all of his CDs. Karl set up the CD player next to the front wheel of the motorbike and put on some music. He then opened a second trunk this one was metal and had the words Pfc Karl Hiner Army Corps 1st Bn 2ndPltn written on it. Karl opened it to find his second uniform. Karl had three uniforms, his dress uniform for special occasions, his first uniform which he wore on a daily basis and his second uniform which is just the first but without the bullet holes.\n\nKarl took out the uniform to find underneath all his old kit. His kit included his medical set, shaving set, his weapon cleaning set, empty magazines with pouches and the belts and a rucksack to put everything in. Karl even found his old metal helmet. Karl took off his dress uniform and hung it up in the closest wardrobe. He then got out his everyday uniform and put that back on. Karl then started to put all his kit to make shore it still fit. Karl looked down at himself. Around his waist he had a belt and on it was his Knife, canteen, magazine pouch, and on the back of his belt was his medical set. Into the rucksack he put his spare uniform, two boxes of ammunition he had found and his shaving kit.\n\nKarl put the rucksack down on the floor and opened a second metal trunk. He then took out the M16 assault rifle which was lying inside. Karl put it to one side. He then took out a stakeout shotgun and put that to one side. He took out a China-Lake and put that to one side with the other guns. Inside the lid of the trunk he took out three pistols each with a gun belt. \n\nThe three pistols were a Colt M1911.45, a .44 Magnum revolver and a .44 Magnum Auto-Mag. The Auto-Mag was a semi-automatic version of the normal .44 and looked like a cross between that and a Colt. So he could carry all the pistols Karl had a belt which went over each shoulder and each pistol had holster to carry it in. The belts that went over his shoulders connected to his waist belt and to the belts he connected the holsters.\n\nKarl set about cleaning each weapon. He started with the handguns. After fifteen minutes he was starting on the M16 when the racoon came back to check up on him. After the racoon noticed the various weapons he got out of there fast. Karl chuckled as he started to put the M16 back together. Karl put the stakeout in his rucksack. He then put on the rucksack on along with his helmet. Shouldered the china-lake and carried the M16 in his left paw.\n\nHe locked up the locker and before leaving left twenty pounds for the racoon. He jogged back to The Dog House. Karl found that a good run cleared his head. Karl opened the house door to hear everyone eating dinner Karl went into the living room and put all of his stuff on the couch. Karl then went into the kitchen to see if he could get some dinner. Karl sat down between Abby and Suvina. When Karl had sat down Abby gave him a kiss on the cheek and Suvina had said hello. “Where did you go Karl I expected you back about an hour ago. You totally missed out on some stuff,” said Charlie who was sat opposite Karl. Charlie was a large timber wolf sat on either side of him was another wolf his girlfriend Ruth and Jess a small red squirrel. \n\n“Had to get something’s from my old storage locker,” said Karl in between mouthfuls of roast potatoes. “Really what things did you get?” Charlie asked as Ruth started to kiss Charlie’s cheek. “I’ll show you later because everyone will want to see,” said Karl as he started on his vegetables. “Hay what kind of meat is this?” Karl asked Abby as he pointed at the meat that was on his plate. “Oh it’s George from next door he got hit by a truck yesterday,” said Abby finishing off her dinner. Karl just shrugged and ate what was presumably breast of George the chicken from next door. \n\nKarl finished last but managed to get his stuff upstairs to his newly acquired room without anyone seeing. He then showed Charlie all of his equipment. “Bloody hell where did you get all this stuff?” Charlie asked as he played with Karl’s unloaded M16. “This all the stuff I brought back with me. After the war finished a few months back I sent most of my stuff home early so that my brother could put it in my storage locker,” said Karl as watched Charlie pretend to fight an unknown enemy. “So what else do you have in this storage locker? And I thought you didn’t speak to your brother,” said Charlie handing Karl back the rifle.\n\n“I don’t speak to him often but he’s still my brother. As for the other stuff that’s in my locker mainly everything that I had after I moved out from parent’s house and all the stuff I had before I joined,” said Karl. At that moment there was a knock on the door and Ruth poked her head through the doorway. “Charlie why don’t you stop playing with guns and come play with something else,” said Ruth and she and Charlie left instantly.\n\nKarl laid back on his bed took off his uniform and hung it up. His rucksack he put at the end of his bed. He put his various belts hanging either at one end of his bed or the other. Karl took out a battered old book from the chest of drawers next to his bed and began to read. Karl got another knock at his door. “Just a minute,” said Karl as he put his book down pulled his Colt out of its pistol belt and opened the door. Abby was on the other side of the door and she screamed when she saw the gun. Karl apologised and put the gun away.\n\nKarl woke up the next morning at 8:00am when his alarm clock went off. He reached over to the chest of drawers and turned it off and then kissed Abby on the cheek. “Good morning,” said Abby rolling over onto her back and then kissing Karl back. “Well good morning to you too,” said Karl stroking Abby’s hair back. “How long till you go back now?” Abby asked pushing away Karl’s hand that was stroking her hair. It annoyed her when he did that. “As off Monday next week I won’t have to go back,” said Karl. “What? Why? what’s happened?” Abby asked. “You Know two days ago when I went out to do a few things. Well I stopped by at battalion HQ and had them put me down for an honorary discharge. So on Monday I’m a civilian again,” said Karl and both he and Abby smiled.\n\nAn hour later Karl was with Abby at her surgery. Karl was in the corridor cleaning the now brown stained blue carpet. The last patent turned out to be very ill. The door behind Karl opened and a hairless cat walked past Karl. The cat was wearing an all-black skin tight cyclist outfit. The cat was carrying a black bicycle helmet in one hand. The cat also had a large dragon tattoo on the side of its face starting from the hair line going down the cart’s neck. Karl looked at the cat with an expression of concern as the suit that the cat was wearing didn’t allow a hole for a tail. Karl thought this was strange. \n\nAs the cat closed the door to the surgery Karl propped his mop against the wall. Karl walked towards the door surgery and he felt the hairs go up on the back of his neck as fearful thoughts went through his brain. Karl put his head against the closed door and listened intently. A soft metallic click-click came from the other side of the door alongside muffled voices. Karl opened the door quietly to find the cat holding Abby at gun point. Karl leapt at the cat causing them both to fall to the ground. Abby screamed. The cat dropped the gun as Karl sat on the cats back got his arm under the cat’s neck and started to pull. The cat struggled pulling against Karl’s arm. Karl slowly leant backwards until he heard a sickening crack and the cat became limp. \n\nKarl, Abby and Suvina spent the remainder of the day at the police station. “Second time I have had to enjoy your delightful company inspector,” said Karl leaning back in his chair. Karl was sat in a police interrogation room with a short stocky Rottweiler. The Rottweiler looked up at Karl and growled. “It seems a lot of animals have died near you lately and I’m starting to think it’s not a coincidence,” said the inspector pulling out a folder. \n\nThe inspector was about to continue speaking when a Yorkshire terrier wearing a blue police uniform walked in to the room and whispered something to the inspector and they both left Karl to sit there thinking for a few minutes. When the inspector eventually came back he told Karl that Karl would not have charges pressed against him as he was still under military jurisdiction and the military was happy with exchanging charges of murder for self-defence because of Karl’s outstanding service record. \n\nKarl waited for Abby and Suvina outside the police station. Abby and Suvina walked down the stone steps and found Karl sat on a bench eating a hot dog. “How can you eat those things?” Said Suvina sitting down on Karl’s right. “Same as I do everything else,” said Karl before taking another bite out of the hot dog. “Yeah but you don’t know what goes into those things,” said Abby sitting down on Karl’s left. “From what I’ve tasted mainly pig, dog, horse and rat,” said Karl finishing off the hot dog. “I think I’m going to be sick” said Suvina covering her mouth with her hand. Karl watched Suvina until he was shore she wasn’t going to be sick. Suvina was a big breasted hedgefox she was mean spirited and could sooner kick a man in the balls than look at him. \n\n“Come on I know what we need,” said Karl standing up and helping Abby and Suvina to their feet. He led the two girls down several streets until they came to an old retro diner. Karl held the double doors open for Abby and Suvina. Inside on the furthest side there was a large bar which stretched from one side of the room to the other and on the side with the door was several tables each next to a window. Everything had a chrome finish or was painted a cyan colour. Behind the bar was a window that opened up to the kitchen. On the left of the kitchen window was a door into the kitchen and in front of that was a gap in the bar to allow for movement between the tables and the kitchen. Karl ushered Abby and Suvina to a table in the corner before going to the bar. \n\nThe diner was relatively empty except for a few animals at the bar and two of the six tables now full. The waitress came over to Karl and asked what he wanted. The waitress was a curly haired tabby cat and as well as smoking looked completely bored. Karl asked for three bowels of mystery stew. The waitress looked like she was about to call the mental asylum and say they had a patient missing but she merely turned around and put the order on the window for the cook.\n\nFive minutes later a well-rounded guinea pig wearing a stained apron with jeans walked up to where Abby, Suvina and Karl were sitting. “I thought it was you Karl. No normal customer would ask for my mystery stew,” said the guinea pig putting the three bowls down on the table. “It’s great to see you Chris,” said Karl going over to the guinea pig and embraced him in a hug. Karl and Chris sat down with Abby and Suvina at the table. Abby and Suvina started eating the brown stew in front of them. “Err what’s in this stew?” Suvina asked after her second spoonful. “That’s easy don’t ask. All that matters is that it tastes good,” said Karl starting on his bowel of stew. “So besides my stew what brings you here?” Chris asked Karl. “Don’t you think that at some point I will come here just for your amazing stew,” answered Karl.\n\n“Nope. I’ve known you too long to know that you want something. So what is it?” Chris said to Karl. “Well I have one question. What would a Dragon member be doing killing my friends?” Karl asked putting down his spoon and looking at Chris. Chris pondered for a moment before answering “Well from what I’ve heard down the grape vine is that there is a huge price on your head set up by the Dragons.”\n\n“Who are the Dragons? And why would they want to kill Karl?” Abby asked finishing off her stew. “The dragons are a crime gang in Chi-Hang. You see they run the black market there. The gang is rich and powerful in the area as well as being dangerous in every aspect. As too your second question your guess is as good as mine.” Chris said leaning back in his chair and looking at Karl. “What?” Karl said meeting Chris’s stare. “Isn’t there something you want to tell us?” Chris asked Karl.\n\n“No. No I can’t think of a reason as to why someone wants to have me killed,” said Karl unfortunately not answering the question on everyone’s mind. Except Suvina of cause who was wondering what was in the stew and if she could find enough to cover her boyfriend Johnny in it. “Well if you don’t know I had better keep my ears open in case I hear something,” said Chris standing up. “Well don’t be a stranger come by and see us some time,” said Karl standing up and embracing Chris in a second hug. Chris then went back into the kitchen and Karl sat back down.\n\n“How long have you known Chris?” Abby asked after she had finished her bowl of stew. “Chris and me share are birthday and so we knew each other from an early age especially since our parents knew each other. It’s funny he joined the air force the same day I joined the army so in some cases we were fighting alongside each other. Like remember when I told you about my hot-dog hill and that attack on my birthday. Well Chris was in one of the planes that came to are rescue. Yeah me and Chris have known each other a long time. I remember when we both got leave together we came back and had some dinner that was when Chris told me he would buy this diner. So I guess one of us followed our dreams.” Karl said leaning back in his chair.\n\nChapter two\n“The Hell Raiser”\n\nAt 09:00pm later that day everyone was back home at the Dog House. Karl was upstairs in his room reading his old tatty book. He could hear everyone downstairs moving around. He smiled to himself as he thought how wonderful it was to be here. A creaking came from the stairs as someone walked upwards. A knock then came from his door. Karl put the book and went to open it when he looked out of the window.\n\nKarl could see a large shape moving towards him blocking the light of the full moon. Karl took no notice thinking it was a bird out for a night time flight. He opened the door to find Jess grinning at him. Jess was a red squirrel with a large bushy tail and was wearing a large green coat. “Kaaarrll,” said Jess and Karl just smiled and let her walk inside. “Guess what I’ve done,” said Jess sitting down on Karl’s bed. “Go on what is it.” Karl said sitting down beside Jess.\n\n“I’ve finished my comic story. Do you want to read it?” Jess asked with huge eyes. Karl obliged and started reading the small note pad Jess had produced from the inside of her jacket. When he finished he laughed and gave the book back to Jess. “That’s amazing Jess. Have you shown the others?” Karl asked and Jess said no and went back down stairs.\n\nKarl went over to the window and opened it. He sat on the ledge and gazed outside. There was another knock at the door and Abby walked. She sat down next to Karl and he put his arm around her. “You okay?” Abby asked and Karl just said yes. The two looked out of the window. The large bird still blocked off part of the moon but this time it was much closer.\n\nThe bird flew over the house and aero engines could be heard. Karl realised it wasn’t a bird but a plane. Several dull thuds came from the roof. Karl went for his guns that were on his bed when a small black ball came through the open window. Karl grabbed Abby and flung them both through the doorway. The two lay on the ground for two seconds until the grenade exploded. Karl got off Abby and ran back inside his room.\n\nEvery surface was covered in shrapnel. Karl picked up and put on his belt combination plus his M16. He looked out the window only to be kicked in the face by someone clad in black leather wielding a sword. The person in black attacked with the sword. Karl parried each blow with his M16. The person in Black kicked Karl in the chest and Karl was flung against the opposite the wall. The door opened and Abby looked inside. The person in black turned to look at her only to be shot by Karl. \n\nKarl pushed the dead body off him and took Abby’s outstretched hand. “Don’t worry about everyone down stairs. Aaron called the police and then everyone took off for the garage. You and me are the only people left in the house.” Abby explained as the two hurried down the stairs. When they came to the front door they were shocked to find a raging fire that had already engulfed much of ground floor. “Back upstairs now,” said Karl and the two ran back up. \n\nKarl and Abby heard more windows smash. Karl guessed that it was more men in black suits. He was proved right when they reached the landing outside Karl’s room and he was knocked against the far wall. Karl brought up his M16 and shot a sword swinging person in black. He got up and then helped Abby up. “What do we do?” Abby asked Karl. He answered by going back in his room and reaching out the open window.\n\nKarl found what he was looking for and quickly pulled in the rope the men in black had used to climb down the side of the building. Karl put the M16 strap over his shoulder. He put his back facing out the window and told Abby to grab hold of him. Abby put her arms around his neck. Karl stepped backwards out the window with the rope in his right paw then around his back and then into his left paw. \n\nAs Abby clung on for dear life Karl began to walk slowly down the outside wall. It worked until near the bottom where the fire was coming out of a window. Karl then jumped off the wall and rappelled straight down. Karl dropped the rope and he and Abby ran for the garage where everyone else was waiting for the police. Out of one of the top windows a head clad all in black watched as Karl and Abby ran. \n\nThe police arrived ten minutes after Karl and Abby reached the others. The firemen arrived at the same time and everything above the second floor in the dog house was spared the flames. With the house being three stories tall and has both a cellar and a bedroom in the area between the roof and the third floor most people’s things were saved except for what was in the ground floor plus some of the second. \n\n“Where are we going to go now?” Was the question that nearly everyone asked. Karl knew the answer to that after the police and fire crews were finished everyone grabbed what they could carry. What they couldn’t carry went into storage in the public storage lockers so they could come back for it. The group of twelve grabbed their stuff and piled onto various vehicles include a few motorbikes and a Deuce and a half owned by Aaron. It was then a long drive out of the town of Little Eastwick into the country to find the Hiner farm owned by Karl’s parents. \n\nThe Hiner farm was quite a large plot of land bordering a lake. There were three main buildings, the first the farm house, the second a barn, the third a bed & breakfast for extra income on the farm. When the group stopped in the main farm area which was the three buildings surrounding a well. The ground in the area was either made of gravel or very muddy. Karl told everyone to stay in the area and he went off to the farm house. \n\nAfter various awkward reunions between Karl and his parents he found out that the all the rooms in the bed & breakfast were empty so the group of twelve could move in until the dog house was rebuilt. Karl got his old room back in the farm house. It was past midnight when everyone had settled in and Karl couldn’t sleep so he headed down to the lake to think. Abby looked out of her bedroom window and watched as Karl walked quietly passed the bed & breakfast. She got on her jacket and shoes before she then followed him. \n\nKarl came to a small section of beach bordered by tall trees. He sat down on a large rock and got out the book he was reading. It was still covered in shrapnel so got his knife and started to pick out the pieces. “A thousand nights I spent alone. Solitaire to the bone. But I don’t mind I’m my own best friend. From the beginning to the end. My life. My heart. Black Knight. Dark star.” Karl began to sing quietly. \n\n“Capricorn,” said Abby as she walked up to Karl and sat down next to him. Karl put the knife and the book away before he put his arm around Abby. “Yeah how’d you know?” Karl asked. “It’s one of your favourites if I remember right,” said Abby leaning her head on Karl’s shoulder. “It’s funny I hardly ever talk about my family and here we are on the old farm. The one place I didn’t want to go back too.” Karl said gazing out across the lake. “What happened?” Abby asked sitting up. “It doesn’t matter,” Karl answered before laying down on the rock.\n\n“What are you two doing down here rather than up at the house?” A voice said from behind Karl and Abby. “Is that you Thunder?” Karl asked the voice. A horse walked out of the darkness on all four legs. “How did you know it was me?” Thunder the horse asked. “I heard you trotting on behind Abby as soon as I left the house,” said Karl. “Still you two shouldn’t be down here alone what if something happened? Come on climb up and I’ll take you back up,” said Thunder turning to face the house. Karl got up off the rock and climbed up on Thunder. “Going my way ma’am?” Karl said to Abby offering his hand. Abby grabbed his arm and pulled herself up onto Thunder. \n\nThe next day was Saturday so everyone stayed on the farm instead of making the trouble to travel back into town. Karl decided to have a relaxing day riding Thunder. “So how’s it been?” Karl asked Thunder as they walked across a large open field. “Same as usual your brother is the only other person who rides me so I’m allowed around the paddock most of the time,” said Thunder. “Where is my brother?” Karl asked. “Last I heard he’d got a job in town and would be coming back home tomorrow. Why?” Thunder said. “Well I thought I would have heard from him at least once before now,” said Karl.\n\nAbby had found had a horse that would let her have a ride so she joined Karl at the top of a hill overlooking the farm. “Are you having fun?” Karl asked Abby when she joined him. “I am actually. What are you wearing? I haven’t seen you wear anything other than your old uniform since you got back,” said Abby. “I always wear this stuff when ride Thunder,” said Karl. He was wearing a pair of old jeans, a red checked shirt, a cowboy hat and a large dark blue coat. “The only thing that I can see you normally wearing is the gun,” said Abby pointing at the gun belt Karl had on. \n\nThat Weekend was the happiest Karl had had since the funeral. All he did was enjoy himself and relax but that changed on Monday morning. At 06:52am Karl was up and off on a long run around the farm just after a light breakfast. He was at the top of the hill overlooking the farm where he found Thunder. “Up early aren’t we Thunder? It’s not like you,” said Karl walking up to Thunder and patting him on the back. Thunder had his blanket covering his back and Karl didn’t blame him it was cold. Karl was only wearing a pair of grey jogging pants and a t-shirt not to mention the gun belt.\n\n“I heard some movement when I was on my midnight stroll so I came up here an hour ago to see if I could see anything out of place,” said Thunder bending down and starting to munch on some tall grass. Karl gazed across the farmland and didn’t see anything out of place. “I don’t see anything,” said Karl and was about to walk away when Thunder swallowed. “Oh yeah well what about that on the road,” said Thunder gesturing towards the road. Karl looked and saw three large covered pickup trucks heading for the farm.\n\n“Are any deliveries being made today?” Karl asked Thunder and he said no. Without hesitation Karl jumped onto Thunder fired three shots in to the air from his .44 Magnum and urged the old horse as fast as he could go back down to farm. Thunder galloped at top speed. Karl watched as people came out of the houses only to be met with the trucks coming down the road. Many people ran up the hill as fast as they could some went for the barn where the vehicles were parked. \n\nThe trucks stopped in next to the well in middle between the houses and the barn. Men got out clad all in black armed with machine guns and rifles. The men moved out and started to grab people and throw them into the trucks. The ones who resisted met the butt of a rifle and were knocked out cold. Karl had reached the bottom, got Thunder to stop and started firing at the men in black. \n\nSome fired back others just carried on with what they were doing. Karl watched as some of his friends ran past him up the hill. The men in black now finished at the bottom of the hill started to walk forwards up the hill. Karl watched hopelessly as he killed one after the other and they just kept coming. It was then one shouted something that Karl couldn’t hear and the men turned around and got back on the trucks. Karl watched hopelessly as the trucks drove away and Thunder whinnied. \n\nThunder and Karl went back up to the top of the hill to find six people stood in a huddle. Karl got of Thunder and looked into each of the scarred faces. Charlie nodded and gave his girlfriend Ruth a strong hug. Jess was crying and had her head resting on Aaron’s chest. Suvina was hugging her boyfriend Johnny. Karl asked where was Abby and Suvina just hugged him as Karl was overcome with grief. The people he cared the most about in this crazy world his parents, his brother and Abby were taken by this group of men dressed in black and Karl guessed where they had come from the gang known as the ‘Dragons’.\n\nChapter Three\n“It’s Payback Time”\n\nAfter the events on Monday morning the police spent hours making enquiries. When they were finished for the day Karl decided to do some shopping. Karl went to see a man about ammunition and weapons on the black market of cause. After this little shopping trip Karl went to see Chris at the dinner. Chris gave Karl all the information he needed. What influence the Dragons had, what was their strength and what dirty deals were going down in the next few days. Lucky for Karl at Port Gateway a large commercial port a few miles from the little Eastwick a dirty deal was going down that night something to do with a large shipment of heroine. \n\nAt 10:02pm in Port Gateway dock number 55 it was quiet and hardly lit but there was still a lot of activity. A large cargo ship was offloading two shipping containers and two groups of men in suits were watching the unloading process. Four cars were parked at the other end of the dock along with a few guards. Karl ignored them for the time being and went around them using a warehouse that spanned the dock as cover he worked his way around to the ship. \n\nKarl was crouched behind some crates a few feet from the first of the containers and could hear easily the conversation between two of the men in the suits. “It’s the largest shipment in this area so far,” said the first man. “I’ll be glad when this job is finished my friend I have personal business to attend to,” said the second. “Yes I heard about your little drive into the country. I hope you and your Dragons do not endanger yourselves by reaching too far in your quest to seek revenge,” said the first. “Do not worry yourself. As soon as my honour is satisfied my main concern will be lining both are pockets in cash so stop your whingeing,” said the second man and then the second container was dropped on the ground.\n\nA few of the men started walking back to the cars just after two large low-loader Lorries arrived to carry the containers. Karl decided it was time to act. He stood up put a LAW rocket launcher to his shoulder and fired destroying the first lorry along with its container in an engulfing fireball. The men in suits ran for their cars now and guards also in suits started to appear from every direction to kill the saboteur. Karl threw away the LAW picked up his M16 and ran back along the edge of the warehouse.\n\nThree of the cars had started and were driving off when they came around the corner of the warehouse where Karl was now stood firing another LAW rocket launcher. The first car swerved out of the way. The second carried on straight at Karl only to meet the rocket in mid-air. Karl had placed the second rocket hidden at the corner of the warehouse behind some barrels. With one car blown up the third car met automatic fire from Karl’s M16. Bullets punctured the windscreen killing the driver causing the car to swerve straight into the sea. \n\nKarl ran to the end of the dock area where he flung the strap of his M16 over his shoulder. He swung his leg over the Harley Davidson motorbike from the storage locker and kicked down on the starter. Karl listened to the roar of the engine for a minute or two as he came to grips with how many people he had killed. He picked up the stand and drove back home to little Eastwick.\n\nThe next day Karl went back to Chris to find out when the next job the Dragons were pulling was. It turned out the Dragons had a dirty casino in Eastwick. Eastwick is the sister town of Little Eastwick so Karl drove there in Aaron’s Deuce and a half which he borrowed. He looked for a club called the Breathing Dragon because next to it was a hidden illegal casino. \n\nThe entrance to the casino was in an alley way at the side of the Breathing Dragon. The entrance was a door set into the wall a few feet below the pavement level. Karl watched as people walked down a small set of steps and then knocked on a black door. A viewport was in the door so the doorman just had to slide across the cover and look outside. Karl walked up to the door and knocked. The port opened and a pair of dark brown eyes looked at Karl. \n\n“Password?” The doorman asked Karl. “Dragon’s tooth,” said Karl and he was allowed inside. He had got the password from Chris. Karl must have looked a strange sight as he walked around the casino. The casino had various gambling tables and games with a dining area surrounding a centre stage. All the décor was in red and yellow. Most of the guests were wearing suits and dresses while Karl was dressed in his old uniform, green trousers, green shirt, combat boots and a large dark blue coat that reached the top of his boots. \n\nKarl walked passed a waiter and he grabbed a drink off the tray the waiter was carrying. Karl went over to one of the tables in the dining area and sat down. Karl watched the show for a few minutes. On the stage currently was a band playing ‘I Love Rock 'n' Roll’. Karl enjoyed this until a man came up behind Karl and asked him to follow him. Karl got up and followed the man in the black suit. The man in the black suit took Karl to a large table in the far corner of the casino where a group of men were stood up surrounding the table and one in a white suit was sat down at the table eating.\n\n“Please sit down and join me,” said the hairless cat in the white suit. Karl sat down opposite him and started chewing on a dog biscuit. “So why are you hear?” Said the cat staring at Karl with an expression that revealed nothing the cat could be in a state of tears and Karl would not have known. “I am here to gain some information. For instance why?” Karl asked the cat. “Why what?” The cat gave Karl as an answer.\n\n“Why have you kidnapped my family and friends and where are you keeping them?” Karl said with a hint of anger in his voice. “The simple answer is revenge. I have taken your loved ones to torture you before I kill them,” said the cat. “Why me?” Karl asked. “Do you not know the answer to that question? Let me remind you then, Congolar, Chi-Hang ten prisoners were shot for no reason. Many of those so called prisoners were my loved ones. After living in a compound for a month away from me they were shot for no reason. I therefore intend to avenge their deaths by killing the murderer responsible and according to my sources that murderer is you Corporal Karl Hiner.” The cat said and two cats in black suits that were stood behind Karl tried to grab him.\n\nThe first cat that grabbed Karl had his hand thrown on the table and Karl’s huge knife pushed into it. The other got his arm around Karl’s neck. Karl elbowed him in the chest pulled his knife out of the other cat’s hand and stabbed the second cat in the foot. Karl pulled out both his .44 Magnum and the auto-mag. The auto-mag he pointed at the other stood up cats. The model 29 he pointed at the sat down cat. At this point the rest of the casino was in an uproar with people heading for the exits. \n\nThe cat in the chair began to clap slowly. “Well, well, well. You certainly know how to entertain and because of that I’m going to make things interesting. Your loved ones are being well cared for in an old factory in Port Gateway in the industrial sector. I’m shore that your informant will find out which factory specifically. Now go before I have you killed.” The cat in the white suit said before leaning back in his chair.\n\nKarl backed away slowly towards the door. When he reached it without anyone attacking him he put his guns away and walked back to the Deuce and a half. He decided to go get some sleep he was going to need it by tomorrow.\n\nChapter Four\n“Where Eagles Dare”\n\nKarl found out which factory building it was from Chris. It turned out to be an old textile factory. Karl headed for the factory just after 06:00pm and he was well prepared. Karl had stopped by at a few friends earlier that day specifically Jack Bell. As well as being Karl’s old platoon commander Jack was also the owner of a large collection of ex-military hardware ranging from vehicles to personal kit. \n\nAt 06:30pm Karl reached the road that headed straight for the old factory Karl could just make out a few guards at the end of the road in front of the factory gates with the main doors into the factory building ten metres behind them. Karl drove slowly forward and he watched as the guards fired wildly at him and Karl just laughed.\n\nKarl wondered what must be going through their heads as Karl drove the old rickety bulldog tank. Karl hit the gates at full speed knocking them out of the way as if they were cardboard. Karl stood up inside the tank so he could use the turret. Karl fired the main gun at the factory doors making a huge hole in them. Karl opened the hatch and used the .50cal machine gun mounted on the turret on the guards he could see before ducking back inside. \n\nKarl wedged the front of the tank in the hole in the doors. Karl got out of the hatch and jumped off the tank an M60 machine gun in his hands. Karl walked around to the front of the tank gun ready and looked around the factory. The factory inside was completely bare all the machinery had been taken way years ago besides the catwalks up on either sides of the walls it was empty.\n\nOr was it? Karl looked around and then he saw it. A small black box in the middle of the room Karl went over to it and opened the box. Inside it was a hand written note which said: ‘You were late so I changed my mind the current location of your loved ones is the Breathing Dragon restaurant.’ Karl threw the box away and got back inside the bulldog tank.\n\nInside the Breathing Dragon the dining area had been cleared of all tables and chairs. In their place was a group of various animals surrounded by a circle of leather wearing hairless cats. One cat was sat on a chair drinking champagne. “Do any of you know what your friend Karl did during the war? Sorry where are my manners? Remove their gags let them speak,” said the cat in the white suit.Several of the guards bent down and removed the blindfolds and gags from the prisoners. \n\n“Who are you, you son of a bitch?” said Tiree Withers a red and green scaled Dragon one of only a few left in the world. “Well I’m your worst nightmare but you can call me Mr White like my associates. Now what was I saying oh yes. Do you know what things Karl did during the war?” said the cat in the white suit.\n\n“We know he kicked ass that looked a lot like yours,” said Rob then he and Luke head-butted each other. “Well you’re quite correct. But have you heard about the other stuff he did like the P.O.W incident?” Mr White asked standing up and starting to walk around the circle of guards. “What you talking about white?” Abby Asked. Before White could answer there was a knock at the door. White gestured for one of the guards to open it. \n\nThe door opened and a body bag fell into the room followed by a man dressed in black leathers. “I thought you might kill him. Ah well I don’t get to kill him but at least I can still gloat over him. Bring the body over to the front,” said White and the man who came through the door dragged the bag over to White’s chair. \n\n“Open it,” said White after he sat down in his chair. The man in black unzipped the top of the bag to reveal Karl’s bruised and bloody face. Many of the captives shouted and cried. White called for silence before he got down from his chair and bent over Karl’s body. “So I finally got my revenge. Now I can tell everyone my story and why you had to die,” said White before stepping round the body and addressed the room. \n\n“So it all starts back in a prison camp near the Chi-hang airfield. I had family and friends in that camp. It was only a few days after the hot-dog hill attack. So I presume that the guards wanted revenge. So they selected a group of prisoners and executed them. Those prisoners included my mother, farther, sister and two of my good friends. As soon as I heard I swore revenge on the guards of that prison camp. Are spies managed to get this for a list of all the guards during the incident,” said White and he held up a battered piece of paper. \n\n“I have now killed everyone on this list. My revenge is complete,” said White putting the paper back in his pocket. “So will you let us go now?” Luke Asked. “I’m afraid not you see you all know too much and could go running to the police. So guards if you would,” said White and all of his guards picked up their AK-47s and pointed them at the eight captives.\n\n“Excuse me but I would like to be paid a little extra for killing him sir,” said the guard who brought in Karl. “Oh of cause just give me your name and rank,” said White who hadn’t turned around and was still watching the captives. “My name is Lieutenant Jack Bell,” said the guard taking off the ski mask he was wearing to reveal the bright faced bulldog. “Wait you don’t work for me!” said White turning around sharply only to have Jack’s M16 barrel resting on White’s nose.\n\n“Your right he works for me,” said Karl unzipping the rest of the bag and standing up next to Jack. “I don’t work for you either,” said Jack. “Oh sorry sir,” said Karl apologetically. “Any way White tell your men to put down their guns or we kill both you and them,” said Jack pushing the barrel against White’s forehead. “My men are willing to die are you,” said White.\n\nWhite hit away Jacks M16 and then ran for the door. The guards opened fire on Jack and Karl. Jack ran to the left and crouched behind a pillar support in the wall. Karl Jumped behind the body bag and started searching through it. The others in the middle of the room lay down on the floor covering their heads with their hands.\n\nKarl found what he was looking for a Kevlar bullet proof helmet that covered his entire head and had a bullet deflecting glass visor covering his eyes. Karl was now completely dressed in a full Kevlar juggernaut suit. That was why Jack could only zip the body bag down to show only Karl’s head. Karl picked up and cocked his M60 with grenade launcher. Karl slowly walked forward firing at the guards who stood in defiance. \n\nThe suit caused Karl to jolt as bullets hit him but he just carried on firing as the guards started to scream and fall to the ground. Jack pulled his radio headset out of his pocket and put it on. “Can you hear me Karl?” Jack said talking into the micro phone. “Yeah I can hear ya,” Karl replied through the headset he had on the inside of his helmet. “White escaped what should we do?” Jack asked as he watched three guards fall to the floor.\n\n“Go to plan B,” said Karl and he turned around. Karl fired a grenade from the launcher at the back wall creating a circle door. Karl turned around as Jack ran through the new exit. Karl took down the last four guards before taking off the helmet and taking Abby’s paw. “Don’t worry you’re all safe now,” said Karl and Abby kissed him on the cheek.\n\nJack ran outside into the alleyway to see White on the floor screaming with someone standing over him. Jack walked over and put his paw on the man. “Nice shot straight through his leg,” said Jack and Duncan just put his M14 over his shoulder. “I still don’t see why we can’t just shoot him,” said Duncan. “Handing him over to the police is the right thing to do,” said Jack. “Yeah I guess you’re right,” said Duncan taking a cigar out of Whites top pocket. “Death’s Kiss a very nice brand,” said Duncan putting the cigar in his pocket for later.\n\nChapter Five\n“Here I go Again”\n\nThe police arrived ten minutes after Jack called them followed by the coroner and then the crowds and television crews. An ambulance arrived to take Mr White to hospital at the same time as the police. It returned later so the paramedics could check up the kidnapped victims. Karl, Jack and Duncan were being asked questions by the Rottweiler again. “So let me get this straight in two days you’ve taken down a crime syndicate that the police department has been trying to take down for five years now,” said the inspector. Karl and the others agreed with the inspector.\n\n“Well I think White expected me to go after him alone so I called Jack and Duncan they offered to help. My first plan was to get White to surrender and then take him to the police but we had to get close to him so I played dead in the body bag. Jack took me inside while posing as one of his men. Duncan positioned himself on the roof of the opposite building so he got a clear shot at the door. When white made a run for it we went to plan B which was Duncan would slow him down and Jack as the fastest runner I knew he could catch White but apparently Duncan just needed to shoot white in the leg,” said Karl and the inspector put it all down on a note book.\n\n“Right well you are free to go for now but you three may be asked to come down to the station later,” said the inspector who went off to talk to the press. Jack and Duncan went to go find where they parked their transport. Karl went to find Abby she was sat down in the door way of the ambulance with a paramedic. The paramedic got up and told Karl Abby was fine before going away. Karl sat down next to Abby and put his arm around her. \n\n“Have you talked with your parents yet?” Abby asked Karl. “No I don’t think I’m brave enough. My Dad will probably blame me for this. My Mum will be scarred to talk to me. So I think something’s never change,” said Karl. “How are we getting home?” Abby asked. “Oh I think the police will oblige but you’re going to get a lift with me, Jack and Duncan,” said Karl. \n\nAt 11:36pm that night the Jack’s bulldog tank got a police escort out of Eastwick. The tank followed by two police cars took their time on the way to Hiner farm. Jack was driving, Duncan was sat in the radioman’s seat and Karl was stood up in the turret hatch with the top half of his body showing with Abby holding on to his shoulders as she sat on the turret behind Karl. “Pretty cool right,” said Karl, Abby just shrugged and kissed him.\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "Part Two
From Bad to Worse

Chapter one
“The Funeral”

Karl looked down at the gravestone. Written on it was the sentence ‘hey babe I’m in heaven’. Karl chuckled as he thought about the good times he spent with Ginger. Karl was wearing his full dress uniform which looked like a green suit covered in military insignias. Karl was a German Sheppard badly scared from the war he had returned from. Next to Karl stood some old friends; Lieutenant Jack Bell a tall bulldog, a champion boxer and a good soldier Jack was kind to everyone. Duncan Crombi-Noble a German Sheppard with a good sense of humour. Tom Gardner a small bulldog who aspires to be a film director.

Jack walked over to Karl and asked what he would next. “I don’t know. You guys are safe you can get on with your lives. Me I’m going to be hunted down to the end of the world,” said Karl. He shook Jacks hand and said good bye to everyone. He then walked out of the graveyard to find Abby waiting for him. Abby was a cross between a border collie and a springer spaniel. Karl put his arm over her shoulder and they began to walk home. When they reached The Dog House Karl gave Abby a kiss goodbye and told her to look after herself. He then carried on walking down the street. What Karl didn’t notice then was that he was being watched by a person clad in black leather on a motorbike.

Karl headed for the centre of town but before reaching it he turned off down an alley to a rundown building with broken windows and cracks in the walls. He knocked on the decaying door and a racoon dressed in overalls opened it. “Yeah what ya want?” The racoon asked. Karl took out the chain he wore around his neck and showed the racoon the key that hung on it. The racoon led Karl inside and down a hallway. The racoon opened another door and gestured for Karl to go through. Karl went through the door and came out in a large hall filled with large storage lockers. The lockers were big enough to fit a large car in.

Karl went over to the one furthest away from the door. Took off his chain and put the key into the lock at the bottom of the locker door and opened it.  A cloud of dust went into Karl’s face making him cough and his eyes to water. In the locker there was a wardrobe in the far right corner and all along the right side there were large metal trunks. All along the left side was a second wardrobe but bigger than the other and a Harley Davidson motorbike.

Karl went up to the motorbike and stroked the petrol tank. This motorbike was Karl’s first.  Unlike the one that Karl had parked outside The Dog House this one had a larger fuel capacity and was faster. “Whew that’s a lot of junk,” said the racoon that had just walked up behind Karl. “Yeah I know but I couldn’t part with it,” said Karl getting on to the motorbike. “What the hell does that monster run on?” The racoon asked sitting down on one of the trunks. “It runs on cooking oil as it was originally a diesel engine I had a friend of mine convert it so it was more economically friendly,” said Karl getting off the bike.

The racoon went back to wherever he had come from leaving Karl to look at all of his stuff. Karl opened one trunk and found a CD player and all of his CDs. Karl set up the CD player next to the front wheel of the motorbike and put on some music. He then opened a second trunk this one was metal and had the words Pfc Karl Hiner Army Corps 1st Bn 2ndPltn written on it. Karl opened it to find his second uniform. Karl had three uniforms, his dress uniform for special occasions, his first uniform which he wore on a daily basis and his second uniform which is just the first but without the bullet holes.

Karl took out the uniform to find underneath all his old kit. His kit included his medical set, shaving set, his weapon cleaning set, empty magazines with pouches and the belts and a rucksack to put everything in. Karl even found his old metal helmet. Karl took off his dress uniform and hung it up in the closest wardrobe. He then got out his everyday uniform and put that back on. Karl then started to put all his kit to make shore it still fit. Karl looked down at himself. Around his waist he had a belt and on it was his Knife, canteen, magazine pouch, and on the back of his belt was his medical set. Into the rucksack he put his spare uniform, two boxes of ammunition he had found and his shaving kit.

Karl put the rucksack down on the floor and opened a second metal trunk. He then took out the M16 assault rifle which was lying inside. Karl put it to one side. He then took out a stakeout shotgun and put that to one side. He took out a China-Lake and put that to one side with the other guns. Inside the lid of the trunk he took out three pistols each with a gun belt.

The three pistols were a Colt M1911.45, a .44 Magnum revolver and a .44 Magnum Auto-Mag. The Auto-Mag was a semi-automatic version of the normal .44 and looked like a cross between that and a Colt. So he could carry all the pistols Karl had a belt which went over each shoulder and each pistol had holster to carry it in. The belts that went over his shoulders connected to his waist belt and to the belts he connected the holsters.

Karl set about cleaning each weapon. He started with the handguns. After fifteen minutes he was starting on the M16 when the racoon came back to check up on him. After the racoon noticed the various weapons he got out of there fast. Karl chuckled as he started to put the M16 back together. Karl put the stakeout in his rucksack. He then put on the rucksack on along with his helmet. Shouldered the china-lake and carried the M16 in his left paw.

He locked up the locker and before leaving left twenty pounds for the racoon. He jogged back to The Dog House. Karl found that a good run cleared his head.  Karl opened the house door to hear everyone eating dinner Karl went into the living room and put all of his stuff on the couch. Karl then went into the kitchen to see if he could get some dinner. Karl sat down between Abby and Suvina. When Karl had sat down Abby gave him a kiss on the cheek and Suvina had said hello. “Where did you go Karl I expected you back about an hour ago. You totally missed out on some stuff,” said Charlie who was sat opposite Karl. Charlie was a large timber wolf sat on either side of him was another wolf his girlfriend Ruth and Jess a small red squirrel.

“Had to get something’s from my old storage locker,” said Karl in between mouthfuls of roast potatoes. “Really what things did you get?” Charlie asked as Ruth started to kiss Charlie’s cheek. “I’ll show you later because everyone will want to see,” said Karl as he started on his vegetables. “Hay what kind of meat is this?” Karl asked Abby as he pointed at the meat that was on his plate. “Oh it’s George from next door he got hit by a truck yesterday,” said Abby finishing off her dinner. Karl just shrugged and ate what was presumably breast of George the chicken from next door.

Karl finished last but managed to get his stuff upstairs to his newly acquired room without anyone seeing. He then showed Charlie all of his equipment. “Bloody hell where did you get all this stuff?” Charlie asked as he played with Karl’s unloaded M16. “This all the stuff I brought back with me. After the war finished a few months back I sent most of my stuff home early so that my brother could put it in my storage locker,” said Karl as watched Charlie pretend to fight an unknown enemy.  “So what else do you have in this storage locker? And I thought you didn’t speak to your brother,” said Charlie handing Karl back the rifle.

“I don’t speak to him often but he’s still my brother. As for the other stuff that’s in my locker mainly everything that I had after I moved out from parent’s house and all the stuff I had before I joined,” said Karl. At that moment there was a knock on the door and Ruth poked her head through the doorway. “Charlie why don’t you stop playing with guns and come play with something else,” said Ruth and she and Charlie left instantly.

Karl laid back on his bed took off his uniform and hung it up. His rucksack he put at the end of his bed. He put his various belts hanging either at one end of his bed or the other. Karl took out a battered old book from the chest of drawers next to his bed and began to read. Karl got another knock at his door. “Just a minute,” said Karl as he put his book down pulled his Colt out of its pistol belt and opened the door. Abby was on the other side of the door and she screamed when she saw the gun. Karl apologised and put the gun away.

Karl woke up the next morning at 8:00am when his alarm clock went off. He reached over to the chest of drawers and turned it off and then kissed Abby on the cheek. “Good morning,” said Abby rolling over onto her back and then kissing Karl back. “Well good morning to you too,” said Karl stroking Abby’s hair back. “How long till you go back now?” Abby asked pushing away Karl’s hand that was stroking her hair. It annoyed her when he did that. “As off Monday next week I won’t have to go back,” said Karl. “What? Why? what’s happened?” Abby asked. “You Know two days ago when I went out to do a few things. Well I stopped by at battalion HQ and had them put me down for an honorary discharge. So on Monday I’m a civilian again,” said Karl and both he and Abby smiled.

An hour later Karl was with Abby at her surgery. Karl was in the corridor cleaning the now brown stained blue carpet. The last patent turned out to be very ill. The door behind Karl opened and a hairless cat walked past Karl. The cat was wearing an all-black skin tight cyclist outfit. The cat was carrying a black bicycle helmet in one hand. The cat also had a large dragon tattoo on the side of its face starting from the hair line going down the cart’s neck. Karl looked at the cat with an expression of concern as the suit that the cat was wearing didn’t allow a hole for a tail. Karl thought this was strange.

As the cat closed the door to the surgery Karl propped his mop against the wall. Karl walked towards the door surgery and he felt the hairs go up on the back of his neck as fearful thoughts went through his brain. Karl put his head against the closed door and listened intently. A soft metallic click-click came from the other side of the door alongside muffled voices. Karl opened the door quietly to find the cat holding Abby at gun point. Karl leapt at the cat causing them both to fall to the ground. Abby screamed. The cat dropped the gun as Karl sat on the cats back got his arm under the cat’s neck and started to pull. The cat struggled pulling against Karl’s arm. Karl slowly leant backwards until he heard a sickening crack and the cat became limp.

Karl, Abby and Suvina spent the remainder of the day at the police station. “Second time I have had to enjoy your delightful company inspector,” said Karl leaning back in his chair. Karl was sat in a police interrogation room with a short stocky Rottweiler. The Rottweiler looked up at Karl and growled. “It seems a lot of animals have died near you lately and I’m starting to think it’s not a coincidence,” said the inspector pulling out a folder.

The inspector was about to continue speaking when a Yorkshire terrier wearing a blue police uniform walked in to the room and whispered something to the inspector and they both left Karl to sit there thinking for a few minutes. When the inspector eventually came back he told Karl that Karl would not have charges pressed against him as he was still under military jurisdiction and the military was happy with exchanging charges of murder for self-defence because of Karl’s outstanding service record.

Karl waited for Abby and Suvina outside the police station. Abby and Suvina walked down the stone steps and found Karl sat on a bench eating a hot dog. “How can you eat those things?” Said Suvina sitting down on Karl’s right. “Same as I do everything else,” said Karl before taking another bite out of the hot dog. “Yeah but you don’t know what goes into those things,” said Abby sitting down on Karl’s left. “From what I’ve tasted mainly pig, dog, horse and rat,” said Karl finishing off the hot dog. “I think I’m going to be sick” said Suvina covering her mouth with her hand. Karl watched Suvina until he was shore she wasn’t going to be sick. Suvina was a big breasted hedgefox she was mean spirited and could sooner kick a man in the balls than look at him.

“Come on I know what we need,” said Karl standing up and helping Abby and Suvina to their feet. He led the two girls down several streets until they came to an old retro diner. Karl held the double doors open for Abby and Suvina. Inside on the furthest side there was a large bar which stretched from one side of the room to the other and on the side with the door was several tables each next to a window. Everything had a chrome finish or was painted a cyan colour. Behind the bar was a window that opened up to the kitchen. On the left of the kitchen window was a door into the kitchen and in front of that was a gap in the bar to allow for movement between the tables and the kitchen. Karl ushered Abby and Suvina to a table in the corner before going to the bar.

The diner was relatively empty except for a few animals at the bar and two of the six tables now full. The waitress came over to Karl and asked what he wanted. The waitress was a curly haired tabby cat and as well as smoking looked completely bored. Karl asked for three bowels of mystery stew. The waitress looked like she was about to call the mental asylum and say they had a patient missing but she merely turned around and put the order on the window for the cook.

Five minutes later a well-rounded guinea pig wearing a stained apron with jeans walked up to where Abby, Suvina and Karl were sitting. “I thought it was you Karl. No normal customer would ask for my mystery stew,” said the guinea pig putting the three bowls down on the table. “It’s great to see you Chris,” said Karl going over to the guinea pig and embraced him in a hug. Karl and Chris sat down with Abby and Suvina at the table. Abby and Suvina started eating the brown stew in front of them. “Err what’s in this stew?” Suvina asked after her second spoonful. “That’s easy don’t ask. All that matters is that it tastes good,” said Karl starting on his bowel of stew. “So besides my stew what brings you here?” Chris asked Karl. “Don’t you think that at some point I will come here just for your amazing stew,” answered Karl.

“Nope. I’ve known you too long to know that you want something. So what is it?” Chris said to Karl. “Well I have one question. What would a Dragon member be doing killing my friends?” Karl asked putting down his spoon and looking at Chris. Chris pondered for a moment before answering “Well from what I’ve heard down the grape vine is that there is a huge price on your head set up by the Dragons.”

“Who are the Dragons? And why would they want to kill Karl?” Abby asked finishing off her stew. “The dragons are a crime gang in Chi-Hang. You see they run the black market there. The gang is rich and powerful in the area as well as being dangerous in every aspect. As too your second question your guess is as good as mine.” Chris said leaning back in his chair and looking at Karl.  “What?” Karl said meeting Chris’s stare. “Isn’t there something you want to tell us?” Chris asked Karl.

“No. No I can’t think of a reason as to why someone wants to have me killed,” said Karl unfortunately not answering the question on everyone’s mind. Except Suvina of cause who was wondering what was in the stew and if she could find enough to cover her boyfriend Johnny in it. “Well if you don’t know I had better keep my ears open in case I hear something,” said Chris standing up. “Well don’t be a stranger come by and see us some time,” said Karl standing up and embracing Chris in a second hug. Chris then went back into the kitchen and Karl sat back down.

“How long have you known Chris?” Abby asked after she had finished her bowl of stew. “Chris and me share are birthday and so we knew each other from an early age especially since our parents knew each other.  It’s funny he joined the air force the same day I joined the army so in some cases we were fighting alongside each other. Like remember when I told you about my hot-dog hill and that attack on my birthday. Well Chris was in one of the planes that came to are rescue. Yeah me and Chris have known each other a long time. I remember when we both got leave together we came back and had some dinner that was when Chris told me he would buy this diner. So I guess one of us followed our dreams.” Karl said leaning back in his chair.

Chapter two
“The Hell Raiser”

At 09:00pm later that day everyone was back home at the Dog House. Karl was upstairs in his room reading his old tatty book. He could hear everyone downstairs moving around. He smiled to himself as he thought how wonderful it was to be here. A creaking came from the stairs as someone walked upwards. A knock then came from his door. Karl put the book and went to open it when he looked out of the window.

Karl could see a large shape moving towards him blocking the light of the full moon. Karl took no notice thinking it was a bird out for a night time flight. He opened the door to find Jess grinning at him. Jess was a red squirrel with a large bushy tail and was wearing a large green coat. “Kaaarrll,” said Jess and Karl just smiled and let her walk inside. “Guess what I’ve done,” said Jess sitting down on Karl’s bed. “Go on what is it.” Karl said sitting down beside Jess.

“I’ve finished my comic story. Do you want to read it?” Jess asked with huge eyes. Karl obliged and started reading the small note pad Jess had produced from the inside of her jacket. When he finished he laughed and gave the book back to Jess. “That’s amazing Jess. Have you shown the others?” Karl asked and Jess said no and went back down stairs.

Karl went over to the window and opened it. He sat on the ledge and gazed outside. There was another knock at the door and Abby walked. She sat down next to Karl and he put his arm around her. “You okay?” Abby asked and Karl just said yes. The two looked out of the window. The large bird still blocked off part of the moon but this time it was much closer.

The bird flew over the house and aero engines could be heard. Karl realised it wasn’t a bird but a plane. Several dull thuds came from the roof. Karl went for his guns that were on his bed when a small black ball came through the open window. Karl grabbed Abby and flung them both through the doorway. The two lay on the ground for two seconds until the grenade exploded. Karl got off Abby and ran back inside his room.

Every surface was covered in shrapnel. Karl picked up and put on his belt combination plus his M16. He looked out the window only to be kicked in the face by someone clad in black leather wielding a sword. The person in black attacked with the sword. Karl parried each blow with his M16. The person in Black kicked Karl in the chest and Karl was flung against the opposite the wall. The door opened and Abby looked inside. The person in black turned to look at her only to be shot by Karl.

Karl pushed the dead body off him and took Abby’s outstretched hand. “Don’t worry about everyone down stairs. Aaron called the police and then everyone took off for the garage. You and me are the only people left in the house.” Abby explained as the two hurried down the stairs.  When they came to the front door they were shocked to find a raging fire that had already engulfed much of ground floor. “Back upstairs now,” said Karl and the two ran back up.

Karl and Abby heard more windows smash. Karl guessed that it was more men in black suits. He was proved right when they reached the landing outside Karl’s room and he was knocked against the far wall. Karl brought up his M16 and shot a sword swinging person in black. He got up and then helped Abby up. “What do we do?” Abby asked Karl. He answered by going back in his room and reaching out the open window.

Karl found what he was looking for and quickly pulled in the rope the men in black had used to climb down the side of the building. Karl put the M16 strap over his shoulder. He put his back facing out the window and told Abby to grab hold of him. Abby put her arms around his neck. Karl stepped backwards out the window with the rope in his right paw then around his back and then into his left paw.  

As Abby clung on for dear life Karl began to walk slowly down the outside wall. It worked until near the bottom where the fire was coming out of a window.  Karl then jumped off the wall and rappelled straight down. Karl dropped the rope and he and Abby ran for the garage where everyone else was waiting for the police. Out of one of the top windows a head clad all in black watched as Karl and Abby ran.

The police arrived ten minutes after Karl and Abby reached the others. The firemen arrived at the same time and everything above the second floor in the dog house was spared the flames. With the house being three stories tall and has both a cellar and a bedroom in the area between the roof and the third floor most people’s things were saved except for what was in the ground floor plus some of the second.

“Where are we going to go now?” Was the question that nearly everyone asked. Karl knew the answer to that after the police and fire crews were finished everyone grabbed what they could carry. What they couldn’t carry went into storage in the public storage lockers so they could come back for it. The group of twelve grabbed their stuff and piled onto various vehicles include a few motorbikes and a Deuce and a half owned by Aaron. It was then a long drive out of the town of Little Eastwick into the country to find the Hiner farm owned by Karl’s parents.

The Hiner farm was quite a large plot of land bordering a lake. There were three main buildings, the first the farm house, the second a barn, the third a bed & breakfast for extra income on the farm. When the group stopped in the main farm area which was the three buildings surrounding a well. The ground in the area was either made of gravel or very muddy. Karl told everyone to stay in the area and he went off to the farm house.

After various awkward reunions between Karl and his parents he found out that the all the rooms in the bed & breakfast were empty so the group of twelve could move in until the dog house was rebuilt.  Karl got his old room back in the farm house. It was past midnight when everyone had settled in and Karl couldn’t sleep so he headed down to the lake to think. Abby looked out of her bedroom window and watched as Karl walked quietly passed the bed & breakfast. She got on her jacket and shoes before she then followed him.

Karl came to a small section of beach bordered by tall trees. He sat down on a large rock and got out the book he was reading. It was still covered in shrapnel so got his knife and started to pick out the pieces. “A thousand nights I spent alone. Solitaire to the bone. But I don’t mind I’m my own best friend. From the beginning to the end. My life. My heart. Black Knight. Dark star.” Karl began to sing quietly.

“Capricorn,” said Abby as she walked up to Karl and sat down next to him.  Karl put the knife and the book away before he put his arm around Abby. “Yeah how’d you know?” Karl asked. “It’s one of your favourites if I remember right,” said Abby leaning her head on Karl’s shoulder. “It’s funny I hardly ever talk about my family and here we are on the old farm. The one place I didn’t want to go back too.” Karl said gazing out across the lake. “What happened?” Abby asked sitting up. “It doesn’t matter,” Karl answered before laying down on the rock.

“What are you two doing down here rather than up at the house?” A voice said from behind Karl and Abby. “Is that you Thunder?” Karl asked the voice. A horse walked out of the darkness on all four legs. “How did you know it was me?” Thunder the horse asked. “I heard you trotting on behind Abby as soon as I left the house,” said Karl. “Still you two shouldn’t be down here alone what if something happened? Come on climb up and I’ll take you back up,” said Thunder turning to face the house. Karl got up off the rock and climbed up on Thunder. “Going my way ma’am?” Karl said to Abby offering his hand. Abby grabbed his arm and pulled herself up onto Thunder.  

The next day was Saturday so everyone stayed on the farm instead of making the trouble to travel back into town. Karl decided to have a relaxing day riding Thunder. “So how’s it been?” Karl asked Thunder as they walked across a large open field. “Same as usual your brother is the only other person who rides me so I’m allowed around the paddock most of the time,” said Thunder. “Where is my brother?” Karl asked. “Last I heard he’d got a job in town and would be coming back home tomorrow. Why?” Thunder said. “Well I thought I would have heard from him at least once before now,” said Karl.

Abby had found had a horse that would let her have a ride so she joined Karl at the top of a hill overlooking the farm. “Are you having fun?” Karl asked Abby when she joined him. “I am actually. What are you wearing? I haven’t seen you wear anything other than your old uniform since you got back,” said Abby. “I always wear this stuff when ride Thunder,” said Karl. He was wearing a pair of old jeans, a red checked shirt, a cowboy hat and a large dark blue coat. “The only thing that I can see you normally wearing is the gun,” said Abby pointing at the gun belt Karl had on.

That Weekend was the happiest Karl had had since the funeral. All he did was enjoy himself and relax but that changed on Monday morning. At 06:52am Karl was up and off on a long run around the farm just after a light breakfast. He was at the top of the hill overlooking the farm where he found Thunder. “Up early aren’t we Thunder? It’s not like you,” said Karl walking up to Thunder and patting him on the back. Thunder had his blanket covering his back and Karl didn’t blame him it was cold. Karl was only wearing a pair of grey jogging pants and a t-shirt not to mention the gun belt.

“I heard some movement when I was on my midnight stroll so I came up here an hour ago to see if I could see anything out of place,” said Thunder bending down and starting to munch on some tall grass. Karl gazed across the farmland and didn’t see anything out of place. “I don’t see anything,” said Karl and was about to walk away when Thunder swallowed. “Oh yeah well what about that on the road,” said Thunder gesturing towards the road. Karl looked and saw three large covered pickup trucks heading for the farm.

“Are any deliveries being made today?” Karl asked Thunder and he said no. Without hesitation Karl jumped onto Thunder fired three shots in to the air from his .44 Magnum and urged the old horse as fast as he could go back down to farm. Thunder galloped at top speed. Karl watched as people came out of the houses only to be met with the trucks coming down the road. Many people ran up the hill as fast as they could some went for the barn where the vehicles were parked.

The trucks stopped in next to the well in middle between the houses and the barn. Men got out clad all in black armed with machine guns and rifles. The men moved out and started to grab people and throw them into the trucks. The ones who resisted met the butt of a rifle and were knocked out cold. Karl had reached the bottom, got Thunder to stop and started firing at the men in black.

Some fired back others just carried on with what they were doing. Karl watched as some of his friends ran past him up the hill. The men in black now finished at the bottom of the hill started to walk forwards up the hill. Karl watched hopelessly as he killed one after the other and they just kept coming. It was then one shouted something that Karl couldn’t hear and the men turned around and got back on the trucks. Karl watched hopelessly as the trucks drove away and Thunder whinnied.

Thunder and Karl went back up to the top of the hill to find six people stood in a huddle. Karl got of Thunder and looked into each of the scarred faces. Charlie nodded and gave his girlfriend Ruth a strong hug. Jess was crying and had her head resting on Aaron’s chest. Suvina was hugging her boyfriend Johnny. Karl asked where was Abby and Suvina just hugged him as Karl was overcome with grief. The people he cared the most about in this crazy world his parents, his brother and Abby were taken by this group of men dressed in black and Karl guessed where they had come from the gang known as the ‘Dragons’.

Chapter Three
“It’s Payback Time”

After the events on Monday morning the police spent hours making enquiries. When they were finished for the day Karl decided to do some shopping. Karl went to see a man about ammunition and weapons on the black market of cause. After this little shopping trip Karl went to see Chris at the dinner. Chris gave Karl all the information he needed. What influence the Dragons had, what was their strength and what dirty deals were going down in the next few days. Lucky for Karl at Port Gateway a large commercial port a few miles from the little Eastwick a dirty deal was going down that night something to do with a large shipment of heroine.

At 10:02pm in Port Gateway dock number 55 it was quiet and hardly lit but there was still a lot of activity. A large cargo ship was offloading two shipping containers and two groups of men in suits were watching the unloading process.  Four cars were parked at the other end of the dock along with a few guards. Karl ignored them for the time being and went around them using a warehouse that spanned the dock as cover he worked his way around to the ship.

Karl was crouched behind some crates a few feet from the first of the containers and could hear easily the conversation between two of the men in the suits. “It’s the largest shipment in this area so far,” said the first man. “I’ll be glad when this job is finished my friend I have personal business to attend to,” said the second. “Yes I heard about your little drive into the country. I hope you and your Dragons do not endanger yourselves by reaching too far in your quest to seek revenge,” said the first. “Do not worry yourself. As soon as my honour is satisfied my main concern will be lining both are pockets in cash so stop your whingeing,” said the second man and then the second container was dropped on the ground.

A few of the men started walking back to the cars just after two large low-loader Lorries arrived to carry the containers. Karl decided it was time to act. He stood up put a LAW rocket launcher to his shoulder and fired destroying the first lorry along with its container in an engulfing fireball.  The men in suits ran for their cars now and guards also in suits started to appear from every direction to kill the saboteur. Karl threw away the LAW picked up his M16 and ran back along the edge of the warehouse.

Three of the cars had started and were driving off when they came around the corner of the warehouse where Karl was now stood firing another LAW rocket launcher. The first car swerved out of the way. The second carried on straight at Karl only to meet the rocket in mid-air. Karl had placed the second rocket hidden at the corner of the warehouse behind some barrels. With one car blown up the third car met automatic fire from Karl’s M16. Bullets punctured the windscreen killing the driver causing the car to swerve straight into the sea.

Karl ran to the end of the dock area where he flung the strap of his M16 over his shoulder. He swung his leg over the Harley Davidson motorbike from the storage locker and kicked down on the starter. Karl listened to the roar of the engine for a minute or two as he came to grips with how many people he had killed. He picked up the stand and drove back home to little Eastwick.

The next day Karl went back to Chris to find out when the next job the Dragons were pulling was. It turned out the Dragons had a dirty casino in Eastwick. Eastwick is the sister town of Little Eastwick so Karl drove there in Aaron’s Deuce and a half which he borrowed. He looked for a club called the Breathing Dragon because next to it was a hidden illegal casino.

The entrance to the casino was in an alley way at the side of the Breathing Dragon. The entrance was a door set into the wall a few feet below the pavement level. Karl watched as people walked down a small set of steps and then knocked on a black door. A viewport was in the door so the doorman just had to slide across the cover and look outside. Karl walked up to the door and knocked. The port opened and a pair of dark brown eyes looked at Karl.

“Password?” The doorman asked Karl. “Dragon’s tooth,” said Karl and he was allowed inside. He had got the password from Chris. Karl must have looked a strange sight as he walked around the casino. The casino had various gambling tables and games with a dining area surrounding a centre stage. All the décor was in red and yellow. Most of the guests were wearing suits and dresses while Karl was dressed in his old uniform, green trousers, green shirt, combat boots and a large dark blue coat that reached the top of his boots.

Karl walked passed a waiter and he grabbed a drink off the tray the waiter was carrying. Karl went over to one of the tables in the dining area and sat down. Karl watched the show for a few minutes. On the stage currently was a band playing ‘I Love Rock 'n' Roll’. Karl enjoyed this until a man came up behind Karl and asked him to follow him. Karl got up and followed the man in the black suit. The man in the black suit took Karl to a large table in the far corner of the casino where a group of men were stood up surrounding the table and one in a white suit was sat down at the table eating.

“Please sit down and join me,” said the hairless cat in the white suit. Karl sat down opposite him and started chewing on a dog biscuit. “So why are you hear?” Said the cat staring at Karl with an expression that revealed nothing the cat could be in a state of tears and Karl would not have known. “I am here to gain some information. For instance why?” Karl asked the cat. “Why what?” The cat gave Karl as an answer.

“Why have you kidnapped my family and friends and where are you keeping them?” Karl said with a hint of anger in his voice. “The simple answer is revenge. I have taken your loved ones to torture you before I kill them,” said the cat. “Why me?” Karl asked. “Do you not know the answer to that question? Let me remind you then, Congolar, Chi-Hang ten prisoners were shot for no reason. Many of those so called prisoners were my loved ones. After living in a compound for a month away from me they were shot for no reason. I therefore intend to avenge their deaths by killing the murderer responsible and according to my sources that murderer is you Corporal Karl Hiner.” The cat said and two cats in black suits that were stood behind Karl tried to grab him.

The first cat that grabbed Karl had his hand thrown on the table and Karl’s huge knife pushed into it. The other got his arm around Karl’s neck. Karl elbowed him in the chest pulled his knife out of the other cat’s hand and stabbed the second cat in the foot. Karl pulled out both his .44 Magnum and the auto-mag. The auto-mag he pointed at the other stood up cats. The model 29 he pointed at the sat down cat. At this point the rest of the casino was in an uproar with people heading for the exits.

The cat in the chair began to clap slowly. “Well, well, well. You certainly know how to entertain and because of that I’m going to make things interesting. Your loved ones are being well cared for in an old factory in Port Gateway in the industrial sector. I’m shore that your informant will find out which factory specifically. Now go before I have you killed.” The cat in the white suit said before leaning back in his chair.

Karl backed away slowly towards the door. When he reached it without anyone attacking him he put his guns away and walked back to the Deuce and a half. He decided to go get some sleep he was going to need it by tomorrow.

Chapter Four
“Where Eagles Dare”

Karl found out which factory building it was from Chris. It turned out to be an old textile factory. Karl headed for the factory just after 06:00pm and he was well prepared. Karl had stopped by at a few friends earlier that day specifically Jack Bell. As well as being Karl’s old platoon commander Jack was also the owner of a large collection of ex-military hardware ranging from vehicles to personal kit.

At 06:30pm Karl reached the road that headed straight for the old factory Karl could just make out a few guards at the end of the road in front of the factory gates with the main doors into the factory building ten metres behind them. Karl drove slowly forward and he watched as the guards fired wildly at him and Karl just laughed.

Karl wondered what must be going through their heads as Karl drove the old rickety bulldog tank. Karl hit the gates at full speed knocking them out of the way as if they were cardboard. Karl stood up inside the tank so he could use the turret. Karl fired the main gun at the factory doors making a huge hole in them. Karl opened the hatch and used the .50cal machine gun mounted on the turret on the guards he could see before ducking back inside.

Karl wedged the front of the tank in the hole in the doors. Karl got out of the hatch and jumped off the tank an M60 machine gun in his hands. Karl walked around to the front of the tank gun ready and looked around the factory. The factory inside was completely bare all the machinery had been taken way years ago besides the catwalks up on either sides of the walls it was empty.

Or was it? Karl looked around and then he saw it. A small black box in the middle of the room Karl went over to it and opened the box. Inside it was a hand written note which said: ‘You were late so I changed my mind the current location of your loved ones is the Breathing Dragon restaurant.’ Karl threw the box away and got back inside the bulldog tank.

Inside the Breathing Dragon the dining area had been cleared of all tables and chairs. In their place was a group of various animals surrounded by a circle of leather wearing hairless cats. One cat was sat on a chair drinking champagne. “Do any of you know what your friend Karl did during the war? Sorry where are my manners? Remove their gags let them speak,” said the cat in the white suit.Several of the guards bent down and removed the blindfolds and gags from the prisoners.

“Who are you, you son of a bitch?” said Tiree Withers a red and green scaled Dragon one of only a few left in the world. “Well I’m your worst nightmare but you can call me Mr White like my associates. Now what was I saying oh yes. Do you know what things Karl did during the war?” said the cat in the white suit.

“We know he kicked ass that looked a lot like yours,” said Rob then he and Luke head-butted each other. “Well you’re quite correct.  But have you heard about the other stuff he did like the P.O.W incident?” Mr White asked standing up and starting to walk around the circle of guards. “What you talking about white?” Abby Asked. Before White could answer there was a knock at the door. White gestured for one of the guards to open it.

The door opened and a body bag fell into the room followed by a man dressed in black leathers. “I thought you might kill him. Ah well I don’t get to kill him but at least I can still gloat over him. Bring the body over to the front,” said White and the man who came through the door dragged the bag over to White’s chair.

“Open it,” said White after he sat down in his chair. The man in black unzipped the top of the bag to reveal Karl’s bruised and bloody face. Many of the captives shouted and cried. White called for silence before he got down from his chair and bent over Karl’s body. “So I finally got my revenge. Now I can tell everyone my story and why you had to die,” said White before stepping round the body and addressed the room.

“So it all starts back in a prison camp near the Chi-hang airfield. I had family and friends in that camp. It was only a few days after the hot-dog hill attack. So I presume that the guards wanted revenge. So they selected a group of prisoners and executed them. Those prisoners included my mother, farther, sister and two of my good friends. As soon as I heard I swore revenge on the guards of that prison camp. Are spies managed to get this for a list of all the guards during the incident,” said White and he held up a battered piece of paper.

“I have now killed everyone on this list. My revenge is complete,” said White putting the paper back in his pocket. “So will you let us go now?” Luke Asked.  “I’m afraid not you see you all know too much and could go running to the police.  So guards if you would,” said White and all of his guards picked up their AK-47s and pointed them at the eight captives.

“Excuse me but I would like to be paid a little extra for killing him sir,” said the guard who brought in Karl. “Oh of cause just give me your name and rank,” said White who hadn’t turned around and was still watching the captives. “My name is Lieutenant Jack Bell,” said the guard taking off the ski mask he was wearing to reveal the bright faced bulldog. “Wait you don’t work for me!” said White turning around sharply only to have Jack’s M16 barrel resting on White’s nose.

“Your right he works for me,” said Karl unzipping the rest of the bag and standing up next to Jack. “I don’t work for you either,” said Jack. “Oh sorry sir,” said Karl apologetically. “Any way White tell your men to put down their guns or we kill both you and them,” said Jack pushing the barrel against White’s forehead. “My men are willing to die are you,” said White.

White hit away Jacks M16 and then ran for the door. The guards opened fire on Jack and Karl. Jack ran to the left and crouched behind a pillar support in the wall. Karl Jumped behind the body bag and started searching through it. The others in the middle of the room lay down on the floor covering their heads with their hands.

Karl found what he was looking for a Kevlar bullet proof helmet that covered his entire head and had a bullet deflecting glass visor covering his eyes. Karl was now completely dressed in a full Kevlar juggernaut suit. That was why Jack could only zip the body bag down to show only Karl’s head. Karl picked up and cocked his M60 with grenade launcher. Karl slowly walked forward firing at the guards who stood in defiance.

The suit caused Karl to jolt as bullets hit him but he just carried on firing as the guards started to scream and fall to the ground. Jack pulled his radio headset out of his pocket and put it on. “Can you hear me Karl?” Jack said talking into the micro phone. “Yeah I can hear ya,” Karl replied through the headset he had on the inside of his helmet. “White escaped what should we do?” Jack asked as he watched three guards fall to the floor.

“Go to plan B,” said Karl and he turned around. Karl fired a grenade from the launcher at the back wall creating a circle door. Karl turned around as Jack ran through the new exit. Karl took down the last four guards before taking off the helmet and taking Abby’s paw. “Don’t worry you’re all safe now,” said Karl and Abby kissed him on the cheek.

Jack ran outside into the alleyway to see White on the floor screaming with someone standing over him. Jack walked over and put his paw on the man. “Nice shot straight through his leg,” said Jack and Duncan just put his M14 over his shoulder. “I still don’t see why we can’t just shoot him,” said Duncan. “Handing him over to the police is the right thing to do,” said Jack. “Yeah I guess you’re right,” said Duncan taking a cigar out of Whites top pocket. “Death’s Kiss a very nice brand,” said Duncan putting the cigar in his pocket for later.

Chapter Five
“Here I go Again”

The police arrived ten minutes after Jack called them followed by the coroner and then the crowds and television crews. An ambulance arrived to take Mr White to hospital at the same time as the police. It returned later so the paramedics could check up the kidnapped victims. Karl, Jack and Duncan were being asked questions by the Rottweiler again. “So let me get this straight in two days you’ve taken down a crime syndicate that the police department has been trying to take down for five years now,” said the inspector. Karl and the others agreed with the inspector.

“Well I think White expected me to go after him alone so I called Jack and Duncan they offered to help. My first plan was to get White to surrender and then take him to the police but we had to get close to him so I played dead in the body bag. Jack took me inside while posing as one of his men. Duncan positioned himself on the roof of the opposite building so he got a clear shot at the door. When white made a run for it we went to plan B which was Duncan would slow him down and Jack as the fastest runner I knew he could catch White but apparently Duncan just needed to shoot white in the leg,” said Karl and the inspector put it all down on a note book.

“Right well you are free to go for now but you three may be asked to come down to the station later,” said the inspector who went off to talk to the press. Jack and Duncan went to go find where they parked their transport. Karl went to find Abby she was sat down in the door way of the ambulance with a paramedic. The paramedic got up and told Karl Abby was fine before going away. Karl sat down next to Abby and put his arm around her.

“Have you talked with your parents yet?” Abby asked Karl. “No I don’t think I’m brave enough. My Dad will probably blame me for this. My Mum will be scarred to talk to me. So I think something’s never change,” said Karl. “How are we getting home?” Abby asked. “Oh I think the police will oblige but you’re going to get a lift with me, Jack and Duncan,” said Karl.

At 11:36pm that night the Jack’s bulldog tank got a police escort out of Eastwick. The tank followed by two police cars took their time on the way to Hiner farm. Jack was driving, Duncan was sat in the radioman’s seat and Karl was stood up in the turret hatch with the top half of his body showing with Abby holding on to his shoulders as she sat on the turret behind Karl. “Pretty cool right,” said Karl, Abby just shrugged and kissed him.
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