Chapter 005: Uptown Redemption
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Benedict, considering he is one of the town's vigilant policemen, swiftly reached for his phone, summoning backup without a second thought.

In his line of sight, Damien's car screeched to a halt before him. "Come on!" Damien urged.

"...heading southeast of Westershire and Crimson Hollow Street. We're in pursuit," Benedict reported into his phone. Before the officer on the other end could respond, he jumped into the passenger seat beside Damien, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Backup is on the way, Inspector," the voice on the phone assured him.

The engines hummed as they sped southeast. "Do you even know where we're heading?" Benedict asked, glancing at Damien, who remained fixated on the road growing dimmer by the minute. They had to keep their speed in check to remain inconspicuous.

"We need to locate the taxi with Christine or the black car trailing behind them," he said.

Minutes later, a distant gunshot echoed. As they approached Crimson Hollow, lights flickered in the distance. Just as they were about to turn into a small canteen, two figures appeared ahead, fleeing from the taxi they seemed to have been pursuing.

They immediately parked the car and went straight to it. "What the-" Damien gasped as they ran towards the vehicle.

Inside, they found the driver slumped against the seat. "Sir, are you alright?" Benedict asked, pulling open the car door. He shook the man gently, but something warm and red dripped onto his fingers.

"Damien, call an ambulance!" he shouted, quickly pulling surgical gloves from his pocket and slipping them on.

But Damien's mind was set on finding Christine, who was nowhere to be seen. "Where is she? Where's your passenger from earlier?" Damien pressed urgently.

"She was taken by a person wearing a mask. I... I couldn't see his face... He blinded me with his car's lights," the taxi driver stammered, his voice trembling.

Benedict stayed focused, searching for clues inside the taxi. The seat where Christine had been was still warm, and shattered glass lay scattered everywhere. A bullet had pierced the spot, shattering her phone.

However, something didn't add up-the driver had been shot in the back, yet there were no signs of bullets entering from outside the car.

Benedict recalled the two figures they had seen earlier. If the culprits had a car, it was no longer in sight. But if they had parked it to flee, why hadn't they spotted where it was? The pieces weren't fitting together.

"Where did they take her?!" Damien shouted.

"They went towards the left... towards the alley," the driver whispered. With a final, laboured breath, he departed this world.

"Where's the ambulance?" Benedict demanded. "I told you to call them. I'm occupied with my job here!"

"Sorry, I was worried," Damien replied, his confusion growing.

The police finally arrived, pulling up in front of them. "Locate the getaway car," Benedict commanded his partner. "I need backup at the alley."

Before he could even call for Damien, the boy sprinted off toward the alley. "Damien!" Benedict shouted, but his best friend ignored him and kept running.

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Author's Note:

Just like the song "Uptown Funk," they were hot knight in shining armours who are hot on the trail, the music perfectly capturing the action and thrill. Crimson Street, an uptown area (a term used to describe a quiet, affluent neighbourhood).

The day, though not explicitly mentioned, is Saturday, aligning with the song's vibe.

In the upcoming chapters, they might discover a lot of things!

𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕭𝖆𝖐𝖊𝖗 𝕾𝖙𝖗𝖊𝖊𝖙 𝕿𝖗𝖎𝖔
~ LORAINEJD ~