HiveComb

I have been in prison for seven years now. The blank wall, little hand cuffs and small hard bed had become my companion for these years. I sat on the ground, looking out through the iron bars that kept me caged here, wondering if I'll ever see the light of day again. Seven years had gone by slowly. I thought back to my daughter. She would be ten by now.

A knock in the iron bars pulled me out of my thoughts. A young man stood before me, I slowly looked up at him and watched as he opened the lock and stepped in. He was dressed in a black suit, and wore a white button up shirt inside. I stood up on my feet, silently eyeing the little folder he held in his hands. Perhaps he was here to finish me off, I thought. Life in prison had taught me not to trust anyone.

" Daniel caves?" The man asked.

"That's me"

"I have a job for you, " he said, handing me the folder.

We need your help in catching a notorious criminal, we've been tracking him for years but it seems impossible. He calls himself the phantom, any idea.

"No" I said curtly, turning away from them.

"Do this and consider yourself a free man" he said

I paused in my tracks, his words struck me. Freedom? I've heard about the phantom, during my days as a criminal. He was the most feared, a very dangerous man with lots of influence and power. He ruled the underground world of the city. Was I ready to go up against the most dangerous criminal in the city? But the opportunity to see my daughter once again, to taste what freedom felt like again was too hard to dismiss.

I turned back to him.

"What do you mean, I asked,

" Help us capture this criminal and walk out here a free man, no more prison, you can go and finally be with your daughter. A clean slate," He stated.

"Sounds too good to be true"

The young man finally stood up, walking close to me

"I am Agent Sanford from the D.S.A. A special task force in charge of dangerous and hardened criminals. I can get you your freedom If you agree to this.

I contemplated for a while. I had nothing to lose after all. This might just be my chance to ever see my daughter again

"I'm in. I answered

"Good".

The next week I was released. Free to walk around but not truly free. I had to keep my end of the deal before all charges would be fully dropped. Danford handed me a small communication device to contact them in case things went south. I thought about running away, but even if I did they would still find me.

I walked through the underground world like a ghost. Going to gambling bars, dark alleys and warehouses. If there was any place I would get information about the Phantom it would be in one of those places. I kept my profile on the low. I wore black hoodies most of the time to keep my identity hidden. In the underground world, information travelled faster than the speed of light, and one could never trust anyone.

One lucky night, at an auction party, filled with dangerous criminals all dressed in a nice suit. I saw him, the phantom. He moved through the crowd like the devil himself, holding a glass of wine in his hands, and laughing with what I would assume was his minions.

But that wasn't what struck me the most, the woman he was with, Natasha, my old companion and partner in crime. She had fled the day I got arrested. Never heard or saw her again up until now. I watched as she stood in the midst of dangerous criminals, laughing and negotiating with them.

I confronted her when she slipped away from the crowd.

“What are you doing here?” I asked grabbing one of her hands

“Riley, I thought you were arrested” she smiled at me with that familiar smile of hers.

“ You now work for the phantom? I never took you for a killer” I scoffed.

“You don't understand, the phantom wants justice, we’re trying to set this corrupt system straight” she started

“Can you even hear yourself? “ I cut her off.

“You're the corrupt ones!” I exclaimed

“I know our methods are questionable, but this is the only way” she tried justifying it.

“They’ve completely brainwashed you Tasha” I said unbelievable.

“For what it's worth, I know you're not a killer” I said at last, stepping back into the party.

For a week, I struggled with my decision, with Natasha involved with the phantom, she could get arrested alongside him. I had to make up my mind, the Directorate had already run out of patience.

The day of reckoning finally came. We tracked them down at an old dark warehouse, trying to smuggle gums and other weapons. I called for back up and immediately tried to stall them

“Freeze, “ I shouted.

The phantom turned slowly towards me,

“You must be, Caves, Natasha told me a lot about you” he smiled evilly.

My breath caught in my throat. “What have you done with her” I demanded

“Well, she was compromised so I had to get rid of her “ he said like it was nothing.

I gripped the gun I held in my hands tightly, just as I was about to shoot, the police surrounded us.
Agent Riley walked in, putting a cuff around the phantom.

“I pray you rot in jail” I said in spite of his face as the police took him away.

Weeks later, I sat in one of the cafes around town. Everything was over, I had kept my end of the bargain, the phantom had been arrested, but Natasha was gone. A deep sense of loss hung around my chest. Agent Riley sat across from me, handing me an address.

“Your daughter, she lives there with her foster parents” he said

“You made good Caves, you're a free man”.

“Freedom” I scoffed “ Why do I feel like I lost things I can't get back” I said almost to myself, looking out the window

“That's life for you, you win some, you lose some” agent Riley said while standing up and nudging me on the shoulder.

His words rang heavily in my ear as he walked away. I had the freedom I so longed for but it came with a price.