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“The Chronicles of the Eclipses”

**~What do we have to fear but fear itself?” –Former President Theodore Roosevelt

**~Another Dimension~**

Coral quietly follows behind Nick who seemed lost and confused for a moment before turning down another hallway.

“You know I thought you lived on a campus or something. Is this like a fraternity place or something?” Coral plays along, knowing full well she was inside their world of the gang. Her heels echo against wax wooden planks as she passes door after what seems like endless doors on either side of her.

Nick looks at her and scans the area around him to see if any surveillance cameras were found. He tugs on her arm and gently whispers into her ear: “I’m in trouble. I have to get out of here, but I can’t…”

Coral narrows her eyes and smiles, nodding her head, she whispers back into his ear: “How good are you in keeping secrets?”

The fair spiked haired man straightens up, smirking. “Good why?”

“I’m a detective. I’m here to get you out.” She whispers out gently in his ear so as not to be heard by the camera. Smiling, she grabs the lever of the door: waiting for Nick to pass his key card through it.

Nick gazes at her for a moment, taking in the new detailed data thrown at him. “Are you for real?”

“You guys always doubt. What will it take to prove it to you?” Coral smirks, raising her eyebrows.

Nick snorts, “I have an idea.” Swiping his card as the metal lock blinked to a green allowing their entrance.

“Tsk tsk. I don’t do the dirty…with a younger man than me.” She teases, batting her eyes at him.

Nick smiles, swinging open the door as she walks in first with him following behind. She scans the small tidy room, plopping on the edge of the unmade bed, the white sheets were rolled up into a ball at the foot of the bed.

Nick walks into the bathroom and sighs, noting that this was the only place where no surveillance cameras were placed according to Kevin’s data. “Connie.” He calls out to the woman.

Coral busily stands up, walking around the room to scan everything, not hearing Nick calling out to her.

“Connie? Hey, can you come over here for a sec?” Nick leans out of the bathroom threshold, waving her over.

She hears the name as confusion lurked her face, before she realized that he was calling out to her. Smiling, she accepts and steps into the bathroom as Nick quickly closes the door behind them.

Coral begins to feel uncomfortable about the situation, hoping she wouldn’t have to sleep with the man or come close to it. Stuttering out slowly, she raises her hands, “Look, I said I’m not gonna have se…”

“You really a cop?” Nick intercepted her, his eyes bulging wide.

Coral nods, “Yeah. I know you’re freaked out but I’m gonna make sure I take down the boss of this place.”

“Noo…noo… You don’t get it. You have to get me out of here now! I can’t take it. This boss guy, I met him…God, he’s not one to mess with. Connie, look I don’t think it’s gonna be easy getting out here. You can’t just go and get me out this place. That’s not how it’s done here. They have info on me and my family. I can’t put any one in danger.” He breaths out nervously, nibbling on his lower lip.

“I know about this gang.” She whispers out, confiding in the man quickly since she knew he seemed to a new member who was still trying to know the ropes around the place.

“The man with the dark hair, he used to be a cop too, until he was forced to be here.” Nick leaks out, gulping, wondering why he was being so open to the stranger. Perhaps he saw hope in her and some determination for his safety that assured him, that or he was going on some faith that he can be released from this place.

“I know. I’m working with his partner and we want to save him as well. Nick, what do you know about this place?” Coral asks eagerly, glad she was making progress quickly with the man.

“You, you know about him?!” Nick asks surprised, straightening up as he walks over to the porcelain bathtub.

Coral nods, sitting down on the cold white toilet seat to gaze at the man’s face. “Yes. I know that you guys have to deal with strong issues. And I’m so sorry about your initiation.”

“ Thanks. I guess there isn’t much…just that I had to kill a guy.” Nick drops his head in shame, the guilt flooding his soft features.

“You, you killed a man?”

Nick tears up, gulping down the lump that was rising in his throat. “Ye, yeah. You ain’t gonna arrest cause of that when we get out of here right?”

Coral smiles, gently placing a hand on his shoulder: “No. No I won’t. It’s ok. This wasn’t your fault. It was his life or yours. I’ll admit: if I’m to get you out of here, you have to let me stay with you. It’s the only way I can close enough to the leader.”

“I don’t think that can happen. The gang is designed to have only the women during certain hours. By tomorrow night you would have to leave this place.” Nick whispers, slowly sitting on the edge of the porcelain tub, tapping his fingers nervously on the side of it.

“I’ll think of something. I have to hide out somehow. Find out if there is any way I can stay here. I’m sure one of your friends must know.”

“So you really are a cop huh?” Nick smirks, gazing at the white tiles below him. “I’ll see what I can do. But I can’t promise you that. This place seems to have a thing against chicks… not that you like being called that but you know what I mean.”

Coral smirks, “Yes, I think I do.” Her eyes avert around the bathroom and sighs, “Soooo…if I’m to stay here don’t ya think we should have food to celebrate?”

Nick snorts, standing up and brushing past her, “Celebrate what?”

“Your freedom.” She simply states, smiling as she exits the room leaving him lost in thought.

Nick smiles gently, “Yeah ok. I can get something for us for eat.”

Coral yawns and giggles, gazing around the room as she takes a seat on the bed, tucking her legs beneath her. “We should get to know each other more don’t you think? What do you like to do?” She gazes down adjusting the top of her low cut dress as she senses his eyes on her.

Nick sighs, slumping into a chair across from her tucking his head in his hands. “I like to draw.”

Coral sits up in interest. “Really? Nice. Do you have anything to show?”

Nick licks his lips, gazing around the room, shaking his head. “No. I don’t have anything to draw with. But if I was home I have tons of sketch books and such that show off my skills in it.”

“Hmmmm…so you’re an artist then?”

“To a point. I’d like to think that.”

Coral stands up and yawns, gazing at her watch. “Well, its getting quite late really. Is there anyway I can take a shower while you get something to eat?”

“Sure…but uhhh…you don’t have any clothes to change into besides that dress your wearing.”

Coral giggles, “Well you’re a tall man, I’m sure one of your shirts should fit me quite nicely.”

Nick smirks, “Actually…I wasn’t given any wardrobe as of yet.”

Coral raises her eyebrows, spotting a walk in closet to see rows of folded clothes piled in the corner. Indicting to the pile, she walks over and pulls out a shirt: a blue jersey that seemed to be the man’s size. “Well what do you call these? You look like you have good amount of clothes here.”

Nick confused: rushes over to the closet, kneeling down to the pile to pull out a pair of black cargo pants. “These clothes weren’t here when I left.”

“Guess someone was looking out of ya.”

“Guess so. Well ummm...yeah ok. You do that and I’ll see what I can get for us to eat then k?” Nick politely excuses himself, heading over to the small intercom in the room.

Coral sighs, shaking her head in disbelief. How was she gonna help this man and the others if she only has one day out of the entire week to do it? This would be impossible to pull through unless Howie managed to get in the group himself. Quickly taking the long jersey and pulling out a towel, she exits the closet and goes over to the bathroom as Nick asks one of the members through the intercom what he wanted to eat. Curiosity getting the best of her, she pauses at the bathroom threshold: watching the man look distressed and plagued as he slumps into a chair and buries his head in his hands. Gulping, she silently enters the bathroom, her heart breaking at the sight of lost hope coming from the man as she closes the door behind her.
~*~

Arianna giggles out as A.J. wraps an arm around her waist, giving her tour of his small bedroom. He pulls on her as they both stop in front of a dresser.

Grinning A.J. points, “And this, my fair lady is a dresser.”

“Really? Wow! That’s amazing.” She jokes out, getting a laugh out of him as he pulls away from her and steps back.

“What?” She turns around to gaze at the troubled man, his coffee eyes clouded in lost pain.

“Nothing. Don’t worry about it. So ummm…you staying over?”

“Me staying over? Wow, that’s fast. You didn’t even take me out on a date.” Arianna purrs out, batting her eyes at him.

He smirks, cracking his knuckles as he heads to the closet gazing at the rows full of clothes piled neatly. “Hmmmm…” He pulls out a shirt noting it was his size as he snorts. “Well this is interesting.”

Arianna turns around and smiles, heading over to him. “You look like you never seen a shirt before. You do know that has three holes, one for your head and the other two for your arms.” She teases the man, batting her light eyes at him.

A.J. laughs, pulling out another shirt flinging it at her. She catches it and unfolds it, smirking.

“You want me to wear one of your shirts?”

“Well it’s not mine. But I figured if you’re staying over tonight, that you might need something to put on to go to sleep in.” A.J. searches in a row in the small closet to find towels and rags.

“That’s all weird and stuff. But oh yeah cool. Thanks. But I actually don’t need this shirt to sleep in.” Arianna tosses the shirt back at him as he catches it in mid-air gazing at her.

“So Ana, what do you normally wear to sleep in?” A.J. asks curiously as Arianna giggles out.

“I prefer sleeping in the nude.”

A.J.’s mouth drops open as he tilts his head at her: “Ohhhh…you don’t say? Well I sleep nekkid too. But since you’re here I’ll restrain myself.”

Arianna laughs, kindly taking the shirt from his hands as she grabs a blue towel and eases her way to the bathroom. “I was just kidding by the way.”

A.J. smirks, nodding his head. “Ohhh ok.”

“You sound all dissatisfied now.” Arianna smiles: pausing at the bathroom threshold.

“Ahhh, well you kinda rose some hope in me when you said that. That’s all.” A.J. smiles as Arianna giggles: entering the bathroom, the door locking behind her.

A.J. gulps, plopping back on his bed, his back touching the soft mattress beneath as he gazes up at the plain white ceiling above him. “What am I gonna do? I can’t stay here. I don’t belong here.” He murmurs: closing his eyes as the sound of water coming from the shower in the bathroom breaks the still silence that lingered around him for a moment.
~*~

He withholds a yawns and turns abruptly at the sound of Kevin’s muffles voice from up dark stairwell. “Kev?” Brian calls out, looking up at the metal grid stairs to see an average height Latin man with a light caramel tan on his flushed complexion holding his hands up. Brian sees Kevin emerge behind the man with a pistol raised at him, stepping in front of the man, cocking the pistol.

“Brian, we have a trespasser here. I got him. Just go tell the boss will ya? I’m on my way now with the guy.” Kevin whispers out as Brian gulps, eyeing the man curiously.

“How did you find this place?” Brian asks to Howie who smiles.

“Brian?! Go…now.” Kevin hisses out as Brian gulps, rushing down the darkly lit hallway.

Kevin sighs out sadly, placing the pistol away as he slumps to the ground: “Howie…you shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t have to do this.”

“Then let’s go. Now! They won’t find you. We’ll get your family out and everything. No one will get hurt.” Howie confides to the man.

“Easier said than done my friend. That can’t happen like that.” Kevin whispers, slowly getting up to his feet as a pair of armed guards appeared at the hallway threshold with Brian, locking their weapons on the new comer.

“Vin said bring the man to him.” One of the burly guards announced to Kevin who gulps.

“Alright, I’ll be there shortly. You can leave now.” Kevin orders the men as the guards nods and exit the premises.

Brian eyes the two men curiously and looks over at Howie: “You know him don’t you?” Pointing to Kevin.

Howie gulps, nodding his head: “Yeah.”

Brian gives his a weak smile, “Right, that’s what I thought.”

Howie gazes at Kevin, “I’m not gonna get out of here am I?”

Kevin snorts, “Unless you dream big. Come on. Let get you to the boss.” He sighs, gently taking Howie’s arm, leading the man down the hallway with Brian behind them.
~*~

Coral sighs, gazing over at the sleeping fair haired man on the bed, buried under the thin white cotton sheets. She sits up in the creaking chair gently, taking a small flashlight off the nightstand besides her as she digs through the top dresser to find a black sharpie marker. She creeps into the bathroom with the two items, locking the door behind her. Slumping against the door, she slides to the cold floor, searching through her black dress that was hung on a hanger against the back of the bathroom door. Finding the black journal in a hidden slot of her dress, she turns on the flashlight, the small orb of golden light shining down on the item. Her fingers trace over the smooth leather bound book cover, slowly opening it up to the first blank unlined page. Holding a flashlight in one hand, she places the book on her drawn up knees as she grasps for a pen with the other free hand. Sighing, she begins to write down some thoughts and notes of her first day in ‘The Eclipses’:

-May 15th, 2003 3:30 AM *Nick’s bathroom* ‘First Day’

Confinement, imprisoned by the very haunting thoughts that plague and torture one’s soul is the first thought that swept over me the moment I entered the run down building. The very place where the well known gang: “The Eclipses” dwell in. This is the gang that is known for its notorious drug trading as well as killings around the country. In a matter of one hour I noticed so many things here that scared the hell out of me.

As a woman, I am restricted from staying here more than 24 hours. Because of that regulation I have to find a way back in to get closer…to know more about what this gang really is. I do know they are corrupted in every way. The young soul I am staying with for tonight is a new comer to the gang. I felt the pain and anguish he is enduring as he cried himself to sleep tonight. He wants my help, he told me once we were alone in his room tonight. I want to help him as well as the rest of the unfortunate ones caught in this sick mess. But it is a difficult task to track down or even come close to the leader.

I don’t know what to do. I feel stuck as if the more I try to offer help, the further away I am from finding answers to this dilemma. I’m in the bathroom of the man that took me in tonight. It’s early in the morning and this is the only place I can go where I’m not watched. From what I got, this entire place minus the bathrooms is equipped with surveillance cameras for a reason. Perhaps the leader believes that most of his employers feel the same way as this young man I am staying with does. Maybe he is afraid of losing his workers in his drug trade. Not that it should matter, he works this gang as a mafia. It is a well organized almost family type vibe I got the moment I set foot into the building. The young man I’m staying with was not alone when I first met him. He seemed to have alliances, friends I could almost say that tagged along with him. Yet out of the three men there with him, I noted that the tall raven haired man seemed to have control of the others.

Maybe he is an older member of the group: in fact I know he is. He was once the partner of the man I am now working for. Kevin. It scares me to think how this place can change even the most innocent of the souls into something to fear: something deadly…demonic almost.

Nick, the man I am staying with, confessed later to me in gory details the mutilations of bodies used during his initiation. The man behind all of this murder is a top gun leader set to destroy and claim power over those of weaker strength. He breaks their faith and hope, leaving the lost men with no dreams of ever escaping. But I believe that is false. If one can get in the gang, there is another way besides death to escape this hell on Earth. And I’m going to find out what that is.

Codename: Connie signing off now.

She exhales, leaning her head back against the door, closing the journal and tucking it back in the hidden slot in her dress. She quietly exits the bathroom, curling into a ball on the corner of the occupied bed near the end of foot board as she closes her eyes for some form of sleep.
~*~

He leans back in the office seat, snorting at the sight of the new man that Kevin brought in. “Why should I let him live? How do we know he isn’t five O or something?” the leader glares at Kevin.

“You can check his car, he has it parked nearby here.” Kevin whispers out.

Vincent smirks, running a hand down his shaven bald head: “You heard the man, go check his car.” His deep bass voice booms out to the guards in the room who nod and exit the small stuffy office.

“So…what’s your name?” Vincent leans back in the seat causing it to creak, his bulging muscles show through his white t-shirt.

Howie slowly places his hands down as Vincent pulls out a magnum aiming it at Howie: “I didn’t say put your hands down.”

Howie gulps and nods, raising his hands back up in the air: “Michael.”

Vincent snorts, “Michael eh? So…you stepped into my world. You belong to me now. That is if you can handle all I give you. This is a parent child relationship. Meaning what I say goes and you are not to ask any questions nor deny it. As your ‘parent’ I will tell you what I want, when I want. And you are to follow. Deny a request, you die. Leave this place and you die. Speak unless spoken to you first when it comes to me and you’ll be punished. I have no time to baby sit nor to put up with anyone’s petty problems. So if you have a problem, deal with it ‘cause I won’t care. Understood?” The handsome man smiles: twirling the magnum in his hands.

“So Michael, tell me, how did you find this place?” Vincent asks, pointing to a rickety wooden chair before his office desk.

Howie slowly eases his way to the chair and plops down, keeping his hands in the air. “It was by accident sir. I took a wrong turn and got lost. When I got out, that man…” He indicates to Kevin, “Found me.”

“Ahhh, yes well. You’re caught. Usually I tend to pick my children as I like to call my members out through a small trial. But your looks qualify you to be an instant member that is if you can perform the initiation.” Vincent smiles: standing up from his seat, heading over to the doorway.

“Initiation?”

“Why yes. You didn’t think I would believe your trust until you perform the task at hand now do you? I have plans for this group to succeed globally and no one will take down what we’re made of.” Turning to Howie, he aims his pistol at the man as the two guards enter the room again. “Strip him. Make sure if he has a form of I.D or such to dump it in the trash.”

Howie gasps, looking over at Kevin who drops his head to the ground, too ashamed to gaze back. Brian exhales deeply, afraid of what to do and wanting to help. He closes his eyes, turning to the wall fearing he would say something that would anger the leader. Howie gulps as the two armed men each grab one of his arms and push him against the wall, yanking off his clothes as he stands helplessly in fear to all that is going on around him.
~**~

**~To Be Continued…~**