Chapter 2

ADRIAN

I blinked and squinted my eyes like the mere motion would will a different face unto the projector screen. It couldn’t be, not Damon Salvatore.

The same Damon Salvatore, but…different this time, very different from the teenage boy back then who had made me look at him, while he promised we would build a life together. It seemed unbelievable at first, but when he kissed me, I was willing to believe anything he said. His kisses always had that effect, they somehow unmoored, and ground me all at the same time.

It was the last time we ever kissed, and I remember it more than I would ever admit out loud. I remember the exact way his hair tickled my face when he leaned in, his retreating form when he said, “Bye, see you later.” and my erratic heartbeat. We never did see after that.

The screen projected yet another image of Damien, this one somehow even more clearer than the first. I winced.

“You okay?” Mrs. Chen asked.

I jerked a little, and turned towards her hoping my expression wouldn’t betray my thoughts.

“Why, yes I am alright.” I said giving her a small, sheepish smile.

“Sure? You looked like you were in pain.” She looked me over.

“Just a little headache, nothing to worry about.” I lied, and held my breath hoping she would buy it. 

She smiled back, a full smile and looked back to the projector screen, while I exhaled soundlessly.

This was no way to handle a case, if I want to prove myself to all of these people seated right here, and the entire nation, I would have to rebury whatever feelings seeing Damien again had unearthed. I needed to be on my best form, this case would be a sort of test for me, and how I handle it would determine my life from here on.

I nodded towards the screen, “Looks every bit as cold, and calculating as the organization he runs.” I said, lingering too much at the scar right beside his left eyebrow. I remember, we had been climbing a tree when the branch he was holding onto, to swing himself, broke off and he fell.

“Trust me, he is at least ten times that,” Captain Morrison said, pulling me out of yet another memory, and continued, “He is the brains behind the entire organization, nothing moves without his okay, and he controls people like he owns them, and get rid of weak links like he was simply swatting flies. Damien Salvatore is dangerous, and this department is going to do everything to bring him down.” Captain Morrison finished.

I swallowed, there was something kind of cataclysmic about bringing down a man you once loved, and would have given anything at all for if he just asked. It had me clenching my stomach.

“How even did a drug magnate this big go unchecked for so long before the police got on it?” I asked. 

It was Detective Webb who answered, “Like Cap said earlier, there are many corrupt officials and officers in all of LA.”

Captain Morrison continued, “Before Damien took over, it was simply a matter of the family paying off these set of people just so they could go on with their business, which only happened in quiet back then and in not quite big a scale as it is now. 

When Damien took over, he made it into an empire, and he rules over it all. Damien, however, didn’t seem to believe in paying off all these people just so they could shut their mouths and let him do business. 

The first set of investigations actually started as an outrage, a means to tame the little cub gone wild, soon though, they realized the cub wasn’t wild, just grown and he had no issues with mauling them all down. 

Anyone on his payroll is only there because they provide him useful information, or serve as a sort of protection or confidence to his partners and customers, or some other important purpose.” 

I had to give it to Damien though, he knew what he was doing, everything I have heard so far screams intelligence and ruthlessness. A very volatile mix, but it got things done, and on his own terms.

“How do we go after him then?” I asked, and didn’t miss the way everyone turned to look at me.

“We were hoping you could tell us that.” Mrs. Chen answered.

Oh.

Right, I was in charge of this case. I sat up straighter in my chair, considering everything we knew so far before I spoke.

“The first problem here would be that every cop who got on this case, all went directly after Damien Salvatore. 

He is intelligent and dangerous, going after his minions and other smaller drug gangs would prove more effective. It would take a while before information got to the top of the chain and by then we should have questioned a good number of people, and gotten new leads. 

Also, we could start looking into banks. He has to be keeping all of that money somewhere, multiple somewheres possibly. We would start by looking into banks that offer safes and deposit boxes, that should dock the number we would have had to go through to at least about half. 

It is quite a stretch, but finding out the places Damien frequents would help us figure out his habits and interest. He doesn’t seem to have a problem appearing in public.” I stopped and looked around. No on said anything at first, and I worried I might have made a fool of myself.

Mrs. Chen slapped me on the shoulder, laughing, but in an impressed way. I let myself relax a little, she turned to Captain Morrison, and said; “He sure got a lot of fire in him, I am genuinely impressed by him, these are all very good steps. 

The Gang and Narcotics division is about to have a revolution, in fact, the entire LAPD.” I couldn’t tell which was swelling between my head and chest. I wanted to grin at her like a little boy, but I was in charge of a case now and nothing screamed grown up like it. So, I sat looking at them all, and soaking in their looks of admiration. I belonged here, and I’ll do just fine.

Would you though?

It was his voice, I looked at the face still projected and made a resolve. Not even Captain Morrison, know about him, and I am well aware this wasn’t just a case. It is personal.

And I am also aware that it is enough reason to get taken off the case, but I would make sure no one found out my history with Damien Salvatore. 

I didn’t miss the way my heart stuttered in my chest, the stupid organ still held on to seventeen year old Damien and couldn’t bring itself to harden against him. It is the exact reason I am going into this with brains and not my heart.

He left, and I was a nobody back then. I would show him how I have become someone, someone capable of bringing him down.

See you soon, Damien.