Call of Revenge: Hitman in the City

Ch- 2: Visitor

Jack had been hearing the proceedings with a sense of detachment, but when he heard his wife's name, be suddenly felt a warmth spreading through his chest.

In spite of everything, his wife had come to his defense…

His gaze followed her with hope in his heart, as she walked down the aisle and took the stand. However, when their eyes finally met, her expression made him freeze in place.

He couldn't help but feel that something wasn't adding up… because he could see nothing but fear in her eyes.

But before he could make sense of it, her voice pulled his attention towards herself. She declared;

"I swear that I will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth – so help me God."

But the moment she began to speak, all the hope in Jack's heart turned to ashes.

"My husband, Jack, frequently used to disappear from home for almost a year since he returned from the War. He had no stable job, and whenever I asked him about what we were going to do regarding our household and the future of our kids, all I would get from him were grumpy replies about how I didn't trust him or wanted to leave him."

She sniffled, as if suppressing a sob, and then continued to speak;

"He has become very moody, I swear he wasn't like this when we first met… in the last three years, he has finally stopped disappearing without any notice, but things are still not the same. He is very cold and distant towards me, and last week, he even slapped me when I asked where he had been for the entire night."

This statement elicited a gasp from everyone, while every word from Rebecca's mouth was pushing Jack further and further into despair.

But it wasn't the end of this drama yet, as Rebecca allowed two drops of tears to fall from her eyes before dabbing them away and saying,

"But regardless of everything, he is still my husband. Even if he has changed, I still love him, and I am only testifying in court this time to make him understand that he is wrong. I hope he can reflect on his actions and repent, so that I can get my loving husband back, and my daughters can get their dad back."

Until now, Jack had been feeling angry– angry at his boss for framing him, angry at his own lawyer for not speaking up, angry at the whole world for taking the side of unfairness!

But now, on hearing his wife's scathing testimony, he only felt a sense of numbness. So at last, she too had betrayed him…

Jack sat in the dock like an unmoving, unfeeling statue; a shrill ringing echoed in his ears, making it impossible for him to hear whatever else Rebecca was saying.

It barely registered in his mind when the judge banged the gavel, announcing the verdict and finalizing his list of crimes.

"In light of all the new testimonies and evidence, the court finds Mr. Jack Turner guilty of sexual assault and battery. The court orders one year of imprisonment and a penalty of $50,000 to Mr Jack Turner."

With that, the session came to an end and everyone shuffled out of their stands, moving towards the exit. Jack momentarily came back to his senses when he felt the cool metal of the handcuffs against his wrist, and looked up to find the bailiff locking him into the defendant's seat.

Jack didn't understand what exactly were the emotions coursing through his heart, as it looked like he was watching all of this happening to someone else.

This is when Robert Wendell strode towards him, with a triumphant look on his face.

"I hope this is enough to get it into your thick skull, that you should mind your own business from next time– if there is even a next time."

When he saw that Jack wasn't saying anything, Robert tried to provoke him again.

"Now now, you can't blame me for whatever happens to you, understand? I warned you not to meddle in my business, but you didn't listen! I know people like you very well, you ugly slimy worms who sell their morals for a few bucks… can't you see, that everybody who testified against you was from this same breed of selfish parasites? But no! You wanted to prove that you are special, you are different from the ones who took the cash I dangled in front of them…"

"And now look! Look at yourself, this is what happens when you dare to cross me. Not only did you lose the opportunity to take the money and shut your mouth, but I have snatched every single thing from you!"

No matter what his boss said, Jack did not react in any way. But as soon he saw Rebecca walking past him without a single glance, he was stirred into action.

"Becky! Becky! Where are you going like this–"

A smirk was pasted on Robert's face as he looked at Rebecca and said,

"Oh yes… since you think those people are so dirty for being paid out, what do you think about your own wife?"

Jack glared at him before firing away;

"There is no amount of money you could give my wife to make her betray me, I'm sure you have threatened her–"

"Hahaha!" Robert guffawed loudly, interrupting Jack.

"Oh come on, you can't actually be so naive, can you? Nevermind, let me give you a hint…"

Saying this, Robert pulled out a plastic wrapper from his pocket, and threw it at his feet.

Jack's eyes became red as soon as he saw that it was a condom wrapper. Disgust was etched on every line of his face as he struggled to retaliate with his fists.

However, his hands were bound in handcuffs and all his struggles were in vain. Seeing this, Robert smiled icily before commenting,

"Enjoy your time in prison, then… toodles!"

He fixed the lapels of his coat and walked away, leaving Jack grunting in his attempts to free himself.

"Settle down, now! Stop moving and settle down, this is your last warning!"

These were the last words Jack heard before the bailiff's heavy fist knocked him out, and darkness spread in front of his eyes.

*****

While Jack was suffering in the confines of his unforgiving prison cell, his wife and the scumbag boss were throwing a party to celebrate the contributions of those who had perjured themselves and taken the boss' side in court.

On one hand, Jack's surroundings were marked by despair and degradation, his wife was indulging in extravagance and luxury.

Within the cold, dark walls of Jack's prison cell, seconds seemed to drag on limitlessly. The stench of despair invaded every corner of the room as Jack wrestled with the harsh living conditions as well as his own thoughts and the weight of the false accusations that had landed him behind bars.

In contrast to the squalor of his surroundings, Jack's wife and his scumbag boss were enjoying their life on the other side of the spectrum.

The venue of the party was adorned with extravagant decorations like ice sculptures, floral arrangements and gold plated mirrors. The entire hall was bathed in the warm glow of chandeliers, providing a stark contrast from the harsh fluorescent bulbs that flickered above Jack's prison cell.

Guests, including the very employees who had falsely accused Jack in court, were enjoying these perks to the fullest, against the sounds of clinking of glasses and the melodic notes of music.

Jack's wife, Rebecca, was dressed in a bespoke designer dress in wine red. She moved through the crowd, laughing and chatting with the guests.

In her mind, it was all about securing a better life for herself, and the fact that her husband was in prison due to a wrongful accusation wasn't even a distant thought…

*****

Jack felt like his past life was constantly slipping out of his reach, as every day was spent in the same way. Like clockwork, he would rise and complete his chores, and then spend his free time wondering if someone would come to meet him at all, or if the entire world had forgotten him completely.

At last, on the seventh day of his imprisonment the guards arrived to escort him to the visiting room. Thinking that it was probably his mother or maybe his daughters, Jack felt a rush of excitement.

But to his surprise, as soon as the keys stopped jingling and the door swung open, there stood a figure, cloaked in black from head to toe and carrying a black umbrella.

*****