It all began with the sound of gunfire that shattered the silence of the place, as Barney cold-bloodedly opened fire on the four people, causing them to fall dead in their spots without movement. Amid the smoke and the smell of gunpowder, there was a fifth person who managed to escape at the last moment, but Barney was not disturbed; his men were spread out in every corner. Quickly and precisely, his men managed to surround the fugitive and capture him, then they dragged him by force to stand face to face with Barney.
Barney looked at the terrified man with complete coldness and said to him in a tone carrying a death sentence: "Did you really expect to escape with your life? Your failure means your death." The man barely understood the words before one of Barney's men suddenly struck him a violent blow to the head, causing him to fall to the ground completely unconscious.
At that moment, Barney began to intelligently arrange the crime scene; he grabbed the hand of the unconscious man and placed the gun firmly in it, then placed the money bag in his other hand, making the scene look as if this person was the one who killed his companions and tried to escape with the money, leaving behind evidence that would mislead anyone trying to uncover the truth.
After Barney finished arranging the crime scene, he went directly and confidently to the police station. He entered calmly and asked to meet the commissioner to inform him about a horrific murder he claimed he had witnessed by chance while passing that road.
Barney told the commissioner a well-acted story: "I saw a man shooting his colleagues in cold blood. It seems greed blinded him, so he killed them all for the money bag they were carrying. I did not stand by idly, but tried to confront him and struggle with him until I managed to deliver a strong blow to his head that knocked him unconscious, leaving him there with his weapon and the money."
The commissioner believed the story completely and was deceived by Barney's fake bravery, so he immediately sent a police force to the crime scene to arrest the unconscious man and collect evidence. Before Barney left, the commissioner praised him in front of those present, considering him a strong and brave investigator who risked his life for justice, while Barney knew inside that the trap had been fully set.
After Barney finished telling his story, the commissioner looked at him with a questioning gaze and asked about Chris, inquiring why he had not come with him to take the night shift as usual.
Barney did not hesitate in his answer, but replied with calm features pretending concern, saying: "He suddenly got very sick, and he is in a very bad condition now, which is why he couldn't come for his shift tonight." The commissioner accepted this excuse and increased his appreciation for Barney, who came alone and did what the commissioner considered a heroic act despite his colleague's absence.
After Barney finished convincing the commissioner, he asked permission to go call his mother to reassure her about him before starting his night shift, and the commissioner immediately agreed in appreciation of his attitude. Barney went to the public telephone booth, and as soon as he closed the door behind him, he did not call his mother; instead, he called someone named "Jack the Killer," the right-hand man of the organization leader "John Dread."
Barney told Jack everything that happened at the crime scene and the success of the police deception plan. Jack replied in a cold tone, confirming that he would send one of his men to finish the mission and kill Chris and Edward inside the house. At that moment, hesitation appeared on Barney's face, and he said to Jack in a low voice: "But Rose, Chris's sister, has nothing to do with all this.. don't touch her."
Upon hearing that, a malicious smile appeared on Jack's face; he immediately realized that Barney was attracted to "Rose," and understood that these feelings were an ideal weakness that could be used to pressure Barney if he ever thought of betrayal. Jack replied cunningly: "Don't worry, the sniper will only kill Chris and Edward." The call ended, and Barney left the booth feeling happy, believing that with Chris's death the path would be clear for him to get closer to Rose, unaware of Jack's true intentions.
Meanwhile
Chris climbed the wooden stairs that were creaking under his weight, and stopped in front of his apartment door trying to organize his troubled breathing. He wished from the depths of his heart to find "Rose" in a deep sleep, to spare her the trouble of seeing a ghost from the past on this bloody night.
But as soon as he put his key in the lock, the sound of an old phonograph playing soft classical tunes reached his ears. He slowly opened Rose's room door, only to be surprised by Rose spinning lightly in the middle of the room, eyes closed, as if she were a butterfly trying to escape the gloomy reality of London.
Rose suddenly stopped when she felt air coming from the direction of the door, and her cheeks turned red with embarrassment as she turned off the device:
— "Chris! You scared me.. why did you come back now? I thought you would spend your shift at the station as usual."
Chris tried to draw a calm smile on his tired face and said in a low tone:
— "I suddenly felt a bit tired.. a slight dizziness, I couldn't complete the shift so I decided to come back."
"Tell me then, what were you doing? Isn't it supposed that you sleep for university?"
Rose replied: "I don't have university tomorrow anyway, and I feel bored because my brother has no time to spend with me."
Chris responded: "What can I do then? This is not in my hands, you know the situation outside, we have to endure to get out of this crisis."
Rose said: "But you don't look sick," so Chris tried to act sick but failed in acting.
Rose laughed a soft laugh that shook the room, and said while placing her hands on her waist:
— "You are bad at lying, big brother, and also acting, just like when you were ten. Sick?" Rose said in her imagination: he seems to have gone on a romantic date to enjoy himself and is pretending he left work because he is sick, but I'm happy for him because he has started to care about life a little and I won't force him to talk, he will tell me when the time comes.
Rose responded:
— "Alright you sick one, go to your bed and I will bring you hot soup to remove this dizziness."
— "Actually.." Chris stuttered, "I forgot my wallet in Barney's coat, I have to go back and take it from him now."
Rose objected insistently: "Take it tomorrow, aren't you sick and tired!"
But Chris insisted while backing away from her room door, which made Rose's imagination go far; she thought he was going to buy her a gift for his "imaginary date." She said smiling:
— "Alright, go.. but don't forget to knock on the door first when you return, I don't want you to scare me again."
And also try to improve your acting because your acting is very bad.
Chris nodded with a faint smile and left. As soon as the door closed, Rose went back to playing the music, while Chris sighed in frustration as he met Edward sitting in the living room.
— "How is she?" Edward whispered, longing shining in his eyes.
Chris replied bitterly: "Fine.. but this is not the time for memories, we must move to another place."
Because Chris managed from the corner of his eye to notice a strange person watching them from the roof of the building opposite them through the window.
The two left the apartment quietly and went down the stairs toward the dark street.
Meanwhile, from the roof of the abandoned building on the opposite side, there was an unknown sniper watching the building entrance carefully through a scope. He was adjusting the angle of view coldly, waiting for the right moment to kill them.