I was still in the force back then. NYPD, Manhattan, Midtown North Precinct. Hell's Kitchen.
Alex: So, when are you coming to work for me, Detective Payne?
Max: You'd make me work undercover in some hellhole. Sorry Alex, Michelle and the baby come first.
Max remove his cigarette and crush it.
Max: See! My last smoke. It's bad for the baby.
Alex: That's you, Max. A regular boy scout.
Max: See you, Alex.
Alex: Still on for poker Thursday night, right?
Max: Like taking candy from a baby.
Life is good. The sun setting on a sweet summer's day, the smell of freshly mowed lawns, the sounds of children playing, a house across the river on the Jersey-side. A beautiful wife and a baby girl. The American Dream come true.
Max: Honey, I'm home!
But dreams have a nasty habit of going bad when you're not looking.
The sun went down with practiced bravado. Twilight crawled across the sky, laden with foreboding.
The house looks ransacked and empty as Max enter the house.
Max: Michelle? Honey, anybody home?
I didn't like the way the show started. But they had given me the best seat in the house. Front row center.
Max soon approach his own house which became a mess, he is shocked that a graffiti of V with a syringe.
Max: What the hell!?
Something ugly had been tattooed on the wall, a map of things to come. It was a poison syringe, a magic tag full of diabolical meanings.
He enter further into the house to find the dinning room barricaded, the house getting messier with blood on the wall. Suddenly his house phone ringed. He pulled his pistol out as he knew his house is attacked and worried his family is hurt.
He answered the phone to find a mysterious woman voice.
Max: Listen! Someone's broken into my house, call 911.
Unknown: Is this the Payne Residence?
Max: Yes, someone's broken into my house, they are still here, you have to--
Unknown: Good, I'm afraid I cannot help you.
The line soon cut by the mysterious caller, left Max confused.
Max: Who is this? Hello?
He headed to nearby closet to grab his shotgun. He check the living room with no signs of his family or the intruders. He headed upstairs to check further only to hear his wife and baby cries.
Michelle: No! No!
Rose: Wahhh!
Max: Michelle!
Gunshots followed after the cries, Max hurries to save his family but the bathroom door to the bedroom is blocked. Forcing him to go through the baby room. Later one of the intruder exit the room, confronting Max.
Intruder #1: It's coming, it's coming!
Max: Freeze, NYPD!
As the first intruder attacked, Max swiftly shoot the intruder with the shotgun. The 2nd one enter the scene but it is shot dead. Max later found his baby daughter dead, lying on the floor
Max: No, No, No! Please God no!
He felt in his daughter's death, he later rush to the bedroom hoping he is able to rescue his wife. Before he enter the room, the last intruder exclaimed in insanity.
Intruder #3: The flesh of fallen angels!
Max enter the room and shoot down the last intruder. He now find Michelle lying dead on the bed as lifeless corpse.
Max: No, No, No! God no, please Michelle! Oh, baby.
Max is left there grieving over his family death and holding his wife dead body.
Max: NOOOO!
That was three years ago. Everything ripped apart in a New York minute, The killer junkies had been high on a previously unknown designer drug: Valkyr, V. After the funeral, I told Alex I would be transferring to the DEA. It took us three years long years to get a break in the Valkyr Case. Then, finally, two months ago, a dime-dropper tipped us off that Jack Lupino, a mob-boss in the Punchinello Crime Family, was trafficking. I went undercover, infiltrated the worst Mafia family in New York.
Chapter End.