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The mist engulfed the woods and with it came the darkness of the night. The silence in the night air was broken by the crack of a rifle. The Hunter's breathing was heavy as he ran through the woods, his eyes wide trying to see into the night. The Hunter paused as he jumped behind a fallen tree. He emerged rifle at the ready, sighting in on the darkness. He saw nothing but the darkness of the forest. The moist air began to condensate on the barrel of his rifle, the wood grip and handguard were warm from his hands. There was movement in the night and the Hunter's breathing quickened.

"Go away! Leave me alone!" The Hunter yelled into the night, there was no answer. "I have done nothing to you! What do you want?"

"I need your skin... your eyes... your heart... your entrails." A weak voice answered the Hunter's calls. The voice echoed through the night sending chills up the Hunter's body. A branch snapped and the Hunter fired his rifle. The bullet went flying into the darkness, smashing into trees, sending moss and bark flying. The bolt of the rifle cycled smoothly chambering another round. The Hunter turned to find a figure standing in front of him, their eyes locked in an icy gaze.

"Time is up." The figure whispered, his words cutting into the Hunter's soul. The Hunter raised his rifle to fire but it was too late. A spray of blood coated the dirt, the sounds of tearing flesh and splitting bone echoed through the night air.

****

The miles drifted by as Riley sat behind the wheel of his Jeep Cherokee, His eyes looked over the road from behind his Ray-Ban Aviators. He sighed, growing tired from the road and the same classic rock mix he had been listening to for the past fourteen hours. His mood was suddenly improved by a sign that read "Welcome to Bayou Pointe, Texas."

The Cherokee's engine hummed as Riley turned onto main street Bayou Pointe. The street had the typical small town feel to it. The shops were quaint and cozy, the people waved as Riley drove past. The whole place brought a smile to Riley's face. A new start awaited him and he was relieved that he was thousands of miles from his past life. His thoughts were interrupted as he saw a man pushing an elderly couple into the front of a diner. Riley pulled his Jeep into the first spot he could find. Turning off the engine he sighed and opened the glove box, removing his Glock 30S, a badge and a pair of handcuffs. Riley huffed as he stepped out of his Jeep and mumbled to himself, "Okay Riley don't get offed your first day here."

Riley walked carefully down the side walk, his pistol sat inside a concealed holster and his badge covered by a plaid button up shirt. His cowboy boots made an audible thud as he approached the diner. Riley peeked around a brick column next to the diner's glass front and looked inside. Inside he saw a man in a leather jacket pushing the patrons around and throwing anything he could find on the tables and counters. Riley took a deep breath and opened the door, stepping into the diner and the man's gaze.

"Ricky calm down now." An elderly diner employee begged as the assailant was busy smashing the Heinz Fifty-Seven bottles on the bar. Riley quickly scanned the room and counted seven civilians in the dining area and two behind the counter. They all looked terrified as Ricky continued his assault on the eatery. Riley calmly walked up the counter and picked up a fresh cup of coffee one of the terrified patrons left on the counter. Ricky quickly looked over to him with an enraged look upon his face. The young thug didn't look any older than twenty-four, his young face hardened towards Riley. Ricky leaned on the bar next to Riley and looked him over, sizing him up.

"Who the hell are you?" Ricky asked, sounding a bit pissed off by Riley's intrusion.

"I'm just a man trying to enjoy a nice cup of coffee." Riley replied, a hint of sarcasm accompanied his words.

"I don't fucking care get on the floor." Ricky retorted, the anger in his voice was growing. He placed his hand on the counter as the other sat inside his leather jacket. Riley looked over the aggressor, taken a bit by his greaser look. Ricky's slicked back hair reflected the light coming in through the windows.

"Well, you should. I can be a real asshole without my coffee." Riley's sarcasm was even more apparent as he responded, a slight Texas twang in his voice.

"I don't fucking care dickhead."

"Watch that tone boy." Riley chuckled. "I am going to finish this coffee and then you and I are going to walk out of here like gentleman, sound good?"

"I have a better idea. I am going to fuck your smart ass up then take that waitress in the back for some fun." Ricky's words poured like venom from his mouth as he casted a disgusting look over at the young waitress weeping quietly in the corner. Riley's temper flared as Ricky made his slimy remarks. He straightened his posture and stood up from the bar, his six foot two inch frame loomed over Ricky. In reaction to this Ricky produced a switchblade barring a six inch blade from his jacket pocket.

"You had your chance." Riley whispered to Ricky. In one swift move Riley grabbed Ricky's wrist and forced it to the counter, jamming the blade into the wood of the countertop. Riley grabbed the thug by the hair and slammed his cheek onto the pommel on the knife, splitting the skin and sending a small amount of blood down Ricky's face. The Texan raised the thug's head again as he kicked his knee with his boot. An audible pop could be heard as Ricky screamed, his face falling to the countertop. Ricky mustered all the energy he could and reached for his blade. The thug stopped his attempt to retrieve his weapon, feeling the cool touch of steel against his temple.

"Now, Ricky was it?" Riley asked rhetorically, the barrel of his Glock pressing against Ricky's head. "Unless you want your filthy fucking brains sprayed across this counter I suggest you place your hands behind your back!" Riley pressed the muzzle harder against the thug's skull. There was a pause then Ricky made his move. "Not quick enough Ricky." Riley lifted Ricky off the bar and threw him to the floor, landing on top of him with his knee pressing Ricky's head to the floor. Riley holstered his piece and handcuffed the thug.

The diner patrons stared in awe as Riley lifted the handcuffed thug to his feet. "No one panic," Riley took his Houston Police Department badge from his belt and held it above his head. "I am a police officer." Riley began to walk Ricky out of the diner; the bruised up thug leaving a trail of blood behind him. Riley looked up as he was about to exit and paused as he saw movement in the diner's doorway. "Son of a bitch." Riley mumbled to himself as a man wearing a pair of brown uniform pants and a tan button up shirt stepped through the door, hand on a pistol that was holstered on his hip. A silver badge reading, "Bayou Pointe County Deputy Sheriff." sat on his chest.

"Sir, I am Deputy Norvin of the Bayou Pointe County Sheriff's Office and I ask that you release that man." The deputy looked over the diner for a moment then caught sight of Riley's Glock in his waistband. Deputy Norvin's eyes grew wide and he drew his pistol. "Sir, place your hands in the air now!" The Deputy yelled at Riley, flipping the safety lever to fire.

"Okay calm down." Riley said calmly as he stared back at the Deputy who had a Beretta 92 pointed at Riley's face. "I am a U.S. Marshal, let me grab my badge." Riley moved his hand slowly to his badge resting on his belt.

"No! Hands up now or I will shoot!" Deputy Norvin yelled. "Release the man and put your hands up, now!" The Deputy cocked the hammer of his Beretta as he slowly side stepped closer to the door frame, looking for any cover he could find.

"Hold on Deputy I am..." Riley began to say but was cut off by Deputy Norvin's demands once again. "Okay fine, you win Deputy." Riley released Ricky from his grasp, giving him a push. Ricky fell forward over a table, sending condiments to the ground and flipping the table. A slight grin came across Riley's face as the bruised up thug lay on the ground groaning.

"Now... Drop your gun on the floor and..." The deputy was cut off by the sound of a police siren. Outside the diner a 1990s white Ford Bronco donning a light bar and bold green letters reading "SHERIFF" pulled into a parking space outside the diner. Riley watched as a man wearing a Bayou Pointe County Sheriff ball cap and a brown barn jacket walked to the door of the diner. He looked in his early sixties but carried himself like a younger man, his confidence could be felt as he entered the diner. His face looked tired but wise, his eyes a dull blue and looked like they have seen enough hardship for a thousand lifetimes. The man's height was hidden by a slight slouch but he was a firm six feet tall. He surveyed the diner and looked over Riley then turned to Deputy Norvin.

"Well now Robert, what seems to be the problem?" The man asked Deputy Norvin.

"Sheriff this man attacked Ricky Spinler after Ricky came in here to terrorize the patrons." The Deputy replied, his sights still trained on Riley.

"Well Deputy I would say that Mr. Hays here did us a favor." The man smiled and pulled his barn jacket back to reveal a silver badge with gold trim reading "Bayou Pointe County Sheriff". "Hell of a way to come into town kid." The Sheriff stepped over Ricky, kicking him softly in the knee as he passed. Ricky let out a scream at the kick to his wounded knee. "Well shit Ricky, that knee is broke. Serves you right you piece of shit." The Sheriff snarled at Ricky in a gruff voice then looked up at Riley once more and smiled. Riley looked on with a blank look, his hands still in the air.

"You know who I am?" Riley asked, the blank look still on face.

"I do." The Sheriff replied with a smile. "It's not every day we have visitors that can lay out a man without breaking a sweat. Which means you have some military training, which is a trait my new deputy was supposed to have. Also there is a Jeep with Georgia plates out on the street and the new deputy is from Glynco, Georgia. Now I don't recognize you which means you're not from here." The Sheriff went quiet and stared at Riley still smiling as he looked his new deputy over.

****

The Sheriff's office was not the smallest Riley had ever seen but by no means the biggest. There was a small sitting area with a receptionist's desk, minus the receptionist. Past a hazy glass door was the main office, it was a large room with six desks grouped in twos with each pair facing each other. In the back of the office was a solid wood door that read "SHERIFF". It was inside this room where Riley sat across from the Sheriff, who had his boots up on his desk behind a name plate reading "Sheriff Rusty Muller".

"So all the way from Georgia?" The sheriff asked as he read over the arrest record for one Ricky Spinler.

"Yes Sir," Riley replied. "I was training instructor for the U.S. Marshal Service up there in Glynco."

"I heard you spent some time in the service, this true?"

"Yes Sir, I served three tours in Afghanistan and one in Iraq. Army sir."

"Oh no shit, I served sometime in the Army as well." The Sheriff motioned over to a shadow box on the wall that was filled with medals and ribbons as well as a picture of a much younger him. Riley nodded and smiled.

"So Sheriff, what is it like around here?" Riley asked trying to get this meeting over with so he could get some sleep.

"Well first of all you are sitting in what used to be a part of Chambers County but due to redistricting and some political bullshit you are in Bayou Pointe County. So we now have from Galveston bay all the way to the Texas-Louisiana boarder as well as the Bolivar Peninsula. With your tactical experience I wouldn't be surprised if Galveston County asks you to get on the ferry and help them out with their SWAT team. Oh! That reminds me due to some sort of weird government shit we do have jurisdiction on Galveston Island itself but not the mainland over the Cosway. It is confusing so I just don't think about it and stay off the island all together." Riley was about to ask a question but the Sheriff started back up. "All that being said you have a large jurisdiction and the gulf coast area will be counting on you to keep order as well as conduct investigations into crimes. I understand you have investigative experience?" The Sheriff finally paused for Riley to speak.

"Yes Sir, I served time in Army CID after I was an MP." Riley wanted to say more but was just trying to get out of there quickly.

"Well that is good Hays, very good. I am glad we have you as an asset. Oh, don't call me Sir, makes me sound like a fucking geezer. Sheriff Muller works fine or just Sheriff." There was a pause as if Muller realized he had been going on for some time and could tell that Riley was ready to get going. "Well Hays let's get you sworn in." The pair rose and Riley took the oath bonding him to Bayou Pointe and the safeguarding of its citizens. When it was over Riley donned his new badge in place of his old one on his belt and headed to his Jeep.

****

The Jeep came to a stop on a gravel drive and Riley stepped from the vehicle. He grabbed his bag and walked up the drive. At the end sat a white washed house resting above the ground on stilts that donned a black shingled roof. Riley walked up steps leading to a large deck that was the same width of the house and looked out over the gulf. He paused for a moment, looking out over the dune covered in beach grass that separated the house from the beach. The sound of a seagull grabbed Riley's attention and he watched it with a smile. He then turned and unlocked the large wood and glass door to the house. Once inside the closed the door and looked around the place. In front of him was a large living room with a breakfast area the kitchen on the opposite side of a long bar. Across the living room and next to the kitchen was a hall leading to a guest room. To the left of the guest room was an open door of a small bathroom. Riley walked down the hall and stopped when he saw set of stairs around a small corner that lead back towards the front of the house. He climb the stairs and came to a small landing with a door to his right. He opened the door and stepped into the master bedroom. A smile came across his face as he saw the large white room completely furnished with appropriate nautical themed décor. He walked to the bed which was directly across from the door and put his bag down on the ocean blue comforter. To the right of the bed was the master bath and to the left was a group of large glass windows that stood just short of the ceiling and stopped a few feet from the floor. Riley walked to the window and smiled as he looked out over the sparkling surface of the Gulf of Mexico. "I think I can make this work." Riley said to himself.

More to come!