The Savage: The Snare

4th Edition 

1

As the meeting was winding down, Cole pulled Reed aside.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?" he asked.

Reed nodded, curious about what Cole wanted to say.

"What's up?" he asked.

Cole led Reed out into the hall, away from the rest of the task force.

He looked around to make sure no one was listening in before speaking.

"I have an idea," he said, his voice low.

"I think I know how to flush The Savage out," Cole said. "But it involves using you as bait."

Reed raised an eyebrow.

"What kind of idea?" he asked, intrigued.

Reed's eyes widened in surprise.

"Me as bait?" he asked, his heart racing.

"It's the only way to draw him out," Cole explained. "He's smart, and he's always one step ahead. He won't expect us to use a cop as bait."

Reed felt a mix of excitement and trepidation at the idea.

"I don't know," Reed said, his voice hesitant.

"It's a dangerous plan. What if he gets the upper hand? I could get seriously hurt - or worse."

On one hand, it was a dangerous idea. On the other hand, it could be their best chance at catching the killer.

Cole placed a hand on Reed's shoulder.

"I understand your concern," he said."But we'll have a team of elite officers surrounding you the entire time. We'll have eyes on you at every angle, and we won't let anything happen to you."

Reed thought about it for a moment, weighing the risks and rewards.

In the end, he knew that he had to do it.

He couldn't let The Savage continue to kill with impunity, and this was their best chance at catching him.

Cole nodded, listening intently.

"Okay," Reed said. His voice firm and confident. 

"I'll do it. But I have a few conditions."

"Name them," Cole said.

Reed took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he was about to say.

"First, I want to be heavily armed. I don't want to go into this situation unarmed and defenseless. The second thing is I want my old partner Detective Harris assisting your supervisor. "

Cole nodded in agreement.

"I can arrange for you to be heavily armed," he said.

"And I'll talk to my supervisor about getting your old partner involved. But I can't promise anything."

Reed nodded, satisfied with the answer.

"The last thing I want is for this plan to be kept quiet," he said. "The Savage has friends in high places, and if he finds out about this, he'll disappear again."

"We need plenty of misinformation spread through the line of communication to keep him confused and unknowing." Det. Reed said. 

"Good point," Reed agreed.

"We need to plant false information to keep him off-balance. Have different teams feeding different stories to different people. That way, The Savage won't know what to believe."

As Reed and and Cole touched down in Houston. Trevor Brock was on the other side of town in Spring. 

As he went over his plan, he thought of Sarah, of her concern for him, and her wanting to join him. 

I thought of Emily, of her vulnerability as she slept peacefully across town in her bed.

He loved Sarah, but he also knew that he was still committed to Emily, and that he'd been betraying her by sneaking around behind her back.

The guilt and the shame gnawed at him, making his heart race and his stomach churn.

But as he strapped on his holster and sharpened his knife, Trevor pushed those thoughts aside. 

He couldn't afford to think about Emily or his relationship with her. He had a job to do, and he had to focus on that right now. 

He knew that the night ahead would be dangerous, and that he needed to have his wits about him. He couldn't afford to let his emotions or his guilt distract him from the task at hand.

With a final adjustment of his gear, Trevor took a deep breath and steeled himself for what was to come.

I waited at the docks, scanning the area for Sarah.

The salty air stung my eyes, and I blinked rapidly as I gripped my knife.

The familiar weight of my gun pressed against my side, and my heart pounded in my chest with anticipation and a hint of dread.

I had no idea what we were walking into, but I knew that it wouldn't be good.

Sarah was a skilled operative, and I'd been training her to step in and assist me. 

When she finally arrived, her face was tense and determined.

She gave me a brief nod as she approached, acknowledging the risks that lay ahead.

Together, we moved silently through the shadows towards the gang's hideout.

My mind raced with thoughts of vengeance and justice as I walked.

I had been tracking these monsters for weeks, and finally I had a lead on their whereabouts.

I was going to make them pay for what they'd done - I was going to make them feel the same pain they'd inflicted on their victims.

As we neared the entrance to the warehouse, I signaled for Sarah to stay back.

She nodded silently as I crept forward, peering around the corner to survey the area.

Sarah and I slipped through the shadows of the warehouse, alert and tense.

Our mission was clear - find the hidden stash of weapons used by the gang preying on vulnerable women.

My heart pounded in my chest with anticipation as I moved through the darkness, my senses heightened and ready for anything.

Sarah moved silently beside me, her determination matching my own.

I could feel her tension, her readiness to strike at a moment's notice.

She was a skilled operative, one who'd been trained to take down enemies with ease.

Together, we were a formidable team, driven by vengeance and a burning sense of justice.

We navigated through the dimly lit corridors, avoiding creaky floorboards and scanning for any signs of danger.

The air was thick with the scent of mold and decay, and I wrinkled my nose in distaste as we advanced deeper into the lair.

My knife was gripped tightly in my hand, ready to be used at a moment's notice.

I signaled to Sarah as we approached a locked door, gesturing for her to cover me.

With practiced skill, I picked the lock, revealing a room filled with crates of weapons.

Sarah's eyes widened as she scanned the area, taking in the sheer number of arms at our disposal. 

My heart pounded in my chest with a mix of triumph and urgency.

We'd found what we were looking for, but we couldn't linger.

The gang would return soon, and we needed to be long gone before they did.

Sarah's eyes met mine, filled with determination.

She handed me a crowbar, and our fingers brushed as I took it from her.

For a moment, I felt a spark of connection, a warmth that had nothing to do with the mission at hand.

I pushed the feeling aside, focusing on the task before me.

With swift efficiency, I used the crowbar to disable the weapons, destroying them beyond repair.

Sarah worked beside me, setting traps for when the gang returned.

They'd be caught off guard, unaware of the danger lurking in their midst.

I smiled grimly as we exited the warehouse, knowing that we'd dealt them a significant blow.

Sarah moved beside me as we advanced through the darkness, her presence comforting and familiar.

I felt a renewed sense of purpose as I gazed out at the city before mI felt a mix of urgency and determination as we approached Sarah's car, parked discreetly nearby.

We had to move fast if we were going to get this evidence to the right people and stay one step ahead of our enemies.

We'd barely made it a block when the sound of gunfire echoed through the night.

I felt a surge of adrenaline as Sarah and I exchanged a tense glance.

We positioned ourselves strategically, watching as two gangs engaged in a violent shootout.

The air was thick with tension, the sound of gunfire and shouting echoing through the night.

My heart raced as I watched, knowing that this chaos would soon attract law enforcement.

Sarah stood beside me, her eyes locked on mine as we waited.

I felt a sense of satisfaction at the sight before us - these gangs were tearing each other apart, weakening themselves in the process.

It was exactly what we'd hoped for when we stole their documents and money.

They'd be too busy fighting each other to come after us, at least for now.

As if on cue, police cars screeched around the corner, officers jumping out to take cover behind their vehicles.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Emily's number, waiting as the line rang.

When she answered, I could hear the sound of music in the background - a club or bar, judging by the noise.

"Hey," she said, her voice husky.

"What's up?"

"I'm leaving Houston," I replied, my voice steady but tinged with urgency.

"Do you want to come with me?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and for a moment, I thought I'd lost the connection.

"Where are you going?" Emily asked finally, her voice laced with surprise.

"I haven't decided yet," I admitted.

"But I have to get out of here. The cops are looking for me, and it's not safe."

There was another pause, and then Emily spoke again.

"I… don't know," she said finally.

"I've never been out of Texas. What would I do there?"

"You could work for me," I replied immediately.

"I'll need someone to watch my back."

There was another pause, and then Emily spoke again.

"What about my family? My friends?"

"They'll be safer if you're not here," I replied bluntly.

Emily hesitated, and I could almost hear her thoughts as she weighed her options.

"I need some time to think," she said finally.

"Can I call you back tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow might be too late," I replied bluntly.

"I'll call you in a few hours. If you're not with me by then, I'll assume your answer is no."

There was another pause, and then Emily spoke again.

"Okay. I'll talk to you then."

I hung up the phone without responding, immediately dialing another number.

Sarah answered on the first ring, her voice husky with sleep.

"Hey," she murmured.

"What's up?"

"I'm leaving Houston," I replied bluntly.

"Do you want to come with me?"

This time, there was no hesitation on the other end of the line.

"Yes," Sarah replied immediately.

"I'll be ready in an hour."

"Be ready in thirty," I replied.

"I'll pick you up at your place."

Sarah didn't hesitate or ask questions - she simply agreed, understanding the urgency of our situation.

I hung up the phone and turned it off, knowing that the police would try to track me using my phone's GPS signal.

pulled up to Sarah's place half an hour later, seeing her standing outside as I approached.

She was wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, with a small backpack slung over her shoulder.

As I pulled up, Sarah opened the passenger door and slid inside.

She closed the door behind her, looking over at me as I drove away from the curb.

"What's going on?" she asked immediately, her eyes locked on mine.

"We need to get out of here," I replied bluntly.

"The cops are looking for me, and we don't have much time. We need to leave Houston - now."

Sarah didn't ask any questions, simply nodding as she looked out the window.

"Where are we going?"

This time, it was my turn to hesitate.

I'd been so focused on getting out of Houston that I hadn't thought about where we'd go next.

But then it clicked into place - Dallas.

It was the closest major city to Houston, and it would give us a temporary reprieve from the police who were no doubt looking for us.

"Dallas," I replied finally.

"We'll stop there for the night, and then figure out what to do next."

I drove north on the highway, pushing the speed limit as we left Houston behind.

Sarah was quiet beside me, her eyes locked on the road as she watched for any signs of police pursuit.

I could feel her tension, her body coiled and ready to spring into action at a moment's notice.

She was a true warrior, and I was grateful to have her by my side.

As we drove, my mind turned to Emily.

I'd been surprised by her hesitation to join me - I'd assumed that she would jump at the chance to get out of Houston.

But now, I realized that I'd been wrong.

Emily had never been out of Texas before, and the thought of leaving her family and friends behind was daunting.

I couldn't blame her for hesitating - it was a lot to ask.

But at the same time, I couldn't help feeling a pang of disappointment.

I'd hoped that Emily would be with me, that she would stand by my side as we fought against the criminal network that had destroyed our lives.

Now, though, it seemed unlikely that she would join me.

And as much as it hurt to admit it, I knew that I couldn't wait for her.

2

Trevor was positioned above in an old tower. Overlooking the long retired factory. The tip had been correct. Carlos sold the gang a plethora of guns weapons and explosives. 

He watched from his hidden vantage point, taking note of the guns and the gang members.

The amount of ammunition was startling. Trevor realized there was no win against a gang with that much firepower. 

He hoped that his gimmick to get the rival gangs worked. Because the Latin Kings had serious firepower. 

He knew that he had to act quickly and effectively if he wanted to make it out of this alive.

He continued to watch, waiting for the right moment to make his move.

When the transaction was complete, Trevor made a emergency call to the Houston police department. 

Finally, he saw an opening.

One of the gang members appeared to be distracted, and Trevor seized the opportunity.

He moved quietly and quickly, coming up behind the gang member.

Before the gang member even had a chance to react, Trevor knocked him out cold with a well-placed blow to the back of his head.

He checked quickly to make sure the gang member was down and unconscious.

Then he moved on, silently taking out the next few gang members in quick succession.

He used the cover of darkness and his own stealth to his advantage as he worked his way through the group, taking them out one by one.

It was a brutal and violent battle, but Trevor was relentless and efficient.

Within minutes, all the gang members were down.

Trevor stood breathing heavily, surveying the scene around him. Knowing that he had gotten a little lucky putting his skills to use. 

Trevor felt the adrenaline coursing through him.

He knew that he had to get out of there fast before the cops showed up and started asking questions.

He quickly searched the area, making sure he hadn't missed anything important.

But all he could see were motionless bodies sprawled on the ground.

Satisfied that he hadn't left anything useful behind, he took one last look around and then vanished into the night.

He slipped back into the shadows, moving quickly and quietly, careful not to attract any attention to himself.

As he made his way away from the scene, he felt a sense of satisfaction wash over him.

Detective Reed had a feeling that the operator had just talked to The Savage. 

"What would someone be doing out there in the middle of the night, and see such a transaction take place?" Jameson Reed said. 

"You got a point." Cole nodded. 

"All available units..." Sargent Moore called on his officers. 

Detective Jameson and Cole hit the streets as well. They thought somebody might see something. They drove right by Trevor themselves, but never saw him dressed in black. Moving inconspicuously through the night. 

The police spot the truck with the guns. They didn't pull the truck over, but put a heavy surveillance on it as it too I-45 south. 

The guns were split among the other side of the members of the gang. The guns were them further distributed in the parking lot of the Astrodome. 

The Latin Kings were heavily armed and preparing for whatever came their way. They were feeling confident and powerful with their new arsenal.

The police arrived on the scene and were shocked by the scene before them.

Bodies of Latin Kings were slumped against the wall, their lives cut short by some unknown assailant.

The police quickly called for backup and secured the area, trying to piece together what had happened.

It was clear that a violent battle had taken place, but there were no witnesses and no clear clues as to who had done this or why.

The police worked quickly to collect any evidence they could find, taking samples and photographs of the scene, hoping that it would lead them to the killer.

They knew that whoever did this was a cold and ruthless killer, and they weren't afraid to leave a trail of bodies in their wake.

Detective Jameson Reed and Detective Cole arrived at the scene and were immediately struck by the brutality of the scene before them.

They had seen a lot of crime scenes in their time, but nothing like this.

There were bodies everywhere, and the scene was a mess of blood and destruction.

Detective Jameson Reed and his partner, Cole, surveyed the scene, taking in the details and trying to make sense of what had happened.

"This is the work of The Savage," Detective Jameson Reed stated, his voice firm and sure.

"No one else could have done something this vicious and ruthless," he continued.

Detective Cole was reluctant to agree, but deep down he knew that his partner was right.

The scene before them was a massacre, and it was clear that only someone as dangerous and unhinged as The Savage could have been responsible.

The two detectives knew that they had to catch The Savage before he could strike again.

The thought of him roaming free, killing whoever he pleased, filled them with a sense of urgency and unease. The vigilante justice had to be stopped. 

Detective Jameson Reed and his partner, Detective Cole, were determined to catch The Savage and bring his reign of terror to an end.

They couldn't let him continue to kill with impunity, and they were willing to do whatever it took to bring him to justice.

But they knew that it wouldn't be easy. The Savage was elusive and dangerous, and he always seemed to stay one step ahead of the police.

"What's on your mind?" Reed asked.

Cole glanced around, making sure that they were alone. Then, he leaned in closer.

"I've been thinking...about a few things. They became boldly clear when his female came forward." 

Reed raised an eyebrow, sensing that his partner was onto something.

"What about him?" he asked."What do you mean?" Reed asked, feeling his interest piqued.

"Look at the way he kills his victims," Cole said, "it's always brutal and gruesome, like he's sending a message."

"I see what you mean," Reed said, nodding thoughtfully. "It's almost like he's trying to make a statement with each murder."

"Exactly," Cole agreed, "and the other thing I've noticed is that he always leaves clues behind. Not just evidence, but little hints and messages for us to find."

"That's true," Reed said, thinking back on the murder scene. "But what do you think he's trying to tell us?"

"I'm not sure," Cole admitted, "but there's something else... I've been digging into his past, trying to find any connections that could lead us to him."

"And what have you found?" Reed asked, curious to see where this was going.

"He was raised in the toughest part of the city," Cole said, "and spent most of his youth in foster care. But he was always getting into trouble, fighting and stealing from a young age."

"Sounds like he was a real hellion," Reed commented.

"There's more a lot more," Cole said, "when he turned 18, he enlisted in the army, and from what I can tell, he was a damn good soldier. Served a few tours in Iraq and Afghanistan."

"So he's a trained killer," Reed said, "that's not exactly surprising."

"Yeah, but here's the thing," Cole said, "he saw his partner get blown to pieces. Stepped in the wrong spot and kaboom." Cole takes a drag off his cigarette. "After that they had to discharge him. Damaged goods." 

"So he comes back to the city with a grudge and a whole lot of pent-up anger," Reed said, "that would explain his brutality."

"No, he came back to find his wife had gotten hooked on crack rock, and had lost everything and had been pulled into the streets. He came back to find he had absolutely nothing, and not his wife either, who he'd been with since high school. Both of her parents would pass away, and I think he was close to them. Her father being like the one he never had." 

"Wow," Reed said, feeling a pang of sympathy for the man. "That is one hell of a backstory."

"His pregnant girlfriend here in Houston filled me in earlier this evening." Cole says, and takes a drag off the cigarette. 

"Now I've gotta ask you, do you think he left town? The girlfriend seems to think he left town. He did just kill, The Diablo of the Latin Kings, and that might've made him bolt." Cole inquired. 

"It's possible," Reed said, considering the possibility, "but I don't think we can count on that just yet. Until we have solid evidence that he's no longer in the city, we have to assume he's still here."

The two detectives continued to discuss the case, trying to piece together the clues and find a way to catch The Savage before he struck again. 

Reed thanked Cole for the information and walked back to his desk, his mind racing with thoughts of the dangerous vigilante who had been terrorizing the city.

"His name is Trevor Brock. Born in Jackson, Mississippi in February of 1979."

Reed quickly typed the name into the police database, waiting for any information to come up on the mysterious Trevor Brock. 

After a few moments, a record appeared on the screen, and Reed's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"Do you have something?" Cole asked. 

"I think I might," Reed said, his eyes scanning the information on the screen. "I ran the name you gave me, and I got a match. Trevor Brock, born in Jackson, Mississippi. He served in the army, and has a record for petty crimes and brawls."

Reed continued to read through the file, his mind racing with possibilities. "It's him. It has to be. The time lines up, and the details match up too. This is the guy we're looking for."

"But we don't have a current address for him," Cole said, studying the information on the screen. "And we have no idea where he's hiding out. We're back at square one."

"Well he's going to try to stay off the grid." Cole said. 

"Agreed," Reed said, "but we have to start somewhere. We'll start running this name through our contacts and see if anyone in the criminal underworld knows anything about him or his whereabouts. Someone is bound to have seen him."

"Those criminals saw him, but he was the last person they'd ever see. So they're not talking. If he happened to allow one of them to live, well, they sure as hell wouldn't want to press their luck."

"Right," Reed said, "but he's not a ghost. He has to surface somewhere. We'll put out an APB on him, and if we get lucky, someone will spot him. In the meantime, we'll keep checking in with his girlfriend. Maybe she'll hear from him."

"It's a long shot," Cole said, "but it's all we've got right now. Let's hope she can give us some useful information."

"Yeah," Reed said, "in the meantime, let's start pulling together everything we have on this guy. We need to figure out his habits, his patterns, anything we can use to track him down."

"Got it," Cole said, nodding and turning to leave. "I'll start doing some more research on his past, see if I can't pull up anything else useful." 

As he walked away, Reed looked back at the computer screen, deep in thought. This case was already shaping up to be one of the hardest he had ever worked on.