Chapter One // The Watchmen Files

Okay, so here's the first chapter of The Watchmen Files. I just posted another post about it that has pictures and the back of the book, so you might want to check that out here.

The Watchmen Files: File One

Prologue

   "Sir, he's leaving the restaurant now, sir."
   The computer room buzzed with anticipation at the announcement. They had been waiting for this for so long, all of the staff were very enthused.
   "Has he been fired?" A deep majestic German voice silenced them immediately.
   "Yes, sir. We made certain of that, sir."
   "Good." He rubbed his hands together with a vicious sly grin written all over his pale face. "Send out team Auszurotten."
   The computer team all chuckled maliciously, knowing that by calling them in they would seal the boy's fate. There would be no mistakes this time.
   "Sir, just pull the lever and they'll be on their way, sir."
   "I have been waiting nine long years for this moment." He reached out and pulled, and a red light filled the room. It was done. Now, all he had to do was wait.
   "Mason Kruger," he laughed maliciously, "You are done for."

note from the author : I assume you don't speak German, so I've translated everything they just said into English for you :)

Chapter One

A Really Bad Start Of A Really Bad Day

   "Mason? Mason, wake up!" A little girl's sing-song voice attempted to coax Mason Kruger out of the deep sleep that he had fallen into in his bedroom at apartment 34. C.
   He groaned, rolled over and muttered groggily, "I'm up, I'm up."
   "No you're not! Come on, Mason... someone's talking..." He could feel her little fingers feeling his face in search of his eyelids. "... about traffic."
   He saved her the trouble and opened one brown eye into a slit. "Wha...?"
   A blur of reddish brown (girls say it's fawn, though Mason thought a fawn was a baby dear) appeared, then once his sight was cleared, six year old Ava was two inches away from his face. "I think it's your clock."
   "My..." Then it hit him. His head snapped around to his alarm clock on the bedside table. "Seven?! Already?! Oh no, oh no, oh no..."
   "Mason, what's wrong?" Adorable Ava inquired.
   "My job, that's what! I'm suppose to be there at seven, not leaving at seven! Oh man, am I ever gonna be in trouble..." Mason explained as he threw on some clothes, grabbed an apple, kissed Ava goodbye and raced out the door, hoping to get to the bus in time.
   The dark clouds loomed overhead forebodingly along with the tall buildings as Mason darted down the busy New York city streets of the suburbs, running his hand through his messy dark brown curly hair with fervor. It was a nervous habit of his. The yellow taxis and hurrying people slowed him down until he came to a crosswalk and that annoying red hand was on the sign, signalling him it was not his turn to cross.
   "Come on, come on... hurry up, stupid!" He told the sign as if it would do something about it. "I don't got all day!"
   Then he glanced past the red light and saw his bus, already parked next to the pick-up-drop-off booth with it's last passengers now boarding.
   "Okay, I didn't mean stupid... he he..." He apologized to the sign. The red hand didn't waver. "Oh come on! I seriously need to get to work! Like, now! A little help would be nice!"
   The bystanders next to him stared oddly. They thought he may have been crazy or something.
   The bus was on the move by the time the light changed. That meant Mason was streaking down the crosswalk at top speed after it.
   "Wait! Wait!! Stop the bus!!" He hollered. The bus obeyed, to his relief. But what wasn't relieving was when the bus driver asked for the tole.
   "That would be two dollars."
   "Of course," he breathed as he went through the contents of his pocket. "Oh, uh... well... look mister, I'm already really late for work and I'm suppose to be there by seven and it's, like, seven-thirty and-"
   "Sorry kid, but ain't nobody ride on dis bus for free."
   "But-"
   "No buts. Get. Off. Now."
   Next thing he knew, Mason was walking downtown, fuming to himself out loud. "Just great. No bus money, no cab money, no ride. Now I'm gonna be super late." He checked his phone. "Already am. Great."



   "Fine! I don't need you anyway!" Mason slammed the restaurant Dave's Diner door behind him, nearly breaking the hinges off.
   "This can not be happening. First I'm late for work, and now... now this! Fired?!" He ranted into the polluted New York air as he trudged away, back to apt. 34. C. early. "It's not fair." The clouds finally broke loose and a cold rain began to pour down onto the streets. He watched as other people ran out into the streets to catch their cabs as to be out of the down-pour enviously. With no bus money, he certainly couldn't afford a cab, which meant he was going to get some exercise walking home in the rain.


   "I'm home!"  Mason opened up the door to apt. 34.C, stressed, tired, and soaked, but glad to be home.
   "Mason Mason Mason!" Ava, his six year old cousin ran up and wrapped her arms around his knees in a hug excitedly. "I'm so glad you're home!"
   He couldn't help but smile. "Hey Av. I am too."
   "Look what I made at school!" She held up a childishly painted picture. "It's me, as a ballerina!"
   He smiled broadly. She was the most adorable kid he had ever seen, and he loved her so much.
   Her green eyes filled with questions. "Why are you so early today?"
   Mason coughed nervously. "I... um...uh... Have you had dinner?"
   "Nope, not yet. But I'm gonna make some for you too, I guess. Oh, and you got this in the mail." She handed an envelope to him. The return address was to the army base in Iraq.
   "Is it from my daddy?"
   Ignoring her question, he opened it up and read. "Oh no."
   "What? Is somethin' wrong?"
   He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He was already having a bad day, but now this?
   "Mason?"
   "I... uh, you should get to bed. It's seven."
   "But Mason, seven isn't my bedtime! And what about the letter? What did it say? Is-"
   "You heard me, Ava! Bed!" he pointed to her room and spoke in an angry tone that he hardly ever used on her. Her eyes welled up with tears, then she nodded slowly and tiptoed off.
   "Ava," he called after her, now ashamed at what he said.
   "What?"
   He knelt down and hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you. I've just had a really, really bad day."
   "Okay. I didn't mean to irritate you. I'm sorry. Can you read me a Bible story tonight?"

   Mason shook his head. "Sorry Av, but you know I don't believe in that stuff. It's silly."

   "No it's not! It's real. My mommy and daddy said so."
   He sighed, finding no reason to argue with her over it, kissed her forehead and sent her off to bed, slumped down on the couch, and re-read the condolence letter.
   Yes, Sargent David Ross had been killed in action. Ava's dad, Mason's uncle from his mother's side, was dead.
   Two years ago, after his wife died, Sargent Ross had sent his four year old daughter Ava to his closest sibling, Jackie, Mason's mom, who lived at apt. 34.C. Or at least he thought she still lived there.
   When Mason was eleven, his parents divorced, and his mom got full custody of him. But when Mason was fifteen, she never came back from work. And since no one could get a hold of his dad, Mason had to go live with his aunt Jenny and her rotten daughter Annie in San Francisco. Once he turned nineteen, he moved back to New York City and back into apt. 34.C. and got a job as a busboy at Dave's Diner. Then Ava showed up on his doorstep with a check for his trouble. He needed the money, so he took her in and there they remained until now. Sargent Ross didn't have much, but what he did have, he sent to Mason to pay for the care of Ava.
    But now that he was dead, he didn't know what to do. No job, no check in the mail. How was he suppose to pay the rent? Or for food? He could barely pay for Ava's private schooling as it was. How was he to pay without a job?
    These depressing thoughts slowly lulled him to sleep, unaware of the oncoming threat that would change his life.


Continues in T.W.F.O. 1 Chapter Two: The First Encounter

 I hope you liked it, and make sure to check back next Wednesday for chapter two, when all the exciting stuff happens.

Sincerely,

Darrion