Chapter 18: The Promise

A week had passed since that fateful night, a week that had felt like a lifetime to Mike. They’d laid low, keeping to the shadows as the city buzzed with the news of FDB’s downfall. The mansion had become a crime scene, the playground of vultures in badges and suits, picking over the carcass of the man’s empire. Mike had watched it all, his thoughts consumed with Big Daddy and the women they’d rescued.

One evening, as the TV in his living room blared in the background, Mike’s eyes caught a breaking news story that sent a cold chill down his spine. The camera panned over the mansion’s backyard, the once opulent lawn now a macabre dig site, the earth torn up like a fresh grave. The news anchor spoke in a solemn tone, her words etching themselves into Mike’s soul. “The remains of several women have been uncovered in the backyard of the notorious FDB’s mansion. The investigation into the grisly discovery is ongoing, but it seems that the monster responsible for their demise is no more. FDB was found dead in his bedroom, a single gunshot wound to the head, presumably suicide.”

Mike’s heart skipped a beat as he absorbed the information. The skeletons of the missing women, laid bare in the moonlight, were a chilling reminder of the horrors they’d uncovered. He couldn’t help but feel a twisted sense of relief that FDB had met his end, but the reality was a bitter pill to swallow. The man had cheated justice, leaving them without closure, without the satisfaction of seeing him pay for his crimes. The news played out like a movie, the scenes of the mansion swarming with cops and forensic teams a stark contrast to the night they’d escaped.

The police were still scratching their heads over who had orchestrated the invasion, their investigations turning up nothing but dead ends. The cunning and precision of their attack had left no trace, no breadcrumbs for the law to follow. The women they’d saved had vanished into the night, taking with them the dark secrets of the mansion. They’d become ghosts in a city that had too many shadows to hide in.

Mike’s thoughts were a jumble as he stared at the TV, the words of the newscaster echoing in his head. “Although there have been many cases of black men raping and killing white women, the crimes of the FDB against white women are truly extraordinary.” He clenched his fists, the anger bubbling up inside him. The world had gone mad, reducing their heroic act to a racial narrative, a twisted headline to sell more and boost ratings. The irony was not lost on him—his mother had been one of the most popular hotwives, and now her rescuer was being vilified.

The statistics rolled in, a grim parade of numbers that painted a picture of a society in turmoil. Mike couldn’t help but feel a pang of fear and anger. FDB was dead, but his legacy lived on, fueling the fires of racial hatred. The camera cut to a montage of grieving families, their faces twisted with pain and loss. Each one was a stark reminder of the lives destroyed by the monster they’d brought down. Yet, amidst the horror, there was a silver lining—the women they’d saved were free.

Mike’s thoughts were interrupted by a sudden honk outside his house. He jolted upright. The sound grew louder, more insistent, until it was clear it wasn’t going away. He peered through the curtains, his heart racing. There, in the harsh light of the midday sun, sat a sleek black limousine. It was a stark contrast to the quiet suburban street, a shadow of the world they’d left behind at the mansion.