Tucker: Thank you, Serena. *shoves Serena out, I gotta hurry dis shit!* And as an answer for your question, Dallas. *he pauses* I'll think about it. I've got a funeral to plan.
Kelly Kole: Why are you borrowing files from your dad? *shakes her head* That's a question for your father, then. *she checks her watch* I've got to get back to work. Stay out of trouble. I mean it. *goes back to her desk*
Tucker clenches and unclenches his fist. The glass of bourbon sitting alone, collecting dust, in the middle of the table. He can't bring himself to drink it.
"Dad," Rooney says. Tucker turns around and looks at his daughter teary-eyed. "Is she really gone..."
Tucker grabs the drink and chugs down the bourbon. He slams it down. Rooney flinches. "Where were you?" he growls.
"I was out with friends."
He faces his daughter burning with rage. Tucker catapults his glass and it smashes on the wall above her. Rooney screams. "You were out with friends!? While your mother was being murdered!"
"And where were you!?"
"Home! Where I should've been!"
"Then why didn't you save her."
Tucker looks at Rooney and hesitates. He doesn't say anything more because there isn't anything more to say. He shoves past her and opens a door under the stairs. "You're grounded, Rooney. Indefinitely."
She whimpers but Tucker has already slammed the door. Under the stairs is another set of stairs leading down. He goes down until he reaches the cellar. He takes off his eyepatch and sets it down on a table. Tucker grabs a dog bowl and fills it up with slabs of meat. He turns to a giant glass wall and in it... is a bear.
He looks at it menacingly.
"Hello, Alanis. Remember what you did to me?" He opens a shaft in the glass door and slides the meat in. "I got your favourite. Meat."
The bear roars and slams itself against the glass wall.
Tucker chuckles tauntingly. "It's bulletproof, you oaf. You won't get through." He grabs his eyepatch and puts it back on before walking up the stairs, smirking to himself.
--
27th of October, 2019
The Bar
Poppy walks past the bar, eyeing it with mild curiosity. Then, she sees a man she does not recognise standing by the bar. Their eyes lock. She gives a short wave.
He waves back.
"You're not from here," Poppy says.
The man laughs. "I am," he says, almost indignantly, "just haven't been back in a while."
Poppy goes to answer him until she jumps, a police cruiser pulling up right next to her. Tucker gets out of the car and narrows his eyes at her. "Poppy, what are you doing out so late at night?"
"I like night walks." She shrugs.
"Well... goodnight, Poppy." He nods his head to her and she leaves. He turns to the man by the bar, a sour expression on his face. "Welcome back, Roy."
Roy looks at him and nods.
"Sorry about your wife, brother."
--
27th of October, 2019
Outskirts of Red Canyon
Cameron Tyler watches the canyon warily, her mind focusing on Georgia's broadcast. "Maybe we should search the canyon... like she said." She starts moving closer and closer, casting furtive glances over her shoulder.
There is a low growl next to her. She jumps.
"Just a coyote, Cameron." She takes a minute to calm herself and looks at the coyote as it raises its hackles, clearly threatened. "What are you doing out here?" she asks warily.
The coyote keeps growling, baring its teeth. Then it begins to advance on her, Cameron taking a step back further and further. She loses her footing and stumbles, but manages to recover. She takes a deep breath.
"Easy there, boy." She raises her hands placatingly. The coyote snaps at the air and she squeals. "Hey, stop it! Bad boy! No!" She gingerly tries smacking it on the snout, but that isn't a good idea, the coyote snaps at her again and manages to chew on her fingers.
Cameron howls in pain.
The coyote pounces on Cameron, their paws smacking her to the ground. The coyote stands above her, seeming almost to smirk, Cameron cries out in horror.
But the coyote doesn't care for her, it sinks it's teeth in her neck then rips it out.
