“Welcome to the department, Officer Hayes. You’ll be riding along with Officer Brandt today to familiarize yourself with the town. We pride ourselves in our low incident rate: we’ve never had a recorded murder, rape, or felony theft in our town’s long history. I’d presume it’s going to be less exciting than the city pace you’re used to.”

* * *

“I think a pretty girl like you has nothing to worry about here, presuming you cooperate with those of us who keep things running. Just do what you’re told when you’re told to do it, and you’ll be taken care of.”

* * *

Richard Hayes walked out of the conference room with his new partner Kyle Brandt. They were out of the small department building and in the patrol car within a matter of seconds. This would indeed be much different from his previous post where the building alone took almost half an hour to navigate from the parking lot to the many meeting rooms. A smile crossed his face at the thought. This was indeed shaping up to be a slower pace.

“How long were you in the city?” asked Officer Brandt.

“Pushing ten years,” replied Richard.

“I imagine you saw a lot of things in your time!”

Richard assessed his partner. He was middle-aged and slightly overweight. His uniform was presentable, but Richard’s critical eye caught the many areas in which it was fraying. Brandt was a soft man who had probably never feared for his life. His tone conveyed that he wanted to know about the rush their occupation carried potential for but had yet to deliver to him.

“Yeah, a thing or two.”

After a minute of silence to see if Hayes would say more, Brandt changed subjects and began giving the lay of the land.

“It’s really a simple town. There’s only two neighborhoods (one to the east and one to the north) and main street (which you’ve seen now).”

Hayes looked to the south. A little over a mile away was a large, run-down building.

“What’s that over there?”

“That’s the old train station. Only Riffraff goes there. But they’re not our problem cause it’s outside of city limits. Most of them are just passing through, though there are some permanent residents. They all know to stay over there and they have nothing to worry about from us.”

Hayes nodded in understanding as he watched what looked to be a young girl enter the building.

* * *

Hope looked around the building. Her previous two years on the run from home had culminated in her arrival at this rancid place. Men, whose ages could not be guessed by the wear of years or substance or both, brandished smiles of broken teeth. Many stood up as she passed. Their eyes leered at her with lust, like vultures encircling the contours of her figure.

As she continued to take in the scene, she began to realize no other women were present. Her heart began to race. Was there no solace for her in this world? Was there no place of rest? Of healing? Or just safety? Every promise of freedom had only made her more dependent; every perceived pleasure was a purchase of pain.

Then she felt it. A needle jabbed her in the neck from behind. Her mind began to swim, though, in her broken soul, she knew what was about to happen.

* * *

Hayes approached the station as the sunset. As he entered his eyes confirmed what his ears had already guessed from the jeers and moans.

A group of six pantsless jackals surrounded a girl of no more than fifteen as they simultaneously presumed to have their way with her.

Their presumption ended as Hayes snapped his revolver out. 

Six shots boomed as six bullets struck six bodies spilling blood.

Hayes picked her up off the floor. He knew she was the one he had been sent to find.