Hotline Rapture

Best if read with: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VNp3qFXFpM

I rolled up to the club at about 1:00am. Even from outside I could feel the vibrations of the music. The party was in full swing. Good, that meant that sick bastard Sander would be there.

Before I could enter the club I was stopped by two security guards. Both were dressed to the nines and had not-so-carefully concealed handguns. I'd be needing those.

The bouncers relaxed as a I made a show of retreating back into the night. One pulled out a pack of Nico-Time cigarettes and handed them off to his friend. Taking advantage of this I ran towards the two guards and body-checked one onto the pavement. Before the second could react I struck him in the nose with the palm of my hand. Pressing the advantage I finished the job with a quick twist.

Pocketing one of the pistols I made my way into the club and began to scout around. This place was a god damn maze, but at least the guards made themselves obvious with those masks. Three on the dance floor. Two in the VIP area. One by the bar and one by the elevator.

Best to tackle the VIP lounge first. As I strode up to the VIP lounge one of Sander's goons raised a hand to warn me away. One, two. At the sound of gunshots people panicked and made their way to the exit. I used the confusion to weave my way over to the next guard. Three, four. Thinking quickly I leveled my gun at the third guard in the lounge. Five, six. I let the pistol fall to the ground and grabbed the baseball bat the guard had been reaching for.

Hugging the corner I waited for the two guards near the front of the club to come looking for trouble. Sure enough a tall man in a rabbit mask came barreling through the entrance. A blow to the knee brought him to the floor as he let out a scream. Following it up with an overhead strike I turned back to the entrance and waited.

Looking down I noticed the bloodied bat was in shambles. Thinking quickly I grabbed a nearby hypo. Heavy, red, it'd do the job.

Tumbling out of the VIP lounge I scrambled to a heavy-looking table and used it as cover. Peeking out I could see that the guard was nowhere to be seen. Must have taken the elevator downstairs to warn Sander, great. Better take out that last guard before worrying about that, though.

Stalking across the dance floor my eyes darted back and forth. The club was vacant by now. Ryan Security would be here soon, so I needed to hurry.

My temper grew as I searched the bar. Where was he? Had he gone downstairs with the other guy? Just to be sure I decided to check the bathroom. I opened the door and peered inside. Nothing, damn. Then I felt a pain in my lower back.

Spinning around I grabbed the knife-wielding guard by the throat and slammed him against the wall again and again. He lashed at my desperately, cutting my cheek. But I grabbed him by the wrist and continued to bash him against the wall until he went limp.

Breathing heavily I took inventory of my situation. The police would be here soon, Sander knew I was coming, and I was cut to shit. But I had a knife, was still standing, and knew a little secret about Sander's club.

I ran my hand across the wall adjacent to the bar. Got a hot tip about that earlier this week. Apparently Sander's club had some kind of secret stairwell for him and a select few to use. I grinned as my fingers found purchase on an almost invisible indentation in the wall.

Clutching my gut I descended the staircase. A rivulet of blood stained the carpet in a small trail behind me.

Kicking open the door I was faced with Sander's private lounge. It's about as pretentious as you'd imagine. Ugly statuettes, bizarre wallpaper, that sort of thing. But the most important part is Sander's smug face twisted with fear as he frantically points to the three guards occupying the room with him.

I threw the knife at the one guard who carried a gun. With a cry he dropped the gun and clutched his bloodied hand. I had been aiming for the chest, but I'll take what I can get.

Throwing myself into the room I slam one of the two armed guards against the wall and scoop up his crowbar. With a spinning strike I catch the other guard in the jaw with the crowbar, but not before taking a heavy blow to my shoulder.

I quickly finished off the remaining two guards, burying the crowbar in the last and grabbed Sander by the collar as he made his escape towards the stairs.

"Sander!" I screamed.

He held up a hand in a defensive gesture and slid against the wall. "Please, DeWitt! Don't do this, don't-"

"Where is she?" I demanded, stalking the room for something, anything. I grinned as my eyes zeroed-in on a set of old golf clubs.

"She's in the back. Please, DeWitt, for the love of-" Sander's eyes went wide with panic as I drew out one of the clubs and weighed it in my hands.

I silenced Sander and turned my head towards the back room. The large white door looked like it was unlocked. I tested it, sure enough.

Standing in the doorframe I flicked on the lights. There she was, just laying there. Strung out on ADAM and god knows what else. Jesus, what had they done to her? Whatever, it didn't matter. I put two fingers two her neck. Her breathing was shallow, but she was still alive.

Taking Elizabeth into my arms I made my way back to the staircase. The blaring of security sirens could be heard upstairs. My vision was turning hazier with each step. I did it. I did it.