The Hawk

Walter walked around the crowd, surveying people, looking for the young man in the picture he was holding. He rushed around, desperate, needing to find this man.  This man was his last hope; his life depended on him, yet, he could not find him. None of the faces he had seen matched the man on the picture.  As Walter surveyed people, he spotted him. Calmly walking up the stairs was the man who could save Water. Walter could see the man’s face from where he was standing on the street, and there was no doubt that he was the man.

            “Sir.” Walter heard himself say while his feet started to move towards to the stairs. “Sir.” His mind finally kicked in to what was happening. Walter started going faster and faster towards the stairs. “Sir!” He yelled out louder and louder each time. “Sir! Sir! Sir!” He ignored the stares of the people passing by as he chased the younger man that seemed to be oblivious to the middle-aged man at the bottom of the stairs. Walter stopped halfway up the stairs to look at the picture. Above the photo of the young, good-looking blonde man was a name written. “Alexander,” he called out. This stopped the young man, as he seemed to deliberate whether he had heard something or not. He slowly turned around to find Walter, not far away, staring at him.  “Yes! Alexander! I finally found you!” Walter exclaimed in what seemed to be glee as he hurried to reach the young man. “Oh god, you have no idea how long I have been looking for you Alexander!”

            “Um… Do I know you?” Alexander asked with a puzzled look.

            “No, no. Not at all.” Walter extended a hand towards Alexander. “The name is Walter Pierce. And you must be Alexander.”

            “Um, yes,” was all Alexander managed to reply. “What- can I help you, Mr. Pierce?”

            “Actually, you can. You see, a friend of mine told me that if I ever have a problem, I could contact you and that you would help me.”

            “That I would help you?” questioned Alexander as he started going up the stairs again.

            “Yes, that you would help me,” replied Walter as he hurried to follow the younger man. “You see, I have a huge problem Alexan-“’

            “Alex, just Alex,” interrupted Alex.

            “Alex. My family disappeared.” answered Walter as both men stopped at the top of the stairs.

            “Well, did you contact the police?” asked Alexander, not quite comprehending how he could help in such a situation.

            “The problem is far more complicated than that.”

            “What do you mean?” Alexander started walking again inside a strange building that Walter had never entered before.

        “I know why they disappeared.” Walter answered as he started following Alex again.

          “But that makes it easier to find-”

         “I am involved with the mafia.” Walter blurted out. Alexander stopped to look at Walter, not understanding a thing of what he was saying.

        “Mr. Pierce, I am really sorry, but if you can’t contact the police, and you are involved with the mafia, I really don’t know how I can help you.”

         “Alex, I also don’t know how you can help me. You see, all my friend told me is that you could help me. He really didn’t say much. But he did also say that you were called the hawk.” At the sound of that, Alex’s eye widened and he started to speed walk.

       “Alex? Alex! Wait! What is going on?” Walter followed Alex down a hall into a restroom. Alex entered it and Walter followed him. Before Walter could even blink, he was pushed up against a wall with Alexander’s hand on his throat.

         “Tell me, what is the name of this friend of yours who told you that I was called hawk.” demanded Alex. Walter could barely breathe and think as he tried to say something.

          “His-his-his name is Dan-Daniel,” stuttered Walter. Alex dropped him as he started to pace back and forth.

        “Daniel? As in Daniel Johnston?” Alex stopped to look at the older man that was splattered on the floor.

           “Yes, yes. Daniel Johnston.”

         “Dan…” Alex seemed lost in thought. His bright blond hair a contrast to his deep blue eyes as he stared into the space, thinking. His face suddenly changed to a determined one. He looked at Walter and all he said was, “We need to go,” in a cold voice as he left the restroom.

         “What? Alex wait!” Walter staggered to get up as he went after the blond man. “Where are we going? And are you going to help me?”

          “That,” replied Alex with a far-away look, “is something you are going to have to ask her.”