It was a mistake!

Red Canyon will suck you dry. Distort and corrupt you, make you lie through your teeth and leave behind the person you once were. You won't be able to escape the fate chosen for you.

Whatever you do, it will always bring you back.

#

It was a dreary night when the SUV pulled off the highway, onto a connecting deserted road. The air was thick with heat and dust, the bright moon casting obscene shadows over the driver's face. The surrounding land was barren, excluding the monstrous hills and canyon mazes. There was no one in sight, no noise except for the dull thud of popular music within the car and tyre on tar.

The driver could make out a distant hue of light straight ahead, forcing the car forward even faster. The vehicle exhilarated along, the driver clenching the wheel while the paranoia of stares seeped in.

It was a startling ring that made the driver jump with fright, the SUV swerving to the side and colliding with a cloud of red dirt. A panicked gasp filled the vehicle, followed by shaky shuddering inhales of a cigarette and rummaging hands.

A cell phone was pulled from a handbag and pressed against the driver's ear.

"Jacks! Jacks, you there?"

The driver's breath slowed.

"Here"

ONE-MONTH PRIOR:

In a small office, a fat balding man squished into a seat, already sweating from the mildly humid day. Half of his face was hidden behind a stack of reports while his beady eyes were glued to a woman's breasts before him. His tongue darted out to lick his lower lip, his wrinkled hand swiping across his forehead and removing excess moisture.

"You're going to be transferred to another location." He panted, eyes still glued to the cleavage before him.

"What?"

The man's line of vision was interrupted as crossed arms covered the cleavage. His eyes darted up to meet the face of an unimpressed female, her dark eyes narrowed dangerously towards him.

He sat back in his chair, ignoring the protesting creak the old wood gave.

"I said you're going to be transferred Jacks" He repeated, a certain smugness were etched into his features. It only angered his female companion more.

"I understood that" She snapped, "What I want to know is why? Chief Milton"

The Chief ignored her bitter tone, instead flashing the younger woman a bright smile. He leaned forward, his two fat arms supporting his weight against the desk, earning him a better view of her cleavage pressed against her arms.

"You know why Jacks." He said simply, "You screwed up on the Braxton case and now it's too dangerous for you to be here. So we're sending you to Utah"

Jacks let out an irritated sigh, her eyebrows fused together while she observed the older man's face.

"I don't understand Chief. Connor and Louis both screwed up their cases but they weren't shipped off to another district" Jacks argued.

"Yes they screwed up a minor case. You however, screwed up on a very important case and now its too dangerous for you to be here" He argued back, no longer interested in her cleavage but with her face.

"Its because I'm a woman, isn't it?" She snapped.

The Chief slammed his hands onto the desk, causing the slender woman to jump with fright. His face turned into a frown.

"I will not have you accuse me of being sexist in my own office, Officer Jacks. I'm not asking you to transfer. It's an order! We only want what's best for you, -"

"So you're sending me to a small bumpkin town office?" She shouted. "I've never heard of Red Canyon before!"

"I'm sending you to a nice quiet town, until this all blows over" He retorted quickly, he slammed her report down in front of her. With a wave of his hand, he finalised the argument.

Here she was, heart slamming in her chest and in the middle of no where; maybe it was the long drive by herself or her paranoia, she already didn't like the place.

She listened to Chief Milton give her direct orders, sending her to a hired room at a local motel for the night. With a temporary goodbye to her old life, she turned off her phone and pulled back onto the road with a clearer mind. She blamed her fatigue on her paranoia.

The SUV drove another mile before pulling into a tavern named 'Luna Mesa'; it rocked back and forth over the rocky path. Jacks stepped out of the vehicle, dragging a suite case with her and her trustee revolver. She didn't bother alerting the owner of her presence, instead slipping into room ten and locking the door.

She immersed herself in work, ignoring the nabbing paranoia of watchful eyes. Jacks studied intently and then finally gave into her fatigue, spreading herself over the bed and succumbing to sleep.

#

Officer Jacks awoke from her slumber early next morning, grabbing few items and sliding back into her vehicle. With a map stretched over her lap and a cigarette dangling from her lips, she followed the main road till she found herself outside the local police department.

Willing down a sneer of disgust, she pulled herself up the front steps and inside the tiny waiting area.

There was barely anyone inside, just a receptionist, a sleeping sheriff and a man in custody. Her eyes travelled over the sleeping sheriff, she wrinkled her nose and stepped forward, slamming her report onto the desk.

The sheriff jumped at the sound, toppling over his chair and colliding with the hard floor. He groaned irritably, slowly heaving himself up to glower towards the woman. But instead of a glower, she received a shocked look instead.

"Are you Sheriff Pratt?"

"Y-yes" He replied, sucking in his overlapping stomach and puffing his chest out. He lent against the office desk, giving his best smile and slicking his barely there hair back.

"I'm Officer Jacks, I've been assigned here by the Atlanta Police department temporarily, this is my report and I'm ready to get to work" She said calmly, ignoring the subtle leering she was receiving.

The sheriff stepped back with surprise.

"You're Officer Jacks? I thought you were-"

"A man? Well I'm not, where do you want me?" Jacks interrupted.

The sheriff mutely pointed to a separate desk, his eyes bulging while he watched Jacks side step his own desk and stand before him.

"You're going to put me at a desk?" She asked.

"Well not much goes on in this town, apart from the random scrap every now and then. We don't really have much for you to do around here" The sheriff said, he stepped back from her intimidating stance.

She sighed loudly, taking in the surroundings and wrinkling her nose. She definitely wasn't in the big city anymore, nor was she under proper guidance either. Her eyes connected with a file cabinet behind the sheriff and a thought popped into her mind.

"Are those files behind you Sheriff?" She asked politely.

"Why yes. But they're only full with Mac's boys"

"Mac's boys?" She questioned, cocking her head to the side. "Is that some sort of gang?"

The Sheriff chuckled and shook his head, "Something of that sort" He replied. He opened the cabinet quickly and pulled out a stack of files, he pushed them over to her.

"Mostly our local mechanics and construction workers, they're regulars down at the Luna Mesa and you probably don't want to be down there at ten p.m."

"Why not?" Officer Jacks asked.

She was interrupted however as another officer bounded through the door, his face was a red sweaty mess and his lip slightly cut open.

"What happened to you son?" The sheriff asked, grabbing the man by his shoulder and pushing him into a free chair.

"Just Mac as usual" The younger officer stuttered.

The sheriff tutted with disapproval, ignoring Jacks, and working on his lip. Jacks took it as the time to slip away and pour over the regular offenders, she had no doubt she'd encounter them soon.