Mind (the) Game

by Kelly Shade

  All those thoughts were running in Jane’s head on repeat and suddenly stopped. Blake realized she could hear again. Gunshots. Many of them. The loud bangs from the gunshots were the only thing Jane could hear.

  She tried to open her eyes. The gunshots stopped or she lost her hearing again. With great effort she managed to open them but her vision was blurred. Jane realized she was lying face down on the ground with her head turned on one side. She lifted her hand slowly, her arm felt heavy as if it was made of lead. Jane rubbed her eyes, cleared the tears, blinked several times and looked again. Now she could see better but she wish she couldn’t. All around her, there were bodies covered in dust and blood, motionless. She could hardly move the rest of her body but she successfully lifted her head off the ground and looked around. At that point she couldn’t distinguish who were the people she saw or if they were even alive.

  Jane struggled to stand up, but the only thing she did was turn to the side. She saw a tall figure walking towards her but she didn’t recognize the person. The air was smoky and dusty and her vision was bad.

  Two gunshots pierced her eardrums and somehow this cleared her sight, Jane saw a man approaching. He was wearing a hat and a long coat but Blake had no doubt about his identity. Michael Morse was coming to finish the job.

  Two guards were walking on Morse’s sides and were shooting the people on the ground who showed signs of life. This time Morse didn’t want only Jane dead, he wanted to bury all of the homicide unit and all the feds that were after him.

  Blake searched for a weapon nearby, but there was none, and she was too weak to stand up. Morse was coming closer and closer, and Blake wasn’t able to protect herself. Jane couldn’t save anyone, not herself, not the people she cared about. Blake didn’t have control over the situation or even over her body. She felt powerless, she felt like wounded prey, and the predator was coming for her – slow, but steady.

  Blake saw how Morse shot several people himself, but she didn’t know who they were. What if he shot everyone from her team? Jane felt her whole body was shaking. “That’s good!” she whispered to herself. This feeling meant she wasn’t paralyzed.

  Blake made all the possible effort to push herself off the ground and managed to sit, her arms back for a support. Morse was approaching, and he was close enough for Jane to see his arrogant, ugly smile. Blake noticed a gun behind her, she laid and reached for it but it was too far away. She tried her best to kick and drag herself closer to the weapon and now it was inches away from her hand. “Just a little bit more!” Jane thought and made another try to reach it.

  Almost there! She touched the gun with her fingers and almost grabbed it when it flew away. Morse’s guard had kicked the weapon from under Jane’s hand. Blake felt her fingers burning from the pain as if they were broken and instinctively she pulled her right hand into her left and rubbed it. She opened and closed her palm several times to make sure her hand wasn’t broken or dislocated, and luckily it was fine.

  Blake lifted her gaze up and saw him. Morse was standing in front of her with gun pointed at her head, smiling.

  “Jane, Jane, Jane!” Morse said with a hoarse voice “You never listen! And look what happened now!” he shook his head.

  “Save me the speech!” Blake said coldly.

  “Before you die, you need to know what you have done!” Morse said “You have to know that all the people you sent after me are dead because of you! I’ll give you some time to feel the pain and the burning guilt, that because of you, your friends and colleagues are dead! Then, I’ll do you the favor to kill you and save you from the misery!” he laughed.

  Bake looked at him icily and faked the perfect poker face.

  “Better not to wait, I don’t care who did you kill. These people are just tools for me. I thought you wrote your homework on me! You should know I don’t have friends.” Jane spoke calmly and coldly.

  “Oh, honey, don’t lie to your grandpapa!” Morse laughed loudly “We both know you care a lot for these cops! And the computer genius is your boyfriend.”

  “Huh, Michael don’t make me laugh!” Blake said “My ribs are killing me!”

  “You are in a good mood for someone who is going to die!” Morse got irritated.

  “Someone once told me to enjoy every second of my life!” Blake teased again.

  “You have no idea what you have done, Blake!” Morse said with a serious expression “You messed where you shouldn’t have!”

  “Why are you so afraid of Jim?” Blake asked ignoring his comment.

  “No, sweetheart, you got it all wrong!” Morse shook his head and continued talking slowly “Jim is the least of your or mine concerns!”

  “Who then? Your imaginary bosses?” Jane asked again with curved smile.

  “You can only thank me that I’ll kill you because if HE comes, you will beg for a bullet in your brain!” Morse said with a stern look.

  “Who is he, Michael? The big bad wolf?” Jane laughed which caused significant pain in her ribs.

  “That’s enough!” yelled Morse.

  “What does Melissa think about the fact you want her daughter dead?” Jane continued.

  Morse froze for a second but he hid his surprise and instead of answering, he changed the clip, cocked the gun and lifted it again.

  Blake looked him in the eyes, waiting for the bullet. Jane didn’t intent to try to escape, she knew it was useless. Blake wanted to die keeping her dignity even though she was laying on the ground in his feet, she didn’t want to spend her last second in desperate and pointless try to escape. Jane stared in Morse’s eyes, he stared at hers. For a second Blake thought she saw remorse and hesitation on his face but it disappeared as fast as it came. He took a breath and said loudly “I really am sorry I have to kill you! You would have been much more useful than your brother!”

  Jane didn’t react on the words, she continued looking at him with narrowed eyes.

  “I raised the bastard and he turned on me, he helped you! Such a disappointment.” Morse sighted as if to himself.

  And now Jane saw that Morse finished with the delays, he was ready to make that shot and to end her. Blake could see how his finger was pulling the trigger as if on slow motion.

  Two loud bangs echoed and Morse’s guards collapsed on the ground, Michael turned around to see what was happening. Blake jumped back out of surprise and looked around. Someone was coming from behind Morse with two guns in his hands.

  Morse faced Jane again, determined to finish the job but Blake found strength and with quick move she kicked him behind the knees and Morse dropped next to her. His weapon flew out of his hand and Jane reached and caught it in the air.

  Now face to face, both on the ground, Morse and Blake were staring in each other’s eyes again, but this time Jane had the power. Blake pointed the gun, ready to end his life once and for all. She thought of all the people who died because of him, she thought of Tylor.

  “Jane!” Smith’s voice came as if from a tunnel.

  Blake didn’t look towards the direction where the sound came. She thought she imagined it, she thought she was hearing Tylor in her head because of the great loss she was feeling.

  “Jane! NO!” Tylor yelled again.

  But this time Jane realized it was not her imagination speaking, it was Tylor and he was very much alive. Blake looked at him, he was the man with the two guns in his hands, he was the one who shot Morse’s bodyguards, he was the one who saved her.

  “Tai? How?” Blake stuttered.

  “The service tunnels! That’s how he did it!” smiled Smith thinking that Jane quit the idea of killing Morse.

  “Yeah…” Jane sighted and turned to Michael again.

  She was more determined to kill him than ever. Tylor saw the look on her face and hurried to speak again “Jane, it is not worth it! You are not a killer! You are not like him!”

  “Oh, she is!” Morse said as if he wanted to die.

  “No!” Tylor cut “Blake, please! Don’t!” he
begged her.

  Blake hesitated for a moment. Tylor and Morse waited for her decision, barely breathing.

  “NOOO!” Smith shouted when she pulled the trigger.

  Blake threw the weapon aside and laid on the ground again.

  For Tylor’s amazement, Morse was alive. Jane didn’t shoot at him but at his bodyguard behind him.

  “He was reaching for a gun!” Blake explained calmly.

  Tylor went to Morse and cuffed his hands, breathing in and out deeply. Smith really thought that Jane killed Morse.

  Blake looked at the sky, still lying on the ground, wondering if she made a huge mistake leaving Morse alive.

  “I’ll come in a minute! The ambulance is on its way too!” Tylor told Jane and dragged Morse towards the chopper.

  Soon Smith returned to Blake and helped her get up. Jane’s whole body ached, her ribs felt as if they were broken, she had bruises all over, blood was dripping down her forehead. The adrenaline was dropping down and she started to feel the outcome of the free fall she did when the bomb exploded.

  Jane glanced around, and it looked like the aftermath of a war. Bodies everywhere, wreckages were covering the area, only ruins were left from the huge warehouse.

  Blake was shocked of that view. She had seen dead bodies before but now it was different. Many of those people were Blake’s friends, all of them were there to finish her agenda, all of them were her responsibility. True or not, Blake felt it that way and it was devastating.

  “Jane!” Tylor shouted. “Help me!”

  Blake realized that Smith started checking the bodies for a pulse. She shook off all the feelings and pain, and walked towards Tylor. She had to help.

  Chapter 23

  The chase is on

  Jane walked through the sea of bodies looking for Ryan, Ian, Nick and Hunt. Tylor was checking his colleagues but Blake didn’t care about them, she wanted to find the members of her team. She desperately looked around, hoping they weren’t in pieces, praying they were alive.

  Someone moved on Jane’s left side and she hurried towards him. It was Nick Lee who was now almost conscious. Blake kneeled next to him and helped him sit up.

  “How are you?” asked Jane softly.

  “I guess okay.” Lee said quietly.

  Nick’s arm was bleeding, he had many wounds and bruises but he looked well considering what he’s been through.

  “Where are the others?” Nick asked.

  “I don’t know. Can you stand up?” Jane asked.

  Nick nodded and Blake grabbed his forearm, pulled him up and Lee was now trying to keep his balance. He managed to make several steps and also started anxiously looking around.

  Jane saw how several people started showing signs of life and she shouted at Tylor “Tai, where is that ambulance?”

  “On it’s way!” Smith yelled back.

  Blake and Lee walked together towards another body. With terror they realized that this was Ian. But unlike Lee, Valdez was unconscious, or maybe dead. Ian was face down on the ground, covered in blood and dust. Nick and Jane hurried to turn him around and to give him first aid but when they put Ian lying on his back they froze. There was a long shrapnel stuck in his stomach. Nick reached to it but Jane caught his hand “No! It will get worse!” She gently checked Ian’s pulse.

  “He is alive.” Jane stated and added, “But not for long, he probably has internal bleeding, he needs a hospital now!”

  “Go find Gray, I’ll stay with Valdez!” said Nick.

  Blake hesitated but she walked away in search for Ryan. She saw him several feet away from Ian. Jane went to him, kneeled down and with trembling hand she reached to his neck to check if he had pulse. Ryan looked so pale and lifeless that Blake was afraid of what she will find when she places her fingers on his neck. Jane gently put her fingers under Ryan’s jaw and closed her eyes. Ryan had pulse. Jane opened her eyes and smiled. She examined him carefully and after she saw there were no serious damages, Jane started trying to wake him up.

  “How is he?” Tylor joined her.

  “Alive but unconscious.” Jane said worryingly.

  “Why don’t you admit it, Jane?” Smith said quietly “You are in love with this man!”

  “I’m not.” Jane lied and removed her hand off Ryan’s face.

  “Don’t make my mistake, Jane! If you have feelings for him, don’t walk away!” Tylor said and helped Blake to wake up Ryan.

  Gray murmured “Jane!” and Blake and Tylor started shaking him harder.

  Soon Ryan opened his eyes and even though he was disoriented he asked “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah!” Blake sighted and sat down next to him.

  “Stacy is alive too but in worse shape than you.” Tylor said with a grimace and walked away again.

  Gray blinked several times as If he didn’t know who Tylor was talking about. Stacy Barlow, Ryan’s girlfriend, was still unconscious.

  “Where is Hunt?” Blake asked anxiously.

  “Here.” Connor answered from somewhere behind Jane. Ryan and Jane turned around and saw him hardly walking towards them.

  “I’m fine.” He said when he saw their expressions.

  The ambulances’ sirens indicated that they were getting closer. Tylor, as the only one without a scratch, ran towards the first one and explained the situation to the paramedics.

  Blake and Ryan saw when they took Ian on the stretcher, Nick joined his partner in the ambulance and it drove off to the nearest hospital. Valdez was in life-threatening condition.

  Soon Ryan and Jane were taken for a checkup and since they didn’t have any serious injuries, they asked to be released to go back to LA with their car. They wanted to join Tylor and Barrett in interrogating Michael Morse.

  ◆◆◆

  Blake and Gray went in the FBI office, they couldn’t bare to wait in the hospital while Ian was in surgery. It was too painful for both of them to stay there, they couldn’t even call Alice to tell her the news. Blake asked the doctors not to inform his wife because she was pregnant and the shock may cause something to her and the baby. The medics agreed to keep it quiet but Jane had to go to talk to Alice in person. But Blake couldn’t do it, she preferred to visit Alice when Ian is out of surgery.

  Now Jane and Ryan were waiting for Barrett to show up and give them permission to join the interview. Smith gave them two huge mugs with coffee and spoke nervously “When we go in, I want you two to behave. Here you are my responsibility and if you do something stupid it’s gonna be on me! Got it?”

  Jane and Ryan nodded.

  Barrett entered the main office and informed them that it was time to go in and get whatever they can from Morse.

  Blake hurried to the interrogation room, Tylor and Ryan after her. She was eager to hear what Morse had to say. She entered and saw the satisfying view of Morse cuffed to the metal table, finally captured, at last in custody!

  “Hello, Michael!” Jane said arrogantly and sat on the chair opposite of him.

  “Jane!” he nodded and ignored Ryan and Tylor who sat on Jane’s sides.

  “Guys, I have a few questions for our convict and I’ll leave him to you. Is that okay?” Blake turned to Ryan and Tylor, they confirmed, and she continued speaking to Morse “First off, Michael, just out of curiosity, how did you got out of that tunnel. It keeps bugging me ever since your sorry ass was dragged here?”

  Gray and Smith looked at her questioningly, but decided they wouldn’t interfere and let Morse answer the question.

  “Really Jane, that’s your opening question?” He was genuinely surprised.

  “Humor me.” Blake was expecting an answer, so she leaned in a bit closer and added “I give you a chance to brag about how much smarter you are from everybody else.”

  “Fair enough,” Morse cleared his throat and started explaining “Once my car was in the trailer, I radioed the driver to stop in the middle of the tunnel. I knew the feds blocked the exit and I also spotted the cars tailing me. Oh, and watching from the cho
pper – that was real cute, Jane” He was enjoying this, smirking at Jane.

  “Ok, I don’t need to know your life story, keep it to the point – how did you get out of the tunnel?” Jane was starting to get annoyed – she didn’t like the fact, that he was way too happy of his “achievement”.

  “So,” Michael Morse continued as if he didn’t hear Blake’s comment “when I got out from the back of the truck I knew I had just a few minutes to get out of there and I had no intention of leaving witnesses behind. So I got to the cabin of the semi and put two bullets into the driver and that trusting idiot Brooks.” He had no intention to speed the story along. He narrowed his eyes and looked right at Jane, while reaching for the paper cup in front of him. Took it to his lips, made a long and slow curve with the cup in his hand and drank a tiny sip. Cleared his throat again and when he saw, that he was on the nerves of his captors, continued his story. “After that I just had to go into one of those service tunnels. That’s it! The plan was for you to see me too, so don’t think you have an eagle’s eyesight or something. The plan I had wouldn’t work without you, Jane. Thank you.” Morse reached for his cup again, but this time Jane took it from right under his hand. He just smiled and leaned back in his chair, looking at Ryan, Tyler and Jane, his eyes full of hatred.

  “Well, I expected more, to be honest” Said Blake, sitting back down in her chair with Morse’s cup still in her hand. “I have one more slightly personal question for you, Michael - tell me about Melissa.” Blake was now smiling at Morse.

  “There is nothing to tell, Jane!” Morse’s expression changed instantly and he started angrily “Your mother didn’t want you and I had no choice but to give you away. I found a decent home for you! I cared about your well being! But you had to turn just like him, didn’t you?”

  “Like who, Michael?” Blake stayed calm and kept the smile on her face.

  Morse looked at her with hatred and didn’t answer.

  “I did the best for you when I gave you to Lilia Jordan! Why don’t you get that?” Morse said after a while.