by L Johnson
I headed to her home and canvassed the place. There were some older neighbors and there was no roommate, she had left when the semester ended like Persephone was supposed to do but didn't. Stupid bitch should have followed directions; she would have lived longer.
The bricked home in its secluded area was perfect. Surrounded by trees and her neighbors, elder had made their way to bed. There were no signs of an FBI car. I had not been tracked and it had immediately turned into the most perfect kill. The outsides were dimmed enough for me to see the door and let myself in by quickly picking the lock. The door opened and I walked into the home, the smell of pumpkin hit my nose and it hit me she was one of those women that loved everything pumpkin. It irritated me more than anything. I rolled my eyes and made my way through the pastel themed home. The darkest item in her home was the black television screen. I entered her room. Her bed made and her shoes lined the side of the wall. It was full of material items that would do her no damn good after tonight. I sat on her bed, my gloves on and knife in hand. Not the knife I wanted it to be but it would do. It was perhaps better that it wasn't my knife. My alibi was tight. And this kill would be final. Then it was goodbye to the Americas.
I waited for her patiently. I read through her diary, a few lines about me and the fear of me. She was right to be scared, but she caused this herself. The instructions given to her had been simple really. I just wanted her to leave fucking town and leave Cypress and I the fuck alone.
The door clicked open and my heart raced. She was here.
“No mom, I am almost done packing. I can give you a call back here shortly okay. I love you too.” she threw her bags on the couch. “Bye babe.” She placed her phone down on the counter and made her way to her bedroom. She clicked the light on and the bright yellow just about hurt my eyes.
“Turn the light back off will you?” A smile appeared on my face. “Hello Persephone.”
Her feet hit the ground quickly as she turned to escape. I scooped her up in my arms and restrained her arms to her chest. “Let me go!” She squirmed.
“Don't make me, make this quick.” I held the knife to her neck and she went still. “Good girl. Sit down.” I said.
“Lucas, don't do this.” she shrugged. “I can recant everything.”
“You'll do no such thing.” The smile on my face could not be hidden. She fell back on the bed. “You don't know how to keep your mouth shut.” Persephone opened her mouth to speak again and I placed my finger over her mouth. “You should just shut.”
“I swear!”
“You lie.” A growl escaped my chest and I clenched my fist. “I'm leaving for Ireland in a few days and I have to tie up every loose end and you my dear are extremely loose.” I slashed into her arm lightly and watched the blood spatter hit the wall.
She screamed and I pushed her on her back. “Please,” She held her wound and plead to me.
I could feel nothing. There was no remorse, I could see her fear and it ignited something more from me. My knife pierced into her leg it pushed past the bone and the blood gushed from her. Her scream was like a nail on a chalkboard, but it did not phase me. I twisted until my hand could not turn anymore.
I stuffed a one of colorful socks from the night stand in her mouth. She fell to the floor not knowing what to clench her leg or her arm. She made a half effort getaway and a chuckle escaped. “Where are you going?”
Her cries were muffled, I snatched her back towards me and her nails clawed into my arms taking blood. Everything went dark as I kicked her to the ground and removed the sock. “Help please!” Persephone cried as she wept.
I snatched her by the hair. “I gave you simple instructions and you could not even follow those!” I growled. “Shut your fucking mouth!” I yelled. “No one can hear you and no one cares! I have learned that here recently. The only person that truly loves you is yourself. Do you love yourself?”
Her tears flowed from her face and I nodded my head. “People always waste their tears. For what? It is not going to change anything. I am going to kill you. Today was your last day on earth and how did you spend it?” I nodded my head and restrained her arms. I pushed the black sock into her mouth. “You fucking scratched the shit out of my arm. I don't understand why you don't take hints well. I told you that I would end you and you talked to the feds anyway. And you see where that got you? Where the fuck are they anyway?”
Her eyes closed.
“Exactly nowhere to be found. They are fucking useless. Probably off somewhere looking for me. But they can no longer save you. Plus, I don't think you want to be saved.” The sliced into her neck with one quick thrash and her blood hit my face.
I could hear her screams as if she was still making them. They replayed in my head over and over and there was no silence. I stared at the red splashed on the walls. Her blood was everywhere. I closed my eyes and then reopened them. Monster. Something inside of me grew to life. It made an appearance for the first time in a while. It was the real me, a fucking monster.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Asher
Dare I ask what was going on with Lucas? No, I had no words or no way to make this catastrophe disappear that lay before me. Mark had no idea yet, but when he did there was little that I could do to prevent the fight from happening. I sat in the bedroom I had claimed as mine for the past month and exhaled. Too much shit had happened and it needed to process.
Cypress paced in front of me. “Has he lost it?”
“I don't know.”
“He has,” She answered. “He's been gone for hours. I have not heard from him in hours?” Cypress had worried herself into a frenzy and had drug me down with her. “Why does he do it?”
“Cypress,” I paused. There were several clinical reasons that I could give her, but she didn't want to hear those. There was no way to help him and I didn’t want her to hear that either. I just wanted her to calm down so I could calm down. “He is bored. He has to have something to take the edge off of being him. Lucas… is selfish. You should just leave him to deal with this mess and stop worrying yourself. Please?”
“How am I not supposed to worry when he came home with blood on his body.” She shook from anger or nerves. I could not tell the difference between the two. “We should have just left weeks ago. He has an anger problem.”
“It's not just anger.” I added. “When Mark finds out I don't know what his reaction will be. She was pregnant and I felt like he wanted to be with her, but he doesn't know how to cope. Something that he has in common with Luke.” My hair fell on my glasses. It was beyond time for a cut, but these past few months had me everywhere but in my element.
I switched on the television. “The University is mourning this morning as it remembers two fallen students. Persephone...” The words hit me like a wall. Fuck. Fuck. FUCK.
Cypress turned toward the screen. “What the fuck!” She stared at me. “Did you know about this? Asher, please tell me you didn’t know about this?”
“I have been here with you since yesterday!” I said. My hands trembled at the mere thought of what was to come. “Dear fucking God. The entire FBI is about drop down on him.” Was he insane? I shook my head. Who was I kidding, I knew he was insane. I exhaled and grabbed my phone. Cypress didn’t need this to be on her at this time. “Stay here, okay, don't talk to anyone and don't answer the door. If he comes by let him know I'm looking for him. And he better call me.” I took my keys and turned towards the television. “And if Mark calls tell him I said that we need to speak like…now.”
“The main suspect in this case is twenty-six-year-old Lucas Elledge. Police are warning the public that at this moment that he is considered armed and dangerous to not approach him but to contact the authorities immediately.”
Perfect, I didn't even turn around to see Cypress’ reaction, I could hear it as the sob filled the room. There was no time to try to deal with her. The police would be here in a few minutes to destroy her apartment and take us both down for questioning. “Is there anything upsta
irs that could harm this case?”
“Gloves, but he took them with him.”
“Alright, hang tight.” I slipped my hat on and walked towards the elevator. The doors of elevator opened and a very disarrayed Mark stood before me. “Please, tell me what the fuck is going on?”
“I don't know.” I shrugged my shoulders.
A crackling sound pierced throughout the room and we turned to the side door as it was busted open. An army of suits stormed into the apartment with their guns aimed at us. “Hands in the air right now!”
Nathaniel's cry filled the white halls behind us. “Shit!” I lifted my hands in the air. “They're up.”
Mark dropped his briefcase to the ground and held his hands up above his head. “What the fuck? I hope they'll replace that fucking door.” He grumbled.
Our world had crumbled in front of us and the only damn thing that lingered in his mind was the door being replaced. A laugh escaped from my mouth. “Dumbass.”
“Well, boys we meet again as promised. I had hoped it would be a friendlier way though. Sorry about the door.” McMillan smiled at us both. “Where's your brother?”
“He’s right there?” I pointed to Mark with a small grin on my face.
“You think this a fucking game! Where is Lucas? Where the fuck is he?” He lifted me by the collar and then tossed me to the ground with one swift movement.
“We haven't talked to him.” Mark spat. “Now get your hands off of him officer.”
McMillan stepped back. “I can’t wait to see him go down.”
“What is he wanted for, speaking as his lawyer?”
“Capitol murder.” He paused. “But you knew that already didn’t you Mark? Always playing guardian even when it’s at your demise? You let him kill Shia?”
“Excuse me?” Mark’s look of terror was a clear indicator that he knew nothing about it. “What did you say?”
“Aw, this is perfect.” McMillan paused and fixed his jacket. “Your brother is suspected to be the murderer of your girlfriend. He was last seen at the park, she was murdered at… Sweep the entire place. Leave nothing untouched. You two remain on the ground.” He started pulling the cushions off of the couch and sifting through things.
Mark’s face was red with fear and regret. The pain flushed to his face. And I couldn’t blame him. I actually felt sorry for him. “You okay?” I asked.
“I’m fine.” He spat.
“Cypress how great it is for you to join us. And you brought the kids.” McMillan paused as he looked Cypress over. “Is there not anywhere you can put them?”
“You are not taking my kids.” Cypress cradled them both in her arms.
“Of course not.” He nodded his head. “But the state can and more than likely will take them once they figure out what kind of environment they have been living in… You know where he is don’t you?”
“I don't know where Lucas is and I wish I did.” She paused. “He could clear this whole story up and we could get away from here. Every since I came here, there has been nothing but complete drama all because some over worked Agent has a hard on for my husband.” A smirk appeared across her face and she nodded her head. “But to answer your question… No, I haven't heard from him.”
“You really love this sick son of a bitch don’t you.”
“As his wife… I don’t have to say shit to you. That was actually just a courtesy to tell you that I don’t know where he is… And I want to see your warrant for searching a place that he doesn’t even live in!” Willow cooed quietly and Cypress rolled her eyes.
“Stop talking Cypress.” Mark barked. “I want to request a lawyer for us three. We don't know what the fuck is going on.”
“So to the station?”
“No!” I said. “Can we not take care of this now? We don't know, honestly.”
“Asher, shut up!” Mark snapped.
Cypress handed me Willow. “Check his mom’s house. If I were in trouble, I would be there with my mom.” She said.
“He isn't there.”
“Well, that's the only other place he could hide.” Cypress shrugged her shoulders at McMillan. “So I guess you are out of luck… huh?”
Lucas
What the fuck had this word come to? I was a suspect and they had no evidence. What was this? I watched from across the street as they walked back and forth from my loft. Cypress and my children were there and I was here in this cafe, wearing a fucking hoodie and a pair of glasses. I was fucked. I retraced my steps. Persephone had scratched. I cut off her fingertips and soaked them in fucking bleach in the sink. There was nothing else that tied me to her rather than the damn tip she gave.
I sipped my coffee and the patrons looked at me.
“Pardon me, is there a fucking problem?” I tossed money down on the table and nodded my head as I left the building. I would have to be on foot there was no way in hell that they would not notice the jeep. I clinched the letter in my pocket and slid it in the post office box.
Now where in the fuck could I go? I clenched my eyes. There was a warehouse downtown that I had considered buying not too long ago. I kept walking and turned onto an alley. The cool breeze hit my face and I realized that if I was to hide there, Cypress would never find me. I knew that it was only a matter of time before she found a way to get to me. The fucking ravine. I smirked. That place meant the world to us both now and it was secluded. She would know to go there. Hell, I went there so much it could be a second home. There was a cabin there a mile passed my normal hang out spot. It was generally empty during this time of the year. The owners only spent holidays there. I could easily slip inside and hide.
I whistled for a cab, it screeched to a halt and I hopped inside. “Lights Ravine, please?”
“That's thirty minutes out.”
“I know that.” I snapped.
“Alright, hop in,” The Hispanic started his timer. “I used to go there as a kid. I didn't know that people still went.”
“Yeah, I like it.” I tried not to roll my eyes, I slid the glasses back on and slid down in the seat. There was a small chance that I would even make it out of here alive. They had check points all over the city and then there was the agent that wanted my head on a splint.
“Hold the cab!” I heard from behind me.
“Please don’t…” My heart raced as my palms became sweaty.
“Special Agent McDonald.” Declan flashed a shiny badge. “I’ll be joining you.”
“Dear God…”
“Exactly…” Declan slid into the vehicle and closed the door behind him. “Carry on.”
Cypress
They questioned me for what seemed like hours about things that I was clueless about thankfully. The less I knew, the less there was to hide. The marriage had worked in our favor because they wanted to know everything about him and there was nothing that I could offer them. The only thing that I was certain of was that I needed to find him before they did. Mark held Nathaniel in his arms. A smile over his face that almost hid his tears. Perhaps Asher was right about everything. He might have wanted Shia. I hadn’t really thought about his feelings in this matter and neither had Lucas.
“Do you know where he could be?” Mark whispered, his voice was small and there was pain behind his words. The lobby of the club held only us three and the kids. His voice echoed.
“I'm sorry.” He knew what my apology was for, my voice shook as it broke and I exhaled. “I really am so sorry.”
“I knew he would do it. I just didn't want to be a part of it.” Mark wiped his face.
He was just as cold hearted as Lucas he just never went through with it, for him to overcome whatever lived inside him made him a bigger person than Lucas. It made him human. It was something in Mark that I feared no longer lived with Lucas, a sense of humanity. “It doesn't mean that you don't hurt.”
Asher shook his head. “You should leave Cy.”
“I am. I’m going to get him. But I know that they are going to follow my every move.”
I laughed. “Could you keep them?” I pointed to my children and regretted the fact that I had to leave instantly.
“I can.” Mark said. “If you promise to punch him for me?”
“That promise I can keep.”
“What’re you going to do?” Asher asked. “I mean what are you going to say to him to make him come home. Because at this level of a break, I don’t think he can be reached, even by you Cypress.”
“I can perhaps ask him to turn himself in.” Shit, I didn’t know what I was about to do. I just knew that I had to do something.
“He will never do that. He sees that he has done nothing wrong? That’s what a psychopath is Cypress. Do you get that? That is the most dangerous thing about him. He shows no remorse in anything that he does. He is a killer.”
I looked at Asher. “He feels something Asher, so I don’t really give a damn at whatever your psych babble is. He might be unhinged and that’s fine.” I rolled my eyes. “But he shows remorse for certain things Asher! He grieved his father and his mother. He loves me and these kids. He even fucking loves you.” I snapped and the room grew silent. Perhaps I was too harsh, but there were a million and one negative thoughts racing through my head. I didn’t need Asher adding fuel to the fire. “I’m sorry.” I paused. “I know where he could be and more than likely where he is. I just don't know how to get away from the agents without them trailing my ass. They will follow my every move and I’ll lead them to him…”
“There is a side exit no one is guarding. You could take the company van.”
“Thanks Mark,” I said.
“There are road blocks everywhere.” Asher added. “So take the county road out to the ravine.” He smiled at me. Asher knew him so well. “And hit that bastard for me too.”
I chuckled. “Thank you… and I will.”
I hated sneaking anywhere and out of the city was a hard one. They had surrounded the city with blocks. The county road was unscathed and the extra time it took to get there gave me time to think about whatever the fuck I was going to say to Lucas if he was even there.