Mac did not like the tone of his voice, “Plans, what plans?”
“Our plans do not involve her!” John interrupted. “You don’t need to kill her!”
John’s words slammed into Mac’s brain, “You have planned to kill John all along?”
Erebus leaned down close to her face, “Please don’t tell me you didn’t know it from the beginning of this game. We both know that John was supposed to die, but he didn’t have the courage to follow through with the task. You must know, more than anyone, how much I detest leaving things unfinished.”
The look in his eyes was menacing, and Mac wondered what else he had planned. “So, tell me, are you going to kill me as well?”
“Leave her alone!” John demanded as he fought against the ropes that bound him to the chair.
Erebus smiled, “Ah, such chivalry, John, but your threats are meaningless. You see, everything is set in motion, so I suggest you just sit back and relax.”
Mac glared at Erebus with a look of defiance. “You never answered my question. Are you going to kill me?”
He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “No, my dear, John is.”
Mac felt her body tense at his words, but what will make John kill me?
Erebus stepped back and watched as she pondered his statement. “What’s the matter, cat got your tongue?”
He reached out and tenderly touched her on the cheek. “Don’t you know by now that I would never harm you, Lucinda? We have shared too many special moments with each other. However, what happens in the game at times is beyond my control.”
“What did he tell you?” John growled as he strained against the ropes.
“He told me it was up to me if I survive.” She knew it was a half-hearted lie, but she could not bring herself to tell him the truth.
Erebus looked down at Mac and winked. He knew she was trying to protect John from the truth, but he also knew everything would be revealed in due time.
“Earlier you mentioned how you hate to leave things unfinished. So, tell me then, what happened to Jenni? I know she didn’t die in the warehouse fire because we never found any human remains, and no one has seen, nor heard from her since her abduction. You told me that you had taken care of her, but what was that supposed to mean. I know you told Tyrone how you would sell her if he didn’t follow your instructions to the letter, but he screwed up your plans, didn’t he? You never believed he would do the right thing, and take Joey to the hospital, did you? I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been to make that decision with knowing what would happen to his sister.”
Erebus crossed his arms and smiled, “but you already know what happened to her. I told Tyrone what would happen if he disobeyed my orders. You see, I sent her to a production company, who was very pleased to add her to their latest movie project. They offered to send me a copy of her debut, but I told them I preferred the opera. I never have been a fan of the cinema.”
Mac’s eyes narrowed, as the meaning of his words became clear in her mind. “You evil bastard,” she growled in a low voice. “How can you be so proud of your actions?”
“You would think someone with your supposed proper breeding would never lower themselves to be nothing more than a common murderer,” John chimed in.
Erebus laughed at the shocked look on Mac’s face. “Yes, Lucinda, I told John of my family lineage, and how I am of noble blood. You see, even noble blood can have a dark side. My family never talked about it, but once when I was doing research on my ancestors from England I came across a rather infamous and interesting person who was my great, great uncle. Of course, the rest of the world didn’t know who he was, but my family were careful to keep his true identity hidden.” He paused to watch a look of curiosity appear on Mac’s face.
“Okay, I’ll bite, who was this uncle of yours?” the sarcasm was evident in her voice.
“I am sure that you’ve heard of him by the name given him by the commoners: Jack, the Ripper,” Erebus held Mac’s stare, waiting for her response.
Mac remained silent, trying to digest the information before she spoke, “You’re kidding, right?”
“No, not at all, I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors of how he was a member of the Royal Family. I can’t begin to tell you how thrilled I was to learn that he and I share the same blood. It was quite liberating,” he smiled, as he watched Mac fight with her emotions over this new revelation.
“So because your great, great uncle was a murderer, you felt you needed to follow in his footsteps?” John interrupted.
“No, my Uncle killed for the pleasure of it. I’m not a murderer; I’m more a Master Chess Player, who happens to use living pieces in my games.
“How was selling Jenni to snuff movie producers, part of your game?” Mac growled.
Erebus looked at her and smiled, “You should know that I never go back on my word, Lucinda. Tyrone understood the punishment for his actions; he made his choice, not I.” It pleased him to see the anger on her face; the way her cheeks flushed a soft red, and her beautiful green eyes sparkled with fire. He leaned down and whispered in her ear again, “I will miss you, Lucinda.”
She turned her head and looked him in the eye, “I won’t miss you, and I’ll be waiting for you in hell.”
He held her gaze for the longest moment then smiled, “I look forward to it.”
***
Tom felt his body go numb as the terrifying vision played itself out before him, and no matter how many times he blinked his eyes, it remained the same horrible nightmare. “I knew we should have stayed together,” he moaned, staring at the screen.
“What’s wrong, honey?” Marge asked when she walked into Tom’s office with a cup of coffee in her hand.
Tom did not want to tell her the news, but he knew this was something he should not keep from her. “Marge, I don’t know how to say this, but the man who abducted John, now has Mac,” he felt the words catch in this throat, as he said them.
Marge stood silent, unable to comprehend what he had said, “But, I don’t understand. I thought you two were following his clues to find where John is. How could this happen?”
Tom hated to see the vulnerability on her face. “I’m not sure, but he must have tricked her somehow. Mac is smart, so I am certain she didn’t see it coming.”
“Was that them on your computer? I saw the look on your face, so I knew it had to be something bad,” Marge fought back the tears now forming in the corners of her eyes. She could not understand why some crazed person would first take John, and now Mac. She walked to the overstuffed chair that Mac had sat in earlier, took a deep breath, and then sat down.
“Tom, are they going to be all right? Whoever that person is, he doesn’t strike me as the type not to have a plan.”
Tom ran his fingers through his hair then slowly exhaled before he spoke, “He’s a very dangerous man, and he’s done this sort of thing many times before.” Tom looked at Marge and wondered if he should continue.
“This man was the reason for John’s breakdown. He enjoys toying with people by manipulating them in a strange game of life and death. I blame myself for, not realizing what he was up to before Kathy…,” his voice trailed off, as the memory of that time tore at his heart.
Marge watched Tom, and everything became clear in her mind. “Oh, my God, he is the reason John killed Kathy? I have often wondered what drove John to that point because they had always been such a happy couple. I know they had a rough time after John’s partner died, but I thought he had overcome it. Why would this person want to destroy John? Was it someone he had dealt with through his job?”
Tom did not know how to explain it to her. She had the right to know the complete truth since she loved John as much as he did.
“Honey, this man searches for people he refers to as Trackers. He manipulates them into a sick plot, where he tests their ability to figure out their role in something he refers to as The Game. Apparently, he has done this many times before, but he misjudged his last Tra
cker.”
Marge was confused, “How did he misjudge John? From what happened, it looks as if he was successful in his goal to destroy him.”
Tom shook his head, “but John was not his last Tracker, Mac was.”
Marge leaned forward in the chair, as she tried to comprehend what Tom had said, “Oh no, Mac was his last Tracker? So, is that why he has taken her too?”
“Yes, you see, Mac was the only Tracker to expose him for what he truly was, and I’m sure that it didn’t set well with him. I’m beginning to believe that John was only a ruse to get to Mac.”
Marge could tell that Tom was frightened. “So, what do you do now?”
“I don’t know. I guess we’ll just have to wait to hear from him again,” Tom chuckled, at the helplessness he felt when he had always been in control of things.
Marge sensed that he needed some time to sort out things. “I need to start a load of wash,” she smiled and then left the room.
Tom slammed his fist down on the desktop. “Come on, you asshole, let’s dance!”
***
“What are you two talking about?” John groaned as he strained to hear their whispers.
Erebus held his face close to hers. “Oh, nothing that concerns you, John. We were merely sharing a private moment between friends,” he laughed, when Mac pulled her face away from his.
“Leave her alone, or I’ll…,” John demanded, but he knew his threats were meaningless.
“Or you’ll what, John? You’re in no condition to make threats, and if I were you, I would save my strength because you are going to need it very soon.” He smiled, watching the look of fear return to Mac’s eyes.
Mac turned back and looked Erebus directly in the eyes, “What are you going to do to us?”
“Nothing, my dear, as I said, it will be John who will decide your fate,” he reached out a hand and lifted her chin so that he could see her entire face. “I have a request,” he asked, as he looked deeply into her eyes. “Would you please say my name – my given name?”
Mac found herself confused by this strange request. Why would he want her to call him by his real name? In all the times they had spoken, he had never treated her with anything close to sincere tenderness.
Why now, what’s different? She thought to herself, as he held her gaze. “Okay, what do you want me to say, Caleb?”
The strangest smile appeared on his face, one of joy, but also sadness. “Thank you, Lucinda; I haven’t heard my name spoken for many years.”
Mac looked at the man who had destroyed so many lives, and for a brief moment, she almost found herself feeling sorry for him.
“Maybe if you hadn’t killed everyone who ever cared for you, you would have someone to say your name,” she smiled, as she shot him a defiant look.
Erebus stepped back and shook his head, “Ever the fighter, aren’t you, Lucinda? I must say that I’m going to miss your spirit. You have always proven to be a pure delight, but alas, it’s time for the final move in our game.” With that statement, she felt a sharp pressure in her neck then darkness wrapped in around her.
***
Tom was still sitting at his desk when his cell phone rang. He looked at the incoming phone number and realized it was from Mac.
“Mac, are you all right?” However, hearing the voice on the other end turned Tom’s blood to ice.
“Hello, Tom, I know you would love to talk with Lucinda, but she’s a bit tied up at the moment.” He chuckled, as he envisioned the look of disappointment that was most assuredly was now on Tom’s face.
“What have you done with Mac and John? I swear if you hurt them, I will hunt you down and kill you myself!”
Erebus laughed, “Oh Tom, I promise that I won’t harm them, but I can’t promise that they will be returned to you alive. You see, their fate is in John’s hands, and how determined he is to survive.”
“What are you saying?” Tom felt his rage suddenly turn into fear.
“Why don’t you turn on your computer again, and go to the link I sent to you.”
Tom opened the email then he hit the link, but the image that appeared on the screen nearly stopped his heart dead in his chest. “Oh, my God, what have you done?”
The light shone down on the two figures seated in the middle of the room. They were bound to chairs, by the wrists and ankles except for the one on the right, who had one arm suspended in the air by a thin cable. The chairs were placed so the back of their heads were touching, and upon closer inspection, you could see the wire wrapped around their necks, which held their heads in place.
Tom felt his body become rigid, but what caused his breath to catch in his throat was the shotgun barrel sitting mere inches from John’s face. Tom could see the terror in their eyes, and he wondered how long they had been like that. He leaned close to the screen, “Crap, it’s set to fire if John drops his arm!”
He knew the effect a shotgun blast to the face would have from that distance, and he knew it would kill Mac as well.
“Damn, hold on, John,” Tom moaned, as he stared at the screen.
Tom looked down at his cell phone, and he saw that Erebus was still on the call. “Okay, what am I supposed to do now?” the anger was evident in his voice.
Erebus laughed, “It’s quite straightforward. You only need to get to them before Johns’s arm gives out. I have to admit he’s doing his best, not to put pressure on the trigger, but I don’t know how much longer he will be able to keep it up. You need to hurry, or our friends will meet a rather bloody end.”
“How do I know this isn’t a trick?” Tom knew Erebus never did anything without a reason.
“Are you saying that you don’t trust me? I thought we were past that in our relationship?” Erebus smirked.
“You are crazy, aren’t you? We don’t have a relationship, just as you don’t have one with John or Mac! Why are you doing this? Is this merely a sick game for you?” Tom hated how Erebus managed to get under his skin, and he understood why John had snapped.
“Easy Tom, you wouldn’t want to go and have a heart attack, now would you? John and Mac are depending on you to save them.” Erebus enjoyed the sound of fear in Tom’s voice. It was always a pleasure to reduce someone of his stature to the point of surrender.
“Fine, tell me what I need to do,” Tom sighed with frustration.
“That’s better, we need to be able to communicate clearly, or our friends could come to an untimely end,” Erebus snickered.
Oh, Tom, you have no idea what I have planned for you, Erebus thought to himself.
Tom swallowed before continuing, “You’re right; neither of us wants that. Tell me what I need to do.”
Erebus paused to enjoy this moment, “I want you to stand up and get your copy of ‘Crime and Punishment’ off the bookshelf behind your desk; inside you will find your instructions. Why don’t you activate your speaker phone, that way we can continue our conversation?”
Tom’s heart raced in his chest. He pushed the button for the speakerphone function then set the phone down on his desk. Next, he stood and reached for the book then he sat back down at his desk.
“Do you have the book yet?”
“Yes,” Tom groaned.
“Good, now remove the cover jacket.”
Tom did as instructed, and what he found inside surprised him. “I know where they are!” the excitement was apparent in his voice.
“Good, now hurry because I don’t know how much longer John can hold his arm in that position. We wouldn’t want him to give up before you get there,” Erebus chuckled.
Tom knew he was running out of time. “Don’t give up, John, I’m coming,” he grabbed his cell phone, shoved it into his pocket, and ran out to his car.
Erebus could not contain his joy. “Splendid, Tom, now hurry because I’m sure John’s arm must be getting tired.”
Chapter 19
“John, are you all right?” Mac’s head was pounding, as she tried to clear her vision. “I can’t move my hea
d.”
“I’m okay, but don’t struggle too much; you’ll cut yourself on the wire.”
Mac was not sure what he was referring to until she felt the sharp sensation across her throat. “Shit, are we tied together?”
“Yeah, so I would appreciate if you would hold still,” he tried to laugh, but the pressure of the wire on his throat was too painful. “We need to be careful how much we move, or the…,” he stopped in midsentence.
“Or what, is there something else I need to know?” Mac suddenly had a sickening feeling come over her. “Come on, John; don’t try to do this alone.”
John did not want to tell her, but he knew she had the right to know. “He has my right arm wired to the trigger of a shotgun with the end of the barrel about three inches from my face, and if I lower my arm, we will both die.”
The words struck Mac with such force that she found herself speechless for several moments. “Damn, how is your arm holding up?” She tried to make light of the situation, but her voice betrayed her.
“Well, it’s been better,” he chuckled.
Mac closed her eyes, trying to think of what they could do. “John, I’m sorry.”
“Sorry, what are you sorry for?”
“It’s my fault that he pulled you into this mess. If I had stopped him last time, none of this would be happening,” her voice cracked, as she fought to contain her tears.
“Don’t even think that way. I was the one who let my pride get the best of me. If I had followed my training, neither of us would be here. We both know how smart he is, so don’t you blame yourself for this, do you understand?”
“I know you’re right, I just never thought I would die like this,” she strained to speak.
“Yeah, I know what you mean. After I had killed Kathy, I wanted to die. I should’ve finished his damn move by taking my gun and ending it. I was about to do it when I heard Kathy’s voice beg me not to do it. I know it sounds crazy, but I knew it was her. She told me we would be together again, and that she would be waiting for me,” his voice cracked, with tears streaming down his cheeks.
Erebus Page 15