SARA WALKED INTO the building with a black sports bag hung over her shoulder. She's geared for sport, rubiing a towel on her sweaty face while breathing heavily. She opened her water bottle and drank from it.John and Gladiator crouched underneath the stairs, fully dressed and bent over a tablet. Studying faces. “Hey guys,” Sara called. John waved her over and Gladiator winked. “Did you boys spend the night under the stairs?” “Nah,” Gladiator shook his head. “We took turns playing watchman. Each managed a couple hours of sleep.” Sara glanced at John with an eyebrow raised in surprise. “You played watchman? That's a new one.” John laughed and stood up. “Check it out. There's something I need you both to do,” John gave the tablet to Sara. There were three guys portrait photographs and Sara scrolled through. “What's this about?”“Three of the men were present on the night Xavier shot me out a window. They're part of his loyal squad. Find them, and we can get information out of them.
Life isn't always smooth sailing, sometimes you need to stop and refuel and it's in those moments that you doubt yourself the most. Rita rushed across the parking lot, her heartbeat raced with her legs swinging back and forth while closing the distance between John. She grabbed onto John arm, panting and out of breath. “You should stay with your father, if you leave with me now... you may never see him again.”“N-No, I want to go with you.” John spinned and pinned Rita against the driver side of the car. No one could see them at that angle. “You've had your freedom in your grasp… you must be a fool to think that I'd show you mercy. We're still enemies.” John said with a deep growl. The parking lot was dark because they had spent the majority of the evening inside the restaurant.His hands were against her throat and she felt the air in her lungs giving out. She grabbed at his hair and pulled him close, tasting his breath on her tongue. “I’m in love with your strides… the hard
“John, you're wrong about Alice…” John shifted his gaze from the moon and glared at Sara for her statement. She was still a good distance from where he was leaning against the car but it felt like he would kill if she stood in front of him.“I-I… John… Please, just hear me out. There must have -” Sara trembled involuntarily that Gladiator held her waist to steady her “Get inside the car if you're done back there.” John cut her off and waved his hand to dismiss her. Gladiator frowned at his act and took a step forward but Sara stopped him with a raise of her hands while shaking her head. She gritted her teeth and tightened her fist. “I still have something to do.” She said and stomped away heading back in the direction of the boys. “Why would you say that to her? You know how much Alice means to her.” John nodded and used his free hand to grip Rita's butt because she was too close. Shocked by his brass attempt, Rita slapped his hand and distanced herself. Gladiator chuckled. John
The echoes of the man's feet as they hurried up the blocks, approaching the room, seemed to dig into his flesh. John could feel the sweat drop gather at the top of his brow, many parts of him felt like leaping out of control and launching savagely at Xavier's evil grin. John shook his head gently and smiled. “And what exactly makes you think I came here alone?” Xavier's brow furrowed and he brought the gun in his hand closer to Richard's head, pressing it firmly while looking out the window at the cars his men parked.“Whatever game you think you're trying to pull off won't work, lower the gun. Alice, take the gun from him.” Xavier yelled. “I can't do that…” she replied. Alice did not make an attempt to move because she was sure that with the cold gaze John directed at her she'll be dead before she can dislodge the gun. “With my men, you're surrounded… surrounded! Drop the gun and I'll give you a quick death.”“You actually believe that I'm surrounded, really look around, who do
“What is it that you're doing?” Melissa asked, crossing her legs and leaning into the driver side of her seat to get comfortable even though John had a gun to her head. “You think I'm here to joke around?” John growled and clicked off the gun's safety.Melissa turned sharply to face him, looking directly into his eyes.“There were cameras when you abducted me and in your famous car at that. Surely, you won't be so foolish as to assume that no one recognized the famous billionaire?” John chuckled. “Did I really kidnap you? I don't think you know much in the way of deception… no one there cares about your whereabouts because to them you're perfectly fine but you may not be if you keep testing my patience.” “I think you'll use the best of your time if you keep your eyes on the road. I won't want to be caught dead with you.” “Shut your mouth or I'll pull the trigger!” Melissa glared at John but otherwise kept silent while John floored the car till he arrived at a hideout west of La's
At a graveyard in Los Angeles where the sky was moonless and the Earth hardened beneath your feet. Jones slammed the hard edge of the shovel into the earth and threw out dirt. The headstoned above Jones as he bent down, going about the digging, spelled the name “Rick” This was his friend's resting place but he's been having a feeling that all wasn't right and there was something missing. Once he had gotten enough dirt out of the hole he forced open the coffin. A foul stench rocked into Jones so hard he shielded his nose with his elbow, gagging and trying not to throw-up the breakfast he had eaten. But, he had seen what he wanted and he wasn't sure how he was going to handle this news. Whoever was in the coffin was dead, he was very sure about that but it wasn't Rick. “Damn!” Jones groaned and slammed the coffin shut and climbed out the grave. “Alice” he whispered to himself. “What are you after?”The drive back to the Motel he rented was without drama, being an easy ride he showe
“Look around you, John.” Xavier shouted. “What do you see?” John looked around the empty factory building he had chosen with a few drops of water rolling off the ceilings and shoved Melissa’s forward. She stumbled forward and fell on her face. It agitated Xavier who raised his gun. John grinned. “You didn’t grace us with your men… I thought you never moved without a guard?” John asked with a grin. “You know what? This is like the first time we met. Now we’re here again in a slightly altered circumstance, making another deal. Isn’t that lovely?” John had bound Melissa’s mouth and the back of her hand. She struggled and tried to rush into Xavier’s arm, but John placed the cold end of his gun on her head. “Did you bring it with you?” John asked.Xavier raised a white nylon bag and brought out a couple of vials.“It’s more than enough and it’ll treat ten people.” “For your sake, let’s hope you’re right. How about we test it?” John asked and brought out a syringe filled with blood. A
Having dismissed Alice and Veronica, John allowed himself to slump into the hospital bed after he confirmed that the door was locked and secured. He raised his dress to reveal where a bullet had grazed him and was currently bleeding. Walking now, he staggered to a first aid box at the corner of the room and threw the contents and the bed, grabbing the neccesary items. Pouring the spirite content on his wound made him hiss and he had to grit his teeth from the sting. His phone flashed and a number displaying Jones names popped up. “Hey, I thought you wouldn't call!” John tried to sound normal and cheerful but having know John for long, Jones could catch the subtle hint in his voice. “What's wrong? What happened?” Jones enquired.“It's nothing serious, just a bullet scratch. Why do you sound so out of breath? Where are you?”“ I've been digging… graves. John you need to see this. It's serious and I'm not sure how to process this.” “Jones, where're you?”“I'm on the outskirt of tow