“To me, the thing that is worse than death is betrayal. You see, I could conceive death, but I could not conceive betrayal.”
-Malcolm X
Now…
Bane Stratus
“UGH,” I FEELas if I have been bludgeoned by a bat. I recall what has happened, and my body reacts like lightning. Jesse!
They took her. They came for me, thinking I let her go, and they took her instead. But why did they leave me alive? They had to know I would come for her. But that is probably what they are expecting.
Jesse is in grave danger. The people she is with are ruthless, one ounce of fight in her is a beacon calling to their demon. Knowing Jesse, she won’t go down without a fight. That fight is the ticking time bomb about to go off if I don’t get there in time.
I pull my cell phone out of my pocket and dial the one number I never thought I would contact. Not now, not ever. Theo.
Theo works for an elite company called The Guardians. There sole purpose is to rid the world of evil. You could say they are the vigilantes in this story. They tried to recruit me in prison, but The Elite got to me first, plus they had a better sells pitch. I was angry, I still am. I felt like the murderer I was being accused of. I ended myself long before Jesse ended her father. So, I chose the eviler of the two evils.
I didn’t find out until later Theo connection to Travis, but when I did I found that Theo interest in me had everything to do with Travis, than it did with me. He wanted him to recruit me, knowing soon, he would have to come for me if I didn’t. Plus, I had connections to Travis through Jesse, he hoped I would help him find him.
But I work for the people they are trying to stop. I kill to kill, I like watching the life escape my victim’s eyes. Why? Because, I was dead inside. Cold, ruthless, dead, no one could touch me. The only thing keeping me going is knowing I would find my revenge. Look how that turned out. Theo wants me dead, not for defying him, or choosing the other side. No, that would be to easy. He wants me dead because I represent everything he fights against. I am a psychopath killer, with no emotion, I am a bomb ready to explode. If he didn’t stop me, probably nobody would. But her.
Theo isn’t going to want to help me, but he will. If it means saving an innocent, and getting me, he will do it. I will make a deal with him. If he helps me save Jesse by allowing me to have full access to his resources, I will willingly give my life. Again. This time for good.
The phone rings in my ear, and the sound of rustling breaks the barrier.
“Who is this,” the rough voice of Theo rips through the phone. He sounds tired, and weak. I heard part of his story. I know that he is wheelchair bound. After his accident, he became the recruiter, the trainer, and the boss. He isn’t someone to fuck with. Not because he would kill you with his own hands, which he still could, but because he was a killer with a heart of gold. He had a soft spot for innocents. When you threaten the lives of people who don’t deserve the wrath of a psychopath, Theo would stop at nothing, I mean nothing, to save them. In his eyes I am the psychopath, and if he hears me out, my blood will be the price.
“Theo, how are your old man” I try to play it off as a friendly call. I am not someone to brown nose to get my way, but I am desperate.
“Bane,” he sounds surprised, off kilter, he never thought I would call him, at least he hasn’t hung up yet, but they could be tracing this call right now, so I better make it quick.
“I need your help.”
“Why would I help you?”
“Because, I am offering what you have wanted for years. My head. On a platter.”
The sound of his sputtering cackle assaults my ears, followed by a series of coughs, showing the signs of his old age.
“You don’t sound so good, old’ man, you might want to hear me out, or you will never be able to end this between the two of us.”
“I’m listening”
“I want access to all your resources, your men, your weapons, and your team.”
Knowing he would want to listen now, I prepare for the big finale. Theo believes Travis is dead, I know differently. He survived Marco, but Jesse is Theo only connection to Travis.
“They took Jesse. We have to find her, or she will be dead in twenty-four hours.”
✽ ✽ ✽
Then…
It’s morning, I have been here at least twenty-eight hours. Jesse is God knows where and there is nothing I can do about it. I should focus on this situation for now, but I will find her, I will get out of this, I just don’t know how. Yet.
The sound of the steel door opening, warrants my shoulders to tense, and my teeth to grind. I hate that sound. Then again, I guess it’s better than closing.
Two officers with their chest puffed out, and a stick up their ass glare in my direction. I am still handcuffed or I would flip them off, I never had a liking for the average authority figure, or anyone who thinks they can tell me what to do. I smirk, showing my arrogance, fuck these guys.
They both ignore my flippantness and take a seat across from me.
“Where is Jesse, I need to see her”
“I don’t think she will be coming to visit anytime soon, at least not here, but you will see her soon enough, at the trial”
“What trial”
Ignoring my question, he takes a sip of coffee, “why do you want to see the woman you kidnapped and planned to kill?”
What? Why does he think I want her dead? Kidnapped?
I consider his eyes and all seriousness is present. He isn’t joking, first, he thinks I killed Marco, and now he wants to make others believe I wanted her dead as well. That I kidnapped her? If only he knew, I am here for her. She isn’t going to go down for murder, not after everything that bastard did to her. He deserved death, and for that I will gladly take the charge, with a smile. However, I will not let them spin a story of attempted murder and kidnapping.
“Jesse Montgomery, the girl you kidnapped and brutalized, and made to watch you kill her father, that girl. That’s her story, one I am likely to believe.”
They wait for me to respond, to defend myself, but I say nothing. She wouldn’t say that. She wouldn’t lie. I stare blankly ahead, no need to incriminate myself or Jesse. This will all be sorted out once I get back to Ohio. I might be going to prison, but a betrayal of this magnitude, I’d rather be dead. She wouldn’t do that.
Right?