by C. A. Rene
“Yeah, I can see your point.” Vin agrees and continues to eat.
Last night when we got home from Marlana’s, he was still a little irked with me and took it out on my pretty little vagina, I can barely sit this morning. I shift a bit in my seat to distribute the pain a bit and catch Vin watching me. I narrow my eyes at him and flip him the bird. He chokes on his coffee and starts fisting his chest.
“What’s going on down here?” Adrianna comes into the kitchen with her mouth wide open on a yawn.
“Girl, that esophagus is large. I can see why the boys rave about it.” I say around a mouthful of Travis’ pancakes.
“E!” He chastises from the stove while chuckling.
“Fucking right.” Adrianna winks at me and sits down beside me.
I lean over and kiss her cheek then fill a plate with some pancakes for her. Adrianna is the sister I never had, the bond we share is strong and unbreakable. My life is hectic and filled with rage and blood, death and gore. She brings me equilibrium and balances out my crazy with calm energy. There’s absolutely no one that can replace Adri and what she does for me, I would lay down my life for hers in a heartbeat.
“What is the Black Slaughter going to do next?” She asks me.
“Kill Wilson McKay.” I grin at her.
“He was always a creep when we were kids.” She looks over at Travis. “Remember how he used to show up at the playground with popsicles and follow the kids around?”
“Did he have a lost puppy in a nondescript white van too?” I ask.
“Fuck, did the founding families all have a meeting and decide to only let in pervs?” Emmett growls.
The room falls silent after that as we all fall into deep thought, I love this town because my roots are deep here. I feel obligated to do what I can for it and make the future a brighter one for our children. For that alone, I would risk everything.
“E.” Travis breaks the silence. “Emmett and I are going to take a trip out to the storage unit today. Is that cool?”
“Yeah.” I nod. “Let me know if you find anything worthwhile.”
Once I can get away, I hide out in my office and go over the files I found in Carm’s office again. I can’t tell if what I’m reading is complete truth and there's no way to fact check it. Government files are tricky like that.
I decide to call him while I have this plan for Marlana fresh in my head.
“Hermanita, what can I do for you?”
“Hey Carm, I have a girl here who’s troubled with no family and in need of some strict life regimens. Can you take her?”
“Are you speaking about yourself?” He asks, his voice laced with humour.
“Har, Har, Har.” I roll my eyes.
“She has classic Daddy issues and needs regular spankings?”
“Ew.” I gag. “Stop, you’re not allowed to fuck her because I hate her but I want to help her become something better...make sense?”
“Not even a little bit, Loca.”
“Okay, thank you. I’ll tell her to get her shit together.” I smile.
“Fine. Send her here, we’ll straighten her out.”
“I also have a few pictures I want to send you and see if you recognize them at all. They might have had some affiliation with the Rampage at some point.”
“No problemo.” He says.
“Gracias, Hermano.”
“Te amo. I will speak to you soon.”
“Bye.”
We hang up and I stay there staring at my phone. Carm is the perfect older brother, protective and relenting for his baby sister. He gives me everything I ask for and makes sure to chase behind me to clean up my messes. Our relationship started out strained but I like where we’ve ended up.
I grab the two photos I have of my grandparents and spread them out on the desk. I hover my phone over the photos and take a series of pictures to send to Carm. I really hope we catch a break and find out what really happened to them.
Me: These are the photos, I need to know if you recognize the people in these pictures.
He doesn’t respond and I go back to looking over the file. I’m at war with myself over the information it provides, I want to be completely unbiased while reading it but that’s just impossible, Carm is my big brother. If what I’m reading is true, then everything I thought I knew will be out the window.
“There will be firefighters inside all day and night.” Vin says as he looks over my Black Slaughter face. “How do you plan to get him alone?”
“That’s why you’re here.” I grin at him.
“I knew it.” He mutters and I roll my eyes.
“I’ve scoped the place out and there’s an easy accessible entrance in the back used by the contractors when they’re working. It’s right beside his truck which makes everything simple. I will need to go through that way and after seeing the building plans from our city’s website, I know where his office is.” I rub my hands together and smile. “I just need you to meander up to the front and strike up a conversation about the construction and what not.”
“Sounds easy enough, but what if they don’t want to fucking talk to me?”
“Baby, you’re an actor.” I deadpan. “Act some shit out.”
“That pussy will be destroyed tonight.” He growls as he gets out.
I squeal as the insatiable bitch throbs at his words. Looks like sitting will be impossible tomorrow, too.
I watch as he walks around the firehall to the front and then I hop out of the Hummer. I scouted out the cameras a few nights ago and noticed the back only has one aimed towards the door. It’s an old style camera, as big as a fucking brick and sticks out of the wall. I strategically placed four large stones in the hedges for tonight. I’ve always had good aim and all I really have to do is hit it until it swings away from the door or even better, take it out completely.
My first rock nicks the edge of the camera and it bends, pointing closer to the door. The next one does the trick and the camera stem snaps, leaving it swinging against the wall. I hurry over to the door and turn the knob, it’s locked but it’s one of those old school knob only locks and the fucking thing is ancient. Besides, no one wants to break into a fire station filled with firefighters day and night. Except for me, I want to do that.
The third rock is in my hand and I slam it down onto the knob and breathe a sigh of relief as the thing just pops off, leaving the door to swing outwards. The corridor inside is empty and I can hear a TV on in the background. I send a quick text to Vin letting him know I’m in and head off in the direction of the chief's office. I can’t be sure he went outside to talk to Vin and I also can’t be sure there aren’t others chilling around here, so I take my time and slowly peruse the offices until I come upon the one belonging to him. It’s empty and luckily his laptop sits chilling on top of his desk. Beside it is a nice looking customized Zippo with his name on it. So, naturally I pocket that.
I slip into the attached bathroom and wait. A few minutes later my phone vibrates.
Vin: He’s coming back now. I will meet you at the spot.
My stomach swirls in anticipation and the need to watch this man die has my blood thrumming. After McKay is done, my concentration will be solely on Moore and how to get him alone to be tortured.
I hear his office door shut and his groan as he sits in his chair. I wait a few minutes, collect my bearings, and prepare my mind for what’s to come. Yes, killing is easy, I’m not bothered by watching someone die at my hand when I know they’re deserving, it’s the weight of what I’ve done afterward. Carrying the dead with you is heavy lifting and something I will carry until I die.
I hear snores filter through into the bathroom and roll my eyes at this man’s audacity. He’s in here sleeping while his men are trying to stay alert for their night shifts. This is the most opportune time as any so I slip out of the bathroom and quickly move into the office. He has his legs propped up on the desk and his hands are crossed across hi
s stomach.
I head over to his desk and lean against the wood right beside his chair. Yes, this would be so easy if I decided to just slit his throat while he slept, but that’s not the plan.
I thrum my fingers along his desk and wait for him to rouse. He sleeps lightly because at the soft sound of my fingers, he bolts upright in his chair. Must be helpful when he has to pretend to be awake at a moment's notice.
His eyes meet mine and they widen with surprise but then dim with reservation. McKay knew I was coming for him and he either has accepted his fate or feels he can get out of it. I’m excited to find out which one it is.
“I knew you’d show up sooner rather than later.” He says calmly.
I don’t answer him and continue to thrum my fingers on his desk. His eyes watch the movement and his body is stiff with tension.
“How are you going to try this?” He asks. Try this? This man doesn’t know a damn thing. I don’t try anything, once I decide to kill someone it’s done. Except for Carlos, I’ll always regret not hanging that fucker by his neck.
“Wilson.” I say calmly as I look him directly in the eyes. “I appreciate what you did with the Halbert situation. That cover up was well done.”
“It was that or have everything blown up for the public’s viewing pleasure.”
“And we wouldn’t want that would we?” I taunt him. “Nobody should ever find out that Fire Chief Wilson McKay watched their little boys and girls. Brings them treats at the park and invites them to look for his lost puppy.”
“Lost puppy?” He looks at me with confusion.
“Listen,” I walk around his desk and stand in front of him. "I'm going to be straight with you. I know the shit you're doing, I know your preference for young children, and I know you are corrupt as fuck. You took money to cover up Halbert's horrific death."
"You did that." He looks at me with wide eyes.
"Yes, I did do that. I cut off the one thing that controlled him and you covered that up. As long as the money is right, you will deceive anyone. As long as the money is right, you will hurt children or watch them being hurt."
"I don't participate in anything to do with children, yes if the money is right I will fib on cause of death or fire." He leans on the desk and looks me in the eyes. "I was part of the department when your grandparents car was found completely burned."
I know this already and I was hoping he would bring it up. "Oh?"
"Funny one, that." He leans back in his seat. "To me, it looked like arson through and through but for some reason the Fire Chief then marked it as an engine combustion."
"There should be some official reports about it around here huh?"
"Let's say there is," he pinches the hair on his chin. "Would that make you disappear?"
"No." I answer honestly. "I live here, I'm not going anywhere."
"Would you back off of me?" He asks.
"No, but I would give you a chance to make things right."
"How so?"
"By telling me about the corruption in the force and with Moore. By leading me in the direction I need to go to cleanse out the rot in Whitsborough. And then, you yourself would have to change."
He gets up from his chair and I slip my hand in my hoodie pocket to run my fingers along my knife.
I follow him down the hall and into an old filing room.
"You came just in time, a lot of these closed cases will be destroyed in a few days." He looks back at me like I'm so lucky. Fuck off, I knew this already.
"Here we go." He pulls out an old banker's box and hands it to me. It's light and I grin as I think about how much information is in here. Obviously, bypassing all lies.
I follow him back out into the hallway and place the box by the exit door. Then I follow him back and into his office, closing the door behind me.
"Moore is tricky and no real friend of mine." He states as he sits back down. It's funny how fast they turn on their friends when their lives are on the line. "He was always in with the likes of Halbert and Greene. Those parties they held, the meetings in the basement of the town hall just weren't my thing. I don't know what you heard but I'm not into children and I don't rape women."
Right.
"I went because it was better than being viewed as against them. They would come here-much like yourself-and threaten me or worse." He continues. "I did whatever it took to keep them off my back."
"Did you recruit children?"
"I was asked to but never fulfilled my end of that bargain."
Yeah right.
"Did you participate in the rapes at all?" I ask him.
"Only when Tonya provided her prostitute friends and they were always willing."
Liar.
"Halbert and Greene were the sick ones, Moore and Cox like to watch, and I show up to keep my position."
Pants on fire.
"I see." I nod.
"How can we keep this relationship going? Do you want me to tell you when Moore has a cover up? We don't have anymore meetings since you killed most of the members."
Boo hoo.
I go back to leaning in front of him against his desk. He's searching my face-most likely trying to see the features under the makeup-to see what I'm deciding and I can't keep this farce up any longer.
"You have your mother's exact eye colour. She was beautiful and I was always a little bit in love with her until she became rebellious."
"Rebellious?"
"You know," he waves his hand around. "She became a little more free with who she slept with."
Oh, he means raped. She became a little more raped, by his friends no less.
"Mmm." I nod along.
"Debra was the quieter one, always been with Scott, but your mother was a spitfire. She was always getting into some sort of trouble, a wild one."
"Those wild ones." I tsk as I shake my head.
"Trouble tends to find them." He nods.
I want this to be a bloody death, one that I could get my regular high from but I know I can't. Moore is on my tail and he's ready to jump me for even the smallest infraction.
“I’ll see you around, McKay.” I head to the office door and look back at him. “Thanks for being so honest.”
“You betcha.” He nods like the slime he is.
On my way out, I grab the box and lay it just outside the door. Then I make my way over to McKay’s truck and proceed to douse it with the gas Vin brought here for me. I hear him walking up and he begins to help me throw the gas all over too.
“What’s in the box?’ He asks me.
“Official papers on my grandparents’ death, McKay was nice enough to give them in exchange for his life.”
"Interesting."
After the truck is thoroughly saturated we go back to the SUV and drop off the banker's box and wait for McKay to leave the firehall. His first mistake? Parking his newer model truck in the back alone without any other vehicles around. All the other firefighters park in the designated area to the side of the building. Second? Trusting that I would let him live after the blood of his friends have soaked my hands.
"After this, it's on to Moore and then Talia." I murmur to Vin.
"Then I can marry you in peace and put some babies in you."
"You're serious about this marriage thing." I look at him. We're young and I guess I always thought marriage would happen when we were at least thirty.
"As a heart attack." His face shows his love as he looks into mine.
"I'd kiss you but I don't want to mess up your face with this makeup." I whisper.
"Later." He grins.
I nod and go back to the truck that reeks of gasoline. I wait around the corner of the building for the man himself to get the fuck out here. I want to get home and read what's in that box, then I need to call Carm.
The door finally squeaks open and I watch as he looks down at the broken knob with a shake of his head. I hear the beep of him unlocking the truck
and he saunters up to it like he doesn't have a single worry in the world. Like he lives a life of good intentions. I watch him as he stops in front of the driver's side door and smells the gasoline.
"What the hell?" I hear him mutter and he looks around.
I bet the gas smells fucking strong and his heart is beating out of his chest as he tries to figure out what is going on. The thought brings a smile to my face and my own heart jumps in response. This is my favourite part of the hunt, the pounce and kill. The feeling of achievement when I watch a devious life being expunged and sent back to Hell.
I'll see you there, McKay.
He opens the truck door to smell inside and I run up behind him. I grab a handful of hair on the back of his head and slam it against the side of his truck. The crunch of cartilage and his grunt of pain washes over me and I feel that familiar swirl of red hot anger begin to move inside me.
With his head still firmly in my grasp, I give him a good shove into the cab of his truck and tuck his legs in before closing the door. Vin opens the passenger side and clocks him once more, effectively knocking him out.
We both back away from the truck and I flip open the fancy Zippo. Seems fitting. I flick open the flame and stare into its orange-yellow depths, then I fling it over and into the bed of the truck. It instantly ignites and we stand there transfixed by the towering flames. We begin to walk backwards towards the Hummer when the gas tank explodes causing the bed of the truck to buckle and the windows to shatter. The cab is an inferno of flame and the heat radiating from the truck can be seen stretching higher than the fire hall.
We get to the Hummer just as the firefighters burst through the back door. They scramble around the truck trying to see inside but the flame is too much. I watch as a few come out with a hose but I know McKay is long gone.
"Trouble doesn't just find the wild ones, it hunts the evil ones, too." I whisper.
16
I've showered twice but the stench of gasoline and smoke won't leave my skin. There has been no report on the news about McKay and we suspect that maybe Moore is suppressing it for now. He doesn't want the town reacting in hysterics with the overwhelming death toll this year. Especially to their upstanding citizens.
