Post by Zak Warner on Aug 1, 2007 0:51:41 GMT -5
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Life is chronically unpredictable. It doesn't get stale because nobody knows what's going to happen next, least of all us. - Humphrey Lyttelton
As nighttime crept up the streets of New Jersey, the street is filled with people out cavorting. A celebration is occurring for reasons unknown. As the laughter fills the air, one man sits at his hotel window, looking out at the streets below. He doesn’t blink, and his gaze never falters. He just stares out at the moonlit city, with eyes that are glazed with thought.
The thoughts running through his mind were thoughts of the past, present, and future. He thought of his childhood, of growing up without his parents. He thought of his first love, and how it felt to have her torn from his life. He thought of the man named Gio, and the information that he held. Yet all of those thoughts paled in comparison, to the thoughts of the young woman lying in his bed, peacefully slumbering. He had only spent this single, solitary night with her, yet to him it seemed like a lifetime.
“Zak, are you ok?” came a quiet voice from the bed.
“Of course I am.” replied Zak, his voice heavy with sarcasm. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Well come back to bed, I can make it all better.” she said, with a seductive tone in her voice, just begging for him to return to her.
“Typical female solution.” thought Warner to himself, as a smile crept across his face. “Not right now, I have some business that needs tending to.” he said out loud, trying to mask the emotional confusion that was creeping along inside his head.
He stands up and pulls a grey hooded sweatshirt over his head. As he walks out into the night, the cold air bites at his face, and the wind stings his eyes. He pulls the hood over his head, and quickens his pace. As he makes his way down the streets of Downtown Jersey, people bump into him left and right. They are the loud, ignorant, drunk breed of people, the kind that would normally set Zak off into a fit of rage. Yet on this night, he brushes past them without a second glance.
As the temperature slowly drops, Zak finally reaches his destination. He walks through the cemetery gates, and makes his way towards the rear. In his left hand, he holds a single white rose. As he reaches the gravesite he was searching for, he drops to both knees. He places a hand on the marble in front of him, and runs his fingers across the name “Raena Pellichet” that is carved into the center. As he sits there, staring at the dirt below, the tears start to flow.
”I miss you so much baby.” he says, as the words are spoken in between his sobs. The tears are flowing freely now, as he makes no effort to control them. “You will always be a part of my life. You will always have a special place in my heart, that will never be replaced. As much as I miss you, I think that I need to move on.”
He stands up, and wipes the tears from his eyes. As he looks up to the sky, as if trying to make eye contact with his lost love one last time, he lets the rose fall from his hand. It hits the dirt, and bounces ever so slightly.
”I will never forget you, and what you did for me." he whispers, as the words barely escape his lips. “I just know that it is time for me to finally move on and experience what the world has to offer.”
With one final skyward glance, he exits the cemetery. Inside, he feels that by leaving the rose on her grave, he was leaving his old life behind. To him, the rose symbolized all of the pain and heartache that his old life gave him. In leaving the rose to decompose into the earth, he was allowing himself to be reborn, to start anew.
As he makes his way back to the hotel, it begins to rain. It is as if God himself is crying for both Zak and Raena. He stands in the middle of the sidewalk, and lets the rain pour down onto him. As the rain drips down his face, he realizes that he has the chance to start all over. He now has the chance to find out who he truly is.
Finally, he arrives back at the hotel. He walks quietly into his room, so not to disturb Samantha, who is sleeping peacefully. He goes into the bathroom, and dries himself off. He glances into the mirror, and sees a new man. He sees someone who is aching for the truth, and wants to be able to love once again. He smiles at his reflection one last time, and climbs into the bed, placing his arm across the sleeping woman next to him. As he slowly drifts into a peaceful slumber, his mind wanders to Gio, and their impending meeting. It’s as if it is a date with destiny.
As the night gives way to the morning, the sunlight creeps through the open curtain, and onto the two young lovers still enjoying the blissfulness of sleep. She has no idea of the events that transpired the night before, and he has no intention of telling her.
“Good morning beautiful.” said Zak, rolling over and kissing her softly on her forehead. “Did you get enough sleep last night?”
“Of course I did. What time did you get back last night?” she replied, with just a hint of curiosity in her voice.
“I’m not even sure, around 2:30 I think”
“I didn’t even hear you come back in, that’s why I asked. Is everything ok?”
“Of course, don’t worry about it. I had some personal issues I needed to take care of.”
As he lay there, holding her body close to his, he felt a slight pang of guilt, for he hated the fact that he was incapable of opening up completely, but he quickly pushed it aside. They lay together, her head resting on his chest. Neither of them speaks, fearing that it would ruin the moment. Suddenly, the sharp tone of a cell phone breaks the silence. Warner reaches over to the dresser, and flips the phone open. He instantly recognizes the number.
”Hello Gio, something I can help you with?”
”As a matter of fact, there is.” replies Gio, his voice sharp and angry. “You can get to the diner down the street in fifteen minutes.”
“Make it twenty minutes, and I will be there”
”Fine, but don’t be late, there are many things that we need to discuss.”
Warner closes the phone, and hops out of the bed. He climbs into the shower, and quickly cleans himself up. As he gets dressed, he can’t help but notice Samantha. She has fallen back asleep with the smallest of grins on her face.
“Had a business meeting, will be back as soon as I can. Take advantage of room service.” wrote Zak, as he stuck the note to the bathroom mirror.
Outside, it is still raining as he exits the hotel and begins to walk to the diner. On the way there, he is approached by a few people, asking him for autographs. For once, he obliges and signs a few. He glances at his watch, and sees that he has 3 minutes to get to the diner. He takes off sprinting, and arrives out of breath. Gio is outside, standing with his arms crossed.
”You’re late.” Gio sneered, with a slight grin forming across his face. “What part of don’t be late, can you not get through that thick skull of yours?”
Before Zak can respond, a slight trickle of laughter escapes Gio’s mouth. He breaks out into a huge smile, and embraces Zak with a hug, one full of regret and love.
“Let us go inside, there is so much I need to say, and I am sure that you are full of questions.”
The two men walk up the stairs, and into the diner. As they enter, Zak is immediately swarmed by fans, clamoring for his autograph, a picture, or even a handshake. As they try to force their way through the mob, the waitress motions to them, and leads them to a private room in the back. They sit down, and both order the daily special and coffee. The two men sit in silence, each one waiting for the other to speak.
“So let me get this straight,” said Zak, finally breaking the awkward silence between the two men “I was adopted?”
”Not exactly adopted.” replied Gio, emphasizing the word adopted with such disdain. “You were basically forced into the Warner household. They were a young couple, and I thought that they would take care of you and raise you the way you should be raised. I didn’t know that they would one day become involved with us.”
”When you say Us, you mean the mafia, right?”
”Yes, that is exactly what I mean. They were the ones responsible for the death of your real parents, and they thought you had perished in the accident as well. I had your name changed, and thought that you had managed to escape this hell.”
”So how did Cody not know that I was his brother?”
”Everyone thought you had died. The accident happened when you were only a baby, so once you grew up nobody could tell that you were the child once known as Damien.”
”If my last name is Kist that means that my brother is Tristan. The EPW superstar Tristan Kist? I thought I recognized him.”
”Yes, Tristan is your brother. Maybe one day you two will be able to form a bond that will help you through times, both good and bad.”
As the words slowly sunk into his head, Zak couldn’t do anything but sit there and stare blankly at the wall. It was the same glassy stare that he had the night before. One that is his way of blocking out all sounds but those that he wants to hear.
“Your phone is ringing.” said Gio, snapping Warner out of the trance.
”Hello, who is this?” snapped Zak, obviously irritated by the interruption. “Really? I’ll be there as soon as I can.” he said, his demeanor quickly changing.
”Is everything ok?”
”I have to cut this little reunion short. I have something that needs my immediate attention.” replied Zak, his voice filled with a mixture of anger and panic.
He doesn’t even wait for a response, as he sprints out of the room, and through the crowd of people waiting for him. He makes his way back to the hotel, and Samantha is already dressed and waiting for him next to her car. They both hop in, and she takes off speeding down the empty streets.
As the speed down the highway, she fills him in on all the details. Apparently, while he was at breakfast, two men showed up looking for him. They left a note, which she then read over the phone when she called him during his meeting with Gio.
”I don’t know if you will get this, or if there is anything you can do. I have been taken by two men, for some reason. I could only write this short note, hopefully you can help me. They said something about you beating their cousin at the event. Please help me.”
The note was from his friend Dylan. These men somehow knew about his connection to Warner, and took it upon themselves to extract revenge for the vicious beating that Zak inflicted on Brandon Pearl a couple of nights ago. In order to find out who these men are, there is only one man that Zak can go to. He flips open his phone, and dials the only number that he can think of.
“Cody, it’s me Zak. I need your help, are you still at the office? Good, I will be there in ten minutes.”
He hangs up, and Samantha accelerates up to the mid 60’s. The rain has stopped, and she slides the sunroof open. The cool air rushes throughout the car, sending a chill up his spine. As they pull up to the building, he can’t help but think to the previous night; to the moment that he burst into the room and saw three pairs of eyes looking at him.
He exits the car, and tells Samantha to wait for him. He walks into the building, and heads straight for Cody’s office. The door is open, and he has no hesitation as he enters.
“Before you say anything, I already know why you are here, and I’ve got my men finding out all the information they can.”
Zak was stunned by this bit of information. He knew Cody was efficient, but it never occurred to him how efficient he could be. He wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that they could be related.
”I need to know everything I can about the men that took him.” said Zak, his voiced layered with anger and desperation.
”Don’t forget, you still work for me, and will do what I say. Just because my uncle claims that you are my brother, doesn’t change that. Until I have proof, you are still Zak Warner, no more, no less.”
”Right now, I don’t care about being related to you. I could care less if that is the truth. All I care about is making sure my friend is ok.”
As he waits patiently, Cody’s cell phone goes off. As he walks into the hallway, Zak can do nothing but sit and wait for the information. As he reclines in the leather chair, his mind starts to wander to the previous night. He begins to think about Samantha, and the intimate moments that they shared. He hadn’t been able to experience anything like that since Raena had been murdered. He had tried many times, but no female had been anywhere near satisfactory. That all changed last night, as he felt that she was the one that could change his life, change his emotional state of mind.
“Are you ready to take care of business?” says Cody, as he walked back into the room. “My men found where they are holding your friend, but I told them not to make a move until I talked to you.”
”Leave it to me; I can take care of this on my own.”
Before he can leave, Cody writes a few things down on a piece of paper, and hands it to Warner. As he looks over the sheet, Cody walks over to him and places his hand on Zak’s shoulder.
“Be careful, these guys aren’t like anyone you have gone after before. These guys know what they are doing.” As Cody speaks, it seems as though he is worried a bit. It is as if he is finally showing that he has a spark of compassion inside of him.
As both men exit the building, Cody hands his brother a canvas bag. As they reach Samantha’s car, they give each other one last glance. Cody walks off down the street, while Zak climbs back into the car. As they go speeding off, he gives Samantha the directions. As Sam weaves in and out of traffic, Zak opens up the bag. Inside, he finds a loaded .45, with a note wrapped around it. He read the note, and put it in his pocket. As they pull up to the apartment, he leans over and gives her a kiss.
”Keep the car running, and be ready to drive.” says Zak, his voice taking on a much more serious tone. “If you hear me tell you to leave, don’t ask questions, don’t hesitate, just go.
She nods her head in agreement, and he steps out of the car. He pulls the note out of his pocket, and gives it one last glance. He folds it up, and places it into his back pocket. He takes a deep breath, and makes his way to the door.
He knocks on the door and waits, but there is no answer. He knocks again, and he can hear the faint sounds of voices inside. He hesitates, and then kicks down the door. He is met with gunfire, and he rolls to the side ducking behind a couch. As the two men on the other side of the room pause to reload, Warner springs up and fires of a few shots. The first few shots miss entirely, but then luck smiles down on Zak. His next shot catches one of the men square in the kneecap. The man crumples to the ground, screaming and writhing in pain. The second man hesitates just slightly, distracted by his partners screaming, and that is just enough time for Zak to empty three shots directly into his forehead.
As the dust settles, Warner walks over to the man on the ground. Blood is gushing out of the wound and the man is screaming in agony. Warner ponders his options, and then he raises his gun and places the barrel of the .45 squarely between his eyes.
"Please sir, show some mercy. I was only following orders, I had no idea it was to hurt you."
"After seeing what has transpired here, you really think I would let you walk out of here?" A sick grin creeps across his face. [“God must be smiling down on you today, because he sent me to be merciful, to ease your pain.”
He fires off a single shot that instantly puts the man out of his misery. He walks over to his friend, who is tied to a chair. He pulls the gag out of his mouth, and throws it to the ground.
“Thank GOD that you got my message. I was worried that you wouldn’t, and that I would be stuck here.”
“Like I always said, I would do whatever I could to help you, as long as it was within my power. I just hope that one day I can be forgiven for what I have to do.”
As the words leave his mouth, a single tear drips down his face. He raises the gun and fires the rest of the clip into the chest of his childhood friend. The impact from the bullets sends the chair tumbling backwards.
“Why….why did you do this?” whimpered Dylan, as the life slowly drained out of his body.
Zak reaches into his back pocket, and pulls out the note. He unfolds it, and reads it out loud. As he starts, he can hear Cody’s voice reading it, as if he were standing right next to him.
“In order to fully accept the truth, you need to completely let go of the past. Once the two men are taken care of, eliminate Dylan. He is just part of the lies, part of the fallacy called your childhood. Let go of the past, and the future will open up before you.”
Warner walks out of the house, without a second glance. He climbs into the car, and watches as the house disappears in the rearview mirror. Surprisingly, he felt no remorse for what he had just done. Maybe Cody was right, maybe this was what he needed. As they drove off into the sunset, the two young lovers interlock their fingers, and smile. Only they know what lies ahead, and they are prepared to face it head on.
Life is chronically unpredictable. It doesn't get stale because nobody knows what's going to happen next, least of all us. - Humphrey Lyttelton
Part 5
A Life Reborn
As nighttime crept up the streets of New Jersey, the street is filled with people out cavorting. A celebration is occurring for reasons unknown. As the laughter fills the air, one man sits at his hotel window, looking out at the streets below. He doesn’t blink, and his gaze never falters. He just stares out at the moonlit city, with eyes that are glazed with thought.
The thoughts running through his mind were thoughts of the past, present, and future. He thought of his childhood, of growing up without his parents. He thought of his first love, and how it felt to have her torn from his life. He thought of the man named Gio, and the information that he held. Yet all of those thoughts paled in comparison, to the thoughts of the young woman lying in his bed, peacefully slumbering. He had only spent this single, solitary night with her, yet to him it seemed like a lifetime.
“Zak, are you ok?” came a quiet voice from the bed.
“Of course I am.” replied Zak, his voice heavy with sarcasm. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Well come back to bed, I can make it all better.” she said, with a seductive tone in her voice, just begging for him to return to her.
“Typical female solution.” thought Warner to himself, as a smile crept across his face. “Not right now, I have some business that needs tending to.” he said out loud, trying to mask the emotional confusion that was creeping along inside his head.
He stands up and pulls a grey hooded sweatshirt over his head. As he walks out into the night, the cold air bites at his face, and the wind stings his eyes. He pulls the hood over his head, and quickens his pace. As he makes his way down the streets of Downtown Jersey, people bump into him left and right. They are the loud, ignorant, drunk breed of people, the kind that would normally set Zak off into a fit of rage. Yet on this night, he brushes past them without a second glance.
As the temperature slowly drops, Zak finally reaches his destination. He walks through the cemetery gates, and makes his way towards the rear. In his left hand, he holds a single white rose. As he reaches the gravesite he was searching for, he drops to both knees. He places a hand on the marble in front of him, and runs his fingers across the name “Raena Pellichet” that is carved into the center. As he sits there, staring at the dirt below, the tears start to flow.
”I miss you so much baby.” he says, as the words are spoken in between his sobs. The tears are flowing freely now, as he makes no effort to control them. “You will always be a part of my life. You will always have a special place in my heart, that will never be replaced. As much as I miss you, I think that I need to move on.”
He stands up, and wipes the tears from his eyes. As he looks up to the sky, as if trying to make eye contact with his lost love one last time, he lets the rose fall from his hand. It hits the dirt, and bounces ever so slightly.
”I will never forget you, and what you did for me." he whispers, as the words barely escape his lips. “I just know that it is time for me to finally move on and experience what the world has to offer.”
With one final skyward glance, he exits the cemetery. Inside, he feels that by leaving the rose on her grave, he was leaving his old life behind. To him, the rose symbolized all of the pain and heartache that his old life gave him. In leaving the rose to decompose into the earth, he was allowing himself to be reborn, to start anew.
As he makes his way back to the hotel, it begins to rain. It is as if God himself is crying for both Zak and Raena. He stands in the middle of the sidewalk, and lets the rain pour down onto him. As the rain drips down his face, he realizes that he has the chance to start all over. He now has the chance to find out who he truly is.
Finally, he arrives back at the hotel. He walks quietly into his room, so not to disturb Samantha, who is sleeping peacefully. He goes into the bathroom, and dries himself off. He glances into the mirror, and sees a new man. He sees someone who is aching for the truth, and wants to be able to love once again. He smiles at his reflection one last time, and climbs into the bed, placing his arm across the sleeping woman next to him. As he slowly drifts into a peaceful slumber, his mind wanders to Gio, and their impending meeting. It’s as if it is a date with destiny.
As the night gives way to the morning, the sunlight creeps through the open curtain, and onto the two young lovers still enjoying the blissfulness of sleep. She has no idea of the events that transpired the night before, and he has no intention of telling her.
“Good morning beautiful.” said Zak, rolling over and kissing her softly on her forehead. “Did you get enough sleep last night?”
“Of course I did. What time did you get back last night?” she replied, with just a hint of curiosity in her voice.
“I’m not even sure, around 2:30 I think”
“I didn’t even hear you come back in, that’s why I asked. Is everything ok?”
“Of course, don’t worry about it. I had some personal issues I needed to take care of.”
As he lay there, holding her body close to his, he felt a slight pang of guilt, for he hated the fact that he was incapable of opening up completely, but he quickly pushed it aside. They lay together, her head resting on his chest. Neither of them speaks, fearing that it would ruin the moment. Suddenly, the sharp tone of a cell phone breaks the silence. Warner reaches over to the dresser, and flips the phone open. He instantly recognizes the number.
”Hello Gio, something I can help you with?”
”As a matter of fact, there is.” replies Gio, his voice sharp and angry. “You can get to the diner down the street in fifteen minutes.”
“Make it twenty minutes, and I will be there”
”Fine, but don’t be late, there are many things that we need to discuss.”
Warner closes the phone, and hops out of the bed. He climbs into the shower, and quickly cleans himself up. As he gets dressed, he can’t help but notice Samantha. She has fallen back asleep with the smallest of grins on her face.
“Had a business meeting, will be back as soon as I can. Take advantage of room service.” wrote Zak, as he stuck the note to the bathroom mirror.
Outside, it is still raining as he exits the hotel and begins to walk to the diner. On the way there, he is approached by a few people, asking him for autographs. For once, he obliges and signs a few. He glances at his watch, and sees that he has 3 minutes to get to the diner. He takes off sprinting, and arrives out of breath. Gio is outside, standing with his arms crossed.
”You’re late.” Gio sneered, with a slight grin forming across his face. “What part of don’t be late, can you not get through that thick skull of yours?”
Before Zak can respond, a slight trickle of laughter escapes Gio’s mouth. He breaks out into a huge smile, and embraces Zak with a hug, one full of regret and love.
“Let us go inside, there is so much I need to say, and I am sure that you are full of questions.”
The two men walk up the stairs, and into the diner. As they enter, Zak is immediately swarmed by fans, clamoring for his autograph, a picture, or even a handshake. As they try to force their way through the mob, the waitress motions to them, and leads them to a private room in the back. They sit down, and both order the daily special and coffee. The two men sit in silence, each one waiting for the other to speak.
“So let me get this straight,” said Zak, finally breaking the awkward silence between the two men “I was adopted?”
”Not exactly adopted.” replied Gio, emphasizing the word adopted with such disdain. “You were basically forced into the Warner household. They were a young couple, and I thought that they would take care of you and raise you the way you should be raised. I didn’t know that they would one day become involved with us.”
”When you say Us, you mean the mafia, right?”
”Yes, that is exactly what I mean. They were the ones responsible for the death of your real parents, and they thought you had perished in the accident as well. I had your name changed, and thought that you had managed to escape this hell.”
”So how did Cody not know that I was his brother?”
”Everyone thought you had died. The accident happened when you were only a baby, so once you grew up nobody could tell that you were the child once known as Damien.”
”If my last name is Kist that means that my brother is Tristan. The EPW superstar Tristan Kist? I thought I recognized him.”
”Yes, Tristan is your brother. Maybe one day you two will be able to form a bond that will help you through times, both good and bad.”
As the words slowly sunk into his head, Zak couldn’t do anything but sit there and stare blankly at the wall. It was the same glassy stare that he had the night before. One that is his way of blocking out all sounds but those that he wants to hear.
“Your phone is ringing.” said Gio, snapping Warner out of the trance.
”Hello, who is this?” snapped Zak, obviously irritated by the interruption. “Really? I’ll be there as soon as I can.” he said, his demeanor quickly changing.
”Is everything ok?”
”I have to cut this little reunion short. I have something that needs my immediate attention.” replied Zak, his voice filled with a mixture of anger and panic.
He doesn’t even wait for a response, as he sprints out of the room, and through the crowd of people waiting for him. He makes his way back to the hotel, and Samantha is already dressed and waiting for him next to her car. They both hop in, and she takes off speeding down the empty streets.
As the speed down the highway, she fills him in on all the details. Apparently, while he was at breakfast, two men showed up looking for him. They left a note, which she then read over the phone when she called him during his meeting with Gio.
”I don’t know if you will get this, or if there is anything you can do. I have been taken by two men, for some reason. I could only write this short note, hopefully you can help me. They said something about you beating their cousin at the event. Please help me.”
The note was from his friend Dylan. These men somehow knew about his connection to Warner, and took it upon themselves to extract revenge for the vicious beating that Zak inflicted on Brandon Pearl a couple of nights ago. In order to find out who these men are, there is only one man that Zak can go to. He flips open his phone, and dials the only number that he can think of.
“Cody, it’s me Zak. I need your help, are you still at the office? Good, I will be there in ten minutes.”
He hangs up, and Samantha accelerates up to the mid 60’s. The rain has stopped, and she slides the sunroof open. The cool air rushes throughout the car, sending a chill up his spine. As they pull up to the building, he can’t help but think to the previous night; to the moment that he burst into the room and saw three pairs of eyes looking at him.
He exits the car, and tells Samantha to wait for him. He walks into the building, and heads straight for Cody’s office. The door is open, and he has no hesitation as he enters.
“Before you say anything, I already know why you are here, and I’ve got my men finding out all the information they can.”
Zak was stunned by this bit of information. He knew Cody was efficient, but it never occurred to him how efficient he could be. He wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that they could be related.
”I need to know everything I can about the men that took him.” said Zak, his voiced layered with anger and desperation.
”Don’t forget, you still work for me, and will do what I say. Just because my uncle claims that you are my brother, doesn’t change that. Until I have proof, you are still Zak Warner, no more, no less.”
”Right now, I don’t care about being related to you. I could care less if that is the truth. All I care about is making sure my friend is ok.”
As he waits patiently, Cody’s cell phone goes off. As he walks into the hallway, Zak can do nothing but sit and wait for the information. As he reclines in the leather chair, his mind starts to wander to the previous night. He begins to think about Samantha, and the intimate moments that they shared. He hadn’t been able to experience anything like that since Raena had been murdered. He had tried many times, but no female had been anywhere near satisfactory. That all changed last night, as he felt that she was the one that could change his life, change his emotional state of mind.
“Are you ready to take care of business?” says Cody, as he walked back into the room. “My men found where they are holding your friend, but I told them not to make a move until I talked to you.”
”Leave it to me; I can take care of this on my own.”
Before he can leave, Cody writes a few things down on a piece of paper, and hands it to Warner. As he looks over the sheet, Cody walks over to him and places his hand on Zak’s shoulder.
“Be careful, these guys aren’t like anyone you have gone after before. These guys know what they are doing.” As Cody speaks, it seems as though he is worried a bit. It is as if he is finally showing that he has a spark of compassion inside of him.
As both men exit the building, Cody hands his brother a canvas bag. As they reach Samantha’s car, they give each other one last glance. Cody walks off down the street, while Zak climbs back into the car. As they go speeding off, he gives Samantha the directions. As Sam weaves in and out of traffic, Zak opens up the bag. Inside, he finds a loaded .45, with a note wrapped around it. He read the note, and put it in his pocket. As they pull up to the apartment, he leans over and gives her a kiss.
”Keep the car running, and be ready to drive.” says Zak, his voice taking on a much more serious tone. “If you hear me tell you to leave, don’t ask questions, don’t hesitate, just go.
She nods her head in agreement, and he steps out of the car. He pulls the note out of his pocket, and gives it one last glance. He folds it up, and places it into his back pocket. He takes a deep breath, and makes his way to the door.
He knocks on the door and waits, but there is no answer. He knocks again, and he can hear the faint sounds of voices inside. He hesitates, and then kicks down the door. He is met with gunfire, and he rolls to the side ducking behind a couch. As the two men on the other side of the room pause to reload, Warner springs up and fires of a few shots. The first few shots miss entirely, but then luck smiles down on Zak. His next shot catches one of the men square in the kneecap. The man crumples to the ground, screaming and writhing in pain. The second man hesitates just slightly, distracted by his partners screaming, and that is just enough time for Zak to empty three shots directly into his forehead.
As the dust settles, Warner walks over to the man on the ground. Blood is gushing out of the wound and the man is screaming in agony. Warner ponders his options, and then he raises his gun and places the barrel of the .45 squarely between his eyes.
"Please sir, show some mercy. I was only following orders, I had no idea it was to hurt you."
"After seeing what has transpired here, you really think I would let you walk out of here?" A sick grin creeps across his face. [“God must be smiling down on you today, because he sent me to be merciful, to ease your pain.”
He fires off a single shot that instantly puts the man out of his misery. He walks over to his friend, who is tied to a chair. He pulls the gag out of his mouth, and throws it to the ground.
“Thank GOD that you got my message. I was worried that you wouldn’t, and that I would be stuck here.”
“Like I always said, I would do whatever I could to help you, as long as it was within my power. I just hope that one day I can be forgiven for what I have to do.”
As the words leave his mouth, a single tear drips down his face. He raises the gun and fires the rest of the clip into the chest of his childhood friend. The impact from the bullets sends the chair tumbling backwards.
“Why….why did you do this?” whimpered Dylan, as the life slowly drained out of his body.
Zak reaches into his back pocket, and pulls out the note. He unfolds it, and reads it out loud. As he starts, he can hear Cody’s voice reading it, as if he were standing right next to him.
“In order to fully accept the truth, you need to completely let go of the past. Once the two men are taken care of, eliminate Dylan. He is just part of the lies, part of the fallacy called your childhood. Let go of the past, and the future will open up before you.”
Warner walks out of the house, without a second glance. He climbs into the car, and watches as the house disappears in the rearview mirror. Surprisingly, he felt no remorse for what he had just done. Maybe Cody was right, maybe this was what he needed. As they drove off into the sunset, the two young lovers interlock their fingers, and smile. Only they know what lies ahead, and they are prepared to face it head on.