Chapter Twenty One- Love Labors

1 October 2010
11:30 pm

My legs carry me into the house. Stopping by the fridge for water before placing me on the couch, facing the blank TV screen. Roboticly I take a sip and set it back down on my leg.

"How do you feel?" Edward asks, sitting on the coffee table in front of me.

"That's the most stupid question I have ever heard you ask. How am I feeling? Well let's break this down a moment shall we? I just killed the man that fucked up my life, not able to enjoy it as much as i could have, and I feel no different. So you tell me how the f**k I feel Einstein."

I get up and immediately find myself facing Amber.

"Hello Love, you okay? I heard you talking to someone," Amber's eyes heavy with worry.

"Uhh, well , yeah I am. i think. Just a rough night," I stutter out.

"Come to bed, you look like you can use the rest."

Amber takes my hand and leads me to the bedroom.

2 October 2010

5:40am

My feel come to a loud stop. I breath a little heavy, staring off into the distance. Looking past the people and objects.. Unfocused and looking at nothing. The music in my ear is replaced by my ring tone. I take my phone from my pocket and see John displayed on the screen.

"Hello."

"Hey, Jack. You won't believe this but the mayor has been murdered."

I hold back a chuckle, "No s**t? What happened?"

"It looks like a beating. The pain he suffered was terrible. Several breaks and fractures, bruising all over his face and torso. He suffered for a long time."

"It sounds so. What brought the case to your desk?"

"High priority. All senior agents have been assigned to the investigation of Mayor Malice."

"Sounds like you have a handle on it. What can I do for you John?"

"I have the photos if you wouldn't mind me giving your medical analysis."

I hold back a sigh, "When do you want to meet?"

"Tonight at my place, say eight?"

"I'll be there," I hang up and continue my jog back to the apartment.

"So will you deal with Amber when you return from John's?"

"More than likely. Tonight I will be able to see what evidence they have on Malice, make sure we have no messes to clean up. Then I can concentrate on leaving. Starting fresh..."

6:20 am
I step out of the shower and dry off, dressing into khakie pants, blue dress shirt, and my brown suede shoes. Picking up my phone, wallet, and keys I go to the kitchen as I put my items away in their proper pockets.

Amber sits at the table, drinking tea with toast, with the paper open next to her as she read the top stories. I walk up behind her, planting a morning kiss on her left cheek as I go to the kettle.

"Good morning, dear," Amber's voice sings, not looking up from the paper.

"Good morning, love. Have a good night sleep?" I ask.

"Yes I did dear. Hardly woke me."

"Good," I smile as I pour the hot water into my black mug.

"You're going to feign like nothing is going to happen?"

"And if I do Edward, it will send up a red flag for her. At the moment I just want to go to the hospital and take care fo this tonight."

So I enjoy my breakfast and conversation before I had to go. I go to my BMW and drove out of the garage. When I was about five minutes away, John rang my cell again.

"What the f**k now?" I snap as I collect myself and answer, "Yes, John?"

"The Mayor is alive!"

As John muttered those words, I felt my blood turn cold, and I slammed on the brake in the middle of the cramped street.

"Hello? Jack?"

"Yeah... I'm here. I thought you said he was dead."

"The corner thought so too, but the pulse was just too weak to be felt. I'm having him sent to your hospital."

"I'll be there in five."

I hang up the phone before John could delay me further. I shift gears in the car and speed to the hospital. Praying that I'll get there before the Mayor arrives.

"Why didn't we f*****g check?!" I yell.

"This is all on you!"

"F**k it is Edward! You're suppose to f*****g help! You're s**t for help! At the moment you seem as useful as a damn rock!"

I shut him out and continue to speed to the hospital, when I arrive I rush into my office and put on my coat. On way way to the ER, I stop by the medicine cupboard and pick up a strong sedative, filling a syringe with the nerve numbing solution. I replace the cap and await the arrival of the mayor. Two EMTs rush the mayor in on a gurney, escorted by a handful of police.

"Hello officers, I am the head doctor, Jack Style. Please wait out here and I will make sure that he is properly examined," I smile and walk off behind the gurney. The cops standing dumb-founded and irritated. They'll lose their jobs.

I keep a nurse with me and keep the others out.

"Nurse, please get me some elastic bandages with some ice packs. I want an emergency spot for x-rays, cat scans, and an MRI."

"Yes Dr. Style."

I watch the door close, i went to it and locked it. Then I pulled out the needle and removed the cap.

"Why couldn't you have just died? I mean seriously? I looked you in the eyes, I removed my mask- I even got up close and personal. I didn't treat you like a lamb for slaughtering."

I stand above him, his eyes half open, face bruised and bleeding.

"I wasn't finished with you," as he finished Edward shoved a scapal into my thigh.

I let out a yell and sucker punch the left side of his face into the gurney. Regaining my composure, I reach down and remove the scapal. My suit becoming instantly stained with blood, running down my leg. Looking back up I see the mayor open and close his eyes in shock, I take the moment and grab his hair, pull him forward and shove the needle into the base of his brain stem and force the plunger down. His eyes bulge out in fear, mouth frozen in pain.

I look down at my bleeding leg, I limp over to some cabinets and pull out gauze, tape, and scissors. I ripe my pants open, locating the scapel in my deep femoral artery of my right leg. Gripping it firmly, I slowly pull out the knife and immediately put a piece of gauze over it. Using the tap I wrap it loosely and return to the cabinet to get an ace bandage to make the dressings snug. 

"Edward's machine is beeping," Edward says quietly.

"I know."

I walk over and pull out the cord to stop the noise. Leaning on the gureny I look down at a frozen Edward. Holding a look of shock and defeat, a look that will last forever, a final look and emotion I aroused within him. My hand passes over his eyes to shut them, giving him a little dignity.

"You think he deserves that?" Edward asks, leaning in next to me.

"He was a mayor, he has done a lot to help the city and the people within it. I'm not going to ruin the hope of them."

"Well how are you going to explain this," his hand rises up and down toward my leg, "to the cops outside?"

"I'll figure it out."

I straighten up with a wince and limp to the door and walk out. The cops look at me in dismay and confusion.

"Yes, I know. But please notify whoever that the mayor is deceased. Apparently he was over medicated. IK was not notified of how much morphine he was given, so the death can be placed on me as a medical accident."

The cops look at me still in disbelief, looking me over.

"GO!" I snap.

They jump and scatter down the hallway. I sigh and limp my way to my office. I open and duffel bag from my closet and take out a pair of jeans and long sleeve, black shirt. Getting changed and my items, I go back to fill out the paperwork for Mayor Edward Malice. Fifteen minutes later I leave the hospital and go home. Amber sits at the kitchen table with a cup of tea and a cold cut sandwich. 

"That was quick," she says staring at me.

I limp toward the table and take up a seat next to her. 

"Why you limping?" she sets her sandwich down, wiping the crumbs off on her pant leg.

"We need to talk."

So I tell her about Mayor Edward, about how he killed my parents and the past night and day. I continue my story as I make myself some tea (that I barely touch) and give her a smile when I finish.

"What do you think is going to happen?" she asks, sipping her tea.

"Well I need to leave. I don't have much of a choice."

"Where are you going to go Jack?"

"I don't know yet, I still have some unfinished business."

I get up and head up stairs to shower and change, her eyes following me. Getting into the shower I rest my back against the wall, water hitting my face.

"Tomorrow. Tomorrow I'll do it."