The Danger ABC's

Chapter 18: Darkness Rising

BANG.

Call fell backwards, his bones seeming to lose all rigidity. The gun fell from his hands, clattering against the floor before spinning out and hitting the wall. The next few hours were a murky, glazed, puddle, a haze of gray hues as Constantine's cronies carried him to his room and dragged Aaron away. He stared motionless at the ceiling, thinking of everything, yet nothing. He wanted to scrub today's events from his memory, but he knew that they would always lurk in the back of his consciousness, waiting.

Call didn't remember falling asleep, yet somehow he woke up. The room was cold, and he wanted to crawl underneath the blankets and just lay there for the rest of time. He couldn't. Reluctantly, Call swung his feet out of bed and rubbed his bleary eyes. Call winced as he made his way to Constantine's office, filled with determination. Had he failed? Maybe Constantine was more evil than even Call could fathom.

"Jack, good to see you." Constantine said without an ounce of emotion.

"I'm not Jack. I'm Call. It's complicated."

"Is it really, Call? Or are you just scared to admit the truth?" Constantine shot back.

"I don't even know what the truth is." Call admitted after a long pause.

"We're far more alike than you think, Call. I had a similar problem. A 'dark side', if you want to call it that. Even had a name for him... Maugris. But you know what I did, Call? I embraced him. Now, we are one and the same. I am whole."

"You're not. And you're an idiot if you can't see that. My dad may have been a horrible person, but he doesn't have half the crazy you do. Maugris.. or whatever you call it, has taken over. The Enemy isn't Constantine. You aren't Constantine. Constantine died when you shot my mom." Call said, not scared for the first time in a long time. Constantine's eyes glinted darkly.

"I may be twisted, but I am at peace, Call. That night doesn't haunt me, quite the opposite. I did my job. It was Alistair's fault for being an idiot." Constantine said, jaw set, eyes looking through Call and back into that night.

"It sounds to me like you're in denial." Call said, seemingly hitting a nerve. Constantine's stare shoved dagger's all over Call's body, making the hairs on his arms stand up on end.

"I'm bored, Callum. Let's stop talking about the past. I'm assuming you didn't come here just to interrogate me..." Constantine's eyes searched Call's face.

"You want something."

"I want you to let my dad go. And I want Aaron to have the choice to leave. No secrets, no tricks. And if they both stay safe... if everyone stays safe, and you can prove it, I'll do whatever you want me to." Call took his mother's knife out of his boot.

"I have a gun, Call. Gun beats knife. Besides, you kill me and Joseph will kill you and annihilate everything you love. I'll let your dad live in one of the good cells, and likewise with the Stewart boy. But you have no leverage here, Call."

Call pointed the knife at his own throat. "Yes, I do." Constantine laughed.

"So what, you're just gonna kill yourself? What are you trying to accomplish here? You die, then I kill Aaron and your dad anyway. I can get a replacement for you easily, Callum."

"No, you can't. You want someone who thinks like you, who kills like you, who you can mold to be heartless and unwavering. You want Jack, and you want him around forever. And if I die, he dies." Call pushes the knife farther into his neck, feels the metal digging into his flesh, a single drop of blood running down his neck and soaking his shirt. If he presses anymore, he'll bleed out in minutes. There won't be enough time to save him. Constantine stares at Call, and Call has no clue what his next move is. Isn't sure if he can do it, but Call is damn well gonna try.

"Fine." Constantine says, and more than anything, Call feels relief. Relief the gun jammed. Relief Constantine didn't kill them. Relief that maybe, everything could still turn out alright.