Revenge

Chapter 2

"Grab the gun."

Cecily, with her purply-brown hair, sashayed through the door like those sassy female assassins do. She did that Universal Head Nod thing to the man. "At least you've got her."

"Indeed," said the man.

"Get the gun," she said again, pulling her hair back in a ponytail. "Do what I say, Sullivan, or I'll shoot you too."

Sullivan. Where had I heard that name before? Sullivan. Sullivan . . . the missionary guy who tried to convert me? No. That's not him. Sullivan . . . Helen Keller? Ha! No.

"Get the mask on," said Cecily. "We need to eliminate Sammi by midnight tonight."

Sullivan. Caravan? Oregon trail? Horses? Elementary school history textbook?

Sullivan nodded, grabbing a small handgun. "Don't shoot, Cecily. We're in this together."

"In your dreams," she scoffed.

Cecily. Mahogany hair. Atheist. I know her.

She pointed her gun toward him, her finger on the trigger. "Stay still, Sullivan. Don't move."

His eyes widened.

I was just waking up. I gurgled and yawned at the same time.

"I'm joking, Sullivan. Chill your ass." She grinned.

"Very funny. Ha, ha."

Cecily pointed the gun in my direction, her eyes narrow.

"Cecily?" I said.

"Misty, stay quiet, okay? I won't hurt you," she replied.

"Oh, now you're gonna be nice to our victim? Is his how your twisted mind works?" Sullivan said angrily.

"Sawyer, just shut up." She frowned.

Sawyer. Oh! Officer Sullivan Sawyer. Worked with Elizabetta Murphy until they had an affair. That's who he was. Not a relative of Anne Sullivan.

"Let's get moving, Cecily. Once we get Sammi out of the way, we'll get Talia. That'll drive Jamie crazy, losing his family. He'll kill himself in prison. Them we'll move on from there," Sawyer said.

"You're going to kill Sammi and her daughter?" I yelled.

"Good detective work, tomato. We'll kill you, too, if you get in our way."

Call me tomato one more time, Sawyer, and you see what happens.

"Why are you going to kill them?" I continued.

"Do you know a Bigfoot named Tyler?" said Sawyer, pacing around (again).

"I did," I said, trying to not remember his terrible actions.

"He's the foulest-smelling gym sock I've known," chuckled Sawyer. "That hellion is the absolute worst. He's mentally insane."

"Diagnosed and everything," added Cecily.

"He's sick," I said quietly.

"Has he raped you too?" asked Cecily.

I nodded slowly.

"God, I hate that man." She gripped her gun. "He needs to die."

"But why are you planning to kill Sammi and Talia?" I said.

Sawyer grimaced. "It's a long, convoluted story."

"Well," I said, "I'm listening."

"In summary," said Cecily, "he is actually Talia's father. Sammi was captured one night at her college campus and was raped. She never told anyone that it was Tyler. Tyler is Jamie's fourth cousin, twice removed. Tyler was kicked out of college and sent to a mental hospital. He escaped that in no time. During his stay at an underground motel, he met Ethan, who was also a prison escapee. He was doing time for DUI, multiple times." She paused to take a breath. "Tyler waited there, in the motel, for two years. He got out of the motel with Ethan, who led him to a house in the middle of nowhere. He had promised Tyler, his new friend, a safe place to stay. That's where Sawyer, here, comes into the story."

"Ethan is my half-brother," said Sawyer. "I was there with my then-fiancée, spending some time away before our marriage. She was terrified of Tyler, and fled, leaving me with my half-brother and this psycho. Tyler, who was filled with these amazing ideas about causing havoc, convinced me to establish this contract with Jamie, who was in need for money. That all got turned into this web of chaos, with the druggies and whatever."

"Sawyer and I have known each other since we were in diapers," Cecily said. "He turned his back on Tyler, and joined me in trying to kill everyone who was involved with this mess before anyone found out."

"You'd have to kill me, too," I realized.

Cecily bit her lip. "I'm sorry, Misty. Let's just get this over with."

"Cecily," I whispered.

She raised her gun, pointing it at me. "Maybe we can all meet one day in the afterlife and laugh about this together. Friends?"

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. It'll all be over soon.

"Just do it already!" screamed Sawyer.

"Fine, fine." She cleared her throat. "Five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . ."