Melanie Jayne Anderson

MJA: Strike At The Heart

I tried to recall the last conversation I had with Mike. He was mad at me. He was mad about Victor being there. He also had a broken leg. There was no way he would have fully recovered by now. At least not his broken leg. I had to find him. I had to make sure he was safe. I tried calling his one and only number because the phone I had given him had been turned off. That could only mean one of two things. It's either he has switched his line over to the new phone and blocked my calls completely and he found a way to turn off his tracker or........he was still using his old phone and it had died. I didn't want to think of the worst but I couldn't help it. It was really messing up my mind and I couldn't plan properly.

Jean walked over to me as I was cleaning up my workspace, getting ready to move to a safer location in the house. He was outside talking to one of the guards. He came back to me with a package. It seemed dirty and had my name on it looked like it was just scribbled on like the person who wrote it was in a hurry.

Jean: It's been scanned. Do you want me to open it?

MJ: I'll do it...... (taking the package from Jean)

Jean: Please be careful. (unbuckling his gun holster and reaches for his gun)

I opened the package and there were several things in it. One was a video camera which seemed dirty. It looked almost like blood stains. The other thing in the package was Mike's old phone. I froze. I couldn't believe what I was holding onto. Jean grabbed the things from me as I sat on the floor. My heart began to race. This cannot be possible. I just didn't know what to think of it.

Jean looked at the video recording and tried to hide it from me.

MJ: What's on it?

Jean: It's erm.......

MJ: What's on it, Jean?! (grabs the video recorder from Jean)

I replayed the video and I couldn't believe what was playing on it. It was Mike. He was tied up on a chair and his face was bleeding. He looked bruised and battered and he could hardly open his eyes. He looked like someone was forcing him to say things to the camera. I could see tears in his eyes like he was really afraid.

Mike: Hey.....Melanie Jayne......I'm uh......(coughs out blood) I'm ok. Don't worry about me......I just wanted to say I'm sorry.......about everything I said to you......

Someone hit him several times, telling him to speed it up.

Mike: (coughs) I.....just.....erm.....

Samuel grabs the camera and speaks to it.

Samuel: He wanted to say goodbye, Melanie Jayne! I don't know why it's so damn hard for him to do it!

Samuel turned around and shot him and Mike fell to the floor.

Samuel: I wish you joined our little party, Melanie Jayne. It would have been so much funner!

The camera swerved around for a little bit before it got cut off. I was hyperventilating and fell to the floor. I cried and cried and cried. Victor and Nicole came out to see what was happening. Jean held me. Nicole took the camera and replayed the video and cried.

Nicole: Paperboy!

I couldn't hear anything anymore at this point. My ears started ringing and I was slowly losing my strength to stand up. Victor held me and kissed me.

Victor: I am so sorry, Melanie Jayne...... I am so sorry about Michael........

Victor hugged me so tightly and tried to console me. I just wasn't fully there anymore. How did I screw this up so badly? I actually got someone killed. Not just anyone. Michael Capri died because of me. Why did it have to be him? He had nothing to do with any of this. He should have just killed me. I should have gone out there right away. Why wasn't I quick enough? Was I distracted? I couldn't think anymore.

Jean picked up the video camera and replayed the video several times. He was studying the video. He was looking for clues.

Victor stayed with me on the floor as I  cried until I couldn't cry anymore. Leo came out carrying Christopher. I just told Victor I was ok and I stood up. I took a deep breath and walked out into the yard while holding Mike's phone in my hand. Victor was about to go after me but Jean stopped him.

Jean: Let her mourn. That is all she can do now. Come, we have to prepare for what's to come......

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How does a person sleep at night after killing someone? I can't even sleep just thinking about witnessing someone being killed. You must be a different level of psycho to be able to walk away and continue living your life after doing something so gruesome like that. It was inhumane. It was vile. It was unimaginable. I never liked the idea of guns because I always felt like it was destructive and it symbolizes violence and cowardice. You must be extremely desperate or scared to use guns against someone who is incapable of defending himself.

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I walked back into the house and headed to the training area. I changed into my training clothing and started punching the bag. I kept hitting and punching it. I was angry and this was one of the ways I could let it all out without hurting anyone. Not yet. The thought of wanting to kill was on the top of my list and I knew exactly who I wanted dead. Does he still think this is a game? 

Victor stood nearby, just watching me losing myself completely to the bag. He knew I was hurting. He knew I was angry. 

Victor: You can't save everyone, Melanie Jayne. You tried. I know you did. We all knew it. You just........ can't save everyone. I am so sorry about Michael.

I stopped and sat down on the floor. Victor was right. I did try. It just wasn't good enough. 

MJ: This wasn't your fault. Or Nicole's or Jean's. It was mine. It always had been. I wasn't quick enough.....I just.......I wasn't...... (starts to cry) I can't lose you too......I can't...... I can't imagine......

Victor hugged me.

Victor: You haven't lost us yet. We're still here because of you, Melanie Jayne. You've kept us safe. You always had been keeping us safe. (kisses Melanie) I love you. Please don't lose yourself. We can do this. We can find Samuel and give peace to Michael. I am still here.

MJ: I love you, Victor. (hugs Victor) I love you so much.

Samuel was really trying to throw me off my track. I will never forgive what he's done to Michael. I will not let him have peace. I will not let him die without putting him through everything he's ever done to Mike. I will find him. I will kill him.