The Silver Bullet

Chapter Sixteen: Conclusions

Luke jumped to action. "First, we need a trap. We're going to need nets, guns, tazars, setatives, and tranquilizer darts."

"Ok, that's just rubish!" Rachel groaned. "We don't even know if Riptide IS behind all this!

"But Rachel! What if he is? What if he's playing us against each other!? I've known you for some time now, and I know I've been caught up in this horrible mess and made stupid decisions in the past, but I want to change now, I really do. What do I have to do to make you cooperate with me?" Luke's breathing was now heavy.

"Why should I trust him? He's done too much destruciton to my life, but I need help desperately right now; Maybe even HIS help." Rachel anxiously thought to herself.

"Save your breath." Rachel spat at his face. "I have only seen you for two days: the day you got kicked out of the CPU and this little "surprise" Riptide put together for me. I don't trust you; I don't even know why I agreed to work with you!"

Luke locked his jaw in anger holding back an outbreak. His face started boiling a deep red and his fingers started clenching up, as if he desired to hit her

"You're right, I do want revenge, but wouldn't you want it too if someone wrecked your life?" Luke mumbled through his teeth. 

"Try me!" Rachel screamed at the top of her lungs. "Ever since the day I was born, no one has wanted me! The very second I took my first breath, my parents sent me to an orphange. They didn't want anything to do with me. I grew up with Jack, whom I love  as a father. None of the children at school liked me. The teachers stared at me with hatred in their eyes as if I was a demon. My father was taken from me by the bite of filthy animal, and now the person who caused it expects me to show all sympathies for him because he only cares about himself."

"Rachel, I'm... I don't know what..." 

"Shut it." she growled furiously,  holding back forming tears in her eyes.

The whole room was silenced. Luke stared down at the shattered furniture throughout the room, ashamed of himself.

"How about this," Luke sighed compassionately, "we will take observations of him and try to figure out any clues of what is going on exactly. That way, we can find out if Riptide is really behind this or if we can solve this mystery ourselves. Also, we don't need to do this together, so you don't have to put up with me."

Rachel thought of the entire plan throughly. It did seem to make much more sense than the other one, and it give her time to consider Luke as a partner. It seemed to work.

"Alright, I agree to this. Every night, we will meet in my room and discuss what we've learned. Do you understand."

"Yes." Luke nodded his head. "You should get some rest, angel."

Rachel stared at Luke with annoyence and disgust on her face. She had already put up with him enough tonight, and didn't want to further. Without hesitation, she turned and rushed out of her trashed room. 

Down in the assylum, Jack was gaining consciousness. His hearing and vision were blurred and fogged up. He couldn't see who else was there, but Riptide.

"Does Rachel know about his?" Riptide asked one of the guards curiously.

"No, my lord." the guard bowed in reply. 

"Perfect." Riptide cackled. "She will never truly know how Jack went psycho. I've seen her reaction to this. It is breaking her down. Before long, she will be an emotional wreck and lost for answers. That will be my time to strike."

Jack's eye's suddenly popped open. He saw the smirked face of Riptide staring back at him. 

"And there won't be anything that will stop me." he laughed as he kicked Jack in the head.