Falling Tower

Chapter 15

"Well I didn't expect to see Jasmen here today," Dean says facing the window. He turns slowly and pulls out a gun.
Lucas gets up slowly. I saw pure rage in his eyes. I didn't know what scared me more; the gun or Luke's face.
"Who the hell are you?"
Dean starts to laugh.
"Don't remember me buddy? Seriously? Has it been that long?"
He starts to tap the gun on his temple.
Lucas squints his eyes.
"Sam?"

I look from Lucas to Dean. Sam? His childhood friend Sam? No wonder he knew so much about his past.
"Bingo!" He starts to laugh and points the gun towards me. "I wouldn't do that Mr. Bower." Lucas was trying to reach for something under the desk. "You wouldn't want this gun to go off. In her."
Lucas put his hands up slowly.

"Good. Just to make sure you get no more bright ideas," Sam looks at me and points the gun higher. "Come here gorgeous."
Even if I wanted to move, I literally couldn't. Tears started filling my eyes. Move, I tell myself. But I couldn't.
"Here let me help you." Dean says as he points the gun at Lucas.
"Okay!" I yell, slowly making my way to him.
"That a girl!" He smirks and starts licking his lips. I look at Lucas and he nods at me.

Once I reach him, he grabs my hand and spins me around.
"You've always had great taste." Sam looks at Lucas and says. "...and you allow her to come outside like this?" He sighs and smiles at me.
At this point I'm disgusted and keep my eyes on the floor.
"Why are you doing this, Sam? I haven't seen you in years."
"Sit down," he whispers in my ear. I sit down on the chair closest to the window. He had the gun still pointed at me, but kept his eyes on Lucas.
"Well, I'm basically here to collect what's mine."
A look of confusion spreads through both Lucas and Sam's face.
"Oh. You don't know what I'm talking about right?"
"No."
"Well let me tell you both a story..."

Sam starts walking towards Lucas. Points the gun at him and motions for him to get up and sit near me. He gets up and does so. As soon as he sits, we both grab each other's hand.
Sam sits on Lucas chair and puts his legs on the desk.
"So, a long time ago, two young boys had the same dream; to be rich and successful. You see, Sam had a great upbringing. Hard working Dad, loads of Cash. He never really had to beg for anything. Well, his mom left a long time ago so it didn't phase him or anything. But Sam hated his Dad. All his father wanted was for him to work in his Company. Everything was about the Company and for the Company. He really had no time for Sam. And if Sam wanted to spend time with his Dad, it would have to be at the Office, helping his Dad work."

"Work meant absolutely nothing to him. All Sam wanted to do was to hang out with his best buddy, and chase after Elizabeth Heigl. The center of his Universe. Lucas, on the other hand, poor, but had the greatest parents in the World. Graduated from College, had his parents by his side until they departed."

Sam did the sign of the cross with his hand and put his head down. "I really did love those too. I was more of a son to them than my own Dad."
His eyes started getting watery and then he got mad.
"Lucas needed a job. So I spoke with my Dad. I told him he's never done anything for me so the least he could do was help Lukey over here. He hesitated until I told him about Luke graduating with top honors. Little did I know," he then started to scream, "THAT LUCAS HERE WOULD TAKE OVER THE LUDWICK COMPANY!"

I jumped and Lucas grabbed my arm, trying to calm me down.
"Oh, but that's not the best part, Jasmen. You see Lucas became as determined as my Dad. Didn't want to hang out as much, but I managed to get time with him here and there. It was all about the paper and I understood. Growing up with nothing? That'll motivate you. So, one day I call him and tell him I'm going to do it, I'm going to ask Elizabeth to marry me. He tells me he doesn't think that's a great idea. That I'm too young. I need to look into other women. You could imagine my shock! " He stands and kicks the chair from underneath him and starts walking towards us.

"Why would my best friend of forever say such a thing like that, especially when he's known Elizabeth for as long as I've known her. That same day, my Dad gives me the great news that he's opening up another Company in London and wants me to go, the night before he's leaving. And Lucas would be going after he finishes things at their Home Office. Of course my answer is no. And I was surprised that Luke here didn't tell me a thing."

"That same night, I went to Elizabeth's house to pop the question. She started crying once I asked."
He looks at Lucas.
Sam walks closer to Lucas with the gun pointed at him.
"What was her answer?"
I look at Lucas. He puts his head down and quietly says "no."
Lucas gets in his face. "I'm sorry, we couldn't hear you. What was her answer?"
"No!" He yells. He looks at Sam and repeats, "she said no."
"NO!!" Sam yells angrily.
"Jasmen," he looks at me, "you can't imagine my shock. I've been with this woman for years and she tells me no? What was I missing? We were so happy together. We had always made plans to marry and have kids together, so why was she telling me no?"
He comes to me and motions for me to get up.  Lucas let's go if me as I stand. He moves me to the side and sits in my chair. Sam then yanks me down so that I'm sitting on his lap. Lucas goes to get up but Sam points the gun at him.
"Don't be rude," he says to Lucas putting the gun down, "I'm not done."

"Jasmen, do you want to know why she told me no?"  I look down.
"Because of him."
I look at Sam and he's staring at Lucas.
What?
Why would he have anything to do with their relationship?
"Elizabeth told me everything. That she had been sleeping with Lucas. That she was sad because she wanted to go with him to London, and he had said no. Can you imagine? I'm sitting with her, heartbroken, while she tells me all of this. As if we were just best pals of something. She told me she had called him before I arrived and pleaded with him. If she couldn't go with him she would kill herself."
Sam started to laugh.
"She wanted to be with him. He told her the answer was no and hung up. After I left she put a gun to her mouth and pulled the trigger."

His words cut like a knife. This was the same Lucas I knew? The reason for my existence? I looked at Lucas. He had no words so he put his head down.
Sam and I stood up and he never let me go. He turned me so that I would face him and put one hand around my waist. He took the gun and moved a piece of hair that was in my face.
"I am going to destroy him."
He whispered. I started to cry because I believed him.
"Shhhh, don't cry. I am going to take EVERYTHING from him, including you."
He took the gun and put it under my chin making my head go back. I started to sob.
"Stop, don't, please!"
Lucas yells getting up.
"Oh I'm not going to kill her...yet." He takes the gun away and turns me so I'm facing Lucas.
"Everything you own and love will be taken away. Little by little. I want you to hurt the way I did. My father, my woman, my money. All of it gone because of you!" He takes the gun and puts it to my head. He then slowly drags it down my neck and chest.
"Run to your honey," he whispers in my ear.
I run into Lucas arms. I started sobbing as quiet as possible. He wraps his arms around my waist and makes me stand behind him.

"Now," Sam says fixing the collar of his shirt, "I'm going to walk out of this building without any disruptions." He takes his phone out and makes a call; placing it on Speaker phone. "Do you have eyes on her Michael." Sam says to the person on the phone.
"I do, we are in some Market. " It was Russia guy.
"Okay, right now he's with your beloved Maria. I don't have to tell you what will happen if I get stopped by anyone."
I felt Lucas start to tremble.
"Go," he said slow and low.
Sam smiled and winked at me. As he makes his way toward the door, he turns to us and says, "we'll be in touch."
He turns and opens the door. Dayo is standing in the doorway with two cups of coffee.
"Wow, you're a massive son of a bitch!" Sam pats Dayo on the shoulder and walks off.
Dayo gruffs.