Burnington Gaol

F I F T Y | Frank

"How could anybody do this?" Ed asked, taking the little silver key from his pocket. "I know Tony. He's a good man."

"The worst men always disguise themselves as the best," Frank replied. "Trust me."

The handcuffs popped open and Frank rubbed his wrists. With a sigh, he straightened himself and looked around Tony's office. It was surrounded by windows, completely transparent to anybody who passed. The desk was dark wood and impeccably kept, with even the pens lying all parallel to each other, their tips facing the door. The chair was neatly tucked under, and the drawers were all organised perfectly. It was too perfect, made Frank feel uncomfortable.

"So what makes you think that we'll find anything here?" Ed asked.

Frank pondered the question as he opened one of the desk drawers.

"This was rushed," he said. "My guess is that Tony figured out the Morse Code much faster than I did, and he reacted immediately. When that happens, people get sloppy. They leave things behind."

Ed pulled a file out of the cabinet, and from it half a dozen papers slipped out and landed on the floor. Frank's head jerked up immediately, but he relaxed the tiniest bit when he saw what had happened. He turned back to the drawer, only for something else to catch his attention. He looked up and saw Tony through the window, pulling his keys from his belt, walking casually down the hall. In the same moment, Tony glanced upwards, and the colour drained from his face.

The world came to a standstill, and everything seemed to rest on that moment.

A second later, Tony dropped his keys and ran. Frank lunged for him, jumping the desk in one swift motion, and bursting out the office door. He heard Ed fumble behind him just as his smaller but leaner frame began to close in on Tony. After all, Tony may have had the height and strength, but Frank had the speed.

Once he was close enough, Frank reached out, grabbed Tony hard and pulled him to the hard ground. Tony, thinking fast, pulled back his fist and punched Frank square in the eye. Frank leaned back, but Ed was on him fast, pinning his arms to the ground.

"Where are they?!" Frank roared, leaning over him.

Tony struggled against Ed, let out a laugh.

"You'll never find them in time."

Frank's hands snaked up Tony's neck, pressing down hard on his throat. Tony choked, and Frank's lips curled into a sneer.

"If you want to live, you'll tell me where they are."

His hands tightened around Tony's throat, and he watched the giant's eyes bulge. He thought about Susie, about Jimmy. About how Tony had taken them both away from him, about the nights in which he had felt so much pain that it crippled him. He thought about his marred face, the scars that would never heal because of the fire Tony had set. The anger grew darker and darker, tangling up inside him.

"Frank, stop!"

Frank looked up at Ed's frantic face. He then looked down. Tony's eyes were beginning to roll to the back of his head. Quickly, Frank released his grip, and Tony gasped.

"Where are they?!" He repeated, voice bellowing down the hallway.

Tony smiled with blood in his teeth.

"It doesn't matter where they are," he said, a trail of blood leaking from the corner of his mouth. "I've already won."

Frank, with all that darkness in his eyes, leaned down and stared into Tony's soul.

"We'll see about that."

© A.G. Travers 2018