(BOOK 2) MARK/HOFFMAN: A Saw Fanfiction

TEN

I KNOW WHO YOU ARE. 

Hoffman had found the note after the promotion ceremony, and it had frightened him to say the least. He assumed it was from Strahm, because it wouldn't make sense for it to be anyone else. He knew he needed to take him out after he framed him, because as long as Strahm knew about him, he wasn't in the clear. 

He was standing in the newly renovated house, looking around on the floor for the trap door. After moving a rug and spotting it, he lifted the door and made his way down into the hidden tunnels. 

Hoffman, despite not being the most fond of John Kramer, was extremely impressed with how intelligent he was. The house was connected to the same tunnels that the bathroom trap was in. He thought about stopping by and seeing what was in there, but he figured he could do that some other time. Right now, he was busy setting something else up. 

Hoffman made his way to one of the rooms within the tunnels and made sure to keep the door open as he walked in. The glass coffin was set up already. He just needed to place the tape inside and it would all be ready to go. He was going to start the next game in roughly a week. 

He found he was excited for this one. 

Well, excited might be an exaggeration. He was looking forward to killing Strahm. Part of him realized that back then, he would have never dreamed of killing someone who was innocent, but now he was in his way and it was the only logical way to get away with everything. The other part of him knew he would enjoy it. 

Killing didn't scare him as much anymore. 

Jigsaw had always told him that if you were good at anticipating the human mind, it left nothing to chance. Hoffman was hoping he was gifted in the way John was, and was predicting that by the time all of this was done and over with, Strahm still wouldn't trust Jigsaw--his-- methods. 

Gordon had put a slight damper on everything, considering he was Hoffman's only ally and helped him quite a bit with the traps. However, if everything went as planned, he would be able to get away with all of it, and Gordon and Jill would slip back into their roles as doctors. 

Life would be back to normal soon enough. That's what Hoffman liked to think. 

Strahm would be framed, he'd go missing, and that would be that. 

He knew Abby was also starting to question things. Sometimes he found himself wondering if she would stay with him if he told her everything that he had done. Hoffman didn't want to use this against her, but she had said before that he was all she had. Maybe she would understand. Lying to her had become second nature, but in his mind, what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her. Sometimes it's better to withhold information. Still, on some late nights he would find himself wanting to tell her what was going on, would feel the words on the tip of his tongue, but he'd bite it back and stay silent. It wasn't worth it. 

Hoffman looked at each wall, then blew through his lips as he turned around. He wanted Strahm dead immediately. 

He knew the man was onto him. While he didn't like to admit it, Strahm matched his wits to an extent, but may the smartest man win, and Hoffman didn't intend on losing. 

He made sure to cover the trap door back up once he reached the main level once again, then left quietly. He had to be at work soon. 

As he drove to the police department, he passed people on the streets. There were more people outside now after the news of Kramer's death. The city was more at ease, organizing more events and reopening some smaller businesses.