The Target

The Final Chapter!

"RELEASE AMELIA AND HARRY AND SURRENDER YOURSELF," Kurtz announced.

Adam was pacing around mumbling things. The grip on his knife was getting tighter. I could see his knuckles getting white as he shook with anxiety. I heard some of the things he said. "Fucking Logan. He'll tell everything," He said in a very low voice. And then there was silence. A deafening silence. He paced to me. "Seven years! Seven years and three girlfriends. That's how far I've come. Now you have ruined it all!" He has been doing this for seven years? "There were others beside Lexi?" I asked shocked. "Lexi was way before you. What? Do you think I would have fooled you and your detective out there if I didn't have any practice?" He scoffed before continuing, "I almost got caught the first time. It was just improvisation after that." I stared at him wide-eyed. "You are sick!" He just smirked and ran back to the room where he kept Harry. He knew he was on a timestamp, yet he was so frighteningly calm.

Beverly hadn't moved since Adam brought Harry out. "Bev! BEV! Please don't die on me," I shouted. Harry was right in front of me. His eyes drooped and his head hung low. Blood dripped from his mouth and I could hear Harry's breath breaking. "You'll be fine," I whispered.

******

"How's Adam and you?" Harry nudged me, as he prepared the shot glasses. I blushed and smiled. "We are great. I told him everything."

By the end of the night, we were wasted. "...And then you sat on the pudding cup," He laughed as we entered my apartment. I cackled loudly. "Hey, Adam called me so many times! I'll call him back," I said and stepped into the kitchen. I adjusted the phone between my ear and my shoulder and poured myself a glass of water. "AMELIA! WHAT THE FUCK?!" He shouted as soon as he picked up. "Calm down! My head is bursting right now," I told him. "I called you so many times. Not once did you pick up! DO YOU THINK THIS IS A JOKE? I was fucking worried," He continued scolding me. Some of the things he said hurt. So, I cut the call on his face.

"What happened?" Harry said and sat up on the couch to take the glass of water with Advil. "I don't wanna talk about it. Good Night, Harry!" And I stormed out.

******

That was the first and, probably, the only time Adam showed his true self to us, to me, before all of this happened.

"I AM DONE!" Adam shouted, suddenly pointing a gun at Harry as he walked out of that room. "Adam, NO," I jumped on my feet. "That idiot will tell everyone everything," He turned around shot around Beverly. Her figure visibly stiffened even though she was unconscious. "BEV! Adam, stop it!" I cried. He pointed the gun back at Harry. He looked me in the eyes as he pulled the cock. A loud bang interrupted his aim. The bullet grazed Harry and hit me right above my kneecap. I screamed in agony and stumbled down. The metal rims of the handcuff were digging in my wrist as I fell as far as I could. Adam and I were staring at Kurtz and a team of NYPD cops pointing their guns at Adam. "Shit!" Adam said and went down on his knees and put his hands behind his head. Kurtz carefully walked to him, still pointing the gun. Four other officers followed shortly behind. She handcuffed his hands and fished out the key to my handcuffs.

My leg was bleeding profusely. My wrist had cuts all around. But, even with my wounded leg, I crawled to Harry the moment I was free. "Let the meds through," Kurtz ordered and she shoved Adam out of the warehouse. His eyes never left me. The paramedics came, untied Harry, and took him. Another stretcher carried Beverly. The final one came for me. A small sting in my arm and I blacked out.

"There are several cases of missing persons and murders across the county. How many do you think were Adam Forster's?" I woke up to Kurtz discussing with Inspector Grill.

"I don't know! But Adam's a schizophrenic. We will have to prove he was under the influence. How do we do it?"

"Detective?" I asked. She rushed to me and asked, "Are you ok?" I nodded my head and asked, "W-where is Harry? And Beverly?" "Harry is recovering slowly. Beverly is having a little hard time. She was cut and left untreated for a long time. There are multiple infections and swollen glands. It's luck that a hemorrhage didn't occur," I closed my eyes. I don't want to cry anymore.

Five days later, I was out of the hospital. Harry and Beverly were still admitted. Harry woke up but Beverly was still unconscious. Kurtz came to escort me back to my house. My parents were with me every second of every day. The plaster in my knee made walking considerably hard. I reached home and went straight to my room. I didn't talk to anybody. My mother. My father. They were waiting for me to reach and talk. But I didn't feel like talking. I locked my room and buried my face in my pillow.

Adam's a schizophrenic. I pulled out my laptop and researched a bit about the condition. Apparently, he had a split personality which made him murderous and psychotic. That hurt me even more. I should hurt less knowing that he couldn't have prevented his subconscious to take over. But it was still him. It was Adam's subconscious that killed Gracy, Dylan, and Lewis. And almost killed Harry and Beverly. I kept my laptop aside and stared into the empty ceiling. The images from the days before flashed and the pain in my leg grew. My door opened and mom peeked through from the entrance. "You need anything? You wanna talk?" She asked hesitantly. I shook my head and carefully turned to my side. Sleep didn't take over me until after an hour of relieving everything I went through.

It was the longest night of my life.