Still Alive - Adam Stanheight

Chapter 17

The next day, Brielle is in the conference hall at work, sitting among her fellow colleagues. Kerry is pointing to the latest Jigsaw news article on the projector. "Liliana White. Age thirty-one. Found dead on the river bank. Cause of death, shotgun to the head."

Nervous mumbles flood the room. Brielle knows exactly what happened, but there is only so much she can reveal.

"My best bet is that the Jigsaw killer did this," Kerry announces. "But it's also suspicious that it wasn't one of his sadistic traps that killed her."

"Zoom into her neck," Brielle then requests. Kerry does just that, showing permanent scars around the woman's neck. "Once we get her DNA, we'll know if she was choked or if her neck was damaged by the trap."

"It doesn't look like she was choked to me," Peter Strahm speaks up. "I know I always put the blame on this guy, but who else kills innocent people and makes it look like a set up? That woman's neck definitely wasn't touched from the looks of it."

"We should send someone on duty at the river bank tonight," a fellow detective suggests. "If the guy is leaving his victims there, his headquarters can't be too far away."

Everyone approves including Brielle, who is well aware that the headquarters is a twenty-minute drive from the river bank, but it is too early to tell them that. As long as no one gets hurt, she doesn't mind them carrying through with it. As long as John, Amanda, Lawrence and Adam are hidden, everyone else is bound to be safe...

***

"Diana won a spelling-competition at school yesterday," Lawrence tells Adam, as the two are going around the trap room, dusting and polishing the sadistic creations. Neither of them knows if they were ever used or not.

"Of course she did, she's gotta have your brains," Adam complements. "I doubt she'd saw off her own foot though, even in our situation."

"She's seven," Lawrence retaliates. "And can you stop joking about that please? It's not funny at all I could've died."

Adam tuts at him. "What-ever. Joking about it is the only way I can cope while talking to you. I still think you're an asshole."

Lawrence scoffs, thinking Adam is being funny even though he mostly isn't. "I never said this to you out loud in the bathroom, but I still think you're a whiny bitch."

"You sure you're not talking about yourself because you whined way more than I did," Adam argues back, making sure he gets the last word in. That's when Amanda enters the room. "Why the fuck do you guys fight like 12-year-old boys? I honestly can't listen to it."

"You should've thought about that before pairing us together, even in the trap" Lawrence comments and Adam agrees. Amanda rolls her eyes. "Not my choice, dickheads. John's. Speaking of him he wants to see us all."

"Are we in deep shit?" Adam asks a little nervously as the three make their way to John's office. "How the fuck would I know?" Amanda snaps back. Adam throws his arms up in defence. "Okay, Jesus. You don't have to like me but why are you so bitchy all the time?"

Lawrence nudges Adam and says as quietly as possible; "remember, she menstruates once a month. It can't be easy." Adam scoffs. "I know but my girlfriend handles it much better and she gets the worst cramps."

"I can hear you!" Amanda comments loudly to get Adam to shut up. Lawrence can't help but snicker a little. They reach John's table and sit around it. John emerges an the three notice that his bald head is now growing the tiniest bit of hair. Lawrence's face drops. "You stopped your chemo?"

"Yes. It wasn't helping. It's not worth the pain," John says, again very casually. As much as Adam hates this man, he can't help but feel a tiny bit sorry for him. Well, more his family than him, if he had any.

"Speaking of pain, I've found our new test subject," John says. "His name is Michael Marks and he works for detective Mathews." Adam is familiar with that name. Brielle mentioned him. Although he doesn't work on her unit, she's heard stories of his corrupt ways. "What'd he do?" Adam then asks.

"He spies on innocent victims Mathews wants to convict for money," John answers. Adam freezes up at that statement. "That's what Tapp had me do to Lawrence," he mentions nervously. "Does he deserve to be tested? I mean he could be only do it to make ends meet, like I did."

John stares at Adam blankly, causing Adam to not know how to react. "Did you plant fake evidence and take overly invasive photos?" he then says. Adam shakes his head. "I took them as they appeared in real life and from a distance." John nods once. "There you go. Let's not compare tests, Adam." Adam just nods a little, not knowing how to respond. He's praying that John is still oblivious to why he's really here.

"What trap are we using?" Amanda asks excitedly. "Will it be a long test of games or something quick and easy?"

"It'll be quick. Quicker if he manages to save himself," John responds. "The Venus Fly trap. It impales the victim's face if they do not find the key on time."

Adam gulps, his stomach churning with nausea. Dealing with Liliana's trap was hard enough. This was going to destroy him.

"Where are you going to hide the key?" Lawrence asks, calmly. "Behind his eye," John replies as Adam does his best not to gag out loud. "Will you do the honours carrying out the procedure, Dr Gordon?"

Lawrence doesn't hesitate to agree. This shocks Adam to the core. "Excellent," John announces. "Amanda, you are on kidnapping duty. Adam, I want you to investigate Mr Marks further. I am aware that you know someone who works in the crime facility. Give us as much as you can find."

"You know someone who works with the police? How the fuck can we trust you!" Amanda pipes up before Adam can respond to John. He rolls his eyes at her. "If I had told them anything, your ass would be in jail right now."

"He's right you know," Lawrence defends, leading Adam to give him a cold look. John dismisses the three and once Amanda is gone back to her own business, Lawrence pulls Adam aside in the hallway. "What do you want?" Adam asks unimpressed.

"What's your problem?" Lawrence asks, a hint of anger in his voice. "I defend you in front of John and this is how you repay me?"

"Don't play that card with me, Larry," Adam responds, his teeth gritted. "Besides it's not about that. Did you seriously agree to sew a key behind someone's fucking eye?!"

"Yes, he won't feel a thing. He'll be passed out," Lawrence responds in defence but Adam is still indifferent. "Not when he's trying to take the key out. This is sick, man. Liliana's was bad enough but this is next level!"

"Why are you here then?!" Lawrence suddenly snaps. "As apprentices we have to trust that John knows what he's doing!" Adam rolls his eyes audibly. "Yeah, he has his morals and shit but at the same time he left me to rot in that bathroom even though I won the game. He doesn't always play fair!"

"Stop talking about the bathroom. That was months ago. We can't judge the future until it happens," Lawrence sighs in annoyance. "You gotta trust John. If you can't trust John, then trust me."

Lawrence limps off, leaving a resentful Adam to reflect. "Asshole," he mutters under his breath. Is Lawrence having a laugh? How can he trust him after everything he put him through? Inside, he still doesn't truly forgive him. He was selfish and still seems to be. He doesn't care that someone mainly innocent has to die so he can fulfill his and John's motive.

Adam clutches his fists and leaves the building. Next time he's there, he's stopping this messed-up organisation for good...