Still Alive - Adam Stanheight

Chapter 18

*Warning: Violence*

"We might just have the perfect opportunity to stop this guy for good," Adam tells Brielle as quietly as possible, as they are having lunch in a public coffee shop. "Your team can't be involved. The less people involved the better. I don't want anyone getting hurt." He stretches his hand across the table and places it on hers. "I don't want you getting hurt."

Brielle smiles as she takes a sip of her latte. "You won't have to worry about me. I'll have a gun, pepper spray, you name it. These guys aren't getting away with this lightly, especially after what they did to you."

Adam nods. "Speaking of that, I'm convinced Lawrence's mind is completely fucked, due to John's manipulation. The next guy they're planning to trap has to dig a key out of his eye before he gets his face impaled, and Lawrence agreed to do the surgery. I mean, how disgusting is that?"

"Yeah, it's really fucked up," Brielle replies, trying not to imagine what this trap may look like. "It'd be hard to save him from that one. "That's why we need to do this before this guy gets tested. How much time do we have?"

Adam sighs, his fingers fidgeting with his cappuccino cup. "Three days." Brielle gulps nervously, realising how little time they have. "Well, we can't warn the guy between now and then. John's too smart for that. We need to do something he doesn't see coming."

The two are silent for a minute in thought. Adam then speaks up. "He promised me that he'd never hurt me or put me another trap. What if I pretend to do something like overdose on drugs or some shit, to see if he keeps his word. That might get him out of the headquarters to check if I'm dead or not. That's when you secretly go in provided Lawrence and Amanda don't catch you, then grab any evidence you can find and go straight back to the department. Then the police will go to our apartment if you tell them that's where John is and...viola. He can finally rot in prison the way I almost rotted in that god-damn bathroom."

It takes a minute for Brielle to process that whole plan. She then smiles a little smugly, knowing that Adam is onto something. "I think that could work. We just need to go into more detail and prepare for every scenario. We know what this guy is capable of."

"Yeah," Adam responds, a sly smile also sweeping across his face. "But they have no idea what we're capable of."

***

Two days later, Amanda and Lawrence are the only ones to show up for work. "Where's your midget sidekick today?" Amanda asks Lawrence. "How would I know?" Lawrence answers back. "What I do know is that he seemed very indifferent about Mr Mark's trap. Maybe he quit."

Amanda scoffs. "Seriously Lawrence, he can't quit. He knows everything. Try his phone and get him to come back right now."

"I don't even have his number," Lawrence responds as he takes out his phone anyway. "I think I know who we can call though." He dials a number that he received not so long ago when Adam was at the hospital. The staff gave it to him for legal reasons, but what he's ringing about now is nowhere near legal.

"Hi, is this Detective Mason?" Lawrence questions, putting the call on loudspeaker. A shaky, whimpered voice replies. "This is she. How can I help you?"

Lawrence and Amanda look at each other weirdly. "Ummm I was just calling to see if your partner Adam is available to talk? He owes me photos of my daughter and I need them done today."

"Adam isn't well," the voice responds through breathless sobs. "I found him in the bathroom this morning, lying on the ground unconscious. I think he tried to overdose. He's been in so much pain since he woke up. I don't know what to do!" The girl sobs into the phone and Lawrence becomes genuinely concerned. "What? I thought he was doing okay?"