Mindtease

Chapter 41

Kirk had left the Monarch Hotel...in a stupor of realization and a frisson shock of knowing. Walking out of the lobby, Kirk had mechanically followed the sidewalk back to the motel...where Josh would be waiting.

And Kirk would kill Joshua...knowing he would and must. But Kirk could not believe what he knew and now felt deep inside...Kirk would do it.

What the three black ops agents had said was very true...and Kirk knew it. The sudden realization, the...connecting the dots. Josh...Josh killed and didn't bat an eye or shed a single tear.

Kirk continued to walk, in his stupefied state bumping into passersby heedless of the contact, and shuffling back to the motel...back to Josh. Back to the target...to terminate with maximum intensity.

Along the sidewalk, in front of an empty storefront was a bench, and Kirk gratefully sat down...needing to focus his thoughts and see through his churning emotions.

Kirk found himself breathing mechanically, numb to external feeling, his mind only present in his physical body. Kirk stared at the sidewalk...wondering, considering...and knowing. Looking at his sneakers, Kirk moved his feet, the shadows from passersby and traffic flickering on his shoes.

Kirk had to accept it was true, Josh did kill...but he did too. Kirk had...had...what was it? Kirk could not remember...yet he knew for absolute certainty that he had killed. But Kirk had regretted it? Or had Kirk felt remorse over it...but what was it...and when and where?

Fuck!

Kirk instantly had the awareness...Josh had done a mind tease on him. That bastard! Somehow Josh had taken the memory...or blocked it...of killing. Josh not only could kill and not care, but he could wipe or block Kirk's memory of killing...

Would the lack of a memory of murdering...killing...destroying other human beings make Kirk a better killer?

Kirk gasped, and then felt himself tearing up...knowing. Josh was a killer who had killed to protect...and to eliminate immediate threats. But Josh would soon become more proactive...would kill to see what Josh could be done. Josh would kill simply because Josh wanted to...

His friend Joshua, the young kid he remembered...no, he loved more than anything, well Josh was becoming a monster. Kirk couldn't resolve the kid that he shaved the hair off his body for swim team, or how Kirk would let Josh hide out in his tree house...when his dad beat him...this older kid, his best friend...was becoming...was a killer?

Kirk wept, heedless of interruptions, voices of concern, now very certain. Josh loved him, Kirk knew that...but Kirk loved Josh. Now Kirk couldn't let Josh become...a monster, a killing machine that killed simply for the fun or because Josh could. There was only one thing to do...

Kirk suddenly knew with absolute certitude that he had to kill Josh...before he became a killing machine, using his ability to hurt and destroy others. Kirk realized Josh was slowly becoming corrupted by his power...absolutely, eventually Josh would not be the person Kirk loved.

"The destroyer must be destroyed."

Kirk said this through his tears of regret, bitterness of realization, and the regret he felt because he loved Josh.

Kirk stood up, wiped his eyes on his sleeves, and proceeded to walk back to the motel...the decision made, now what Kirk had to do was so simple...

Kill Josh.

Kirk felt some tears come to his eyes...it was his love for Josh. It wasn't just a friendship bond, or that Josh was like an older brother...Josh was...it was Kirk loved Josh...it was a feeling of deep intimacy...