A FRACTURE IN THE CONSCIOUSNESS ✓

TYLER

{trigger warning: death, murder, blood, guns, major character death}

"So, how are the kids?" Tyler asked while going through paperwork at the station.

Judah and Dallon seemed to be the least suspicious of him in their team, but Tyler wasn't going to take any chances. If Jenna and Brad already caught wind of his actions, as he suspected they had, then that meant the walls were closing in on him faster than he originally thought.

"Scarlet's fine. Lindsey and some of our neighbors took her and their kids to a water park in North Carolina for the weekend," Judah said, smiling solemnly at the police file in his hands.

"Don't worry, Akers, once we wrap this case up, you'll get to spend the rest of summer break with your family." Tyler grabbed his shoulder, and Judah sent him a startled look.

Brendon scoffed. "Did you really forget how to act like yourself?"

The best way to fly under the radar for as long as he could wad to act normal. What was Tyler's normal again? He didn't think it involved casual conversation and touching. Tyler took his hand off of Judah. "What about yours, Weekes?"

"They're little devils, that's what they are," Dallon joked. "My sister is taking them to our grandmother's house in Santa Monica next week. We're staying there and going to Universal the second this case is over."

"Hitting the ground running, huh?" Judah laughed.

"Yup. We haven't been on a proper vacation since- well, I think we've all earned it. Knox is in the thespian honors society and Amelie has a full ride into Emory University."

"Georgia?" Tyler inquired.

Dallon grinned proudly. "Yup. She and her girlfriend are already done with their senior year, they exempted all of their exams, the graduation is in two weeks. Knox is finishing up the last week of his sophomore year."

"You must be so proud of them," Judah patted his shoulder.

"Yeah." Dallon shook his head slightly, his smile faltering. "God knows the world hasn't been kind to us in the past couple years, but they're thriving in a way I didn't think was possible. I'm... I'm happy."

A sharp pain shot through Tyler's chest. Guilt, he assumed. He couldn't kill Dallon and leave those kids orphans. They already lost their mother, Tyler couldn't take their father too.

"You don't have a choice anymore," Brendon whispered in his ear.

He didn't have a choice anymore.

Someone called Judah's phone, and he left the room. Tyler saw this as an opportunity.

"Get him out of here," Brendon instructed. "Away from witnesses, then kill him and destroy the evidence."

"Hey, Weekes, I'm not feeling well," Tyler said, trying to add lethargy into his voice. He kept his eyes half open and he swayed just to make it believable. "I think the Prozac I'm on is making me drowsy. Can you drop me off at the hotel?"

"Yeah, of course." He started to be a his sequin suit jacket when Judah walked back in.

Immediately Tyler could see the betrayal and caution in his eyes that Jenna has had for weeks, if not months.