“What is your name, miss?”
“Emma. Emma Moran.”
The EMT lifts her into the ambulance, closing the doors.
“You are going to be okay, Emma. We are taking you to the hospital.”
The ambulance takes off, along with others. Edward watches as it takes off down the road, heading towards the city. The paramedics rush past them, heading inside the warehouse.
“This is madness.” Stephanie looks at Edward, shaking her head.
Edward sighs, running his fingers through his hair.
“Yes this is. This is such a mess.” Edward enters the warehouse, looking at the bodies.
Bodies lie everywhere, blood dried on all the floors. They have already taken some out of the building, cleaning the mess quickly. They walk through the hallway, entering the other side of the building. A body still hangs from the walkway above, one of the men Isaac had shot.
“Sir! We found more women! There were three inside the boat at the end of the dock!” Calls Tristain, the young officer that had helped Edward at the car dealership.
Edward looks out towards the dock, three women holding hands with the paramedics, carefully stepping on the wooden dock. Stephanie smiles, a tear falling. Edward notices, nodding his head.
“Thank you, Tristain. I’m glad they are okay. Help get them to the hospital. We are almost finished here.”
“Yes sir!” Tristain helps the three women exit the dock, heading to the ambulances.
Edward looks out to the roaring waters, still crashing late into the night. He can see the police boats coming back, towing the boat behind them. The ocean is so cold, the waves carrying the wind to the land.
“Edward. Let’s let them finish up. We still have work to do.” Stephanie grabs his right shoulder, tugging lightly.
Edward watches the water for a moment, turning to walk with her. They exit the building, walking to his police car. Edward unlocks it with a beep, opening the doors.
“I suppose… I should see him.” Edward turns on the car, looking at Stephanie.
“I’ll be with you Edward. He can’t hurt you.”
“I’m not afraid of him hurting me. I just… I understand. We are more alike than I wish to admit.”Gunfire echoes for just a moment, stopping suddenly.
Dante sits up, limping across the room. He is exhausted, having trouble sleeping. He had been thinking of Isaac ever since he failed to kill him. He was blaming himself, thinking he had killed more children.
Lights can be seen down the hallway, coming towards Dante. He walks towards the lights, jerking when he reaches the end of his chain. He was thirsty. They all left him when the gunfire started. The lights enter the room, shining into his eyes.
“Oh god! Someone help him!”
The police officers grab the keys off the wall, unlocking Dante’s chains. Dante falls into one of their arms, sobbing. He can’t believe it. They finally came for him. He has a second chance.
“Thank you! Oh… God thank you!” Dante sheds a tear, holding tight to the officer.
“Everything will be okay. It’s going to be okay. What’s your name?”
“My name? Dante… Dante Mello.”
The paramedics enter the room, placing him onto the stretcher. They lift him up, taking him out of the hall. Fernando’s men have been either shot or taken into custody. Their entire operation has been shut down. It is finally over. The Amor family has been sells drugs for years, ending on this night. Fernando’s body gave them all they needed to know.
They place Dante into the ambulance, closing the doors. He takes a deep breath, his eyes darting around. He is crying, looking at the others in astonishment. He prays this could be his second chance. He wants his life back.Edward stops the car, looking at the front door.
“I’ll be right beside you.”
Edward takes a deep breath, tapping the wheel.
“I want to see him, alone. I need to process him fully.”
Stephanie nods, understanding.
“Would you like me to stay in the car?”
“No. Just outside the room. You can listen, if you like.” Edward exits the car, walking towards the hospital.
Edward already knows the room number. They walk past the front desk, Stephanie waving at the women. She waves back, having a lot of work to do on this night. Edward slowly walks up the stairs, looking at his shoes as he steps. He doesn’t know how to feel. It could have been better. It could have been worse.
They walked down the hall, looking for the room. Number one hundred and ten. They see it. Edward stops by the door, looking through the crack in the blinds. He can see a small light inside, probably the moon.
“I will be right here. Just call me if you need me.” Stephanie tells him, patting his shoulder.
Edward nods, taking the recorder out of his pocket. He turns it on, as he opens the door. Edward looks at his feet as he enters, closing the door behind him. One deep breath. He looks at him. It has been quite a while. He still remembers what he looked like.
Isaac Axton turns to him from the hospital bed, his hands were cuffed to the sides. Edward looks at his scar, the slash across his face. Isaac’s body is covered in bandages. His heart rate is steady, still alive.
“Hello, Edward. I remember you. You finally got me.” Isaac looks down at his cuffs, holding him still.
“Don’t lie to us. We will know the truth soon enough.” Edward walks closer to the bed, looking him in the eyes.
“Lie? Edward… I have never lied to you. On that night, I meant what I said. I am not the same man as I was. I am… proud. I’ve done what I wanted. I finished what I never really thought I could.”
Edward takes a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment.
“What are you… proud of?”
Edward thinks of all the good people that died because of him.
“I am proud of it all. It was all me. I was the one who did it… all. I searched the Hunter household after the police left. You missed a clue.”
Edward’s eyes lift back to his, curious.
“Emily. She wrote her father a book. The last page was glued. I found Charlie Cooper on that page. I made him follow me. I gave him no choice.”
Edward can feel the cold wind as it enters through the window. The nurse left it cracked open, at Isaac’s request.
“We killed Robert. Charlie lied to me. He was the only one who tricked me, like that.”
“How did he lie to you?” Edward asks.
Isaac shushes him, waiting for him to go silent.
“As I was saying, he lied. He told me Simon Stone ordered Robert to kill him. We needed a plan. I was too weak to attack him alone. We kidnapped one of the Amor family, forcing their hand. Together will killed Scott… Gray. That was his name.”
Edward nods, taking a seat next to the bed.
“I wanted to attack Simon then. Fernando told me no. He told me we needed to weaken him. He told me we needed to hurt him where it hurts most. His money.”
Edward leans in, waiting.
“It was me. I used a man to deliver the bomb to his car dealership. That dealership laundered one third of Simon’s money.”
Edward stops, his eyes opening wide. He can’t believe that was him, too.
“Who… who did you use?” Edward rubs his left arm, paying attention.
“I could care less about him. I’ll tell you. Michael Bell. He is a perfect liar. I never much liked him. I don’t like people that can’t stand up for what they believe in. He believed in nothing but his next meal.”
Edward pauses, remembering him. That is enough for an arrest. They have what they needed.
“Simon had two more. His boat dealership and restaurant. We didn’t know where he was. Where he kept his men. We did the same thing we did to the Amors. I had to kill his family before they told me Simon’s location. That’s why Charlie got upset. He was too weak. Charlie had forgot. You need to trade a life… to take one.”
They stare at each other, Edward trying to process what he was telling him.
“Dante Mello. He told me where Charlie was. He accidentally told me that Charlie killed Alex, too. I had Dante enslaved.”
Edward nods, knowing they found Dante a few minutes ago.
“We saved him. He is being taken to the hospital.”
Isaac scoffs, looking back down at his cuffs.
“Fine. That doesn’t matter to me. He was just a waste of my time, anyway. He never really helped me. He was useless. He was too soft.”
Edward sits up straight, waiting for Isaac to continue. Isaac rolls his eyes and looks back at him.
“I killed Charlie. I almost wish… well he shouldn't have lied to me. I had no choice. Charlie had to die. I burned him down. I burned it all.”
“How did you escape the police? We had you.”
“Fernando saved me. They healed me up. We forced Dante to patch me up.”
Edward waits, wanting the full story.
“I knew a boat of women was going to be transported to Simon. We took over that boat. I tricked them into letting us park on their dock. It was my Trojan Horse. I fought my way to Simon. I killed him. I tasted his blood. I had my revenge.”
“Who gave you the weapons?”
“I won’t tell you. I still like the man. He never hurt anyone. He was an honest businessman.”
Edward nods, knowing Isaac will never tell him.
“I had done it. I fought my way to Simon. I proved myself.”
Edward sighed, shaking his head.
“If you tell me that you did all of this for Alex Hunter. If you tell me it was for revenge I-”
“No. I’ll admit it. I did this for me. I did all of this for the power. I wanted to show everyone that I was in control of what I wanted. I wanted to play god. I got what I wanted. It’s just… it left a sour taste in my mouth.”
Edward nods, standing up. He turns off the recorder, stepping near the door.
“Isaac… you and I are alike.”
Isaac looks curiously, not understanding.
“How? How could we… be alike?”
“Because… I lost someone I loved, too. My father died in the line of duty. He was shot by a gang, in the heart of this city. I wanted revenge. I wanted to kill everyone in this city. It took time, but I realized it. My father would have never wanted me to… well, you know. That’s why I’m following in his footsteps. I could have been just like you Isaac. I almost was.”
Isaac takes a deep breath, understanding Edward unlike he had.
“Isaac… in a small way… I forgive you. I understand. I feel sorry for you. Alex never would have wanted this. I just hope your life... from behind bars will help you realize that. Anyone can change, even someone like you.”
Edward takes one last look at Isaac. He can see him, for just a moment. The Isaac he met on that night weeks ago. He is still inside of him, like a child trying to do what is best. He knows Isaac will think about what he said, for the rest of his life.
He can see a snowflake fall past the window, just before he turns the doorknob. Edward leaves the room, closing the door behind him. Stephanie hugs him, patting him on the back.
“I heard it all.”
They walked down the hallway, ready to leave. Edward smiles as he walks, finally done. He had finished the case.
“Let’s go finish that paperwork. I’m tired.” Stephanie walks alongside him.
Edward laughs, nodding his head.
“Yes. Let’s do that.”
YOU ARE READING
Vindictive (Complete)
ActionIsaac Axton lost what he loved most. He lost the only thing that ever mattered to him. The only thing left is to seek revenge, for what was taken from him. He tells himself it's what he... would have wanted. He tells himself it's the right thing to...