THE VIGILANTE: THE SERIES[BOOK 2]

Ep.7 - Isaiah 5:20

"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"

My bottom was starting to get sore, and these chains were starting to weigh my down. The more I tried to adjust, the more I tried to fight against them, the more reality set in for me. I was trapped. I was in the belly of the beast, sitting next to it's serpent. I watched. The man in black, the shooter, was different. He didn't act like a thug, or a crime boss. He was silent, sturdy, precise, and focused. He carried himself like a man on a mission, like a soldier.

"You got anything to eat?" I asked. He remained silent. He pulled a knife from his back pocket, and cracked open a crate. The chains kept me from leaning closer, trying to get a better look.

"What'd you got over there?" He stood up, stepping away to open another crate. I could vaguely make out boxes of ammunition. He opened another crate, filled with packs of plastic explosives. I watched drag box after box, cracking open crate after crate, far more firepower for any one man.

"That's a lot of firepower you got over there?" He continued to ignore me.

"Where'd you get it from? Queenpin?" He stopped momentarily, then went back to organizing the ammunition. I got what I needed to know. I kept digging.

"What are you gonna do with all of this?" I asked. He finally spoke. "I do what's required." His voice was very stern; he even sounded like a soldier. He turned around and opened this wide black case. I watched him sit in front of the case, Indian style. He examined every part precisely, cleaning then wiping then connecting, piece-by-piece, he assembled his weapon. I vaguely was able to make out the ammunition he loaded into a clip, hard to make out but it looked familiar. He held one up to get closer look, then I knew. The same rounds, the same bullet, the same shooter who killed the Queenpin.

"You're really good at that, definitely carry yourself like a soldier. Where'd you serve?" He still wouldn't budge. I figured I had nothing to lose. "You killed the Queenpin." I said. He put the sniper down, finally acknowledging me.

"Maybe I did. What's it to you?" He asked.

"I'm just trying to understand." I said.

"Well then do us both a favor, and shut up." He said, loading his last round into his clip.

"Why didn't you take my mask off?" I asked him.

"Don't care who you are." He said.

"Then why haven't you killed me, huh? Why am I here?" I needed to know.

"You are here to stay out of my way." He stood up, leaving my field of vision.

Alex was pacing a hole into Don's carpet. She was still worried about Jake. Alex & Don, along with my mom, had gone down to the police station and filed a missing person's report. The cops said they'd call if they found anything.

"Alex I swear, if you keep pacing, I'm going to dig a hole myself for you to stay in." Don said. He was too busy

"Why haven't they called yet?" Alex asked.

"Because cops in this city don't do shit." Don said, continuing to play his game.

"Apparently neither do you." Alex said, cutting off the TV. Don dropped his controller. "Our friend is missing! Why don't you get that?!"

"You like him don't you?" Don said, smirking.

"WHAT!? No!" Alex said, trying not to blush.

"Just admit it, we all know it." Don got up from the couch, continuing to tease Alex.