Jack In The Box

Riley

One of the two brothers could die and I needed to do something. I tried to look in the car for a key, in case Ezra had left it in the car console and forgotten to take it with him but of course he was smart, he wouldn’t make such a juvenile mistake.

I leaned towards the car door and brought my restrained hands to the car lock. I flipped the lock and it gave away easily. I threw the door open and flung myself out on my feet. The clouds began hiding behind the mountains. I walked towards the barn slowly and opened the door to it.

I let myself inside the barn and closed the door behind me. I stayed hidden behind a stack of hay. The place was creepy and smelled of cattle. Standing there amid the dusty old junk were the twins. Ezra was facing Jack, who had his side facing towards me.

“You look like a dead man walking.” Ezra said to Jack.

“Why, Ez, thanks for the compliment. You don’t look bad yourself.” Jack said in a voice that was almost good-natured. Jack’s voice, his presence made my heart beat faster. “Where is Riley?”

“Why is there blood on your shirt?” Ezra asked him, his voice was eerily calm. Their voices were so similar to each other; it was becoming hard to understand who was talking unless I kept looking.

“You promised me that if I showed up, you’d let Riley go. Here I am where you want me to be, you have no use of that woman. Let her go.” Jack said. “I did as I was told and left my gun in the car.”

“I never promised anything. I told you we needed to talk first.”

Jack rubbed his temples; I could tell he was loosing his patience as well as his temper. “What do you wanna talk about?” Frustrated, Jack laughed. “Wait, are you even real, or perhaps you’re a figment of my imagination. Maybe I finally lost all my marbles.”

“I can hear the sarcasm.” Ezra said. “You have to understand. I had to pretend to be dead. There was no other way. You see, I’m—”

“An FBI Agent.” Jack completed for him. “I gathered as much.”

Ezra’s eyes widened. His cover had already been blown. Jack knew of his real identity. Jack continued. “What I don’t understand is why you would go to such lengths to pretend to be me? Unless you have a hidden agenda. What is it, Ezra? What do you want? Name it. I don’t have the time or the inclination to play childish games.”

“I want the truth from you. That’s all I need.” Ezra said.

“You tell me. You’re the FBI Agent. I’m the criminal, remember?” Jack mocked him.

Ezra’s expressions turned hard. “I know you killed three people. I didn’t ask about that. I want to know if you killed the others.” Then his eyes focused on something else. “The blood on your shirt. How’d you get it?”

A long pause. “I went to the mansion.”

“You what?!”

“You heard me the first time. I went to the mansion...”

“And?”

for his pocket and pulled out his phone. “Agent Wolfe speaking.” A beat later,

then, “But how’s that possible? There has to be a mistake!” Ezra’s eyes rested on

Ezra’s vein would burst, “What the fuck did you do, Jackson?” The

“What if I did?”

did what? What were they talking

bed that’s soaked in blood. The walls are painted red, Jack.” He was breathing hard. Anger was giving away to grief. He lunged at Jack and caught the collar of his shirt. “You! You’re so driven by your lust for revenge

his brother. “You think I killed him? Well, guess what, I’m not going to attempt to convince you otherwise.

eye. Two people were positioned in two

ran cold. I didn’t think before I stood up and walked towards them. The sound of my shoes scrapping against

“Jack.” I called out.

get out of

dark eyes holding my gaze as I walked towards him as if he were

off Ezra.” Jack

“No.”

at his brother. “Take these off. I won’t ask

heard the dangerous tone in Jack’s voice. It gave me the idea that although Ezra was strong, he was still scared of his brother. He pulled out a pair of keys from his pocket and tossed it towards Jack who caught the keys in mid-air. Without a word, Jack unlocked the cuffs

out of the

my hand in his.

leaned in and whispered. “There are people hidden here

no other way around it. The killer did this on purpose and I walked right into the trap he laid out at my house.

can’t...I can’t leave

“Riley!” Ezra warned me.

Jack.” I

or not. The law will decide the right

you won’t shoot.” I said.

hands to the men hidden at the back. “Lower your weapons. Jackson, I’m

Bang!

of the gunshot roared through

fuck?! I told you not

I looked up and there was someone, a dark form moved towards the window and disappeared. Jack staggered and he fell down on his knees holding the

too shocked to even

kneeled beside him, cradling his head in his lap. “No!

touched the bloodied hand to Ezra’s face. “I never once...” he coughed. “I never doubted you.....that you would kill people

had to do it! For the sake of my job, and for those helpless people! I was never interested in the company you foolish man, I thought

matted in blood. “If I die, find

with me!” He turned to the men who were standing in the corner watching. “Follow that