I was a little sad no one reviewed my last chapter :( but I understand that people are busy. It's also my fault for leaving this story so long without updates and losing the interest of my readers. Anyway, here is another quick update for you.
"Charlie?"
The voice sounded far away, like it was coming through a tunnel. It echoed.
"Charlie?"
"Charlie?" a woman's voice asked, sounding scared.
"Come on, bro," the second man's voice said. Charlie felt a rushing sensation, and he opened his eyes. Tess and John were kneeling beside him while Billy stood to the side. Charlie sat up. He was shaking, and he felt sick.
"Atta boy. Easy now," John said, helping him up. Charlie couldn't speak. It was as though his brain had lost the ability to form the words in his mind in his mouth.
"What happened?" Billy asked.
"They got shot at," John answered. Billy groaned and yanked at his hair a little. Tess took two steps across the room in his direction then, and she slapped him across the face as hard as she could. Charlie and John stared as Tess stood there glowering at Billy, who didn't even make a sound.
"You asshole!" she shouted, hitting him again.
"Tess," John started.
"No!" she shrieked. "I had to watch my husband go through utter hell as he processed Billy's death. I almost lost him! I am not going to just sit here and be told to calm down!"
"Tess, there's a reason..." John tried.
"And you!" Tess roared, turning onto John. "How long have you known? Huh?"
"Since Sue's wedding," John answered quietly.
"WHAT?!"
"Tess, listen to me," Billy interrupted. She faced him, eyes blazing.
"There better be one hell of a good reason for all of this," she hissed.
"I wanted to disappear after everything," Billy said. "I was too ashamed. I got offered a chance to live a second life as a ghost, so I took it. Yes, it was the coward's way out and yes, I hurt a lot of people. I'll make amends once the target is off my back."
"What target?" Tess asked. Charlie still hadn't said a word. He couldn't. His tongue wouldn't work properly.
"The guy in charge of this ghost stuff got Billy to do some work as a hit man. Now, Billy is considered a rogue, and they want to kill him."
"And why are you here?" Tess asked John.
"I wanted to help him," John answered.
"I can't believe the two of you," Tess said, pulling out her phone.
"No, no, no!" John yelped, snatching it from her.
"What are you doing?" she asked, outraged.
"Do not tell anyone. In fact, you two aren't leaving this motel room," John added.
"I don't think so..."
"Tess, they were shooting at you. That means they are trying to lure us out. You can't leave here."
"He's right, Tess," Charlie said, surprising them. His voice was hoarse. "We have to stay here."
"What do we tell Jane? She'll wonder why we didn't come back!"
"No contact," John ordered. "They are probably watching her too now." Billy stayed silent. He and Charlie were making eye contact.
"I'm still very, VERY mad at you," Tess said to Billy.
"I know," he said softly. Tess went to sit by Charlie and put her arms around him. Billy didn't know what to say to Charlie. He knew he had hurt his brother very badly. When the time was right, they'd talk.
Jack
"Billy is not alive," Jack argued.
"Mate, I can't argue with you all day," Bobby said. "He's alive. He's with John. Something's up, and I bet you it has everything to do with this ghost program I learned about today."
"Sue is gonna freak out," Jack said, rubbing his face.
"I know. It's quite a shock. He'll have to answer for himself when this is all over."
"So, help me understand this program you're talking about."
"I don't know much. All I know is a guy named Salvation runs it and it's for people to start a new life and do good deeds."
"It doesn't sound like such a bad thing," Jack noted.
"Maybe not, but I feel like there's more to it."
"You don't have much to go on," Jack pointed out.
"No, but my hunch tells me where to start looking."
"Where's that?"
"Chase's office."
"You sure that's a good idea?"
"It's the only one I have, so yes," Bobby nodded. "You in or out?"
"What do you need me to do?" Jack asked.
"Be my lookout," Bobby answered.
"All right. I'm in."
Jane
"What are you doing?" Maddy asked, watching her mother tape a gun underneath the kitchen table.
"You never know," Jane shrugged, acting casual.
"What is going on?" Maddy demanded.
"It's just a precaution."
"Mom!"
Jane didn't want to tell her. She didn't want to say that Charlie had never returned from his lunch and neither he or Tess were answering their phones. She could only think the worst. She had tried to contact John, but his phone said he was no longer in service. Something had happened, and she was scared.
"We should leave," Maddy said, trying not to panic. "Just go somewhere safe."
"That's a good idea," Jane agreed. The only safest place she could think of was her mother's. She lived hours away, and she was in a condo where lots of people were around.
"I was thinking with Dimitrius," Maddy said, knowing what her mother was thinking.
"And put his family in danger? I don't think so," Jane shook her head. "You're safer with Grandma."
"I don't want to leave you," Maddy said. "Why can't we just go be with Dad?"
"Because I don't know where he is, okay?" Jane snapped. She regretted it instantly, seeing Maddy's hurt face. "I'm sorry, but I'm just under some pressure, and I don't know what is going on."
"Is Dad...?" Maddy started, but she couldn't finish.
"I'm sure he's fine," Jane reassured her. She desperately wanted to believe it anyway.
John
He had smashed his phone. He threw away Tess and Charlie's phones too. He regretted not disposing of his phone sooner. He hadn't realized they had gotten his personal number. He had left his business phone at home. It was the only explanation for how they had found him at that café. Billy had gotten rid of his phone soon after he started moving around with John to different motels.
"We gotta move," John said to them now. Tess looked very pale. John was trying not to worry about how this would affect her baby.
"Where are we gonna go?" Charlie asked.
"John," Billy interrupted. "You know what to do."
"No, we are not doing that," John argued. "We discussed that, and the answer is still no."
"What?" Charlie asked. "What is even going on?" John and Billy looked at each other. It was time to tell Charlie everything.
"I'll do it," Billy sighed. John went to stand in the background while Billy gave the rundown to Charlie and Tess.
"I have the sudden urge to slap you again," Tess said once he was done.
"I can only say I'm sorry so many times," Billy responded.
"So where is this Ben guy?" Charlie cut in. He didn't want to hear it. He was feeling angry now.
"See? He's got the same idea," Billy said to John, who snorted.
"What?" Charlie asked. "What's wrong with it?"
"It's a suicide mission is what's wrong with it," John retorted.
"So?" Charlie challenged. John stiffened at this. Was Charlie implying he didn't care if Billy died for real?
"See? He gets it," Billy commented, crossing his arms.
"If we wait long enough, Ben will take care of Chase," John argued.
"I don't feel like worrying about hit men even after he's gone," Tess pointed out.
"Argh," John said, gripping at his head. "Let's just get out of here and figure out the details later."
"All right," Billy shrugged.
Tara
"He's gone to his car," Tara whispered into her intercom.
"Thanks, luv," Bobby said back. She sat in the car, watching Chase drive away. She was on the lookout down here in case he decided to return. It was the end of the day, however, so she doubted it. She hoped Bobby would hurry up and find what he was looking for. They all knew Chase was getting antsy.
Bobby
He searched through Chase's files carefully. Nothing was showing up regarding any ghost program. He shut the drawer, sighing in frustration. Jack was pacing the halls and keeping an eye out. Bobby stuck the flashlight back into his mouth (Chase's office didn't have any windows) as he searched the desk drawers next. He heard two bangs on the door, which was their signal for someone coming.
"Shit," Bobby said. He crawled under the desk as best as he could and prayed that nobody was going to sit there. The door opened.
"He's not here," a male voice said.
"He was supposed to give us further instructions," a second male voice responded.
"I'll text him."
Bobby held his breath as they waited for a response back. The bleep of the phone almost made Bobby jump.
"The girl," the first guy said, chuckling. "He's targeting John then."
"She'll be less protected than the deaf sister," the second reasoned.
"All right. Let's go then," the first said, snapping his phone shut with gusto. Bobby waited until it was silent for a bit before crawling out.
"Bobby?" Jack called softly.
"Yea, mate. I'm here."
"What happened?"
"Chase's goon squad is going after Maddy," Bobby answered.
"Oh no."
"Yea. Let's go. This can wait."
Myles
He and D were the last ones in the office. Myles was rooting around his filing cabinet to make space for his work when he noticed something odd.
"Ghost Program?" Myles asked, picking up the file. This was new. He'd never seen it before.
"What did you say?" D called over. Myles looked over at him and back at the file.
"I have a file in my drawer that wasn't there before."
"What do you mean?" D asked, coming to join him.
"Here," Myles said, handing it to him. D opened it to find a bunch of names listed as well as locations.
"Oh my God," D breathed. Billy Thomas's name glared up at him. Beside it was the name "Paul."
"What?" Myles asked, looking over his shoulder.
"Myles, you have just cracked this wide open," D replied, moving to call Bobby.
"Cracked what open? What are you talking about?" Myles asked, annoyed. D didn't respond. Chase was trying to set up Myles. There was no other reason for this file to be in his cabinet unless Chase was trying to hide it among random things. D didn't get far before he ran into Bobby and Jack in the hallway.
"Bobby, I have..." D started.
"No time," Bobby cut him off. "Maddy is in danger."
"What?" D asked, snapping to attention.
"I just heard Chase's guys say they're going to get her."
"I'll give her a head's up," D said, pulling out his phone. "Bobby, when you're done, get back here. I have the Ghost Program file."
Bobby's head snapped back to look at him.
"What?"
"It was hidden in Myles's filing cabinet. Either a frame job or just a random hiding place."
"I'll look later," Bobby promised, hurrying off with Jack. D heard Maddy answer her phone.
"Hey, listen, you gotta leave," D started.
Maddy
Both Maddy and Jane left the house immediately after D's phone call. They were in touch with Bobby and Jack shortly after, and they all met in a safe area.
"What do we do now?" Maddy asked.
"I think you guys should stay with one of us until this is sorted out," Jack said. He had just written Sue, who was with Lucy. The two of them were going to make their way to the bull pen where D and Myles were waiting. The best thing was to be all together Jack figured.
"Have you heard from John?" Jane asked hopefully. "Or Charlie?"
"No," Jack replied. "I'm sorry."
"Charlie?" Bobby asked, confused.
"He and Tess are missing," Jane told him and Jack quietly.
"Dad's dead isn't he?" Maddy asked, getting teary.
"I'm sure he's just hiding out," Bobby reassured her. He hoped he was right. They got into their cars and made their way back to the office. If Chase was going to hurt them, he'd have to do it where there was a ton of witnesses.
Sweet ol' Tess got very protective here! Please review! I love hearing from you. I'm sorry if this story is dumb. I feel like it's not very good. It's mostly written. I'm just making edits and changes and coming up with the perfect ending. Until my next update!
