Chapter 12: Reclaiming Family
Across town Strut races to his home. He parks behind the house and walks around to the front door. A van pulls up behind him and he smiles. This was his second chance to make everything right. The agent he killed in the fire had no time to warn anyone he was out. Timothy Price was getting soft and dumb in his old age anyway. "Daddy's home" he says as he crosses the atrium into Cynthia's den. "Oh Cynthia, Angelique, Angel dear come on out, I'm cleared and free I come to take you guys out to celebrate." He walks through the house calling their names again and searching in places they liked to hide.
Ann Lee walks down the stairs. "Josh there is no one here."
Josh starts shaking with rage, screaming. "Don't tell me that there is no one here. Ann I want them found and I want them found now." he slings a candy dish at her missing her head by mere inches. He'd bought this crap to make Cynthia and the girls happy but they weren't here anymore. He started trashing the place turning over tables, chairs, breaking dishes, this was his crap he'd do to it what he wanted, and then he ran into Cynthia's den and flipped her maple desk over with her computer on it the computer caught fire. For a few minutes he just watched it burn he then puts out the fire with a fire extinguisher breathing hard with a wild look in his eyes he whispers "Till death do us part, not till you run away from me. If I can't have you no one will."
Bobby had only seen Strut like this once and he knew what to expect. "I'll help you find her Josh, Ann has quit she said she's not paid enough to deal with you anymore. Strut you have to stop throwing stuff at people you're going to have it so every time you want a favor you'll have to start all over is that what you want?"
"I want what is mine. I want Cynthia here now. Can you deliver?" Josh roared.
"I can, and you know I can, so what are you going to do now are you going to sit here and sulk or are you going to reclaim your family? Are you going move up through the ranks so you can one day be on top above the law? Josh, if you quit now Timothy died for nothing."
"Shut up, I don't need you to tell me that. I have work to do, and a family to get back. Where is Ann I'll need her?"
"She out in the van." Bobby says walking around the room setting things upright. He worked for Strut and he'd ride Strut's coattails till something better paying came alone. He liked his job It was simple tell families to pay him or die and kill them anyway with little or no risk of Jail time. Local police work was fun once you were in you were safe If you knew who to serve. In Bobby's case it was Strut.
Strut left Bobby to clean up yet another mess. He saw Ann in the window she feared no one but him. She knew no poison she made would kill him that scared her. She'd even stabbed him in the chest and he'd leaned in and kissed her full on the mouth. She stabbed him again and again and a fourth time and he still stood there smiling at her. "You know I can't let you leave. Don't make me kill you. I like you but I won't risk you leaving and telling people my secret no one is worth that." Strut smiles and strokes her face. "Say you'll work for me for as long as you live you'll serve me only." He pulls her hair hard jerking her head back exposing her neck he puts a switchblade to her throat. "Say it or I will end your existence."
"I will serve you and only you" She said around the lump of fear in her throat. He let her hair go and she looked at him. He was losing his mind. Ann knew she could never leave or he would kill her she made poison and killed people but she knew he did not really need her he just liked having her around. She'd got wrapped up with Timothy Price and now he was dead. Ann was now stuck serving him going to the police was a joke. She would do the only thing she was trained to do she'd serve Strut and get paid and live for as long as she could. You didn't run from Strut no matter who you were once in and once you found out his secret you were his for life. She kind of felt sorry for his wife Cynthia she did not even know his secret but her and those girls where his.
Their gazes met and he knew she spoke the truth. Strut walks away from the van and gets in his stolen car, driving away. He turns on the radio he liked opera but this was not his favorite one. He'd dreamed of the woman he'd saw on television have her hit her highest note and then he'd strangle her as the music died so would she. A chill ran up his spine he needed to focus he needed his pills. He pops two Prozac's and shakes his head violently swallowing them with no water. He presses autodial and calls his wife. on her cell phone. "Coming sweetie your dear husband is coming for you."
Across town Mark turns the corner and slams on the breaks at the sight where the Bar had once been. Now there was a deep crater with smoke billowing out of it. "Stay here, lock the doors." Mark gets out and pulls his cell phone calling Hudson "I think your Boy Strut has visited your Bar. Or what is left of it. Which ain't much" Mark could hear squealing tires on Hudson's end.
"I'm on my way I was going to check if there any old files that I could build his case on. We're really gonna need someone else's files if it's as bad as you say. I had hard copies in my office Wall safe could they have surv8ived?"
"Not unless they were fire proof and invisible I'm 20 feet away and I can still smell the explosives. This place is a hole in the ground literally. Where was that kid headed?"
"Oh shit, Hold on" Hudson clicked over and called ZP, Vikki answered his phone, and told him that ZP was in the hospital getting his system cleansed of toxins that he was injected with. "Take him to my place if he is released tonight. Strut is stepping up the game. I don't need anymore surprises. You know technically we can't interfere the files are gone, but if we could get that kid back. I'd leave Strut alone at least until the government built another case on him."
"Will do sir" Vikki says, as she hangs up her phone. She watched Rodriguez pace back and forth he cared about people no matter who they were. Taking a deep breath and blowing it out to calm herself she walks along side Dan and pats his hand saying that everything will be fine. She just hoped she wasn't lying.
Back at the sight where the bar once stood Mark walked back to the truck. Hudson had told him to take the girl back to his house. AS Mark got to the truck Cynthia got out of the vehicle and walked toward the hole. Mark followed her. And grabbed her wrist asking her where the hell she was going. His tirade was stopped when he saw the tears in her eyes. He asked her what was wrong telling her no one was hurt. That's when the unshed tears burst through she hands Mark her cell phone and walks closer to the hole. Mark put the phone to his ear and Josh was still talking. He quickly closes the phone and follows Cynthia.
AS Mark walked behind Cynthia she spoke looking over into the hole. Her brother was a royal pain in the ass but he was her problem now he was dead because of her. "I always suspected that Strut would hurt Tim if he screwed up but never thought Timothy would be killed by his best friend. Timothy used to want to be like Josh. I'm sorry Timothy we had many fights but I never wanted you dead. I have to return Josh is feeding on this city he's pissed he'll continue to hunt as he put it, until I go home."
Mark couldn't let her go back, Strut was dangerous. "You and the girls can go to Hudson's place until you can find another place."
A sports car sped right for them Mark took her with him as they jumped away from the hole into the grass He landed on top of her shielding her away from danger. "Are, you Ok?" Mark asks getting to his feet.
He turned around and was hit in the face with a fist. Mark turned his head back and found the man who had tried to just run him over and had just hit him. Josh stood face to chest with Mark, Mark grabbed Josh up by the throat. And if it where not for the fact Josh could not die by such means he would have been dead by now. Mark was choking him. He slumped in Mark's chokehold. Mark choke slammed Josh headfirst into the gravel, and kicked him. Josh lay still healing himself. Mark and Cynthia headed towards the truck. As they got in the truck the one that was younger asked the stranger with the full beard did he watch wrestling? Mark knew which child this was this had to be Angel she was inquisitive and watched WWE faithfully Lucky for him he'd decided to grow his beard in more to work this job while not in the ring some people recognized him no matter what he did but for some reason he wanted the girls to know him before they found out about his now part time wrestling job. "Not really I work a lot."
Mark pulled away from the site and he saw Josh jump to his feet. He blew a low whistle through his teeth. Josh was gonna be a hard nut to crack Mark knew pro fighters that would not have jumped to their feet as quickly after that beating. What would it take to bring this guy down? He was cunning and for some reason he had money that no cop earned.
Josh watches the vehicle his family was in drive away. It was time to stop toying with this man it was time for his family to return home. Even if he had to reveal his secret he would have his family back. He phoned Ann and instructed her on what to do next. He had other things to do. He called an old friend from long ago. "She left me I can't take this I need you my friend I will pay what you wish just help me."
The voice giggles and says "I have been waiting for your call. Just tell me your plan and I shall do your bidding." Josh would only say part of what he wanted the other part was to come later before he paid. This person was friend but Josh never confused money with friendship. He closes his phone without anther word.
He drives away from the site heading home. Though Mark did not kill him he was still surprisingly a bit sore around the throat. You will leave my wife alone" He shouts at the picture of Cindy he sewed to the center of his shirt. She was his heart. She made him feel normal. He had to get his family back.
Mark drove to Hudson's home. Upon seeing where they had ended up Cynthia asked "what are you doing?"
Mark turns in his seat to look at Cynthia. "I am keeping you safe. Go on in Hudson already told his house staff to be watching out for you guys. You'll be safe here."
Cynthia and the girls got out of the Vehicle. Mark could see that Cynthia was doubtful but this was the only place Mark felt safe leaving her and his girls.
As Cynthia entered the house the locks locked behind her and the girls. Hudson walked into the Main living room to greet them and asked where Mark was. Cynthia said he had just driven off. Saying he'd return later. "I'll be right back make yourselves at home"
Hudson soon left and the house seemed to grow when he did. Cynthia was trying to hold herself together but the longer Strut was out there the longer he would hurt people. Angel and Angelique found a television in the lower den. Cynthia sat in the chair by the front door looking at the girls watch TV. A Mexican woman came and stood in front of her, which startled her.
"Do you wish something to drink?" The woman asked in broken English. "I am Alexandra supper will be served soon." Alex knew why the woman was here and she just wanted her to feel at ease but the woman still looked like the floor was going to eat her. The fear she must be feeling Alex could not even imagine. Alex puttered back into the kitchen.
Cynthia got to her feet and made her way into the hall that the housekeeper had just entered. The telephone rung the housekeeper ran past Cindy and answered the phone. She then hands Cindy the phone. And walks back to the kitchen. Cynthia thinking it is Hudson says "hello" the voice that met her ears almost made her drop the cordless phone.
