A/N: Merry Christmas (And happy early birthday to me)! Well, almost anyways…I know. You want to kill me. However, my excuse this time is legit. I had family crises, school, finals, and it was hectic. But, I was determined as you can see to get a fair-sized chunk done as we are now pretty much at the end of the story…(long reviews for cranking up over 7,000 words in a day would be nice guys…) Special thanks goes to my lovely partner, InfinityxInfinity777 and to all you wonderful readers who have been kind and patient. Sorry to keep you all waiting. Oh! And a big thank you goes to karvesprincess for keeping Jemily alive with her outstanding masterpiece that Mike Kelley really needs to see, "The Revengers" series. It's clear that we might have a little "baby" war on our hands however so…Just kidding. Seriously though, read her story. It's amazing! Mine however…Well…many are wondering, "Am I cruel enough to take away such a precious opportunity from Amanda?!" Well, it's called revenge for a reason ya'll. All I can say is…What goes around, comes around…Read if you dare. And if you have tissues that'd be good too. Just saying…
Meanwhile in a closed off section of the warehouse basement's corridor…
Jack Porter couldn't help but frown as he watched his wife's face as they stood next to each other; waiting almost anxiously for Nolan. They couldn't help but feel left in the dark since at one moment, their genius best friend's eyes lit up as he snapped his fingers saying that he had a plan, and the next moment, before they could question him, he abruptly took their phones and told them to stay put as he sprinted off.
Though the look in Amanda's steely brown eyes was borderline apathetic, her eyebrows were furrowed and she couldn't stay still in the slightest as she shifted from one foot to the other, folding her arms, occasionally holding her fingers to her lips as if she was ready to start biting her nails at any time only to suddenly drop them, clenching her fists, while every so often shifting her eyes back and forth in their location, as if daring intruders to pop out.
Her expression concealed it to a point but her actions confirmed it all.
She was worried; if not scared…terrified even.
Jack couldn't blame her. He felt the same way. Nothing was certain right now, hell, it was getting worse!
But they couldn't lose hope.
He'd be damned if he let that happen.
Shifting himself closer to her, he attentively put one arm around her and smiled.
"So…I was thinking we'd do green."
Amanda almost jumped at the slightest touch since her nerves were on edge but then instantly calmed down as she remembered her husband was standing next to her. She then frowned in confusion at his random, out of the blue statement. "…What?"
"I was thinking we'd do green! You know for when we turn one of the guest rooms into a nursery?"
Amanda just stared at him, taken aback that he would bring up such a random subject in their current life and death situation. "…You can't seriously be thinking about that right now…?" Amanda shook her head slowly out of disbelief, her reprimanding tone sounding more so confused than scolding.
"Why not? Considering how it's finally going to happen for us now and it's a subject that can possibly take your mind off this situation and focus on more positive things which in turn would be more beneficial for you and the baby, I'd say it's the perfect time to talk about it right now." Jack retorted seriously with a smile.
"Jack…" Amanda started, knowing immediately what his aim was. Though she was touched by his optimism, her realistic and logical point of view of their situation was on the frontlines of her mind. And in this case, with the dangers and risks they were facing, finding the silver lining, only could do so much as a distraction before realizing that the cloud was part of an ongoing hurricane.
Before she could say anything further, she was taken aback as Jack suddenly bent down on his knees to her abdomen level and gently placed a hand on her semi-flat stomach.
"Hey there little one, it's your Daddy speaking…I know things are looking pretty grim right now…But I just want you to know that we're all going to be ok…one way or another. We've been waiting so long for this opportunity to have you exist and now that we do…we're not going to let anything happen to you. You've got a beautiful mother, an amazing big brother, and so many others out here who will be so excited to see you and will love you. Especially since we…didn't ever think it would be possible for you to be here…but…life's full of surprises. And you're one of the greatest. Which is why we're going to do everything in our power to make sure you stay safe. So…hang in there for us…After all, you couldn't be in more capable hands…Trust me I know. Your mommy's something else…and a ninja."
Touched by his display of parental affection and reassurance on both of their parts, Amanda felt her eyes water, but kept the tears back as she rolled her eyes playfully at him before giving him a tender look, fully expressing her gratitude at his comfort attempt before narrowing her eyes seriously. "There's just one thing I don't get…"
Jack stood back up and gave a look of slight confusion before nodding for her to continue.
"…Why green?"
He blinked at the sudden subject change, but almost sighed in relief when he saw the twinkle in his wife's eyes signifying that his attempt to get her to relax a little was a success. He then decided to play along as he shrugged. "…Well, why not green? I think it'd be a good color for- "
"-for JDP?" Amanda smirked. "And if he ends up being a she, then what?"
"…We'll…just…cross that bridge when we get there, IF we get there. But I have a pretty good feeling it's going to be a boy." Jack gave her a sheepish yet confident look, enjoying the melodious sound of her reluctant giggles.
"You're just saying that because you and Carl never came up with a girl name that time you guys talked about it a few months back." Amanda chuckled as she folded her arms.
"Well it's not like we haven't tried to come up with some good girl names, he was just…a little more insistent on coming up with names for a little brother." Jack defended with a smirk.
"And so, you think based on that, you're going to get lucky and have another mini-you." Amanda gave him a whimsical, pointed look.
"Hey, I said Carl was the one who already said it was a done deal. Me, I'm…OK, I won't lie and say I wouldn't be interested in having another little runner-up for the little league, but I'm not really picky on the preference. I'm just…really happy it's finally going to happen…" Jack gently placed his hand on his wife's stomach as he gazed warmly into her eyes.
She immediately returned the affection with a gentle smile and a soft nod. "Yeah…I feel the same way." She gently touched her forehead to his before letting an impish grin tease the corner of her lips. "But who knows, maybe you'll be right after all and it'll be a bouncy baby boy…I have pretty good feeling about it."
Jack immediately gave her a dry and pointed look. "…You're trying to get my hopes up."
"Why would you say that?" Amanda tried to plaster on an offended expression, hoping that he wouldn't read through it any deeper.
But of course, he did.
"You always know how to give this particular, perfectly innocent smile that only means the opposite and that's what you're giving me right now. You're trying to hide it, but after all this time we've had together I finally learned how to spot it." Jack explained, playfully running his thumb across her lips, instantly exposing her façade.
"You're no fun anymore." She jokingly pouted. "But no, seriously, you might be right on this one. I mean, it's still too early to tell if I'm carrying low or high but, here's hoping, right?" She shrugged before her eyes glinted once more. "But…just so you know, for the record, a little birdie might or might not have told me that Carl might have recently changed his mind and was actually hoping for a little sister and just didn't tell Daddy yet."
"Oh, is that so?" Jack tilted his head and gave her a disbelieving and suspicious look.
"According to the birdie." She shrugged innocently, not losing the mischievous smirk.
A pregnant silence filled the air as Jack tried to search his wife's eyes for any signs of joking around.
He didn't find any.
"...Yellow then?" Jack finally offered sheepishly.
"Mm…somewhere along those lines. Neutral colors at best." Amanda smiled.
"Deal…But I still think I'm right." Jack smiled confidently, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Who knows…Maybe you are." Amanda smiled bringing her face closer to his.
"…Trying to get my hopes up again…" Jack murmured as he felt Amanda's warm breath tease his lips.
"…Maybe…" She whispered as she pressed her lips to his, bringing him closer into their warm and tender embrace as their kiss deepened.
The couple was so caught up in their moment, they barely heard the blatant scoffing behind them.
"Wow. Really you two? Whatever happened to the days of longing stares in the back of each other's heads, or those simple secret smiles and moments of tension? I'm really starting to miss those old days cause now, I swear it's like I can't even leave you guys alone for two minutes without you two going NHL championship on each other's tonsils can I?"
"Shut up Nolan!" Amanda and Jack snapped in unison, clearly embarrassed that their best friend caught them in such an active moment of subtle intimacy as if they were hormone hungry teenagers in a rather compromising position that just got exposed. They immediately broke away from each other, gathered their composures, and reverted into focus mode.
"Where'd you run off to anyways?" Amanda folded her arms.
Nolan shrugged. "Meh, nowhere special. Just had to find that right spot for reception to activate a certain program Javier and I crafted in our renegade stage in life when we met in prison seemingly cut off from all technology after that whole Initiative fiasco…don't ask. Anyways, this application enabled us to communicate fluently without any immediate cyber threat or detection; meaning that I was finally able to send Javier an SMS of our SOS situation, including the exact location and status."
"You were able to reach him?! So, they're sending help right now?!" Jack asked eagerly.
"Correctamundo! In fact, if we hurry with the exit route Am's new killer bestie gave us, we'll have enough time to get out of here, meet with the cops, and save said killer bestie all in one swoop!"
"Nolan you're incredible!" Amanda exclaimed, instantly latching onto her best friend, grabbing him in a rather unexpected embrace that caught him off guard. He blamed the pregnancy hormones since it was out of her character, but couldn't help but have a little fun with it.
"Hey, hey, hey! Easy there Ams! You know I love you too, but what is your hubbie going to think, seeing us like this so out in the open?" Nolan said dramatically before shooting Jack an inviting, yet teasing smirk while wiggling his eyebrows. "Then again, I've always been fond of Skipper here and I wouldn't be totally opposed to the idea of a threesome. What do ya say Jackie boy?"
"You're an idiot." Jack stated bluntly with a dry and pointed look, though a smirk teased the corner of his lips as he folded his arms.
"Ouch. Ya know a simple no thank you would have sufficed…" Nolan jokingly pouted as he watched his best friends come together in an embrace once more.
Meanwhile in another part of the warehouse…
For many tortured years, Grace Adams had always dreamed of a certain moment…
The moment where she would revel in the downfall of her enemies as they'd writhe in the torture she would execute upon them…
Their failure to keep their composures as she'd tear into them alive with her lone weapon, eagerly anticipating their excruciating painful cries as the evidence of their pain would be revealed through the stains of their bloodshed…
Their violent profanities spewing out like a waterfall at her in a desperate attempt to preserve their pride only for them to all but wane as pathetic pleads for mercy would taunt her unforgiving ears as she'd continue to destroy their images, their power, their very souls…
Yet it still wouldn't compensate for what they put her through…
But then again, you can't always get what you want in life…
And so, as she gazed down at the battered and crumpled positions of the Becker brothers as they fought to maintain and even out their breaths from the pain of their afflictions that she caused, the woman known as Roxanne Meyers revealed to be Grace Adams took a deep breath of satisfaction, savoring every second of their torture. Her hazel green eyes glistened at the sight of her now tainted kunai as it dripped ever so slowly with fresh blood.
Their blood.
She decided before the big finale of their long-awaited death that she should have some fun; make her point and their utter humiliation really stick for the hell of it. So, she took the liberty of carving her victory into them. Literally. She turned her apathetic gaze onto their wounds, the letters "G" and "A" along with her Sensei Takeda's symbol barely noticeable as tattooed lacerations in their skin as it was smeared and reflected in blood.
Considering all that she had planned to do to the Becker brothers, Roxanne figured it was a promising start and she was counting on a fulfilling end.
What she did not count on however, was the sounds of Devin Becker's' breathy chuckles that soon turned into bellowing laughter…
She whipped her head to the bleeding and laughing leader of the Black Mambas, fury blazing in her eyes. "Something funny?!" She demanded.
"Oh…very much so. You must excuse me, as I'm sure that this is no laughing matter for you. But I cannot help but find how humorous these turn of events are. For you in particular." Devin chortled.
"How. The. Actual. Fu-! GAH! H-hell c-c-could you be laughing right n-now?! Don't you get that t-this bitch is gonna kill us?!" Dylan managed to grunt out in pain, blood running into his eyes as he glared at his brother.
"Oh! I'm very much so aware. She probably is anytime now for all we know. But what I also am aware of is the evidence of her own downfall...Even more so…her utter failure to get what she wanted."
"SHUT UP!" Roxanne growled as she mercilessly swung her kunai, nicking Devin in the face, Angry that his howl of pain only turned into louder maniacal laughter, as if her actions only served his purpose. As if somehow, despite all that she had done, he somehow still had the upper hand over her.
As if…somehow…after everything…he had won anyways…
"Tell me my dear…What exactly were you hoping to accomplish by this, hm? I mean…escaping like a scared little puppy, tail tucked in between legs, going off somewhere training like Rocky Balboa, changing your identity trying to come off as a macho Rottweiler, climbing all the way to the top in the hopes of taking us baddies down…and for what? What were you hoping for? An apology perhaps? A little "I'm sowwy? Fwom da mean men who took your mommy and daddy fwom you?" Becker taunted before smiling. "Oh…but that's it, isn't it? That's exactly what you want: what you were hoping for in this pointless revenge. Maybe it's more than just retribution. Let me guess, you're thinking ending us will accomplish some sort of justice, right? For mommy and daddy and Uncle Ray-Ray? As if it was the key to bringing them back? Well newsflash Honey, they're gone. So, is that pathetic Tanner, who I bet was your baby's daddy hm?"
Roxanne's body at this point was shaking with so much fury and hatred, she was ready to scream and attack with a vengeance! She was ready to pounce and swipe at the man with her kunai until she was covered in his blood, she would not stop. She would not rest. She wouldn't take another breath until he was nothing but shreds of flesh on the cold hard ground.
That was what she wanted more than anything right now…
Only problem was, it was as if his cold, taunting words cast a spell on her mobility, because she couldn't move an inch. As much as she longed to, his words held her there. The only thing that moved were her white-hot tears of fury and agony as they streamed down her reddened face. "I SAID SHUT UP! YOU MURDERER!"
"Ah, I figured as much. But see, that's just the thing. Calling us murderers, is just a pot calling the tea kettle black. After all, you're a murderer as well are you not?"
"I-I DID WHAT I DID FOR- "
"For justice?! Hah! Right! But will the loved ones and families of the people on your hit list see it that way? The parents of that one little boy you took from them because I told you to that one time I had my doubts about you? Would they be so receptive to your intentions if you told them that it was a necessary piece of an ugly puzzle you needed to prove a point and achieve justice for your needs? Screw everyone else in the battlefield hm?"
She flinched as he mentioned her sin; that one assassination, her first ever, after needing to prove her utter worth and loyalty to Becker after Tanner and her baby were taken from her forever, she had taken the life of a child. It was quick and simple. She didn't know the boy, but the parents had crossed Becker in the worst way and since she was starting to become a suspicious blink on Becker's radar, she needed an opportunity. Just one. Just the flick of a silent trigger, a clear aim, without looking, without thinking, without…feeling…and her task would be complete in which in turn, would benefit her mission in the long run…
Screw the consequences…
Now, the consequences were eating her alive. She could still hear the screams and pleads and curses of the parents of that little boy in her ears, her mind, her soul. They were amazingly like the ones she gave when she found her whole family dead…
Roxanne flinched once more, putting her hands over her ears as if it would block the horrid, torturous sounds that made her want to fall to her knees. "NO! I-I-!"
"Hm yeah, ya know… he's got a point! It's amazing how we're so much more alike. Hell, at this point with all the lives you've destroyed, you might even be worse than us! You'd be better off just taking the whole organization for yourself bitch! It'd be much more purposeful than some worthless revenge craze seeing as how you're no different than we are, and it won't bring the people you love back, so what's the point?" Dylan taunted, joining his brother in the psychological torture he bestowed on Roxanne.
"SHUT THE HELL UP! I WILL KILL YOU! ALL OF YOU! IT WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE! IT WILL! I WILL ACHIEVE JUSTICE FOR THEM ALL! ALL OF THEM! MY PARENTS, TANNER, MY BABY, THE OTHER PARENTS, ALL OF THE PEOPLE YOU HURT! ALL THE PEOPLE YOU MADE ME HURT! I WILL DESTROY YOU FOR ALL OF THEIR SAKES!" Roxanne screamed.
"Oh, we have no doubt that you're gonna kill us. That's not the point, the point is that after everything, you will still fail regardless to get what you really want to accomplish. Because more than anything, you want us to suffer for what we've done. You want to make us sorry, but that's the problem in your little long-term goal checklist my dear, cause the fact of the matter is…we're not. YOU might be for the many terrible iniquities you've caused, but us? Nope. And if we plead, or beg, or scream, because of whatever Friday the 13th torture you inflict on us with your little butter knife, it will only be because of the pain; not because we are remorseful. Therefore, despite what you do to us, you still fail no matter what."
Roxanne wanted more than anything to bite her tongue and keep silence, refusing to give the brothers the benefit of the doubt that they were getting to her. But her lip bled from biting down on it so hard as she tried to conceal her screams, only for them to tear from her throat as she cursed at the men and writhed, the voices in her head, the thoughts, the memories, their voices, the taunts, the choices, seared through her mind and tore her soul apart bit by bit. She tried to steady herself as she threw her kunai to the ground and pulled out her gun, the weapon heavy and trembling in her shaking hands as she aimed it at the brothers.
"Yes, go ahead! Have at it! Kill us. Tear us apart limb by limb. That is, if you have the guts and are ready to truly and officially be no different than we are." Devin taunted.
But the voices in her head continued.
"I named you Grace for a reason…"
"You know why you're my favorite niece? You're one of the purest people who remind me what forgiveness and hope is all about…Before I thought it was corny that your mom gave you such a name, but…I see why now…Never lose that."
"Here. It's one of those ridiculous friendship bracelets you've been griping about. If you are truly going down the path my father has trained you for, then…hopefully, this will help remind you of who you are so that you don't lose yourself…So that I don't lose my best friend…"
"I'm already lost." Roxanne hissed inwardly at the memories as they continued to tear through her mind. She tried to focus on getting a clear aim, but the voices continued.
"…If anything happens to me…I just want, no, I need you to learn to be happy again. To try your absolute best. It's selfish and cruel of me to ask this but, what I'm trying to say is…if anything happens to me, no matter what, fight to be happy again. I want you to. And the way you do that, I want you to swear that…no matter what happens…you will NOT by any means, avenge or get revenge for me."
"-You couldn't let go…"
"I'll never let go." Roxanne hissed inwardly once more.
"But if justice is truly your endgame in this, how do you plan to get it done when all this is just going to result in nothing more than a big blood bath, most likely with yours in the mix?"
"No! I will not fail!"
"Say you complete your so-called mission and kill everyone in this joint. Say you take out the snakes and hunt them down to their very nests. What will it change?"
"EVERYTHING! I WON'T FAIL. NOT AGAIN! NOT THIS TIME!"
"WHERE IS THE JUSTICE THAT YOU BELIEVE, WILL REDEEM YOU AND MAKE IT ALL BETTER, GRACE?!"
"No matter what happens in this family, all that matters in the end is your happiness…"
"DAMN IT! DAMN IT ALL!"
Her finger hindered on the trigger…
"Yeah! M-make yourself an official Black Mamba, baby!" Dylan tried to join in, albeit reluctantly since he didn't know if her troubled psyche would end up killing him and his brother, but wanted to get his two-cents of victory in anyways.
Her aim was ready…
She was ready…
But then, a single memory blinked to the forefront of her mind.
Flashback to hours earlier…
"Here."
Amanda Porter nee Clarke turned her gaze from the window of the parked white sedan onto the items in Roxanne's outstretched hand.
"'Got you all the good stuff for when I was doin' my time with a kid. Smoked chicken and an avocado salad with the works, even threw in a chocolate dipped banana to fend off the pesky cravings."
"No…thank you. I'm not hungry." Amanda tried to politely decline, though she was still weary of the woman whom she had no choice but to trust as an ally if she wanted to get to her husband and best friend.
"Well you might not be, but your kid probably is. You are eating for two now…or three, or more…I'm not sure if you've even had your first OB visit yet?"
"Not that it's any of your business, but I just recently found out so, no." Amanda snapped.
Roxanne put her hands up in defense. "Okay, okay! Lighten up woman, just trying to help. You gotta keep up your strength in times like these, or it will be hell getting to the second trimester. Trust me I know…or rather…knew…" Roxanne finished bitterly.
Amanda softened her hardened expression as she remembered the conversation they had recently and put a reluctant yet remorseful hand on Roxanne's shoulder. "I'm sorry…"
"Don't mention it." Roxanne stated simply before opening her hand to reveal some pills. "You should take this too."
She noticed Amanda's confused and weary stare and rolled her eyes. "Relax, they're prenatal vitamins. More so, the ones the doc prescribed for you. 'Found your prescription in your hotel room while we were doing the raid and thought since we were heading into town anyways that I might as well hit the pharmacy."
"Thanks…" Amanda nodded and took the vitamins along with the food, eating slowly, not wanting to upset her stomach since it was already filled with nerves.
"So, you really just found out about your kid huh? Kind of weird to notice at the end of the first trimester if ya ask me." Roxanne joked, aiming to engage in small talk as she started eating her meal. She figured if they were going to head into a battlefield that was going to turn into a life or death situation with quite a messy outcome that they might was well keep their strength up by getting some takeout.
"Situations happened where I couldn't possibly know until I got properly examined." Amanda replied shortly before reluctantly whispering, "In all honesty…this wasn't even supposed to be possible…"
"You've…been through a lot huh?" Roxanne softened, not wanting to pry any deeper, already figuring that the former revenger had been through a lot of suffering.
Amanda nodded before turning her head towards her. "I could say the same for you."
Roxanne met her glance for a moment, appreciating her sympathy, before continuing to eat.
"So…you're really going to go through with this?" Amanda asked once more though it was more of a statement.
Roxanne instantly knew what she was talking about: her plans to take down the Black Mambas organization as a whole and kill their leaders. "Yup."
"And then what's your plan afterwards?" Amanda asked once more.
Roxanne shrugged as she took another bite of her food. "Maybe just to ride out into the sunset until the oil change indicator light starts blinkin' again. I don't know, haven't gotten that far yet. I figure I'll just wing it."
"…And when you don't end up getting the peace and satisfaction you're thinking your justice is going to achieve or things go wrong, then what?" Amanda asked again, turning to look at her.
"Excuse me?" Roxanne stopped eating to glare at her.
"You heard me." Amanda continued, unflinching. "You may think that going all 'Blue Ruin' and killing these people is the answer as you thought killing others would help serve the bigger purpose of justice, but it's not. It's only going to destroy you in the end which in turn, finishes their mission of killing your entire family off in the first place, you included."
"You got some nerve trying to give some big 'revenge is bad for you' speech after everything I heard YOU'VE done! That's complete utter bullshi- "
"-You're right! That's why I'm telling you! I know from experience! I know what revenge can do! You may have been the first, legendary, unspoken student of Takeda, but I was his best. And I know what it's like to lose everything and give into retribution thinking that it's the only life support you have for your existence, having nowhere else to go or live for but that thirst for vengeance, and having that thirst become part of you until it takes over entirely. I also know the costs! It's too much of a price to pay! Not just for yourself but for everyone who ends up being involved in the process, unless you're truly ready to die! And truth be told, I don't think you are yet. I don't think you're ready to go that far; Ava Winters wasn't, you aren't, and I know, because…I wasn't either. I thought I was…"
Roxanne scoffed and shook her head. "You're full of it you know that…To think…I almost sort of admired you…I always wanted to ask, how did she do it? How did someone like you with such finesse in your executions of vengeance end up happily ever after and have a fulfilling end? After everything how the actual fu- "
"-My father..." Amanda almost whispered. "He…helped convince me…There have been many instances where I wanted to give it all up, but…couldn't. Things kept getting worse, I lost people, justice was never served unless I did it no matter the costs, but things ended up being bigger than what I thought…I planned on even more than I couldn't…Costs were higher, there was no way out but to either conform to the consequences vengeance had…or forsake the path altogether by learning how to forgive…My father was proof that…I had much more to live for, despite everything…so was my husband, my son, my best friend…life was bigger than myself."
Amanda barely recognized the tear that streamed down her face as she continued. "The potential and even chance to have some shed of happiness once again…after so much pain…it was a risk worth taking only if I wasn't ready to die yet…and after thinking that I had nothing to lose, I realized much later on after everything and after everyone I lost, my dog Sammy…My best friend who I loved as a sister…My husband's brother…Aiden…Daniel…so many innocent lives damaged and even destroyed…I realized that, I had EVERYTHING to lose if I continued…For upon embarking on a path of revenge, Confucius warns that you should dig two graves…However, he conveniently forgot to mention that it would already be in the midst of a cemetery…Because it is not just your life and your target's life alone that is at stake…I learned that the hard way… But every time I tried to let go, I was pulled right back in. Had it not been for my father, I would have known what it was truly like to lose absolutely everything down to my very soul. And I wasn't ready…That's how I know. You're not either."
"You're wrong. I'm already gone." Roxanne stated in a dead tone, trying to ignore the sensation of her burning eyes as she looked away from Amanda, trying not to let her words get to her. She knew in the depths of her hardened and ice cold soul that she was right…But she had come too far to stop.
Not now…maybe not ever.
"Then why are you helping me?" Amanda whispered as she looked down, fists clenched; angry at the woman's stubbornness as it reminded her of the dark person she used to be.
"What?" Roxanne blinked at the question since it caught her off guard.
"I said why?! Why waste your time in helping me?! I'm not stupid! I know that completing long-term goals and executing vengeance as well as you're planning don't call for setbacks or distractions since emotions are hindrances unless you use them as weapons in the long run. So why do something so selfless as keep me alive, take care of me, and help me with my family, when you get no possible advantage in return?! If anything, it's a disadvantage! It's a waste of needed time! So why?!" Amanda all but thundered.
"I NEEDED TO SEE IF SHE WAS STILL THERE!" Roxanne shouted, almost slapping a hand to her mouth, cursing her hasty reply before relenting. "I…needed to see if she was still there…"
"Who?" Amanda asked softly, giving the older woman a knowing gaze since she had a good idea of who she was talking about.
"…Grace Adams…" Roxanne sighed shakenly with a helpless shrug. "I just…I just needed to see…needed to know if whether that kind, quirk, crazy, cry if you swat a fly, pre-teen was still there…"
Amanda nodded with understanding. "And…what was going to be your plan once you discovered she still existed?"
"Recognize it…Acknowledge her…I figured by taking the time out to help you and your family that maybe it'd be a way of doing that…A requiem if you will. I just wanted to recognize her one last time before…I'd say goodbye to her forever…" Roxanne muttered, her voice cracking.
"Are you ready to say goodbye to her?" Amanda asked softly once more, knowing the answer as she put a hand to her shoulder trying to soothe the broken woman beside her.
"No." Roxanne whispered, shaking her head, before her tear-filled eyes steeled bitterly. "But I have no choice."
Amanda shook her head slowly. "You have a choice…You seem ready for it…I just wonder if you're truly prepared for the consequences that go with it. Because once you lose yourself to gain the upper hand on your enemy's side, that's exactly what your new identity will become…" Amanda explained quietly with resolution as she looked out the window once more, glaring at the thought of her long-gone enemy whose polished and prideful appearance flashed into her mind in that instant.
Roxanne lost the will to retort to her comment and instead started up the car as they hit the highway once more, her ally's words still fresh in her mind, haunting her…
End Flashback.
Her aim was perfect…
Her position was perfect…
The moment was perfect…
She just needed to pull the trigger. Make it happen.
Make all the wasted and long a-waited years of her life come to fruition…
"Upon embarking on a path of revenge, Confucius warns that you should dig two graves…However, he conveniently forgot to mention that it would be in the midst of a cemetery…It is not just your life and your target's life alone that is at stake…I learned that the hard way…"
The image of the sad yet loving smile on Tanner Scott's face that he gave her right before the building exploded came into her mind…
Hot tears streamed down Roxanne's face as it blurred her vision, but she still could see perfectly enough to send a bullet right into the smirking brothers' heads.
She steeled herself once more.
"This only proves how you are no different than we are. So please, go ahead and complete your utter transition. We. Have. No. Regrets." Devin Becker smirked.
As if struck by lightning by that comment, Roxanne froze.
"I just wonder if you're truly prepared for the consequences that go with it. Because once you lose yourself to gain the upper hand on your enemy's side, that's exactly what your new identity will become…"
"No way in hell…" She muttered as she shakenly lowered the gun. "I'm not you…I refuse…"
"Aww did someone have a change of heart. I knew she didn't have the guts hah!" Dylan laughed.
Roxanne sent a powerful kick to the man's face, making him cry out.
"Death would be too merciful for you bastards! As much as you deserve it, it will not be by my hand. I've done enough. I refuse to be like you sons of bitches! I'm going to make sure you live your life in complete and utter hell until death takes over someday and sends you there for real! So, new plan. We'll wait here like good little scouts and when the cops come, confess to every single crime starting from when you founded your snake charmer club, to the massacre of my family, and we'll all do our time. I'll make sure of it. Cause if I gotta go down with you jerks, I'm making sure you stay down and out!" Roxanne proclaimed.
If his hands weren't bound and bloodied, Devin Becker would have clapped. Instead, he chortled once more. "What a noble gesture…completely utterly selfless. Too bad it's only going to end up in your demise. I must say, you were better off activating self-destruction."
Before she could open her mouth to retort, or raise her foot to kick the man, her words got caught in her throat as a computer voice suddenly echoed throughout the basement.
COMMANDER VOICE: RECOGNIZED. ACTIVATING SELF-DESTRUCTION SEQUENCE. NOW.
"Oh, did I forget to mention the new voice recognition technology installments with a complementary self-destruct and override mode I had the tech boys make at the last minute? I believe we had it installed the day you were out of town doing god knows what last week. I was gonna run it by you the day we found Ross, and certainly had no intentions of using it so soon, but…plans change." Becker smirked.
"YOU-!" Roxanne screamed.
"YOU MEAN YOU COULDA USED IT ALL THIS TIME WHILE OUR ASSES WERE BEING HANDED TO US?! WHY DID YOU WAIT SO LONG YOU STUPID FU-!" Dylan shouted furiously.
"-I guess I just wanted to see how far this all would go and the purpose of our dear second in command's betrayal. And besides, you know me and how I feel about surprises…Which, apologies in advance my dear brother, but business is business. Override floor controls." Devin stated calmly, before rolling out of the way.
COMMANDER VOICE: RECOGNIZED. OVERRIDING FLOOR CONTROLS.
Before anyone could make any movements, Roxanne barely had the time to jump out of the way before the floors shifted automatically once more, creating a long wedge between her platform and the brothers'. But while Devin rolled expertly out of the way, Dylan wasn't so lucky. His agonizing screams echoed throughout the room as he fell into the pit of deathly snakes. Roxanne slapped a hand to her mouth in shock at the sight and then scrambled to reach for the gun she lowered earlier. Screw her earlier plan. But by the time she could search for another route to get over on the other side of the platform, she could barely utter out a single curse word as her eyes widened in total horror at the sight of the lone bloodstained floor and the absence of the crumpled body that was lying there.
Roxanne shook her head as she screamed. "No…No-no-no-NO! NO! NOOO!"
But it was too late…
For somehow, Devin Becker had managed to escape…
Meanwhile in a hallway section of the warehouse basement's corridor…
Nolan Ross and his two married best friends continued to run through the long hallway of the basement, desperately trying to follow the directions that Roxanne gave Jack earlier that would lead them to an escape route, when suddenly, Amanda froze in her place, gasping sharply as she kneeled over, holding her stomach.
"Amanda?!" Jack turned around and ran to his wife who was now throwing up. "Are you alright?!"
"I-I'm fine. I just…need to stop for a minute…" She breathed, wiping her mouth with her sleeve once she finished.
"Uh guys? I don't exactly think we have the luxury of time to be taking a break…" Nolan said, anxiety clear in his voice.
"We're making time then! She can't keep going full-throttle here Nolan, in case you've forgotten, she's pregnant!" Jack snapped harshly.
"Cool it Jackie! I'm not the bad guy here! I'm just as concerned for her as you are!" Nolan snapped back.
"Well you suck at showing it!" Jack glared.
"BOTH OF YOU! PLEASE!" Amanda snapped, still trying to catch her breath. Her husband rubbed her back in comfort as an apology, before shooting Nolan a remorseful glance. "Sorry man…"
"D-don't mention it. I'm sorry too. 'Guess we're all on the fritz here, but it'll all be over, soon right?" Nolan tried to smile.
"Right…" Jack nodded, trying to reassure himself as he checked on his wife. "You gonna be okay?"
Amanda nodded, standing up straight to put a hand to his shoulder. "I'm fine…Just got a little dizzy there…I'll be good to go in a minute guys, I just…needed to stop for a moment."
"Sure Ams! We've got all the time in the world to blow this joint. I mean, I'm sure there's no rush, right?" Nolan replied light-heartedly, trying to reassure himself as he put his hands behind his head and stretched.
COMMANDER VOICE: RECOGNIZED. ACTIVATING SELF-DESTRUCTION SEQUENCE. NOW.
"Me and my lovely big mouth…SHI-! "Nolan's inward cursing halted as he gulped uncomfortably, meeting the now horrified widened eyes of his best friends. "Uh…I think it's safe to say that break time's over now guys. We need to go. Like…now."
Back in the lower part of the basement…
Roxanne failed to stop trembling as she kept her gun pointed, shifting her position from left, right, to behind every few seconds as she carefully maneuvered out of the lower part of the basement and onto the main basement floors. While Devin Becker's unexpected wild card was played, she barely noticed him rolling out of the way of the shifting floors and seemingly into an open passageway. That was when she realized the system that Becker installed. Even though he never discussed installing it with her at the time, she was one of the members on the team that went over the specs so she was familiar with its design to a point. She figured that the fancy escape route implanted for certain emergencies would transport Becker to another part of the warehouse.
Where it took him, she wasn't sure.
That was the disadvantage.
However, she figured, since she put him in a fair amount of pain, that his bloody trail would suffice as clues to his possible whereabouts along with the fact that mobility for him would be an issue since his kneecaps were still shot to hell.
"The infirmary storage… There's gotta be wheelchairs there that he'd need to get around…So, he can't be too far off." Roxanne surmised as she put her back up against a nearby wall. The thought of the infirmary made her frown with worry. "I hope Amy and the gang aren't there still…That…that would really suck." She shook her head, attempting to reassure herself. "No. Get a hold of yourself Roxy. I'm sure Amy and the others are far gone from here by now. I gave her hubs some solid directions. They're fine. They're safe."
COMMANDER VOICE: RECOGNIZED. SEALING ALL ESCAPE ROUTES. NOW.
Roxanne's eyes widened. "OH SHI-!"
INITIATING SHUTDOWN OF ALL DOORS AND EXITS. NOW.
"THAT BASTARD! But wait, that means he's shut in as well! Okay. Don't panic. That's a good thing. He-he's not goin' anywhere. There couldn't possibly be a backup plan that fast. He knows I'm here. He's comin' after me and then he'll commence an escape route for himself. He has no choice. I still got an ass load of dirt on him so he's got to get rid of the evidence, which I have, before he can even think of covering his ass effectively...I'm his main target so I just need find an alternative. Gotta find him, before he finds me." Roxanne thought as she felt around in her blazer jacket's pocket for a particular item that she knew would turn things around in her favor. Once she found what she was looking for, she smirked to herself in satisfaction and continued to jumble plans around in her mind.
Once she knew what to do, she wasted no time in moving from her position and carefully scanned the area once more. She was so rooted in her thoughts, she nearly missed the sudden, loud crack of a gunshot, or tasted the strange metallic flavor caused by the bright red liquid that was now spewing freely from her abdomen and mouth. She shakenly put a hand to the wound only to see her hand covered in fresh blood as she finally fell to the ground, the pool of blood spreading profusely. Her vision was starting to blur as she saw three figures coming towards her, one of them shouting her name.
With their hearts thundering hard in their chests, the three best friends continued to make it through the basement's hallway, confusing turns and directions in moments of pure anxiety as they remembered the sudden computer voice that announced a self-destruct message which only meant instant death if they didn't get the hell out of there. Amanda's nauseating condition only worsened matters as she tried to toughen out the dizzying sensations that pregnancy and pressures were creating for her.
Just when they thought things couldn't get any worse…
INITIATING SHUTDOWN OF ALL DOORS AND EXITS. NOW.
"No…N-no! No! No! NO! DAMN IT! NO!" Nolan all but shouted.
"DAMN IT ALL! W-we gotta keep going! I-it might not be too late!" Jack cursed, but then tried to reason desperately, running a hand through his hair that was now slightly slicked back with sweat. He then noticed that his wife's breathing patterns were hasty and getting shorter. He gently, but firmly grasped her by the shoulders, looking her straight in her worried eyes. "Look at me, w-we'll make it out of here. You hear me? WE WILL!"
Amanda nodded, trying to calm herself down and steady her breathing pattern. She knew he was desperate to reassure himself as much as her at that point. "We-we need to hurry. Now."
Suddenly, the loud crack of a gunshot sounded off startling all three of them.
"What was that?! It sounded nearby!" Nolan fearfully exclaimed.
"You don't think…" Jack looked at his wife.
"Oh no. Oh my god! ROXANNE!" Amanda's eyes widened in horror as she suddenly found the strength to push herself forward ahead of the men and run towards the sound of the shot.
"AMANDA! WAIT! STOP!" Jack called after her as he and Nolan ran to catch up to her.
The three then suddenly froze in their places as their eyes beheld the horrible sight of a dark cladded curvaceous figure crumpled on the ground in a pool of blood.
"ROXANNE!" Amanda ran to the crumpled form, barely noticing the tears that were spilling from her eyes. "No! No Grace! Oh Grace! Oh my god!" Jack knelt beside his wife, his eyes growing misty at the sight as well.
Still going in and out of consciousness, Roxanne managed to turn her wearied eyes towards Amanda and her husband and coughed as she tried to form words. "Well…I'd be damned…Aw shi-you…you're not supposed to be here Amy…what the hell?"
"D-don't speak, Grace. W-we need to get you out of here…How? How did this happen?!" Amanda nearly demanded as she removed her jacket to try to put pressure on Roxanne's fatal wound.
"Plan went…to shi-ah! Don't…say I told…you…so…but, I…decided to go the mercy route…didn't go like I wanted it to…Look. There's no time…You…you need to get out of here." Roxanne coughed.
"Roxanne…" Jack shook his head.
Roxanne managed to shake her head slightly. "It's Grace. C-call me Grace. Apparently…she…still exists in me after all...Look. I…meant what I said…You need to get out of here…All of you. This place…it's gonna blow."
Roxanne who now wanted to be known as Grace recognized their panic and continued before they could say anything. "Devin…had a backup plan…an installment made to completely wipe out the organization and clear any evidence of his crimes…he's using a specific type of explosive…it's wired to make it look like an accident…same one…I did…when Tanner…It should…go off in an hour…or so…" Grace's explanation was cut short by another coughing fit.
She knew her time was running out.
"He-the-the bastard shut down all the exit routes!" Nolan managed to point out.
"There's…another way…A section…of the basement…that…opened up to the main floors…the ceiling is open from this floor…but it's covered in wooden crates...Leads…to a window…You can break…and get out…While you have time…but…you need to find it…fast." Grace explained.
"H-how're we supposed to do this, y-you might bleed out by the time we get to that section!" Amanda said, still trying to apply pressure to her wound. But to no avail.
"N-no worries about that. Cause' I'm not going…It's…pretty obvious that…it's over for me." Grace muttered.
"Grace…" Amanda whispered.
"Don't. There's no time…nothing can be done. Just…get out of here. You must. You know it." Grace coughed once more before hesitating. "But…if you really want to pull the 'how can we repay you' card…then…I guess I have…a last request?"
"Anything." Amanda, Jack, and Nolan said at the same time, knowing the unfortunate fact that there was nothing more they could do for their fallen friend.
"In my pocket…there's…a f-flash drive…it…contains reports…videos…files…evidence of every crime…those bastards…have ever committed…I was…able to get it all…on camera…even before…Tanner came in the picture…It's enough…to take them down…and all of the Black Mamba organization…as a whole…It will…destroy them to its roots…I'd have been worried about the incriminating evidence against me as well despite me being behind the scenes…but…looks like I don't have to be now…" Grace tried to joke only to go into another coughing fit, this one including blood.
She reached a trembling hand out to grasp Amanda's shoulder in desperation. "Please…I know…it's a lot to ask but…please…I need you to get this to the authorities…Please…I know your revenge days are over, but…I need you all…to finish my fight…Please…Knowing those bastards will be put away…their deeds destroyed…is all the hope I've got left now…For my sake, my family's sake, my baby's sake…Please…"
Amanda grasped the woman's hand, resolution clear in her tear-filled eyes. "I promise."
"We promise." Jack corrected. "Justice will be served on your behalf, Grace."
Nolan nodded as well.
Grace wanted to smile so bad. But then she desperately reached over to her wrist and struggled to snap off her bracelet, placing it into Amanda's hand. "And…please…if you could…do me a solid…and…tell Niko…I'm sorry…that…I finished…and that…I l-love her…she-she'll know…what it means…"
"I will." Amanda nodded, not bothering to wipe away her tears.
Grace's bloodstained lips finally managed to turn into a smile as her tearful eyes glistened into Amanda's. "Thank you…so much…if I had time…I'd…make you…a friendship bracelet too…I cannot…begin to repay…your kindness…all of you…"
"You've done enough Grace…" Amanda tried to smile through her tears. "You helped us all. If anything, we're the ones in your debt." Her husband nodded in agreement as he rubbed his wife's shoulder in comfort.
"Well, yeah…I guess…in that case…one more request?" Grace turned her heavy eyes to both Amanda and Jack as they looked upon her with saddened eyes, expectantly.
She wanted so badly to say, "Live a good life. Be happy. Live the life that I and my family could have had, but can't ever have. Have a healthy and happy baby. Complete your family. Remember my legacy, and continue to live happily ever after like you deserve…Like I wish I deserved…" But the words got caught in her throat as she realized that her time had run out and she was growing more exhausted and colder by the second. And not to mention the fact that she failed to inform her new best friends of the ongoing danger of Becker still being at large…But there was no time…She wished time would stop in its place as she wished so many times before in the past, but time was a merciless master and she had run out of it. She knew their chances were slim…hope was waning…but she couldn't help but just…wish…
And so, taking a shaking breath as a tear streamed down her now pale cheek, she whispered her final request to them both.
"Don't die…"
Feeling the woman go limp in her arms, Amanda scrambled as the woman failed to reply to her calls. "Grace? Grace?! No…n-no…we…Jack c-come on help me out here…we…we need to hurry and get her to a hospital…"
"Am…" Jack started, his voice cracking.
"I know it's risky to move her, but…w-we don't have a choice. Just…Just lift her gently and-"
"-Amanda…" Jack tried again, heaviness clear in his tone.
"C-come on! Don't just stand there! Help me out! W-we need to get her out of here! We need to!" Amanda was flailing in her husband's arms as she tried to reach for her friend.
"AMANDA! STOP!" His voice rose with despair as he held his wife. "She-she's gone…"
Amanda froze for a moment, only to tighten her grip on her husband as she sobbed into his shirt. Jack ignored the searing pain of his injured shoulder and just continued to hold her without a word, not bothering to wipe his own tears away.
It was moments like these where Amanda wished she didn't care so much for people that mattered to her in her life. It seemed like she was always facing loss one way or another. She didn't find it silly since she barely knew Grace Adams, but the woman reminded her so much of herself, the woman she used to be, the woman who was going to have the same unfortunate fate had she continued her path of revenge, and she tried desperately to save her form such a fate, and almost succeeded, but…fate had other plans…Again. Realizing who was the cause of this loss, Amanda's bloodshot eyes steeled as she rose from her husband's chest. "We…we can't let them get away with this. We can't." She muttered bitterly.
"I know. I know and they won't. But for the sake of her legacy, and justice, and especially, for our children…we need to go. Now." Jack instructed firmly. Amanda nodded in reply, turning to Nolan who also nodded in agreement, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Let's go…" Amanda mumbled, sniffling as she shot her lifeless friend one last look, before she would move forwards again, without turning back.
And so, deep within the confines of a dark, frigid, and abandoned warehouse basement, three figures, two men and a woman, could be seen running and climbing up multiple heavy wooden crates that cluttered the area, desperately trying to reach the dust covered window high above them that would lead to their freedom as time worked against them with every second that passed.
The first man paused reluctantly as he tried to process the physical taxing task before him of climbing up the wooden crates that although led to their desired escape, were positioned even higher and slightly off balance, posing as an infuriating risk for not only him, since physical and athletic skills were not really his bests strengths, but for the man and woman that lagged behind him also. The other man shared his look of slight panic while simultaneously trying to keep the woman calm with his reassuring grip on her hand, and holding his still bleeding shoulder.
The first man then turned his fearful gaze to the woman, as if hoping and praying that she would be the answer for the problem at hand or at least the source for a valuable solution, but his dismay only worsened as she too shared a look of fear and slight hopelessness within her eyes that were heavy with exhaustion.
The merciless ticking sound that resonated from the unexpected explosive not too far off increased the stress and severity of the situation as they were all reminded of their impending demise.
Time was of the essence…
Their hearts raced faster and their eyes widened with horror as the bomb continued to countdown…
"Okay…Grace…she-she said we had like an hour right?" Nolan asked, trying to gather his thoughts that were in a frenzy.
Jack sucked in a hiss from his throbbing shoulder and turned to face his friend, still squeezing his wife's hand in reassurance, desperate to ease her already troubled state."Probably less now. If this is our only way out, then we need to at least find a way to get steady ground. There's no way in hell I'm taking a chance of sending Ams up these crates. They look like they could fall over any second!"
"Have…you heard anything from the others?" Amanda asked Nolan, trying to keep her balance. Exhaustion was taking its toll on her and it was hitting her hard.
"Not yet. Then again, I haven't had the chance to check my phone so I'll see if I can find a good spot for reception really quick. You guys wait here for a second." Nolan muttered as he walked off with his phone and his friends' phones in hand once more.
Finding themselves alone once again, Jack turned to his wife. "Hey…Remember what I said. We're going to make it through this." He reassured her softly as he touched her shoulder gently.
It has been said that life is unpredictable and full of surprises…
Amanda gazed into his weary, blue eyes that glistened with waning hope. She stared almost lifelessly at him, still not over the loss and their traumatic situation at hand, and still very much exhausted, but managed to nod softly at him as she grasped his other hand. "I hope so…"
"Well I wouldn't get my hopes up too high then if I were you."
The couple barely had time to gasp in horror at the terrorizing low-toned voice before they found themselves staring at the barrel of a gun.
The following moments went faster than the blink of an eye for Amanda Porter nee Clarke...
The feeling of Jack Porter's body instantly diving over hers without a second thought…
The desperate and horrified shout of her name…
The sound of two merciless gunshots going off…
Bloodshed…
Silence…
Darkness…
If that's truly the case, then assumptions must be one of life's evil phenomenons…
To be continued.