Title: Nevermore
Chapter: 3
Author: Evidence
Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes: Thanks to D and Maple Street. Your reviews have been too kind- thank you.
The water stung at his face, the scratches from Podena's cat still evident. He wiped at the dried blood, trying in vain to remove the remnants of the attack. He couldn't take it all off just like he couldn't take back what had transpired in the interrogation room with Samantha. Jack looked at his reflection in the large mirror. Why did he suddenly look more alive than he had the day before? Throwing the used paper towel in the trash bin, he started out of the men's room, walking into someone about to enter.
"Sorry, Martin. It's like a freeway out here, have to be careful for all the cars." He smiled as he said it but one look at the younger agent's face and Jack knew something was afoul.
"A freeway, nice analogy." His voice was dry.
"Thanks…what happened to your shirt?"
"Soda. But that's life. Things happen that make you feel like shit." He pushed his way past Jack into the men's room.
The brush got tangled in the back of her hair. She fought with it until she could pull it out but thoughts of just cutting off her hair had wandered through her mind.
"Hey," Vivian said approaching her desk, "You look a mess."
"Great," Sam replied. The remnants of her encounter with Jack where still visible; from the tangled hair, to the wrinkled blouse, to the heat in her cheeks she couldn't seem to remove.
"Is everything okay? I'm here for you if you need anything."
"Thanks, Viv. I'm fine, really."
Vivian looked around to see who was in earshot- no one. "So how was your date last night?"
Sam sighed. "Martin is a really nice guy but…"
"He's not Jack." Vivian finished for her.
Vivian had never voiced her opinion on the affair but Sam knew she was always supportive of her friends and had easily figured out what happened.
"No, he's not." Her voice felt suddenly thick. "Jack and I…we…"
"You, what?"
The memory came back, his lips on hers, his hands on her back. "We kissed in the interrogation room."
"You did what?" Vivian's voice rose.
"Shh!"
"What where you thinking?" Vivian asked, her voice lower.
"We weren't thinking, we were feeling." Samantha paused her eyes gazing until they fell on his office. "It was the best thing that happened to me in months."
"Sam, he's married…"
"I know."
Vivian's head shot up. "Oh jeez, Sam. The interrogation room!"
"What?" Sam shook her head, not understanding.
"Everything is taped in there."
A quick intake of breathe before she spoke, "Oh God, this isn't good. It will be the OPR investigation all over again."
Vivian put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "The truth always comes out even when we don't want it to."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" She let out a small laugh.
"I'm better at dealing with why football practice was cancelled." Vivian smiled.
"Thanks for being a friend."
"Anytime," Vivian replied. She walked away her mind churning. She wasn't about to have Jack lose his job or Samantha have to deal with another investigation. Vivian knew she had to do something against her moral fiber. Her friends needed her though, and as Jack always said "sometimes rules need to be broken." Taking a page from his book she headed to the tech department, trying to think up a way to steal that tape before anyone ever listened to it.
The skateboarder, done with trying to impress the young ladies, skated away from them. They whispered and laughed to each other as they walked on, getting closer and closer to Franklin Podena's hiding place.
The bushes scratched at his chin but it was well worth it. He knew he had been outed. Going home was out of the question. The chance of any sort of life was gone now. He had nothing to lose. Eventually the police would catch up with him and he would receive the death penalty. So there was no reason not to have any fun first.
He loved his part the most: the hunt. He knew what was going to happen but they had no clue. There were characters in his sick play where he was the author and they hadn't read the final act.
Both college girls took a seat on a bench right next to Podena. One bore long blond hair while the other short brown. They opened their backpacks removing large books. There were still chatting about the skateboarder unaware of what was about to take place. He moved swiftly, as usual, taking the shoelace he had undone earlier and putting it into his two strong hands. He jumped up behind the blonde, wrapping it around her neck. The other girl started to scream but no one was in hearing distance. He elbowed her in the head making her fall to the ground. The blonde, who he was killing at the moment, struggled but he was too over powering. Her hand fell to the side and he moved on to his next victim.
She was trying to stand up but he came from behind her and accomplished the same move. She went even quicker than her friend. He dragged her back on to the bench.
Podena smiled. He had created a lovely masterpiece: two dead girls on a bench. Their eyes were both still open, their necks were twisted, books were on the ground and their bodies looked like limp dolls. He moved on, hiding in another bush until he heard the scream. His eyes peered out, the adrenaline in his system rushing through his veins. The shake boarder had come back, presumably to see the girls again. He was screaming. A nice, chilling scream that warmed Franklin Podena's heart.
To be continued…