Author's Notes: Jack and Samantha are beginning their revenge and we're nearly to the happy ending then. After Innocence finishes later this week I plan to update different stories for a couple weeks before I focus on finishing up another series, it take a lot of energy. I think Portrait may be the next on I focus on, but don't worry I haven't forgotten Trial, Ravishment or Otis Engagement. Reviews are tremendously appreciated and inspire me to update faster.
Part 53
Age 34 Years 8 Months
On the day Jack was released from the hospital, Samantha and Sofia accompanied him on a private plane to Memphis. At the airport, they said good-bye to Sofia and left her with Konstantine who had come to pick her up. Jack and Samantha boarded their plane again and flew to California. From LA they drove to the edge of Otis where Miriam was housed out of the public eye.
Returning to the sleepy town, Samantha felt a combination of nostalgia and regret. She had come to love her husband as Ed Boast and the memory of their time in the motel was oddly endearing now. However, she regretted the circumstances which brought them back and that she hadn't known who he was sooner. Even though they would spend the rest of their lives together, both of them regretted every day they had lost. So many days and nights had been spent apart with only longing and dreams to keep them company. Now they sat in the car, a few miles from Otis, getting ready to deal with Miriam.
"Seems strange coming back here like this, doesn't it?" Jack commented softly, picking up on her mood.
Leaning over and kissing him, Samantha responded, "Kind of. I half expect to turn around and see Ed Boast."
Affecting Ed's innocent expression and drawl, Jack said, "Well now Dr. Waters, it sure is swell to have you back in Otis."
"Sorry Ed, but I'm a married woman now," she laughed.
Their lips met in a hungry kiss and Jack mentally cursed Bailey Malone as he moved wrong and his wound began to throb. After being married for nearly a month, they had yet to consummate their marriage. His injury had been the primary factor and the need to focus on avenging their Son was another. After a moment he lifted his mouth from Samantha's.
"Samantha, I think-"
"We should wait?" Samantha supplied. With a wistful sigh she agreed, "You're right. The doctor said no strenuous activity for another two weeks. I think by the time we finish taking care of vengeance, we'll probably end up waiting until our third wedding night."
"Well, hopefully the third time is the charming, as Mamma says," Jack teased and moved his mouth briefly to the swell of Samantha's breasts, just above the neckline of her shirt.
"Are you sure you're up to this?"
Lifting his mouth, Jack smirked, "I think I could rise to the occasion."
"No," Samantha corrected. "I mean Miriam. Are you physically strong enough for this? I don't want to delay your recovery."
His face clouded in a serious expression as he replied, "More than enough, you'll have to help, but I believe we can manage. Are you ready to do this? I know you said but-"
"I don't want to do this," Samantha told him. Then explained, "I need to do this. We had our child and our very lives taken from us. Doing this is the only way I think I'll ever find a way to forgive myself and learn to manage my guilt."
Starting the car, Jack said, "I understand."
Jack steered with one hand and held Samantha's hand in the other. Partially because he wished to reassure her and in part because since finding her again, he needed almost constant physical contact to reassure himself that it wasn't merely a dream. As he drove to the abandoned facility where Walter had conducted experiments, the couple was silent as they readied themselves for the task ahead. Upon arriving, Jack met up with a couple local Otis residents who had been caring for Miriam. Continued doses of mind numbing drugs had made them pliant over time and with a few words from Jack they injected themselves with more and left with orders from Jack to forget having ever worked there and to forget seeing Sheriff Boast there.
Following Jack through the maze of corridors, Samantha was anxious about seeing Miriam again. Originally when he'd housed Miriam there away from the eyes of society, allowing the world to believe she was buried in Maryland following an accidental slip and fall death. But the plans he'd made to take care of her body following her death would now serve to kill her.
Unlocking the door to his Mother's room Jack said in a friendly voice, "Hello Mother."
"Albert? Why am I here? The accommodations are beneath me!" Miriam whined.
Forcing herself to remain silent, Samantha listened as Jack soothed, "I know that Mother and I'm going to take you somewhere much nicer."
"Do I know you?" Miriam demanded as she looked at Samantha.
Offering her his arm, Jack instructed, "You don't know her Mother, now take my arm and allow me to escort you somewhere more fitting."
Miriam gave Samantha another strange look and acquiesced. Jack lead Miriam deeper into the facility still to a small niche that had been a walk in closet before the doors had been removed. Four feet wide by six feet deep and the doorway was roughly six feet high. Miriam looked at Jack expectantly and he gave her a deceptive smile as Samantha came up behind and injected Miriam with a syringe of Versed.
"What was that?" Miriam growled.
"Just something to help render you more pliant," Jack informed her.
Samantha took Miriam as she started to go limp against Jack and slung her into the niche.
"Whaaat's happennninsh," Miriam slurred.
"The Versed will make you unable to move although you'll be awake," Samantha told her. "Just like when you and my Father snatched our baby from my body and murdered him. Although you won't be given a sedative or an epidural."
Sudden clarity dawned on Miriam and she struggled vainly to stand up, "Jack you caaannns lishen."
"I know everything Mother," Jack sneered as Samantha took a bucket from the top of a large square tarped item.
"Wheresh she go-"
"My wife is filling the bucket with water and will be right back," Jack explained. "Yes Mother, my wife. It took me over twenty years to unravel all the lies, but I did and have married her again. And I know all about Jack Konstantine."
"Konshanteeen?" Miriam looked confused.
Arriving with the water, Samantha clarified, "Our Son you unnatural bitch."
Miriam began to whine and flail in the niche, "I'm your Mother."
Ignoring her Jack instructed Samantha to remove the tarp, underneath was a pallet of cement and another bucket that was full of cement mix. Pouring some water into the cement mix, Samantha took a long wooden stick and began stirring the mixture. In the former closet, Miriam struggled vainly to stand up and continued trying to talk to Jack. Her slurred pleas fell on deaf ears as Jack watched Samantha mix the cement.
"Samantha, is there anything you'd like to do to your Mother-In-Law before we start?" Jack inquired and extended his black leather bag which held his murder tools.
"Yes, but I won't need that," she informed him.
Walking up to Miriam, Samantha kicked her hard in the abdomen and smiled when Miriam cried out. Samantha hissed, "Hurt? Good!"
At that Samantha gave her another kick and then stopped, she didn't Miriam to die of internal injuries. Her death needed to last for days and she wasn't about to speed the process up. After being denied her child and the man she loved, Samantha wanted Miriam to suffer as much as possible. As far as Samantha was concerned there weren't enough ways to make Miriam suffer.
"Shall we?" Jack inquired.
"By all means,"Samantha agreed and hauled a cement block from the pile and drug the bucket of cement to the closet entry.
Picking two trowels up in his left hand, Jack picked a cement block up in his right. Despite using his uninjured side for lifting, there was a dull ache in his wound but Jack didn't mind. No amount of pain could deter him from his task. Samantha insisted he sit and let her get some blocks. Sitting on the ground, Jack skimmed a layer of cement and then aligned the two blocks on it. Full of adrenaline, Samantha piled blocks up beside Jack and joined him in coating the first level of blocks with cement. Together they began the second row.
"What-" Miriam stammered.
"For more than twenty years, I was isolated from my Samantha and had a living death without the woman I loved. So we're giving you a living death Mother. By the time you are able to move, the cement will have hardened and you'll be entombed."
Miriam began to scream unintelligibly as Samantha and Jack continued their labors. Slowly but surely, layer after layer of cement blocks rose. About half way through, Samantha had to mix another bucket of cement to ensure the blocks created a tight seal and she got a chair from the room where she got water for the cement mix. As the wall grew taller, she had to stand on the chair and let Jack hand her the blocks because with his injury he couldn't safely lift the heavy blocks above his head.
"Nearly finished," Samantha remarked climbing down from the chair.
There was one gap remaining about halfway, level with Miriam's eyes from her position. As they had worked, Miriam had pleaded and cried as she flailed vainly on the floor. Each cry was a welcome sound to her ears as she remembered how she'd cried and pleaded for the life of her Son all those years ago. Miriam's pain was balm for both their souls
Spreading cement around the opening, Jack insisted, "Let do the last one together."
Lifting the final block together, they eased it into place as Miriam let out loud scream.
"So long Mother," Jack mocked.
"Burn in hell, Miriam," Samantha cursed.
Hand in hand they walked out of the facility as Samantha carried Jack's murder kit. Outside they embraced and clung tightly as emotion washed over them. Samantha cried in Jack's arms, not for Miriam but for their Son...
