PULLING THE TRIGGER

Back at the bunker, Maddie was laying on her bed. Brandon was lying on her with the back of his head on her stomach. She had washed her face paint off and had on a black corset, black panties, and black heels. They were both still trying to catch their breath.

"I needed that," Maddie said, "When I kill, my adrenaline surges, and I lose control of myself."

"Why do you enjoy killing so much?

"I like to see bad people suffer. I have a bloodlust. Something triggers inside of me."

She stroked her finger through his hair.

"Brandon, can you keep a secret?" She asked.

"Don't worry, the bunker, the Night Slasher, it's all safe with me."

"Thanks."

"I'll tell no one, not even the government."

Brandon chuckled. Maddie was not amused.

"Not even the illuminati," he said, laughing, "And certainly not the reptilians!"

Maddie was angered by his statements. She then wrapped her leg around his throat and began choking him. He tried to scream.

"You fucking asshole!" She said, "I told you that wasn't funny. They are watching us. That's why my dad built this place."

"Okay," he struggled to say.

"People like that will cause complete annihilation of the world."

Maddie let off a little pressure on his throat.

"Let go of me," he said.

Maddie choked him again. Brandon tried to pull her leg off. Maddie laughed as he struggled to get free.

"Beg me," she said, "BEG ME!"

"Okay, Maddie please let me go," he said.

"Try harder."

"Maddie, I'm begging you, please let me go."

Maddie let him go. Brandon turned over and began breathing heavily as Maddie laughed.

"You dumb fucking bitch!" Brandon said, holding his throat.

Maddie laid there, smiling.

"What's your damn problem?" He asked.

"Come on, you know you liked it," she replied.

He got off the bed and began coughing.

"Get back over here," she said.

"Fuck you."

Maddie laughed.

"You can't resist me," she said.

Maddie got off the bed and walked over to him. He turned his back to her. She grabbed him by the hair but her moved her arm away.

"Stop fighting it," Maddie said, "Get back on the bed."

Brandon ignored her.

"I said, get back on the bed," she demanded.

"I should leave you."

Maddie laughed.

"You'll just come crawling back," she said. "And I will make you crawl."

"Shut up!" Brandon said.

Maddie laughed. Brandon stood in front of her and grabbed her throat. She laughed. He shoved her on the bed and then he got on. As he moved closer to her, Maddie put her foot on his forehead and laughed. He moved her leg away and got on top of her. He hit her with a backhand slap to the face and Maddie laughed. He began kissing her neck. Maddie enjoyed the moment.

Det. Briggs and Det. Elliot were sitting in the car outside of a restaurant. Det. Briggs drank a bottle of water and Det. Elliot drank coffee.

"How come you don't drink coffee anymore?" Det. Elliot asked.

"It's doesn't help," he replied, "It only makes it worse. It makes you jittery, nervous."

"I think that girl is really getting to you. Don't jump to conclusions just because your retiring."

"I'm not."

"Trust me man, I got this. If you don't solve it, I'll hunt that killer down. Donnelly said I could have your case."

"Don't get your hopes up, kid."

Suddenly, a black Jeep pulled up beside them. The window rolled down and someone wearing black gloves fired an Uzi at their car. Det. Briggs and Det. Elliot ducked as the bullets hit the car and windshield. The Jeep drove away. Det. Elliot shot back at the Jeep and then drove after it.

"Son of a bitch!" Det. Elliot said. "Briggs, you okay?"

"Yeah."

Det. Elliot pursed the Jeep as the Jeep dodged oncoming traffic.

"It's probably of those damn anti-cop protesters," Det. Briggs said.

The Jeep was too far ahead for Det. Briggs to shoot at. Det. Elliot drove as fast as he could. The Jeep drove onto the highway, swerving around the road. Then, the Jeep got off an exit. They pursued it and nearly crashed into a dump truck. The Jeep tried a sharp turn but flipped onto the side. As Det. Elliot drove towards the crashed Jeep, he was caught in traffic. Det. Briggs got out as soon as the car stopped and ran towards the Jeep, keeping his gun ready. He saw the suspect run down a long alley and ran after him. The suspect fired the Uzi at Det. Briggs but he hid behind an alleyway. The suspect tried to shoot at him again but he was out of bullets. Det. Briggs ran down an alleyway and he slowly approached the opening. The suspect began laughing maniacally.

"I know who you are," his psychotic voice echoed in the alley, "I know why your after me, but you don't know why I'm after you."

Det. Briggs' was not to be manipulated by him.

"You, detective are haunted by your past," he continued, "You lost someone close to you. I will not let you get me."

Det. Briggs entered the alleyway with his gun drawn. No one was there. A large dumpster was on the side as well as two doors. The brick walls were worn and covered in graffiti.

"Come on out!" Det. Briggs yelled.

"You're back in the alley," the man continued, "And you will die in an alley, just like Clara."

A chill traveled through Det. Briggs. This was the man who caused Clara's death. Then, the man stepped out from a doorway. He had long black hair, a goatee, was tall, and had a sinister smile on his face. He was dressed in a leather trench coat. He began laughing.

"You killed her," Det. Briggs said, "You killed her!"

"Wrong. She killed herself."

Det. Briggs nearly pulled the trigger.

"Are you gonna shoot an unarmed man?" He said, "Go ahead."

The man walked closer to him with his hands out, smiling.

"You see, she came to me, I didn't force her to do anything," he said, "Another trouble teenage girl looking for a fix. I've been watching you go into that alley. I tried to get rid of you. Now you have the chance to get rid of me."

As the man got closer, Rusty grabbed his arm and took him down. He placed his knee in his back and place him in handcuffs. The man laughed.

"You want me to kill you?" Det. Briggs said.

The man continued to laugh, angering Det. Briggs. He picked him up to his knees and put the gun to his head. Det. Elliot entered the alley.

"Briggs!" He shouted, "Don't do it! Please don't do it. That piece of shit ain't worth it!"

Det. Briggs ignored him.

"Go ahead, shoot a man on his knees in handcuffs," the man said, "I killed your daughter and I enjoyed it!"

"NO!" Det. Elliot said.

Det. Briggs pulled the trigger and the gunshot echoed through the alleyway. Det. Elliot looked at him in shock. The rest of the officers arrived at the scene. Det. Briggs walked out of the alleyway escorting the man, who was alive and well, into the hands of the officers.

"That fucker is crazy," the man said, "Get me the hell away from him!"

The officers put him in the squad car and drove him away.

"Damn man, that was close," Det. Elliot said, "I thought you actually did it. You almost pulled the trigger on your whole career man."

"You see why I don't drink coffee?" Det. Briggs replied.

Later that night, Rusty laid awake in the darkness of his room. He thought about the day he had and was somewhat relived that he had brought Clara's killer to justice. He still could not get Maddie out of his head. Then, Maddie appeared in front of his bed with a smile on her face. He didn't react to it.

"You're not real," he said, "Go away."

Maddie crawled on top of him. She felt real but he refused to believe it.

"I said, go away!" Rusty told her.

"Then stop thinking about me," Maddie said.

Rusty closed his eyes and then opened them. Maddie was gone. He fell asleep and when he woke up it would be his last day as a detective.

Across the city, Maddie and Brandon were lying in bed inside the doomsday bunker. Maddie's hair was frizzled and Brandon was smiling.

"Brandon," Maddie said, "I want to tell you something. I broke a promise to my dad."

He turned to face her.

"What kind of promise?" He asked.

"I wasn't supposed to tell you about this place," Maddie replied, "My dad built it to keep us safe from the oncoming apocalypse."

"Apocalypse?"

"Yeah, it was supposed to be our secret. The reason I told you is because, I really like you."

"Uh, well, I like you too."

"It can be our place."

"That sounds good."

"When the apocalypse comes, we'll be safe."

"We'll be post-apocalyptic warriors. Like Mad Max."