The Following: Peace, Love, and Happiness
Season 3
Episode 1:
Marko Luko
Ryan opened his fridge and peered inside. The usually well-stocked fridge was looking empty which meant a trip to the grocery store. Maybe he would call Max and see if she would want to join him.
He eyed the orange juice and poured himself a glass. He took a sip and then sat himself in front of the TV. There was a basketball game on, but he wasn't much of a sports fan. After flipping through the channels, he decided to watch the news. They were discussing Lily Grey and her family.
Within ten minutes his mind had drifted toward the dream he had a few nights ago. Luke's dead and bloody corpse in his bed beside him and Mark standing a few feet away was still fresh in his mind.
Mark's whereabouts were still at large as well as Luke's body. Lily's entire estate had been cleared out and under extreme investigation. It would take a while to go through all that they recovered, but so far they had a lot of names, numbers, addresses as well as multiple hiding places.
There were many places that Mark could be hiding and it would take time to search each one. If he was smart, he would keep moving around to throw people off. But that was a big if. Also as far as he knew, he still lugging Luke around. The whole thought of that was quite disturbing.
He wasn't sure what he found weirder. Was it Lily and her sick family of bandits or Joe and his pathetic way he compared himself to a God. Joe was wanting to be remembered forever and all the carnage he committed, definitely would make him.
Lily, however, her actions were plain and simple. She was just as destructive and sick as Joe was, except for her obsession with him. In the beginning she was extremely infatuated with him, but for some reason that he had no knowledge of, it turned to resentment and revenge.
Her family resembled one similar to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies. She had a close niche, loving, and sadistic family whom didn't hesitate in murdering someone regardless of their intent. It didn't' matter if you were guilty or not, rather if you were a liability of any sort.
Ryan took another sip of orange juice. His thoughts shifted to Claire. He wondered how she was doing and if she was thinking of him. He tried calling her the other night, but it went straight to voicemail. Her last words to him still rang in his ears like an echo. He couldn't believe it. He thought that with Joe now arrested, they would happily be together, but that was not the case.
Losing her once was one of the worst experiences in his life. Now that he lost her again, he didn't know what to do to cope. When he found out that she died, it led his life to spiral down into alcoholism and depression. After a while, he cleaned up his act and began to move on. Despite becoming a clean, sober, and health conscious person, Claire never left his mind.
That was until she knocked on his door. He felt as if his floor had swallowed him whole. She was back in life and wanting revenge. She didn't seem to care if she put her life in danger. All she wanted was Joe to die. She still loved him, he could clearly see that.
But then came the final showdown at the estate. Her strapped to the chair with Joe and him at the table. The twins were nicely offering them their last meal. That was then interrupted by Mike and his niece. They saved the day. Who knew what would have happened if they never showed up? Would he be dead? Joe? Claire?
A knock on the door brought Ryan back to Earth. He saw that the news had ended and an old episode of friends was on instead. He stood up, set his glass on the counter, and then opened his door, to find Carrie standing in the hall with a smile on her face.
"Hey," He said awkwardly looking at her
"Hi there," She said taking a step toward him. "Can I come in?"
"Oh yes," He said moving aside. He caught her scent of vanilla and coconut as she walked past him.
"I was going to call," She said setting her purse and paper bag on the counter. "But I kind of wanted to surprise you."
She turned toward him with a smile. She gave him a quick hug and brief kiss on the lips.
"How are you?" She asked looking up at him happy to see him. He was dressed simply in jeans and a white t-shirt.
"I'm better," He said smiling at her. "A bit sore though."
"Yeah I can tell," She said taking his hands into hers and then giving them a small squeeze. She looked at all his scratches and cuts. "You look pretty banged up."
"It has been a rough trip," He said with relief, "But it is over."
Almost over. Mark is missing as well as Luke's body and there were still unknowns left to Lily's movement. Also Joe. Yes he is in jail, but there was still his cult and infamous followers that did his bidding.
"I can't believe it," Carrie said with a shudder. "I am so glad that Joe is behind bars." She paused and gave him a feared look. "When he was at large, I never knew if my next step would be my last."
"Hey, it is over," Ryan said caressing her cheek. "There is nothing left to worry about."
For some reason he didn't believe that. Not when it dealt with Joe or Lily. Both were as merciless as they came.
"That is true, I hope," She said with hope. She gave him another kiss. "I'm thirsty, what have you got to drink?"
"I have some orange juice," He said eyeing his glass on the counter.
Carrie stepped away from Ryan and made her way to the fridge. She peered inside and then sighed. It was extremely empty. All that was in there, was a bottle of orange juice, carton of milk, eggs, and a container of cream cheese.
"Looks like we need to go shopping," Carrie said shaking her head. She stood up and looked at Ryan. "Men are hopeless."
"Can't live with them," He joked without realizing it, "And can't live without them."
Carrie gave him a weird look as she grabbed the orange juice. She poured herself a glass and then refilled his before placing it back in the fridge.
"It is a good thing I brought lunch," She said turning toward her bag.
"Lunch?" He asked looking at her strangely.
"Yeah lunch," She said emptying it on the counter. "Don't tell me you were only going to have that OJ?"
Ryan eyed the glass and shrugged his shoulders trying to hide his embarrassment.
Carrie shook her head. "You are hopeless," She chuckled.
Ryan took a step toward the counter, eyeing what she brought. There were four different containers of Tupperware. There were two different types of chicken, three bean salad, and potato salad. Just looking at the food made him realize how hungry he actually was now. His breakfast so far was only a cup of coffee.
"It looks and smells delicious," He said grabbing two plates and proper utensils. "I didn't know you cooked?"
"I try to," She shrugged, "I am not the best at it. Have me write a thesis or a book and I could do that overnight," She began to laugh, "But cooking, that is something I am sort of new to."
"Do you want to eat in front of the TV?" He asked watching her plate some food. "Or at the table."
"At the table," She said taking a small scoop of potato salad. "I have missed you and I just want to catch up."
"Yeah me too," He said following her to the table. He was happy that she was here.
Mike stared into the steaming coffee counting under his breath until it was cool enough to drink. Burning hot coffee meant a burned tongue, which ultimately meant not being able to taste anything for a day or so.
He enjoyed his coffee just like anyone else did, but he liked his not too hot. Below boiling was the best. He would slowly sip it until he could drink the rest in one hearty gulp.
Max on the other hand had already drank half of hers and it seemed as if she would order a second cup. She seemed unfazed by the temperature of the coffee or that her tongue was made of steel. She would drink hers in large gulps, while he sipped his.
Max noticed him staring into his coffee lost in thought. "Are you okay?" She asked touching his hand gently. "You haven't touched your coffee."
Mike looked up at her and smiled trying to hide his embarrassment. "It is too hot to drink," He said with a small shrug. "I don't know how you drink it like that. Don't you burn your tongue?"
"I am a coffee fanatic," She said slowly twirling around the mug around in her hands. "Plus I like it boiling hot."
"Did I ever tell you how crazy you are?" He asked continuing to smile at her.
"You know you enjoy it," She teased back.
Mike finally took a sip of his coffee. It was almost cool enough for him to start drinking it. He was about respond to her tease, when he eyed a middle-aged man by the cashier arguing loudly about the kind of coffee he ordered. His face was beat red and it didn't seem to matter what the cashier was trying to tell him, he would ignore her.
Mike shifted in his spot turned toward him. On instinct, he reached for his gun, but didn't pull it out of its holder. The man raised a fist and shook it at her in a threatening manner.
"Damn it," He shouted, "You just don't get it do you?"
"If you would calm down sir," The cashier said trying to hold back tears. "I could make you the correct one."
"How old are you miss?" He asked ignoring her.
"Why does that matter?" She asked eyeing as the manager approached.
"You look like you should be in high school," He snarled, pointing a threatening finger at her "Are you a drop out? I bet you are."
"Mike," Max said seeing his hand on his gun. "Not here."
Mike turned away from the scene and faced Max who shook her head. "See the manager is taking care of it," She said hoping that she was correct.
Mike removed his hand from the gun and glanced at the man again watching him throw his change at the cashier before leaving her. As soon as he was gone, the manager allowed the girl to take a break. He took over her spot, while she left the counter beginning to cry.
"I should trust you more often," He said taking a sip. "I bet I would live longer."
"You should trust me more," She said smiling at him. She couldn't believe how cute he was just simply drinking coffee. All she wanted to do was kiss him again.
"Can I ask you something," He said leaning forward in his chair. He rested both elbows on the table. "Do you believe Ryan made the right decision?"
Max ran her hand through her long hair. She noted that she would have to get a haircut soon. Maybe she would cut it short, almost shoulder length. It would definitely be easier to keep up. On the other hand, she did love how natural her hair was and cutting it, would almost be considered a sin.
"As much as I hate Joe for what he put my uncle through," Max said, "I was glad that he didn't shoot him. Even though it was touch and go there."
"I think he should have killed him," Mike said.
"Are you serious?" Max asked swallowing nervously. Color flashed in his face when he said that.
"A hundred percent," Mike said nodding his head. "If Joe was killed, then that would be one last threat to worry about. Now that he wasn't and is in prison, who says he won't be broken out again."
As much as she hated to hear that, Mike did have a point. With Joe alive, there was a constant threat that a new cult or old followers of his would try to break him out. But however, even if he was dead, there could be fanatics of his that would vow revenge.
"It would have been wrong for Ryan to kill Joe," Max said replaying the tense moment back at the house with Ryan pointing his gun at Joe. She thought he was going to kill him.
"Sometimes doing the wrong thing, for the right reason," Mike pointed out, "Make it the right thing, especially if it deals with a murderous maniac."
"I guess so," Max shrugged. She drank the rest of her coffee.
"If I were in Ryan's place, I would have killed Joe," He said in a tough tone.
Max shook her head. "Mike I know you," She said touching his hand. "You are not a killer."
"How do you know?" He narrowed his eyed at her.
"Because you are not," She pointed out. She squeezed took his hands into hers and squeezed them. "Both you and my uncle have been through a lot, but that doesn't make you a murderer." She paused and lowered her voice, "There is a big difference in killing someone in self-defense and then just plainly killing them."
Mike was about to respond, when his phone rang. It was Jeffery Clark. He answered the phone and felt his world go black for a few moments. He didn't want to believe what he was hearing was true. He made a fist and held back from pounding the table in frustration.
"What is it?" Max asked feeling a ball of dread grow in her stomach. Mike's reactions to the phone call was not a good one.
Mike closed his phone and stood up. "It isn't over," He said annoyed and angry. He lowered his voice so no one could hear him. "There has been a murder, with Joe's cult written all over it."
One second, Ryan was enjoying his lunch with Carrie and talking about how he was feeling and then next they were in bed. It was when things were getting hot and heavy that he got the dreaded phone call from Jeffery Clark.
Now he stood in front of the mangled body of Brandon Wright. He was hanging by a chain around his throat from the ceiling. His stomach cut open and his guts spilled out in his hands as if they were preventing them from falling on the floor. He was wearing the infamous Joe mask with an 'X' over each of the eyes. There was a note in a language he didn't know on the floor a few feet from the body written in blood.
"What do you think Ryan?" Jeffery said stepping aside as two forensics walked by with bags of evidence.
"I don't know exactly," He shrugged with uncertainty. "It could be part of Joe's cult that we don't know about or part of Lily's movement trying to twist things up."
At that moment Mike and Max walked into the room together. Ryan eyed them curiously noting that they were walking close together.
"Damn," Mike said eyeing the body. "I thought it would be over."
"What can you tell us about this person?" Ryan asked turning toward Jeffery.
"Not much really," He cleared his throat. "His name is Brandon Wright and is eighteen years old. He is a freshman at Baruch College. His parents are Mark and Mary and he has a younger sister in high school. His family lives in Queens." He paused and eyed the bloody body. "He is an A and B student who has a pretty clean record. The only mark on his record is a couple of unpaid parking tickets."
"That's weird," Ryan mumbled.
"What is?" Max asked stepping up to him.
"Well this place is nowhere near Baruch," Ryan noted. "Why is he all the way here?" He stepped up to the body and looked at the cut on the stomach. "These are awfully weird incisions here."
"How so?" Jeffery asked stepping up to Ryan.
"There is only one puncture entry," Ryan pointed out. "Square in the middle of the stomach a few inches below the belly button." He eyed the wound. "Then the victim was sliced to his right and then left with the knife still in his stomach. He was stabbed once and once only."
Are you sure?" Max asked glancing at Ryan curiously and then at the body. She wasn't aware of his knowledge in such detail like that.
"I am pretty sure," Ryan confidently said, "I just want to know what that says." He pointed to the note on the floor.
"It is in Japanese," Jeffery said looking at Ryan. He saw him give a surprised look. "Languages interest me."
"What does it say?" Mike asked.
At that moment Ryan's phone rang. He looked at it and saw it was from an unknown number. "Hello," He said stepping a few feet away.
All he heard was thick and heavy breathing.
"Hello," Ryan said again. A feeling of uncertainty and dread began to grow.
Again all he heard was breathing.
"Who is this?" Ryan asked his curiosity over taking his urge to hang up the phone.
"Hi Ryan," A familiar, yet haunting voice said.
"Who is this?" Ryan asked again. He glanced at everyone who was eyeing him curiously. He turned away from them.
"Do you really need to ask?" The voice asked in a mocking tone, "After all we have been through together?"
Ryan felt the room begin to spin. "Mark?" He asked recognizing the voice. It all came to him crashing into him like a strong wind.
"The one and only," Mark said happily. "I am glad to hear your voice. I have missed you."
"Where are you?" Ryan asked.
Mark began to openly laugh. "Do you think I am that stupid?" He asked, "Do you think I would give out my whereabouts like that? I am a wanted man you know."
"I know," Ryan said.
"For all you know," Mark playfully began, "I could be right across the street, staring right at you like Matt Damon in the Bourne Identity movies."
Ryan uttered a curse and took off running, ignoring his niece who was calling out to him. When he made his way outside he scanned the streets, eyeing a crowd of people outside of the police barricade. He tried to find him in the crowd, but didn't see him.
"If you come out of hiding, we can talk it through," Ryan said trying to play his cards right. "We have unfinished business."
"I am not that stupid Ryan," Mark said his tone changing to anger and resentment, "But I do agree we have unfinished business." He paused for a few moments. "How is that niece of yours doing?"
"Why?" Ryan asked turning toward the house. He saw her standing a few feet away with Mike behind her. They were watching him inquisitively.
"And how is Claire doing?" Mark asked with a smile on his face. "Does it feel good to have her again after all those months without her?"
"Do you know I am tracing this call as we speak," Ryan told him as he was scanning the crowd again. He still didn't see him there.
"I know you are," Mark said coolly, "It is protocol. I am the bad guy and need to be found."
"So tell me where you are and we could end this," Ryan said walking under the yellow caution tape. He scanned the streets but saw nothing except for excited residents.
"I will not," Mark said with a laugh. "Anyways I am calling you because our dinner was rudely interrupted and I am still very hungry." He paused and said in a low threatening tone. "There is still desert and I might add that it is my favorite part of the meal."
With that he hung up. Ryan looked at the number, noting the caller ID was from Los Angeles. He doubted that Mark was all the way there already. He had connections of all sorts, but he didn't think that Mark would leave so quickly.
Ryan called back the number, but it went straight to voice mail and it belonged to a girl named Ashley Welsley. Which meant the phone was stolen and now in the garbage. The only thing he could do was trace and then go on from there.
He turned toward Max and Mike who were approaching him looking concerned. "That was Mark," Ryan simply said.
Mark eyed Ashley from across the table as he snapped the phone in half. He tossed it in a bucket of drainage cleaner that was on the floor beside the table. On the table were three plates of yellow sponge cake with vanilla frosting. One in front of him, his brother, and Ashley.
"This is nice, isn't it Luke," Mark said happily.
He eyed his brother who was sitting upright in the chair beside him. All the blood had been cleaned up and he was wearing a suit and tie. It didn't even look like he was killed, rather sleeping peacefully.
Mark took a bite and smiled as he chewed. "It is delicious," He said, "Some of the best I have ever had."
Ashley had her wrists and ankles handcuffs to her chair. She had a large strip of duck-tape on her mouth as well. She twisted around in her spot trying to break free, but only hurt herself in the process.
"You said this is from your mom? I really need to get the recipe." Mark said looking at Ashley who muffled a response. He pointed to the cake with his fork. "Oh right, the tape." He stood up and grabbed the tip of it, "You promise me you won't scream."
Mark laughed as he ripped the tape off in a single motion. Ashley spit out a large amount of blood that landed on the front of her shirt and lap.
"Oh right," Mark said returning to his seat. He took another bite of cake. "Without a tongue you can't talk." He began to laugh loudly.
The pain was too much for Ashley to take. She moaned and her world went black. Her head went limp as more blood dripped from her mouth.
"Tsk tsk tsk," Mark looked at her and shook his head disapprovingly, "Some people just don't know how to party."
Hope you enjoyed! More to come soon!
-Shaw18