Chapter 23: Demons
Max
A soft melody wakes Max from her short, yet deep and calm slumber. Even before opening her eyes, she recalls the positive events of last night. Sure, there had been a lot of negative ones too, but their first sex and how Max had finally found the confidence of telling Kate everything overshined them by a longshot. And now she's looking forward to an entire weekend with Katie in San Francisco.
Knowing that their taxi is leaving early, Max joyfully jumps out of bed, turns on her stereo and grabs some garments plus shower supplies while whistling the song that chimes from the speakers. After taking a well-needed shower, the black-haired girl gets dressed and heads back to her room. She then picks up her backpack, turns everything off and heads for Kate's room.
Yearning to see her sweet and now legit girlfriend again, Max knocks on the door, but doesn't receive an answer. Suggesting that Kate might have slept in, she knocks again, but once more nobody answers or opens up. Even the door is locked.
'Huh, that's strange. Actually, we planned to leave together. Hmm…something feels wrong, but I'm probably just flippin' my shit here. Maybe Kate's just too nervous, forgot what we agreed and is already waiting at the stairs.'
Though she tries to stay positive as she heads towards the main building, Max can't get rid of these dark shadows of self-doubt that seem to follow her. She starts to ask herself if she has done something wrong. Was Kate still mad about what she had said to her in anger? Does she still feel guilty for trying to commit suicide? Has it been wrong to have sex last night? Had Max's story been too much for her?
Max doesn't know and as she has reached the bottom of the stairs which lead off the campus and onto the street, she only spots Mark Jefferson, already waiting for the cab with a black suitcase beside him.
"Max," he says as the black-haired girl closes in, acting as patronizing as always and like the incident in his office never had happened. "What can I do for you?" Jefferson then asks as he scans Max's attire and the big bag she slides off her shoulder.
"Oh, nothing. Just waitin' for the cab, Jeffy!" Max replies, trying to ignore her perverted teacher.
Stunningly gazing at his student because of the lack of respect, Mr. Jefferson eventually frowns at her, already acting agitatedly. "I think you misunderstood something. Kate Marsh won the contest, not you!"
"Oh, I know! And I'm actually happy for her," Max shoots back, crossing her arms while giving teacher a stinky eye. "Now listen, dipshit! I'm gonna accompany Katie to make sure that you keep your fucking hands off my girlfriend, got it?"
Jefferson is just about to retort something as Max's phone begins to chime. Expecting it to be Kate, she pulls it out of her pocket and leaves him standing there. But to her surprise, just an unknown number is shown on the display and, once more a bad feeling rushes through her mind.
"Hello?" she speaks into the phone after taking the call.
"Hello, Maxine!" chimes a male voice with a tad of mischievous joy and immediately, Max's entire body clenches. She stops walking and her grip around the smartphone tightens, while a cold shiver runs over her spine.
"Mike!" she gasps, her voice almost failing.
[Mike]: (chuckling) "What's the matter, Maxine? No threats? No sass? Last time we met, you acted so badass, but now… (Clicking with his tongue)
Once again, Max has to fight down a mixture of hate, sorrow and anxiety. "What the fuck do you want?"
[Mike]: (joyful) "Oh, I'm calling because I've a case of lost 'n' found. Are you…coincidentally…missing two fags?"
Puzzled at first, Max starts to realize the meaning of her archenemy's words. She shuts her eyes while her lips and body begin to tremble. "Y-you didn't-…"
[Mike]: "Oh yes, I did! I have your little blond pussy-licker and this blue-haired punk-bitch of yours, 'cause it's time to get even, dyke!"
For just a moment, Max has to take down the phone, hoping that Mike Brighton wouldn't hear her sobs. Now she knows why Kate wasn't in her room; she knows that her beloved Kate and Chloe are in the hands of the same person who had tortured her, had tortured and killed Judith Faygard, and had driven Sam, his own sister, into suicide. The demons of the past have now finally caught up to her and are about to destroy the new life she has build up here, in Arcadia Bay. Max becomes aware that running away and trying to forget isn't an option anymore. She needs to face her past. She needs to face Mike, even if it means her death. Protecting Kate and Chloe is now her top priority!
Having steadied herself enough, Max puts the phone back towards her ear. "I wanna talk to her!"
[Mike]: (slightly agitated) "What?! Just be glad that I didn't already free the world from these two fags!"
"Listen, asshole," the black-haired girl says with determination, "You want my head on a silver platter, you'll get it! But I need to hear that Kate and Chloe are okay or I'm gonna hunt your Nazi-ass down and kill you!"
For a few seconds there's silence and Max almost fears that she might've overdone it, but then a familiar, sweet voice chimes through the phone.
[Kate]: "Max?"
"Katie! Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"
[Kate]: "No, I-I'm okay. Chloe, however, took a hit, but I already took care of her!"
"Thank god!" sighs Max in relieve, "Listen, you know who this is and I want you to do whatever he says!"
[Kate]: "B-but…"
"No buts! Wait for me and don't do anything! Especially Chloe needs to hold her rage!"
[Kate]: "Max, don't come! Here's a man, who…"
[Mike]: (from the off) "That's enough!" (shuffling and a shriek from Kate)
"Katie!"
[Mike]: "There, she's alive! If you wanna keep it that way, come to the Blackwell football field, at mid-night. Alone, no cops! Or else I'm gonna ghost both of 'em…and you know that I've nothing to lose!"
"I swear, if you-…"
Before Max is able to finish her sentence, the call gets canceled. "Katie…Chloe…" she whispers, close to collapse on the spot, but she mustn't! Rapidly, Max walks back to her backpack and wants to leave as Mr. Jefferson stops her.
"Max, where's Kate? The taxi is almost here and…"
"Fuck off!" she just shoots back, grabs her backpack and runs back to the dorms.
'How?' she thinks as she closes in on the red brick stone building, 'How did he find out that I'm here? How could he know that Kate and Chloe are close to me? And where did he get my number?'
These questions are swirling around in her head until Max enters her room, throws the pack on her bad, locks the door and places some hard kicks and punches on her punching bag. Breathing heavily, she stops, sweat now dripping from her forehead, but at least she has calmed down enough to think straight.
'It doesn't matter now how it came to this. I need to focus on the task ahead. Mike wants to get even, which means that he wants to kill me, so I won't show up without a weapon. And if he succeeds…I need to be prepared for this case, too!'
Having a plan, Max fires up her Laptop and as she waits for the operating system to finally boot up, her mind starts to wander.
'How it came to this? I know it, and…it's my fault!'
Seattle, May 2013
It is a warm and sunny day. The birds are chiming, the sky is painted in the deepest blue imaginable and everyone who has the chance to go outside and enjoy the great weather is doing it. But not Max.
Max wishes for nothing more than that the darkest clouds would eat each and every ray of the sun, while heavy storms and a flooding rain of tears would wreak havoc on this world.
She's standing between a bunch of tombstones, dressed in a black suit, and watches a funeral from a distance, her red-cried eyes hidden behind a pair of sunglasses. It's Sam's funeral and though she wants nothing more than to pay her late girlfriend the respect she deserves, Max has to wait. She has to wait until all the relatives and guests are gone. Actually, she wishes for nothing more than to let them all feel her pain, but not right now; not at her beloved Sam's funeral.
After some time has gone by, the reception scatters and everyone eventually leaves. With slow, hesitant steps, Max closes in on the still open grave. Some workers are already closing in to finish the job and entomb Sam's body into the cold earth forever. As she stands in front of the grave, Max collapses on her knees and starts to sob again.
"I'm so sorry, Sam!" she whimpers, her voice almost failing, "I wish I could've done more. I wish I would've been there in time to save you. I wish…I…"
Once more, Max breaks down, her body shaken by heavy sobs. For her, life has become almost unbearable. All she wants to do is to lay down right there and sleep for all eternity. But she can't. At least, not yet. Soon after the latest wave of sorrow has abated, Max reaches inside a pocket and pulls out a small box.
"I wanted to give this to you as soon as we would've been out of the country, but…" She inhales deeply, gulps down another sob and throws it into the grave. "Maybe we can do this once we're together again."
"I knew your gay ass would show up here, eventually!"
Like Mike Brighton's voice has flipped a switch, Max's sadness dissipates in an instant and is replaced by anger, hate and coldness. Slowly, she stands up again and faces her nemesis and his father. "You murderous bastard will pay for what you've done!" she hisses with gritted teeth, her hands already clenching into fists.
Being provoked by these words, Mike immediately wants to jump at the young girl, but gets stopped by his father. "Nicht hier!" he speaks quietly to his son before he focuses entirely on Max. "You realize that what you've done won't just go unanswered?"
"Yeah," the freckled girl replies with a scoff, "there will be consequences…for you!"
"What, for me?!" Not taking Max's threat serious, Alexander Brighton just chuckles amusingly. "Obviously, you little cunt have lost every sense for reality. I could kill you on the spot and no judge in this city would even dare to touch me!"
Unimpressed by the threat as well – not even flinching – Max takes of her sunglasses and her piercing glare concentrates entirely on the blond man in front of her. "You think you can hide behind your wealth, but tell me one thing…" She closes in fearlessly, standing face to face with Alexander. "How can you bribe the right people and call in favors, if everything you've built up goes to shit? A little advice…" She leans closer, whispering "Check your accounts!"
At first taken aback by this boldness, Alexander Brighton eventually takes out his smartphone and browses through it, his eyes growing wider and wider with every second while his face gets redder out of agitation. "What have you done, you little slut?!"
Wisely already having taken a few steps back, Max gives the Brightons an evil smirk. "That was Sam, a virus I created and installed on every single one of your computers, thanks to the help of Judith. It transferred every cent of your accounts randomly to different accounts, funds and whatnot around the globe. Untraceable, irreversible. You literally got fucked by a gay virus, called Sam, dipshit!"
"YOU…" Alexander yells as both want to jump at Max, but get stopped in her tracks as the wailing sound of police sirens closes in.
"Oh, by the way…" Max adds with a sheepish grin, "Tax fraud and arms dealing are a big no-no!" Then she turns around and leaves, knowing that Mike and Alexander are forced to let her go.
With delight and satisfaction, Max witnesses from a distance how Alexander Brighton is taken into custody, while Mike has to watch helplessly.
'Don't worry, Mike, you're next!'
Seattle, June 2013
The shadows of the night surround her. She's one with the darkness and she waits. Waits for her prey. She knows that he will be here, soon, because that's what he has been doing for the last few years.
Every year he regularly meets with his pals on this very parking lot to crash a nearby party-location in order to hunt down some girls for the night. A nasty habit and soon his downfall.
As predicted, the first of his friends are already gathering. Mike turns up as the last. They are six, an oddly unfair number for Max and she just hopes that at least one of them is a bit skilled to even the odds. But eventually it doesn't matter. Mike has to pay for his doings and Max will make sure of this, no matter the cost!
Slowly, she closes in, revealing herself from the shadows. She's caught in a red-vailed tunnel vision, only fixed on her target. Everything around is just unimportant. One of the guys has spotted and points at her. But she doesn't need the element of surprise. Her enemies shall see the imminent doom that his heading their way.
Mike yells some orders and right away two men are heading towards her. A big mistake! They underestimate her, which plays even more into her hands.
The first guy has reached her and wants to take Max into a hold, but she just slaps his arm aside, places a hard punch into his stomach and lets a knee follow into his face. Blood spills, teeth break. One down, five more to go.
Now the second guy approaches and wants to hit her in the face. Too obvious and predictable. Max dives under the swing and swipes his feet off the ground. He hits the pavement hard with a groan and a stomp on his leg breaks his shin. Immobilized, not a threat anymore!
Realizing what just happened to their comrades, Mike and the rest of his crew are charging at Max. As a preparation for the incoming attack, the black-haired girl steadies her stand and slows down time. Like a flowing river, Max's next moves are fluent and reminds of a death-dance as she mows through her opponents like a scythe through dry wheat on a hot late-summer day.
Evade a hit, kick to the knee, evade another fist from another opponent, place a heavy hit with the elbow onto the back of the neck. Another one down, halfway there!
Mike takes Max into a tight hold from behind. With a loud scream, the freckled girl snaps her head back, letting the back of it collide with her nemesis' nose, breaking it. He loosens his grip and stumbles backwards, hitting a car.
Another guy had planned to use the opportunity to place a strike on Max, but only receives a kick into his crotch.
The last untouched man slowly retreats, raising his hands in defeat, but Max doesn't care. She grabs the guy by his collar and punches him three times in the stomach, plus one strike to the temple. He hits the ground unconscious.
Having finished all of his cronies, Max turns and heads towards Mike, sending the squirming guy with the injured testicles with a kick to his head into a violent slumber on the way.
Mike, still a bit dazed by hitting the car with the back of his head, tries to get up, but Max sends him with another punch to his already bloodied face back to the floor.
"Comfy, Mike?" she asks emotionlessly, standing right above him. With one last cry of desperation, Mike tries to place a punch at Max, who, however, catches his fist midway with ease. "I told you that there will be consequences!"
As he struggles to free his hand, the blond man realizes how strong the freckled girl really is, and feels it even more, as Max puts more pressure on it, overstretching the sinews of fingers. He cries out of pain, but goes silent as another heavy blow hits his head. Being dazed once more, his body loses all strength. Mike Brighton is now at Max's mercy and he knows it.
"I heard you're on a good way to become a pro Football player, full scholarship, contracts 'n' shit," she says nonchalantly, sauntering around her defenseless prey, until she stops, her piercing blue eyes fixating on Mike again. "You fucked up my life, time to return the favor!"
Screaming her rage out, Max stomps multiple times on Mike's knee, breaking it severely and again, the young man's cries are breaking the silence of the night. But she still isn't done. All the hate she has gathered over the years is now breaking free, letting her body and voice tremble as it becomes almost unbearable.
"Remember when you wanted to cure me from my sickness? When you raped me? Y-you wanna know what you did? Oh, you made sure that I can't spread my disease! You…you fucking psycho took care that I can't have children anymore! You…" Her voice breaks as these heavy emotions are overwhelming her. Crying out loud, Max slams her foot five times into Mike's crotch and after that in his face. "YOU FUCKFACE TOOK EVERYTHING AWAY FROM ME! SAM, CHILDREN, MY DREAMS…EVERYTHING!"
Strength drains from her body with every kick and soon, Max isn't even able to raise her foot anymore. She stumbles backwards, now crying intensively as she gazes at the bloodied body of Mike Brighton.
The red-vailed tunnel vision vanishes from her sight and she becomes aware of her surroundings again; aware of the blood on her hands, the possibility that she just killed Mike and the two policemen who are closing in, guns pointed at her.
"Miss, stand down!" one of them yells, but Max is too much in shock to do so, but it doesn't matter anyway. The psychological pressure on her mind just becomes so much that she collapses on the spot, sobbing and whimpering.
A dimly lighted room of a police station. Handcuffs. Emptiness. Max simply stares into empty space, the cup of coffee on the table in front of her untouched and cold, the once lit cigarette in her still trembling, with cuts and bruises injured hand, ignored and extinguished.
The door clicks and opens, catching Max's attention. A police officer enters the room and frees the freckled girl from her cuffs.
"There will be no charges pressed against you. You're free to go, Miss Caulfield!" he says, but Max barely cares. Jail, no jail…it simply doesn't matter.
With slow, unmotivated steps she leaves the small interrogation room, almost colliding with a person. She looks up and realizes that she stand face-to-face with an elderly Asian man.
"Master Tsun?!" she gasps with wide open eyes, obviously surprised to see her Master and not her dad.
"Come!" he plainly answers, leading the way to his car. Without saying a word, Max follows and embarks the vehicle. The first minutes of the drive, both stay silent until Master Tsun breaks the quietness.
"I'm very disappointed in you, Max! I always thought you are a reasonable person and learned from my teachings," he chides calmly, glimpsing at her for a short moment, to see reaction, but doesn't get one. "Are you satisfied now?"
Max's response, however, is nothing more than a whispered "No."
"Revenge is a dark path nobody should ever walk," continues the old man, "because it lures you with salvation, but will always misguide you until it's too late and you're lost." They come to a halt on a traffic light and the Master uses the chance to get Max's attention by softly touching her shoulder. Both look deeply at each other. "You're lost, Maxine, and the best way to find back is to start anew. Go back the path and find yourself again; find your roots!"
The light turns green and the old man focuses on the traffic once more, humming a song that is quietly chiming from the radio. They're driving the rest of the way in silence, Max thinking about her Master's words; their meaning and consequences. Until the car stops in front of her home.
"You were once one of my most talented students and it breaks my heart to ban you from my dojo, but you broke the rules and leave me no other choice, yet…" he looks at his former student again, a soft smile on his lips. "I know that your path has been a very difficult one and I didn't want to leave you without some last, wise words."
Though it's a sad moment, Max manages to smile back wryly, her spoken words almost failing to leave her mouth. "Thank you, Master! And I promise that I'll find my way back to the path!"
"Not only the path, but inner peace. This is what your soul eventually seeks for and maybe you'll find it along the way or at the end of your journey. Nonetheless I wish all the luck in the world!"
"Thank you!" Max says with a sob as she hugs her former Master. "Thanks for everything!"
"You're welcome, Max! Very, very welcome!" he answers with a chuckle.
After she had said her goodbyes to Master Tsun, Max wipes away some fresh tears and enters her home. She hasn't even closed the front door as her father's voice chimes loudly from the living room.
"Maxine Caulfield, move your ass in here, right now!"
Max knows that she has fucked up. She knows that her dad has a lot of reasons to be mad at her. Still feeling fragile and close to shed more tears, the young girl slowly walks into the living room. Ryan sits in the armchair, a half-emptied bottle of Whiskey in front of him. His gazes are piercing daggers and Max immediately knows that her father means business.
"Why?" he asks rhetorically with a threatening tone, making Max flinch.
"Dad, I-I'm…"
"Don't tell me that you're sorry!" Ryan interrupts his daughter, "First, these cage fights and now your beating people into coma?! Are you even aware of the big trouble you've caused?" He jumps up, walking up and down the room while he keeps on yelling, not caring that Max is already shedding tears. "Internal Affairs is coughing up my neck, because they think I have a criminal daughter, who I'm feeding with delicate information. Me and Master Tsun had to talk two hours with the D.A. to convince him that the whole incident was a matter of self-protection which went to fuck, because of your traumatic past. And you…you literally forcing me to break up with Kyra!"
"What?! No!" Max calls out, not wanting to believe what she just heard.
"Oh yes, Maxine! How can I trust a woman, who teams up with my mischievous daughter behind my back and works against my educational matters?"
"Dad, it's not her fault! She tried to stop me, but I…I…" Like a lightning, realization struck Max. Realization upon Master Tsun's advice.
'Walk back the path. Find yourself again. Back to the roots.'
Knowing now what to do, Max takes a deep inhale and gulps down her sadness for once. "Dad," she speaks calmly, "please, don't punish Kyra for my doings! She's the most awesome woman I've ever met and she…she doesn't deserve this!"
"Max," Ryan replies with a sigh, combing with the hand through his brown hair, "It just can't go on like this. I'm sorry about what happened to Sam, but…"
"What I did was just wrong and you're right, it can't go on like this. That's why I'll leave and never come back."
"Max, that's not what I want!"
"But it's what I want. I need to find my path again and I need to do this on my own." She closes in on her dad, and gives him a soft, reassuring smile before embracing him into a tight hug. "It's not like I'm gone for good, I just…I just need some space and time to think."
"But I don't wanna lose my entire family."
"You won't," she replies and backs away a bit, "And who knows, maybe you'll soon have another mischievous daughter who drives you crazy."
With a wink and a smirk, Max breaks the contact, leaving a completely stunned Ryan behind as she heads upstairs to her room. There, she starts to pack everything she needs to live on her own.
'Go back to the roots!'
She fires up her computer and opens the website of the town of Arcadia Bay.
'Find yourself again!'
There is a link to Blackwell Academy's website as well. Old Max always wanted to become a student at the academy. Now they even have a photography program and before everything had went from bad to worse, 13-years-old Max had loved photography.
The black-haired girl fills out the online application form and sends it. She can do the real paperwork later.
'Start anew!'
As the 17-years-old heads towards the bathroom and packs some toiletries, she takes a glimpse in the mirror. Staring at her reflection, Max brushes over the smooth surface. She realizes how different she looks compared to five years ago. Stronger, confident, self-conscious, but also sadder and pessimistic. Chloe would've called her badass.
"Chloe!"
The word comes over her lips like the soft whiff of the winds of destiny. She hasn't spoken of or thought of her former best friend in years. Max once had a big crush on her, even planned to confess her feelings, but Chloe had rather preferred to say some very hurtful things and throw her out of the house. Sam had taken over Chloe's place as best friend and love interest, eventually. And soon, Max had forgotten about her. But right now…right now Chloe makes a reappearance. Maybe going back the path also involves reconnecting with her old friend?
Immediately, Max walks back to her room and wants to start a search for Chloe Price. Her finger hovers over the return-key, but she hesitates. Something happens in her mind that she never experienced before. Her entire body gets overwhelmed by anger, hate and the need to hurt someone. The red vail reappears again and Max has literally to fight the need to smash her computer. Instead, she get's up and releases the pressure by constantly hitting the punching bag, until she's entirely exhausted.
'Fuck! What was that?! I-I felt like I want to kill someone! Dammit, I need to get my shit together or else I'm gonna be in real trouble!'
Closing her Laptop and therefor abandoning the search, Max packs the rest of her stuff and loads it into the car. She doesn't want to say goodbye to her dad or Kyra, because she knows that they'd try to stop her, and considering the fragile state she's in, it wouldn't be for the best.
'I still blame them a bit for the shit that has happened and if going all ballistic that easy is about to get a common reaction, I better avoid any other contact. There's still some stuff at Vanessa's place, but I prefere get that later or else I'm gonna slap her silly!'
"Sorry, Dad!" she says to herself one last time, before she embarks the car and drives away into an unknown future.
Kate
Her small hand strokes through Chloe's blue-dyed hair, caressing her softly. The bluenette's bandaged head rests on her lap, using it as a pillow, since everything they got is an old mattress in a dark, dimly lighted, cold, uncomfortable room without any windows.
When she had been violently abducted, Chloe had suffered a concussion, causing her to fall into unconsciousness from time to time.
Squirming and groaning, the bluenette slowly wakes up again.
"Shh, easy there!" speaks Kate soothingly, giving her friend a warm smile as she opens her eyes.
"Ugh! How long was I gone again?"
"I actually don't know," answers the blonde, "Maybe one or two hours."
"Fuuuuck!" Chloe curses and closes her eyes once more. Silence fills the room again for some time, only broken by Kate's soft voice a moment later.
"Chloe?"
"Hmm?"
"I wanna thank you!"
Not understanding the meaning of this question, Chloe glances at Kate with a frown. "What for?"
"For saving Max from doing something pretty stupid."
Though it takes her some more time to put the pieces together, Chloe arches her eyebrows and blushes, avoiding Kate's still friendly gaze, nonetheless. "Oh that…yeah, well…"
"Chloe," Kate interrupts her, her demeanor still friendly and without any grudge, "it's okay. I know that you have deep feelings for Max and she…she has the same. I see it and I'll learn to accept it."
"Katie, I…" Chloe tries to comment, but get's once more cut off as the blonde plants a soft kiss on her forehead, which takes her entirely by surprise.
"Shush, now! Rest a bit more, you need it!"
Once again, there's silence. Water drips down somewhere, the wind howls through the small gap under the door. Kate tries to use this calm moment to gather her thoughts. Chloe had still been unconscious as she arrived here, so she is the only one who might know where they probably are. But it had also been dark as she had arrived and the only thing she can remember is the smell and sound of the ocean, so they must be close to the waterfront. Maybe the old harbor.
Out of a sudden, Chloe scoffs and then chuckles which is almost contagious in such a situation. So, Kate, of course, wants to know the reason.
"Care to share?"
"Well," Chloe answers sheepishly, "I just realized that everyone likes to kiss me. You, Max, Dana…it's just kinda hilarious that everyone wants a piece of Chloe."
"Well, it just shows how much we like you," states Kate with a shrug, "I mean, you're very beautiful and nice and I…" Then her shoulders drop and her voice carries a tad of bitterness. "I never understood why Max chose me. I'm not as pretty as you or…or Sam."
To her own surprise, Kate's cheek gets softly touched by Chloe, who brushes over the soft skin with her thumb while giving her a warm smile. "You're very beautiful, Katie! You're cute, smart and hella badass. Max doesn't deserve anything less!"
Glaring at Chloe in bewilderment, Kate is simply speechless. She heard such words from Max already close to a thousand times, whenever she had any second thoughts about herself. But hearing them so tenderly from someone like Chloe just let her lack any response.
"So," the bluenette then says louder than needed to, clearing her throat to underline even more that she wants to change topic. "This guy who kidnapped us is the same asshole who did those fucked up things to Maxi?"
"Yeah, and he's not alone."
"But who would help such a Nazi motherfucker? And how did he know about us?"
"I don't know, but the truth is that he's very dangerous and I think that the answers will reveal themselves to us soon. I overheard him talk about something at midnight, so I guess…"
Just right on cue, steps are approaching and a moment later the door clicks and swings open with a screeching sound. The first one to enter is Mike, his right leg limping, followed by Nathan and Dimitri.
"It's time for the show, dykes!" cheers Nathan overjoyed, "Now get up and move those ugly asses!"
"Nathan!" Chloe almost spits out, trying to get on her feet, which she only manages with Kate's support. "I knew that this whole thing hella smelled like your cheap Prickscott ass!"
"Nathan, are you even aware of who this is and what he did?" adds Kate, pointing at the scarred man.
"Yes, he hates this femi-nazi whore and wants to get even. That's the only thing I care about." Nathan's answer comes as uncaring as possible, which let hate boil up inside her. With angry steps the young blonde closes in on the brunette boy and gives him a hard slap onto his cheek, which makes him stumble backwards. "Argh! Are you crazy, you stupid cunt?"
"You fucking asshole!" Kate yells, once more closing in on Nathan fearlessly. "I swear to god, if Max gets harmed, I'll make sure that not even your dickhead of a father can safe you from my wreath!"
Supporting Chloe upon her still wavering, insecure steps, both girls leave the damp room, followed by Mike, who just scoffs a disgusted "Wimp!" as he walks past the young man.
Victoria
She flings her arms around herself in order to keep the cold, clammy air away from her body. It's slightly foggy and the by a half-moon lighted sky is covered by a thin layer of clouds, which gives the entire setting an almost eerie touch. Besides her, the other members of the Vortex Club are already present at the Blackwell football field, awaiting a show that they got promised by Nathan. But so far, nobody else has shown up and the field is still lying in darkness.
"Vicky," Taylor speaks quietly with a shivering tone, cuddling closer to her girlfriend, "C-can we please g-go? I-it's f-fucking cold a-and this whole thing here g-gives me the creeps!"
"I feel the same, Sweet T, but…I need to know what this shit is all about."
"Victoria!" Dana's agitated voice suddenly echoes through the night as she approaches the scene, Juliet at her side, "What the fucking hell is goin' on here? Jules got a message from the Vortex news dispatcher that Max will get a beatdown and this so smells like your doing!"
For this comment, the old Victoria would've gotten all bitchy on Dana, but she knows better now. She knows that she'll never get rid of her old reputation at this school, plus that Dana has more than one reason to be pissed at her. Therefor, she simply tries to stay reasonable. "It's not my doing, Dana, it's Nathan's. And believe me or not, I'm here to stop him!"
Obviously, Dana doesn't believe Victoria right away. Why should she? During all those years at Blackwell, the pixie-blonde had lied, cheated, fucked and blackmailed her way through school. Nobody would've guessed that it would take a shy Christian girl to finally slap some sense into her brain, so the cheerleader's dumbfounded glare isn't a surprise at all. Victoria even considers going all the way and apologizing to the brunette, but doesn't get the chance as one of the stadiums spotlights comes to life, blinding them all.
Complains and murmured conversations chime between the present students as the shape of five persons walking onto the field are approaching.
"What the fuck?!" gasps Dana, as she spots Kate and Chloe, whereas the latter one has a bandage around her head and obviously needs some support to even walk. Dana immediately wants to run towards them, but gets stopped by Victoria, who gives her a deep glare.
"Dana, don't! Something's really fucked here, especially those creepy guys beside Nathan. He trusts me, so let me do the talking!"
"Nathan, what the heck's goin' on?" asks Hayden.
"Yeah, you dragged us out here for a show, so…" joined in Logan, but both get silenced as Nathan answers.
"And you'll get a show as soon as this little Caulfuck dyke gets here."
"And what makes you so sure that she'll even show up?" another Vortex member throws in and gets his answer right away as Nathan points at Kate and Chloe.
"I took away her little sex-toys."
"That's enough, Nathan!" Victoria angrily shouts out, walking with heavy stomps towards the brunette boy. She has seen enough. "You'll stop this nonsense right now, or I'll-…"
Victoria hasn't the chance to finish her sentence as Mike's big hand grabs her neck in a chocking hold and starts to squeeze. In vain, the blonde tries to free herself from the stronger man's grasp by scratching his clothed arm and flailing out with her legs. Slowly, however, her resistance abates because of the increasing lack of oxygen in her blood.
"Vicky!" yells Taylor, now sprinting towards her girlfriend, but stops as Mike pulls a gun and points it at her.
"Nobody will stop anything until the show is over!" he shouts at the students, letting the muzzle of the pistol wander between the Vortex Club members. "Now sit down and enjoy or I'll ghost all of ya!"
"Hey, that wasn't part of the deal, asshole!" complains Nathan and receives a pistol-whip as an answer, which sends him wailing to the ground as his nose breaks again.
Fearing for their life, every student, even Dana and Juliet, takes a seat without complain. Then, Mike releases Victoria, whose face has already taken a slight blueish color from the lack of oxygen. Gasping for air, the blonde drops onto the wet grass and holds her bruised neck. Right away, Taylor rushes towards her and helps her girlfriend to get away from the psychopath.
"Time to change plans, you little pussy!" he snarls towards the on the ground laying and squirming boy. He wants to place another hit on him as, suddenly, Kate throws herself between Mike and Nathan with a loud "Stop it!"
"Kate, no!" Chloe shouts, trying to intervene, but gets prevented from doing so by Dimitri.
Surprised, yet unimpressed, Mike pulls the small blonde close by grapping her collar as his name is loudly called through the night.
"MIKE BRIGHTON!"
Everybody turns their attention to the lonely figure that is slowly coming closer. Illuminated by the bright light that floods the scenery, Max, only dressed in her black military pants and a tank top, carrying a sword in her hand, walks right towards Mike Brighton and stops in front of him.
The show is about to begin.
Max
Her heart is thumping in her chest. Her breathing is increased. Fear has a tight grip around her heart. Yet, she mustn't falter. She mustn't fail. She mustn't run away!
Slowly, Max steps into the brightness of the spotlight. Actually, she steps in the spotlight of everything and everyone as she calls out for Mike.
"MIKE BRIGHTON!"
Normally, Blackwell security should've already flipped their shit and surrounded the premise, but somehow they don't and the answer lays right on the grass, close to Mike: Nathan Prescott. He must've bribed the guards to take a longer break tonight.
Max hasn't seen Mike Brighton since the night she had almost beaten him to death. She just knew that he had been in a coma for a few weeks, but seeing his scarred face; the result of her vengeance; drives her nearly insane. But she mustn't show weakness; not now!
Having reached Mike, the 18-year-old girl stops a few feet away from him and assesses the situation, her best friend and her girlfriend the top priority.
Chloe is injured, yet conscious and able to stand. Kate seems to be unharmed, but Mike already has a tight hold on her. Mike is armed with a gun and as brutal as ever. Nathan is out of the game. But as her sight gets fixed on the slender man, wearing a black suit and a sword in his hand, Max just frowns.
"Dimi?!" she says, "Wish I could say that it's nice to see you again. Never thought you'd take cheap jobs."
"You know, Maxine," he answers with a chuckle, "business is business."
Ignoring the assassin, she shifts her attention back to Mike, who still holds Kate by the collar, but now has the gun pointed at her.
"You wanted me, here I am. Now, let 'em go!"
"What's with that toothpick?" he asks, waving with his pistol at the sword.
"You said no cops and alone. I'm alone, no cops. You didn't say shit 'bout weapons! Again, let Kate and Chloe go or…"
"Or what?" Mike interrupts her, letting lose of Kate, who stumbles away from him towards Chloe, the muzzle of the gun now following her. "If you just come one fucking step closer, I'll kill those two dykes before you even have a chance to stop me!"
Max weighes her chances upon this threat. Of course she's fast enough to save at least one – Kate or Chloe – from this madman, but not both. Seeing no other option, Max drops her weapon and spreads her arms to show her enemy that she's unarmed.
"Here, I'm unarmed. Now let them go!"
"Pick up the sword, Maxine!" Dimitri says, stepping in between Mike and Max. His gaze is serious, not as easygoing and relaxed as when the black-haired has met him normally, and right away she knows that he means business. Still, she refuses to pick up the blade.
"Why?" she whiffs, shaking her head as she glances at Mike with sad eyes, "Why are you doing this? Do you really think that it'll change something? That it'll undo things? I'm sorry for what I did to you, okay! I never wanted this! I wanted to live a peaceful life with Sam, but you…"
"You fucking cunt ruined everything! My life, my family…"
"I never wanted this!" Max yells back, her eyes welling up, "I just wanted love, but you…you started this war! You made me who I am today and I don't wanna be this person anymore!" Though she had planned to maintain her composure, Max fails to hold back her tears as her gaze meets with Kate's. "Mike, please, I'm so tired of this. I just wanna live a normal life for once."
But Mike just stays unimpressed, not even showing a hint of empathy. "Fuck you, fag! Now stop bawling and just die!"
Her gaze drops. Once more she's forced to fight for her love, but this time it's not just Mike or some of his pals. This time she has to face a deadly and well trained killer.
"Maxine," Dimitri says softly, picks up Max's blade and reaches it to her. One last time she looks at Kate and can see the fear in her watery eyes; the fear to lose the most precious person in her life. And this gives her strength to not give up!
"Let's do this!" she says with determination, grabs the sword and brings some distance to her opponent, who already unsheathes his Katana with a grin.
Max does the same, while she simply closes her eyes for moment and gathers all her strength and focus for the fight. A soft wind brushes through her bangs, carrying the smell of the sea. The spotlights are humming, their light reflected by the two razor-sharp blades. Somewhere in the distance a dog barks, breaking the tense quietness.
'Time to face your demons, Max! Don't be afraid! Do not despair! Kate and Chloe need you! Fight! Fight one last time! Fight like you've never done before! Gather all your hate, fear and wreath, channel it and unleash the dragon!'
Grapping the hilt of the sword tightly with both hands, Max charges with a loud cry. Hers and Dimitri's blade collide with a deafening, clanking sound, echoing through the dark night.
From this hard strike alone Max's arms hurt, but she has no time to rest. Not a second later, the next swing by Dimitri follows and right from the start he takes the lead in this deathly dance of sharp steel. Barely, the black-haired girl is able to fend off her opponent's strikes. She feels how every blow weakens her more and more. Additionally, every swing throbs through her left, injured shoulder, disturbing her concentration and decreasing the swiftness of her attacks. Max knows that she has to come up with a plan or else she'll fail.
She does a wide swing, which opens her defense, but also gives her the possibility to gain some distance from her enemy and therefor some precious seconds to think.
Sadly, Dimitri takes the chance right away, not willing to cut her some slack. As Max feels how the cold steel cuts her right thigh, the young girl cries out in pain and loses her balance. The perfect opportunity for a deathblow.
'Is that it? Is that how it's supposed to end? What about Kate and Chloe? Will Mike really let them go? Maybe they're better off without me? NO! Don't think like that! I don't wanna die! I've found so much to live for! Fuck you, demons! Fuck you, fate! Fuck you, Mike! I…wanna…LIVE!'
With a loud scream of desperation, Max slows down time and puts all her energy in one last strike, like she had done back in Seattle as she'd fought Hammerfist. Successfully, her blade cuts through fabric and flesh, but it isn't enough. Dimitri's cat-like reflexes has given him the opportunity to avert most part of the blow, so that it only cut a few millimeters into his shoulder, which he only comments with a slight groan.
But his answer comes right away as, in return, Max receives a deep slash on her right upper arm, which lets her cry out in agony again. Immediately, she loses grip on the hilt and drops the sword. From the corner of her eye she has to watch how Dimitri's blade closes in to finish the job. Powerless to avoid her cruel fate, Max closes her eyes and awaits the end, her mind only thinking about the person that matters everything to her.
'I'm so sorry, Katie!'
Kyra
She turns off the hot water and steps out of the shower. After the Asian woman has dried off the dampness from her body, she takes a look at her silhouette in the mirror, brushing over her slightly rounded belly.
"How're ya doing inside there, champ? Ready for some big time sleep?" she speaks with her unborn child, petting her stomach one last time before she puts on a bathrobe.
Kyra Kagawa then heads towards the bedroom. On her way there, she passes an old picture of Max, which shows a young, freckled, brunette girl that smiles carefree into the camera. She knows that this shot is over five years old, back from a time where the girl's world had been alright.
"I miss you, sweetie-pie! Wonder, what you're doing right now."
Giving the picture one last brush with her fingertips, Kyra continues her way. In the bedroom, she rummages through the closet for some pajamas as, surprisingly, her phone chimes. With a frown she gazes at the clock on her nightstand and wonders who would send her a message around midnight.
Expecting it to be Ryan, who needs her expertise on a case or is just bored, Kyra picks up the phone with a sigh and unlocks it. To her further surprise, she just received a voice-message from Max. Overjoyed and with a smile she starts the audio-file.
"Hi Kyra! It's me, Max.
At first I wanna say that I'm sorry for just leaving without a word or Goodbye. Everything was just fucked at that time and I needed to get away. Master Tsun gave me the advice to go back where my life had started to suck and that's what I did.
I tried to fulfill my childhood dream of becoming a photographer and enlisted at Blackwell Academy in Arcadia Bay. Though, it had been hard for me to fit in at the beginning, things got better with every passing day. I reconnected with my childhood best friend, Chloe. Y'know, my first crush. Sadly, it didn't work out between us like I wanted to, but we're still good friends and I'm glad that I have her back in my life.
But the best thing that happened to me is called Kate Marsh! Gosh, you should meet her. She's cute, smart and so full of love! She healed me, Kyra. She helped me to finally come to terms with my past, but…said past caught up to me.
He's here, Kyra. Mike has found me. I don't know how, but he kidnapped Kate and Chloe, and threatens to hurt them, if I don't meet with him.
There's no use in hiding the truth: he wants to kill me. But I won't run away! I won't call the cops or anyone else! I have to end this on my own. Kate and Chloe are way too important to me than to risk their life. It's my fault that they got caught up in this shit and I'll take responsibility for that. Even if this means trade my life for theirs!
I know that you or Dad will call the ABPD right away and I won't try to talk you outta this, 'cause by the time you got that message everything will be over anyway.
(Sighs)
I'm sorry, Kyra. Sorry for everything I fucked up! Just promise me that you'll be a great mom and take care of Dad. He'll need you and the little munchkin more than ever, if everything goes to shit.
I love ya and hope that I'll have the chance to see the little squirt and to show you my new gal, one day.
Take care! Bye!"
During the first half of the message, Kyra has listened to it with a warm smile and some tears of joy in her eyes, but as soon as the part with Mike Brighton came up, this happiness has faltered in an instant. Right now, the Asian woman is almost unable to hold back the need to cry out of worry and desperation. With shaking hands she speed-dials Ryan's number.
"C'mon…pick up!" she curses impatiently, her hand clenching around her phone, until Ryan finally answers.
"Ryan, it's Max, she…"
[Ryan]: "I know. I got that message, too. Listen, I already called the ABPD. Pack some stuff and be ready. I'm already on my way to pick you up."
"Got it! And Ryan…?"
[Ryan]: "Yeah?"
"She's strong! Max will be okay!"
[Ryan]: (after a short pause) "I know."
Then, he ends the call and immediately, Kyra brings forth a big suitcase from the closet and packs it with clothes, her thoughts always fixed on Max.
Vanessa
With a deep sigh Vanessa drops the pen and massages her temple.
"Dammit!" she mutters as her gaze meets the clock on the wall. Sighing once more, the brunette leaves her desk and heads towards the kitchen for some instant-coffee. She has just filled and started the water heater as her phone inside her pocket buzzes. Slightly annoyed, she pulls it out and gazes at the display.
"Fuck you!" she says and deletes the message. "I already told that stupid bitch that I have exams and can't party that weekend."
With a mug of fresh brewed coffee and a chocolate bar, Vanessa walks back to her desk and wants to continue her studies, as her phone chimes again. Sadly, she has forgotten it in the kitchen and isn't really in the mood to get up again, expecting it to be another invitation for a party.
But somehow she has a strange feeling that it's something important. Knowing that with this uncertainty she won't be able to finish her studies for tonight, Vanessa stands up and grabs the smartphone. This time, however, she isn't annoyed, but gasps. Being nervous upon that she has received a message from her daughter, the middle-aged woman starts the audio file with trembling hands.
"Hi Vanessa…uhm, Mom! It's me, Max.
(Sighs)
I know we didn't part on good terms and…well, this won't be a message where I'll forgive you. No, you fucked up my life way too much for being forgiven, but…maybe one day in the far future. Who knows?
Anyway, I thought as my mother you should know when your daughter's about to die. Yes, you heard right. If everything goes to shit tonight, I'm as good as dead. Reality sucks, I know!
You probably wanna know all the details, but telling you everything would just take too long. Let's just say, I messed with the wrong people.
(Sighs)
Mom, I met a girl who taught me that compassion is better than anger or hate. During those last years I wanted nothing more than to make you pay for every little smack, but…
(Sighs once more and then sniffs)
I just hope that, one day, you'll find yourself again, because…b-because…
(Sobs)
I miss you, Mom! I miss my old Mom, who cared about me; who told me bedtime stories; who…who hugged me when I was upset. I…I want you back, Mom!
(Continuous sobs and end of message)
Tears are now running down Vanessa's face in a constant stream, dripping onto the kitchen counter.
"I'm sorry," she whimpers, "I'm so sorry, my baby-girl! I…I miss you, too!"
It takes her some time to calm down enough to think straight. All she knows and that matters right now are that her daughter is in grave danger and there's only one man who could help right now.
"Ryan?" she speaks into her phone with a weak voice, "M-Maxine…she's…"
[Ryan]: "Yes, we already know. Van, are you able to drive to Arcadia by yourself?"
There's no grudge in his voice; no prejudice. This is about their daughter's life and everything else doesn't matter right now.
"I-I don't know…I-I…"
[Ryan]: "Listen, Van, pack some stuff. We'll get ya in thirty minutes. Got it?"
"O-okay…okay, yeah."
As soon as the call got terminated, Vanessa takes some more minutes to calm down, before she starts to pack everything she needs to be away for a few days. When she enters the bathroom, her sight gets fixed on her reflection in the mirror.
"Be the mother that your daughter needs!" she tells herself, promising internally that she'll do everything to be the mother that Max deserves
Author's Notes: Aaaaand cut!
Sorry guys that I pulled your legs a bit in the last chapter, but this is only hypothetically the last chapter. But let me explain:
Since chapter 20 I was struggeling with how to end the story. I had five endings in my mind and thanks to the advices of spebonne and Hithilion I narrowed it down to two different endings.
So, yeah...this is indeed the last chapter and coming up next are the two endings.
So far, and please don't rip my head off for this cliffhanger. ;-)