Now or never.
Adam kept repeating it in his head. In the past, he'd have been too apathetic to do this at all. Probably would've sat by the sidelines, promising himself the next day he'd do better, and let himself down again. Like the day before. And the day before, and—
Matt was gone.
Adam still couldn't say it without puking. Thinking it, processing a world without his friend, that was hard enough. Pam had asked him what was wrong, why he had cried to the point of not being able to breathe, but she had to fill in the blanks.
The world felt emptier. Grim, somehow. Even though he had barely even spoken to Matt, in the back of his mind, Adam always knew he was there. Making some kind of a witty comment, making a random analogy about something stupid.
But he wasn't doing it anymore. Wasn't doing a damn thing. And Adam couldn't fucking breathe.
That's all he thought about as he hid out near the factory that Mark Fucking Hoffman was in. The bear had been poked, and it had certainly worked. When Adam set out to make Hoffman do something stupid, never in a million years had he pictured the sick fuck going on a killing spree and taking out Matt's entire force. And Jill, and Matt himself.
But he should've known better. He should've tried harder. He should've…
A lot of things.
Now, all he could do was wait for Lawrence to give the signal. They'd end this, and they'd do it tonight. Matt wouldn't be there to watch, but Adam and Lawrence sure as fuck would be.
Pam walked up to him and grabbed his arm. Next thing he knew, she rested her head on his shoulder. She sighed and watched the factory right alongside Adam, as if the whole thing could pick itself up and storm off with one fell swoop.
"I'm sorry he's gone," Pam whispered.
Adam's lip twitched. It wasn't okay, he wouldn't even begin to spout out that one. It wasn't okay that Matt was off somewhere swimming in his own blood because Adam had royally fucked up once again.
It all got completely out of hand. Went so fast. One moment everything was fine, and the next…
He'd give anything to go back to the second before it all went to shit.
Adam came up with the only reply that felt right. That felt like it could ever give Matt any justice whatsoever.
"I'm gonna miss him."
Pam put her hand on his shoulder, and he placed a gentle kiss on it. Her touch still made him melt, even after two years.
Because of Will, when Lawrence said they'd need one more person to help, it was easy to ask Pam. She was eager to actually do this, while Adam couldn't wait for this whole thing to be done.
Then, Adam could finally be the real him again. And go to vet school, finally prove Mom right. And pay her and Dad a visit, after Hoffman was good and gone.
That is what Adam was eager about. Even if the process to get there scared the hell outta him.
With his free hand, Adam tightened his grip on the pig mask he was holding. He was in a robe, the same one Amanda was in when she threw him in this mess in the first place.
Pam must've caught on. She asked, "You okay?"
Adam shuffled. He still didn't know how to answer questions like that. He wanted to say anything other than he was scared shitless and still not sure this was the right call.
"I'm okay." He winced. "Chafing pretty bad in this suit, but other than that I—"
"Adam."
He let out a shaky breath. All his life, especially with Scott, he was told that he shouldn't make his problems other people's issues. That he should shut up and take it.
A sentiment that always pissed Matt off. And he had told Adam over and over again it was wrong. But of course, he couldn't tell Adam that anymore.
He looked in Pam's eyes, and he saw the look Matt had given him. One that he hadn't seen in a long time, except with his parents. Then with Lawrence, who he had learned he would truly do anything for.
Concern. Genuine care. It was etched all over her face. And it was enough.
"No," Adam replied honestly. "I'm scared outta my fucking mind, Pam."
"I'm glad you told me. Being able to say something about it helps, you know?"
Adam nodded. She was right, it was so much better than holding that in.
She said to him, "You'll do just fine. This is almost over."
"I could fuck this up so bad. And even after Hoffman's gone, who's to say my parents will even want me back after all I've put them—"
"You're getting your life back today, just making it better." A small smile formed on her lips. "You are going to do just fine."
They stood there a moment, in silence. He didn't need to fill in the empty space or say something dumb to keep the conversation going. It was the two of them together, waiting for their signal, and that was enough.
It couldn't have been too long, though, when he heard thumping behind him. Adam turned around and saw Lawrence, walking up to him with his cane in one hand and his own pig mask in another. Adam smiled at him.
Smiled at the doctor he owed everything to.
"How's it looking?" Adam asked.
"Hoffman just walked in, we've gotta head on over. We can catch him off guard when he leaves."
But it seemed like Lawrence wanted to say something else. He was lingering, hesitating and looking at Pam like he needed to say something to Adam.
She must've picked up on it too. Pam said to them, "I'm gonna head over, go ahead and put my hair up so he can't see it." She softly kissed Adam on the cheek. "See you over there."
"You too."
And Adam watched her leave, she ducked out behind Lawrence's truck that they were gonna take Hoffman in.
Lawrence stood next to him, and they looked out at nothing in particular, both knowing they had to go, but with a feeling that something had to be said. This plan was started a while ago, but between Jill and Matt, it was all sudden moving fast. Too fast, but Adam would never admit that much.
"Everything set up?" Adam asked.
"Yup. You ready?"
"Hell no."
Lawrence chuckled. "Me neither, if that makes you feel better."
Somehow, it did. Lawrence had been with these fuckers for far too long, but it was good to know that at least he still had something against leaving a man to die. No matter who the man was.
Initially, Lawrence wanted to put Hoffman in an inescapable trap. He considered this one contraption he called the Reverse Bear Trap — said it'd be cool and poetic or whatever, but Adam didn't want to know why — but they decided against it. Well, Adam did. Figured they should just chain the freak up where they started and put it all behind them.
That was cool, or poetic, or whatever. And it was less messy, Adam supposed.
"I can take him there by myself. Have a little dolly think I could use," Lawrence told him. "But do you want to be there? Your call."
Adam turned towards the warehouse, where Hoffman was off doing something. He was glad he had no idea what it was. Scott had taught him that the best way to put something behind him was to get revenge. If he were there, he'd probably tell Adam that he should go with and beat Hoffman over the head while he was at it. Maybe strap the RBT on his face just for fun.
But something Adam had learned was Scott wasn't there. He never would be. And even if his ways were always wrong, deep down he'd be proud of Adam for finally stepping up and doing what he wanted.
"No offense, Larry, but I don't want to so much as set foot in that place ever again."
"Figured," the doctor replied gently. "Just wanted to ask. For I don't know, closure or something."
"Nah, it's not worth it. I just want to be done."
"Okay, well remember to get far away, go ahead and ditch the…"
Adam tuned Lawrence out. They had gone through the routine over and over. Sucked that it was time for him to sneak around again, but one last time wouldn't hurt. He and Pam would ditch the suits and the masks, and there was a small trail that'd lead to where Adam parked his car. Then the rest was up to Lawrence, and when he offered more information, Adam had gently shot that down.
"… make sure your phones are still off and—"
"Lawrence," Adam whispered.
His friend stopped talking, and he waited in silence as Adam tried to force words out. This was all so new to him, Adam didn't know where to start.
"Thank you. For everything, just," Adam trailed off. Then he shook his head and whispered, "Thank you."
Lawrence grunted a reply, but gently. Neither of them knew how to go about this, but it told them everything they needed.
Adam asked, "What if this doesn't work? What if he has a key, or he like, Hulks out and gnaws through his chain or—"
"He won't."
"What if it doesn't work?"
Neither of them could possibly know this would be the end of Mark Fucking Hoffman. And he needed something, just in case.
Lawrence put his hand on his shoulder, gently to avoid where the bullet hit him. "Then we take it from there."
That was enough. Adam smiled gently and put his mask on, and they joined Pam. They hunched down, waiting for Hoffman to give them the signal. The signal that he was unarmed, outnumbered, and ready to be taken down once and for all.
For Scott, and Matt, and Will, and for Adam and Lawrence. Everyone that had been lost in the name of trials, lessons, games or whatever the hell Hoffman wanted to call it.
No more, that was Adam's promise to himself.
And soon, Hoffman gave them the signal that they were waiting for. The one that Adam had wanted since he was in that damn house, brain frying and heart racing, unsure if he would ever see the light of day again.
The warehouse, the final spot of Operation Jigsaw, was engulfed in flames.
Hoffman emerged from the building, and Adam tensed up as he waited for Lawrence to give him and Pam the okay. Lawrence had the syringe out and ready to go, and Hoffman was walking right towards them.
Away from the destroyed warehouse and that damn puppet.
And the smoke, the ashes, the remains of the whole things were all at Adam and Lawrence's feet. Just like Adam had wanted.
One of the many problems that despite everything, had not been broken.
As Hoffman came closer, just short of where they were, one last thought popped in Adam's mind. The first promise he was given, no matter how impossible it had felt at the time.
Adam said it one last time, just for the hell of it.
"We're gonna be okay."