HAUNTED
twelve

12

The door burst open, bomb squad, finally sent in, one of them was pulling Jacob away and soon Lex got swallowed in with them, “Lex!” he yelled.

And one of the bomb squad men manhandled her through the rushing expects close to Jacob towards the elevators to exit. He ripped his arm away from one of them and rushed towards where they were dragging her.

She turned as saw them tackle and pin him to the ground cuffing him behind his back, he caught her glance and she looked away. He is okay, she thought.

“We have finally got you kids,” one of them said. They started dragging him the same direction as her.

“We are trying to fix it. We didn’t do this,” Lex said as they got down stairs. They didn’t say a word. Jacob got closer but still a distance away, she glanced back at him.

Old John appeared, “let them go!” he ordered, “That is no way to treat heroes.”

They let her go, she rubbed her arms with her hands because their grips had left an odd aching. They un-cuffed Jacob who seemed really frustrated. As soon as they let him go his angry calm remained. She could see him boiling so as soon as he got close enough she took his hand. His grip tightened for a brief moment, he took a breath, then let go.

“So,” Old John spoke first, “wh…”

“Can we leave? Are we done,” Jacob interrupted.

The old guy cleared his throat and continued, “What did you see in there?”

“You have my pin?” he asked. John nodded. “We recorded everything it’s all there.”

“Okay,” he said, “I’ll have my people check it out.”

“We also have witnesses,” Lex said.

“And a guy he shot,” the old feller added.

“He had to,” Lex stressed, “he wouldn’t have had to if you people had done your jobs instead of sending a couple of teenagers into this mess…” she gestured the hospital behind her. “Let’s bet if you hadn’t bumped into those doctors you would have never known a thing. You would have left us to die. Then still pinned it on us, so you could all get fancy new ribbons to hang on your tomb stones when you grow old.”

“Young lady…” he was about to say something.

“I almost blew up three times since yesterday,” she interrupted, “that is way more than most people… ever… I have had a gun aimed at me more times than I know since yesterday.” She wasn’t talking to them yesterday rambling by herself, “Don’t young lady me… that’s not even half of the shit…”

“Look, you made her crazy,” Jacob complained, “Lex,” he grabbed by the shoulders and looked at her, “snap out of it.” She went quiet took a breath, then he let go.

“Can we leave now,” she asked calm.

“You…”

“Sorry to interrupt you for the millionth time,” Jacob interjected. Old John sighed, “Why did you put us through all this. I mean you had the man power to do it yourself. Why send us in?”

“Get in my car,” he said quietly.

Jacob looked at Lex, who shrugged at him and he walked toward the car opened the door, “lady’s first…” he grinned. She got into the car. The cop started the car without a word.

“Where are you taking us,” she asked Old John.

“You’ll see,” he responded. Handed them a pizza which they chowed down in silence.

Jacob looked out the window keeping track of where they were going. She sighed and looked out the other side. The drive was quite long even longer in silence, she slowly began to fall asleep. It had been a long day already. As her mind deceived her of peace. She was quite still in her sleep it scared Jacob at times. She didn’t seem that comfortable. She woke up a few times and tried to pretend she was awake all along. He smiled and pretended he didn’t notice in no time she was knocking off again.

The sun was setting in the distance and he was distracted by how it played peek-a-boo with the hills on the windy road. She head fell on his lap, startling him a bunch. He jolted when she did. Her hair was in her face and all over. He remembered it did the same when she slept last night. He smiled and tenderly got it out of her face.

“You love her don’t you,” Old John said, the first thing he had said since they left.

“I don’t know what I feel for her,” Jacob responded, returning his attention outside.

“You always have,” he chuckled and kept his eyes on the road. Jacob looked at her for a long silent moment. Back to silence. He looked back outside.

It was all dim now, sun gone but light still there. It had been an hour felt way longer though.

“I had to know for sure,” Old John finally said.

“Huh?” Jacob drawn back into the car once more.

“You asked why you two?”

“Know what?”

“If it was really you,” she grabbed his arm which he hadn’t noticed was lightly laid over her shoulder, and a course ran right through him. Jacob cleared his throat, heart racing, “you probably don’t remember.”

“Remember?!” the old man was really beginning to sound crazy.

“I was one of the first,” Jacobs heart sank, “I wasn’t always this old, you know?” he smiled, “amazing what a few thousand years can do to people.”

“The first?” the words stuck to him.

“One of the first you made,” he smiled.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done something like that.”

“I don’t blame you,” he sighed, “you gave me the gift of an endless life I need you to end it now.”

“I can’t kill you,” Jacob blurted and Lex fidgeted a bit. Then in a lower voice, “I can’t kill you. I won’t.”

The car turned abruptly into a sharp bend of a hill, “you can’t,” he grumbled, “I have been keeping your stupid gismo for centuries and you just can’t.”

“I figured a cure once,” Jacob said, “I can do it again.”

“Cure,” he chuckled, “the only cure is death.”

“No,” Jacob insisted, “I did.”

“And what happened when you did…” John spoke, “did you die?” he smiled an unfeeling smile one coded with agony.

The car stopped.

“We have to walk from here,” he said calmly as he got out of the car. Jacob didn’t want to move, stuck in thought.

“Jacob,” John called as he opened the door at Jacob’s side, “we have to before it gets too dark.” Jacob was trying to get free of Lex before she wakes up and there is another awkward glare between them that made him feel uncomfortable in a nice way. He got out of the car and looked at the old man waiting impatiently.

“John…” he was hurt, “I’m sorry for what I have done to this world… to you… everyone. I don’t know how to fix it!?” he looked at her.

“You need to stop trying to save it,” he sighed, “just let things be. I thought Gabriel sent you on an endless cycle of life to learn stuff you are supposed to know by now.”

“Gabriel?” he said confused, “I do not remember much.”

“You will.” He assured.

“Lex,” he called trying to wake her up, “can’t we just carry her. I hate waking people up. It always feels like I am robbing them of something.”

She remembered, him watching over her, the loss in his eyes, how it hurt her… the huge gash that bled. “I don’t understand,” he said worried hurt, “you’re not… please don’t.”

Jacob reached down to her, maybe she might wake with a gentle shake.

She remembered death again coming slow, she felt really hot and then cold. “Why did you have to…” a tear came to his eye and ran down his cheek.

She reached out her hand, “Jake, give me your hand.”

“No,” he shook his head.

“Take strength,” tears began to stream, “Just my luck,” she flinched, “to have all the power so close,” she looked at him. Took a breath and paused for a long moment, “Jake…” she smiled, “Jacob, know that I love you. I really do…”

He took her hand, “stop,” he ordered, “you’ll be fine.” He wiped away his tears with his other hand… strength.

“Not this time,” she smiled and he wiped her tears away, “pray that God forgives us for what we have done. For what I made you do. I’m sorry.”

“Lex,” he looked at her, “wake up we have to go,” he looked back at John, “she is crying…”

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