The Neighbor III: The Dark Web

Chapter 1

Cassie gulped, then said, "Mom and dad. I gave them a call. It was as awkward as you would expect." She let out a small laugh, but Sarah didn't. "What do you want?" She asked, sounding like she wanted this conversation to end quickly. "Uh, well...look, we need to talk. Face to face. Are you free today?"

"What is this about? How did you even know I'm in the city?" Cassie looked at Ben through the glass window. He was staring intensely at her, obviously trying to read her emotions. "That's what I need to talk to you about. Can we please just meet somewhere? I know this café on fourth that's quiet."

Once again, it was silent for several minutes. "Fine," she said. "What's it called?" After giving her the information and hanging up, Cassie went back inside. "So?" Ben asked. She took a deep breath, then said, "Our usual coffee place in an hour. She didn't say if Tom was coming, but I didn't tell her you were joining. She might have backed out."

Ben nodded, then got up from his seat. "Let's leave now and I'll get us some breakfast from that bagel place you like. I'm going to try and make this day as less stressful for you as I can." He kissed her forehead and rubbed her arms. "I'm sorry this is happening again," he told her. "I know we both wanted to leave it behind us."

She shook her head, then told him, "What goes around, comes around. Right?"

After leaving and Ben getting the bagels he promised, they got to the café nearly half an hour early. Much to their surprise, however, so was Sarah. She was sitting at a table, nursing a tea in her hands.

Ben saw Cassie visibly tense up. He knows she needed to prepare herself a little more for this encounter and now she couldn't. She just had to face it and it was going to be difficult. Ben put a comforting hand on her back as she took a deep breath.

He followed her as she walked over to Sarah at a painfully slow pace. This gave Ben a chance to scope out the place for any sign of Tom. He didn't see anyone that resembled him. Then again, he was looking for anyone in a wheel chair and there wasn't a single person in one.

As they got closer to the table, Sarah noticed them. She seemed shocked to see them so early, but stood up and nervously wiped her hands against her skirt. "Cass," she breathed out. "You, um...you're early." Cassie opened her mouth to say something, but couldn't seem to get it out. In the meantime, Sarah moved her eyes to Ben, then angrily asked, "What are you doing here?"

Ben put his arm around Cassie's waist and said, "Supporting my wife. I also do have to make sure you didn't hire someone to stab her." Sarah opened her mouth, very clearly ready to shout something at him, but Cassie suddenly said, "Ben, stop. Sarah, we came here early to grab some coffee in peace before you arrived, but obviously that isn't happening. Now, let's all be adults, sit down and talk about something that is a pretty serious matter."

Ben gave Sarah a smug look as he took Cassie's coat and took her seat out for her. He then sat down himself and Sarah slowly followed. "We have to wait a moment," Sarah told them. "You're not the only one trying to be a supporting husband, Ben." Her eyes averted behind them, so they both turned and their eyes nearly blew from their heads.

There, walking elegantly and with long strides as if nothing ever happened...was Tom.

Cassie's hand immediately went to Ben's arm and gave it a hard squeeze. Ben put his hand over her's, then whispered, "What the fuck."

Tom came over with a wide smile on his face and kissed Sarah. He sat down next to her and looked to Ben and Cassie, his smile never faltering. Sarah handed him a pad of paper and a pen, where he started writing something. He held it up to Ben and Cassie after a moment.

Long time no see, it read. Cassie gulped, then asked, "How...how are you...how are you walking?" Sarah explained, "It took a while, but he focused so much of his brain power to walking that it actually worked. The doctor's said it was a slim to none chance that he would be able to do it...but he did. Of course, he still struggles with some things, but he's working on it. We think it's his past military training that allows him to do this."

She took Tom's hand and gave him a proud smile.

Ben and Cassie, however, were sitting back in their seats—almost like they wanted to lean as far away from Tom as possible—and gaping. "So," Sarah said, setting a napkin into Tom's lap and putting a straw into his coffee, "what did you want to talk about?"

Cassie watched as Tom's half paralyzed hands held the coffee cup. He obviously couldn't pick it up, not yet. "Uh," Cassie started, "well, we...we ran into a problem. It's a problem that involves the both of us." Sarah, after taking a sip of her coffee, snootily asked, "Is it a problem that will need to be solved with murder and shooting people in the neck?"

Ben perked up at that and quickly snarled, "Shut your mouth!" Tom slammed his fist against the table in anger. He and Ben were glaring daggers at each other. "It involves," Ben angrily continued, "our children."

Sarah nearly dropped her coffee and Tom choked on his. "Zachary?" She asked. "How did you know about him?" She seemed scared and it pleased Ben. Cassie told her, "He and our kids go to the same school. I'm sure he told you he was going on a date last weekend?"

Both Sarah and Tom's eyes blew wide. "No," Sarah breathed out. "It wasn't...it wasn't with Jess...was it?" Ben crossed his arms and leaned back as he said, "It was. They're infatuated with each other. We told Jess to stay away and she's promised to, but who knows what goes on in school? That's the only reason why we're here, nothing more."

Tom swiped over the healed bullet wound on his neck as he stared at him. Ben snickered at him, then asked, "What? Bullet got your tongue?" Tom quickly stood up, his chair flying back into the table behind him. Sarah took a hold of his arm and asked, "What did we talk about? Don't let him get to you."

It took a few moments, but he eventually sat down. He looked pissed beyond reason.

Cassie, in the meantime, elbowed Ben in the ribs. "Stop it," she scolded. "We're not here to open old wounds." Ben glanced to Tom and smirked. "Literally," he smugly said. He looked to Tom's hands and nearly laughed at the fact that he couldn't make an angry fist.

"We'll talk to Zach," Sarah finalized. "I'm not sure I want him to know that he's related to Jess, however. I don't want him to have anything to do with you. With that being said, if what you said is true about them being infatuated with each other, we just might have to."

Cassie nodded as she said, "I agree." Ben took a deep breath, then said, "I don't know. She's already killed one of our children...who's to say she won't kill another?" Sarah looked down and away in shame. Tom huffed and put a comforting hand on her back.

"Anyways," Cassie said, breaking the awkward tension, "we all agree to tell the kids. Good. I think we can disband this...horribly awkward meeting and go home. Come on, Ben." Ben still stared at Tom as he told her, "Yes, ma'am." He stood up, then held her coat open for her.

Once they were ready, Ben placed a kiss on her head and told her, "Go wait outside. I'll be out in a minute." She gave him a stern look, but then sighed and did what she was told. As soon as she was outside, Ben sharply turned to his sister-in-law and mortal enemy.

"Stay away from my kids and stay away from my wife," he warned. "I see the way you look at her, Tom, it's the way you've always looked at her. I know you don't love your wife, I know you love mine, but so help me God if you try to pull what you did last time..." He leaned over the table, getting closer to Tom.

"...I will be the one to pull the trigger and I assure you...I won't miss."