Shorts

Identity

Tyler slid his finger under the edge of the crisp, white, envelope, and opened it.

Inside was something he never thought he'd see again. Something that he never wanted to see again. It was a haunting memory of his past. A past that he thought he'd gotten rid of.

Tyler instantly crumpled it up and threw it on on the open flames in the fireplace. He watched as the blaze licked the paper turning it to ashes.

::::Flashback::::

"This is all your fault!" Levi yelled angrily, his breathing ragged.

He couldn't see where he was but the ropes burned against his wrist as he endured Levi's wrath. The blindfold was tied tightly around his eyes. A faint dripping noise sounded a few feet away. Wherever he was smelt damp and musty.

"Trish is GONE because of you! It was YOUR job to help her! But, you failed..." Levi lets out a bitter, humorless, chuckle, "And now you get to feel the pain she had to feel!"

Before he could ask what he meant a fiery agonizing pain raced through his forehead. A few seconds later a trickle of blood followed it, as it ran into his eyes.

He screamed out at the sudden excruciating pain. He tried to reach his hand up to the new, freshly sliced open gash, but his hands are stopped by the thick ropes that held him to the chair.

His blindfold is suddenly yanked off and he blinked rapidly as his bright blue eyes adjusted to the dim, flickering, lights. His sight is met with a sickening smile mere inches away from his face.

"Doesn't that feel great‽" Levi whispers, as he trailed the cool, steel, blade against his victims jaw.

He spit in Levi's face, "Go to hell..."

Another devastating pain ran along his face. This one had been on his cheek, though. And another scream fills the empty room.

A loud crash suddenly echoed through the large, deserted, warehouse. Levi's gaze snapped to behind the man and his eyes widened in terror.

Levi snatched up his victim, cutting him free of his bondages, and held the knife to his throat.

"Levi Hawkins drop the hostage!" The armored man, in front of the Swat team, commands.

"I'd rather die! At least then I an be with Trish!" Levi dug the knife deeper into his throat, just enough that it drew thick, hot, blood.

"This is your last warning! Drop the him or we will be forced to take action!" The Swat guy yelled.

"Never..." Levi seethed.

Before the captured man has anytime to register what happened a deafening bang rang through the damp air. Levi collapsed to the ground and people raced over to the two men. Levi was immediately handcuffed and dragged away.

People were all yelling at each other as the man dropped to his knees. The noisy room of concerned faces faded to black.

"I think he's waking up, go get the doctor!" A strict feminine voice commands.

A blinding headache engulfed his head as the bright sterile room came into focus.

"Welcome back. You're okay..... For now." The woman assured him, "I'm Agent Kate."

"For now?" The exhausted man groggily questioned.

"Unfortunately, after Levi Hawkins was treated for his bullet wound he managed to escape our custody. He some how succeeded in finding scalpel and killed the agents guarding him. He then was able to flee."

The man can't remember much of what happened after Agent Kate said that. All he could do was think,

He's not going to stop. I'm never going to win.

That was the last day that man was, Matthew Baker. He took on the knew identity of Tyler Smith.