Alex POV
I'm wound up.
Beyond frustrated at myself. I almost had Seth, I was so close, but I lost him to the traffic. Fucking traffic. It should seem like the most logical thing to have happened, though I'd been so sure I'd get my hands on Seth tonight.
I'd been so fucking close.
Since leaving Danica in the sitting room by herself, I've only managed to get angrier about the whole situation. I should know better than to let my emotions run riot and control me, but here I am.
Instead of letting the intense wave of anger consume me, I try to focus on the hot water that pelts unforgivingly at my shoulders and against my back, searing my skin. The heat a deliberate distraction technique, to hone in on the pain, the overwhelming burning sensation rather than the drama that is yet to unfold.
Unfortunately, it isn't working this time, my brain is instead trained on the task ahead, always planning for what's to come, the smartest route, the ultimate outcome.
The ability to block out the complications and zone in on creating a plan is one thing that was drilled into me during my training years ago, and now it's something that I'm really good at. Blocking, but assessing. Throughout the years, with everything I've dealt with, that particular ability has helped me get through so many different situations. Life threatening and otherwise.
And Danica is a large part of the otherwise.
I must admit that I was genuinely surprised, but overall happy, to see that Danica controlled herself when I told her what was going on, who is involved and what I now have to do. Especially seeing as she hasn't had a kill in so long, it must be grating on her, the desire within her isn't yet something she is on top of and I know that without a shadow of a doubt.
And now to be dealing with these difficult circumstances, Danica might feel as though it's her calling, her thing, but this is my family blood, therefore it's my decision.
Metalingus by Alter Bridge plays as I shower, the song matches my thoughts, and my overall treacherous feelings.
The most problematic issue being that I know that I have to do this, no one else can get to him before me. It must be me.
I'm more than a bit concerned that someone might get their hands on him before I do, which makes the whole situation much more urgent.
Though it's definitely not going to be easy.
I don't know how I'm going to manage to corner him, and in a place that we won't be noticed. There are a lot of questions and there will be consequences, for both myself and Seth. His won't be a lasting effect though. Mine will stay with me, living in my subconscious mind, likely to haunt me over time.
Like I need more shit to stew over.
I do, however, need to figure out how I'm going to do this. My hands reach up without my mental direction, my fingers grab at my skull, massaging the headache that is forming as I drag my hands through my wet hair.
He knows my car now, and he must have tracked me down before that. Work? The gym? In the streets? Some other public place?
It could have been anywhere. And now he has me where he wants me, but I've got more to back myself than he does. Seth used to always follow his emotions when it came to conflict, acting without thinking, no plans, nothing to support him if he were to fail. The fact that he is taking down people on his own is baffling, though I'm inclined to believe he is using the element of surprise as opposed to them knowing he is after them at all. Opportunistic killer.
I hate that I had to come clean with Danica about Seth, I'd hoped to keep her out of it altogether, preferring to handle him single handedly. I feel as though having her know about him will only complicate the situation. How could it better it?
Danica hasn't had a kill in a while, she could react with intuition if I have her around when I need to act and take Seth down, it could completely mess things up. She could endanger us both if she loses control for even a split second. Danica is still a loose cannon. Her actions still not under her command, plus, I haven't even scraped the surface with her training. There is so much more she needs to know to protect herself, let alone defend herself.
The thought itself is more than daunting.
Danica knows so little about the game she is involved in, the real dangers at hand. She doesn't see the bigger picture. I might believe she is more careful now, wiser in some ways, but I'm not delusional to her motivation, her insane desires. That's the truth of it, it's insane. This whole thing. It's all kinds of fucked up.
Yet, here I am, by her side and her by mine as we battle through it all. The outright insanity of our lives now. And it's not just her anymore. I'm neck deep in it too. My brother is to thank for that. Good thing it's not a family trait. It all ends with Seth. At least half of the equation can be resolved. I'll take that as a victory of sorts. It's just a matter of finishing it all now.
But, where does it begin?
Where do I find him?
I know that he won't leave me alone now, perhaps I can get him to come to me?
The thought hits me in a sudden instant, which prompts me to quickly finish showering and head back out into the sitting room. I find Danica still scrolling through the information on the internet about Seth, though there is little to read.
She turns to face me when she hears me re-enter the room, "Why, hello there." She mutters while looking me up and down.
I'm clad only in a towel, which sits around my hips.
"Focus." I say seriously.
Danica frowns, but settles her raised eyebrows and averts her eyes to mine as she waits for me to speak again.
I lean my shoulder against the wall as I begin to speak, "I've had a thought. Seth is likely to have figured out where we are, I don't doubt that, but maybe it'll work in our favor."
Danica's green eyes squint in confusion, and then she tilts her head quizzically, waiting for more information.
"If he is waiting for us, then we can lead him wherever we want to. Say to an abandoned warehouse, or out into the scrubs... somewhere away from all of the noise and the people."
With that said, her eyes practically glow with life.
"That's a brilliant idea. And of course he would be watching us. He's not going to try and take you on out in the open. That'd be stupid on his part. This could be the only way to nab him." Danica muses, her thoughts clearly still running rampant, the end game firmly in her sights.
Not for long though.
"Focus." I repeat. "It's not the time to be getting ahead of ourselves. We need to plan meticulously. He's not dumb enough to fall for a trap that simply. We have to convince him that we don't know he is following us. We need a diversion. I haven't figured that part out yet. But, this is a start." I nod once to myself. Feeling some semblance of confidence about it all. At least we've got a foundation to work from.
Danica speaks then, "What do you think of us splitting up?" She pauses for my response.
I frown deeply, "What are you on about?"
I know she isn't meaning that literally.
"Well, we need a diversion. How about if he thinks you're on your own? You head out somewhere and he is under the impression that I'm not home, that you've avoided telling me anything about him to keep me safe. But I'll follow a little ways back, or show up not long after you arrive. Seth might get cocky thinking he can take you out with a bullet rather than hands on. Then I come in and stop anything he might try and dupe you with. Then it's all up to you how it ends." She shrugs at the end, as though the situation isn't anything to be concerned about.
"I don't know... there are so many uncertainties with that. What if he turns the situation on it's head somehow? What if he catches you out? I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to you, especially if my little brother was involved."
She shakes her head several times, "Trust me on this, he will be more worried about you than anything that is happening around him. His need to be better than you is too strong for him to ignore, he will only be paying attention to you and where you're going. He won't even see me coming."
Danica has my thought process faltering at the fact. Because it's true, Seth had always been obsessed with bettering me, in every way he can, and if he is anything like he used to be then it will work in my favor, it might be a risk worth taking.
"Perhaps... give me some time to think on it. If we do go ahead with your plan I need everything to be thought out heavily, planned meticulously." I stare at Danica seriously as I say it, my gaze letting her know that there's no fucking around with this.
I know she's dying to roll her eyes, but instead she makes herself nod and says, "Yes, I know. I wouldn't expect anything else."
"I'm only trying to keep you from danger." I state.
"I know, and I'm trying to help you so that you have peace of mind too. I don't want you to worry about me, I want you to focus on the problem, nothing else. I might actually have a good place for us - I mean you, to handle the ending. If you'd like."
I'm curious. "What were you thinking?"
"That abandoned house where I saved Destiny. It happened a fair while ago now, it's a better option than the warehouse that both her and Eddie were killed in and better than the wooded areas nearby. What do you think?"
It could be a good option, but what if the cops are keeping tabs on any place that Danica has been to? I think it might be too big a risk. We need some place unknown to the authorities. Untouched by a prior bloody situation.
"I really don't think so. It's too risky. We need somewhere new. Somewhere no one is looking."
Danica nods, "It's probably best. I'll look into some vacant buildings, preferably outside of the city, yes?"
I nod, "We will both look for somewhere suitable. Pool our ideas. But we need to get on top of this ASAP. I don't like knowing he is so close to us right now."
Truthfully, I am glad, in a way, that we are the focus instead of another possible victim. I just hope the situation stays that way.
Victimless is definitely best.
And wouldn't it be victimless if we took him down anyway?
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These chapters are not so easily strung together. Alex's head is a mess right now. Logic and fear crashing headlong into each other, it's not pretty up there.
Hopefully he gets through this without any trouble.
How do you feel about Danica's ideas?
Is she trying to involve herself too much?
For those that are interested, there is now an Instagram page for The Deadly Series, called thedeadlyseriesinsta follow if you want to see what I'm up to with the books and research, music, etc.
I love hearing from you guys, I really hope you liked this chapter, it's part of the in between before everything gets going.
Thanks for reading, voting or commenting, I'll see you guys next time!
Shantelle 🙃