Many hours later, some lights in the office were turned off and only the lights in Jack's office was lit.
Everybody went home already. Jack was recently done with his work and was too exhausted to eat dinner. He planned to just get out of the building, drive home and sleep it off.
He took his suitcase and settled everything down in his office before he left.
He went out of the office. The guard greeted him, "Take care sir,"
Jack was probably the only remaining person inside the building and the guard's farewell was also a celebratory in disguise. He didn't even look at the guard nor nodded to acknowledge his presence and just passed through him. He definitely had a bad day.
As he went out of the building to go to the reserved parking space for his car, a voice called out his name.
"Jorge?"
"And who are you?", he paused to look at the person who called him. It was a woman together with a man.
"We tried to talk to you lately but they said you were busy."
He realized that they were the visitors who annoyed him lately. He replied "Ah, and you weren't smart enough to take a no for an answer?"
"We waited for you to go out instead so we can talk to you in private."
"Why do you want to talk to me? Who are you?"
"Jorge... We know you wouldn't let us in if we tell you who we are."
He reviewed the context of what they said. He immediately frowned as he absorbed the clue. He looked at their faces. The resemblance in them was uncanny. He noticed that his nose was perfectly a copy of the woman's and that he had the same eye color as the man's. His face had the same structure as his, high cheekbones and symmetrical. Something inside him told him that he had known them. He just didn't want to admit it to himself at the moment. He knew that if he was whole, he'd be running forwards at this point, throwing himself into their arms but he can't. He didn't know what to feel. It came to him too fast. He was supposed to seize the moment and ask them what he wanted to ask for a very long time. For clarity and peace of mind, but he wanted vengeance. He just didn't know how to act upon it. There was a heat on his back that crawled to the top of his head. His arms felt numb. The blood left his face.
He snapped inside; snapped like brittle glass and felt the shards tearing at his guts. He couldn't speak. His brain can't formulate a thought like if he doesn't touch them soon, his atoms will tear themselves apart. He couldn't properly process in his mind that he was face to face with the people he's been looking for his whole life.
His mood had gone mellow but with a pinch of hatred. He was frozen in his position, as if paralyzed, suspended between grief and joy.
The woman attempted to touch him but Jorge moved away.
He said "Don't you dare touch me."
"Jorge... let's talk about it in private, shall we?"
"How did you know I work here?"
"Someone from the orphanage looked for your work address so we'll know where to go."
"Rebecca?"
"She said her name was Denise. She mentioned you just came from the orphanage last night so we immediately grabbed the opportunity... strike the iron while it's hot."
"How about the last time? Why didn't you take the opportunity?"
"It was complicated."
He snorted. "Yeah for real, like you didn't make my life complicated enough."
"Can we talk about this in a private place?"
"Who's that guy?" He impolitely pointed the man with her.
"He's your father."
The man finally talked, "Hi Jorge."
He laughed. "Wow. What a nice family reunion! I just came out from work and my parents popped out of nowhere to see me after 25 years! 25 fucking years. Can you believe it?" He looked at both of them and was ready to let out a sarcastic snigger. "Great! Isn't it?"
His mother pleaded, "I will explain, Jorge. Just give us a chance."
That was the moment he knew he had to make a decision. He was one decision away from pursuing a different path. One decision away to know everything he wanted to.
He didn't say anything and had gone fully submissive.
He allowed his mom to touch him this time.
It was warm. It was gentle. So delicate he almost forgot what it felt like being held by a mother.
His mother hugged him tightly and he didn't respond even just a little to reciprocate.
He spoke while his body was being held tightly by his mother, "I can't even remember your names."
She broke free from hugging him and stepped back to introduce themselves properly.
"I am Katrina and your father is Julian." She smiled innocently. "We are so glad you're okay. Do you mind if we take you to our home and discuss this matter?"
"You have a house? With this man?"
"He's your father."
"You seemed like you are healthily living on a peaceful home all these years and you just dared to look for me now. How is that?"
They didn't answer.
"What, was it just one day you were having a tea, watching TV and remembered you had a son?"
"I can explain. Please Jorge... give us this chance to reconcile with you. "
He thought to neglect their offer for a second but the answers to everything is what he needed the most even though he was not sure if it was possible to even come to the point of reconciliation.
He cannot speak for now. He's not the type of man who easily trusts people. Most especially people he didn't really know, regardless of their blood relation.
Katrina touched his arm and said "You're all grown now. Look at you, looking sharp with your suit."
"I cannot trust myself to the both of you who were practically a stranger now in front of me."
Julian said "You don't feel as we do, that a blood relationship, however remote, creates ties that should be honored?"
"Should be honored?" He raised his eyebrows to the surprise of what he just heard.
He chuckled arrogantly and said "I won't."
"Huh?"
"I won't go with you tonight. Give your address to the guard and I'll visit when I'm ready."
He had quickly decided. He turned around and walked to his car and left them standing in the cold.
As he got into his car, he muttered, "I can't believe this. Shameless peasants." He then stepped on the gas and sped off.
While he was driving, he saw a man walking strangely along the dark street. As he looked closely, he noticed his familiar stance. He pulled over to the side and stopped his car.
He opened his window and called out his name.
"Joe?"
The man looked upon hearing his name. He looked dizzy but still acted tough after seeing it was his boss.
"Go away!"
Joe's skin went ashen. He stumbled forward. His vision had gone swirly and blurry at the same time.
Jack hurriedly got out of the car upon noticing his nauseous behavior.
Joe was nearly losing his consciousness. He was sweating a lot.
He could see Jack's face in front of him with a look of wonder as he watches him. He was weirded out by his actions.
"Joe? What's happening?"
His sight turned green then slowly fades to black. He fell to the ground.
Jack panicked and slapped his cheeks to wake him up. "Hey! Joe!"
Joe forced to speak the word "Home" before he completely passed out.
Jack said, "Shit!"
Therefore, he carried Joe to his car and let him sit beside his seat. He was gasping for breath when he gets his phone to dial a number. He got tired of carrying Joe's heavy body to his car.
He spoke, "Whatever this man does, it's always very stupid."
Annoyed by the face that he had to call the office clerk, even though already off duty at this time, just to ask to search for Joe's address to bring him home.
He had the address instantly and followed the directions through the map in his phone while he drives.
He kept glancing at him and guessing what he's been up to. He knows he really shouldn't be helping him because he's a grown man and he's a rival but he thought to just bring him to his home and just dump him inside.
It was the biggest effort he could do to a man he just suspended from work.
He arrived at his house within an hour. Thank God, Manhattan wasn't far, he thought.
It was quite far from their office though. He parked in front of his house and said "So I suppose I should just break into his house like a thief now."
He couldn't express more how he hated what's going on, but was somewhat glad that he lives on the ground floor so he wouldn't have to carry him upstairs. Although the thought of leaving him outside if ever he lives upstairs had crossed his mind. He would just leave him for the street rats and cockroaches to feast on.
He went out of his car and found out that Joe's front door was locked through a doorknob.
It was good for him so he wouldn't need to wake Joe just to get the passcode or his RFID card.
He ran back to his car and get paper clips from his files on the backseat. He inserted the clips to the jagged slit of the doorknob and tweaked it like an expert. He successfully opened the door after a few minutes.
It is then the ego stepped aside and let true greatness enter. It was his resourcefulness that brought light to his intellect.
He was just born with it.
He then went back with Joe this time, cradling him like a child for Joe couldn't possibly limp because he's totally unconscious.
He entered the house and tossed him like a sack of coffee down to his sofa.
He grunted after he breathed out.
"You're too reckless for a suspended employee." He talked in between his breaths. "Getting drunk and passing out in the streets? And you say you're not useless?"
He unbuttoned two buttons from ihs long sleeve and loosened his tie. It was exasperating that he had to do all the things he shouldn't do, especially to a person he hates.
He stood up for a while as he tried to regain his breath.
He looked around his house. The house lived as if under constant shadow. It was dark and small even by local standards.
His house had that spooky charm. It was dull and quiet.
Jack suddenly felt curious about his character and where he's coming from so then he maundered around like a real estate's client.
He looked at the framed photos that sat firmly on the bars that lead to a room.
They were photos of a young man and next to it was a series of photos of the young man growing up. He looked carefully in each photo then looked back at Joe who's silently sleeping on the sofa.
It was strange because the man in the photos doesn't look like him at all, so he thought maybe he has a brother.
He said "Hello?", to see if anyone is around, living with him.
He continued, "I don't mean to look like an unwanted guest. I just brought your son-broth--family member back home after passing out."
He couldn't determine whether he lives with a brother or a father to at least give a reason for the presence of the guy in the photos.
He then continued to walk towards the door of the room that the hallway lead him to.
He knocked and yelled, "Excuse me? Joe Schmidt is home now."
But no one answered. Maybe the person's asleep.
He tried to twist the knob and it was open.
He carefully pushed the door as he said "Anyone?"
It was pitch black inside the room so he groped to the wall beside the door to switch the lights on.
The lights blinded him for a second as it was the only bright place inside Joe's house.
After blinking as his eyes adjusted to the light, albeit still frowning, he stopped breathing upon entering. He was shocked by what he saw.
He gasped and almost fell backwards to the floor. His heart was pounding so fast.
BGM:
He saw the wall full of photos of Jack Kinley's victims pinned down and were connected through a thread. It was a widely crowded wall full of photos and articles from the newspaper about the person's death beside each.
He even saw Christine Rover's case was posted, on top of it was Noreen's and Nathan's. He looked upward and saw his photo on top and it was pinned down differently. The pin was actually over his face in the photo and not on the edge. Below it was a hanging thread.
He couldn't believe Joe would do that much of a research.
It was not for him to deny that it made him nervous.
What if Joe had it all figured out already and he had him now in his trap?
He couldn't move in his position, afraid of what he'll find next. His eyes moved around the room and found a photo on the floor. It seemed to be the missing photo below his, which fell down so the thread hung loose.
He struggled to move closer and turn the photo upside down.
He crouched to pick it up.
He found it was Alice below his photo.
He now knew that Joe is in no way oblivious. He had figured everything out. He walked around the room to try and find another clue if he really did find everything correctly. While walking, his shoe scratched on the floor like he stepped on something but when he looked to check it out, there was nothing.
He thought it was just a pebble that was inside Joe's room so he said "Disgusting."
Joe's room was messy to begin with, so there is no doubt the floor was messier. He saw a folder with a stack of papers inside, lying on top of the table in the corner of the room.
He opened the folder and the first page he saw was his biodata.
He was surprised Joe reached that degree in terms of his research.
He was creeped out a bit by thinking how his extensive research was done without him having an idea.
He skimmed the pages and they were all about him. He stopped to a page when he saw his medical records.
His eyes widened. Joe knew his background. His palms had gone sweaty.
Until he felt something pierced the back of his neck and he lost balance of himself after and fell on the dirty floor.
He couldn't even look at who did it because his body was sedated.
Before he lost his consciousness, the last thing he saw was a man's legs dragging him on the floor.
It couldn't be anyone but Joe because it was only the two of them inside his house.
It was morning when Jack woke up. He was in his bed and he was dressed like his normal clothing when he sleeps.
He woke up very confused. How did he drive home? How come he entered his apartment unknowingly?
All he can remember is that he blacked out last night and didn't know what happened next. But now he's in his apartment' bedroom like the usual.
Was it just a dream?
He thought it was just one of his episodes when he blacks out and unaware of what he's doing after. Hence, the killings.
He scratched his head and thought to himself that maybe he was just too paranoid of Joe finding things out.
But he couldn't help but feel the doubt to go to the office today in case Joe already sent the information to the police. Even though he wasn't so certain that the things didn't really happen last night by the absurdity of him being inside his apartment regardless of the passcode being keyed. He only knows his password which made it more questionable as to how did he enter.
He decided to go to the office late and called Alice to check how's it going inside the office. Alice found it strange for he never really called her just to ask that question.
She told him that everything's fine and normal so Jack then found it safe to go.
He got in his car and checked the paper clips, anything that would give a clue that what happened last night was real, and he found the paper clips, all fine and no sign of disarrangement. Weird, he thought.
He went to their building and immediately looked for the office clerk to ask about last night but he's not around. He tried to call him but his number was out of reach.
He said "No. This is not happening..."
He walked inside their office and noticed Morrie was still not around.
He's starting to get paranoid, this time he was sure of it. He was thinking that what if they were reporting everything to the police now and he was to be abducted later on in front of his employees. He didn't want to be caught that way, most importantly, not in front of Alice.
He looked really worried as he walked towards his office.
Alice noticed the changes in his mood everyday. So she grabbed her laptop and knocked on his office's door; pretended like she was there to consult something.
She came inside after three knocks. She saw Jack looking very uneasy.
She asked "Is everything alright, Jorge?"
He replied with hesitation, "Yes."
"You look bothered. Is there anything bothering you?"
"If there is, you'll be the first to know. Now if you don't have any other concerns, you can leave now."
"Jorge, we can talk about it. I wanted to help."
"Leave, Alice." He calmly suggested her to leave.
Alice was concerned to him because he never actually acted like that in his whole term of presidency. But she was forced to say, "Okay, but if you need me, you can talk to me."
Then she walked out of his office.
They rarely talk these days which made her feel that something is really wrong or something is going on.
It went for days. Jack was aloof towards her. He was not answering her messages and calls again. She knew it was a reason for her to get mad but Jack seemed different and she felt it in her gut that something was bugging him so to act like that. But it was something she couldn't simply barge herself in because Jack wouldn't let her.
Today was the last day of the week for Joe's suspension.
Jack and Joe were one weekend apart from meeting each other again.
However, Morrie's absences started to worry Alice.
She walked to Paul's station to ask, "Have you seen Morrie?"
He looked around to check. "No. She has not been around for so long."
"Did you know why?"
"I have no idea."
"I can't call her phone, Paul."
"Shit. Really?"
She was frantic about it. She looked like she was about to burst into tears because of what happened to Noreen and now, Morrie. Even if she wasn't sure if Morrie is dead or alive, she still just can't calm down now that the one missing was someone closer to her. It appeared like a pattern for Alice.
Paul tried to call Morrie and he got the same response.
Alice panicked even more. Paul said "Hey, relax. Maybe she's on vacation."
"But why didn't she inform the office."
"Emergency Leave?"
"Still should inform the office."
"Alice, let's not exaggerate this thing. She will be back. That's for sure. Let's get back to work for now." He looked at his computer and continued doing his work.
Alice realized that Paul knew nothing about her case so he wouldn't really understand what she feels at the moment. She thought the mere fact of Morrie' absences after Noreen's cannot just be a coincidence.
She couldn't talk to Joe and now she couldn't talk to Jack because he always seemed off and unavailable.
She had no choice but to go back to her seat and work like everything's fine around her.
Jack, on the other hand, was out earlier than his normal shift. He headed straight to Morrie's house after searching her address in the HMO's files.
He pressed the doorbell and a man who looked like a drunkard opened the door for him. He can tell by his huge belly.
He looked tough and totally smelled like liquor. Morrie came from a family with an abusive father. She never really talked about it to anyone but Jack before when they still have their affair going on. She wanted to look for affection from men as a continuous search for a father's warmth and love. Jack didn't pay attention much until now that he finally saw it with his own eyes. Therefore, it was a fact.
Her father's sleeveless shirt had a strong smell of cigarette. He looked at Jack from head to toe.
He said "Who are you and what do you want?"
His voice sounded so raspy from too much nicotine.
Jack politely greeted, "Good afternoon sir, I am your daughter's boss in the office. I came here in concern for her absences. Is she alright?"
He spoke shortly, not to embellish the thought, "She's still not coming back. She said she will go to a friend's house on a weekday and that was the last time she's here."
"Do you have any idea where she went after?"
"No. How will I know? She's always out. She was probably busy spreading her legs to other guys out there. Maybe you should ask them."
He held the door knob to close the door until Jack spoke, "Well..."
Jack didn't like the tone of his voice and what he actually said. He replied, "Maybe if you weren't being such a dickhead, she would stay home frequently."
"What did you say?!" Morrie's father was about to grab and lift his collars up but Jack stepped back fast and avoided him. He said "Not with your dirty hands."
He started to walk away and Morrie's father shouted "And who the hell are you to talk like that?!"
Jack can feel his burning gaze at the back of his head. He heard the man's heavy footsteps coming towards him. He chased Jack.
Jack talked while walking with his normal speed, undaunted by what's behind him, "Or must I report you for abuse and let you rot in jail? Was that a better option?"
He turned around and Morrie's father stopped. Morrie's father didn't know that her boss knows about it. He didn't know the thing between them.
He stared at Jack who looked rich through his poised demeanor. His eyes screamed power and authority. He was indeed someone who can do anything in his prime.
Morrie's father didn't speak.
Jack said "That's what I thought.", then continued walking away.
He wasn't surprised that her father wasn't concerned about her at all. He needed to sober up to see the vantage point of the things happening around him which for him was not his responsibility to fix.
With not much worry about Morrie's family issues, he drove back to his apartment, assuming Alice will be coming home soon by this time.
He texted Alice that he needed to talk to her right now then he waited for her to come home from the outside of their apartment's building.
He was shaking in the cold. He surmised that Alice will be there in a few so he didn't go to his apartment to get thicker clothes.
Alice arrived quickly. All for Jack.
Alice felt delighted that he finally wanted to talk to her. She got out of her car and threw herself to him. She hugged Jack. She said "I missed you a lot! What happened?"
He didn't know where to start on how to tell her about Morrie's disappearance.
He was taking too long to translate his thoughts into words.
Alice said "Do we have to talk about it now?"
His eyes were avoiding hers.
She carried on, "Okay then, whatever you will say, let me say mine first. I don't feel like you feel secure to me. And I don't understand how come you don't share things with me. I mean, what is this relationship about? Why are we doing this?"
Jack looked at her face and he can see the confusion in her eyes. He said "Alice, I cannot even understand what's with me anymore so I don't expect you to understand. I don't know what I want. Why I'm here, what I'm doing, where to go-"
"Talk to me! I am here. But you act like I'm just nothing to you. It's like you love me with your words but you resent me with your actions." She took a pause. "All I ever wanted was for you to smile again... I cared so much for you and your problems that I forgot to deal with my own. I have demons too! But together, we can face our demons... you just have to open up to me. We'll fight them together, Jorge. Together!"
His eyes were unsteady. He just breathed silently.
Alice said "You're all I have now too. I don't have anyone. I just lost Joe and--"
Then he finally looked back at her after hearing his name. With fires in his eyes, he said "Don't mention him."
"I'm sorry."
"I don't think we all know him too well. I know Morrie is gone... and that threatens you more. But just know that I'm here to protect you and don't you ever run back to Joe."
"Why?"
It caught them by surprise when a man suddenly spoke behind Jack. "Yes. Why?"
Jack immediately looked back.
It was Joe.
Alice said "Joe? What are you doing here?"
"I was just about to tell you something but then I overheard your conversation."
"What are you going to tell me?", she asked.
Joe looked at Jack with an evil grin and said "Nothing. I'll let him finish first."
Jack walked closer to Joe with hostility. He said "What did you fucking do to me last night?!"
Joe wrinkled his forehead and looked at Jack, clueless of what he's talking about. "What do you mean?"
"You know damn well what I thought! How did you enter my apartment?"
Alice said "What's going on?"
They were both inattentive to what she's saying. They were glaring at each other, and handled their issues as men.
Joe scoffed and continued laughing.
He said "You suspended me and now you're saying I got into your apartment? What is going on with you?" He looked at him like Jack's going crazy.
Jack raised his voice and angrily spoke to him. "You were drunk. I brought you to your house. You should be fucking thankful I didn't leave you on the street unconscious! I saved your sorry ass!"
"What the hell are you talking about? I was in my house the whole night. Maybe you're having delusions... Too much stress can cause that, you know."
Jack didn't push the conversation further with the current topic because Alice might know something about his background once he starts interrogating Joe about what he saw.
He stayed quiet. Alice said "Jorge... Is everything okay with you?"
He suddenly talked, "What about Morrie? I went to her house and her father told me she went to a friend's house on a weekday. And as far as I can remember, you were still under suspension when she started to be gone in the office. I don't know who she visited, but a friend like you could possibly be--"
Joe cut him in the middle of his speech, "Keep talking..."
Jack did the opposite. He didn't know what Joe was planning at the moment. He's still skeptical about the whole idea that what happened last night was just his delusions.
Joe said "Yes, Morrie came to me and told me everything. I had nothing to do with her disappearance. Maybe you have something to say about what happened the night before she went to my house?"
Jack felt nervous now that he knew Morrie and Joe talked about him. Both of them have their suspicions and they might have come up with a specific conclusion by now.
He just glared at him, daring him to say something through his eyes. His hand was clenched, ready for attack.
Joe said "That's right. Perhaps, Jorge didn't mention that they checked in at a hotel after the dinner meeting and Morrie refused to do it so he got mad. Now maybe you have an idea where she is right now. Maybe you're in charge for her disappearance."
Jorge shouted, "I did not do something to Morrie! You were the last person she got in contact with! Do not put the blame on me!"
Joe looked relaxed despite Jack's anger. He said "Aren't you having delusions? You probably forgot what you did to her, don't you think?"
Jack started to think, "Did I kill her?" He looked like he was trying to remember something from the back of his mind.
Alice said "Jorge?"
Joe and Jack looked at her. There were tears in her eyes. She said "You had an affair with Morrie?"
Jack was speechless. He never wanted to let her know about his affairs with other women.
Joe butted in, "Alice, I thought you know."
She vigorously said "Shut up Joe! You! Why are you here?! What are you going to tell me anyway?!"
Joe was staggered by her strong charge. He said "I'll probably tell you some other time."
"Leave!" She pointed to their left of where he should be headed to. She wanted him out of sight.
"Sorry." He turned around and walked away from them.
When Alice can see that Joe was far enough away from them, she continued talking to Jack. She said "Is that why you won't talk to me? Because you're guilty of something?"
He stuttered, "Alice... I... It's not why I won't talk... I don't know... I..."
Alice slapped him really hard in the face. Jack was startled. His cheek had gone numb and hot. He didn't say anything.
Alice said "You disgust me!"
She turned her back on him and said "I can't believe you did that." She walked inside their building and left Jack on the street.
BGM:
He felt his anger building up towards Joe because he caused it to happen. It can clearly be seen in his face that he's repressing the hate.
He wanted to hurt Joe but it will only give him away because Alice knew what happened. He was terribly upset that night. He knows he was wrong. He had pursued one night stands until he met her and now he felt lost. He connected to a part of him that he never felt when he's with her. She saw a part of his soul he never wanted to let out of the bag. She turned his hell into his safe haven and his mind free from his own prison. He needed Alice but now she's gone.
He broke himself in ways he had never imagined possible. The loneliness was crippling his every thought.
The thought of being alone had sunken in his mind. He had nowhere to go.
He paused for a minute then climbed into his car and drove away from the city.
While driving, he thought that he was not ahead of his game anymore. Everything is happening against his plans. What made his head spin was the randomized transition of events. The more he mulled over, he just found more questions than answers. The strange part is there was a familiarity to him that he just can't shake, not a memory per se, but echoes that called to his intuition. There was something dodgy about Joe but he couldn't quite make sure of it because now he started to doubt whether his guts were right or his mental health had taken over him and he started doing things he was not aware of. He believed it was the latter.
"Did I really kill Morrie?"
The thought repeated on his mind. He didn't know where he placed or buried her body. He didn't know what he had done. Had he completely lost his mind?
His car lead to the outskirts of another city, to a place where he thought he will belong, a place for comfort, for clarity, even though he didn't exactly know why he was doing this, it was the only place left for him to go to.
He stopped in an unfamiliar place. It was an old house that had a backyard which resembled a graveyard. Plants weren't taken care of and the fences weren't all steady and stable. It was rubbish. He grabbed a cigarette from his pocket and light it while it's stuck in between his lips. He looked up after he heard the sky rumbled.
It was cloudy and there were lightnings on some parts of the sky. He let out maybe a one or two smokes from his mouth before he knocked.
He leaned his arm on the door frame like an arrogant man, trying to keep his superior character.
As the door opened, there was not even a smile on his face, he was just relieved that the door finally opened because he didn't want to get wet by the incoming rain.
He said nonchalantly, "Hi mom."