Chapter 18- Bursts of Color.

Edited 05-08-2020.

Casey would not answer Trent and looked like he was filled with fear. You could almost smell it coming off him in waves.

Of course, about an hour later we heard the lock snick.

The door swung open and was stopped just before it slammed into the wall behind it. Trent looked up, suddenly angry and I gave him a curious look that he didn't see. He stood up and walked to the man. The guy smiled, as if he knew what was coming.

It took a split second for Trent to lift his fist and connect to the man's face. I must have had the funniest look of shock on my face as I watched blood trickle down the right corner of his lip.

"Trent?" I asked. I was ignored. Shocker.

The man chuckled and looked up "So how long did it take you?"

Trent lost most of his anger and stared "So it is true?"

"Well, of course. You never were the stupid one Trent."

"How could you? What the fuck is wrong with you? Did you get plastic surgery? Why?"

He gave a twisted laugh "Let's ask Casey shall we. Now that we all know we are here for a brotherly reunion. Well plus Erik of course." He winked at me again and I looked away.

"Well why don't YOU explain it." Trent demanded, gaining some his lost anger back in the face of the guys condescending attitude. "Casey has suddenly gone mute."

Wes laughed loudly "I imagine he would. This doesn't look too good for you right now does it Casey?"

I looked over at him and I swear it was like Casey wanted to whimper. What the fuck.

I just wanted to know what was going on. Apparently, that was too much to ask. I sighed.

"Fuck you Wes! Tell me what's going on NOW."

I realized I had to be right but was still surprised "Brother Wes? So, it is you then."

Trent nodded and glared at Wes who in turn glanced at him "He knows about me?"

I nodded and answered before Trent could "He told me when we realized that I could be in danger. Thanks again, asshole."

Trent scoffed and turned back to his brother "I deserve some answers."

Wes nodded "I suppose I can give you a couple, and I'll make sure to tell the whole story Casey. Sit down." Trent huffed but sat back down in the chair next to me before crossing his arms over his chest. Waiting impatiently.

"I never lied to you in that letter I left you. I did what I thought I had to do. I did leave, and I never planned on coming back. But I met a woman."

I looked at him, my interest piqued.

"I met a woman who I thought could help me start my life over." He almost looked...sad? But he continued "Her name was Rae. She was all the light we'd never had in our lives. She gave me joy. And then. A little girl. We named her Shae. But you knew that part already, didn't you Casey?"

Casey shrunk within himself some more.

Trent was too busy being confused so I asked "Why would Casey know that? And why does that bring us all here?"

Wes smiled almost sadistically "Well. 3 years ago exactly, today, I came home and found my little girl covered in her mothers blood. And her own. My girls were dead."

We all turned as Casey spoke up "I swear to god Wes she was not supposed to do that. She was only supposed to kill you, but she was fucking psychotic. The boss wouldn't listen to me."

Wes scoffed "The boss, Casey? Are you sure? What a fucking coward my own baby brother turned out to be."

Trent looked at Casey "What is he talking about? Did you send out a hit on our own brother?" He started getting angry and went to grab Casey by his collar "What the fuck did you do?"

"He crossed the boss! He stole money. The second he stole that money he was dead to us! What do you expect from me?!"

Trent shook him "NOT TO KILL YOUR OWN BROTHER."

Wes cleared his throat "Let's not leave out the most important part brother dear. The order was given by you. And only you. I found that out a couple years ago and knew the only way I could get close enough was to change my appearance and join the gang again. It was almost too easy. Just like finding out who pulled the trigger. She's here too, ya know. But she's in a bit of rough shape, not suitable for company if you know what I mean." He gave a sinister smile while looking off into space for a second.

Trent cleared his throat "You found the woman who killed your family? Then why are we here too?"

"Well now Trent. Why pass up a chance at this reunion? And I know you've helped Casey out a couple times in the last few years so you're basically as bad as he is, but strangely harder to catch. So Erik had to become a sacrifice. So sorry there Erik. You know, its funny how I was able to get to Erik. Casey, did you know she had a brother? Your homicidal maniac? No? Well it took a bit of digging but fell into place oh so nicely." He turned around and yelled "Come in here."

A man walked in. That I knew. Blonde hair and deep green eyes. Grant?

What the actual fuck.

"Grant?!"

Grant looked at me with pained eyes " Im so sorry Erik. I didn't have any choice."

"He's right, he didn't. Not if he wanted his family to avoid the same fate as my own." Wes stood up and stared at us, and I shivered from the look in his eyes. I would never want to cross this guy. I couldn't imagine what he had done to that woman.

"Since this all fell into place so neatly I've been waiting. Very patiently. Let's just say it'll all be over soon."

I looked over at Trent and opened my mouth but nothing came out as I felt the ground shake violently. I jerked my head to face Wes but all I saw was a small smile on his face and his eyes closed, as if sleeping peacefully.

What the fuck? I jolted as another blast shook the building. Blast? Explosion. Explosion meant bomb. Grant looked scared, but resigned.

Why were there bombs going off?

"What the fuck is going on Wes?" Trent practically yelled.

"I told you. It'll all be over soon. I decided that there really was no other way to serve justice than to remove all key players. Unfortunately for you all."

Another explosion sounded. Closer. They were getting closer. I looked at Trent with wide eyes and he was staring at Wes with his mouth open.

"We're all going to die aren't we? That's your plan isn't it?"

Wes said nothing and stared at him. What was wrong with this guy?

Trent stood up and grabbed my arm to help me stand before glaring at Wes "Well dying isn't on my list of things to do Wes." He went to grab Casey's hand, trying to save his miserable life but Wes roared in anger and whipped out a gun that must have been on his back and I ducked as a bullet whizzed by. I looked up as a rivulet of blood came out of the hole in Casey's forehead. Oh fuck.

Trent ran to me, grabbed my arm and we made it to the door, before Wes shifted, suddenly furious. He spat. " I'm finally going to fix everything! And I'll be reunited with my girls while you all rot in hell. "

Trent turned around at his outburst and stared "I'm so sorry for your tragedy but you aren't the Wes I looked up to. You need help. And I'm not going to die just because you're crazy."

Looking back, calling him crazy probably wasn't the best thing Trent could have possibly done.

Wes aimed his gun at Trent "I'm not crazy asshole!"

Why was my life such a cheesy horror film? I winced as Trent yanked me down just before Wes shot at him, missing and hitting Grant in the chest. Grant grabbed his chest and gasped before looking back up at me. I'm sorry he mouthed, before falling face down.

Wes sighed "Well, that was unfortunate."

Trent yanked my arm and we made out it the door and down the hall, me stumbling slightly. Casey was dead. Grant was dead.

We saw a door at the end of the hall and made a run for it, hoping it led to outside. Just as we made it to the door we heard another shot and Trent cursed. He slammed the door open and I sighed in relief as I saw sunshine. Trent sped up and I tried my hardest to keep up.

When we made it about 40 feet away we stumbled to a stop and Trent whipped around, pulling me with him. We saw Wes standing in the doorway, gun still in his hand hanging limply at his side.

We stared at each other and Trent yelled "Wes, you don't have to die. You don't have to do this anymore. Come with us." I looked at him in shock but said nothing.

You could tell that he was hoping it was all a bad dream. That Wes was normal, that he could have his brother back.

We couldn't hear it but we saw as Wes chuckled and threw his head back, gun waving. "Yes, I do. There's nothing for me here anymore."

Anymore?

"I have nothing to lose anymore. I don't want to continue this fight. By now everyone is dead, everyone who needed to be."

He chuckled again and we watched as he slowly lifted the gun to his head.

Trent jerked and screamed "NO! Please. Please Wes."

He started running towards him and I used the last of my strength to pull him back "Let me go! He's my brother. Let me go!"

I refused and yanked him to the ground. Knowing that I wasn't willing to lose him. I glanced up again and time slowed. You could see Wes close his eyes and slowly pull his finger back to finally pull the trigger...

But everything burst into a bright cloud of orange and red flames before he could.

The last thing I heard was Trent's scream as everything turned black.

I was really tired of this passing out bullshit.