Closer To Home: Chapter Six

Ooh, her love is heavenly;
when her arms enfold me,
I hear a tender rhapsody...
but in reality, she doesn't even know me
The Temptations - Just My Imagination(Running Away With Me)

Start Here.

The man with the snake tattoo caught the swordsman by surprise. He quickly knocked him to the ground and the sword fell out of his hands. The man with the pistol was shaking as he raised his gun to fire, but the shot missed and the chain was soon around his neck.

"We got this guy, Thad," He heard his men say from behind him as he tightened the chain.

It was all over in seconds, and both of the assailants were dead. Thad stood up and dropped the chain to the ground, running inside the house. He raced up the stairs and ran into the bedroom.

Horane Besake was sitting on his bed, rocking back and forth. He looked up at Thad as he came in.

"Thad, they killed everybody," He cringed as he spoke, "They were going to kill me. You guys showed up just in time," He leaned over the edge of the bed and vomited.

"Dude, what were they after?," Thad leaned against the wall.

"One of 'em was Treize's brother," Horane said while wiping his mouth.

"You told me you didn't get him,"

"I lost my gun though. He must've traced it back to me somehow," Horane was rocking himself back and forth again on the bed.

"But you didn't kill him," Thad moved to stand in the doorway.

"I didn't kill him,"

_______________

"That doesn't make any sense," Hallan looked down at the video output of the virtual world he'd created. The two men's heads were wired into the computer system in a tank next to him.

"They ain't lying," Korvan began, tapping on the glass.

"You don't have to stay you know," Hallan said without turning around, "I know you got paying customers,"

"I just wanted to make sure you were alright, Treize was a good man," Korvan hefted a gun and hooked it on his back, "Besides, you owe me breakfast,"

"It's a tie," Hallan said as he pointed at the tank and frowned, "You can't count them,"

"Whatever," Korvan turned around and grabbed the doorknob, "If you need any help again, let me know, alright?"

"I will," Hallan punched something into the computer as Korvan left.
_______________

A Week Ago

Treize looked down the hall he'd just come from. He imagined all kinds of demons had followed him, and yet, none were readily apparent. He knocked on the door, knowing he had too.

"Treize!" Came a voice from inside, and after some noise the door opened.

"Kat," He took a moment to look into her green eyes, framed with red hair. Her pleading face capturing him for a moment.

He walked inside and Kat's eyes went wide at the gun he had tucked into the back of his waistband, "Where did that come from?"

"Some guy was following me tonight," He walked into her kitchen and poured himself a glass of water, "It's alright though, I did everything I needed to do,"

"What does that mean?" She leaned forward.

"It means I'm leaving Kat,"

"When?" She closed her eyes as she asked the question.

"Tomorrow," He said, reaching forward to brush a strand of hair away from her face.

"Then we've got tonight,"