Chereads / THE CITY / Chapter 14 - CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Chapter 14 - CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Quinn runs wildly through the narrow corridor. It twists and turns, confusing her. She tries not to cry or panic. She finds a dead-end or what looks like it. She taps the wall.

"It's hollow," She says.

She sprints through the dry wall. She lands close to Jay's body. Quinn quickly jumps back to her knees, trying to see if he is ok. She shakes him, but he is unresponsive.

"Jay," she says, as she cries.

Quinn runs to the exit door that leads into another room. A false exit, it seems.

She takes a look around the well lit room. A shrine to the group. Pictures hand plastered to the wall, tables full of their college lettman jackets and some things from secondary school.

"What the fuck," Quinn says.

Skyler opens a door that leads to the same room. Quinn tries to pull her weapon as Skyler takes it from her, throwing it away.

"What are you doing?" He asks.

She backs off, backing herself into a corner.

"Stay back, Skyler," she continues, "I already know."

Skyler, confused, reaches out to her. She pushes him away with all of her strength.

"I don't understand?" Skyler continues, "what do you know?"

Quinn's heart rate quickens. She looks for an opportunity to get away, but Skyler doesn't present one to her. He grabs a hold of Quinn, trying to get her to understand.

Jack suddenly appears.

"LET HER GO," he continues, "Let.. her.. go."

Skyler backs away from her, his hands above his head. Jack steps forward towards Quinn.

"I'd be careful, Quinn," Skylar continues, "you never know who you can trust."

Quinn finds a gun on the table, and she picks it up promptly. She points it at both Jack and Skyler.

"Both of you, get away from me," she says.

Jack and Sklyer stand in the middle of the room. One wrong and move, and Quinn will shoot one of them. She goes back and forth, switching targets.

"We know it's you, Sklyer," Jack continues, "We know about the asylum."

"You're fucking lying," Sklyer continues, "Quinn, the man is lying."

Quinn's hand twitches, unsure of where to aim. Jack shakes his head at Skyler.

"Quinn, shoot him," he continues, "he killed Jay."

Quinn aims the gun at Jack.

"How did you know Jay was dead?" She asks, her hands shaking.

"What?" Jack continues, "you just told us."

"No, I didn't," she responds.

Jack shakes uncontrollably as he runs his hands through his hair. He begins laughing loudly.

"I have news for you" Jack continues, "it isn't fucking loaded."

Suddenly, Mandy appears to the side of Quinn.

"Drop the gun bitch," she says.

Quinn drops the gun as Mandy kicks it far away. She walks slowly towards Jack, kissing him passionately.

"You two?" Asks Quinn.

The pair shrug their shoulders, looking at each other. Mandy turns and points the gun at Skyler. She presses it against his forehead. Skyler stares at her, and Mandy smiles right in his face.

"Why?" Asks Quinn.

Jack cracks his neck, picking up the gun as. Mandy hands him three spare bullets. He loads it, walking towards Quinn.

"I'm four months away from being drafted by the NBA," Jack continues, "and I won't have my life spoiled by people who may or may not tell our dirty secret."

Mandy clocks the hammer of the gun, still aimed at Skylers head.

"We have to make sure no one survives," she continues, "I mean, it's the safest way to make sure no one blabs."

The motive is clear now. Eliminate everyone who knows, so they can't live to tell someone. A guilty conscience is a dangerous one. Jack holds the gun to Quinn's stomach. He wiggles it around, laughing.

"You done all this pregnant?" Asks Quinn

"You idiot, I'm not pregnant," Mandy continues, "I just needed to get out of that room so I could cut myself."

Skyler shakes his head at Mandy.

"What are you shaking your head for?" She asks.

"Your chamber is open," he replies.

Mandy looks down at her gun as Skyler grabs it. He throws it away, whilst he throws Mandy over a table. Jack attempts to shoot Skyler as he ducks for cover. Quinn kicks up a vase, smashing it over Jack's head. He falls to the ground as Quinn kicks his gun away.

She tries to reach it as Jack grabs a hold of her ankle, pulling her to the ground. Mandy jumps on top of the table, hurling herself at Skyler. He catches her momentum and throws her into a mirror placed on the wall.

"Fucking bitch," says Skyler.

Skyler picks up the gun, and he opens the chamber to check. Three bullets to his advantage. Mandy stands up, taking a knife from her back pocket. She rushes at him as Skyler pulls the trigger. One shot in the head as Mandy falls down.

Jacks stands up, seeing that Mandy has been killed.

"Skyler," Jack continues, "Listen to me. You and I can walk out of here tonight. All we have to do is kill Quinn."

"And what, Jack?" Skyler continues, "go on with our lives?"

"I mean, come on. She fucked me. Don't you want revenge?" Jack asks.

Jack nods. His eyes almost look feral. Skyler shakes his head,

"Fuck off and die, Jack," says Skyler.

He pulls the trigger, but the gun jams. Jack tackles Skyler to the ground. Climbing on top of him and punching him repeatedly. Skyler reverses the position as he ends up on top of Jack, punching him. Both men grunting as Jack latches on to Skylers ear with his teeth.

Skyler begins to choke Jack. He presses him towards the ground. Jack has no choice but to stop biting. He knees Skyler south of the border as Skyler falls off of him. Jack picks up the gun, checking the chamber. He cocks back the hammer, pointing the gun at Skyler,

"Now, fucking die," says Jack.

Suddenly, a gunshot rings out. Skyler closes his eyes. After a moment, he checks himself. His hands run up and down his body. He's ok. Skyler looks to his left. Quinn stands with the smoking gun.

Jack holds his hand over the bullet wound in his chest. He tries to turn his head to look at Quinn. Jack drops to his knees, the blood pouring now. He stares at both Skyler and Quinn before he falls flat on his stomach.

"Come on," Quinn continues, "Let's get out of here."

They both exit the library, police and ambulance on standby. They rush up the steps, some running past them as the others tend to them.

They sit in the back of the ambulance, Skylers arms draped over Quinn, holding her tightly. They see a stretcher being lifted down the stairs. They both rush to it. It's Jay. He is hanging on by a thread.

"Jay, we'll meet you at the hospital," says Skyler.

Jay raises a thumb in the air.

"Excuse me, sir," Quinn continues, "Our friend Cole Miller was taken into hospital tonight. Is he ok?" She asks.

"From what we know of Cole Miller, is that he was in surgery a couple of hours ago," he continues, "he is expected to make a full recovery in due time."

They both breathe a sigh of relief. Skyler and Quinn are approached by the chief of police,

"Do you have any idea why this woman, Mandy, wanted you dead?" He asks.

"Mandy? You mean Mandy and Jack," says Quinn.

"We only found one body, ma'am." He replies.

Skyler and Quinn stare off into the distance before giving each other one more look.