Page 57 of After Effect

“Stop being so vague.”

“He disposes of bodies and fixes crime scenes.”

Alright, well, not what I wanted to hear, but at least it’s an answer.

“Did he fix…” Maybe I shouldn’t ask that.

“Bart Karas’ accident?” Baek just laughed. His laugh was always cruel and dark, but tonight it had the same frequency as the apocalypse.

“So you knew.”

“Of course. I was there.”

“What? Did you-”

“No, I wasn’t the one who ran him off the cliff.”

“I see.” I wanted to take the time to process it all, but I knew this would likely be my only opportunity to get information. I had to keep talking. “Is that why you picked me?”

“Did you think it was because you were special?” That laugh again. It hurt even more this time.

“So Mark-“

“Quiet.” Baek shoved me into a container wall, and pressed himself as tightly against it as possible. He peeked around the edge. Andrea Machiavelli stood in front of Baek’s container door, leaning against the metal wall, just waiting for us to return.

“Fuck,” I mumbled under my breath.

But Baek seemed calm. Strangely calm. “It’s just Andrea.” He seemed confident, yet he was still whispering. “Wait here.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets and casually walked out of our cover. I watched from the safety of my hiding place.

“Andrea. Fancy meeting you here.” He spoke loudly enough that I could easily here him.

“I was hoping you might show up, Chris.” Andrea was always so cordial. I don’t know why that made me hate him that much more. “You weren’t answering any of my calls.”

“It’s been a busy night.” Every step of his $10,000 shoes was very purposefully placed. He got within ten feet of Andrea, when they both stood in a guarded stance, staring at each other in a silent stale mate.

In one swift motion, Baek reached into his coat and pulled a firearm.

In an even swifter motion, ‘Gio’ stepped out from between a pair of crates, grabbed Christian Baek from behind, and unceremoniously broke his neck.

His body went limp in the behemoth’s arms, and I watched my former boss drop to the ground with a sickening thud.

I stopped peeking around the corner. My heart was beating in my ears. My breathing was unsteady. Just like that, a man who I used to fear was dead. Legitimately dead. He would never berate or use me again. I... I should be happy, right?

No. Fuck. Who would ever be happy after watching someone die. My mind had lost all rationale, and my flight instincts kicked in.

I need to get out of here. I need to get Lilly out of here.

My boots hit the concrete floor harder than I knew possible. Adrenaline had completely erased any traces of pain and fatigue. Faster, faster, faster!

The gate was in sight now. So was my borrowed Black Mercedes. I just need to go faster. I’m so close.

As if I had been close-lined by a log, my chest hit into a massive, muscular arm, and I was bombarded by the tightening noose of ‘Gio’s’ headlock. I fought and squirmed and flailed as a natural panic reaction, but nothing I did made any difference. I closed my eyes tightly, just waiting for that last minute where my neck would break and my consciousness would cross to the other side.

“You did good, Finch.” Andrea stood before me. “Chuck told me you would be the perfect bate, but I didn’t expect it to be this easy.”

“Let me go.” I barely managed to push words through my teeth.

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