Arson & Ache (Surrender to Them 8)

My attention was immediately drawn to the address on Kincaid’s computer screen, which he didn’t shut down before he left. Was that where Ms. Stone was being held? I thought back to the disappointment I heard in Kincaid’s voice when he thought the police had apprehended Fireball. Surely, he wouldn’t put his desire to be the one who caught Fireball ahead of saving Ms. Stone’s life. That didn’t seem to be the kind of man he was—at least not the one I knew. My gut said I should stay where I was so that I was safe, but all I could do was look back at the address. What if they tried to be heroes on their own and weren’t able to stop Fireball? Ms. Stone would die. I knew I could be chasing an impossibility, but I had to do something. I wrote took a picture of the address with my cell phone and started running back towards the door.

I have no idea what I can even do, but I’d rather feel like I have a chance of intervening than sit around waiting to see if Fireball kills my boss.

It was a stupid plan. I told myself that over and over as I drove towards the address. If Donovan had located Fireball, they wouldn’t be going after him on their own. Would they? What if their pride put them in danger as well? My stomach tied up in knots and I turned on the radio to see if I could find a broadcast. It wasn’t hard—Fireball was on every station. His voice sounded like it was being disguised by some sort of electronic device. He promised to show his face, but all he revealed was a mask. His reign of terror was far from over. Fireball intended to kill Ms. Stone, but that wouldn’t be the end of it. He was seeking revenge in his own twisted way, but that was just madness being manifested. He belonged in a mental institution instead of jail. If he killed Ms. Stone, he might not even get that luxury—they would probably put him in prison for life. I felt the emotional recoil tearing my thoughts apart.

This address is upstate, which is close to where Donovan’s father lives. Donovan will probably get there first. I really hope he doesn’t try to confront Fireball on his own…

The thought of losing Ms. Stone terrified me, but what if something happened to Donovan and Kincaid? Our relationship was still new, but the thought of losing them was horrifying. They had showed me things I never realized I could enjoy—opened my eyes to the first real possibility of love that I had ever felt. There was no way I could lose that. Things were going so well in my life. I wanted to believe that I deserved happiness, but that was selfish. It wasn’t about me.

I approached the location and looked at my surroundings. I was on a long road that had turned to dirt. I could see a factory or something ahead, but I wasn’t close enough to see Kincaid. I knew Kincaid would be upset if he saw me, so I turned off my lights and tried to drive with the moon as my guide. Fireball was still rambling on the radio, which meant Ms. Stone was still alive. When I got closer, I saw Kincaid’s car. I parked nearby and turned off my car. I had no choice but to go inside. If I needed to call for help, I could. I had to at least see if they had control of the situation first.

If Fireball is still talking, they must not have tried to do anything yet.

Donovan

My heart was beating so hard that I thought I was going to pass out as I approached the location of my sister’s phone. I wanted to believe it was a mistake and that there was no way my sister was Fireball. I knew she had problems, but I had no idea she had gone completely insane. The address Kincaid gave me went to an old abandoned factory. That definitely wasn’t a good sign. There was no reason for my sister to be in a place like that. I listened to Fireball on the radio, trying to hear something in the voice that would confirm or deny who was behind the mask. The electronic device that Fireball was using sounded like gravel being rubbed together. There was no way to tell for sure that my sister was behind the mask without walking into the factory. I parked my car and stepped out, feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders. I couldn’t hurt my sister, but I couldn’t let her hurt anyone else.

Janine—I really hope there’s some part of my sister still buried behind that mask.

I knew I was breaking every protocol there was. I should have called the police. I shouldn’t have walked into the factory alone. I was just afraid to make the call and have the cops go in guns blazing. I had to try and talk my sister off the ledge. The factory was dark, and difficult to navigate without a flashlight, but I was afraid to do anything that could draw attention until I found Janine. I saw a light in the main part of the factory and slowed my steps so that I wasn’t making any noise. I peeked around the corner and saw Fireball speaking into a camera. There was a part of me that hoped I would see my sister tied up next to Ms. Stone—that she was a victim who could be saved instead of the perpetrator. All of that was shattered when I got close enough to hear Fireball’s voice—my sister’s voice. The masking device changed her voice for the people watching the broadcast, but I could hear the unfiltered insanity. I had to confront her—there was no other option.

“It’s over Janine.” I stepped out of the shadows and started walking towards her. “You need to let Veronica Stone go and come with me.”

“What the fuck?” She slammed her hand into the camera, turning it off, and jumped to her feet. “Donovan?”

“Yes.” I nodded and kept walking. “Let me get you the help you need.”

“Don’t—don’t come any closer!” She grabbed a can of gasoline and held up a Zippo lighter.

“Janine, stop!” I paused my step and held up my hands. “You don’t know what you’re doing. This is not you.”

“I know exactly what I’m doing.” She turned the can sideways and started dousing Veronica Stone, who screamed behind her gag. “You know what this bitch did to me!”

“Yes, but you’re going to kill her because she was an awful boss!?” I tried to take another step, but immediately stopped when she moved the lighter towards Veronica Stone. “Think about that for a second—does that even sound logical?”

I’m not sure appealing to logic is going to do anything at this point, but I have to try.

“This is bigger than her!” Janine tossed the gas can on the floor and ripped off her mask. “Don’t you get it? Haven’t you been listening to anything I said? Greed destroys lives—and her greed is unforgivable!”

“Are you even listening to the words coming out of your mouth?” I motioned to my sister, who tapped the lighter against her fingers.

“When I started working at Livingston Capital, I was a naive girl. I believed that the world was full of good people. I quickly learned the harsh reality of greed—how awful people really could be.” A slight smile formed on Janine’s face and it was sickening. “That’s why I’m going to destroy them. I’m going to bring down the monuments and turn them to ash—and those that victimize others will burn like effigies in the night.’

“No.” I shook my head back and forth. “I can’t let you do that. This ends tonight.”

“Veronica Stone did teach me one thing that I never forgot.” Janine reached behind her back and pulled out a gun. “She taught me that everyone is expendable.”

“Janine—what the fuck are you doing?” My heart started to race when she lifted the gun and aimed it at me.

“I’ll make it quick. You’re not part of the problem, you’re just in the way.” She shrugged and started to squeeze the trigger.

“Donovan, watch out!” It was Kincaid’s voice, but he was too late.

The gunshot was so loud that it sounded like an explosion against my eardrums. The bullet hit me first, and then Kincaid tackled me. A second sooner and it might have ripped through him instead of me. It embedded in my stoma

ch and pain flooded through my veins. My sister shot me. Of all people—my fucking sister pointed a gun at me and pulled the damn trigger. She had truly lost her mind. There was no saving her. I crashed into the floor with Kincaid on top of me and he immediately leapt to his feet. My eyes started to glaze over as the blood started to pool beneath me on the floor. I looked up at Janine and saw her aiming the gun at Kincaid. He was too late—we were both going to die. I didn’t just sign my own death warrant, I put Kincaid’s life on the line as well.

“Janine—don’t.” I forced my words and felt the metallic taste of blood in my mouth.