To Kill a Ghost

Sam smiled to himself with a little pride. He had managed to get under Jones’s skin. How could he not take a moment to celebrate even if the man was threatening to take something he didn’t necessarily have? He turned to look at Wesley.

It had been a good three hours since Dedra left. Her father was still disoriented from the ringing in his ears, but he finally stopped yelling over the noise no one else could hear. “Eli might have her partner under control, but he is still a bit of a wild card.” Sam reported.

“Has he found her yet?” Wes asked. He drowned half a bottle of water as he waited on his answer. His eyes met Sam’s expectantly before Sam bothered to answer.

“No. He had to deal with local law enforcement, as usual, but he plans on tracking her down.” Sam nodded as he spoke as if he were remembering lines from a play he wanted to do well with, and Wes stared at him as if he had three heads.

“How is he tracking her while he’s with local idiots?” Wes scowled before he rubbed his temple.

“Her partner has Eli’s gun.” Sam shrugged. “It shouldn’t be hard.”

Wes stood, wobbling on his legs, and moved forward. Sam watched his slow deliberate movements until Wes had him by the nape of his neck. “Elaborate!”

“Standard issue military grade weapons have trackers embedded in the hilt of the gun.” Sam choked out. Wes released his throat. “It’s how they track deserters now. If Eli can get to a computer, he can track the gun to the partner. Who is the first person the partner is going to find?”

“That’s brilliant.” Wesley thought aloud. “When did the military start doing that?”

“Technically, they’re still not doing it.” Sam put his hands up, blocking any attempts of grabbing. “No one knows the trackers are there except high level intelligence.”

“Eli explained this, didn’t he?” Wes sighed as he fell back into another chair. Sam nodded his answer. “That boy is off. I am telling you he is up to something in this game. What is it?”

“How should I know?” Sam rolled his eyes. “The man disappeared for three years. He’s not an American soldier anymore. Eli Jones is a weapon of mass destruction, and you aimed him at your daughter.”

Thoughts flew through his mind. Yes, he stopped Wesley from shooting back at Dedra earlier. The question was why did he do it? Sure, Wes Morgan was his boss and her father, but did he stop a bullet to keep his boss from making a huge regret. Or did Sam stop a bullet because maybe he liked the girl. He did have to admit she had charisma.

“No, I did not aim him at my little girl,” Wes growled. “I aimed him at Kirkland.” He crossed his arms over his chest.

“Isn’t that the same thing?” Sam turned to look out of his balcony window.



Dedra paced across the floor of the training room. She wanted to hit something. Kirkland’s words were impossible to forget, but that’s all she wanted. Pain, she craved pain but she couldn’t find it here. Her knuckles were bruised and bloodied while she couldn’t feel her knees from the soreness in her legs. She felt contained in this place, and the claustrophobia was driving her mad.

Sarah Wilson lingered in the lobby. Curtains and blinds were drawn so no one could see inside. She was adamant on one argument though. Dedra Callahan was supposed to stay as far away from her as she could get. Question’s filled every fiber of Dedra’s being, but the woman wanted nothing to do with her.

How could that selfish bitch change her name and forget her sister? Katherine Callahan was a sorry excuse for a person as far as her niece was concerned at this point. Dedra deserved answers though. She needed something to hang onto before Jake’s way of thinking moved into her soul. Is life worth living if these people treat you like you’re nothing more than a product of chaos and revenge?

Kirkland took her gun from her. He took the only thing that made her feel like she was sane and locked it in a safe. What kind of man doesn’t try to tell you that he knows who you are? Dedra had nothing left in the world. They locked her in a hell that was far worse than anything Wes Morgan ever did to her and threw away any chances of a real childhood away. She was nothing. Dedra was no one.

“He saved you,” she said to herself. The words only made her blood boil harder. “Kirkland Reeves sentenced you to this life. You might have gone years without people, but in this life the secrets are going to kill you, D.”

Why are you talking to yourself? She cried inside her head. Blood stained the punching back repeatedly with each landed punch.

“Screw it,” she finally growled. Her feet carried her through the make shift gym doors. She didn’t care about the blood dripping from her knuckles down her fingertips. The bruises on her knees stung, but she welcomed the pain as she marched. She threw open the doors to the main lobby and stared her aunt in the eye.

“You abandoned me just like the rest of them!”



Linox wanted to dump the gun. It made him sick to his stomach but he didn’t know where to drop it. He tried calling, but Kirkland never picked up the phone. Sick thoughts of the office being compromised haunted him, making his stomach churn even more. What was going on with this case?

He made it to the office. The building was still standing, which must have been a good sign, but he didn’t know what was going on inside. He punched in the key code and opened the door. Daunting voices launched an attack on his ears. Linox looked around to find tears streaming down Dedra’s face. That was impossible though. She never cried.

“You selfish bitch! You think you’re so much better,” Dedra sobbed. “I had my mother. We didn’t need anyone else! I didn’t need anyone until she was gone!”

What the hell is she talking about, Linox thought. Kirkland’s office door flew open.

“You’re damn right. I didn’t care, Little Girl. Still don’t, but he owes me for the shit he put my sister through!” Sarah hissed. She moved closer to Dedra. She looked beautiful, not a hair out of place, but Dedra looked as if she’d been to hell and back. “You think I wouldn’t hand you over to a mad man if it meant distracting him long enough to put a bullet through his head?”

“Try distracting me,” Dedra growled. Before Sarah could guess, blood stained her pale cheek as her head whipped around. Her eyes met Linox’s for a short moment before she turned, spitting at Dedra. “I needed a family. Do you know what I got?” Dedra’s fist connected with her face again. Linox couldn’t tell if the blood was Dedra’s or if it was Sarah’s.

“I don’t care what you got.” Sarah spat and tried hitting Dedra gain. She grabbed the wildly flying arm and punched her in the stomach. Linox figured out Dedra’s hand was bleeding as crimson stained the cream-colored suit Sarah wore.

“D! Wait a minute,” Linox tried. Her glare stopped him. Kirkland moved to grab the girl, and Sarah landed her first punch. Linox ran to her side, jerked her back, and pushed her into a chair. He held the gun out in front of him.

“Stay down, Lady!” He hissed.

“Where did you get that?” Kirkland questioned.

“You don’t use guns, Stupid. Put it down,” Dedra hissed. “Better yet, give it here so I can shoot her in the damn skull!”

“If you don’t calm down, Dedra… I will make you!” Kirkland growled at her.

“Don’t tell me what to do!” She barked. “You’re not my father!” Even Linox felt the sting of her words.

“No,” Sarah laughed, “you’re the spawn of the devil himself. There’s not a damn thing you can do.”

“Shut up!” Linox said, shaking the gun at her. “I will shoot you!”

“No you won’t.” Kirkland sighed. “Where did you get the weapon, Linox?”

“Eli Jones dropped it when I threw a knife at him. I grabbed it and ran.” He explained.

“Give it here. We have to get rid of it.” Kirkland held out his hand.

“I think I want to keep it,” Linox said as he eyed Sarah. “I’m not sure who to trust right now.