49. Angel

He didn't have his beard anymore, but I knew the motherfucker the moment he walked in the door. And he knew me. He must have assumed this was some type of setup. I didn't expect him to attack Messiah, or have a gun, but luckily it was two against one.

It doesn't take long for the fucker to wake up. Messiah hauls him into the living room and sets him against the wall.

"Let me go you –" The guy doesn't even finish speaking before Messiah slams his fist into his face.

"Baby, I know this is your thing," he says, looking over at me. "But please let me fuck this one up."

"You know him?"

Messiah nods, looking down at the prick. "This is Mark, the cop I told you about."

"Cop?"

This was all initiated by a lawman? What the fuck?

"I don't know what you are talking about," Mark says, spitting blood onto the floor.

"Really?" Messiah presses his hands against his knees as he bends down toward him. "Because you were pretty quick to pull that gun there."

"You don't know this woman," Mark argues. "She is a street walker. She has been on drugs most of her life. She has a fucking record of thievery and –"

Messiah slams his fist into Mark's face.

"Wait!" I tell him. "We can't kill him here."

"Why not?" Messiah argues.

"The mess," I point out. "And how are we going to get rid of him?"

"Messiah, listen to me –"

"Listen to me!" I yell louder.

It isn't really an argument. I know Messiah is going to take my side.

He stands for a moment with his hands on his hips, looking down at the fucker as he thinks. He isn't considering actually listening to him, is he?

"Messiah," I plead.

"Yeah, Baby?"

I don't know what to do in this situation. He has to die. There is no way I am letting the final fuck get away. But how would we get him out of the apartment? The residents turn a blind eye for most things, but they won't totally ignore everything. If we kill him here, how do we dispose of the body?

"Alright," I say, nodding as I look around. "I need to think."

Messiah nods in agreement and grabs the tape roll again. He pulls a piece off and slaps it over Mark's mouth before reaching down to tape his legs together.

Mark glares at the two of us. I can see the conflict on Messiah's face, but I don"t know what it is from.

We end up sitting on the couch next to each other. Mark glares at us from his spot on the floor but doesn't attempt to speak. Messiah keeps lighting cigarettes and smoking them slowly, something dark brewing in his mind as he stares at the man across the room.

"Let's just shoot him," he finally suggests.

"Too easy," I note, my eyes fixed on Mark.

Messah gives a half-hearted nod. He takes another drag of his cigarette and blows it through his nostrils. I am trying to think of a plan when he stands from the couch and walks toward Mark. For a moment, he only looks down at him, then swings his foot out and kicks Mark's chin.

He kicks again. After a third kick, Mark is screaming behind the tape but Messiah has only resulted in punching him. Blood splatters from Mark's nose and I take note of the drops on the wooden floor. That is going to stain. It is also going to be hard to clean up completely. Does anyone know Mark was coming here? This is too out of the blue for me. I am used to having a plan when I kill them.

"Why did you do it?" Messiah yells between punches.

He lands a few more, swinging his arm back with as much force as he can muster, before slamming it down onto Mark's body.

"Why did you do it?" he yells louder.

He can sit here and beat Mark all evening, but the shouting might cause the neighbors to grow concerned.

"Motherfucker!"

"Messiah," I say calmly.

He doesn't answer, only continues punching Mark's body.

"Messiah."

I raise my voice. It still doesn't stop him.

"Hey!"

Mark is choking behind the tape, his breaths coming in and out in heavy pants through his nose. Messiah stops, shaking out his hand as he steps back. He stomps toward the bedroom and slams the door behind him.

"Well shit," I mumble.

Messiah stays holed up in the bedroom. His cigarettes are still sitting in front of me so I know it is only a matter of time before he comes out. I would go in to talk to him, but I don't want to take my eyes off Mark. Fucker is slippery. If he gets away, I am burning down every police station until dental records identify his charred remains. Fuck the consequences.

"You were investigating all of the murders?" I ask him.

He is still lying on his stomach on the ground, his face turned away from me.

"You never stopped to think? Didn't the others have track records? I know my sister was mentioned in Mikel's record. Did it not ring a bell?"

He is gagged. He can't answer me. Half of me wants him to.

"Did you just grab so many girls you couldn't remember names anymore?"

The bedroom door opens and I turn my head to see Messiah. He glances at me before walking around to grab his cigarettes. I watch as he lights one and throws the pack down before flopping next to me.

"There aren't any security cameras in the hall," he tells me. "Only the back and front door. If we wait until late enough, we can walk him out and take him to the rail yard."

"That still puts him on camera," I point out.

"I know where the building's breaker is. I'll flip the fucker," he adds.

Nodding, I glance down at our next victim.

"Do you just want to shoot him and be done with it?"

"No," he growls. "No, this motherfucker is really going to pay."

I nod in agreement. After a moment of quiet, I turn to Messiah and smile. He glances sideways at me, narrowing his eyes as he takes a drag of his cigarette.

"I am going to bake a pie," I announce.