Schism

Chapter 23 part 3

So, he wasn't terrified of fire.  The man was still able to behave rationally.  Jared pushed aside his disappointment.  Flame had still proved a deterrent.  It was just a matter of degree.

The man turned to Jared, stood still.  He looked homeless, ragged and tired, not like the threat he had been to Jared's soldiers.  Jared raised one of the bottles high when the man took a step forward.  "Why?" Jared asked.

No answer. 

He hadn't expected one, not really.  But some answers would have been nice.  Jared threw the bottle down in front of his target and saw the man step to the side before it could hit the ground.  He tossed his second bottle and closed the man in a square of fire.  He nodded at Martins.

In a moment, fire bombs began to arc over the flames from each of the other three sides and the square prison between the flames began to shrink.  Jared grabbed two more bottles and raised one of them.  One solid hit was all it would take to burn the man to death, and the target was only getting easier to hit in his shrinking square.

Jared raised his arm to throw, then saw the man begin to run, straight at the corner of the garage on his left.  He was obviously trying to run through the fire to escape.  Jared spun, threw a bottle down at the roadway in the man's path to give him more to run through.  The gasoline filled gel would stick to his boots, splash onto his pants and continue to burn.  Even if the killer made it through the flames, he’d be down in seconds.  Jared prepared to throw the next bottle.

But, then, he saw the killer jump.  The man leapt into the air and landed a foot on the nearest corner of the garage roof, easily twelve feet in the air.  Jared's arm slumped as he watched the man scramble across the roof and away.  Slowly, he pulled his focus away from the disbelief cycling through his mind, put the bottle back in the box and climbed into the truck.  "Get them out, before the police show up."

Martins nodded, set aside his cell and spoke an order into the walkie.

As he pulled out of the storage lot, Jared watched his team scatter, their cars pulling off into different directions.  He turned his attention to Martins.

"Shut up.  Shut up.  Shut up," Martins said to the phone.  "Just get her.  We'll meet you."  He thumbed the phone off.  "We need to tell these idiots what not to say over cell lines."

Jared waited for his lieutenant to explain.  He knew Martins would need a moment to organize the necessary information in his mind before passing it on.  With a little more time, Martins’ thoughtfulness might become a great asset.

After a short moment, Martins turned and spoke.  "I had someone follow the D.A.  He went straight to Nadine.  Spent half the night with her."

It was more of a disappointment than a surprise for Jared.  He had known that someone was passing information to the D.A. just not who.  Still, he felt his hands tighten on the steering wheel.  There was quite a bit that she could have told the D.A.  She could have told him about Harold.  Was that why the detective, Mickelson, had been at the apartment building?

His mind turned away from that problem, which was relatively easy to solve, to what he had just seen.  Jared knew that most men could barely jump high enough to touch the edge of that roof.  Even professional athletes couldn't make that jump.  The worries about what this killer was began to edge back in.  And alongside those thoughts came another question…why was this man at Harold’s apartment? 

He fought to bring his focus back to where it needed to be.  "All right.  We'll speak with her, find out how much she's passed on," he said.  "And tonight, I want an action.  Clear a neighborhood.  Make sure it's residential."

Martins stared back, concern on his face.  "Sir.  We're only days away."

"I'll take care of the vigilante, don't worry.  The men will be safe."  The news about Nadine explained what the D.A. had known about his organization, but not how the killer had found his men.  Authorizing the men to cleanse a neighborhood on such short notice might help answer that.  It could weed out other informants, if there were any.

He felt Martins staring at him.  "I'm worried about the men too, sir, but that's not what I mean."

Jared gave his lieutenant a nod.  They had been only days away from the push that would clean this city completely.  They had organized and trained men from all over the country.  They had been set to blame the blacks for the racial violence and prepared to burn them out of sight for good.  Then, this vigilante who could do the impossible had appeared and stopped every one of Jared's plans.

Jared was sure of one thing.  When you saw the impossible, with your own eyes, it was no longer impossible.

But the plan wasn't all lost.  He had seen the scorch marks on the pavement outside the apartment building.  Someone had set a fire there that had burned faster and hotter than any of these small firebombs.  With a weapon like that, Jared wouldn't need public opinion, he wouldn't have to worry about anyone killing his men.  He could do anything if he could control fire like that.  It was time to speak with Harold.

*

(Author’s note: If you were thinking things were going to get worse for William, you were right.  If you are still thinking things will get worse, you’re probably right again!  Stay tuned for the next chapter, where Bryan’s suspicions about William might just turn into a bad decision as they learn more about Jared’s plans. Thanks in advance for the votes and comments!  They are awesome!)