All or Nothing.... Metamorphosis The Final Chapter

…..I had spent most of the night driving around on my bike, sorting out the jumble of thoughts in my head. On one hand my best friend had been slipping further and further out of reality into something much, much worse. On the other, I had his wife, who I was developing feelings of some sort for. Whether it was just that feeling I always got when I was called on an assignment to protect a young lady or something more I couldn’t tell and that is what bothered me. I was always good at separating parts of my life. My personal and business ventures rarely intertwined themselves. I learned to do that back in my black ops days, when things got heavy it was easier to either end it or step back, depending on what the situation called for.

In this case I was closer now to my goal than I ever had been before. My light at the end of the tunnel had always been the main event and the World Title, and now that I had gotten there it was bittersweet. My road dog, Corey Casey was champ and he and I had an understanding. Unfortunately for us, he had forgotten about that and had gone off the reservation. Now it was up to me to end him and claim the top prize the IWF had to offer. Right this second I was combing the streets looking for the one man who despised the ground I walked on, even though just a few weeks ago we were best of friends. Even though he hated me I still felt the need to protect him, to make sure he stayed on the right path. Funny enough, I started out the student, now more than ever I felt like the grown up. He was not answering his cell and I quick run down of the usual hang outs turned up nothing. So this was why I was headed to the lil hotel where I had Casey’s wife, Jess tucked away…..

….I felt the butterflies In my stomach calling attention to themselves again as I pulled my Harley into the spot in front of the room I had reserved for Jess at Corey’s request. I kept thinking to myself, “She is just another assignment Vinnie, nothing more than when you kept Paris Hilton and her skank sister under lock and key. No more than any other assignment you ever had.” If that was all she was, why did my heart race every time I thought about her?? Why did I worry that Casey would find her and do something terrible to her?? I had taken care of that, at least in my mind by feeding that hooker to him instead. Jess was supposed to meet him at the bar but I couldn’t bring myself to put her in harm’s way, so the hooker gladly took her place for what she felt was a small fee.

I saw the curtain flutter back like someone had stolen a glance out the window as I pulled up. I can understand why she was jumpy, if I had Casey as a husband I would be jittery too. I climbed off the bike, making my way toward the door. In the few inutes it took to walk to ward the door I rehearsed what I would say to Jess……

VVR: Jess, I hate to tell you this, but….No that sounds like I found a tumor or her cat died. Jess you might wanna sit down for this, no it sounds like I am doc giving her bad news. Jess I don’t know how to say this so…..

Jess: Don’t know how to say what Vinnie??

….I looked up from the ground like a deer caught in the head lights. I had made my way across the parking lot and to the door and I didn’t realize Jess was standing in the door way that cute lil smirk on her face…..

Jess: Well I do declare, did lil ol me scare the big ol Southern Sledgehammer?? I thought you weren’t scared of anything Vinnie??

VVR: Too funny lil lady, now get back in that room, we really do have something to talk about…..

Jess had started to laugh putting a hand on my chest smiling that lil seductive smile of hers, but when she heard the tense way the words fell out into the room, she stopped and looked up ant me like a sad puppy…..

Jess: What’s wrong Vinnie, did something happen to Corey?? You said you guys would call when you were coming back and no one called….I just thought you had gotten to partying and didn’t want the old lady around…….

VVR: No it’s not like that at all, see Jess, Corey got into a scrape at the bar and I went to get help and by the time I got back he was gone. I am worried he is gonna have one of them blackout spells and really go off the deep end.

I couldn’t tell her I had set him up because I was worried he was going to hurt her. I couldn’t let her know how I felt could I?? I had to take care of CC first. Once this situation was put to bed I could decide what to do about Jess…..

VVR: When he blacks out where does he usually go Jess what does he usually do??

Jess was shaking her head back and forth like she was trying to wake up from a horrible nightmare. I tried to hold her but she pushed me away. She started to try and talk through soft sobbing….

Jess: When he blacks out he does horrible things, in his diary he said that is when the Lord takes over. We need to find him Vinnie. He might hurt or kill someone or himself. God we need to find him….

She was frantic now rushing around grabbing her phone and purse…..

VVR: Jess, calm down I have been driving around all night and I can’t find him…..Is there anywhere in particular he usually goes??

She thought for a moment then, like a light bulb went off, she jumped up…..

Jess: That doctor he always talk about would know….Damn I forget her name but she gave me her number to call her if he ever got out of hand….It’s in my phone…..

VVR: Well, I think this is one of those moments….I think you better call her Jess and leave the speaker on so I can hear too. I wanna know everything she says….

Jess found the number and after a few rings a gruff male voice answered…..

?????: The doctor is no longer with us at the moment please leave a message at the beep…..BEEP….

The dark laughter of someone who has clearly broken with reality echoed across the room and Jess and I just stared at one another as the phone line went dead…..