Prodigal Son
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Masterson watched the site where the last battle would be taking place, hidden from prying eyes. For all intended purposes, the place stood abandoned, but it would soon be slated for reconstruction.
'At least that's what some little bird told me,' Jack Masterson smiled, referring to his now dead sister. 'At least she was some use near the end. My late father's latest acquisition. It was to be a new hospital in this growing city. It's rather ironic. The very place that is supposed to save lives is where a life is going to be taken, maybe even two.'
As the minutes slipped by, Masterson returned to the days when he had been a child. When had everything started to go wrong, he wondered. There really wasn't one defining moment, but he knew now that his days were numbered. 'More like my hours,' he thought. 'I can't go back to jail. Everything's got to end tonight. If everything goes according to my plan, I won't have to. Peter Caine will be dead, and all my worries will be ended.'
Masterson turned to look at his friend, but did not say a word. His thoughts silently voiced his inner truth, a truth that only Jack's soul could know. 'If only you knew the real reason. You think you're going to kill Caine today, but the truth is, he'll probably succeed and we'll both be dead. Go on you poor deluded fool, if it will make you happy. You're not going to escape a second time, and neither will I. Our fates are sealed tonight. Whatever happens, one of us won't leave this place alive.'
"Someone's approaching," Peterson stated, bringing Masterson out of his revere.
Masterson turned back to the face the construction area, both men's faces a study in intensity. As they waited, a figure stooped and slow-moving approached from the east. Masterson strained his eyes to see who it might be. As the man got closer, though he had a familiar face, it obviously wasn't the same man, but one much older.
"That's not Caine," Masterson said out loud to his associate next to him. "What is she trying to pull?"
"I can assure you that is Caine," Peterson stated. "She gave him the note."
"He couldn't have aged so quickly. That's not the same man."
"You told her to give the note to Caine."
"Wait a minute. Peter had another man with him the last time, remember. In fact, I remember seeing this old guy with Caine at the airport the day we kidnapped him. That's got to be Caine's father. Oh this is better than having Peter's father. You know what this means? I can still kill Peter Caine and destroy his family. And if the third one shows up, we can get him, too. You know where to position yourself. I'll give you the signal." Masterson pulled out a knife hidden in his clothing. "Peter will be so distracted with fighting this he won't see what hit him."
"Then I'll hit him with this," Peterson held up his weapon, a very specialized high-powered rifle.
"You better get into position. Old man or not, I don't want anyone seeing you until it's too late."
"I'm wondering . . . Why didn't we do this last year?"
"The setting wasn't right," Masterson concluded. "And I wanted to take Peter Caine out myself. Only . . ."
"Only you didn't count on him beating the crap out of you."
"Careful Peterson," Masterson growled. "You may be good at what you do, but I've had time to perfect my skills. A rifle isn't the only way to kill a man. I've got a meeting to attend to."
Masterson returned his knife to it's hiding place then went back to watching the old man as he made his way across the construction site. Once Matthew Caine reached the center, Masterson shouted down to him. "That's far enough old man. We will wait for your grandkid."
"What is it that you wish of my grandson?" Matthew shouted to the disembodied voice.
"You will learn soon enough," Masterson turned toward his associate. "I'm going down there."
"What if it's a trap to draw you out?"
"If I know the Caines, whoever it is, they are all honorable men. There won't be a trap, but I can't say the same for myself. I'm not that honorable."
***
"Kelly, what are you saying?" Peter demanded.
"Follow me."
Kelly hobbled back to the apothecary room and stepped over the threshold to the terrace. She screened Peter's view for a moment, then turned. She held a note in her hand then held it out for her brother to read.
After reading the note, Peter handed it to Kermit. "How soon can we get there?" Peter asked his partner.
"This place isn't all that far from here."
"Let's go. Maybe we can catch up with my grandfather and stop him from becoming Masterson's hostage."
"Peter, that was more then an hour ago. I'm certain he's already there."
Peter was already heading out the door.
"I'm sorry," Kelly started to cry again, seeing the reaction that Peter had to Masterson's note and about Matthew Caine. Peter didn't even give her the time of day, or even seemed to want anything to do with her. He hadn't even noticed she was injured. "He's mad at me. He blames me for this."
"It's not your fault. I'd probably do the same thing if I thought there was a hidden gunman pointing a weapon at my heart. Or maybe I wouldn't. I don't know. You did what you thought was right at the time."
"I should have gone to the police," Kelly said. "I'm the daughter of a police captain. I should have been able to do something."
"Kelly, you can't blame yourself. And I am certain Peter won't blame you. He's worried about his grandfather. Don't worry. We'll take care of everything."
"Coming Griffin?" Peter Caine called out to his partner.
"I'm coming."
Kelly watched Kermit pull out his Desert Eagle and check the weapon. She had seen her own father do the same thing without him realizing it, just before he would leave on some secret mission or before heading to a crime scene that he had been called in to investigate. It always made her nervous, and yet at the same time, she somehow felt comforted.
'At least Peter has back-up,' she thought. "Be careful,” she called after them.
"Careful is my middle name. And better stay off that ankle," Kermit replied as he followed Peter out the door.
Continues with Part 23
Alisa Joaquin Copyright@2006.
This story cannot be reprinted or sold in any other form without strict permission from
the author. It is being distributed here solely for your enjoyment.
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