Chapter 2

Chapter two

Zachary's arms unfolded as his eyes narrowed directly in front of him. "Oh? And why not?"

Richard gave a slight glare over Zachary's shoulder. Terror filled his eyes as he shrank back. "No." He whispered to himself.

Underneath the blue light that loomed the sky, Billy stood in his wrinkled black suit in his thick black trench coat. The light shade of his glasses hid his widened soulless eyes as he stared at both Richard and Zachary in the door way of the bell tower. In his right hand, lowered to his waist, was a small black pistol cocked and ready to fire.

"Because," Billy started with his snake like voice, "Mr. Thomas is going with us."

Behind Billy sat the black van; parked with its left side pointing to Billy's back. The side door slid open and revealed two women. Martha was bound with her arms behind her back and her ankles tied together with some sort of red electrical wire. Her mouth was covered with a thick layer of duct tape that was wrapped around her head. The hand cuffed Martha widened her eyes as she mumbled with plea before being shoved out of the van and onto the hard pavement.

Richard stepped closer to Zachary's back. His eyes went from terror to fear for his dear cousin. "Martha." He whispered under his breath with a sadden tone.

Zachary kept his attention on Billy, like a lion intent on his prey. "Friend of yours?" He calmly asked.

Richard stared at Martha. "Cousin."

In the darkness of the van, a curved woman figure stepped out. Selena's golden hair bounced on her shoulders as she gave a slight jump off the van and onto the pavement next to Martha. She pointed a long store bought shot gun at Martha's head. She moved the barrel of the gun over Martha's deep red hair. "Oops." She said with a grin.

Billy lifted his gun and twisted to the side. "The boy you are protecting is our property."

Zachary chuckled, but kept his eyes glued on Billy as though he were waiting for the man to move. "Men are not designed to be owned by any creature other than the heavenly father. Through life or either death, you have mistaken your role as brother's keeper as slave owner."

Billy cackled at the statement made by the blond stranger. "Who are you man?"

Zachary waved his hands over his torso and extended them out to his sides. "Zachary Taylor, negotiator. Who am I addressing?"

"The man with the gun." Billy snapped.

Selena sighed. "Just pop this guy and get it over with Billy."

Zachary smiled and exposed his sharp canines; even in the darkness, Billy could see the pearly white teeth. "Ah, a little warning to the both of you for not having caution to quick impulses. They can be a trigger of bad things to come."

Billy snorted and aimed his gun at Zachary's head. "Boy, Richie, you do find some weird people to defend you. Last chance, Zachary, leave or I will put a bullet through that dome of yours."

Richard glanced to Zachary's back and reached out to the man's shoulder. "Don't ... Don't do anything Zach ... I'll go with them."

Zachary did not move an inch to Richard's words. His frame was still like a stone figure. "They are nothing but bullies, Richard. The world can be filled with them if those with morals do not stand up to them."

Billy sighed with a wheeze in his throat. "I don't have time for this."

Zachary quickly swiped his right hand through the cold twilight air and gently pushed Richard backwards. "Get down." He said calmly.

Richard stumbled backwards from the gentle iron like push right before he heard the sound of gun shots fire into the air! He fell onto his back and clasped his hands tightly against his ears and slightly lifted his head. To his horror, he watched as bullets from Billy's gun fire straight through the man that saved him from his self-demise! The bullets tore through the red coat that Zachary wore and small drops of blood flew through the air! For only a slight moment, Richard closed his eyes tightly and his lower lip quivered.

The shots seized and all that Richard could hear was his own heart beat in the darkness that surrounded him. The frightened young lad lowered his hands and as he did, a calm boyish voice was heard through the darkness.

"Not to complain, but that was my favorite coat, Mr. Billy."

Richard opened his eyes in disbelief and glanced over his chest. There, standing where he once did, was Zachary Taylor in a bloody, bullet torn coat!

Powerful as they were before, Zachary's red eyes glowed through the blue darkness and darted at Billy.

Billy popped out a cartridge from his gun as he stared at the man in horror. "What ... What the hell is going on?"

Selena held her eyes wide open along with her mouth. "He should be dead."

Zachary smiled as he turned his unmoving red eyes to Selena's. "Before more damage should be done, I will ask only once, remove your gun from that young lady's head. You have no reign here. Be gone." He voice was cold and strong.

Billy breathed heavily and turned to glance at his partner. "I used an entire clip."

Selena lowered her eyebrows with anger as black ooze seeped from her pupils and covered her entire eyes with darkness. "You like tricks, huh? See how you like this!"

Zachary's gently lifted his head up in confusion, yet still kept his eyes on Selena. Suddenly, his red glowing eyes turned a murky white and then solid white.

Selena smiled under her black eye control. "You are mine, Taylor."

Zachary smiled. As he smiled, the already sharp canines grew longer and even sharper; the teeth passed his lower lip and almost touched the end of his jaw. "I see we have a powerful telepath here. I haven't seen one of those in many years." The white in his eyes began to twist with a murky red, almost pink.

Selena's prideful face began to sour as she dropped her weapon and fell to her knees. Blood began to drip from her nose as she lifted her hands to her head and closed her eyes tightly. "What the hell ... Is going on?" She said in a painful voice.

Zachary chuckled. "I am just as vicious in my mind as I am in the real world, Selena." His boyish chuckle ran into a wicked laughter. "Such a pretty name for a witch such as yourself."

Selena's body fell forward. She caught herself on the palms of her hands and it seemed as though she were pushing herself closer to the ground, but as she did, she struggled to keep her body up. "What ... How?" Before she could ask any more questions, Selena then began to repeat blow after blow of her own head against the pavement. After five heavy self-blows to the ground, Selena's forehead was covered in her own blood. She then fell completely onto the ground from going unconscious.

Martha stared at the normal eyes of Selena as the young woman laid beside her. Her eyes were wide with fear and confusion as she screamed under the tape covering her mouth.

Zachary sighed and popped his neck. "That was indeed a strange moment I just had. I do believe I enjoyed myself to a certain extent."

Billy's hands shook as he quickly reached into the inside of his coat to pull out another bullet cartridge. He mumbled sounds as he tried to reload his gun. Billy's course hand slipped in another cartridge and pulled back on the top of the gun to place in another bullet. He quickly aimed his gun to where Zachary stood, but was caught in extreme terror!

Before him stood Zachary. The man's mouth was extended open like a snake ready to attack his prey. The fangs were pointed at the man and the red glowing eyes were strong and filled with fury. From Zachary's throat came a harsh screeching sound unlike any human could let out!

Billy's wrist was seized in Zachary's iron like grip of his right hand. The gun man let out a cry of pain as Zachary tightened his grip and a small cracking sound was heard from Billy's wrist. Zachary's left hand then gripped the crying throat of Billy and gave it a gentle squeeze before another screech like that of a demonic bird was let out. Without warning or earthly time, Billy was then thrown through the air! The man's body smashed hard against the hood of the van he once drove. Billy slammed the back of his head against the metal of the car and then his entire body fell onto the ground.

Zachary stood with his eyes more calm and his teeth returned to their normal state. He held the gun in his right hand and tossed it to his side. The gun tapped on the ground as Zachary walked closer to Billy's limp body. "Unwise men should listen more often to learn, Billy."

Richard pushed himself up and stared at Zachary who stood at the head of the fallen Billy. He studied the man carefully and watched his every move. Without blinking, Richard watched in amazement as Zachary's frame disappeared for only a fraction of a second and reappeared on the side of Martha! Zachary knelt down beside Martha's back and glanced to Richard. The pale face looked like a ghost in the twilight.

"Come Richard, help me." Zachary asked in a calm and almost human like voice.

Richard stumbled, but kept a study speed walk over to Martha and Zachary.

Martha struggled and whined under the duct tape. Her eyes tried to look around her head to see what Zachary was doing.

Zachary gently laid a soft hand on Martha's shoulder as he smiled. "Calm yourself, dear woman. I am only here to help. I am no threat to you or your cousin."

By the time Richard reached both Martha and Zachary, his legs grew weak and he fell slowly to his knees beside Martha. He stared blankly at Zachary's hand that rested on Martha's shoulder. His eyes grew wider and his brow lowered in wonder as the black nails of Zachary seemed to extend like a cat's claws!

"Richard?" Zachary asked in a calm voice. "Were you hit?"

Richard's dazed eyes looked from the growing finger nails to Zachary's red eyes. "No ... No." He said and then coughed to clear his throat.

Zachary's face was calm with an assured smile on his face. "I need you to calm your cousin. I do not want to accidently cut her as I free her from her plastic prison." He nodded to Richard.

Richard nodded back and watched Zachary take his long nails and placed them in between Martha's skin and the plastic straps.

Martha wiggled and closed her eyes.

Zachary looked to Richard.

Richard nodded and tried to blink as he looked into Martha's eyes. "It's okay ... Martha, Zachary is here to help us. You must not move because he might cut you with his ... Nails."

Although Martha stopped moving, her eyes looked at Richard with terror as he finished the last word.

With one move, Zachary gently pulled his nails through the plastic and sliced the cuffs as though he were cutting them with a razor.

Martha pulled her hands free and tried to push herself up. Her head stared at Zachary as she tried to crawl away from him.

Zachary nodded to Richard with a grin. "She will be alright. Help her out of the rest. I will collect the trash in the parking lot."

Richard watched Zachary slowly rise and walk over to Billy's body lying in a deep sleep on the pavement. The sound of tape ripping and a small whimper came from Martha at his side.

"What the hell is going on?" Martha asked in a harsh voice.

Richard, dazed, looked to his cousin who had partial tape still around the back of her head. He looked down to her ankles that were tied with red wire. He shook his head and started to untie the wires. "He ... Zachary ... He ... I don't know ..." Richard stammered.

Martha turned her gaze on Zachary and watched the six foot tall young man use only one hand to lift Billy by the back of his coat into the air and placed him on his shoulder as though the body of Billy was nothing more than a twig. "He isn't human." She whispered.

Richard nodded as he finished untying the wire. "That much I do realize."

Zachary walked around the two and laid Billy into the van where Martha was once held captive. "You two must be in a lot of trouble. To call for a hit man and a telepath seductress, you have certainly stirred someone's wrath." He pulled out a plastic bag that held the straps that held Martha. He then took one of the straps and held Billy's sleeping hands over his back. Zachary made a loop out of the strap and slipped it over the wrists of his captive.

Martha stood up still with tape stuck around the back of her head. Richard sat on the ground with his back against the van and his hands over his head.

Martha blinked wildly at Zachary. "Who ... What are you?"

Zachary shrugged as he stooped down to pick up Selena by her right arm with his right hand and hoisted her up onto his left shoulder. "Who I am is Zachary Taylor." He tossed Selena into the van beside Billy and turned to bow to Martha. His red eyes stared at Martha as though he were surprised. He paused for a moment while he stared blankly at her and then finally blinked. "I'm sorry, I must have disappeared into my own thoughts. I am rude of course." He bowed. "I am Zachary Taylor and I am your humble servant you beautiful creature."

Martha gave a surprised look to Zachary. "What?"

Richard looked up to Zachary and shook his head. "What ... What are you going to do?"

Zachary smiled to Richard and returned to the van to place a strap over Selena's thin wrists. "I am going to take these poor souls to my home for a little interrogation." He finished the strap and started to close the sliding door. He stopped right before he reached Richard, who was resting at the end of the trail of the sliding door. "Mind your head Richard."

Richard turned to glance over his shoulder and then nodded. "Oh yes ... Of course." He pushed himself up and stood beside Martha.

Zachary smiled and closed the door. His deep red eyes glanced at Martha and seemed to glisten for a moment as he smiled sheepishly at the woman. "I, uh ... As I was saying. I am going to take these two to my home and escort you two as well." With a quick move of his left hand, Zachary flipped his bullet and blood covered coat to one side so that he could shove his hand into his pant pocket.

Martha grabbed the dazed Richard and pulled him to her side. "We are not going anywhere with you."

Zachary pulled out a set of car keys from his pocket and stared at Martha with confusion. "Oh, but you must. Where do you plan to go?"

Martha's face was half fearful of the young man and half stern. "It is no matter of yours."

Zachary smiled and slowly walked over to Martha. "I have taken it upon myself to protect Richard Thomas over there and since you are in his custody, then you as well." He stopped right in front of Martha and stared into her frightened eyes. "I realize that you are scared, I would be as well. However, as charming as I may be, I am a person who does not take no as an answer. There for, you are coming with me to my home so that I can unweave this strange mystery and gather my decision as to what I should do with you." He held out his hand that held the car keys in front of Martha. Gently, he took the woman's left hand and placed the keys inside her palm.

Martha licked her lips and cleared her throat. "So ... We are captives once again?"

Zachary chuckled. "But of course not, you are just in my protection service. I have my own personal belief that both of you are not a threat. Yet, I do feel that something is amiss here and I shall not let go of this matter until it is resolved."

Richard looked at Martha for a moment. "Let's do as he asks..."

Martha shook her head without moving her eyes from Zachary's red ones. "He is going to kill us or sell us out."

Zachary placed a hand over his chest and bowed his head. "I assure you, I am a kind host and will not engage in any action that will harm either of you." He slowly lifted his head to stare at Martha. "However, the dead move fast and I move faster. In my home town, there is no place you can hide from me and I will not let go of your company until you are completely safe from these hoods. If not for yourself, then think of your cousin, Martha." He pointed over their shoulders. "My car is parked over there. You can't miss it. It is red and is the only car in the parking lot besides this van. I will drive slowly and you must follow. If I do not see those headlight behind me, I shall have to continue a search for the two of you." Zachary turned and walked to the driver side of the van.

Richard turned around to look for the car Zachary spoke of. "I think I see it."

Martha looked at the keys in her hand. "It doesn't matter because I am not going with him."

Richard turned to Martha and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I am just as scared ... Maybe more, as you are, but he did save us."

Martha darted her eyes at Richard and snarled. "You really want to go with this .... This.... Freak?!"

Richard lowered his eyes and shook his head.

Martha's anger disappeared and was replaced by care as she touched Richard's hand with her own. "I'm sorry ... You know I wasn't talking about you."

"I know, but the facts are, he ... He did save us. He took a bullet ... Actually a lot of bullets for me. He freed you and now the two people that have been chasing us for weeks are knocked out and tied up. From what I gather, we either go with him as payment for his kind actions ... Or ... We go with him because he isn't what he seems to be."

Martha looked hard at Richard for a long moment and then nodded. She turned and held out the small black key remote that was hooked to the set of car keys. She gently pressed the button to unlock the car. As she did, the red car in the near distance lit up and both Richard and Martha stared at a brand new red Mustang sitting in a parking space. The car was well polished and clean. Martha looked to Richard in amazement. "What are we getting ourselves into?"