“I wanted money, I needed it to be able to leave,” she says, anxiety replacing all emotions.
“One million dollars not enough for a new life?” I ask, not buying anything she ever says. She doesn’t respond because there is nothing to say that would make me believe her.
I watch as Marcus steps forward, keeping his voice calm. Always the professional.
“You don’t exist after tonight, Sarah,” he says in a level voice and she laughs weakly.
“That’s not how the world works.”
“It is, if you don’t mind losing your name.” Her face drains as he continues unrolling the future like paperwork.
“You will be escorted from her to a new residence. Your phone will be destroyed. Your bank accounts closed. Your social security number reassigned. Your employment records altered.”
She stares.
“You’ll work for me and in return you will have food and a bed,” he adds.
She turns to me and the real Sarah appears again. Hatred and spite are the only things this woman possesses.
“You did all this for him?” she spits.
“Yes, and I would go much further.”
“You think he’ll love you for this?”
“No,” I say as I lean closer, crouching down to her level on the floor.
“I think he’ll sleep better knowing you’re gone. What makes you think he wasn’t involved in the plan?”
That breaks her as she lunges forward to me but loses her balance just as Jules moves to intervene. He holds her up and sits her back in place, but holding onto her shoulders this time to prevent her from moving.
“This is kidnapping!”
“Technically,” Marcus nods as she begins to sob.
“I didn’t mean it. I was angry. I was scared.”
“No, you were careless, and I know if you were left to your own devices, you won’t be able to let it go. Your ego won’t allow it.”
She looks at the ceiling at the lights and the void. She has nowhere to turn.
“What happens to me?”
“You’ll wake up somewhere new. New name. New people. No internet access without supervision. No contact with anyone from your previous life. You will be part of our biker crew where we will control your life from now on. There will be nowhere to escape. Police are in our pockets. Judges paid handsomely. Look at it as a funded prison,” Marcus says, and she just looks at him blankly. But I know she will be planning her next move.
“And if I try to come back?” she asks, and Marcus smiles faintly, like he almost hopes she tries.
“You won’t.”
She looks at me one last time.
“You’re a psycho that needs locking up!”
I consider that and it isn’t the insult she thinks.
“I’m your ending, Sarah. And Leo’s future.”
I turn around to face Marcus, who passes me the scalpel that I instructed him to have. Sarah will always need a reminder, a warning of why to never cross me. I want her to see me everytime she looks in the mirror, reliving the consequences of her actions and learning to never fucking underestimate a threat. Especially from me.
