Holiday Killer

Holiday Killer

Jim’s heart was racing as he moved in the darkness toward the warehouse door.  He was following David Wayne, the man who in one evening, massacred his entire family, and left him devastated. Now after three years searching, he was just a doorway away from confronting this maniac serial killer.
 
The metal door swung easily on its hinges. Someone had the foresight to make sure it didn’t squeak. Inside he flipped down his night goggles and slowly edged away from the wall.  The wrehouse was may have been abandoned but stacks of metal shelving rose like skeletons from the floor. As he moved between them, they reminded him of giant bunk beds for the homeless.  Chains hung suspended from rails on the ceiling and metal walkways led to various levels.  He froze at a noise to his left. There was a scuffle and the scream of a rodent near death. He wondered if David felt the same way when he heard his victims scream. For the cat it was the kill for food.  What drove David and his ilk?  Moving on into the deep interior, the smell of mold, urine and unwashed body odor assailed his senses.  Carefully climbing the metal steps he stopped at the landing; from that vantage point he surveyed the area below him. Nothing moved. The cat must have taken dinner home to the Mrs. and kitties.

He went on to the next level and moved to a doorway.  He could hear metal chains clanking in rhythm against another metal object. The hollow sound was sure to be a large pipe. Was it a signal?  He couldn’t tell. At the top of the stairs, he followed a hallway leading to another large area. More chains, hooks and dollies on rollers swayed above.  He heard muffled conversation; avoiding hanging obstacles, and crept toward the sound.

He saw the laser too late. He was looking up, not down at the time.  In an instant he flew, feet first,into the air and swung suspended for a moment. The chain, clamped to his boot, rolled, sending him moving through the air to some unknown destination.  He turned his head back and forth, searching for his foe.  His gun lay on the floor in the distance. He was helpless.

* * *

“Well, welcome to the party. I wasn’t expecting any more guests.” A man dressed in a black Ninja outfit stood just below him, his eyes even with Jim’s. “You aren’t a cop, so you are either the killer or his partner.  Hmm Which are you?” He walked out of sight and a motor started. The chain lowered him until his fingers were just a few inches off the floor.

The man in black returned, grabbing Jim's hands, twisting them around behind his back.  He heard the zip of the plastic tie and felt it bite into his writsts.  The chain was lowered to lay him on the floor.

“You can sit up.” he hooked his hand through Jim's elbow.

Jim sat up, feeling the blood rush away from his head.  Spots danced in front of his eyes.  Another light threw eerie shadows from behind a far wall. Were there more ninjas?

“Stand up.” The ninja commanded assisting Jim to stand, then moved quickly away. “Get over here. I didn’t plan on there being two killers, but I guess to get away with everything he did, I suspected a partner.”  The ninja pushed Jim’s back with the point of a gun into the area lit with portable lighting.  Directly in the middle, a form sagged in a metal chair.  His hands were strapped to the arms and his feet to the legs. 

Jim saw the second chair. “I’m not his partner.”

“Right.  When I heard you soring my trap I knew we would have a gurest, so I brought another chair.” The ninja countered, patting the back of the chair for Jim to sit.  The seated man didn’t speak but lifted his head to eye Jim with a glint in his eye.  There was no confirmation from that quarter.

“Look, I came here for this guy.” Bam! The ninja backhanded him across the face.

“Shut up. I don’t want to hear from you. You or this sleaze ball killed my family.  I have hunted you for six months. Now I have two of you. I don't care which one did it, I am going to finish this reign of terror.”  He bent behind Jim and zip-tied each of his ankles to the legs of the chair.

Jim spat blood. “Right, kill him. It's what he deserves.  Don’t do it, but slowly like he did my family.”

“You believe him?  I am not the killer, he is.  All I did was set the marks up. He is the deviant who mutilated the families. Tell him how you picked up his little girl and-“ David’s voice became higher as he spoke.  He ended with a little hysterical laugh he bit off before it got out of control.

“Stop!” I don’t want to hear it.” The ninja pulled the gun from his back band and pointed it at David. The red laser dot danced on his chest.

“Go ahead and shoot me, it’s what you want. You don’t care about right or wrong, who did it.  You just want revenge.” David taunted.

“One of you killed my family.  You have been killing families all over this country.  The stupid police couldn’t find you because you cross out of their territory.  They have to jump through so many hoops to get jurisdiction by the time they get it, you are gone.  The FBI is just as stupid. If they really wanted to find you they could have just sent in special ops, they would have had you years ago.”  He spoke to Jim

“I have not-“ Jim started to speak.

“Y ou have been in as many states as I have.  You witnessed the pain and just left. You are just as guilty. You plunged the knife just as sure as he is accusing me of doing.” David’s voice rose as his excitement grew.

“Look, I am nothing like you. I never hurt anyone like you .” Jim voice was strong as he lashed out.

“You were in St. Louis last month.” Ninja faced Jim.  “You were at the yellow house on J street. There is a picture in the paper of you and you are on the wanted list by the police for questioning. Why is that?” He turned the laser gun to Jim.

“You fool." Jim spat. "I have been trying to capture him too.  You said you were tracking him for six months. Then you know where he has been?  Did you ever see him with anyone?  Have you read any of the profiles on him? He works alone.  He killed my family three years ago.”

“You almost make me believe you.” David’s voice was calm as he spoke to Jim.  “You have been in Denver, Ames, Vicksburg, Indianapolis, Duluth shall I go on?  You have planned these incidents with great care.” He turned his face to the ninja, “You see he knows I have been in every city he has, why do you think he is here?  When I saw the note to meet here, I thought I had finally met up with the killer. That is why I came.  You have the wrong man here.  Let me go and I won't say anything.  In fact I will help you kill him and dispose the body.”

"I bet you would!" Jim ground out between clenched teeth.

The ninja walked back and forth.  Jim was sure the man was confused, but may be convinced.  Jim felt the heat of adrenaline flood his body.  He had to find someway to convince the ninja, David was the killer.

The ninja left; disappearing into the darkness of the warehouse. 

“So Mr. hot shot," David sneered. "You thought you could come here and kill me? Were you set to watch the little ninja do the job taking the responsibility out of your hands?”

Jim closed his eyes.  For a moment he could picture himself standing over David pumping in hot lead for every member of his family, before he could feel elation, a loud boom shook him from his dream.  The ninja was standing just inside the circle of light holding the gun out in front of him pointed at David.  Jim whipped his head back toward David who was now slumped in the chair.

“You killed him!’ Jim shouted, surprise and a feeling of quick disappointment shot through him.

“No I didn’t. I just shot his leg.”  Jim looked down at the floor. There was a pool of blood forming under David’s heel. He looked up at the ninja, was he playing a game with them both?  An excuse to kill and blame it on someone else?

Another explosion and pain shot through his own foot, blinding him for a moment.  He looked down, the toe of his boot was blown off; the bullet ripped though his foot.  He couldn’t tell how badly it was damaged. The pain was too intense. Blood was soaking his sock, he grit his teeth he closed his eyes fighting nausea.

Jim was not going to give up. he determined to make sure David was not left alive to continue his killing spree.

“Not a very good marksman are you?” David’s voice sounded strained, Jim saw a slight smile on his lips.

“If I wanted you dead, you would be.” The ninja retuned dryly.

Jim remained quiet until he had control over the pain. After a moment he looked straight at ninja, “You still don’t know which of us the Killer. What is your plan to find the truth?”

“I don’t care about the truth.  After the months I have been tracking the killings, I have two of you. For all I know you are both working together.” Jim could read his voice. This man was a killer himself. His haircut shouted, military; he stood light on his feet; he knew where to shoot. The gun, he held easily as if it were an extension of his hand.  The eyes, that could be seen through the slits of the mask, never wavered as he watched both of the seated men.

“What are you waiting for?” Jim asked quietly. He wasn’t egging the man on, but he wanted to know what was in his immediate future.

Ninja turned, his eyes thinned to slits as he stared at Jim. “I am savoring the moment.”

“What would it take to make you care about finding the truth?" Jim persisted

“Why would I care?  I would rather kill both of you to make sure I get the right one, than to be fooled and let the wrong one go.”

“Then what makes you any different than any killer?” Jim said, keeping his voice low while fighting the pain in his foot.

“I am not murdering families, torturing innocent people and leaving family members devastated.”

“How do you know? What if one of us is a father, son, husband, uncle of a family who was tortured and murdered on Christmas Eve when he was out with his brother serving dinners to the homeless?”  This time he lifted his face, almost daring the ninja to denounce him.

“That would be very unfortunate, but in the scheme of things, that man would understand my position. What will he have to lose if his family is gone? The fact the notorious murderer is dead, and the reign of terror is over, he will have sacrificed his self for the greater good.”

“So you have justified yourself as judge, jury and executioner. Like I said, no difference.”  After a moment of thought, staring at the ninja, Jim softly whispered “Simper Fi”. He dropped his head on his chest.  The Ninja was right. What did it matter? He was seated next to the man who had devastated so many lives including Jim’s. There was no one left to miss him if he were dead. The question he asked the ninja applied to himself. Was he any different?  He had planned on killing David too. He spent the last three years thinking and dreaming about David's death.

Ninja stood and pointed his gun at Jim. The bullet went though his shirt, grazing his arm. He didn’t know how bad it was. He couldn’t look. The man was playing a game with them.  Anger over shadowed the pain.

“You are right.” David was almost lyrical as he challenged the ninja. “How would he know all this if he wasn’t the killer?  I agree, kill one of us, but which one?  Yes, you might have to live with the thought you killed an innocent man, but it is of no consequence when you have rid the world of a serial killer.” His lips widened in its grin.

The ninja lifted the gun, aiming the laser at David’s hand strapped to the chair.  The bullet smashed the knuckles and splintered the wood beneath, but his arm was still tied to it.  He screamed and looked at his hand, his face turning red and he let out a stream of swear words.

When David regained his composure he yelled at the ninja, spittle flying out of his mouth. “You enjoy playing with me? Don't you think he is going to get off on all this blood letting?” his eyes were wild as he jerked his head toward Jim.

Jim didn’t respond.  He was trying to figure someway to convince ninja he was not the man he was seeking.  Sweat dripped down his neck. He could feel it pool against his back and his waistband.  His hands were numb and his arms ached. His foot was just one big throbbing pain. He was cold one minute and hot the next.

“How did you find us?”  Jim asked between his gritted teeth. He wanted to know how ninja had found a man the police couldn’t. Hopefully the conversation would buy some time until he could think of something to change the outcome.

The ninja answered as he pulled another chair into the light and sat down.  “I don’t blame you for being curious.  Those police and detectives running around all over the country looking for you, and here I am sitting here with the Holiday Killer in my sights. I have no limitations.  I am not bound by jurisdiction, laws or morals.  Questions?” He grinned at the two men.

Jim debated whether to ask any more questions in case they resulted in his death. There was a long silence.

“How did you come to pick your victims?”  He looked at Jim then David.

Jim looked away, staring out into the darkness of the warehouse. 

“I can answer for him.  After following him this long, I have it figured out.” David took a deep breath. “He followed a Postman and knocked him out with chloroform.  Then he went through the letters in the truck. He found one or two envelopes with family names on them; children’s names.  They are usually sent by grandparents for Christmas and birthdays. After writing down the addresses, he staked out the houses and families.”

Fire shot from the ninja’s gun. Jim swung his head at the sound, to see David slump in the chair.  From the hole in his chest, blood spread down his shirt and on to his pants.

Shocked, Jim looked from David to the ninja.  The man in black stood still, as he slowly lowered his hand with the gun to his side.  Jim didn’t move, he barely breathed.

Ninja turned and pulled a knife from the holster on his leg.  Jim cringed back in the chair. He braced and waited for his death. He wanted to scream, beg for his life but no words came from his tight throat.  The man walked behind him and slit the zip tie around his wrists and on each leg.

“You aren’t the murderer.”

“How did you know?” Jim could hardly get the words out of his mouth.

“You were shocked when I shot him in the leg. You didn’t talk much, and the other guy talked too much. 'Simper fi,’ was my next clue.” Jim nodded and rubbed his arms trying to force circulation. 

“Sorry about shooting you in the foot. Come on, I’ll take care of it.  When we are long gone, I will call the local police and tell them where they can find him. Right now I want to get our finger prints and blood off of anything.  Sorry your DNA is going to be here, but who are they going to match it to?”

“I don’t know your name.” The man handed Jim a towel to put around his shoe then helped him down a long dark corridor.  At the car, the ninja waited until Jim was in the front seat before he shut the door.  He disappeared into the darkness. Jim’s eyes stared at the empty doorway. Where was he going? Was the car going to explode and kill him?  The window was power so he couldn’t roll it down. Carefully he opened the door, and heard nothing. He waited.

“You okay?” The ninja walked out of the dark and stood beside him.  Grinning he leaned on the door.  “Still a little jumpy?  I don’t blame you.”  He tossed a gun on Jim’s lap. “Yours I presume.”

Jim nodded and slid it in his pocket.  They didn’t speak until the ninja had parked at the back of a motel, helped Jim into the room and on the bed.

“This is going to hurt like hell.”  He dropped a field medical bag on the floor next to the bed and began pulling Jim’s boot off.  “Sorry to have done this.  I got a little carried away, not thinking as clearly as I should have.”

Jim shrugged. Ninja had been a lot calmer than he would have been.  When his foot was wrapped and resting, elevated on a pillow, ninja handed him a plastic cup and a stiff drink.

“Who are you?” Jim asked again.

The ninja pulled the black headpiece off.  “Hello, I’m Greg.”

“Jim” the two shook hands.

The following morning the two men watched the early edition on TV announcing the discovery of the Holiday Killer dead, in a warehouse. The anchorman spoke straight into the camera, thanking whoever did it, but qualified it by saying the authorities would like the assassin to turn himself in.