We had thought earlier, that Inmate 1326 had been completely abolished from this life, but there in Tyler's eye...he had returned. But it wasn't the out of control Inmate 1326 that he had been before. He wasn't running wild on a rampage...he was completely in check. Tyler had complete control over him. So why, you may ask, do I even both to bring it up? It's simple really. Tyler Haze, he was an honest to goodness sweet guy who couldn't ever hurt anyone. But Inmate 1326...he wasn't afraid to kill...he had no qualms about it. I know, I know...I speak of it as if Tyler is two people in one...and honestly, he is. No one would ever assume that Tyler Haze could truly be dangerous to other people, but you get him mad and set him lose, and he will cut your throat out faster than you can blink an eye.
Now was one of those times. There was an unquenchable anger and hatred boiling deep down in him, and it was showing in those cold gray eyes, turned hot with the fire raging inside. He quickly grabbed to leather sheathes from the table, one he strapped to his wrist, and the other to his ankle. Into each he slipped a finely sharpened switchblade, ready to be plunged into whoever came within striking range. Tyler had never killed anyone before, and he hadn't ever stabbed someone with the intent to kill...but that was all about to change. Inwardly, he was a raging inferno of fury, and he would stop at nothing. He was going to draw blood tonight, and it was going to be lethal.
He was about to head out the door when he heard the vibrating of his phone on the table. He paused and looked down at the caller I.D. It was a number he didn't know, and he was half tempted to ignore it and just continue on his mission to kill. But something stopped him, and told him to pick it up. He hesitated a moment, before grabbing it and answering. He was quite surprised, needless to say, at the voice he heard responding to him. He didn't even have to say his name, he knew who it was. Charlie Parker...and boy did he sound mad...like he was going to kill someone, same as Tyler was.
The conversation was short, and nothing of much significance, except that Charlie kept asking about a gang called Hell something that Justin and Paul were in. He kept asking question after question before Tyler could even answer until finally Tyler interrupted him long enough to say he knew what was happening, and he had a pretty good idea of where to find them. Charlie then proceeded to ask where and if he knew anything more. Tyler gave him no details, but told him to meet him at an abandoned building on the edge of town...the same place he had instructed Liz to meet him. This building had been his home, his escape, his fortress, his retreat for many years...it was there that he had stashed anything that they would need...and yes, some of it was illegal.
It took only ten minutes before Tyler's black Firebird pulled up to the building and he stepped out. With the stealth of a cat he disappeared into the darkened building. Up three flights of rickety stairs, out the window onto the old steel stairwell and up a few more flights to the roof. A few bricks removed from an old wall, and out came the needed weapons. A small dagger type weapon designed so that it could be concealed in a fist easily, that would go to Liz...in case she should need it. Then came a gun, not as small as a hand gun, but not as large as a regular gun. The Gamo Auto 45 Air Pistol...completely illegal. The thing could fire off 12 shots in 2.4 seconds if the right person was firing it. Charlie used to be a cop...and was going to be again...he was the right person. That would go to Charlie. As for Tyler...he was a knife fighter, the switchblades were all he needed. They were illegal enough though...you could posses them in West Virginia legally, but to have them concealed like he did...you could get 5-10 for that. He was taking a risk every time he stepped out into public...but it was a risk he was will to take.
He heard the engine of a car followed shortly by another, and quickly replaced the bricks to conceal the rest of his "back up" weapons, and hurried back down the steel stairwell, through the room, and back down the three flights of stairs. He slowed his stride to that casual dominant one he usually had...the one that said quite bluntly, "touch me, and I'll kill you," the one that terrified people, the one that kept people away from him. The one that had made him king of the streets at an incredibly young age, the one that had driven him to the top, and the one that had torn him down. The very air about hims seemed lethal, like it would kill you if you came too close.
Charlie and Liz were standing near each other when Tyler walked out. He tossed the gun and the clip to Charlie, who looked at the weapon slightly shocked and awed at the same time. He knew what this was...he knew what it could and would do when fired. He was at a complete loss as to how Tyler even got his hands on one of these. As he walked past Liz he pushed the knife into her hands, and muttered
Just in case and that was all. He didn't say another word, just walked past, and pulled the driver's side door of the firebird open and settled into the seat. Charlie cast a glance at Liz then moved around to the side of Tyler's car and got in. He had a feeling that Tyler was going to stop at nothing to kill these people...but he also had a feeling that Tyler was going to get hurt.
The drive was silent, and almost daunting. Charlie could see in Tyler that extreme hatred, and honestly...it scared him. He'd seen Tyler mad before. He'd seen Tyler drunk before. He'd seen Tyler having an emotional breakdown before. He'd seen Tyler half dead before. He'd seen almost every side of Tyler...but this...this was a whole new level of hatred...this was beyond anything Charlie had ever seen in anyone. He didn't dare say anything for fear that Tyler would turn on him and kill him. He didn't see any weapons on Tyler, but that didn't mean he didn't have any. He knew Tyler was a knife fighter...and he knew that Tyler wouldn't walk into something like this unarmed.
Tyler stopped the car on the street, and killed the engine. Without a word he stepped out, followed shortly by Charlie and Liz. Charlie was angry too...and he would like nothing better than to put these men in the ground...but he wasn't going to try to go in ahead of Tyler. Charlie had a family now. Hayley, Chuck, and Melody...he had to be more careful with himself, he wasn't going to let those kids not have a dad. They needed him to be alive, and he wasn't going to throw his life away by trying to step in front of Tyler and his victims. The kid may only have been 19, but he was far beyond that by way of accuracy and experience...much like Charlie was at that age...only a bit more easily angered than Charlie had been.
The three walked several blocks, not saying a word, before Tyler stopped. Barely a moment after he stopped, they heard Hayley's scream, and Chuck's crying. Charlie stepped forwards quickly, but Tyler's arm whipped out and he planted his hand on Charlie's chest, stopping him abruptly. Charlie was seething, but the strength in Tyler's arm holding him back forced him to listen to a bit of reason and not go running in there and get himself shot. He reluctantly stepped back behind Tyler, the fearless leader of the group and proceeded cautiously forwards as Tyler did so. Every time Hayley screamed, a pang of anger shot through him like a bullet, slowly bringing Charlie up to that same level that Tyler was at.
Finally, Hayley's screams became loud enough so that they knew she was just around the corner. Tyler's hand again was pressed against Charlie's chest...and Charlie knew that Tyler meant for him and Liz to wait there, for just a moment. As much as Charlie would have liked to step out and shoot the two men who were hurting his fiance and their son, he knew he had to stay, or else force Tyler to spring before it was time and get him killed. Tyler proceeded forwards through the shadows, and turned the corner, as silent as the grave. Stealth was no stranger to him, and he utilized it well.
What he saw horrified him. Two men that he had once called his friends. One on top of Hayley, raping her, the other holding firmly onto Hayley's...Tyler's...their son. For a moment, Tyler was stunned...shocked...unable to move. That child there was his...that was his son...his baby. That was his kid...his own flesh and blood...and those two men were the cause of his tears. It wouldn't seem possible, but more hatred rushed through Tyler, and the switchblade on his wrist was quite tempting. He somehow kept himself from grabbing it, and stepped out of the shadows into the dim light, no emotion painted on his face, He was 100% inmate 1326 currently...and those men were going to die.
Charlie could hardly contain himself. Hayley's screams were killing him. He couldn't just stand back here and do nothing...he had to do something. After hardly a few moments, he glanced at Liz then followed Tyler around the corner. It took all of his will power to keep from darting out of the shadows and shooting both of those men, but he could tell Tyler had some sort of plan in mind, and his presence being known would ruin it. So he stayed in the darkness, where he couldn't be seen by those men or Hayley or Chuck. He hated to see Chuck crying like that...even if Chuck wasn't really his son...he loved him like he was.
Charlie noticed Tyler's shock at the sight of Chuck, and realized that Tyler hadn't ever seen his son before now. He handled Alessandra so poorly, Charlie was surprised he didn't shoot himself at the sight of the child. He wanted to say something to Tyler, but had to remain silent. He felt bad for the kid...he'd been only 15 when he and Hayley had been in that relationship. Far to young for something that intimate...he'd panicked for some reason and took off. He hadn't ever known about Chuck until recently when Hayley told him. He'd been petrified. It hadn't been that long ago that Alessandra had died leaving her baby girl in his custody since he was the father. Poor Tyler was being bombarded mercilessly by these things, it was a wonder he hadn't committed suicide
What Tyler did next totally shocked Charlie. He stepped out, into the light. He was fully visible...and Justin had Charlie's gun. It would take more than one shot to kill Tyler, Charlie was sure of it...he'd already been shot four times and was still alive. But could Tyler get there fast enough to take down at least one of them before he was gunned down? Charlie supposed they were about to find out. In the mean time he was going to stay in the shadows, seething in anger as Justin raped his fiance...and wait until the right moment to make himself known...and bring justice raining down on their heads.
Liz's daggerCharlie's gunTyler's knives
