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It had been a week since he received John’s final instructions. Six days since he leapt into action, locking Hoffman away for his misdeeds in the very bathroom he had once been locked in himself so long ago. In his head their screams still echo, in his dreams they play it for him again. Always on repeat.
But he’d learned to tune them out.
This was to be his life’s work after all, to carry on the message. The lessons to unfold. It was a shame, poor Amanda, falling victim to her own turpitude; but it left the best for last. A proper successor.
He smiled to himself, somewhat grimly, as he entered the bunker. Unease crept up his spine and hunkered down in his chest, as he realised in the distance that a light flickered overhead. A man, shoulders forward as he fiddled idly with one of John’s many mechanics.
Lawrence pulled his gun from his pocket, careful to hold it close; and approached. He would dispose of him swiftly if the opportunity arose. “Who goes there?”
The man dropped the device in his hands, jumping back like a startled animal. He look over his shoulder, cigarette askew on his half parted lips, with nothing less than annoyance written in his eyes.
Lawrence faltered, carefully stepping back like a wounded animal might in the face of danger. “Another hallucination, of course.”
“Oh brother,“ Adam rolled his eyes dramatically, sighing as he turned back to the table. “I don’t know what to tell you, man. I wish?”
He scoffed, looking away,” Ludicrous.”
“Gotta say it’s kind of flattering.” Adam mused, “You still thinking bout lil ol me after all this time?”
Lawrence laughed wryly. “Of course. I left you for dead, how else to show my penance than for you to always be looking over my shoulder patronizing me.”
“Penance huh? Very catholic.”
“Who else to take my confession but you?” He chuckled, something like a grimace spreading across his face as he looked this specter over. He wasn’t the same; this time. His hair was recently trimmed, neat one might say if not a little askew in his typical fashion. No plain white tee drenched in blood and gore and a permanent grimace of abject horror muddled with pain. He looked- older. “What are you?”
Adam looked to him then, their eyes connecting for but a moment. He looked weary, like the world may collapse upon his shoulders. “I don’t fucking know man, take a wild guess.”
“A-Adam?” Lawrence uttered, voice broken.
“In the flesh,” He laughed,” -literally.”
“How?”
“Got lucky,” Adam rolled his eyes, arms crossed firm against his chest as he leant back against the edge of the table. “-if you could call it that.”
Lawrence let out a little sigh of frustration. Even after all these years, and so little time together Adam still knew how to push every button. “I- don’t understand. The last time I saw you you were-“
“Locked away with a dead man, and my own death knocking on the door? By the way thanks for coming back, really appreciate it.” Adam snarked, though there was little malice in his tone. Oh it was there, dripping in like it had been brewing for an eternity- but only just. It had waned, puttered out in the years since. Maybe once Adam had blamed him, but now he was not so sure.
“I wanted to.” Lawrence blurted out, earnest in a way he had never been before. Not in quite a long time. “I’ve thought of you everyday since.”
“Oh well you thought of me.” Adam laughed flippantly, but more so angrily. It was written in the tensity of his shoulders, in his eyes and the wrinkles in his brow.
“He never told me the location of that godforsaken bathroom, all these years he only disclosed it to me in death.” Lawrence thought back to the video, willing himself to be angry but only finding exhaustion instead. Then it struck him, like a stray bullet into his skull and it made his head ache the same as if it had. “He sent me here. He had one last secret to tell me. It was you- all this time?” His voice broke in-spite of how terribly he wanted it to stay even.
“I knew. For the record.” Adam stated, between long inhales of his cigarette, like it took everything in him to drag the words out.
“Knew what exactly?”
“That you were alive. That he nursed you back to health if you can even call it that. It’s the only thing that’s kept me from running.” That was a revelation all in its self. But one he need not dwell on- not yet.
“You’ve been- working for him as well?”
“Not of my own freedom, thank you very fucking much. I either get locked away again or I work for that sick fuck-“ Adam faltered, sighing, “he gave me a second chance but between you me and John’s ghost that’s probably fucking around haunting the place, this one was probably worse than the last.”
“I see.” Lawrence didn’t, in fact. If anything John had saved his life, saved him from himself and damnation at the behest of his weaknesses. “What will you do now?”
“I dunno.” He admitted, begrudgingly,“Everyone I know thinks I’m dead.”
Lawrence felt a prickle of excitement, though he felt sorry for Adam’s plight. Yes this might just be the start of something great. If only Adam could see reason. “I plan to continue on John’s work. I have my own apprentices that wait for my call, to help others see the weakness inside as they and I did. As you did, Adam. I can see it in your eyes, just as I did that day in the bathroom when we drew close. You wanted to live, you want to have purpose.”
“What in the fuck are you saying right now? That babble bullshit was more John’s thing, doesn’t really suit you.” Adam spat back, though he seemed to draw closer and closer to Lawrence, almost in-spite of himself. Lawrence knew he’d already won him over. He’d known the moment Adam came back into his eyes.
“Join me. Help me rebuild all of this.” He gestured around himself. “You said yourself you have nothing going for you beyond this.”
“What exactly does that do for me, Larry?”
Lawrence smiled, “You’ll be with me, to start. I’ve had this- drive, this insatiable urge to be close to you since that moment we shared. We are bonded together, don’t you feel it?” He closed the gap between them, close enough the he could feel Adam’s quickened and timid breath on his skin. He felt the heat rising, his face flushing red he was sure. It wasn’t a lie, not exactly. He’d rather have Adam close than to have to put him out of his misery once more.
Lawrence had always felt something greater between them, buried beneath the guilt of his own betrayal- always found himself dwelling on that dreadful day they’d spent together. Stinking, wretched, filthy - but John’s vision meant so much more. It was all entrusted to him and him alone now.
“Oh you have an urge huh?” Adam laughed, backing away from him. “What about your wife? And your daughter huh? I’m not some lil floozy you can bat your lashes at and I’ll come running.”
“Out of the picture, unfortunately. Not so much in terms of my wife, but I would like to see my daughter more often. I think you two would love each other.”
“God he really got to you didn’t he?” The disgust in Adam’s voice was almost enough to enrage him- almost.
Instead, Lawrence grabbed Adam by the shoulders, reeling him in close again. He struggled against Lawrence’s grasp, cigarette falling from between his fingers and ash spilling upon the floor from its tip. “He made me see the truth Adam, and soon you will too.” He pressed his lips to Adam’s in a chaste kiss, a temptation of sorts; though he could not deny that he quite liked the way Adam’s stubble tickled against his face. “Help me, Adam, stay with me.”
He watched with satisfaction as Adam nodded mutely, eyes glazed; though Adam shoved him away not seconds later. He pulled another cigarette from his pack, lighting the end with a dingy white lighter that took several attempts to elicit a flame. “If the feds get wind of this I’m not taking the fall with your kookie ass.”
“All will go according to plan, no one is coming for us.” Lawrence smiled slyly, coming to Adam’s side. “I have taken care of everything.”
“I hope you’re right Larry, otherwise we’re gonna be in a world of shit.”