A throbbing pain pulsed through Lucas's skull as he slowly regained consciousness. The room around him was dimly lit, his senses dulled by whatever drug Sheriff Ben had injected into his system. He tried to move, but his wrists were bound tightly to the arms of a chair. His legs, too, were secured to its legs.
Panic clawed at his chest as he blinked, trying to focus. A single overhead bulb flickered, casting eerie shadows along the damp concrete walls. A basement.
A heavy silence hung in the air as Lucas sat restrained, his wrists bound tightly to the arms of an old wooden chair. His head throbbed from the drug Ben had used to knock him out, and the dimly lit basement reeked of damp concrete and dust.
Sheriff Ben stood a few feet away, his expression eerily calm.
"Glad to see you're awake, Detective."
Lucas took a slow breath, keeping his expression neutral despite the anger simmering beneath the surface. "This is a hell of a way to have a conversation, Ben."
Ben let out a quiet chuckle. "You left me no choice. You keep digging where you shouldn't."
Lucas tested the restraints around his wrists, his muscles tense. "So, what now? You kill me like you did the others?"
Ben sighed, stepping closer. "You make it sound so simple, like I wanted any of this." He leaned down, his voice lowering. "But the truth is, they made their choice. Just like Rachel did."
Rachel.
Lucas narrowed his eyes. "Your fiance, Rachel?"
Ben's expression flickered, and for the first time, the mask slipped. He turned away, dragging a hand down his face, exhaling heavily.
The name lingered in the air, heavy with unspoken grief.
Lucas stayed silent, sensing Ben wasn't finished.
Ben continued, his voice distant, as if speaking from a place far removed from the present. "I was supposed to marry her. We had it all plannedâthe wedding, the house, everything. She was my world."
Lucas watched as Ben clenched his fists at his sides.
"But then... she ended it. Just like that." His voice tightened. "No note. No warning. Just... gone."
The weight of those words settled between them.
Ben's eyes darkened, his jaw clenching. "And you know what the worst part was? I never knew why. She was fine one day, and the next..." He trailed off, shaking his head.
Lucas studied him carefully. "And you think the Brotherhood had something to do with it?"
Ben let out a bitter laugh. "Yes, the Brotherhood and" He turned to face Lucas fully. "The town."
Lucas frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Ben paced the small room, the flickering overhead bulb casting his shadow in jagged movements across the walls. "Ashwood is built on secrets. Rachel was just another casualty of a town that eats people alive."
Lucas didn't reply immediately. He knew grief when he saw itâknew how it could twist a person, turn them into something they never intended to be.
But this wasn't just about Rachel.
"You say the town is to blame," Lucas said slowly. "But you're the one who killed them, aren't you?"
Ben exhaled sharply. "They were already dead the moment they turned their backs on what they were sworn into."
Lucas's stomach twisted.
Ben stepped closer, lowering his voice. "They betrayed the Brotherhood, and betrayal has consequences."
"Emily Hayes wasn't part of the Brotherhood," Lucas shot back.
Ben hesitated. Just for a second.
Then, he forced a smirk. "Emily was collateral damage."
Lucas clenched his fists. "She was fifteen, Ben."
Ben's expression hardened. "She was asking questions she shouldn't have been asking."
Lucas's mind raced. Emily had died and after that, the Brotherhood started falling apart.
This wasn't just about some secret society.
This was a cover-up.
"And what about Matthew Hayes?" Lucas pushed. "He ran, didn't he? Because he knew what really happened to his sister."
Ben's face darkened. "Matthew is a coward. He should've died with the rest of them."
Lucas swallowed. "But he didn't. He's still out there."
Ben's fingers curled into fists.
Lucas pressed further. "You were supposed to kill him too, weren't you? But you failed."
Ben slammed his fist against the table, making the overhead light flicker. "Matthew Hayes is as good as dead. And I am going for Emma next. Her father betrayed us too and then he got what he deserved. You got the pendant I took from her mother after killing her?"
Lucas barely had time to process those words beforeâ
CRACK.
The door behind Ben burst open.
A gunshot rang out, the bullet embedding itself into the wooden table beside Lucas.
Emma.
She stood in the doorway, gun raised, her hands shaking but her eyes filled with fire. "Let him go."
Ben smirked. "Emma, this isn't your fight. Let me kill him and I will let you join him after."
Her grip on the gun tightened. "Untie him. Now."
Ben chuckled. "You won't shoot me."
Emma didn't waver. "Try me."
Lucas used the distraction to yank at his restraints, his wrists burning as he worked himself free.
Ben must have realized too late.
Lucas lunged.
A brutal struggle eruptedâfists flying, bodies slamming into furniture. Ben was strong, but Lucas had something more. Determination. Anger. Justice.
Emma fired another shot, this time grazing Ben's arm. He howled in pain, staggering back.
Lucas took the opening. He grabbed a nearby chair and swung it hard. The impact sent Ben crashing to the ground.
Panting, Lucas stood over him. Blood trickled from Ben's mouth as he coughed, glaring up at them.
Emma exhaled shakily, lowering the gun.
Lucas turned to her. "Are you okay?"
She nodded. "We need to get out of here. I followed you here."
Lucas grabbed the folder Ben had tossed earlier, shoving it under his arm. They needed proof. Evidence.
Ben groaned, trying to sit up. Lucas pressed a boot against his chest, keeping him down. "It's over, Ben."
Ben chuckled weakly. "You really think this is over?"
Lucas's jaw tightened.
Ben wasn't afraid.
He wasn't even concerned.
He was amused.
Ben smirked. "This town isn't finished with you yet, Detective."
Lucas clenched his fists. "We'll see about that."
The distant sound of sirens filled the air.
As Emma and Lucas stepped outside into the cold Ashwood night, Lucas couldn't shake the feeling that Ben was right.
This wasn't the end.
Not yet.