Chapter Twenty-Five Carl fell to the floor as bits of his skull and brain decorated the white walls a deep crimson. Jade's eyes flew around the room to see who's gun was smoking. Alex and Nina whirled around, aiming at Martin; he was still on the floor, gunless. "Drop the guns!"Joan shouted, using Mae as a shield. She had taken the girl's gun. Alex began to laugh gleefully, a deep hearty laugh that Jade used to enjoy hearing. Now it caused her stomach to churn. Of course, that might have been due to the pain she was fighting just to remain upright. "Right. Like I'd donate a drop of spit to save her worthless life! Why don't you drop the gun, then you three can die in peace. Okay? I promise, it'll be quick, like Carl." Joan shook her head,"I have enough bullets and the skill to take out each of you and I won't hesistate to do so." "Try it,"Mark said,"I may not be as accurate as sleeping beauty down there, but I'm a faster draw." Jade was scared. Joan had an itchy trigger finger and she made no attempt to hide the fact. She looked ready to faint, holding Mae by the hair. Jade feared that even if Joan managed to get off a shot, Alex, Nina and Mark would kill the rest of them in the blink of an eye. Jade glanced at Martin, who was slowly coming around. He wouldn't be much help in this state. They all had their attention on Joan, they wouldn't notice if she crept over and took Carl's gun. It's so close, it would be so easy. I'm going for it. No, I can't. I'm a chicken! Jade argued with herself as she noticed that Nina's index finger was getting kind of itchy as well. She stepped over, barely moving, and slowly reached for the gun. It was heavier than she'd figured a rifle would be, but just holding the cold, hard metal in her hand gave her confidence and hope. Maybe she wasn't going to die today. Praying she'd seen enough TV to shoot one of these things, Jade took what she assumed to be aim on Nina. She put a little bit of pressure on the trigger, then more. Then she let go, she couldn't kill anyone and she knew it. She glanced back at Joan and Martin, who'd climbed to his feet. "What happened to Carl?"he asked, rubbing his head, then staring at the blood on his hand. "Joan killed him, she's mean, isn't she? So, why don't you just step over to our side and save your skin?"Alex suggested. Martin shook his head,"Uh, that's okay. I think I'll just stay here." "Suit yourself,"Alex shrugged. He whispered to Mark,"Never was the smart twin, was he?" Mark shook his head, staring at his brother. Suddenly Jade's knee began to tingle. She shook it vigerously. Nina whipped around and let loose a blast, but her aim was hindered by Joan firing a bullet almost simultaniously. Martin managed to shove Jade away, but Nina didn't escape the shot. The blast caught her at a bad angle and the bullet tore through her body, nearly ripping her in abdominum in half and Jade was sure that the bloody mess that stained the floor included several vital organs. Martin helped Jade to her feet gingerly, as she whimpered. He surveyed the scene; two dead comrades, two living comrades, and five angry people with guns. Alex was sweating. He hoped his mother would hurry, he was certain that she'd know how to handle the situation. He'd never been in one like this, not in the slightest. He knew that his mother had only truly cared about the deaths of Kate and Mack, anyone else was secondary. But Alex cared. He'd been raised on the philosophy that anoyone associated with Mack and Katherine Mackenna was evil and deserved death. He wanted them all dead because his mother had told him, since the womb, they had to die. The only problem he could foresee with becoming a ruthless killer was the fact that blood made him queasy. Alex had never actually seen a dead body, especially not one with its head in tiny pieces or it's stomach blown in half. In fact, he'd only fired a gun once in his life and then it had been to kill a deadly, monstrous soda can on his uncle's firing range. Mark, on the otherhand, was perversely excited. He was in his element. So what if his girlfriend laying in two pieces only ten feet away? He was still standing. Killing Jade or Joan would pose no threat of guilt to him, but he wasn't exactly sure that he could outright kill Martin, it was like looking into a mirror and firing. No one fired as they faced off, Martin picked up Nina's weapon, his brother's gun flocking his every move. Joan was fading, one of her wounds was bleeding again and she was one big mess of agony. Mae was fidgeting, certain that someone would shoot her in a matter of seconds. "Why haven't you opened fire, Joanie?" "I want to know why my sister was killed." "She OD's on nasty stuff,"Alex said,"Everyone read about the horrible secret of the prominent Treece family. It was almost as funny as when their daughter became a cop." "You didn't kill her?" "Naomi, actually. It was hard for her though, she liked Julia. She was sweet kid, but strung out, undisplined, couldn't turn the gun on her own family so Mother turned the poison to herself." "You're the lowest, filthiest-" "Now listen Joan, I don't have time for these little games. Let me shoot you all and get to my party on time." "Where is Cortez?"Jade demanded. "I'm sure he's broken away from the little holding pen by now, doesn't really matter, he's unimportant. No biggie." They were getting nowhere. It was a stalemate. Alex and Mark were out gunned but the others didn't want to risk each other to be the first to fire. Joan edged her way to Jade and Martin, who stood close together, as if leaning on each other to draw strength. "Shoot them dammit, get it over with!"Joan hissed. Martin approached Mark, both had their weapons leveled on each other, their gazes like icicles boring holes into the other's eyes. The circled each other slowly. Joan and Jade watched in awe, and Alex lowered his gun, enthralled. Mark lashed out with his left arm, knocking away Martin's rifle. But Martin grabbed Mark's right arm and clung to it. "Let go of me Martin,"Mark growled, trying to loosen his brother's vicelike grip. The gun was pointed precariously toward Jade and Joan. "Come on Mark! Get him!"Alex cried, clapping his hands. All of sudden he remembered that he held a revolver and held it on Jade. Martin punched Mark and shoved him to the ground. He dove on top of his twin and knocked the gun away. They rolled across the room, Mark managed to get on top and holding Martin by the ears, rammed his head into the floor. Marint's already bloody face was a bigger mess after Mark butted him in the nose. Mark wrenched his brother his feet and spit in his face. "You were never as good as I was,"Mark said, kneeing his brother between the legs. He and Martin were only feet away from the open balcony. Grabbing Martin by the collar, Mark dragged him toward the balcony and dumped him over the side. Without a thought Jade shot Mark, in the leg, and he crumpled to the blood in agony. His knee was a disgusting pulp. "Hey girl, let's not take this any further,"Alex said waving his gun in the air,"Just be good while I shoot you and-" Joan shot him, in the shoulder and put the gun to Mae's head. He was further away than Carl or Nina had been; her aim was off; she was too tired to get off a good shot; no matter the excuse, the wound was little more than a nick. Alex fell to the ground, shrieking like a stuck pig. "Holy Mother of God! You shot me!"He screamed, squirming on the ground, feeling around for his gun. Jade took the opportunity to limp as quickly as she could out of the attic to call the cops. "Shut up,"she mocked his important tone,"Alexander Claiborne, or I'll shoot you again." "Your sister, right?" "Why did she die?" "She got in my way. No, actually, she didn't die that nobly. After I finished the the Mackennas,"he was sweating much worse than before. His voice was weak and squeaky, and his famous yellow-hued skin was so white it was almost transparent,"I was supposed to work on the Treeces. Naomi just gor bored with pushing drugs, Julia was the only customer left and so she killed her. A little kick to her poison, nothing much. That's it okay? Heck, it doesn't matter any more. You're going to kill me or I'm going to kill you." He paused, looking spitefully at the blood on his shirt. "So, Mae? Thinking that this is all your fault or what? Because it is you stupid cow!" Mae moaned, still crying. She knew she was the cause of the bloody mess surrounding her. Joan's iron grip on her hair hurt and the warm barrel of her own gun wasn't a comfortable feeling against her templt. Joan felt the last of her strength ebbing away. She released Mae and dropped to her knees. Mae grabbed her gun. "Go ahead, kill me, but Jade's gotten away. She knows everything. You'll get it eventually." Joan leaned against the wall, sitting peacefully on the floor. Mae looked down at her lover, Carl. Ugly Carl who didn't care when she was looking fat or having a bad hair. Ugly Carl who'd made her feel like a person and given her two things that nothing and no one had ever given her. Love and dignity. Now he was laying in a heap on the floor. Mae turned the gun to herself and pulled the trigger. Joan had to look away, the mess was awful, but when the body hit the ground, Joan was sure she'd seen a smile cross Mae's dead lips. "So Joanie. Looks like its just you and me. And what do you see? I'm the only one with a gun. But that's okay, I'm bleeding to death and you're in agony. How about this? I'll shoot you and then attend your funeral and pretend to be sorry?" "You are a complete idiot. Jade has certainly called the police by now. This room is filled with evidence that you're not only a killer, but you're a stupid one." "Well Joan, you might be right. But you'll be dead and I'll be living high somewhere in Mexico,"he smiled,"Since I've only fired a gun once in my life, I'll probably miss when I go to shoot you. But that's okay because I have a full clip, each bullet hoping it will get to be the one that kills you." Joan shook her head. Alex pulled himself to his feet with his good arm, holding the gun with his ruined arm. He traded hands and sighed. "I wish I were left handed, this would be much easier. Oh well, goodnight Joanie." She spread her arms and bowed her head. He pulled the trigger. Joan jumped, the bullet missed her, splintering the wall behind her. He laughed, shrugged, and tried again. He missed, but tried again. Chapter Twenty-Six "Jade? Is that you, still alive?" Jade dropped the phone and turned around. Marsha was standing in the hall, looking completely innocuous. "Yeah." "You look like doggie droppings, dear. I hope you've hired a good corpse painter, you'll need a lot of pain to look good at your burial. What do you prefer, white or pink roses?" Jade waved her rifle at Marsha,"I was thinking that you'd look nice surrounded by sea weed at the bottom of Lake Washington." "Aren't you a clever girl?"Marsha laughed. She stared to speak, but a shot fired above them stopped her. "Looks like someone else will be needing flowers." Marsha looked thoughtful,"Hmm, I wonder who that was. Tell me, darling, who was left when you managed to get away?" "Alex, Joan, and Mae." "Mark and Martin gone? Well, that hardly seems likely. Who killed whom, Jade? Won't you share the memory with your mother's dearest friend?"She pulled a tiny pearled handeled pistol out of her small handbag,"Mark killed Martin, I'm quite sure of that. But how did Carl, Mark and Nina die?" Jade began to put pressure on the trigger,"Barbara, may I call you Barbara? Barbara, why did you think you could get away with a mess like this? How stupid does one have to be to try and pull off a scheme like this?" "I may have lost my protéges, but I'll find new ones. If I still need them. Rog-, I mean, Keith may have lost faith in my cause, but I won't give up. And I won't-" Two more shots fired in quick succession. "Boy, someone else is dead. Maybe it was Alex. I hope it was Alex." "Shut up! You impertinant little girl! If anything has happened to my son I will-"She stopped, giving a little twittered laugh,"Nevermind, I've killed or forever scarred everyone you hold dear. Anyway, Farewell Jade Mackenna, I'll see you on the dark side,"she twittered again,"Oh, I've waited all my life to say to a Mackenna." She moved closer, aiming directly between Jade's eyes. It was then Jade noticed that she was wearing spotless white gloves. Marsha/Barbara smiled sweetly. Suddenly there was a gunshot and Barbara/Marsha's eyes bulged obscnenly, she fell atop Jade. Standing in the doorway, was Joan. Epilogue What a sorry looking group they were. Jade in a wheel chair, with Maria pushing her across the soft, damp grass; Joan was depending on crutches, and Martin was leaning heavily on Cortez. In the past three days they had sat through the funerals for Alex, Keith, and Barbara Claiborne. Not one of the shed a tear. None of them had attended the services of Nina Smith, Carl Wordsworth, or Naomi and Mae Henderson. But for Mark, Martin cried. Though there had been no funeral, he said that no matter how many times his brother threw him off a balcony, he'd still love him. They were leaving the cemetary when Irma Brooks and Karen Galloway, approached them. "I'm so sorry,"Karen wept,"You were right, they just ran off together. They called up this morning, they went to Vegas and eloped. I'm sorry for what I said. Helen Brooks? God, I always thought you were more likely to be Mrs. Brooks." "They're all right?"Jade began to cry. Both of the women, leaned down and hugged her. "Are you okay? I've heard some awful rumors about what happened in your house,"Irma said,"Maybe you ought to stay away from that cursed place." Jade smiled,"I couldn't if I wanted to, it's my home." They said their good-byes and headed to the cars. Maria and Cortez were planning to stay with Jade for awhile, until she was completely healed. Maria was fine, a few bruises and a headache had only kept her in hospital for a few hours. Delores on the other hand, was still there, she'd had a third breakdown having heard about what the papers had dubbed, the "Mackenna Mansion Massacre". "Meeting Mike tonight, Joan?"Jade asked, as they sat in the backseat. "Sweet Mike,"Joan sighed, it was almost a chuckle,"I told him not to come tonight and he told me that if I wasn't ready to consummate our relationship on our first date, he didn't mind." Jade laughed, but the desperately forlorn lok on Martin's face made it impossible to keep a light-hearted feeling. "I love you,"she said. He fallen four stories into a pool, the worst of his injuries occured when he slipped on the wet concrete as she climbed out of the pool. "You too Jade,"he said smiling. Mike was waiting in front of Jade's house when they arrived. "Hey Mike. Early?" "Yeah,"he grinned,"I've got the keys to our first office." "I've got the check for the six months' rent,"she smiled, hugging him,"Gonna carry me across the threshold later?" "Only if you'll-"she cut him off with a kiss. "Joan,"Jade began,"I'm sorry I dragged you into this." "Don't be, if it weren't for you I wouldn't have a Private Dick." Mike grinned,"What makes you think you do?" They laughed. Maria and Cortez hadn't returned from the cemetary yet, and Joan left with Mike. Jade and Martin made their way into the house, smelling of the strong cleaning products the entire house had been scoured with. Martin excused himself to go to the bathroom. Jade sat in the living room, relaxing to her favorite Bryan White CD. After he'd been in the bathroom for five songs, she wheeled herself closer to the door. "Martin, are you okay?" He emerged, a weird smiled on his face. Jade noticed that he wasn't using the walker. She also noticed the huge bandage around his thigh and knee. "Martin?" It was impossible. But Mark's dead! I shot him! I killed him, didn't I? "Guess again, sweet thang?" The (Unsatisfying) End!