It’s only after you switched it off that I miraculously came alive and left.”
“What the fuck, Cherry?” He brakes abruptly before swerving to the side of the road and stopping.
“Seems like he’s not the only brother trying to kill me. Look, I don’t have time to fill you in on everything, but here is what you do need to know. At the planetarium on Saturday, Zodiac is going to be responsible for multiple murders. My men and I will be in place to take him down. If you want all the evidence to finally prove his guilt, you’ll find it up at his ranch. Estelle was very helpful.”
“Jesus fuck, Viddy, he will kill you!”
“I’m already dead, Jude. Now stay away from Kai, and please stay the fuck away from the apartment. You are the only thing left Kai cares about, and Zodiac will take you out to hurt him.
“I saw the footage from the shoot-out at your place,” he says softly.
“Yeah, so did Kai. He now knows the truth about his father. Imagine what it’s going to do to him to find out his brother is a cop who used him. Just, please, for the love of God, stay away from him, at least until after Saturday. And keep your head down. Zodiac has a hit out on you, after all.”
I open the back door and climb out, but before I can close it, he calls my name.
“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry about everything.”
“Yeah, me too, Jude, but it doesn’t change a damn thing now, does it?”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
I walked into the planetarium under a shroud of a black starless sky. It’s like the heavens already know there will be bloodshed tonight.
Wearing all black, I wait in the shadows for the players to arrive. Once all the pawns are in place, it will be time for the queen to make her move.
The division heads are looking around confused as each of them has a robed and hooded person sitting on a chair in front of them. None of them say anything because they know better than to question Zodiac, but I can feel the tension in the air even from back here. There is nothing distinguishable about the people in baggy shapeless robes, and with them seated, it’s even impossible to tell if they are male or female. The only thing that sets one apart from the other is an emblem stitched into the breast pocket showing the corresponding star sign for the division head behind them.
None of the robed figures struggle or try to break free, which I’m sure is adding to the confusion. If they were here against their will, they would fight, right? Yeah, not with the potent cocktail of drugs running through their systems. I’d be surprised if any of them could stay upright without the ropes strapping them to the chairs, keeping them in place.
The only things out of place are the empty space where Kai’s hooded person would sit and the space where I should be standing. Sure, there is a robed and hooded person sitting in the empty spot where I should be, apparently sacrificing me isn’t enough. Zodiac wants to make an example out of me. Not that it matters. I planned for this too.
“Let’s begin,” Zodiac starts, climbing to his feet. I watch from behind him as he walks down the empty floor space, surrounded by the division heads.
“I know you all thought you’d be gathered here today to welcome a new Cancer, but it has come to my attention that there is dissension in our ranks. Some of you have been getting too big for your boots and need reminding what will happen if you cross me,” he says, his voice filled with glee.
“And so this will serve as your reminder.”
He pulls his gun from his jacket and makes his way around the circle, firing one shot into the head of each hooded figure until he casually stops and reloads the gun before continuing.
Jesus. I thought he would make this some kind of initiation test, but Zodiac has completely gone off the deep end.
He stops when he has only one hooded person left upright.
Gemini’s sacrificial offering.
Kai stands frozen as a statue, his hands clenched so tight I can see the white of his knuckles from here.
“Ah, Kai, you are perhaps my favorite son.” The voices whisper around the room before Zodiac screams at them, “Silence!”
“Your mother sure was a pretty little thing, but she had a defiance in her that