1

“Diaz, my friend, you are late. Thank you for joining us, even if you don’t seem to value time like we do.

Eli here, was very close to being at my beck and call. Pity. Maybe next time.” Q’s voice rang from an intercom, voice echoing off the walls.

“Eli, just sit still,” Diaz spoke to the young man, knife still clenching at his throat while the detective pointed his gun at the masked figure. “I don't know who you are but you don't have to do this. He is a good kid he doesn't deserve to be frightened like this we can talk like men. Look I'll even put my weapon down.” Diaz began lowering his weapon, while the man in the mask spoke.

“There's no need. I have him and you right where I want you. Now I advise you to sit, for what you will find will haunt you like it haunts me.”

Eli knew he should tell Diaz that it was Campbell under the mask, but he also knew that a knife at his neck was dangerous. It was an excruciating way to die indeed, so he decided to keep quiet and watch as the events in front of him unfolded.

What should I do? It feels like whatever decision I make calls for me to speak up or stay quiet. As if I have all the information in the world and I'm still useless because of this knife against my neck.

“Okay, I'll sit.” Diaz grabbed a chair, dusting it off. He eyed the exits and the various intercoms around him while dragging it in front of Elijah. Wondering how much time he had before the rest of his backup would come. Cautious not to think of what could have happened to Campbell. Q having a sidekick was a shock, nonetheless, he turned his attention and stared straight at Eli's eyes not giving the Masked Man satisfaction.

Looking at the knife in the Man’s hand, he noticed something. An engraved G and D on the blade. ‘It couldn’t be,’ he thought. There was only one of its kind in the entire world.

2

“You’ll need it when I am not around okay?” Campbell said giving Gia her wedding gift.

“A gift, thank you so much!” Gia tore the wrapping paper and opened it carefully. Inside laid a knife with gold specs within the blade, subtle writing as well, and engraving with her new initials.

“I love it, thank you, Campbell.”

“Nice blade Campbell, but I will always protect her. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of the family.” Diaz smiled holding the hand of his new wife.

Campbell stared at the couple’s hands, recalling the day he first met her.

Campbell noticed Diaz’s stares. “Pretty right? I got it from a very dear person of mine. Sadly they aren’t around anymore. I hope you remember them. Do you remember Gia, Matthew?”

Gia was the first to call him that. Campbell. He saw her at the orphanage when they were little kids. She was new, and as children do they began teasing her. He couldn’t allow her to be mistreated, she looked so scared.

“I think I should help her. C’mon Q she looks scared.”

“If you help her then she will always ask you for stuff,” Q muttered turning back to his toys uninterested in the struggles of his peers.

“That’s okay, I always wanted a little sister to take care of.” Young Campbell ran in her direction, shooing the other children away.

“Hi, I am James. James Campbell. My mom said it was after Bond, the superspy. That was before she died.” He held his hand out to help her up.

“Hi, I am Gia. I don’t have a last name. I guess my parents forgot.” She stood up and dusted off her dress.

“Well then Gia you can be a Campbell.” He walked her over to his table where Q played. “This is my friend Q. He is a bit weird.”

“His name is Q? Like the letter?” She questioned.

“That’s my middle name. I was named after my father. But he isn’t around anymore. My mom too.” Q never looked in their direction still playing with his undivided attention.

“She would have liked you, Gia. Your color is so clean. Like snow.”

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Gia giggled, sitting down. “What is your color Q?”

Campbell’s smile fell. “He doesn’t have one. At least that’s what he told me.”

“Oh. Well, what about Campbell? What’s his color?”

“His color is black. Very scary”. Q finally turned his face, staring at her in the eyes.

“It is very dark inside him. I feel bad for him.”

Gia shivered. “Hey man don’t scare her, he is just kidding.”

“Yeah, I am just kidding. It’s not scary at all. Not to me.”

Q felt a little bad and passed the new girl a toy. “Here.”

“Thank you,” she smiled widely, holding on to the plush elephant. “I love elephants. Gray is a pretty color.”

“I think so too, gray is cool.” Chimed Campbell grabbing more toys from the table.

“Well, I think it’s ugly. So gray.” Q whined, unhappy.

Very gray indeed.

3

“How do you know about Gia? Who are you?” Diaz was confused. How could this killer have so much knowledge of him? How did he even get that knife? It was locked up in a box within his closet. Along with everything else of his wife’s, because he couldn’t bear to throw them away.

That means this person got into his house, without sounding or tripping the alarms and cameras. There was only one person who could have access to that. One person currently missing. Or was he? Could he be the masked figure in front of him? No. Maybe.

Eli could see the gears turning in Diaz’s mind. He wanted to just tell him what he thought was true. Taking a chance he cleared his throat.

“Hey. Since I am not the real reason for all of this. Just a decoy to get the detective here. Can I get a call? You can watch me. I just need to tell my mom I am okay.”

“You think I would fall for that. You keep pushing your luck and you’ll end up like that woman at the cab company.”

“Okay well, can you at least call her? It’s not like you haven’t met her. Remember the dinner? You loved her mac and cheese, right?” Eli hoped Diaz could catch with such little information.

Diaz had a face of sadness. He caught onto what Eli suggested and he knew this couldn’t end well. What even was Campbell’s motive for this? How could he get out of this situation before Eli got hurt? Where was Q? So many questions.

“I don’t understand. You invite me in and hold a knife to Eli’s neck? You didn’t even tie me up. Aren’t you a bit worried that I would do something, or call backup for help? I mean I still have my walkie on me.”

Campbell turned taking the blade off Elijah’s neck.

Whew. I thought I was a goner Wis.

He sauntered to the table and grabbed a bunch of rope, looking forward at Diaz the entire time. Walking towards the Detective he knelt and began tying him up. As he continued to knot the rope around his wrists, Eli was steadily untying his restraints.

Noticing Campbell was distracted he mouthed to Diaz his plan. Diaz nodded and coughed before speaking.

“So what is your plan? I mean you tie us up. Possibly kill me after a long monologue, then kill Eli?”

“Yes, precisely.”

“That’s foolish. Doesn’t Q want Eli, why jeopardize your deals with Q by taking out Eli?”

“Because Q is blinded by curiosity. I have shared before, and it ended in a loved one dying. I would be stupid to not kill him and end up dying instead.”

Don’t I get a say?

Eli slowly reached into his pocket, holding onto another piece of his lock-picking kit, waiting until Diaz signaled him to go.

“Is that because of Gia? She would not want you to go down this path.”

Campbell hesitated, then continued tying. “She is no longer here to judge me. I am too far gone to consider my actions now. Don’t try to get under my skin, between the two of us, I think you have more skeletons in your closet. Like this knife.”

Diaz was ready to signal Eli, just as Q’s voice echoed into the intercom.

“Diaz and Elijah, you two are sneaky. But not as sneaky as our masked fellow. Why don’t we see what’s under that mask?”

Campbel stood up, unmasking himself, as Diaz yelled ‘Go’ to Elijah, who stood up and kicked Diaz’s chair back, breaking it, before running and upturning a table and crouching behind it.

Diaz loosened himself from the ropes and leaped on Campbell, tackling him in the process.

They both fought tooth and nail, reaching for the gun on the ground. Eli spotted the exit and ran towards the door, inches away from freedom, before a loud ring filled the air.

Bang.

As Eli turned around he saw a pool of blood and Diaz holding his rib. He could just run away. Get the police and crack this whole case wide open. But then Diaz would die, and that was something he couldn’t accept.

So he ran towards the back of Campbell stabbing his shoulder with the lock tool, before he got backhanded and knocked to the ground. As he tried to get up, holding onto the side of his head, Campbell took the pistol and whipped it on the side of his face, knocking him out.