1

“I should just rid myself of all this and kill you both.” Campbell pulled the mini tool out of his shoulder, tossing it in the direction of the wounded Diaz who stared at him, trying his hardest not to lose consciousness.

He turned his head slightly watching as Campbell dragged Eli’s body closer, before grabbing his gun and pointing it at the unconscious college student. He winced trying to reach forward, slumping because the pain was too much to bear.

“You don’t have to do this. I mean Gia wouldn’t want this. James, she adored you. I saw you as the big brother I never had. Why are you doing this?”

“Don’t talk to me about Gia. Don’t patronize me! I considered being helpful but you scorched her. All of your unluckyness rubbed off on her and she just had to die.” As he boiled with anger he kicked the side of Eli’s body eliciting a reaction from the shot detective. He sat gun pointed at Diaz now, before continuing.

“She was the best of all of us and she had to die. And now you have Elijah here, and you want to play family with him, while your wife and real son haven’t even been in the ground longer than five years. This is on you Diaz.”

“So that’s it? You just kill more until you get your way. Then when Q gets mad, you turn on him and just evade the police forever. Grow up, James.”

Diaz watched Eli before he shifted his attention back to Campbell continuing his speech.

“Gia died. I wasn’t there but I was a good husband. And I will have to live with that that I was late. But you. You’re just jealous because you couldn’t have her. She chose me and you would forever be her brother. Her big brother James Campbell.”

Q silently watched through his video. Surprised at the turn of events. He knew Campbell was unstable but that was the fun of his character. Ever since he was young he knew Campbell had a darkness to him. That’s what made it easy to be his friend, but when Gia came along he softened. I guess that is the cost of loving someone. They become your weakness.

Q turned his attention to Elijah, not sure if he should intervene. He originally wanted to toy with the child but Elijah dying would be a tragedy. So much potential would be lost, and Cambell was too untrustworthy to believe he wouldn’t lay a hand on him. Q smiled. Before getting up from his chair and shutting the door behind him.

2

“I don’t understand G, you got your bag stolen and some cop helped you and now you are going on a date with him?” Campbell took her coat placing it on the rack, leading her to the kitchen.

“I mean he missed breakfast because of me and then we were going to go to a cafe, but he got called into the station. So now I have lunch with him tomorrow. It's not a date.”

Gia began cutting vegetables, turning to the sink to rinse her hands.

“Sure, what’s his name? Maybe I know him?” Campbell sat stealing a carrot off the cutting board.

“His name is Diaz.” Gia scraped the veggies into a pan and sauteed and seasoned them.

“Matthew Diaz? He is such a loner Gia.”

“Well, aren’t we all? I was a loner before I met you and Q is still a loner, wherever he is.”

“Forget Q. Don’t change the subject. I don’t want you with a cop, they drag work home with them. No work-life balance.”

“That’s not fair you are a cop and you seem to do a good job of separating those two. What if you come with me? Then you can judge his character. I wouldn’t be with someone you didn’t approve of anyway.”

Sure, why not? I would just tell Gia he’s the worst and that would be it.

Days later Campbell had training with the same person he was concerned with.

“Hey Diaz, come here.”

“Yes, Sergeant?” Diaz placed his gun down and ran over.

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“I want you to come along with me on a job.”

“Yes Sir.”

“So you saved Campbell. That’s insane.” Gia looked at her brother shocked.

“Yes, he did. He jumped and tackled me down, and I live to tell the tale.”

“It’s no big deal. Saw a truck coming his way and just jumped by instinct. He would have done the same.” Diaz shook his hands, avoiding any praise.

The same? I doubt it. If he was the one in front of the truck, I would have chalked it up to destiny and let the truck deliver its justice.

“Right, well I think Gia has to be getting home now, it's a bit late.” Campbell stood up from his chair and paid the bill.

I would never do the same. He is undeserving.

3

“That’s right. And as her big brother, my only regret was allowing you to get close to her.”

“James. I know you loved Gia. But she chose me. I am sorry that you were asked to be her family instead of her lover but that was her choice. It doesn’t excuse murdering women just to get back at me.”

“Oh, you think I murdered those women just to get back at you. Not entirely. I didn’t murder them. You did.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You killed those women. Each and everyone waited and begged for Diaz to save them. And truly, you were late, as you always are.”

“You can’t do that. I didn’t know where they were.”

“You killed them just like you killed what family I had left so now I will kill what family you have now. I apologize to Elijah’s parents they don’t deserve this, at least not his mother. But such is life.”

“No c’mon Campbell shoot me, you don’t have to kill him, just kill me.”

“No, I’m sorry. If I kill you, you will be happy. I ended your suffering. But you don’t deserve happy. I want you broken with no chance of reversing that pain you will feel. As you see his mother cry, and his friends stricken with grief, knowing that it could have been avoided if you got out of the way.

So say goodbye.”

Campbell pointed the gun at Eli’s temple, ready to pull the trigger as Diaz pleaded, begging him not to continue. He smirked and placed his hand on the cold steel of the trigger.

Bang.

Blood spilled and Diaz cringed at the sound head hanging low, before getting the courage to look up slowly. What he saw surprised him. Campbell stared him in the eye, before his body slumped over, multiple gunshot wounds piercing through his back. Diaz looked up to see Q wiping his gun, walking towards Elijah before kicking Campbell’s body off of the young man.

“Sorry for the mess, but I keep telling Campbell that I don’t like to share. Elijah is special and I will tell you why.”

Mr. Q lifted his mask, shocking Diaz. He couldn’t believe the man in front of him was someone so close yet far away.

“Shh. Don’t spoil the fun. Or you, just like your brother and your wife will be dead. I mean it detective.”

“Why would you show me this? I don’t understand.”

“This is a game of color Detective. One that ends with everyone bleeding.” Q sat on a chair staring at the blood pooling closer to his shoes. “My identity was never hidden, it was just unimportant until now.”

Diaz took a deep breath. “Why do you think I will listen to you?”

“Because I have something very dear you want. Gia was dead. There was no bringing her back, unfortunately. But Rain comes and goes.

Since the day I was there and saw as your wife held onto her last breath fighting for your arrival, I knew you were unfit to be a father. So I took him.”

“What do you mean?” Tears pricked Diaz’s eyes. Hoping what Q was insinuating was true.

“My word, you’re dim. But I am feeling generous today. I mean it is the least I can do for killing your brother here. Ex-brother-in-law I mean.”

Q looked back at Eli. Then back at Diaz, smiling.

“Rain is alive. And well. Such a sweet little boy. On the day he was born, I simply switched him out with one of the dead ones.”

Q got up. Walking near the entrance. Pausing before exiting the door.

“If you don’t keep your word. I will cause drought upon the land. If you get what I am saying. Tell Eli any of this and you are dead, along with your soon-to-be four-year-old.”

He pushed the door open, walking out.

“Oh,” Sticking his head back in. “Here’s a parting gift.” He slid a letter on the ground, it landing on the pile of blood in the middle of the room.

“To color!”

Wisdom, let the games begin.