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Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. / Romans 5:7-8
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The human psyche is a fascinating work of art.
At least Craig has always thought so.
He discovered his love for the inner workings of people’s minds somewhere between PhD number one and two, so he went for his third in psychology.
How he ended up working as a special agent for the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, he wasn’t really sure. Dumb luck-maybe-or simply a case of being in the right place at the right time.
Stan Marsh seemed to take a liking to him, which probably led to this job considering he’s the unit chief of the BAU.
“You have an IQ of 187, Tucker.”
“How did you find that out?”
“It isn’t difficult to find information out on people of special interest.”
“Special interest, huh?”
Stan smiled over his cup of coffee.
“Don’t flatter yourself.”
He’s been with the BAU for ten wonderful years now. Sure, he’s seen some…horrible things out on the field, but this allows Craig to observe the human psyche in a way he never would have imagined.
Considering now, as they stare down the barrel of possibly one of the most interesting unknown subjects-or unsubs- Craig has seen in his line of work.
“He knew how to do a lot of damage to people very quickly.” Wendy grimaced, looking at the images of the poor victims.
“We believe there is more than one unsub. At least two. The oddest part-besides the posting of the killing-is there was a 911 call made right before Mr. Cook was killed. I managed to snag a copy of the call after making a few phone calls.”
He spoke as elegantly as ever, at least to Craig. Tweek was really good at capturing his attention.
“911 what’s your emergency?”
“There’s going to be a killing.”
“I’m-I’m sorry. Did you say there’s going to be-?”
“What the fuck did you do, boy?!”
“I’m-I’m sorry!”
“Give me that damn phone! They have too many things. Too much. Sinners, they are, sinners! Luke 12:15- Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist of the abundance of his possessions’. They have sinned, and now Gabriel must kill them. He’s been sent by God. God sent His messenger to collect the souls of the sinners!”
“Sir-Sir, where-?!”
“5498 Walnut Street. Gabriel starts now.”
Tweek hit pause on the remote, turning on his heel with pursed lips as he dragged his index finger across his neck.
“We’ve seen what happened next.”
“Do we know what the police response time was?” Token asked, leaning back in his chair as he flipped through the case file as it made its way around the table.
“We were told about four and a half minutes.” Stan chimed in, pacing his usual route around the room during every case briefing. Craig clicked his tongue as he heard the time.
“Four and a half minutes is about the usual response time of the NYPD and they have more cops per capita than they do in Georgia. Kudos to them for that.” He muttered, eyes dancing between the screen and Tweek. God Tweek.
They started in the BAU around the same time, Tweek joining about four months after Craig. They became fast friends, then quickly dove into the murky waters of fooling around after a long day.
But they couldn’t risk their professionalism at work. They had a job to do, lives to save, and if that meant putting their personal life on hold, then so be it.
The spark was still there, even after all this time.
In fact, Craig thinks it’s just gotten bigger and bigger over the years. Turned into something that was out of both of their control.
It was only a matter of time before one of them made another move. Craig has tried on…multiple occasions, but Tweek always takes his face in his hands and says, ‘You know what’s at risk, Craig’ and boy, Craig sure does.
“The unsubs worked fast, as indicated by the fact there was almost no sign of them at the scene of the crime by the time the police arrived,” Stan’s voice interrupted Craig’s thoughts, blue eyes moving to look at his boss. “Used a weapon that looks as if it’s main purpose is for animal slaughter.”
Something caught Craig’s eye in the image.
“Their ears.”
“What about them?” Wendy asked as she zoomed in on the image.
“That marking is often used to mark a kill of some sort. Like a farm animal meant for slaughter or even hunters use sometimes. The unsubs probably have or had a farm or they’re hunters. It-it also seems as if their wrists to their elbows were sliced and their inner thighs were as well. Indicates to me that this person has the basic knowledge of how to slaughter animals since all those locations are where major arteries are located. Allows the victims to bleed out quickly.”
Token tossed the file on the table, hands resting on the back of his head.
“So…farmers. That narrows down the unsubs to the entire population of rural Georgia.”
“How many farms are there in Georgia?” It was Kyle now-the quiet big boss that spoke up to ask the important questions.
“There are nine point nine million acres of land devoted to farming with an average farm size of two hundred and thirty-five acres.” Craig said without looking up from the notebook he was scribbling into.
“There’s no way that’s-”
“He’s right.” Kyle cut Wendy off as he tossed his phone on the table for her to look at, the woman scoffing in surprise as she saw the Google search results.
“Of course he fucking is.” Wendy laughed in astonishment. Working with Craig Tucker is nothing short of amazing. The man’s brain works in ways she didn’t even know the human brain could work. He’s a literal genius and it’s incredible how effortlessly he can spit out facts.
“Well, the killing took place in Atlanta, so that should lessen the search quite a bit.” Tweek chimed in, shooting a small smile towards Craig.
“Well,” Kyle leaned against the table, scratching at his chin as he thought. “We gotta get to Atlanta then, now don’t we?”
It wasn’t a pretty sight.
The once pristine white carpet was soaked with blood, Token tsking quietly as his eyes scanned the room.
“Something about blood on a crisp white carpet like this…doesn’t sit right with me.” He commented, Stan humming next to him.
“I agree. Always unsettling.”
“Probably something about my mom always yelling at me about fingerprints on the white couch we had.”
“My mom used to yell at me for even thinking about bringing any kind of drink towards her white rug,” Kyle added, sending a tight-lipped smile their way. “Even water.”
All three of them looked up as the chief of police wandered in, sighing heavily as he stood between Stan and Kyle with a piece of evidence in his hands.
“I feel horrible we couldn’t get here faster. First man on the scene found this page from the Bible though with a highlighted passage.”
“Don’t be sorry,” Stan said as he knelt down to inspect the direction of the blood splatter. “Your response time was similar to that of the NYPD. Consider it impressive, chief, especially since you have less men per capita than they do.” Sure, he was reciting the words of his employee, but the man’s a genius. He trusts everything Tucker says.
“We couldn’t get any fingerprints. The suspect that did the killing must’ve been wearing some sort of gloves, like latex.”
“Not quite. Latex is thin, so the chances of it leaving prints are a little higher,” Token explained, finally connecting the pieces in his brain. “Unsub one entered the room here, presumably when Mr. Cook’s back was turned. Mrs. Cook was more than likely in the bathroom, which was perfect, because he could take out his biggest threat in the room, which was Mr. Cook. From there,” Token’s eyes darted to the bathroom door, legs moving towards it. “Mrs. Cook emerged, watching her husband get murdered, before screaming. We heard her scream over the 911 call as well, which is another indicator she was murdered second. Unsub comes at her,” He tugged the bathroom door towards them from its opened position, pointing out the bloodied handprint on the white door. “To which she tries to shut the unsub out, with no success. Which is why there is all the blood in the bathroom since this was where the unsub overpowered her. There are no prints because he didn’t have to use much force to push the door open, and also because he was wearing some sort of gloves like you mentioned.”
Kyle and Stan looked at one another, smirking at the chief’s flabbergasted expression.
“You-you got all that from…what?”
“Direction of the blood splatters and the fact I’ve been doing this a very long time,” A cell phone rang, interrupting the intensity of the room. Token put a hand over his pocket, mumbling as he realized it was his. “Excuse me,” He held the phone up to his ear, grin on his face as he knew immediately who it was. “Surprised I haven’t talked to you sooner, Stevens.”
“You know I can’t resist talking to you,” Bebe was their resident technical analyst and flirt, making her incredibly special to everyone in the unit. She was smart, beautiful, and overall just a really great friend. “Besides…I got some intel you’re gonna wanna here.”
“And that is?”
“Is there a little brown vanity behind you right now?”
Token blinked, turning slowly and-sure enough-looking at a little brown vanity.
“…How did you know?”
“…Our unsubs just posted their murder online.”
His stomach dropped.
“What do you mean?”
“It’s viral. It’s all anyone is talking about right now, but the sick part is, no one believes it’s an actual murder. They think it’s some advertisement for a horror movie or something.”
“What’s the angle look like in the video?”
“Well, if you walk into the room, it’s coming from the leftmost corner near the front of the room it seems. I can see the door, the bed, the vanity, but not the bathroom door.”
Token’s eyes scanned the room for anything that looked like a hidden camera, but nothing stuck out as odd or not belonging there. But…
“Thanks, Bebe. Send the video over to me.”
Hanging up the phone, Token gently moved Kyle and Stan out of the way, eyes following the direction in which the computer was pointing.
“Was that Bebe?” Kyle asked, Token nodding.
“Unsub posted a video online of the murder, and it looks like,” Token knelt down to look at the laptop, humming in his throat. “I found the unsub’s camera…”
“Christ.”
“Yeah,” Token hit pause on the video as Mrs. Cook’s screams met their ears, rubbing the back of his neck. “Seems like the unsubs are posting it to fuel their religious agenda.”
“He mentioned we must be punished seven times…he’s killed two people, so there’s probably going to be five more victims.” Wendy pointed out.
“There was a new voice as well. So…there may be three people working together. Two that do the killings and one that does these videos.” Token added.
“But the fact that people just-just don’t seem to get that it’s an actual murder,” Tweek shivered, wrapping his arms around himself. “People are fucked up, man.”
“People are often desensitized to things like that due to slasher films,” Craig chimed in, eyes scanning the computer screen that was found at the victim’s home. “Isn’t too surprising, especially in this day in technology.”
“So, you’re saying Hollywood has made people into zombies?” Wendy asked, watching Craig shake his head a few times
“People did it to themselves. They’re exposing themselves to content like this everyday thanks to websites like YouTube. It’s easy to think this is fake, especially with how dramatic the murder actually is.”
Tweek felt his stomach fill with butterflies, as he often does when Craig goes on one of his explanations. He’s never met someone so intelligent, so well spoken. It used to be intimidating to Tweek, especially considering he can’t speak as eloquently and persuasively as Craig.
But…he never seemed to mind.
In fact, Craig always smiled this special smile that Tweek has never seen anywhere else outside of their one-on-one conversations. It made his eyes light up, his little dimple on his right cheek appear, and it made Tweek’s legs feel a million miles away.
He misses Craig.
Misses what they had…well, they still have it.
Their jobs are just too important to them. They can’t risk losing them.
“We should contact Stevens and see if she can track where the IP address for this website came from. If the unsubs have posted once, they can surely-” Kyle blinked as Craig slowly stood, his eyes a little wide as he leaned against the desk out of view of the laptop. “What’s wrong?”
“Is…is there wireless internet here?” His voice was quiet, the Lieutenant nodding as Craig swore under his breath. “I think the unsub is watching us, then. The-the camera is on and sending the video feed somewhere.”
Kyle blinked, watching as Craig sat back down.
“Can you trace the video feed back to a location?” Stan mumbled.
“I can send it over to Stevens, but-” As everyone slowly made their way over to see the screen, the computer in front of them suddenly went black, big red text meeting their eyes.
One word at a time, a sentence was made.
The armies of Satan shall not prevail.
Then nothing.
“Computer’s been turned off.” Craig muttered as he pressed a few keys to test his theory.
“…Get Stevens on the line.”
Within a minute, Bebe’s voice was ringing out into the police station.
“Hello my lovelies.”
“Bebe, can you see if the Cooks have contacted tech support within the last six months?” Kyle asked, a soft tsk coming from the woman on the other line.
“Wow, no hello?”
“Hi, now-”
“I know I know! I’m already on it, boss,” She laughed, her nails clicking on the keyboard in front of her. “Looks like they called about two months ago. Doesn’t say what for or who exactly they called, but they called someone for some help.”
“Thanks Stevens.”
“You guys…do realize that this video…is hella popular?”
“In what way?” Stan asked.
“Well, it’s the only thing people are talking about. It’s all over the place. Facebook. Twitter. YouTube. People are even sending it in emails.”
“…Fuck,” Stan muttered, running his hands down his face. “Okay. Keep us updated if anything new comes from the sharing of the video. Maybe someone recognizes the unsub’s voice.”
“Will do, boss.”
Tweek swallowed hard as the line went dead, eyes darting over towards Craig. He looked deep in thought.
“You good, Craig?”
“…Something isn’t adding up to me.”
“What isn’t adding up about all this?” Kyle said. Craig stood up, grabbing a page of notes that was sitting nearby.
“Unsub one called 911 right before unsub two did the killing. In the call, unsub one sounded like he didn’t want to do the killing, almost as if he was warning the forces of what the second unsub was about to do. Unsub two cuts in and says something about how they have to pay for being greedy. But…those who believe they are doing things for God, those who believe they are prophets sent, are often messy with their work. Leave a lot of obvious signs that could point us in their direction. But…the crime scene is clean. It’s almost as if there is someone facing extreme psychosis and someone who isn’t. Someone who was cleaning up after the first unsub…”
Kyle hummed in his throat, leaning back in his chair.
“So, we’re dealing with someone who is probably sane and someone who is facing extreme psychosis.”
“Well,” Tweek rubbed his neck, giving a small smile. “I did some research on unsolved crimes involving knives in this area. They were all dead ends, considering the knives involved wouldn’t do the damage that was done on the Cooks. So…I looked at home invasions and disturbances. There was actually a 911 call made about three months ago outside of the Cooks’ home, something about someone’s dog attacking another dog. The call was made by Mr. Jacob Rockwell.”
Stan nodded his head a few times, humming in his throat.
“He might be someone who can give more information.”
“The only weird part is his lives an hour away, so why he was in town is unsure.”
“Why don’t you and Tucker go pay him a visit. Maybe you can get some intel from him.”
Both men looked at one another, clearly trying to hide their excitement. Tweek gave a small smile and nod, grabbing his notebook off the table.
“You got it, Marsh.”
“One of these days we’re gonna get caught.”
Craig laughed quietly from Tweek’s neck, placing another gentle kiss to the skin there.
“Statistically speaking, more than likely.”
Tweek couldn’t help but smile. They only made it about twenty minutes outside the city before they pulled off to fool around in the back seat of the car. Nothing too crazy, just some…harmless making out.
“You always have to speak in statistics, don’t you?”
“You’ve known me for a long time now, Tweek. What do you think?”
The blonde could feel him laugh against his throat, the sensation something he’s missed so so much.
“I know, I know…I just like to tease you.”
“I’ve known you for a long time. I know that about you.” Craig teased back, both men laughing quietly as they pressed their lips together again. Neither could really remember when this little thing of theirs started. It happened within their first year of working together. Tweek faced a near death experienced after being shot while on a case. After he was cleared from the hospital, he marched himself right to Craig’s desk that night as he worked late and planted a fat one right on his lips.
They went to Craig’s place after and stayed up all night.
The rest is history, but history often repeats itself as they’ve proven.
“…Craig, when are we just going to bite the bullet and just…be open and honest about us?”
Tweek wasn’t sure what brought the subject up, considering they had more important manners to attend to like catching these unsubs, but…they had time! Craig lifted his head up slowly, licking his swollen lips as his fingers pushed a little more into Tweek’s hips.
“Ah…I-I don’t know. What-um-why are you asking?”
The man was a genius, but he really didn’t know how to talk about romantic relationships very well.
Tweek found it endearing.
“I just…I-I’m always worried you’ll find someone to replace me, big guy. You’re a handsome, smart man. You’re every gay guy’s ideal man and-and here you are…making out with me in the back of a 2008 SUV.”
Craig let out a quiet laugh, dropping his head forward so their foreheads touched. His thumb moved slowly over Tweek’s hip bone. He was so skinny, but boy, he could really kick some ass if he wanted to.
“I…don’t want anyone else. That’s the funny thing,” He swallowed hard, eyes dancing over Tweek’s face. “You have such a way of-of capturing my attention. You challenge me sometimes. I…I love that about you. I also love that you have two hundred and fifty-six freckles.”
“How-how did-?”
“I can read twenty thousand words in a minute and I have an eidetic memory…I can count your freckles very fast.”
Tweek opened his mouth, but just like every day with Craig, he found himself speechless.
“You’re incredible.” Was what he always says when Craig leaves him speechless, but he means it each and every time. Craig just smiled, hands coming up to cup Tweek’s face in them.
“Just like you.” Was how Craig always responded.
It left Tweek seeing stars each and every time.
Their kisses were softer this time, both men cherishing each and every one as they pressed kiss after kiss to each other’s lips. Before they knew it, an hour had passed, and they were still parked in the same spot off the side of the road. Only a few cars had passed in that time period. If only they knew two men were kissing in that SUV. Tweek likes to think they’d explode.
“Hey-hey, c’mon, big guy,” He laughed, Craig smiling against his lips as he tried to steal just one more kiss. “We have a job to do.”
“I know, but when do we ever get to go on cases like this anymore? We never get any alone time…just the two of us.”
Tweek felt his face flush as Craig’s hand slipped up under his shirt. His hands were always so warm. It was so comforting. It’s what really stuck out to him their first night together.
“Tweek-Tweek what the fuck are you-?!”
“I-I almost died today. Almost-I remember I couldn’t keep my eyes open. Felt tired. But-but then I saw your face a-a-and I knew I needed to see you today. I couldn’t-couldn’t go home without seeing you, Craig, I had to see you!”
“Hey-hey it’s okay. I heard, c’mere. I-I’m just glad you’re okay, Tweek.”
The gentle coaxing of Craig’s hands made Tweek’s body shiver, face falling forward into the chest in front of him. His hands fisted the fabric of Craig’s shirt, strong hands rubbing lightly up and down his back in a soothing manner.
“…I-I didn’t even see my parents…all I saw was you.”
The hands on his back paused, fingertips gently digging into his skin. It didn’t hurt. It was comforting in an odd way.
“Is that so?”
Tweek just nodded, lifting his head to look at Craig’s face. Sometimes Tweek thinks he talks too much, so maybe words weren’t what he needed right now. Leaning up on his tip toes, Tweek couldn’t help but smile a bit as Craig’s eyes closed before his, both sighing quietly as their lips met. It was obvious they had both wanted this, but neither of them were bold enough to make the first move.
Times have changed since then.
“I know, Craig…how about after we solve this case…we…try things again?”
Craig blinked, smile on his face as his eyebrows raised in surprise.
“Isn’t it usually me trying to get you to go out with me?”
“I knew you were going to say something about that!” Tweek laughed, Craig holding him closer as he tossed his head back. He only did that on special occasions.
“Hey,” Craig tilted Tweek’s head back down, tucking his hand under his chin. “…I’d like that.”
“You…would?”
“I wouldn’t have asked you out so many times if I didn’t want to be with you again.”
Tweek felt his face flush hot, smile on his lips as he rested his head on Craig’s shoulder.
“…Okay.”
Five more minutes like this couldn’t hurt.
“Did you get ahold of them?!”
“Not yet, Token!”
“Wendy, you have to keep trying!”
“I-I’m trying, but we’re in the middle of rural Georgia! The reception is horrible out here!”
“We’re still forty-five minutes away, I hope to fuck they got their guards up!”
The sun had set by the time they pulled up to Jacob Rockwell’s house, Tweek sucking in a breath as he readied his gun. Craig did the same next to him, the sound of the cylinder on his revolver spinning breaking the silence in the car.
“Can’t be too cautious.”
“You’re right.” Tweek assured, sliding the gun into the holster on his hip. Without another word, they both got out of the car and slowly walked up the dirt path to the front porch. Tweek paused as they reached the door, looking back at Craig, who gave him a reassuring nod. Tweek could kick some ass if he wanted to, but it always made him feel a little safer having a six-foot five coworker standing right behind him. The sound of his hand on the worn wood seemed to echo on the farm around them, Craig glancing around as they waited.
He didn’t like this.
“Can I help you?”
He looked back as the door opened, the face of a young white man meeting them. He seemed to be a little over six-foot, mid-thirties, shaggy blonde hair, and looked to be on the skinnier side.
“H-Hi, are you Jacob Rockwell?”
“…Yes?”
“Hi, ah, my name is Agent Tweak and this is Dr. Tucker. We’re with the FBI and we were wondering if we could ask you a few questions?”
“What-what kind of questions? Look, I shouldn’t-it’s late and my father doesn’t like visitors at this time.”
Craig furrowed his brows.
“You’re about thirty. Why does it matter what your father thinks?”
“Don’t you have respect for your father? Since when is that weird?”
“Not weird. Just…wondering.”
“Look,” Tweek held his hand up towards Craig, giving Jacob a small smile. “We only wanted to ask about the 911 call you made about two months ago. About a dog attacking another dog in town about an hour away?”
Jacob’s eyebrows furrowed, head shaking side to side very quickly.
“I-I never made any 911 calls.”
“…You didn’t?”
“No. You must have the wrong guy.”
“Is there…another Jacob Rockwell?”
“Not that I know of. You-look, I’m not the guy you’re looking for.”
Tweek let out a shaky breath, swallowing hard.
“There’s a record you made a-”
“I gotta go.”
And just like that, the door was shut.
“Fuck,” Tweek swore under his breath, kicking a pebble off the porch as they turned on their heel to leave. “I thought we had him…”
“…We still might,” Craig tapped at his chin as he thought, eyes widening slowly as the pieces clicked together in his brain. “He did call 911.”
“What? Craig, he just said-”
“He wasn’t calling because he wanted to report the dog. Look, if you were to commit a murder within someone’s home, what’s something you would want to know?”
Tweek blinked, thinking quickly.
“Um…I-I don’t know…how long it took for them to get there?”
“Exactly! He was calling because he wanted to know the police response time,” Craig
turned, letting out a breathless laugh as he started moving towards the back of the house. “He is our unsub. At-at least one of them.”
“Wh-wait! Craig!” Tweek hissed between his teeth, swearing under his breath as he slowly followed Craig.
The windows were dirty, but Craig could still make out the contents inside. He could see Jacob, pacing back and forth as he mumbled to himself. He had a lot of computer monitors. And as he hit one button on the keyboard, they were alive.
Looking into people’s lives, looking into their kitchens, their living rooms.
Everywhere.
Craig could feel his stomach drop as his eyes darted to each monitor, mouth slowly falling open as he tried to collect as much information as possible.
But then his eyes met Jacob’s.
They looked at each other for a moment before Jacob took off running, Craig finally finding his voice.
“Tweek! Tweek get back here!” Craig heard the back door bust open, Jacob running across the yard into the barn.
“What?! What-?!”
“Jacob. He a hundred percent is the unsub.” He quickly pointed to the monitors inside, Tweek’s eyes widening as he quickly grabbed his pistol out of his holster.
“Shit.”
“C’mon!”
“Craig-fucking-wait!” Tweek’s legs couldn’t carry him like Craig’s could, the blonde swearing under his breath as they moved. Leaning against the barn, Craig readied his own weapon as he scanned the surrounding area.
“He’s inside,” He muttered, grabbing Tweek’s hand. Giving it a light squeeze, Craig brought the knot their hands made to his lips, pressing a kiss to Tweek’s hand. “You go in the front doors of the barn and I’ll go through the back.”
“Do you think it’s a good idea to split up right now? Why don’t we call Marsh?”
“Marsh knows we’re here. There’s no reception out here anyways. They’re probably on their way as we speak,” Craig gave a small smile as he let Tweek’s hand go, moving towards the back. “We got this, tiger.”
The nickname was used seldom, but Tweek loved it with every fiber in his body.
“…Okay.”
As Craig readied himself at the back doors of the barn, he blinked as he noticed rustling in the cornfield.
“Tweek, the cornfield!”
He thought he heard Tweek’s voice as he took off towards the cornfield, pushing the stalks out of his way as he tried to listen for the other rustling in the distance. It was difficult considering the own noises he was making were ringing in his ears, but then-
“You should’ve killed them.”
“Father, I’m sorry!”
…Father?
“They’re working for Satan!”
“They’re the FBI! I can’t hurt them!”
“Those letters mean nothing to me!”
Craig stopped walking as he approached the voices, gasping as he heard Tweek scream in the distance followed by three gunshots.
“Tweek!” He took off running as fast as he could back towards the barn, crying out suddenly as a fist connected with the side of his head. The surprise attack made him tumble to the ground, quickly trying to correct his fuzzy vision as he tried to grab his revolver.
But then Jacob was there, looming over him as he stared down the barrel of his own gun.
“Shoot him!”
“He did nothing wrong, father!”
The realization as to what Craig was looking at hit him hard, eyes widening as he continued to hold his hands up in surrender.
Jacob was simultaneously unsub one and unsub two.
Because he had a split personality.
“He’s a sinner! Apart of Satan’s army! Kill him! Now!”
“Not here! The other FBI guy is nearby!”
“Fine!”
Craig gasped hard as the butt of his gun connected with his head, coughing as he tried to block the next hit.
“W-Wait! Sto-!”
He swore on the last hit he heard his bones crack.
“Any sign of them in the house?”
“Nothing yet, Broflovski.”
Stan swore under his breath, looking around the house.
“Well…Rockwell is definitely our unsub.”
“At least one of them.”
“Do you think-?”
“Guys!” It was Wendy, her eyes searching both their faces for a moment before speaking. “Token found Tweek in the barn.”
They all froze for a moment.
There was no ‘and Craig’ followed by that sentence.
It hit them all at once as they ran towards the barn, the blonde holding onto Token as if his life depended on it.
“Tweek!”
“I-I had to kill them. They-there was nothing left of-of that victim,” He muttered, breath shaky as he tried to scrub at the dog blood on his face. “Three of them. Three-three tried to attack, but-but I-I got them!”
“Tweek,” Kyle put his hands on Tweek’s shoulders, swallowing hard as he tried to be as straightforward with his words as possible. “Where is Craig?”
And just like that, the color in Tweek’s eyes seemed to disappear.
“W-What? What do you mean?”
“Did he go with you in the barn?”
“We-we were supposed to go in together, but he took off in the cornfield I-I think. He shouted something, but then the barn door creaked open as he did and-and I didn’t know if it was h-him inside the barn or not. But-but he’s out there in the field then...right?” Tweek let out a whimper as he searched his team’s faces for any sign of hope, head suddenly spinning as he grabbed Kyle’s bulletproof vest. “Right, Kyle? Right? He-right?!”
“Hey-hey-”
“Kyle, he’s out there, right?!”
Token grabbed Tweek off of Kyle’s vest, his cries echoing particularly loud in the rural land around them. It wasn’t a secret the little fling Tweek and Craig have had on and off again. Sure, they might try to keep it a secret, but their chemistry knew no boundaries, and everyone could tell the adoration the two had for one another.
“Token, take him to the EMT to get checked out, okay?” Stan said quietly, Token nodding before carrying Tweek over to the ambulance. The chief of police came over after Token took Tweek away, giving a shake of his head.
“Sheriff a town over mentioned they saw a fellow driving a truck that matched Rockwell’s. He couldn’t get a good look at the man driving, but he seemed to at least match the height and build of Rockwell.”
“It’s worth a shot,” Stan turned to Wendy, giving a nod towards the house. “Get Stevens on the next flight here to Atlanta. Rockwell has a lot of computers and she’s our best bet at getting any intel off of them.”
“What about-?”
“I’m asking the chief to start a search within a fifteen-mile radius. Rockwell couldn’t have gotten far, at least…I hope.”
“Craig is strong, Marsh.” Wendy said as she passed, Stan chewing on his bottom lip.
“But…even the best have their breaking point.”
_____________
The air around him was repulsive.
His stomach curled, gagging hard as he slowly started to come to.
“You’re awake.”
Craig blinked his eyes open slowly, his head throbbing as he could feel the blood drying down the side of his face.
“Who…are you?”
“My name is Gabriel.”
Gabriel…that’s the third voice we heard in the background of the video online.
“What-what’s that smell?”
“Fish hearts and guts. They’re meant to ward off Satan,” Jacob turned his head over, Craig noticing through his still blurred vision that his face seemed…harsher. “And Satan’s followers.”
That voice…his father maybe?
“Gabriel, who-?”
“Gabriel? Who the hell is Gabriel?!”
Oh boy.
“I-hey-I don’t-”
“You’re just like everyone else, boy. You know that? A sinner.”
“No. I’m a man. My name is Craig Tucker. I work for the FBI, and I can help you if you just-”
“Shut up!” Craig winced as Jacob yelled, his head throbbing from his head wound. He gasped as the chair he was restrained to leaned back, turning on the back two legs before plopping back down harshly. Jacob was by no means taller than Craig, but in this moment, he was stronger. His chair now faced another chair in the little cabin they were in, Craig trying to jerk his leg back as Jacob grabbed it. “Are you going to repent? Will you atone for your sins?”
“I-I’m not a sinner. I’m not! I’m just a guy!”
“You’re lying! Lying is a sin!”
“I’m not lying!”
“You are!”
Think fast, Craig, you gotta think fast.
Craig noticed the paddle in Jacob’s hand, eyes widening slightly as the man grabbed his ankle and tugged his shoe off.
Oh no.
“For-for the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.” Craig spouted out the Bible verse as quickly as he could, watching Jacob’s face as he looked up.
“…You know Leviticus?”
“I know the entire Bible. I can-I can recite it to you if you wanted,” He swallowed hard. “Would you like that?”
There was a split second of confusion on Jacob’s face, but that spiteful look quickly returned.
“Even the Devil knows how to read,” Craig tried to tug his leg back once more as his sock was removed, struggling to get leverage with his left leg as he tried to push the chair back. “Craig Tucker, do you repent?”
“I have nothing-!” Craig felt the breath leave his body as the paddle met the bottom of his foot, the sting radiating up his entire right leg. It momentarily reminded him of getting his knuckles rapped in school with a ruler, but this pain was different.
“Repent!”
“I have NOTHING!” The scream left his mouth this time, the paddle hitting right where it did the last time. The room was suddenly too hot as he tried to stay awake. The combination of the throbbing in his foot and the pain in his head was becoming too much.
“This is your last chance,” He grabbed Craig’s left leg, reveling in the shout that came from his captive as his right foot hit the ground suddenly. “Do you atone for your sins?”
Craig leaned his head back against the back of the chair, staring into the lone lightbulb above his head. His vision was blurring over again, probably from a combination of blunt force trauma and the pain radiating up the lower half of his body.
“…No.”
The blow to his foot wasn’t so bad as he finally slipped back into unconsciousness.
“Any new information on Jacob?”
The team had been out on the field all day trying to collect intel from people in town that might’ve known anything about Jacob Rockwell.
“I found out he’s a pretty heavy drug user, or at least used to be. Dilaudid-also known as the drugstore heroin-was his drug of choice, often laced it with a psychedelic. His father was also incredibly abusive, to the point he has a cross branded on his forehead and was forcefully baptized in their bathtub. Jacob almost drowned according to another local. Unable to find out if this was simply a rumor or not.”
“Kid really needed to escape some shit then.” Kyle muttered, flipping through a journal they had found upstairs.
“His father also died about six months ago, but four months ago there are journal entries that match Isaac Rockwell’s handwriting.” Stan interjected, setting the journal down on the table.
“All of these journals are meticulously written, documenting almost every hour it seems. A specific entry that sticks out is one from early January. He wrote ‘father is dying. Asked to be killed but killing is an act against God’. We believe that his moral dilemma is what caused his personality to split in order to cope with the morality issue. He was raised on a strict religious code and the choice his father gave him went completely against it.”
Everyone nodded along as Kyle spoke, taking a moment to process all the informa-
“Guys?!”
They all looked into the room where Bebe’s been working, rushing in as soon as they heard her voice break the silence.
There, plastered on all fifteen monitors, was Craig.
“What-?”
“Tweek, you should stay-”
“Stan, what are you-?!”
But he caught a glimpse of the screen as Stan tried to get him out of the room.
Craig.
“You have a choice to make. Look over to the four monitors set up before you. Pick one to die while I pick the one that gets to live.”
“He’s hurt.” Tweek whispered, heart hammering so hard he could feel it in both of his hands.
“Pretty badly, too.” Bebe confirmed, noting the blood covering most of the left side of his face. It was so stark in contrast to the white shirt he was wearing, which had also seen better days.
“I’m not…choosing some person for you to kill.”
“You don’t get to choose what you do and do not do. While you are here, you work for me?” Craig grunted as Jacob tugged his hair hard, head pulling back so he looked at Jacob behind him.
Tweek hated seeing his throat so exposed.
“Why? So you can slaughter them like some animal? Like you did to everyone else?”
“If you don’t choose one of the people on these monitors, then I’ll just have to kill one of the members of your team.”
Kyle tensed up, eyes glancing around to make sure there were no cameras within the room despite it being Jacob’s own home.
“You wouldn’t.”
“Try me then, Craig. They’re watching us right now from my home. Your face is plastered on all of my monitors. So…once again, the choice is yours.”
They watched as Craig’s tired eyes danced between four screens, throat bobbing as his eyes closed.
He’s made his choice.
“Second to last…on the right.”
This seemed to please Jacob.
“Kristen Oswald. You’ve done me well,” Jacob moved closer to him, Craig’s eyes opening up as he heard a belt buckle clink open. “My damn son uses drugs. He’s a sinner, just like you.” The belt was wrapped tightly around Craig’s bicep, Tweek’s ears ringing as he pushed past Stan and Kyle to put his hands on Bebe’s shoulders.
“C-Can’t you trace the IP address?!”
“I’m trying! He’s using a program to change the IP address every thirty seconds! I can’t pinpoint his location!”
“No-no I don’t want that. I-hey! Fuck off!”
Jacob pulled a bottle a needle out, putting a decent amount into the syringe as he pushed Craig’s sleeve up.
“You’re mouthy like him. He used to be so bad. But he repented for his sins. This should shut you up for a little while. Take a visit to a nicer place,” Tweek’s eyes widened as he watched Craig’s body slump as the narcotics entered his system, his head struggling to stay up as his body succumbed to the drug. “So maybe now you can think about what you’ve done,” Jacob looked at the camera, smiling as he walked towards it. “67 Peach Street.”
Just as quickly as he appeared, Craig was gone.
“P-Peach Street. Where-where is-?”
“It’s nearby. It’s Kristen Oswald’s address.” Bebe interrupted as she typed. Stan tsked quietly, loosening his tie.
“He wants us to contact her. That’s the one he’s saving, not killing.”
“So, he lied to Craig. He chose the one that lives.” Token explained, quickly dialing the number that Bebe brought up for Kristen to at least warn her. Wendy couldn’t seem to stop staring at Tweek, however, ignoring the conversations around her as she grabbed his hand.
“Tweek,” The blonde gasped suddenly, wiping at the tears on his cheeks. “C’mere.”
The commotion of the team inside slowly faded as they walked onto the front porch, Tweek tightening the blanket around him as they sat on the beaten down porch swing.
“If-if you’re asking me how I’m doing, I’m doing fine…” Tweek muttered into the blanket, but his shivering body betrayed him.
He’s never seen Craig so weak.
“Tweek, the man you adore and are in love with was kidnapped,” She smiled at him as he looked at her with wide eyes. “It’s okay to be upset.”
He shook his head, wiping at his cheeks once more as a fresh wave of tears came falling.
“N-no. We’re just-Craig and I are just friends.”
“And you’re just telling yourself that, so you don’t seem weak or incapable to do your job,” Wendy gave his hand a squeeze, feeling him shake under her touch. “Tweek, none of us doubt your capabilities to do your job. It’s okay to have feelings or-or to be startled by something you’ve seen on the field. We do hard work and it wouldn’t be normal for us not to feel something.”
“You’re never phased by anything you see on the field,” Tweek croaked out, swallowing the lump in his throat. “You…you’re so tough and-and brave. You don’t even flinch and I-I’m over here crying because-!” He snapped his jaw shut, wrapping his arms tighter around him.
“…Because what, Tweek?”
“…B-Because…the man I’ve been…so in love with for the past ten years might die tonight.”
Lavender.
It was always one of his favorite smells.
It wasn’t just lavender he was smelling, but vanilla, too.
“Your apartment is spotless, and yet, you have the messiest desk at work.”
The laugh that left Tweek’s lips was like a sonata, Craig feeling his stomach flip as they held onto one another, slowly making their way down the hall.
“My personal life is much more organized than that of my professional life.”
Tweek’s hands were cold as they moved to unbutton his shirt, but Craig didn’t mind. That was something just quintessential Tweek to him.
“Wish I could say the same, but there’s a lot going on up here for me.” Craig laughed, tapping the side of his head as Tweek pushed his dress shirt off his shoulders. He fell backwards onto the bed, grinning up at Craig and letting out a quiet giggle as he fell forward, hands on either side of Tweek’s head now.
“I got a lot going on, too. I’m just…better at hiding it at work.”
“Because you’re tough.”
Tweek blinked, face flushing red as he slowly worked on getting his own shirt off. He winced as the pain from his gunshot wound radiated up his left arm.
“Y-you think I’m tough?”
“Tweek,” Craig shifted so his right knee was on the bed, using it to leverage himself as he carefully replaced Tweek’s hands with his own and gently removed his dress shirt. His eyes couldn’t help but stare at the bandage that wrapped up most of the left side of Tweek’s chest, blood soaking through where the bullet had entered his chest, just barely missing his heart. “You’re the strongest person I know.”
“W-What about Token?! Or-or-?”
“No,” Craig leaned down, pressing the lightest kiss he could muster up against Tweek’s left shoulder. “You.”
These words were…so simple, yet they filled Tweek’s body with the most pleasant warmth he’s ever felt. His hands came up to grab at Craig’s face, pressing light kisses to his lips over and over as they carefully situated themselves on the bed.
“Thank you.” Tweek whispered, letting out a shaky breath as he heard a belt buckle open.
“For what?”
“Just…thank you,” Tweek ran his fingers through Craig’s hair, smiling as he really got a good look at those pretty blue eyes. “Now…take your pants off?”
The cabin door was kicked open, Craig’s eyes blinking open as he woke up from his high. His arm felt tingly, probably from the injection site.
“You need to eat.”
This voice was…new.
“W-who are you?” He sounded so weak, so shaky, but Craig can’t blame himself for his weakness right now.
“Jacob,” Thank God. “Did…did my father Isaac hurt you?”
So, it was his father. Everything was starting to make sense to Craig now. Jacob was the submissive personality they were searching for, the one that cleaned up after unsub two-his father, Isaac. Gabriel is a third personality-one that acts as a mediator between the two sides of Jacob’s personality.
“Um…yeah, he-”
“Beat your feet. I-I know. He’s done it to me, too.”
“Jacob, you have to listen to me,” Craig swallowed hard, trying to wet his mouth. His entire body felt like it was fifty miles away from him. “You-you have to tell me where we are. My friends can help us. They can help you.”
Jacob looked up from the animal he was cutting up, nibbling on his lip as he shook his head.
“I can’t. Father would be mad.”
“No-no he would understand! He would. I know he would. Because in-in Colossians! Colossians 3:13-Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive,” Craig tried to keep his head up, but it felt so heavy. He slumped a little, but quickly corrected himself. “Your father will forgive you. Helping me-helping yourself-is the right thing to do!”
Jacob looked up again, his eyes soft as he actually seemed to be contemplating Craig’s words.
But-
“No. I can’t. Father would me mad.”
It seemed as if there was no use bargaining with someone like Jacob.
“I…okay.” Craig breathed out, leaning his head back and looking at that lone lightbulb once more.
“Here, I have something that can help you though.”
Craig heard that belt buckle again, his eyes closing as he tried to push the chair away from Jacob.
“No-no that’s okay. I don’t-”
“It used to help me escape my father. Maybe it can help you, too!”
The excitement in his voice…it killed Craig.
Jacob believes that this of all things was going to help him, when in all reality, Craig felt sick to his stomach and like he could puke at any time.
“It-it won’t help me, Jacob. The best way to help me is-is to get me to my friends.”
“You know I can’t do that, Craig,” Jacob tightened the belt around Craig’s arm again, readying the needle as he continued to talk. “Your friends would just upset my father.”
“But they can help us. Your father will go away if-if we can just-!”
“No,” Jacob sighed as he stuck the needle in the prominent vein in Craig’s arm, humming as his captive quieted down rather quickly. “There’s no saving us from my father.”
“He posted his latest killing, Broflovski.”
Kyle looked up from the journal he was sifting through, humming in his throat as he looked at Bebe.
“How long ago was it posted?”
“A little under twenty minutes ago.”
“Hmm…911 call was made at around 9:03…means he’s getting antsy.”
“It means he’s close.”
Kyle blinked.
“What do you mean?”
“To kill two people, drive back, and upload a video would mean he’s within a twenty-mile radius. It only takes about two to three minutes to upload the mpeg file once it’s on his computer.”
Kyle jotted that down in his own notebook, setting his feet down from their place on the table.
“How many views does the new one have?”
“About fifteen thousand already. Circulating pretty quickly.”
“Can you take it down?”
Bebe shook her head, sighing heavily. “Unfortunately, no. Once it’s out there, I can’t take it down without people noticing. It’s the internet, Broflovski. Once it’s out there, it’s there forever…even if you delete it.”
Thinking quickly, Kyle came up with an idea.
“Can you send an alert out that the video is a virus? People won’t click on it then.”
Bebe grinned slowly, snapping her fingers and making a finger gun towards Kyle.
“That I can do.”
She quickly set to work, fingers clacking over the keyboard in a rhythmic manner.
Within a minute, a warning had popped up on the screen that the video was a virus, just as Kyle had planned.
“There…hopefully that-”
But it seems Jacob wasn’t a fan of that.
“Your friends destroyed my message!”
Kyle could see how out of it Craig was. Who knows how much of this drug has been pumped into his system at this point?
“I can’t…control wh’t they do while I’m here.”
Bebe grabbed onto Kyle’s hand as she jumped, the sound of a fist connecting to Craig’s face making her gasp. The chair he was strapped to rocked back and forth from the force.
“Try and track this IP again.”
“It-it’s the same thing as last time! He’s changing addresses every thirty seconds!”
“That message isn’t a virus! It’s a warning! A warning to all the sinners!”
Another hit, this time Craig shouting in pain.
“I’ve told you I-I can’t do fucking anything while-!”
“Don’t you swear at me!”
The force of this hit caused the chair to topple backwards, Bebe covering her mouth as she could audibly hear the smack of Craig’s head on the ground. Kyle could barely hear Craig’s gasps for air through the heartbeat in his ears.
I made the right choice in sending the virus out right?! Yes! It had to be done!
“K-Kyle-Kyle-oh my god-he’s killing him!”
He still couldn’t hear anything over his heartbeat, but he recognized what a seizure looked like. The combination of the drugs in his body and trauma he’s repeatedly faced…Craig’s body simply gave up.
Kyle’s also seen his fair share of lifeless eyes to recognize them on Craig.
“…Fuck.” He croaked out, straightening his back as Stan walked into the room.
“Any-”
“Marsh,” Kyle swallowed hard, eyes unable to focus on Stan’s face. Did he really potentially just have one of his team members killed? “Keep…keep Tweek outside for a while.”
Stan blinked, eyes going from one monitor to the other. They all showed the same thing: Craig Tucker dead on the floor.
“What happened?”
“We-I-I sent a warning out that his latest video was a virus so-so people wouldn’t watch it, and-!”
“Bebe,” Kyle found his voice finally, putting a hand on her shoulder. “It wasn’t your fault. I made the decision to have the virus sent out, so this…if any are to be blamed for this, it’s me.”
“Kyle-!”
“Guys,” Stan pointed to the screen, trying to comprehend the sight he was seeing. “What the fuck is he…?”
“Fuck fuck fuck what did my father do?!”
Kyle blinked.
“He’s…saving…him?”
Bebe could feel the lump forming in her throat, nails digging into her palm as she waited oh so patiently for what she wanted to here.
Finally-after a minute-she heard what she wanted.
Craig gasped hard as the CPR Jacob performed on him miraculously worked, his coughs echoing throughout the little room so clearly.
“You…you lived! Do-do you know what that means?!”
“…You performed CPR?”
Kyle snorted, because only Craig would have just escaped death and have a snarky comment to make immediately after. The rest of the team must’ve heard their commotion, everyone filtering in slowly.
“How many people are on your team…including you?”
“Seven.”
“…The seven angels that held the seven trumpets that prepared themselves to sound…the first sounding, there followed hail and fire mixed with blood, and they were thrown to Earth.”
Stan blinked, a bad feeling settling in his stomach.
“He thinks it’s Revelations. The Seven Archangels versus the Seven Angels of Death.”
They all watched the screen as Jacob pushed Craig’s chair back up into a sitting position off the floor, Tweek feeling his stomach start to churn at the sound of Craig coughing and wheezing. He sounds so weak…I’ve never seen him so…fragile.
Craig may think that Tweek is the strongest person, but Tweek thinks it’s Craig.
The way he carries himself and commands a room…Tweek finds that so attractive and admirable.
“Who do you serve?”
“…I serve you.”
“Then choose one to die.”
“Who…choose who?”
“You said you had seven team members…so choose one to die.”
“I’m not doing that.”
“Then we play a game,” Jacob grabbed Craig’s revolver, putting one bullet in it and spinning the chamber. Craig didn’t even flinch as it clicked into place, Jacob tugging his head back once more by his hair and jutting the barrel of the gun under his jaw. “Tell me who dies.”
“O-Oh my god.” Tweek felt his legs go numb, Kyle and Token catching him before he fell.
“…No.”
No flinch as the gun clicked.
“Tell me…who dies.”
“I’m not telling you shit.”
Again, no flinch as the gun clicked empty.
“You said you serve me. Prove you follow God’s will.”
“You’ll have to just kill me.”
Another click.
“…Choose.”
Craig’s throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, thinking fast.
“…Stan Marsh,” Everyone slowly looked at Stan, but Stan didn’t seem fazed. “Classic case of narcissism…thinks he’s better than everyone else on the team. Known him for ten years now and he’s never changed once. To quote-to quote Genesis 23:4…let him not deceive himself and trust in emptiness, vanity, falseness, and futility, for these shall be his recompense.”
Jacob looked intently at Craig for a moment, slowly aiming the gun at the wall and pulling the trigger.
This time it went off, but again-Craig didn’t flinch. Tweek sure did.
“Marsh…you’ve done me well.”
Stan quickly backed out of the room, rushing around the house to try and find a Bible. Finally, after a minute of rummaging, he found a beat-up Bible under the papers on the table. He brought it back to the computer room, listening to Jacob ramble on about some nonsense.
“Tucker, you son of a bitch.”
“What?” Wendy jumped at the sound of Stan’s voice.
“Craig and I had an argument about the definition of narcissism one time, and he knew I would remember that. He quoted Genesis 23:4, but read it.”
Stan passed the Bible over to Wendy, her brows furrowing as soon as she started reading.
“I am a stranger and a sojourner with you. Give me property, forbear a place among you that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”
“He…quoted it wrong.” Token mumbled.
“…He did it on purpose,” Tweek sat up a little straighter, eyes widening. “Craig wouldn’t get it wrong unless it was on purpose. He’d sooner die then get something wrong.”
“He’s in a cemetery!” Bebe exclaimed, fingers immediately clacking against her keyboard as she started her search for nearby cemeteries. “We already know he’s within a twenty-mile radius.”
“When did we figure that out?” Token scoffed.
“I figured it out! Jacob posted the video not even twenty minutes after he murdered the last couple. Considering the upload speed and travel time from the crime scene to this cabin, it would only make sense for him to be close in order to upload and kill so efficiently.” She said proudly.
“Should have you join us on the field.”
“No thanks! I like my computer room where I can do my nails and stay in the air conditioning.”
Kyle swore under his breath, running a hand through his hair.
“How many times has this guy shot him up with this shit?”
“This is at least three times…at least that we’ve seen.” Stan sighed.
“It seems like he’s doing it now to try and get him to confess to something…anything.”
Stan started pacing a bit, flipping through the Bible in order to try and find any other clues.
“Hopefully he doesn’t let anything slip.”
The shapes being drawn against his stomach were lulling him to sleep. He didn’t mind it, he just really wanted to keep talking.
“You have to knock that off…I’m gonna fall asleep.”
Tweek giggled quietly, crossing his arms across Craig’s stomach and resting his head against them. He laid between his legs, Craig’s arms tucked behind his head as they relaxed for the evening.
“I wouldn’t want that.”
“Why not?”
“Because…maybe we can get round two in.”
Craig quirked an eyebrow, grin crawling across his face.
“Round two, huh?”
“You’re good, Tucker. Really good”
Craig let out a laugh, tucking his hands under Tweek’s arms and pulling him closer to his face. He was careful of his wound, of course.
“You think so?”
“I don’t think so, I know it. It’s a fact.”
“That’s awfully presumptuous of you to state it as a fact.”
Tweek grinned as he laid his head on the pillow, tugging the blankets up under his chin.
“I just…love spending time with you…love being with you…”
Craig could feel his lips twitch, small smile ghosting his face as he let out a breathless laugh.
“I love him.”
Jacob stood up a little straighter, eyebrows furrowing.
“Him? Who is him?
“…Tweek.”
“What about him do you love…?”
Even through the poor resolution of the screen, Tweek could see the smile on Craig’s face.
“…His laugh…he’s so…personable, so full of life. He makes me…makes me feel like I’m not some fucking outcast for being…stupid smart.”
“You’re talking about him as if he’s a lover, Tucker.”
“…He is…I…love him.”
He knew all eyes were on him at this point, but Tweek didn’t care. His heart was about to nearly fall out of his damn chest it was pounding so hard.
“Is that a confession?”
“…Mhm.”
“You know your Bible, boy,” Jacob grabbed at Craig’s hair, turning his head to face the camera. “Leviticus 20:13.”
Craig swallowed hard, shaking his head.
“Loving someone isn’t a sin, though. I won’t say it.”
He winced as Jacob pulled on his hair a little harder.
“Say it or he watches you bleed out right here right now. I know he’s on that team of yours. Was it the little blonde one that was at my home with you?”
It was the first time Craig showed any emotion during his torture.
“You hurt him and I swear-!”
“It was him, huh?”
Craig snapped his jaw shut, exhaling sharply through his nose as he swallowed hard. His eyes seemed emotionless as he stared at the camera.
“…Leviticus 20:13…If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely…surely be put to death.”
Jacob smiled a wicked smile, kneeling down and unlocking the handcuffs on Craig’s wrists.
“There you go, boy.”
“I GOT HIM!” Bebe’s yell broke the intensity of the room, her computer zooming in. “His journal mentioned something about avoiding Joseph, and there’s a place called Joseph’s Pine about fifteen miles from here! Craig also mentioned the first time we saw him when-when he had to choose who died that Jacob was just going to slaughter them like everyone else. There was a farmer that called about a pig going missing two days ago! The farm is about a mile away from this location!”
Kyle pointed to a green patch on the screen, everyone grabbing their things.
“That’s it…Craig’s there.”
His fingers could barely hold the shovel, Craig leaning heavily on the tree nearby as he was essentially digging his own grave.
“You’re moving too slow.”
“I can barely hold this shovel because somebody kept injecting me with drugs.” He hissed through his teeth, wincing as Jacob smack him upside the head.
“Are you backtalking me?!”
“…Maybe.”
Jacob grumbled, pointing his hunting knife against Craig’s throat.
“You’re pushing your luck.”
“You know you’re not going to win.”
“I always win.”
Craig hummed, continuing to shovel small heaps of dirt to the side.
“You’re acting awfully cocky…better be careful.”
“What’s that mean?!”
“Just wouldn’t want God looking down on you…snubbing you. You’re preaching an awful lot about sinners-and yet-you’re starting to go back on your word. You’re not innocent in all of this. Killing is a sin.”
“No! No! I’m scrubbing the Earth of Satan’s army!”
Craig smiled weakly, pressing his throat against the tip of the knife more.
“Jacob…you don’t have to listen to him.”
His captor’s eyes glazed over for a minute, welling up with unshed tears.
“N-No…I do though…he-he-”
“Is manipulating you,” Craig said quietly, continuing to slowly dig at the earth beneath his feet. “You don’t have to do this anymore. You can end this.”
It was obvious the dominant personality within Jacob was going to win this battle no matter what, the anger quickly returning to his face.
“You’re trying to trick me!”
“No tricks here, Isaac.”
“How do you-?!”
“Your son talks about you a lot.”
“Don’t talk about him! He’s a sinner!”
Craig dared to press his throat even more against the tip of the knife, knowing it could slice his skin at any moment.
“You told me he repented for his sins. You’re stuck in a delusion that there’s right and there is wrong. It isn’t as black and white as it’s made out to seem, and you’re refusing to acknowledge that! You’re murdering innocent people! People who are just doing their jobs!”
“You shut your mouth!”
“Or what?! You already have my digging my own fucking grave!”
Something caught Craig’s attention in the distance, slowly bringing his head back to remove the tip of the knife from his throat.
“You need to calm down, agent. You’re being a fucking smartass!”
“This is me being calm, and it’s doctor.”
The gunshot rang out into the wilderness around them, Craig jumping only as he felt the blood splatter across his face. He didn’t want it to end like this.
Jacob was just an abused and tortured soul who didn’t want to disappoint his abusive father. He watched as Jacob tumbled to the ground, swallowing hard as he looked up at Craig.
“…Do…do you think I’ll see my mom again? I-I haven’t seen her-her since I was eight.”
Craig couldn’t bring himself to speak, the adrenaline coursing through him already wearing off. He opted to nod, forcing a weak smile as he slowly slid down the tree he was against. As Jacob took his last breath, Craig closed his eyes as footsteps approached him.
He wasn’t going to die (again).
He wasn’t going to have to have his head bashed for the sixth hundredth time.
He was saved.
And somewhere in the fogginess of his brain, he heard the voice of the one person he was hoping to hear.
Cushy…the bed was cushy.
Blinking his eyes open slowly, Craig tried to take in his surroundings.
He wasn’t in the woods anymore, that’s for sure. If he had to guess, he was in the hospital. It hurt to move his neck, probably from all the trauma to his head, so he opted to look around just by moving his eyes. It wasn’t much use since he couldn’t see far, but he recognized the person in the room with him.
“Did you shoot him, tiger?”
Tweek gasped at Craig’s voice, tossing the magazine he was flipping through aside and rushing to the bedside. His eyes were red, as if he had been crying.
“Y-You’re awake.” Tweek whispered, sniffling as he grabbed Craig’s hand.
“Didn’t answer my question.” Craig whispered back, to which Tweek nodded as he slowly smiled.
“I-I did, yeah.”
“Nice shot.”
“I-I had to save you…heard you yelling…saw you-”
“Hey,” Craig ran his thumb over Tweek’s knuckles, slowly bringing their hands up so he could kiss Tweek’s. “I’m okay now…I’m alive.”
“Craig…you were dead for nearly three minutes…M-Marsh told me after the fact…”
Humming in his throat, Craig just smiled.
“I barely remember it…but…I remember seeing something.”
“Yeah?” Tweek pulled his chair closer so he could sit. He wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. “Whatcha see, big guy?”
“You,” Craig finally turned his head, eyes still filled with exhaustion, but so full of life. “It was you…I didn’t see my parents or-or my sister…just you.”
The statement was heavy in an odd way, Tweek’s face flushing hot as he swallowed hard. Maybe it’s because in his own near-death experience, Tweek only saw Craig.
Not his parents…just Craig.
“Y-You…died…and saw me?” Craig just nodded. “Are you sure?”
“Are you saying I’m wrong?”
“Maybe.”
Craig let out a soft laugh.
“There’s no mistaking you…I…already find you to be the most beautiful creature to walk this Earth…so I guess you had to greet me even after. I mean…spending eternity with you doesn’t sound so bad, don’tcha think?”
Resting his forehead against Craig’s shoulder, Tweek let his eyes closed as he thought about exactly that.
An eternity with Craig Tucker did seem nice.
“Yeah…you’re right.”
“I saw you a lot.”
“When?”
“Whenever he gave me that drug…I thought about the first time we slept together.”
The night instantly flooded back to Tweek.
“Oh.”
“What?”
“Nothing! Just…I…haven’t thought about that in a while.”
“Didn’t like it?”
“I did…it just…it’s painful to think about sometimes…”
This was something Craig’s brain couldn’t think of an answer for. On any given day, he probably could figure out why, but not now. Not when he’s probably concussed and has a fractured skull.
“Why is it painful?”
“Because Craig. I have to see you every day and act like nothing special happened between us when-when everything happened that night. I just-I’ve been thinking more and more about us ever since you got kidnapped three days ago and-I just-I love you too!”
The words slipped out unexpectedly, Craig smiling a bit as Tweek covered his mouth with his hand. “I-shit-sorry-I just-!”
“I said it…I know I did…I was…somewhat coherent during that high…”
Tweek looked at his feet, swallowing the lump in his throat.
“Did…did you mean it?”
The prolonged silence was eating away at Tweek, finally lifting his head to look at Craig after almost nearly a minute. The sight in front of him was one for the books, something that he-or anyone on the team-has ever seen before: Craig with tears in his eyes.
“…Yeah…of course.”
Gently, Tweek reached out and brushed his thumb over Craig’s cheek to catch a tear drop that fell, letting out a soft sob as he smiled.
“Are you getting sappy?”
“All I could think about…was just…trying to get back to you. And-and if I couldn’t…if I did die in that cabin…I was at least glad my last moments before being taken were spent with you.”
Tweek let out a quiet hum as he grabbed the cup of water off of the nightstand, helping Craig get the straw in his mouth. He looked so unlike his Craig still, but it was obviously him.
Tweek says obviously because of just how sentimental he’s acting. He only acts this way with Tweek…and that’s what makes it so special.
“You need to rest, big guy. You’ve been through a lot.”
“Will you-?”
“Marsh already gave me the next few days off…I’m not going anywhere.”
When Craig Tucker was twenty years old, he experienced heartbreak for the first time.
From there, he vowed not to be too open and personal with people.
All his life, he was ridiculed for spitting ‘pointless facts’ out in class, for being a know-it-all, for being the teacher’s pet because he simply did well on all of his tests.
Told that he was a genius, yet so stupid at the same time for ‘hanging with the wrong boys’ and getting himself in trouble in his teen years.
But by the time he was thirty-five, he had made a name for himself.
He had three doctorates, a reputation within the FBI’s behavioral analysis unit, and in the midst of all that, he let his barriers down.
There was someone who helped break these barriers down, of course. Craig has spent so much time protecting himself that it took the gentle guidance of the person sitting in the desk next to his to get them to fully fall down.
He’ll never forget the day that Tweek entered his life.
The angels sang that day. He might’ve been the only one that heard it, but somewhere deep down he truly believes Tweek was meant to meet him. Their instant connection only grew as time went on, and after that first night of emotional confessions, there was no doubt in Craig’s mind that Tweek was the one for him.
He figured it out that night in the hospital, as they enjoyed the privacy the curtains around Craig’s bed provided as they shared gentle, slow kisses with one another. And as Craig felt Tweek’s smile against his lips, he couldn’t help but whisper the first thing that came to his mind between each kiss.
“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.”