Tuesday, May 21, 2013 - 9:12 AM EST



I flew into Logan International in Boston from Houston so I could stop in and check on Jacob. I pulled in and parked the Suburban in the parking garage. I hesitated to go in. I told Caitlyn I was going to be on Madness. What if she saw the show? What would she think of what I did to AJ Powell?


Part of me - a big part of me in fact - hoped she wouldn't be at work today. I had too many things going on in my head. Jacobs health. Whether or not he was going to come back home to the Compound. Jonathan. His eminent demise.


I shrug it all off. I have to. I have work to do.


I make it to Jacobs floor. Caitlyn isn't working. Thank God. I enter Jacobs room just as Dr. Nguyen was about to exit. He thinks better of his choice to leave when he sees me. I take a seat in a chair. Dr. Nguyen also does. Jacob is sitting upright and pain free in his bed.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "So, how are things going?"

DR. NGUYEN: "Quite well. He's making quite the recovery, Sebastian."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Good. When will he get out of here?"

JACOB: "That's the question I'd like to know."

DR. NGUYEN: "Well, the swelling is gone, the bruising on his brain is healing nicely. The hole in his skull is almost completely healed. He's pain free. If all is well, I'd say Thursday."

JACOB: "Damn!"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "How about Wednesday."

JACOB: "YES!"

DR. NGUYEN: "I'm more comfortable with Thursday."

JACOB: "Damn!"



I stare at Dr. Nguyen. Hopefully getting my point across.



DR. NGUYEN: "Wednesday is good."

JACOB: "Damn right it is!"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Doc, get out."



Dr. Nguyen doesn't hesitate. He scurries off quickly.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Time to talk."

JACOB: "Not now, Sebastian. I have a headache."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "No, you don't. Dr. Nguyen said so."

JACOB: "Shit! You're right."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Tomorrow, when he releases you, where do you plan to go?"

JACOB: "Honestly, I haven't thought about it."



Bullshit.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Somehow, I doubt that."

JACOB: "Yeah. I've thought about it."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "I'm not going to steer you one way or the other."

JACOB: "I hurt you."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "This isn't about that."

JACOB: "I turned my back on you, and the Brotherhood. How could I ever face them again?"



He lays his head back against the pillow, just staring up at the lights.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "It'd be awkward at first. They'll come around, eventually."

JACOB: "Maybe it'd be better if I just left New England. Went somewhere else. Florida. California. Europe, maybe."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "You're in too deep, now. You know you have to see this through. You have to choose a side."



Absolute silence as he took in my words and thought long and hard. Then he sits up. I stand and walk to his bedside. He extends his hand. I extend mine. He pulls me down into a hug.



JACOB: "You're my brother. You know I love you."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "I know."

JACOB: "I want to come home, Sebastian."



He lets go of me and I him. I drag my chair next to the bed and sit down.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "If that's what you want. I'll make it happen."

JACOB: "I don't know what the hell I was thinking. I just kept thinking about Lucas and how his death could have been avoided if only there was more security."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "I cant change that. Those last few days you were at the Compound, I was giving you space, I knew you needed someone to grieve with. I knew I needed to be that person. I intended to be that person. I wanted to let you calm down and I wanted to talk about it and apologize.

"And I know no amount of apologies would bring him back. Fact is, you needed me and I wasn't there.

"I'm sorry, Jake."



Tears roll from his eyes.



JACOB: "I know. I'm sorry I turned my back on you. If I could take it all back..."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Water under the bridge. Let's just move on."

JACOB: "I'd love to, man."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "I'll be back later. I have some things to take care of. Get some rest will you?"

JACOB: "Yeah, yeah."



I'm about to exit his room when I stop myself.



JACOB: "Forget something?"



Should I tell him? Ahh, fuck it. He needs to know. I turn to face him.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "It's a good thing you chose the Brotherhood."

JACOB: "Why's that?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "We're going in."

JACOB: "Wait. What do you mean?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "I have the ATF seizing their vans and weapons as we speak. Then, we're going in. We're ending this war one way or another. Either his death..... or mine."

JACOB: "How is that going to help much? Sure, they won't have any new weapons, but it won't take care of the ones they have inside the warehouse."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Easy. They're being delivered to my warehouse."



I turn to leave and Jake stops me.



JACOB: "Duke!"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "What?"

JACOB: "When is this going down?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Tomorrow. At night fall."

JACOB: "I want in."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Not a chance. You'll be fresh out of the hospital."

JACOB: "Come on! I know the layout like the back of my hand! I don't know how I let him convince me otherwise, but he is responsible for the death of my brother and a bunch of my friends!

"Duke! I'm going whether you like it or not!"



Part of me likes this new found conviction he has. Part of me says no God damned way.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "If you do this. You follow my orders to the letter. Understand?"

JACOB: "You got it."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Be careful what you tell Jonathan."

JACOB: "Why would I tell Jonathan?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "I lied to you. He was here. Once. Checking on you. I told him I'd tell him when you were awake."

JACOB: "You didn't tell him yet?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Nope. I will now."

JACOB: "Before you go, had I chose to go back and take up arms along side Jonathan, would you have killed me?"



That's a tough question. One I'm about to answer honestly.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "I said this war ends now. No one that resides in that warehouse will continue to breathe as Wednesday becomes Thursday. It would have broke my heart. But, yes.

"I would have killed you."



I exit without another word. Much to my chagrin, I run right into Caitlyn.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Woah! Where'd you come from?"

CAITLYN: "Heeyyyy! I'm on duty in 10 minutes. How was Houston?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Fine. Did you catch the show?"

CAITLYN: "I did. So... can you tell me if its real or not? Or are you sworn to secrecy?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Sworn to secrecy ma'am!"



I said it in a really bad Texas drawl. The Senator would hate it. Anyhow, I playfully tip my hat I'm not wearing toward her.



CAITLYN: "Ahhh! When we going to get together?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "What time you off?"

CAITLYN: "Eleven!"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Hmmm. I'll most likely be sleeping. What about tomorrow morning?"

CAITLYN: "I work at 8 am. How bout tomorrow night?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "I have something I have to take care of tomorrow night so I'll be busy. Thursday?"

CAITLYN: "I'm off!"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "So am I! Let's do it!"

CAITLYN: "Ok! Roof top!?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "No! Let's do it. Meaning..."



Oh never mind. She's definitely blond. Smart, but not bright. If that makes sense. I bid her farewell and head out of the hospital. I have a phone call to make.


I climb into the Suburban and hit the speaker phone button. I dial up Agent Smith.



AGENT SMITH: "Duke! How's it going?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Actually, that's what I wanted to ask you."

AGENT SMITH: "All four vans seized. Lock stock and barrel. All the missiles, some of which I've never seen before. The guns. Everything. Under lock and key at your warehouse."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Job well done. I need you to do one last thing. Then you're debt free."

AGENT SMITH: "What is it?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Tomorrow, I need you to call a man. I'll text you his number. Tell him that you apologize for the mix up. There seemed to be some faulty intelligence and that all the weapons and vehicles were registered legally.

"Then tell him, that you and your men will personally deliver the vans and their contents to the registered address."

AGENT SMITH: "Wait. I put my men at risk, just for you to have us take the vans and weapons back to him?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Nope. That's just what I want him to think."

AGENT SMITH: "You are one confusing son of a bitch, Sebastian Duke!"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "That's the way I like it."

AGENT SMITH: "Alright. After this call in the morning, I'm done! My debt is paid, correct?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Absolutely."



I end the call. I don't know why, but I love ending calls abruptly. Anyhow I text him Jons number. Speaking of Jonathan, I need to text him.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Jacob is alive, awake, alert. He requests you to come see him in the morning."

JONATHAN: "Will do, Duke."



One last phone call. I dial up Matthew.



MATTHEW: "Hello?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Matthew, it's Sebastian."

MATTHEW: "Yes, Dux?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Take the other Suburban. Grab four others and meet me at the warehouse."

MATTHEW: "When?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Now."

MATTHEW: "I'm on it."



Call ended. I lay the phone in the console beside me and fire up the Suburban. I put the truck in gear and head toward the warehouse.

---

Tuesday, May 21, 2013 - 10:28 AM EST



I'm standing outside the warehouse waiting the arrival of members of my Brotherhood. It's been about 15 minutes so far and if my math is correct, they should be rounding the corner momentarily.


Annnnnnd...


Right on time. Like a God damned Swiss watch. Always where they need to be. Matthew and the four others file out of the truck as I unlock the roll up doors. All of us head inside.


We open up the vans one by one. Much to my dismay, they're Ford Econolines. I thought I taught ol' Jonny boy better then that. We peek at the different weapons stashed inside and then close them up.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Alright men! Huddle up!"



As ordered, my men make a semi-circle around me.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "These are the vans that once belonged to Jonathan. I used my contact at the ATF to take possession of them. Just a little while ago, I spoke with Agent Smith and he informed me that all four vans had been delivered.

"Tomorrow night, gentlemen.

"The war is over."

MATTHEW: "Can we be sure of this?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "I can't tell the future, Matthew. I don't know how it will turn out. All I know is there will be blood. Lots of it. It's not over until either Jonathan... or myself... draw our last breath.

"In the morning, Agent Smith will call Jonathan. He will tell him there was a regretful mistake and that after Smith's shift, he and his team will personally deliver the vans back to him.

MATTHEW: "Wait. Agent Smith is giving the vans back?"



Why do I have to explain this again?



SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Jonathan is only supposed to thing that. We will deliver the vans. This is it, men. Make your peace with God. Some of us won't live to see Thursday morning."



The six of us take different routes back to the Compound. If Jonathan had any eyes out there, they didn't need to be clued in by watching 4 white vans and 2 black Suburbans following each other.


The time draws near.