Tuesday, April 30, 2013 - 4:51 PM EST


Last week Jonathan delivered the nail in the coffin. Drove the final blade into my back. Never would I imagine that Jacob would not only turn his back on me, but also declare his allegiance to my most hated enemy. It's like adding insult to injury.

Asmodeus warned me not to trust anyone - including Jacob. Of course, being the stubborn jackass that I am, I refused to listen. I should have blown off that final meeting at the lake. Had I done so, maybe I would have had an opportunity to clear the air with Jake.

I think I was in denial, mostly. I didn't want to admit to my part in the death of his brother. I didn't cause the crash that took Lucas's life but I certainly didn't give him any added security to prevent such an occurrence. I'm partially guilty. I know that now. What bothers me, is that Jacob and I were like brothers. He never gave me a chance to bury the hatchet.

He took that hatchet and drove it into my back. What I don't understand, is why I'm still alive. That night at the lake, I had myself, Jacob and ten men in the woods ready to fire on Jonathan. Jacob must have planned for that and selected men that he knew were turned.

I gave the order to fire and not a damn one of them pulled the trigger. I was alone. Surrounded by enemies. Jacob made sure to it that I was rendered unconscious. Those ten men in the woods as well as Jacob, took up arms with Jonathan. A true Trojan Horse if there ever was one.

I've been the architect of my own demise the entire time. I've slowly but surely been arming my men for battle against Jonathan and my former Brothers. Just for them to turn their backs on me and join forces with my most hated enemy.

They had the means, the motive and the opportunity. So, again, I ask the question: Why am I still alive?

I sit in my fathers home debating these thoughts in my own head. Asmodeus was speaking, but of course, my mind is elsewhere so I wasn't listening to a word he said.

Until now.


ASMODEUS: "....requested a meeting."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Huh?"

ASMODEUS: "Were you even listening?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "No. My mind is... I don't know. It's just not here right now. What were you saying?"

ASMODEUS: "First I was rubbing it in that you should have listened to.."


I cut him off. I don't have time for that. Actually, I do. I just don't want to hear it.


SEBASTIAN DUKE: "I don't care about that. The meeting! What meeting!?"

ASMODEUS: "Oh. I said Jacob called and requested a meeting with you."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "What did you tell him?"

ASMODEUS: "I told him I'd talk to you about it and for him to call back later."


I stand up and walk toward the door. Asmodeus stops me.


ASMODEUS: "Where are you going? Aren't we even going to discuss it?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "No. We're not. If he wants to meet with me, he'll have to do it on my terms and talk to me directly."


I exit Asmodeus's house and head back up to the Compound.

---

Tuesday, April 30, 2013 - 5:19 PM EST


My name is Jacob. At one time, my last name was Barrett. It's been so long since I've even thought about my life outside of Sebastians Brotherhood that I swear I nearly forgot it.

I met him when I was 12, I believe. He was, and still is much larger than I am. We became what they call, "Fast Friends" all those years ago. Being small statured and an awkward child, I guess I was an easy target for bullies while I was in school.

This big kid - and I'll never forget his name, Charlie Kennedy - had been pushing me around for much of sixth and seventh grades. Here in New England, he used his last name to get what he wanted, and he always did. The name Kennedy, around here, meant you got preferential treatment. I always new he was not related to the prominent Kennedy political family. So, one day, I used it against him. I screamed on the top of my lungs that he was not related to the dead President. Not now, not ever.

He took exception to that, I guess. Charlie decided to teach me a lesson. He was brutally attacking me while a crowd gathered to watch until young Charlie Kennedy would be taught a lesson in respecting others himself.

Sebastian had just moved here to Old Saybrook with his father, Asmodeus after moving away from his drunk mother in Pittsburgh. Sebastian, even then, was much larger then children not only our age, but even most, if not all, of the seniors at that junior-senior high school we attended.

It was his first day at our school and he joined the crowd of on-lookers watching me get pummeled by a kid twice my size. He stepped in. He beat the holy hell out of young Charlie Kennedy. Needless to say, from that point on, pretty much everybody cowered in fear to the almighty Sebastian Duke.

It seems so surreal now. To say that he and I were like brothers in so many ways. We were inseparable. To think that, makes me slightly regret my decision to turn my back on him. More over, he is the one that turned his back on me leaving me with only one clear choice.

Take down the Brotherhood of the Illuminatus.

Once and for all.

It's not something I will take pleasure in, mind you. Not at all. I still love Sebastian as if he were my brother. And Asmodeus as if he were my father. In my own mind, I'm forever grateful for the things they've done for me. Forever indebted to them for all they've helped me through. The fact is, the rift between myself and Sebastian goes deeper then the untimely demise of my real life brother, Lucas. He'd like everyone to think differently, I'm sure.

Earlier today, I extended an olive branch of sorts, to Asmodeus and Sebastian. Not in so many words, I was basically told to shove it. I should have expected that. Asmodeus did tell me to call back later, but I'm still on the fence. I want to meet with Sebastian one on one. So there can be no questions as to why he still lives and breathes and his heart still beats at this hour. Any one of us could have terminated his existence on this Earth should Jonathan had chose to take that course.

I'm sure everybody misunderstands Jonathan as a loose cannon nut job. In some ways, I suppose it's true. For months you've only seen one side of the story.

Sebastian Dukes side.

Until now.

I sit here in my private room Jonathan promised me. My hand on the receiver of the telephone. Debating whether to call or not to call.

Of course, I hit the speaker button and dial.


SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Hello?"

JACOB: "Sebastian."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Jake."

JACOB: "I called earlier. I talked to Asmodeus about having a meeting with you. One on one. Just me and you."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "I'm aware."

JACOB: "Will you give me that?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Doubt it, Jake."

JACOB: "What will it take to get you to see me?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "You'll have to come here. Alone."


I'm not sure I like the sound of that. He is still reeling from my "treachery" though, so I doubt he'd try anything.


SEBASTIAN DUKE: "You still there? Or are you going to take the cowards way out?"

JACOB: "No. I'm here."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "That's the offer. If you want to meet me one on one, you'll have to come here. To the Compound. Alone. No one else. Just you. Just me."

JACOB: "I don't think that would be a wise decision."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "That's it. There is no debate. It's a take it or leave it kind of thing."

JACOB: "When do I have to let you know?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Just show up. I'll be here."


I hear the audible click on the other end. He hung up. I end the call and sit there on the edge of my bed. Debating in my head whether to go through with his offer of the meeting or not. On one hand, he is still reeling. On the other hand, he's a wounded dog. Wounded dogs always bite back.

Someone knocks on my bedroom door and enters.

It's Jonathan.


JONATHAN: "So?"

JACOB: "So what?"

JONATHAN: "Did he accept the meeting?"

JACOB: "He did, actually."

JONATHAN: "Good."

JACOB: "He'll only accept it if I show up alone at the Compound."

JONATHAN: "Oh. Not so good then."

JACOB: "I'm on the fence. I could walk in there and he may do nothing at all."

JONATHAN: "Or you could walk into a trap. You might get ambushed."

JACOB: "I think I'm going to take the offer."

JONATHAN: "I'm behind you. No matter your choice. I have only one condition, though."

JACOB: "What's that?"

JONATHAN: "You can't tell him that there are no more of our men within his walls. He must continue to question each and every single thing he knows. It's imperative to this victory we seek."

JACOB: "I understand that."

JONATHAN: "Good. Like I said, you have my support no matter what you choose."


Jon leaves the room after laying a set of keys on my end table. I laid back on my bed for what seemed like hours. When I looked at the clock it showed it was only a quarter after six.

The debate was over. I stand up and grab the keys.




I'm headed into enemy territory.




I'm headed behind enemy lines.




It still sounds so surreal to me. Like it's not real. But it is, though. Very real indeed. My best-friend is now my worst enemy.




I'm headed to Sebastian Dukes heavily guarded Compound.