About damn time…I know, I know, it’s been quite a while…

Just in case you’ve forgotten…

Previously on Mysterious Attraction…

 

RECAP

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**New Character Alert**

CUT TO:

Lexie sits gagged, blindfolded, and strapped to a chair in a cold deserted run down warehouse basement.

She hears a shuffling of feet and she begins to squirm.

A large broad shouldered man emerges from the shadows, he takes off her blindfold and ungags her and sets a plate of food in front of her.

Lexie’s eyes fall upon the partially shadowed face, she focuses and gasps.

Lexie: What are you doing here?

Joe: Oh didn’t you hear? I work for Skully now, (smirks wickedly.) Eat up Lex, don’t want your food to get cold.

Lexie: (stunned and betrayed) So this is what…your revenge? Just because I didn’t choose you, you’re gonna play Skully’s hit-man and kill me.

Joe: Well let’s not get ahead of ourselves. No one’s killing anyone.

Lexie: You don’t know Skully very well do you? His threats aren’t just threats.

Joe: You’re right, they’re consequences. If  your little boy toy doesn’t do what he’s told.

Lexie: Carter has nothing to do with this.

Joe: Carter has everything to do with this. And even if you think he doesn’t, you better hope he gets involved, because he’s really you’re only hope right now.

Lexie: Who are you? What have you become?

Joe: Oh come on Lexie. This should look familiar to you. The pain and the anger you suffer from a broken heart. We’ve all been here.

Lexie: I wasn’t trying to hurt you. You just wouldn’t take no for an answer.

Joe: Well now I hear you. Loud and clear.

Lexie: Joe, you don’t have to do this. You’re a good man. And deep down, I know you know there’s a better life out there for you. You just have to look for it.

Joe: Oh please, just stop… save that micromanaging shit for Carter, ok? Because I’m not buying it.

Lexie: See this is why we’d never work. You never would let me change. You wanted me to stay that same little naive, doe eyed girl, caught in the headlights, who needed you to lean on. Well I’m sorry but I grew up. And realized that I don’t need you. I can take care of myself and anyone else who may come along.

Joe: Interesting statement. Considering your little predicament right now. See I’m here, and Carter’s nowhere to be found. Well I guess you chose wrong. You know I always did tell you that hero-complex you had going on was gonna get you into trouble one day.

Lexie: So…what? Skully makes the order and you just kill me? You really think you’ll be able to live with that?

Joe: Like I said. No one’s killing anyone. Carter should be meeting with your dad by now and they should be coming up with a plan to get Skully what is owed to him, Skully will call Carter with a cryptic location and if all goes according to plan this will all be over soon enough.

Lexie: Ok…and what exactly is your job in all this?

Joe: To keep you company of course, (strokes her face and winks at her.)

Lexie turns her face and glares at him.

Lexie: I can’t believe you’d do this. That you’d come work for Skully, after everything he’s done to my family.

Joe: Oh cry me a river. You break my heart into a million pieces and you still expect my loyalty. You must me joking!

Lexie: I know that you hate me…

Joe: See that’s just the thing Lex, I don’t hate you. In spite of everything you claim to blame me for, I love you. I love you after all this time, all these years, all the distance that has managed to creep between us I love you. And I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

Lexie: Well if you love me, then why would you wanna hurt me?

Skully enters from a dark door way behind Joe

Skully: I’d like to know the answer to that question myself?

Skully approaches the two of them and stands with his arms crossed.

Skully: I’d like to know if I hired the wrong man for the job.

Lexie stiffens

Joe: I guess there’s a fine line between love and hate.

Lexie looks at him nervously

Skully: But did you or did you not just say that you loved her?

Joe: I did.

Skully: So answer the ladies question. If you love her, why would you wanna hurt her?

Joe: Because she hurt me. It’s as simple as that. Don’t need much else of a reason, do I?

Skully: Ah revenge. It’s a beautiful concept isn’t it? (leaning in close to Lexie, he smirks) Too bad you and your father failed miserably on your way to achieving it.

Lexie moves away and glares angrily at Skully

Skully: Your mother was a beautiful woman, god rest her soul.

Lexie: Don’t you dare talk about my mother, (through gritted teeth.)

Skully: Oh I’m sorry what was that? (he leans closer)

Lexie: You heard me.

Skully: (laughs bitterly) Wow. Even trapped to a chair, her life hanging at my every whim, and that fire streak is still there. Like father like daughter, huh?

Lexie: Exactly. I inherited a lot more from my father, than just a look  that could kill.

Skully: You know little girl, I would be very careful about what you say.

Lexie: Oh I’m not a little girl anymore, you made sure of that. And if I were you, I would be very careful about who you think you can trust.

Skully: And what’s that supposed to mean?

Joe whacks  Skully over the head with his gun and Skully falls to the ground.

 

 

Lexie: Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Joe: (leans down to an unconscious Skully) Ya know for supposedly smart guy…You can be pretty stupid.

Lexie smiles

Joe walks over to her

Joe: Nicely played.

Lexie: (laughs) You too.

Joe: I was just waiting for you to catch on, and give me the green light. I couldn’t risk making a bad

 

situation worse. If I learned anything from your father, it was that Skully is a very dangerous man.

Lexie: I know. I just figured let Skully think he won for a little while. Makes watching him suffer all the more entertaining. Can you untie my feet, I’ve almost got my hands free.

Joe: Are you kidding me? Skully tied you on here himself. He’s known for his rope tying skills. He’s had plenty of practice.

Lexie: Yea, so what…you think I’ve never been tied up before? My father’s a mobster.

Joe: You’ve been planning your escape route this entire time haven’t you?

Lexie: Maybe. (laughs) I needed to. Just in case I read you wrong. Rule number 1 always come prepared, rule number 2, learn who you can trust.

Joe: You never cease to amaze me, you know that? Besides, I’d never hurt you. You know that. But I do have to admit, I don’t mind having you at my mercy, (he raises his eyebrows jokingly, moving away from untying her feet.)

Lexie finishes untying her hands, punches him in the shoulder, and starts to untie her feet herself.

Joe helps her up

Lexie: The only time a woman is helpless is when her nail polish is drying.

Joe laughs

Joe: So you’re ok?

Lexie: I’m always ok.

Joe: So what’s your plan? I know you have one.

Lexie: Well he’s not gonna be out for long. But I imagine when his men don’t hear from him, they’ll be checking in. And well when they do, (walks over to Skully and takes his gun) we’ll be ready.

Joe: You know I could just get you outta here now?

Lexie: No. Skully is already counting on my father and Carter to show. And I wanna be here when they do. This fight is never gonna end. Unless my family puts an end to it.

Joe: Well I’m here if you want me to be.

Lexie: Thanks.

Joe: By the way. I just want you to know…I didn’t come work for Skully to spite you.

Lexie: Yea ya did.

Joe: Ok maybe I did, at first. But when your father fired me, I just got so angry. It was like you were getting the life you and I always wanted, and I was stuck with nothing but a front seat to a life I could have had. And to watch you with him…it just, it kills me. But anyway, I needed a job and Skully approached me. I figured if anything would get under your skin it’d be me working for Skully and maybe it’d somehow get us to talk. I hated every minute working for him, at least your dad has a conscience. But when I saw what Skully was planning, I realized I had to stick around, play along, it’s best to have a guy on the inside. Safest way to make sure it ends up in your favor.

Lexie: You’ve always been way smarter than you give yourself credit for. I want you to know, I wasn’t trying to hurt you, I swear. We just grew up, we grew apart, and things happened. Things that we never really came back from.

Joe: It’s been a long time, since you and I were an us, huh?

Lexie: Feels like a lifetime ago.

Joe: It’s crazy how one thing can change the entire course of your life.

Lexie Looks down at her stomach, and hugs herself.

Joe: What?

Lexie: Nothing. I just caught a chill that’s all.

Joe: Here (takes off his jacket and gives it to her.)

Lexie: Oh no, That’s ok.

Joe: Will you just take it. God, someone should really warn Carter now…he’s gonna have his hands full. You never let anyone help you.

Lexie: (laughs) Oh trust me he knows.

Joe: I’m glad you’re happy. I know I may not seem like it. And I know I may seem bitter but-

Lexie: It’s ok. I get it. You and I went through a lot together.

 

Joe: You know I meant everything I said. I mean most of it was for dramatic affect, because I knew Skully was listening. But I do love you. And I do want you to be happy, even if it isn’t with me.

 

Lexie: I’ll always care for you. It may not be in the way that you want me to. But I do want you to be ok, I want you to find your happiness too. Because I promise you. She’s out there.

Joe: Thanks.

They hear a noise in the nearby staircase.

Joe: I think we’ve got some company, you ready for this?

Lexie: You know what they say, you can take the girl out of the mob, but ya can’t take the mob out of the girl. (smirks) Let’s do this.

Joe and Lexie slowly move into the shadows with their guns poised ready to fire.

Dylan: Boss? Hey boss. You down there?

The guard opens the door and finds Skully on the floor.

Dylan: Boss (he goes to run over.)

Lexie: You might wanna step back. (holds her     gun up)

The Guard steps back

Dylan: How the hell-

 

Joe emerges from the shadows on the other side.

Joe: Hands up kid, where I can see them.

Dylan: Joe, what the hell are you doing man? This wasn’t the plan.

Joe: Yea well I don’t really live life by a plan. I’m more of a fly by your seat kinda guy.

The Guard goes to reach for his gun.

Joe: If you so much as move one more inch, I will blow your head off.

Lexie: I’ve never seen him miss a shot.

Dylan: This isn’t gonna end well man.

Lexie: You’re right it isn’t. Drop your weapon. Now. (points her gun at him as she comes closer)

The Guard puts his gun down

Lexie: Ok now you know the deal, slide it on over. Come on, I know you’ve been here before.

The guard kicks the gun towards Lexie.

Lexie: Atta boy. (picks it up, puts the safety on, and then sticks it into the back of her jeans)

Lexie: Let me ask you a question, what’s your name?

Dylan: Dylan.

Lexie: Well hey there Dylan, I’m Lexie. But I’m sure you already knew that. How you feelin’, life treatin’ you good?

Dylan: Right now? Not really.

Lexie: And why’s that?

Dylan: (nervously blurts out) I don’t know, maybe because I have two guns pointed at my head!

Lexie: Yea. Yea that’s a bad day. How old are you Dylan?

Dylan: I’m 19.

Lexie: 19. which means, you’ll be seen as an adult…in court, when this all goes down, no one’s gonna be calling you kid. And any consequences from this, are gonna come falling down on you and you are gonna feel them. And they are gonna be bad. Really bad. And I’ll tell ya something else, Skully? Yea he isn’t going to care. He’ll let you take the wrap for it just to save his own ass. And despite the macho exterior of this mobster position you so desperately wanted… I’m thinking, you’d be happy with the shittiest summer job right about now?

Dylan nods nervously, his whole body shaking.

Lexie: You’re a baby. They will try you as an adult. But you are still a baby. Take it from someone who grew up too fast, stay one as long as you can. Here’s the deal Dylan. This is all gonna go away, if you cooperate.

Dylan: Ok, (he says shaking nervously holding his hands up.)

Lexie: Ok, good. How many other guards are there?

Dylan: F-f-four.

Lexie: Ok, and where are they now?

Dylan: They are on watch outside, for when your dad comes.

Lexie: Weapons?

Dylan: Each guard has a hand gun and a knife. But if things get bad, we’re all instructed to go bigger. The big guns are in a safe in the boss’ office. But I swear I’ve never been allowed in there. I don’t know exactly where he hides them, or any of the codes to get them.

Lexie: Do you? (she looks at Joe)

Joe nods

Lexie: Ok. And how long ago did Skully make the call to my father with a location?

Dylan: About 20 minutes ago ma’am.

Lexie: Any other information I should know?

Dylan: They had an hour to get here. The hour is almost up. If it ends before they get here. We’re all instructed to-

Lexie: To chop me to pieces? Yea something tells me you don’t really have the stomach for that. So- go!

Joe: Lexie, what the hell are you doing?

Lexie: He’s a kid.

Joe: A kid who tried to kill you.

Lexie: But he didn’t get too close now did he? Go Dylan. Go Now. Take the back doors, hide in the shadows and once you get a clear path, run. And don’t look back.

Dylan: But what about you? Skully’s men are gonna come looking when they don’t here back from me. And soon Skully’s gonna wake up and he’s gonna-

Lexie: I can take care of Skully. I plan to…once and for all. Now go.

Dylan: I’m sorry ma’am, I-

Lexie: It’s ok. I grew up losing my way too. You’re allowed to make mistakes, just learn from them. Now get outta here.

Dylan: Thank you.

Lexie: And hey Dylan. If we happen to see each other again, don’t call me ma’am, I’m not that old.

Dylan smiles and runs out the back door.

Joe: You’re insane for doing that.

Lexie: Oh come on he’s a kid who was scared shit, he didn’t belong here. Do you really think he wasa threat?

Joe: Nah. More then likely he would have been the first casualty.

A car pulls up outside.

Joe and Lexie exchange glances.

Joe gestures to Lexie that he’ll cover Skully

 

Lexie steps up on the table nearby  and peers out the small basement window. She sees Carter and Reeves get out of the car.

Lexie: They’re here.

She gets down from the table

Just then another set of tires are heard.

Lexie looks up at Joe

Lexie: Are you expecting someone else?

Joe: Not that I knew of.

Shots are heard outside.

Lexie: Oh my god! No!

Lexie goes running.

Joe: LEXIE! (he goes running after her, leaving Skully on the floor.)

 

 

 

 

FINALLY…BACK ON THE MYSTERIOUS ATTRACTION GRIND!

Expect new installments way more frequently! 🙂

Did you know Joe wouldn’t actually hurt Lexie,

or were you sweating there for a minute? 😉

*I do not take credit for any of the images/gifs/manips*

And HAPPY BELATED EASTER TO ALL THOSE WHO CELEBRATE! 😀

 

Happy Monday!

-<3-