Song: Chasing Shadows- Nerdout

I never planned on blackmailing anyone or using her but if this is how he wanted to play this is what he will get. She rolls her eyes at me and looks out the window. Madeline Brantley is twenty-two and has been causing trouble for her father ever since she was a preteen. There are many articles in the paper and social media about her wild behavior. I know there is way more about her than the press talks about. But something tells me she is just a girl dying to get out from her father's wings.

He has done this to her. I read over several articles and look up at her sound asleep. I know she doesn't want to go back home and maybe I shouldn't take her back there. Hell there is no telling what he will do to her.

When we land in New Mexico, I get another rental car and head to her father's place. "You are looking for a death wish; you have got to be kidding me you will never make it past the gates?" She looks worried about what will take place.

I pull over and answer the text that comes through. He says the money is all there. So I pull up my account and the one million is there. This fucking job cost him so much more than it should have. I know she doesn't want to get out of the car and walk in but I force her out of the car anyway. "Let's go."

At first she tries to pull away from me but then she stops and gives up. Her eyes look up at me and it's like she is begging me not to make her go back home. "He will kill you in a blink of an eye...and then once you are dead he will either kill me or lock me away forever. You don't understand my father he is a fucking God in this state...and I...I'm a disgrace to the family...I swear to you...you are making a big mistake."

I roll my eyes at her and bite my tongue. I take what she has just said under consideration. I walk her into the house anyway. We are greeted by two guards at the door. I notice that both are armed. We walk in and I don't take my eyes off of them. I know they are right behind me. As we walk on into the house I glance up at the mirror on the wall and see the one holding on to his gun but not out of the holder just yet. They show us to his office and shut the door behind us. I watch as one goes to the one side and the other goes to the opposite wall.

Governor Brantley sits at his fine ass Mahogany desk. He throws down a file in front of him landing with a loud smack against the wood and looks up at the two of us. I watch as he looks at his daughter and I know she is right the moment I step out of here...if I step out of here he will get rid of her. She has caused so much trouble for his life and his campaign.

"You have your money...thanks for bringing her home." He stands up and walks around his desk. I watch as he raises his hand to her and he backhands the shit out of her; she falls to the floor by my side her legs crumble underneath her. I glare over at him. "Take her." He looks up at the one guard.

I know that she was telling the truth. He will find away to get rid of her and really it is none of my business what becomes of hers. But then again there is this sick feeling in the bottom of my stomach. I should just let it go but dammit I grit my teeth and look up at him. "Is that really necessary?"

"My daughter knows too much already. I can't have her getting in my way. What you want to do it. I will give you another three to do it right now."

I can't believe he just offered me another three hundred thousand just to take her out right here...right now. "Show me the money...and that's in cash...not wired into my account."

I watch as he walks over to the safe and he puts in the code and lets it scan his face. It opens right up and there are stacks and stacks of bills in it, including other items. He looks back at me. "Do it, I dare you."

I slowly take out my gun and hold it to her head. She glances up and me and shrugs her shoulder, not even scared at all. It's like she is done with all of this shit. I think about what she had said earlier that he will kill her and for sure take me out. I look out of the corner of my eye and see one of the guys holding on to his side. I know the moment that I shoot her, he will shoot me and they will play it off that I was the one all along that took her and brought her back blackmailing them into giving me more money. I can't take that chance. Within a split second I turn and shoot the guy that I see in the corner of my eye and then turn and shoot the other before he can take out his gun. I hold up the gun to Governor Brantley.

 "Guess you didn't see that coming did you?" I look down at Madeline. "Get up."She is still on the floor holding her ears and shaking like crazy from the sound of the gun going off. I bet she thought for sure she was shot. I touch the top of her head and pet her. "You are going t be ok...stand up."

She reaches for my hand and I help her up. Our eyes meet and she quickly turns around to see the two guys covered in blood on the floor. Her eyes go wide and I feel her body still shaking as she turns to look at her father. He is still standing in front of the safe. "Get your bag and empty it."

She picks her bag off of the floor and unzips it. She hurriedly takes everything out and then looks up at me for her next command. The whole time I have my weapon aimed at him begging him to make a move. I walk her over to the safe and shove her lightly inside. "Go on fill it up."

She looks up at me like I have got to be kidding. She looks over at her father and it's like she is waiting on his permission to take it. If his eyes were made out of lasers he would have brought her down in that second. I can see the flames behind his icy glare at her. "Madeline...so help me you touch any of that and I will take you out myself."

She freezes in her tracks and looks back up at me. I hope she knows that I am the one in control here not him. "Madeline look at me...he will not hurt you. Take the goddamn money...NOW!!!" I order with a firm voice. She quickly does as she is told. I watch as she takes stacks and stacks of bills, stuffing them all into the bag.

Once it is full and she can't get any more in it she zips it up and brings it out. "You two will not get by with this...I will have the whole fucking state...the country for that matter looking for your asses. You fucking mother..."

I don't wait for him to say the rest. I hold up my gun and shoot him right in the chest two times. He goes down hard and looks up at me. It's like he wants to say something but he can't get it out as he is holding his chest. I walk over and step down on him, pushing his hand harder into his chest. "Your daughter will be well taken care of." I stand there in that position for a good five minutes, watching the life drain out of him. It was almost like watching that deer many years ago...watching the life being sucked right out of the body.

I look up at Madeline and she is standing there in shock. "Are you going to kill me now?" She says with this low shaky voice."

"If I wanted to kill you, you would be dead already. Seriously didn't we already have this conversation? You are free to go. I will take you to the airport. I want you to leave this place and never look back."

She looks all around her, then back at me. "I don't have anywhere to go...where would I go?"

"Anywhere but here...you have the whole world out there." We both walk out of the house and get in the car. I drive to the airport. I hand her a ticket. "This will take you to Atlanta...once there get a ticket out of the States. You are free now." I hand her the bag with all the money in it.

She looks up at me confused, "I don't understand, don't you want any of it?"

"It's yours. Your father put you through enough shit, consider this your inheritance. Where ever you go, when you get there change your name, change your appearance and don't ever think about the family you had before. Think of it as another chance at life."

She jumps and wraps her arms around me. "Thank you...thank you for everything."

"You're welcome. Take care Madeline." I take her arms and move them back down to her side. I wait for her to board the plane and then I walk over to my jet and get on not daring to look back at any of this.