My face is my secret

Gary set his gaze on the man in his room, he'd brought him in noticing the mask, not that he as a thing for masked men but he'd seen one like this before, one with half mask and just like Xander had told him... one was standing at the edge of Debra grave.

Gary also works for a man who's always with a mask on but a full one and looking at the two stature he knew they were different people, different Aura and personalities,and he'd vowed to protect his master even if he as never seen him before and since his uncle Rick doesn't have any problem with it,he doesn't either,Gary wonders if the man in his room is an impostor of his boss.

And apart from that he could clearly tell the man was lying about a girlfriend, Xander had specifically omitted the involvements of the ladies and ruled out that only married women were allowed to the party and they made sure it was upheld so hearing a man talk about girls, he immediately spotted out the truth the man came here for something entirely different and he would make sure he waits till Xander comes over.

"Suit looks good on people" Gary direct his gaze to the window and pour a drink for himself using his other hand to type a message to Xander.

"I don't like suit, I wear it occasionally"The masked man sit in front of him "You are a strange guy"Gary flick his eyebrows. "You let me into your mansion, then your room,that's a nice deed"

" Is it? it's been long i let someone new into my room and I hope you don't disappoint me with the quest for your girlfriend"The masked man take the bottle of champagne.

"Just a little" Gary hand him a cup "Thanks,got a girlfriend?"

" No,one cheated on me"

"Didn't find one after that?"

" I'm not ready for marriage and the ones I seem to find are the serious type"Gary swallow.

" Then act along,act like you're the serious type,I do that a lot"Gary cock his head chortling.

"What?you act like you're serious and dump them later on"

"No,that was just an advice,I do girls but not in your way"The masked man stand up and stride to the window.

"Ever been to a girl's burial? it's shitty" Frown elicit from the masked man face.

"No, been to one?" He straighten his grey suit and loosen the cuffs.

"Yes,it was a long time ago.... ma'am Debra died" Gary notice the change in atmosphere but wave it off as nothing and only fix his eyes on the man.

"Oh I'm so sorry,how did she die?"

" Um... it was a premeditated murder,her car was wrecked...I mean wrecked to tidbits"Gary sigh recalling the event "She saved Isabelle life"

"Isabelle?"

"My sister in law, she's a very stubborn person to be with but lovable,we went to school together and it was all fun...our childhood was fun,how about yours?"

"Was Isabelle in the car when the accident happened?"The masked man turn to him,Gary frown from the sudden thrust of question.

"Yes"

"And she's still in a normal condition?...oh I meant something ought to have break,maybe her spinal cord or her head I'm judging from your word 'wrecked to tidbits' "

" Isabelle was hospitalized,I wasn't allowed... scratch that we weren't allowed to see her and all of a sudden she came back and she'd been acting different ever since, it's like sometimes something is controlling her"Gary drop his glass.

" The situation is unique I must say" The masked man glance at a painting of heart and lift his finger to touch it.

"My dad painted it but with the help of grandma,saw it in his room today and decided to keep it, isn't it nice?"Gary beam.

" Very"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Triplicate" Micah blink in confusion "My friend...the one I told you about earlier remember,I can't believe I trusted him"

" You saw triplicate and he...he was holding knife"

" Yes"Micah chuckle.

"What's the name of the new horror movie you're watching?Jamie stop the jokes,triplicate is a serial killer and if it was him you wouldn't be alive"

" Micah I don't watch horror film and please don't classify it to romance because I hate it,I joke a lot but not when one of the person I adore the most is on her sick bed"Micah shake his head " Please believe me"

"I would if you'd been injured like Sasha,Jamie this guy killed two guards,a janitor and two workers without any valuable reasons if you'd seen him he would've killed you too"Micah stand up "Get up, Mr Mack is gonna kill me is he sees you this way"

" I'm also wondering why he didn't kill me but..."Jamie roll her eye at Micah persistence for her to stand up "Fine" She pout.

---

"Wow, you're good" Isabelle exclaim after taking a bit of the meal Xander made,he smile taking a sip of his wine.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Okay,but just don't ask me to let this go"

" I won't,have you ever wished life is different than it is now?"Xander stop eating to face her.

"A lot of times, sometimes I wish I'm back to eleven and then sometimes five,but I lived with it anyway, it's never going to change"

" It can change,I think we all just have to change for it to work"Isabelle sigh and point at his plate.

"I'm almost done here and you've barely touched yours, Mr Mack I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable"

"Geez,this isn't the first time I ate with you, we've done this a lot of times before"Isabelle stand up to take the dish to the sink.

"The first time you ate with me was like this,you were such a spoilt brat back then"Xander laugh.

" You're always happy when you talk about the past"He observe.

" The past is beautiful and I want to keep relieving it"

"We can make the present and future beautiful too" Xander stood dumbstruck, Isabelle crease her brow "that was a joke"

"I noted the humor" Isabelle smile unfolding her sarcastic comment,Xander ruffle his hair.

"What is wrong with me?" He ask himself.

"Everything alright?"Xander pick up his plate and place it in the sink "You can't wash?"

"I can only cook,lucky for me"

"There's nothing wrong In cleaning up"

" Not after almost loosing my hand after the prank you played on me"Xander pout,Isabelle burst into laughter.

"How can you still dwell on that?, we're adults now"

" Are we?"He stand behind her " We're still the same" He wrap his arm around her slender waist, Isabelle stop what she's doing "Remain still"

"Are you okay? I'll help you get your fake coughing drugs"Xander grin, Isabelle turn "Tell me"

"What?"

" You're acting strange tell me why?I know you still hate me"

"I do"He cup her face "I'm sorry" His capture her lips, astounded Isabelle push him off.

"That was inappropriate"

"Woman! we're married"

"Mr Mack don't try to force your husbandly right on me, please"Xander lips curve.

"I'm in the mood to take you back to the past"Isabelle step away,he follow her footstep "I won't bite you"

"I don't want to relieve the past with you"Isabelle yell. " It's not by force"

"It is and you're gonna love every moment of it" He press his lips on hers,Isabelle button her lips, smirking he pinch her waist.

"Ouch" He seeped in,his lips mating with hers, stroked till her sense were reeling,he paused and pushed her up against the counter pulling her hands to the back when he noticed she is about to make a move,He tilt her head to get better access she groan,Xander let out a throaty laugh releasing her from his grasp.

"That was fantastic and...did it bring back memories?"Isabelle gloat,his chuckle doubled.

"No,it wasn't this way at all"She pretend not to be flattered by his moves.

"Really?then show me how it was"Isabelle gnarl.

" I'm not your waste product Mr Mack"

"We're married, it's legally right,show me how it's done"He nuzzle closer "Show me Ms. mack"Isabelle place her and on his neck nudging him closer,she tiptoe and their lips met,alighting in the process,delving deeper into themselves,none of them wanting to let go and still fighting back the growing desire pent up inside them, Isabelle reluctantly stop the kiss,Xander grunt.

"Then you kiss me on the forehead" Xander face leveled with hers "And then mutter sweet words into my ears"

"Then you'd tiptoe again to kiss me wild"

"I'm not the only one who initiates it" She scoff, Xander caress her face "Then you'd whisper that...you love me"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The masked man caress the painting in his hand,Gary was dead drunk and he still couldn't believe how easy it was for him to get him to the state,he pick up the painting and stride to the door, took one last glance at gary and halt,the poor guy doesn't even know he's the same person... always one person.

"Don't leave" The corner of the masked man lips curve. "Stay for a little while"

"But you're drunk" He amble back to Gary.

" You're also drunk"Gary stood up and sit beside the window.

"Correct but one is more sane than the other"The masked man drop the painting and sit beside him "Why do you need a company? you've this big house to yourself and..."

"Tell me about yourself,you know a lot about me by now"

"Wow,you can still talk properly...no problem we'll talk I'm your boss anyway"Gary erupted with catcalls.

"My boss is far more smarter than you are,he as skills and his moves are always accurate..to the point"

"He also wears mask like I do"

"Yes but he's...wait did I tell you that?"The masked man hum " I promised to grant him something but he hasn't call and I hope he doesn't because I'm drunk"

"You've a nice career,why did you decide to face your boss instead of your career?"Gary look at the window,the neon lights illuminating from outside stream into the room.

"He's broken,I decided to stay because he's beyond broken"The masked man scowl and look away "Whenever I look at him I just feel that he's holding something in,just like Xander...and Isabelle, I've never gone through all that but I understand how it feels, Xander told me one day that he's not a living being 'Save me Gary, I'm dead... I'm dying'he begged and it wasn't a wonderful sight at all"

"Nice observation,nice speech kudos to you, I'm leaving"

" At least show me your face"The masked man turn the door knob " You said you're a man with justice vibe but you're not"Gary said skeptically.

" What do you want?"He drop the painting on the bed,taking off his tie.

"Let me see you, we'll be even,I shared my secrets but you didn't share yours"The masked man smirk.

"My face is my secret"

"Then show me" He amble to Gary.

"No one ever lived after seeing my face" Gary scoff "Are you willing to bear the little pain?"

" Of what?"

" Of death"Gary wipe his lips,he was out of his senses but still in the grasp of reality,the man before him sounded weird and serious but with a shake of the head he mutter.

"You're bluffing, show me your face"

The masked man glance down,checking how far the window is to the last floor "This ended at the third floor?"

" Yes,when you get to the third floor and measure, it stops at the other third, it's instant death if someone fall down from here to the last floor so to prevent that they broke it into three"Gary explained "Are we talking about floors now?"

"No"The masked man scowl " On the count of three you'll know who I am" Gary rub his wet palm,The masked man loosen the knot holding the mask together to his face "one"

"Two" The mask jerk,Gary face deformed,he held his jaw.

"Three" The mask fell off,Gary shudder like he was electrified,what stood in front of him was unworthy of belief,he stood before the man in mortal dread of the nightmare he seems to be having.

"This is me... I'm sorry you've to go now"Gary try to comprehend what he meant by that,the masked man smile and lift his finger,Gary scream in shock but it was too late,he toppled and fell from the window "Bye bye" the masked man pick up his painting and amble out.