Danny parks her car a block away from her childhood home.
Only 15 minutes until midnight.
Gun in hand, she sneaks through the dark toward the house.
But all the window shades are drawn.
Danny eases around the house.
And jumps the backyard fence.
The house hasn’t changed much over the years.
She can still picture her mother’s tomatoes growing in the planter box…
Even though now it’s overgrown.
Danny shakes away the nostalgia…
She crouches near the back door, looking inside.
There’s a shadow on one of the living room walls…
And just like at Preston’s farmhouse…
Moving quickly down the hallway…
Multiple stab wounds to their torsos.
And some of their limbs cut off.
Preston
Right on time, my love.
Danny
What have you done?
Preston
They were in the way.
Preston
And were trespassers in YOUR home.
Preston
So I took care of them for you.
Danny
But I’m the one you want.
Preston
I think you know why…
Danny
Why play this…this game?
Preston
I wanted to stump you with a riddle.
Preston
Just like old times…
Preston’s face scrunches.
Pointing his knife at her.
Preston
I’m not the one to blame here…
Preston
You’re the one who left!
Preston
And the way you did it…
Preston
Sneaking off in the middle of the night.
Preston
I remember the EXACT date.
Preston
And each year that passes breaks me even more…
Danny
I told you I’m sorry—
Preston
Everyone HATED me…
Preston
Blamed me for you leaving.
Preston
I’d be walking downtown and people wouldn’t even look at me.
Preston
Let alone talk to me.
Danny
You could’ve moved away…
Danny
Started a new life.
Preston
No, Danny…I’m not like you.
Preston
I’d never let someone take me away from MY home!
Danny
But what happened to you?
Danny
How could you murder all these people?
Preston
News traveled quickly…
Preston
About how you had MADE it.
Preston
How you were this big shot FBI agent now.
Preston
That’s all anyone ever talked about…
Preston
They’d talk about you, again and again.
Preston
Just to spite me.
Preston
Well, I’d show them.
Preston
That’s why I went after the livestock too.
Preston
This pathetic farm town needed to hurt like I have.
Preston
So I tore apart their livelihoods.
Preston
I know how much you used to like our games.
Preston
I figured you’d enjoy this one.
Preston
A kind of 12-year anniversary celebration.
Preston
Complete with gifts.
Preston
Dismembered humans and animals…
Preston
Symbols of how you left me in pieces.
Preston
But you’ve gotten smarter since the last time we played.
Preston
Apparently I can’t stump you anymore.
Danny
But what about the attempted kidnapping?
Danny
You were all beaten up.
Preston
I had to sell it.
Danny
You did that…to yourself?
Danny
You two were together!
Danny
You could’ve moved on!
Preston
Some people are just pawns…
Preston
It made you jealous didn’t it.
Preston
Learning about what she and I did…in our old spot.
Preston
I saw it in your eyes…
Preston
You still have feelings for me.
Preston
It’s okay. I forgive you, baby.
Preston
We can be together now.
Danny
It’s over, Preston.
Suddenly, a voice shouts from the back door.
Detective Jones
Detective Hayes?!
Detective Jones
Hayes are you in there?
Danny whirls her head to look down the hallway…
Detective Jones is at the back door.
Danny
Detective, stay back!
Danny swivels her head back to Preston…
Detective Jones runs into the room.
Detective Jones
Oh my God…
The detective gapes at the dismembered couple on the ground.
Detective Jones
Did he do this?
Danny
But he couldn’t have gone far.
Before she can take a step to give chase…
Someone rushes up behind her…
And a blunt object smashes into the back of her head.
Danny stumbles to the ground.
Her vision blurring, filling with stars.
As she tries to catch herself—
Her gun flies out of her hand and skids away.
She turns over on her back, wincing in pain…
Preston stands over her, smiling.
His hand tightens around his knife.
Everything in Danny’s mind slows.
And she thinks to herself…
For agreeing to marry Preston in the first place.
For never truly confronting her demons.
Preston
If I can’t have you…
He raises the knife above his head—
Then he jerks the knife forward.
But before she feels the pierce of the knife…
Both of his hands are pressed against his stomach…
Blood spewing over his fingers.
Revealing Detective Jones standing behind him…
Danny stands, reaching for her phone to call an ambulance.
Preston whirls around and lunges at Detective Jones.
Grabbing and wrestling him to the ground.
Danny leaps toward her gun on the floor.
She snatches it, twists, and points her gun at the 2 men.
But Detective Jones’ body is blocking Preston.
Preston has the Detective in a chokehold…
Preston
Or I’ll kill him!
Detective Jones
Don’t do it!
Preston thumps the detective on the head with his gun.
Preston
You, my lovely fiancé…
Danny squares Preston in her sights.
Preston
You, I will keep alive just long enough…
Preston
To cut you apart piece by piece.
Preston
12 pieces for 12 years of agony!
Danny
Preston, it doesn’t have to end this way.
Preston points the gun at Detective Jones’ head.
Danny settles her breathing.
Then her finger pulls the trigger.
The gunshot shatters her ear drums.
Both Preston and Detective Jones fall back.
Danny runs over to the 2 men.
And kneels down next to Detective Jones.
Detective Jones’ eyes are squeezed shut.
Whether in pain or death, Danny can’t tell.
Holding his head, blood dripping from where Preston hit him.
Detective Jones
Nice shot.
Detective Jones
Risky. I felt the heat…
Detective Jones
But nice shot.
They both gaze at Preston’s lifeless body.
A sadistic smile still etched on his face.
Danny
I’m sorry I accused you.
Detective Jones
And didn’t tell me where you were going…
Danny
I wasn’t thinking clearly.
Detective Jones
No worries.
Detective Jones
I knew where to find you.
Danny pauses and takes a breath.
Danny
I pointed my gun at you.
Detective Jones
Look, I get it…
Detective Jones
He fooled us both.
Detective Jones
I’m just sorry you had to go through this…
Danny
Not exactly what I imagined for my first assignment.
Danny
But I guess he was right.
Detective Jones
Who? Preston?
Danny
I had to come back here—
Danny looks down at Preston.
Danny
And face my demons.
Danny
Killing them once and for all.
