TITLE: Burn It Down

CHAPTER/TITLE: Prologue

RATING: T (language and mature content)

SUMMARY: Pre-Movie. "Jack just stood there, watching this stranger die, somehow unable to look away, or even move. He was completely, utterly, frozen." A belated Halloween story. Jack gets into some trouble when he goes off on his own.

A/N: Yes, I know. I am just, oh, a TAD late for Halloween. If it counts, I actually wrote this quite a bit BEFORE Halloween…ok…so it doesn't count. I didn't get the chance to type and upload it. As a treat, I will give it all to you at once! It's like getting a regular sized candy bar instead of "fun" size! Wow. I'm lame. I was thinking on waiting until all the way to next year to post it during the proper month, but banked on me losing it or forgetting or something that would reflect what usually happens in my life. I rushed some filler parts to get this typed and up for you guys.

So, here it is. The full story. All chapters will be uploaded today or shortly thereafter.

Happy….Hallogivingmas….?

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Four Brothers…or Halloween….maybe Hallogivingmas….

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Prologue

There were two things Jack Mercer knew to never, ever, under any circumstance, discuss with his brothers. The first taboo topic was his music. The second, and most important, was girls. That was, unless Jack actually desired to be tormented, followed by having his guitar or girlfriend receive equal harassment. His older brothers had swiftly scared off several young ladies, some simply by learning his last name.

So when both Angel and Bobby were going to be back home at the same time, Jack was not his normal excited self. He never could keep a secret from them, especially Bobby. He could discreetly distract Jerry and Angel usually was too lethargic to keep pushing and quickly lost interest. Bobby, however, didn't believe in giving up. Jack had been busted by Bobby on bad grades, drugs and who broke Evelyn's Supremes album. Keeping a living, breathing human being a secret would be an entirely new level of deceit.

Of course, Jack had one thing on his side. One of the few things that just might be enough to distract the eldest Mercer and keep his attention honed elsewhere.

Halloween.

It was quite possibly Bobby Mercer's favorite day of the year. With all four brothers home for the haunting holiday, he would surely be planning something explosive, possibly literally.

"You need all this for tonight?" Jack questioned skeptically, scanning the crumpled list that had been handed to him by his eldest brother.

"Shit yeah," Bobby scoffed, "if you want to do this night up right we do. Meet us there in an hour."

"Why can't Jerry or Angel or you get it?" Jack folded the list into his pocket, knowing he would be going to the store one way or another.

"'Cause you just look so damn young and innocent compared to the rest of your big brothers," Bobby cackled, "besides, we got some other shit we got to take care of."

"I don't even wanna know," Jack declared, turning and shuffling out the door happily.

Of course he would get the grunt work. Of course he would be the designated "gopher". Jack knew his brothers well enough to know the basics of their schemes. He still had to gripe, though. Jack always complained. He loathed being treated like an errand boy and then told to wait aside while the real action went down. This time, though, he was ecstatic.

Usually, when Bobby was back in town, at least ever since the little drug bust, Bobby was breathing down Jack's neck with every move he made. Finding time alone to sneak away would have normally been impossible. Now, Bobby was unknowingly handing him a way out and Jack did not hesitate to grab it.

Jack also knew he would catch literal hell later for what he was about to do, but he also neglected to care. Being with her was worth it. A night alone with her on Halloween canceled out anything his brothers would do to him later. He had long ago promised her that this night would be theirs together and he wasn't about to go back on that now.

Jack smiled softly to himself. He had two surprises in store for the night. One, for his disappointed and furious brothers. The other, for his hopefully happy girlfriend.

Jack had no idea he was about to walk into a horrific surprise of his own.