Gideon pays attention to his surroundings as they both walk through the underground caverns, from what he could tell, they were somewhere in the abandoned mines rear that creepy old church. He glances at the blond beside him and couldn't help but to wonder if he was just going to kill him down here, the thought was enough to make his chest hurt. No one would ever look down here and his parents would never stop looking, he could imagine the whole town looking for him but no one would ever find his body.
"You're being awfully quiet, what's on your mind?" Bill asks too casually, bringing him out of his thoughts. The boy looks up at him, he wore a smug expression on his face and it irritates him.
"Nothing you would care much about, demon." Gideon looks away from him, he wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing the fear in his eyes.
"That's not how we treat friends," Gideon has to grit his teeth to keep from snapping at him. No way they were friends, to even consider! He huffs at at the thought.
"We are not friends, I'm only here because you threaten me." He mutters, crossing his arms. "Are you going to tell me what you want? I want to get this over with."
"I'll tell you once we get there." Bill pats his back, making the boy's shoulders tense up.
"Get where? Why are we down here?" Gideon looks around the old wore down mine shaft. "It's not like you to need a hideout."
"Only when I have something to hide." Bill stops in his tracks so he stops walking too. Gideon gives him a look, obviously confused at this point. Bill smiles, turning his attention to an entrance a few feet ahead of him and then back to the boy, wanting him to lead the way.
The young psychic hesitates, expecting him to attack once he was ahead of him but slowly makes his way towards the door, slightly curious as to what the demon had to hide.
He stops at the door, mouth slightly opened and shocked. It was Ford, Stan's twin brother, held to a chair by fluorescent chains and unconscious.
The author's head hung forward, his chin resting against his chest as he slept in his chair. It couldn't be comfortable with position he was in but he looked exhausted and roughed up.
The boy fights back the urge to run over and help the poor man, watching Bill circle Ford's chair; his gloved hand on his shoulder as he did. The demon takes off the unconscious man's glasses with one hand and brushes his hair out of his face, only to watch it fall back into place. Bill stares, letting his fingers brush against the man's cheek, over the bruises that seem to have gotten worse and makes a pleased noise. He enjoys seeing the other looking so broken, so beaten, like a child who loves breaking his toys.
Ford makes a distress noise in his sleep so Bill pulls his hand away and places the pair of glasses inside his vest. He turns his attention back to the other, Gideon, who stood a few feet away.
"The author?" Gideon asks, giving the man sympathetic glance, taking in all his bruises and busted lip. "Why is he here?"
"Well, my dear Gideon. If it weren't for him, none of this would have been possible." Bill grins, petting Ford's tousled hair. It wasn't it's usual fluffiness, it was dirty and matted. Stick together from sweat, blood and dirt. This gives the demon a annoyed feeling. "Couldn't leave well enough alone, had to go meddling in things he shouldn't."
"What?" Gideon looks a little taken back, more confused than anything. Bill glides back over to him, wrapping his arm around him.
"But that's not what I brought you here for, no. I brought you here for a favor."
"What kind of favor?" He asks, staring up at him with unease.
"Nothing too extreme, I just need you to breaking into the Mystery Shack and steal a couple of documents."
"Why can't you get them yourself?" Gideon dares ask.
"If I could get them myself then I wouldn't need you." The demon deadpans, he steps away with an annoyed look. "That pestering twin brother of his has his shields up, I can't get through."
"I-I can't," Gideon manages to get out, stepping away from him. He couldn't, not with what was on the line. "Kill me if you must but I won't help you, not again."
The movement was too quick for his eyes to follow, one moment the demons eyes lit up with anger, the next, a set of claws were digging into his throat and forcing him down to the floor. His head hits the ground hard enough to make his head spin, causing him to let out a startled cry.
"You don't have a choice here, brat." Bill reminds him, lifting his head up only to smack against the floor again. Gideon cries out and grabs the demon's wrist. "Don't test me because I'll kill you without a moment of hesitation."
"Get off me!" Words left his mouth in a panic and struggles to get the other's grip to release him, almost close to begging.
"I'll slaughter your whole family in front of you," Bill threatens, his nails piercing the boy's skin. "Can you imagine how long the human body can live without it's skin-"
"Stop!" The demand echoed loudly throughout the room, making the demon pause for a moment before pulling back to look over his shoulder. Ford lean forward in his seat, struggling against the chains that held him, "Bill, leave that boy alone."
"You know I can't do that. A traitors' a traitor, Fordsie." Bill tells him, squeezing on Gideon's throat, earning a squeak as he cut the boy's airway off.. "He's got to pay for his betrayal just like you."
"Please!" The desperate tone in the man's voice makes him smile, turning to see Gideon struggle against his hold, watching his face turn blue. Bill lets up on his grip, he didn't need his delivery boy passing out on him.
"Alright Sixer, as long as you give him the pass code to your lab."
"Why does he need my..." Ford frowns, confused then he shakes his head realizing what Bill wanted. "You want him to steal the banishing spell from the shack."
"And I want him to destroy it since I can't touch it in this damn body, thanks to you!" Bill snaps, eyes flaring in anger as he stood up off the other. His hands curled up into fist, blue flames engulfing them and looks down at Gideon with a threatening glare. "And if he doesn't, I'll make sure he regrets it."
"Don't threaten him," Ford snaps, squinting to focus on him. Bill laughs, flames vanishing and turns on his heel towards him, pulling his glasses out of his vest and waving them.
"What are you going to do about it, IQ?" The demon bounces over to him and slides his glasses over his battered face. "You can't even save yourself."
Ford glares at the taunting demon and then looks away because he was right, he couldn't do anything in these chains. Bill snickers at the man's defeat.
"I'll do it," Both Bill and Ford look up to the boy.
"Gideon, you can't-" Bill quiets him with a hand over his mouth.
"And you'll destroy the spell?" The demon asks, watching the boy nod.
"But what if someone has already found it?" Gideon asks, his eyes flicking over to the author but couldn't bare to look him in the eyes.
"You're a creative boy," Bill chimes, wrapping a arm around Stanford's neck and leans against his shoulder despite the man's noise of complaint. "Figure it out, kill them if you must."
"What? No, I can't-I won't!" Gideon tells him, looking Ford in the eyes now. "I'll do what you want but I won't do that."
"Fine," The demon rolls his eyes and lets out a sigh of irritation. "Whatever it takes to get the job done and then your free to go."
Bill flicks his wrist, wanting him to get a move on but the boy motions to the older man.
"What about him?" Gideon asks, getting to his feet.
"Oh Fordsie?" He pats Ford's shoulder and leans off of him. "He's not going anywhere just yet but you on the other hand? I'd be off if I were you, I'm beginning to lose my patience here, Gleeful." But before he could turn to leave, Bill spoke up once again. "Oh and Gideon." Bill grabs Ford by his hair and pulls his head back. "The pass code, IQ. Unless you want to see the runt's brains covering the wall over there."
"A1BC3" Ford forces through his clench teeth, turning his head away as Bill pats his cheek.
"See how easy it is to share NEEDED INFORMATION?"
Gideon gives one last glance at the Pines twin before rushing off to do what he was asked, the burden burned in his chest but he wasn't left with any other choice. The look on the other man's face makes him run faster, he knew the only reason he gave up the code so easily was because he was to protect him.
He shakes his head in anger, he didn't understand why. Why would Ford give up the way into his lab to keep Bill from killing someone like him? He was enemies with his brother for years, tormented his family and not to mention his hand in the weirdmageddon. Gideon didn't stop running but his pace became a lot slower. It didn't make sense at all. To the Pines, he shouldn't be anyone worth saving.
Rubbing his eyes with his sleeve to wipe away the tears, he could faintly hear Ford shouting farther back in the mines. It didn't sounded like he was in any pain or being tortured, more like he was angrily yelling at Bill for his wrong doing. His hands curl up into fists, he couldn't just do what Bill wanted. Not with the threat of a second weirdmageddon on the way, he couldn't but he also couldn't just walk away from the demon either. His and his family's lives were on the line right now, he had to do something.
The boy frowns as he made his way out of the church, dusting dirt off his suit. The night air was cool on his warm cheeks, he took a deep breath and look back towards the rundown church. Perhaps he could tell someone, get some help but he figured Bill would be watching him from a distance to make sure he wouldn't betray him again. The only place he couldn't follow was the Shack because of the barrier keeping him out.
He knew exactly what he had to do.
