Thank you: inu-yusukekaiba102, rebelmewpheonix, xCrazyKindOvWeirdx, and marishka91.
Lol looks like I need to clear a few things up: first, Ana is in a cargo container because that's what Voltaire owns besides his underground car dealings. He owns Biovolt too, a shipping company. So he owns the dock, the ships, the goods in the crates and all the containers. So it was easier for him to hide her there since there are so many and it would be hard for Kai to find her if he somehow found out her location. It would be stupid to hide her in the office building because he knew Kai would come and it would he easy for him to mess up or stop any of Voltaire's plans. He has more leverage if he keeps Ana somewhere way away from Kai.
Second, I didn't really make it very clear but the meeting with Voltaire wasn't too abnormal. Sometimes he would call Ana in to discuss the boost or pay or something, it just doesn't happen all the time.
Third, Kai was not held hostage too, as you will find out in this chapter. Voltaire just wanted to get a good point across that he can't just do whatever he wants; Voltaire wanted Kai to know that he's not above the rules and he's never going to get Ana back if he doesn't cooperate.
Ummmm, yep! I think that's it. Thanks everyone. Only two more chapters! Ahhh!
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Chapter 9: Heading for the Bottom
You gotta swim.
Swim in the dark.
There's no shame in drifting,
Feel the tide shifting and wait for the spark.
Yeah you've gotta swim.
Don't let yourself sink.
Just find the horizon,
I promise you it's not as far as you think.
The currents will drag us away from our love,
Just keep your head above,
Just keep your head above,
Swim.
Jack's Mannequin - "Swim"
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"Jesus, look at him."
Where the fuck am I?
"Boris wasn't lying."
" -help me get him outta this ditch."
Who the hell -
"What are we going to do?"
"…back to the house…"
God, put me down…I just want to sleep…
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Kai woke up with a massive pounding, pulsing through every cell in his body, but there were certain areas the pain was the worst: both wrists, his nose, his head. He could feel he'd been unconscious for a long time by the stiffness in his muscles and joins.
He cracked open his eyes, thankful for the semi darkness of the room he was in. He was lying on his back on something comfortable. The ceiling was concrete. He turned his pounding head to the side and saw a large T.V and a familiar rug on the ground.
He was back at the house.
Despite his headache, he could surprisingly think pretty straight. He knew he screwed-up, but he wasn't sure what it meant for him and Ana.
He did know that there was no negotiations now. He had to go back the same way as before, only this time with reinforcements.
Trying to get up for Kai was like trying to walk the line when he felt dizzy and unfocused like he was drunk. His head felt heavy and a bit fuzzy around the edges and it was pulsing madly when he stood up. He had to use the arm of the couch more than once to keep from toppling over.
On a small table set up next to the couch was a bottle of aspirin and a glass of room temperature water. He fumbled clumsily for the bottle, dumped a handful into his palm, and downed the pills with a large gulp of water.
Jesus. They really needed to make a pill that had instant results.
Getting up the basement stairs was an even bigger challenge that he almost failed twice.
What pissed him off was that his legs were perfectly fine, his arms mostly usable - even though his wrists hurt like hell - but it was his head that was making him unable to walk around normally. Everything seemed to be moving as he walked and the usual natural impulses that took care of themselves when he want to walk or climb stairs weren't functioning right. He had to concentrate just to put one foot in front of the other.
Finally, he made it to the landing of the main floor. He could hear hushed voices coming from the inside of the kitchen, and stumbled his way in.
"Hey Kai! Feeling better?"
Fuck it all. Why did Tyson always have to be so goddamned loud?
He looked around the room, trying to pin point Tyson to glare at him or tell him to put a sock in it, but instead he spotted orange first.
"What the fuck are you doing here --?'
"We called -"
"I'm here to help." From his seat at the table between Max and Ray, Tala gave Kai a blank stare back.
"I don't need your help."
"Clearly."
Kai growled at his sarcasm.
"Common Kai, sit down," Ray insisted, "I'm sure your head is pounding."
"It sure as hell is now." Not wanting to sit at the same table as those morons, he lifted himself up and sat on the counter.
Max ignored his jab at Tala, and changed the subject; they needed to get things straightened out now. "We were just going over Plan B."
"Yeah, we're coming this time whether you like it or not," Tyson demanded, "you need our help."
"I know I do."
Conversation stopped in shock. Since when did Kai ever admit he needed help? The situation must be serious.
"Okkaay…so we're thinking about splitting up," Max explained, "half of us go in, and the others cut all power by the time you get to the office. Catch everyone off guard."
"Then we surround them!"
"Tyson, turn it down a notch, I'm sure Kai has a headache."
Hell yeah he did.
"Kai's a big boy, he can handle it.'
"Why don't I come over there and give you a huge knot on that hard head of yours and see how you handle it."
"I'd like to see you try!"
"Stop it! Damn, we're never going to get anywhere."
Kai sighed. "What's the damage?"
"Besides us getting a call to come get you in a ditch off of Darr, your almost broken wrists, broken nose we put back into place, and the large lump on your head, I think we're still in pretty good shape. From what I can guess, I'd say Ana's still kicking if they're going out of their way to keep you alive," Kenny shrugged. "The minute they kill Ana though, will most likely be when they kill you."
"Yeah, so don't go back to sleep. You could have a concussion," Ray added.
"How long have I been out?"
"We got the call at like one-thirty this morning, and right now it's about seven in the evening," Tyson answered, "you do the math."
"So are we doing this or not? 'Cuz we gotta get moving if we are. Who knows how much longer Voltaire's gonna wait," Tala said.
"Let's give Kai at least two hours to get something to eat, take some aspirin, and get over his headache," Ray suggested, "we can keep planning, get everything together, and then we'll go."
"I'm not hungry. I already took a handful." He couldn't believe it, but Kai was agreeing with Tala.
Max rolled his eyes at Kai. "But you obviously still have a headache and it'll be awhile before the fuzziness wears off," he said and then looked at Ray. "I agree with Kon."
"Alright fine," Tala sighed, getting up to leave the kitchen. "I'll be watching T.V."
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I don't sleep; I can't.
There is a floor to ceiling door on the far left side of this container that I've already tried to get open. I've tried prying the wood off the crates and picking at the nails to use for tools or weapons, but they're snug tight together. I've even opted to stack some crates on top of each other and try to find a weak spot in the ceiling but I can't pick up the heavy boxes, and even if I could how was I suppose to stack them to the ceiling?
So how the hell was I supposed to get outta here?
Someone will have to come for me.
Ray, Max, Tyson, and Kenny have to be on their way already; it's just a matter of being patient, right?
I bet even Kai is coming. He still probably hates me, but I've been kidnapped for heaven's sake, he can't be that much of an asshole.
That's cool, I can wait. I just hope they get to me before Voltaire's men do for my execution. Ok, not the best attitude to have right now, but I can't deny the truth. Voltaire will kill me if it comes down to that. Nothing personal, but that's just how he is. He gets what he wants no matter what it takes. And Voltaire would rather have Kai than me.
I find that more than anyone, possibly even more than my brother - maybe because I know he's not real anymore - I want Kai. He had always been a kind of anchor that could ground me during my worst moments. I image seeing him through the little holes in the wall, calling out to him, and somehow he hears me. I move from hole to hole, trying to keep up with him and watch his face closely as he inspects the outside of the container, finding a door.
Relief, excitement, but also hurt pull at my heart even though I am well aware that I'm daydreaming.
How is it possible to feel so many things toward one person? Still as shocked as the day I saw him again in the barn after almost two years. Annoyed at him for having the nerve to show his face. Worried that it could all change within a second. Betrayed as I remember watching him leave. Guilt for fooling around with Tala when I was still so in love with Kai.
I hadn't even realized it, but I'd slowly started to forgive him, and had been doing it for a while now. As the process began I was making room for something else: a growing piece for him in my heart.
Ok, screw it. I'm still in love with Kai, and to be honest, I think I've known for a while deep down. After all, love is intensified by absence, and Kai and I had been apart for a long time.
I sit on my straw covered box for a long time, letting it fill me, welcoming this familiar feeling until it feels so natural it's like breathing.
I've heard the saying, you don't know what you've got till it's gone, but I never imagined I would witness it, feel it so completely.
I'm so ashamed about what I did that I want to cry. I want to tell him so badly that it physically hurts. But he's not here, and I'm not sure I'll even get to tell him.
It's knowing I'm running out of time that makes this need for him stronger.
But really all I can hope for is that he will listen. I don't expect him to take me back, or even forgive me.
I wouldn't forgive me either.
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Despite Kai's complaining, he took another handful of pain medicine and ate some of the pizza the others warmed up in the oven. It was only an hour later and Kai was demanding that they go.
They only had Tyson and Kai's cars - they found Kai's at BoiVolt after getting Kai - and Tala's motorcycle, so they split up.
Max, Ray, and Kenny piled in with Tyson, so Kai assumed he was all by himself. He loaded up the rest of the guns and ammo from the basement, started up the car and was putting it into reverse when the passenger door opened and Tala dropped himself inside.
Kai almost let out a groan, but instead just gritted his teeth.
"Can't you drive your own car or get a ride with them?" He growled, pulling out.
"That car's full and I drove here on the motorcycle."
So…?
Kai and Tala silently spent the first half hour in an awkward silence as they sped through the winding roads toward the city with Tyson and his car following.
Finally, Tala let out a sigh that sharply cut through the silence.
"You know I'm sorry about everything, right? I don't know what I was thinking -"
Oh god. Here he goes. Kai wasn't sure if he really wanted to here this.
He fixed his gaze on the road, prepared to look like he was totally ignoring Tala.
" - it was a mistake and I don't think I ever got a chance to tell you. I know you'll probably never trust me again, but at least forgive me. Like Ana."
Kai furrowed his eyebrows.
"Who said she was forgiven?" So much for ignoring him.
Tala rolled his eyes, looking over at Kai.
"Oh common, Kai. You may not have forgiven her totally, but you've accepted it and put most of it behind you," he reasoned. "You wouldn't be doing this right now if you didn't."
"This isn't just about us and her. This is a life we're taking about. And I don't want Voltaire to win again."
"I meant, you wouldn't be trying this hard."
"You don't know what the f - "
"Yeah, I do," Tala argued. "And I also know that even from the moment you left she was mad, not just at you but at herself. She loved you even when she was with me. Even after you left. Even when she insisted she was furious at you for leaving. Even now when she denies it."
Kai opened his mouth, a ready response on his tongue, but at the last minute, closed it. Was this true? It never seemed to him that Ana regretted what she did, so how come Tala knew so much?
And how was it that the redhead seemed to know so much about him too? Tala sounded like he knew what Kai was feeling better than Kai himself.
Kai claimed he hadn't forgiven Ana, but like Tala said, would he be risking himself and his other friends like this if he hadn't at least put a little of the past behind him?
Tala didn't look like he expected Kai to answer, so he didn't, but the redhead did look a bit smug, like he knew he'd really given Kai something to think about. Bastard. His head was still hurting a bit and he didn't want to think that much.
He stared ahead and continued toward BioVolt.
Kai parked two blocks away from the shipping company building in the same spot as last time. Tyson pulled in behind him and everyone pilled around Kai's trunk for their weapons.
Kenny hung back a bit, looking unsure, as everyone else reached into the black Mustang Cobra's trunk and pulled out guns and walkie talkies.
Kai noticed and grabbed one of the remaining pistols before shoving it into the younger boys hands.
"It reloads automatically," Kai explained, "Just point, shoot, and don't hesitate. "
"Is it really necessary for me to -"
Tyson reached over and put an arm around a nervous looking Kenny after shoving his own gun into his pocket, hidden from sight.
"Don't worry chief. Stick with me and everything's gonna to be cool."
Kai resisted the urge to snort at the confident, but ridiculous way Tyson was standing. If someone told him that who looked like Tyson did now, there was no way in hell Kai would trust a word he was saying.
There was a sharp clicking noise as Ray snapped open his shotgun to make sure it was loaded, before popping it back into place. "So what's the plan?"
"Max and Tyson, take Kenny to the lower maintenance levels and get the power cut off to the whole building," Kai instructed, "Ray, you, Tala, and I are going for Voltaire and anyone else who gets in the way, got it?"
Everyone nodded.
"Tyson, once the power is cut, you guys need to get you asses upstairs and help us."
"Got it!" Tyson exclaimed.
Kai looked firmly at Tala and Ray next.
"We don't waste Voltaire until we get a location on Ana. Ok, let's go."
They followed Kai down the street in the same pedestrian surroundings he'd been in before. In fact, the guy sitting on the curb looking up at the stoplight might have been the same drunk guy from last night.
Inside the marble lobby of BioVolt, it was silent and dark as always.
Ray was the first to notice something move behind the security desk. He froze, pointing his gun in the direction of the desk. Everyone stopped, pointing and looking where he was.
Suddenly, a loud, echoing shot rang out. A couple chunks of marble floor flew into the air, just a few paces in front of them. Everyone lunged to their stomachs in different directions out of the line of fire.
Several shots sounded at the same time, and then a thump several seconds after as a body hit the floor.
Tala cautiously stood up, holding his gun threateningly, and approached the desk. Behind it, the body of their attacker laid sprawled out and motionless on the floor. Needless to say, there were plenty of holes in his chest.
Kai got up, dusting himself off, and scanned over the floor. Everyone was accounted for.
"The maintenance room, Max," he instructed the blond who had dived closest to him, "take the elevator and be ready to shoot. There'll be more of the same around."
Seconds later, and their group in the lobby was down to three.
Three to take on an unknown number of Voltaire followers. Three to get information on Ana. Three to climb twenty flights of stairs for Voltaire himself.
Just three until the others cut the power and came to help.
"Looks like Voltaire's ready to play this round," Tala smirked, waiting for Ray and Kai by a heavy metal door to the right of the security desk labeled Stairs. "We're taking the stairs, right?"
Without saying a word, Kai walked across the lobby, passed Tala and walked through the door.
The first eighteen flights of stairs were silent and uneventful, but they took every stair cautiously and quickly. Kai took the lead, with Tala behind him, and Ray taking up the rear.
On the nineteenth floor, Kai saw something shift above out of the corner of his right eye. He pivoted, leveled his gun, and shot right through the stair rails without hesitating.
A body dropped to the floor, moaning in pain.
"Move and the next one goes into your head," Kai called out, keeping his eyes and gun trained on the black heap crumpled on the steps above. With a nod of his head, he motioned for Tala and Ray to go ahead. With their guns raised they quickly stepped up the stairs.
Kai waited until he could see their feet mixed in with the moaning black heap before lowering his weapon and joining them.
Ray and Tala had the man trapped in the middle of the stair way, pointing their guns at him while he clutched his tore up leg by the time Kai appeared. Behind them and just a few more steps up was the door to the last floor.
"Is Voltaire still in his office?"
The man on the floor - husky build, strawberry blond, small brown eyes - stared Kai down and pressed his lips tightly together.
Kai calmly walked over, leveled his pistol with the guy's head, and shoved the cold metal against the skin right between his eyes.
"Don't make me ask you again."
The blond nervously licked his lips as his eyes crossed, staring at the barrel of the gun against his head. Beads of sweat accumulated above his lip. His hands were shaking from fear and the pain in his leg. It was easy to see in Kai's eyes the same emotional void one could see in Voltaire's. In it, there was no right, or wrong. It was just what needed to be done. The grandson of Voltaire Hiwatari knew how to turn off his heat too.
Finally, the man nodded.
"Boris too?"
Another nod.
"What about the rest?"
Blondie swallowed. "They're all over."
"How many?"
"Six just outside this door." He glanced up toward the door behind him.
Ray glanced at Tala, and then Kai, nervousness flickering across his hazel eyes. "So what should we do?"
Kai removed his gun from blondie's head, "Get up. Open the door."
The man looked incredulous. "You shot my fucking leg."
"I don't care if I shot a fucking hole in your head. Get up."
The man stared hatefully at Kai for a couple more seconds, before grabbing the railing and pulling himself up. Moaning in pain, he hopped on his good leg up the rest of the stairs and stood in front of the door.
"Be ready to shoot as soon as you see movement," Kai told Ray and Tala. All three of them gathered behind the injured blond. Tala nudged him forward with a sharp jab with the gun in his back.
The blond put his hand around the knob and slowly pulled it open.
For a about a half a second it was quiet, and then the silence exploded with the blasts of multiple guns behind fired.
Many of the shots hit the blond, and some whizzed passed the three men behind him, ricocheting off the metal railings in the stairwell. Marble floor splintered everywhere, and decorative paintings fell from the walls of the twentieth floor lobby.
Dust from destroyed marble floated through the air creating confusion. Kai, Ray and Tala charged though the fog.
Ray headed straight for the desk, where the man behind it was distracted as he shot into the dust at a different angle. Before he could turn and point his weapon at Ray, the dark haired man was on him; Ray moved fast and jabbed him hard in the throat. Hands flew to injured throat and the man started violently coughing, dropping his weapon. Ray picked it up, pocketed it, and then leaped over the desk, taking a good position behind it to shoot at the incoming men from the large wooden doors to Voltaire's office.
It wasn't long before everything was still again.
The dust cleared the lobby. Ray watched as Kai and Tala slowly started to appear again.
And then, the power was cut and all the lights turned black.
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"Shit. He's here."
Boris glanced nervously from the door to Voltaire who couldn't have looked more calm. He sat silently in his chair, thinking.
They had just sent their last bodyguards out into the lobby to take care of this mess, and now they were alone with only the chaotic bangs, screams and explosions from outside the office as company.
"What are we going to do, sir?"
Suddenly the lights went off and it became dark. The lights of the city outside came in through the long window behind the desk, illuminating the two men and a few pieces of furniture inside.
"Remind Kai that I am a man of my word," Voltaire answered, ignoring the power failure. For the first time since the fight started, he looked Boris in the eyes. "…kill the girl."
Boris nodded. "Understood, sir."
"Take the back stairwell."
Boris quickly escaped to one of the side doors next to the T.V on the left and disappeared inside.
Voltaire wasn't sure, but he thought he saw one side of the double wooden doors in front of him slowly open.
He moved his hand to the left, reaching for the drawer that held his weapon. Silently, he brought it out and stood up, training the gun at the darkness ahead of him.
A clicking sound vibrated through his ear, making him jump. His first instinct was to turn toward it, see what it was, until something cold, round, and hard pressed against his temple. He froze.
"Move and I put this bullet through your skull, sir."
From out of the darkness, Ray and Kai appeared, the guns level with Voltaire's head.
"Put the gun down," Kai ordered.
Smiling, Voltaire slowly set his weapon on the desk's surface.
"Tala."
Never taking the point of his gun away from the older man's head, Tala reached across him, swiping the small hand gun.
"Sit."
Voltaire obliged and set himself comfortably in his large leather chair.
Tala remained where he was, while Kai approached the front of the desk, relaxing his aim, and Ray moved to Voltaire's other side.
"Where is she?"
Voltaire sighed, giving his grandson a scolding look almost as if Kai was eight again.
"I believe we've been through this before," he answered simply.
"This time I'll have a hole shot through your head if you don't tell me."
"You won't kill me," Voltaire was shaking his head, "you need me to find her."
This was it for Kai. He'd had enough of this. He cocked his gun, pointing it at his grandfather.
"Your right, but I'm gonna make you wish I would."
Voltaire smirked at the threatening weapon and then at Kai. "You're not playing the game correctly -"
Kai's free hand came down hard on the desk. "Fuck your game!"
" - let me finish…as I was saying, we had a deal. You play the game, and Ana stays alive. If your not playing, than I don't have to keep my end of the bargain."
Kai opened his mouth to yell something fowl at Voltaire but abruptly stopped as something clicked inside his head. There was a reason Voltaire was acting so collected and smug.
Wait, where was Boris?
Kai's eyes widened.
"Where's Boris?" He knew the answer before the words even left his mouth.
Voltaire's smile widened. Bingo.
"Following orders."
"Where. Is. He."
Kai leaned over the desk, his eyes flashing. His hand gripped his gun tighter, itching to pull the trigger. The fingernails of this other hand dug into the desk.
Seconds passed as Voltaire stared back, not seeming the least bit bother by three guns pointed at his head or the seething grandson inches from his face. Finally, he lifted his shoulders into a careless shrug.
Kai suddenly jerked a step back. Boris was going to her. He couldn't have left but maybe three minutes ago. He had to still be in the building. He couldn't have taken the elevator or the main stairs - the fighting blocked them - so he must have taken the back stairway.
Kai snatched the walkie talkie from his left pocket.
"Tyson, where are you?"
He stared down at the black, plastic box in his hand, willing it to answer. The seconds ticked by. Ray and Tala didn't dare say anything to break his obviously concentration but they looked at each other, wondering what was going on. Kai squeezed the device harder as his heart sped up in anticipation.
"-levator…"
It was broken with the static, but it would have to do.
"Get off now. Go to the back stairs. Boris is on them. Stall him until I get there."
"Why - …going on?"
"Shut up and listen. Send Kenny and Max up here."
" -right…"
Kai deposited the walkie back into his pocket, then turned back to his grandfather.
"Your game's over," he hissed through his teeth.
Voltaire shook his head. "Just because you've figured out where Boris is doesn't mean it will save her." His smile was one of confidence; Voltaire knew he was safe as long as he had leverage. "I have other men watching her. You've already fucked up,' he shrugged, "she's as good as dead."
"You're the only one fucked up, Voltaire."
It was quick. All it took was one shot. And then he was heading for the side door closest to the T.V in the corner of the room.
"KAI!"
It was hard to ignore Ray and Tala yelling for him; their voices echoed off the narrow walls of the hallway behind the door, beating against his ears. At the end of the hallway was another door to the back stairs. He opened it, leaving their shouting behind only to have more sharp notices invade his ear drums.
Sounds of bullets being shot from two different guns, and more bullets bouncing off metal and hitting thick brick walls filled the staircase.
Kai looked over the railing of the twentieth floor. Eleven floors below him, he saw flashes of red and black. Tyson was shooting and dodging flying bullets from something a couple floors below him.
Boris. He hadn't made it out yet after all.
Kai didn't hesitate to start flying down the steps.
It was when he hit the ninth floor did it become quiet. He stopped and listened.
Shit.
"Tyson?" he called.
"Kai? Is that you?"
Thank god. "Where's Boris?"
There was a pause. Kai could hear Tyson's footfalls as he ran farther down the steps.
"He just went out the door to the lobby…I'm going after him."
Kai continued down. He was at level five when a door squeaked open and a single shot burst through the silence.
Kai sped up. Did he get him?
"Tyson?"
He made it to the bottom and threw open the door.
Lying on the floor with his back turned, just outside the door, was Tyson.
Fuck. No.
A suddenly movement at the front of the lobby caused Kai to look away from his friend. Boris was high tailing it through the glass doors and into the city streets.
"You better not let him kill Ana."
Kai looked down at Tyson in surprise.
"Shit, your alive," he breathed in a whoosh of relief.
Tyson was struggling to sit up, clutching a large, bleeding wound to his side.
"I'll live, but your letting him get away standing here."
Kai made a motion toward the younger boy.
"What the hell are you doing!" Tyson yelled, angrily, "I can call for help on my own. GO!"
Kai took a last look at Tyson before turning and taking off. He sped through the front doors and then, mimicking Boris steps, took off to the right. Hopefully, if he ran fast enough, he could catch up to him, or at least spot him.
He raced toward the side street next to BioVolt, ready to cross it onto the next block; ready to run for however long it would take to find Boris.
Almost at the same time Kai was about to cross, headlights swept over the street, and a Jaguar suddenly came barreling out of the side street, not even pausing to merge onto the busy city road, and almost running over Kai.
For Kai, everything had slowed down. He stopped just in time before the car hit him, and as it passed he caught a glimpse for Boris through the driver's window.
It only took a second before Kai was running full out again. He took note of the Jaguar's license plate and that it made a right.
He was running in the same direction, but not after that car, but for his, which was parked just another block down. Before he even got to his black Mustang, Kai was unlocking it. Once inside, he tossed his gun to the passenger seat, and threw the car into drive, his tires squealing away as he made a sharp U-turn and then merged into traffic.
Kai gracefully maneuvered through traffic, gaining speed as he ran multiple stop signs. He could see the Jaguar ahead. He was almost there.
Boris took a sudden right, heading down the road along the beach front. Kai was right on his tail now.
But just what was he planning on doing? He could wait, follow Boris to Ana and then blow his head into bits. No, Boris knew he was following him, he wouldn't lead Kai right to the spot.
Through the Jaguar's back window, Kai watched as Boris brought a hand to his ear.
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Carl was a simple man. He liked simple things.
Things like money. Like food. Like the meatball sandwich he'd been thinking about all afternoon that he was going to have for dinner.
Watching this dark haired bitch was a waste of time, but orders were orders. He just couldn't wait to finish her off; Carl didn't know how much more pointless T.V he could watch in this stuffy, hot trailer. Or how much more snoring he could take from Ricky.
Pretty much all Ricky did was sleep - not that he was complaining because when Ricky wasn't asleep, he was getting on Carl's nerves.
Their job was also simple. Watch the girl. Make sure she doesn't escape. Easy enough. Carl and Ricky spent the last day sitting in a trailer made for the shipping employees' lunch break. They ate all the food they wanted, Ricky slept, and Carl watched T.V while also keeping an eye on the cargo container the bitch was in through one the the trailer's windows.
Carl turned away from the T.V playing some old black and white movie he had no interest in, to frown at Ricky. The tall, skinning red head was sprawled out over a chair; loud snores gurgled from his open mouth. His tattooed covered arm was resting over his torso, moving up and down as his chest did.
Ugh. That man annoyed him.
Whatever, it was time for his meatball sub. Finally.
He was beginning to unwrap it from it's foil when the cell in his pocket suddenly started going crazy.
He groaned. What now?
"What!"
"Kill the girl. Boss's orders."
"Huh? Who is this?"
"Boris. I have to take care of something, I'll be there when I can, but take care of the girl now."
"Yeah, alright."
Carl snapped is phone shut and then threw it onto the table next him. No sense in waking Ricky up yet. He was going to finish his damn sandwich. The bitch could wait.
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Kai didn't even think, he just did.
As soon as Boris's hand left his ear, Kai knew what he'd done. The men watching Ana had been called. They were going to kill her now.
Kai needed directons, and fast.
Before he could think twice, Kai was turning his wheel sharply, ramming the right side of his Mustang into the Jaguar. Boris, surprised, was jerked sharply to the right, his wheels skimming the side of the road. Kai moved over, forcing the older man off the pavement. Boris gripped his steering wheel, pushing the Mustang back.
The metal from the two cars smashed together over and over again, raking against each other, trying to dominate the other as they sped forward.
Kai took one last swerve to the left, gaining ground, and then jerked to the right again against Boris, finally sending him flying off the road, into the sand and hitting a palm tree with a defening crash.
Kai followed, pulling up next to the crashed vehicle and slammed on his breaks. He grabbed his gun from the passagner seat and jumped out of the car, heading for the Jaguar.
He wrenched open the driver's door and pointed his gun.
"Get out."
Boris moaned in pain. He laid limply against the deplored airbag. His head was pretty banged up, blood was flowing freely from a large gash on his head. The front end of the Jagaur was scrutched together from the impact at which it hit the tree, trapping and crushing his legs under the wheel. Shattered glass was glistening against the seats, sprinkled in his hair, littering the sand.
Kai shoved his gun into his pants and grabbed Boris by the arm, yanking him out of the car. The older man cried out in pain as his broken legs were wrenched from under the seat. Kai let go and let him drop with a thud into the sand.
Sweat was running down Boris's face as he moaned and cursed into the ground.
"Where's Ana?"
With desperate, fearful eyes, Boris looked up at Kai. He struggled to sit up only to fall back into the sand, withering in pain.
Kai stepped closer, his cold, empty eyes threatening Boris.
"Don't make me ask again."
Boris flinched away from the treat in his voice. No more pain; he didn't want anymore of this pain.
"BioVolt Shipping Dock."
Kai turned on his heels, walking back to his bent up Mustang, got in, and raced away, leaving Boirs to suffer alone on the dark beach.
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I am drifting in and out of sleep when the sound comes suddenly. It cuts through the silence like a butcher's knife would cut smoothly and quickly through butter.
From the outside, someone removes heavy chains from the container's door and the metal clangs noisily to the ground. I can hear voices -two of them, male - as the large, heavy door is pulled open.
I'm frozen with fear. This isn't Kai, or Ray, or any of my friends. This is Voltaire's men. They've come to kill me.
I can't move. Even my eyes are frozen open in fear. My brain is screaming at me to move, but nothing happens. Sitting on my straw bed, I watch as the two men appear in the doorway. The taller of the two is pointing a gun at me.
The other man comes from behind him. Casually, he hobbles forward - being a bit rounder than normal - with a rope rolled up in his hands.
I want to run, but honestly there's no where to go, and Tall and Skinny still has his gun leveled at my head.
"Hands behind your back," the round man says, approaching me. "If you listen, he won't shoot you."
I take a deep breath, swallow, and then slowly place my hands behind me. The man with the rope passes me, gathers my wrists together and starts roughly binding them. He has sweaty, light brown hair, and smells like B.O.
The man with the gun finally relaxes, lowering his gun and putting it into the pocket of his jeans. He walks closer, inspecting me, coming into the limited moonlight the holes in the walls provide. Along with his tall figure, he has skinny limps and a narrow face, with dark red hair. I avert my eyes away from his wandering ones. Instead, I fix my gaze on his tattooed covered arm.
The man tying my hands together is still working as the redhead approaches me. I watch as his tattooed arm reaches into his other pocket, pulling out a switch blade.
I'm shaking. Don't look at the knife. Don't look at the knife. I focus on a discolored crate behind him and to the right.
I feel the thin, cold metal of his blade as it lightly touches my cheek.
"What a waste," he breathes, his mouth inches away from my nose. His breath is stale and fowl. I stare at my crate, ignoring him.
The blade trails down my neck, tickling my collar bone, whispering across the skin between my breasts.
"What's the matter with ya?" he demands, put off that I'm not reacting. He steps closer so that his body is pressing against mine. He looks down, towering over me. "Look at me."
I don't move. My eyes stay glued to my crate. There is an interesting little hole carved into one side of it, perhaps a rat gnawed at it long enough to create it, and then gave up.
Suddenly, the redhead grabs a handful of my hair, jerking my head back, forcing me to look up at him. I close my eyes. Imagine my crate, the gnawed hole in it's side.
"Open your eyes."
The blade presses hard against the soft skin under my eyes.
"Do it, or lose 'em."
I take my time channeling all my hatred into them, and then reluctantly, I open them, glaring shamelessly up at the redhead.
"When I tell ya to do something, you'll do it," he says.
Ugh. His breath is disgusting.
"What's that look for, huh?" he asks, giving me a mocking smile now. "You think someone's comin' for ya?"
I stare, not answering.
"No one is," he sneers, "why would anyone care for a worthless bitch like you, huh?"
I'm not really sure where it came from, but mustering all my courage, I gather what little saliva I have in my dry mouth and spit it forcefully into this sneering face.
"Bitch!" he growls. His free hand flies to my neck, squeezing hard. I struggle to suck in air through my closing throat. I cough, wanting to grab at his hand, claw them off me if I have to, but they are tied tightly and won't move.
"Ricky, stop. Let it go."
His hand loosens and then completely lets go. I double over, sucking down air.
"What?"
"Common, Boris will be waiting if -"
"Ya think I'm afraid of Boris? Ya think I care if he's upset 'cause he has to wait?"
My stinging lungs finally regain the lost oxygen. It's the round man. I think he's just saved my life. Behind me, he lets off out irritated sigh. "I didn't say you were. I'm just trying to make this go as smoothly as possible."
"Yeah, whatever Carl," Ricky sniffs. "Let's get the little shit outta here." He turns and walks for the exit. Behind me, the man named Carl gives me a rough push forward and I follow Ricky out.
Outside it's very dark; the moon peeks around what it can in the shipyard while the rest of it remains under a thick coat of black. The cool air feels great on my sticky, sweaty skin. I take a deep, calming breath, inhaling the salty ocean air.
I'm pushed along, following behind Ricky as he walks among the many rows of piled metal shipping containers. I look up and they tower over us like skyscrapers from the city.
We walk in silence. The only sounds are the crunching of the dirt and rock under their shoes and my bare feet. In the distance I can make out the sounds of city life. I long to be there, among other people, not here, not with these men. Not walking to god knows where to do god knows what. I want to float away from this body, away from here. Somewhere else. Anywhere else.
Finally, we break away from the container skyscrapers and into an opening, surrounded by dark yellow cranes. Just passed the machines is the ocean, lapping soothingly under the docks.
Ricky walks ahead and over to one of the still cranes, easily leaning into one of the long wheels.
"How surprising, Boris ain't even here yet," he says distastefully.
"He will be." Carl leads me over to Ricky to lean against the same wheel.
We wait. Ricky pulls his knife back out of his pocket and idly starts snapping it shut and open again. Carl entertains himself by counting the piled containers we'd just come out of; he mutters the numbers softly under his breath.
Something has to happen. I have enough time until Boris gets here. Once he does, it's over. I'm over.
Suddenly I move, lunging for Ricky first. I bring my forehead down fast, hitting him hard in the nose. It cracks and I'm off, running for my life.
Carl is after me in a flash. I keep running, even with my hands behind me, I have to get away. I keep my focus on the field of containers ahead. If I can just get there; hide from them.
And then, suddenly, it's gone; my legs have buckled and I'm sliding uncomfortably across the ground; Carl has caught up with me. I am forced to spit the dirt from my mouth.
He grumbles angrily and loops an arm around my stomach, heaving me off the ground and back on my feet. I squirm against him rebelliously. This is my only chance. I have to get away. After this, once he brings me back over to Ricky, it's over.
In desperation I scream and kick. Please, somebody, hear me. Help me.
"Bring the bitch over here."
I barely hear it over my calls for help.
Without question, Carl starts to drag me over to the crane where Ricky is now bent over, clutching his nose.
Shit. I'm already as good as dead.
Carl can only get me half way; I'm fighting too much. Ricky doesn't hesitate, he walks the rest of the way to us, meeting us in the middle. He steps through one of the shadows the moon has created across a crane, and into the light. A small smirk pulls at my dirt cakes lips when I see his swollen face, his furious eyes. I can't help it - I did a good job destroying his nose which is freely flowing blood over his mouth.
Ricky comes right up to me, spits a wad of blood into my face.
"Hold her."
Carl's hands wrap around my arms behind me, slightly lifting my weight up, making sure I will stay on my feet.
And then Ricky is pounding me in the stomach.
Once.
The pain hits me like a ton of bricks. My organs feel like they might burst. It's a throbbing, gradual, aching pain that starts in the middle of my body and slowly makes it's way to my limbs. I choke violently as the wind is knocked clean out of me.
Twice.
I slump against Carl; his muscles strain and tighten to keep me up.
Ricky reaches into his pocket, pulls out his gun. Uses the butt of it to strike me across the face.
It only hurts the first couple times, and then it calms to a dull pain, until finally I can't feel him hitting me, I can only see it, like I'm not part of my own body anymore; like I'm floating weightless above it.
All around it becomes quiet. All there is, is Ricky's gun whistling through the air, and the thudding as it makes contact against my face. In the background, Carl lets out soft grunts, trying to keep me up when all I want to do is fall into the dirt.
Ricky is killing me.
I try to ignoring the whistling. Try to focus on Carl.
Beyond his grunts, I hear the faint roaring of an engine. Lights, suddenly sweep across my eyes, stopping right on us.
Ricky's blows stop. He turns around, looking slightly nervous. Carl's grip looseness.
The lights remain on and I have to squint my swollen eyes against it. Everything is blurry, but I can make up the silhouette of a man getting out of the car, facing us.
"B-Boss…" Ricky laughs nervously, "we were just getting her bruised up for ya, ya know, getting the fight outta her for ya…"
I give up. Boris will finish what Ricky has started. I lose either way.
Boris walks away from his door, heading straight for Ricky, and then in front of the headlights, lunges for him, tackling him to the ground. He starts slamming his fists into Ricky's head.
No, wait. This can't be Boris.
Oh god. It's Kai.
It's blurry and my head is fuzzy, but I know in my heart it's him.
Ricky's lying flat in the dirt and isn't moving. Kai gets up, looks straight at me. I focus hard, fighting my blurriness, wanting to see his eyes too, know what they're saying. Show him what I'm feeling.
But I can't. His face just remains a blurry outline.
Carl again tightens his hold on me, shielding himself with my body; Kai is coming for him.
I crack one side of my bloody lips up into a smile.
And then fall into the rushing unconsciousness demanding to take me.
I welcome it with a relived sigh.
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---rayluva4