I promised Face-like-an-open-book that I'd update this quickly if "Inside Out" was updated fast, so here it is! I try to keep my promises :)
Ok, so I did tone it down a bit (sorry!), although if I'm honest I actually prefer this draft! Hope other people agree!
Bainbridge chuckled softly and took a step closer to them. "Silly, silly Vince." He admonished in a patronising tone, as if speaking to a child. "You couldn't just forget, could you? Had to bring the memories back." He smiled again. "And to think I was going to let you go…"
Howard blinked at him in disbelief. "It was you? You took Vince? But…" he glanced at the younger man, who had gone completely white, "why?"
"Why?!" Bainbridge spat, "Because he ruined my life! You both did!"
"What?!"
"Ivan the bear? Sound familiar? You two riled him up, that's why he escaped! Only, who got the blame? Me! They said I'd been cutting corners on building costs."
"You were."
"But it shouldn't have been an issue!" his eyes narrowed. "No, you two are the reason I got sent to jail. You're the reason I lost my assets and my good reputation. And you will pay."
"You can't hold us responsible for that!" Howard said, backing away further and trying to shield Vince at the same time, "There were others involved! What about…Oh." his eyes widened and he let out a small gasp of realisation. "Fossil. No-ones seen him for weeks…"
"Yes, Bob Fossil. My most…trusted associate. Until the law came calling, and then he turned like the filthy, cowardly rat he is; laying all the blame on me. He got off scot-free from the whole affair."
"Where is he Bainbridge?"
"Oh that doesn't matter." The other man said coldly, reaching inside his jacket and withdrawing a pistol. "You'll be joining him soon enough."
"Howard…" Vince whimpered.
"It's ok Vince. I won't let him hurt you."
"And how exactly will you stop me?" Bainbridge hissed, taking another step forwards. Howard backed up again and felt himself collide with Vince. They were both up against a wall at the end of the alleyway. Howard doubted anyone walking past would even see them. They were trapped.
"Don't even think about yelling for help." Bainbridge said, pointing his gun lazily at the pair. "No-one will come to save you. And even if they do, I'll have put a bullet in both of you before they turn the corner."
"You'll never get away with this!" Howard insisted.
Bainbridge ignored him. "How much do you remember, Vincey? Hmm? How much do you remember about our time together?"
Vince shook his head. "I…I don't want to…"
"Oh, now don't deprive Howard of the memories! You should share, Vince!" he swung the gun to point fully at Howard. "Share!" he growled.
Vince swallowed a sob. "You…took me off the street. Kept me locked in a warehouse somewhere. You…" his voice became slightly hysterical, "you lied to me! You told me Howard wasn't looking for me! But that's a lie, he did look for me! He needed me!" he looked at Howard. "It almost killed him."
Howard gave him a weak smile.
"How touching." Bainbridge sneered. "But you didn't stay where you were like a good boy, did you Vince? Had to escape, try to get back to your precious life." he shook his head. "I'll admit, you were smarter than I thought."
"You chased me." Vince said quietly, remembering his dream.
"Of course! My revenge wasn't finished yet, I couldn't have you blabbing! I so nearly got you back too…then that car hit you."
"I got hit by a car?"
"You ran into the road. The driver got out and phoned for an ambulance…I thought I was going to have to kill both of you." he smiled. "And then you woke up and couldn't remember a bloody thing! I visited you know. In the hospital. Every day for a month, just in case you remembered anything and I had to shut you up. But you didn't, did you? I was a free man. Free to plot a new revenge."
"You still can be, Bainbridge. You don't have to go back to prison over this." Howard tried to reason.
"Do you know what happens to men like me in prison, Moon?" Bainbridge hissed softly, turning his attention abruptly to Howard. "People who led the sort of high profile life I led, socialising with chief inspectors and governors?"
"Er…no?" Howard's voice had gone all high and squeaky.
"We're hated. The other inmates viewed me as an enemy. My life was a living hell."
"Look, I'm really sorry for what happened Bainbridge but you cant do this!"
"But I can! Look around you, Moon. Who's coming to save you, hmm? No-one knows where you are, not even that little blond filly you left in the restaurant."
"You leave her alone!" Vince exclaimed suddenly. Bainbridge laughed.
"I'm not an animal, Vince, I don't kill for fun! No, we have a score to settle."
Howard wished desperately he had his mobile with him. He wasn't sure if he'd left it in the restaurant or at home, but either way it wasn't doing him much good. He cast his mind back to documentaries he'd seen and books he'd read. Try to talk him round. Make him see sense…
"You don't have to do this, Dixon. No-one else has to get hurt, hey? You can just let us go; we wont tell anyone we swear."
"We wont tell a soul!" Vince chimed in desperately.
Howard felt his heart lift slightly when it looked like Bainbridge was considering, but then it sank just as quickly when he burst out laughing.
"Let you go? Where's the fun in that? I want to make you suffer."
Howard felt Vince poke him in the side, then felt his breath in his ear. "I'm going to make a run for it."
"Vince! Don't be stupid, stay behind me!"
"Howard…I don't think he'll shoot me. He had me for months, yeah? But he didn't kill me! He wants us hurting, not dead."
"No, Vince! Please."
Vince kissed him softly on the back of his neck. "Ok. Ok, I wont."
Howard relaxed instantly. Then he realised he shouldn't have done when Vince suddenly darted out from behind him. "Vince! No!"
BANG
Howard felt his heart stop. As if in slow motion, he watched his friend fall to the floor, heard a dull thud as his head hit the pavement and saw blood begin to pool around him.
"Vince!"
Howard made to run to his friend's side, but was held at bay by Bainbridge's gun. The other man leant down and checked Vince's pulse, before straightening and wiping his hand on his jacket.
"Calm down, Moon, he's still alive. I just shot him in the arm. He'll bleed out, of course, but for now he's fine." Bainbridge's face twisted horribly, and he looked slightly mad. "He shouldn't have made me do that. He was supposed to hurt for as long as I did. He wasn't supposed to die so quickly."
Howard looked at Bainbridge. For a moment, he saw him as he really was. A broken man, so twisted and mad that the only way he could find peace was by hurting others. Howard almost felt sorry for him.
Then he looked down at Vince again, blood leaking from his temple where he'd struck the ground and staining his hair, and all he felt was white hot rage.
"Don't try anything smart, Moon, or you'll get the same as your friend." Bainbridge smirked, the madness gone from his face now.
"How dare you, sir?" Howard said quietly. If Bainbridge had been paying full attention, he'd have realised that all traces of fear had gone from Howard's voice.
He sounded dangerous.
But Bainbridge was elated in his anticipated victory, so he paid no attention to his tone. "And what exactly will you do, hmm? You don't have the balls to challenge me. Even back at the zoo you were pathetic, hiding behind Vince Noir."
"That's not true."
"Isn't it? You never stood up to me or Fossil, did you Moon? It was always sweet little Vincey-Princey. He'd have exceeded so much further at the zoo if he didn't have you holding him back."
Howard felt his eyes watering, tears threatening to fall. It was true. Vince would be better off. It was his fault Ivan had escaped; he'd been the one to want to play jazz fusion. If they'd stuck to Vince's music it would never have happened… it was his fault Vince was in this mess…
"Howard…" Vince whimpered. Howard looked down instantly, and saw that Vince was still unconscious. But at least he was still alive.
And then Howard suddenly remembered what Vince had said earlier. What Bainbridge had told him... he looked up at Bainbridge, his eyes so full of fury that the other man actually took a step back; forgetting for a moment that he was the one with the gun.
"You told him I was better off without him. You told him I wasn't looking."
"It was worth it. You should have seen his face! That's the best part of revenge, watching them squirm…"
Howard dashed forwards so suddenly that Bainbridge didn't even have time to react and raise the gun. Howard lashed out and caught him full on in the jaw, causing him to fall backwards, the pistol flying out of his grip.
He recovered quickly and made a grab for the weapon, but Howard got there first. He pointed it at Bainbridge.
"Give me one reason, Bainbridge." He said coldly. "One reason why I shouldn't put you down like the dog you are."
Bainbridge reached a hand up to his mouth and pulled it away bloody. He laughed softly. "You wouldn't have the guts."
"Try me."
"Howard…"
Howard looked over at Vince sharply, and saw he was awake. "It's alright Vince. He won't hurt you. He won't hurt anyone again."
"Howard, no…"
"He deserves it, Vince. He deserves it for everything he put you through."
"If you…if you do…you won't be any better…any better than him."
"He hurt innocent people. He hurt you. That makes me better than him."
"Howard…please. Don't lose yourself…for…him. Not…not worth it. Howard, please…for me."
As Howard watched, Vince's eyes closed once more as unconsciousness claimed him. Howard's hand began to shake. He blinked tears out of his eyes as he struggled to hold the gun steady, to keep it pointed at Bainbridge. Then he lowered it abruptly, and allowed the tears to fall. "I'm so sorry, Vince. I'm so, so sorry…"
Bainbridge made a sudden lunge for him, catching Howard off-guard. The two men fell to the floor, fighting over the pistol. Bainbridge had the upper hand, then Howard, then Bainbridge again…
BANG
They froze as the gun went off. Howard felt as though time was standing still, as though he and Bainbridge were the only ones still moving. He stared at Bainbridge, eyes wide and horrified, as the gun fell to the floor. Bainbridge looked down, almost in shock. Then he smiled at Howard.
Is it weird that I just depressed myself slightly by reading back over this and realising I wrote that Bainbridge took Bob Fossil weeks ago, and yet no-one missed him? Never mind.
Reviews are loved!
