Writer note: I've been in a horrid writing slump lately, so this part isn't as good as I want it to be. I hope it's good to yall though :)
***
"Is he secure?" Guinna asked as Kit walked through the door of Higher for Hire.
He nodded. "He hasn't put up much of a struggle, and if we know Karnage as well as we do, there's something boiling in his devious mind."
"I think he has more than just a plan cooking..." Guinna said, solemnly. She dropped onto the old red chair.
"What do you mean?" Kit asked, and eyed his wife in curiosity.
"I found this in Karnage's chambers." She pulled out a sheet of business-type paper from her skirt pocket and handed it to Kit. He took it, looking over it...what he read made his mouth drop open.
"What is this about? Why are Becky and Baloo's name on here?"
Guinna shrugged. "I don't know. Why would two people who have been dead for six years have their names on a sheet of paper in Don Karnage's chambers? And, who are the other people listed on here?"
Kit looked at her long and hard. There was no explanation for it, but there was one who could give one. "He'll know."
Just then, Shawn appeared with Molly in tow. "Found her."
"Guinna!" Molly embraced her sister. "Thank goodness you're all right! I wanted to come, but Kit wouldn't allow that." She pulled away to find Kit's eyes burrowing holes into her.
"We need to talk" he said, and answered her question before she could even ask. "You know what about. Now we have something important to tell you."
*I'm dying to hear this* Molly groaned to herself.
"We captured Don Karnage" Kit explained. "He's tied up in the cargo hold of the Stargazer."
That was something Molly never expected. She was speechless, and at the same time fueled with anger towards the man who took away her mother. "He's here?" came out a hoarse whisper.
Bowing his head, Kit said, "Yes." Molly glared at him, sending stinging knifes into her brother. She spun on her heel, and walked off. Shawn went to follow her, but was stopped by a tug. "Shawn, go home. We need to deal with this alone with Molly."
"All right, sir. Can I call later to see how she's doing?"
Kit nodded. "But, after that, don't come over or even call for a week." With that, Shawn left.
Silence lingered for a long moment. "Are you serious of not letting Shawn come over for a week?" Guinna asked from behind Kit. He turned to her.
"Yes, I am. Molly needs to be taught a lesson for disobeying me." Guinna was about to protest. "I know Becky would of handled it the same way. We need to work through this as a family."
She cocked an eyebrow. "What exactly are we working through anyway?"
Kit moved toward the door. "The truth."
***
The evening wasn't the best they had ever had. Kit didn't want to give up his authority over Karnage just yet. It was a very high risk, but he locked Karnage in a bottom floor closet anyway tied to a chair now. He was going to weed the truth out of the pirate captain even if it took physical threatening. Karnage was quite easy keeping authority over. It was Molly who was the biggest problem...
"WHAT?! I can't see Shawn for a week?! It's not like a hide on the Stargazer and come with you!"
"Molly, you still disobeyed me!"
"I can't take this anymore!" Molly stormed to her room, slamming the door so hard it echoed through the whole building.
The rest of the night was basically quiet. Guinna fell asleep early with Kit right behind her. Before they knew it, the sun was rising again. Kit was in the kitchen when Molly rushed down the stairs with her backpack in hand. Kit looked up to meet her eyes, but Molly averted his right away.
"You're heading off to school early" he said, sipping his coffee.
"I want to get out of this house as fast as I can" she replied, pushing pass him for the back door.
"Can you spare a few minutes? I'm sending Wildcat to walk you there then he'll be there to pick you up."
Molly rolled her eyes. "I'm surprised you're not being my watchdog, but I know you'll be too busy with your 'prisoner'. Have a good day" she said, dryly. "Tell Guinna good morning for me even though it isn't one, and tell Don Karnage I'd spit in his face, but I'm late for school." She walked out, heading to Wildcat's shed.
Kit turned his attention to the closet in the next room. "Now time to have a little talk with Mr. Karnage" he said aloud. He sighed in relief as he opened the closet, clicking on the light. Karnage was still tied to the chair. He shut the door then tugged the gag from Karnage's mouth.
"Mornin' Karnie."
"Is there some sort of punishment you intend to inflict on my well-being for your own pleasure? I can tell you have that on your mind."
"You have no idea what I have on my mind." Kit pulled up a wooden chest to sit, and drew the sheet of paper from his pocket. He presented it inches from Karnage's face. "What is this?"
Karnage's chuckled. "It's a sheet of paper. Are you that estupid?"
"No, Karnie, what does this mean on this paper?" He pointed to the fourth column. "Why is Miz Cummingham and Baloo's name on it?"
"I do not know."
"Why was it on your desk?"
"Is that why you brought me to your trivial cargo business?"
Kit pushed Karnage's shoulder. "Answer the question!"
Moments passed with deadly glares shared between the two. Karnage finally spoke, "I want to talk to Guinna."
"Fine." Kit trudged out the closet frustrated as ever. He found Guinna at the stove setting on the kettle. "Morning Gigi." She turned, her welcoming smile deflating at Kit's scorched face.
"I'm guessing you talked to Karnage?"
"Barely" he replied, plopping down at the table. "He wouldn't answer my question. Instead, he wants to talk to you."
Guinna froze at the sink. "Did he say why?"
Kit whirled around to face her with raised eyebrows. "I think I could guess." She heaved, but Kit stood, wrapping an arm around her. "I know how much you hate him. Believe me, I understand! But he might tell you the reason for that sheet of paper. You don't have to worry, I'll be next to the door listening. If he does anything to you, he'll never see the light of day again."
"All right." She trusted her husband. It was, though, a frustrating challenge to go that closet to talk to the man she grudged. Guinna opened the door slowly, and walked in to find a look of delight on Karnage's face.
"Guinna, what a pleasure to see you."
Guinna glared down at him. "Listen, Karnage. I want you to answer the question now."
"What question?" he asked, looking plainly innocent...if that could be accomplished.
"Why is Baloo's and Rebecca's name on this sheet of paper?" she shouted, flinging the paper in front of him.
Karnage's curl withdrew from his lip. "I do not know." Guinna flooded the room with the darkness of her mood. "Has anyone ever told you, you look ravishing when your mad?"
She'd had enough. "No, because I was too busy choking them to death! Like I'm about to do with you!" She thrusted her hands to his neck, but caught control of herself. There was a moment of silence. "I wish I knew what your fascination is with me."
"You are a grand piece of work, Guinna. We could do many things together."
"If you adored me so much, then why when I was a child you locked me up in your slave camp…" There it was. Guinna had just answered her own question. The memory she had tried to bury far in her mind came to the surface.
The slave camp.
The paper was a list of all the people he had enslaved. But, why was Baloo and Rebecca's name on it? She raced out to tell Kit.
"Kit! I know what the paper is for!" Guinna shouted.
"What? Did Karnage tell you?" He held her shoulders to calm her down.
"No, but I figured it out myself. It's a list of the people in his slave camp. I didn't even think of it. It was the memory I tried to get out my head. It has to be what its for..."
She stared at him, a slight smile creeping out. It was the best news since...another memory burst clear and Guinna's smile faded. She hadn't told Kit. This really wasn't the best time again.
"That makes sense" Kit started. "But, Baloo and Becky fell out that plane. How could they of survived that and been brought there?"
"I don't know." She turned to the closet. "What I do know is, is that he can bring us there."
Kit grimaced and sat down in the old red chair. "He's not going to help us. Not unless..."
"...I persuade him."
"Yeah." Kit sounded dismayed, then peered up at her. "You don't have to."
"Yes, I do." Guinna gave a sigh, walking back into the closet bringing a chair along with her. Karnage grinned, and Guinna shot him a malevolent expression. She sat down.
"Let's get one thing straight-"
"I…" Karnage started, but Guinna immediately threw a hand over his mouth.
"Don't say anything yet. Now, let's get one thing straight" she said, taking her hand from his mouth. "I hate you. No, actually, I despise you down to my gut. For some reason, you adore me. I don't get your fascination with me. Sixteen years ago, you captured my family, imprisoned us in a slave camp then had one of your crew murder my mother in cold blood. I don't see how you could idolize me so much and destroy my life at the same time. Please, give me a clear explanation for your actions!"
Karnage was stunned by the speech she'd just laid on him. He sat for a moment in silence lost in thoughts about how to explain this 'crush' to her.
"Guinna, it's hard to explain..."
"Then start trying" she said, dangerously.
Karnage nodded. She would finally weed the truth out of him. "When I first saw you, I thought you were just another snot-nosed child in my camp. You were lined up with other young captives, and I walked up to you thinking I would scare all the children into fearing me. I looked down at you and you looked right back into my eyes without a fear in the world then you handed me a paper. It was a little drawing you did of the ocean. That's when I knew I wanted you." Guinna's eyes went wide, but Karnage caught himself. "Never in the way you are thinking! I knew you were something special."
"Just because I wasn't afraid of you and gave you a drawing?"
"Yes." Karnage's answer was in full seriousness, though Guinna still had trouble believing the odd explanation. "I still have that drawing too."
Guinna sighed dejected, lying her head in her hands. "I don't get it."
"You gave me compassion."
She snapped her head up. "Like you know anything about compassion!"
"Please understand, Guinna."
"I don't see how."
They sat for minutes in quietness with tension growing between them. Guinna could hear fidgeting outside the door where Kit was most likely eavesdropping. It was time to speak again before he burst through the door in a panic.
"I came in here to ask you a question I know you would say 'no' to, but I'll ask it anyway. Will you bring me and Kit to your slave camp?"
Karnage cocked his head at her random question. There had to be a good reason, but he paid no mind. It may be his ticket out. "I will bring you there."
"You will corporate?"
"I will corporate to the fullest."
Guinna stood, taking her chair with her. "Then we'll leave as soon as possible."
***
"Is he secure?" Guinna asked as Kit walked through the door of Higher for Hire.
He nodded. "He hasn't put up much of a struggle, and if we know Karnage as well as we do, there's something boiling in his devious mind."
"I think he has more than just a plan cooking..." Guinna said, solemnly. She dropped onto the old red chair.
"What do you mean?" Kit asked, and eyed his wife in curiosity.
"I found this in Karnage's chambers." She pulled out a sheet of business-type paper from her skirt pocket and handed it to Kit. He took it, looking over it...what he read made his mouth drop open.
"What is this about? Why are Becky and Baloo's name on here?"
Guinna shrugged. "I don't know. Why would two people who have been dead for six years have their names on a sheet of paper in Don Karnage's chambers? And, who are the other people listed on here?"
Kit looked at her long and hard. There was no explanation for it, but there was one who could give one. "He'll know."
Just then, Shawn appeared with Molly in tow. "Found her."
"Guinna!" Molly embraced her sister. "Thank goodness you're all right! I wanted to come, but Kit wouldn't allow that." She pulled away to find Kit's eyes burrowing holes into her.
"We need to talk" he said, and answered her question before she could even ask. "You know what about. Now we have something important to tell you."
*I'm dying to hear this* Molly groaned to herself.
"We captured Don Karnage" Kit explained. "He's tied up in the cargo hold of the Stargazer."
That was something Molly never expected. She was speechless, and at the same time fueled with anger towards the man who took away her mother. "He's here?" came out a hoarse whisper.
Bowing his head, Kit said, "Yes." Molly glared at him, sending stinging knifes into her brother. She spun on her heel, and walked off. Shawn went to follow her, but was stopped by a tug. "Shawn, go home. We need to deal with this alone with Molly."
"All right, sir. Can I call later to see how she's doing?"
Kit nodded. "But, after that, don't come over or even call for a week." With that, Shawn left.
Silence lingered for a long moment. "Are you serious of not letting Shawn come over for a week?" Guinna asked from behind Kit. He turned to her.
"Yes, I am. Molly needs to be taught a lesson for disobeying me." Guinna was about to protest. "I know Becky would of handled it the same way. We need to work through this as a family."
She cocked an eyebrow. "What exactly are we working through anyway?"
Kit moved toward the door. "The truth."
***
The evening wasn't the best they had ever had. Kit didn't want to give up his authority over Karnage just yet. It was a very high risk, but he locked Karnage in a bottom floor closet anyway tied to a chair now. He was going to weed the truth out of the pirate captain even if it took physical threatening. Karnage was quite easy keeping authority over. It was Molly who was the biggest problem...
"WHAT?! I can't see Shawn for a week?! It's not like a hide on the Stargazer and come with you!"
"Molly, you still disobeyed me!"
"I can't take this anymore!" Molly stormed to her room, slamming the door so hard it echoed through the whole building.
The rest of the night was basically quiet. Guinna fell asleep early with Kit right behind her. Before they knew it, the sun was rising again. Kit was in the kitchen when Molly rushed down the stairs with her backpack in hand. Kit looked up to meet her eyes, but Molly averted his right away.
"You're heading off to school early" he said, sipping his coffee.
"I want to get out of this house as fast as I can" she replied, pushing pass him for the back door.
"Can you spare a few minutes? I'm sending Wildcat to walk you there then he'll be there to pick you up."
Molly rolled her eyes. "I'm surprised you're not being my watchdog, but I know you'll be too busy with your 'prisoner'. Have a good day" she said, dryly. "Tell Guinna good morning for me even though it isn't one, and tell Don Karnage I'd spit in his face, but I'm late for school." She walked out, heading to Wildcat's shed.
Kit turned his attention to the closet in the next room. "Now time to have a little talk with Mr. Karnage" he said aloud. He sighed in relief as he opened the closet, clicking on the light. Karnage was still tied to the chair. He shut the door then tugged the gag from Karnage's mouth.
"Mornin' Karnie."
"Is there some sort of punishment you intend to inflict on my well-being for your own pleasure? I can tell you have that on your mind."
"You have no idea what I have on my mind." Kit pulled up a wooden chest to sit, and drew the sheet of paper from his pocket. He presented it inches from Karnage's face. "What is this?"
Karnage's chuckled. "It's a sheet of paper. Are you that estupid?"
"No, Karnie, what does this mean on this paper?" He pointed to the fourth column. "Why is Miz Cummingham and Baloo's name on it?"
"I do not know."
"Why was it on your desk?"
"Is that why you brought me to your trivial cargo business?"
Kit pushed Karnage's shoulder. "Answer the question!"
Moments passed with deadly glares shared between the two. Karnage finally spoke, "I want to talk to Guinna."
"Fine." Kit trudged out the closet frustrated as ever. He found Guinna at the stove setting on the kettle. "Morning Gigi." She turned, her welcoming smile deflating at Kit's scorched face.
"I'm guessing you talked to Karnage?"
"Barely" he replied, plopping down at the table. "He wouldn't answer my question. Instead, he wants to talk to you."
Guinna froze at the sink. "Did he say why?"
Kit whirled around to face her with raised eyebrows. "I think I could guess." She heaved, but Kit stood, wrapping an arm around her. "I know how much you hate him. Believe me, I understand! But he might tell you the reason for that sheet of paper. You don't have to worry, I'll be next to the door listening. If he does anything to you, he'll never see the light of day again."
"All right." She trusted her husband. It was, though, a frustrating challenge to go that closet to talk to the man she grudged. Guinna opened the door slowly, and walked in to find a look of delight on Karnage's face.
"Guinna, what a pleasure to see you."
Guinna glared down at him. "Listen, Karnage. I want you to answer the question now."
"What question?" he asked, looking plainly innocent...if that could be accomplished.
"Why is Baloo's and Rebecca's name on this sheet of paper?" she shouted, flinging the paper in front of him.
Karnage's curl withdrew from his lip. "I do not know." Guinna flooded the room with the darkness of her mood. "Has anyone ever told you, you look ravishing when your mad?"
She'd had enough. "No, because I was too busy choking them to death! Like I'm about to do with you!" She thrusted her hands to his neck, but caught control of herself. There was a moment of silence. "I wish I knew what your fascination is with me."
"You are a grand piece of work, Guinna. We could do many things together."
"If you adored me so much, then why when I was a child you locked me up in your slave camp…" There it was. Guinna had just answered her own question. The memory she had tried to bury far in her mind came to the surface.
The slave camp.
The paper was a list of all the people he had enslaved. But, why was Baloo and Rebecca's name on it? She raced out to tell Kit.
"Kit! I know what the paper is for!" Guinna shouted.
"What? Did Karnage tell you?" He held her shoulders to calm her down.
"No, but I figured it out myself. It's a list of the people in his slave camp. I didn't even think of it. It was the memory I tried to get out my head. It has to be what its for..."
She stared at him, a slight smile creeping out. It was the best news since...another memory burst clear and Guinna's smile faded. She hadn't told Kit. This really wasn't the best time again.
"That makes sense" Kit started. "But, Baloo and Becky fell out that plane. How could they of survived that and been brought there?"
"I don't know." She turned to the closet. "What I do know is, is that he can bring us there."
Kit grimaced and sat down in the old red chair. "He's not going to help us. Not unless..."
"...I persuade him."
"Yeah." Kit sounded dismayed, then peered up at her. "You don't have to."
"Yes, I do." Guinna gave a sigh, walking back into the closet bringing a chair along with her. Karnage grinned, and Guinna shot him a malevolent expression. She sat down.
"Let's get one thing straight-"
"I…" Karnage started, but Guinna immediately threw a hand over his mouth.
"Don't say anything yet. Now, let's get one thing straight" she said, taking her hand from his mouth. "I hate you. No, actually, I despise you down to my gut. For some reason, you adore me. I don't get your fascination with me. Sixteen years ago, you captured my family, imprisoned us in a slave camp then had one of your crew murder my mother in cold blood. I don't see how you could idolize me so much and destroy my life at the same time. Please, give me a clear explanation for your actions!"
Karnage was stunned by the speech she'd just laid on him. He sat for a moment in silence lost in thoughts about how to explain this 'crush' to her.
"Guinna, it's hard to explain..."
"Then start trying" she said, dangerously.
Karnage nodded. She would finally weed the truth out of him. "When I first saw you, I thought you were just another snot-nosed child in my camp. You were lined up with other young captives, and I walked up to you thinking I would scare all the children into fearing me. I looked down at you and you looked right back into my eyes without a fear in the world then you handed me a paper. It was a little drawing you did of the ocean. That's when I knew I wanted you." Guinna's eyes went wide, but Karnage caught himself. "Never in the way you are thinking! I knew you were something special."
"Just because I wasn't afraid of you and gave you a drawing?"
"Yes." Karnage's answer was in full seriousness, though Guinna still had trouble believing the odd explanation. "I still have that drawing too."
Guinna sighed dejected, lying her head in her hands. "I don't get it."
"You gave me compassion."
She snapped her head up. "Like you know anything about compassion!"
"Please understand, Guinna."
"I don't see how."
They sat for minutes in quietness with tension growing between them. Guinna could hear fidgeting outside the door where Kit was most likely eavesdropping. It was time to speak again before he burst through the door in a panic.
"I came in here to ask you a question I know you would say 'no' to, but I'll ask it anyway. Will you bring me and Kit to your slave camp?"
Karnage cocked his head at her random question. There had to be a good reason, but he paid no mind. It may be his ticket out. "I will bring you there."
"You will corporate?"
"I will corporate to the fullest."
Guinna stood, taking her chair with her. "Then we'll leave as soon as possible."