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Chapter 10.
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'Guardian for the second time'
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As soon as Tom noticed the slight stirring of the door knob he blinked and ignoring pain, immediately struggled to his feet. The standing position seemed to be more appropriate to face his fate than sitting one. He didn't feel so helpless then. But it didn't help anyway. Despite of hard tries of staying calm he could feel his heart pumping nervously in his chest, causing the adrenaline spread quickly through veins all around his body. He had to admit he really feared the coming meeting with Guardian and how it was going to end.
There was a sound of turning the key in the door. It turned twice with strange distant sound echoing in his ears. Everything became so surrealistic. Tom closed his eyes and exhaled. It felt as if time slowed drastically, as if letting him to enjoy last seconds of life. But instead to recall nice moments of his life his mind started plague him with another, unwanted thoughts. Of him dying. How they are going to kill him, if it will be quick or not. How it felt dying and if it was painful? He imagined himself being dead. After all, when it will be over he won't feel anything anymore. No fear, no pain...
With disturbing creak of the wickets the door started to open in slow motion. Tom shifted his eyes and observed it, feeling as if he wasn't really there. Everything felt unreal and misshapen. Maybe death itself wasn't so fearful. At least everybody was going to die, and now it was just his turn... Surprisingly he started to accustom with that thought, somehow he felt to come with terms with it. And realizing that Hanson decided he won't let the dread of Guardian and how was he going to end his life overwhelm him. Because whatever happens, in the end there will be only death. And Tom didn't fear death anymore.
When the door opened ajar Tom shifted in his position. If he is going to die he will do it on his own terms. With head raised up and fighting. And from now on, as if on somebody's sign, the time turned to run fast again, the sounds switched on and became clear and sharp.
To Tom's prison entered only two people. It was Guardian himself dressed in his inseparable cloak and Jimmy Clarke.
"Well, well Tommy." Guardian said smiling with a little surprised tone as he saw Tom standing straight and with strange self-confident expression. "I didn't expect you in so good condition after such close contact with a car."
"You don't expect many things about me." Tom answered challengingly looking straight to Guardians evil eyes and simultaneously pressing his back harder to the wall behind.
"Yes, I am sure about that, we had small proof of that when you managed to get to the Brotherhood, didn't we?" The older man said it with small express of appreciation watching Tom closely. Then he turned towards Jimmy. "Still it is hard to me to believe he is a cop, even after I did my homework."
"If you did your homework you know my friends from police are looking for me now." Tom answered willing desperately to get any information about his friend's doings. Instinct didn't let Tom to abandon hopes that somehow he will survive.
"Oh yes, they are. But don't rise your hopes, Tommy. They won't find you. They are looking in wrong places."
"You underestimate them."
"FBI didn't find this place as long as I moved to the city two years ago, police won't be better."
"Still I think you underestimate them."
Guardian getting annoyed with the conversation shrugged his arms and said:
"Believe what you want, but in the meanwhile we have an unfinished 'chat' to hold." He looked at Tom assessing him precisely. "Before we start just satisfy my curiosity Tommy. How did you get that Brotherhood was my working group and the Sect only cover?"
"Just luck." Tom answered shortly.
"No. I think it was something more. Nobody managed to get to me as close as you." There was a little pause; Tom could guess Guardian was thinking about possible bad results of Tom's messing in the Brotherhood if not Jimmy. "Now to the point, Tommy." Guardian abruptly turned towards young cop with narrowed eyes and anger in his voice. "I became incautious last time and let federals to close to me. Thanks to informations you will share with me I am going to get rid of them."
"How can you be so sure I know anything?" Tom asked.
"It is obvious for me that you know something useful. How else would you get to the Brotherhood, mhm? If it will be not efficient, you should know who among your friends could tell me more, and I will engage 'chat' with him."
Tom was speechless. The direction 'chat' was leading to him just gross misunderstanding. What made Guardian to think that FBI is sharing any informations about their results with police? It was always exactly quite the contrary. Hanson started to think Guardian was becoming paranoid.
"I can't tell you anything, Guardian. You should know that federals are always grudging every information they posses."
"I will try anyway" he answered with impatience, and then added. "At least we will have some fun. And now, for start, tell me how did they blow my transaction with van Hoffen in the docks two weeks ago?"
"I don't know, I told you..."
"Don't lie!" Shouted Guardian furiously losing slowly his temper. "Who was the snitch?"
Tom managed only to shake his head pressing at the same time harder his back to the wall behind trying to move away from his angry and almost murderous eyes. He even started to shuffle himself away along the wall slowly and as imperceptibly as possible from his present place in order to find some space to escape or fight. Though, soon his further progress was interrupted when furious Guardian noticed it and caught the cop on the neck with one hand and squeezed it forcefully causing Tom choke.
"Don't you even think you can outwit me, Tommy!" The older man shouted it with anger shaking him brutally. Then he threw the younger man against the wall. "And don't be fool being so stubborn. It is depending only on you how much you will suffer before I will kill you."
"I can't tell you what I don't know." Tom managed only to whisper it through painful throat. Then he struggled on his knees and further up until he finally was on his feet again. In that time his voice was back. "So I suppose you can kill me now and not waste your time!" Tom almost shouted out the last sentence wincing on his own bravado and coursing himself for it. To his surprise though Guardian burst into laughter, but Tom didn't miss his eyes remained cold.
"Oh Tommy!" He started amused looking appreciatingly at Tom. "How could you think I am going to kill you so soon? It would be such a waste!"
Tom watched him highly astonished not able to grasp his intentions.
"Don't you remember? Soon we have our little ceremony in Brotherhood. I wouldn't like you to miss it." He slid his gaze from Tom's face down his body and up again. "You will be the main attraction of the evening."
Tom made unconsciously step back at that. He felt his stomach turning up side down when new dread started to fill his body, as he realized the implications of the meaning of Guardian's words.
"Now." Guardian's voice became abruptly cold again. "I see you are not going to cooperate free willingly, so apparently my friend Jimmy will get his chance to revenge." After that words Guardian moved back to give space to another man and started mumbling something in language Tom couldn't identify. It sounded bad for him, really bad. He felt it worse when Guardian finally commented his actions back in English.
"And soon you will dance with the death."
In that time Jimmy approached the young officer with pleased smile and after Guardians words faded away he immediately sent first blow towards Hanson's head. Tom managed to avoid his fist on time mechanically jerking himself on side, but paid for that with sudden pain in his bruised torso the movement woke up. Trying to catch breath to his lungs he was completely off guard what was exploited by Jimmy who with next blow sent Tom on the floor.
"Jimmy, I would appreciate if you didn't damage his face too much. I want to have some fun with him before sacrafacion." Guardian broke in watching with pleasure as Tom curled up from pain after following kicks into his already bruised midsection and back. The young cop tried in vain to cover himself with arms against never ending and painful blows. Jimmy didn't even give him chance do defend himself. On Guardian's lips grown a smile of delight as he saw Tom's body first tensed in pain and in self-defense against it and then slowly with every following blow becoming more relaxed and finally completely limp.
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