[A/N: This chapter is shorter than what you might be used to, but I guarantee that it'll pack a punch. With that said:
WARNING: 'Stumbling in the Dark' contains graphic violence. (I say graphic just to be safe). If you are easily offended, I suggest you simply do not read. =(
[Chapter Twenty-Two: Stumbling in the Dark]
[Planet Watson/3:15PM]
"Fight it. God damn it, fight the drug. Do not fall…asle…" The brunette inhaled sharply as she spoke to herself, her heart pounding loudly in her ears and making it hard to even hear her own thoughts. She extended her fingers over her nose and across her closed eyelids to make a mental note, "Okay…eyes are closed," then slowly opened her eyes to reveal that nothing had changed. It was still dark. "What did you do to me?" she called out into the stillness of the room. "Cavan?"
When there was no reply the sniper scowled, "Answer me!"
The voice that finally replied to her was self satisfied and arrogant, "…it must be terrible to be in your position; not knowing if someone is here…or if it was just the wind playing a trick on your hearing and making this shitty house creak."
London grinned as she stood still in the center of the living room, "I knew you were here."
"Oh?" he replied coolly, the amused tone in his voice mocking her.
"Why of course. Only varren seem to give off that distinct odor. It's kind of hard to miss you—even when blind."
The earlier dark amusement vanishing from his voice Cavan sneered at the sightless sniper, "I'd watch my mouth if I were you. You see London, in maybe half an hour at most the drug's full effects will hit you. It's called Blindweed—I crushed a little and put it into your tea. It starts with the vision then ends with long unconsciousness. So try your best to be good, hmm? I'd hate to have to do terrible things to such a pretty body."
London fanned the fire, "That's pathetic. Can't get me while I'm in my own senses, so settle for having me while unconscious and blind? What? Scared I might find out about that little dick you have?"
The brunette heard five heavy footsteps come towards her and she grinned now knowing where he was. When she felt the small waft of air and smelled the faint aroma of his overpriced cologne, London lunged forward and rammed her forehead straight into Cavan's nose. He yelled, stumbling backwards and grasping the now tender tissue, straightening it with a loud pop. "Guh! You broke my fucking nose!"
The sniper laughed, stumbled sideways then tried her best to regain her balance. Her world was not only dark, but now it was spinning as well from the sheer force of the blunt contact, "I don't need my sight to kick your ass."
Cavan growled as he moved forward again and took advantage of the woman's lack of balance. He backhanded her across the face with such force the sniper couldn't stop from landing onto the floor with a loud thud. "Learn your fucking place," he spat before taking a large breath and retying his pony tail in an attempt to fix his disheveled appearance. "Now look what you did," he said as he looked down onto the brunette whose split lip was bleeding. "fucked up my hair, broke my nose—it'll take a while for the bruising to go away."
London could feel her mind slipping into unconsciousness as she held onto the only small thing she could focus on, the sting she felt in her lip and in her eyes. The pain was insignificant, but it was enough to make her aware of her body. If she could continue to feel the sting, and continue to keep him talking she'd be okay. "So tell me, pretty boy—who are you?"
He scoffed lightly, "I'm the last person you'll ever see—just be grateful that I'm a looker at that. Besides, you already know my name. Well, part of it anyways. Cavan's the middle name."
London groaned as forced herself back into a standing position, her posture wobbling gently like a buoy at sea. "My kingdom for this arrogant ass's name," she mocked.
Cavan grinned, "Does it matter?"
"Of course it matters," she replied casually, "I need to know who the man I'm going to kill as soon as my sight returns is."
The young mercenary was quick to release a booming laugh, the sudden noise making the sniper's body jump. "You know London you have spunk so I'll tell you two small little facts: One—you're sight is not coming back… so sorry" he added with venom mockery, "and two— the name is Shaw Cavan Riley. I'll be the guy torturing you for information. It's a pleasure to meet you. And don't be so shocked, you're not the only good liar in this universe." He added offhandedly, "I mean come on…saying you don't have a little sister? Smooth. If I were regular ol' joe-shmo I might have believed it too. However I'd like to clarify that I wasn't kidding when I said I was interested in you—I mean look at your body!" he said, only to laugh when London spat out in his general direction, "That was so not lady like."
"Go to hell. Don't fall asleep…don't fall asleep—so, why not just get it over with hmm? All this 'big man' talk about knowing about me and wanting information—why not just do it?"
If London would have had her vision, her stomach would have twisted at the sight of Cavan's sick, menacing grin, "…because I like to play with my food before I eat it."
The sniper felt her heart thump loudly in her chest. He was toying with her emotions and London knew it. He was the kind of man that liked to play with the emotions of his target, "…someday the habit will choke you."
"Cute. Look, I'll make this easy for you to figure out. I'm here because someone who's paying a lot of creds needs something of your fathers. It holds some vital information on a certain child he's taken considerable interest in. I believe you know her as Teagan? So…you tell me where it is and we call it a job well done."
London's face contorted into anger, "If you so much as touch a hair on the top of her head I'll kill you, do you hear me? I'll fucking kill you, I swear I will."
Cavan laughed easily out into the small living room, "London, London, London. When are you going to learn that you're not in a position to make threats? You see, you'll find that unlike some of the other unlucky bastards who have underestimated you in combat…I won't be one of them. I know about you. I know how O'Conner trained you, how good of a shot you are—how skilled with a knife you are. I know it all. So I'm not going to fight with you, London. There's no fun in fighting a blind girl. Okay—well there might be a little bit of fun in fighting a blind girl, but not nearly enough. Anyways, that's why I set this whole thing up."
"You're a coward."
Cavan walked around the perfectly still standing woman like a vulture, "No I'm not a coward…I'm smart. Why fight when you can avoid it all together? Let's have a one question pop quiz, shall we? What's the one thing a sniper needs besides that happy little trigger finger?"
London clenched her jaw and Cavan beamed while responding to his own question, "Aw come on! You know the answer! It's their vision, silly. You can't fuckin' shoot anything without your eyes. Can't stab anything either. So doing this to you saves having to clean up the mess, and from getting both of our pretty faces scarred up. Well…mine anyways."
"What makes you think I can't kill you without my vision? I just broke your damn nose." she retorted, her upper lip slightly curled in distaste.
"You are a feisty one aren't you! I like it. And that was my stupid fault, sadly. I forgot how smart you are. You know I take pride in the way I look—and you used it against me. That won't happen again. And maybe in some twisted alternate reality you'd be able to kill me without your sight but…this is very much the real world, and I highly doubt you'll be able to fight while unconscious. I know you can feel that tingle in your body, the weakness in your legs, and the heaviness in your breathing. You'll be out like a light in just a few moments more. And when you are? I'll move you onto the kitchen table and tie you down. Sorry, London. This isn't one you're going to be winning today."
Just as soon as he had spoken the words London could feel the numbness in her legs yield to the drug and collapse underneath her. She swayed as she kneeled on the wooden floor before falling on her side, "Stay awake…stay awake…keep…talking…"
Cavan kneeled down next to her lightly quivering body, "I have to hand it to you, London. I've never seen anyone hold out this long against the drug. I'm actually quite impressed."
"What… happened to the family… that was living here?" she managed to breathe out, her consciousness barley intact.
Cavan rolled his eyes, "Jesus Christ you ask so many questions! I don't know how I've had the patience to put up with it all day. But because I'm in a good mood I'll tell you. I had just gotten word on your location and when I arrived you were sound asleep. Like I said, I'm not one for unnecessary confrontation so I found an alternative method to my problem. Frank—the guy you apologized to, the guy you let live, sold you out for nothing more than one hundred and fifty credits. Of course after he had gathered his family up and started to make off with my creds—I decided 'Hey, who the hell am I kidding? Taking my money is so cause for confrontation.' So, I shot him in the back of the head."
"You son of a bi—"
"Hey now! No need for language. Don't worry about it; I didn't kill the other two. Dear old Catalina and her little boy Joseph are gagged and hog-tied near your ma and pa's grave. I figured why not kill two birds with one stone. I needed a place to hide the two squealing pigs, and wanted to pay my respects to poor old O'Conner and his lovely wife Isabella."
"You don't deserve…to say their names," she gasped out in spite.
"You know it's funny…" he said quietly as if in contemplation, bringing his long, slender fingers to stroke the length of London's numb body, "the way you're laying down right now? That's the exact same position your mother landed in after I shot her in between the eyes."
"I'm going to ki…ll…" London's chest tightened and she felt as if her heart had stopped completely before the darkness took over not only her eyes but her mind as well.
"…It's about fuckin' time," he sighed out upon noticing London's body still. Slowly he threw her lithe frame over his shoulder and headed towards the kitchen.
xxxxxxx
[Miranda's Office/ 7PM]
The soft sound of an artificial voice announcing, "private chat requested" caught Miranda's attention as she swiveled around in her chair and scooted herself more comfortably in towards her personal terminal.
[Private chat requested by user *Tealeaf13*. Would you like to Accept? Yes/No]
Miranda raised an eyebrow and smiled softly before accepting the request. Only two people knew of her private username: Oriana Lawson and Teagan O'Conner.
MLaws: Teagan?
Tealeaft13: is this Miranda?
MLaws: It is, sweetie. It's a secured connection, so don't worry about getting into trouble. I wasn't expecting you to get a hold of me. Is everything alright?
Tealeaf13: …i type slow…
MLaws: =) Heh. It's okay. Just take your time and go ahead and tell me what's on your mind.
Tealeaf13: it's about london…
Miranda's eyes widened and she felt her stomach knot tightly.
MLaws: …what is it, Teagan?
Tealeaf13: she always tries to talk to me at least once a day. i haven't heard from her in a long time :( is she okay? Is Mr. Shepard making her work 2 hard?
MLaws: She hasn't spoken to you at all?
Tealeaf13: nu-uh. I guess she's just really busy, huh?
Miranda's eyes darted back and forth as she tried to think of a quick response to ease the child's fear.
MLaws: She has had the flu, sweetie. I've made her stay in bed and sleep as much as possible. I suppose it's my fault then that she hasn't been able to speak with you. I'm sorry.
Tealeaf13: so shes okay then? You're taking care of her?
MLaws: Yes, she's fine.
Tealeaf13: okay good! I'm happy!
MLaws: Is there anything else, Teagan?
Tealeaf13: …will you promise me something?
MLaws: If I am capable of it, then of course.
Tealeaf13: Will you please always take care of my sister when i'm not there? i know i'm asking a lot but i think out of everyone else london trusts you most.
Miranda began to chew on the inside of her lower lip as she stared at the question on her terminal. A minute passed by before another small beep that indicated a response rang out.
Tealeaf13: are you there?
MLaws: …I promise.
Tealeaft13: Yay! Tell London that I love her very much and that I hope she feels better real soon! I better start going to bed now. If we stay up too late they give us extra homework :(
MLaws: Is school going well then? Are you making high marks in all your classes? Do you need a tutor for anything at all?
Tealeaf13: yes ma'am classes are fine. No tutor needed!
MLaws: Good girl. I'll talk to you later then, Teagan.
Tealeaf13: Byebye!
[User Tealeaf13 has disconnected.]
"EDI," Lawson called out sternly, "get the Commander down here as quickly as possible."
"Of course, Operative Lawson."
xxxxxxx
"Shepard that is way to bloody long! We'll get there two days after using the mass relay? We have to go faster. Teagan said that London hasn't gotten in contact with her. That's not like London."
John rubbed his eyes and sank into the chair in front of Lawson's desk, "Miranda, I know. But the little colony planet is pretty far out there. It'll take us two days to get to our destination after using the relay. There's nothing we can do about it."
"Commander, what if the mercenaries got there before us? London is one woman. We can't just wait for—"
"Lawson, there is nothing we can do." Shepard replied firmly, "We're already on route and EDI is pushing as fast as she can. The trip can take up to four days—she assured us it would only be two. I'd say let's give her some credit and just prepare for what's coming."
"But Shepard we—"
"Easy, Lawson." He assured her. "Stressing about how fast we're going won't make us go any faster. We'll be there as soon as we can and no later. Understood?"
"…Understood, Commander." Miranda said softly. "I apologize if I seemed out of place. It will not happen again."
John shook his head, "…its fine. We know who the mercenaries' target is. It's someone we both know personally—and that changes the game. You're worried and it's understandable. But remember, London is smart and skilled in combat. She's not some blind idiot running off into battle. She'll be alright."
xxxxxxx
[Planet Watson/ 24 hours later]
"That's enough sleep for you," Cavan said as he patted London's cheek lightly, "Hey—wake the hell up."
London groaned and her eyes fluttered open to darkness. Cavan chuckled, "That must really suck and be very confusing when you first wake up. Am I awake? Are my eyes still closed? Oh wait! Cavan drugged and blinded me! I remember now," he vulgarly teased.
The brunette felt the hard wood of the dinning table beneath her back and when she attempted to sit up she found that she had been tied securely down by several thick straps. She could feel one across her chest, across her wrists, her abdomen, her thighs, and ankles. London could also make out the muffled sobs and tiny squeals coming from somewhere off in the distant end of the room, "…what is that?" she asked, her voice thick with the drugs aftermath.
Cavan waved off the pair in the corner as an afterthought, "Bah, that's just Catalina and Joseph. I finally decided to go them out of the rain. I don't think the kid is holding up to well. I might have traumatized him."
London's eyebrows went up and she turned her face and blank eyes to the general direction of the tiny human's muted squeals without so much as a single thought of the mercenary next to her, "Shhh…shhh sweetie, it'll be okay. I'll make sure you and your mama get out of here safe."
Cavan angrily stared down onto the woman strapped to the table before raising his pistol and shooting Catalina square between the eyes. The mixed sound of the loud bang and the sudden high pitched shriek sent London's body into a fever, her face twisting into one of pure hatred and loathing, "WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST—"
The Irish man placed the tip of his gun's barrel roughly into London's mouth, his tone ruthless, "Let me remind you who's in charge here. I will not have you making promises to the kid, and I will not have you regarding me so lightly." Cavan leaned down, his lips grazing against the sniper's earlobe, "…don't…fuck…with me. Talk to the kid again—and I'll shoot him next without so much as a second thought. Don't tell me what I want to hear and I shoot him without so much as a second thought. Lie to me…and I'll shoot him without so much as a second thought. Get where I'm going with this?"
London nodded while she pressed her lips forcefully against the metal barrel, trying her best to keep the man from shoving the thing down her throat. Cavan grinned before he stood upright once more and took the gun from the sniper's mouth. "So back to business shall we?"
"What do you want?"
Cavan sat down on the table next to the gray eyed woman and sighed, "I seem to have a problem, London. You see, I'm trying to get this job done but it's proving to be quite the pain in the ass. I found your daddies' terminal" he said severely, "... but…the memory chip inside is…gone. Every vital little piece of information on Teagan is gone and that's what I'm getting paid to retrieve. The little bitch has some genetic absurdity that by far surpasses any other testing subject my boss has ever come across or heard off. I don't like being toyed with, London. Where is it? Where's the chip?"
London's eyes widened at the news, her lips instantly parting and responding for fear of him hurting the child. "…I-I don't know. I don't have it. I was look—" She heard the reloading of his pistol and she spoke out loudly, her voice clear but rushed, "I'm telling you the truth! I've been looking for the terminal! I don't know anything about the memory chip!"
Cavan rubbed his eyes, "Don't lie to me. I told you what would happen if you lied to me."
"I'm not! I swear to God I'm not! You've been here all day watching me look for it—you know I'm not lying."
The blue eyed man sighed loudly as he thought aloud, "Perhaps you're right…well this certainly puts a dent in the scheme of things."
London tried to reach for the man but found her restraints to constrain even the slightest of movements, "Please…just…let the child go. I've told you what I know…please…"
Cavan smiled as he looked down onto her and traced the outline of her jaw with his fingertip, "So now we're playing nice are we? I'll tell you what…if you can think really, really hard in where your father might have hidden that memory chip—I'll let the kid walk."
The sniper's voice cracked lightly, "I already told you—I didn't know anything about the memory chip even missing. My father had two hiding spots and if you found the terminal you know where both are...just please…he's just a child. You can have me," she added, her tone lowering, "I'll do anything."
Cavan chuckled darkly, "Oh come on, London. Begging is so not your style. It's very unbecoming. But I'm afraid that if you can't help me—then I don't have a use for the kid anymore. I was going to off Catalina anyways, but the kid was my leverage to make you spill the details. But…if you don't have the details…"
London shook her head quickly, "I'll think! I'll try my best!"
The raven haired man hissed inwardly, "Sorry, London. I was given the order to clean up all loose ends if this house ended up being nothing more than another dead end. Can't have the little brat growing up and wanting revenge on his murdered father and mother now can we?"
"Don't do it…Cavan, don't do it…DON'T DO—" London cried out and pressed harshly against her restraints as the familiar sound of an M5 echoed throughout the room.
Cavan wrinkled his nose, "Messy."
"You son of a bitch…you God damned son of a bitch!"
The mercenary laughed lightly, "Don't give me that bullshit; you didn't even know the kid or his family!"
"He was a CHILD!" London spat back, her voice torn and face contorted as tears spilled down the side of her face.
Cavan mouthed the words 'blah blah blah' several times as he listened to London rant, "Will you just shut up now?" he said flatly, his tone encompassing boredom. "There's a more pressing issue. What the hell do I do…with you? With no chip you're the closest thing I have to even remotely claiming any kind of reward now."
London's chest was heaving and she was out of breath from trying to break free of her restraints, "…is it really all about the credits? Do you not have any kind of honor inside of you?"
The merc tapped the temple on London's head with the barrel of his pistol, "Uh—fuckin' news flash, London. In this universe it's all about survival and creds. Its dog eats dog out there—I'm just staying on top of the pack."
His words were cut off by the brunette's sudden cruel laughter, "You think you're on top of the pack? You're a damn lackey—a peon that's paid to do the dirty work because the people with the actual money and status are to chicken shit to get their own hands dirty. You're nothing. You're the shit on the bottom of their shoe, dispensable—and nothing more."
Cavan growled as he placed a rough hand on top of London's mouth, "Shut the hell up or I'm going to make you eat those words."
"…get him pissed off…get him to unshackle and move you…"
London quickly adjusted her mouth and bit down harshly onto Cavan's hand, a warm, copper taste soon becoming apparent on the tip of her tongue. The mercenary screamed as he backed up and stared daggers onto the woman before taking a small dish towel and wrapping the new wound. The sniper's laugh rang out into the small room, "You're going to make me eat those words? Really? That's a load of shit. You can't do anything to me! You said it yourself…I'm the closest thing you have to claiming a paycheck."
"Oh I can do plenty to you without actually taking your life, you bitch." He screamed, "I'm going to have my fill of you—and when I'm done…I'm going to find your sister and hand her over so they can implant that little thing in her head and be done with it."
London grinned smugly as her blank eyes stared off into a vacant part of the room, "You couldn't even fucking locate me without help, you worthless piece of shit. What the hell makes you think you even have the talent to find her?"
The muscles in Cavan's cheeks flexed tightly as he stood at London's feet and began to unbuckle his pants, "You want to see talent? I'll show you talent, you fucking whore. I'll show you so much talent it'll leave your cunt bloody and useless afterwards."
It took all of London's strength to hide the slight shake in her body and the fear on her face, "Big words coming from such a…little man…"
Cavan screamed as his pants fell into a messy pool around his feet. Quickly he untied the shackles around London's ankles and thighs but was careful to leave her upper torso restraints untouched. London could feel a sharp piece of metal tear through her jeans, the cool air soon hitting the bare skin around her panties. Cavan had ripped a hole in between her legs. The sniper was quick to tighten her thighs together as she felt his hands on her knees in attempt to pry her legs open, "You asked for this, bitch."
London released a loud, angry sob as directed the heel of her now freed boot to crash into Cavan's face with a sickening crack. She put as much force as she could possibly manage into the strike and was relieved when the only sound she heard was the loud thud of a heavy body falling to the floor without so much as a peep.
The room went silent and London let her leg fall down onto the table limply. Her body was quivering violently and she could no longer hold back the intense sob that brought itself forth from her throat; but she had to keep moving. Who knows how long the mercenary would stay unconscious. Carefully she felt around the lower half of the table with her boot and thanked whatever was looking out for her that day when she found that Cavan had left his tactical knife near her leg after cutting her jeans open. Slowly she lifted her knee while guiding the hilt with the heel of her boot towards her hand. When it was in reach she grasped tightly onto it and twisted her wrist into the strap to begin cutting through the material. It had taken a small amount of time, and her wrist had begun to bleed but ultimately she was successful in her endeavor and had soon freed her body.
As soon as she was able, London threw her legs over the table and got to her feet. She extended her hands out into the darkness in attempt to feel her way around the table and towards the body of the mercenary. When she located him with the tip of her boot she kneeled down and began carefully feeling around for his pistol holder, soon taking the gun firmly into her hand. The sniper swallowed as her free hand felt up his body trying to find his face. She located the once again broken nose and slowly placed the barrel of the M5 unsympathetically and firmly against the area in between his eyes.
When she felt a sudden shift beneath her, she pressed the gun into his forehead with more power, "I just felt you move. Don't even try it."
Cavan swallowed the giant lump in this throat as he stayed perfectly still, "Please," he said softly, "I was just doing my job. I'll go—I'll go and just say that you never showed."
London's lip curled as her empty eyes locked onto his with eerie precision, "Begging is so not your style. It's very unbecoming," she mocked, the shake in her voice still apparent. The mercenary tried to use that slight show of emotion to his advantage, "Come on, London—you don't have to do this...you don't want to do this."
"You're right," she said softly, "I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want anyone to die anymore…"
"Agreed. No one else should have to die here today—"
London leaned in, "—but like you said…I'm only doing my job. My job as a sister, my job as Teagan's guardian…"
Cavan's eyes widened, "London, don't." he said urgently in an attempt to spare his own cowardly life, "I…um—I have a family! I have a mother, father, and three younger brothers."
A single tear rolled down London's cheek as she whispered brokenly out into the air, "…I had a family too…you killed them."
Before any other movement could be made or any other words could be spoken, she added firm pressure to the trigger of the pistol, jerking back only when the warm, metallic smelling liquid splashed gently against her face. It was done.
London rolled onto her back next to the now dead mercenary and naturally closed the lids to her ineffective eyes. Her body was so tired, finally coming down off its adrenaline high. She could feel every cut on her frame; her lip hurt, and the fresh, deep slices on her wrists were stinging badly. The only thing that she wanted to do was sleep for an eternity, and before she could even notice…she did exactly that. There on the bloodied floor of what used to be her childhood home, her safe haven, laid the lithe body of the broken brunette.
[End 22: Stumbling in the Dark]
[A/N: I would honestly like to know what you, the readers, are thinking at this point. What did you think of the chapter and of my darker style of writing? Does the faster pace I'm moving at bother you? Please hit the review button and let me know- I would greatly appreciate it. The next chapter is in the works but will not be posted for a small while. I hope everyone is doing well, and thanks again for reading!]