Authors Note: Here we are my friends, the last part of Unknown, Unknowns. But do not fret this is only installment number one, there are still two more to go.
Shattered Secrets and Broken Goodbyes
Remember I'll never leave you
If you will only remember me
Remember I will still be here
As long as you hold me in your memory
Ed stood facing his grandfather, wrath twisting across his face, the wicked emotion kindling a cold fury that was mirrored in the older man eyes. Glimmering on the floor between them was the shattered remains of a picture frame.
"You fucking bastard,"
The young heir's words were laden with poison, slithering through the broken glass on the floor, brimming with so much hatred that they almost singed his grandfather's ears…almost.
Wuncler narrowed his grey eyes, a grin trickling across his lips, the temping smirk of the devil his voice was dangerously soft
"Keep your temper in check Edward; it was what got your father killed."
He shrugged turning his back on his seething grandson and took a long drag from his cigar. Smoke spilled from his mouth as he continued to talk, trailing behind him as he meandered toward his private office.
"it also, unfortunately, left me with you, such a shame that his actions did not slay you as well."
The sentence ended with the gentle click of polished oaken door being softly shut, his final words entwining around the lingering wake of cigar smoke.
Gin had silently watched all of this from the stairs, his finger curled around the trigger of his gun. He knew that Ed was more then capable of taking care of him self; he just wanted to ensure that it was an even fight if the argument escalated to more then just dueling words.
But it was just so fucking tempting he had had a clear shot of the arrogant fucker….All it would take was one well placed bullet…to unleash hell.
But God, how he wanted to fucking kill his benefactor. Not only for causing him such torment but also for afflicting constant emotional anguish on Ed, and quite obviously savoring it.
He stared at the gleaming office door for another moment before turning his attention back to Ed. The redhead had not moved since his grandfather's infuriatingly quiet exit. His hands were clenched at his sides, and in the faint light of the moon Gin could see that he was trembling with barely controlled rage.
It was amazing how Wuncler always had the last say in every contract, every argument, every word, he always was the last one to speak. He caught them in their own vices slowing tightening his grip on them with his silver words until he could slit their throats with their own sharp tongues, and leave behind a mocking, smoke tainted silence.
Every victory for him was just another link in the chain that bound Ed and him to the older man. Creating a burning fury that provoked them to drown their wrath in bottles of alcohol and half conceived plans.
Wuncler distorted them, destroyed them, each barbed remark was well placed, and slowly weaken them until they were shattered and so weak they could be broken with just a malaicious comment.
Gin tucked his Silverballer into the inner pocket of his jacket and carefully made his way down the stairs. He cautiously approached Ed, the young heirs wrath burning away the cold moonlight that washed across his features illuminating tears rage spawned agony that were to proud to roll down his aristocratic face.
"One day that spiteful bastard is gonna shove me over the edge Rummy, an when he does…,"
His words tapered off leaving a behind a threat that was threaded with a malevolent promise. Unsure if the redhead wanted any intimate contact Gin softly laid his hand on Ed's quivering shoulder, his voice was gentle,
"Don't let him drag you down Ed I know you don't really mean that…f'you promise something like that you no better n'he is…an I know that you nothin like that,"
His statement was welcomed with a sneer,
"Naw not accordin ta him…he says m'jus like him Rummy…an when he does shit ta me like this…provokes me…
His words ended in a soft whisper as broken as the glass that was strewn around both their booted feet.
"I believe him…."
Gin tightened his grip on Ed's shoulder before sliding his arm around his lover's neck, holding him a loose embrace,
"Don't listen ta anything he has ta say ta you Ed, you nothin like him…neva will be,"
Ed ran his hands through his hair as if trying to tear his grandfather's words from his skull his voice a fractured whisper,
"S'always been like this…even….before my parents was killed…
Gin closed his eyes holding Ed closer to his body, trailing his hands up and down his lover back, tracing the curve of his spine with slender fingers. Ed rarely spoke of his parents, and mentioned them casually as if they were only a passing thought, as if their memory was not firmly shackled to their sons grieving soul; constant specters to a broken boy fractured by death then shattered completely by his only surviving family.
"He was never there f'me Gin, he hated my mother, disregarded my father as if…we were worthless not even worth his time, not worth a glance, an then when they were both shot, he only showed up after the grave side service….Like he wus…just…
Gin winced as Ed's fingers dug into his back in suddenly anger,
"just like he was makin' sure that they were really dead."
This last part was spoken to quietly that Gin had to tilt his head to hear it, a seething hatred had been flaring through him as he listened to Ed speak. And he really wasn't any better the old conniving fucker was he? He had been lying to Ed since he had met him, just like his grandfather did…using him… Gin grit his teeth,
"Ed I have to tell y-,"
A movement as brief as a shadow lighting across the sky caught the blondes attention and he narrowed his eyes, flicking his gaze around the atrium, suddenly very aware how abnormally quiet it had become. He began to realize with a growing sense of sick dread that Wuncler had never turned on a light in his office, and he couldn't have left the small the room because there was only one entrance and that was through the atrium.
"Have ta tell me what Gin?"
He saw the flicker of motion again and knew immediately what was about to happen. He instinctively clutched his lover tighter to him and swiveled them both around so that Ed was facing away from the windows and main doorway then shoved him unmercifully hard.
Ed's curse mingled with the groaning sound of the door as it shattered and seemed to explode inwards. Snarling Gin managed to fling himself away from eruption of splinters and shards of scorching metal, he rolled onto his back his fingers curling around the handle of his Silverballer. Another bullet pierced through the darkness dangerously close to where he had thrown Ed.
Something wet and tepid was running down his face and into his eyes making it difficult to see, he feverishly swiped his hand across his forehead wiping away the annoying substance.
Cursing through clenched teeth Gin scrambled through debris and slid over to his lover momentarily exposing his back to the smoldering doorway. He heard the sound of the bullet leave the gun, striped of its hellish sound by a silencer, and then Ed screamed. It was sound that was torn from the horrid realms of Gin's dreams, a sound that he had heard many times in his profession, the hideous sound of someone dying.
Almost dropping his gun in his despair he waded through the chaos on the floor and slipped. He fell to his knees praying that he wasn't wallowing in lover's blood. The echoes of
Ed's agony still ricocheted against his skull ardent and burning, causing searing panic to claw up and down his spine. Dragging himself across the floor Gin groped madly in the ruins of smoldering wood and jagged glass, his fingers slid against a grotesque wetness that made his stomach churn.
His hands finally brushed against warm flesh, and he hauled himself closer, gently trailing his fingers up Ed's torso, and settled them on his neck; the pulse there was even and strong. Relief tore though Gin with such intensity that he almost laughed.
The blonde staggered to his feet placing himself in front of Ed, stepping cautiously he began making his way through the wrecked atrium to the smoking door frame. He silently drew back the long slide on his Silverballer, whispering a soft threat through clenched teeth.
"Better hope I don't find you mother fucker…."
His sharp eyes stayed locked on the portal of darkness that led out into the night; then swung back to Wuncler's office door, he turned his full attention there. A smoky quiet curled around him mingling with Ed's low ragged breathing. The raised his gun pointing it at the door, the laser on the end danced across the wood then settled right in the middle, he waited, listening as time ticked by on an old grandfather clock that had somehow survived the RU-AP mine explosion.
Then, mixed in with these soft sounds Gin heard the metallic snap of a slide being drawn back along a gun, the deadly sound slicing through the unsettling calm that follows destruction. The blonde mercenary watched as the carved antique handle silently turned it's polished surface, marred now by dust, reflecting the moonlight that poured through the shattered windows,
"Oh, there is no need for me to hope forty-six; I want you to find me."
The door swung open with such a forced that it crashed against the wall. Wuncler stood in the doorway his body drunkenly swaying back and forth, blood spattered his face and neck pouring from a gash in his head. His expensive Armani suit was stained a deep crimson, the white color of his silk shirt was flecked with blood.
Vicious gray eyes glared at Gin with a sort of mocking amusement staring at him from just behind Wuncler's head. The hitman's features were ruthlessly angular washed with shadows and icy moonlight. Hair the color of winter spun gossamer was elegantly combed back from his aristocratic face gave only added to his evil visage.
His hand, leather clad and shining with blood, was wrapped firmly around millionares throat, keeping him unsteadily on his feet. The other was holding the handle of a custom AMT Hardballer, the nozzle or which was resting over Wuncler's shoulder pointed directly at Gin's head,
"Old fucker took me by surprise, almost stabbed with a very lovely letter opener,"
He grinned nastily at Gin, his voice as smooth and deadly as the stainless steel of his Hardballer 1911.
"But do you know what I am really hoping for?"
He didn't bother waiting for Gin to respond,
"That his grandson has as much vivacious ferocity he does…but I am almost sure that you can testify that he does…couldn't you forty-six?"
Gin felt his lips curl back in a snarl, the thread that was holding back his temper was beginning to fray; he took an unconscious step forward his finger curling around the trigger of his gun. The other assassin tightened his grip around Wuncler's neck, and pushed him forward using him as shield.
"Now, now forty six…we don't want to make a bigger mess then we already have…just more for my…organization to clean up and their bill is always atrociously high,"
"F'you don't think I won't kill him to get you…your fuckin mistaken,"
His threat was receive with infuriatingly subtle amusement,
"Well said forty-six…well said, spoken like a true elite killer…,"
Laughter spilled around the side of Wuncler's barley conscious form,
"Hmmm but to be though honest his life means nothing to me and my…client,"
He turned the 1911 away from Gin and settled it against Wuncler's temple, stepping back from behind his victim. Gin swallowed subtly shifting his gun so that the sight was level with Wuncler's shoulder, it was a desperate move one that would wound the old man even further but the bullet would have enough force behind it to pass though his body into the hitman behind him.
"However I am sure that I have more than enough ammunition to kill my target and anyone else that is…foolish enough to get into my way. Merces Letifer above all else and think how much I will get paid extra if I take down one of ICA's best assassins."
His hand shifted against Wuncler throat and Gin heard a distinct electrical sound. Another explosion tore though the manor just as Gin pulled the trigger on his Silverballer. The roar was deafening, and he hissed though his teeth as he felt shards of burning wood swath across his face. He became aware of a white hot agony slammed into his shoulder screaming up to his brain and making him gag. Through the smoke and fire he could see that the door to Wuncler's office was smeared with fresh blood. He clenched his teeth his eyes frantically searching for the other killer and tried to walk forward.
The marble floor of the atrium seemed to tilt up and meet him; he managed to catch himself on his hands not even noticing the glass that sliced deep gashes across his palms. He slumped there a moment, panting, blood dripping from his open mouth and onto the floor, he swallowed and managed to stagger to his feet and lurched toward Ed's unconscious form. He left of a trail of blood the glimmered in the flickering light of the fire, crimson tears shed for his lover. He had promised Ed that he would give him everything he posessed...if that meant he head to shed blood for him...to sacrifice his life for him...he had promised.
He fell…
groaning as he slammed into broken pieces of glass and other seething debris that littered the floor, he felt his stomach heave and his own blood filled his mouth with a foul copper taste. It dribbled thickly from between his clamped lips and onto the floor; the room was beginning to swim the edges of reality becoming faded and tainted black. He reached out to pull his broken body forward but…the effort proved too much…searing pain ground against his muscle and bone of his shoulder. The world was beginning to tetter balancing on the abyess of unconciousness he shuttered gasping as the movement almost made him pass out.
Faintly through the sound of his own heart slamming in his ears he though he heard the dull roar of a car motor. His fingers unconsciously tightened on his Silverballer that was still tightly clutched in his hand.
At least Ed is goin to be alright….at least…I didn't…break my promise.
And then...why so serious?
End of Unknown Unknowns there will be an epiloge to this series the second one is in progress. You get one of my famous cliff hangers to keep you interested.