Disclaimer: I don't own Eragon or anything associated with the Inheritance Series.
Claimer: I, SussieKitten, own this plot and the story. Borrow or steal my plot, my original characters (Axel) or story and I will report you. I also own my version of Saphira/Thorn/Shruikan's human appearances.
Warnings: Slash/Shōnen-ai – meaning mild guy x guy action. Swearing or strong language. A hint of Torture – a character or two will get smacked or beaten around a bit, but not much. Hurt/Injuries – a character or two will get hurt. Mention of past Character Death. If any of this disturbs you, click on the "back" button. I won't tolerate any flames.
A/N I'd like to thank everyone who read and review this story. You've helped me make the sequel become reality. And thank you to those who have put this story on their favourite/alert list. And guess what? This is the chapter where Galby's interest in Eragon is revealed! Hehe. Read and enjoy guys! Also, please read the A/N at the bottom of the chapter. It has important news concerning the sequel to Red Haze and other facts about this chapter.
And last but not least, a huge thanks to my beta dragonrider713! You rock!
RED HAZE
Part Six; Anger
(06.29 PM - Monday 16th of June. Inside Galbatorix's HQ, location unknown)
Eragon woke up slowly. He was lying on something hard and yet soft. His head was throbbing and his throat felt dry. There was a slight taste of bile in his mouth. He pushed himself up and spat onto the floor. Then he fell back down onto what he believed to be a bed of some sort.
He knew what had happened. He had been kidnapped, and right under his friends' noses as if to taunt them. Eragon felt the nausea return when he thought about who had kidnapped him. Thankfully he couldn't feel any pain, so he concluded that Durza, for now he could remember that prick's name, hadn't done anything to him. But he didn't know what time of the day it was or in where they had driven him off to.
Eragon continued to lie down until he could feel his head clearing. Slowly the headache faded away until it was only a dull throb. The brunet felt some strength slowly seep back into his body. He tried to push himself up again, this time succeeding. The world spun for a few seconds until he managed to push himself to a sitting position where he could lean onto the wall behind him. Then he took a look around himself.
He was inside a room that only had a small window at the top of the wall, just below the roof. From the outside there was a soft light still. So it was still day, but judging from the slightly darkening light it was nearing 6 pm, if it wasn't past that already. There was a door on the wall opposite of the window. Eragon swore when he saw that it looked sturdy. He wasn't breaking out of there anytime soon. On the wall opposite him he saw a small bathroom. There was no door to it. Eragon sneered. Galbatorix sure didn't like giving people their privacy. The room was barren apart from the bed he was sitting on and the table beside it.
There was a slight smell that lingered in the room. The smell of stale air, tears that never dried, a slight hint of blood and... semen.
Eragon nearly gagged. Yeah, he was at the right place alright.
"Ah, so you're finally awake."
Eragon jumped. He stared in shock at the figure standing in the doorway. He scowled when he recognized the man who had kidnapped him.
"Did you have a good nap?" Durza said and grinned in a way that made Eragon want to melt into the wall behind him.
"Fuck you." Eragon spat.
Durza just grinned in amusement.
"Ah, this brings back memories. I'm sure you'll please the boss just right." He said silkily.
"Like I said before, you can tell your boss where to stuff it!" Eragon snarled and spat at the floor for good measures.
Durza started to laugh. The sound sent painful shivers down Eragon's spine. He had never heard a more horrible sound.
"You are just like he was." The red haired man said and licked his lips.
Eragon froze. Suddenly he remembered something Murtagh had told him. I was lucky; I only had two guys that fucked me on a weekly basis.
Two people. He no longer had to wonder who that second person was.
"You're sick." Eragon said icily. "He was just a defenceless child!!"
Durza froze, a look of surprise flickering in his dead eyes before he was once again smirking.
"He told you?" Durza chuckled. "We must have underestimated his strength. And his ability to connect with someone again."
Here the older man leered at Eragon. The brunet just continued to sneer at him.
"All the more reason to enjoy your capture." The oily haired man said and smirked. "I shall inform Galbatorix immediately. Who knows, maybe this will push up your first meeting with him?"
Durza left the room laughing. Eragon curled himself into a ball and prayed that someone would come and rescue him. He refused to give into them, he swore he wouldn't. He was not going to let them break him.
--RED.HAZE--
(06.45 PM - Monday 16th of June. Inside the Police Department in Carvahall, Alagaësia)
"We need to move fast, before they have the time to do anything to him."
The six police officers and Saphira were once again inside the room with no windows and the blackboard. This time the board was filled with pictures or just names of people that had links or contacts in Galbatorix's gang, a huge map and papers with possible locations of his HQ written down. The locations of where the bodies had been found had been put on a map of Alagaësia. Case files and other files lay spread on the table in the middle of the room.
Ajihad sat with his head in his hands. Nasuada and Arya sat close together, occasionally whispering in each other's ear, but mostly just sitting in silence. Thorn was comforting Saphira, something that had shocked Murtagh when he first had seen it. Thorn was usually shyer about human contact than he himself was. Vanir was writing on a whiteboard and kept mumbling to himself. Axel sat closest to the blackboard, staring into thin air, his forehead furrowed in thought.
Murtagh however couldn't keep his eyes off the blackboard. He felt that time was running out. If something happened to Eragon while they were still sitting there, he didn't know what he would do to himself.
"We have no idea where he could be." Vanir spoke sombrely. "Now would be the great time to say that we've had an inside agent in Galbatorix's gang all along."
Ajihad just sighed and stayed silent.
"Come on!" Murtagh pressed on. "We all agree the most likely place is Carvahall. Galbatorix doesn't expect us to look right under our noses, especially since his primary HQ was burned down. Where could he be hiding?!"
"A warehouse?" Nasuada supplied. "There are abandoned buildings all over town."
"No, that would be too obvious." Murtagh said and started to pace. "Galbatorix needs privacy to do the things he does. Either it's underground or it's somewhere on Carvahall's border."
"Then he could be anywhere!" Vanir spat in frustration.
"Doubtfully." Axel shot in. "He would make sure to stay away from busy places or places too close to the local police."
The blond male stood up and started to look closer at the map. Murtagh followed him and watched him work. Axel narrowed his eyes and slowly began to circle possible places.
"Murtagh, where was the location that was burned down?" He asked.
Murtagh took the marker and circled a location close to the Spine, a mountain range just north of Carvahall.
"Yeah, you don't get much more privacy than out there." Axel murmured.
"Is there a place that's close to there, but not obviously so, and that would get the necessary privacy?" Arya asked.
Murtagh looked over the area thoroughly. He cursed inwardly when he found no such place. To the others he shook his head.
"How about bomb rooms?" Thorn spoke quietly.
"Too public." Murtagh said and shook his head.
"Not the private ones." Nasuada said, suddenly brightening. "Rich families build their own bomb rooms. If he has the proper contacts he could have someone build a HQ for him posing it as a 'bomb room'."
Murtagh would have kissed the woman hadn't he been too busy pushing Axel out to get the documents over the private bomb rooms in the city. His mind was spinning as he thought. Doing something like that screamed 'Galbatorix'. And he called himself an expert?
"Pull up everyone we know has the money to pull this off! I want those documents in front of me when Axel gets back." Murtagh commanded sharply.
Vanir surprisingly snapped into action and started to cross off candidates that were unlikely. Murtagh stood back and massaged his aching arm absentmindedly. He wasn't sure why it was still aching; he had taken painkillers not that long ago. A similar throb in his heart answered his question. He wasn't letting anything happen to Eragon, even if it was the last thing he did.
"How long do you reckon we have before they do anything to him?" Nasuada asked in a tone that was meant to be calm.
It cracked midway. Saphira buried her head deeper into Thorn's chest and choked down a sob by the sound of it. Murtagh clenched his jaw.
"If I know them right, forty-eight hours. But seeing as Rider knows what sick people they actually are..." Murtagh directed his murderous glare at the wall. "I'd say we have less than twenty-four. Galbatorix is bound to have found him even more intriguing if Rider has blabbed about me, something that is all too likely."
"Damnit." Arya cursed.
Murtagh couldn't have agreed with her more.
"Here they are, Tag." Axel said as he stumbled inside the room and kicked the door shut behind him. "The list was surprisingly short."
"Good." Murtagh said huskily. "Let's hear it."
"Out of the people we know have a connection to Galbatorix, only five of them have a bomb room." The blond said and recited their names.
Vanir crossed off the remaining names after Axel was done. Murtagh stared at the board in a disheartened manner. There were too many names.
"We need to narrow that list down." Thorn said calmly.
"Who already have a bomb room under their homes? Some could have gotten paranoid and built two." Arya asked.
Alagaësia had been in the middle of many wars, even participating in some a few decades ago. Many bomb rooms were a product of that time. But because of natural hurricanes that tended to arrive during overly wet winters and earthquakes that could strike; many rich families build bomb rooms or whatever else they felt like to make sure they had somewhere to duck and hide if anything happened.
"Uh, two." Axel answered a few seconds later. "The Choles and the Dimans."
"Chole. There was a case dealing with him ten years ago, narcotics if I remember correctly." Ajihad spoke suddenly. "Galbatorix wouldn't choose someone who can get police on their doorstep as quickly as them."
"Diman, where is his secondary room?" Murtagh spat to a steadily fidgeting Axel.
"Near the cemetery, close to the Spine actually, but far enough that the forest hasn't begun yet." Axel said and pointed to the location on the map, his eyes darting from the
place his finger was pointing at to the file in his hands. "He owns a bit of land there as well."
Murtagh smirked.
"Perfect."
"Get a team together, we need to move in and make sure we have the right location ASAP!" Ajihad barked. "Therr, call SWAT. I need every available team and members they've got!"
Suddenly the room was filled with chaos. Vanir had taken out his phone and was speaking rapidly to whoever was on the other line. Thorn had led Saphira out of the room while Axel had started to gather the papers that were lying about. Arya and Nasuada were discussing the plan of action with Ajihad loudly as Thorn once again entered. The redhead stopped beside Murtagh and looked at the mess with him.
"How are you feeling?"
"Like hell." Murtagh replied. "But you can't hold me back from this one, Thorn. I'm coming with. Whether you like it or not."
Thorn smirked wryly.
"I know." He said simply and clasped his friend's shoulder reassuringly. "We'll bring him back, unscratched."
"We better." The other growled. "Or I'll put a bullet through Galbatorix's head, regulations or no fucking regulations."
"Morann!" Ajihad called.
"I'm coming, sir." Murtagh replied sharply. "My decision is nonnegotiable."
The room stopped moving for a short second. Murtagh kept his chin high as Ajihad stared him in the eyes. Slowly the older man nodded, his eyes twinkling in recognition of his own words echoed back at him.
"Wouldn't have gone without you, son." He replied ruggedly. "But keep your head clear."
Murtagh smirked confidentially.
"Wouldn't dream of doing anything else, sir."
--RED.HAZE--
(08.57 PM - Monday 16th of June. Inside Galbatorix's HQ, location unknown)
Eragon hadn't done anything else but stare at the wall and think since he had woken up. He had refused to eat everything that had been brought to him. He didn't even want to think about what sort of drugs that could have been hidden in the food. He hadn't even dared to drink! Of course, because of him being extra careful he was hungry and thirsty beyond words. He knew he could survive three days without drinking, but at that point three days seemed like three years. It seemed impossible!
He looked up when he heard the door open. He narrowed his eyes at the guard that put a tray down on the floor and kicked it forward.
"Durza says for you ta eat somethin'." He said in a thick and rough voice. "Or the boss'll be mighty displeased."
"Your boss can go and fuck himself." Eragon snarled.
The man stepped back in surprised. It was the first time Eragon had bothered to answer.
"Durza says for me ta kick some sense into ya if ya don't eat."
"I dare you to." Eragon growled.
Inside he was amazed over how tough he was able to play. He was actually terrified. What if the guard actually came over and started to beat him?! He was in no condition to fight back. He would be easy prey. A too easy prey.
Amazingly enough, the guard just shifted uncomfortably.
"The food ain't drugged." The man said and shifted back into his usual position. "The boss wants ya ta be all there in ye head when ya meet him."
Eragon snorted.
"And I'm supposed to believe that?" He said coldly.
"Yes. My boss might not be the kindest man around, but he never lies."
Eragon shot back and felt his back hit the wall. He glared at the new figure that had come into view.
"Come now, Eragon. I'm sure you're hungry." Durza said and smiled his ever creepy smile.
The brunet didn't answer. He just looked away from the man he had come to hate more and more since meeting him.
"I'll leave the food just in case, shall I?" Durza said sweetly. "I'll be back soon for you. Galbatorix is looking very forward to meeting you."
Eragon shuddered as the door closed. He sure as hell wasn't looking forward to that. His eyes slowly drifted to the plate that had just been given to him. He had to admit that the guard had a point. Wasn't it Murtagh who had called Galbatorix a 'sadistic motherfucker'? Sadists usually liked to inflict as much pain as possible on their victims, and to have them feel all that pain. So, if his assumptions were correct, than the food should theoretically be clean.
The brunet stood up, picked up the tray and placed it beside him. He sniffed the food, but couldn't smell anything out of the ordinary. There were of course odourless drugs which were far more likely for a gang like the Forsworn to use. Sighing, Eragon decided to at least try the food.
He ate slowly, carefully making sure that he didn't taste anything he wasn't supposed to be tasting. He finished the small meal and drank in an equally slow manner. Eragon hadn't eaten anything since midday, and he didn't want to finish everything without at least feeling a little sated.
He pushed the tray away and pulled his legs up against his body. Eragon leaned his chin on his knees and continued to stare into the air. As he sat there he couldn't help but to think of Murtagh, and if he had sat like he was doing now many years ago. He wondered how Murtagh had managed to escape and gave himself a mental slap for not asking him when he had had the chance.
For now all he could do was to sit back and wait. A small part of him was glad, because finally he was going to learn why Galbatorix wanted him. But most of all he was scared. He just hoped the others knew where he was and were on their way, no matter how unlikely that was. Eragon had long ago decided that if he got caught, he wasn't going to let Galbatorix break him. He knew how much that would hurt Murtagh. No, he was going to stay strong and get the hell out of there. Even if it was the last thing he did.
"Eragon, it's time."
Eragon didn't jump this time. He had been prepared for Durza to come and get him. He simply glared at the other man and stood up. He walked out of the room and allowed himself to be led down the hall.
--RED.HAZE--
(10.48 PM - Monday 16th of June. On a road leading towards the northern forest in Carvahall, Alagaësia)
"Everyone's set and ready, sir." Nasuada said as she finished the radio check.
Ajihad nodded.
"The radio is good to go? And everyone has their weapon?" He asked.
Nasuada gave a quick nod.
"The first team has arrived and will let us know what they find." The dark haired woman said and turned back to the monitors inside the van.
The team were all dressed in bullet-proof vests and protective glasses. Murtagh had had his arm wrapped up extra just for the trip. He didn't want any cramps to make him unable to shoot back. He stuffed his gun into the holster around his hips and leaned back in his seat. His body was filled to the rim with adrenaline and they hadn't even arrived yet.
"Relax, Murtagh."
Murtagh opened his eyes and stared into his best friend's eyes.
"I'm trying to." He murmured back. "But it's kind of hard when I think about who we're going after."
"Then try to think about Rider instead." Thorn murmured.
"Yeah, like that'll help." Murtagh said with a wry smile. "That will just anger me even more."
Thorn let out a quiet sigh.
"Don't do anything stupid and don't leave the team behind." He murmured and turned away.
Murtagh smirked to himself. Maybe he should start to warn people about giving him ideas?
"Captain, team Alpha has made a positive I.D. Some of the men there are definitely in Galbatorix's gang." Nasuada said urgently.
"Tell them to wait for us." Ajihad said and strapped on his own vest.
Nasuada turned back to give the command. Even though Murtagh sat only a few seats away from her he couldn't hear a thing. The only thing he could hear was the beat of his heart, his suddenly loud breaths and his thoughts seemed to echo inside his mind. They were finally going to take the bastard down.
The car finally came to a stop and everyone but Nasuada jumped out. Ajihad led them over to where the heads of the three SWAT teams had gathered.
"What's the status?" Ajihad asked in a quiet murmur.
"We've made a positive I.D. on every man we've seen so far, Captain. One man even spotted Durza a couple of minutes ago."
"I don't know if I should be happy or pissed they were hiding right under our noses." Ajihad said in a low voice. "Alright, you are to stay in touch with Detective Black at all times. If any of your men see Rider, tell them to report back to her immediately."
The three leaders nodded and began to communicate with their separate teams. Ajihad walked back to the four remaining members of the team and lowered his voice.
"If Rider is spotted, then we aren't going to move in unless SWAT says it's clear. I'm not going to lose any of you in this." The man paused. "Galbatorix will not let anyone that crosses him live, do you understand? Stay clear from him."
Murtagh nodded along reluctantly. Like hell he was going to let SWAT have all the fun. He was going in there. He narrowed his eyes and focused his attention back at the Captain.
"Especially you, Morann. I do not want to see you close to that man. You of all people know what he's capable of." Ajihad said in a stern tone.
Murtagh just smirked.
"Sir, team Zeta has made a positive I.D. Rider is in there." The tallest of the SWAT leaders called out.
Ajihad closed his eyes for a second before he turned and half-ran back towards the three men. They had moved towards the van Nasuada sat in, which was covered by shrubbery. The graveyard was just close by, close enough for them to smell the dirt. Right in front of them was an innocent looking house, rusty and faded with age. Behind that there had been built three smaller warehouses that seemed to have been there for as long as the house. But Murtagh knew different. Galbatorix had had those set up. They were looking at his HQ. And one of those buildings housed Eragon... and Galbatorix. They needed to find out which.
Murtagh and the rest of the team followed Ajihad in silence as he stepped into the van and listened in on the message the SWAT team was sending in.
"Team Zeta, where did you spot the target?" Nasuada asked calmly, though her hand was slightly shaking.
"The southern warehouse. We spotted him being led out of the northern building by two men and into the southern one. We haven't seen Galbatorix yet."
"Do you recognize the men with Rider?"
"One of them is Durza Shade." The reply came almost instantly.
Murtagh swore mentally. He looked onto the ground he had to cover. The southern building was close by, but not enough. He could be captured long before he was close enough to enter. He had to take that risk.
"I want all but a few men to pull back to a safe distance. We can't let them know we're coming." Ajihad told the SWAT leaders. "We need to move in once we've spotted Galbatorix. This is our only chance to catch him."
Murtagh nodded mentally to himself. It was now or never.
He pulled the gun out of his belt and made sure his glasses weren't falling off before sneaking away from the team. Vanir was too busy arguing with Ajihad about a strategy to notice him. Arya stood behind Nasuada and listened in as she directed the men onto safer ground. Thorn was busy with listening in as well, but he looked up for a second. That second was all it took. Murtagh sent his friend a half-wave before he ran in the opposite direction.
"MORANN!"
Murtagh grinned dryly. Figures that the Captain would yell out first before remembering that he had an earpiece on him.
"Morann, get your ass back here!"
Murtagh smirked to himself. He ducked away from a couple of SWAT agents before he found a better route towards the buildings. The trees would keep him hidden from sight, both from his team and from Galbatorix's men.
"Morann." Ajihad growled.
"I can't do that, Captain. I'm the only one that can get him out of there unharmed, and you know it." Murtagh paused to duck under a couple of branches. "You wouldn't have let me come hadn't you known that."
"It's too dangerous for you to go in there alone! Get back here and let a SWAT agent go with you."
"Sorry Captain, but that's a bad idea. I have to do this alone." Murtagh murmured as he ducked out of the trees.
Good, he had finally arrived. He measured the distance between the trees and the building. It would have to do. He ran forward and ducked behind the corner of the aging building.
"Morann, I can understand that you feel you need to do this alone. But I can't allow you." Ajihad said firmly.
"Sir, I have to do this." Murtagh whispered.
There were two guards coming. Just perfect. Murtagh moulded himself up against the wall and waited for them to round the corner. Before the first one could fully step around the corner Murtagh had punched him in the stomach and knocked him unconscious by a blow to the back of his neck. The second one had his gun pulled out but Murtagh just punched his nose in and watched him fall to the floor. The hazel eyed man wiped the blood away on his black pants.
"And I'm doing this." He continued. "The code word is dare. I'm going in."
Murtagh moved along the wall, keeping his grip firm around the gun as he tried to find the door. He found it and let out a smirk of success. He reached out to open it.
"Morzanson."
Murtagh paused. No one had called him that in eleven years.
"Sir?" Murtagh replied tensely.
Ajihad sighed.
"Get out of there alive. You and Rider." He paused. "We're waiting for your call."
"You just have the men ready to move in. I'll take care of the rest."
Murtagh allowed himself a small grin before he put on a neutral mask and pulled down the doorknob. It was unlocked. Murtagh frowned, but slipped inside nonetheless. It was too easy, but he didn't allow himself to care. He was coming for Eragon and he wasn't leaving without him.
There were no guards for him to take out on the inside. In fact, it was barren. Murtagh frowned. He shook his head and began to search the floor. He found the latch and pulled it up. Then he began to walk down the steep stairs.
The basement had been build almost like a maze. But Murtagh knew instinctively which tunnels to chose. It was far too much alike the HQ Galbatorix had burned down all those years ago. It was almost like he had been expecting Murtagh to come back. Twice as he moved down the tunnels he had to take down a guard or two. He easily knocked them unconscious before moving on. Murtagh wasn't interested in killing them. There was only one man that he planned to kill that night, two if he got the chance.
He rounded another corner and found himself in front of a straight path. He changed the hand he had held the weapon in and continued to walk. The gun was now in his left hand, the one he preferred. Slowly he could see a light becoming bigger in front of him. He was nearing the centre of the building, where Galbatorix no doubt was waiting. He slowed his walk as he came even closer.
He stepped up to the door which had been left ajar and pushed it open. It let out a loud bang when it hit the wall inside the room. Murtagh stepped over the threshold with his head held high.
"Long time, no see... Murtagh."
--RED.HAZE--
(11.01 PM - Monday 16th of June. Inside Galbatorix's HQ in Carvahall, Alagaësia)
Eragon had shaken of the guard's hand when he had tried to direct him down the hall. He could walk just fine without help, as he had told the guard. He had felt Durza leer at the scene, but had ignored him. If he could, then he was going to ignore Durza as much as possible.
He was very surprised when he found himself being led up a staircase. He saw Durza push a latch in the ceiling up and felt his eyes widen when he found himself inside an empty warehouse. He had been underground all that time?
Eragon shook his head and tried to focus on where he was being led next. He tried to see outside of the massive windows around him, but all he could see was darkness. Durza opened the door and led them outside. Eragon shivered slightly in the chill air. He wondered if he should try to escape, but was disheartened when he saw guards patrolling around. But he didn't let the disappointment show. He schooled his face into an emotionless mask and followed the oily haired man into another building.
Again he was led to a latch and down under the building. Eragon briefly wondered how many tunnels there were down there. He tried to keep track of where they were going, but each tunnel was identical to the next. There was no way he could remember every turn.
The brunet wondered if they were going to continue walking until the end of time when the hallway finally came to an end. The guard that had been walking behind him walked up to the door and pushed it open. Durza walked inside. Eragon didn't want to step after him; he knew what was on the other side of that door. Galbatorix.
Before he could make up his mind whether to follow Durza or make a break for it, the guard had pushed him inside. Durza whispered a command to him and the guard left them. The door stayed halfway open behind him. Eragon felt himself being forcefully turned around and dropped his gaze to the floor.
"Come, let's say hello to the boss." Durza whispered into his ear.
Eragon turned his head way in disgust. Durza only laughed. Eragon forced himself to hold in a shudder and followed a few steps behind Durza. The man came to a stop at the end of the huge room. The brunet was unable to see what was inside of the room; there was too little light inside of it. He suspected Galbatorix had done that for a reason. Eragon kept his eyes at the floor as the man beside him began to speak.
"Here he is, as I promised." Durza said respectfully, talking to someone Eragon couldn't see.
"You did well."
Eragon had to shudder. The voice was so cold it nearly stopped his heart and so lazed with malice that Eragon could taste it in the air. He had no doubt who he was standing in front of.
"Eragon, at last we meet." The leer on his face was present in his voice. "Lift your head up so that I can see your face."
Eragon really didn't want to do as he said. But from out of the corner of his eye he could see Durza stepping forward to make him do so. Eragon sneered at the man and lifted his chin.
In front of him sat a tall and strong looking man. He was bald and there was a sinister leer on his face. The intense and almost white, light blue eyes were staring down at him. There was a hint of black stubble on his face, framing the strong jaw. It was Galbatorix King in all his glory.
"You're just like I imagined you to be." Galbatorix drawled in a very pleased voice.
Eragon wondered how someone could look so downright cruel and sound so pleased without changing his stone-cold mask. But it was not a trait he envied. The day he envied Galbatorix was a day that would never come.
Eragon glared, but didn't answer.
"The pet doesn't want to talk?" Galbatorix leered.
"I'm not your pet!" The brunet snarled and spat at the floor before the man.
Before Eragon quite knew what had happened, he was lying on the floor with a hand cradling his cheek. He brushed away the blood from the corner of his mouth. Not only was his cheek throbbing, but he was sure he had split his lip as well.
"Tut tut, Eragon. Didn't your mother teach you any manners?"
Eragon was too busy staring at the man that had slapped him to care about Galbatorix. Durza was staring eagerly, almost hungrily, at his face, just where the brunet knew a smear of blood was left behind. Eragon felt a stab of fear enter him. It was just his luck that Galbatorix had someone working for him that got excited at the sight of blood. He was doomed.
"Wait, I forgot. She died, didn't she?" Galbatorix continued.
Hadn't Eragon been staring at Durza, he was sure he would have missed the flinch that crossed his face. It almost made Eragon forget what Galbatorix had said. Almost.
"Just one mistake in the pile of many, don't you agree?" The blue eyed man hissed.
"Boss, I -"
"It doesn't matter." Galbatorix said and effectively shut Durza up. "I've finally gotten what we came here for. And soon we'll get what we didn't even ask for."
"Why did you mention mom? You aren't allowed to talk about her, you sick freak!" Eragon spat when he finally found an opportunity to speak.
Galbatorix smirked.
"Didn't the police tell you? My, they haven't gotten any better over the years." He chuckled. "Didn't you ask anyone why I wanted you, Eragon?"
The brunet just sneered.
"And here I thought you had gotten quite close to dear Murtagh."
For some reason, just hearing the gang leader speak Murtagh's name angered Eragon more than he thought was possible.
"Don't talk about him like that!" Eragon shouted angrily and leaped to his feet.
But before he could as much as take a step forward, he found himself being held back by someone much bigger and stronger than himself. The only thing he could see of his capturer was his bulky frame. He tried to struggle himself out of the grip, but it only tightened. The arms which were being held behind his back were beginning to hurt.
"Don't put too much force into your hold, Shruikan. We wouldn't want the pet to lose the mobility in his arms." Galbatorix said with an even darker smirk.
Eragon forced himself not to hyperventilate. He was sure that this Shruikan could break his arms without even breaking a sweat.
"But back to your questions, my pet. It's time we lingered your thirst for knowledge." Galbatorix said and stood up.
"I wouldn't trust anything you told me anyway. What's the point?"
Galbatorix took a step forward, his eyes gleaming in the soft light like that of a cat. Eragon had to keep himself from flinching. The sinister man was steadily getting closer to him and there was nothing he could do to get away.
"But you will have no choice to believe me, Eragon." Galbatorix drawled. "You'll find yourself unable to do anything but to believe every word I say."
"I'd rather trust the devil than you." Eragon growled.
A pained cry left his lips when the hold on his arms tightened and he fell to his knees. He panted for air and tried not to make another sound at the new and more painful grip his arms were in.
"Tut tut, how untrusting you are. You'll soon find that the devil and I are very good friends." Galbatorix chuckled. "But why don't we begin our tale where it all began; with your mother."
Eragon, who had been glaring at the floor, found himself looking up at this.
"Once upon a time, I wanted your dear mother to join me. Sadly, she seemed rather unwilling. She escaped from her cell and met that pathetic excuse of a man, your father." Galbatorix sighed almost sadly. "She disappeared completely from my radar. Until you came into this world, that is."
Eragon looked away. He didn't like what he was hearing. He tried to force himself to focus on something else, but found that he couldn't. The numbing of his arms and Galbatorix's silky voice penetrated any barrier he tried to create in his mind. He was trapped.
"Sadly she still refused to see sense. So someone felt it would be a good idea to threaten her beloved husband. That backfired quite nicely, didn't it, Shade?" Galbatorix said with a sneer.
Durza winced. Eragon felt red hot anger and indescribable pain rage through him. He knew he had seen him before. He had seen the redhead the day his parents had been killed. He had pulled the trigger!
Even though his insides were choking him he remained calm on the outside. Oh, how he would have loved to move, to punch, maim or kill Durza with all his might, but he was trapped. Only a lone tear escaping his right eye spoke of the conflict of emotions raging inside of him.
"But luckily he saw something else. He saw you, my pet. And ever since that day I've been looking for you. I nearly had you a time or two, but some people insist on screwing up." Galbatorix said, the dark aura around him becoming deadlier still. "But even a clown can get their final trick right."
At this a pair of deadly blue eyes stared straight into Eragon's. Eragon tried to look away, but was paralysed. It was only when Galbatorix reached out his hand that he woke up. Eragon, feeling quite desperate, spat in the sinister man's face.
A loud yell escaped the brunet's throat when his arms were bent back even further and his head was bent backwards painfully. He could see his capturer's face now. Black hair hang around his face and a pair of dead grey eyes glared down at him. Eragon tried to gulp, but found himself gasping for breath instead as a knife was pressed against his throat. Shruikan had been holding his arms behind his back with only one hand. Now that other hand was busy holding a knife to his skin. He felt a drop of blood slide down his throat when the blade shifted against his throat slightly.
"No one disrespects the boss." Shruikan hissed in a deep and thick voice.
Eragon hadn't feared for his life when he had entered the room, only his mind. But now he was scared to the bone.
"It is quite alright, Shruikan. He's allowed a few mistakes. You are not."
The dark haired man sneered at Eragon one last time before Eragon's head was snapped forward. The knife ghosted around his throat until it was removed. The brunet gasped in a breath he didn't even know he had needed.
"Eragon, Eragon... what are we going to do with you?" Galbatorix said disappointedly as he wiped away the spit from his face.
"You can let me go." Eragon said in a slight whisper. "I'll never give you what you want anyway."
"It's not too late for that, my pet." Galbatorix chuckled.
"I'm not your pet, alright?! And I'm never going to be one of your fucktoys! I'll rather kill myself." Eragon yelled.
"Don't." Galbatorix spoke calmly.
Eragon frowned. When he saw the knife being slowly taken away from his exposed neck, he realised what had almost happened.
"But you see, Eragon, you will have no choice but to submit to me." Galbatorix drawled with a smug smirk on his face. "It's either your life or Murtagh's."
The brunet was confused. Why was he bringing up Murtagh?
The door suddenly flew up with a loud bang in the other end of the room. The grip around Eragon's arms tightened a notch, but he managed to hold in a pained yell. He found himself forcefully moved so that his face was in the direction of the door. He saw an unmistakeable figure enter the room. Eragon had never felt so torn by relief and despair before.
"Long time, no see... Murtagh."
A/N I'm sorry!! :hides: I know you must be getting tired of all my damn cliff-hangers, but sometimes they're necessary. :sheepish:
Before I get question upon question asking "but I thought his surname was Morann?! Where does Morzanson come from?" I'll explain. As mentioned in chapter 4, Murtagh had a lot of personal information erased from his record. This was done to hide him from Galbtorix and his spies. His original surname was Morzanson, but when Tornac saved him he made sure to get Murtagh's surname changed. This way he could have a fresh start. Morzan was, and still is in this universe, a very famous part of Galbatorix's gang. Murtagh would never have been accepted anywhere if he had kept his surname, and neither would he have gotten away from Galbatorix in the long run. But why does Ajihad know it then? Simple. Ajihad knew Murtagh when he was a teenager. In fact, he was Tornac's co-worker. He helped Murtagh move away and hide from his past. Ajihad uses his old name here to get Murtagh's attention. It is the one thing that can capture Murtagh's attention, no matter which mood he is in.
When it comes to Galbatorix's interest in Eragon, as the chapter said, it was because of Eragon's mother. In my story, Eragon is practically the replica of his mother Selena. Galbatorix was obsessed with the idea of having her in his gang, as his "pet" if you will. But Durza shot her when she fought back and tried to keep him from killing Brom, Eragon's father. Durza shot her by mistake and had to shoot Brom to keep him from identifying him. But he was spared from Galbatorix's wrath only because he saw Selena's dear child, Eragon. After seeing a picture of Eragon, Galbatorix became obsessed with having Eragon in his mother's stead. And so he has looked around for him for eleven years. The reason he captured boys with their names beginning with an "E" was because Eragon was wearing a sweater with the letter "E" sowed onto the front. Selena's dying words was her son's name as well, but Durza only managed to catch the first letter, "E", before she died. The boys were killed simply because, as Murtagh said in chapter 5, they weren't the one Galbatorix was looking for. They couldn't afford to let them loose, and Galbatorix didn't want anyone other than Eragon. No one else was good enough. If you have any further questions about this, please let me know.
I also have news for you guys. It seems to me now that I'll only be able to post the first chapter in the sequel before I leave with my parents, if I decide to post it. I don't know how Internet status is where I'm going, so that I won't promise anything and not deliver. I'll say just say that I most likely won't be able to answer any reviews or PMs in two weeks. I'll let you know later when I leave. Because of this I have a proposition for you. You can chose, if you review, to vote either alternative a or b.
a) I post the first chapter before I leave. If you chose this alternative, know that the chapter ends in a cliff-hanger that you'll have to be able to stomach it until I get home. And, when I get home, I'll be pretty cramped up with leaving for college and such. I have no idea when I'll be able to post chapter two.
b) I don't post the first chapter until I get home. Of course, the same rules apply here. I don't know which college I'm going to yet, or how Internet status is there at all!
I will keep you updated on how Internet status is where I'm going. If I, miraculously enough, have Internet, I'll go ahead and post the sequel when I have the time. But, be warned that this is highly unlikely.
The next part should be up either later this week or early next week. Red Haze is not yet finished! There are still two parts left. To be able to participate in the vote, you'll have to review! Also, reviews really brighten up my day and make me write faster. So, please review! :wink:
I know you may already know some of the words, but I'm adding them all just in case.
Police Speak:
ASAP – short for As Soon As Possible
Team (insert name) – (in my story) SWAT teams that make sure the coast is clear for the "normal" cops to move in
Sadists – I'm not sure if this is true. All I know is that sadists like to inflict pain upon others. Since I've made Galbatorix a super sadist, I figured that he'd want his 'victims' to feel every hit and remember them afterwards. Drugs, in his opinion, have a nasty habit of sometimes causing his victims to forget the pain he inflicted upon them. Also, he likes to have them clear in their heads so that he can break them down mentally without any additional help.
I.D. – short for Identify
HQ – short for Head Quarters
Code Word – in a situation when the police can only hear what's going on, e.g. an undercover agent is sabotaging a drug deal, there's a word the police comes up with in advance. This is for the agent's safety, so that he can get out unharmed if his cover is blown or if the police are there to sabotage something. Once this word is spoken by the agent, the police move in and take over the situation