Hey guys! Sorry for being late recently... We are both trying to sort out complications with school and work and life... Expect the late updates for a couple weeks more and then we will even things back out and update every Saturday again. Sorry!
Anyway, here is a nice angst and drama filled chapter for you guys!
Warnings: Foul language, fighting, angst, drama
The farm house had been great A nice place to rest and regroup for a few days, but it was clear they couldn't stay there and expect to feed nine people for very long. They were all sad to see it go, the relative safety having been comforting to all of them. It was time for the road again though.
They drove the whole day and through the night, time to undo all the rest they had gotten at the house, and just when Gilbert thought he was going to have to either pull over to sleep or switch off with his wife, a military base, marked as an American facility with the United States' flag waving weakly in the breeze, came into view. Gilbert made a beeline to the fortified base, feeling tentative relief at the prospect of another secure place.
The well enforced gates of the American military base were guarded by three well muscled men in tank tops and camo pants. Gilbert couldn't help but feel threatened by the arms that they kept at their sides or the glances that the men shot their way as they pulled up to the gates slowly. Frowning, he glanced behind him to where Dexton, Anna and Leon were sitting silently staring up at the walls of the base with wide eyes.
"Elizabeta...would you mind staying in the car while I talk with them?" He asked quietly, unable to shove down the feeling of unease that was welling up in his chest. For some reason, these men just didn't scream military to him. He was grateful when she nodded without protest.
Stepping out of the truck, he glanced back at Arthur and Antonio, mind briefly thinking about Eve and Jessie who he knew occupied their back seat. Moving up to the two as they stepped out of the car, he sighed. "I don't like this...we should move on." He grumbled, unable to suppress the anxiety in his voice.
Unsurprisingly, Antonio, who wanted nothing more than to find a place for Arthur to rest his arm, shook his head, dashing Gilbert' futile hopes that the Spaniard would reconsider.
Leon raised an eyebrow as Gilbert got out alone and met up with Arthur and Antonio. His heart thundered in his chest, and he wasn't sure why. Maybe because Gilbert thought something was up? Wordlessly, he slipped out of the truck and jogged over behind Gilbert, bat in hand. To his surprise, Elizabeta didn't protest his actions.
"I'm... open to leaving, but why? They ask you to continue on?" Antonio asked, his heart sinking in his chest when he saw the anxiety flash in his albino friend's eyes when he had shaken his head. Arthur needed rest! He didn't want to have to keep going unless they absolutely had to.
"Nein...I haven't talked to them." Gilbert muttered, glancing at Leon in concern, wishing he had stayed in the truck. "I...just don't like this." He admitted, his eyes flickering towards the guards momentarily.
"What? Why? Did you even talk to them? I'm exhausted too...but I'm not jumping to conclusions!" Arthur snapped looking exhausted. His shoulder ached furiously from sitting in the truck for as long as he had. He had been hopeful with the sight of the military base too, and now that it looked like they might not stay, bitter disappointment welled inside of him.
Leon was completely startled by Arthur's irritated tone, never having seen him short before. They all were tired... But, if Gilbert didn't think it was safe to stop, shouldn't they move on and find somewhere else? The feeling the men at the gates gave off was disheartening and sent chills of warning and alarm through him... He could hardly blame Gilbert for wanting to get out of there.
Antonio sighed and looked thoughtful, frowning slightly. He understood Gilbert's caution, even if he disagreed with not even trying to talk to the men. "Well... I think it's at least worth talking to them. If they decide they don't want us here, we'll move on, sí? Find somewhere else... What do you think Gil? Sound like a plan? *He asked, glancing at the armed men with cautious optimism.
"Ja..." Gilbert begrudgingly sighed. "It sounds like a plan."
Before they moved he turned towards Leon, clasping his shoulder with a firm hand and leaning in a bit, eyes serious. "You keep behind me alright? Something seems fishy and you get the hell out of there. Do you understand?" He whispered insistently, his eyes serious and tone commanding. He didn't drop his eyes from Leon's until the boy nodded slowly.
"I have a job, just like you Gilbert. Something bad happens, I'll leave... But only when you are right there with me." Leon compromised calmly, his pale blue eyes meeting Gilbert's crimson ones, not entirely challenging, but firm, not bothered by Gilbert's command on the outside, but on the inside he wanted to be able to listen.
"Nein. In this case, someone needs to keep the girls and your brother safe. If things go to hell, you haul your ass back to the truck, and that is an order Leon." Gilbert barked in a way that invited absolutely no argument, his eyes serious and fiercely paternal. As much as he despised forcing his will on the headstrong German boy, he would not waiver on this fact, and Leon needed to know that he was lucky to be allowed to come at all, let alone stay if something happened.
Leon didn't respond to the command. He simply bowed his head in submission, knowing he'd anger Gilbert if he refuted his orders a second time.
"Then we're settled...let's go." Arthur insisted once the conversation was over, flinching as he tweaked his shoulder a bit. He turned to lead the way, tired of just standing there, when Antonio rested a hand on his good shoulder, holding him back.
"Oh no. You're staying right there. You're hurt and tired. We're just talking, sí? We'll be fine." Antonio assured, gaze resting unwaveringly on Arthur, verdant eyes full of concern.
"No." Arthur glared, his eyes flashing determinedly. "I'm coming with you, Antonio. If Gilbert is right, I do not want... Ah..." He swore as he stepped away from Antonio and swayed a bit. "God damn it all to hell..." He rasped, holding onto the door of the truck and growling as a wave of sudden nausea took ahold of him.
He sighed, knowing arguing further was pointless. "Fine...but if you get hurt I'm going to kill you my damned self, Anthony." He grumbled, getting back into the truck and resting his head in his hands dizzily.
"Let's go Antonio." Gilbert called as he and Leon moved towards the guards, muscles tensed should things go wrong. Sighing, he lifted his hands to show he wasn't armed...at the moment.
"Hallo! Sprechen Sie Englisch?" He called out as they approached, attempting to look as calm as he could while still managing to appear a danger if provoked.
The guard closest to Gilbert trained his gun on the man's chest, eyes cold. "Yes. Who are you, and what is your business here? We don't much care for people that aren't... military affiliated." He growled, sounding official enough, though his accent was far from American.
"The name's Beilschimdt... I'm here with my group..." He chose purposefully not to say family in order to make it sound like they had more people, possibly burly German men, waiting in the two trucks whose windows were so darkly tinted it was hard to tell their contents. He didn't like it. These men weren't Americans. They weren't even German! If anything they sounded as if they were from Bulgaria.
He continued slowly, more cautious than before, If such a thing was possible. "...and we were hoping that you could let us speak with the American leading officer of this base." He said assertively, his eyes warily regarding the armed men, but managing to remain calm.
The men behind the man who spoke first snorted, sounding almost amused by the request. "Ya hear that? He wants to talk with an American! How do you know we aren't American, Gil?" One snorted, a mean looking man with a great scar on his cheek that truly made the smirk on his face almost grotesque.
Leon's head snapped up as the second man spoke and he drew closer to Gilbert, heart racing in his chest all of the sudden, a nauseating feeling in his stomach. How did the man know who Gilbert was? "Er wusste Ihren Namen" He whispered, almost more a breath than an actual whisper, his hands tightening around his bat.
"Well, for one, amigos... You don't sound American in the slightest" Antonio said, raising an eyebrow curiously, also having caught the fact the one man had said Gilbert's name.
The first man laughed, the sound rather chilling. "The Americans eh? Sure. We can take you to the Americans... They're out in the trees somewhere rotting... I mean, waiting for stupid people like you to try to find a safe haven." He sneered, eyes bright with some suppressed excitement. "They make a great meat shield really... Keeps the flesh eaters off of us with the stench of decay... Perfection."
Something was terribly wrong... These men were psychotic.
"Do I know you gentlemen?" Gilbert demanded, almost nonchalantly. His eyes flickered to Leon for a brief moment, noting the flash of sickness that crossed his usually calm, thoughtful eyes with the man's tale.
"Don't you remember, Officer? You arrested us!" The man pointed out, his eyes flashing in fury as he gestured at his companion with a malicious grin. "That didn't last long of course...we got out the moment this started going to hell." He looked positively demented as he returned his full attention to the three people before him.
"What did you do to the Americans?" Gilbert asked, his nerves twitching as his past life… it felt so long ago... came back to haunt him once again. Faint remembrance for the Bulgarian men came flooding back to him. If he remembered correctly, they were nasty pieces of work.
The man sneered and shrugged, looking sorely unimpressed. "They were so nice. Trusting those American's were... Took us in all eager like, hoping for an extra hand... They didn't even put up much of a fight they were so surprised." His tone was conversational as he retold the tale of their brutality.
Gilbert felt his blood chill as he slowly began to move away, his hand reaching out to pull Leon behind him protectively. "Well... It appears that we have no business here..." He started, signaling for Antonio to begin to back away slowly as well.
The man chuckled. "No business? But you said you wanted to see the Americans! We would be so happy to take you to them, Officer." Another demented grin and a round of dark chuckles.
Leon bit the inside of his lip as the man spoke, his pale blue eyes as neutral as he could manage, though he was beginning to think leaving was a very, very good idea. With his bat in his hand, he allowed Gilbert to push him further behind him, eyes never leaving the group of armed men.
"Seeing the Americans isn't necessary. We'll leave now, if it is all the same to you." Antonio said firmly, wishing for his ax at that point. A pang of lose shoot through him when he remembered it had been left behind.
The first man took a few steps forward, grinning at the glare he received. "We insist. Wouldn't want to be thought of as poor hosts now would we? Tell me, Gil old friend, who else you got with you?" He asked, poking Gilbert in the chest with the barrel of his gun, only to glance at Leon with narrowed eyes as the boy made a rather angry sound at the contact.
"You training them so young? Smart... They're easier to throw around and corrupt the younger they are. Mindless little soldiers teenagers make." He grinned again as Leon's eyes flashed in indignation.
"Leave the boy alone!" Gilbert snapped furiously, smacking the gun from where it rested against his chest and standing fully in front of Leon with his head raised, crimson eyes demonic in the way they flashed challengingly.
The man shrunk back towards the safety of his partners with the slightest trace of a flinch.
"No one else." He continued with a firm, powerful voice, hoping Elizabeta was smart enough to stay hidden and that Arthur would keep the girls in his care safe. "It's just us three plus the one in the truck you saw." He growled, his voice not wavering in the slightest, making it sound like he was being absolutely truthful.
"It's been us four for a while now... I lost my wife... brother... everyone." He whispered, voice actually quavering with the proper grieving emotions at the admission. He was thanking God for the years he had spent practicing lying under pressure in order to get what he needed for his brother and himself. Hiding a small truth within a big lie was the easiest thing.
"Is that right?" The man growled narrowing his eyes onto Gilbert and frowning when he didn't find any traces of a lie on his face. "Well then... why don't you come with us?" He sneered, stepping aside so that Gilbert and the others could move forward into the base.
"Hold up, hold up... You've lied to us. You walked up and said you were with a group of people. People other than just you three. So... Tell me Gil. You lying about being just you three, or about there being more people?" The first man asked with a knowing grin, catching Gilbert's mistake where the other men had not.
With a sneer, he turned to the man at his side and jerked his head towards the car that contained Arthur and the girls. "I think we should check his truck... If they don't have anyone inside, we can loot for what supplies they've scrapped up."
Antonio shifted his weight back towards his and Arthur's truck slowly, eyes flickering over to Gilbert briefly in alarm. They couldn't go through that truck! Arthur was in there! And Jessie and Eve! Not that he wanted them to search the other vehicle and find Elizabeta and Dexton either... His eyes screamed "what do we do" before he was forced to look away as the men turned to look at them once more.
Leon was apparently thinking something similar. He brushed against Gilbert, a question as to what to do next. He just prayed Gilbert understood what he was asking through the vague, brief contact.
Gilbert didn't have time to protest nor reassure his companions, the flash of fear in his eyes was enough to give him away. The man sneered and nodded at his partner, who let out a low whistle that summoned three more of the well muscled, armed men to their aid.
"I see...I guess we'd better to meet our new friends, huh?" He grinned as the men grabbed onto Antonio when the Spaniard looked ready to lurch at his throat. Placing a gun to the fuming man's head the other men nodded at their boss.
"Listen... You can kill me if you want, but let them go. They have nothing to do with this." Gilbert snarled, moving forward only to yelp as a pair of men grabbed onto him and shoved him to his knees, holding his hands at a painful angle above his head. "Gott verdammt... Let them go!" He growled, looking furious as the men moved up to the car where Arthur and the girls were hiding, his eyes flashing with panic as he glanced at Leon with an apology in his eyes and a silent command to run while he had the chance. This was his fault... He had promised to protect them, and look what was happening!
Leon immediately tried to get back to the other car, actually managing to knock one of the men's guns away from them with his bat before he was forced to his knees as well, left only to stare helplessly at the truck his brother was trapped in. This was not good at all...
Antonio froze, all the muscles in his body taut and ready to fight, but the gun at his head kept him from moving as he watched in frustration. Two men yanked open the front door of their truck, pulling Arthur roughly from inside and pressing a barrel of one of their guns against his back, forcing him forward.
The ring man of the Bulgarians grinned as he watched, only shifting his eyes to glance at Gilbert. "They have everything to do with this. You see... We have a little something against you, Gil. We didn't like being locked up all that much... Think of this as... us returning the favor." He grinned, feigning and apologetic tone as he turned back to his men
"Who else we got in the car?" He barked, rolling his eyes as the three men that were supposed to be checking the truck all were raptured in finding Arthur.
Jessie took Eve into her arms then as she watched Arthur being marched to the others, holding her tightly. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest as she desperately wished Leon was with them. He always knew exactly what to do!
"Listen to me, liebling. Get under the car ok? Get under the car and stay there. You'll be safe so long as you stay hiding, ok? Es tut mir liede Eve. I'm so sorry." She whispered, voice frantic. "Go now. Go on." She urged, opening the door pointed away from the men and pushing Eve out, tears in her eyes. She followed as soon as the young girl disappeared under the truck, automatically reaching out to pull her back into her arms once they were both relatively safe.
As the men returned, she held her breath and pressed Eve's face into her shoulder, praying didn't look very hard.
"No one else in this one, boss!" They called, sending heady relief through Jessie's veins. They were safe, but they were trapped.
The ring leader frowned, whipping around to face Gilbert to look for traces of surprise. Finding none he suspiciously glanced at the truck before turning his attention to the one Elizabeta still hid in. "This one next." He commanded, watching as his men scrambled to the other vehicle.
"Anna. Dexton. We're going to run for the trees. Run like you've never run before, as fast as you can. You guys can run, right?" Elizabeta asked as she heard the men approaching, trying her best to stay calm for the two little ones' sakes. She smiled weakly when she was met with two terrified but determined sets of eyes. When they nodded she opened the door slowly, trying not to draw unwaned attention as the men drew closer.
It was only Arthur who seemed to see the Truck door inch open, and as he saw Elizabeta's determined hazel eyes, he began to writhe in desperation. "Let go of me you slack jawed wankers! I'll gut you and spread your filthy rotten intestines out for the damned buzzards if you harm a hair on any of their heads!" He roared furiously in an attempt to draw the men's' attention away from where Elizabeta and the children were escaping, as well as attempting to give Jessie and Eve a chance to get away, wherever it was they had managed to hide.
The man growled at the threat, slamming his gun into Arthur's bad shoulder and looking startled as Arthur nearly crumpled to the ground with a scream of pain that sent everyone's head snapping toward him, his eyes seeing white for a brief moment as he nearly lost consciousness. Eyes watering he looked up at Antonio desperately his eyes wide with agony and terror. At least he had caused the distraction he was going for.
"Hey...what's up with the bandages?" The man holding Arthur demanded, tearing back his shirt and forcing him to his knees when he spotted the gauze. "Boss, I think he might be bit!"
Gilbert growled and shook his head. Ifthey thought Arthur had been bitten, they'd kill him! "He's not! He broke his shoulder! He's isn't bitten!" He cried desperately, his arms burning with a terrible ache at the awkward angle they were at.
"Atorníllela." Antonio thundered, ducking under the gun pressed against his head without warning and rolling to Arthur's side defensively, not that he could do much unarmed against the men. "Vuelve tulipollas!" He snarled, eyes flashing as he spat the Spanish words at the men, hoping to confuse them. "No es mordido, puta!"
Leon tried to keep his eyes on Antonio and Arthur and away from the three forms racing towards the trees as the men were distracted with the immediate threat before them. It was difficult, not watching them, when all he wanted to do was make sure they were safe. Bitter anger swirled inside him as he knelt there, completely defenseless. Gilbert had promised! But... He couldn't truly be mad at the German could he? Deep in his heart though, he knew that he was, even if his anger towards the man was irrational.
"Bitten? Kill him. We don' take any chances." One man said, looking to the ring leader for confirmation of the command.
"Antonio!" Arthur yelped as the Spaniard dove out of the way of the gun, half expecting the man with the weapon to shoot him then and there, but he was either too startled to react or was willing to let Antonio get to his lover knowing he wouldn't get far if he tried to run. Shuddering at the man's words, Arthur balked and looked down at the ground just as Antonio reached his side. This wasn't how it was supposed to end...
"Antonio I love you... If they kill me... please... please get out of here alive." He whispered low enough so that only his Spaniard could hear him.
"Well well...looks like we got a couple on our hands, boss!" The man sneered as he turned his gun onto Arthur with eyes that held little emotion for what he was about to do. He hadn't missed the emotion that burned in both Antonio and Arthur's eyes.
"You sick bastards! Let him go!" Gilbert roared, his eyes flashing to Leon's desperately. He had to get the boy out at the very least... No matter what happened to him he had to get the boy out. He had promised him! But that didn't mean he wasn't going to stand up for Arthur as well.
"He isn't bitten! He just broke his shoulder! Bitte just check!" He roared, causing enough of a ruckus to distract Arthur's potential executioner.
"I've told you once I'm never leaving you. If you die here, I do as well." Antonio whispered back once the man above them was distracted, green eyes full of pain. "He's not bit. I swear. His shoulder is broken. That's all. Don't kill him... Por favor..." He said, begging through clenched teeth as he was forced to swallow his pride to try to keep his Englishman alive.
Leon allowed his eyes to flicker away from Antonio and Arthur as the gun was lowered from Arthur's chest, and over to the three forms. They were nearly to the trees... and then his heart stopped as Dexton tripped, skidding on his hands as he fell to the ground with a sharp yelp as grit cut open his palms.
"Nein! Get up! Dexton get back up now!" He shouted, unable to help himself as tears of terror pricked his eyes. Yelling didn't matter in the end anyway, as the young German boy's yelp of pain and surprise had already drawn two of the Bulgarians' attention.
Elizabeta hadn't even realized Dexton had tripped until after her and Anna were already in the forest. She told the small girl to hide in a clump of bushes, but by the time she turned back to help, there were already people hustling toward the fallen boy who was scrambling to get to his feet, knees and palms bleeding.
Bringing his attention back to the couple at hand, one of the previously distracted men smirked. "What are you going to do to stop me?" He sneered, leaning down and grabbing onto Arthur, pulling him rather roughly away from Antonio as another man grabbed onto the Spaniard from behind and placed him into a headlock.
Pressing the gun up against Arthur's temple, he grinned, his eyes dancing with amusement. It seemed the prospect of playing around with his victim was more interesting than killing Arthur outright. "Come on...what will out do to keep your...what is he? Your lover?" When Antonio seethed and glared lividly at his Englishman's captor, the man laughed chillingly. "Ah...he is isn't he? Oh this is very interesting indeed!" He tauntingly fingered the trigger, all the while locking keeping his on Antonio, not wanting to miss a single flinch or flash of rage from the man.
Antonio froze, eyes locked murderously on the man holding a gun to his Arthur's head. He didn't dare move this time, fearing if he did it would cost Arthur his life. Tears pricked his eyes, though he furiously blinked them back, shuddering violently. "No... No please. Please don't. Kill me. Kill me if that is what you are looking for. Por favor... Don't kill him. What does it matter if he is my lover or not? Don't kill him..." He whispered, the sound choked as he used precious air to speak, struggling to breathe with the arm around his neck constricting his air flow.
"Oh it matters... because you'll try so much harder to save him if he is your lover than if he was just a friend." The man grinned, tightening his hold on Arthur and squeezing his bad shoulder fiercely, earning a small yelp of pain from the Englishman. "It'll be entertaining to watch, the struggle as you fight and strain to keep him alive just a few more minutes...hoping that if you get the opportunity that you'll be able to protect him."
Arthur scowled up at the man and growled softly, wishing there was something he could do to protect himself and his Spaniard. "Damn you...you sick bastard."
Before the man could respond though, a surprisingly vicious snarl rolled up from Leon's chest, efficiently distracting both of the men's captors.
The older German boy thrashed and twisted, gouging his knees as he desperately struggled to get to his brother, furious German spewing from his mouth in angry shouts as the man keeping him to the ground struggled to hold him still.
Gilbert too snarled furiously at the men, but jumped when he heard Leon shouting. Turning, he felt his eyes widen noticeably when he spotted Dexton, the three men that had ran to him surrounded him. One had his gun raised as he shouted towards the boy ordering him not to move or he would shoot him. He suddenly understood Leon's desperate attempts at fighting. While he felt pride well inside at the boy's spirit, glad the Bulgarians had under estimated him, he was far too concerned for Dexton's safety to let the pride show through.
"Nein... Let him go!" Gilbert roared desperately, shuddering with fury and grief. He tried to thrash and writhe as Leon was, but with his arms near hyper extended, he couldn't move without risking popping his shoulders out of socket, and then he'd be absolutely no use to any of his friends or family.
"He's just a kid! Let him go!" He begged, tears forming in his eyes as the man with the gun out pushed Dexton to the ground with a harsh snarl to move towards the others. "Kill me! Maim me! Torture me! But let the others go! Bitte!" He snarled, turning to the ring leader with eyes that looked as though he had broken inside. The devastation he felt only strengthened as Leon was forced onto his chest on the ground after punching his captor in the face. Though he still writhed about, he wasn't getting anywhere any faster than the rest of them as a gun was pressed firmly against his back.
"I WILL KILL YOU!" Leon growled as he watched his baby brother get knocked to the ground a second time by the men, terror coursing through him and tears of absolute fury rolling down his cheeks. "Dexton!" He cried, sounding devastated. They never had this issue on their own! No one tried to kill them! Not anyone who was living! He bristled angrily as he was sat back up, gun still against his back.
"Don't worry. We'll get around to killing you, Gil. That much I can promise... but why not hurt you by hurting them first?" One man said as they approached with a terrified Dexton in front of them.
As soon as the men stopped, Dexton scrambled over to his brother and threw his arms around his neck with a small terrified sob, shaking so badly it was a surprise his teeth weren't rattling. Even when his brother's arms wrapped around him protectively he shuddered in fear.
Dexton looked up at his brother with terrified eyes not understand why what was happening, was happening. "Bruder... I'm scared." he squeaked softly, his voice low enough that only Leon heard him.
Leon frowned at his brother, meeting the small boy's terrified eyes with his, trying to stay calm when his own fear was overpowering. "Listen to me. I won't let them hurt you. I won't. They'll have to kill me before I let them touch you." He whispered as soothingly as he could manage.
"I don't want you to die either!" Dexton sobbed, his eyes streaming with tears as he clutched desperately to his brother.
"I'm not saying I'm going to bruder, only if it is the only way to keep you safe. You know I don't want to leave you all alone... Ich liebe dich." Leon whispered, eyes clouded with grief at his brother's sobs. He hated that he couldn't quell the little boy's fears.
"Bitte...don't leave me." Dexton begged, his eyes wide with terror at the idea. "Ich liebe dich auch! You can't leave me!"
"I'm not going anywhere Dexton. Ok? I'm right here... Don't cry bruder. Don't cry. Everything will be ok." Leon sighed soothingly, wanting nothing more than to keep his brother wrapped in his arms in a protective, reassuring hug and take him far away from these people so bent on hurting them.
Dexton nodded after a moment, pressing his face against Leon's neck with a terrified little whimper. "Ok Bruder..." He whispered, trying not to listen to the commotion around him.
Gilbert hated to see the two so devastated, but there was little he could do. "Boys... It'll be alright." He promised, eyes locking with Leon's for a moment as he tried to convey his apology and sincerity, not liking the cold distrust he was met with. Looking back at the ring leader, he strained to find something to do. At this point... He still had his gun. He could take out the men holding him and the boys relatively easily, but he couldn't save everyone. The move would most likely cost both of his companions their lives, and he didn't know if he could live with that. Thinking quickly, he let the emotion drain from his eyes.
"Fine. Hurt them. They aren't my kids." He glared, hoping to buy more time with the surprising approach. "I just think it's a pity that you're throwing away their lives when they could be relatively useful to you."
Antonio wrenched his attention back to the problem he was currently facing, wishing he could somehow help Gilbert and the boys almost as much as he wished he could help his Arthur.
"They are of no use to me. To us. Besides, if I kill them it'll bother you. They look more important than just a pair of random kids anyway" He snapped, glancing at the two brothers hungrily, though he rolled his eyes as the Spaniard started speaking once again behind them.
"You're right. I'll fight hard, asking for your deaths, though death is too easy for people like you. Does it warm your hearts to be so alone in this world? Does it give you some joy in your cold hearts to know that, since you can't be happy, you have to destroy other people's lives?" He snarled, verdant eyes flashing dangerously as he struggled against the arm around his neck, praying the man holding the gun to Arthur's head would stick to wanting to make him suffer.
The man snarled at Antonio's comment jerking Arthur's arm in a way that made him howl in pain and thrash weakly knowing that causing the Englishman pain would hurt the Spaniard far more than actually harming him would "We may have cold hearts... but it warms them so nicely to see the love in your eyes when you two look at each other." He sneered.
Antonio's face twisted in pain and desperation as they tormented his Arthur. He was powerless! Completely unable to help him... And that thought terrified him. If these men decided to do anything worse than tweek his injured shoulder, he wouldn't be able to top them. "Stop! Please! He's done nothing to you, pandejo!"
"Wait!" Came a small, commanding voice as tiny Eve crawled out from under the car, looking sternly up at the men, her hands balled in little fists. "You're doing it wrong." She insisted, tugging at the man with the gun's jacket. "You're doing it wrong." She said again, a frown on her face as Arthur and Antonio both gapped at her appearance.
The man jumped as Eve tugged on his jacket. "What the... Where did you come from!?" He demanded, looking thoroughly confused by the child's presence.
"Eve... Eve dear you need to get out of here now!" Arthur rasped, straining to get to the child and making eye contact with the terrified Jessie under the truck momentarily before his eyes watered against the agonized spasm that shot through his shoulder. "God...Eve run!" He begged, earning a smirk from his captor.
"What am I doing wrong little one?"
Antonio's eyes widened in shock as Eve smiled sweetly at the man hurting Arthur, unable to believe what he was seeing and hearing. "Eve? Eve! Go. Mija get out of here!" He begged for the small child to listen, though she took no notice of him.
"You don't threaten him like that. If you wanted to hurt them, you need to make them trust you first... That's what Leon is always talking about. See… when you trust someone and they turn around and do something mean... It hurts worse... That's how you do it... Like... Mutti and Vati. They said they'd always be here... but they aren't. That hurts more than not having a Mutti or Vati to start with... Does that make sense?" She asked, tilting her head to the side, eyes tearing up at the mention of her parents for a moment.
Arthur looked at Eve as if the child had just sprouted a second head. Had the sweet, young girl just told the bastard how to torture them correctly?! "Eve...what on earth are you...ARGH!" He howled as the man jerked his arm upwards at an unhealthy angle the bone shrieking when it rubbed together sending a wave of nauseating pain through his entire body. His eyes wide with pain and shock as he writhed in sheer, overwhelming agony while the man looked down at Eve with appreciation.
"Well aren't you smart little one? So how would you threaten them?" He asked greatly amused by the idea of this little girl trying to help them torment her friends.
"Well you got to stop doing that, first of all. Hurting him isn't exactly going to make him like you, though you've sort of messed that part up already... Hmmm... Well I would..." *It was here that Eve was stuck. She wasn't very old at all, and didn't know how to threaten anyone, let alone one of her most favorite people in the world. She tried to think of things that would be very bad.
"I'd make him be all alone... Mr. Iggy really doesn't like being alone. I think it scares him a lot... I mean like scared-of-the-dark-when-Leon-or-Jessie-aren't-arou nd scared... If he's scared, then Mr. Tonio will be upset too. Then you don't have to get all tired hurting him or anything..." She said, looking thoughtful.
Antonio looked at her, completely appalled that she was trying to help the men. Why on earth was she helping them!?
"Hmmm...If I had time...I think I'd take you up on that offer." The man laughed, wrenching Arthur's arm upwards even further enjoying the howls and soft sobs that were breaking from Arthur's throat as well as the sound of popping and tearing bones and muscle that had just started to heal. The agony on Arthur's face, plus the devastation in Antonio's eyes warmed his heart almost as much as the tiny girl's betrayal.
"I like you little girl... You could be entertaining if we kept you around. Unlike the boss, I like kids. What do you say? Wanna come and be my evil little girl?" He asked with a grin.
Arthur could barely see or hear anything anymore, his vision was blurred by tears and his ears rung with pain. Afraid to move when the man stopped twisting his arm, he shuddered, blood dripping from the lip he had bit, attempting to stifle the sobs now raking his body. What he could hear appalled him. What was Eve doing? She was such a sweet girl... How could she know all this?!
Eve giggled sweetly and looked up at the man with a smile. "Well it isn't like it's that hard to think of things. I'd still stop twisting his arm like that though. He broke his shoulder, and see the blood on his lips? The people eaters like the smell. They'll be all around here if he keeps biting his lip. You could always just play with them later... Where are they going to go when all of you have them as your prisoners or something? She asked, her very tone sounding like she was calling them all idiots.
Antonio shuddered. What was she doing? Prisoners? He almost wanted to say don't give them any ideas, but seeing that sweet little smile on her face, he felt sick to his stomach, not understanding why she was so ready to leave her friends for these monsters. He strained against the arms still firm around his neck when Arthur swayed from pain, wishing he could block out the sounds of his sobs and howls of agony. "Stop it! Stop hurting him, please! Por favor!" He begged in ragged desperation.
The man smiled down at the girl evilly, completely ignoring Antonio's pleas as his eyebrows raised with an impressed sort of look. "You're right... They do like the smell, but unfortunately, we don't have time to take them back and play with them, princess. Gotta take care of them out here." He pointed out glancing over at Antonio and forcing Arthur's head upwards so that the Englishman was both forced to look at Antonio while also twisting his arm into an impossible angle that left him screaming and writhing in his captors hold tasting blood in the back of his throat.
"Hush now... Do you want this to be the last thing your lover hears? Why don't you say you love him and that you'll be waiting for him on the other side or whatever it is that you to want to say? The man sneered at Antonio the gun still tauntingly in his hand.
"Just let everyone go!" Gilbert snarled, hearing enough and realizing Arthur's time was running out very quickly. "I realize that you want revenge... But are you really willing to hurt some random kids and a young couple because it might make me upset?" Gilbert demanded, his eyes unreadable. He was attempting to buy some time as he caught a flash of something in the trees out of the corner of his eyes. The only way he was going to be able to do that was to keep the men talking
He could only buy so much time for the boys, and from the pained screams coming from Antonio and Arthur's end, they didn't have much time either. Come on Liz...do something. He begged silently.
It was then a shot was fired.
Gilbert felt a surge of relief when the man restraining him crumpled to the ground, and proceeded to tackle the ring leader with a snarl, just as a second shot fired and freed Leon.
"You son of a bitch I'll kill you!" He bellowed, slamming his fist into the man's face with a sickening crunch. With Elizabeta's covering fire... It seemed that for once the tides were on their side.
So... Review please! Hate to sound whiny, but it is discouraging not to hear any form of feed back after working so hard! Don't be shy! We don't bite ;)