Disclaimer: I do not own anything in my stories except for the fan fiction (including plots, OC's and so on). All the characters belong to the rightful owners. Any songs/poems/etc in my stories do not belong to me unless stated otherwise.
Chapter 11
"it's rather curious, you know, this sort of life!"
"Why the hell is a hostage screaming your name, Scarlett? Hm?" Vaas asked in a clipped tone.
Scarlett swallowed. Vaas had used her full name which automatically made her nervous. "I don't know who it is." She lied. "Perhaps he heard my name from one of your fucking men, how the hell am I supposed to know?" She raised her eyebrow and her stomach twisted, she didn't know if faking ignorance was the right way to go or not. She had made a snap decision and now she would get to live with the consequences.
With a sigh Vaas sat down, rubbing his temples with the tips of his fingers. He then spoke back to the man who had come running moments before, Scarlett couldn't understand a word he was saying. Some of the pirates kept their eyes on her, she tried to ignore it them the best she could.
The pirate who received the order took off running again, toward the direction of the hostage cages.
"What are you going to do with him?" Scarlett asked.
Vaas eyed her, his mouth a thin line and his eyebrows pulled together just enough to form a small wrinkle between his eyebrows. "The hostage will go into the head garden for now. Unless you have a fucking problem with that?"
Scarlett swallowed and shook her head. "Why would I have a problem with that?"
Vaas said nothing. He grabbed the bottle which sat on the table right infront of him and stood up. His eyes were on Scarlett and he looked like he wanted to say something, instead he walked away with heavy steps. Maccie followed him, happily wagging his tail.
Scarlett's eyebrows pulled together. She couldn't figure the man out. They flirted, they fucked, they kissed and there was something in his eyes that made her wonder how far his interest in her ran. And then there were moments when Vaas looked at her like she was nothing. She let out a large breath and took a sip of her drink.
"What was that all about?" Gareth asked, when he neared the table which she was sitting at.
Scarlett shrugged. "Vaas is... I don't know, acting strange. I can't really describe it better than that."
Gareth grumbled something under his breath, which Scarlett didn't catch. She didn't bother asking what he'd said, she had a feeling she didn't want to know. No doubt something unintelligent about Vaas.
It was a while later that Scarlett noticed Serik walk off toward Kip's quarters. Which was unusual not only because that was the opposite direction of where he spent his nights, but because Kip was still drinking and laughing in the lap of the ginger man, whose name she had yet to learn.
"I think I'm gonna call it a day." Scarlett announced and took off. She headed toward the direction of the house that her room was in first and once she was out of eyeshot of the Turkey Point, she headed toward Kip's quarters.
She quietly sneaked underneath the boarded up window that faced the jungle. She was able to find a small crack in the wall through which she could see Serik's legs. The man was shuffling around the room like he was looking for something. Not long after Serik picked up a satellite phone from a crate on the ground. Scarlett slowed her breathing, trying to listen over the thumping music that could be heard from Turkey Point. Serik dialed a number and sat into Kip's chair. The conversation that followed after was everything she didn't expect.
She hoped that it was going to be a business call, that her initial thoughts about the man were correct. Instead the mans voice was filled with affection when he spoke. He spoke more in those few minutes she was there listening that she had heard him every speak.
This wasn't what she was looking for, this wasn't who she was looking for. Serik wasn't the rat. He was a foot soldier and a killer, but he wasn't the rat. Feeling more than a little defeated, Scarlett sneaked away from Kip's quarters. Quickly checking that no one was behind her, she turned the corner and ran face first into Carlos.
"I uh..." She was flustered.
Carlos smiled, rising his eyebrows.
"Nevermind. Doesn't matter." She smiled, shaking her head and hoping he wouldn't ask further questions. She had been too careless, only checking behind her but not behind the corner.
"Sure." Carlos said. "We leave early in the morning. I'll wake you before sunrise, so you should go get some sleep."
"I'll do that." Scarlett nodded, her eyes turning to the pitch black sky. She mumbled a quick goodnight and hurried toward the direction of her room. When she was inside the shitty hut that held her room she let out a deep breath, she had almost been caught sneaking by Carlos. She made a mental note that she needed to come up with a list of reasons why she would logically be coming from the direction of the jungle in the middle of the night.
She closed the door to her room behind her and her attention was immediately brought to the mass of a person sprawled across her bed, lightly snoring. A small smile sneaked to her lips without her realizing. Trying to be as quiet as possible she removed her jeans and shirt and grabbed the shirt she had borrowed from Vaas, off the back of a chair. Clad in pirate red she climbed next to the Pirate King and pulled a sheet over them.
Immediately aware of another body next to his, Vaas wrapped his arm around Scarlett's waist and pulled her closer. The little moonlight that came through the small window cast harsh shadows across the scarred mans face and Scarlett couldn't resist the urge to run her fingers across his jaw.
He was hot and cold toward her and she was terrified to know what she actually felt toward him. Sure they had fucked and kissing him felt like she was on fire in the best way possible. She had given into everything she had been suppressing the whole time she'd been on that god-damned island, but she couldn't admit her true feelings to herself.
She wouldn't.
Because that would make it all real. She knew whatever was going on was drawing closer to the end with each passing day. She was sure that if she asked him, he would tell her how he felt. But that too would be too much. She had seen the broken man that lied underneath the harsh exterior the night he'd thought she didn't want him to stay. She couldn't fix him, she knew that and she hoped that he knew that too. Whatever was between them was playing with fire but neither of them seemed to be able to stop. They would both end up burned and scarred more than they already were, that was for certain.
This island was an alien world to her, no matter how much she tried to blend in. This was his world with the blood on the sand and the empty bullet shells and the cries of the hostages. She could handle it for a while, as long as she needed to, but in the end it would be too much. Perhaps that's why it was so easy to be with Vaas in her bed. This was his world and she was merely trying to survive in it.
She didn't know if she needed him next to her... or if she just needed someone. Someone to warm her bed.
Her fingers gently trailed his face and his grip around her waist tightened just a little. She knew Vaas suffered from night terrors and that was one of the reasons for his irregular sleeping and heavy drug use, not to mention the drinking. Scar wished she could help him, really help him, but on this island it's impossible. Merely the things it takes to survive here are enough to drive anyone to insanity.
She vaguely remembered Carlos' drunken speech what now seemed like a lifetime ago.
"Yknow," Carlos started. "It fucking sucks that you have to leave."
"I'm not going anywhere." Scarlett said, confused.
Carlos shook his head. "No, not yet. But you will!"
"And why does that suck?"
"Because you make us so much better! I mean, Gareth is fucking ecstatic to have you around! Even Monroe likes you, he rarely really likes anyone. And fucking Vaas, güey, Vaas!"
"What about Vaas?" Scarlett asked.
"He's different with you around. Fucking... Fucking..." Carlos shook his head ."He's better. It's as if the two of you balance each other out." Carlos grabbed a bottle from a table on one side of the room and emptied the contents into his stomach. The next things out of his mouth were in Spanish, so she didn't understand any of it. Carlos sat on the edge of the bed and Scarlett leaned against the doorway. Perhaps it was better that she didn't know what he was saying, because the way he looked at her was like a thirsty man begging for water. "You do realize, that it's fate that you're here right?" Carlos asked. "Nothing will be the same after you go. Things are better with you here, so obviously they will be worse with you gone." He ran his hands through his hair and shook his head. "Nothing happens just because."
Scarlett frowned. "Go to sleep, Carlos."
The man kept going. "You don't see it do you. You don't see the changes... Of course you don't see the them."
"Changes?" Scarlett pried and took a seat on a chair.
"The way people are. Kidd was a bitter old man, I'd seen him smile like three times and now that's all he does! He drank himself to oblivion almost every night." Carlos explained. "And Vaas... Vaas has not spent this long in the camp in years. He has always been on the move, constantly doing rounds... Spending the maximum of two nights here. Then off again. He shouts less too, makes more jokes that are actual jokes." Carlos sighed.
She hoped that after she was gone things wouldn't change that much. Sure, Kidd would be sad and grumpy but he'd figure out a way to go on. She didn't know about Vaas, she didn't even dare to venture a guess. She figured he'd forget about her the moment she was off the island, he did seem like the type.
"Mina." Vaas mumbled, stirring in his sleep. "Sé que mintió acerca de la rehén."
Scarlett didn't say anything, mainly because she didn't know if he was actually awake or if he was sleeptalking. Also she couldn't understand what he said. Her fingertips paused at the hollow of his neck and she scooted closer to him. In a matter of moments she was in a deep sleep.
She walked through the Rakyat temple, through Citra's temple. She was unafraid as she climbed the steps of a tall ruin. She couldn't turn around, she couldn't even look anywhere other than forward though she paid no mind to that. The fires burning on each the edges of the steps illuminated her way up and she could feel the heat of it on her skin. She climbed and climbed and climbed.
When she finally reached the top she saw Vaas kneeling. He was clad in leather, both of his arms covered in tataus and his hair was long and in dreadlocks. In front of him was the Rakyat Leader, the faceless man who raised Vaas. She didn't know how she knew that, but she did. And beyond him there was fire that reached the sky.
"Arise, warrior." A deep voice grumbled around her, shaking the earth on which she stood. Yet there was no fear in her.
Vaas stood and the Leader of the Rakyat handed him a beautifully carved knife. The man kept speaking but no matter how hard she concentrated she couldn't understand what he was saying even though he spoke in English.
Vaas turned around and Scarlett smiled wide. Vaas was younger looking, less tired and had eyes filled with happiness. He didn't have the large scar running across his face.
Scarlett looked down and saw a large bowl in her hands. She brought the edge of the bowl to her lips and drank all of the liquid inside of it. Vaas now stood infront of her, smiling a kind smile. The Ink Monster rose through the fire that reached the sky and the heat radiating from the fire grew hotter.
"Scarlett." Vaas said and she looked at him. The moment their eyes connected his eyes were no longer his and he plunged the carved knife into her chest.
Thump. Thump. Thump. She heard the blood pulsing in her ears.
With a gasp she looked to her chest, which indeed held the knife. She looked back up and saw Citra and she spoke in words that she didn't understand and she felt pressure on her chest.
Thump. Thump... Thump.
"You are not worthy of him outsider." Citra smiled and whispered."Die."
With a gasp Scarlett's eyes flew open. She felt frozen even though her heart was racing and the moment she registered that all of it had been a dream she was able to let out a breath. Her hands went to her chest as she sat up in bed. She only felt the jagged scar that Coin Man gave her under her fingertips.
Her attention was then brought to the relentless knocking on the door.
Carlos. She thought, remembering his words about waking her before sunrise. Her eyes went next to her, searching her empty bed for Vaas but there was no trace of him. Her eyebrows pulled together, he had been here when she went to sleep...
Hadn't he?
"Scarlett!" She heard Carlos call in between the knocking.
"Yes!" She got up and opened the door. "Yes?"
Carlos' hand was frozen in air, mid-knock. His eyes immediately travelled to the shirt she was wearing, Vaas' shirt, his eyebrows lifted in the slightest but said nothing about it. "¡Buenos días! We leave in fifteen minutes. I have your breakfast food in the car.." He lowered his hand. "Fifteen minutes." He said and turned to leave.
"Okay." Scarlett nodded and closed the door. She quickly yanked the large shirt off, changed her underwear and threw on her jeans and a clean shirt. She ran a brush through her hair and then pulled it to a bun on top of her head, lastly she added a little bit of moisturiser to her face and sunblock to every centimetre of visible skin. She then grabbed her weapons and was out the door.
She found Carlos leaning against one of the trucks with a cigarette between his fingers. Clad in a tight black t-shirt, dark green cargo pants and a red bandanna around his neck, he looked like a male model.
His eyes took note of her weaponry and nodded at her. "Lets go, then."
"So what's the plan for today?" Scarlett asked as Carlos started driving toward the small port. She had a small plastic bag on her lap, that contained her breakfast.
Carlos licked his lips. "We're heading to Churchtown through AM12 and the Old Mines."
"I'm guessing those are outposts?" She spoke, while munching on a sandwich.
Carlos nodded. "Then from there, we have to head to 's to get some drugs and then to Badtown."
Scarlett smiled. "I'm guessing Badtown lives up to it's name?"
"Oh you have no idea." Carlos chuckled.
By the time Scarlett was done with her small breakfast, they were at the port. Instead of boarding the larger boat that she first got to Vaas' island with, they headed toward a smaller and faster looking boat.
Scarlett enjoyed Carlos' company, which made the whole day rather pleasant. At AM12 they looked over the loot from the yacht raid the previous day. The crates were packed with fancy clothes, jewellery, and other knick-knacks they could get a pretty penny for. In spite the good loot, Carlos was worried about the level of ammo and guns they had. Scarlett remembered Vaas talking something about how The Rakyat had blown up a shipment.
The hostages that would be going to Vaas' island later in the day were there too, but when Carlos went to look them over for transport Scarlett opted to stay behind. With David in Vaas' camp and from the same yacht the rest were from, she knew there may be someone else there who could possibly recognise her. That was the reason she was telling herself, in any case.
At AM12 she saw how much the men respected Carlos. He wasn't feared the same way that Vaas was, but that's probably a good thing. Seeing as he is Vaas' second in command. She heard the way the men spoke about her, she could understand little but the tone of the conversation was revealing in itself. They were done at AM12 before noon and set off toward the Old Mines as soon as they could. It wasn't even noon yet and it was absolutely scorching hot, and it would only get hotter for the next couple of hours.
She was constantly taken off guard with how beautiful the island itself actually was. It looked like a tropical heaven, the old ruins and the lush jungles. It was strange to think that an island that beautiful would host a rotten core, filled with bloodshed, rape, drugs and death.
The stop there was rather short, they didn't even get out of the truck. Carlos spoke how the Old Mines are quite impressive and how he'll show them to her the next time they're around. Today they were there just to pick up Monroe. Then it was off to see Dr. Earnhardt.
"Who is this guy anyway?" Scarlett asked. She knew he provided Vaas with some questionable drugs, but that was it.
"Doctor Alec Earnhardt, a chemist originally, makes his living producing and selling drugs on the black market to pirates and privateers alike. Vaas just gets the best shit usually, then again, he pays the highest price. Newspaper records show that he left London for Rook in 2006 after his two-year-old daughter, Agnes, tumbled out the window of his tenth floor apartment." Monroe explained.
"Oh jesus."
"Yeah. Dr. E self medicates a lot and it's always a fifty-fifty chance of catching him during one of his episodes." Carlos said.
"What happens during his episodes?" Scarlett wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer.
Carlos shrugged. "He sees and talks to his dead daughter. You know... The usual." Sarcasm was dripping from his voice when he said the last sentence.
The Doc's house was on the other side of the island and Scarlett managed to doze off on the ride there. The hum of the engine and the conversation between Carlos and Monroe kept the nightmares away. The next time she opened her eyes was when she heard the engine cut off.
"You staying here or coming with?" Carlos asked.
"With." Scarlett said automatically. There was no way in hell she was being left behind. She rubbed her eyes before getting out the truck and joining Monroe outside. Carlos exited the vehicle as well and they started walking up a small path. They were on a cliff-side and soon a large white, what could only be called a mansion on this island, came into view.
"That mansion looks absolutely nothing like this island. Like it doesn't belong here." Scarlett noted.
"It was constructed by a British business tycoon just after the end of World War I, and was then abandoned when the tycoon decided that the Baltimore And Ohio Railroad would make a better investment than a house on an island in the middle of nowhere."
"Smart man." Scarlett noted.
They didn't head into the house, instead they went to an overgrown greenhouse which was next to it. Inside was an older man with greyish white hair and an old lab coat. His face was wrinkly and sunken, and there were spots of rash and scabs on his face. His eyes were surrounded by dark bruises, his hands trembling and mouth mumbling words so fast they made no sense.
He was a typical junkie. Or at least as typical you can be in this godforsaken place.
"Doctor Earnhardt." Carlos said as he stepped into the greenhouse.
"Ah. Carlos!" The doctor chuckled. "You didn't happen to see Agnes outside playing did you? She hasn't come back in a little while. I'm worried she might get hungry." Despite him possibly living in London at some point he still had the Oxford accent.
Scarlett kept her face neutral as she realized that Earnhardt was going through another one of his episodes.
"I came to pick up. Standard amount, plus a bag of the red." Carlos spoke, paying no attention to the mention of Agnes.
The doctor stared at him for a little while, his eyes were unfocused but he soon snapped out of it. "Oh yes, yes. Here." The doctor went to the back of the greenhouse and brought a black dufflebag so heavy he could barely lift it. He then took a see-through bag from a shelf and dropped a bowl full of red berry like things into it. "That should keep him happy for a while." The doctor gave the bag to Carlos and then his eyes caught hers.
Carlos lifted the bag like it weighed nothing and shoved the bag with the red drugs into it. The whole time the doctor stared at Scarlett, as if confused. He looked like he wanted to say something but he slowly started shaking his head.
Scarlett's eyebrows pulled together in confusion and she took a few steps back.
"Thanks doc." Carlos said.
_x_
Vaas was overlooking the transportation of the hostages from the mainland. They were transporting the other half of hostages from the mainland. The hostages were terrified and crying and rich enough to drown in their money, which meant that soon Vaas and the pirates would be too. Given of course that the rich kids' families would pay for them, but Vaas was confident they would.
The sun was blazing down, it was another one of those hot-as-hell days with not one cloud in the sky. All of the men were sweating and weak from dehydration, despite that Vaas stood on shore with his arms crossed and a satisfied smile on his lips.
His mind was going through the bits and pieces of the dream he had last night. It was something he wouldn't admit to anyone, but he couldn't deny that there was a small part of him that yearned just the slightest.
The two were sitting on a beach, Scarlett clad in a light sundress with her hair messily up in a bun and her eyes shining. Vaas lightly stroked her arm with the fingertips that held a half smoked cigarette. The heat of the day was settling down as the sun was nearing the horizon, casting a warm orange glow across the ocean sky.
"What would you name our kid?" He wondered. His hands weren't trembling, nor did his heart quicken. He was completely calm, which for some reason was so odd but he couldn't understand why.
Scarlett smiled. "I've always thought that I'd name a boy Edward."
Vaas lifted his eyebrows and grimaced. "Edward?Like who?"
"Thatch, Teach, pronounce it how you will."
A chuckle rumbled deep in Vaas' chest, sending vibrations through his body and hers. "You want to name our kid after Blackbeard?" Vaas shook his head. "Fucking Blackbeard. Plus, Edward is a terrible name, it has to be a strong name. So I can't possibly let you name our child Edward."
Scarlett let out an unladylike snort, finally turning to face Vaas."I will name by boy Edward. You can name yours whatever you want." She said with a slight chuckle.
"Vaas!" A shout was heard, after the rumble of an engine cut off. "You motherfucking asshole!" Vaas quickly recognized the man to be Gareth.
Vaas' eyebrows rose as he turned around. He was about to question the Old Man's outburst, but before he was able to the man was grabbing Vaas by his shirt.
"What the fuck!" Vaas shouted, confused and angry. He was in no mood to be fucked with.
Gareth was furious, that much was obvious. The kind of furious when your nostrils flare and that vein in your forehead pops out. "You little shit. You absolute scum." Gareth kept firing insults, until Vaas grabbed the front of Gareths shirt with equal force.
"Vete a la verga culero! Qué chingados?" Vaas shouted, his anger was rising to the levels to match Gareths.
Gareth, however, didn't back down. Anyone with enough common sense and no wish for death would have, but not Gareth, not when it came to this. "You fucking asshole. You fucking know what this is about! I told you not to fucking touch her. None of the men could touch her, including you."
A small smile rose onto Vaas' lips, or rather a satisfied smirk. He didn't appreciate being sworn at, but this was about him bedding Scarlett. "Amigo, c'mon."
"You think this is fucking funny?" Gareth asked and Vaas' smirk widened. Gareths self control was slipping.
"Un poco, sí." Vaas admitted, the grabbed Gareths wrists. "Now get your fucking hands off of me, pendejo."
"Fuck you." Gareth snarled. "Do you know how fucking innocent she is? Huh?"
This only made Vaas' grin grow and Gareth tightened his grip on Vaas' shirt. "Hermano, she wasn't so innocent when I had her."
Thus far Gareth had been mustering all of his self control not beat him bloody, but this pushed him over the edge. Seconds after the comment had been spoken by the scarred man, he was on the sand with two loose teeth and blood filling his mouth. Pain was radiating from Vaas' jaw and eye but the grin was still present.
"You fucking scumbag. You know if you touch her you will drag her down to the hell that you live in. You are a piece of shit and I will not let you make her like you." He was furious and the grin started slowly slipping from Vaas' lips. Vaas pushed Gareths hands off of him and got onto his feet. "You abandoned your family, your people. You destroy everything you touch, you are the shit of the fucking earth and you know it! I won't let you destroy her."
Vaas smiled, but this time it was a cruel smile. "No, you did that for me. You think I'm going to fuck her up more than you already fucking have? Usted sufre de alucinaciones, pendejo."
Gareth went for another punch but Vaas skilfully dodged it. The second punch that the old man threw landed on Vaas' cheekbone, certainly resulting in a black eye later. Vaas put his hands up to defend himself but Gareth had already grabbed the front of his shirt "You know nothing." He snarled and with all of his strength tossed him into the ocean. Vaas was put off by the pain in his face and the lack of alcohol in his system that he could do nothing but fall into the water.
Vaas stood up dripping wet, he was furious. He spat the blood out of his mouth and into the sea. He cracked his knuckled with a smile.
_x_
"Has anyone tried to help him?" Scarlett asked as they sped away from the mansion.
"Help him?" Carlos wondered.
"Yeah, with the episodes about his daughter and all..." She said, but then realized that she sounded a little silly. "Then again, I doubt you have a mental health professional on the island."
"The only mental health professionals we have are drugs and alcohol. They seem to be doing the job just fine." Carlos said, to which Scarlett frowned.
"There's no point anyway. Everyone's survival rate drops to zero quite fast here. There is no point in trying to save us. It's not worth trying." Monroe spoke up softly.
"Of course it's worth trying." Scarlett said, Monroe merely raised an eyebrow at that. "I know you all think you're the shit of the earth, most of you aren't wrong. But some of you are good men."
"Do ye really believe that?"
"Of course." Scarlett said honestly, trying to shake the disbelief in Monroe's eyes.
"Mierda." Carlos swore before all hell broke loose. A powerful blast to the back of the car blew them to the side. Scarlett barely had the time to pull her hands to her chest before it had all happened. She heard muffled gunshots through the loud ringing in her ears, everything had the volume turned down. Her vision was blurry and she couldn't get air into her lungs. She felt like she was suffocating. More gunshots, but Scarlett couldn't do anything other than try to push the air in and out of her lungs.
Someone grabbed her and pulled her out of the car, she tried to fight them but she couldn't. Still, her arms whipped in the air and whacked whatever she could.
"Scarlett!" A muffled cry sounded, it was a familiar voice. "Stop fucking hitting me, we do not have the time for this!"
Her arms stilled and Scarlett tried to focus her eyes. A blurry shape which awfully reminded her of Carlos came into her line of vision.
"Carlos?" She asked, her voice hoarse.
"There we are. Now. Anything broken?"
Scarlett shook her head "No, no I don't think so." Her lungs were still not working properly and the ringing hadn't eased up even a little. She figured that was from the shock of the crash, she had never been in one before. Not in a crash this bad.
Carlos grabbed her elbow and pulled her along. Stumbling at first, Scarlett managed to find her footing quite quick. They walked for a while, she didn't know how long. They walked in the forest along the road, to be out of sight but not to get lost.
"Where's Monroe?" Scarlett shouted, knowing Carlos' ears must be shot as well. When Carlos didn't answer, she figured he hadn't heard her. So she placed her hand of his arm, with no reaction from the man, and asked again, "Where is Monroe, Carlos?"
He didn't need to say anything, the hollowed look in his eyes said enough.
Monroe didn't make it out of the car.
Her stomach churned and she covered her mouth with her hand, hoping to not throw up. She had seen death before countless of times, she had the stomach for death. This was different, this wasn't some random name of a paper. This was Monroe... This was a friend. She felt hollow and cold.
She hadn't realized she had stopped walking. Only when Carlos was almost lost in between the thick leaves she came to her senses, more of less. Picking up speed she ran to catch up with Carlos again, but she didn't dare to speak. Carlos was a balanced man and not once had she seen him like this. She didn't know if it was sorrow or anger or maybe a mix of both that hardened the man. His eyes were cold and empty, hollow. On his shoulder he still carried the black bag they had gotten from Dr. Earnhardt. The one with Vaas' drugs.
All of a sudden she felt like crying, but she bit her lip in an attempt to bite back the tears that were threatening to spill. She shook her head, knowing taking Monroe's body along would have slowed them down and probably ended up costing them their lives. The faster you are in a jungle where everything wants to kill you the better, she knew that. However Carlos still carried the drugs, a bag which was over half of her weight. She hoped to God that Vaas didn't care more for the drugs than his own men, she hoped that Carlos hadn't taken the drugs just because the aftermath of him not delivering on that would be larger than the death of one of the men. She shook her head, biting back a sob because she didn't know the answer. While yes, Vaas cared for his men enough for them to not be completely replaceable, but they were still replaceable in his eyes.
She wanted to offer Carlos words of comfort. She wanted to tell him that Monroe was a good man, but she couldn't. Because Carlos knew and it was not her place. She wasn't one of them, she was merely a visitor of sorts. Yes, she had built bonds with some of the men, but those were nothing in comparison to the bonds the men had with each other. They were brothers. And she didn't belong there with them. She wasn't cut out for a war like this, she was an assassin made to operate alone. One shot, one bullet and her job was done. No more blood was spilled than necessary.
This was carnage.
But this was what she had gotten herself into. Out of greed she accepted this job, without even fully knowing what she was getting into. Yes, she knew her job description but most of the information she had been given was half arsed. Quaint little details of drug addictions, mental illness, and a war between the pirates and the Rakyat had been left out. She didn't belong here, no, but there was no doubt about the fact that she was apart of it now.
The words Monroe said when Vaas got shot in the shoulder rang in her head.
"Roadside ambush. One bomb, around a dozen men. It happens."
He had been so incredibly casual about it, despite that she never thought that she'd end up in one.
Getting from the crash site to Vaas' small island was one big blur. She felt dizzy and weak the whole way, her skin was cold and clammy, and her lungs still didn't work properly. She knew well enough that she was in shock, but there wasn't much she could do about it. There was no Monroe, who would have known what to do. That also meant that her guard was down, something that should never happen on a job. At this point there wasn't exactly much that she could do about it and even though she shouldn't, she felt safe with Carlos.
"Here." Carlos said, dropping the bag full of drugs onto the table infront of a laughing Vaas.
He was joking around with the men, laughing like he had no worries in the world. Scar was half way between the car and Turkey Point. Either Vaas really didn't care or the news of Monroe's death hadn't reached him yet. Either way she could feel disgust toward the Pirate King building inside of her. Slowly, Scarlett got closer and when she was a few metres away she stopped and wrapped her arms around herself. Her lungs still didn't work and her head was hurting.
"Ah! Fucking maravilloso, guey. I see the trip went well." Vaas beamed. Scar noticed the bruising on his face but she didn't have it in her to care what had happened to him.
Carlos' turned to look at Scarlett. With blue lips and shaking hands she stood in the dirt, her eyes filled with sadness staring back at Carlos. "Monroe didn't make it." The second in command said with an even voice and turned from the table.
Scarlett closed her eyes and turned her head, she didn't want to see Vaas' reaction. She was absolutely terrified to see his reaction, because her fears might be proven right. Her legs moved her automatically away from the centre of camp. She wasn't even going in the direction of her quarters. She was just wandering. For a moment she thought she'd go to Ash, to tell him the news but she never followed through on that thought. She just wandered, hands shaking and mind racing through thoughts that she didn't remember minutes later.
She didn't know how much time had passed when she finally found her way back to Turkey Point. Some men were there, she didn't care enough to take note of who they were. She sat down at a table which had a half empty label-less bottle of Vaas' god-knows-what poison. She grabbed the neck of the bottle and chugged down three whole gulps of it. It left her spluttering and coughing and her insides burning. Her hand only but tightened on the neck of the bottle as she let out a shaky breath. Another two gulps, more coughing. Ten minutes later her throat felt thick and she was swallowing down sweet spit that seemed to pool up in her mouth in large quantities. She was going to throw up soon, she knew it.
She had enough sense to rise up from the table, removing herself from Turkey Point before she was going to empty the contents of her stomach on one of the tables. Stumbling, she tried to make her way toward her quarters. Her chest ached and she kept spitting out sweet spit. She took another another gulp from the dangerously empty bottle, not long after she was on her knees in the dirt. She was dry-heaving and coughing but her insides didn't want to come out just yet.
She felt fucking sick. The thickness in her throat remained and she spat. After a few more coughs she managed to pull herself off the ground, having to hold the wall for support. She had no idea where she was, her vision was blurred and delayed. After managing to take about two steps she started coughing and dry-heaving again. She needed water and coffee, she knew that, but instead she drank more of the mystery liquid.
She ended up at the big warehouse, rather than her quarters. She didn't go in, but she heard Vaas' drug induced mumbles. She couldn't understand most of what he was saying, since he spoke Spanish for a good amount of the time. He had someone else there too, a hostage by the sounds of it. The sound of desperate crying echoed off the walls and Scar felt sick to her stomach.
"Jesus motherfucking Christ will you fucking stop crying. Huh?" There was a loud smack and a muffled scream of pain. Then a deep chuckle that sent shivers down Scar's spine. He shouted something in Spanish. The weeping quieted down and Vaas spoke in his usual mocking tone, when the hostage got a little louder he raised his voice more. At some point he shouted something about how he "would name all of the tiny fuckers in the world Edward if it made you happy". The beginning of the sentence was in Spanish she she had no clue of the context. Scarlett had never heard of an Edward, nor did she know who the "you" was that Vaas was referring to.
Vaas continued what Scar gathered to be the same sentence. "Do you fucking believe that huh? Some fucking tiny fucker named Edward. Fuck off." Vaas chuckled "The world's a funny fucking place." After some more of the liquid in the bottle Scar dragged herself onto her feet and started walking away from the warehouse, growing bored with Vaas' barely understandable ramblings. She couldn't bring herself to care about the hostage with Vaas. This time she had no excuse, she just didn't fucking care.
Not caring was dangerous, however she felt that it was justified given the current state of affairs. She briefly wondered how the men were doing, Monroe had been a vital member not only in Vaas' camp, but all over the North Island. Everyone here was used to death, they had to be, but Monroe must have been different. He had to be different.
At some point she ended up in her own quarters. She had thought about going to the sea, but the moon was high in the sky and the jungle was more dangerous during the night. All of the animals came out of their hiding spots. Her mind flashed back to Vaas, hearing him torturing whoever the poor bastard was that he ended up choosing. Night was truly the time when all of the animals came out.
She didn't sleep for a long time. She was curled up in a ball on her bed for a good part of the night. Once the alcohol started wearing out and the exhaustion kicked in, she finally managed to sleep.
_x_
"Where's Vaas?" Scarlett asked, her head was killing her. She had a hangover and she was dehydrated and still not over the events of the day before.
Gareth sighed, his shoulders slumped but his eyes were fixed on Scarlett. "Probably at the warehouse. I wouldn't go over there." There was something in his voice that didn't promise good.
"How so?"
Gareth seemed reluctant to say anything, but finally he opened his mouth. "He had one of his moments last night."
Scarlett shook her head. "What exactly does that mean?"
"It means... It means that he had enough alcohol and drugs in his system to be a hair length away from over dosing. He also grabbed one of the hostages and by the sounds of it, it didn't end well for him." Gareth took a sip of his water.
"I heard the screams." Scarlett mumbled, having a vague memory of it. Her mind flashed to the crash yesterday and her stomach felt like turning itself inside out.
"Scarlett," Gareth said, "You don't understand. He took one of the hostages. Not one of the rejects, one of the hostages."
She felt disgusted, but there was a part of her which was worried about Vaas.
"You should stay away from him. I know it's none of my business, but you're still family. No matter what. Vaas is not a good man." Gareth said.
Scarlett nodded. "I know, old man." She stood up, grabbing the water bottle off the table and heading toward the direction of the big warehouse. "I know." She mumbled. Despite what Gareth had just said, she needed to find Vaas. She had helped Monroe with taking care of the wounded for a while, but that didn't mean she could keep doing it. She had always been following instructions, she couldn't have Vaas think that she could take over for him. There was also another part of her, a terrifyingly large part, which was worried about Vaas. There was a very good chance the man was currently on the floor of the warehouse in a pool of vomit.
She took a shaky breath and knocked on the closed door of the warehouse. That in itself should have made her turn back. The door had never been closed, the fact that it was meant trouble. When there was no answer from the inside, she grabbed the handle of the door with both of her hands and using her whole strength, she managed to slide the heavy, rusty metal door open.
The warehouse was empty, with only one figure sitting in a chair in the dim room.
"Vaas?" She called out but no answer. Her head stung when her own voice echoed back at her, but she paid no attention to it as the person in the chair did not move. Her heart rate picked up slightly.
She hurried closer, her vision becoming blurry with tears. The men couldn't lose Vaas right after Monroe. She couldn't lose him.
"Oh no no no no." She muttered, her hands shaking as she shuffled forward. She saw that the person who was in the chair wasn't Vaas and a small wave of relief rushed over her. However the mop of hair on the person looked strangely familiar, so she couldn't stop herself from going closer. She felt something crunch under her shoes when she was close by. With her trembling fingers she reached forward to his chin and pulled it up. The body was cold, and the moment she saw his face she pulled her hand away, like she had been electrocuted and turned around. Her hand was on her mouth, she shook her head from left to right, trying to hold down the vomit.
It was David. Instead of his eyes there were two holes in his head. Dried blood was on his mouth and chin, like he had been drooling it.
Vaas had scooped out his eyes. Her stomach gave an ugly lurch and she was glad she had had a very small breakfast. Scarlett squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, but when the only image she saw was David's dead face she was forced to open them. She took a step away, but she felt something under her toes again. She slowly looked down and she saw teeth and fingernails, scattered all around the chair. Vaas had pulled out all of his teeth.
Sé que mintió acerca de la rehén. / I know you lied about the hostage.
Vete a la verga culero! Qué chingados? / Fuck you asshole. What the fuck?
Un poco, sí. / A little, yes.
Pendejo. / Jackass (and/or) Asshole.
Usted sufre de alucinaciones. / You're delusional.
Maravilloso / Marvellous.
A/N: Yeah.
I'm shit at updating this story. I know. I won't even throw any excuses at you.
Reviews are better than having your teeth, nails and eyes pulled out.