Walter drove through the canyons on his way to the cave to pick up more product and drop off more supplies for Mac. While swerving around a boulder he thought about what he'd said to his son last night. When it came down to it Walter was a business man first, and a father close to third. Mac was becoming more and more of a problem, he was disobeying more often and using too much. If this girl turned out to be an ally rather than an enemy as far as his business was concerned then she may just be the perfect person to replace Mac regardless of the paternity test.
Walter rounded the last corner and slammed on his brakes. There, parked at the entrance to the cave was Krystal's suv. He threw the truck in park not bothering to turn it off before he raced into the cave . As he neared the enclave where the lab was held he could hear her voice, low and mocking "Never good enough no matter how hard you try." Walter rounded the corner and found Mac on top of her half naked body, choking the life from her.
"Harder" she rasped out, making Walter's steps to throw his son off falter. 'What in Dios name is wrong with this girl?'
Kristy inhaled a desperate breath as soon as the offending hands crushing her windpipe were removed.
"What the fuck are you doing? Do you ever listen? I told you not to touch her!" she heard before she cracked her eyes open to see the bartender from Luna Mesa beating Mac relentlessly on the ground next to the mattress.
"Dad please, 'm sorry." Mac pleaded as Walter slammed his fist into his face over and over.
'Dad?' Maybe it was the chemical fumes messing with her brain. Maybe it was the memories of her own childhood abuse brought back by Mac's pitiful begging. Something inside her snapped and made her start screaming at Walter.
"Walter stop! Get the fuck off him!" Her yells fell on deaf ears as Walter continued to lay into his son viciously, while Mac curled up in a ball and tried his best to protect his already bloody face.
Kristy felt rage and possessiveness well up inside her. If anyone was going to cause him pain it was going to be her. "It was consensual, I told him to do it!" Still nothing. "He saved my life last night, I owe him one!"
That one made Walter falter in his assault momentarily. He knew it was bullshit, he just couldn't understand why she was trying to cover for Mac's pathetic ass.
"You don't need to lie for him." Walter growled as he began kicking Mac in the ribs.
When Mac let out particularly pained moan she started inching along the mattress as much as her restricted body could, getting closer to them. Rearing her right leg back she kicked Walter in his hip, sending him to the ground. Walter was furious at her coming to Mac's aid, if she ever got her claws into his oldest son, he knew he would be in serious trouble. It was time for her to die.
"Kill her now and dump the body. No playing around!" he roared at his son, who was trying to get up, still wheezing a bit from the boot to his chest.
Mac got up finally, clutching his side he drew his knife and looked at her uncertainly. Sure she had just saved his ass from a much worse beating he knew his father had been set on giving him. But Walter was finally choosing him over something, in a way. He felt reluctant to miss out on making her suffer underneath him though he knew he had to obey. He decided to grant her one mercy and end it quickly.
Kristy cleared her hoarse throat as she watched Mac stagger forward, knife clutched in his dirty hand. She knew there was only one way to get out of this alive.
"If you kill me you'll never get another hit of that pink meth you're so fond of." Mac looked at her in disbelief at the mention of his favorite drug. "Found one of my packaging bags in your truck while I was busy blowing out your tires." she explained with a smirk thrown his way.
"Kill her already!" Walter ordered Mac. He was not pleased with his son's hesitation.
She turned her head to Walter. "Please tell me you're the one in charge here." she asked mockingly, raising an eyebrow.
Walter nodded tersely in confirmation. "Yes, but sometimes this dog does not know his place" he spat, waving a hand towards Mac.
"Hold on now Walter, I apologize for my kicking you but you're a business man are you not? Why kill off the one person who could increase your profits tenfold?" She hurriedly got out as Walter hoisted himself off the ground with the help of a nearby rickety chair.
He was still pissed but listening none the less. "Go on."
"Well your henchman here is familiar with my product and it's grade A quality. Perhaps we can make a deal that will suit both of us?" It seemed she'd been making deals to save herself her entire life.
"Bullshit! There aint no way that lil cunt was tha one makin' that shit!" Mac roared, trying to win his father over.
Things were no longer in his favor. He should have just slashed her throat the moment his father gave him permission.
"Oh you have no idea baby boy." she replied with a coy smile.
"Let me prove it." she proposed to Walter. "If I'm lying shoot me. If I'm not, let me cook for you. I can guarantee I'll at least triple your monthly earnings. He can even test it." she motioned toward Mac with her head, hands still bound.
Walter stroked his graying goatee as he thought her proposal over. If she was indeed the creator of the rose tinted meth that had nearly put him out of business months ago and had his son climbing up a tree for his next fix. Then he was even more fortunate to have found this girl than he ever thought. Walking forward, Walter grabbed the knife from Mac's hands and cut through Kristy's bindings.
"Proceed." he consented, waving his hand in the direction of the work tables.
"I do have a few conditions." she warned as she snatched her shorts from the ground and yanked them on. "I use my set and my ingredients. Everything I need is in the back of my car. And neither of you can watch while I work." She grabbed her useless panties and stuffed them in her pocket before adding. "I'll die before I let anyone else have my recipe."
"Fuck that lemme jus torture it outta er." Mac demanded, stomping in her direction.
This bitch was about to ruin his entire life. If he could 'accidentally' puncture a major artery he'd be golden.
Kristy let out a long laugh. "Weren't you paying any attention to detail while you were groping? Mark, is it? You wouldn't be the first to try that approach and you certainly wont be the one to get it out of me." she advised, motioning with a sweep of a hand up and down her scar riddled body.
"The name's Mac. M.A.C. best r'member it 'caus when yer shit aint good 'nough yer gonna be screamin' it, beggin' fer me ta stop." he threatened, getting right up in her face in an attempt at intimidation.
She let out dismissing laugh and turned to Walter. "Would you kindly order your dog to assist me in retrieving my things from the car?"
Walter gave her a small smile at her use of words and nodded his head. "Mac, help the lady get her things." he ordered before turning to Mac, giving back the knife. "And don't try running, he has full permission to take you down if you do."
She nodded in understanding. "There wont be any running, I'm right where I want to be." She started off towards the exit before turning back to the pissed off hick in coveralls. Kristy whistled and said in an enthusiastic voice one would use when talking to a dog, "Here boy, come on.".
"Fuck yew bitch!" he retorted before turning to Walter. "Ya can't be serious, this lil bitch can't be trus-"
Walter cut him off, fed up with the amount of disobedience Mac had shown today. "Not another word from you. Don't think I didn't notice the cut and bruise on her neck!" He yelled, pushing Mac to follow Krystal "Get moving."
With Walter supervising they moved all the supplies and instruments into the cave where an entire table was cleared off just for her.
"How long will it take for you to make a sample?" Walter inquired as he watched her set up an array of equipment.
"A standard size batch would take twelve hours. For a sample? Approximately four." she replied without looking up from attaching some tubing to a beaker.
Walter was not about to leave Mac alone with her again. He was certain his son would kill her because ultimately, her resulting creation would end one of their lives. Before stepping outside to update Devon on today's events and tell him to continue running the bar for a few more hours Walter warned each of them. "No bullshit."
Once everything was in place she suited up. 'Time to show them what you're made of girl' she thought to herself and got to work.
Walter and Mac relaxed at the entrance of the chamber with their backs turned, each with a beer in hand. The four hours they spent waiting was the closest thing to quality time he'd ever had with his father.
By the time she was finished he was fidgeting and pacing in anticipation. Getting on Walter's last nerve while he was at it.
"It's done." she announced through her mask with a proud smile.
Though under pressure, cooking this small sample had been a release she'd desperately needed. She felt so relaxed, on cloud nine. Kristy dumped the powdered product into one of the discarded tins from the floor and handed it to Mac with a confident smirk. "Enjoy."
Mac whipped out a straw and snorted as much of the pink powder as he could in one inhale. The familiar intense euphoria flooded his senses and made him almost moan. This was definitely the stuff. 'FUCK'
"So?" Walter asked, expecting an answer. He got nothing, only Mac closing his eyes in bliss as the drug ran through his system.
"Look at him, isn't that answer enough?" Kristy answered confidently, gesturing at the man to her left who looked like he was about to come in his pants.
Walter nodded in agreement.
Mac opened his eyes and found himself looking down the barrel of a gun.