Dudes. Like dudes, I am so sorry. I know you know things have been less than desirable for us, but even by our standards-
Whoops.
I've never gone so long without posting I got kicked out of all 3 of the damn sites we post too... That's just embarrassing.
For any of you that haven't completely abandoned this story, which, you know, I get-
I really hope you enjoy these chapter drops...
He bites his lip as he watches the armory intensely, wanting to kick himself.
Or T for suggesting this.
Which was so at odds from his initial gratitude to the smaller boy.
He'd almost kissed T when he'd stopped them about a mile out and told them the new plan.
Mostly because this time around, his only job was to keep an eye on Deez-
Something he realized he should've sought details for. He'd just been so fucking relieved to be off cage duty-
And, if he were being honest, he was happy that for the first time in forever he was in a position he could protect his Treasure.
But the minute she'd disappeared behind the door, it dawned on him-
What the hell was he supposed to be guarding her from?
Neither T or Deez had gone into detail.
Which just checked all the boxes when it came to those two working in tandem-
He'd forgotten how much he hated it. T and Deez working together.
Almost always on the same page without much more than silent exchanges.
Idiot.
He was just such an idiot for thinking it had to do with Deez's nerves-
He swallows a sigh.
An assumption he would never be making again.
Not when she nearly bounced as she snuck from shadow to shadow.
Away from him and into-
He frowns.
Danger didn't feel right like the right word. Not with his Treasure's endurance and strength.
But it was the best word he could come-
His eyes widen at a sudden shift in the air.
An orange haze lighting up the sky.
The smell of gunpowder burning.
The taste of smoke as it billowed out around the door frame and every small crack and crevice.
His skin freezes as the world seems to slow before suddenly speeding up again.
A deafening round of pops sounds off one after another in quick succession.
His stomach twists into a tight knot when he watches the walls of the structure start to shake.
Glass shatters.
Tiny balls of flame fly from every opening, and it takes him a moment to realize they were what was making the popping sound.
Bullets.
Bullets were flying, but not because people were shooting.
Deez!
A shadow blurs as it jumps out a window, smoke clinging to the tiny shape as it rolls across the ground and away from the building that was now a raging inferno.
His blood rushes in his ears as he races towards her and sweeps her off her feet. Surprising himself with how swiftly he was able to move with the right incentive.
"Thank you," Deez smiles as he presses her to his chest, her arms instantly wrapping around his neck, "at least I got out before it-"
The building behind them groans before collapsing, the sound of flames whooshing and churning in the destruction almost defining, and only interrupted by whizzes and pops.
"-did that." she finishes with a hesitant smile.
He pauses briefly, a bitter taste flooding his mouth at the implication the last building had collapsed on her.
His head whips back as a blood-curdling scream bursts into a crescendo.
Shit!
"Two down," Deez continues as she looks around, "I really wish we could go back to the first camp. I'd feel better if I could wipe out all the ammunition we know about."
He tightens his grip on her protectively as he bullies himself not to think about it or waste precious time blurting out the million questions just begging to be asked.
"That way." Deez suddenly points between two buildings, "I hear something."
Damn it!
He grimaces, not having another option but to skid to a halt to shift course-
Deez presses a hand to his chest before she holds a finger to her lips, her eyes narrowed as she listened.
Though how she could hear anything over the sounds of terrorized screams, he would never know.
"The cages are on the other side of this building, I can hear the others," Deez whispers as she shifts her head, straining to hear something, "but I don't remember these buildings on the map, or at the other camps."
Great.
He frowns as he follows her next direction.
A brief flare of jealousy roars to life as he rolls his eyes.
Of course, she'd memorized the stupid map.
"Gil?"
The fear in her voice makes him pause as he drops his eyes to her.
The best he could manage under the circumstances.
"We have to tell the others that there are girls in there."
A chill runs down his spine at her shift in tone, quickly turning into a bitter lump in his throat when he can't discern which of her emotions were most paramount-
Her concern, fear, or-
Disgust?
The way her nose scrunched.
The slight frown.
That look had definitely been disgust.
Relief fills him when the cages finally come into view.
Fuck, he was going to be sore later if his burning lungs were any indication.
She frowns as she rushes to open her third gate.
Screams.
It was always going to be screams, wasn't it?
T's version of a distraction.
Horrifyingly effective.
These were grown men screaming like scared little girls; what the fuck was T doing?
"Come on, we're getttin' ya outta here." She calls into the darkness at the back of the bleak cage.
Nothing.
She groans as she races forward, pushing the filthy scraps of fabric out of her way as she searches the small cage for someone.
Her brow furrows when she doesn't find anyone, just a half-eaten bowl of some kind of mush.
It was the middle of the night, where-
No.
She rushes out and starts on the next lock.
Something was off here.
The first three cages had terrified girls in them.
At least they'd been too grateful to escape to question her, just meekly followed her directions to wait in the shadows.
Her heart skips a beat as she meets a set of ice blue eyes.
Strikingly familiar but foreign.
"Ya gonna stare or we doin' this?" CJ quips as she leans against the bars, her torn and dirty shirt just long enough to hang past her thighs, "I won't bite so long as ya ain't ah asshole."
She ignores the contempt that colors the Hook's tone as she starts on the lock.
"Oh? An' they be rewardin' the girl soldiers now?" CJ's brow furrows as she takes a step back, her wide eyes glued to the lock picks "wait, U-" Her eyes quickly lighten with hope.
"Sshhh," She demands in a whisper, "we're gettin' ya'll outta here."
"Really?" CJ's voice trembles with trepidation, "what 'bout Har-"
"He be happy ta be gettin' ya out," she states with confidence-
Sure, Harry and CJ had never really seen eye to eye but-
He didn't hate her.
Though, looking at the terrified girl, she wouldn't have been able to leave her even if he did.
"Aye?" CJ questions, hopefully.
"Aye," she nods, feeling a tightness in her chest at the sudden shift in the younger girl's attitude, "we can be explainin' later, but fer now, hush."
Tears gather in CJ's eyes, but she nods and, for what had to be the first time in her life, stays silent.
If she weren't so scared, she'd have been proud of the littlest Hook.
"Harry? We need you over here."
She looks up at the sound of Deez whispering frantically, but quickly shakes it off, so she can focus on the lock.
There were at least twice as many cages in this camp, and the locks seemed heavier than the first.
"You pick locks?" She asks, realizing she was going to need all the help she could get.
"O'course. I be Hook don't I?"
"Aye," she nods as the lock pops open before she hands her picks over, "come on, we're getting everyone out."
"Aye, aye Cap'n." CJ nods as she snatches the set.
She rushes to the next door before she drops and pulls another set from her boots.
T would be proud of how many she had stashed on her tonight.
The next cage also has a girl in it, dressed much like CJ and the first three.
Just a ripped and dirty shirt that barely covered them.
Her heart freezes.
No.
No, that couldn't be what this camp was for.
But then, why had CJ come on to her?
Asked if female soldiers were getting rewarded?
A white-hot rock pluments in her stomach.
This place-
T's insistence of hitting one more camp-
Of picking the one furthest from them-
Oh, sea gods!
Sweat beads on her forehead as she renews her effort to pop the locks.
Harry.
T.
Faustina.
Were they okay?
Were they handling this place?
Had they known?
T's dark expression floods her mind.
His lack of reluctance when she demanded he come to her.
The steel in his tone.
The promise in his eyes.
She grimaces.
Suddenly, all the screaming made more sense.
He races after Deez and Gil, worried about what they'd found that would make them want to interrupt the rescue.
He'd already seen one of T's distractions running past, the spider web like veins of black snaking up the man's neck before he fell to the ground in agony.
He grimaces.
T was definitely feeling some type of way if that was the distraction he'd resorted to.
He frowns when Gil puts his back to one of the weird buildings that seemed to be standing guard over the cages.
"What be wrong?" He asks as Deez slips from Gil's grip, the look in her eyes giving him pause.
Tears.
Angry tears.
But still tears.
"There's," Deez takes a deep breath before she points to a door, "we have to help them, inside."
His frown deepens.
Help-
His heart stills as ice courses through his veins.
Girls.
The cages only held girls.
Girls who cowered at the sight of them.
"I can hear crying, and fighting" Deez continues through clenched teeth as white flames drip down her cheeks, "and there's men with them." she pulls her daggers out, "hurting them."
Acrid heat fills his mouth as his gut twists.
His lips pull into a disgusted sneer.
Fucking scum.
"We be ah gettin' 'em." He promises her before he gives in to the urge burning him and sets off.
The need to get to the girls was overwhelming.
Not again.
There was not going to be another Pleasure Island.
No more pleasure kids.
Not on his fucking watch.
Another agonized scream fills the charged air, as a feral growl echoes in its wake.
Ah.
T knew what this place was.
That's why he wasn't holding back.
These people didn't deserve pity.
They'd get no easy passing.
He couldn't blame him.
He was barely aware of Deez and Gil flanking him as he busted through the door into the dimly lit room beyond.
"No!" A girl cries, "no, please!"
"Please!"
"Stop!"
Terrified voices flood his brain before he begins pulling animals out of the makeshift beds that lined the wall.
"Gil, ya be ah gettin' the girls outta here, now!" he orders as Gil's hammer knocks a mountain of a man away from the girl under him.
"Harry!" Gil shouts out as another man flies past him.
He hisses as something stings his back, turning to find a gangly soldier holding a bloodied sword in his direction.
"Ya have ta wait yer turn newb, an' grunts ain't scheduled-"
He doesn't let the man finish as his fist connects with the man's jaw.
Disgust.
Rage.
The man chuckles before he spits blood onto the floor between them, "I see ya have ah death wish, fine by me." the wicked grin widens as he pulls a short sword out with his free hand, "form up!"
He blocks the attack with a snarl.
When the man presses forward, he jumps back, only to find hands attempting to grab him.
Fuck, where had these assholes come from?
He rips himself out of their grips before he staggers back towards his opponent.
An unfamiliar growl fills the air before several of the men fly away from him with varying grunts and cries of pain.
"We got 'em out. Move!" Gil barks, tone nothing short of a demand.
Good.
The girls were safe.
He parries the incoming attack before he drags his dagger across the soldier's thigh.
Another feral snarl rips through the air as another group of men gets knocked away from him.
"Now!" Deez's worried voice demands.
His heart pounds at the alarm.
Things were getting close.
Too close.
Even in the dark, he could see he was sorely outnumbered.
Where was the exit?
He jumps when Deez rushes past him, "go!" she screams before she plants both feet in a soldier's chest, nearly punching clean through the man before she shoves him away.
Everyone in the room pauses when a deafening crack follows a loud roar of rage.
"OUT!" Gil orders with barely contained fury.
He blocks another sword as Deez races towards Gil, catching him around the waist as she passes before she jumps through a hole in the wall.
They roll together several times before being pulled to their feet by Gil.
"Shit."
He puts his back to Gil's and Deez as they spin in a circle.
They'd made it outside, but they were still surrounded.
"Looks like the rebels are getting ballsy."
"I call the girl, she looks like she'd be fun ta break."
A malicious laugh follows, "Yu be rewardin' the winner o' this nicely."
Shit.
They were completely surrounded.
"I can make a hole." Deez calls out frantically before her fingers begin to glow orange.
"Do it," Gil grips his hammer tighter, "I got the trash." He adds as he swings the mighty weapon with purpose.
Pride wells in his chest at his Sweet Boy's lack of hesitation.
"Light 'em up." He nods before he takes the opposite side of Gil.
Deez growls as her flames jump away from her, forming a wall of death in front of her.
"Fuck!"
"How the fuck!"
"It be her!"
Several of the men back up before they turn tail.
He laughs at the looks of fear.
"Look it the scared cod fish, runnin' 'way from ah wee torch." He snickers as he turns to follow his family.
"Fuck you!"
Silver and orange wink at him before he closes his eyes on instinct.
He'd missed someone.
Someone willing to step closer to death to get a hit.
Someone-
White-hot pain radiates from his jaw.
Across his eye.
Warmth spills over his jaw as he drops his dagger to hold his face.
Shit.
It finally happened.
Someone got his Pretty Boy face.
The world tips under his feet as heat roars in his ears.
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
He turns immediately at her cry of despair as he kicks off a wall to keep his momentum.
What the hell is your-
His heart slams in his chest as fear spears through it-
His vision tints red as rage courses through him with a passion he hadn't felt since the Evil Queens.
A deep, guttural growl reverberates through his being as he hurdles forward with a singular goal.
Flames?
Follow the flames.
Deez wasn't supposed to use her fire in the open.
He growls as he arcs around the corner to find a group surrounding Gil. He catches the glimmer of his hammer swinging over his head before several men go flying.
Near the no longer gentle looking giant he catches Deez holding a limp Harry to her chest with her hand tightly clamped over one of his eyes, her other hand held a dagger at the ready, slashing at anyone stupid enough to get close to her.
No!
He lunges forward as his daggers slide through one body after another.
A malicious smirk curves his lips as a grotesque cacophony of cries and screams of agony echo in his wake.
Sadistic pleasure bubbles in his chest as more and more of the soldiers shift their attention in his direction.
Dead.
They were all dead. They just didn't know it yet.
Wet warmth splatters across his face with every slice as he whirls through the soldiers in a frenzy of fury and spite.
Urged by Faustina's desperation and his need for vengeance.
Blood.
Distinct.
Potent.
And rushing down Harry's face.
Unacceptable.
All of it was unacceptable.
Unforgivable.
Punishable.
These men weren't worthy of mercy.
Or the swiftness of his retribution.
And so help the fuck who'd dared to wound what was theirs.
He was going to make an example.
A purely sadistic laugh passes at the thought of paying the man back in full.
"Go!" Deez screams as she pulls Harry's limp body into her arms before she shoulder checks Gil, "We gotta go! That's the Spider!"
Silly girl, playing as if there would be survivors to pass on that the Spider and the rebel group weren't connected.
Gil turns to him, but whatever look he was giving him-
Whatever message he was trying to pass silently-
He didn't have time for it.
He flips his blades in his hands, momentarily relieved when Gil finally breaks out of his defensive stance.
"Wanna fuckin' play? Let's fuckin' play!" He snarls as he railroads through more soldiers, blind to the pain of those managing to get a score on him as he continues to plow through those stupid enough to stay behind.
All guts-
And on his grave, no glory.
His swings grow more vindictive as his detestation and revulsion morphs into bitter, unadulterated loathing.
Not sure he'd ever felt such contempt-
Or perhaps he'd never felt their combined version of it.
The weight of his clothes grow heavy as blood soaks through the layers, "Get him the fuck outta here, fucking now!" He commands in a nasty snarl as his blade glides through another chest as if it were butter.
This place was disgusting.
The people here-
Worse.
Unworthy of pity-
Leniency.
There would be no remorse this night.
No guilt or shame.
Just retribution at its darkest core.
He'd leave this place a massacre-
A message to Yu not to fuck with what was theirs.
Well…
That went in a direction.
Any of you expecting what the resistance (Fam and Co) were going to be up against when they arrived at this particular camp?
What are you guys thinking?
Happy we finally had CJ on screen- Pissed what we put her through?
Let us know!
But, seriously, of course they'd have this type of camp-
Because, you know- Nothing better than soldiers who have been trained since birth *vomits in mouth a little* right?
And then T-
Just…
The fuck?
Talk about a fucking reaction-
But did you expect any less at a breeder camp?
T be a fucking psycho, yo. Disagree? State your case.
Personally, I find his response unsettling, lil' fucking sociopath-
Talk about seeing red-
But, more importantly-
How do you think his fam will react?
Love to hear your thoughts on this chapter
-Twisted