Let's go!
Arc 2: Chapter 15
Roman blinked.
"Um. Come again?"
"Ruby's missing," snapped Hei.
Roman set his cane down to lean on, processing what he just heard.
"…How?"
Hei grunted.
"Ask DJ." It sounded accusing, and the teenager flinched.
Melanie snapped harshly, levelling a glower his way.
"Oh lay off him, Hei! It's not his fault the kid's gone."
"Well, it doesn't change the fact the kid's gone."
Roman stepped forward, arms up in the air waving as he tried to calm everyone.
"Guys, guys. Calm down. Red's gone. Did she wander off or did she get kidnapped or something."
"I don't know!" wailed DJ.
"You idiot! You're supposed to know! You were watching her," berated Hei.
"Well, Hei? Have you got anyone looking for her, then?!" Continued Roman.
Hei cast Roman a condescending side-eye.
"What do you think, Roman. I've got Tony and Miltia out looking as we speak."
"Yeah! So relax, alright!" snapped Melanie, only to receive a pointed look from Hei. She didn't back down, however.
"What's got you up a wall, Hei," frowned Roman.
"Nothing!"
No-one believed that for an instant, and Roman cocked an eyebrow to emphasise that.
"It's just… I don't like this city," finally admitted Hei, glancing down at the ground as he chewed his bottom lip anxiously.
"There's some rather unsavoury people here. It gives me Mistral vibes is all."
"Yeah, no reason to bite our heads off then," snorted Melanie with a roll of her eyes, arms crossed.
Before Hei could respond with something snappy, she added, taking note of Roman.
"What the hell happened to you, anyway? You look like you just came out of a slaughterhouse?"
Hei followed her gaze, only for his eyes to go wide as they settled on Roman.
"Oh, this?" He pulled on the hem of his coat. "Eh, it's nothing." Neo nodded her head enthusiastically in concurrence.
Hei strode over to Roman, roughly grabbing the bloodstained coat and roughly pulling it up to Roman's face.
"This?! This is not nothing, Roman!"
"Relax. I just relieved it off some douche who didn't need it anyway," dismissed Roman.
"Roman," warned Hei.
Any further conversation was cut off as the tavern door opened, revealing Miltia and Tony, both of whom looked exhausted.
Hei's head shot up, hopeful. All he received was a resounding shake of his head from the duo.
He mouthed a foul curse, but otherwise refrained from being vocal about his disappointment.
"Look, maybe she decided to run off," suggested Melanie with a shrug.
"She wouldn't," replied Hei.
"You don't know, Hei," came her terse reply.
"Get your head out of this rut and just move on."
Hei wheeled on Melanie.
"How can you say that?! She's just a kid!"
Melanie reached a boiling point. She couldn't take it anymore, and she exploded.
"Just a kid?! Hei! Wake the fuck up! That girl is a freaking omen! Ever since you brought her into our lives, it's gone to hell!"
Hei looked ready to retort, but Melanie stood up and was suddenly in his face. Her head barely reached his chin, but she still found a way to pull off an intimidating presence as she glared at him, her face mere centimetres from his.
"Lauren! Liam! Jess! Michael! Larry! Grover! Laura! Timothy! Duck!" She paused, before whispering softly, the faint traces of tears beginning to well in her eyes.
"Emerald…."
Hei felt his expression falter as Melanie gathered her resolve and continued.
"Do any of those names mean ANYTHING to you?! Huh! Well?! Do they?!"
"Of course they do," sighed Hei, his face and tone turning sombre.
"Not a day goes by that I don't think of every single one of them."
Melanie didn't let up. She continued with much vitriol in her voice.
"Well, I'm glad you do! Because their blood is on your hands, all because you wanted that little Grimm-spawning monster to stay with us."
Everyone was taken aback. Miltia unsteadily approached her sister with an uncertain look.
"Uh, sis? Maybe you just need-"
"No, Miltia," she cut off. "I want Hei to hear this. Because I am sick and tired of this."
Miltia clamped up while her sister continued her tirade. All while Hei stood there unmoving, taking it.
"Everyone is dead since you brought that girl into the fold. And now that she's gone, you want to go off searching for her, hoping she'll turn up? At what cost, then, Hei. How many more of us have to die so you can play father to a girl you don't even know, who's not even human! Well?! Because, I am sick and tired of seeing everyone I care about die."
Tony stepped forward and interjected.
"Melanie. You can't lump all the blame onto Hei for what happened. It was those Huntsmen – "
"Huntsmen that were after her, Tony," corrected Melanie with a glare in his direction.
"Or are you so far up Hei's ass you can't see that simple truth."
Tony stiffened, but Melanie wasn't finished.
"The girl is gone, and frankly, I think it's for the best. Our lives have already been destroyed because of her presence, and I for one am not going to risk my sister, or anyone else's lives, just so can she cling to us and act like a magnet for death and misery!"
Roman frowned.
"It's hardly the kid's fault, Melanie. Surely you can see that. She has no control over the actions of others."
"You're right, Roman," exclaimed Melanie, and at this point, she couldn't withhold the tears threatening to spill.
"It's all your fault, Hei. You knew, and you still kept her around! You promised that you wouldn't let anything happen, and yet it still did!"
She screamed, and the tears flowed freely.
Hei never hated himself as much as he did right there. Every single mistake of his came back to haunt him, and as much as he shouldered the burden of being responsible for everyone's death, to have it so blatantly pointed out made clear just how badly he had failed.
It would have been so easy to argue with the fourteen year old in front of him, but what was the point? Everything Melanie just said was true, and was clearly on everyone else's mind, even if they refused to say it aloud out of respect or fear.
He closed his eyes as he felt his own tears begin to well up, before deciding to kneel down in front of a distraught Melanie.
She looked at him in sudden confusion.
"What are you doing…?" she trailed off, her tear stains evident.
Without saying a word, he wrapped his arms around her and brought her in close.
"What are you-?! Get off of me!" she cried, but he didn't budge. Before she could protest any further, Hei spoke.
"I'm sorry," he choked out.
"For what little it is worth, I am sorry."
Melanie froze. His words came out as a wheeze, barely louder than a whisper. Yet even she could tell how raw and vulnerable he sounded.
"For everything. You are absolutely right. I promised… and I failed. Not just you, but everyone here. And most importantly, those who aren't."
He rested his forehead on her bosom, and she could feel the tears beginning to stain her clothes.
"And even worse, I haven't given you, or anyone here, the proper chance to grieve."
Melanie felt frozen on the spot as Hei spoke.
"Hei…"
"I am sorry. I know my words can never bring back the people we loved and cared about. You have every right to hate me."
His head broke contact with her as he turned to face everyone else, revealing the tearstained face of a broken man.
"You all do. All I can ever do is hope to atone, and even then, I will never succeed, because of how badly I failed you all."
He trembled as he spoke, and suddenly Melanie felt less certain about her own vitriol.
"I am trying. To do everything I can to look out for you, as you are all I have left!"
He looked ashamed.
"That is why I have to try. I have to at least try to find and look out for Ruby, as I am trying to do with every single one of you all here. Because if I can't even help one of you after my fuckup, then what's the point?" he bitterly admitted as tears ran freely down his face.
It was at this point he finally released Melanie and prostrated himself on all fours, openly weeping as he confessed.
"I don't deserve any ounce of your loyalty or forgiveness. But please, allow me to at least try and keep you all safe."
It was silent in the room, sans for the sound of Melanie's sniffling and Hei's trembling breath.
"You are all I have left," he finally whispered out.
The silence felt so overbearing that it was almost a relief when someone other than Hei began to speak.
That someone was Tony, and instantly, the room felt more tense than ever as a verdict was about to come to.
"Hei," began Tony with a sigh.
"We've been together since you led us out of Mistral. I won't claim to speak for the others, but my loyalty to you has never been in question. While I am not necessarily pleased about some of your recent decisions, I can hardly blame you for the death of everyone. It was those messed up Huntsman who can take credit for that."
Roman nodded, as did Miltia.
"Absolutely. If anything, you're the reason we're even alive right now."
Melanie wasn't having any of it, however, and her broken voice came through cracking as she spoke.
"Even after everything…. You still want to risk our lives trying to find her?"
Hei's hands dropped to his side, and with a heavy sigh as he steeled his resolve, he spoke.
"I have to try, Melanie. Otherwise everything has been for nothing, and everyone will have died in vain…."
Melanie tensed as she looked away, refusing to meet Hei's desperate eyes.
"I don't want my sister to die," she mumbled, but Hei still heard her.
"And I promise you, I will not let that come to pass."
She finally returned his gaze with pursed lips.
"Like you promised everyone else wouldn't?"
"Melanie," he stood up, resting a hand on her shoulder.
"I will die before I let anyone else here get killed. Of that, I swear."
Before anyone could say anything, the entrance door behind them suddenly opened, and several men in trench coats entered.
Everyone present turned to look at the newcomers in surprise. Hei instantly scowled once he locked eyes with the person at the front.
"Carter. What are you doing here?"
The man in question casually strolled forward, inclining his head as he scrutinised everyone present.
Neo and Roman instinctively stepped back into each-other, refusing to expose their backs to the strange men. Carter stopped just shy of Neo and glanced down at her curiously. In return, she narrowed her eyes at him, all while Carters six men took positions blocking the entrance.
Hei instantly felt on edge.
"Ah, Hei. Why, I am here purely as a good Samaritan today. A little birdy of mine noticed your kid had wandered off. And I couldn't bear the thought of such an innocent, cute little kid having an encounter with such unscrupulous people like the kind that inhabit this city!"
Carter's smile was all teeth, and Hei's eyes widened a fraction.
"What did you just say…?"
"You're meant to say 'thank you', Hei," added Carter, before gesturing to one his men near the door to leave. The man nodded.
"Fuck off, Carter. What are you talking about?"
Carter's smile dropped.
"I just rescued your kid, and I am returning her to you. I think that should warrant you being a little more polite."
The door opened, and two men came in. Or rather, the man Carter sent off returned, carrying a sleeping Ruby in his arms. The second one was less a man and more a teenage boy, wearing gaudy jewellery and a shaved head. He was sporting several fresh bruises and cuts, and the second he laid eyes on Roman and Neo, he went pale.
Roman's eyes widened a fraction in recognition, as did Neo's.
Carter accepted the sleeping form of Ruby into his arms, and Hei stormed over.
"My thanks, Carter," he growled, ready to accept Ruby, but Carter instead pulled Ruby back.
"Ah, now, before that, I would ask that you reconsider my offer, Hei."
Tony and Miltia glanced at Hei in confusion, while his scowl only deepened.
"And I would ask that you reconsider my answer, which is still no."
"Come now," smiled Carter disarmingly, still cradling Ruby in his arms.
"You're a very interesting man, Hei. Surely you want some financial security and stability? Especially for your daughter?"
Hei felt a growl grow in the back of his throat, but Carter merely dismissed it with a light-hearted chuckle, angling his head to stare down fondly at the small girl he was holding.
"She's such a cute thing. I almost have a hard time actually believing she's yours. I mean, the face shape is all wrong. And she's far too pale for a Mistralian."
"Yeah, well, not much sun here in Vale," spat Hei.
"True. True," nodded Carter, before letting his eyes slide up knowingly to meet Hei's.
"And don't get me started on her eyes."
Hei felt his heart drop.
"Silver is such a… unique colour."
Before anyone could say or do anything, the punkish kid that got spooked upon seeing Neo and Roman shuffled over to Carter and began to whisper something in his ears.
Carter looked visibly annoyed at being interrupted.
"What is it? I'm busy."
"I-it's them," began the punk, glancing at Roman and Neo nervously.
"They're the ones that killed Kast."
Carter flicked his eyes over to the pair, interest beginning to show in his eyes.
"Really, now?"
The punk stepped back, instantly feeling his boss's shift in mood while Carter refocused his attention to appraise Hei in a new light.
"We'll discuss the girl in a minute, Hei. Those two," he inclined his head towards Roman and Neo with newfound interest.
"They yours too?"
"Carter. Enough games. Give me –"
"- I knew you were something special, Hei," grinned Carter, cutting Hei off.
"Oh I knew when I first laid eyes on you. You've got your own den of killers here, Hei."
"What are you on about, Carter? I'm not –"
"You two. Is it true? Did you kill old Kast?"
Roman felt nervous, and Neo withdrew slightly into Roman while narrowing her eyes at Carter, daring him to make a move.
"You did, didn't you."
Carter sported an amused smile.
"I don't know what, or who you are talking about," denied Roman.
"Son. Don't lie to me. That's his jacket. And his cane. And he never leaves without either of them. And is that… blood? My, my. You two must have gone to town on him."
Now that Carter mentioned it, Hei finally bothered to notice the state of dress Roman was in, and as Carter spoke, he felt his heart sink.
Roman, what did you do…. Please don't tell me you went and killed a mobsters underling or lieutenant.
"And what's it to you?" replied Roman, looking Carter square in the eyes as he put on a brave front.
"Oh. I like this one Hei. He's got balls."
"Roman. Shut. Up." Growled Hei.
"You see, this is as good a confession as any, Hei. Ya'see? I knew you were one of us!"
"Oh shut up. Hei's nothing like you," spat Miltia.
"Oh yes," breathed Carter excitedly.
"You've got some real feisty underlings by the looks of it Hei. So boy? Why'd you do it?"
He turned to Roman.
"Because you felt like it? Because your boss ordered you to? And after all he said about not wanting to get involved? Oh deary me."
"Carter. Enough. Give me the girl, and go." Hei demanded.
"Now, now, Hei. You know that's not how it works. I did a good deed out of the kindness of my heart! The least you could do is thank me."
"Thank you. Now give me the kid, Carter."
Carter frowned.
"I was hoping with something a little more substantial than words, Hei."
"Then it's not a good Samaritan act if you come expecting something in return. My gratitude should be more than enough for you."
"Hei, Hei, Hei! You are making this really difficult right now!"
Carter was beginning to lose patience.
"Here I am trying to be a nice guy, and meanwhile you have your brats going around killing my people!? Hei, that's not nice."
"Carter. Give me the girl. Or I will kill you."
Carter's smile was a creepy one that was all teeth.
"And there it is. The killer within you, Hei. That's what I want to hear!"
Hei's hand slipped into his jacket and grasped the handle of his club. Carter caught the motion however, and with his free hand, whipped out a wickedly sharp, curved knife.
In an instant, the blade was pressed firmly against Ruby's throat. The second he did that, the twins, Tony, DJ, Roman and Neo were all on their feet, reaching weapons they had on their person if at all. The goons in trenchcoats responded, and reaching within them, they quickly revealed the small crossbows they had been carrying all along. Crossbows that were now aimed at everyone in the room.
"Ah-ah-ah! We wouldn't want things to get messy, Hei. Order your people to stand down."
"You bastard!" snarled Hei.
"I've been called worse. Now order your people to drop their weapons, or I'll start dropping your people instead. Starting with this little interesting thing in my arms," he pressed the knife harder, drawing a trickle of blood. Ruby did not wake up. Instantly, Hei knew something was not right.
"What did you do to her!"
"Oh, the girl?" Carter raised an eyebrow.
"Nothing much. She's just taking a long nap until we conclude business here. Now, weapons on the ground. Now!"
No-one moved a muscle.
Carter sighed.
"Please don't tell me you're going to let a little girl die? Did I seriously misread your affection for her? How embarrassing! Oh well."
Carter started to pull the knife across Ruby's throat until Hei called out.
"Wait! Stop!"
Carter waited, and Hei cursed himself and the situation they were in.
"Dammit. Everyone, just, put your weapons on the ground. Now!"
Everyone felt nervous, and Melanie scowled at Hei furiously.
"Gods dammit Hei!"
"Just do it!" he snapped.
The sound of knives and clubs dropping to the ground echoed out through the room, and now that everyone was weaponless, the crossbow-wielding goons began to encircle everyone.
"Excellent. Now. Let's discuss business, Hei."
Hei glared balefully at Carter as he and everyone else was rounded up into the middle of the room and forced onto their knees.
"Now, we could start with the girl, but there's also the matter of your two people killing a whole bunch of mine."
Carter knelt down in front of Hei, but kept his distance just out of the fuming man's reach.
"Now, I think you can appreciate how troublesome it is when someone kills your underlings. And what that entails. It also means a lot of future unpleasantness. So!"
He stood up.
"Let's cut the chase. I want you to work for me. As a Mistralian, you would have much insight into many new ideas, and I can incorporate those ideas to make sure my people will come out on top of this shithole city."
Hei snorted, but Carter continued.
"For too long, the other families around here have ruled unchecked, and acted with impunity towards how they treat everyone. Both the small-folk that wallow in the muck and filth, and the other gangs. Like mine that are the reason this city even has a sense of order on the streets! I want change, Hei. You could be the key to that change, Hei. An outsider with no fear of the established order, and ideas from another Kingdom that these sleeping fools would never dare to recognise! Wouldn't you like that for your kid? For your people?"
"Are you nuts?! I came here to keep my head down, not start a civil war!"
Carter frowned, before gesturing to one of his goons to take Ruby from his arms while he twirled his knife lazily.
"Hei. Your people killed a bunch of street-bangers that work for me. And you brought a Grimm-Whisperer into this city. That's not exactly laying low. That's making a statement. A very powerful one at that. And while I am not exactly happy at your actions, I do think that's the sort of stuff we need to fight against the big families."
"And what do you want me to do about it?"
"Hei. I just said. You have experience. And you have a weapon ready to be unleashed. It just needs some training, is all."
"No! No deal. Not at all!"
Carter's smile thinned.
"Hei. I don't think you realise you're not in a position to exactly refuse me right now."
Hei's glare intensified.
"Now, as for you two…" Carter glanced towards Roman and Neo.
"You've proven yourselves to be somewhat competent, what with how you managed to kill Kast and his crew. Normally, I would have to punish you for such an offence. However, I will be generous and instead extend you an offer." He extended his hand. "Come work for me as my enforcers."
Roman looked revolted, and Neo was no different. Instead of shaking it or even outright ignoring it, she instead fired a gob of spit onto it, all the while glowering at him.
"Hmm. So be it."
With a disappointed look, Carter looked at the huddled group before singling out DJ.
"Grab me that one," he pointed, and almost immediately a nearby goon strode over with crossbow held in one hand pointed at everyone, and with his free hand, grabbed DJ by the hair and ripped him forward kicking and screaming.
Miltia let a scream in protest while Tony quickly jumped up to stop the thug, only to receive the crossbow being shoved right in his face.
Hei was quick to jump up as well but several crossbows being levelled to his face, as well as the goon holding another knife to Ruby's throat forced him to back down.
DJ was tossed at Carter's feet with pained cry, and the man loomed over him, brandishing the knife calmly.
He slowly looked up at Carter, his body faintly trembling.
"I think you know what's gonna happen next. Don't ya, kid."
"P-please don't," begged DJ with a shake of his head.
"CARTER!" Screamed Hei, lunging forward, only to find himself suddenly restrained by several of the goons.
"GODS FUCKING DAMMIT! Get your hands off me! CARTER! DON'T YOU TOUCH HIM!"
Carter shook his head sadly as he crouched down in front of a pinned DJ.
"Now now, Hei. I wasn't talking to you. My business with you is separate. What happens to the young man here is entirely dependent on whether or not these two here decide to cooperate."
His gaze suddenly turned to the young punk that recognised Roman and Neo.
"Kast's boy. Tell me, what was your name again?"
The punk stepped forward, uncertain.
"Elbott, er, boss." He trailed off, unsure of how to refer to Carter.
Carter nodded slowly.
"Hmm. Well, Elbott. Tell me. How did these two kill Kast, exactly?"
"T-they beat him to death. With his own cane!"
"Splendid!" he sheathed his knife, standing up suddenly.
"Elbott, could you grab me the late Kast's cane, then."
Hei and every one of his people paled at the implications of what was about to come.
Elbott looked stunned, but his stupor quickly grew into enthusiasm, and practically skipped over to where Roman had dropped the cane.
"Wait! You don't need to do this!" screamed Roman desperately. A goon in a trenchcoat placed a firm hand on his shoulder to hold him down as he thrashed. Neo snarled and attempted to fight back, only to receive a blow to the back of her head and several hands pin her down.
Elbott held out the cane for Carter almost reverently. He accepted slowly, and dispassionately, content with quietly observing Roman's panic. Elbott took a step to the side and slightly behind Carter.
"You want us to join you right?! Well, we will then! Just, fucking leave DJ out of this!"
Hei desperately wished Roman didn't have to offer himself up to Carter, but when the choice was between uncertain servitude versus certain death for another person he cared for, he had no choice but to bite his tongue from protesting.
Carter raised an eyebrow. He didn't, however, start swinging, and Roman dared himself to hope.
"If Neo and I agree to work for you, then you have to spare DJ! And all of us!"
Carter pursed his lips in contemplation, letting the cane hang by his side.
"Hmmm. Tempting. But you already refused me the first time. If you'll switch your loyalty to me just because a little pressure is applied, how do I know I'll have your loyalty when it counts the most?"
Roman's mouth was left open as he tried to find the words needed to appease Carter, but his jaw only worked silently, like a fish gaping out of water.
After a pregnant pause filled to the brim with unrelenting tension, Carter broke out into laughter.
"I'm kidding! I'm kidding! Ahahaha… Just kidding," he breathed out.
"I'll have you stay with me as insurance. I only need the midget. She's the one that killed everyone so ruthlessly, right Elbott? That's what you came squealing to me about earlier and said, correct?"
The teenage punk felt uncomfortable about his implication with the word squealing, but answered nonetheless.
"Ah, yes. That's right, boss."
"Then the matter's settled… Roman? Is it? Doesn't matter."
He twirled the cane lazily in an arc before letting it rest atop of his shoulder.
"Very well! I, Carter, shall humbly accept your service to me. However! That still leaves me with the matter of punishment. An example needs to be made irregardless. I can't have any of you thinking I'm soft and that you can take advantage of me, after all."
He pulled the cane back slowly in a batters pose, and DJ whimpered as the goon behind him let go and moved out of the way. Elbott grinned gleefully right behind Carter.
"I think, suffice to say, you all know what happens next. Right, Hei?"
He locked eyes with the young man who instantly looked 20 years older in that instant.
Miltia choked back a sob, whilst Melanie flinched, averting her gaze with a resigned look.
Tony closed his eyes while his lips tightened, already resigned to accepting the course of events about to unfold.
Roman screamed and writhed under the goons vice-like grip but went promptly ignored. Hei, however, felt a surge of anger and rage, like molten lava, explode through his veins.
He surged forward with a primal scream, roaring Carters name. However, it was for nought as he was forcibly held back by Carters men.
Carter swung with full force, and DJ did the best he could to brace himself, squeezing his eyelids so tightly together that they threatened to explode.
A pained shriek howled out through the tavern, and the sound of a body collapsing to the ground in painful mass of writhing flesh was drowned out by the confused and horrified screams of Hei and his people.
DJ opened his eyes slowly in confusion, only to find Carter hadn't swung for him.
The shock of still being alive and in one piece was overwhelming for him.
The sound of Carter swinging the cane into someone, followed by another pained scream rang out again.
The panic slowly died down, replaced by shock and confusion as DJ sat there unharmed.
Instead, Carter swung the cane over his head, before smashing it down onto Elbotts skull with enough force to rival a small Grimm.
Elbott lay on the ground, his face oozing blood, barely able to even move. All the while, Carter swung the cane down viciously onto his body.
The cane impacted with his ribs, cracking them on the first blow. After a few blows that absolutely winded him, Elbott found himself entirely unable to breath as his ribs were now a shattered mess cut into his lungs.
As he wheezed pitifully, Carter swung the cane with an angry grunt onto his head.
The sickening sound of bone cracking underneath reverberated out like a gunshot.
Carters goons stood there impassively, utterly unfazed by the violence happening before them.
Hei, like Roman and everyone else, was stunned at the sudden change in direction violence.
Carter let out a heavy grunt as he swung again onto Elbotts head, the cane this time indenting the skull as skin and bone parted under the sheer force of each swing.
By now, Elbott had grown entirely silent.
Carter swung again, and blood spurted out like a geyser as an artery burst.
Fragments of brain and bone clung to the end of the cane, and splatters of flesh and blood became more prominent with each and every swing.
Still, Carter did not relent.
"Useless. Fucking. Idiot!" Every word was accentuated by the meaty squelch of the cane making violent contact.
The beating of a corpse continued for what felt like an eternity, and by the time Carter decided he was finished, all that remained of Elbott's head was a bloody pile of gore and bone, with blood and greymatter slowly oozing out. Blood and brain lay splattered out in every which direction, and when Carter finally turned to face Hei, his face and the front of his dress shirt was stained with blood spray and chunks of gore. The cane he was wielding was drenched slick with Elbott's innards.
One of Elbotts limp fingers twitched as the last vestiges of a motor-neuron connection died out, and with dramatic flair, Carter slowly approached Roman, cane extended, before dropping it with a loud clatter at his feet. Roman looked up at him stunned.
"Let me make this clear," he panted, sweat dripping down his face as it mixed with Elbott's blood.
"I did this as a favour to you, true. The last thing I need is infighting between my employees, and considering how you just killed his friends, I'd rather nip any scheming in the bud from his end. However," he slowly strode over to the goon holding Ruby, and with gentle ease, took her into his arms before spinning to face Hei.
"That's a two-way street. If you try to fuck me over, I won't kill you. Instead, I'll kill everyone you love. Do you understand me Hei?"
Hei had to take a second to shake himself out of his own stupor and acknowledge what Carter said.
"Wha…?"
"I'll give you a couple hours to get yourself sorted and made presentable before you come to me for your first task. You will come find me. And you will come alone. You know where. Failure to comply? I do what I just did to that useless fool, to those you care about. Now, grab Roman," he ordered to one of his men who silently nodded.
"He'll be coming with us to make sure you comply."
Roman's protests went ignored as he was roughly hauled to his feet and dragged over to Carter who by now was heading to the door.
Neo was still recovering from the blow to the back of her head so she offered no resistance as he was dragged away.
"Remember, Hei," Carter warned, staring him in the eye with a stern look.
"Come alone. Otherwise your friend here will pay the price. Oh, and just in case you get the 'wise' idea of trying to break him or the girl out, know this. I can kill them a lot faster than you could reach them, so don't tempt me."
He held his gaze with Hei who returned it with murderous contempt, before cracking a smile as one of the goons opened the door for him.
"Catch you around, Hei," he laughed before turning to step through the door. Just as he stepped through, however, he stopped and turned his around.
"Oh, and do be punctual. Three hours is more than enough time."
And with that, he was gone. The thugs in trenchcoats kept their crossbow's aimed at everyone as they left the tavern, with the last closing the door gently.
That left Hei and what remained of his people alone in the room with the corpse of Elbott.
Hei's breathing became slowly more ragged with anger as his fists clenched and unclenched.
Tony slowly stood up, eying Hei warily while Miltia raced over to DJ who was clearly shaken.
"Hei…?"
He didn't respond, so Tony moved closer to him, calling out his name again tentatively.
"…That fucker…" he finally growled.
"Hei?"
"I'm going to kill him. I'm going to kill him!" Hei was fuming as he slowly stood up, his eyes wild and face contorted in fury.
"Hei, you're not thinking," warned Tony. "You can't just lash out at him and expect to get away with it –"
"Tony. Shut the fuck up."
Tony clamped up, back straightening as Hei swore at him.
Hei took a deep breath in before slowly exhaling. When he finally spoke again, it was much more calmly this time.
"I am aware I can't go charging in headfirst to the Grimm den, Tony. But I don't care. I am going to kill him. And I am going to do it slowly, and painfully. And I will send a message to this whole god-forsaken fucking city that know-one messes with us."
Melanie and Miltia looked over at Hei uncertainly as he let his anger be known.
"If not today, then tomorrow. I don't care. But I promise you this. All of you," he turned his gaze to everyone who was now looking up at him with a mixture of uncertainty and hope.
"I will rescue Roman. I will rescue Ruby. I will kill Carter. And I will keep us safe!"
He took several methodical steps towards a dazed Neo, extending a hand to help her up, which she gratefully accepted.
"I don't know about you, but I am sick and tired of being run roughshod over by every prick and his sidekick. We've all suffered enough as it is."
The room was silent, until it was Melanie that finally spoke up.
"Yeah. I agree. Fuck these guys! We survived Mistral. We survived that shitshow at Saint with the Grimm and Huntsmen. Whatever these thugs think they can do, it's nothing compared to what we can dish out in return!"
Tony eyed Melanie cautiously until Miltia spoke up.
"I can't believe I'm agreeing with my bone-headed sister, but you're both right. We need to put a stop to this… crap once and for all!"
Tony wanted to scream.
"While I understand the enthusiasm, they literally have Roman and Ruby hostage! Acting out right now will only endanger them! Hei! That psychopath is likely expecting you to act out so he can kill them! HOW DO YOU PLAN ON KILLING HIM, AND RESCUING THEM?!"
Hei shifted his eyes to Tony, a look of cold certainty emanating from them.
"Simple. For now, we go along and we wait. And when the opportunity presents itself, which it will, I'll make certain of that, then, we'll act."
He let his eyes meet each and everyone in the room, and when his eyes met Melanie's, any doubts she held earlier about his ability to uphold his promises were erased right there.
Hei's eyes were smouldering rage, and for the first time since the disaster at Saint, she didn't just feel hopeful, she felt confident in Hei.
"He wants to see my Mistralian side, so I'll make sure to oblige him. I'll give him close-up look that he'll never forget for remainder of his short, miserable, pathetic life."
Next Chapter: Monday 15th June