“Even though we’re embarking on a new chapter of your life in The Order, I can’t let your previous misdemeanors go unpunished.”
“Then punish me! Don’t hurt innocent people to make another sick point.”
“Adrian, you have to understand the position I’m in. I run my division of The Order very well. I consider myself hard, but fair. If any of my assets had done half of what you have, they would be dead. I’ve granted you an audience, I’ve given you answers you’re not entitled to, and I’m letting you live. What more do you want from me? You have to be punished. An example still needs to be made.”
I look over at Kaitlyn and Yaz. “It’s going to be okay, do you hear me? I’m going to get you out of this, I promise.”
Horizon moves next to me, his hands casually in his pockets. “I wouldn’t make promises I can’t keep, if I were you.” He gestures to them both with his head. “You have to decide, right now, which one of them will live, and which one will die. If you refuse to make that decision, Mr. Pierce will shoot both of them.” He pats my shoulder. “I’ll give you a moment.”
Oh my God…
29
I feel numb. I feel hollow, like I’m not in my own body… like I’m looking on, watching an episode of someone else’s twisted life. I stare blankly at Kaitlyn and Yaz. I see the fear in their eyes.
I don’t know what to do.
I can’t choose… I can’t fight back… But I can’t say nothing, because I’ll lose them both.
I feel myself defaulting to my instincts. When I see no reason or clear answer, I get angry. I look over at Horizon. “You sick bastard!”
He looks at me impassively. “You need to accept the fact there’s nothing you can do, Adrian. You make the choice, and whoever lives, I promise they will be left in peace. The Order won’t go near them, as long as you don’t, either. We are your life, nothing else. That’s how this works.”
I turn back to them. “I’m… I’m sorry. Both of you. I am. I’m sorry I got either of you caught up in this shit, and I’m sorry I can’t get you out of it. But I can’t choose. I don’t know how…”
Kaitlyn sniffs back her tears and clears her throat. “Adrian, look at me.”
I do. It’s hard looking into her eyes, but I do.
She smiles. “It’s gonna be okay, but you need to listen to me. I want you to remember everything we’ve talked about. It’s not… it’s not your job to protect everyone. And the guilt you carry around with you is unnecessary. 4/17 didn’t happen because of something you did or didn’t do. Tori dying wasn’t your fault. Right now, whatever happens, you can’t blame yourself. All you’ve ever done is what you believed to be right. Even when you worked as an assassin. This isn’t your fault. I don’t want to die. I’m terrified. But I have to. We all know it. And I want you to promise me you won’t punish yourself for this when I’m gone.”
I feel my jaw hanging loose with disbelief. I’m in awe of the strength she’s showing. I hate myself for not having the courage she does right now. I can’t find the words…
“Adrian, you promise me! Do you hear me? You promise me, right now!”
I slowly start to nod my head. “I… I… I prom—”
“Kill me.”
Huh? What?
All eyes in the room turn to Yaz. He’s standing up, staring at Horizon. His jaw is set, though his arms and legs are shaking. His face is covered in a thin film of sweat. “Kill me. I c-can’t let you hurt Miss Moss. You’ve… you’ve already killed my mom… so k-kill me.”
I feel myself rushing back into the moment, my instincts and training kicking in again. I’m in Horizon’s suite, I know what needs to be done. I take a step forward. “Yaz, no. Don’t be stupid. Just sit—”
BANG!
The gunshot startles me. I stare, stunned silent and horrified, as I watch Yaz’s body fall slowly forward to the floor. The exit wound has removed most of his forehead. He thuds against the thick carpet. I hear Kaitlyn’s screams, but they sound distant. I’m not zoning out again. I’m not feeling lost. I’m feeling… really… really… angry. The reason she sounds distant is because I’m stripping away everything I don’t need, every sight, every sound, every emotion, so that my mind is focused on one single thing.
Pierce.
I clench my fist.
I set my jaw.
Adrian, I got this. This piece of shit is—
No.
I don’t need my Inner Satan. This asshole is mine.
“You sonofabitch!”
I run toward Pierce, accelerating without warning. I sidestep Kaitlyn without breaking stride and launch myself at him, bringing my cast up and down, like a club. He doesn’t have time to react. I hit him across the face as I crash into him, and we both fall to the floor. His guns fly off in different directions.
He pushes me off him and scrambles to his feet, but I’m right back on him before he gets upright. I jab him in his side, under the arm where the ribcage is thin. The bones are easier to break there. I don’t get enough power behind the punch, but it’s enough to stop him.
I launch my cast again, aiming for his throat.
Shit!
He catches it in both hands and—
Uh!
— throws a short elbow at my face. He hits me below my right eye and I stagger back.
He stands up straight and lifts his hands into an orthodox fighting stance.
I can’t let him get comfortable. I can’t give him time to prepare and start fighting his fight. I’m not strong enough. I need to stop him from building any kind of momentum.
“No!”
I lunge forward, dropping my head at the last second and burying my shoulder into his gut. I force him backward and use my legs to lift him as much as I can…
It’s not much but…
…
…
I roll him over the back of one of the sofas, and allow my momentum to carry me over with him and land heavily on his chest. He bounces back to his feet almost immediately, and grabs a vase from the nearby table. He swings it and—
Uh!
Ah!
“Fuck!”
I drop to one knee as he smashes it over my head. I can feel an instant warmth pulsing over my face. I’m guessing he’s just re-opened my head wound. Great…
I stand to meet him as he marches over, hands high, ready to swing. I bend my arms to cover and manage to deflect his first few shots.
Ah!
He tagged me in the ribs.
Uh!
And again. Shit!
I see a big right coming for my head. I try to get my hand to it and—
…
…
…
— What the hell?
I’m lying on the floor between the two sofas facing the door. He must have hit me and knocked me out. I’m guessing my head hitting the floor woke me up again.
I shake away the cobwebs and look over to where I last remember being. Pierce is striding toward me. Horizon has stepped away to the right, and is standing over by the hot tub, watching intently. Kaitlyn’s standing over by the Ganesha statue, crying, holding her hands to her mouth. I need to get—
Whoa!
Pierce hoists me to my feet with a handful of my T-shirt and winds up another shot. We’re too close for him to get any real power behind it, thankfully. I duck under it as he swings, which sends him off-balance. I lash out with my foot and kick the side of his leg as he moves away from me. He stumbles, buying me some time.
I move toward one of the guns, managing three steps before I hear him behind me. I glance over my shoulder and see him running for me, albeit it with a slight limp in his step from the kick.
I’m standing only a couple of feet away from the small table Horizon rested his drink on earlier.