Chapter 5 ~ Broken Pendant

CHAPTER 5 ~ Broken Pendant ~

|| CHAPTER THEME SONG:

Play With Fire By Sam Tinssez ||

[IRIS'S POV]

The noise of the passing traffic broke through the sound of rain pounding on the top of the car. I couldn’t tell where we were going and, after the bitch finished her phone call, no one spoke for the remainder of the drive. We took a sudden U turn, and the car parked in a rush. Hearing the car doors open and close with a loud thud, I was yanked out of the car with the black sheet still over my head. The rain never let up and I was soaked from head to toe as that stupid woman dragged me to our next destination. We finally made it inside, only God knows where, and the woman kicked me from behind my knees–forcing me to the cold floor with a bang. I hissed in pain and annoyance.

“She is going to be the first one.” I thought, trying to calm myself.

I needed to find out who these people were and how they found me so soon. Not moving, I remembered that some gangs have rules about how to treat struggling hostages so I stayed perfectly still while I waited.

“Tie her against a chair. I need to vent my rage on this bitch.” An old and powerful voice commanded.

My teeth clenched I was hauled to my feet, dragged across the room and forced down into a chair. A thick layer of rope was tightly wrapped around my upper body. I guess tying my hands and blindfolding me wasn’t enough. I smirked at the overly cautious actions.

“Tsk… Take the sheet off her head. She’s way too smart and knows the rules.” The old man said.

Waiting quietly to see what this old geezer wanted, the sheet was ripped off and I had to shake my head a couple of times to clear my vision. Lifting my eyes, I saw the man who sat opposite of me with his legs crossed comfortably like he fucking owned the place. Maybe he did? As I studied his facial features, I saw deep wrinkles which confirmed his old age. His hair was a silvery white and it glistened under the dim lights.

I casually glanced around and I realized that I was inside some sort of VIP lounge. Hearing the muffled sound of music, I assumed that a bar must be above us. The well spacious room was occupied by me and five uniformed members of this shitty group. They looked like they all wanted a chance to put a bullet into my head. Shifting my eyes back over to the old man, I wondered where I could have met him. I sighed in exasperation. I didn’t know him or his little band of misfits.

“What the hell am I even doing here?” I inwardly groaned.

He glared at me for a while before he got up from the couch and took three long strides to loom over me. I raised my head to look into his hateful gaze and a hard slap fell on my cheek. My face burnt like fire and I assumed that the unexpected hit probably left fingerprint indentions as well.

“Where is he?” the old man asked through gritted teeth.

I inhaled a sharp breath.

“Shit… I knew it…” I thought.

I nonchalantly shrugged my shoulders.

“I don’t know.” I stated.

This next hard slap on cheek made me grunt loudly.

“You don't know, bitch? Or you just don't want to say?” He asked.

“Heh…Both…” I said with a sardonic smile.

Looking back up at him, I saw his face had turned completely red with rage. Seething with anger, he grabbed a fist full of my hair and painfully brought my face close to his.

“Do you think that he can control our actions while hiding in UX state?” He asked.

My stomach turned at the stench of whiskey on his breath. Before I could quip an answer, another gang member rushed inside the lounge gasping loudly.

“Boss… Boss... No! Don't… Don’t touch her…” He panted hysterically.

His eyes widened with shock as he spotted my reddened cheeks. Glares were hurled in his direction as he removed his black mask. The brown haired boy took a step closer to inform everyone.

“I just received word that she isn't a mere member. We shouldn't touch her.” The boy explained.

The old man scowled at the boy and reluctantly released his grip on my hair. My head was throbbing and I felt blood trickling down my neck.

“Why?” He asked.

The boy glanced at me in fear.

“She… she is... special to him, Sir...” The boy stuttered.

All of the sudden, the white haired man burst into laughter while pointing at me with raised eyebrows.

“Are you drunk, Tony?” He sarcastically asked. “He took a fancy to this woman who can’t even defend herself? Seriously?”

He continued to chuckle as if it was the funniest joke in the world. I ignored his words and concentrated on my surroundings. Tony tried to speak but the old man raised his hand that commanded silence.

“Get the hell out of my sight. You are only wasting my time.” He said.

Tony gulped but didn’t move.

“But... Boss...” He said.

The woman, who dragged my ass in here, stood up while giving the boy a condescending look.

“Get lost, Tony. You have never provided accurate information. Do you really think that this little slut is involved with our mighty king of the underworld?” She asked.

Everyone, aside from me, snickered at her sarcastic question. My blood boiled hearing her call me a “slut” while praising that dirt bag in the same breath. She sounded more like a jealous girlfriend rather than a kidnapper. Ignoring Tony completely, they all shifted their attention on me once again. My eyes never left that old bastard standing in front of me.

He sneered when he noticed that I was staring at him with a vacant expression.

“Listen… just tell me where I can find him. I can’t get in touch with him because of a small… misunderstanding.” He said trough gritted teeth. “I just want to know his whereabouts so that I can straighten out the issue. However, he has completely gone off the grid so now I have no way to reach him.”

He ran his hand through his white thick hair and sighed in frustration.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I thought.

I was speechless. Did this idiot really believe I was going to help him after being dragged, hit and treated like a criminal? What a delusional prick!

“We have a million dollars hanging on this deal. I haven’t slept in days trying to fix this... Come on, tell me–where is he?” He asked.

He looked anxious as he awaited my answer. I helplessly shook my head, while cursing my fate for ever knowing that damn man.

“I told you that I don't know.” I answered, raising my eyes to meet his.

The man clenched his fists together and turned around to look at the woman who insulted me.

“What should I do with her, Britney?” He asked.

Looking back at me, he eyed me up and down with consideration.

“She is proving to be a stubborn brat that isn't willing to cooperate.” He said.

Britney threw me an amused smirk.

“Simple…Torture her, boss. It seems as if she needs to be reminded of the rules around here.” She said, while smiling with satisfaction.

“What do you suggest?” The man asked, raising his eyebrows.

The woman took a moment to ponder the question and then her thirsty eyes locked on the pendant around my neck.

“How about cutting up those beautiful collarbones of hers?” She suggested grinning devilishly.

The man immediately followed her gaze.

“Well, that’s one way to do it. Good idea, Britney.” He said.

The girl bowed respectfully, while shooting me death glare. His hand approached near my necklace. Sweat broke out on my forehead as my heart pounded in my ears.

“Don't. Touch. My. Necklace.” I warned.

Anger radiated out of my eyes toward the man, as my voice reverberated off the walls. The room stilled at my threatening tone. Everyone, including the old man, looked a little taken aback after my hearing my stern voice. Yet, they regained their composure quickly and the room broke out into small chuckles.

“Tsk... Tsk... You just revealed you weakness, stupid girl. Well... what to do now? Hm?” He asked, mocking me.

Quickly, he grabbed my glassy pendent on my necklace so hard that I heard it starting to crack. I stopped breathing. My eyes looked at his fist, which was crushing the only possession that I valued and my heart shattered into pieces.

“I should break it fast.” He teased.

Something in my head suddenly snapped. Before anyone could blink, I threw a hard kick between his legs. He doubled over howling in pain and backed away to the “safety” of the couch. My body shook with fury and my eyes travelled around the room, sizing up the five people that were keeping me detained in this hell hole.

As the first two members came at me, I got to my feet while still being strapped to the chair. The first man threw a right handed punch at my face. I ducked, kicking him hard in the gut as the second man came at me. He reached out, trying to grab me. Spinning around quickly, the legs of the chair caught his shins. He staggered back in pain. With the chair being broken from the last hit, the rope around me started to loosen. I quickly struggled out of it while backing away from the group that formed around me.

“Don’t kill her!” The old man yelled. “I need her alive!”

I smiled as they came closer. With one swift punch to the throat, I took out the first man. Before the next man could land his punch, that was aimed at my head, I stepped to the left and swung my leg up to land a powerful kick against his temple. I heard his neck snap before he crumpled to the ground.

“That’s two.” I counted to myself.

The next two men were smaller in stature and weren’t too hard to handle. They tried coming at me together but I crouched down and with one swift kick to the back of their legs, they dropped to the floor. Before they could get back up, I punched one square in the jaw twice. The other tried to quickly grab my arm, but I took hold of his wrist and, with all my weight, drove my heel into his diaphragm–knocking the air out of him and sending him back to the floor. My back was against the wall when Britney charged at me with a knife. I guess she wasn’t the obedient type.

“Well damn… she ended up being the last one. Just as well...” I thought.

She thrust the knife toward my stomach, but I sidestepped, grabbed and twisted her wrist while taking a firm hold on the back of her neck and slammed her head against the wall. She fell to the ground in a heap and I walked around her.

“Five. My, that was refreshing.” I stated.

I moved around the littered bodies. All of them were either unconscious or groaning in pain in a fetal position. Sauntering over to the old man, I couldn’t help but feel extreme pleasure as he cowered before me. I bent down so he could clearly see my face.

“Where's my necklace, old man?” I asked.

He glowered at me.

“You bitch! How dare you assault my people?! Do you know who…” He trailed off.

He didn’t finish his question as he saw me pick up a piece of the broken chair off the floor. He started crawling, trying to get away. I whirled the leg of the chair around in my hand, taking my time to walk over to him. With one swift stroke, I broke the chair leg across his back. I knelt beside him, caught hold of his hair to make him look at me.

“If you want to live, you better tell me what I want to know. Now!” I said.

I needed my necklace. Feeling my anxiety rising in my throat, I gripped his hair tighter.

“Or else I will burn this entire shit house to the ground… including you and your people. So you best hurry and answer my question. You are trying my patience.” I said.

He trembled at my words before pointing under the couch with his shaky finger. I quickly let him go and scrambled over to look under the couch. After searching for a while, I finally spotted the two broken pieces. Quickly pulling it out, I held my delicate treasure carefully in my hands. My heart was ached as pain slowly started to consume me. I couldn't believe that, after so many years of protection, it was broken. Fighting between my rage and tears, I stood up with the intention to leave as soon as possible or I might change my mind and torch the place.

Walking over to the exit, a hand from one of the men on the floor grabbed my ankle. I shook off his hand effortlessly and ground my heel into his palm. I glared down at him.

“Fuck. Off.” I said.

I shoved the man away from me and went out the door. Leaving the mess behind me, I gently held my broken pendant in my hands.

Finally outside, I took a deep breath in the pouring rain. Tears started to spill down my face. Walking down the street, I felt my control slipping away and all of my pent up emotions started to surface. Unable to stand, I sat on my heels trying to regain my composure.

“Why… Why does everyone leave me! Why?!" I screamed.

It thundered loudly.

“Why did you do this to me? Why?! Why?!” I asked desperately as I continued to sob.