Chapter 37 #2
“I’ll stay,” Blake said and pulled out his phone. “I’m still not fully healed, so I’ll be less helpful than the rest of you. Besides, I have Ivy’s number. I’ll call her and get her to come over. I think Ren is going to need a girlfriend right now. Do what you need to. I’ll keep her safe.”
I looked at the bathroom door and hated the idea of leaving her, but this couldn’t wait. Axel needed to be dealt with.
Gripping Blake’s shoulder, I nodded. “Thank you.”
Liam opened the door, and we filed out into the hallway.
I kept it together until we were in the stairwell, but as soon as the door closed, I slammed my fist against the wall until my knuckles left long, bloody streaks.
The agony in my chest threatened to take over, and I bent and gripped my knees, my body shaking.
“I failed her, Nash. I can’t do it again.” I stood up straight and rolled out my shoulder. “I need to get my hands on him tonight.”
“We will.”
“I didn’t know she was a virgin, did you,” Theo asked. I nodded and then wiped away the tear that had escaped my eyes.
“Yeah, I did, and that….” I couldn’t even say his name out loud. “Thing stole it from her.” I’d wanted her first time to be perfect and romantic and special, and instead…. “Ah! He’s fuckin’ dead,” I growled, and Nash gripped my shoulder.
“Breathe.” He glanced up and down the stairwell. “We need to be smart, so no more announcing what we’re going to do for anyone to hear.”
I bit my fist and yelled, letting some of the rage leak out. “Fine, but Axel’s mine. I don’t care what rules we need to break. He doesn’t get to sleep peacefully for one more night.”
“We need him to leave the property. It’s too dangerous to try and take him or do what needs to be done inside school limits,” Nash said. I knew he was right, but my heart and brain weren’t feeling logical.
“I have an idea,” Liam offered. “We need him to be lured away. So why don’t we set up a bait and switch?”
“You have a way to make that happen? Because he’ll be on guard and expecting us to retaliate,” Theo said.
I crossed my arms and forced myself to lean against the wall before I lost complete control and stopped listening, no matter what the consequences were.
Liam looked over his shoulder as the stairwell door opened. As soon as the two guys saw us, they backed up and disappeared, the door closing once more.
“I have an idea. Follow me,” Liam said. Nash walked close enough beside me that our arms brushed like he was ready for me to turn around and sprint in the other direction.
We rounded the corner and kept walking until we stopped at a door.
I never came to this part of the guy’s dorm.
It was easy to hear the music and cheering coming from inside.
Liam knocked hard, and the door whipped open a moment later.
“What,” a guy yelled as he looked over his shoulder at the large screen, a controller in his hands.
“Fuck, I died. I’ll revive in a sec,” he said, his eyes finally turning in our direction.
I recognized the guy with long black hair, but I wouldn’t have remembered his name to save my soul.
His eyes went as wide as saucers as he looked at us.
“Zigzag,” Liam said as he took a step closer. “We’d like to have a discussion.”
“Oh fuck,” he said, swallowing loudly.
Liam leaned into the room and whistled, getting everyone’s attention inside. “All of you out now. The party is done for the night.”
“But…but…this is my room,” came a lone reply.
“Does my face look like it fucking cares? Get the fuck out now, or you will all receive personal visits from us,” Liam ordered, and in a blink, what felt like every gamer in this place darted out the door and down the hall.
As soon as the last of them was gone, we stepped into the room, and the guy called Zigzag stepped back and held his controller to his chest like a shield.
“Are you here to kill me?”
“Why would we be here to kill you,” Nash asked.
“I…I…I….”
“Spit it the fuck out,” Nash commanded, and the guy jumped back and looked like he might shit himself.
“I set off the fire alarm.”
I lunged for him with a roar, but Nash grabbed me and tackled me to the floor. “Get control of yourself,” Nash said, his arms straining as he held me.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know what Axel planned to do. He said it was a prank and paid me ten grand. I thought it would be fun to hack the school system,” Zigzag said, backing himself up into the corner of the room.
“Do ya know what he did,” I snarled from my trapped position on the floor.
“Yes, but only after. Ren is Ivy’s friend. I never would’ve agreed to do it if I’d known what he planned. I swear to you. I’m so sorry. Oh shit, please don’t tell Ivy. She’ll kill me.” He ran his hand through his hair. “How did you find out it was me? I thought I hid my tracks.”
Nash helped me to my feet, but he pushed me back to the door and pointed at me like I was his fucking dog. Crossing my arms, I rolled my eyes but stayed put.
“How we found out doesn’t matter,” Liam said, and even as well as I knew the guy, I couldn’t tell if he was lying.
Liam took a step toward Zigzag. “What does matter, Michael Gunnarsson, aka Zigzag, the best hacker in all of Washington State, is that you help us make this situation right.” His eyes darted around the room.
“I don’t want any trouble, man. Seriously, I thought I was pulling a fun prank. I….”
Liam grabbed him by his t-shirt and slammed him up against the wall.
“Shut the fuck up. It doesn’t matter what you thought was going to happen.
Your actions had consequences, so unless you’d prefer we cut your fingers and toes off for what you did, you better sit your fucking ass down and say yes, sir. ”
Zigzag nodded furiously, his hand closing like he was trying to hide his fingers. “Yes, Sir. Yes, Sir.”
“That’s better.” Dragging him over to a computer, Liam pushed Zigzag down into the chair.
“What do you need me to do,” Zigzag asked, his voice shaking.