6. Haze
HAZE
“Tell me!” I slammed my fist into Ray’s face, wearing a set of bloody brass knuckles.
Blood and spit spewed from his mouth, hitting my face from the impact.
“Tell me!” The weak little fucker trembled at my raised voice, squirming in the chair, his restraints so tight they were rubbing his flesh raw and soaked in his blood.
I’d spent hours torturing him, pulling teeth, ripping out his nails, and completely terrorizing the drug dealer.
“Please—” he wheezed from the punctured lung I’d given him. “Please…I–I swear! I don’t know! I don't know!”
I tisked, tossing the brass knuckles aside. “You don’t know,” I mocked. His blood had stained most of my white dress shirt, leaving me a bloodied mess.
The man sobbed and pleaded as if he had any chance of reasoning with me at this point. “I-I didn’t know she was your sister…I swear! I swear!”
My arm swung, backhanding him as he shut his mouth.
I leaned down, gripping his tied wrists, squeezing as I peered into his dark eyes.
“You didn’t know?” I tilted my head. “Or you didn’t care.
” He cried, spewing more blood and spit.
“Fine.” I turned to my tray of toys. I scanned the bloodied tools and weapons I used to torture so many others before him.
“Ahh.” I plucked a spiked baton, one I knew would hurt going both in and out of his flesh.
Ray’s eyes widened as I turned to show him my choice with a smile.
“I’ll give you one last chance to tell me everything.
” I walked closer, wiping the sweat from my brow as I twirled the tool in my hand.
The sound of the old metal door creaked as Felix stepped inside, dressed in his usual combat gear, wearing his balaclava mask.
He walked around and stepped into view as Ray’s face immediately drained of color.
“Oh no, you keep those eyes on me.” I patted his face as he quivered.
“You see, most people fear my brother here, the green-eyed devil. But what they don’t realize.
” I raised the barbed and shoved it deep into Ray’s thigh, twisting as he screamed.
“I'm so much worse!” He shrieked, his screams of absolute agony filling my ears as I laughed, twisting the tool side to side.
“You fucked with the wrong family!” I pulled the tool back before slamming it back, pressing it even deeper. “Where is she?!”
Ray completely broke as I slammed the tool deep into his thigh a third time, pushing it so fucking deep it pierced straight through and hit the chair he was tied on.
“Toro! He—he took her! It was him!” He panted, sobbing and sweating as I ripped the tool out of his flesh and dropped it onto the floor.
Fuck.
My smile fell as Felix stepped forward. “What did you just say?”
Ray shook as my brother approached him. “I—I didn’t know…I swear.”
Felix removed his handgun and cocked it as he lowered the barrel and pressed it into Ray’s forehead. “You got three seconds to tell us everything, or I’ll pull this trigger and repay you for everything you did to Dream.”
Ray sobbed, crying like a fucking child. “Please…please!” Felix tucked the tip of his finger around the trigger. “I—I just didn't want Kief to know it was me!”
Felix tilted his head. “One.”
“No! Please!”
“Two—”
Ray shouted, tears streaming down his beaten face. “I–I didn’t know it was her ,until…”
“Until that?” I snapped.
The dealer’s eyes moved from Felix to me.
“Until I saw the tattoo.” My heart nearly stopped.
“I—I thought I recognized her at The Burnout, but the hair and eyes were different. Then when I saw her dancing at The Cosmic Oxen…I saw the tattoo and I knew. So—so I called Toro. Please…I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to—”
I swung the large butcher knife I kept on my tray of tools, driving it deep into Ray’s skull, silencing him. His eyes rolled as he slumped forward, blood trickling from the weapon. Felix dropped his gun and turned to look at me. “You could’ve at least waited until he told us more.”
I shook my head. “No…we know enough.” My eyes rose to him. “Toro has Indi…which means we don’t have much time.” I stopped, realizing the danger she was in.” I need to find her—” Felix stopped me as I tried to rush past.
I glared at him, daring him to stop me.
“Easy.”
I shoved his arm back.
Felix sighed. “Look, Spider has connections that get him close to Toro. And Kief knows your face. Let Spider find out where they’re keeping Indi.”
I scoffed. “You really expect me to just let that fucker do all the work while I just sit here and fucking wait?”
Not a fucking chance.
“No. I expect you to get your shit together, because the second he does find her, she’s going to need you, Haze.” He stepped closer, offering the handgun to me. “I know you’re angry, but let us help. And try not to burn the world…yet.”
I can’t make any promises.
I slapped his weapon away. “Keep your gun. I plan on killing Kief with my bare hands.” I looked down at Ray’s lifeless body when a wicked idea came into my mind.
“Do me a favor, hermano.” I smiled, tilting my head.
“Don’t dispose of him. I have something much better in mind.
” He nodded as I walked away, brushing my hair back.
Just hold on, Indi…I’m fucking coming for you.