Chapter 48 Scarlett #2
I searched her eyes for a moment before straightening and spinning on Havoc who was staring at Connelly in a way that would probably make even me nervous. I waved my hand.
“Uh…she’s trying to get your attention,” Connelly said, clearly more irritated than he should have been.
Havoc turned, that look in his eyes fading for something softer. “What’s up, doll?”
“Who is Larken?”
He glanced behind me, probably weighing the pros and cons of revealing information like that in front of these people, although it seemed to me that they already knew.
“All spiders have webs,” he told me. “The Shadows’ look different than ours, but it’s a web all the same.
Connections upon connections, a secret way to build a world only we control.
It’ll look a little different in their world, I’m sure, now that someone else is taking that top spot, but as for us?
Our web is a little lower to the ground in some places. ”
I studied him carefully, confusion filling me. I didn’t like that metaphor at all.
He searched my eyes before turning back to Connelly. Havoc grabbed the back of his neck and shoved his head down, leading him towards the couch only to throw him down. “Stay.”
He turned back to me and gestured to Connelly.
I immediately pointed my gun at him to keep him there.
“I already explained this a little the other day, how different our worlds are. While their father wanted to build an empire of power, they wanted quiet control. I’m sure if it had been their choice, they would have leaned in the direction we had, but now they have to pivot.
They want to create a secret army, continue to infiltrate higher professions, seize control, which will do us,” he went on, placing a hand over his heart, “good in the future when all those pesky little weeds their father grew are plucked. Us? We are but four very…influential people who know others who can help us get the job done.”
He considered his explanation for a moment before he smiled.
“In the movie, the Queen of Hearts and her Spade had an army of cards they would unleash upon the world. Now, that army is led by you and your hatter. We, however, are the bloodhound, the dormouse, and the cat, quiet in our pursuit, but making connections along the way.”
Understanding finally hit and I felt lighter knowing that. “And you’ve temporarily joined us in our fight before you go back to yours?”
He nodded. “Very good, doll.”
I beamed, proud of myself. Spinning around, I found Lianne and J.J. again. “I’m the Queen of Hearts,” I explained.
They both watched me carefully, their expressions twisting in confusion.
I frowned in irritation. “More people should speak my language.” My eyes widened when I realized that Havoc didn’t actually answer my question. I turned back on him. “Larken?”
He gave me a knowing look. “Larken is one of those connections that we made along the way. He’s very important, and a…friend of ours,” he continued, turning back to Connelly. “A friend we truly don’t like seeing upset.”
It wasn’t really the answer I wanted, but I understood the rules here, so I turned back on J.J. and Lianna and smiled brightly, pointing my gun at them. I liked seeing the fear in their eyes. I liked seeing the blood soaking her jeans, and the tears painted on her cheeks.
The only thing missing from this scenario was Azrael.
“Listen, Havoc, I went, okay? I went to meet with him and he didn’t fucking show. What else was I supposed to do?”
“Wait,” Havoc stated chillingly.
“It was 3 in the morning, and it was freezing out!” he tried to justify.
“You should have put on a thicker jacket.”
Connelly snarled. “Fuck! Just leave them out of this then. They won’t say a word, right guys?”
J.J. nodded vigorously. “Right.”
I rolled my eyes. They were obviously going to tell the police.
“Um,” Lianne cleared her throat, trying to look at her friend around me, “I really need a hospital.”
“You see,” Havoc began, ignoring her, “that would have been a choice had you not invited them to go with you. Had you not taken them to see Larken too. But I can’t just blame your dull ignorance, can I?
J.J. and Lianne knew Larken before that, didn’t you?
Because both of you also had business with him that you both neglected. ”
Naughty naughty children.
“What the fuck?” Connelly breathed out. But after a moment, I hear him say, “Fine, we’ll pay it. We’ll finish this off, get him out of our lives for good.”
Havoc chuckled. “Oh, you simple-minded little creatin. When they send us, there is no going back.”
The second I heard Connelly’s panic fill the room, I knew that it was time.
I lifted my gun, shooting Lianne between the eyes before she managed to get even a single scream out, and then I turned to J.J.
, my heart racing, my blood pumping. I pulled the trigger, putting a bullet in his arm, his cry filling the room.
I put another in his thigh, forcing him to his knees, and one in his stomach, causing his cries to cease as shock filled his eyes.
I looked over to Lianne who was already dead, her wide eyes staring at nothing, her mouth draped open, a little stream of blood drifting across her forehead.
I sighed. This really wasn’t as fun as a knife.
Turning back to J.J., I found him clutching his stomach, tears pouring down his face. He may have been as big as Bishop, but he sure wasn’t as strong. There was no fight in any of these people. Why were they stepping into a world like this if they couldn’t even put up a fight when they were dying?
Frowning, I shot him in the head, ending it. It was unsatisfactory and quite boring.
I really disliked guns.
Turning back to Havoc, I found him texting on his phone.
It was where he conducted all of his business.
I wondered if maybe I should be carrying my phone around again to conduct my business.
But I wanted Azrael to give me those things again.
I wasn’t just going to take them out of his desk, no way.
He was going to hand them to me like he had before, no matter how naked I felt without the ring and necklace.
When Havoc was done, he turned to me. It took him all of two seconds to realize I was left unsatisfied. “Huh, that’s never happened before,” he said, pocketing his phone.
I shoved my gun away. “It’s not the same. One line of blood?” I asked, gesturing to Lianne. “How is that fun?”
“Sorry doll, noise is one thing, a mess is another, and this was to prepare you for Sunday.”
My shoulders fell. “My revenge is supposed to be bloody and fun. I’m supposed to make the rivers run red, not the streams. Azrael gave me his word. He promised.”
“Azrael didn’t know you were going to be in this state when we finally took the churches,” he explained gently.
But after a moment of searching my eyes and pondering over the situation, he sighed.
“How about this? We go in and use the gun on the congregation. Empty at least three clips, and after that? You can use the knife,” he offered with a smile. “It’s called a compromise.”
I beamed, my excitement returning. “That’s only 27 people!”
He chuckled. “It is. Is that fair?”
I nodded, dancing around the room. “Yes, yes, yes, yes,” I said over and over again. What a great compromise. The Leaders deserved it the most anyway. As did their spouses and children. Especially L.J..
“It’s time to go, doll.”
Without question, I followed him to the door, not sparing even a glance back at the people who betrayed my brother’s friend. Loyalty was important to us all, and if you weren’t loyal, death was the only answer.