Chapter 21
Nick pushed his way through patients waiting to be seen and medical staff rushing through the halls. Upon exiting the infirmary, the cool evening air refreshed him just long enough for the next issue to present himself.
Norman, you vile little shit. What are we going to do with you?
Connor’s body, desecrated and torn apart, flashed in his mind.
That beautiful display was what he wanted for Norman.
The thought of Kate carving him up brought him a fleeting ripple of glee until his old friend shame joined in; if not sympathy for Norman, guilt for allowing Kate to participate in such devious behavior.
Rather than permit rage to cloud his judgement, Nick conceded to viewing Norman as a target marked for removal.
When he arrived at the barracks, he passed by the room he shared with Kate and knocked on Phoenix’s door, which swung open immediately.
“Hey, bro! I heard about what happened? Are you okay?” Phoenix looked Nick up and down.
“I’m good. Just checking in.”
“Yeah, that shit was crazy. When the army trucks pulled up, everyone was freaking out. I helped some of the looting crew put the supplies in storage.”
“The looting crew?” Nick asked.
“Yeah, Marcus helped some but was pretty busy with all the injured people. Mostly Yara, and some guy. Nathan, I think.”
“Norman?” The wheels started spinning in Nick’s mind.
“Yep, that’s it. I’m going back tomorrow to help him sort through more of the stuff you guys brought back. Dude doesn’t say much,” Phoenix answered.
“I’m sure you spoke enough for the both of you,” Nick jested and clapped a hand on Phoenix’s shoulder.
“I consider my delightful conversation community service at this point.”
Nick laughed and shook his head. “Yeah, remind me to grab earplugs the next time we go out. Get some rest, man. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Earplugs?” Phoenix huffed. “Wow, rude.”
Nick pushed open the door to his room; amusement lingered in his features.
Kate sat on the bed, the novel she had swiped from the pharmacy propped on her knees.
The sight of her taking a moment to read and relax put him at ease.
Her gaze darted to his shoulder as he kicked off his boots and settled in.
“How’s your arm?” Kate asked. Her eyes creased with worry, and her mouth was set in a tense expression.
“It’s good, baby. You okay?”
Kate nodded and forced a smile. While Nick was away, she had reclined on the bed in hopes of escaping into a fictional world.
She had always enjoyed horror—the idea that one’s station in life could always be worse, terror and dread with distinct causes and clear descriptions.
However, the intensity of her thoughts swallowed her focus.
Kate found herself reading the same sentence repeatedly or skimming the text without retaining the words.
Nick sat on the edge of the bed. “I may have a plan to get rid of our Norman problem.”
Kate perked up.
***
Nick and Kate walked through the doors of a warehouse that seemed to digest them as they entered. A long hall offered doors leading to various rooms of storage. A chill bounced from the metal walls and clung to their skin. Dust particles floated about in the stagnant air.
A door at the end of the hall flung open and Norman crashed through, panting. The couple paused, and Norman froze when he spotted them.
“That kid that’s been helping me, he’s hurt.
Some boxes fell on him and I can’t get them off!
” Norman gasped. Nick scanned Norman for imprints of weapons, and scrutinized his words for ill intent.
Nevertheless, Nick stormed toward the storage room because if Phoenix was hurt, he could not afford to waste time.
“If you’re playing games, I will fucking end you,” Nick growled as he passed Norman by with Kate’s hand in his as she followed close behind.
Wooden boxes towered over them, stacked on metal shelving and nearly touching the ceiling. Categories like ‘winter clothing’ and ‘9mm ammo’ were hastily scribbled across each one.
“He’s back here,” Norman said and pushed past Nick toward a corner of the room.
As Nick and Kate approached, a groan became audible.
Phoenix lay beneath several wooden crates, the one on his waist labeled ‘engine rebuild kit’.
The shelving unit holding the boxes had fallen over and rested against the one next to it, wedging the boxes against Phoenix’s body.
Various vehicle components were strewn across the floor: brake assemblies, rotors, even full transmissions.
“Oh, bro. I’ve never been happier to see you,” Phoenix grunted as he peered up at Nick.
“His legs first. Grab one side of that crate,” Nick ordered Norman. The men bent at Phoenix’s lower half and curled their hands around the bottom of the boxes. “One, two, three.”
Norman and Nick lifted simultaneously until the box hovered over Phoenix’s legs. They heaved the box several steps before dropping it onto the concrete floor. Phoenix’s legs bore a deep gash where the corner of the crate had dug in from the weight.
“One down, one to go,” Nick said as he positioned himself to carry the next one. Norman followed suit and awaited the countdown.
When the second crate was lifted away, Phoenix lay back, breathing in relief and letting out small whimpers of pain.
“You’re okay. We’re here,” Kate consoled as she knelt beside Phoenix and took his hand.
“You think you can walk?” Nick asked as he inspected Phoenix’s wound.
“Probably. Other than feeling kind of banged around, I don’t think I’m hurt anywhere else.”
Nick held out a hand and helped Phoenix to his feet. He winced in pain as he put weight on his injured leg but managed a steady standing position.
Norman had started to back away from the scene, attempting to fall into the shadows of the storage.
“Hey!” Nick shouted. “You’re not going anywhere.”
“He needs to go to the infirmary. I can take him,” Norman offered.
Nick shook his head. “We have unfinished business, you worthless fucking scumbag.”
Norman backed into the wall and put his arms out, bracing himself for an attack.
“What the hell is going on?” Phoenix asked.
Nick stalked toward Norman, fists clenched.
“Woah, hold on! She fucking asked—I only did it because—Connor said it was what she wanted!”
Nick struck him with knuckles that had been aching to connect since the moment he saw Norman in his office. “Quit talking.”
“Nick, we should get Phoenix checked out. His leg looks bad,” Kate said. Phoenix’s brows were furrowed at the scene before him.
“Kate, did he hurt you?” Phoenix asked. Her expression steeled and tears welled up in her eyes.
“Help!” Norman shouted, and Nick clamped a hand over his mouth.
“Kate?” Phoenix asked again. “Is he the reason you had those bad nightmares?”
“One of them…”
Phoenix limped over to a crate sitting on the ground and scooted until he sat on top of it. “Yeah, I can wait a bit. Do what you gotta do.”
Norman’s eyes were wild, and he struggled against Nick’s grip, though he was no match for Nick’s altered strength. Nick pulled his hunting knife from the loop of his pants and held it out to Kate. She stared at it, thoughts racing through her mind. This was the moment she had longed for.
Vengeance-fueled reveries took over—slicing him into tiny pieces, cutting off bits of flesh. Allowing the rage to course through her limbs until he was a bloody pile of desecrated body parts thrilled a dark shadow within her heart.
Yet, looking at Nick, she already had the resources for putting the past to rest. Destroying Norman would not seal the cracks in her soul or heal the tormented parts inside of her. Nick’s affection and patience had been the main ingredient for restoring her peace.
Kate could choose to taint her hands with his blood, to relive each memory of him punctuated with a wrathful demise. Or she could let Nick do what he does best.
Allowing Norman to dwell in this space was not an option. He had made it clear that Kate was his target. The conversation she overheard between Yara and him revealed he was hurting others. Norman had to go. Yet, maybe it did not need to serve as the basis for Kate’s reclamation of herself.
“Just… make it quick and clean. I’ll take Phoenix to the infirmary.” Kate pushed the blade back toward Nick, delegating the deed to him.
“You sure?” Nick asked, Norman writhing beneath his grasp. Tears streamed from his face and dripped over the hand covering his mouth.
Kate nodded. “As long you’re okay with—”
“I’d be delighted.” Nick turned back to Norman whose face had turned a dark red from struggling.
Kate draped Phoenix’s arm around her shoulder and helped him to his feet. The pair walked with slow, steady steps until they exited the warehouse.