“Why did you do that?”
“Those cowards were given a chance. Everyone who was invited was given the opportunity to join the war… the new war. The one we are beginning again. But they were scared. They refused to help, and so they were a liability. Potential enemies to the new cause… the new order that the Almighty is beginning.”
Maggie shook her head. Surely there had to have been another way.
“Relax,” he urged. “I told them to leave you alone. Just keep dancing.”
As he moved her about, she found herself having to step over severed hands, heads, and legs. Already, from the occasional body she stepped on, her shoes were covered in blood and she noticed several patches of blood on the dress.
“Don’t worry,” Veylo said. “I’ll get you a new dress.”
He chuckled. Saying something so trite after committing such a heinous act seemed to amuse him.
“Now for the twirl,” he said. He released one of her hands and wrapped the other over her head. The spin was light, but as the movement allowed her to take in the mess around her, she bowed over and heaved again.
The vomit trickled from her jaw and slid down her dress.
He wrapped his arms around her, like a concerned lover. “Come, come,” he said. “Let’s get you back to your room. You’ve had enough excitement for one night. We leave soon, but you can rest in the meantime.”
***
“You’re never gonna believe what I just saw…” Hayde said into his cell.
He sat in a tree, a pair of binoculars in hand.
He’d just witnessed a brutal immortal massacre, but considering he had been in charge of assassinating one of Veylo’s contacts, he wasn’t surprised the sociopathic immortal was capable of such an atrocity. After his soldiers had offed their guests, they formed a line and headed out the back, making their way to the warehouses Hayde had seen when they’d first reached the property.
“You see Maggie?” Kinzer asked on the other end of the phone. He, Treycore, and Kid hid near the outskirts of the woods to the west of the house.
“Yeah,” he said. “Looks like you guys are clear if you move directly east. We got two guards, so if I create a distraction—”
“Naw,” Treycore said. “I got that. You guys just get in and find Maggie and the Christ.”
“I’m fine with that.”
***
Treycore, Kinzer, and Kid sat on the forest floor.
Though Treycore could see Hayde from his post in a nearby tree, he couldn’t see the line of soldiers Hayde had said were on the other side of the house. He could, however, see the two guards that paced behind it.
“You sure you got this?” Kinzer asked.
Treycore scoffed. “Please. Two guys? Just watch me work.”
Kid grabbed his shoulder. “Be careful,” he said, “or I swear to God I’ll punch you in your fucking balls.”
Treycore smiled. “Kid, I’ve been through Hell. I think I can handle this.”
“Cocky bastard.”
Treycore wrapped his arms around Kid and pulled him in for a kiss.
In case anything did happen, he wanted him to know how much he loved him… how much he adored him… how much he planned to spend the rest of Kid’s days with him.
They parted.
Treycore crept through the woods and snuck around the house. When he reached the other side, he grabbed a thick, fallen branch and looked at the guards. As one neared the end of the house, Treycore snapped the branch in two.
