“Give me the Veil!” Robbie cries, but I can’t see them. All I can do is listen to the gunshots, the breaths, the screams. “Give me my company and you can have the little whore!”
Sloane’s breath is labored as sirens blare in the distance.
“I told you to come alone!” Robbie hisses, and I hear the sound of metal crashing, and Sloane roars in retaliation.
“You do not command me!” Sloane says, his voice heavy and full of rage. “I will never submit to you!”
The lights flicker back on, and I watch as Sloane brings his gun to Robbie’s chin. The world stops, moving slow like the Matrix.
“You are done, MCP,” he hisses. “You will submit to me.”
Robbie presses his chin into the barrel.
“Go ahead, Flynn. Do it. I’ve got the place rigged with cameras. If you want to lose your precious Veil, shoot me. You’ll never see Oliver again because you’ll be behind fucking bars where you belong.”
“You think I won’t?” Sloane says, his voice cold. “You think I won’t put this bullet through your fucking brain right now? I’m going to give you two choices Robert,” he seethes.
“Let Oliver go, and I will let you live.”
“Mmm… not very appealing. What’s behind door two, Mr. Pierce?” Robbie touts.
“Defy my order, and I will pull this fucking trigger. Choice is yours.”
Robbie grins and then spits in his face just as the police push forth, brandishing their weapons and tackling Robbie. I watch as five men jump him, hold him down, and cuff him. He spews venom and obscenities, screaming about the Veil and the source code and that he won’t bederezzed.
Sloane drops to the floor by me and rights my chair, tears still streaming down my face.
“Shhh… you’re okay…” he says, pulling me into his arms. I bury my face in his chest and cry as he unties my gag. Chicora’s voice echoes.
“Oliver! My sweet boy! Oh my God, Oliver, are you alright?” I can’t speak as someone cuts my ropes. I wrap my arms around Sloane as tightly as I can, hoping it’s not a dream. My fingers dig into his side, hitting something warm and sticky and then I pull away, my hand shaking as I see the blood.
“Shit, sweetheart, you’re bleeding…” Chicora says.
Sloane twists his lips as he wipes his side.
“He stabbed me," he says apathetically.
“Who?” Chichora bites as she pulls me up from the chair into her large arms against her bosom like a mother hen. I hug her, sucking up the comfort. My body shakes, and I feel like I could pass out.
The police force Robbie out in cuffs, and I look up to see his face, that once attractive grin and dark gaze now full of things that I recognize for what they are.
Insanity.
I walk up to him and Sloane and Chicora call out to me, the police telling me to stay back.
“Miss me already, baby?” Robbie purrs. “I knew you’d be back.”
“Go to fucking hell, Robbie.”
Robbie’s eyes widen as he sneers and growls at me. “Just you wait, Oliver, he’ll fuck you over too. And when he does, don’t come crying to me, baby. Because I’m fucking done.”
I give him my back and head straight for Sloane and Chicora as the police move him out and Sloane wraps his arms around me tightly, kissing my head, my hair.
“I’m so sorry, Oliver,” he whispers. “I should have known. I should have been more vigilant, I—”
I grab him and pull his mouth to mine, effectively shutting him up. Tears stream down my face and I sink my fingernails into his neck.
Chicora clears her throat, and I remember we’re not alone.
