GAUGE
Islammed my fist into the man’sthroat, watching him begin automatically choking and gasping for breath as his crushed windpipe collapsed on itself. His hands moved to his neck as he tried to find what was wrong and fix it. He couldn’t, obviously. Ipressed my pistol against his forehead and his eyes went wide right before Ifired. His body went limp, and whoever he was, he slid down the wall that I’dhad him pinned against, leaving asmear of red behind him.
Stepping back, Iturned around and continued down the narrow corridor of the yacht. It had been abloodbath, the floor aswimming pool of blood and death. Ijust hoped it was theirs and not ours.
Along, angry-as-fuck scream sounded out from somewhere, and if I’dhad aheart, it would have skipped abeat because it sounded like the devil incarnate had just been released from hell. The scream was all fury and hell on earth, and Icharged right toward it like the idiot Iwas. It sounded again, but the narrow passageways made it impossible to guess which direction it was coming from.
“That’sher,” Dom said breathlessly from behind me. “I’dknow that bitch’sscream anywhere.”
Even in asituation as fucked up as this, Icouldn’thelp but snort out alaugh. Iglanced over my shoulder at him, noticing along red line that went down from his temple to his jaw, athin line of blood trailing from it and dripping down onto his cut. His knuckles, like mine, were bloody and raw. Blood tainted the color of his teeth, and he spat it out at his feet.
“Like rats from the sewer, they just keep comin’,” he said, and Igrunted in agreement.
The yacht was amaze of hallways and closed doors, each of them locked when Itried the handle. After finding the fifth or sixth door locked Iwas getting more and more agitated. Ihadn’theard another scream since the last one, and wasn’tsure if Iwas even heading in the right direction anymore.
The hallway split left and right and Dom jerked his head and went left while Iwent right. Above us, yelling and fighting could be heard, but the deeper into the yacht Itraveled the more muted the sounds became.
Itried another door, but the knob only turned in my hand.
“Fuck it,” Igrunted before slamming my shoulder into the door. After the third time, the door burst open and Ilooked around at the brightly lit room. Alarge bed sat center stage, pink silk sheets, pink pillows, pink fucking wallpaper, adressing table, and plush pink carpet. It was every woman’sdream, like fucking Barbie had vomited in the room. Ishook my head and turned to leave, but as Idid my gaze fell to the side of the bed. Iscowled and took astep forward, trying to make sense of what Iwas seeing.
With my gun in my hand, Istepped around the bed, ready to kill whoever it was.
“Please,” awhimpered cry whispered.
The air stilled and Istepped closer, finally seeing that it was asmall blond woman—more of agirl, really. She was curled up into aball wearing next to nothing, her knees pulled up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them as she peered up at me, alook of pure terror on her face.
“Please,” she whispered again, tears pooling in her big blue eyes. “Please, Iwant to go home. Ijust want my mom.”
“Jesus,” Imumbled, shocked at the state of her. She wasn’tbruised or cut up, but the raw terror in her eyes was palpable. Iheld up aplacating hand, aware that Iwas likely scaring her more than Iwas calming her. Iwasn’texactly the most peaceful-looking man, after all. “Listen, I’mnot here to hurt you. I’mgonna get you outta here, okay?”
Her eyes widened but she didn’tsay anything, her falling tears saying everything for her.
“Just stay here. Don’tcome out until Icome get you, you’re gonna—” My words died on agasp as something hard hit me in the back of my head. “Fuck!”
Ilet out agrunt of shock as the pain came again, that time in my ribs, and Iinvoluntarily dropped my gun. Igasped, struggling to catch my breath around my suddenly too tight throat. Another blow landed in my ribs and Icried out, aroar of fury and pain leaving my lips. Ispun around and grabbed the man that was now in front of me. He was younger than Iexpected him to be, barely half my age, but he was built like awrestler—but in away that said steroids and not hard work.
The man cried out as Islammed my fist into his jaw, and while he was dazed Ithrew him to the floor. He started to roll over, but Ireached down and slammed my fist against his chest. He sucked in asharp breath, his eyes widening in pain as Ipunched his chest again and again until Ifelt something break. He glared up at me in pain and hatred as the woman in the corner began to cry loudly. With one hand wrapped tightly around his throat, Isnatched my knife from its sheath before slamming it down into the man'schest. Ifelt the blade cut through bone and muscle until it made purchase in his heart and he stopped moving instantly, blood beginning to pool underneath him. The death was too quick, too damn easy for him, but Ididn’thave time to make him suffer.
Iwas gasping for breath as Iclimbed back up to my feet. Still crying loudly, the girl glanced behind me, the look only fleeting before meeting mine once more. Ireached down, grabbed my gun from the floor, and swung around, putting two bullets into another man who had snuck into the room behind me. He dropped to his knees and fell face forward without aword.
“Thanks,” Igrunted to the girl as Istarted to walk away. “Stay here until someone comes and gets you.”
“Your head,” she said, her words stopping me in my tracks.
Itouched the back of my head, my hand coming back covered in sticky red blood. Ifelt around the wound again and hissed in pain. Iglanced back at the young girl.
“I’ll be fine.” Ichanced alook around the doorframe, hearing the sound of adoor slamming from somewhere further along the hallway. Iheaded in the direction of the noise, noting the many closed doors on either side and now knowing that there were likely women locked up inside each room. Every closed door made me hate the Vipers even more. Itook that hate and anger and let it fuel me. Igripped my gun tighter, ready to kill every last motherfucker down there.
Coming to the end of the hallway, there was only one way to go and Iheaded in that direction. As Ipassed adoor, abanging sound came from within it. Afist hammering away over and over on the wooden door, hard enough to shake it in its frame. Istopped, quickly checking behind me to make sure Iwas still alone, before knocking on the door.
“I’ll be back to get you out of here. Just keep quiet for now,” Isaid, my lips against the door as Ispoke. The back of my head felt warm and Iknew Iwas losing too much blood, but there was nothing Icould do about that at the moment.
The banging stopped but as Iwent to walk away Iheard it start up again, but angrier this time, if that was even possible.
“You’re just going to fucking leaving me here!” Jolie yelled incredulously from inside, and Istopped walking and turned back around.
“Jolie?” Isaid.
