Page 79 of Fall onto me

Too many questions, and the answer is the same for them all … greed. Foster lunges, but Barnes points the gun to me, making him step back.

It’s the three of us, standing in front of the three of them.

“I needed Kent out of the way; we started out on good terms. But once I figured out he was going behind my back to earn money alone, I couldn’t have that anymore. He upped his security and only left home when necessary. I can’t tell you how many hitmen I went through.” He laughs, but it’s angry. “So, I needed you to do it, and it would have been so easy! You’re already fucking his daughter, so it seemed like the easiest way. I needed you in jail, to know how helpless you really were, so you would finally do what you never would for me … kill.”

“Your daughter is the one who stole my money. Did you know that?” Foster sneers.

TK tucks his daughter underneath his arm. “Why would I fault my little girl for being the smart one in that situation?”

He pulls a gun from underneath the desk and points it at us. “I can’t decide what will make you suffer more, your slow agonizing death,”—he turns the gun to Foster—“or his.”

His anger is directed at me because I hurt Envy. But how is that fair when he’s hurt Foster beyond repair? “Her wounds will heal,” I snarl. “His wont.”

Envy grunts, “Kill her, please.” She pouts like she’s asking for a new expensive bag, a spoiled fucking child.

I realize now, with Barnes being a part of this and Envy breaking that recorder, that it isn’t the rest of the department that’s corrupt, it’s him. He never gave them a single piece of evidence.

“Barnes,” Foster tries to reason, “you know what he did. He pushed Grams off a fucking balcony!”

“No, he didn’t,” Barnes scoffs. “That was me.”

“Why?” Foster voice is nearly gone, a shriek of a whisper escapes him.

Barnes waves his gun in the air, “I didn’t have shit growing up, you know how it is. This gives me money, power… anything I could fucking desire. I have Miami under my fucking feet.”

He shakes his head, trying to hold back tears, but failing. “That’s my fucking grandma dude! She made you soup when you were fucking sick!” He recalls a moment from his childhood, a time when Barnes was his friend and a game of tag was innocent when both parties knew they were playing.

A silence shrouds the room, then Envy’s shrill lighter fills it. “Honestly, Foster.” She croaks, “It’s so fucking lame. Oh, my poor little sister, my poor grandma, my poordead parents.” Her eyes roll, and I nearly jump to hit her again, but she stands close to the Keeper, who now doesn’t seem all that scary compared to the viscousness of Barnes or Envy.

He’s a terrible, awful man, but he’s a coward who hides behind a television and makes everyone else work for him. What’s scary about the other two is that they enjoy this. They’re not doing it for survival like Foster, they’re doing it with a smile.

“Eeny.” TK dips his gun away from Foster and points it at me. “Meeny.” Then to Wes. “Miny.” Back to Foster.

Foster grabs my hand, yanking me behind him just as Tk dramatically says, “Moe.”

Right as the power flickers off, a shot rings out, deafening not only my ears but every other sense. Foster drops to the ground, pulling me down with him.

It’s chaos, screaming and yelling while we wait for more bullets to fly in our direction. We can’t see, and I can’t feel Wes near me, but I hear shuffling. “Are you hit?” I scream at Foster, trying to turn him around.

He lays his body over me, protecting me from the violence happening around us. “No, stay down!”

Another shot rings out, and I worry that Wes has been hit.

I dare to peek around the corner as a rushed quiet fills the room, followed by shouting. Detective Askena rushes in alone.

On her vest is a light that dimly illuminates the room.

Barnes pulls his gun up and turns it towards TK and Envy. “We got him, Askena.” He’s out of breath, nervous.

She shifts her attention to me, beginning to lower her weapon, thinking that everyone is safe with Barnes. I shake my head, still under the weight of Foster, who won’t dare move away from me. His hands are wrapped around my body, as tight as a vice.

“Don’t lower your weapon,” I tell her. “It’s him, he’s a part of it.”

The distant sounds of boots bleed through my ears, but I don’t allow myself hope. Yes, it could be her backup, or it could be the dwellers from the harbor coming down to protect their overlord.

Askena shakes her head, looking back up to find the man she’s been flirting with pointing a gun directly at her.

With a flick of her wrist, she pulls down a head piece and shuts off her light, placing us back in darkness.

---