Page 33 of Drop His Mask

Levi raised a hand to their wrist to check for a pulse but jolted back as soon as he touched it.

“They’re dead. Frozen.”

A high-pitched frequency pierced into Maverick’s brain.

Enzo’s hands landed on his shoulders. “Get it together. We don’t have to look. We don’t have to know. I’ll unlock them. We can carry them carefully over, get inside ourselves, and be done. We don’t have to know.” Levi repeated the phrase.

But Maverick didn’t understand“not knowing.”

All knowledge can be used.

Maverick walked forward in a haze, he stopped at the weapons table grabbing a pair of shears similar to the ones Raven had used and then he made his way to the dead body.

He took them in. They seemed to be about Enzo and Maverick’s height and build. Maybe just an inch taller. Definitely a man, with broad shoulders and bulky arms.

Maverick didn’t hesitate any longer. He bent forward, cutting open the hood.

The red hair fell out first but once it had, Maverick was able to see the corpse inside. Thefrozencorpse.

“No!” Enzo screamed behind him before the unmistakable sound of vomiting permeated the space.

Maverick didn’t realize he was shaking until Levi’s hands reached across the body, taking the shears from him. “Go to your brother. I’ll handle this. I’ll be careful. Promise.”

Maverick staggered back in a trance before he too bent over, emptying the contents of his stomach. After a beat, it turned to dry heaves.

Maverick stayed bent like that until Levi’s steady hold grabbed onto his wrist pulling him to the large metal container. The barrel.

“Close your eyes. You don’t need to see any more of this. I’ve got you and Enzo.” Levi’s voice was soaked in warmth and empathy as he guided Maverick.

Maverick acquiesced, shutting his eyes. But when he did, the image flickered brighter. Neon. Echoes of the same picture. The smell of bleach surrounded him but focusing on it he could detect the decay. The rotten acrid burning his nostrils.

“Fuck, I just. FUCK! FUCK YOU ALL!” Enzo screamed. “Are you happy now? Is this what you wanted?! You sick fuckers just wanted a reaction? Well, you fucking got one! We are going to kill you all!”

Tightening his fists and grinding his teeth, Maverick agreed with the sentiment but remained quiet.

“Congratulations. You have secured forty organs.”

Maverick took in a deep breath.

It was a mistake.

He was clearly much closer to the body now, and while the corpse was frozen, it was easy to tell they had been dead for a long time.

Not all knowledge can be used.

Maverick didn’t need to know that after his brother, histriplet,George had been killed, they had frozen his body. He didn’t need to know what his brother would smell like after being dead for years. He didn’t need to know the ghostly white color he would turn.

Maverick’s eyes shot open, and he found what hedidneed.

Raven was watching him. She inclined her head and offered a sad smile.

I’m sorryshe mouthed.

Me, too.

Chapter 18

For Every Deck, A Joker Is Needed

---