Page 105 of Wandering in Darkness
“Shoot out both of his knees to see if he remembers then,” Allen says.
“We’re being held at gun—” the other man starts to yell until Grayson punches him so hard it shuts him up. He hits the floor as Grayson presses a foot against his throat and aims his gun at the man’s head.
“What the fuck was that, Audrey?” Allen snarls.
“He was talking to someone else,” she says carefully.
“Was he? Have you lost control of the situation?”
“Of course not.”
“Well, that’s good. Let’s put Ned on the line, then, see what he has to say about it.”
“You’re on speaker and he can hear you,” she announces.
“Splendid. Ned… you already saw what I did to your fiancée; do you really want me to keep going? I will find everyone in your family, and I will tear them apart until there’s nothing left of them. Is that what you want me to do?”
Ned is staring at me and Grayson, like he wants to wait to see what answer we have about the matter, but honestly, I’m not sure I even know at this point. I just want it to end. I want it to be over so I can begin healing from this hell.
“Who’s in the room with you, Audrey?”
Her eyes are on my gun. “Just Ned. Thomas left.”
Thomas is still in the room but with Grayson’s foot on his throat, he chooses not to say anything.
“Shoot him in the head. Then shoot the rest. I’m done with this. Throw their bodies in one of their shitty greenhouses or buildings and burn the whole place down. I don’t have time for this bullshit.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Do it now.”
I hold Audrey by the back of the neck while I fire my gun at the wall.
“Ned’s dead,” she says.
“Send me a picture.”
“Of course.”
“Now. While I’m on the line with you,” he orders.
I could have Ned lie on the ground, try his hand at playing dead, but will Allen insist on a picture of the bullet wound? It’s clear he suspects us after Thomas’s little stunt. I look at Grayson to see if he has any wise advice. But before I can do anything, Audrey goes, “You really think I have time for that right now? Fucking hell. Give me a minute.”
“I don’t have time to waste.”
“Why do you think I do?” she snaps. “You’re over there just sitting at the top of your tower barking out orders, and I’m out here actually doing shit. I’ll send you your fucking picture. Until then, just keep eating your popcorn and wait for others to handle it.”
“You want to do the shit I do?” he asks.
“I would happily do it,” she says.
“You could be replaced without issue, don’t forget that. You are no better than the rest of them. Especially if you can’t handle a fucking marijuana farmer and his handful of workers.”
I can see the irritation rushing through Audrey. “Of course you can replace me. I’m pleased to know my worth even after all of these years.”
She ends the call as she glances at the other prisoner in the room, then looks over at us. “Allen likely knows shit went wrong. You better know what you’re doing because he won’t stop until all of you are dead. I’ll help you destroy him.”
“You’re just going to jump sides like that?” I ask.
