Page 69 of Gemini
Leslie helped me out of the car. Dom went over to the trunk and took something out—another mask. This one was just a blank white face except for two dark lines curving from the corners of the mouth, creating a sinister smile.
“You should hide your face,” Leslie said as Dom offered the mask to me. “Plus, the masks will make it creepier. He might shit his pants and confess quickly if we’re lucky.”
“Yeah, right.” I took the mask, reality hitting for the second time. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”
“Yeah, but think of how much of a badass you’ll be.” Leslie took out his mask from inside his jacket and slipped it on. Dom followed suit. I clung to mine for a moment, knowing as soon as I put it on, there was no going back.
You can do this, Lena.
I slipped it on. Adjusting it, I quietly followed the twins to the garage. I felt like one of those creepy people from the movieThe Strangersas we marched through the dark. A few of the members stayed outside to keep watch but I had a feeling it wasn’t unnecessary. We were in the middle of nowhere.
Leslie got to the door and yanked it open, pulling me inside with him as Dom kept close behind. Inside, Leo and others were standing by a door at the back of the garage.
“He’s pretty quiet already,” said Xaviar as we approached. “Don’t think you’ll get him talking easily.”
“We’ll see about that.” Leslie let go of my hand to pick up a tool box sitting on the ground. “Thanks again, Mika. Promise we’ll clean up the mess after.”
“No problem,” said an older member, maybe in his mid-forties with a sort of huntsman look to him, a graying beard and long unkempt hair. I realized this must be his property. He glanced at me and nodded. “Get that fucker to talk.”
Leslie moved for the door first. He glanced at me to make sure I was good before swinging it open.
The room was dimly lit with a single orange light above. The ground had been covered with a gray tarp. At the back was a large boiler but the rest of the room was empty, save for Jasper in the center tied up in a chair. He still wore the bag over his head, his body leaning forward.
Dom came in from behind, carrying an orange bucket filled with murky water, a rag and cup floating within. Leslie set the tool box on a small table next to the door. I stood frozen, staring at the man. I heard the door shut behind me and felt the twins moving around me. Dom set the bucket beside Japser’s chair, and I saw the glint of one of Leslie’s knives. Dom went behind Jasper then carefully removed the bag.
The man looked to be in his early thirties, with dirty blond hair that almost touched his shoulders. He wasn’t bad on the eyes, had a sort of cowboy look to him. As he tilted his head back, his eyes fluttered open, icy blue staring up at the light. He mumbled something but I couldn’t make out the words.
Leslie stepped up to him and gave him a hard tap on his face, making the man flinch back. “Nap time is over. It’s story time.”
Jasper squinted at him, his confused expression faltering. “Been a while…you finally came out of hiding.” He smiled and I saw blood on his teeth.
I glanced at Leslie nervously, but it didn’t seem to startle him that Jasper knew who he was even with the mask. He probably didn’t need to guess that hard after what Leslie had done to the bar and to some of Jasper’s men.
“Yeah, we’ve been out a while, surprised you didn’t hear.”
Jasper shrugged. “Maybe I did. Just figured you were sticking to your own. Didn’t think you’d come back with a vendetta to your old brothers.”
“They weren’t our brothers,” Leslie answered plainly. “Ours followed us to the new faction. Yours stuck around, believing you weren’t full of shit.”
“I thought…we had an understanding,” Jasper slurred. “You were gone, they needed someone. We weren’t your enemy.”
“Maybe not. Until you fucked with the wrong girl.”
Jasper glanced at me then turned back to Leslie as if he didn’t understand. “What girl?”
Leslie swung, throwing a punch right in Jasper’s face, making his head swivel to one side. I stifled a gasp as Jasper leaned forward and spat blood on the floor.
“Where is Trish Alverez?” Leslie asked without hesitation.
Jasper’s body shook and I realized he was laughing. Dom moved next and pulled the rag out of the bucket. He yanked Jasper’s head back and covered his face in the rag. The cloth must have been icy cold because he yelped, trying to shake the rag off but unable to. Dom scooped some of the water into the cup next then started pouring it over the rag. Jasper jerked and sputtered as the water hit him. Dom took his time draining the cup, letting Jasper gasp for air before peeling the rag off.
“We got all night. It’s your choice how you want to play this out.” Leslie stuck the end of his blade into Jasper’s thigh, digging it in excruciatingly slow. Jasper gritted his teeth as a yell of pain slipped from his throat. “So what’s it going to be?”
Panting for air, Jasper’s eyes searched wildly around as if he could somehow find an escape. “Going to…be a long night,” he gasped.
Leslie didn’t appear surprised. “So be it.”
I stood near the door as the twins took turns trying to get him to talk. I made it almost a half hour before I needed to take a break. I stepped out to the front of the garage and one of the guys offered me some water which I accepted gladly.
