Page 88 of Moonstruck
“He did when we were there, but I don’t know about any other times,” Jerry said. “That’s the truth. These players come from all over the globe. Russia, China…literally everywhere. You can shut down the game, but you’re never going to find the other players. It’s just not possible to track them all down.”
“Do you believe him?” Zane asked Asa, his heart squeezing like it was in a vise.
“I do,” Asa said. “But we can keep going until you’re satisfied.”
“It’s just not fair that he gets to die quickly when he tortured my brother for weeks,” Zane muttered, voice shredded.
“We don’t have to kill him quickly,” Atticus said, like he was discussing the weather.
“What do you mean?” Zane asked, looking from him to Asa and back again.
“As long as he has fluids, we can keep him alive for weeks,” Atticus clarified.
“It’s not safe to have him stashed out here,” Jericho retorted.
Atticus shrugged. “Not above ground, maybe. An extra large pine box, a six-foot deep hole, some IV tubing, and a trip out here daily to change the bag, and we can keep him alive for anywhere from twenty days to two months depending on how long it takes him to starve to death.”
“What? That wasn’t the deal!” Jerry shouted. “You can’t be serious.”
“How will you know when he’s dead?” Zane asked, mulling the idea over.
Would it make him a horrible person? Did he care? Wasn’t this an eye for an eye? He tortured Gage for a month. Why shouldn’t Jerry experience the same level of horror?
Atticus gave that same bored shrug. “I’ll know for sure about a week after I stop the fluids, so really, the choice is yours. You can decide what day he finally dies. Until then, he can lie around underground with nothing but the insects and his thoughts while he slowly rots.”
“You wouldn’t mind?” Zane asked Atticus.
“One of us is always out here anyways,” he said. “Besides, you’re family.”
Zane’s heart felt like it would explode in that moment. He looked to Asa, who nodded. “It’s your choice, Lois. I can’t make it for you.”
Avi stepped forward. “If he’d done this to my brother, I’d put a dive mask on him and stake him to the bottom of the lake so he could be eaten alive. You’re a lot nicer than me.”
For some reason, that was all Zane needed to hear. “Do it. Fuck him.”
Jerry’s screams rattled around the cabin until Jericho injected him with something that knocked him out. “Transports are easier when they can’t fight back.”
“Come on, Lois. Let’s go home. We’ll figure out how to deal with the game master tomorrow.”
“What home are you going to?” Avi asked.
“The city. Are you coming?”
Avi shook his head. “Can’t. I got a work thing with Felix and he’ll shoot me if I miss it.” Both Jericho and Asa stared at Avi for a long moment. “What? I said it’s a work thing.”
“You own the company,” Asa reminded him.
“Maybe. But he kind of owns me,” Avi said. “He just doesn’t know it yet.”
“Oh, he does,” Jericho muttered with a snort.
“See you at home,” Asa said, leading Zane out the door. “Are you sure you’re okay, Lois?”
Zane wanted to say he was fine, but he wasn’t. He turned and threw his arms around Asa. “I’m not fine. I’m not fine at all.”
“What do you need?” Asa asked.
Zane looked up at him, eyes pleading. “I need you to make me forget everything but you.”
