The Truth (Deckard Shaw)

Chapter 10

Hobbs eventually wakes up and looks around before looking at me and Deck. "There he is. Nice and rested? Get your full 8 hours? We were gonna order some room service. What do you fancy? French toast? I'll get the order in" Deck asks him sarcastically. "I dreamt I'd killed you before I woke up. Pretty disappointed right now" Hobbs replies and I grin at their childish exchange, even in situations like this. Brixton interrupts the exchange by explaining his method of torture. Electrocution. "Shock will kill a man in three" he states. "You remember that Deck?" he asks. "Ye, I remember a lot of things from back then" Deck replies. "I reckon you've only got for four shocks in you guys" Brixton bets confidently. "Ye? I think we can take five" Hobbs answers just as confident as Brixton and I look at him unimpressed. Is he trying to get us killed? Brixton questions him but presses the button in his hands and electricity courses through us.

We all groan in pain and gasp once Brixton lets go of the button. I lean forward to catch my breath and breathe through the immense pain still courses through me. "You had to open your big mouth, didn't you?" Deck mutters to Hobbs. "I thought it was a cool thing to say in the moment" Hobbs argues. "Do you still think it was a cool thing to say?" I answer frustrated. Deck looks at me concerned so I give him an assuring nod. "Remember when we were real brothers? Task Force Black. Do you remember that Deck?" Brixton interrupts, once again referring to his history with Deck. "We ended up seeing the worst in people. Worst in our countries, our leaders, our enemies, our friends" he continues. "You don't know the meaning of that word anymore" Deck replies disappointed. "But don't worry about it, neither does he" Hobbs adds. "He shoots them right in the head, but in your case I thought it was a hell of a good idea" he proceeds to dig us a bigger hole. "Big man, you still talking?" Brixton asks. Hobbs starts to repeat his words but Brixton presses the button once again.

We all groan in pain once again as the electricity courses through us, feeling more painful this time around. We all take deep breaths once Brixton releases the button. "You know, it's funny how humanity's hate for each other is stronger than its own self-preservation, which is why we're here" Brixton starts to give us another speech. "Remember eight years ago Deck? When Eteon asked us to join their mission?" Brixton asks Deck and he quickly replies with "You mean their death cult? They're lunatics". Brixton turns to Deck frustrated. "Visionaries. Visionaries of a future. A bigger future. A brighter future. You remember the data they gave us. With environmental damage, capitalism, terrorism, humanity wipes itself out by 2096" he explains to us. He's not wrong, we aren't helping ourselves. "That is scary to me. But if we fulfil Eteon's vision, you save their world" Brixton continues as he tries to convince us he's doing the right thing. "You don't save the world with genocide" I interrupt him. "Genocide, schmenocide. You know what this virus is? This virus is a necessary shock to the system" he replies before pressing the button for the third time.

I groan in pain again as the immense pain travels through my body, worse than both times before. I let out a scream of pain along with the boys before Brixton releases the button and we all gasp. "I told you then, I'm telling you now. Your metrics are off. One good reason; you assume the worst in people" Deck says to Brixton while I continue to take deep breaths. "People cannot be trusted to do the right thing. Look at you three. The future of the world is in your hands and you can't even get along or won't talk to each other" Brixton replies and I realise how right he is. The guys can't get along and I've avoided Deck as much as I can. "But you know all about doing the right thing, don't you Shaw? Well almost, since you abandoned your girlfriend in the process" Brixton adds and looks at me before handing Deck a used bullet. "Little souvenir?" he says. "You come to kill me, I'll do the same every time" Deck replies and drops the bullet to the floor. Hobbs chuckles and I sigh at his stupidity. "Anyone talking to you?" Brixton asks him. "Your mum" he answers and Brixton presses the button for the fourth time.

We all groan in pain for the fourth time. I gasp for air when the electricity stops coursing through me. "Hobbs! Would you shut your goddamn mouth?" I complain to Hobbs and Deck watches me take deep breaths to deal with the immense pain. Brixton continues to talk to Deck about the night he killed him while Hobbs and I just take deep breaths. "When you shot me, you gave me a gift. Look at me, I'm black superman. Bullet proof, new spine and the more machine I become, the more humane I am" he proceeds. This man really wants to convince us of Eteon's cause. "I'm giving you another chance to join us Deckard. And the boss wants big mouth and your ex as well. If not, I kill you all. Which honestly, I'd love to do" he asks us and I watch him as he walks towards Deck and kneels in front of his face. "You know Eteon. You know what they're capable of. They rebuilt me, dismantled him" he says before glancing at me. "Made it look like he killed his own team. Even your own sister and girlfriend disowned you" he finishes and I can't stop the shock that covers my face. Brixton laughs at my expression and Deck looks at me and sighs. I stare at him, not knowing what to do or say. It was all a lie. I should've trusted myself when I questioned it all. I should've believed in Deck.