Tilted Axis

Chapter:27

I continue to stare at the door after Zoldyck left. My smile long faded from my face. The taste of bile building in my throat. I turn my head and spit on the floor. The splat gives a slight echo in the empty room. "Bastard." My head cooling down, but the anger still lingers. The embers of hatred swirling around in my core. Going over a day without food or water must be effecting control of my temper.

Regardless, it sickens me that any person could do the things the Nazis have been doing. But then you have the SS. They were even worse. Chosen to carry their Fühers desires of a pure race. How any could willingly work for them is beyond me. He seemed rather ready to leave after that question.

Guilt? Or does he figure he stands a better chance of getting information out of my brother in arms? Perhaps to try and get me to crack first. I wish I knew. He seemed shaken by the question. Just slightly. The hesitation was there for but a moment. Perhaps I broke his guard. Now I just need to take that opening to shove the knife in his heart.

I look around the room for the hundredth time. "If I had a knife and wasn't bound to this chair." I mutter. A waiting game it is. Well Jerry, let's see who wins.

____________

Hours pass. I'm unsure how many. I can feel delirium settling in. Like a fog rolling in my head. Doesn't help much that I've needed the loo. No water or food for so long is not fun. I feel a dull pain on my forehead. A thudding ache in time with my heartbeat. It's probably been a day and a half since I last had food or water. Perhaps longer. Maybe two days? I have no idea how long I was out.

The silence is finally broken when the blonde SS walks in closing the door behind him. "Ah! He actually sent you." My voice comes out in genuine surprise. I didn't expect him to actually send the blonde male. "Are you still not gonna tell me your name, mate?"

He rolls his eyes as I expected. He crosses his arms standing in front of me. How much English does he know I have to wonder? He seems to know a bit.

"I guess that's a no. Did he send a gift?" I ask.

He holds up a small canteen from his belt. "Oh lord above, thanks. I'd prefer some tea but this will do nicely." I declare. My mouth feels like sandpaper.

His boots echo slightly as he walks closer to me and opens the canteen. "Let the rains fall, mate."

I open my mouth but instead of a refreshing splash I'm met with a single lukewarm droplet. I close my mouth and look at him frowning.

"Oops. Nicht mehr." He says with a grin. The type of shit eating grin someone gives you after they snatched your coin purse. The embers of rage have landed on the ammo depot.

"Fuckin' jacksie." I mutter under my breath. He leans in closer as if trying to catch it. His face centimeters from mine. Without hesitation I slam my forehead into it. I hear something crack and I'm willing to bet it wasn't my skull.

He recoils backwards clutching his nose. Blood spilling out from his fingers. "I SAID YOU'RE A FUCKIN' JACKSIE JERRY!" I shout. My temper boiling over like a kettle on the stove. My voice of calm reason is so buried in fog that only anger floats through. The ammo depot caught fire and detonated, sending my anger in a torrent.

A near instant next two more crash in the door with guns raised. I promptly give them a wide shit eating grin of my own. "How are you boys? Fancy pissing me off too? Just try and you'll find my knob where..." I cut myself off when Zoldyck charges in the room pistol drawn. The others may not have permission to kill me but, he will likely do as he sees fit.

He observes the situation. Looking to me then the soldiers, and finally to the blonde who is clutching his nose groaning. "Zurück zu deinen Beiträgen!" He shouts. The two guards who entered hesitated. Staring from the lieutenant and to me. Their eyes held anger of their own. They ultimately lowered their guns and stepped back into the hall.

The white haired male glares at the blonde before kicking the door shut with his boot. "That. Was not wise Englishman." He says to me, Pistol eye level. I can stare straight down the barrel. The only thing that comes to mind are Sergeants words.

"One bullet is all it takes."

"Perhaps not merc. But I'm not me when I'm hungry. Your man finds it rather amusing not to give me some water." I retort. My eyes remain on the gun.

"Cut the bullshit. Tell me what I want to know and you can have what you want."

"Oh stuff it up your arse. Please do, would be rather amusing to watch." I riposte. "You might as well kill me now. Just like those women and children. Yeah? Bet you enjoy the fact you killed them. Destroyed families. You probably had the most honest to god smile as you pulled the trigger."

The flaming fury in my heart roars out of me. My clouded mind and unfiltered mouth. He hesitated earlier. I know he did. I best strike while the iron is hot.

"What's a little more blood on those pale fingers of yours huh? LET'S GIVE EM SOME COLOR!" His hand seems to tremble slightly. The reaction is subtle but obvious when the gun is in your face. His trigger finger twitching but seeming unable to pull it back. The barrel of the gun swayed slightly.

"Er ist verdammt verrückt. Mach es einfach!" His blonde friend says. I turn my attention to him.

"Would you shut the hell up! Kings English! Fucking learn it! This one has. Oh wait! Maybe your tiny inferior Nazi brain can't handle its own language much less a second! Maybe you Aryans aren't as superior as you thought." I slide in the sarcasm hard on the aryan. Superior genetics, what a load of horse shit.

He stares at me wide eyed, still holding his nose. He wasn't expecting me to turn my attention to him. "Well, Killua?" I draw out his name slowly, turning back to him. "Have anything to say? Any at all? If not just shoot."

In all the rage and fury I hadn't noticed that the bandage on my forehead came off and the cut began bleeding again. Blood was dripping into my vision and onto my clothes. "Just remember." I start. Adrenaline and energy are starting to seep out of me. "When you pull the trigger I'll be on my ticket to the lord. But when you find yourself on the other end of the barrel, that's your ticket to hell. I die without any regrets. You probably won't." The fire was dying out. Its fuel burned away.

For the first time since I've started shouting I turn my attention to Killua's face and feel my heart stop for a moment. The smallest of moments. The kind that lasts an eternity. The cold steel and composure I once saw is gone. His eyes without their dagger like gaze. Instead his face was one that held only sadness. Slight tears in the corners of his eyes. His teeth grit tightly. The crack in his composure sealed quickly again.

"Kurapika, geh zur Krankenschwester." Zoldyck finally says. The blonde looks at him. I guess Kurapika is his name. His expression softens for a moment before he steps out. When the door closes, the arm holding the gun drops. Hanging by Killua's side.

I stare at him in silence. He turns away and his shoulders seem to start shaking. Is he crying? Laughing?

"You...will regret your actions, Englishman." He says spinning around facing me. His gun is holstered, but it feels as though bullets may shoot from his eyes with his expression. A hard cold glare that says only one thing. You fucked up.

A string of fear flows through me. I attempt to steel myself trying to prevent it from showing. I know it's a futile effort as my eyes are wide. My heart has sped up. I pushed the lieutenant too far and now he's snapped.

(Wc:1422. As today is the 78th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Normandy in 1944, I find it fitting to post a chapter of Tilted Axis early. I'm not doing very well of making a release schedule am I? Anyway, I was gonna post earlier today but, found myself occupied after going on a walk and visiting my cousin. But it's here now and I hope you enjoy! Feel free to point out any errors should you see them!