Inside My Head (Silent Moment Series: Book 6)

Chapter 34

 I continued to move out slowly, my hands still raised, as the members of the Children of Gabriel began to form a tight circle around us. Their faces were a mix of anger and triumph, believing they had cornered their prime target.

Bellamy's voice was a mix of panic and desperation. "No, no, no!" he cried out, trying to move towards me, his face etched with concern.

"Raise your weapons!" commanded one of the men, his tone authoritative and menacing. "Take him down!"

Bellamy's protest was immediate and fervent. "It's not him!" he argued, trying to defuse the rapidly escalating situation.

Octavia, still with the gun trained on her, called out with surprising calmness, "Gabriel, we could really use some help here!"

Moments later, Gabriel emerged from the tent, stepping into the tense standoff.

A woman among the group, her mask now removed, recognized him. "Xavier?" she asked, a note of disbelief in her voice. "Xavier, brother, step aside."

"Layla, it's okay," Gabriel responded, positioning himself protectively in front of Bellamy and me. "Nelson, put the weapon down. All of you, lower your weapons. That's an order."

Nelson, clearly defiant, stepped out from the group, his demeanor challenging. "You don't give orders anymore," he countered sharply. "Where's the old man? Layla, check the tent."

As Layla moved to comply, Gabriel interjected again, his voice steady but laden with gravity. "The old man is dead. And so is Xavier."

Nelson, the assertive man leading the group, closed the distance between him and Gabriel, stopping only a few feet away. His voice was a venomous hiss as he commanded, "On your knees."

Without a word, Gabriel complied, slowly sinking to his knees with a calm resignation that contrasted sharply with the surrounding chaos. His movements were deliberate, showing no sign of resistance or fear, just a quiet acceptance of the situation. The man, Nelson, circled around Gabriel to inspect him more closely. His footsteps were measured, each step heavy with a sense of purpose. As he completed his inspection, he let out a sigh, one that seemed to carry a mix of relief and a heavy burden of responsibility. With a nod, he acknowledged the truth of Gabriel's statement.

"Gabriel," he finally spoke, his voice low and laced with a complex mix of emotions. The single word hung in the air, a tacit acknowledgment of recognition and the history they shared.

The atmosphere was charged with a palpable tension, each of the onlookers holding their breath, waiting for what would come next. The standoff, while momentarily subdued, was far from over. The stakes were high, and the uncertainty of the outcome loomed over us all. Layla, fueled by a storm of betrayal and anger, charged at Gabriel and struck him over the head with the butt of her gun. "Traitor!" she spat, her voice seething with contempt.

Nelson was quick to intervene, moving to Layla's side with a firm yet calming presence. "Easy, Layla, easy," he urged, guiding her back, trying to diffuse her explosive rage.

In the midst of this turmoil, it dawned on me: we were in deep trouble. The group, fueled by their newfound revelations and suspicions, roughly herded us all back into the tent. They forced us onto our knees, a clear sign of their control over the situation.

"Explain," Nelson hissed, his gaze fixed on Gabriel.

Gabriel, still reeling from the blow, sighed deeply. "I didn't want this. I loved Xavier like a son. You know that."

"Don't say his name—" Layla began, her voice trembling with fury.

But Nelson cut her off. "Layla, if you can't handle this, maybe you should wait outside."