earth

chapter 9

                                                                                       *William*

He gently slides his arm under mine, bearing some of my weight as he guides me towards the house. It was a relief to have his support-- I don't know how much longer I could have kept standing. As we enter the house, the space begins to illuminate, and my heart feels a weight lift off it when I catch Ava's eyes again.

 Suddenly, Riley lowers her gun and tucks it back into her side, and Ava gets up from her knees, yanking the sock from her mouth, and races to me. 

She wraps her legs around my waist, and her arms encircle my neck-- burying her tear-soaked face into my shoulder. Despite the pressure crushing my ribs, I never want to let go.

Eventually, I gently let her down, and her eyes scan my face with worry creeping over them.

 "Who did this to you?" she asks, the concern also audible in her voice.

Riley's arms cross over her chest as suspicion clouds her expression. "You must have done something to piss Tony off. I've been in business with him for years."

"I have no idea," I shoot back, shrugging my shoulders. A searing bolt of pain jerks through my body, causing me to yelp. I glance towards Jason, and he's softly chuckling. The sound is strangely reassuring."

briefly leaned in close, a devilish grin on his face. "They did a number on you huh? Did you run away like a pussy? Are they looking for us now? Did they tail you?" As he spoke, he absentmindedly brushed the tip of his nose with his thumb. I turned to Riley, seeing the same curiosity mirrored in her eyes.

Taking a deep breath, I squared my shoulders and corrected briefly. "I killed him- all of them to be exact." Jason's lips expanded as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder again. "Atta fucking boy! You know if you keep this up... you might earn my respect-"

Ava cut in sharply, clearing her throat and cutting off Jason's praise. My eyes met hers, and I saw the silent warning between them. "If you keep this up...you'll go to prison," she warned.

"He won't go to prison...more like death row," Riley corrected, her voice cold and calculating. Ava turned to face her, daring to challenge her.

"Attention, everyone! Each of us holds within our grasp the three key elements of power: money, weapons, and a meticulously crafted plan. Our rise to dominion over the world is imminent, and I propose we seize that future tomorrow! Let us show the world who we truly are!" My eyes wander around the room, finally settling on the grinning faces of Riley and Jason. With them by my side, anything seems possible.

Ava's gentle fingers wrap around mine, and I feel her warmth seeping into my bones. The concern in her voice causes me to hesitate. "Perhaps we should wait until He's healed," Ava suggest. her gaze landing on Riley. "Riley, what do you think?"

" he can still walk," Riley counters confidently. "He's a capable fighter, and once the violence begins, all pain will melt away."

But Ava doesn't seem convinced. 

With a reassuring grin, I squeeze her hand. "Don't worry about me, Ava. I'll be fine. With Riley and Jason at my side, nothing can stop us."

"Well, you're never going to feel pain because all we are going to be is murdering people!" Jason scoffs, his laughter contagious as he squints his eyes and pulls my body down with him. Drool dribbles down the middle of his lips, his body shaking with each chuckle.

 I can't help but join in, laughing in the same uncontrollable manner. Our hysteria is only interrupted by a small chime coming from inside the kitchen, a sound that only Riley recognizes

"Dinner's ready," she announces, her voice clear and firm. Her eyes flicker back and forth between us.