Rule 7 : Rage

CHAPTER 17: Mystery's Gambit.

Zayn's hands shook as he wiped away the sweat beading on his forehead. His eyes darted nervously around the room, searching for a way out. "I was evicted... I can't go back," he stammered, his voice barely a whisper. "So... I thought... returning to the orphanage..."
Lord Maximus's gaze narrowed, his eyes boring into Zayn.

A beat of  silence stretched between them before Lord Maximus raised the gun slowly, his finger hovering over the trigger. A smirk played on his lips as he spoke. "Just one pull of the trigger," he said, his voice dripping with derision. "Now that your so-called 'recovery' is complete, I could easily expedite your journey into oblivion."

A knot tightened in his chest, breath coming in shallow gasps. He tried to think, to find a way out of this mess, but his mind was a blur. "How could I have been so naive?" he thought to himself. "What if this ends in my demise?"
Maximus tightened his grip on the gun, his eyes fixed on Zayn with a icy, calculating stare.

Zayn's fingers grew shaky, he blurted out, "I remember the sequence of events that brought me here."

A flicker of surprise crossed Maximus's face. "How did you become involved with the Butcher's Worm?" he asked, his voice laced with suspicion.

Zayn's eyes widened. "I am utterly clueless about them. The term was foreign to me until I arrived here," he responded, his voice trembling.

Lord Maximus's jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing. He leaned back in his chair, his brows furrowing. "You expect me to believe that?" he scoffed. "The only reason you're still breathing is my curiosity about how you landed in their clutches. But it seems I've exhausted my patience."

Zayn's heart pounded in his chest. "I'm telling you the truth. I was just offered help by a woman, I swear," he pleaded.

Maximus's eyes narrowed further. "The web of mysteries deepens. Those clothes, your ties with the Butcher's Worm—it's all too convenient."

"They were all I could find after losing my apartment," Zayn explained, his voice trembling slightly.

Maximus leaned forward, his face inches from Zayn's. "Why the charade then? You claimed memory loss, yet now you wish to flee to the orphanage. Quite suspicious," he hissed.

Zayn's mind raced. He knew he couldn't continue this charade. "Why prolong this?" he said, his voice rising. "You could easily end it all. Pull that trigger and uncover the truth."

Maximus's eyes flashed with fury. He slammed the gun onto the table, his face flushed. "How dare you!" he roared, leaning forward menacingly. "Tell me now, how did you end up in that car?"

***
Zayn's POV,

Zayn's head dipped forward, his brows knitting in confusion. "I can't remember the exact date," he muttered, his nose flaring. "It was raining. I was evicted—forced out—and stumbled into this abandoned house, hoping it could be a refuge, even if just for the night. Inside... there were clothes, and I wore them." He paused, his throat tightening as his gaze dropped to the floor. "The next day, I found this woman, a baby in her arms. I begged her for help, but then... it all spiraled. The chaos... we had to run. We got into her car, but..." His words wavered, the memory choking him. He flinched as the image of her head, lifeless, flickered in his mind, the shock of it visible on his face.

***

Lord Maximus leaned forward, his eyes glinting in the dim light. He slid a photo across the table toward Zayn. Zayn picked it up, his expression hardening as he studied the picture.

"Yes, that's her," he muttered, his voice barely audible.

Lord Maximus tossed a small, resinous lump onto the table, letting out a low chuckle, the sound chilling in the confined space. "She's a member of the  Shaque. We've been tracking her movements for months." He paused, a sinister smile creeping across his face.

"You left your apartment just days before she arrived. A coincidence, perhaps? Or something more?"

He leaned back, his gaze fixed on Zayn. "We'll find out soon enough," he said, his voice dripping with menace.

Zayn's frown deepened with concern. "But... she should be deceased by now."

"Yes, she is. She violated our code, not the infant," Lord Maximus interjected.

"Does that mean the child is still alive? Please, don't harm me. I believed the child was gone, which is why I didn't speak the truth," Zayn pleaded in desperation.

"You withheld information. You were aware of us, the Shaque. Clues from that mysterious house you sought refuge in—speak the truth now, before I pull this trigger," Lord Maximus demanded sternly.

This time, Zayn was consumed by both confusion and dread. Sweat trickled down his face as he watched Lord Maximus lean back, raising the gun and aiming it directly at Zayn.