We Live To See The End

What's The Plan, Piercebridge?

Kristoffer's hands tremble as he prepares to knock on a door. The sign on it reads, "Niall A. Trenton, Assistant Manager". With his fist raised, he can barely bring himself to do it. He grips his lighter in his other hand.

'Come in Piercebridge, don't be an idiot,' Niall's voice comes from inside. Kristoffer takes the handle, wishing it didn't feel like it was burning his hand. He pushes it down, opening the door with a slight creak. Niall is sat in his office chair, sunken eyes intent on Kristoffer, 'What do you need?'

'Help. I need help,' Kristoffer admits, sliding the lighter into his pocket for safekeeping. Niall raises his eyebrow. Kristoffer takes a deep sigh, 'I've been assigned a case. And I really don't want to do it.'

'Who is it?' The cogs in Niall's brain turn, before his eyes snap open in realisation, 'Is it that Rockwell guy?'

'Yes it is, okay?!' Kristoffer shouts. Niall's lips begin to curl into an evil smile, which he swiftly wipes off of his face.

'Sorry. A case is a case. You'll be able to find him fine, with your track record,' Niall responds, returning to the work on his computer. He mutters two rather horrible words about Kristoffer under his breath. Kristoffer breathes out in anger through his nose, slamming the lighter down on the desk. Niall's irate face softens at the sight.

'Help me make a plan Niall.'

He grumbles out a, 'Fine.'

*

A plan in the front of his brain is all he leaves Niall's office with, short tempered, and one lighter down. He grabs his spare lighter and motorcycle helmet from his desk, and approaches the front desk. Roisin looks up at him with questioning eyes.

'What time is it?'

'8 pm. Your shift's over,' Roisin mutters, 'In fact, it was over an hour ago. Are you alright?'

'Fine,' Is all he says, opening the front door with his keycard. Roisin starts to say his name, but the sound of thew door closing clatters over her voice. He pulls his cigarette box out of his pocket, struggling to light it with his shaking fingers. He sits down on the short brick wall in front of the building, staring at the dark sky, polluted with ugly yellow lights.

'Kristoffer?' Someone's voice comes from in front of him. He looks up to see Alexis, headphones around her neck, and two Lidl bags in her hands.

'Hi,' He mutters, putting his lighter away.

'You don't look alright. Do you need to talk to someone?' She asks, cocking her head to the side. Kristoffer nods gently. She places the bags down on the floor, sitting next to him, 'How's the job going?'

'Urghhh, I'd prefer not to talk about it,' Kristoffer groans. Alexis moves her eyes away from him.

'Okay then,' She searches for something else to ask to make him feel better, 'What about... Ashton? He isn't telling me about you guys very much.'

Even just the mention of Ashton makes him want to be sick, 'We argued last night.'

'Fuck, I'm not helping, am I?'

'I appreciate the effort, don't worry.'

They laughs slightly. Alexis jumps off the wall, 'Sorry, I've got to get home. Cheri was begging for some snacks, and I think she'll explode if I don't get home soon. If you need to talk to someone, you know where we are.'

'Thanks.'

As soon as Alexis had disappeared, he crushes his barely burnt cigarette under his shoe, going to the car park to get his motorcycle.

krispiercebridge

Hi Ashton, I'm really sorry for what I said
Do you want to meet up tomorrow?

rockingverywell

yeah sure! where?

krispiercebridge

The park near your house at 8:45 pm?

rockingverywell

sure :)

It was Ashton's suggestion to take this job. So he might as well do it. Niall is lurking on a park bench, hidden under a hoodie. He's close enough that he can see everything without looking like a total creep. He's waiting for the go ahead. He keeps checking the time on his phone. Every second feels like hours.

'Checking the time won't make it go quicker, Piercebridge,' Niall mutters, just barely audible over the sound of the passing traffic. Kristoffer just wrinkles his nose at him, tapping his foot impatiently. Finally, 8:45 pm rolls around, the sky a deep shade of purple. He notices Ashton walking up the path, and his stomach lurches. He takes in the sight of all his features, his glasses glinting in the yellowish light of the streetlamps. He's wearing a jumper that is too big for him, jeans that scrape the black asphalt, and a pair of trainers. He looks so perfect. Kristoffer knows he is going to dislike himself thoroughly for this one.

'Hi,' Ashton smiles, giving Kristoffer a hug. Kristoffer looks over his shoulder, seeing Niall's crinkled expression, 'You wanted to see me?'

It's exactly 8:45 pm. Kristoffer stutters out, 'Yes, I did.'

'Alexis said you didn't seem okay,' He comments, holding his hands gently. A little too gentle, in his opinion, 'Are you okay now?'

Niall stands from his bench pulling the gun from his pocket, 'AMI, Niall Trenton! Don't move a muscle unless instructed!'

Ashton steps back, gaze intent on Kristoffer with a flame of anger flickering in his pupils. Kristoffer focuses on Ashton as he suddenly begins to laugh.

'What's so funny?' Niall barks, voice quaking with anger. Kristoffer looks into his amber...

Wait.

Alexis shifts back into her usual form, staring Kristoffer directly in the eye, 'Great play, Kristoffer. Real proud of you. You really can't help but want to murder him, can you?'

Kristoffer can't get any words to form a coherent sentence. He just opens and closes his mouth like a flabbergasted fish. She turns around to Niall, 'I'd put that gun down if I were you, sunshine. It'll be an unfair battle.'

'What? Two armed men against a little lady like you? I doubt it,' Niall scoffs, keeping his finger on the trigger. His hands begin to shake, and the gun brushes against his leg.

'Mm, more like two armed men against four little ladies like me,' Alexis shrugs, leaning against a tree, 'Hey, guys!'

The sound of the surrounding bushes and trees shuffling is enough to frighten anybody within a state of good wits. Niall shuffles toward Kristoffer, hissing through his teeth, 'What's the plan, Piercebridge?'