Weeping Angels

Part XXV: I brought you into this world...

Kettu's eyes opened slowly, he groaned as his head throbbed with pain.

"Interesting." Joseph's voice brought to life the reality that he had been sucked into. His eyes widened as the form of his father stepped into the light, carrying the pistol that Kettu had brought with him. "The same gun I used to put down your bitch of a mother, and almost you, and you still hold onto it." He grinned. His awful, aging face was Kettu's very idea of evil, he tried to roar out a primal scream at him, but no sound emerged. His mouth had been taped shut, his body tied to a chair just like Nina, who sat beside him.

"Your emotions," Joseph started, twirling the pistol in his right index finger, "have always been your downfall. You've always been nothing more than a little boy, a sniveling, whining little boy." He grinned again, his eyes glimmering with some kind of sick satisfaction. Kettu could feel his rage boiling within him as he tugged at his restraints.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Joseph hissed, pushing the cold barrel of the pistol into Kettu's forehead. "Or I will pull this trigger and end you now."

Nina let out a muffled scream, drawing Joseph's attention, he drew back his right hand, slapping her hard across the face. The sickening collision of flesh and bone sickened Kettu, and added not only to his anger, but to his sense of helplessness.

"Don't like that, do you, boy?" Joseph giggled with glee, turning slowly toward his son, "what are you planning to do about it?" The tape ripped off of Kettu's lips, peeling away a painful layer of skin.

"I'll tell you what I plan to do." Kettu growled, his tone low and full of hate, "if I'm given one chance. Just one, I will be sure you regret ever trying to find me, all the way until your dying breath!" He spat into the face of his father, fueled by rage and hatred. He did not weigh consequences, or think his actions through.

Joseph's hard backhand and several hard fists to his sternum were the punishment for this folly. Kettu coughed, trying to catch the breath so cruelly knocked from him.

"You won't get that chance, you little shit." Joseph hissed, stepping back, cocking the pistol. Kettu felt a bead of sweat gather on his eyebrows. He kept silent as Joseph raised the pistol toward him, taking careful, malicious aim.

I should have killed him when I had the chance. Kettu thought as he closed his eyes, regret pulsating through his entire body. He could hear Nina sobbing and screaming from behind her duct tape gag.

This is how it all ends? He thought, the same way it was going to that painful night?

No.

This was far more terrible. Nina's screams did more to him than any bullet could. It broke his heart, and left his soul in tatters. It was far more painful than anything he had ever felt.

Click.

Bang.

The resounding gunshot echoed off the aluminum sides of the warehouse, the smell of gunpowder filled the air.

And Kettu Kinson felt nothing at all.

The room was silent, without a sound. Nina had stopped screaming, which caused Kettu's heart to jump.

No. He couldn't have.

Not Nina...

Kettu carefully opened his eyes, looking over to the chair beside him. Nina sat, breathing hard, but alive. He drew his gaze over to where Joseph was standing, but saw nothing but a lifeless body on the floor.

Joseph's body.

"Suspect down!" A voice called out, and several figures materialized from the darkness, clad from head to foot in black kevlar, they carried fully automatic weapons in their gloved hands.

"Both hostages are secure." Said one into a radio mouthpiece. "All clear."

Kettu turned to Nina, who was already staring over at him.

And he smiled.

It was over.

Finally, it was all over.