Remember Me [Jalex]

.11.

This took a day or two longer to update due to minor technical inconveniences. But we're alright now, enjoy!

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I was upright. That was all I knew when I came to. My head hurt from the blow and my sight was fuzzy as my brain took time to register my surroundings. I was in a dark and dusty warehouse. I tried to move my hands and legs but I was bound to the chair they so hospitably put me in. Whoever they were.

The loud clang of the door opening echoed around the grey, empty space. It was followed by footsteps whose owner just came into view.

"Ah, you're awake," the man said.

I looked up at him. He had a sinister smile on his face and he had tattoos all the way up his neck and down to his fingers. He wasn't alone for long, four other men joined him closely followed by three others cowering slightly in the presence of the others. I guess the last three were the men who abducted me in the alley and the guy standing in front of me was the "big boss" they were talking about.

"We've been trying to get you for a very long time, Gaskarth," the man said as he started to pace around me. "We almost did the last time but we got interrupted by your friends. But here we are, finally."

"What do you want from me?" I asked in a shaky voice.

"What we've always been wanting from you, of course," he said and stopped pacing. "Your business, and your territories."

"Territories?" I echoed, mostly to myself. I was getting dizzy trying to keep my eye on him as he moved around. The others just stood there, quietly watching.

"You and your gang have taken over the best parts of this city, Gaskarth." He started pacing again. "And we want some of it. We can't be greedy and take all the prettiest girls and liveliest party places, now can we?" He taunted me like I was some kid.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I replied coolly. Or as coolly as I could with my heart trying to leap out of my chest.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about! Don't play dumb with me," he snarled, losing his patience.

He swung his hand and the smack to my face was strong enough to rock the chair I was in. It stung and I could feel my skin buzzing. Fortunately, the chair fell back on all four legs and didn't topple over. The shortest of the four cronies was a red haired man with a long cut across his cheek dangerously near his eye. It looked pretty new, still red and sore around the edges. He went up to the man and whispered something in his ear. The man's face broke into a wide grin as dismissed the shorter one in much better mood than before. The short man obediently returned to his original standing position.

"When I heard that I got you captured, I thought Christmas had come early this year," the man snickered. "But it seems like it must be my birthday too."

I didn't reply.

"It seems that the co head honcho's head injury was a little more severe than we thought it would be," the man sneered. "I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed when I heard you didn't die. It was a pretty bad stab to your guts you got the last time, I was counting on you to bleed to death. But good things come to those who wait, am I right, boys?"

His cronies laughed in agreement.

"How rude of me to not introduce myself," he pouted. "Since you can't remember me, I am Austin Carlile," he announced. "Your worst enemy," he grinned before giving me a sharp blow right where my healing wound was.

I gasped in pain. I wanted to curl up and protect myself but my hands were tied too tightly for me to move at all. It left me vulnerable to the punches he continued to throw at me. In the blinding agony, I couldn't scream. I could hardly breathe. Just before it became all too much, he stopped.

Standing upright again, he sighed, "Since you lost your memory, it's no use talking business to you. Maybe I should wait for Jack to come along then we can get along with the negotiations. It should be an easy conversation, since I literally have his heart in my hands." He laughed sinisterly and his cronies mimicked him.

He sauntered towards the door he came in. The three that captured me scurried up to him and he looked at them like they were something stuck to his shoe.

"Sir, aren't you pleased that we captured Gaskarth for you?" The leader asked timidly as the other two cowered behind him. "Don't you think we deserve a little thank you?"

Carlile considered their request for a second and they waited hopefully. "Thank you," he finally said and they smiled. "Now get lost before I tie you up and use you as my personal punching bags," he snarled.

With small squeaks of fear, they ran off and I never saw them again.

Carlile nodded to his four other men still standing around me like dogs waiting for permission to eat. "Have your way with him," he said. "But I want him alive to feel every second of it," he called as he walked off, his voice bouncing off the cement walls.

I looked up at the four men hopelessly. They smiled back at me like hungry wolves at their fallen prey. Taking a deep breath, I submitted to the pain that was no doubt going to be inflicted upon me.

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