Bastille Imagines

All This Bad Blood Pt. II

"I'm sure you're aware of the purpose of this gathering and I personally like to thank you all for coming." He gleams. The instant he begins pacing around the perimetre of the table, you can feel Charlie's insecurity overflowing and it's contagious effect is rubbing off on you. You find yourself losing focus and your ears block out everything that Dan is saying about the importance of this alliance and your heart beat becomes the only audible thing in the room. Everyone has their eyes pointed down onto their hands or elsewhere, they don't dare to look him in the eye.

Dan reaches your side of the table and your heart skips a beat when he stands right behind your chair. His body sweeps the back of your head and his touch paralyses your muscles. You're completely incapable of moving even an inch. Suddenly, he places his icy cold hands upon your bare shoulders giving them a gentle squeeze whilst still continuing on with his speech. Sheer panic replaces any composure you had before and your lungs seems to fail you, only allowing you to take quick, unsteady breaths.

Charlie throws you a quick glance at you but you don't catch it. In your peripheral vision you probably see someone mentally telling you that you're in danger. Grave danger.

"I want friends and enemies to become allied. We are at threat of-"

His influential monologue seems to be cut off when one of the younger ringleaders, Carlos García barges in through the door (15 minutes late) and scurries to his seat ignoring the glare that everyone throws him. He mumbles an apology but no one seems to comprehend it.

Total silence.

He heaves a heavy sigh, his breath cooling your skin. His hands finally leave your shoulders, fingertips lightly tracing them as he walks away. His haunting touch leaves an imprint on your skin, forever leaving traces of chills. He walks directly to Carlos, pacing unbearably slow as he takes long strides.

"Tolerance." He exclaims. "Is something I do not have. If you are expecting this alliance to succeed, the first thing you should learn about me..." He stands directly behind the latecomer. Right now you are hyperventilating. "Is that I don't tolerate tardiness!"

In a swift movement, he firmly clamps his hand onto the back of Carlos García's head and vigorously slams it against the table. Instantly, he's knocked unconscious. The alarming shrill of smashed glass still rings through your ears as you mind-numbingly glare at the limp body slouching onto the table, surrounded in a small pool of blood. You do everything you can to contain the shriek of fear aching to leave your lips. But you fail miserably.

You apprehensively watch Dan fix his appearance; his hand glides through his hair and he gives a quick tug to his blazer removing the creases. All too soon, with his composure restored he's back to the way he was as if nothing happened. You, however, are still trying to process the reasoning behind his violent assault. Nobody else in the room appeared to give even half the reaction you gave, but then again, this is just a normal Thursday evening for them.

Dan marches back to his chair positioned at the top of the table and perches his hands onto the edges, scowling at everyone through the furrow of his eyebrows.

"I do not and will not tolerate people like Mr García here, so for us all to be in agreement with each other we must have respect. If you are incapable of doing so then you yourself will end up like Mr García, if not then worse. Am I making myself clear?" He thunders.

Everyone, with no reluctance, nods.

"The reason for this alliance is that we are becoming a dying breed. Our community is like no other; we make our own rules, we escape government regulated life, make our own businesses and live for the thrill. Gangs nowadays are being too cocky, we can't afford to be doing stupid things that result in gangs becoming inactive and spending the rest of our miserable lives in prison. We need to stick together, too few of us can mean extinction. All I ask is that each of your gangs would be willing to carry out a few errands every week with pay, and I can assure you that each and every single one of you will make it to the end of the week."