The Inception (Book #1 of The Inception Trilogy)

chapter twenty-seven

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

"PLEASE, I DID WHAT you asked. Just let me go," the pathetic boy whimpers, trembling from head to toe. His legs are visibly shaking, moments away from buckling completely under him. He tries to hold his hands up as a sign of peace, but those shake relentlessly too. He looks as if he just stepped out of warm water into mountains of snow.

Micah smirks at him, enjoying the boy's fear and submission. This is how it always should've been as opposed to Micah being the fearful. Now he is the feared, and he can't think of anything he would love more.

"You see, your mission was not fulfilled," Micah tells him, clicking his tongue scornfully. "What I asked was that you bring me both the boy and the little girl. Instead, you come back empty-handed with the pitiful excuse of compassion. I never asked you to make friends. Quite the opposite, actually."

The boy sobs outright, not even bothering to stifle it. "Please! You must understand how I felt. Put yourself in my shoes."

Micah snarls at him, grips his chin roughly, then yanks his face up for their gazes to meet. "I'd rather die a thousand deaths than step in your shoes for a second," he hisses. "Your weakness offends me."

Bottom lip quivering, the boy all but whispers that one, stupid, stupid word, "Please."

Micah tosses his face to the side, taking a step back. He purses his lips, considering what to do next. He wishes for nothing more than to rip this boy's throat out and watch him die painfully slow at his feet. However, he has leverage that put this boy under his thumb to begin with. It would be a shame to let that leverage go to waste.

So he walks to the door, poking his head out to tell the guard standing there what he desires to be brought up. Then he turns back to the boy, cocking his head to the side. "What's her name?"

Instantly, the boy stiffens, his tears halting long enough for him to look up at Micah with wide eyes. He starts shaking his head slowly, then more rapidly. "No. No, no, no, please! Please don't hurt her!"

Micah narrows his eyes. "I asked you a question."

"Please," he says again, continuously shaking his head. "Please."

"The question," Micah snaps, clenching his fists to hold his temper though it was incredibly difficult.

Steady tears flowing down his freckled cheeks once more, the boy hangs his head. "Caroline," he whispers.

Micah saunters back over to the middle of the room where the boy stands shackled to the ceiling. The chains come down without any slack, tugging his arms straight upwards in an agonizing way. It was the best improvising Micah could do considering this place doesn't naturally have chains in every room. Micah stares at the top of the boy's head as he keeps it low, and folds his arms across his chest.

"Tell me about you," Micah requests.

Confused, the boy peeks up at him. "What?"

Micah simply raises his eyebrows.

The boy blinks many times. "W-why? I mean... I don't..." Wisely, he decides not to question any further. He inhales sharply. "My name is Nick. I'm nineteen. I-I had two little sisters but one died during the war when the bombings were happening. I... I don't know what else you want me to say."

"What was her name?"

"Madelyn, but we all just called her Maddie."

"How old was she?"

Nick falters, his answer a shaky breath, "Six."

Micah rolls his shoulders back. He's glad he doesn't have time to consider a response. The guard comes in with the girl--Caroline--begging for him not to hurt her. Her red hair barely hits under her chin, dirty and sticking out in every direction. She too has freckles spotting every inch of her face, green eyes sharp and observant. She takes in the room quickly, evaluating her brother's position.