Inquest

Inquest Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Betsy

The cashier practically throws my bags at me. Her vicious glare is nothing new. I’ve been getting those kinds of looks all day. At least she was willing to let me buy something. Others haven’t been so accommodating. I actually got thrown out of a couple of stores today. Even Milo looked like he might be getting irritated at the treatment after the last one. Where is he anyway?

I glance around me at the storefronts nearest me and spot him across the food court at an electronics store. That’s right. He was going to look for a DVD player so we could watch more than what the basic cable channels in my room have to offer. I would go over and join him, but I have to use the bathroom really bad. I settle for texting him that I’ll be over in a few minutes and make a beeline for the nearest ladies’ room.

Trying to make my way through a crowd of people inexplicably gathered right into front of the bathrooms with a dozen bags gripped in my hands is no treat. I finally shoulder a woman out of my way and break through. As soon as I do a meaty hand clamps down on my arm. I smother my first thought—to take a swing at him—and turn slowly toward him.

I’ve never seen this man before, but the telltale signs of a Guardian are hard to miss. Big, muscular, evil, drone-like capacity for following orders. The blade strapped to his forearm is a pretty good clue too. He pulls me away from the crowd to a corner I’m sure isn’t within sight of any security cameras.

“Can I help you?” I ask through a forced smile.

“What’s in the bags, Cassia?”

“Afraid I’m buying Destroy the World supplies at the mall?” His mouth curls into a snarl at my sarcasm. I roll my eyes and hold my bags out to him. “You’re welcome to check them. All but the Victoria’s Secret bag. I don’t relish the idea of some creep fondling my bras.”

He clearly doesn’t appreciate my mocking. But he grabs my bags anyway. After searching them in record time he thrusts them back into my hands with a grunt.

“Disappointed?” I ask sweetly.

“You’re not fooling us.”

“I don’t have to fool you. I just have to not destroy the world and you have to keep your grubby hands off me. Unless you’re on Lazaro’s side,” I add.

“There are no sides in the Guardians,” he snaps. “That’s a lie.”

He seriously can’t be that delusional. “I was there. Howe said leave me alone. Lazaro said he’d kill me if he got the chance regardless of orders. There are definitely sides in the Guardians.”

Can’t hurt to sow a few seeds of division among these psychos. Chaos in their ranks can only help me. The Guardian slaps a hand against the back of my neck and yanks me right up next to his face. My bags scatter on the ground around me. Okay, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

“I don’t care who kills you, so long as someone does. Howe or Lazaro…it will be equally thrilling to watch. For me. For you it will be the worst kind of pain you can imagine. I’ve seen both men take down rivals.” He smiles, sending a chill through my body. “Early in Howe’s crusade to the top, he faced a man from Japan. This man loved sushi, and Howe loves to make each death as personal and memorable as possible, so after beating this man in combat, he cut the flesh from his body one strip at a time. Turned him into his favorite meal. It took hours.”

Watching every expression that flashes on my features, the Guardian relishes the disgusted look on my face. “Lazaro is even worse,” he says. “I don’t care which one of them ends up on top after this. I just want to be sure I’m there when they get their hands on you.”