Saving The Robin [The Avis Venators: Book 1]

XII

-Maddie P.O.V-
I rested my head against Riley back as she sped the motorbike down various roads.
"Where are we going?" I called out to her.
"Somewhere I never wanted you to go," she replied, revving the engine. I stared at her from behind, at her eyes fixed ahead of her.
She's prepared so much for this...
"I'm sorry," I muttered. "For being useless."
She laughed, then turned a corner.
"Don't be stupid. You're not being useless, you're being human. If one of us has to throw away our humanity, I'd rather it be me."
"But...wait will that mean for you?" I asked.
"I guess we'll just have to find out," she replied.

We parked up in front of a small street, lined with houses that looked exactly the same. People sat on the porches, glaring at one another.
"Riley...is this where you live?" I asked. She didn't reply. She simply climbed off the bike, and pulled out the stand, so it wouldn't fall when she let go.
"You coming?" She finally said. I nodded quickly, then hopped off as well. She began walking down the street, and I followed closely.
"Oh, if it isn't Haine," a man said. He cracked a smile, even though half of his teeth were missing. He placed his hand on Riley's shoulder.
"Don't fucking touch me," She said firmly.
"Oh yeah, cause you can handle yourself-"
"Do what I fucking say!" Riley shouted.
This only caused the man to laugh, but he took his hand away nonetheless.
"You're as hot-headed as your brother. He's in the basement."
Riley didn't thank him, or say another word. She just continued walking forward.
"Riley, why didn't you tell about all of this?" I asked her quietly.
"Did you need to know?" She replied.
"It doesn't fucking matter whether I needed to know! I'm your friend! If I knew your living situation was this bad, I've would've offered-"
"And that is exactly why I didn't tell you," she said. There was agitation in her voice.

"We're here," Riley announced. We were standing at the house located at the very end of the street. Many men were crowded round of, with nasty looks on their face.
"Stay close to me," Riley added, as we walked forward.
"Looky Looky, here comes Haine," a woman said, in a red corset which I recognised as sex attire.
"Haine, give me a kiss," a man said, who could've been Riley's great grandfather by the looks of his age.
"Why do they keep calling you-"
"Where's Daniel?" Riley asked them all, interrupting me. I realised very quickly my voice was not welcome here.
"This way, baby," another man teased, who was standing by the entrance. I was about to step forward, when I felt someone grab my hand. I let out a little cry at the sudden contact.
"Who's this little angel?" A voice said. I turned, to see another bulky man with his eyes set on me.
"Ril-"
I stopped mid sentence, as I saw the edge of a pistol lined towards his face.
"Let her go or I will fucking kill you," Riley ordered.
"Uh oh. Don't make Haine angry, Rick," the woman next to him said. He grinned, then let go of me. I released the breath I didn't even know I was holding, and got so close to Riley's side that you'd think we were conjoined twins.
"You better explain everything when we get home or so help me," I muttered into her ear.
I heard her laugh from behind.
"Don't worry, I will."

We entered the house, which was half torn apart and leaning to one side slightly. The door led us straight into a hallway, which had stairs leading into a basement at the end. We made our way down the stairs slowly, until we reached the floor. There was a man who looked our age sitting on a chair, with a woman in lingerie clutching onto his arm. He had soft dark brown hair, and menacing yet beautiful brown eyes that seemed to stare right through you. His jaw line was like a razor blade, and he had beautiful toned skin just like Riley. Actually, they were the spitting image of each other.
"Daniel," Riley greeted.
"Haine," he replied. "What a pleasure. And you brought a friend."
"I didn't come to play nice. I need a Cordura triple I A, and guns."
"These just came in. AMT HardBallers," he replied.
"What type?" She asked. He held the gun out in front of her.
"SA PI."
She seemed interested, and took the gun out of his hand.
"It's light..." She muttered, weighing it in her palm like it was nothing. "What about the cartridge?"
"45 ACP," he replied.
"ACP? Dan, you know I don't like ACP," she said, annoyed. They were speaking a foreign language to me, I didn't understand any of it. But the thing that scared me the most is that Riley shouldn't understand it either.
"It's always good to try something new, sis," he said, grinning. "Like joining the family."
"Over my dead body, you psycho," Riley replied bluntly. Then she turned and aimed the gun at a dart board on the wall. She steadied her hand, and fired. I flinched at the noise, and let out a small gasp.
"Is this the girl you've been hanging out with? Jesus fucking christ Haine," Daniel added, talking as if I wasn't even there.
"Don't listen to him Maddie," Riley told me, as she exhaled. I looked at the dart board, and where the bullet had hit. She hadn't gotten a bullseye.
"Aw, tough luck Haine. She's pretty bad, ain't she blue eyes?" Daniel said to me in a sarcastic tone.
Blue eyes?
Riley laughed in return.
"Look again dumbass," she said. Even though she was talking to him, I took another look at where she'd fired the bullet. It had gone straight though triple twenty.
"Everyone knows a triple twenty is worth more than a bullseye," Riley added, putting the gun back on the table. "I'll take two."
"Wow, someone's busy. Haine, you haven't brought weaponry from me since primary school. What's gotten into you all of a sudden?"
"Maddie here has got herself a stalker."
"Riley!" I shouted, glaring at her.
"Maddie, if him knowing is gonna do anything, it'll be help. Trust me, this guy's hands are probably stained more than our stalker."
My eyes widened, as I stared at both of them.
Has she...been killing people? All this time?
Both of these two...they treat weapons like toys...
"I don't even recognise you," I whispered. Riley's eyes glinted.
"Aw, you tried to keep it all to yourself didn't you Haine? Too bad. You're family is just too fucked up for her to not notice."
"Riley, are you...like him? Do you kill people?"
I almost choked on my breath as I said the words. Riley shook her head at me desperately, which actually surprised me.
"Maddie, I told you not to listen to them! I may have a bad heritage, but I'm not like these people. It's just...the situation we're in...we have to take whatever action we can. And I'm using these resources to do exactly that."
"W-What about in primary school? He said you brought a gun from him in primary school."
Daniel started laughing. He really was a psycho. If only he weren't so damn beautiful.
"T-That was one time. And I have a reason for that."
"What, Riley? Stop avoiding questions! What gave you the reason to kill?!"
"My fucking uncle, Maddie! My fucking uncle kidnapped my best friend and told me I had to take out an enemy of his before he would let her go. We're murderers, Maddie. We're a family of fucking murderers but I didn't want to kill, so he kidnapped her and forced me to kill anyway! HAPPY NOW?"
My pupils were shaking, as I stared at her. The girl that I had met in year seven, a complete stranger. No history, no judgment. The girl that had eventually learnt my every secret, memory, history...and I thought I held the same status. I thought I was the one that she trusted. The other half that she told everything to. So how-how in the world- had I missed something this important?
"Oh and Dan, I need one more thing." Riley added. "Give me a dose of tetrodotoxin."
Daniel actually seemed suprised by this request.
"Riley, what the fuck are you thinking?" He asked.
"So you do know my first name," she replied, a sleek grin on her face. He handed her a small bottle with clear liquid inside. Then Riley turned to face me, her expression bland. "Come on, we're leaving. Or do you want me to tear my heart out even more?"
I hesitated for a second, then shook my head. I glanced over at Daniel, as we were headed for the stairway out, and he grinned at me.
"She's a dark girl, blue eyes-"
"Daniel I will rip your fucking throat out!" Riley screamed. He immediately burst out laughing.
"See ya round, Haine."

The ride home was silent. I rested my head on Riley's body, my eyes closed.
"Riley-"
"Please, Maddie. Just...please," she muttered. Tears slipped down my cheeks, as I held on tighter.
"Okay."
We arrived at my house, and I got off the motorbike. I began walking up to the front door, but Riley stayed beside the bike.
"I'm going to park it round the back, so your mom-" Riley stopped mid sentence. Then she quietly got off, her head hung low. I waited for her to catch up, then we walked in together.

We both sat down on the sofa, and Riley placed her gear in the coffee table.
"Aren't we falling apart," I muttered.
"Yeah," she replied. I leaned my head against her shoulder.
"I'm sorry, about your past. But I promise, it doesn't change how I see you," I added. I felt the movement of her shoulder as she breathed deeply.
"Families like mine are built to be alone," she said grimly. "We're not supposed to have long lasting relationships and best friends..."
"A murderer, huh? If you ask me, that's pretty badass. I know a lot of people who'd wanna be friends with a killer."
"Shut up," Riley said, laughing. "Besides, I'm not a murderer. I just...have the skills to become one."
"Ooo, scary," I whispered. "Come on, since when did you give a shit about what you were supposed to do? You decide who you are, okay? No one else," I reassured.
"That's the thing," Riley replied. "I've been told my judgment will only get people killed."
"What do you mean?"
"Haine. My surname. Everyone over there calls me it because my father always said I was better than my brother. Because every decision I made was always the most violent, no matter what the situation. For example, when my uncle took my friend, I didn't even hesitate. I brought a gun from my brother and fired, without a single thought. I didn't sit there and figure out another solution. I did it because I was frustrated and angry, and killing is so quick, and simple..."
"That kind of thinking is what is gonna make you like them," I said, annoyed. "Death, simple? Is that how you see it? It's taking someone's life, Riley. Stopping their heartbeat, destroying their memories, drowning out their blood...it's the end of someone's everything." I stood up. "I don't want to start an argument Riley because neither of us need it tonight, but you can't expect me to feel sorry for you when you kept this all to yourself."
"I was fucking scared! Can you not see that? My little 'primary school friend' never even looked at me again after that incident. You are the first friend who hasn't been targeted or left. And I will do anything to keep it that way."
"You should've known me better, Riley."
Then I turned around and made my way upstairs, to lock myself in my bedroom and pretend life was nightmare, because that seemed to make my dreams less terrifying.
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