Fragments - Book One of the Missing

Chapter 45 - Taniel

Taniel and Scooter had just enough time to move out of the way before the door was blasted open. The explosion rocked the room, but a quick look over his shoulder reassured him Rowan was still working her magic. Two armed guards, slightly older this time, walked through the debris. Both held rifles, and had rounds of ammo strapped to their chests. Taniel was grateful the room was too small for them to use a rifle effectively. But maybe also too tight for his knives. It would have to come down to hand to hand combat.

Wills followed the guards in, hands in his pockets. Jones and Kat flanked him.

"Can't go anywhere without a posse?" Taniel asked.

Scooter didn't waste a second. He pulled the gun out of his jean band and had it pointed at the intruders. Two shots, and one of the unnamed men was down. "I wouldn't call three his posse. Would you, Gills?"

Wills scowled at Taniel and Scooter and waved the rest of his group in. At least ten boys piled into the room, lined up behind him. All dressed like warriors. Ice trailed them into the room. Even he was armed which surprised Taniel. He had never seen Ice away from his precious computers.

But what surprised Taniel more wasn't Wills' back up, or Ice's rare appearance. It was Scooter's face. Scooter's face transformed when he locked eyes with Ice.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. His voice quivered slightly on 'you.' Taniel hoped no one noticed. This was the first time Taniel had ever seen Scooter unnerved by anything.

Wills looked demented in his happiness. His smile twisted into something gruesome. Taniel couldn't help but think it looked more like a grimace. "Ah, you didn't know I had your brother in my employ?" Wills paused, enjoying himself immensely. "Shame. He has been such great company. If you joined the team, you could have been together like the happy family you've been missing for years."

"You're lying," Taniel said, spitting at Wills. "Scooter lost his brother a long time ago."

"No, he isn't." Ice's quiet voice demanded the attention of the group. "I'm surprised you never noticed the resemblance, Taniel."

All the blood had drained from Scooter's face. But looking at Ice, Taniel could finally see the resemblance—hair the darkest black, piercing blue eyes, and the straight nose (much like Scooter's had looked before it was broken). If Ice hadn't grown his hair out, the resemblance would have been so much more apparent. The real only difference was Ice was as tall and gangly as Scooter was short and buff.

"Enough of the pleasantries," Wills drawled. He jerked his chin at Ice. "You take care of your brother. Dead or alive. If he isn't with us, he is against us." Wills turned to Kat and Jones. "You two get the girl. I want her still breathing—I believe she will be far more valuable to us than she is to this lot."

Then Wills locked eyes with Taniel. Taniel wouldn't back down. He stared into those dark eyes, daring Wills to speak. "But you are mine," Wills said to him.

Before Wills could take two steps to close the gap between them, Taniel made one last decision. He chose Rowan over himself. A flick of the wrist and the knife went flying through the air. It landed with a small thud in the back of Jones racing for Rowan. For a big man, it didn't take much to bring him down. As he dropped to the ground, Taniel breathed a sigh of relief. One down. Rowan had held her own against Kat before, she could do it again.

In the seconds he had focused on Rowan, Wills had come at him, fists flying. Wild in a way he had never let himself be seen. His fingers were adorned with brass knuckles, small spikes on each ring. The first punch connected with his stomach and he doubled over just as another punch connected with his face. He managed to pull away, blood poured down his face. Wills bounced on the balls of his feet, his legion of children standing behind him at the ready. Between seconds when the pain throbbed and numbed his mind, all Taniel could think was that it was worth it to give Rowan better odds.