Collection City

8c. How Much Longer?

It took the thugs two seconds of bewildered staring before they finally reacted.

The one who'd been about to box Jaiden was the first to back off, falling to his knees only a few meters away. He clamped his hands together as if he was praying, and managed to utter only a few words through his shock:

“P-please forgive me.”

The other two men stared at their companion and then at Jaiden, before finally deciding to follow his lead and kneel on the ground too.

The woman was the last to react because, due to her position behind Jaiden's back, her view was obscured by his backpack. However, after seeing her companions' horrified expressions, she leaned her head to the side and took a closer look at the boy's neck. There was one thing clearly missing there; There was no code written in his neck. She looked at the other side of his neck, hoping that it was simply a mistake and he'd been tattooed on the wrong side, only to discover that there was nothing there either.

A gasp escaped her lips and she let go of the boy, who was now gloating happily at them. I can't believe what just happened! It's just a nightmare, it has to be! The word “nightmare” filled her mind. She didn't want to accept that she had just lead an attack on someone who lacked a tattoo. No, she couldn't accept it, because, if she did, she would have to accept that it was now all over.

“We didn't know...”

“You guys really aren't very good at begging for your lives, are you?” Jaiden laughed. It was a cruel and childish laugh. “But then again, I can't really blame you. You are very strong, so it's probably not a skill you've ever needed before.” He simply loved the looks on their faces. Then he heard someone swallow, and looked up to see Annette staring at him. The look she gave him wasn't something he could understand, but he didn't really want to let that get to him right now. A new thought occurred to him. Ah, no...

“Hey, Annette?” She flinched at the sudden mention of her name, and her pity was now replaced by a fear for her own life. He just continued talking casually to her, as if he hadn't even noticed. “Before you start getting any weird ideas, let me just make something clear, okay?”

She swallowed again and nodded to show that she was listening.

“I didn't save you, okay?”

Annette frowned. What is he talking about?

“Hey, did you understand what I just said? Answer me. I didn't save you. I just came here and thought these guys were annoying, so I wanted them to go away. It was nothing more than a coincidence, that they happened to be hurting you, but it has nothing to do with me, right? It's just a coincidence.”

“Erm... Yes, Master.” she answered. What is he blabbing on about? She felt uncomfortable under his intense stare, but weirdly, not threatened anymore. He was frowning, like he'd made some kind of mistake.

“Just a coincidence.” Jaiden repeated. “You acknowledge that, right?”

“Yes... I acknowledge that it was a coincidence?” She responded, confused. She didn't understand what he was trying to get at.

“Good.” He said, and suddenly he was back to being his normal self. Annette sighed, relieved. She was pretty sure he was over his killing mood now.

The thugs picked up on the word “Master” and decided to try it themselves. After all, if it worked for the blonde, it might just work for them, too.

“Master, we're really sorry for what we did. We didn't realize...”

“That's okay.” Jaiden turned back to them, offering a sweet smile. “I'm not hurt, and I had fun playing with you.”

Playing! The thugs thought. Dammit, cowering in front of someone like this is just humiliating.

“Oh, but what I said earlier still counts. Now scram.”

They lifted their heads and looked up in confusion, unable to believe that they would get off so easily. Jaiden lifted an eyebrow.

“I mean it. It could really lengthen your lifespan if you leave now.”

Hearing the threat, they all jumped up to leave.

“And while we're at it, Annette's mine. When it's time for her to die, I'll be the one to take care of it. So don't you kill her until then!”

They all nodded vigorously in agreement, then scampered off.

When the group of thugs was gone, Annette sighed and glanced at Jaiden.

“Master, you could have just told them to leave me alone altogether, that would have helped me a whole lot more. Now they might still try to come back and attack my children.”

“I'm not here to help 'your children´. And I'm not stupid, Annette. I know what I said, and I said that for a reason.” Jaiden replied without even looking at her.

“I'm sorry, Master. I didn't mean to insult you.” Annette eyed the boy warily as he looked up to the sky, and tried to figure out his mood. “But speaking of my death, I don't have much longer, do I?”

At this, Jaiden finally looked at her. Was that a hint of sadness on his face?