Tell No One

Chapter 25

Kiera waited in that chair for quite some time. There was no indication of the passage of time, no windows or clocks, nothing but the static breathing of Roman behind her and her own feelings of hunger. She considered asking Roman if she'd get to eat anytime soon, but she'd find out soon enough. 
It was disconcerting, not knowing whether it was daytime or nighttime. She gazed at the lonely lightbulb, which clung to the ceiling for dear life. She wondered if Mera would show up. 
Suddenly, she could sense a shift in tension. She felt Roman stiffen and Kiera turned her attention to the door and watched it expectantly. It was agonising, waiting for just something to happen.

Kiera let out a sigh of relief as the door opened, and three men stepped through.  Kiera straightened her back, a gave them a small smile.
One of them, clearly the guy in charge, stared down at her disapprovingly.
"Don't smile." Kiera narrowed her eyes and retracted the grin from her face.  

The man who spoke had a face of stone. A low brow and a sharp jaw line gave him a uniquely harsh face. Faint stubble lined his cheeks, followed the curves of his face to a set of thin set lips that frowned at her. his hair was nonexistent, more being on his face than his actual head. He carried an air of authority, and the other 2 men stood at ease to the wall behind him.  Perhaps the biggest difference between the men, however, was the way they dressed. Whereas Roman and the other two men wore slacks, white cotton tee's and baggy jeans, the lead man wore much more refined clothes. Pressed trousers and a strikingly bright purple shirt, it was clear who was in charge here. She couldn't see his shoes over the table in front, but she was sure they'd look expensive too.

"So you are the beast?" The man's tone with disbelieving. "You're the one who's instilled so much fear into the lives of so many? Don't make me laugh." There was a predatory glint in his eyes, a certain confidence Kiera was sure he'd regret.

"So you're Mason?" Kiera spoke the words calmly, not letting any of her emotions spill into her words. The man sneered down at her. 
"You don't talk unless I ask you a question, beast." He basically snarled the words. He acted as if Kiera was just some shit smeared on the bottom of his shoe.
Kiera could start the feel the unfurling hooks of a bloodlust shake itself awake from the back of her mind. But for now, she kept it tightly pushed back.

The man stood over her, looking down at her from across the table. "I have to admit, I thought you'd be a bit more impressive." Kiera bristled at the comment but forced herself to relax. 

"Kiera, there's only one reason you're alive right now, and that's because you've become a commodity." Kiera didn't like where this was going. "You've become wanted in a handful of interested buyers." His smile widened. "Everyone wants to own the 'Ripper of this century, eh?" He glanced around at the man behind him, and they gave a small chuckle. Like dogs. Doing what will please their masters. "So you'll be auctioned off." Kiera couldn't help the smile creeping onto her face. The man leant forwards, bracing his hands on the table to stare at Kiera. "And, we will have your full cooperation." The lightbulb was directly above his head, casting his face into shadow. Only his eyes glinted out as he looked at Kiera. "Otherwise..." Although the consequences weren't spoken aloud, Kiera got the gist of what would happen. But rather on focusing on his words, her eyes darted down to the bulge in his waistband. Not even in a holster, Kiera could see the bottom of a handgun poking out. She only let her eyes skim over it, not wanting to give away her plans. "Capeesh?" The man was right in her face. Leaning forwards, she started to speak, and he looked hesitantly on. 

In one smooth, swift movement, Kiera pulled both her hands apart from behind her with frightening strength, breaking her bindings with ease, and whipped her hands about in front of her. Not stopping her trajectory, she bought one hand on top of the man's head and slammed it down, reaching across the table for his belt with the other. Before the other men even had time to react, she had pulled the gun from his belt and had it pressed hard into his head. The man shouted, his face mashed into the table, and the other men in the room whipped their guns out.

"Move and I'll shoot." The threat was sharp, spoken into a room which had suddenly gone deadly quiet. Roman was behind her, but from their walk to here, she was 100% sure he was unarmed. She had checked and doubly checked, eliminated him as a threat. She supposed she could immobilise all of them straight off, but she had to make sure that they understood her stance before fear took over and limited their capacity for thinking.

Actually, no. Kiera looked at the man beneath her palms. One of her wrists was still attached to the handcuffs, hanging limply off her and swaying slightly from her motion. He was shaking, quivering, his breathing laboured as he breathed into the side of the table. Like a switch only she could see, she immobilised everyone in the room, the men in front of her dropping to the ground like rag dolls, and she could hear the unmistakable thump of Roman behind her. The man she had the gun to started to slump off the table, so -grabbing him by the scruff of his neck- she dragged him fully onto the table. Glancing behind her, Roman was slumped down on the wall next to the door, his head lolling against his neck, but his eyes still directed towards her. Turning back, Kiera saw a familiar figure standing by the door, an impish smile on his face. She hadn't heard him appear, but she supposed that shadows don't really make sounds.

Clicking the safety off, Kiera locked eyes with Mera, reflecting his grin as she pulled the trigger.

The gun kicked into her hand, the sound of the gunshot amplified in the small room. The man's body jolted underneath her hands, and suddenly, the table was streaked with blood and gore, his brains exploding like a firework from his skull. The entrance hole was jagged, messy, and slowly pooled with blood. Kiera pulled the gun away and dropped her arm to her side. Her clothes were a little blood-spattered, and she made a mental note to get new ones before she was seen anywhere in public. Kiera directed her attention to the two men slumped into the wall. One had slid all the way down, the other sitting on his haunches. Calmly, she strode over to them, Mera's lithe figure in the corner of her eye, and picked up their discarded guns, placing them onto the table next to their dead comrade. Looking over to Roman, Kiera released her mental grip to him. Roman, looking at her warily, pulled himself to his feet. 
"You've seen what I can do." Kiera reached her hand towards him; the one clasping the gun. "Kill them." Roman stared at the gun as if she were actively pointing it at her, his face a painted mask of pure fear.
"W-what?" Kiera didn't respond, still holding the gun out. Cautiously, Roman took the gun into his hand. Kiera could read the conflict on his face, see the inner turmoil at what she was asking him to do. She could see him weighing out the choices in his head, weighing the consequences his actions would have. He stared at the gun in his hand, gazed at the instrument of death as if it would make the decision for him. His eyes flickered to her face, mouth slightly agape.
"And if I don't... we all die?" Kiera nodded. In that instant, Kiera could tell he had made up his mind. The best bet for him was to do what she said. Kiera watched as he walked across the room. The other two men were still immobile, but their eyes told stories about what they were feeling. Kiera looked towards Mera, who stood in the darkened corner of the room, silently watching the events unfold. Roman's hands were shaking slightly, but bringing the gun up, he shot the first man, who was laying on the floor, a clean headshot. As he pointed it towards the second man, Kiera let up on the paralysis. 
"Roman, wait-" The room flashed, and the man was dead. He slid the rest of the way to the floor, a blood streak following the path of his head. Kiera felt a sliver of respect towards him.

"One question Roman- how did you do it so willingly?" Roman had his back towards her, his shoulders heaving slightly. Kiera made eye contact with Mera, who still stood doubly watching. "Mason was my only tie to this place," Roman let out a deep breath- "and he's dead on the table." He threw the gun onto the table, turning to face her. It bounced briefly, hitting Mason's body before coming to a skittering stop.
"Everybody here is so full of shit. You-" he pointed a finger at her- "you, Beast, you can tear this place to the ground. With what you could do, with what you're willing to do, I would gladly follow." Roman let out a grin. Kiera smiled back, glancing at Mera to see her smile returned.  Kiera walked to the door they entered and started a small fire at its base. Feeding it, growing it hotter, Kiera kept it there until the metal door started to wither. Reaching impossible heats, Kiera watched as the door began to melt, forming a permanent seal as it met the floor. Extinguishing the fire, Kiera started another one beneath the table.
"Then Roman-" The fire danced in Kiera's eyes- "follow." Beckoning Roman with a finger, they left through the other door, Kiera sealing it behind them. Telling Roman to stand behind her, Kiera felt for the broken cuff that was still attached to her wrist and placed her other hand in the other side. It wouldn't stay without holding it there, so she told Roman to keep his hands on her wrists, like before. Now, to anyone looking, She would still be another captive here.

"Now, let's go eat." Kiera felt him laugh behind her, and they started again down the corridor.