Death After Death (#2)

Chapter Thirty-One

"So...when you said castle, you literally meant a fucking castle," Karl observed.

From a nearby hilltop, the group took in their surroundings. The stone walls stood tall and sturdy before them, with cylindrical watchtowers erupting from each corner. Bright red flags blustered in the breeze above each of these turrets.

"How do we even get in?" JJ scoffed, staring blankly at the towering oak doors on each side of the castle. He couldn't help but think there was no need for them to be that big.

"Is he definitely in there?" Max asked, directing his query to Vee and Paulo.

"We've sent scouts over this way a few times, myself included," Vee explained. "We haven't spotted Joey himself, but there's always some familiar brotherhood faces skulking around."

"He's in there," Paulo assured.

"What's the plan?" Dawson asked, uneasy at the site of the impenetrable stone beast in front of her.

"We take up positions on three nearby hilltops, scout out the-"

"Movement down below, main entrance!" Vee whispered urgently, wary of her voice carrying across the open land.

She handed her binoculars to Max, who snapped them up to his eyes and homed in on the great wooden doors. Sure enough, they now stood ajar, with ten or so men and women striding out purposefully.

Then Max's heart stopped. His blood boiled and something inside him began to bubble up as Joey stepped into view, sauntering along with an arrogant swagger.

Max threw the binoculars to the ground and paced up and down, "He's down there. He's right fucking there!"

JJ snatched up the fallen binoculars and confirmed it for himself, watching as Joey and his minions marched around the side of the castle, towards the door nearest them.

"He's on the move," JJ said.

"I'm going to fucking kill him. I've got to get down there," Max seethed.

"You're not thinking clearly, Max!" Dawson hissed. "They're armed to the fucking teeth down there, you'd be torn apart in seconds, or worse yet, captured."

"So, what would you have me do?" Max snapped.

"I'd have you change your fucking tone and think about this rationally!" Dawson barked in return.

"Max, listen. She has a point," JJ mediated, stepping between the two. "You know we'd be right behind you if you went down there, but it's not the right move, you know that."

Max sighed and stopped his pacing, rubbing his head in frustration as he did so. "I know, I know, I'm sorry. I just can't help but let him get under my skin."

"We understand that. Let's just talk this through sensibly, then we can end it right. Okay?"

"Yeah, sure thing, kid."

"Something's going down," Paulo updated, spying through his own pair of binoculars.

He handed them to Max, whose heartbeat was once again through the roof.

"Looks like they're waiting for someone," JJ observed.

"Why would they be waiting for someone outside their own gates?" Karl questioned.

"I don't know, something's off," Max jittered.

Joey and his guards waited for a few minutes, before one of them appeared to get a message over radio, at which point the side doors eased open slightly.

"The door! Can you see?" JJ asked.

"Too many people in the way. It opened from the inside though," Max replied.

"What the fuck is going on?" Dawson exclaimed.

"They've put a bag over some guys head...now they're dragging someone else out," JJ commentated.

"Can you see their faces?" Dawson said.

"No, too crowded. Max?" JJ replied.

"The second one is smaller. A girl I think!" Max whispered excitedly.

"Is it her? Is it Lizzie?" Paulo prayed.

The second figure, their head now bagged too, was hauled in front of Joey, and pushed down to their knees. As soon as the burly hands of Joey's henchmen loosened their grip, the bagged figured pounced forward, landing a powerful head onto the bridge of Joey's nose.

Joey fell to the ground, his cries of agony rebounding across the surrounding hilltops.

"Did they just...headbutt him?" JJ gasped.

"It's her," Max stated simply.

"How could you possibly tell? They have a bag over their head," JJ queried.

"Trust me," Max smiled. "It's her. Lizzie is alive!"