The Eruption of Mountgomery

Chapter 44

"--Montgomery is still in the hospital recovering from her wounds. Witnesses claim a woman entered the residence of Miss Williams with a bag. They also claim that there was the smell of charred bodies. In other news, Pompeii--" 

Nero flicked off the television, that well-trapped, restrained stewing growing, blossoming into haunting seething. Skyler. He rose from the couch, his hand rested upon the holstered weapon. "Sky! Turner? Turner!" He catches the rough clicking of water within the pipes. "I hear the water running. The Attorney General told me--" 

Sky emerged from the kitchen, draping her arms over his shoulders, her fingers locking behind his neck. "Oh? What did he tell you?" 

"Did he hire you to--" 

Sky releases her locked fingers behind his head and sighed. "She's in a coma, Nero. He is just ensuring that if she does not pull through--" 

"So he dictates--Sky, stop playing these games. Did he or did he not hire you to kill her? Did he not hire you to kill Williams?" 

Sky backs away and folded her arms across her chest, however over her shoulder, outside, the trees swayed slightly, dancing in tune with orbs of crisp gold and blue lights. Nero's eyes widen as he pushes away from Sky. He staggered toward the remote and flicked the television back on. 

"--Mount Vesuvius, according to the Italian Geological society, is awakening. Tremors have been felt, but experts are informing that Vesuvius is not due to erupt." 

Nero shook his head, and rose from the couch. "I have to go." 

"Oh come on, Nero. You don't want her. You don't love her. You're in love with the idea of her loving you back." 

"No." He shook his head. She was alive! His heart thrummed rapidly within his chest, the adrenaline kicked in and the house creaked against muted wind. "Answer this question. Did he hire you to kill her?" 

A virulent giggle tore from her throat; her lips twisting into a knowing smirk. She stated cryptically, "I have been hired by many people, Nero. She's alive though, is she not? It's so absurd and pathetic--you still love her even though you have believed me thus far. What changed?" 

Nero's hand rested upon his holstered pistol. He didn't pick up the growling flame-like lights outside, he couldn't see the panicked birds as they flew from their homes nestled between branches of trees. That giggle, the one he used to find attractive, appalled him. He backed away, backed further into the house. "What changed? What changed?! You have the audacity to manipulate me into staying with you! She doesn't lie--" 

Sky narrowed her eyes, advancing toward him. She placed a hand carefully upon his cheek and whispered, "Does she though? Does she breathe the truth? She is a prosecuting attorney. She stole your position in the Federal Bureau of Investigation--" 

Nero seized her hand and stated, "After I lost control! She had the opportunity to kill me, had the countless chances to stop me, to mock me. She could have vanished, but she didn't. She tried to fix our relationship, despite she disapproved of the relationship and all the hell she endured." 

Sky rolled her eyes and made a choking sound that echoed in the back of her throat. "She is manipulative. She scammed her way into her position as a prosecuting attorney. She is not like you at all, Nero. She is a coward--you have a pureness within your heart that she will--" 

Nero dropped Sky's hand and backed away. "Don't you dare. Don't fucking dare speak of her like that. She was in the armed forces, taking out terror cells." Sky approached him carefully, raising a hand but he shook his head. "No! Don't you dare touch me. No! I'm not. No!" 

Sky smirked. "You love me. I see it in yo--" 

Nero laughed cruelly, a sound that seemed so bizarre flowing from his lips. "You are so far up your own--you are nothing like her. No. Do you really believe she would have become what she had if I was always there?" 

"Darkness pervades the air, it pervades her very soul. She's doesn't fit your type. God, Nero, how ignorant can you be? She is a walking volcano--you control water. Fire and water never can coexist together. Water defeats fire every time--" 

Nero shook his head. "Nobody is born evil! Certainly, she wasn't." 

Sky scoffed, "Yes, about that, how the hell would you know that? You left her without a pathetic note. How do you even know she loved you then? Nero, she's denied you everything I have provided. She is simply a coward--trying to cover up her past like its a stain upon the--" 

"How the hell would you know that? Why are you an assassin?" 

Sky rolled her eyes, and footsteps echoed from behind Nero. He felt two strong hands push him forward, he staggered slightly. The man nodded his head, folding his arms across his chest. "Why would I grant you that knowledge, Nero? God, it's so disgusting. You love her. God, what does she have that I don't?" 

Pain radiated within his head. A dull ache, yes, but it grew, the lights outside flickered in and out of focus in his swirling vision. Shaking his head, which only worsened the dull thudding against his temples, he snapped, "Stop! No! No. Stop changing the cursed subject. She's in a coma of which she may never come out of. What exactly did you do to her?" 

Sky huffed and rolled her eyes. "Why do you think I did something to her? Oh, boohoo, she may die--so what? You will just forget her--just like you did all those years ago. Why'd you even pursue her in the first place? Because she was killing surrogates? She will always be an assassin and you are just as pathetic as she is." She hummed then a toxic laugh tore from her throat. "Perhaps you two deserve each other. After all, till death do us part." 

There was a mocking edge to the words, her lips twisted in a sickly attempt at a dangerous smirk. "Don't you dare guilt me. I never used her! I never--" 

She sighed exasperated. "Oh, Nero, you are chasing eventual death. God! You really are just as pathetic as she is." 

Nero had enough. "She was innocent!" He roared. When her head subtly bobbed, the figure straightened his shoulder and drew a weapon from beneath his suit jacket. It tore across the back of his head strengthening that thumping pain in his head. He fell forward, stars dotted his swimming vision. He rose onto his elbows, eyes glazed over, wielding that olive-green tinge when he found her eyes. 

"Really? She killed innocent people here--" 

"Three." Nero growled. "One wouldn't leave her alone!" 

Skyler hummed and raised a delicate eyebrow, feigning shock. "Innocent, really? She killed more than that." 

Easily, he turned his head and spat out the metallic tasting liquid. Blood. He mused as she continued rambling on and on. 

"Well--you're not coming out of this alive." 

The man raised the pistol, placing his boot upon Nero's back, pushing him back down. "Face me like a man not a coward." His foot relinquished its hold on his back and he rolled over onto his back, the pain in his head roaring to life. It thumped, it screamed, it caused his vision to swim. When he locked eyes with the man--he flinched at who it was. The attorney general smirked proudly, the safety of the pistol removed, rivulets of metallic crimson blood dotted its surface. The attorney general nodded to Skyler who exited the living room, her heels clicking toward the kitchen. He propped himself on his elbows as he glared at the man who was supposed to uphold the common law. 

"Why?" He choked out. 

"Why not? Jade Montgomery or is it Blaise Vesuvius still? She has run out of her uses. She killed agents under Haben's care. The blood stains her hands." 

"No, it was not her." Nero rasped. "No! It was Skyler--there's video evidence it was her!" 

"You were a good man, Loch. Unlike her--" 

Nero, despite the dizziness and the fuzziness of his head, staggered to his feet and threw a punch. It connected to its target, his knuckles now buzzed in subtle pain. The attorney general raised the pistol, the barrel greeting Nero's face again. Sky's voice cut through the tense silence. 

"Don't kill him."