Black Fury

Chapter Twenty Six

I stand on the back deck, overlooking two hundred people dressed in black, their ringed and tattooed bodies rigid and eyes focused on me. The moon's back is just on the waterline and the sun is coming up on the far opposite side, bathing the boats and people in gold and silver light.

"Thanks to Scorpion," I wave my hand at Rizal, "We have found Lynn's heading and her. She's in the exact same spot we were a little over three weeks ago, and that's where Deaths had picked us up.

"We are heading down there today and we are going to destroy them right after I figure out what they're planning and take Shadow, one of our crew mates, prisoner. If any of you find Dirk, you can pick the place we'll go to next."

The people below me erupt in cheering and once they stop, one of them asks, "What formation are we going in?"

"There's going to be three groups. Snake's, Ryan's and Mine. Since there is exactly two hundred and ten of us here, not including those who can't come, seventy people in each group. I want thirty five men and women in each one to balance things out. Please make two lines, men and women."

I scramble down the ladder with Rajveer following me and see Ryan make his way over.

"Why'd you pick me?" He asks, as people form into lines, his height reminding me painfully of Linc.

"Because you're my most reliable person other than Snake and Scorpion, you're a great fighter and you're quick." I reply, "I'd like you to be COO, Chief Operations Officer, one rank below Snake and Scorpion."

"Thank you, Venom. I will gladly accept." Ryan smiles, "I will do good for you."

"That is my wish for this." I nod, "Now go choose some weapons for yourself."

He hustles off with a skip in his step clearly excited- to my surprise. I look ahead at the people in the lines and count off thirty five guys and point them to Ryan who has returned. Rajveer counts off thirty girls and sends them to the same group and then we repeat it twice more, making Rajveer's and mine.

"There are weapons on the tables behind you. Take a gun and two magazines. If you shoot anyone with them on the Black Fury team, I will kill you." I pause to gaze at anyone who look me in the eyes, "Ryan's team, you have first choice; choose and then stand on the left staircase." As I speak, Ryan's team turns around and smoothly but quickly pick their way through the guns and crossbows, choosing what they like.

"Snake's team, take your choice and then stand on the right staircase." I watch as it happens again, and turn my group around and sweep them through the line. I added three extra guns and six extra magazines just for myself, and pick them up, because before, I told Rajveer to grab extra ones for himself as well as Ryan.

"Now, Ryan's team. You find Lynn and murder her if you have to while Snake's team will circle the back of the Death's building once they pick me up in their car from Gale's house. Under no circumstances should you try to save me from them, no matter how loudly I'm yelling. It's all for show. You'll follow the car she took me in, and you'll stand opposite to each other's groups around the building. Only when I say something to Snake and Ryan that really means glory should you start blowing the building apart.

"Alright?" I shout, and everyone yells, "Yes, Venom!"

"Let's do this then!" I roar, charging off the boat with two hundred and ten people following us and piling into the forest because Rizal nudged us masterfully closer during the night.

I pull the tracker out of my pocket, looking at Lynn's red dot and mine, which are only two hundred feet apart. I walk closer and closer to Gale's house, recognizing the burnt supports. I watch silently as my group moves off with Rajveer, and crouch behind the same bush Rodriguez and I did. I breathe deeply, trying not to let myself cry or scream, and look around for Lynn. She doesn't seem to appear, and funnily enough, I'm happier she's not with me at the moment than with us on our boat.

I smile and laugh quietly, then feel a cold circle pressed up against my neck. I know it's the barrel of a gun and freeze while whispering as quietly as possible, "Disappear," to Ryan and Rajveer.

"Hello, Ray." Ace's sly icy voice slides to my ears and immediately brings a scowl to my face. I stay still and calmly reply, "Hello Ace, and Viktor, who's probably somewhere nearby."

I hear his laugh from behind me, and then feel a hand against my neck, as Ace says, "Get to your feet."

I stand as he demands and he spins me around to face the same black Lincoln.

"No!" I scream, knowing Ryan and Rajveer as well as everyone else will hear me.

"Shut your mouth!" Viktor shouts while kicking the back of my leg, forcing me back to the ground. I look up at him as he crouches down, his hazel eyes appearing black and his ivy hair blazing in the dim light.

"You know, other than your screaming, we've missed you a lot." He says, "We're ready to have you back."

"We've thought of some extra ideas for you and us. Death Shadow is ready to use you, but as you know, you have to work up your acid first." Ace hauls me to my feet, then throws me in the Lincoln as dozens of other men grab me. I thrash out in as many directions as I can until I'm overpowered by them. Four of them sit on my feet, four men holds my arms on each side, and two lay across my lap.

Ace rushes in before Viktor and when he sees me scowling and he smiles devilishly and says, "Get us to Death Shadow."

"Yes, Ace." The driver replies, and the car pulls away as I whisper, "Follow me."