Head Full of Ghosts

Chapter 11 - Nobody Likes You When You're Dead

"Sheriff, I'm telling you, you're making a big mistake."

Without warning, Mills slammed the butt of his shotgun into Kevin's stomach, doubling the young man over and sending him collapsing face first to the ground. With his hands handcuffed behind his back he wasn't able to catch himself, and just kept sliding further downwards onto his side.

"How many times do I have to tell you, I don't wanna hear another word out of you?"

Kevin was folded over, wheezing and unable to respond. Mills motioned to some of the nearby men. "Get him up. Let's get moving. We're burning daylight here."

They had left the confines of the town, and were standing on a hill overlooking the trucking warehouse that Zahra had led them to. Other than Zahra, Mills, and Kevin, the group consisted of Jensen, the deputy that had come into the room that morning to tell Kevin that Mills was busy, and a small gathering of other people that were about half and half the group that had been with Mills when Kevin first came to the gates and half people that had been at the dog fights the night before. It was mostly this latter group that was hanging tightly around Kevin, and they picked him up from the ground with decidedly more force than was necessary.

They shoved him forward repeatedly until he was able to fully regain his balance on his own and start walking, though he still received a few more shoves for good measure.

"You're only going to regret this," Kevin wheezed.

"God, do you ever shut up?" someone behind him asked, smacking him hard on the back of his head.

For once, Kevin walked on in silence. Zahra showed everyone the best way into the building, as she had for Kevin only twenty four hours earlier. As they approached the desired room, though, Kevin suddenly dove out in front of everybody and placed himself before the doorway, blocking it.

"Get out of the way," growled Mills.

"I can't. You go through this door, and none of you are coming out alive."

Mills' face elongated with surprise. "Are you actually threatening us? Right now?"

"Me?" Kevin asked. "No, I won't do a thing in there. I'm just letting you know in no uncertain terms what the consequences of entering that room are."

"Get out of the way," Mills spat, impatient. He reached up and grabbed Kevin by the shoulder, pushing him hard forward and away from the door. Kevin stumbled, and then suddenly spun back, swinging. Something flashed in the air and then Mills went reeling, blood dripping from a wound in his cheek.

Then Kevin was a tornado of motion, punching and kicking, weaving and dodging, moving so fast that it was hard to believe this was the same man as before. He was easily the better of any one of them, but he was sorely outnumbered, and these people were tired and not having it. Within only moments of having started they had piled on him, forcing him to the ground where he was locked in place.

Mills had by this point recovered, and started moving toward the prone figure on the floor. Something glinted in the low light inside the warehouse and Mills stopped to check it out. Bending down, he reached out and picked up a pair of handcuffs from the ground. He held them up in front of Kevin.

"How the hell did you get these off?"

Kevin didn't answer, just met Mills' angry gaze with one of his own.

"Get him up," Mills snarled, rising to his feet as well. "And hold him tight. Don't give him room to move." He stepped over to the door and tried the knob, but found it locked. He turned back to Kevin. "Where's the key?"

Once again, Kevin refused to speak.

Mills began looking around the gathered people. "Where's Zahra?"