I broke free from Nick, and ran past Sophie. She tried to grab me, but missed.
“What do you want from me?” Henry asked.
“Henry! Where is she?” I screamed, running up to them.
“Elaina! Get back in the truck!” he growled.
“No!” I was scared for my mom. I wanted to find her, see if she was alive. Henry was focused on Kellan. Sophie came up from behind me, grabbed and held me in a bear hug.
“Ah, now, let her stay. We can have some fun. Two is always better than one.” Kellan had an evil grin plastered on his face. “She is quite beautiful. That long, silky black hair would do wonders for me, brushing along my body.” He let out a sinister chuckle.
“Answer my fucking question! What do you want from me, Kellan?”
“Ah, yes, where was I…?” He looked down just enough to shade his eyes, and he was rubbing his chin. “Ah, that’s correct.” With his eyes only, he looked up at Henry. He was pure evil. “Roger wants you to come back to the complex.”
“I don’t work for him anymore.” Henry’s words came out in a snarl.
“Right. He said you would say that, but here is the problem.” Kellan stepped forward and pressed his forehead against the muzzle of the Sig. He brought new levels to insanity. “You can never quit working for him. My instructions were that if you did not come with me peacefully, I was to… How did he put it?” Kellan pushed harder, and Henry’s arm began to buckle under the strain of his massive weight. “Bring you back in a body bag, which is what I’m going to do.”
“No!” I screamed while still being held back by Sophie. “No! Leave him alone!”
“Well, isn’t this a scene? Did that upset your little whore? She is rather foxy. Oh, the things I could do to her.” Henry’s arm was shaking. His anger began to bubble up to the surface. “You cannot out power me and you fucking know it!”
Then it happened. It was so quick. Kellan pushed Henry down to the ground, his Sig went flying in the air, and he was on top of him, raining blows down. He didn’t have a chance. Kellan’s huge body was straddling him, pinning him. Henry struggled, trying to hold Kellan back so he could get a few punches in, but Kellan out-powered him.
“Nick!” Sophie screamed for him to help. She still had me in a death grip, with her dagger-like claws digging into my forearms.
“Stay here, you two,” Nick commanded. He took off running toward Henry. Sophie was trying to look for a good shot while they were rolling around the ground, holding me back at the same time.
Kellan was punching Henry so hard I thought I could hear bones cracking. Time was moving in slow motion, then everything went silent. I could only see the scene in front of me.
“Henry!” I screamed until I was hoarse while fighting and clawing, trying to free myself from Sophie’s grip. Nick grabbed Kellan and he swung at him. He landed a couple good punches, but nothing seemed to faze Kellan. He was in the zone, and he looked to be enjoying every moment of it. He growled at Nick and shoved him off.
Kellan was beating Henry to a pulp. I had a feeling that was how Henry was beaten into submission many times under Roger’s authority. Kellan grabbed him by the throat and brought him up to his face. Henry was covered in blood. “Had enough yet, you worthless piece of shit?” Henry just looked at him, gasping for air while blood ran from every orifice in his face. “No? Was that a no? Oh, good, because I wasn’t done yet!”
He was on his knees, pulling him up and slamming his head into the ground. I was paralyzed. Just when I thought this fucker was going to kill him, I heard two pops that echoed deep within my mind. He let go of Henry and swayed for a moment, then fell on top of him.
Sophie and I spun around, and there stood Thomas, pale and as gaunt as anyone could be, pointing a Sig toward the situation. At that moment, I became forever in debt to that hairy-palmed little twerp.
Nick got up and ran over to Henry. He pulled Kellan, who was shot in the back and thigh, off of him. Kellan lay on the ground groaning, drifting in and out of consciousness.
I could do nothing but watch. My feet felt like they were made of lead.
“Henry! Henry! Come on, Henry. Wake up!” bellowed Nick. He was listening to his chest, looking for a pulse. “Come on, man! Don’t you die on her! Don’t you fucking dare!”
Sophie finally let go of me and ran to Henry. I collapsed on my knees before I could even take a step. I was screaming, mixed with sobs, but I couldn’t hear anything that was coming out. It was like a nightmare, and no matter how hard I tried to scream, no sound came out. I felt Claire grab me and hold me close to her. Everything was still happening in slow motion.