Kurr chuckles. “Hell no.”
She turns toward him, squaring her shoulders and pointing her glare right into him. “I need a minute with my son. Get out.”
He shakes his head, understanding setting into his eyes. “You try anything? I’ll kill you myself and gut the piece of shit in front of you. Got it?”
“Yes,” she whispers. “I got it.”
He slams the heavy iron door behind him and she clears her throat, walking to me. “Is he gone? Or is he still looking through the window?”
I nod my head. “He’s gone.”
“Good.” She pulls out a knife and slips it behind my hand so I can grip onto it without him noticing.
“Look…” she begins, bringing her eyes to me, “…you end this shit, and you boys end it tonight. Got it?” she demands, her eyes as hard as stone. I see pain and deceit laced through her eyes which are unsettling considering she has beauty in her features.
I nod. “I got it. I’ll get you out, too.”
She shakes her head. “That wasn’t part of the plan, Beast. I reached out to Ringer to get you in here. You plant that C4, and you blow this place apart with or without me with you. Got it?”
Swallowing down, I cross my eyebrows. “All right. Why?” I ask, searching her eyes.
“They stole everything from me, Beast. But the most important thing they took from me was you. They kept me after I had you. They kept me bleeding in a cell while you grew. It must’ve been a year later when they’d done some digging into my school work, seeing I was a smart kid when it came to science. As always,” she says and I end it for her, “They used your strongest suit,” I say, nodding in understanding.
“Yes, I’m sorry. I kept them away from you. Manipulated the system by saying I would kill myself if they touched you. We had an understanding. They stay away from you and your father, and in return, I stay alive to cook their potion,” she says, her eyes a deep ocean blue that is weighed down by sadness, loss, and heartbreak.
“But I’m tired, Beast. I’m tired,” she reiterates, resting her palms on my cheeks. My heart begins to fill with warm razors blades that cut through the ice wall I’d built within me.
I clear my throat. “I’ll get you out. You can come with us, once this is over. You’ll be safe.”
She wipes the tears from her eyes. “Maybe.”
The door bursts open and Kurr walks in with his switchblade, the same switchblade I’m all too familiar with. My abs contract and I squeeze my eyes shut tightly.
“That’s enough of a reunion , don’t you think?” He chuckles and Courtney steps back toward the door. “Yeah, I do.”
He chuckles again, scattering through the ornaments on the table. “So,” he begins, sharpening his knife. “Now that you and mother dearest over there are well acquainted, what do you say we get into some good stuff, break you back down again? You have it in there still Beast. You’re far too good a vessel to be wasted on a Motorcycle Club. Do you know the number of kills you had?” He laughs to himself, stopping his sharpening to bring his eyes to me. “I do!” he whispers excitedly.
My eyes narrow as I slip the sharp knife down into my palm a little more, twisting it around so the sharp side is pushed up against the rope. I begin cutting slowly, trying not to bring attention to my hand. If this fails, we will be fucked. I need to get to the basement underground, and the only person who can get in and out of that basement is Kurr’s finger.
That’s where they keep all their weaponry and explosives. If I can get to those, I can blow this place up in one go and the rest of the people in it. The ones who wanted to get away had ran when we blew up the watchtower. All that was left now was the soldiers who were too far gone to help anyway.
“Do you want to know?” he asks, cocking his head. “I’ll tell you anyway because I’m feeling generous.” He laughs, placing the knife down on the table. I see Courtney look at the knife as he walks up to me, his hands in his pockets. I shake my head slightly at her, signaling her to not do what I think she is about to do.
“Six hundred and forty-nine,” he whispers harshly, his breath running over my bare chest. My breathing heaves and I spit to the ground. “You think I give a fuck? I don’t.”
He laughs, spinning on his feet and walking to the table again. “That right there, son is exactly why you’re perfect for this life.”
Carrying on my cutting, I get through the rope, jolting under the release of the tension. He turns his head to Courtney, walking up to her with a knife in his hand. “You see, little scientist. We have your formula now and we don’t need you anymore. Consider yourself… freed!” He swipes at her chest and I lunge forward, wrapping my arms around his neck in the sleeper hold, he jabs me in the ribs before jumping at Courtney again.