Beyond the Breaking Point - Chapter 4A Chapter by Gokai RamashitaChapter 4. “Mr. Fineas Alexander Smith, that is a strange name, most of the time, Fineas is spelled with a ‘ph’, but not his time. Did your mother name you that?” Finn opened his eyes, expelling all of the static that seemed to float in front of his eyes. He was in a room in a skyscraper, a wall that seemed to be made solely of glass giving a magnificent view of his hometown, New York city. “My ...mother?” Finn’s head felt like a bag of sand. He put his hands to his temples, attempting to ease a headache that now raged in his brain. “Yes, Mr. Smith, you did have one. The stork did not drop you down the chimney,” Finn looked at the source of the emotionless words. It was a gray-haired man that looked much younger than someone looking at his hair would predict. He had the highest cheekbones Finn had ever seen and cold gray eyes. He was dressed in a black suit and a pair of black sunglasses hung from the pocket at his chest. “Who. Are. You. where, am I...?” Finn’s words were slurred, as if going to the man in slow motion, Finn was about to groan and close his eyes because of a sudden thud in his head when he remembered Linda’s betrayal. “Are you working with Linda?” “For the purpose of this exchange, you may call me Mr. Finch. Now, Mr…” Finch was interrupted mid-sentence. “My name is Finn, not Mister Smith,” Finch’s eyes never left Finn, they calculated him from across the metallic desk. “As I was saying, Finn, Linda has nothing to do with this, I made her drug your glass of water this morning. She is innocent.” There had been nothing in the file Finn read about Linda, not even the mention of her name but he still didn't believe Finch. How could he? “Getting to the subject at hand. You may or may not know that your brother… his name was Zachary, as I recall, worked with us. We sent him on missions and he never failed. Now, in his absence, you will work for us, and we will expect no different from you.” Finn had already had enough of this conversation. Most boys and teenagers dream about being involved with men like Finch. Finn didn't want to have anything to do with it. Zach was dead. Finn didn't want to join him. Finch seemed amused at something written on Finn’s face. As if a man like that was capable of feeling an emotion. “You hate me. Don’t you.” Finn didn't have a word to describe the man who “figuratively” killed his brother. “Well, that doesn't matter, you will come to see me as an authority figure no matter if you like me or not.” “What am I doing here, and when can I leave without a bunch of suits shooting me full of holes,” “Finn, I am the chairman and director of the CIA, you will come to respect me, because if you don't, I can, and will make your life so miserable you will wish you were dead. Either that or you will be.” Finn doubted that, but he decided to shut his mouth anyways. “The CIA received a threat two days ago. The threat stated that if a man known as ‘Vandal’ doesn't receive two-hundred, million in unmarked dollars, he will unleash a biological weapon on the USA. Finn, before I continue, you must understand that the CIA and FBI receives threats like this surprisingly often, most of them are mere bluffs. We do not pay them off and they don't do what they claimed. In this case, Vandal has proven his ability to carry out the aforementioned threat.” Finn didn't fully understand what Finch was even talking about, he didn't care. He just wanted to go home. “I’m not doing this, you can’t make me,” Finn knew he was on dangerous ground. This man obviously had lots of power and wasn't afraid to use it. He did, however, hope that he wouldn't actually do what he said as a consequence for refusing his generous offer. Mr. Finch leaned back in his chair. Sunlight streamed in from a window and Finn was almost blinded but Finn could have swore he saw the man’s lips spread themselves, as if he was smiling. “Were you well acquainted with your father?” Finch leaned forward in his chair, blocking the sunlight from blinding Finn and sending a shadow that was twice the size he was onto the ground of the room. Finn could have swore his stomach lurched and started to tie itself in knots when his father’s name was mentioned again. He felt trapped. A mere puppet compared to this man. “Ms. Hawk, please bring in the tape,” Finch didn't raise his voice in the slightest, but the same blonde haired woman that Finn saw at Greencenter came into the room carrying a government-issued laptop. She didn't make eye contact with Finn or show any signs of remembrance, but Finn remembered her. She set the laptop on the spotless desk facing Finn and then walked briskly out, her heels making an obnoxious sound on the concrete tile that covered the room. Finch swiveled his chair around to face the glass wall as a recording of something automatically played. Finn watched with his jaw slack as he watched a video of someone getting involved in some sort of bank heist. The person in the video had the exact same build as Finn did, dressed the same way as Finn, and looked like Finn. The person in the video had a gun pointed at a bankers head, forcing him to open a safe. Finn watched for another second or two before the banker fell over, his body limp. He was dumbfounded. Finn was absolutely positive he did not rob a bank in the past few years of his life and he was positive that he did not shoot any banker in the head. “You seem perplexed Finn, why is that?” Finn wasn't able to answer, he just stared blankly at the recording as it reached the final few seconds and then started playing again. “If I didn't know any better, I would have guessed from the look on your face that you don't know anything about this robbery. But, unfortunately, for you, I know better.” Finch turned his chair around and put his hand on the top of the laptop and closed it. All without leaving eye contact with his “prey.” “Finn, something you should know about me, is that I am like a wolf, I do not abandon my ‘family’ or if you prefer, ‘pack.’ If someone accuses one of my pack of something like this, I would immediately dispose of all trace of such ‘convicting’ evidence.” Finn saw where he was going with this. “It’s too bad you're not part of my pack,” Finn’s expression didn't change but thoughts were racing in his head. He knew he had to do what the CIA ask but he didn't know what that was yet. “What will I have to do?” “You will have to go to Russia, impersonating a boy named Borus and get information on Vandal’s whereabouts from a Russian Emissary who claims to have that information.” Finn’s head seemed like it was about to explode. He didn't even try and make sense of what the man said. “You will be leaving today,” Finn was about to protest, but when he saw the expression on Finch’s face, he immediately discarded the idea. “Ms. Hawk will take you to the next room,” Finn didn't have to wait a mere second before Finch’s attractive assistant to appeared and put a pedicured hand on Finn’s shoulder. Indicating that he should come with her. *** Finn was led to a metal door that seemed just a tad out of place compared to the rest of the hallway, which contained nothing but gray walls and a tiled floor. Ms. Hawk said something about the weather as she opened the door and waited for Finn to go inside. Finn, seeing no other option went inside and looked around an astoundingly comfortable room. There were couches, tables, bar counters etc.. It looked like a room that was made for someone to be comfortable in. Finn immediately heard a crunching noise when he walked further into the room he now identified the noise as a man eating Doritos out of a bag that seemed to be four times the size of a normal bag, the thing was sitting on the bar counter and it was almost half the size of the man himself. Finn couldn't see his face because his back was turned, but when Ms. Hawk cleared her throat lightly. The man turned around in his chair. His grimy face immediately lighting up with a huge smile as he stared transfixed, at Ms. Hawk. “Tony, this is our new… Recruit, give him the best you got,” Finn watched the man bob his head up and down repeatedly. “Yeah! Of course,” Finn thought he could have saw drool coming from the man’s mouth when Ms. Hawk turned and left briskly. Finn approached the man, he seemed to be in his late thirties with whiskers and a slightly balding head. The thing that stood out most to Finn was how fat the man was, he guessed at least three-hundred pounds. Despite all of this, Finn liked the man immediately. “You must be Finn! Oh, I’m sorry, I don't usually get visitors!” The man started to wipe off his hands on a Harley Davidson shirt he wore. After he finished with this gesture he offered his hand to Finn, who took it and gave it a hearty shake. “My name is Tony! You don't have to worry about Mr. Or Mrs. here Finn, I love first names!” Finn liked the man even more. “Here, I’ll show you what I made especially for you,” Tony got off his bar stool, abandoning the humongous bag of Doritos and hobbled over to a table where two glass bottles of Coke were sitting at their respective seats. Tony sat down, immediately opened his Coke and began draining the whole thing. Finn watched as the liquid in the bottle disappeared. When he was finished, he slammed the bottle down and gave a sigh of relief. Finn opened his bottle and took a sip of the wonderful liquid. When he looked back at Tony, a wood box seemed to have appeared in his hand. Tony smiled as he set the box down on the table and pushed it over to the left so that it came to rest in front of Finn. Finn reminded himself not to sit on the leg that hurt and shifted his weight as he looked inside. He saw various things that wouldn’t be out of place in a normal teenager’s pockets. Listerine patches, a pen, a phone with an elegant case, earbuds, an aux cable and charging cord for the phone. “What are these for?” Tony was waiting for Finn to say that, he almost immediately replied. “Have you ever watched an espionage movie where the spies have gadgets and stuff that they use to get out of sticky situations?” Finn had. “Well, these things are really cool gadgets that you can use! Here, this one, the Listerine patches? Well, if you take one…” Tony had opened the tiny case and pulled out a tiny, green, tin foil thin patch and placed it on top of the metal cover for the coke bottle, he watched in amusement as the patch just sat there on top of the bottle. Tony, sensing something wasn't right, reached out and grabbed the patch again. “Oh yeah, you have to get them wet with something,” Tony, having figured out the problem, licked his finger and then placed it firmly on the patch, after he did this, Finn could have swore the man nearly freaked when the patch got soggy and seemed to melt into his finger. The man hurriedly wiped off his finger on the metal cap of the bottle again and Finn watched as the goo seemed to melt away the metal. “You can actually use these to break out of handcuffs! Just take one patch and put it on the chain! Took me a while to perfect the formula, but now you have about 10 seconds after the patch gets wet to get it on a metal substance of some sort.” Tony looked at a clock in the corner of the comfortable room and hurried his dialogue up. “Now, the pen has a reusable needle inside that can successfully knock out up to three grown men and three and a half women.” Tony put a hand to his chin. “I wonder why anyone would need to knock out a half of a woman.” Tony shrugged, answering his own question. “The ear buds, if smashed, will act like a mini bomb, the aux cable is a long range secure transmitter, and the phone…” Finn felt a tingle of anticipation, if the ear buds exploded then surely the phone would act like a super computer or something. “...Is just a regular phone.” Finn felt a pang of disappointment and must have shown it visibly because Tony quickly added, “With a very unusual app that can hack into almost any computer!” Tony’s speech was so fast it was barely intelligible as he went into precautions and safeties. Ms. Hawk opened the door to the room, interrupting Tony mid-sentence with a warning about some jet leaving in an hour and a half. Tony dumped the box out onto the table and helped Finn stuff them into various pockets of his dark blue faded jeans as he talked about all of them being waterproof and “fifty-seven percent successful in recent tests.” Finn was about to leave with Ms. Hawk when Tony called out after him. “Finn! I just want to say, we all liked your brother, he was one of my only friends…” Finn felt sorry for the man, even if he did work for Mr. Finch. “And he was deadly effective at that! Anyways, I have full faith I’ll be seeing you again soon!” Finn left the room, following shortly behind Ms. Hawk. *** “Are you sure you don't want any of the stuff at the house?” Finn was sitting in the passenger seat of the black Mercedes Benz that appeared to be Linda’s choice of transportation. “Yeah, this is more important,” Finn wouldn't have been able to just leave Cassie without saying goodbye. “Alright, well, hurry up. Okay?” Finn nodded agreement. He planned to keep it short; he hated goodbyes, and sometimes a short one was easier for him and the person he was saying goodbye to. He still didn't know how Cassie was going to handle this. Hopefully, she wouldn't take it too hard. He knew he was. Finn shifted in his luxurious black leather chair. The gadgets in his pocket weren't very comfortable, so he took them out and considered where he should put them. The glove box seemed like a good place, so he put them there, taking extra precaution to be gentle with the exploding-earbuds. One of the only ways to get into Lincoln elementary and high school unnoticed was over a wire fence, and when Finn caught sight of the said obstacle, he asked Linda to stop the car. Without a word, Finn opened up the door and got out, beginning to walk across a recently mowed ditch. Finn’s mind was occupied with coming up with a crummy excuse for disappearing for… however long he would be gone for while he effortlessly jumped up and grabbed onto the wire of the fence and started to climb. Maybe he could say that he was going to see if Zach really was dead. No, that might give her hope that maybe Zach wasn't dead. Finn reached the top and swung one leg, then the other, to the opposite side of the fence. Before he jumped, Finn looked down. He loved heights, they exhilarated him; made him feel alive. Finn jumped. When he hit the ground he immediately rolled. It always seemed to help if he did that though he wasn't exactly sure why. Finn started jogging across the unrealistically green grass of the soccer field and towards the recess area when another idea came to his mind, only to be dismissed immediately. Finn had only rarely visited his sister at school. Most of the time she walked home before he was even let out. Finn could hear the din and clamor of recess in progress. He passed the playground where screaming kids played tag or monkey-on-the-wood-chips. Finn circled the playground almost five times, only to come up empty-handed. A single thought now dominated the majority of Finn’s mind. Where is Cassie? ***
Finn had wandered around the playground for almost three minutes before he went inside and found his sister, hiding in one of the classrooms of the now empty part of the school that occupied children in grade school. When Finn had opened the door to the classroom that held absolutely nothing in it. Cassie, who was sitting against one of the bare walls, immediately stopped sniffing and stared, wide-eyed in disbelief, at her brother. “What’s wrong Cassie?” Finn crossed the classroom and sat down next to Cassie with his back to the wall. “It was the bullies,” Finn had to struggle to keep his face from contorting in pure rage. Bullies? What kind of a person would pick on someone like Cassie? “What. Did. They, do?” Finn could barely keep his voice even when he said those four words. Cassie looked up at her big brother and practically threw herself at him, hugging his shoulder sideways and letting out a torrent of tears. Cassie seemed to open up and voiced all of the thoughts in her mind. “They told me that I wasn't popular and that I wasn't pretty, and never would be. They said I was a failure and couldn't do anything right. They made fun of me for crying and hit me.” Cassie stopped crying only long enough hold up her arm to reveal a nasty bruise. When Finn looked closer he could also see a tiny black eye forming under her right eye. Cassie started to cry again and Finn was worried Cassie might feel him begin to quiver in rage. Finn took a deep breath, desperately trying to fend off the notion of losing his temper. Finn began to quote various bible verses in his head. All of them were meant to help him keep control of himself. Which they accomplished. All of the sudden, telling Cassie that he had to leave just became ten times harder. Finn held his little sister and stroked her hair softly while she finished her sob-fest. Finn knew that he had to break the news soon. Linda would be pulling her hair out if he didn't get back to the car soon. Finn had opened his mouth when an overwhelming smell reached Finn’s nose. It was the smell of BO. Finn was about to plug his nose from the smell when Cassie smelled the same thing. Finn could tell something wasn't right when Cassie’s eyes widened in terror and she started crawling along the ground on all fours, desperately trying to hide. Finn thought he knew why his innocent little sister was trying to hide even before three figures entered the room. Followed shortly after by a fourth. “WAAASSSUP! We found her Dannyboiah!” The boy who had made the comment offered a fist for a “knucks” to a kid with long blonde hair next to him. Finn stepped into the bullie’s way. Blocking their path towards Cassie, who was hiding in a corner of the room, trying to look as small as possible, as if she wasn't already. Finn had some sort of an idea that these were the jerks that made fun of his little sister. “Yo Bill, check this dude out,” Curly was the source of this comment as well, but, this time, they stayed silent as they observed the figure that looked like one of the men you see on the front of some fitness magazine. Finn spoke, “Are you the ‘gentlemen’ who picked on my sister?” Finn had considerable trouble keeping hate out of his voice as he said that. Curly, who seemed impressed to be noticed for something nodded with incredible arrogance. “It’s not nice to pick on people like that,” Curly shrugged, “What are you gonna do about it? Huh?” Curly came closer to Finn and shoved his face into Finn’s, before deciding shove him with his hand on the side. Finn stumbled back slightly. “Yo Grant! Go make sure the little girl is watching her big brother get beat up,” Finn was faced with a decision. To be the bigger man, let them beat him up, or to respond in violence. Finn chose the first. Finn didn't make any resistance as the bullies, there were three of them now, started to shove him around. I will not be angry, I will not be angry. Finn desperately started quoting scripture in his head. Hundreds of verses clouded his mind. He didn't care when he was shoved to the ground. He gave no resistance as one of the bullies forced Finn’s head sideways on the ground. Preparing for the leader to put his dirty shoe on Finn’s face, pushing downwards as he did so. Finn was determined not to react, but when he saw one of the bullies slap Cassie across the face when she refused to open her eyes and watch the beating. Finn lost it. He hadn't done this in a year and four months, that time, someone called the cops on him. Finn had an idea that much worse would happen this time. Finn’s face went blood red, and it wasn't because of the pressure of Curly’s foot on his face. Finn swung his powerfully muscled leg along the ground, hard. The motion took the leader’s leg right out from under him. Without a foot to hold his face to the ground, Finn jumped up to his feet and immediately spun his entire body around, giving extra power to an already dangerous fist that was headed for Danny’s face. By this time Grant had stopped trying to get a hold of Cassie and now he was advancing on the spinning tornado of muscle and fists that Finn had turned into. In reality, Finn wasn't spinning at all, but the motion of bringing his fists back and rotating his torso made it look exactly like that. After almost 12 blows, Finn had finished with Danny, whose entire face was beginning to swell up. Curly had recovered from his fall and now he stood up. Finn disregarded him for now and, deeming Grant the second highest priority, turned around and charged towards the unfortunate boy not unlike a bull might have done. Finn’s head made contact with Grant’s stomach and Finn reached around with his arms, locking them together when they went all of the way around. With this firm hold, Finn, showing a display of muscle and rage that made all of the other bullies back away, picked the bully that had released a monster up and off his feet, and above Finn’s own head. Finn then did something he would never do if he had control of himself. Finn fell forward, but at the same time thrust Grant towards the ground. The amount of G’s (how many times more than the force of normal gravity), Grant experienced when he landed sent a chill down Curly’s spine as he watched, breathlessly. Finn wasn't even breathing heavily when he left the boy writhing in pain on the ground. The leader stepped forward, apparently trying to give strength to the only remaining bully, whose knees had, all of the sudden, turned into jelly. “You’re gonna regret that,” Finn’s voice was soft, barely more than a whisper, but Curly heard it, and his eyes went as wide as dinner plates as Finn came barreling into him. Finn was starting to feel sorry for the bullies. They had no idea that Finn had trained in Krav Maga (The most dangerous form of martial arts) and Kickboxing for almost 9 years. That was the realization that hit Finn as he was about to send a KO roundhouse punch straight to the boy’s temple. Finn stopped his fist on its way to its intended target. Finn decided to give Curly and his friend one last chance. “I’m going to close my eyes and count to ten. If you’re not gone by the time I finish counting…” Finn didn't even have to finish his sentence; his meaning was clearly understood. Curly looked to Bill for support. He didn't find any. Finn took a deep breath and started counting. “1… 2… 3… 4…” Finn didn't have the chance to finish. The leader, who apparently was so humiliated that he must have figured: Hey, what do I have to lose? delivered a haymaker to Finn’s jaw line. Finn didn't even have to think about what he did next. But if he did, it would have been like this: Initial gutshot to stun, jump with a slight spin and... lash out with right leg. If Bill had ever seen a KO kick, it was now. The leader fell unconscious to the ground. The last bully turned tail and ran. The room was filled with groans and moans as the leader and his gang started to wake up. Cassie was still in the corner, her eyes saying things that she would have never had the guts to say. “C’mon Cass, let’s get out of here,” *** “Two more minutes! Please?” Finn was pleading with Linda to let him say goodbye to Cassie. He had already explained the situation with the bullies and why he hadn't gone back to the car ten minutes later than planned. Finn’s jaw hurt a little but that wasn't why he was close to tears. He needed this; Cassie needed this. “Fine.” Linda said, a tone of annoyance in her voice. “Just try not to run into anymore bullies,” Finn didn't need any more urging. He immediately left Linda standing by herself on the edge of the playground and half ran, half walked, to the bench where his sister sat hugging her knees and watching Finn intently. Finn sat down next to his sister and began explaining immediately. “There’s something you need to know...” Finn was desperately trying to keep his voice neutral. He was afraid he might start crying. “You know how Zach didn't come home some nights?” Cassie nodded her head solemnly, obviously concerned about her brother in the state he appeared to be in. “Zach didn't come home because he was involved in a special line of work. And,” Finn was preparing to say what he had planned. But he found it nearly impossible to continue. “You’re going to the same place he did,” Finn stared in amazement at the wise soul sitting next to him on the bench, coming closer and closer to unleashing a river of tears. “How, did you guess?” “You and him were always alike,” “Cassie, I don’t think I’m coming back.” A single tear ran down Finn’s cheek. “Yes, you will. I know you will,” Cassie put her converse shoes and the feet that were in them back on the ground and started to hug her brother’s shoulder. Finn closed his eyes. Summoning all of his emotional strength. He must not cry. He will not cry. *** Finn began to cry. Cassie, putting up a brave front and pretending to be strong like her brother so often was for her, again told him that he would come back. She didn't really know exactly where he was going, but if it reduced Finn to tears. It had to be somewhere terrible. Just treat him like Zach treated you. Cassie whispered this to herself, hoping Finn hadn't heard. “I’ll never let anyone hurt you. You’re safe with me.” Finn seemed to draw himself up. He stopped crying, straightened his back and wiped the few stray tears that lingered on his cheek away using the sleeve of his shirt. “I have to go now,” Cassie let go of his shoulder. The old Finn was back. Cassie silently watched as Finn got off the bench and started walking back down the soccer field. *** Finn blankly watched scenery fly by. Trees, houses, pedestrians. Linda suddenly accelerated, apparently trying to make up for time lost at Lincoln. Finn contemplated thanking Linda for letting him have those last three minutes with his sister. His leg still hurt from his encounter with the burglars and he shifted his weight from one leg to the other. “Thanks… for letting me say goodbye,” Linda didn't respond. “Before I leave, you need to know how to take care of Cassie,” Linda turned and gave Finn a sidelong look. “I know how to take care of a kid. How do you know that I haven't had any of my own?” Finn thought answering that question would make Linda angry, so he didn't answer. “Cassie needs to go to church. You gotta take her,” Linda didn't avert her eyes from the road. Finn was fairly certain that Linda was not a Christian so he was surprised when she answered. “Where do you guys go?” “Eastside Church of Christ.” Another long silence ensued. “We're almost there,” Finn didn't even know where he was going. The CIA hadn’t told him. “Where are we going?” “You’re going to an airport where a plane is going to fly you to Russia,” Finn nodded in affirmation, pretending to understand, then went back to looking out the window. “Finn… I didn't want them to recruit you. I’m not sure how often they do it, employ teenagers, but it’s not right. It’s wrong,” Linda paused briefly. How did she know so much about the CIA? “and... I understand if you don’t like me. But I promise I’ll take care of Cassie,” Finn was taken completely by surprise. Maybe Finch was telling the truth when he said Linda was innocent. The scenery changed. Instead of gentle trees and buildings, now Finn was looking at an open field with countless small hangers and things. Finn didn't know what to say so he didn't say anything. *** After almost five minutes, the car slowed to a halt. Finn could see a black jet on a small runway. He also saw men outside of the plane arguing. Finn was about to get out when Linda reached over and touched his hand. “Goodbye Finn,” “Goodbye,” Finn finished opening the door and got out. Walking towards the plane, Linda thought he looked like a lamb being led to the slaughter.© 2016 Gokai RamashitaAuthor's Note
|
Stats
49 Views
Added on May 16, 2016 Last Updated on May 16, 2016 AuthorGokai RamashitaDickinson, NDAboutWell, my name is Gokai, I'm 15 and live somewhere way up north :). I've been writing for almost a year and I've found that I have a love (not to mention and understanding) for Writing. I've started fo.. more..Writing
|