Chapter 6

A Chapter by Enigma

Chapter 6:

Straddled to a chair the weeping and wheezing man struggled in hopes of untying himself. I sat in the corner with a cigarette between my lips. I watched him intensively as my lungs blackened. I could’ve just killed the poor b*****d but the expressions he gave off when his friends died was something of a thrill to me.

It was terrible. Having to watch two friends bleed to death because you’re too shocked to actually do what was necessary to protect them or yourself. His life would be wrapped around that moment forever. Whether he was awake or dreaming the thoughts, fear, and smell would haunt his body until he too was left dead in a hallway. Giving him a small look of dread I started to feel bad for the man. He finally knew what it felt like to be one of us on a daily basis.

Once again I found myself in a bad situation. Bad for everyone this time because the only place to bring the poor man was the worst place. Beatrice was the only one home at the time, so I put her in danger even more so than myself. It was early evening and Master along with the others were either collecting their dues, studying the news, tapping into the server or simply relaxing until the meeting tonight. Piper was in the hospital and I had nowhere else to go. Luckily I was able to tend to my seeping wound before figuring out what to do with the man.

Master would kill me if he died in his household... So he was going to live just a bit longer.

“Barker,” she started. “What are you going to do with the man…? I mean look at him, he doesn’t know what to think about anything.” Beatrice frowned. She was always sympathetic for anyone dragged into our missions because she was too a captive of one of ours. Only Master let her live because something about her he said made him change his mind about having her killed.

Over a year ago he was raiding a bank, plastering his motto along everything he could touch. He saw her hiding behind the counter, sobbing and begging for her life. He shot her in the leg, but she didn’t try screaming or running because she couldn’t. She just accepted the fact she was going to die. So Master ignored her and moved on, killing everyone else who happened to be in the bank that day. He stole all the money, took Beatrice and disappeared for a while leaving our little cult to fend for themselves until they showed up unexpectedly one day.

“Beatrice I don’t know. What is there to do but wait until everyone gets back?” I sighed, pressing my hands against my knees. “He’ll either live or die… Just depends on how well he can answer a question.” I mumbled. I slid my chair closer to the sobbing man and pulled up one of m spare knives, twirling it around in my fingers.

“What’s your name?” I said curiously. He gave me a look of utter demise, trying to better control himself.

“Silence. Wrong answer...” I sighed and threw him a quick punch to the eye. He screamed for a moment, trying to recoil from the pain.

“Edgar.” He coughed. Wrenching himself forwards he attempted to stand up with the chair tied to his body but I stopped him dead, throwing him back down.

“Edgar what…?” I mumbled. His eyes were filled with confusion, wondering why I was keeping him alive I knew. That’s what everyone thinks when they almost die.

“Edgar Allen Poe.” He snapped. I recoiled with a swift punch to his other eye. Leaning back he mumbled, realising I wasn’t messing around any longer. How could a man go from sobbing his little heart out to growing a large amount of courage? I guess he figured he’d go out with a bang.

“Edgar Parker. My name is Edgar Parker… I worked at the broadcasting tower, I live on the north side of town near all the political buildings and-“

“Do you live alone?”

“Yes I live in a simple apartment complex.” I straightened my tie as Beatrice stared awkwardly at us from another room.

“Do you know who I am?”

“No.”

“Would you like to know?” He hesitated.

“Yes… I would like to know who. . .” He stopped, watching me strip my tie, slowly unbuttoning my dress shirt. It was no good anyway considering it was covered in blood.

“Beatrice could you find me another shirt? Preferably one of Collins...” she nodded and I turned back to Edgar. He was eyeing me closely as I pulled the last of my shirt off. Tattooed across my chest and stomach was our motto. “We Watch. We Move. We Pray. We Kill With Thrill. To Die Another Day.” He mumbled slowly, eyeing the symbols inventively before finally making eye contact.

“Wait… So you’re the people… You’re the terrorist!” He gasped. I snorted and went to punch him, but stopped myself short. He flinched, eyes closed and muscles tensed.

“Yes. We are the terrorist group... fighting for our own personal freedoms.” and something else.

“Well what could you want with me then? I’m just a useless bystander who couldn’t�"“

“Would you like to join us?” Beatrice returned and handed me my shirt, muttering something about my shoulder before the phone rang. I flinched as she went to answer it. Edgar noticed and looked away, breathing heavily.

“Would you like to help us? You know what we fight for.. We’re not killers. We’re protesters. We do what everyone else is afraid to do.” I coughed, my voice getting more serious.

“We kill the people who would rather die than stand up and fight, because they’re killing themselves anyway by not doing anything. The Council and this whole god damn, continent is falling apart because crazy power heads want nothing but wealth. Russia is completely ballistic, people protecting each penny they can find and forced into hard labor. Germany isn’t even a country anymore, they’re a hell hole. France, Spain, Italy… even Switzerland s gone mad. The wrong people got into power, and now the whole world is paying for it.” I snapped. I was right up in his face then, his eyes squinted but open enough to see I was serious.

“Why am I alive then? I haven’t done anything to fight back so why am I still breathing?”

“Because. I was conflicted and it was either let you escape or save a valuable head in our group… I could say the same for myself. Why am I alive? You could’ve killed me I know it.” I snorted, throwing my fist against his cheek. “Why didn’t you run either? Were in too much shock to think?”

“No.”

“Liar…” I sighed. “I am giving you another chance to live Edgar. A new chance at life. Take it and you’ll live. Refuse it and you’ll die. Simple…”

“Can’t I die doing what you do?”

“Yes but you’d die a Hero.” I grinned. “But like I said-“ Beatrice stopped me with some disheartening new.

“Barker, Piper isn’t doing well.. She’s about to go into major surgery. She has extreme internal bleeding but I told them to hold on for a few more minutes in case you wanted to go… I-I just-“ I stopped her and walked into the kitchen, placing my hands on her shoulders. Anything that involved us was discomforting for her. The fact Piper and I both got hurt and a hostage was in her house didn’t fix anything.

“I understand… I’ll go. Don’t let Edgar out of your sight alright? Maybe you can talk some sense into him with your story of what Master did for you.”

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