Lyod's P.O.V
He stared at me, his eyes a mix feeling of seriousness and amusement. He called me an arch-nemesis. I call him... Nothing. Because I don't care who or what he is. I don't even know his sur name. He calls himself Martin. That's it. And for me, he's just, annoying. I mean sure, his plans had been so deathly or whatever but a man like him? He didn't look like someone who'd destroy man-kind. He just... I can't even explain it. But now that he's standing in front of me, I have second thoughts. Because this time, he's got the upper hand. This time he was two steps ahead of me. Me. Someone who captured so many of his people. Defusing many of his unnecessarily complicated bombs. And other billions of plots.
I was so taken aback, now. He was looking at me with his grey eyes, happy. That he got his six people around us, a teenager and a unarmed man. Even though it was pethatic, I didn't say anything. He won.
"I never really tasted sweet victory," He grinned, his teeth still white, unlike the rest of his skin. "And now, when I do, I find it..." He tilted his face, thinking for the right word.
"Sweet?" Jaden rolled his eyes.
He stared at Martin. I could see his anger and fear, the way his veins kept bulging out of his body. Probably wondering the same thing I was, Where is Nickie?
Martin narrowed his eyes at Jaden, annoyed that he had stolen his 'moment', "Yes. Sweet. That's exactly what i was about to say."
Jaden scoffed, "I have had enough. Where's my cousin? Tell me or-"
"Or what?" Martin demanded, sweat dripping from his tan skin, but it's not from fear or nervousness. It was because he turned of the bloody air-conditioners in the Rainbow Room. This was meant to be 'torture', according to him. Which was also torturing him.
Jaden opened his mouth to speak but I stopped him, giving him a warning stare.
Martin snickered, "Looks like your Pa wants you to remember your manners, kid. Don't be rude to your elders, now."
Jaden glared at me, and I knew he didn't wanted me to stop him. Turning back to Martin, who had ordered a can of root beer for himself, gulping it down as he sat on that huge sofa, making it look like he was sitting on a throne.
"He's not my dad, nut-hole." Jaden snapped, "And I don't need anyone to stop me from talking!"
Martin's smile broadened, like he was enjoying this, of course he was.
"Fine, then. If that is the case, why don't you finish what you were saying before?"
He just wouldn't let go of anything.
"Why don't i come over and show it to you instead?!" Jaden growled, already marching towards him when a swarm of hands grabbed him and dragged him back to where he had been standing. I stared at Martin who threw back his head and laughed in a cocky way.
"Funny how you think you'll take me down when you clearly lost!" He barked.
Finally meeting my stare he said, "Ahh, my friend. You haven't talked since you lost. Now that I won, you ain't giving me a silent treatment are ya? Care to congratulate me?"
I don't reply but looked at Jaden who kept mumbling something about how he was supposed to keep Nickie safe. I ignored him, and I think he was doing the exact same thing to me. I crossed my arms tightly across my chest. That was all I could do.
"Come on, congratulate me! What? I ain't deserving enough?" He wriggled his eyebrows, waiting for me to burst. To react. But I didn't let myself do that.
He frowned, "Well now that you lost. I'm not sure what to do with you."
Jaden sneered, loud for everyone to hear but for the first time, Martin ignored it too. That was maybe because he was in deep thought. Like he was trying to find the meaning of life. which is..
"I mean," He said out loud, "You ain't criminals, right? I'm the bad guy and usually the bad guy fails. But.." He grinned. I really wanted to scrape it off his face, "Now that you are here and I don't wanna end up like those typical movie villains who make this speech of victory while in the mean time the good guys escape and well, you know what I mean. Right, guys?"
He stared at his 'minions' expectantly. One of them was gone and I realized the ACs were back on. Been a while. Eventually, they nodded in agreement even though I could bet none of them were even listening.
I looked around, wondering what this beautiful hotel ended up in after glimmering with beauty. It was gone. The pleasure. The warmth.
"Right well," He clapped his hands together, the sound echoing everywhere, "It's settled then."
"What's settled?" Jaden muttered, not interested.
"That I'm gonna kill the two of you." He smiled, and he took out his gun that was in his pocket this whole time ,"Wasn't that freaking obvious?"
I could swear Jaden gasped but it broke with a coughing fit. And I knew what was happening. I knew what had happened.
"Oh, sure, go ahead and fake up things to gain my sympathy!" Martin snapped, "Not stupid!"
Jaden sat down on the floor, trying to control it but it wasn't working. I leaned down next to him, "Calm down, kid. Deep breaths. Take deep breaths, okay?"
"What do ya'll think you're doing?" There it was again, whenever he'd feel angry he'd speak in that ridiculous - and somewhat fake - accent "Think you'll get away Lyod?"
"The inhaler, goddamnit." I said, clenching my teeth, "He needs it."
They had taken everything from us. Even that small thing.
"Ya'll expect me to fall for this?" He scoffed, "I've seen better acting."
"Shut up!" My tone fierce, "He needs the inhaler."
Martin narrows his eyes, and I got why he looked red all of a sudden. The leader embarrassed in front of his people.
He finally gets up from that throne type sofa and walked towards us. A coughing and choking Jaden and me. An angry me. A furious me.
"No need for that stupid inhaler." He spat.
I raised an eyebrow but before I could answer, he pointed a gun - my pistol! - at Jaden, who's eyes are glued to it. But he couldn't do anything about it, still gasping for broken breath.
"I'll finish him to finish the asthma." Martin let out a low laugh and suddenly I remember what he's capable of. What he does when he'd cross his limits.
His hand resting on the trigger, he smirked, "No offence, by the way."
*****************
Jaden's P.O.V
Great. I'm gonna die with bloody asthma and get shot at the same time? Is that really how it ends? Me, never knowing what I died with? A bullet or choking? A hole in my body or no air in my throat? I'll never know. Who would have thought that Jaden Hamsburg of all the people would die because of asthma? I mean, getting shot? That's the most likely way for someone like me to die.
Okay wow, I forgot I can't breathe. Cause I was too caught up thinking how I'll die. What the hell! I can't die! This psycho really thinks he'd get away with it? All I needed to know was where my cuz is. The one who had always been like a sister to me. Not the annoying one. Will I die knowing that I couldn't take care of her? That in the last few breathes of mine, I'll never know what happened to her? Where Martin took her? Won't I ever find that Blon.... Won't I ever find Harry? Where was he? Who took him? Won't I ever find that out?
No! No!
Fu-!
********************
Lyod's P.O.V
"Wait! What the hell, Martin, stop it!" I yelled, "You can't do that!"
Martin blinked, confused, "But I have the gun, Lyod, my man, I can do that, see?"
He pointed it right on my forehead, grinning.
"You won't." I muttered. Because he won't. He can't. Martin would never give up information no matter who it came from.
"Won't I?" His smile touched his ears.
There was a minute of staring, no one said a word, not a sound, with the gun pressing against my forehead. That's when I realized. Not a single sound. Jaden...
"Don't worry," Martin snarled, "I was getting bored with your kid chocking on himself. So my men gave him that invaler. Don't want his illness taking all the fun, you know."
"It's an inhaler." I corrected, not helping it.
"Whatever," Martin snapped, "Is that seriously the last words you say before dying?"
"Oh so we can say last words?" I asked innocently.
"Yeah, sure. Who cares?" Martin snorted, scratching at that rotten patch on his neck, almost making me gag, "I'm not that... I am bad but I like pathetic people telling there last wish which would never come true."
"Then I'll tell you my last words slash wish." I sighed.
"Get on with it. I also have to hear that boy's."
"I know where the cure is, Martin." I spilled it out, letting it go in one breath, "But we need your help to get it. Or else it may not exist."
Martin's grey eyes turned into ice as he froze. He stared at me. Just stared. Those six rotting men surrounding us looked as same as Martin. The word 'cure' probably ringing in their ears. He dropped the pistol from his hand. Shocked. Mesmerized. Shocked. I turned towards Jaden, who's making an attempt to reach for the pistol. I shook my head firmly, and he... understood. So instead he gulped in deep breaths with his inhaler.
"Is that true Lyod?" Martin's got this smile. It's happy but a bit lopsided. "Did you..? How... would you -?"
"Of course we'll give it to you, moron," He didn't seem to notice that I swore at him, "Who else do you think it's for?"
"But.." Martin started, "All these fights. all these-"
"I said, you'll have to help me to get it, didn't I say that?" I reminded.
He nodded, slowly. Then, turning to his people he said, "Zip it. Not a word uttered from your mouths till its true, okay? And if I find any of you doing what I said not to, then I'll ruddy make sure you don't get any, you hear?"
"Yes, Mr. Leader." They replied.
All of them put a finger on their lips, as if that simply showed everything. They left the room so suddenly that I didn't even realize until Jaden walked up to me, his hand tightly around his inhaler.
"They call you Mr. Leader?" Jacob sniggered. The least of our problems but I guess he still loved to tease no matter what the situation.
"Yes," Martin shrugged, "My real name is Martin Leader. One of the reasons why I am their leader. Stupid, I know, but at least my pal Lyod, here, gets to know my name."
I blinked. Are we really discussing this?
"So," Martin spoke up but he didn't look the same at all. He didn't have that smirking grin or that loud voice, in fact it was shaky and his face was serious, "You want us infected to ...?"
"Can we talk when he tells us where Nickie is?" Jaden huffed.
I looked at him briefly before agreeing.
"Well, Of course." Martin beamed, "That's the least I could do."
Yep. The least.
He motioned outside, the Rainbow Room, frowning before saying,
"You're not that dumb are ya, Lyod? You seriously didn't expect me to have my troops in buildings surrounding our home? That's not like you! And what a coincidence! That girl went in that exact tower where I keep my communication radios! You're screaming bad luck, my friend."
Jaden raised an eyebrow suspiciously at me. I glared at Martin.
"Don't push it."
"Of course." He tips his head just a little as if to apologize.
Was I really bad luck? Or was this coincidence occurred on purpose? Martin knows me well. I wouldn't come up with such a ludicrous plan. Getting captured was the plan. Nickie going inside the building was the plan. Jaden reacting was the plan. But they didn't know that. Didn't want the acting to look faulty. So I came up with a fake plan.
They'd be mad at me after, sure.
But this is all for a good cause. So that Harry could be saved. And if Martin's going to be the last person to help, so be it. I just needed Harry to get as further away from Bryce as possible.
Because even when brothers, we have different purposes. His, isn't the one you'd like to end up in.