Battle of the Killers

78 | The Truth?

JOOKIE HAD TO BE FUCKING WITH ME, RIGHT? I wasn't going to lose my finger, right? RIGHT?

Every fiber in my face deflated as my eyes broadened, blinking a billion times per second. A harsh tightening feeling crawled across my stomach, sinking deep into the inner layers of my muscles.

He had to be joking. Jookie HAD to be joking. Please tell me he's s joking. Please. Someone, please tell me he's just fucking with me. Please.

Jookie stared at me and then let out a piercing cackle, the tone digging deep into my soul and eardrums. "Your face is perfection, my clueless peach." He came in close, patting my head with the side of the machete. "You really thought you were just going to do your normal, know-it-all spiel and be right as always and win, didn't you?" More condescending and loud laughs left his lips as he held his stomach, body shaking in humor. "This is truly the highlight of my day. Your face." He held up a hand. "No, all your faces are just iconic." He whistled. "Yo cameramen, zoom in on this shit. I need this footage forever."

"You're a fucking asshole." Sebastian barreled forward toward Jookie, standing very close. Too close. "I'm so sick of you fucking with her. We all know you're lying."

"Ahhh." Jookie put a surprised expression on his face and placed a hand against his chest. "Fucking with her? Whatever do you mean? I would never do such a thing. I'm a nice church-going boy." He held up a finger. "And I'm not lying. She's wrong."

"Her whole explanation makes sense," Khan said, tapping his chin. "The physical evidence supports it."

"So? She's still wrong," Jookie sang, swinging the machete in circles. "All your pinkies are mine. I think I'll put them in a glass container and label it — idiots."

Chi sunk to her knees, tears in her eyes. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. I'm gonna lose my pinkie! My nail designs will never match again."

"Why the hell did I listen to you?" Gmie screamed at me, punching the ground. "I knew you were an incompetent twit."

I didn't even have a comeback because I was still in shock. How was I wrong? Everything added up perfectly. What did I do wrong? What did I not see?

"If you had a better theory, you should've fucking said it," Yaz said, glaring at Gmie. "But you didn't, so just shut the fuck up."

"All of you shut the fuck up and let me have my fun." Jookie reached out to grab Sebastian who was the closest to him, but Sebastian hopped out of reach.

"Get away from me," Sebastian shouted, backpedaling into a wall.

Jookie shrugged and giggled. "If ya'll won't stay still, I'll just have security hold you." He whistled and snapped his fingers.

Within a nanosecond, dozens of black-shirted guards rushed into the room. Two of them gripped my arms hard, fingers digging into my skin so hard that I squeaked for a second. They both held me close in their tight grips as their chests bumped against my back shoulders.