The Project

Chapter Thirty-Five: Empty Threats

"G-Guys! What is that?" Footsteps drew our attention and we turned to face the noise. Felix and Tyler. Blank ran up to them, encasing them in a huge hug. "Jack and Blank were looking for you.. me on the other hand, I was looking for the exit." Dark huffed in annoyance.

"Not that you're not important.. you're just not important to me."

Felix stared curiously at Dark. "W-Who's Jack? What do you mean?" Dark pointed to me. "Jack. -And the only version of me that cares about you is Mark. So shut the hell up and lets get going before they catch up to us."

I stopped him. "WhAt Do YoU mEaN bY 'tHe OnLy VeRsIoN?'" He sighed in frustration, slapping my arm away from my chest. I glared at him. "We don't have time for this, Jack! We need to le-" I cut him off. "STOP CALLING ME JACK!"

He smirked, folding his arms across his chest. "What would you like to be called then? Psychotic? Crazy? Oh, I know! Deranged!" I grabbed his forearm in my hand, squeezing it. "StOp It, NoW." I leaned a little closer to him. "BeFoRe SoMeOnE gEtS hUrT." 

He jerked his arm away from me, scowling and fixing his suit. "Whatever.." He waved us forward, turning down yet another corridor of blood stains. I was in deep thought and I didn't notice Felix walking next to me, staring at my new look curiously.

My head snapped in his direction, making him jump. "WhAt iS iT?" He rubbed the back of his neck, sighing. "I just.. I don't understand it. What did they do to you?" I growled, making him sidestep out of arms reach. "ThInGs.. ThInGs ThAt No OnE sHoUlD eNdUrE." 

He nodded sheepishly, his face flushing. I stopped, holding my head in my hands and doubling over in pain, yelping. "Anti.." A name.. echoed all around me, sending me to the floor and onto my knees. "Someone do something!"

Felix dropped next to me, shaking my shoulders. "Hey! Hey, are you okay?!" I looked up at him, nodding hesitantly. It was over.. I think. I got to my feet, walking ahead, in front of Dark. I didn't exactly know where I was going but.. it helped that Dark was calling me names whenever I made a wrong move.

"Turn right you idiot!" 

That's it. I turned around, balling my fists at my sides. "OnE. MoRe. TiMe." I snarled at him, barring my fangs. The wound on my neck oozed red blood, traveling down my shirt and dripping to the floor. I snapped my gaze back up to a smirking Dark.

"Spaz." 

I lunged at him, toppling us both to the floor. I wrapped my hands around his throat, strangling him. "L-Luna-t-tic.." I released him to grab for my knife. He pushed me off of him, sending me flying to the wall, making small cracks appear.

I shook my head, trying to ward away the stars I was seeing. Before I could gather myself, Dark picked me up by my throat. "I've had enough of your games, Jack! Either I lead and you follow like the good little dog you are-" He snarled at me, his form emitting a red and blue hue.

"-Or I kill all of your friends and make you watch."

My eyes widened as soon as he said the words 'kill' and 'friends'. Something snapped inside of me and I looked down at him. He looked at me with a neutral face, curiosity given away in his eyes when I stopped struggling. 

I didn't hesitate. I forced myself to focus on his emotions. He's hesitant, I know. I can see it. I flicked my eyes to his gray skin. Mark's in there somewhere. I just have to draw him out. What if I can't do it? What if I fail..?

Here goes nothing. If I'm right, he'll be caught off guard.. If I'm wrong..

"Do it."

He stared at me in disbelief, his grip loosening. Sweat beaded at his hairline, his lips pursed into a thin line. "W-What? What did you just-" His skin wavered, going back to the warm glow that is Mark's skin tone. His grip tightened once again, his gaze returning to the fury it held a few seconds before. 

He shook his head, breathing heavily. He mumbled something, growling under his breath. He looked back up to me, his skin returning to gray. 

"Your friends! They'll die. You're bluffing!" I smiled at him, returning his challenging stare. "If YoU tHiNk I'm BlUfFiNg.. ThEn TrY mE." I flickered my eyes over to Tyler, locking eyes with him. He shifted uncertainly.

"Kill him." I nodded over to Tyler, making him shrink back. Dark's eyes melted to chocolate brown before glowing a dark shade of blood red. He snapped his attention over to Tyler, scowling. I took the opportunity to let go of his arm and wrap my hand around his fingers, bending them back at an impossible angle.

He fell to the floor, howling in pain. "Wha-" I kicked him back, making him let go of his broken fingers. I stepped on them, hearing a cracking sound. He screamed in agony, pushing at my boot desperately trying to get them off of his hand.

"Threaten anyone again, and your life is as good as mine."

He looked at me, momentarily forgetting his hand. He nodded vigorously,  squeezing his eyes shut and sucking in a breath to prevent screaming again. I took my boot off of his fingers, letting him cradle them in his other hand and glare at me. 

I looked over to Tyler, who had his head down. He kicked at some fallen rubble from the wall that I was thrown into, completely disinterested in anything that had to do with me. -And who could blame him? I put his life at stake.

Felix and Blank were over by Dark, helping him to his feet. Felix didn't quite understand what was going on.. so I don't blame him for helping Dark out. -But Blank? He knew full well. Maybe he's just that naïve.

"CoMe On. We NeEd tO lEaVe. DaRk ScReWeD uS aLl wItH hIs LitTlE tAnTrUm." I took off, running through the halls to make up for lost time, the group following close behind. I could hear the grunts from Dark as he tried not to injure his hand much more than it already was. 

The question is.. why haven't we run into any guards?