Wake of the Dead | Two

Chapter Forty | Killian

"Where are they?" Jasper demanded. Even if the other two men were a few yards away, they were speaking loud enough for everybody to hear them--at least, Jasper was. "What did you do to them?"

"J-Jasper, what do you mean?" Cohen stammered. Killian's stomach twisted sickeningly. If Jasper didn't get ahold of his temper while Cohen kept pushing, it wasn't going to be good for either of them. "We were attacked by-by biters," The doctor was a good actor, Killian had to admit. That blood on his shoulder looked real though...could it be possible Jasper was suspecting Cohen of foul play when there was none? After all, there wasn't a reason for Cohen to bring Jasper and Aubrey into his and Jasper's issue, was there? Either Cohen had planned something, or this was all perfectly convenient enough for improvisation. "I had to leave."

Killian couldn't tell if the fear on Cohen's face was genuine or not. There was a crackling tension between everybody in the group, so thick it was almost as if Killian could tangibly grasp a hold of it. He clenched his jaw, the complete and utter silence from Jasper wasn't helping anything. Especially not when he held a hand over his gun. A deep snarl wrinkled at Jasper's nose, bordering on disgust. "You, a doctor with no combat experience whatsoever, were the soul survivor in a group of three people on a patrol?" He spat. Killian swallowed back an anxious lump in his throat. From the corner of his vision, he noticed Casimir's brows knitting together thoughtfully, if only for a split second. "Aubrey is a capable woman on her own, but Jackson? You expect us to believe a half-dead killing machine of a man was taken down by biters, but you were the last one left alive?"

Alongside Casimir, Harley tilted his head to the side. "What's he getting at?" Casimir murmured quietly to the younger man. Harley shook his head, unsure. Keagan pressed her face against Casimir's side, gripping onto his shirt anxiously. The hunter ran a soothing hand through her short-cropped hair.

"What do you mean?" Cohen said shakily. His hand gripped even harder onto his shoulder, teeth clenched. "Can't you see I'm injured?"

"It's barely a scratch, stop limping like a wounded dog." Jasper quipped. His brows knit together, a deep frown on his lips. "They might not know about your odd behavior lately, but I don't miss a damn thing. Now you take two people out on a patrol and fail to bring them back home safely? If there really were biters on them you'd be a lot more shaken up."

"Are you all going to listen to this?" Cohen spat, turning to the rest of the group. When he limped over, Killian saw Jasper's hand twitch--then clench into a fist. He'd been ready to grab the doctor, but managed to stop himself. That's it, love. Don't let him bring out the worst in you. "Some cynical marine lost in his own fucked up delusions--why would I possibly ever lie about this?" Killian watched as Jasper's whole body stiffened, his eyes lighting up with a heart-wrenching mix of pain, doubt, and hatred. No, no, don't listen to him!

Jasper's fists were clenched so hard that his knuckles had turned white. Killian could see his muscles tense and relax repeatedly, an attempt to relax himself. "We'll deal with this later," Jasper finally said. "For now we have to find them or their bodies--if you're telling the truth. I'll lead a search by the barn, they could have taken shelter there. Casimir, take Samantha, Harley and Chris with you to search the woods. I'll take Darren and Killian with me." He glanced at Tom, "If...that's alright?"

The group leader nodded swiftly, "I've got no problems with it. Keagan and I will stay at the farmhouse and tend to Cohen."

"The barn?" Cohen snarled. "Why would they be in the barn?"

"Like I said," Jasper loomed over Cohen threateningly. "Shelter. If they're injured and couldn't make it home, they'd be looking for it."

"The barn's been labeled as dangerous."