Firebomb (The Jewel Project #2)

12|| Childhood enemies

Ron froze, but before he could react in any way, Snitch Gravel let go and retook his seat. Ron shook away the shock and sat on his bed, studying Snitch Gravel carefully.

"You haven't changed a bit," he finally said.

Snitch Gravel huffed. "Yes, perhaps this shell is undented, but I'm nothing like twenty years ago." He frowned. "Is that how long it's been?"

"No. It's almost eighteen years, actually. Since Sam and Tom were born. We met in the hospital, remember?"

"Yeah..." Snitch Gravel balanced on the chair's hind legs, watching Ron. "You grew up nicely, Ronnie."

Ron let out a bark of laughter. "Nicely? You know what my life's been like. You pulled me out of the deep shit I was in, remember?" he said bitterly. "My life can be described in a lot of ways, but nice isn't one of them. And it's all Freider's fault."

"You had it easy." Snitch Gravel spread his arms. "Look what he's turned me into. I'm a monster out killing children."

Ron shuddered. He knew it, but hearing him say it sounded much worse. "Acknowledging it is half the problem solved." He bit his lip. "You could give up on all this, you know. Lead a normal life," he whispered.

Snitch Gravel graced him with a highly skeptical look. "You don't understand, Ron. I like this. I want to make him suffer more than anything in this world. There is no going back for me. You, on the other hand, could clean your act. Break ties."

"You don't break ties with the mafia, and you know it," Ron snorted and lied back on his bed, looking at the ceiling again. He didn't like to be reminded what he'd done to gain protection on the street. "Are you going to kill the kids?"

Snitch Gravel tilted his head. "I want to test them first. See where they can go, how much they can take. Break them."

"Then I guess you'll be facing off a lot. I've seen them. They won't bow their heads and let you finish them off. They're more your kids than Freider's—" Ron raised his eyes and the words got stuck in his throat.

There was a mad glint in Snitch Gravel's eyes and his upper lip twitched upwards revealing his teeth. He looked startlingly like a wolf about to attack.

"Don't ever dare say that again!"

Ron nodded, his eyes wide and his heart pounding. Snitch Gravel threw him one more murderous look then turned away. A question burned on Ron's tongue, but he was too afraid to ask, so he kept quiet. After a minute in which Snitch Gravel seemed to calm down and he kept spinning the question inside his head, he decided to give it a try.

"Da—" Ron froze again.

Snitch Gravel had whipped towards him, a look of mingled anger and surprise on his face.

"I mean," he quickly said. "Can I ask you something?"

Snitch Gravel narrowed his eyes as if he could guess it was a delicate question. "What is it?"

"Have you... you know, talked to her? Since you left?" Ron asked cautiously.

"To Millie you mean?" Snitch Gravel frowned, but Ron caught the slight flinch after he said her name.

"Yeah, to Millie," Ron whispered.

"Not since her wedding day," Snitch Gravel answered and returned to staring at the ceiling as if he found it fascinating. He looked so lonely and sad that Ron felt like hugging him. Was there really no turning back? Was that the life awaiting Ron as well? He didn't want it. He needed people.

"It still hurts, doesn't it?"

"Okay, what the hell kind of question is that?"

Ron flinched, but Snitch Gravel didn't sound very pissed. He got up from his chair and strode to the door.

"You just lost all further questioning privileges." He gave Ron a small smile. "Go to sleep, brat. We'll talk tomorrow." And he stepped out.

Ron waited for a few seconds, then rushed out of his room. It was this conversation more than anything that made up his mind. He hurried out of the building, past the guards, and out into the forest through the hole in the fence.

Snitch Gravel had a point. He could still redeem himself, at least partially. He didn't want this lonely life Snitch Gravel had chosen for himself. If there was even the tiniest chance his family would take him back, he'd take it.

He ran faster and faster, determined to search the entire forest for the camp if he had to. Despite what Snitch Gravel had said about testing the kids, Von Crooken didn't see it that way. And even if Snitch Gravel had apparently taught Von Crooken his place, he wasn't sure how long it would take the message to get across.

Saving them now meant going against Snitch Gravel. He stopped once the realization hit him. Were they worth it? After all, he hated them. You don't hate them. To be honest, he actually liked them. He hated Freider, he really did, but that wasn't their fault. They had taken after their mother more than he ever hoped possible, and he had always liked their mother.

Lost in thought, he finally reached the camp. It seemed deserted. He snuck between the tents and finally reached Sam's. He unzipped it as quietly as possible and peeked inside. It was empty.

Ron scrambled inside and started searching until he finally found Sam's maps. He looked over them. Sam had drawn a good route to the labs. They would get there too fast, before Snitch Gravel and Von Crooken sorted out their differences. He grabbed Sam's pencils, erased the route and drew an alternative one.

The job done, he stepped out of tent and hid behind a tree just in time. Sam appeared from his right and entered the tent.

Pleased with his actions, Ron scrambled back towards the compound. The sun was already rising when he entered the main building again. He'd finally made his decision. His nephews needed a guardian angel in these troubled times, and he was more than happy to play that part.