Stone Cold

34

I gasp and gag breaking free from the water. I look down at my bruised and bloody hand wincing as it continues to shake. My head spins as I crawl toward the land. I cough vomiting then rolling onto my back. I stare up at the sky, the dark black sky. 

Where am I?

~~

I come to and jerk at the restraints around my wrists and ankles.

"Ah you're awake."

"What is this?" I hiss seeing Jason sitting beside me. He holds up his hand and I stare in confusion seeing a chain locked around him. My eyes follow down to see his left ankle, find it chained to the floor as well.

"What kind of game is this?" I hiss

"Fill me in once you know." He says and I jerk at the restraints as footsteps sound. I watch as Neveah's mother comes into the room. She clasps her hands together and I glare while Jason just looks bored. 

"What is this?" I ask as more footsteps sound.

"Why ask those questions instead of the ones that are actually useful?" She asks and I growl

"Like, who's behind all this brilliance?"

"Who?" I hiss and she smirks as another person walks into the room. I stare in disbelief and pure hatred. 

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Hello Shane- Jason."

"Shit." Jason breathes out.

"Wait, you didn't know?" I ask looking over at him and he let's out a humorless laugh.

"You act like I tied my own self up." He says and I look back over at the mastermind of it all.

"You were two of my best men. Sad this has to be the way it all ends." He says

"Where's General?" I ask and he laughs

"Dead son. She's been dead for months actually. You've been working for me." He says and I watch as Jillian transforms to General right before my eyes. 

"Honestly Shane, I have you to thank for a lot. Brought Jason out of hiding and got me closer to Neveah." He says and I grind my teeth together.

"Watch them." He says to Jillian as she transforms back to her original self.

"Cause now it's time to get my best woman." He says and I jerk at the restraints as he holds up his hands.

"She's smart. She won't fall for your bull." I spit and he laughs

"Yet she's been working under me for five years." He says

"You raised her as your own! Protected her! Are you really going to do this to her?" I ask 

"Of course I am." He says turning to face Jillian. I gawk as he presses his lips to hers. What the hell?

I look over at Jason. The look on his face answers my unasked question. He knows exactly who this man truly is. He grinds his teeth together and I shift my attention back before me. A different man stands there now...

"We have to get our daughter back one way or another." He says and now Jason's the ones yanking at the restraints.

"You bastard!" He shouts 

"You were so close Jason. I give you credit. You were so close to finding out the truth. So close to finding your dear dad and ending your demonic mother. Darkness reincarnated you? Amazing facade, it really was. The only problem, Neveah stepped in on your little plan. She saw the monster you had become and hated you for it. That wasn't the truth though, was it? You were never a monster. You just had to act like it. You had to keep her at arms distance; make her believe the facade. Always the protector, never the truth however. You even tricked your mother at first. Smart boy. I however knew that the darkness wasn't enough of a true pull for you. Neveah was the most important thing to you in the entire world. You and your sister made a blood oath that you'd never go dark. Made an oath to finish off the demons that had murdered your dear parents. It was only a little while after that though, that you found out the truth. That your mother wasn't murdered. That your parents were exactly the thing you had feared. When you realized this, you swore to always protect your sister. Even faked your own death and claimed darkness had taken you over to work behind the scenes. All to protect her; all because you loved her. It's true what they say, love is the strongest power of all, but it makes you weak. I saw the light in you from a mile away."