Stockholm Syndrome (John Seed x Deputy OC)

16 - Don't Say It

Gun clasped in my hands, I stomped up the hill towards the pizza bar. Each heavy footfall on the concrete road made me huff with exhaustion. I hadn't slept the entire night, lying in hope that John would return to me and tell me what was wrong. But he hadn't. Instead I'd been summoned by my comrades to the bar so we could plan our attack on Joseph. The disgustingly hot sun beat down on me and made me sweat. It'd taken me about two hours to walk from the cave in Holland valley to where I was now in the Henbane river region. I could see the bar up ahead and let out an agonised sigh. Two vultures perched on a corpse in the middle of the road, picking away at the flesh with their carved beaks. Feeling angry, hollow and pissed off I raised my gun and shot a handful of bullets into one of them. Not even that made me feel better. As the other red headed bird took off in a fright, I stepped over the carcass of its freshly killed friend. Cheeseburger's ears flattened against his head and he took off ahead of me, disappearing into the woods behind the bar. Crossing over the wooden bridge, I trudged up to the door and glanced at the sign outside.

PLEASE PEE INSIDE!

My face didn't even twinge into a smile. Pushing the door open, I was met with many welcome faces. Nick and Adelaide sat at the bar counter, Jess and Grace were doing sit ups on the floor and Sharky and Hurk were wrestling on the stage.

'Sup team.' I grunted miserably, rubbing my eyes. 'Shall we get down to business?' Pulling a chair up to one of the nearby tables, everyone crowded round eagerly.

'The way we see it Dep, Jess and I should enter the compound from different ends and take out anyone milling around with our stealth shots. Then-' Grace began to speak, her baritone voice filling the room.

'None of you are coming with me.' My interruption startled them.

'Wait what?' Nick slammed a hand down on the woodwork. 'Absolutely not! Did you hear what he said he'd do?' I shook my head, blissfully unaware of the anything Joseph has broadcasted. I'd been too distracted caring for John. Nick took out his phone and handed it to me. 'This was his eulogy when you killed John.' The screen whirred to life and Joseph appeared, sat alone in the darkness.

'My brother John was loved by few. Feared by many. Misunderstood by all... except me.' Holding my emotions under wraps, I swallowed hard. 'John was not born a monster. He was just a child when our family was torn apart.' My memory cast back to the photograph I'd found at the ranch. He was so small then. So fragile. 'He was loving. Kind. Full of joy... He was easily preyed upon.' The tone of the message began to change and I felt my skin prickle beneath my shirt. 'John was not perfect. Sometimes he was not even good. But he was my brother. And those responsible for his death will be punished. I promise you that.' Joseph's eyes locked with my own through the screen and my heart caught in my throat. I had to remember that this was a pre-recorded message.

'And this is what he had to say afterwards...' Nick tapped the screen and held the phone up to me. It was good that he was holding it because at the rate my hands were trembling I'd have dropped it. Joseph appeared again but this time less controlled.

'Another seal has been opened.' He choked on his words, holding back tears and rocking violently. 'My family... my brothers... my sister... they've all been taken from me by a snake in the garden! I thought I knew God's plan but I was wrong. I was blind.' Relieving himself from his grief, Joseph locked eyes with me again. 'But now I see. You took my family from me so that I could have yours. We will welcome them with open arms, just as we will welcome you. We will be waiting for you where it all began.' Looking up gravely at my friends, I saw them all looking away from me.