The Lord of Misrule

53 -- Stone Over a Spider

Bogdan could hear combat from the second he entered the hatch. Was the Husk loose? Returned the way it'd come? Could feel the blood in his hands pressing against the cold returning squeeze of the Uzi's grip and he almost dropped the thing as though it were electrified.

But at the end of the narrow shoot he instead saw unmasked people—a boy and a girl—fighting by the dim light of smartphones. And that creepy little fucker Alan made up the opposition no less! This forced Lusk to suppress a belly laugh as the world tilted for but a moment around them.

Did the man not look like the picture on the ID for one Durst, Godric owner of a shitty dried-up bone? Lusk watched both for a minute from the crack as their lights flashed about—the descriptions matched for the girl too.

Lusk couldn't help but chuckle.

He knew Nathan Brant stood close next to him, trying to peer past him to see what the hold-up was—but Lusk held his position, smiling as he watched.

When Alan went down with a scream and slam of stone Lusk stepped out into the room proper and the combatants spotted him; shouted and pointed their lights. He was high enough to want to yell; "Ta-da!" but didn't.

They'd run in a minute anyway—so let them. They can only go deeper into the museum and that's where they'll die. The signal was mere minutes away—five at most maybe? The Husk would see to it.

They slipped into darkness around some dark corner to vanish—Sonny freaked out and fire—but Bogdan wasn't that perturbed, just shouted at him to stop, and then said;

"Get after them Sonny! Go!"

Wasn't he was the bets choice for it but didn't want Nathan to see him hesitate?

"Wait!" Nathan shouted, and in a flash the Brant commando dagger out. Their granddaddy killed Germans with it—now Sonny would have the honour of blooding it. Looked his brother straight in the eyes and handed to him.

"Use it."

Sonny accepted this as though he were accepting communion—nodded and flashed a cocaine-glad grin before sprinting off where the two problems vanished.

Alan began to move moan as well as writhe—and Nathan glanced at Bogdan.

"No retarded tricks this time," said Nathan with a breath. "No magic or the ball-sack of a bat stewed with the cock of a horse. I'm getting rid of him."

"Be my guest," said Lusk. Thought of Thwaite frowning at the comment made him laugh again.

Swift hands reached out and grabbed Alan by the ears, hauled him up and dragged him to the wall. He began moaning then, his fingers curling.

"Grab his wrists," said Brant with a frown.

Bogdan snatched the bony things and hauled them up above the bald head to pin against brick.

"No!" moaned Alan. His legs began to kick and drag as though he wanted to stand—eyes blinking irregularly into the flashlight split darkness. Could he recognise the eyes that stared back?

"Please no!" he shouted then, and Brant responded.

In one big swing of the knee Nathan slammed Alan in the face. His skull cracked back against the brick wall and he moaned again. Arm muscles tightened and writhed, and Nathan kicked a second time. The blow broke Alan's jaw and his face twisted terribly as he groaned and teeth fell from his mouth with a string of blood.

The janitor moaned, mumbled too while Nathan stared at him to see if he was done for sure, before moaning, "The stratosphere afire and falling upon me... Buried beneath..."

The next came and a pop followed—Alan's skull warped and jaw sagged with a retching last breath.

The last blow did not come with anything like a pop, just a wet mushing sound accompanied by chunky blood dripping from a muscle-less mouth and Bogdan let Alan's wrists go. They thudded against dirt, his body slumping.

"Only a few minutes now," said Bogdan. "You've gotta get to your spot to collect the prize! This way! You won't see the signal from where you'll be—but that doesn't matter—you'll hear it and I'd bet it won't be very long before it's delivered. I'll jog after Sonny and send him to you so can both make a break as soon as you get it.

Both started up the spiral stair where Nathan Brant would wait in darkness for the Husk to knock within a narrow passage. Bogdan returned moments later and followed where Sonny had chased his quarter.

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750 words.

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