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14 – Meeting The Monster

The apple tree seems even more alone and brave than the first i saw it. I push the doors open and walk right up to Infinity. Everything seems normal likes it’s just another day. A few people are sitting around waiting to see their friends and family. Light classical music is flowing through the air and no one is paying much attention to anything 

(Perfect) 

“Hello again” Infinity greets with a warm smile 

I stare at her with a pointed look and she cautiously furrows her brows staring back at me 

“Hello” I say in a calm voice 

“Are you alright?” she asks 

“No, not really but that’s not important right now. I need something from you and I don’t have much time so just answer with a yes or no. Do you understand?” 

“Yes” she responds nervously 

“Would you like a better job earning twice your salary you receive now and I need a pin?” I ask glancing at the door 

“Yes and yes” 

She removes an access card from her drawer and writes two numbers on it. She slips the card into a flyer about “Treatment for anxiety” and hands it to me. I sigh at the irony and take it from her. 

“As soon as I disappear behind that door you take your handbag and go on your lunch break… permanently” I instruct her and head for the door 

I swipe the card and enter the first pin. The door clicks open and I try to make my way to the orange door as fast as I can. The light classical music is still playing and patients and nurses hardly notice me. It seems so peaceful up here compared to the hell downstairs. 

(Hold on Adam) 

I stop in front of the elevators and press the down button repeatedly like it will magically speed things up. The guards behind the orange door is watching women play volleyball on the small television sitting beside the security monitors and I pray they don’t turn around. They doors chime open and I quickly slip in pressing G2. 

(Please be okay Adam) 

I remove my gun from my waistband and crouch as low as I can to the ground. Stepping of the elevator I remember the room being a small square and to the right closest to the elevator is the gate and the guard station. The guards will have a blind spot in the opposite far right corner of the room. When the doors chime open I quickly crawl out and dart for the wall in front of me. I slowly move to the corner and take a deep breath. Beside me above my head is the steel bars of the guard station. The camera only has a midway view of the elevators and the gate where you need to swipe to get in. 

“Did you hear that?” 

“Yeah” 

“Is it her?” 

“I don’t know, I cant see anything” 

I hear Adam screaming and a soft gasp escapes my lips. My heart is racing and tears are burning behind my eyes. I press my lips together and swallow hard. The guard presses his face against the bars to try and get a better view of the room so I pin my back against the wall as hard as I can and breathe slowly. Suddenly we are all startled when a panel in the roof opens up and a figure sliding down a black rope hits the ground. 

(Brice) 

I jump to my feet and spin around pulling the trigger. Brice already has his gun in hand and fires off a shot, like the well oiled machine we are we clip the two guards in seconds. The silencers on the guns make sure no one hears a thing. Blood splatters over the monitors and we quietly move to the gate. I slide the card and enter the second pin. The door buzzes and clicks open. 

(Thank you Infinity) 

Adam screams in agony and I swallow back a sob. (Not now Bella, be strong) Brice clenches his jaw as we quickly move down the passage. Some of the patients don’t even notice us as we rush past them. Right across the cell from where they keep my mother another one of Adam’s cries ring in my ears. I signal to Brice and he stays out of sight. I put my hands up and slowly walk in front of the glass box. 

I gasp with sob when I finally see Adam. His hands are bound above his head with chains where he is hanging from the roof. He is covered in blood and purple bruises and they have been electrocuting him judging by the marks on his body and the cattle prod in Veronica’s hands. 

“Oh, you’ve made it sweetheart! I am so delighted” Charlie chirp 

“Let him go!” I yell 

“Now where would the fun in that be? Drop the gun or he dies” he says with a smirk 

I slowly put my gun down not daring to look away 

“You wanted me here and I came so let him go” I demand again in a shaky voice 

“Bella” Adam whispers and my heart clenches 

“It’s alright baby, I’m here” I say softly 

“No!”  Charlie suddenly shouts like his whole mood changed making me jump 

Veronica giggles swinging the castle prod around and the screams of my mother from the cell behind me to release us just excites her more. Charlie clears his throat and his mood changes again to a cheerful one. 

“You have no idea, do you? You see I cant let him go and I cant let you go because you both need to pay for the pain you have caused me and for ruining years of planning” he says waving his hand 

“What are you talking about?” I ask frowning 

“Oh it doesn’t matter now you will be dead soon” 

“Humor me” I hiss 

“Well sweetheart you see… I am a lair and a killer and a thief and I always get what I want so now Veronica over here is going to get you a nice comfortable spot next to this piece of shit and then we can talk and talk and talk” He laughs throwing his hands in the air.  

“Exactly how fucking crazy are you?” I growl at him 

I definitely hit a nerve because Charlie and Veronica’s expressions immediately change to a murderous glare. Veronica jolts towards me with the castle prod and I quickly move to the side. Brice comes into her view behind me and before she can blink he puts a bullet right between her eyes. Charlie gasp and grabs a gun from his waistband. I quickly move flicking my wrist and a tranquilizer dart hits Charlie right in the neck. He groans and drops to his knees. His gun falls to the ground and he sways from side to side. I walk up to him and grab him by his collar 

“Well sweetheart you see, I am also a lair, a killer and a thief and I always get what I want” I whisper in his ear through my tears. 

“Bella!” I hear Daisy call 

“Brice” Is all I need to say and he walks out to get Daisy

I rush towards Adam and take his face in my hands. I finally breakdown looking into his hooded swollen eyes. A ghost of a smile runs over his lips and then he passes out. Panic drums inside me and I tremble as tears run down my face. 

“Bella wh…. oh dear! Get him down!” Daisy motions 

Her team works fast and in no time Adam is free. Brice and Omar carries Adam and I take deep breathes to regain my composure. My mother bangs against her cell door with her fists so I walk out towards her. 

“Good girl… good girl… good girl” she keeps repeating looking into my eyes 

“Daisy?” 

“Yes Bella?” 

“This is my mother” I whisper staring at the Mildrid 

“I will take care of everything here, get Jellybean home” she says and I nod 

I pull myself away from my mom knowing that Daisy will get her out and I follow Brice and Omar out the building

One hour later

I am standing in the church with Jo. The building looks normal today; Charlie is chained to a chair which is bolted to the floor. Daisy has rolled out her torture equipment on the table next to us and Brice is standing on the other side me. Long gone are the party decorations… 

“I need to know what he knows. He is hiding things from my past. I want to know how my mother is involved in all this” I tell Jo 

“Why do you think he knows anything?’’ Jo asks 

“He was rambling on about how Adam and I ruined years of planning” 

Jo furrows his brows glancing at Charlie and then back at me 

“You know he is crazy right?” Jo says skeptical and I nod 

“Can we just make sure?” I plead 

“Sure honey, let Daisy just pump him with some “gossip juice” real quick” Jo says patting my shoulder

Daisy walks over to Charlie and waves a small open bottle under his nose. The smell is terrible even from where I am standing. Charlie groans and then jolts awake panting. 

“What the fuck have you done? Let me go! Do you know who I am! You will pay for this! You will all die!” He yells 

Jo sighs and rolls his eyes “Daisy please” Jo says in a calm voice waving his hand towards Charlie 

Daisy approaches him with a syringe and Charlie starts to pant like he ran a marathon. 

“No! Don’t you fucking touch me! Get away from me!  No! Stop!” 

Daisy smirks and jabs the needle into his neck. Charlie screams causing Brice to punch him in the face then he whimpers. The truth serum works fast.