by Mitch Goth
Hosni paced anxiously across the dank holding cell, the now slightly thicker layer of water on the floor sloshed beneath him. Occasionally, his thoughts brought him to the point of a slight grunt or groan, but other than that all remained silent.
The silence was brought to an abrupt end when Josh burst into the cell. Bruised, burned, disparaged and winded, he nearly collapsed onto the floor.
“What the fuck! What happened?” Hosni barked. “Why do you smell so much like petrol? Where’s Adnan?”
“They killed him,” Josh said through long, pained breaths. “They killed him. They blew up a whole petrol station around him.”
“Bummer,” Cera snickered behind them.
They both turned around and gave a nearly identical death stare.
“You shut the hell up about our brother,” Josh demanded.
“Still think one of us is the assassin?” she continued.
“Let’s talk outside,” Hosni spoke to his brother but continued glaring at Cera.
Josh only nodded and the two of them stepped out into the hall. The door slammed behind them.
“Oh my God,” Cady said in disbelief. “They’re actually doing something.”
“Maybe one of them is an assassin after all,” Cera laughed.
“My bet is on Mike.”
“No way,” Cera disagreed, “it’s gotta be Taylor.”
“Taylor? I think Nate would be it before Taylor.”
“Think about it, Taylor is a young, energetic, harmless looking, blonde all-American with an interest in politics and world news.”
“Mike is a self-serving pyromaniac with a taste for the insane.”
“But what does he know about Syria and Canada? I’d be surprised if he knew where Syria was,” Cera grinned.
“I don’t think he knows where Canada is,” Cady agreed. “But that still doesn’t rule out Nate.”
“The word ‘assassin’ rules out Nate. He’s a neurotic, high strung borderline obsessive compulsive who could over think the process of boiling water.”
“Wouldn’t an assassin need to be thorough?”
“A brain surgeon doesn’t need to be as thorough as he is.”
“Well what about you? You’re all sorts of crazy.”
“How is headstrong crazy?”
“It isn’t. But you’re not headstrong, you’re nuts. And most normal human beings can’t quite handle a stabbing like you did.”
“What about you, little Miss sasshole?” Cera inquired. “You seem pent up enough to go out at night and kill people.”
“Pent up? I’m not pent up.”
“Come on, you hid in the corner the majority of the night and you’re telling me you don’t have any pent up stress from that?”
“Maybe tonight, but I’m not usually like that.”
“Well that’s just not true. Cady Steward is quiet on almost every occasion. I was actually shocked you came out earlier today and told Mike to stop shooting off fireworks, even if it did take you half an hour to gather the courage.”
“Exactly, so what makes you think I can kill anyone?”
“You save all your stress and courage for killing people. You’ve got none left over for life.”
“Do you have any idea how dumb that sounds?”
“Not really, no.”
“Either way,” Cady went on, “just thinking that one of us is this assassin these people are looking for is only validating their delusions.”
“But our friends blew up a gas station.”
“That’s probably not the first time Mike has been a part of something like that.”
“Very possible,” Cera shrugged.
“Do you think they’ll actually come for us?” Cady wondered.
“They’re coming for us right now.”
“I mean, do you think they’ll make it?”
“Well, as of now, they’ve got strength in numbers over our friends in the hall. But they’ve still got a ways to go. But, I sure as hell hope they do. Otherwise, not to add to your pent up stress, but we’re fucked.”
“I wish there was something we could do.”
“Some things you just can’t control, Cady. That’s life. Sometimes it’s a traffic jam, other times its international terrorists looking for assassins in a group of teenagers. Life is uncontrollable like that.”
“So what do you suggest we do?” Cady wondered.
“Sit back, enjoy the ride?” Cera suggested.
“What ride?”
“The life ride, my friend, the life ride.”
“Sounds productive.”
“I don’t see you coming up with anything.”
“Sasshole.”
“You need to stop saying that.”
“I might not get another chance to.”
“Well, with that logic, I may never get another chance to call you a bitch. Bitch,” Cera joked.
“Sasshole.”
-
Out in the hall, Hosni and Josh trudged nervously around. Josh held his head in his hands while Hosni ran his fingers through his thick, greasy hair.
“I can’t believe he’s dead,” Josh sighed.
“He won’t die for nothing,” Hosni assured.
“These people are far more advanced than I thought.”
“They’re eighteen, Josh, not CIA agents. Lure them in with some weed or beer and shoot them.”
“I don’t think I can take them on alone.”
“Well I can’t just leave these two we have alone. One of them could be who we’re looking for, especially that Cera one.”
“That’s the one you stabbed?”
“Didn’t even flinch.”
“How bad did you get her?”
In response to his brother, Hosni drew his knife once more and jammed it into Josh’s knee. His brother yelped immediately and sprung away from his brother and the blade.
“Why did you stab me? Why would you add to my anguish?”
“You wanted to know, don’t blame me.”
“Well, if she can take that, she’s gotta be the assassin, Hosni. Just kill her!”
“I would, but I’ve got a better idea.”
“Does it involve me getting stabbed again?”
“No…” Hosni paused, “maybe. It depends how you do it, I guess.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Find those bastards again, and lure them here.”
“How? Weed and beer?”
“No. Just shoot at them and drive away, but keep them on your tail. Bring them here and we’ll both take care of all of them. Can you do that?”
“I think so,” Josh nodded unconfidently. “How many trucks do we have left?”
“Just the one, so don’t blow this one up.”
“I will find them. For Adnan?”
“Sure,” Hosni shrugged.
Josh nodded again with slightly more vigor and disappeared down the stairs, ready to avenge his brother.
Once Josh had left, Hosni went cautiously back into the holding cell. The two girls quieted at his presence.
“I know you think your friends have the upper hand now. But, I assure you both, each and every one of you will be dead by dawn.”
Certain that his message had gotten across by the looks on their faces, he turned and left just as quickly as he’d come back in.
“Do you think he’s bluffing?” Cady asked anxiously.
“Fuck ‘em,” Cera scoffed and leaned back in her chair.
Despite Cera’s confidence, Cady let out a worrisome sigh. She wasn’t anywhere near sure what was going to happen.
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