Brutal

by K. S. Adkins

  For as long as I live, I’ll have no words.

  Time's up.

  I use his shock at seeing my eyes open as my chance to get Macy out. I wrap my legs around his waist, and take both arms, pulling him into a headlock.

  “Macy! Run!” I yell.

  She doesn’t hesitate, thank god.

  He doesn’t either. He starts punching my sides relentlessly. I have no choice but to loosen my grip. I take a quick look to see if Macy is clear, and I see Rafe grab her and rush her to the stairs. So they made it, then? I can’t see very well, and breathing is a struggle. He rocks me upside the head again, and I hear Rogan (more than see him) inhale sharply. I feel Gary’s arm move, and know he’s reaching for his gun. At the thought of him hurting the people I love, I become eerily resolute. I may die down here, but he’s coming with me.

  “Look at me Gary, not them,” I say, and he doesn’t hesitate. “You and me, let’s finish this.”

  “You belong to me, Nessa,” he says. “In life or death, you’re mine. I won’t let them have you!”

  “Gary,” says the Cap. “Don’t you hurt her!”

  “Fuck you, old man,” he shouts. “You took her from me! You’re dead to me!”

  I take the opportunity to punch him in the throat, cutting off his air. Both hands go to his throat in response, and he drops his gun.

  Seeing his struggle to breathe, I rush him like a bull, forcing him back into the wall. Taking my dominant leg, the right, I bring it up and into his stomach over and over until my leg gives out. Knowing he can’t defend both areas I focus my attention back to his unprotected face. Alternating elbows, I strike any and all parts of his exposed face. Cheek, nose, eyes, lips. There’s blood, and I like that I caused it. So, like a bull seeing red, I charge, renewing my efforts. All the pain I’ve ever held in, I unleash on my childhood best friend. The adult male grunting and moaning isn’t my friend, he’s my enemy.

  “Nessa, stop,” he begs. “I need you.”

  But I can’t. I’ll never stop. Not until he stops breathing. Which reminds me…

  I reach for my necklace and undo the clasp.

  I can’t see anything past my own hands. I can’t hear anything except my own thoughts.

  Feeling Gary slump, I grab his hair, pull him back up, take my right knee again, and bury it in the soft of his abdomen. He’s coughing and gagging, and that pisses me off.

  I pull him up again, and take my forearm to his throat, firmly holding him there. Keeping myself in front of him, using the wall he’s up against as leverage, I give him my weight.

  “Look at me, Gary,” I say. “If I thought there was a chance you could be saved, I’d save you. Where are the other girls?”

  “Your eyes,” he says, just for me to hear. “It was always about your eyes, so pure.”

  “The girls, Gary,” I say. “Where are they?”

  He looks confused. “Just you,” he says. “Only you.”

  I could tell right away he was telling the truth, but that he wasn’t going to die quietly. When he attempted to take me to the floor, no doubt to bash my head in further or maybe break my neck, I used the last of my strength and twisted myself so I was on the bottom, with Gary’s back lying on my chest and stomach. I wrapped my legs in the crook of each arm first, and then hooked them under each arm pit to immobilize him, in this position his legs are useless. Doing so forced his chest to rise up, giving me the upper hand. To anyone else it looks like the two of us are doing a complex routine made up of contorting ourselves into an uncomfortable position. I am uncomfortable, but he’s essentially powerless and for me it’s worth the pain.

  With my free hands, I secured my necklace around his throat, wrapping it twice. He struggled with his hands to free himself, but I wouldn’t let that happen. I focus hard to my right, and I see the looks on all their faces, but I still can’t hear anything. Hoping the Captain will understand, I look at him and whisper “I’m sorry”, then I arch myself up for the most leverage, putting the last vestiges of my strength into slitting his throat. The gurgling starts right away, followed by the thrashing of his legs. This reaction is normal but he’s making my job easier so I don’t complain. With a final, private goodbye to the boy I knew, I criss cross both arms, pull down until I feel his skin give way, putting Gary James Frisk behind me forever.

  When Rafe secures Macy, The Captain and I try to get closer to break them apart. How she’s standing, I’ll never know. Macy, not one to be pushed aside, comes up with Rafe to stand on my other side. Rafe is struggling to hold her still. She loves Venessa, and wants a shot at Gary. At some point Max, Tony and Julian make their way down since the action is clearly in the basement.

  Venessa has him in a headlock, and he’s punishing her sides with his fists. The Captain and Tony are holding me back, but I can’t let this continue.

  The Cap yells to him not to hurt her and it sends Gary into a rage, luckily he momentarily loses focus, and Venessa punches him directly in the throat. Instinct has me reaching for mine in response.

  He grabs his throat with both hands, and she starts hammering his mid-section with her knee. When he protects his middle, she goes hard on his face. You can fucking hear the cartilage snap and bones break. He’s bleeding all over her, but she doesn’t stop. Like the blood turned her on, she fought even harder.

  He begs her to stop, but she doesn’t.

  She doesn’t look at us, either.

  It’s like we’re not there.

  Taking him by the hair, she refuses to let him submit. She holds him secure with her forearm and whispers to him, but I can’t hear. He smiles at her and says something about her eyes. That sets me off, and I almost break free when the three fuck-a-teers help the Cap hold me back. I’m roaring at her to look at me, but she won’t. I beg her to stop, but she doesn’t.

  In my heart, I’m not sure she can come back from this.

  The way she has him angled makes it impossible for me to get a shot, the Cap holding me back makes it impossible for me to break them apart.

  Gary is close to being free, and I know she can’t take another hit. What’s fucked up? She’s smiling about it.

  Just as he frees himself to take her down she does some matrix shit and reverses the move to have him land on his back, on top of her stomach. She doesn’t even register his weight.

  She has a necklace in her hand and wraps it around his neck once, twice. She’s losing steam, and my voice is giving out. He’s done! She needs to stop, to come back to me, to let us handle it. Instead, she looks over at the Captain with the saddest eyes I’ve ever seen and whispers “I’m sorry”. Then she uses every muscle in her body when she bows herself up for leverage, and then you can see the blood start to pour right before you hear his skin being shredded by the necklace.

  Just like that, several thrashes later, Gary’s gone.

  She manages to move herself from underneath his dead weight, and we all burst into action. Macy runs to her left, me to her right, and the Captain tends to Gary’s body.

  Touching her gently, I move her hair away from her face so Macy can assess the damage. I can’t stop shaking, and next thing I know Tony comes next to me and kneels.

  “Angel,” I say, touching her broken face. “Come back to me.”

  Macy is doing medical things that I don’t understand, so I let her.

  Tony is silent.

  “Angel,” I say again. “Wherever you are, come back.”

  She opens her eyes and I see that they are clouded. She attempts to smile, then frowns. Her back bows off the floor again, and her eyes roll back. Instantly Macy, is screaming for Rafe.

  She’s seizing. Jesus.

  Gary forgotten, the Captain rushes over with Max and Julian, and calls for an ambulance while Max runs out to switch cars, so the medics can get to her. How I know all this is beyond me, it’s all white noise, but when it comes to her I always know what’s happening.

  My focus is on her. My heart and soul, who put up such a fight that her
little body can’t take any more. I’m losing her and I’m helpless.

  Macy moves her head to the side, and instantly she’s breathing better.

  “Hold her,” she tells me.

  “Fuck,” says Rafe. “This is too brutal for me, man, what’s happening to her?”

  “Medics are on the way,” says the Captain, touching her cheek.

  “Rafe, tear your shirt and wrap her head gently, to stop the bleeding. She has broken ribs at the very least. Her wound opened back up, and his repeated blows to her head caused the seizure. Max, I need an ETA on that ambulance. Rogan I need you to secure her so she doesn’t cause more damage, okay? She can’t feel anything you’re doing right now, so if she starts to thrash you fucking hold her. I have to meet the crew and prep them. Do you understand me?”

  “She’s strong, she’ll make it,” I vow.

  The looks shared between everyone in the basement said they didn’t agree, but I don’t have time to argue.

  Leaning in, I tell her over and over, from the basement to the ER, no less than 50 times, wanting her to know that I understand. I know she’s tired, but that she still has to fight her biggest battle yet.

  “I want my shot at forever,” I say. “You’re my fucking forever, Angel. You’re my pumpkin and my tree.”

  The medics waste no time getting her to the main door, where doctors are on standby, no doubt Macy’s doing.

  They don’t speak to us, but take her away, Macy with her.

  I start to follow, when Rafe stops me.

  “She’s in good hands,” he says, urging me away from the doors.

  An hour later, sitting in the same chair in the waiting room I sat in a few days ago, I lose it. Needing to go to her, but not being allowed is killing me. I stand up to pace, but there’s no energy left. I’ve got nothin’.

  Praying for the second time in my life, I didn’t know what to ask for, so I kept it simple, knowing I probably didn’t have any favors to call in. ‘Just save her’, was all I asked for.

  “Rogan, I’d like a word, please.” This comes from Tony. “Alone.”

  “Not now.”

  “It’s about Venessa.”

  “I imagine it is, but if you value your fucking life, you’ll walk away.”

  “Detective, I really need to speak with you about Venessa.”

  “What now?”

  “In light of recent events, I realize I owe you an explanation. That is, if you’re ready to hear me out.”

  “Is this going to piss me off?”

  “Yes and no. This is a onetime offer.”

  “Talk.”

  “I’m trusting that this won’t get back to Venessa until the time is right?”

  “Depends.”

  “Fair enough. My name is not Anthony Gallo. He’s my uncle. My name and they whys of it do not matter. What does matter, is why I brought you two together. I see you’re shocked, but let me finish. I met Venessa when she was twenty, and Max already knew her at that time. I’m working on something, and everywhere I went, there she was. My little troublemaker. I could never nail any leads down, because she got to them first. So I turned a blind eye, but made sure she had protection if it was ever needed. It wasn’t, so she’s never met any of my men. Then your Department took interest in her, and at the same time my leads were getting hotter, and my men and I couldn’t be everywhere anymore. Then she met you. Julian told me about your meeting with her, as did a couple others in the Department's employ. The best decision I’ve ever made was to put you in her path. Until this bullshit went down, her focus and mine were the same. Gary, I did not see coming”

  “All this wanting her for yourself was bullshit?”

  “Of course, that’s what you’d focus on. No, it wasn’t bullshit. No sane man wouldn’t want her, but she didn’t want me back. I kept you on your toes, and my interference was necessary, until now. I’m staying in town until I know she’s recovered, then I’m leaving, and I want you to be the one to tell her. Because if and when I do come back, I’m going to need her help, as well as yours, and the pull you have in the department.”

  “There’s more, so give it to me straight.”

  “You love her, and it’s because of me you met her. You owe me. Keep this quiet, don’t look for me, and don’t let her look into me while I’m away. When I return, I expect the department's help, it’s non-negotiable. Do I have your word?”

  “What you’re doing, would Venessa approve?”

  “I believe she would, yes. Which is why I never told her. She’d want to fix me, and I already have someone else in mind for that job.”

  “You have people inside the department.”

  “I have people everywhere, but I’m not the villain.”

  “Then you have my word. But if I hear otherwise, I’ll bring you down myself.”

  “As scary as you can be, it’s not you who I worry about. If I can’t get this fixed Venessa will end me personally and if it comes to that, I’ll deserve it.”

  “Fuck, man, what aren’t you telling me here?”

  “Not a word to her, or she’ll catch on and you do not want her involved in what I’m knee deep in, Rogan. She’s too close as it is. Take what the Captain’s going to offer, and keep her distracted. On that note, I wish you two the best. I’m going back to the waiting room for a bit.”

  “Gallo, hold up,” I say, needing his attention before he leaves.

  Catching up to him he turns, raising an eyebrow. Not wasting a second, I take every ounce of strength I have, and I use it to punch him in the stomach. He bends at the waist, taking both arms to hold himself in an effort to breathe.

  Leaning down to him, I whisper, “That’s for touching her.”

  He gives me a nod, and I walk away satisfied for now. We understand each other then. Good.

  I didn’t see the bomb Gallo (or whoever he is) coming. His problem is a fight I have to save for another day. No sooner does he give her his excuse for leaving, and she’s going to start digging. I’ve kept enough from her, knowing that for her safety I have to do it again feels wrong. I roll this around in my head, and as much as I want to hate the guy, I can’t. He brought my Angel to me. He was also keeping her safe long before I knew her. He’s also working with the Captain in some way, so I’ll need to solve that riddle, too.

  Hours of thought processing later, the Captain walks in and sits next to me silently. The three fuck-a-teers are waiting here, too.

  The only one up and moving is Rafe, he waits for Macy to come out, and repeats what she says.

  Words like ‘surgery’, ‘brain hemorrhage’, ‘swelling’, ‘cracked ribs’, ‘perforated ear drum’, ‘fractured bones’, ‘blood loss’, are being tossed around, but the one that shattered me?

  ‘Medically induced coma’.

  I don’t know how much time has passed, but I’m on another level. A level where I’m so fucking lost that I can’t find my way back. Macy comes over and sits next to me, and looks me in the eyes.

  “Are you with me right now?” she asks, and I nod.

  “She’s been placed in a coma so she can heal, Rogan,” she says quietly. “When she comes back, it will be because she’s ready. Nod if you understand me,” I nod again.

  “Okay, good.” she says. “She’s a fighter, Rogan. She loves you, too, which is why she’ll come back. She’ll come back for you.”

  She touches my shoulder and walks away, with Rafe following.

  Wishing I could trade places with her, but knowing I can’t, I sit there and wait.

  Several more hours pass and the Captain went home to talk to his wife, but says he’ll be back. Max, Tony, and Julian each left, but gave Rafe their numbers to call when she wakes up.

  Rafe sits next to me, and I can tell he’s itching to talk. He doesn’t handle silence well.

  “Macy says her vitals look good.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Said the swelling has gone down some, too.”

  “Yeah.”

  “She could
still make it.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Why are you sitting here in mourning then?”

  I turn to rip him apart, but find I lack the energy.

  “I didn’t protect her,” I say. “Watching her get hurt and not being able to—“

  “I think you should talk to Macy about that when she comes back out,” he says. “She told me what Venessa did, wearing him down.”

  “What?”

  “She let him,” he says. “Macy said she provoked him so he would focus on her, wearing him down.”

  “God dammit,” I say. “That was a stupid thing to do! He could have fucking killed her!”

  “He didn’t want to kill her.”

  “Didn’t want to kill her, huh?” I ask. “Did you see her god damned face?”

  “Listen, man,” he says. “Talking to Macy, and doing some thinking of my own, if there’s one thing about Venessa, it’s that she cares about others, especially you and Macy, more than she cares about herself. Do you know what she said to me in those texts?”

  “How the fuck would I know that?” I grate, barely able to speak.

  He pulls out his phone and hands it to me.

  “Read it.”

  “app back on when I have Macy safe. Keep him occupied 4 me. He’s your partner, but he’s my mate. He doesn’t need to see me like this. Have to do this alone. Won’t have him break his vow for me. Tell him I’m sorry”

  “Why did you show me this?”

  “Because I think you need a reminder of who we’re dealing with, here,” he says. “You might hate her methods and want to be the protector, but she can handle her shit. She loves you, so quit acting like she died in that basement, and be there when she wakes up.” He walks away, giving me time to think, so I do.

  I met Venessa maybe two months ago, and in that time, she’s made me a better man. No, a better human being.

  She has always taken the lead. Shaking my hand, touching me, kissing me, giving herself to me, telling me her secrets, letting me take her nightmares away, making me smile, telling me she loves me, and always putting me before her.