A sense of calm washed over her, only offset by the absolute horror of the carnage that was laid out on the sand. She knew that he wanted to make a statement, to not kill, but he had no choice, did he? The game was rigged and survival meant dispatching these goons and doing it in an emphatic manner that drove the crowd crazy enough for Branch to know better than to kill him in front of them. It was either him or them, as simple as that. Of course, it didn't need to be that way. That was just how Branch wanted things to unfold. TK craned his neck towards Branch's private box, seeing him stewing up there with Farrington by his side, his arm in a sling. Branch's two guards were by his side, Stuart trying to restrain him, but Branch charged up to his podium.
"Quite a show, Mr. Gabriel," he boomed. "We're all very entertained, aren't we? Looks like a certain prisoner helped you out after all with that contraption of yours, huh? Just full of surprises, aren't we?"
The crowd was unsure how to react. Branch was unraveling before all of them, but trying to project the image of being in control. They didn't know that TK Gabriel was a prisoner; they didn't know that Vera was the woman who had helped to build Farrington into the legend that he was, or how she had been helping him and was now locked up in a cell watching Demoreo decay further and further into being the Crusher. This wouldn't be an execution for TK tonight. Instead, it would be the night that Branch lost control, she thought. He was up there raving like an absolute madman, there is no way that these people could see that, could see how insane that man was, and still want to be a part of his world. My god, he was doing it.
"Well, you aren't the only one that is full of surprises tonight," Branch cried. "Oh no, you see, I'm in control here. I always will be, and it's about time that you understand how things work around here. Bring her out!"
The "her" caught Dr. Faraday by surprise. There was no way that they'd make Vera fight, right? She wasn't there to fight, she didn't deserve to die. The great gates slowly parted ways and Dr. Faraday's heart pounded an offbeat rhythm inside of her chest. He was a monster, but not that much of a monster, was he? Farrington already had to be upset at Vera's imprisonment, if Branch had her killed he'd lose completely control over him, maybe even over Stuart. Stuart was a soft-hearted boy, he had talked about Vera, about what she had done for Will, there was no way he'd sit back and let that happen. The gate paused, and a lone figure appeared in the shadows, slowly walking out towards the arena.
The figure kept approaching, moving from the shadows into the lights of the arena to reveal that yes, it was definitely a woman, but walking with a noticeable limp. What had they done to Vera? Why even get her involved, she never wanted to be involved with any of this. That was when the setting sun caught her face, showing decay and rot. That wasn't Vera. She limped closer and closer yet, but Dr. Faraday couldn't make out who it was. Tom stood there, unmoving until the figure drew closer and closer yet, only for the bat to fall from his hands into the dirt, him dropping to his knees.
"Jess?" He cried out, his voice cutting through the stunned silence. "Jess, no."
Eighteen
The Brawler
"What in the fuck is this shit?" Will asked, watching the lone, hobbling figure approaching TK Gabriel in the arena. Will's brother stood at his side, visibly uncomfortable, his hand resting on the gun slung over his shoulder like he was expecting something to go wrong at any moment. "Stuart?"
"Fuck if I know," he said. Will suspected that his brother did know, though. Nothing that Branch did was ever too far from Stuart or Viktor, them both standing as silent guards watching while he ruled over the kingdom inside of his high rise like a maniac.
"Oh, this is too much," Branch said. "Just look at him, my god."
"Who's the cunt?" Will asked.
"Oh, Mr. Farrington, if you only knew the delight that I'm taking in this. The sheer, utter delight. Wait, what is he doing?" Branch's face turned flush, him turning to Viktor who shrugged, then to Stuart. "What the fuck is he doing?"
"Looks pissed," Will said.
"Real fuckin' pissed," Stuart said. "Looks like he's scaling the wall, innit he?"
"Where are my guards?" Branch was growing nervous. "Get everyone out there, stop him! Stop him now!"
Guards poured out from the side doors on the arena floor, Branch shouting at them to take him out no matter what, but Gabriel was climbing his way up through the crowd in the bleachers, climbing up step by step with crowds gathering around him. The guards hesitated, refusing to fire up into the crowd of people while Branch was pacing around in the box.
"No, no!" He shouted. "Shoot him, I don't care the damage, shoot him now!"
"Awright mistah Branch, we gotta get yer ass outta here," Stuart said.
"No, I refuse to back down," he said. "I refuse to let TK Gabriel win. I will not run away from him. I'm staying right here."
Branch moved towards the front of the box, stewing inside of his suit at the guards who stood dumbfounded, slamming his fists down on the edge of it while he watched Gabriel climb up the bleachers unimpeded, clearly on a mission. Will turned to his brother, who was standing there with an oddly sullen look on his face. Something was very wrong. "Who the fuck was that?"
"That was..." Stuart eyeballed Branch and turned to his brother, whispering into his ear. "His fuckin' dead wife."
"What, how?"
"One-uh his fuckin' experiment er sumtin."
"You takin' the piss outta me?"
"No."
Both brothers stood in silence while Branch raged at anyone that would listen to him. The crowd was in an uproar and the figure that was apparently Gabriel's wife stood frozen in the arena; the guards keeping a safe distance from her. The Crusher was one of Branch's experiments, and Will knew all too well what kind of power he had possessed. From what he understood, the Crusher was alive when they started experimenting on him, but Gabriel's wife had been dead. Long dead. Branch's power was far beyond what any human being should possess. He was a madman through and through.
"C'mon you piece of shit," Branch said towards the rapidly approaching Gabriel. "I fucking dare you to come at me. I dare you."
"I'm going to fucking kill you," Gabriel shouted over the crowd.
"Yeah, I dare you to. C'mon."
Things had escalated quickly and felt beyond anyone's control, just Branch begging Gabriel to attack him. Branch turned back towards Stuart and Viktor, nodding at them only to turn around to see Gabriel pulling himself up into the box, a few of the spectators helping to push him up over the barrier. Gabriel spilled over the wall, almost knocking Branch over if it wasn't for Viktor and Stuart catching him and keeping him on his feet. Will froze in place, watching Gabriel scramble to his feet and lunge at Branch. His fist connected on Branch's jaw, sending him crashing into his throne, chaos erupting all around them.
For the first time since he had arrived at Branch Tower, Jordan Branch was not in control, he was mortal, scared and vulnerable. Will and Gabriel locked eyes for a brief moment, Will seeing the hurt through the veil of rage that encompassed him, freezing him in place. For that brief moment they understood each other. They were both cut from the same cloth, both experiencing the same hurt and stuck on the hamster wheel that Branch had laid out for them. Vera was right, of course. That stung him something deep, considering how he often dismissed her advice. None of that mattered now, though, amidst the chaos.
Viktor had lept over Branch and jumped onto Gabriel, raining down blows to his ribs while he lay on the ground. Branch was holding onto his jaw, a look of disbelief and panic painted on his face, pressing Stuart forward. "Get him out of here," Branch barked at Stuart. "Back down to his cell!"
Stuart froze in place, Viktor looking up at him, giving Gabriel an opening to push the blonde sociopath off of him and into Branch. Gabriel's elbow arced up from his downed position, landing flush on Viktor's groin, him howling out loudly while Gabriel pulled himself back up to his feet. Stuart finally moved into action, driving a knee into Gabriel's midsection, Gabriel stagger
ing back against the barrier, almost tumbling out of the skybox into the throngs of the crowd that were watching in stunned silence. Stuart dashed towards him again, Gabriel sidestepping him and sending him crashing ribs-first into the railing, Gabriel driving his elbow into Stuart's spine, Stuart letting out a bloodcurdling scream.
Viktor was in a blind rage, fists flying at Gabriel but missing by a sound margin. Gabriel looked focused, harnessing his rage while he dodged Viktor's looping overhands. When Gabriel's left leg darted out, Will gasped, his shin making contact with Viktor's ribs, his body flying back towards the rear of the box before landing on the ground, convulsing. Stuart stumbled towards Gabriel, priming his leg back to land a kick on him before looking over at Will and their eyes locking again. Will's eyes were pleading with him not to hurt his brother, but before he could say anything Gabriel just gave him a slight nod, taking Stuart by the nape of his neck and tossing him over the railing into the crowd.
"Somebody stop him," Branch cried out.
"That's my fucking wife," Gabriel growled. "What did you do to her?"
"Will," Gabriel turned to Will like a deer in the headlights. "For fuck's sake, Will, end this madman."
"That was fucked up what you did, Mr. Branch," Will said.
"We can debate moral minutiae later!"
"What did you do to her?" Gabriel was standing over Branch, the magnate’s back pressed up against his own opulent throne.
"I thought that you'd be pleased to see her again," Branch said, was attempting to regain his composure.
"No one told you to play god, Branch."
"But I am the closest damned thing, you mongrel." Branch pushed back, only for Gabriel to slam Branch's head against the back of the chair.
"I held you responsible for her death from day one, you killed the world."
"I... I didn't kill the world, the world killed itself. I was merely the man everyone blamed, the fall guy for generations of hostilities and misunderstandings. Humanity killed itself."
"You just pulled the trigger, is that it?"
"Yes, and now what? You are going to end me, end the world's wrongs and usher in a new era of peace?"
"No," Gabriel said. "I'll end you and leave this abomination. They're all complicit in your twisted kingdom. You deserve to—"
A shot rang out from inside of the small box, Will's ears ringing while he watched Gabriel recoil, clutching at his side. He fell over in a heap while Viktor struggled to pick himself up, smoking gun in his hand.
"Thank you, Viktor," Branch let out a sigh of relief. "I fear that he was about to make a fool of himself there. Viktor, escort him back to his cell and find Stuart while you are at it."
Viktor was still in pain, but silently nodded at Branch, grasping onto Gabriel's right boot—the one without the charged weapon—and dragged him towards the door, leaving a trail of smeared blood behind him. "What the fuck," Will muttered under his breath.
"I know that you are injured, Mr. Farrington," Branch straightened himself out. "But I expected better of you."
"You didn't have to do that to his wife."
"That's where you are wrong," he said. "Go collect your brother, would you?"
"Aye," Will said, turning away from Branch who sunk back into his throne.
"And the next time I expect you to be more grateful."
"Aye," Will said, not turning back to look at him as he followed the trail of blood out of the box.
"Fucked, innit?" Will paced while Stuart was attended to by one of Handsome Bill's medics. "This whole thing is fucked."
"Sure as shit," Stuart said.
"His fuckin' wife? Dead wife, fuck. That wanker went too far."
"That wankers our boss, only fucker dat took us in."
"He's a bloody madman, Stuart!"
"Who ain't?"
"Dunno," Will sat down on the bench next to Stuart while the medic carefully bandaged up his bruised ribs. "He spared you, eh?"
"Fuck'd if I know."
"I saw it, Stuart. He pulled back, but he didn't kick."
"Fuckin' tossed me onto the bloody bleachers."
"Coulda done worse."
"Aye."
"Where the fuck has Vera been, anyway?"
"Oh," Stuart fell quiet.
"You seen her?"
"I, err, ow, you fucker," he spat at the medic. "Be more careful."
"Sorry, Mr. Farrington," the medic said.
"Damned right you're sorry."
"Stuart," Will said. "You seen her, though?"
"Aye," he said. "You ain't gonna like this, brother... Branch locked her up, down by Crusher and—"
"Fucking poofter," Will raged.
"Don't do—"
His words fell upon deaf ears, Will storming off towards the makeshift prison that he knew was down the hall from the entrance to the car park. He had only been there once before, but the cold, sterile laboratory was burned into his mind, as were the cold cells just behind it. There weren't any prisoners at the time, but he had heard that was where Branch kept the Crusher when he wasn't popping heads like grapes inside of the arena for the delight of the audience.
Things were relatively calm and quiet throughout that basement level. Most of the tower guards were out in the arena still or tending to Branch. That prick. Vera was right, Branch wasn't a trustworthy person, everyone served as a pawn for him to toy with. Bringing a man's dead wife back to haunt him felt wrong. If Branch had a problem with Gabriel, he could have just killed him, executed him and made up a reason. Everyone would have cheered it on no matter what. He was the letter of the law, for all intents and purposes he was the last living god. He was the last living god, and Will had grown weary of the worship that he required.
"Mr. Farrington, sir, everything is on lockdown until—" The lone guard in front of the prison held out his hand, Will bowling into him.
"There's no time for that."
"But, I have orders to—"
"There is chaos out there, why aren't you helping?"
"I have to guard the prisoners."
"They are in bloody cages, you moron."
"Oh, well..."
"It's fuckin' chaos out there, mate. They need you."
"Fuck," the guard gave a nod to Will and tore off down the hallway, Will chuckling under his breath at how daft they all could be. Everyone was on edge at all times, knowing that Branch's affections only went so far. Branch'd take an interest in you, find you fascinating, sort of like a new toy and want you around up until the moment he found someone new to occupy his thoughts, then he moved onto them and left you wondering what you did. Vera had warned him so many times, but Will thought that he knew differently. He didn't think that he was under Branch's spell, just that he was that damned good in the arena. Now he wondered how many of his fights were fixed without his knowledge and what kind of symbol he was supposed to be to all of those people.
That was then, though, this is now. Things were crumbling, Branch's castle was showing signs of wear and tear. The people were seeing through the veneer of the god; he was human, all it took was one man to dare thumb his nose at him. That could've been Will, instead it was TK Gabriel. That stung a bit, but there wasn't anything that he could do about it now.
"Will?" Vera's voice rang out from inside of the lab, a twinge of desperation present. "Is that you?"
"Vera," he called, his heart skipping a beat while he rounded the corner. There she was, disheveled and sullen behind a set of bars inside of a cage, looking like the puppy he found on the street when he was a boy. His thoughts flashed back to when he had initially found her inside of that package truck, how she was full of fire and a desire to survive and how none of that was in her eyes anymore. "What're you doin' here? Stuart told me and..."
"Just shut up already, Will," she moved towards the cage door, gripping onto the bars tightly, her fingers turning white. The room stank of desperation and depression.
"You'd think bein' locked up would cut that tongue."
"Then you'
d be wrong," they were both playing up their usual banter, but it felt empty to Will this time out. The words were there, he knew that much, but they didn't want to come out. She was right, she always was right, but this didn't seem like the time or the place. He needed to get her the fuck out of there.
"I gotta find something to break that lock, get you outta there and—"
The sound of a low rumble behind him made his skin crawl, him freezing in place at the recognition. It couldn't be, could it? Was this where they kept him, were they keeping his dear, sweet Vera in the same room as.... no. Will slowly turned only to see the Crusher slumped over in a cell, a placid vision of a monster unlike he'd ever seen him before. The Crusher was supposed to be Will's endgame, the battle to end all battles, the great antagonist to his heroic story of surviving the wasteland. Yet, there he was inside of a cage, staring up at him with his sad, brown eyes. There was pain in his eyes, a pain and sorrow that reflected what he was feeling on the inside.
"My god..."
"You know Demoreo already," she said.
"But, that's... how?"
"This was your big baddie, wasn't it? There he is."
"He... he is just a big puppy?"
"He's a man, Will. This is what Branch did to him. He's not all rage and destruction, he's just a man like you that was trying to do the right thing for his family," she explained while Will stepped forward towards the cage, staring down at the beast that he knew as the Crusher, seeing him as the man that Vera had called Demoreo. There he was, pitiful in stature, afraid of the world around him all curled up in the fetal position. "This is what he got in return."
"Why the fuck doesn't he just... I don't know, rage up and break them fuckin' bars?"
"You think that he hasn't?"
"Why wouldn't he? Fuckers a monster, he has destroyed anything in his path."
"He has. Multiple times. I was down here the last time that he broke free. They've done so much to him, there isn't much left of him."
The Tower Page 18