Dedicated to fuzzycuddles because her message was the only reason I started writing this chapter. ❤

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Chapter 15 That Thing Called Revenge

"Men should be either treated generously or destroyed, because they take revenge for slight injuries—for heavy ones they cannot."

—Niccolo Machiavelli

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His eyes gleamed with a strange satisfaction, almost like a kid who had found his Christmas gift early. He looked at her as if she was some prized possession. Very slowly, the man took a step forward, a sinister smile planted upon his face.

Mallory tried to take a step backwards only to realize that her back was against the wall. She distinctly became aware of Andrew's limp form slipping to the floor. Was he hurt badly? She didn't know. Neither did she try to find out. She had more important stuff to deal with.

"Marko." The word left her mouth almost reflexively, leaving a bitter taste at the back of her tongue.

"So, I am famous, huh?" He winked.

She shrunk away, her back pressing against the wall almost painfully.

"Are you afraid, little Melly?" He cooed. "I don't remember you shaking with fear last time we me."

"What do you want?" She spat, slowly reaching for her back pocket.

"To complete what I started." He said baring his yellow teeth.

Her eyes widened to the size of platters as the meaning dawned upon her. She frantically looked around assessing her options as she felt the thin can of pepper spray tucked in the back pocket of her trousers.

She took in the movements of the sober middle-aged man. He wasn't drunk like the last time she saw him. There was no way she could take him down. Not this time.

She looked at her right and made a quick dash towards her only escape the kitchen door.

"Where do you think you are going, bitch?" The old man moved towards the door with great agility, blocking her way and pushing her inside in a swift motion.

She froze for a second but recovered quickly as she pulled out the can from her pocket.

It was as if he was reading her mind as he lunged towards her gripping her wrist firmly. She twisted her hand in his iron grip but to no avail. The metal can fell on the wooden floor with a loud clunk.

"Strike Two." He smirked letting go of her hand and gripping her waist. "One more stupid thing and you are out." He whispered 'out' in her ear as a shiver ran down her spine.

"Let go of me." She squirmed in his grip, violently flailing her hands and legs. She forced her elbow in his gut repeatedly and stomped upon his feet. Finally an elbow struck him below his rib as he grunted.

"You don't want to get on my bad side, believe me." He said, loosening his grip and clutching his side. He then pushed her towards the other side where her back collided painfully with the knob of the drawer.

She turned around, searching for some weapon when her eyes fell upon the chopping board next to which lay a huge knife. She immediately lunged for it and pointed it towards the man.

"What are you doing here?" She said, her voice coming out as a ragged whisper. "What do you want?" 

Her chest heaved, her breathing became uneven because of the struggle. The faraway kitchen walls seemed to be closing upon her. The knife in her hand shook as she was wrapped up in a strange feeling of déjà vu.

Pull yourself together. She thought to herself, wiping off the beads of sweat from her forehead.

"You could have just asked, you know. No need to be all violent." He said almost lazily. 

She gave him a disgusted look.

"I was just doing my daily job, that is, to keep a watch..." He said and inched closer. "...on you."

His words chilled her body as she could feel goosebumps rising upon her arms and legs. They were watching her. The very thought made her feel violated.

"And it's a rather boring task, if you ask me." He yawned lazily. "You hardly leave your house, except to go to school or cemetery. Or run crying all the way to your friend's house." He smiled. "Yeah, I saw that."

She grimaced.

"So, when you came out of that little palace of yours, I was intrigued and decided to follow you. And imagine, out of all places on earth, you end up here?" He dramatically motioned around him. "And then I heard your talks. I can't believe you got a confession from this asshole." He pointed towards, Andrew, who stirred a little. "Oh, I hate him and his little bitch so much."

"You know what he and his girlfr-" He began but stopped immediately and looked her up and down. And then slowly a smile crept up on his face followed by laughter. The sound of his laughter was loud and sinister which sliced the eerie silence, making her ears throb.

"Why didn't I see it before?" He finally recovered from the laughing fit. "Same body type, same sweatshirts, struggles like a bitch, you were there that night? Weren't you the one who gave me these scars." He pointed towards his cheeks which showed the faint traces of bruises and a couple of scars. "It was all because of you. I was thrown in the slaughterhouse. " He muttered, his expression became dark, devoid of any amusement.

"You made me a laughing stock among my friends." He inched closer.

"Stay away." She said through gritted teeth and held the knife firmly.

"You made me lose my hard earned respect." He took another step closer.

Sensing alarm, Mallory slashed the knife, which made a shallow cut on Marko's arm. He winced which was quickly replaced by a look of pure fury.

"I. Will. Make. You. Pay. Bitch." He said with clenched jaw.

She tried to attack him with the chopping knife, but this time he was fast. He caught his wrist and twisted it painfully.

"Ah!" She whimpered as once again her weapon clunked on the ground.

"I never wanted to do this." He said grimly. "But you have left me no choice."

He reached for his pocket and took out his gun. "Oh, Antonio would probably kill me for doing this. He wants to get back at you himself. After what you did to him." He grazed the tip of the gun against her cheek. "But, oh well, I could say I did it in self defence?" The hard gun, now tickled the soft skin of her neck, stopping right at the edge of her shirt.

"You are so pretty, Mallory. And I would have loved to have a piece of you." He whispered, his putrid breath washing all over her. She cringed and tried to push him off, but his heavy body won't budge. "But if only wishes could come true." He sighed dramatically and placed the gun right in the middle of her forehead.

"Remember all your sins, princess." He said pressing the tip against her forehead.

Mallory closed her eyes tightly. So, this was it. That's how she was going to die. There were better ways to die, but anyway. With her eyes tightly shut, she wondered about her life. Strangely she drew up a blank. Her life didn't flash in front of her eyes, in fact, her mind was weirdly calm as she anticipated her death. Maybe, death would give her peace. She waited for the eerily familiar sound of the gunshot. She waited for minutes or was it hours? But nothing happened. 

A soft thud broke her trance as she finally opened her eyes, slowly, very slowly as if a fast movement may break her eyelids. And suddenly, she became aware of the loss of weight against her forehead. Her hand reached upwards reflexively, trying to feel the bullet holes. But there were none. Only a painless impression, where the gun was pressed firmly.

She looked down. Laying at her feet was the limp form of her tormentor.

Instinctively she stepped aside her eyes never leaving the man's body. It felt surreal as her eyes met the vaguely familiar black ones. Did she know him?

"Mallory." Andrew muttered still grunting in pain. He stood upon his feet, stumbling a little. Reaching for the back of his head, he could feel a fast growing bump muddled with dried blood.

"Mallory." He repeated.

But she just gave him a blank stare, looking at Marko, time and again.

"MALLORY!" Andrew screamed with frustration. "Snap out of it!"

She looked up this time, blinking as if dazed. "Is he, is he..."

"No, he is not dead." The boy replied. "Temporarily paralyzed." He flashed his taser.

This seemed to penetrate her haze. "Oh, then...we need to go. What if he wakes up? He would kill us. I will get my phone and call the cops." 

She immediately started rushing to the living room.

"Mallory, wait." Andrew said, staggering. "I need your help."

"What?" She stopped in the door frame.

"I need you to get me something."

"What is it?" She said. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just get me the first aid box. It's in my wardrobe."

"Hey, let me call the police first. I will bandage you up afterwards."

"No!" He almost shouted. "Please, it's important."

"Okay." She said, her shoulders drooping as she rushed upstairs.

Minutes later she returned with a black box which had a red cross on it. "This one?"

He nodded. "Just stay here, please." He motioned towards the kitchen. "And don't call the cops."

"But, w-why?" She eyed him suspiciously.

"Wait a minute, I will tell you." He said placing it on the kitchen counter. 

It was a first aid box like none other. It didn't have the usual tablets, cotton, gauze or ointments. Instead it was filled with syringes and bottles with liquids. 

"What the hell." She muttered as Andrew picked one syringe and filled it with a colorless liquid, with the efficiency of a trained doctor. He then thrust it in Marko's arm, who stirred first and then became still.

"What the hell." She repeated. "What did you just do?"

"This was a sedative." He showed her the syringe before throwing it in the trashcan. "It should knock him out for a couple of hours."

"But, why would you do that? And why do you have a taser?" She said shaking her head. "You would be the death of me." She finally said sitting on the floor as her brain went into overdrive with questions.

Andrew drew out a can of juice from the refrigerator and poured two glasses. "Here drink it." He offered her a glass.

She shook her head. "I feel like I would throw up if I drink anything." 

"Drink it. Sugar helps when you are nervous or scared." He said.

She accepted it, skeptically. "Andrew, what are you?"

"What do you mean?" He sat next to her, sipping from his own glass.

"You have tasers and hidden guns. You have sedatives in your closet. You fill up syringes like a doctor." She wiped her forehead. "And became a part of a gang to avenge your sister. The more I know about you, the more mysteries surround you. It's tiring." She shook her head.

He smiled wryly at her confession. "I am just a trained professional. Fighting, medical training, criminal psychology, it was all a part of the training programme."

"Oh." She said taking small sips from her glass. She was tired, tired of mysteries, of questions, everything. She closed her eyes and put her head against the wall.

"What about you?" He said.

"What about me?"

"How did you end up in this mess?"

She smiled. "I witnessed something I shouldn't have which resulted in imprisonment of half of their members. They got hold of me as revenge. Tortured me. I lost my best friend in the process. Was devastated, left the town. Now, I am back to fight the fight of justice."

"Just the regular teenage stuff?" He gave a small smile.

"Yeah, just the regular teenage stuff which could be made into a movie. And maybe we could call it, 'The Gone Girl' or something." She grinned.

He smiled back. 

"You should do that more often." She said.

"What?"

"Smile."

"Oh." He whispered. "Anyway, there is a loophole in your story."

"Loophole?"

"Yeah. Why are 'The Beasts' after you, now?" He asked quizzically.

"Andrew, they are thugs. Do they need a reason to chase someone?"

He shook his head violently. "Mallory, I have spent four years at an institution run by governments all around the world and a whole year with these people. And believe me, when I say, that these people are anything but thugs. The similarities between 'The Beasts' and the intelligence agencies is uncanny. They do nothing without a reason."

"What are you implying?" She replied, irritation evident from her tone.

"What I am implying is that you did something that concerns Antonio himself. And you are hiding it not only from others but yourself too."

His straightforwardness chilled her. "I am not hiding anything!" She said violently.

"That's what you said at the café and look where we are now." He said almost calmly. His coolness annoyed her even more than then his hot-headedness.

"Why don't you want me to call the cops?" She said trying to change the subject.

"Because if he is taken into custody, he will blabber out that I am a part of their gang which would jeopardize my entire mission." He explained.

"You are not thinking of letting him go, are you?" She said as a feeling of dread washed upon her.

"So, that he would go back and tell everyone about us and our plans of revenge? No, thanks."

She sighed. "Then what should we do?"

"We need not do anything because I have a plan." He said in wry tone of voice.

"And that is...?"

"I have an outhouse, not too far away from here. It's in the woods and no one goes there. I will keep him there."

Her eyes widened. "Are we talking about an abduction?"

"Would you rather have him go out their and rat out our secrets?"

"No...but..."

"Then, yeah, abduction it is." He said.

"What makes you think I won't tell upon you?" She said.

"I can only trust you." He said sincerely.

Mallory remained silent for a while then said, "Okay. I won't tell anyone. But on one condition?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"You will tell me you One Man Revenge plan, I want to help." She said.

"No. That is not happening." He said, his expression lost it's calm.

"Fine, then I am giving an anonymous tip to 911 about a man trapped in a house in woods."

"You wouldn't do that..." He said his eyes widening.

"Try me." She smiled.

"Fine." He said, shoulders slumping in resignation.

She beamed. "So, when should I see you next."

He thought for a while and then said. "Tuesday. Meet me on Tuesday at 9 PM."

"Alright." She nodded, getting up and did a mock salute.

"Mallory." He said getting up, too. "It is not a game."

"Gee, I didn't know!" She rolled her eyes.

"I mean it. It would be dangerous. Anything can go wrong."

"What are we doing exactly?"

"We will be...um...questioning."

"Okay..." She said.

"Look, what I mean is, I am trained. You are not. I am taking a huge risk by taking you along. If anything goes wrong, it would cost our lives. Both of us."

"So, you are calling me a liability?"

"If you wanna put it that way. Then, yes." He said. "Can you use a knife? Can you handle a gun?"

She nodded.

"This is no joke." He gave her an annoyed look. "I saw how well you were using a knife, half an hour ago." He smiled drily.

"I can use a gun." She said. "Not that I want it to come to that." She shuddered as she remembered the last time she used a gun. "But, if anything happens, I won't hesitate to use it."

He looked at her hesitantly, not sure what to say. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Then." He said. "I guess we could put your manipulation skills to use too then."

She looked down sheepishly. "You knew, what I was doing?"

"Hell, I did." He said. "It's just that I get carried away in anger."

I saw that. She didn't say it out loud.

"I should go."

"Yeah, you should." He said. "I need to take care of some matters." He pointed towards Marko.

She nodded. "By the way, Evelyn is asleep upstairs."

"Oh, yeah. I need to get her back too. Thanks."

"Okay." She muttered, picking up the useless can of pepper spray and made her way to the living room where she picked up her cellphone and tucked it in her pocket carefully.

"Mallory, I wanted to ask something." Andrew said from behind her but as soon as she turned around he said, "Uh...Never mind. I will ask later."

She gave him a confused look and started moving towards main door. She walked towards her car which was parked in the driveway.

"Wear a dress or  something like that." He called behind her.

"Excuse me?" She muttered turning back.

"For Tuesday, I mean."

"What why?" She saw him standing on the porch.

"You will see." Andrew said, she could sense a hint of smugness in his voice and with that he went inside, locking the door, leaving her behind, gaping.

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VOTE. If you liked it. :)

Hi fellas,

How are you people?

¶ I just updated the cast for adding Sherrif Johnson and Sarah. If you want to have a look at it.

¶ Did you like the vague back story? The next chapters are really crucial because they will be revealing a lot. 

I hope you enjoyed it.

See you soon.

-Ridhima☺

P.S. Special thanks to fuzzycuddles  , as I mentioned she is the only reason I started this chapter. So thanks a lot, for everything girl. I really love you. Get well soon. ❤