Genesis's POV

"Did you know that the national anthem of Ukraine is called, 'The glory and the freedom of Ukraine has not yet perished'?"

"Nope. Did you know that a single human being's DNA contains as much information as fifty novels?"

"Didn't have a clue. Did you know it's illegal to bring a copy of "Robinson Crusoe" into the micro-nation of Elleore. The punishment is 11 minutes and 17 seconds in prison."

"That'll really teach them. Did you know holding a vibrator against a person's throat relaxes the vocal muscles, thereby improving their voice quality."

"I'm slightly concerned and intrigued over how you know this but okay. Did you know that the film Jaws is based on a Peter Benchley novel? When he couldn't think of a title, his father suggested 'What's That Noshin' On Ma Leg'."

I threw my head back and laughed heartily as everyone around us groaned in despair and annoyance. Jake and I had been passing back facts between us for the past hour now and I think we were starting to get on everyone's nerves.

However, I didn't think we were the main cause of the slowly growing apprehension over the past hour we had taken residence in the abandoned building we were supposed to meet Mr. and Mrs. Kingston in less than half an hour.

Axel had received the call from Leah Kingston pretty soon after we left, in fact, she had called within twenty-four hours to set up a meeting place. I had suggested this old abandoned building for several reasons:

A) It was abandoned so no one would here the inevitable screams and gunshots that would be ringing into the late afternoon and early evening.

B) I knew the place well. I had used this old warehouse of sorts to conduct plenty of business before including the deal with Aidon Keaton, a gang leader that rivalled Caspian Adler himself,  a couple of years ago. Axel had also used this place to get information out of people when he needed to too.

C)It was on equal ground. Nobody technically owned the property so it as a comfortable place for the Kingston's to come and 'rescue' their son.

Yesterday both Axel and I had come to scope the place out again and make sure that there were no loose ends we needed to tie up. Axel had found the blueprints of the facility online and we used them to show Thorn and his minions where the exits, entrances and access points were.

The five of us had studied the building and the plans so much that we knew it like the back of our hands. Everything from where the advantage points were to how many cracks lines the walls. We did our job thoroughly.

The lone structure stood, reaching the sky...it had been left disregarded with no one near it. Over time the bricks had weakened, the paint wore off and layers of dust coated over it. The building surely looked aged.

It had been abandoned but was taken over by pigeons fluttering in the rooms and nesting by the windows, spiders building webs and bats sheltered here for the night.

Stepping into the old factory building was like stepping into a whole other world. It was like venturing onto a set of old train tracks and following them as far as they'd take you, ignoring the grass peeking up between the slats and the bits where the metal was rusted and broken. The building seemed to shudder in the wind and sway as the rain attacked it.

The building was empty, but for a few obsolete pieces of rusted factory equipment, pieces that seemed perfectly at home within the building's vine-covered walls. Just as it had been outside, the inside looked like something out of a dystopian movie, the corrugated walls as rusted and useless as the equipment they housed. Beams stretched high overhead, and rain dripped down through cracks in the ceiling.

We had arrived at the meeting point almost two hours before we were supposed to so we could again check the place out to make sure nothing had changed, it was unlikely but it didn't hurt to make sure. We had gone over the plan several times and each of us knew where our positions were. After checking and then double checking all our weapons were loaded and ready we all just tried to relax.

The atmosphere practically screamed with dread, tension and even the slightest hint of fear. 

Most of it was coming from Thorn who had been unnaturally quiet the past few days. I gathered that it was because of me. My deviation from the original plan had gotten Thorn involved and the night we returned from the bar he yelled and screamed at me but I let him without uttering a word because I knew he needed that. 

After his minor meltdown, he had spoken a small apology and then locked himself away in his room with Alex for the weekend. He did come out to get food, water and to run over the plans with us for today. He also had to return to Inkspiration, a tattoo shop he owned, where I made the stop to add more lines to my tattoo. He hadn't spoken to me but he also didn't turn me away when I had arrived which I was taking as a good sign.

Even now he was staring out of the window that had no actual glass panes in the frame. He hadn't spoken a word since we arrived and I had to force away my concern for him.

Jake seemed to sense the growing anxiety too because he started cracking jokes and then the jokes turned to facts and ever since then we've just been passing them back and forth between us. The dude seemed to be a well of pointless yet oddly fascinating facts. 

"I think they definitely should have named Jaws that, it would be a lot better. Just imagine." I chortled. "Now did you know-"

"I swear to whatever God there is up there I will shoot you if you say another useless fact." Axel snarled from his position on the floor where he was focused on breaking apart and rebuilding the rifle he was holding. With his legs folded under him and a calm expression on his face, he looked younger than I'd seen him before. I sometimes forget that he was only twenty and I was only eighteen. Both of us had seen and done things that aged us by twenty years at least.

"You're enjoying them really. I even saw you crack a smile at 'What's That Noshin' On Ma Leg,'" At my words, his lips twitched upwards and I almost howled in victory.

"I hate you." He muttered, putting his gun back together for what felt like the fiftieth time.

"No, you don't." I sent him a knowing smile before grinning at him. "Now where was I...Oh right, did you know Xanthophobia is the fear of the color yellow?"

"Why the fuck would someone be scared of the color yellow?" Mason asked. I turned to him. He was casually leaning against a cracked pillar that was holding up the ceiling, his sniper leaning against his leg. He looked more relaxed than any of us. From what I've seen before I think it's safe to assume that Mason acts best under pressure.

I shrugged. "Who knows maybe whenever they see it they get flashbacks to watching that video with Mr. Blobby."

Mason raised an eyebrow. "Mr blobby wasn't scary, nor was he yellow."

"He was pink with yellow spots! He was like a fat jaundiced man baby, that haunted my dreams." I shuddered.

"It's true. Gen wasn't scared by much when she was younger but if you wanted her to cry just show you a picture of Mr. Blobby."

I kicked a small stone at him. "Hey don't be giving up all my secrets."

"It's what big brothers are for right?" Axel said with a teasing smile.

"Well if I remember correctly you like to remind me that we're not actually related."

Before he could reply however the distinct sound of tires crunching against the gravel outside. "Ready?"

"Not at all," Jake mumbled.

"Great enthusiasm. Let's go."

Jake and Mason shot Axel and I a look before disappearing from sight and when I turned to look at Thorn he was already gone.

Axel came to side quickly only sparing a single glance in the direction Jake was stood only moments ago.

"You really like him don't you?" I said, my hand itching to feel the familiar comfort of my gun in my hand but I knew it had to remain out of sight for now.

My friend only nodded slightly, running a hand through his brown hair. "Yeah."

I patted his arm affectionately. "Then I'll try my very hardest not to shoot him when shit goes down."

That earned me a restrained smile. "That's all I ask."

Soon after that I heard a door open and shut, its creaking noise bringing a chill to my spine. It sounded like some dying animal, crying out its pain and sorrow with its last breath.

The door slid open and four people walked in. Leah Kingston being the first. She looked a lot more put together now, wearing a sleek red dress with matching heels. A black shawl rested on her shoulders he hair was still perfectly neat despite the wild winds outside.

My eyes then shifted to the man beside her. His hand gripped her waist tightly as he looked to me first. His gaze was cold and hard.

Unlike his wife, James didn't share many of his looks with his son. His eyes were sunken in and his face gaunt yet he still held this small beauty about him. His dark brown hair fell limp on his head and his lips were pressed into a thin line. Dressed in a meticulous suit he looked more like a businessman than the murderer I knew he was.

The couple barely looked at Axel instead their gaze focusing on the Colt Automatic Rifle in his hands. Axel grip tightened ever so slightly at their stare but his face remained stoic.

"'Tis a pleasure to see you again Leah," I said still feigning my innocent clueless girl routine.

She said nothing and instead looked up her husband. It was strange really. She matched him in height while wearing her heels yet it still felt as though she was looking up at him. "My son, where is he?" James Kingston's voice erupted from him, it was deep and strong which to a lesser person may appear frightening.

"He's here..." I said grinning coldly. "Go get our dear prisoner will you sweetheart?"

Axel shot me a look before nodding and disappearing towards where Thorn was stationed. I knew he was reluctant to leave me alone but Mason and Jake had sniper rifles trained on them if they decided to make a move on me.

"What do you want with him?" Leah asked carefully. She tried to play cool but the shakiness on her voice was distinguishable.

I just smiled in response. A few seconds later Axel came back with Thorn in front of him. His handsome face was quite heavily bruised as he had asked Mason to punch him to give the illusion that he was after all a prisoner. His hands were tied behind his back but it was done with a knot that Thorn could quickly break free of.

Leah almost collapsed to her knees when she saw him, moving to lurch towards him. Axel held up his gun. "Move another step and he shoots you." She froze on the spot, her hands shaking with terror or anticipation, I didn't know.

"Thorn." She said sadly. The man in discussion looked up at his a mother with a blank face. There was only a flash of cold hard fury in his eyes before he blinked and it was gone.

I shifted so I stood by his side and his eyes met mine. "What no words for mommy and daddy?" I chirped earning a glare from Thorn. I knew I was already fueling his already growing anger towards me but it was a part I had to play whether he liked it or not.

There was no change or even a shift in James face as his eyes met his sons. "What do you want from him? From us? Money?"

"No, I don't want your tainted money. I want revenge."

"Revenge?" Leah said quietly.

I huffed out an arrivated breathe as I strolled so I was closer to Leah. I ran the tip of my gun across her forehead, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear with it.

The men the couple had brought with them shifted and reached for their guns but two little red dots appeared on their chests. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, boys."

Axel had his own rifle trained on Mr. Kingston who was still yet to even move.

The cold hard silence seemed to freeze in the air, leaving a gap of soundless space as we all stood there, meters apart. The quiet was an unspoken dare, telling them there was no point in trying to cross me, that it was pointless. A gap of nothing but a challenge. Only the wind dared to interrupt, pounding hard against the walls of the building like it didn't care about our stupid conversation. And it didn't.

I spun on my heel and pulled out my gun, nodding towards Axel who released Thorn's hands easily. Thorn rubbed his wrists before taking the gun I offered him.

"Thorn?" Leah gasped as he pointed the gun at her.

"You hurt me and you tried to hurt Alex. You need to pay for what you did." His voice was lethally calm.

"Son-" 

"No!" Thorn growled cutting off his father. "You are not my father nor is she my mother. You relinquished the title when you hurt my little brother. " 

"You also killed my parents and my little sister." The Kingston's eyes settled on me. "She was only two and she screamed and cried as you brutalized her parents in front of her before slitting her throat."

I had never spoken the words aloud before, never told anyone about the vivid memories I had of the couple that worked hand in hand to strip away everything I loved.

I hadn't even told Axel. All he knew was that they were murdered and that's how I ended up with Caspian in the first place. Despite his usual facade both Thorn and Axel looked shocked at my declaration.

"You're Genesis Carino," Leah said so quietly that I barely heard her. "Max's other daughter."

I almost flinched at the sound of my father's name.

Unanticipatedly James Kingston made a quick move and grabbed his gun and fired. The gunshot cracked into the air as loud as thunder but without the raw power of a storm.

I didn't really comprehend what was happening until Thorn yelled my name and his body hammered into mine. There was the distinct sound of a bullet hitting flesh and a cry of pain coming from beside me. Bullets flew in every direction and the sound of bodies hitting the ground echoed throughout my ears but all I could focus on the blood that was pooling around me.

Except it wasn't my blood.

"Thorn!" I screamed as I dragged him behind a battered pillar. He clutched his stomach but the blood didn't seem to stop. I could hear the gun war raging around me but I didn't care about that there was only the blood that made me feel nauseous. Not once had blood bothered me before but no it felt disgusting under my fingers.

The blood flowed like a lazy river. It flowed like so much red gravy across the dirty floor and down into the concrete gullies that interrupted battered floor. 

"Scarlett," Thorn spoke and I reacted as quickly as I could move to rip up my shirt so I could use the fabric to tie it around his wound and hopefully stop the blood flow. Thorn grunted painfully but didn't cry out.

"Gen..you-you have to look after Alex." He said, his voice growing distant. I looked up at his face and fear trembled through me at the sight. For the first time in a long time, pure unyielding fear struck my heart. 

Thorn's face was pale and his beautiful silver eyes seemed to show the life draining out of them. "Don't you fucking dare, Thorn. If you die on me I will kill you."

I hadn't noticed that the place had gone silent around me. Not until footsteps, loud heavy footsteps sounded from behind me as well as a cruel, cold cackle that froze me in my spot and drained all hope, dreams, and feeling from within me, replacing them with a feeling of despair, hopelessness and most of all, fear.

"Isn't that sweet, you finally learnt to care about someone other than yourself."

I had my second gun in my hand quicker than it took for me to get in my next breath.

I spun and my eyes met those of the devil incarnate himself. 

---

There you go. Don't kill me. I know a chapter was long overdue again and I know this is probably not what you wanted but hey it's better than nothing lol. 

I couldn't remember if I gave Thorn's dad  a name if I did remind me of it and I'll change it quickly. Also Thank you for 50K+ you guys are amazing and I really don't understand why you like this book but I appreciate all your vote and comments. 

So until next time lovelies. 

-Em 

Words: 2963