“Good evening gentlemen.” What was supposed to be a smile crept across his bloody face. “I’m so glad to see you both.”
Not wanting to hear another deceptive word ooze from Williams’ mouth, Creed trained his weapon directly at the doctor. Pulling the trigger would be so easy. He would be free. His finger began to tighten when Williams began making a bizarre noise that took Creed a moment to realize was laughter—a sick, gurgle that morphed into full-on maniacal laughter.
“Oh, my dear Creed, you won’t want to do that.” He motioned casually toward the .45 pointed at his face. “I mean, you could, of course. Free will and all. But then, who would protect Meg?” His leather encased hand waved toward the screen he had been watching when they first walked into the room.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Creed spat, furious at being stopped from accomplishing his objective.
“Don’t let him screw with your head, Creed. Finish him!” Gavil’s eyes were wide with fear at what he suspected Williams was doing.
“Oh, now Gavil. Creed has a vested interest in the girl. You understand what it is to feel a love so deeply, don’t you? Of course, the girl you loved was terminated along with my sweet June. Pity really. Esther was a valuable asset—a true soldier.”
“Shut up!” Gavil spat hating the sound of her name on his bloody lips.
Ignoring Gavil, Williams turned to Creed and smiled grotesquely. “Come see for yourself, my boy. My but she is even more beautiful than the last time I saw her in California.” A strange tisking sound came from his mouth. “Oh, how time does fly.” His tone was bizarrely wistful.
Terror gripped Creed’s spine, locking his legs for a moment. Once he did step, it was with jerky, sluggish motions as though wading through chest-deep molasses. He kept his gun aimed directly at Williams’ head as he rounded the massive mahogany desk.
“Creed, dude…don’t look. Meg wouldn’t want you to look.” Gavil pleaded, his own weapon raised and pointed at the space where Williams’ heart should have been—if he had one.
Williams frowned deeply and with speed neither metasoldier expected from the skinless monster, slapped the lid closed, hiding the view the laptop was about to reveal to Creed’s glassy, terrified eyes.
“Maybe he’s right, Creed,” Williams nodded toward Gavil while never allowing his eyes to waver from Creed.
“I mean, what would it do to you to see this?” He waved at the laptop. “You do, after all, have an objective you’re trying to achieve, and if there’s one thing Commander Oldham and I tried to instill in you, is absolute focus on achieving the goals placed before you. That’s all it was about, son. Teaching you to be a better man. Seeing what this screen holds won’t help you achieve your goal. On the contrary, it will probably lead to your untimely death.” He nodded his gruesome head.
“I’ve heard enough,” Gavil growled and pulled the hammer back on his gun, his face twisted in fury.
“No!” Creed growled and stepped in front of Williams, blocking his brother’s shot with his body. “He’ll hurt Meg!” Creed’s eyes pleaded with his brother.
“Not if he’s dead!” Gavil stepped forward, wanting to shove his brother aside.
“Oh, you must think so little of me, Gavil. Don’t you think I have every contingency plan in place? If you kill me, you will all be killed—starting with Meg, of course.”
Gavil glared at the beady-black eyes of his former Director peeking from under Creed’s defensively raised arm.
“You see boys, I’ve known all about your intentions since that day you went to visit your brother in his recovery room, Gavil. I’ve had plenty of time to plan for your arrival,” he chirped happily before another bout of insane, raspy chuckles erupted from his chest.
Still poised between his brother and Williams, mind racing with what could be happening to Meg, the watch on Creed’s wrist began to vibrate indicating eight minutes had passed. Gavil’s watch warned him simultaneously. The brothers watched in equal parts of panic and relief when Farrow and Slider burst into the room.
The second it took Farrow to look around the room was enough to put a deep frown on her face. “What the hell is going on in here?” she growled.
“Farrow! I’m so happy to see you, my dear!” Dr. Williams gushed, stepping out from behind Creed as though wanting to embrace his former personal assistant. He stopped short considering she hadn’t dropped her arm with the gun clocked and ready to fire. He seemed not to notice the steel in her hand and just stood rocking back and forth in his expertly made Italian leather shoes smiling widely at the furious soldier, leather gloved hands clasped behind his back.
“Oh, Gavil, Creed and I were just catching up,” he grinned at the boys standing around the room as if he was the host of some macabre dinner party.