Page 2 of Javier

“He’s dead. I’m Ransom’s daughter. Memphis. I have the credentials to back up my claim. Pops indicated you might want to see them.”

Credentials … Was she some kind of a fucking lawyer?What do I say? Nice to meet you? Your father was banished from Torch River when he fucked all of us over? His life was threatened if he ever came within a state? No.

“Get the fuck off my property.” He snarled, storming past her.

Their skin brushed, sparking like nothing he had ever experienced. Spontaneous combustion. He had heard of it, but the pulsing anger and unease surging in his system allowed him to compartmentalize it. There was no way he was going to burn with her. Javier entered his shop, slammed the door, shot the bolts, and dropped onto the metal chair at his desk, the damp towel knotted around his waist.

* * *

Thirty Years Earlier …

He and his foster siblings demanded justice. Their friends agreed to support them, after all everyone in the Narrows had been affected.

Their quarry had been night fishing by himself—like he did every Wednesday evening. His time with the fish. The loud classical music blasting over the water and the glow sticks attached to his pants made him easy to locate.

Masks, gloves, and black beanies and clothing obscured their identities as they cut their engines, drifted up from behind in their dinghy and jon boats, and rafted to the anchored vessel. Silent, they boarded the larger craft quickly. After blindfolding, binding, and gagging him, the man was lobbed into one of their boats. The rod, live bait, and underwater night-light were left undisturbed, but the boat’s anchor was pulled. They untied from his boat, which the current took rapidly downstream and out of view.

Their destination was in the same general direction: Refuge Island, close to the Fork. Javier piloted the boat with their tied-up quarry, taking a surreptitious route since they were certain the man knew the river like they all did—like the back of their hands. Other boats with the club members came up alongside or followed.

At the island, they took his new boat shoes and flung them into the river. His ankles were unbound, the blindfold untied, and he was forced to run. They chased him for sport, until he dropped from exhaustion. Game over, they dragged him to the middle of the landmass. Most stood back from the clearing, where the trees and understory created a boundary of sorts. Their flashlights blinded the prominent resident of the Cliffs as he was stripped naked, freed of the gag, and then spread eagle between two trees, a thick strong rope tying his wrists and ankles to the boughs. Wearing a half-face black dragon mask and black lipstick, Sammi stepped up and kicked his clothes, except for the soiled underwear, into a prepared sandy pit and covered it.

“You fuckers! This is not funny!” He pronounced loudly and arrogantly, drawing chuckles from the participants. “Fuck you!” He spat, his eyes glittering with hate. “You’ll pay for this. We will hunt you down. I will ruin you. You’ll be sorry you ever did this.”

“That so?” Javier drawled; his voice muffled though the skull mask.

Stone crossed his arms and simply shook his head. The blonde Rapunzel wig swishing back and forth was at odds with the jester mask covering his face.

The man’s voice rose, strident despite the quivers. “You don’t fucking scare me, you human shit. You’re river scum. Do you know who I am?”

“We do, but you can confirm your identity if you want.”

“Fuck you. Fuck every single one of you to hell. Take me back to my boat. Immediately.”

“Sir …” Sammi said in a deceptive little girl voice, all sugary and sweet. “You have a few problems here.” She raised her hand and held up a black-gloved finger. “One, you’re in no position to negotiate. You’re buck-ass naked and tied spread-eagle.” A second finger joined the first. “Two, we don’t take orders from filth the likes of you.” She extended another digit. “Three, your boat has departed for rougher waters.”

“You bitch.” He hissed and tried to lunge at her, but the ropes held. “You fucking little river rat bitch!” He yelled at the top of his lungs and pulled again at the restraints.

“You can caterwaul all you want. No one’s around except us.” Javier said, sounding bored, and emitted a long, loud sigh. “We’ll wait.”

The man resorted to screaming like a banshee, but no one would hear him from the island situated in the middle of the broad river bordered by uninhabited land.

Ransom approached wearing a reaper mask. “That’s enough. My friend is more patient than me.” His knife blade flashed in the beams of light.

The man immediately stopped screaming and his eyes went wild. Spittle flew as he resorted to pleading, to no avail.

Not wanting to hear more, Javier picked up the fear-stained tighty-whities with a stick and stuffed them into the man’s mouth, careful not to touch the runny shit even though he had gloves on. He joined the others and watched the rest play out in silence.

Punishment was overdue. The man had beaten and raped one of their own and left her for dead. Two more had vanished. He was the predator, identified by his victim.

Their quarry shrieked as the clamps were applied and crushed his testicles, then sobbed.

“He’s choking.” Stone growled so deeply that he didn’t sound like himself. The intent wasn’t to kill the fucker, but to give him a permanent reminder of his crime.

Ransom pulled a corner of the underwear, dislodging it as the man gagged in earnest. He jumped aside as vomit spewed, much of it landing on the man’s feet. “You’re a lucky fucker. This was the humane choice.” The mask gave him an otherworldly voice.

Retching sounded in different areas of the darkness. Javier winced and blinked at the sweat running into his eyes, swallowing repeatedly, forcing the burning bile down.

“Make another sound, motherfucker, and the undies go back in your mouth. You’ll choke on your own puke and shit.”

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