Page 45 of Dark Things
“Let’s get this shit over with. One more mission to have us closer to getting the answers we need,” Colter says.
They don’t say anything else, but I track them until they’re out of the house anyway. Once the headlights disappear from the living room window, I close out the program and sit back, blowing out a breath.
I didn’t put the cameras in their house to get more questions. I needed answers, ways to fuck with them to exact my revenge, not to feel sorry for them.
Fuck this.
I get up and make my way outside. There’s no one visible on the property, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t guards on patrol. Ever since the afternoon with Brett, I’ve been carrying my gun around. I don’t trust Stan’s guys, and I trust Brett even less. Sure Haunt made a deal with him, but that doesn’t mean we can put our faith in a guy who tried to take us out because he was following another one of Stan’s stupid tests.
Ever since Haunt and I have been doing missions alone, Stan has set us up to fail one way or another, like a sick joke. He wants us to be the best at everything, but also makes it the hardest it can be. I feel like part of me is always in fight mode and it’s starting to wear on my soul.
The horses are all tucked in their stalls for the night, but I need an outlet. I walk over to Midnight’s stall and open up the latch. He’s chopping on some ofthe alfalfa I put in here earlier, but once he sees me, he turns and butts his head into my chest.
“Hey, boy. Want to go for a quick ride?” I ask, rubbing his cheek.
I swear if there’s any horse that could understand what I’m saying, it would be Midnight. I move and grab his harness, slipping it over his nose and clipping it under his chin.
I don’t bother attaching the lead rope, slipping my fingers under his chin and walking him out to the side of the barn. There’s a block near the door. I step up and grab his mane before flinging myself over. I don’t need a saddle or bridle to ride Midnight. I’m sure enough in his abilities and personality that I can trust he’ll behave. He’s been an extension of me since the day I’ve gotten him.
We walk slowly around the edge of the property, my eyes scanning the horizon where the sun is dipping down low. It’s beautiful out here this time of day. The leaves are just starting to turn a wonderful kaleidoscope of colors, getting ready for fall. The birds chirp in the trees, and I even hear those fucking peeper frogs again.
I press my heels into his side to make him transition into a slow trot before giving him the signal to canter. His gate is so smooth, it’s as if I’m merely a flea on his back. I don’t even have to steady myself so much.
We make a loop to the eastern side of the property,and I notice the two guards patrolling. Both stop to watch me. Midnight’s ears stand straight up and go in their direction. He slows his canter into a walk, his muscles bunching up underneath me. He does not like these guys.
I pat his neck and press my right thigh into him, giving him the direction to move over to the left. I slide my hand behind my back and pull my gun to sit on my thigh. They can think anything they’d like, but I’m not taking chances with Midnight here.
“Evening, sweet thing,” one of them says, licking his lips.
Gross.
I nod anyway and keep going back in the direction of the house, but that doesn’t seem to satisfy them.
“Where are you off to, honey? Want to come down from that horse and show us what’s between those thighs?” the other asks, grabbing his dick through his fatigues.
I press both thighs into Midnight and whisper out a whoa. He stops immediately, but a quiver works through his muscles. He stomps his foot, ears pinned down. If they get any closer, I have no doubt he’ll rear up.
“What I do or don’t do doesn’t concern either of you. Why don’t you go back to your patrol so we can all continue to enjoy this evening,” I say, clicking off the safety of my SIG with my thumb.
The gun is still resting on my thigh, but I won’thesitate to shoot this fucker if I think he’s going to make a move. I’ll leave Brett to deal with the clean up.
“Nah, everything that goes on here concerns us. And you, sweet thing, are very intriguing.”
I sigh. “Listen, I get that out here you think you can say whatever you want to whomever because you’ve decided that you’re important working for Stan. A big mercenary boss who’s a bit scary. Feels good, right, all macho and shit? I can imagine when your brains match the size of your dicks, it’s empowering to be considered fodder in a war you have no idea about. But that has nothing to do with me or whatever the fuck this is. Either you leave me to the rest of my ride, or I shoot one of you in the face while the other gets trampled by my horse.”
They have the audacity to laugh. Fine, I guess it’s going to be the hard way then.
“Last chance. And the one of you that remains standing is going to have to explain to Brett why their partner was killed.”
“I’m pretty sure you’re all talk,” one of them growls, pulling his gun from the holster on his hip and taking two strides toward me.
My arm is too quick for them to track the movement, and the guy with the gun goes down, a bullet in his brain.
I glance at the one on the left, who is standing there too shocked to do anything else. I give him a minute before he turns to me, eyes wide.
“Want to end up like your buddy?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “No…I…um…no.”
