Run from his Shotgun

Chapter Fifteen- Wildfire

It was load chaos early in the morning. I wearily rose up, blinking rapidly, and glanced at the closed curtains. It still looked fairly dark, as if the sun barely had time to adjust for its shining glory.

I looked around to find the room empty and took the chance to use the bathroom. When I came back out, I could hear louder voices downstairs and engines starting up outside. There was nothing I could see out of the ordinary from the balcony windows so I headed for the door, cautiously trying the handle.

It was unlocked. Trying not to wonder why (maybe Jago had forgotten in his excitement to finally kill my brother), I wandered through the hallway, stopping at the landing of the stairs. 

Swarms of men were entering and exiting the house, so many of them all over the place. Were they all part of the crew? I knew that there must be a lot of more men involved in E.C. beside the usual cohort I saw everyday, if their reputation was to account for. 

"Isla," It was Jonno, hissing at me, "What do you think you're doing?"

"What's going on?" I asked, glancing furtively to the scene downstairs. 

"I can't tell you that." He grabbed my arm, "Come on, you have to stay in the room. How did you even get out?"

"The door was unlocked." I shook myself out of his grip, "Tell me, Jonno. If it's to do with Danny, don't you think I have the right to know?"

He looked back at me for a long moment, an indecipherable expression in his chocolate-coloured eyes. Finally, he released a sigh, "You know what I think. But you also need to understand my position."

"Let me make it easy for you then." I crossed my arms on my chest, "Are you planning some sort of an attack today?"

He mumbled something unintelligible under his breath, before brushing a hand through his blonde hair in frustration. 

"Yes or no, Jonno."

"Yes!" The word escaped him as a hiss.

I gave a little nod, just one firm shake of my head, "And Jago's plan of killing my brother is in place? Ultimately?"

Jonno just narrowed his eyes until they were thin slits. "Why are you asking me that? What purpose would the answer serve?"

His question irritated me, poking something inside me and rousing an anger that flowed out of me. I stood right in front of him, my eyes undoubtedly blazing with fury, "That is my brother I'm asking about. My only sibling who you're planning to kill. So excuse me if I'm asking if today is his last day on earth, but don't you think I have the right to know that he's about to be killed by some macho-boy-gang because of their stupid man-child egos!"

He did look a little stunned, his expression faltering just for a moment, and then he frowned, "First of all, it isn't to do with ego-"

"No? Really?" I cut him off.

"No!" He barked at me. "Are you forgetting what he did?"

I blinked, "No, of course not. Just...let me go with you. I want to see him one last time."

Jonno stared at me and then glanced away. 

"Oh come on, Jonno! If its the last chance I get to see him again, to talk to him, don't you think I'd do anything to have that opportunity?" The tears had welled up in my eyes at the thought, and I was desperate just to see his familiar face again, my best friend since I was born, and those blue eyes we both shared.

Quickly, as if he'd realised we were still out in the hallway, he pulled me to Jago's room and shut the door. "First of all, you know you can't ask me that! Second of all, you weren't to know anything at all."