Syndicate of tribulation

Chapter 4

'The mind is a wonderful place, what you feed it can affect you in a number of ways' - NF

King's POV

I wish the stars would call me up to fly with them. But I guess from a distance, I'm free to admire them. "Lights out K. Taylor", no one has called me that in years, I don't even recognise the title as my own. But the voice – so painfully familiar – so painfully memorable. Bes. But he is dead, he must be. I was told he was dead the day after he had been sent to hospital. No.

No.

I was told he wasn't coming back.

Did I... No! It can't be true. If he has been alive all this time then that would mean I abandoned him, that would mean that I left my only friend – someone that was like a brother to me. My heart burns at the thought of having left him, but his soul drained from his body right before my eyes.

I heard an incessant clicking sound. I opened my heavy eyelids, slowly taking in the dark, cold cell I was in. I took a deep breath, so I don't make any rash decision, it's not time for my other half to come out to play – my assassin side. Not many people know this but ever since I left the institute, I have lived in chaotic disorder with my assassin side. My sane side wanted to live a normal life whilst my insane one wanted to the relish in the screams of my victims. I used to wake up throwing up, thinking about all the people that had died by my hand, and how I enjoyed it. The rush, the adrenaline, the power.

"Ah, so you're both awake" the familiar voice said. I snapped my eyes open and sat up, only to now realise the shackles bounding my arms and legs to the wall. His face, his voice, it's him. "Bes..." I breathed out with fear and sadness wracking my body. "Wow, it's been a while since I've been called that." He chuckles, but it's not the same as his old one. This one is laced in hate and submerged in pain. What did they do to him? "Wait you know Besloe?" Tyro questioned me, what? Now I'm more confused. "Wait, how do you know him?" I asked Tyro, totally ignoring the fact that we are both tied down and probably going to be killed. "Well, it's very complicated and to be honest I don't feel like talking about it" Tyro deadpanned. "We're brothers" Bes completed. My jaw dropped to the floor, and frantically I looked back and forth between them. But Tyro interrupted my shock by growling "no, my brother died and left me with those despicable people I once called parents". There was so much tension in the room, I could slice it with a butter knife if I tried. Bes simply sighed and rolled his eyes. I'm missing so many pieces of the puzzle. "Wait, but Bes was probably kidnapped so..." I started but I was cut off by Bes, "actually I faked my death and ran away a year before I was kidnapped so I do not blame Tyro for blaming me for saving myself and not my little brother". My jaw was basically unhinged at this point. I guess I never really asked Bes about his past. "Can you just tell us why we are here? My butt hurts and my legs are cramping" I remarked. "What's the fun if I tell you our plans for you?" Bes stated, a dark expression masking his face. "You died in front of my eyes you know" I whispered, "I wish I did. But no, I was fated to something much worse" he seethed, then abruptly left the cell and slammed the door. "Well, I don't even know what to say, or think, or do" I vocalised to Tyro, he sighed and nodded his head in agreement. I want to escape but I also want answers, but I also want to live to receive them. My conflicted emotions caused me to become restless and yanking lightly at my chains. "Do you think they will kill us?" Tyro asked me, a fleeting emotion appeared in Tyro's eyes; I wonder what it was. I shook my head, no. Killing valuable assets wasn't their style, unless of course their style had changed. "Why did you even bring us here?" Tyro growled, I sighed – knowing he was going to ask sooner or later. "I have a house, secret of course. It's in Belgium. Using our rough coordinates and natures compass, I've been trying to get us there. It's my parents, they enjoyed going to Belgium and I was their only child, so it became mine when they died. I checked when I left the institute that it was still in my name – and it is. I've been once or twice with my parents, and I thought why not visit now. I'm sorry I didn't realise we would have to cross the French institute tower." I whispered to Tyro, keeping my eye on the camera facing us and watching intently. Tyro faced softened from its's contemptuous expression and he sighed now knowing it wasn't my original plan for us to get captured. "I'm trying to think if this is the first time you have apologised" he jokes, I shoot him a playful glare and sigh in resignation. I don't think I have much willpower to fight anymore. Then suddenly, Tyros eyes widen, and a smirk sits on his face. "You know what you need right now. A hug", I look at him confused and realise what he is doing. I shuffle closer to him and wrap my arms around his torso and pressed our chest together.

After my last hostage situation, I asked Amo to make me something. Of course, in between the building of his arm. His special invention called 'master key'; it was a present. I'm not going to lie; he is an amazing engineer and scientist. Master key is a small pin I keep and the back of my hair. It can break through any lock. It can unlock a padlock, fry the circuits of an electrical lock, and cut through a combination lock. I don't know why I'm advertising his multi-purpose key but the whole point is that Tyro knows. His cool breath caressed my neck and I almost pushed him away.

Damn, sometimes it sucks to be ticklish. Tickles... that's all it is. With his teeth, he slowly dragged the pin out of the base of my hair connecting with my neck. A small shiver ran through my body, and I could feel a laugh threatening to escape him. "Stop laughing because I'm ticklish" I seethed, he shook his head with the pin in his mouth. "No, it's just that I read something about how people get nervous when in close proximity with certain people" he said, my jaw nearly fell to the floor but then I looked at the naïve and distant look in his eyes, he doesn't understand the implications of what he just said, let's keep it like that.