Tilted Axis

Chapter:30

    It doesn't take long before Zoldyck returns. He takes his seat again. He regards me with a quiet calm expression. His eyes watching me like a predator. Sharp and analyzing as they seem to flick from my face to my boots.

   "So? Are ya gonna stare all day, mate? I need to go." I ask slightly annoyed at his silence. The sense of urgency from needing to go makes my legs tense.

    "Kurapika will be coming shortly to allow you to relieve yourself." He answers. "If you ask him to wipe your ass I won't stop him from shooting you."

    I can't help but roll my eyes. "Try not to think so low of me, Zoldyck. I'm a prisoner but I'm not helpless. But a question for you, why are you trusting me with the bloke who's hooter I broke? Rather, why are you trusting him to escort me? I'd wager a fiver he wants to get back at me."

    "Because of the men here, he's the only one I trust. He also knows there will be consequences if he tries to harm you. However the previous statement remains true. Understood?" He asks, raising a brow.

    "Yeah. Crystal mate. You are speaking English after all." I reply.

    It's his turn to roll his eyes. He says nothing more and the room once again falls into silence. I turn my gaze away from him and start humming. A small tune from the movie me and Leorio had gone to see when it came to England from America. First movie I've seen with color AND flying monkeys! The song the actress sings at the beginning is what sticks with me the most. Slow and soothing almost like a lullaby a mother would sing.

    In the corner of my vision I can see Killuas expression soften. His stern expression was replaced with open curiosity. "What song is that?" He finally asks.

    "A song from a movie I saw a couple months ago. Think it's called over the rainbow. It's a beautiful song. Almost fitting that such a song be placed in the first color movie huh?" I answer with genuine enthusiasm. Leorio doesn't like the song as much as I. He prefers the little people.

    "A color movie? I'd guess it's that wizard one the Americans made?"

    "Yeah, that's the one mate. The yanks did a bloody good job with it."

    He grunts seemingly amused. The door clicks behind him and he turns his head. Kurapika enters with a length of rope. "Danke, Kurapika." Killua says to the blonde.

    The blonde stares at me with open anger. His nose bandaged and covered. Killua stands and takes the ropes. "Now keep quiet, Brit. I'm going to adjust the binds at your wrists. As well as your ankles so you can't try to run."

    I shrug and do as told. He kneels in front of me as he adjusts the binding at my wrist. Giving more slack between them. As he works his movements catch my attention. Rather, the feeling of his finger repeatedly making contact with my hand. A swipe, a tap. Two more swipes, another tap, followed by a swipe and a tap. He does two more taps then a swipe. The same sequence is repeated as he works.

    It's when he's adjusting the binds at my ankles does a lightbulb finally turn on. He's messaging in Morse! But why now? He's been talking normally. Is it because Kurapika is in the room?

   When he stands finished with his work is when I finally piece together what he said. "Take it." Take what? What am I supposed to take?

   "Remember what I told you. Behave. Got it?" He asks. His voice is stern. His eyes however held a less stern expression. Looking at him, I can tell he's looking for some kind of reaction.

    I nod my head slowly. "Aye. Understood." I answer. I attempt to signal "yes" by blinking without looking suspicious. No guarantee his friend didn't see it or think it odd.

    He turns around to his comrade. "Du benimmst dich auch.  Kontrolliere dein Temperament." He says in his native tongue.

    The blonde nods. "Natürlich, der Herr."

    Killua nods and exits. Kurapika turns his attention to me. I slowly stand up so I don't risk angering him. "Look mate, I'm sorry about your hooter. I was a bit of a cock. Let's be gents about this eh?" I ask, putting a hand out.

    He stares at my hand for a long moment before gripping it tightly. I can feel my joints rub together in his grip. I try not to grimace from his tight hold. "Fein. Mate." He responds. His tone told me the anger remained as he mocked my accent. His expression was one of hard eyes and a false smile.

    He releases my hand and turns on his heel. I guess I should have known it wouldn't have been as simple as an apology. I rub my hand gently as I follow him from the room.

                       ______________

    "What the hell am I supposed to take?" I mutter under my breath. I stand in the small bathroom trying to focus on Zoldycks message. My head is clearer now that I don't feel like I'm going to burst.

   Is there even anything to find? Surely they have already taken anything of value. Right? But if that was the case he wouldn't have given me a message would he? I checked behind the mirror, behind the toilet, even the cabinet under the sink. I've seen nothing. "Could I have misunderstood his message?" I mumble. "Did I miss something?"

  The door shakes, startling me as someone outside pounds against it. It sounds like rumbling thunder in the small room. "Beeil dich!" Kurapikas voice comes through. His tone is enough to tell me his patience is wearing thin.

   "Give a dog some privacy, yeah?" I shout in a quick response. If there is anything to find I need to find it fast. I kneel down and open the cabinet under the sink again. I don't see anything but I reach in anyway. Hoping for something. That's when my fingers meet something that doesn't match the flat wood surface. Something loose that shifts when my fingers brush against it. "Jackpot." I say under my breath with a slight grin.

    I grab it quickly and pull it out, turning it in my hand. It's a wood handled folding razor. The dark wood of the handle blended into the darkness. One side held a small ivory Z in a circle. When I flip out the blade it's clean and sharp. "Is this what he wanted me to find? A shaving razor? How is this going to help? Yes, I can die with a clean shaven face."

    The pounding on the door grows more intense. I don't have time to think on it. I fold the razor and tuck it into my trousers. The wood digs into my skin where it rests at my waist, as I tighten my belt. "Good as any place I guess."

    I close the cabinet and turn to the door. When I open it however I nearly catch a fist with my teeth. "Jesus mate! Are all you Nazis this rude? Or did your parents not teach you manners?" I snap at the blonde.

   He growls at me and grabs hold of the binds at my wrist and drags me along the hall. When we reach the room I've been kept in he tosses me in roughly. I teeter forward for a moment threatening to fall on my face before regaining my balance. The door slams behind me.

    "Fuck me. With the way he acts, you'd think I killed his mum." I stare at the chair for a moment debating if I should sit down. Instead I let myself pace around the room. I'd much rather be able to run but even just a slow pace has my legs sore. Guess that's what several days of no movement will do.

    I dip my fingers behind my belt and pull out the razor. "What are you planning, Zoldyck?" I mutter. "Why leave me a razor so suddenly?"

(WC:1362