Dead Beat (❌)

Chapter Four

Johnie

Panicked from the flying knife, I can't help but cry out when Dad tosses me behind him, my back making contact with the solid kitchen island and knocking the wind from my lungs.

Gasping and coughing, my fear for not only myself, but my whole family at this point, forces me to my feet again. Barely missing the edge of the counter, I jump to my feet to attempt to help my father in any way that I can, but instead of fighting like I expect, Dad is simply staring at the other man who had entered through our back door.

"Ezra..." the tall, New Asian looking man smirks, his piercing golden eyes slowly shifting over to me, sending a shiver down my spine.

The man radiates strength, his slim but muscular body dressed in thick leather with a belt that holds several slender knives.

"You haven't improved much, Yuenno," my father addresses him in a very empty tone as he slowly backs up towards me, putting his body in between the man and I.

I have the urge to reach out to him, but I also don't want to give the other man the impression that I can't handle myself, the fact that these men were invading my home letting me summon up the anger to mask the pain.

"Why are you doing this?!" I growl out at him, stepping around my father just to flinch when his outstretched arm firmly connects with my chest to block my path.

Dad doesn't utter a word, but he does glare sideways at me, the sharpness of authority that stabs back at me freezing my body on contact.

"Why am I not surprised?" the man called Yuenno chuckles darkly, my eyes darting over to watch him withdraw another knife from his belt. "Your son seems strong, Ezra. The Director will be incredibly pleased with the work you've done."

"He has no business in my own," Dad replies, his arm lowering to grip my wrist and force me behind him where I stumble sideways, my mind scrambling for ways to be useful.

I can't fight. I can't really contribute in any physical way possible. I can't necessarily talk my way out of a situation I have no background knowledge about, so in other words I am absolutely fucking screwed.

"Ezra, Ezra, Ezra... Don't be so serious, boo!"

Despite the playfulness that falsely comes from Yuenno's tone, both him and Dad glare menacingly towards one another, both clearly tense and on guard. I catch Dad's eye every so often, my mind screaming at me to do something.

Desperate, I frantically peer around the kitchen, taking in the unusual amount of kitchen knives, but even if I could get my hands on one, Yuenno would bury one in my face before I could even think of using it.

The way he flicks his gaze towards me now already makes me nervous.

"Now, now, Ezzie, this doesn't have to be violent! We asked, you declined, now we do it anyway! Real simple if you ask me...

The New Asian man continues to ramble on, slowly creeping closer to Dad with a knife in each hand. Dad remains silent, his face unreadable to how he's processing everything.

Does he know what this man is talking about? Has he been expecting this to happen? If he did, a warning would've been fucking nice.