Carrion (The Bren Watts Diaries #1)

Chapter 89

"What was that all about?" Logan tugged at my elbow, halting my steps; Bean was still screaming behind the cellar door.

I glared at him. "Not here," I said, flitting my gaze to Charlie bound on the chair. The boy had a horrified look in his eyes, bellowing something incoherent through his gagged mouth; he recognized me.

Jun hovered not far from him, arms crossed, staring back at me. Peter did the same, although I could not read the look he gave me. Was that worry? Mild amusement? Or perhaps, something else?

"Keep an eye on him," I said to Jun, and he nodded.

I marched up the stairs with Peter and Logan following close to my heels. Logan's face had turned red, breathing through his nose, and I assumed he might just puke right then and there. Though, he kept it together. Peter shut the door to the basement, and I finally rest myself on a couch. Logan remained standing in front of him.

"You're gonna kill both of them." It was not a question.

I sighed. "We have to."

Logan shifted on the spot. "Can't we just do something else other than that?"

"Like what?" Peter asked smugly.

"I don't know. Put them in the cellar? Bind them until this is all over?"

"Then, they'll starve to death once we leave. We have no intention of staying another day in this fucking town. When we get Yousef, Miguel, and Haskell, we're out of here. The sooner, the better. I don't want to leave loose ends, and Bean and Charlie are one."

"We'll be far away before they give us any trouble."

"They'll hunt us down."

"You don't know that."

"They'll hunt us down because that's what I would do. I've already killed their friends—and I killed two brothers—and who knows how many want to settle that score. Plenty, Logan."

"And it's not your fault, Bren," said Peter. I ignored him.

"Well, I think we've killed enough, don't you?" Something cracked in Logan's throat.

"Yes, we did." A knot clenched in my chest. "And we will kill more. If we're ever going back to Portland and reunite with our families, we can't live by the old rules anymore"—You have to survive—"not when others are already playing by different ones. Killing them now will be an act of mercy than leaving them to starvation or being torn apart by vectors. This way, our way, they die quicker."

"Only they won't."

I paused. "No," I said, gazing down to the floor, imagining Bean and Charlie facing each other, separated by one wall. "Although, that really depends on them. If they want it quicker, they'll give us what we want. If not, then, they'll die slow."

"Yeah, stop arguing, Logan," Peter interjected with a grin. "If you can't handle a little blood, why don't you go fuck off and let the big boys handle this. Go stay with Alfie."

Logan turned a shade redder. "I'm not here to argue!"

"Your mouth is still moving."

"I'm laying out all our options!"

"Sounds to me like arguing," Peter said with a sly grin.

"You know what, Gauthier, fuck you—"

I had enough. "Boys! Boys! Stop it! I don't want to hear any of this!" They both shut up. I massaged my temples with my fingers and trying to calm my nerves. "We gave Bean a little time to 'think,' and frankly, I also want this time for a little peace and quiet. I don't want to get back down there as much as you do, but I have to."