“I’m not, I promise I’m not. Please don’t hurt me. Dad will kill you if you do.”
“Who do you think asked me to do this?”
He slowly moves the blade down, closer and closer, until it’s touching me. I struggle, but I can’t move, and then I feel the cold of metal on my skin, and I go totally still. My heart is pounding, and I want to scream, but it’s trapped in my throat.
“Last chance,” he says. “Tell me everything.”
I shake my head.
He tilts the blade slightly so the edge is touching me …
And then he presses down.
A thumping on my door pulls me from my dream.
I sit bolt upright and touch my chest.
I can still feel his knife cutting into me. I pull my blankets away and see that my skin is fine. I’m wearing a white tank and my boxers.
It was just a dream. I’m okay.
The knock sounds again, a fist pounding against my door.
I slide out of bed and walk over to my door. Moonlight streams in through my window, and my curtains flutter gently. I unlock my door and swing it open. Luke is standing outside, wearing a black suit.
He’s holding his mask.
“Good news,” he says. “They found him.”
I rub my eyes. “Found who?”
“The man who shot Dad. How fast can you get ready?”
“Huh?” I say.
“How fast do you think you can get into your suit?”
“Pretty fast, why?”
“Do it. Tony and Vince are already in the car. He’s vulnerable, but we need to act fast.”
Vince.
“Do you need me? I have school tomorrow, and…”
“Dude,” says Luke. “Do you really think Dad will be okay with you sitting this out? He’s the guy responsible. We need to make him pay. Key word: we.”
He’s right.
Dad would never let me sit this out.
I close my door and lightly slap my face a few times to try to totally wake up.
Come on, dude, get back here.
As quickly as I can, I get dressed in my suit. I haven’t done my tie up yet, but I figure I can do that in the car. I push my feet into my dress shoes. Last, I retrieve my mask. I look at it for a second, then I shove it in my pocket and step outside.
Luke is still out in the hallway, leaning against the wall.
“Have you got your mask?”
I nod and show him.
He stares at me for a second, and I think he’s going to say something. But then he just turns, and we go through the house. Dad is waiting for us. He’s leaning against the kitchen island.
“Make him pay,” he says. “I would, if I was strong enough.”
“We will,” says Luke.
I just nod.
Then we go out the front door to a burner car that’s waiting for us in our driveway.
Inside, classical music is playing. Tony is in the driver’s seat, and Vince is beside him.
“Are you sure you’re up for this?” asks Tony.
I nod and put my seat belt on.
Tony starts the engine and pulls away from the curb.
* * *
I feel queasy for the entire drive.
This is so wrong.
Someone is going to die tonight, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.
They tried to kill my dad. I should want this. I should need this, like everyone else in the car needs it.
I don’t, though.
I stare out the window. It’s pitch-black outside, and the road is empty.
I’m too scared to even cry. Mostly I feel like I’m going to throw up.
I hate this.
I hate it so much.
All I want is to be someone else. Someone who doesn’t have to do stuff like this.
We end up driving for about half an hour. I only just manage to keep myself from freaking out and telling Luke that I want to leave.
Tony parks in front of a single-story, slate-gray house.
There’s a flower garden out the front. It’s nice.
Vince hands each of us a pair of black earmuffs. Military-grade.
“Masks on,” he says. He sounds just like Dad.
I pull mine on.
It feels tight and scratchy against my face. Then, copying Vince, I put my earmuffs on, and the world falls into fuzzy silence. Luke is wearing a mask now, and with his new, bulky frame, and dressed in a black suit, he looks like a true criminal, just like Vince and Tony.
Tony glances at me, and then at Luke.
We both nod.
We open the car doors at the same time.
I get out of the car on the side that isn’t facing the house and duck down so I’m shielded. Just in case