just starved. I’m hoping Tony just wants Shepherd and not what’s attached to Shepherd.
That’s when Jack steps into the hallway. “The boss wants you.”
“I’m going,” Shepherd growls as he heads off to see what’s going on.
We’re followed into a room where Tony is staring intently at a laptop. When he sees us, he smiles.
“’Bout fucking time, Shepherd. Did your phone stop working?”
“I’ve been keeping it tucked away so the kid can’t reach it when I’m not looking,” Shepherd says. “I was just headed to the bathroom. Can this wait?”
“I’ll help you out,” Tony says as he gets up and walks over to me. He fetches the key out of his pants before slipping it into my handcuffs and releasing Shepherd from me. He snaps the free handcuff onto my other arm so I’m cuffed together. “Go on, then.”
Shepherd rubs at his wrist as he remains standing there. Tony doesn’t seem to notice or care that Shepherd doesn’t instantly run off.
“Let’s take a video!” Tony says as he pulls out a phone. “Shepherd, since it looks like you forgot how urgently you had to take a piss, go ahead and read this for me!”
Tony hands Shepherd a paper, which he hesitantly takes before glancing down at it. “‘This one’s to you, Mr. Police Chief. You’ve had countless time to find your son and save him and still you’ve refused to help. It’s clear that more drastic measures need to be taken. Know that I am done with your son. I will…” Shepherd trails off.
Tony, who is recording, waves him on. When Shepherd doesn’t continue, Tony lowers the camera. “What the fuck’s the problem, Shepherd? A fucking misspelled word?”
“I think you’re about to fuck everything up,” Shepherd says, and the tone to his voice stills me.
“Oh, fuck you. You have one job and that’s to keep your goddamn mouth shut and listen to me. I’ll let you do the fucking honors then,” Tony says as he lifts the camera back up. “Shepherd, kill him.”
“What?” I ask in disbelief. He can’t honestly be planning on killing me, right? I thought I was like a pawn. Something he was using to get what he needed. “But I still… I can be used to blackmail him. You’d lose your only fucking bargaining chip. You’ll lose everything. You don’t want to lose it all, do you? My father won’t do anything if I’m dead.” I know I sound panicked, but I’m smart enough to know that if Tony pointed a gun at my head this very moment, I wouldn’t be able to do anything to stop him.
“He ain’t doing jack shit now. He doesn’t give a flying fuck about you, kid,” Tony says as he lifts his camera again.
I shake my head, desperately wanting to believe my father’s doing something. “Maybe he doesn’t know it’s you. Maybe he truly doesn’t know.”
“Sorry, kid. I gave him all the fucking information in the first video,” Tony says as he pulls out his gun and smacks it against Shepherd’s chest. Shepherd takes it and looks down at it like he’s never seen a gun in his life.
“Shoot him.”
Shepherd switches the gun to his right hand and switches the safety off.
“My battery is going to fucking die before you get around to it!” Tony screams.
“Please,” I say, not sure if I’m pleading with Tony or Shepherd. “I didn’t do anything. Why should I have to suffer for what my father did or didn’t do?”
“That’s it, cry to your daddy,” Tony says as I frantically look around for a way out.
I know it’s futile, but I still make a break toward the door. Rod grabs me and starts dragging me back until I ram an elbow into the side of his head. That’s when Jack steps in and grabs for me. I knee him in the balls, making him groan, but he refuses to let go.
“I’ll fucking kill him for you,” Jack growls as he pulls a knife out before grabbing my hair with his other hand. He yanks my head back and drives the knife toward my throat as I throw up my arm as I try to block his hit. Pain flares into my arm when I kick him as hard as I can.
“Will someone fucking shoot the kid!” Tony growls.
Jack’s grip on me lessens as he pulls out his gun and aims it at my head.
“I know where—” My words are cut short by the crack of a gun. Blood sprays me, hitting my face and shirt as