“There are two sides to every issue: one side is right and the other is wrong, but the middle is always evil.”
―
Then…
Travis Montgomery
IT HAS BEEN over five months since my plan failed. Father betrayed me, not that I am surprised, I was going to betray him first. But what surprised me the most is how much hatred burned in Jesse’s eyes for her father. Over the years Marco would come visit me. It was never pleasant, there were always pictures of the Montgomery family, happy and free, spoiled and taken care of. This fumed my wrath for both Jesse and Irina. Father and I never were close, but he was honest. He told me about Irina not wanting two sons, and that she saw something in me that she hated. He told me how badly he wanted a babygirl and that Jesse was his only chance. If he didn’t get rid of me then she would kill Jesse. He obliged.
But, I am starting to think his story was bullshit. I mean, yeah, the first sign was him wanting me to kill her. But she didn’t look surprised. When Bane shot Franco, Marco and I took aim behind a toppled over cement barricade. I fought alongside him, because now our enemy was the two of them. But he turned toward me, with a smile that made my skin crawl, I prepared myself for the worst.
“You failed” he spits and shoots me in the leg. I bit my lip to hold back a girlish scream and grab my leg to stop the bleeding. I look at the blood and I knew it was over, it was right by my femoral artery. If I didn’t get to a hospital I would die.
But somehow, I did make it to a hospital, woke up wondering how I got here, and why I was still alive. Hell, I should be dead. Even if Bane and Jesse survived Marco, they wouldn’t save me. But they did, I remember titbits of that moment, she saved me, for that I owe her something, For the last few months since I got out of the hospital, I have been searching for them both.
About two months ago someone tried to kill me. I was walking to my apartment in Ohio, when someone came up behind and tried to slit my throat. I grabbed my assailant by the arm and flipped him over and plunged the knife into his chest. It went through like butter. I swiped his phone and found the one and only Irina as the last call. The bitch wanted me dead, well thanks mother.
I have always thought that Jesse knew what they were up to, I thought she showered herself with pleasantries with the blood money, while the rest of us suffered. I get it, kind of calling the kettle black here, given my career. But I kill people that deserve to die, people like Marco and Irina. But now, I think differently. The way she looked at Marco, she feared him, hell, she ran away from him. The stories they fed me were lies. I slip into a memory, one I wish would go away.
God, I hate this place. My new home is nothing but druggies and gang bangers. How they became foster parents is beyond me. I haven’t been here more than a month, before the fist started flying. Of course, I fought back, but still, I hate this place. I’m tired of fighting. I mean hell, I’m only fourteen, and my whole life has been nothing but fighting for survival. I would be better off on the streets than the dumps they throw me in like trash on their shoe.
It’s my birthday but I don’t expect anything. I am sure my biological family is celebrating my twin’s day like the spoiled piece of shit he is, not that I am bitter or anything. I kick a rock on the sidewalk and lay my head low. I’d rather stay unnoticed than face the crapshoots in that house. I walk up the steps and hear a woman’s voice I have never heard before, yet seemed so familiar.
“I am going to see Travis, then I will be out your hair, trust me, I don’t want to be in this shithole much longer” she squeals and the sound grates on my ears. She wants to see me, well I give her what she wants.
I barge in, like I always do, but instead of heading to my room I step into the kitchen where the voice is getting louder.
“Hi” I mumble, breaking the stance they all seem to be in. Everyone looks tense and it give me pleasure knowing this fragile woman can cause so much emotion of these assholes. “I guess, you wanted to see me”
She stares at me, recognizing me instantly, I give her a confused look, she shakes her head and walks over to me.
“I’m your mother we need to talk.” My mother, Marco was the only one who ever came to see me, and those visits were not friendly. I don’t think he came because he wanted to, there was always something he was hiding, but he always made sure I saw all the family photos, they had the life I was supposed to have, for that I want vengeance, soon, I will get it. Jesse and Danny will never know what hit them.
“What do you want?”
“I wanted to see you, I wanted to know I did the right thing”
“And what was that, mother” I said with as much disdain as I could muster.
“Got rid of the right son. The anger radiates off you son, it burns inside you, you hate me, that’s okay, because I am going to use you to take back what is rightfully mine, when its time I will come for you, just be ready” with that she turns and leaves. I stand in the kitchen confused as shit, but exhilarated, she needs me, well good. Cause I need her.
The sound of a horn blaring breaks me out of my thoughts. Right now, I’m heading to Colorado. Turns out Bane and I have a mutual friend. He works for the Guardians, and he is also a confidante for Bane. He is loaning out his cabin in Rye for a week. I will be there before they arrive. I know things will be rocky, but I want to talk, I need to find out their motives. I need to talk to her, find out her story, and tell her mine.
I haven’t been in contact with Theo, as far as he knows I’m dead. It saddens me to know that the only person I deem worthy is morning my death. I am a bastard, but I not going to let him be collateral damage if this goes south.
I pull up to the cabin at six thirty, pleased to find the area empty. I walk the house, finding the most unthreatening position possible. I don’t know why, but when they saved my ass, something switched. My hatred for my sister changed, when I saw her reaction to her father, I knew she burned with the same vengeance I had for so many years.
The cabin is desolate and tall trees litter the acreage in the front. Behind the cabin you can see mountains reaching for the sky. The inside is locked so I have no way of waiting for them in there. The front porch has a set of chairs and I decide to wait there for their homecoming. This could go two ways peacefully or deadly.
The sound of gravel underneath tires, stirs me from my thoughts. They’re here. I stand from my sitting position and put my hands up in sign of surrender.
Bane says something to Jesse and she nods, but doesn’t look happy at what I am sure is a demand. He steps out of the truck. He makes a show of his weapon in his hand. He rushes up to me and grabs me by my throat and pushes me up against the porch. I feel the metal of his gun causing an indention on my forehead.
“What do you want” he growls, “If it’s a fight, let’s get it over with. But you’re not coming near her.” He pushes the gun further, which causes me to growl. You’re lucky your alive fucker, I should kill you now. Then talk to my sister, my thoughts like canon in my brain.
“I’m not here to fight, I’m here to talk, that’s all” I force out.
“You tried to kill her, what makes you think she has anything to say to you”
“Because for some reason, she saved me, I want to know why”
He steps back, “One wrong move” the warming clear. He nods to Jesse and she gets out of the truck.
He smiles to Jesse and she gets out of the truck.
“Travis, you’re alright” she seems cautious but warm, not the picture Marco painted. Not the narcissistic bitch that got everything and anything she wanted.
“I’m fine, thank you. I can assume you were the one to thank for that.”
“Bane and I, yes. You’re my brother. I couldn’t let you die, I already lost one.”
At the mention of Danny, she looks down, sadness envelops her features.
“I was going to kill you” I say astonished.
“Yes, but you are just as much a victim to them as I am, I was hoping you would see that”
“I’m starting to”
“How did you find us” Bane interrupts.
“Mutual friend” I state not looking away from Jesse. For the first time since Theo, I may have found family. Real family. But I can’t see it working out. I am a killer. I’m still fucked up. I have no problem slitting someone throat, and I don’t believe Jesse is going to be an exception, but for now, she is safe.
“Fucking Trevor” Bane growls, pulling me from my thoughts, I snicker at this, Trevor has always been bad at keeping his mouth shut, for the right price, he will sell his great grandmothers gravy recipe faster than you can say family secret.
I go to grab the suitcase in her hand and she flinches.
“You’re okay” I whisper.
She doesn’t answer but hands me her suitcase with an unsure smile.
“What did he do to you” I demand
She shakes her head and starts walking into the house. I let her leave but I don’t stop there.
“What did he do to her”
He stares at me, probably trying to figure me out, I would do the same.
“She was his punching bag since the age of three, only God knows what else he did to her”
Fuck this.