Garden of Spiders Volume 2: A Companion Book to The Fallocaust Series Book 3

by Quil Carter

  But it seemed, however, that I had been right about him wanting Silas to summon me. “I just…” He hesitated, then took in a rattled breath. “I’m worried you’re going to… you’re going to slip away to go find… them.”

  Them?

  My eyes shot up from the plate of food to my brother, and the bottom dropped out of me. “Them?” I said in a harsh whisper, a flash flood of emotion suddenly breaking the dam that the mixtures of Xanax and god knows what else had built inside of me. “What do you mean them?”

  You could hear a pin drop. Sacario, Perish, and Mantis looked at the two of us, their eyes, shades from blue to grey, staring with mixed shocked looks.

  Garrett’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. “Nero… Nero said he was going to speak with you…” Garrett said faintly. “He… didn’t?”

  My head slowly shook, sparks of anger bursting in my insides, dangerously close to where I knew a deposit of gasoline was.

  Garrett stared at me, a deer in headlights looking braver than he was. “I see…” he stammered. “Ah, Elish, you must just forget–”

  “Who’s them, Garrett,” I said, my voice catching. Suddenly my body seemed alive again, Garrett’s words breathing life into a body that had been stuck on autopilot for the past week. Energy was spreading, the core of it starting in my chest, where that dead heart lay rotting, and joining with my blood to shoot hot adrenaline all throughout my body.

  And just like that… I was awake. It was startling, unsettling, and as if a veil had been pulled away from my eyes.

  If there was one thing that could wake up this broken soul… it was the promise of vengeance, of revenge against those who had taken someone most dear from me.

  And that overwhelming feeling hit me like I’d been standing in the middle of highway traffic.

  “Garret…” I said slowly. I rose to my feet, just as my brother cowered, and walked to him. “I believe it is time I learn who took my partner from me. Get on your phone, we’re going to go see Nero.”

  “But, Elish…”

  “Now, Garrett.”

  Sacario whistled. “I knew he’d be back,” he whispered.

  I ignored him and grabbed my briefcase from the laboratory my office desk was in. Then Garrett and I headed towards the exit, Garrett speaking meekly to Nero on his remote phone.

  It was such a sudden turn around, if I wasn’t fostering this rage inside of me I would’ve been shocked at how night and day this switch had been. It made me wonder if this was reminiscent of how Silas himself worked. One second I was placid, deep in the cold, emotionless void, then the next thing I knew… I was chin deep in a rage that had my shoulders trembling and a bitter taste inside of my mouth.

  Them. Them.

  Just tell me, Garrett, Nero. Just tell me it was the Bratvas so I can give the order. I will send the thiens and the Legion into the Skyfall underground and I will drag out every screaming rat that I find. They will pay for taking away Finn.

  The man that I loved – and still loved.

  “Elish… I thought you knew. Please, you’re putting me in a difficult place…”

  “If I knew I wouldn’t be here,” I snapped. We were waiting in the parking lot for Nero, who’d had the day off today. I was pacing back and forth, the anger catching my breath. What was happening to me? I was losing control. This was so sudden; I was fine only moments before.

  When Nero’s Ford F150 pulled into the parking lot, I was overrun with adrenaline, with the potent anger that licked my muscles, making them twitch and tighten. As soon as he stopped the truck, I was there. I got into the front, my jaw clenched tight.

  Nero took one look at me, and his eyes deflected. He hadn’t been able to look me in the eye since Finn died.

  “It was the Bratvas, wasn’t it?” I said through my locked teeth, clenched so tightly jolts of pain ran up and down my jaw from the pressed nerves. All I needed was the confirmation. I don’t know why since it was obvious, but I needed it.

  “No, bro.”

  What?

  My eyes shot to Nero, and my hot blood turned to ice in my veins. “Who was it?”

  I stared in shock as Nero’s face scrunched, his eyes closed and he clenched the steering wheel of the black truck with a white-knuckle grip.

  “I’m sorry, Eenie Meenie,” he said through a broken voice. “We… we tore him apart when we caught him.”

  What was he talking about? What the fuck was he talking about?

  “Do… you want me to tell him, Nero?” Garrett’s meek voice sounded from the back seat.

  “No… no, I can do this…”

  I stared at Nero as he took in a deep breath.

  “The rebels you sent me after… they weren’t Bratvas,” Nero said slowly, his eyes shut tight. He was talking through clenched teeth. “They were a part of that group we were cheering on… the Skyfall Rebels…”

  The life drained out of me.

  “It was this dude called Vlad… I saw him during the ambush and he must’ve escaped. It’s my fault. I told you I’d killed them all but he must’ve slipped through and… and taken up revenge.” My brother started to cry, his head lowering and leaning against the steering wheel. “I’m so sorry, Elish. I’m so fucking sorry. It’s all my fucking fault. All of this.”

  Every single emotion that I would’ve felt from Nero’s admission all funnelled into anger. I knew I should’ve felt guilt and sorrow, but it was hate, hate was what fuelled me, and I grasped onto that hate and I fucking clung to it like it was the only tree in a world on fire.

  Vlad. Ivan’s son.

  I knew what I had to do in that moment. If I was going to wipe out the entire Jackson family, I would need the Legion and I would need Silas. And my brother was the Legion.

  But first, I needed answers.

  “Nero, I need you to do two things for me right now,” I said, no emotion behind my voice but the chill of a cabin door opened during a blizzard.

  “Anything, bubby,” he said through tears.

  “Drive me to Sundance Street, north of Wayward Drive,” I said. “The single-storey blue house with the black trim, three houses from the start of the road.”

  Nero looked at me with a questioned expression, but he sniffed and nodded, and shifted the truck into drive.

  “While I’m on there, call Silas. I need to speak to the family once I return about what is going to be done about Finn’s death,” I said as the truck began to pull out of the Skytech skyscraper. “There are some things I have uncovered that you and Silas need to know about.” Nero and Garrett’s heads both shot to me, their eyes widening at the same time. “And I’m going to need the Legion’s help taking care of a family that has grown far too powerful.”

  Nero nodded; Garrett began sputtering questions but I raised my hand to silence him. I needed time to think, and I needed time to word what I would be telling Silas and Nero once I returned home.

  No, I would not be confessing what I had been doing to control Silas. The family already knew about the Skyfall Rebels but they were under the impression they were greywasters rising up because the Bratvas were giving them a bad name. I wouldn’t be telling Silas I had anything to do with the Jacksons, because since Nero and Ceph could’ve very well been killed, it would have the king smacking me across the room, and probably worse. The after effects wouldn’t be any better either, Silas would never trust me again. I had been doing well welding Silas to my side, and making myself his trusted confidant. So I had to do this carefully, extremely carefully.

  The best thing to do, would be to tell them I had uncovered vital information through an informant.

  And I was going to go see this informant right now.

  But with the rage frying my blood, boiling it and sending it hot throughout my veins, I would be surprised if the woman survived our visit.

  They were going to pay… they were all going to pay for Finn’s death.

  And I would be cleaning up the mess that I had let get out of hand.

&n
bsp; Nero dropped me off in front of Onika’s house, but as I got out, a nervous noise was made in his throat. “Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you, bro?” he said.

  I shook my head. “I will be in no danger,” I said to him. Oniks would barely be able to stand with how pregnant she would be; any day now that child would be born. I was glad at least that I still had time to find the little whelp a home. “I won’t be long.”

  They didn’t like it, but that didn’t matter. I closed the truck door and began crossing the lawn made of yellowing grass. I steadied myself then, attempting to bottle the anger that was making my clenched fists shake.

  I wanted to grab that bitch by the neck and shake her, solely because Ivan and Vlad’s blood ran through her veins. I wanted that entire family line to be extinguished, and if that woman didn’t do everything that I said, or I thought for one moment that she had betrayed me, she would be feeding my family tonight.

  I saw flickers of lights through a crack in the curtain, the television was on. I walked up the several stone steps to the brown windowless door, and knocked once.

  I focused my abilities to my hearing and heard a squeak of a couch. I waited, forcing the anger from my body, but when the door opened and I saw Oniks, bags under her eyes and her hair in a messy bun, I couldn’t hold back the rage.

  Nor could the woman hold back her fear. Her green eyes widened when she saw me, and she cowered down, then her eyes filled and she stepped away. “You killed them all?” she said in a wobbling voice. “You… you killed all of them?”

  I had no intention of telling her the ambush was planned, I never had. “I did nothing to them,” I said coolly. “They ambushed a legion patrol, a patrol that had my brothers in it. They deserved it and more. If you have issue with my family defending themselves, tell me now.”

  “They’re my fucking family, Elish!” Oniks cried. “I understand… but for fuck sakes, don’t tell me I don’t have a right to feel sad that they’re dead.”

  And then I lost it, for a brief moment, I lost my cool. “They killed my sengil!” I yelled, and as I yelled I slammed my hand against the wall. “I don’t care what you feel for them. Don’t you fucking cry in front of me, when they’re the ones that took him.”

  Oniks face dropped. She looked up at me, her eyes wide. “W-what?” she whispered.

  My teeth ground and I stalked into the living room. “Have you not watched the news?” I snarled. I saw that the TV was showing some foolish sitcom. “Vlad opened fire on Finn and myself.” I ripped several buttons from my shirt and when I tore off the bandage, showing the gruesome stitched mess that was my chest, she gasped. “He tried to kill me, he killed my sengil.” My voice wavered, but I caught it; I caught it and forced myself to remain strong.

  Remember, Elish. Remember when you were younger and you told yourself you’d treat bad situations as a game? As a challenge? If you can remain calm, you win. Remain calm, remain calm and don’t show weakness in front of this damn woman.

  I took in a discreet deep breath, and I lowered my feet back onto solid ground. “Vlad’s dead,” I said coldly. “Julian, and my brothers and my sister ripped him apart. He deserved it, and you know he deserved it.”

  Oniks, still staring at my stitched and bruised chest, nodded, but said nothing.

  “I’m going to ask you some questions, Onika, and you will be answering them for me,” I said. I made myself ice, and slowly buttoned up my shirt. “Have you been contacted by anyone in your family?”

  Oniks’ eyes closed tight and she shook her head. “They don’t know I’m here.”

  “Did Ivan say if anyone else was remaining?”

  Oniks was quiet, my temper flared. “Answer me!” I bellowed.

  Suddenly behind me, I heard a cry. The cry of a newborn child that I knew all too well.

  I turned around, and just as Oniks began to cry too, I saw the small baby wrapped in a blue plaid blanket, lying on a swivel chair. My mind had been so distracted I hadn’t even noticed that she was no longer pregnant.

  “I haven’t been out,” Oniks said through her tears. “I wanted to… I just wanted to spend a few days with him before I contacted you.”

  I walked over to the infant, a squalling pink thing with a thatch of dark hair, and when I picked him up, Oniks let out a sob.

  “Your family betrayed me,” I said to her. “They took a deal that benefited both parties, and once they had the power they wanted, they spat on the deal, tried to kill my brothers, and killed my partner.” I walked to her, the child in my arms. “What am I supposed to do about that, Onika?”

  “I left the family, Elish…” Onika said, and she wiped her eyes. “Ivan wanted to kill my son. He… he’s not my father anymore. What else can I do?”

  “The answer to that is simple,” I said. “You’ll do whatever I tell you to do.” I walked past her towards the door. “Once you’ve recovered your strength from giving birth, I want you to find out if there’s any more Bratvas in Skyfall, or any of your family remaining.” I turned around, Oniks’ eyes were on her child, and it was apparent her heart was being ripped in half. She knew I was taking him, but she knew this day was going to come. “I will get vengeance for the death of my partner and the attack on my family. Will you have an issue with that?”

  Her staring eyes didn’t once blink. “No,” she whispered.

  “Where is the child’s father?”

  “I don’t know. I think he’s back in the greywastes,” she said faintly. “I don’t want him to know about the baby either… I’m worried he may try and take him.” She walked towards me, her arms raised, and I handed back the child. She held the baby to her chest, her closed eyes squeezing tears. “If I knew he would be safe, I’d keep him, but… I know he isn’t. Not even with Ivan gone.”

  I let out a breath, and decided to be cordial. If she was going to me my informant, I had to show some shred of humanity. “Do you have any one to stay with you?” I asked.

  She sniffed and nodded. “I… I met someone. One of your men who was getting me settled here. Meirko. He’s… he was so kind to me. He brought me groceries, and we’re going to watch a movie tomorrow.”

  Meirko. He was a thien who worked under Ellis. An honourable man who had the connections I needed both within the force and his family and friends. I had saved his sister from a strike against her record after she was caught serving ground dog meat instead of arian in her restaurant. Both were acceptable food but dog meat was seen as a lower quality protein. Meirko was another man who I could rely on. If those two wanted to be involved, it would be useful to me.

  I was quiet as she said her goodbyes to the child. I had no idea just who I would be giving him to; I really hadn’t planned on leaving this house with an infant. But that was my fate apparently, and it was my insurance that Oniks would never betray me. It was obvious she was attached to the boy, and she knew chimeras enough to know he would be at risk if she betrayed me.

  “You’re my informant now,” I said to her. “I need someone on the inside. When your family gets in contact with you, I want to know. If you hear anything about a re-emergence of the Bratvas, especially the baby’s father, I want to know. You will be my eyes and ears for what is happening in the underground and the greywastes. In exchange, I’ll find a safe home for the boy where you can watch him from a distance, and I will give you a monthly allowance, a house, a vehicle and a low stress job. When I need to send you into the greywastes to get me information on your remaining family, I’ll send you with adequate guards and weapons.”

  Her pursed lip quivered and her eyes shut tight. “As long as he’s safe,” she said, clutching the baby to her chest. “I don’t want him to be raised in the same environment I was.”

  I thought of something, I wasn’t sure if it would come to pass, but I would say it anyway. “I can tell you now, my family will not be letting the Jacksons or the Bratvas live for much longer.” I held out my hands and she paused for a moment, before giving me the child. “If you
wish, I will take the child now, and if there is a time that he isn’t at risk, once the rebels are dead and their towns under the control of the Legion, there really isn’t any reason why you cannot take him–”

  My words stopped when the woman put her arms around me, being careful not to crush the child. I don’t believe even Ellis had done this in years, it certainly is strange being so close to a woman.

  “Please, please, do it,” she begged. “I’ll do everything, anything I can. I just… I can’t keep him now. Not with Marcel Jr out there. Not with this fucking war still going on.”

  “They’ll be dead soon,” I told her when she let go of me. “Are you sure you have no issue with this? They are your family after all.”

  Oniks leaned down and picked up a blue cloth bag. I realized it was the child’s supplies, she’d already packed it for him. “I could tell you stories, Elish, bad stories,” she said with a shake of her head. She handed me the bag. “I’m not a traitor, unlike Ivan and Vlad… I love Skyfall. I don’t care that your family controls everything because I’m not a law breaker. I want to stay here, raise a family here. I’d rather die than go back to the greywastes.” She walked towards me again, and leaned down and kissed the baby’s cheek. “But not yet, not now. It’s not safe for me to have him. Just… please find him a safe home, even if just temporary, and one day… one day it’ll be safe enough for me to have him.”

  ~

  And one day Oniks would have her child back, but unfortunately it would be one of the gravest mistakes I made. Because as I walked across the yard full of dead grass, I didn’t realize I was holding the father of the future leaders of the Crimstones: Milos and Meirko. The same man who would kidnap my cicaro, and would kill himself in a desperate last attempt to trap Jade, myself, Silas, and several other brothers in a death trap.

  As those who have been paying attention may also guess, Oniks would eventually marry that thien named Meirko and this child’s second son would carry his grandfather’s name. These two brothers would cause a lot of problems for my family, but that is the thing with hindsight, you can never really know just what the future holds.