Hannibal had spent the past couple days with Viola. Although he knew she could protect him. He didn't feel safe. He didn't feel safe at all. He had expected the Gundersons to make their move by now, but maybe he was giving himself too much credit. He wasn't that important to those gangsters, and any witnesses died in the explosion-he hoped at least.
Viola had even began teaching him how to shoot, though he couldn't fire real bullets. It made him incredibly uncomfortable. Viola was nice enough to offer him blanks to shoot with, he felt bad he made her go through the extra effort.
He was eating his breakfast and sharing a picture of water with her. She was offered wine with apparently a note on the bottom which made him suspicious.
Eventually the maiden man had come, rather late however. Hannibal straightened his posture as he arrived, listening to there conversation. Not commenting however. As scary as this situation was, being embroiled in such violence, the company he kept made him feel comfortable and almost eager to see what would happen. Viola was a bounty hunter with a heart, and cared for people on the bottom and even bystanders. The fact she cared about anything was a good thing but she went the extra mile. Most people would have left him on the street to starve to death that day, and an uncomfortable portion of people would have used him as a human shield in that shootout.
The Iron Maidens, Hannibal had heard about these people. They had actually indirectly saved his life once, killing a group of bandits who had been chasing him. Their ethic gave him a reason to think that there was something decent out there in the world, something good. It was hero worship, pure and simple, and he had a sickly feeling that underneath their image there would most likely be something sinister hidden underneath. There always was. Viola was a surprise though, she actually seemed to be all she was on the surface, not hiding anything evil within. Still, he knew nothing about the maidens, and just because they helped the little guy, didn't necessarily make them good people. Still, his hero worship was rather getting the better of him.
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Aesop sat still in the crawler as it went on some sort of trip. He didn't know, he was still in a trance. Eventually he got out. He looked like hell. He was cleaned up, but his eyes and his face just looked wrong. Some guy named Carlos, Bennie didn't like him, some stuff, didn't matter much. Or it probably did but he had been a shithead not paying attention.
Then he began to pay attention. Pixie and Bennie were reunited as if nothing had happened. Wait, isn't he responsible for Maidens dying? He suddenly felt more guilt. Oh shut the fuck up Sillah, its your old best friend killing everyone on the maiden, and hell Bennie was nice to you, you ungrateful bastard. Wait Sillah? He hadn't called himself that in a long time. Nearly a decade now. Shut up Aesop just shut the fuck up and begin paying attention this shit is probably important. Bennie and Pixie still hugging, she introduced a... fucking hell she's beautiful. He thought, having a wonderful moment of normalcy. Eh, I prefer short haired girls. Too young too. Yeah Lil was hotter-is hotter Aesop. Christ stop assuming everyone is dead you're losing your shit. And just like that his mind was back to Austin. He wished, oh he wished he could keep pretending things were normal and think about women for just a few seconds longer. But no, his mind wouldn't let him.
"Lovely to meet you all! Now, who would care for a drink?"
"Just put it all in one big fucken bucket and I'll drink it from a straw." He tried to jest.
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Isabel waited in the medical bed. Anxious, scared, her anger was giving her strength but being by herself, and unable to walk due to the pregnancy, she knew that if someone came to kill her because of what she and Franklin had agreed on there would be no way to defend herself in this position. She could grab some medical equipment and throw it at them, but they would come in with guns. Maybe they would just kill Franklin, but neither of them could live without each other. If she had her baby to raise she could live on. But without her baby? And being surrounded by the worst people in the world? Worse than all those who had hurt her when she was younger.
If only she could run away with her family, her new, real family. She and Franklin could get married. She'd use her real name of course, as would he. And they would argue over what last name their son would have. They would both be too stubborn, and thus agree to have it hyphenated. But then they would argue over who's name came first! They'd laugh as they'd find a good place to raise their little boy, somewhere away from the violence... if such a place had a chance of existing on The Rock.
She didn't realise the goofy smile she had on her face as she was whisked away by her thoughts of being a wife and a mother with her family, when the door began creaking open. Her heart was in her throat. This was it. Oh god this was it. This was where she would die. This was where she would never be able to see either of them ever again. Franklin was dead, their baby was taken and Austin would go on to keep killing and kidnapping all over the world...
But it was no murderer at the door. It was her beloved, as he slowly creaked in, a tiny baby boy in his arms. A smile on his face as he saw her, completely humble. "Isabel... this is our baby." He closed the door behind himself quickly so no one would hear. Tears welled up in her eyes as he brought the child to her arms. Instantly she began crying, maternal instinct kicking in harder than it ever had, but not the rage of protection, now it was the pure happiness, as if he was born all over again.
Her tears poured onto the baby boy's face. He waved his tiny fists into the air. Isabel chuckled through her tears. "He's so adorable. Look at him punching the air."
"I know baby, I know. We got a little badass over here." He laughed and kissed her on the top of the head as he hugged her tightly.
"Language! He's not even a week old I don't want him to hear swears!"
Franklin giggled. "Okay baby, I wont I'm sorry."
They snuggled together as a family for a while before he had to speak again. "I um... He knows Issy." Her jaw dropped and she tightened her grip on her child. "He says he wants us to be the "beginnings of something." I think cos he wants his..." Franklin scoffed, "fuckin' 'children' to breed. So he's using us as an example."
"What... what does that mean?" She asked, looking up to him terrified.
"I don't know. But he knows what we were thinking, he said he was dissapointed in us, and then he gave me..." His words trailed off as he stared back down at his child."
They were silent for a while as so many fears ran through their minds. Eventually, she broke the silence and said. "What shall we name him?"
Franklin laughed and was about to answer, when the door burst open. There stood Austin and Oliver. "Troy. His name is Troy." Austin spoke coldly. The two parents were stunned with fear. "Say it. Say his name."
They both hesitated before finally admitting. "Troy... his name is Troy."
"Good." Continued Austin. "Now, Franklin get ready."
"For what?" he asked.
"We are going to save some of my children before we head for mother. It is on the way, and you will be leading the charge." Austin didn't stand there like a father. He stood like the monster the whole of the Ashlands knew him to be. They were under his thumb and they couldn't escape.
"Of course father." Spoke Franklin as he took one last look at his wife and baby before quickly turning back to Austin. "Who else is coming with me?"
"The maiden, Carlton. We're making good progress in liberating him. He's not there yet, but he knows what's right. And saving young girls from a life of oppression and selling their bodies is a righteous cause for even some of the worst pretenders."
"Prostitutes?" Isabel asked as she cradled her son.
"Yes my girl, prostitutes." He said the word with disgust. Turning his attention to Franklin he said, "Go on, get ready."
