Fiction: The Hunt on Wind Breaker Island 6

Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

Fiction: The Hunt on Wind Breaker Island 6

The sound of Jaz's laughter made Sedge want to punch him in the face. She tried not to show her anger as a headache started.
    "Get that one," said Austin, holding the pistol at Fab while gripping one of her arm.
    Steve grabbed Sedge's arms and pulled them behind her. His grip was surprisingly strong. "Think I'll run away?" said Sedge. "Where do you think I'll go?" Steve didn't respond.
    "Bob, kill Jaz!" shouted Fab.
    The butler reminded still.
    "Bob, kill the man beside you," said Fab. The butler made no move. "Bob, come free me!"
    Jaz laughed again. "Give it up, Fab. No butler of mine would kill me. I set it to shut down if someone tells it to kill me. It's one of my genius ideas." As if to prove his point, the butler's yellow eyes suddenly blinked out. Fab scowled.
    "Davis, if you want Daisy to live, come and untie me." said Jaz. It was almost funny to see his nine-feet frame bound in rope like he was a baby carrot with his blonde hair sticking upward but Sedge still wanted to punch him in the face.
    Davis looked up and then at Daisy. She nodded. He gently lowered her to the ground and ran toward Jaz. His hands, stained with blood, shook a bit as he picked at the knot. "Use a knife, you nitwit," said Jaz.
    Davis dropped the bit of rope and took out a penknife from his pants pocket. With one swipe move, the rope at the top began to fall away and Davis caught it and begun to unwind it around Jaz but Jaz flinched. "Do not touch me with that dirty hands of yours! Step back!"
    Davis stepped back and then when Jaz waved him off, he returned to Daisy. Her lips was quivering. She was even paler than usual.
    Jaz swaggered toward Sedge. He took the pistol from Austin and knocked him on the side of the head. "What took you? I thought you're faster than that. You and your mute brother here is getting a pay deduction for being dumb."
    Fab's head was bended low so Sedge couldn't see her face but the sound of sobbing was easy to hear in the quietness.
    "Sorry," Austin mumbled.
    "Don't let it happen again," said Jaz. "Fab, quit your sobbing, will you?"
    Fab sniffed but made no more noise.
    "Let them go," said Jaz.
    Steve and Austin let Sedge and Fab go. The brothers moved to stand on Jaz's right side. Fab started away from them but Jaz took hold of her arm. "You're not going anywhere." Fab turned her head away from Jaz.
    "So Yang—Hold on. I should try to remember to call you Sedge, shouldn't I? Now Sedge, should we continue our business?" He pointed the pistol at Fab's head. "Pull that bionic arm of yours off or I'll kill her."
    "You vile bastard. I hope you rot in hell for all eternity!" Fab shouted.
    "Fab, Honey, is that way for a lady to speak?" Jaz laughed and struck her face. She fell to the ground but when she started to get up, he pressed a hand on her shoulder. "Stay put." Fab tightened her lips. "Sedge, are you waiting to see if I'll shoot her? I have no use for her now that she's no longer loyal to me."
    "No one here is loyal to you. It's your money that they are loyal to." Sedge tried for a smile but she didn't have the heart for it.
    "That's true. Everyone here came for the money. But I can live with that. Now are you going to do it or not?" He aimed his pistol around and stopped at Daisy. "Or would you rather I shoot Daisy? She hasn't much long to live."
    "No!" Davis turned slightly covering Daisy with his body. "Jaz, please, no." Tears dripped down Davis' dark face. The bright afternoon light surrounded him and Daisy gave them a strange, ethereal glow. "You promised you will save Daisy. I freed you—"
    "Enough! I said I'll let Daisy live, I didn't say anything about saving her. Now shut your mouth before I give her another shot that will really kill her." Jaz glared at Davis. Davis pursed his lips into a thin line. He turned away so they couldn't see his face.
    "You're such a coward, threatening weak people." Sedge wondered now what the heck she saw in Jaz. She must have been insane.
    Jaz returned to pointing the pistol at Fab. "I don't mind it one bit. I'm used to it and they... seemed to be used to it also." He shrugged.
    Sedge stepped forward. Just one punch in that face.
    "Uh-uh. Think you can hit me and still save Fab? I can shoot better than you think."
    Sedge paused. She hated not being able to do anything. Around her, the brothers had their heads bowed. Davis was looking away. And Boots? There seem to be no sight of him. Sedge was ashamed she had forgotten about Boots but there was no time to worry about him now.
     Fab met Sedge's eyes. She smiled but her eyes were slightly bended.
    "Sedge, I'm only protecting myself and my fellow man here. Who knew what murderous intend you have against the rest of them? I know first hand what it means to have my life threatened by you," said Jaz with a smile. "You care about these people don't you? Since you're so caring, why not ease your fellow man's fears? We'll all sleep better knowing your arm isn't making you go crazy."
    "That's nonsense. There's no proof that bionic parts makes people mad. It's just some stupid thing the government made up to—"
    "No, Sedge. We all know bionics caused madness in humans. You have been brainwashed. You'll be safer without that arm of yours. Now kindly pull it off or Fab will not live to see tomorrow." Jaz smiled showing his pearly teeth. It only made Sedge madder.
    "You're good with your words, I can admire you for that but you're no good when you have to do the dirty work. Why don't you put your words into action and come and take my arm?" Sedge smiled. "Come on. You've always wanted to be a AABC (Authorities Against Bionic Corruption) agent. Prove it." Sedge's heart raced faster. It was probably a bad idea to provoke Jaz but Sedge didn't want Fab or anyone to die because of her. No matter who, everyone deserved to live. Except maybe Jaz. The world would probably be better without that fool.
    Jaz widened his eyes. "Are you challenging me?" He lowered the pistol.
    Sedge met Jaz's eyes. Yes."
    Jaz smiled. "Do you know the number one reason people lose to me?"
    "Because you cheat?" Which, as far as Sedge knew, was true.
    Jaz chortled. "You're always so amusing. I do like that about you. The thing is, I never lose because everyone can be brought. Besides, I always get what I want so you might as well just give me your arm without any fuss."
    Sedge had no doubt about that but she's not going to let him get her arm without a fight.
    Jaz lifted the pistol and shoot at Sedge. "Ah, Sedge, look what you made me do," he said.
    Fab shrieked. The brothers made no sound.
    Sedge gripped her forearm and clenched her lips. The bullet just grazed her skin but the pain was worst than she had expected.
    "That is just a taste. The next one, I'm won't be as kind. How about you do yourself a favor and just pulled that arm off and throw it here?" Jaz grinned.
    Why didn't he shoot her left arm? That would have been the easiest thing to do or did he wanted her bionic arm intact? She let go of her right arm. "I don't want to repeat myself but you seem to not have heard me so I'll say it again. Come and get it if you're man enough."
    Jaz pushed Fab aside and took the few steps to Sedge, pistol at his side. In a low voice, he said, "Frankly speaking, these people are all expendable."
    "Who's going to find your tooth if they aren't here?" Sedge met his eyes.
    Jaz grinned. "Actually, I don't have to come back with the tooth. I could leave here and tell everyone you murdered these people with your bionic-enraged mind. They might even come and hunt you down."
    "People will have doubts."
    "They can be convinced once I bring back your arm." He tilted his chin toward her left arm.
    Was that Jaz's plan all along? No one had ever found the tooth in eight years and that was the first hunt. Why was Sedge so dumb as to step onto the island once she saw Jaz was on the boat with her?
    He leaned closer to Sedge. "You're a freak of nature. If anyone needs convincing, it's you."
    Sedge scowled. She lifted her leg and kicked his lower region. He fell and dropped the pistol to the ground. "How dare you!"
    The brothers didn't move. The corner of Fab's lips curved upward.
    "Help me up, you fool!" Jaz was clutching his groin area.
    Sedge almost laughed. Boots had always said she was a little lowbrow when she fights but that was fine with her.
    The brothers each grab an arm of Jaz's and hoisted him up. Jaz's face was slightly red. He raced forward and gripped Sedge's by the collar of her shirt. "Don't think I won't kill you. Your only use to me is your arm. Now give it up." He let her go.
    Sedge straightened her shirt. "As I said before, come and get it if you think you're man enough."
    Austin picked up the pistol and Jaz grabbed it from him. He pressed the end to Sedge's forehead. "Lose that left arm or I'll shoot."
    At least his threat wasn't at other people which Sedge thought was uncharacteristic of Jaz.
    "You know, using weapons are for weak people, Jaz." Sedge didn't blink as she met his eyes. "Can't you fight hand-to-hand like a man?"
    He lowered the pistol and took a few steps back from Sedge. "You know, I had some respect for you but now I don't know, Sedge. You seem to prefer to be a savage rather than a human."
    "You're just afraid you'll lose in a fight with me." Sedge smiled. Jaz had never had to fight since he always paid someone to do it for him.
    Jaz dropped the pistol to the ground and grabbed Sedge's left arm with both hands. She took hold of one of his hand and twisted. He shrieked and let her go. Then he snagged her hair and pulled but Sedge knocked her head against his. She rubbed at her forehead. It was less painful when she had done that years ago.
    Jaz staggered backward. Blood leaked out of one his nostrils. He wiped it away with the back of his hand. "That was good!" He went for her left arm again. She grabbed hold of his right arm and flipped him onto the ground. He screeched and then kicked her ankles. She fell on her side. He rolled her over on her back and pinned her with one knee against her chest while holding her wrists against the ground.
    "Ready to surrender?"
    "Never!" She lifted a leg and struck his groin again. He grunted and struck her face with the back of his hand. Pain shot through her chin. Her vision blurred. He pulled at her left arm. She struck out at him as her vision cleared.
    "Yang Yang, help me!"
    Sedge turned her head slightly to her left. Fab was struggling with Austin for the pistol in his hand. Steve was moving side to side as if deciding what to do.
    Jaz pressed at her wound on her right arm. She screamed. He delivered a blow to her face. She returned the favor to his jaw and pushed him away and got up. He yanked her leg and she tumbled to the ground. Her right hand hit a puddle. Splashes of water speckled her face. Jaz pushed her face into the puddle. She held her breath but water ran up her nose. The pressure on her back increased.
    Something pricked her right hand but she dismissed it. Bits of sunlight came from above and something sparkled in the murky water. Before she could decide what it was, she was pulled out of the water.
    Taking a deep breath, she tried to focus but her head was spinning. Everything was blurry. She could only make out spots of light and shadows.
    "Sedge, you ready to give me what I want?" Jaz's voice sounded so far away.
    She chuckled. Her head was dipping in the water again. Her vision darkened and she closed her eyes. A click sounded and then she blacked out.