Lesson Forty-Seven - The Toughest Times Bring The Right People Together.
Fear.
Fear could mess with your head more than anything else in this world. The fear of failure, the fear of dying. Even the fear of walking down the street sometimes just because you've had enough of what life throws your way. Everyone had some type of fear no matter how much and how well you tried to hide it. Even I had fear, I wasn't perfect but I knew how to hide it so well. My father had taught me that you fake confidence until fear is nothing but something you left in the past. It was words I had lived by from I was a child. It was the words that was going to get me through my crazy life.
Standing here right now with a gun pointed against my forehead I felt nothing. My emotions had completely blanked it. My mind at one point had screamed that I should get out of the way that I shouldn't be standing here in front of the line of fire. The other side of my mind won though. The side that told me I needed to protect those around me. I need Oliver to keep his attention on me and away from the others. My fear completely left when I knew I had others to protect, it always did. Fear was nothing but something that sometimes got in the way and you just needed to tell it fuck off. That you didn't have time for the shit that fear brought to your life.
Oliver's dull brown eyes told me a different story about fear. I could see the fear of not knowing what his next move was going to be. I could see his mind thinking about all the possible outcomes if he was to shot me right now. I could see the fear of him not being able to escape or worse losing his life right here and right now. He didn't have that control to tell himself to calm down and think straight. That's how I knew I was going to come out of this on top.
"You might want to lower that gun before you do something you'd regret." My voice was low as I spoke but my words sharp and commanding. There had been to much silence. Silence was deafening in a moment like this. I need sounds, it helped keep my mind at bay. Silence was the enemy.
Watching his fist tighten around the gun I had a clear view of his knuckles turning white. I kept my eyes focused on him letting myself acknowledging the gun properly for the first time. I didn't let the fear creep up and take control. There was no place for fear in a situation like this, it wouldn't help anybody.
I could see the inner battle he was having through his eyes. Eyes were the window to the soul and I could see everything through those eyes of his.
Slowly he started to lower his gun keeping on eye on me and the other on Riker. I didn't know why he thought that Riker was a bigger threat than Zane and my brother but I didn't question it in that moment. I had other things to deal with.
The silence was ruined when I heard footsteps walking towards us. In the darkness of the night I couldn't see anything behind the headlights of the cars. I kept my heartbeat at bay having a feeling that I didn't need to fear what was to come. I braced myself for anything anyway letting my hand tighten around the gun that was in my hand. You could never be to careful in a situation like this. I might have won the battle with Oliver but the war wasn't over. Not until everyone here that was on my side had walked away from this in one piece.
The true war wasn't here in this moment, it would come at a later time.
"You wear a crown that's for sure, Lyra."
The voice was as smooth as silk and I knew that voice. It was a voice I was never going to forget.
Nisha Brooks.
She stepped into my sight wearing a black classy dress and heels. It was clear that she was ready to go somewhere important with her hair falling down in curls down her back her bright amber eyes looking at me carefully. Eyes that looked so simple to my own. Not in colour as they were nothing like my lightening blue eyes. It was the sense of control and courage that was hidden in them. Those eyes told me that she would do anything to get what she wanted, when she wanted it and that was all I needed to know.
"What can I say sometimes the girls need to take control in order to make sure shit gets done."
I watched a smile crossed Nisha's face as she walked closer to me. There was three men standing by her sides but I was more than sure that this woman could handle anything that was thrown at her. The way she held herself told me that she feared nothing, but everyone had a fear and I was going to make sure I found out hers. No one could completely close them self of from their emotions. After all that's what made us human.
"Sometimes we do, I will agree with you on that one."
Her eyes looked over my shoulder and I knew she had seen my brother. She didn't look at him the same way as me though. She looked at him like he was kid who needed to be told to go home. I wasn't stupid I knew who she really was. Those eyes told me everything I needed to know.
"Hello Damon."
"Who the hell are you."
I couldn't help myself as I let out a scoff trying to hide my laughter at my brothers response. It didn't matter who this woman was or who she should for Damon didn't give a fuck and neither did I. She was just another person who was in my way.
"What are you doing here?"
This time it was Riker who spoke but there was something in his voice. Something that told me that he was on edge and if he didn't like the situation we were in then I needed to take note. I couldn't let my guard down for a moment.
Nisha looked at her men from behind her before she turned her attention back to us. I could see the calculating and curious look on her face. Almost she didn't know if she wanted to tell us the truth or not. She must have made up her mind though because it wasn't long before she spoke again.
"I was to met Oliver here in order to catch a flight. We are heading back to London tonight and I needed to make sure business was taken care of."
"You mean killing Zane's parents?" I bite out not holding back on my anger of the situation. It was the first time I had let my emotions sleep since I got here but I didn't care. This woman had called the shots. I didn't care who she was or what she was to me no one did that on my watch.
"It is just the start of a chain reaction, my child. A chain reaction to start what needs to be done."
"And what is it that needs to be done?" I was bold asking these questions but she was answering them so I would keep asking. I needed to. If I was going to play a part in this I needed to know what I was going up against.
I didn't have a life long following of members from gangs. I came from a different breed compared to Riker and Zane but that didn't make me any less dangerous. In fact it made me more so because she didn't know what I was capable of, she didn't know what I could do. I was the wild card these guys needed in this war.
"You don't need to know that just yet." Responded Nisha as she looked back at her men one of them nodded answering a silent question between the two. She then turned her attention back to us. "But we do need to go so if you call off your dogs we can leave peacefully because we both know dear, a battle right now isn't what you need."
She was right as much as I hated to admit it we couldn't afford to have bullets flying right now. Zane wasn't in the right mindset and Riker and his men weren't prepared for something like that.
Looking at Riker I gave him a pleading look something I didn't normal give to people. He narrowed his eyes slightly at me but I could see it to he knew we couldn't risk it either. He lowered his gun slowly and his men followed after. I could see the relief in there faces, they knew they were outnumbered as well.
Zane though, he was a different matter. Looking at him I could see the anger on his face he wasn't going to let this go and I didn't blame him. His parents were killed by these people and we were just going to let them go. We had no choice though we were outgunned and out numbered.
"Zane."
"No! Lyra they killed them, they killed my parents!"
His voice rang out in otherwise silence that had fell in the night. Walking over to him I could see the tears streaming down his face, his eyes puffy and red. I had never seen someone so broken. That's what he was, a broken shell of what he once was before. I needed him to be the leader that he once was if we were to take on these people. I needed him to have his head on straight and he didn't right now and that was dangerous.
Resting my hand on his gun I pushed it downwards so that it was no longer pointed at Oliver. The man that I knew Zane wanted to kill with out second thought. I needed to be the smart one right now. I needed that time that they go to London to get Zane to think once more. He needed time to grieve before I could even think about what to do next.
"Smart move."
Snapping my head to face Nisha and her men once more I gave them a deathly look. A look that would kill people were the stood if that was the power I had.
"You better leave."
Giving us all one more look she nodded in agreement. I could see the promise in her eyes as she spoke for the final time.
"I will see you again."
I let out a deep chuckle but there was no rumour in it as I gave her a pointed look. I was over this whole situation now and she needed to leave before I lose all sense and just didn't care anymore about what happened. One look at Zane and I felt nothing but Sympathy.
"You can count on that. Mom."