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‘You know Jack, this is going to be so much fun. I have been looking forward to this for so long.’
‘Do what you need to do, but shut the fuck up please. Why do you guys always like to hear yourself talk?’
‘Look who is talking now? So, let’s get this show on the road then, hey, as you Americans like to say.’
Jack braces himself for what is about to come. Kovacs isn´t going to go easy on him, but he has made his peace with the fact that it would be Kovacs or him. What he didn´t expect is Mac being dragged in. The kid is supposed to be thousands of miles from here. He is gagged with duct tape and the cuffs around his wrists and ankles are heavy duty, he isn´t going anywhere. But what is more worrisome is the fact that Mac is clearly drugged, his eyes rolling in their sockets.
‘Don’t do this Kovacs, don´t make this personal.’
‘Oh but Jack, you trying to kill me, all those years ago made it personal.’
Mac is unceremoniously dropped to the floor.
‘So I know you hope I will make this quick, but you know me better than that.’
‘Cut the crap Kovacs.’
‘So this is what’s going to happen. I’m going to take you boy toy with me to the bedroom and show him how it feels to get fucked by a real man. And when I am done with that sweet ass, I am sure he can entertain my men for a while.’
Kovacs has crouched next to Mac, slowly stroking the boy’s jaw. Mac seems to be resurfacing because he tries to pull away from the touch but Kovacs pulls his hair so his neck is exposed.
‘I really like my boys feisty, but you need to know your place!’
‘Leave him alone!’
When one of Kovacs’ men comes in with a prefilled syringe, Jack struggles against his bounds. Kovacs grips Mac’s jaw in his hand making sure Mac is looking at Jack when he is injected with whatever is in the syringe.
Jack keeps cursing and screaming at Kovacs while Mac’s eyes start to roll up and he starts to seize. He grunting noises that come from behind the duct tape will hunt Jack forever.
‘For god’s sake, he’s choking.’
Kovacs rips the duct tape off and foams and spit spill from Mac’s mouth.
‘Oops, maybe that second dose was a bit much and too soon. He is a scrawny kid after all. Oh well, he will get over it and still make a good fuck.’
Mac’s gone limp and two men haul Mac up, dragging him out of he room.
‘So Dalton, this is where our paths separate. But as promised, I will make sure your boy suffers.’
Kovacs raises his gun, aims and pulls the trigger.
Jack wakes up screaming. There are tears in his eyes and he can´t seem to catch his breath. Mac comes storming into the room with a hockey stick.
‘Mac?’
Jack stares at him, ‘you’re alright?’
‘Yes, I am alright. Are you?’
Jack shakes his head, ‘no, I’m not,’ he hiccups.
‘OK, big guy, take a deep breathe. It was just a nightmare.’
‘I know, I know.’ Jack does his best to get his breathing under control.
‘Why don´t you put some pants on and meet me at the fire pit?’
Jack nods, still shaken up. Mac puts the hockey stick down and makes a quick fire before going into the kitchen , putting on some milk. When the milk is hot, he adds honey and a bit of cinnamon. He takes the cups outside and hands one to Jack before taking a seat next to Jack.
‘Want to talk bout it?’
‘It was just a nightmare.’
‘Yeah, I guessed as much, let me guess again, you died in it. ‘ Mac jokes, trying to lighten up the mood.
‘You know I die in all of them, that is what woke me up. That is something they were right about in that movie with Dicaprio.’
‘Inception?’
‘That’s the one. If you die in your dream, you wake up.’
‘But that doesn´t explain why you were so upset.’
‘I… It was just a nightmare, it wasn´t real.’
Mac pushes Jack’s hand with the mug towards his mouth, trying to coax him to drink some of the cocoa.’
‘Something happened to me, didn´t it? That is what’s got you so rattled, wasn´t it?’
Jack doesn´t have to say anything. Mac can see it in his face.
‘You don´t have to answer that if you don´t want to.’ He back paddles not wanting to stress Jack out.
‘I don´t want to. I’ll be fine. Like I said, it was just a nightmare. It wasn´t real.’
‘Finish your cup so we can go back to back.’
Mac extinguishes the pit and goes back inside. Jack comes inside and goes to the spare bedroom. Once he is laying down, Mac enters the room and lays down next to him.
‘What are you doing?’
‘Making sure you can go back to sleep and what better way for you to be able to feel I am still here and alive. Or is this weird?’ Mac asks unsure.
‘If you are OK with it, than this is perfect.’