"Who the fuck are you guys?" Austin asked, angry, as he tentatively withdrew his crossbow aimed at Scarleteye, knowing the three killers with guns wouldn't hesitate to fire at him or his friends; he laid his weapon down, shakily, his hands the embodiment of anxiety, slowly, as he allowed a very unhappy-looking Scarleteye to forcefully put him to his knees.
Austin wasn't sure why, or how, but he sensed that Scarleteye wasn't particularly happy about this situation; she almost seemed disappointed to hold a gun to Austin and the other Meadowers. If he had decided to pay closer attention, he'd have sensed it was something going on between her and the others holding Austin's friends hostage; Austin hadn't had enough time to explore that thought process. He just went with his gut and caught Reya's eye.
'Austin, they are going to kill us.' he heard the girl's voice in his head, noticing how her eyes had a barely faint glowing hue to it, as she used her ability. 'We need answers. We need to stall.' and, as he followed her gaze to the only window up there in the attic, he immediately got what she meant, hoping his eyes showed he understood and that she heard his 'I got it.'
"You're not gonna get away with this, you know," Austin boldly stated, surprised how courageous he sounded even to his own ears. His face rose, and chin up, he continued with "I've already freed the other Meadowers - They'll be here any minute, you know."
Austin had become quite well aware that he hadn't spotted Cleo or Zether, yet, amongst himself and his friends' hostage situation, but he had a feeling it was only a matter of time before either they get caught or they catch up to Austin and then walk in on the same trap he had walked into up here. If that happens, then his friends outside who are injured would only get worse the longer they're held up here. And, worse, what if either Cleo or Zether dies?
'No, Austin, focus!' he heard his Voice say; he tried to ignore Scarleteye's suspiciously surprised reaction when his Voice spoke. It wasn't as if she could hear it, right? Unless… unless she was like Reya…'AUSTIN! FOCUS! We need answers. We need to escape. And we need a plan and soon! Focus, Austin.'
'Right.' Austin thought, refocusing, as he suddenly became aware of the older boy chuckling darkly. "Why are you laughing? Did I say somethin' funny or something?"
"I'm 'laughing' because you actually believe we are afraid of your friends simply because you have numbers?" the oldest boy 𑁋the leader 𑁋 said, as if it sounded ridiculous. At Austin's blank expression, he continued with "It's funny, ya know, because you actually believe I alone couldn't kill them off by myself 𑁋 Let alone me and my siblings wouldn't even be able to slaughter all of you? Stupid. Ignorant. Why don't you ask your telepathic friend over there why this is?"
Austin questioningly turned to Reya, who, still rubbing her unconscious brother's head, spoke. "They mostly all have special abilities; nearly all of the Bane Brothers do. Pannica, Horri and Feari don't but they're very dangerous with a gun…Or any weapon. The little girl, Terrora, has electric manipulation, and the leader - Domonique𑁋."
"Please, call me 'Dominio," Dominique said brightly, with a death glare aimed at Reya, who, despite it giving Austin the scare, did not seem all that affected by the evident threat.
"𑁋Erm, Dominio," Reya corrected. "He has fire and heat abilities…."
'And I've heard he may have other abilities, but they could just be rumors,' Austin wasn't sure why she used her telepathy to say that last part, but he didn't waste time on figuring out the root cause.
"As you can see, you and your friends are no match for us." Dominio continued broadcasting his amused expression, his 'Bane Brothers' crew laughing when he laughed and smirking when he did. They even went as far as to dawn a face a pure smug with him, so identical to one another, it creeped Austin the hell out.
"We'll soon all kill you," Scareleteye fixed Austin with a fierce glance that Austin reciprocated by not breaking contact, no matter how bad his gut was yelling at him that he was in danger.
"But, why?" Austin asked, looking at Scarleteye before glancing to Dominio. "Why attack us?"
"Oh, so your girlfriend hasn't told you yet?" Scarleteye glanced amusingly past Austin, and it took Austin a minute to notice Reya had a far away look on her face. It took another minute to process the word 'girlfriend' and then time after that to hide his growing blush.
"Told me what?" Austin looked to Reya, questioningly, but she took her time to catch his gaze. "Reya. What are they talking about?"
"I…I…," Reya glanced at Scarleteye, then to Dominio and then to the other Bane Brothers, her voice lost suddenly. "You were never supposed to find out like this. They deserved this. They…."
"We were all once Meadowers like you and your friends, here" Scarlet said, bitterly, her face expressively sour. "But then we were kicked out of this place 𑁋 this Sanctuary; the Meadows 𑁋and had to learn to survive out there, in the Labyrinth. It was a unanimous vote by the Overseers who agreed for our banishments."
As Scarleteye took a breath, her bitter, vengeful flames roaring no less then when she spoke, Austin glanced at Reya, asking "Is this true?"
"I-we had our reasons," Reya said, glancing at the Bane Brothers, but her self-conscious motions of rubbing her arms nervously made her seem less bold, and more uncertain. "You knew those we lost were your faults!"
"But the Labyrinth," Horri asked. "Really?"
"Death would've been better," Commented Pannica, as the other Bane Brothers nodded in agreement.
Scarleteye took a breath, and Austin had to glance at Reya, who avoided his glance. He knew by his gut instinct that Scarleteye was telling the truth. He should be mad, he feels; even for Scarleteye's sake. He did feel for her and her crew somewhat, and he should question how could Reya do something like that? After just that one night alone in that hell, he had barely made it back alive, but they've been in there for even longer?
Given the circumstances, the little bit of pity Austin had felt for them wasn't enough to make him feel the way he should have felt. "They have their reasons for doing what they had. If there's one thing that I know about Reya, it is that she has a reason for all her actions. If the Overseers voted your exiles, then, though harsh, it was fitting. And, given our situation right here, right now, is it really a surprise that I am not caring?"
The machine gun-wielder 𑁋 Pannica 𑁋 shifted her weapon at Austin in warning. "Careful, or you'll be full of holes long before we plan on killing you."
'We plan on killing you.' Austin thought to himself. 'So they don't plan on killing us just yet?'
"Our leader is a clever master of tactics and combat," Terrora said in her squeaky, little girl's voice that somehow made her sound even creepier. "He doesn't kill all the time."
"No, just some of the time," Scarleteye corrected, though the glint behind her amusement mask was suggesting she didn't really like Dominio all that much.
"Yeah, he has great abilities," Pannica beamed.
"But do you?" Caesar asked boldly, smirking at Pannica's immediate frown. "Cuz I hear from lil' birdy that ya don't n' you gonna need some when I get free…"
"When you get…," Pannica just laughed like a maniac. "Derling, ya ain't goin nowhere. And when you all die, I'll make sure you die first, yea? Or maybe I'll kill you myself first."
"I WILL kill you. Bet on it, Pannica." But Austin saw how that deflated Caesar's courage; he was hanging by the thread between panic and control. Austin could see it in his eyes.
"No, you won't," Reya stated boldly. "Your beef is with me; leave them out of it. I was the one who initially suggested your banishments. I'm to blame."
"Perhaps," Dominio sighed, bored. "But the only way to make you suffer would be to kill your friends and then you. Maybe I'll start with the girl who seconded your decision."
"No!" Austin said much too quickly, before composing himself, as Dominio aimed his gun at Alyssa's anxious head, forcing Dominio to glance amusedly at him. Austin had no idea what to think, but his mouth spoke what it wanted anyways.. "I mean, you could, but then you'd lose me, and I am valuable. I'm of the same crest as Scarleteye here, so it would make sense that getting on my good side would mean getting me to yours."