Breaking Bad: Chapter 6

[Obi]

Breaking Bad: Chapter VI

6.1
“Make yourself comfortable.”

“YOU MOTHERFUCKER! YOU WON’T GET SHIT OUT OF ME! DO YOU HEAR ME! I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU LOW BUDGET THUGS! JUST WAIT UNTIL LUCK FINDS ME! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN TO-…… UUUUGH!”

Zack Cornell leans forward, his mouth instantly filling with the warm fluid that is his own blood. He runs his tongue over his gums, immediately noticing that he now has a gap between his two front teeth. Frowning, he spit’s the fluid out of his mouth in frustration, sending his bloodied spittle to the cracked cement floor below. Surrounding him is a group of men, all dressed in dark leathers and carrying a scent of old booze and nicotine. In an act of defiance, Zack lifts his head and smiles. Staring back at him.. Is Cole Ritter.

Shaking his head, Cole stares into the eyes of Zack Cornell. He looks exhausted, possibly due to alack of sleep. He carries an extra slur to his step due to having consumed far too much whiskey. He glances at the men around him and then back to Zack as he speaks with a low tone. “What makes you think we want anything out of you? It was you son of a bitches that started this war. I am just here to finish it.”

“Finish it?!” shouts Zack now. “Oh it will be finished soon. Luck has everything planned out. What happens to me means nothing! The Emperor will rise soon and all will bow before him!”

“Right.” continues Cole. “Then send this message to the all mighty Luck.. Will ya’?” Cole then drives his knuckles into the gut of Zack, doubling him over into a coughing fit once again. Surrounding the two men, various members of the Devil’s Due watch on, all eager to join into the violence. After a few more strikes, Cole takes a second to catch his breath as he speaks, all the while wiping blood from his aged knuckles. “I know what you boys did to Annette. We are going to have some fun with you, then I will do the right thing and plant a fucking bullet into your forehead. How does that sound?”

“Toby is here.” speaks Bobby in the distance. “I will go keep him busy for a bit.”

“If I know Toby well enough, he will want in on this too.” laughs Cole. “It was his Momma that got hurt. I would hate to be this guy in a few minutes. Unless of course he has something useful to say that might change my mind. Do you, Zack? Any sudden urges to spill your guts while they still remain intact?”

Zack struggles with the binds around his wrists before glaring up at Cole. Feelings of despair and fear surge through his body but he holds it back. He knows that he has to hold out, regardless of the results. “Urges? We have hid nothing from you idiots. This was always about Oblivion and Luck. It was Oblivion who brought in you two bit thugs. A lesson had to be taught. Besides, it wasn’t like that bitch didn’t enjoy herself! I can still remember her face as Dave laid into her. I think she may have enjoyed it actually. The way she moaned..”

“YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!”

Rushing around the corner, Annette drives her knuckles into the cheek bone of Zack Cornell now, surprising Cole as well! Cole immediately grabs his wife, and struggles to remove her from the room. As the two reach the doorway, Cole shouts over his shoulder. “Keep an eye on him, will you guys? Make sure he is nice and comfy..”

6.2
“Relax, will you?”

A set of double doors open up abruptly as the large frame of Toby “Oblivion” Hunter enters the room. His eye sockets look a tad darker than usual as he seemingly floats on into the bar before him. With his long hair bundled behind his neck, Toby turns and stares at the patrons around the bar. Something is obviously different, though Toby can’t place his finger on it. Resigning to the fact that he may just be exhausted, he then places his baseball cap upon a nearby brass hook and heads towards the bar area.

“TOBY! WELCOME HOME, MATE!”

Glancing to his right, Toby is immediately greeted by Bobby. With a large Irish smile, Bobby wastes no time welcoming Oblivion as the duo head in the direction of the bar. Speaking through an Irish accent, Bobby waves a finger at the bartender and speaks. “Two shooters, mate. Make them bloody well rich, will ya’?” With a nod, the bartender begins to fill up two glasses as Bobby looks in the direction of Toby Hunter. “Damn, you look like the bull ran you through! How are you doing, mate?”

“I am alive.” answers Toby Solemnly. “I came to have a word with Cole. Shit is getting way too out of hand.”

“Aye, that it is.” answers Bobby as the drinks arrive. Immediately, Toby notices a shake in Bobby’s hand as he slams the drink before him. Something is definitely not right. Deciding it best to keep his wits, Toby sips from his glass as Bobby continues to speak. “Annette is back though, and the club is back in good shape. Hell, I heard that you are about to get the chance to run that Luck character through! I bet you can’t wait for that with all of the bullshit that he has put you through!”

“You could say that.” answers Toby now. “I just have to figure out if I am facing him for the right reasons now.”

Clearing his throat, Bobby manages to spurt out. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know whose idea it was to kidnap their manager but that changed everything. I will be damned if I will be lowered to that kind of level. This war I have been waging against the LVC has been a battle for respect. The minute that kidnapping bullshit happened, we were no better than they were. What right do we have to be angry about what happened to Annette now?”

“I will tell you what right we have.” comes a new voice from behind. Turning around, Toby finds himself face to face with his father, Cole Ritter. Both men stare at one another a moment and then share an embrace. Cole then grabs Toby by the face and speaks directly into his eyes. “I am glad to have you home, son. Your Mother has been asking about you.”

“Where is he?” asks Toby immediately. “You told me that you were going to rough him up and then let him go. That was the deal. We.. I… am not like them. I don’t do business that way. My fight is in the ring.”

“WE do business that way, Son.” snaps Cole now as the two men head towards the back of the bar. “I told you that I wouldn’t kill the son of a bitch. I held up my end of the bargain. I will be damned if I am going to let them get away with what they did to my wife though! You may handle shit in the ring and I respect that, but this club doesn’t. Eye for an eye.. Tooth for a tooth.”

The door opens up before them as Toby and Cole enter. Seated in a chair, bloodied and bruised is Zack Cornell. Toby immediately looks over the scene and finds himself dropping to one knee. He then reaches down and removes what looks to be a tooth from a small pool of blood. “Looks like you got your tooth already.”

“We are just getting started too.” answers Cole as he walks behind Zack. Grabbing a handful of his prisoners hair, Cole yanks his head back as he grits his teeth in anger. “Some people forget that shit can get real. Not everything is handled by a three count. We are outlaws, and we play for keeps. Don’t we Zack?”

Zack glares at Cole a minute and then at Toby. Shaking his head, Toby approaches Zack and begins to release him from his bonds! “He has had enough! I will handle it from here! If anyone disagrees, you could try and stop me.”

(Cluck- Click)

“I wouldn’t do that… Son.” answers Cole now in a very serious tone. Looking over his shoulder, Toby now finds himself looking eye to eye with a dark handgun. Turning around slowly, Toby glares into the eyes of Cole as the men around the room begin to fidget due to confusion. Cole then moves the barrel of the gun towards Zack as he continues to speak. “No offense, but this is club business.”

“I am a part of this club.”

“You stopped being a part of this club when your focus shifted towards wrestling and fair play.” snapped Cole now. “I love you but I have responsibilities. You used to understand that. I am not sure what got into you in the last few months. Either way, this fuck stays with us. A deal is a deal, you beat the shit out of that Luck character and I will release this one.. On a stretcher. If you lose, they get him back in a body bag. You want to play the hero all the time.. So now is your chance.”

“Well, this changes things… doesn’t it.” answers Toby now with a smirk.

“Nothing is ever like it seems, Son.” answers Cole with a twist of the neck. “You should know that by now.”

6.3
“The Devil made me do it…”

“Yes, I am fully aware of what took place. I have to say myself, I am quite surprised by Hunter’s actions. I am expecting him as we speak for our weekly probation hearing. If his answers aren’t up to par, he will find his ass back in a cell before the day is through.”

A plastic phone receiver bangs into it’s cradle, shaking slightly due to the impact. Lowering his hand while leaning back in his chair, Raviel, takes a deep breath. Glancing to his right, he let’s his gaze fall to the open window nearby. A vehicle honks it’s horn in the distance, causing Raviel to rise from his seat and head towards the window. His well groomed hair does not move an inch as he slides on a pair of dark shades and glances down at the walkway below. Coming to a sudden stop, a loud motorcycle is shut down as it’s rider dismounts in a hurry. The rider then removes his helmet, exposing his facial features as Raviel smiles and speaks to himself high above. “That’s right you son of a Bitch. I got you now.”

Heading into the building, the rider stops at the receptionist desk and places both hands on the mirrored surface before him. “My name is Toby Hunter. I have an appointment.”

Without a word, Toby is directed to a stairway as he leaves the room. His breathing is labored as his long hair swings in different directions around him. He carries the look of a desperate man as dark bags highlight his eye area. Not even taking the time to knock, Toby walks right into the first office that he comes to, slamming the door behind him. “I don’t have time for this, asshole.”

“Is that the way you greet your parole officer?” asks Raviel with a smirk. Adjusting his dark black knitted sweater, he walks across the room and finds a seat behind his desk once more. “I would offer you a seat but let’s be honest, you won’t accept one. You always were one to enjoy the dramatic conversation type of thing.”

“I know why I am here.” interrupts Toby now, strolling towards the desk. He digs into his pocket after, tossing an envelope in Raviel’s direction. “There you go. My full confession. Now you can throw me back in prison and put us both out of our misery.”

Raviel begins to laugh now as he removes a thick cigar from a nearby drawer. Cutting the tip off, he then lights it while looking up in Oblivion’s direction. Satisfied with how it is lit, Raviel leans back and answers him. “Confession? Why would I need this? We both know that you had nothing to do with that kidnapping on TV. That was the doing of that little motorcycle gang that you run with. Always the hero, aren’t you, Toby? No, you won’t be getting off that easy this time. So, lay it out for me. What shit have you got yourself into this time?”

“I thought you knew everything.” snapped Toby now as he plops into a recliner across from Raviel. “Aren’t you the one who claimed to be the Devil himself? You should know this shit already.”

“Indulge me.” answers Raviel dryly.

“Fine. It seems that Mister Luck and his boys finally took shit too far. The club wanted a bit of payback for what happened to Annette and so they kidnapped Zack Cornell behind my back, even though I had made a deal with Cole that I would handle it myself. Now, I am going to have to play the game on both ends because if I lose this match… they are going to kill him. If I win, they want me to bring Luck as an exchange… so they can kill him. So, I am pretty fucked..”

“Hence why you wanted me to throw your ass back in prison?” asked Raviel.

“Exactly. I can’t come up with any other way out.” answers Toby now with an exhausted look upon his face. “I have been at this game for a long time now. You know that. I have faced men who would scare a damn rhino and put them down for the count, all the while keeping your ass out of my hair. I am getting too old for this shit now. I am not sure if I can find my way out of this one.”

“I never thought that I would see the day that the great Oblivion was beaten at his own game.” laughed Raviel between cigar puffs. “It sounds like you got yourself a little problem there. Well, I am about to make that problem worse. While you are out there fucking people’s lives up, I am over hearing growing bored watching you. You have been looking for answers for years as to what the fuck has happened to you in the past. Though it has always been a hobby of mine to keep it from you, I think the fun has come to an end.”

“Good.” answers Toby now sternly. “It’s about time.”

“Now.. Is not that time. I am going to let you focus on this Luck problem without any interference by me. You see, what I am going to tell you will make all of this shit no longer matter, and when I do it will come to an end. So, this is my little gift to you. Put to rest all of your issues, say good bye to your friends. The next time we meet, a countdown that has gone on way too long will finally come to an end.”

“Wow, I am impressed.” answers Toby with a sneer. “No taunting or words of shitty advice for me? I figured that you would love this! You know me, Raviel. Thoughts about shit coming to an end don’t scare me one bit. You’re playing the wrong card with me there. Then again, you always did play that card didn’t you? I will find a way to save Zack… AND Luck because that is what I do… somehow.”

Rising up from the chair, Oblivion heads for the door and grabs the doorknob. He stops in tracks as he twists it open, already expecting a response from Raviel. The history between the two of them was too strong. Not letting him down at all, Raviel stands up from behind his desk and shouts to Oblivion with a hint of anger to him. “You want to know how to solve your little problem?!”

“You bet your ass I do.”

“Then quit lying to yourself.” answers Raviel once more. “Let go of that nice guy bullshit and be the demon that you truly are.”