Skull and Dagger

Frank sat on the dirty floor of his dungeon cell, the dire expression of one who knows he is about to die on his face. There was an eerie silence and stillness to that place - and emptiness - that made his fate seem all the more cruel.

What was it, only twenty-four hours ago, that he had lain in his Annabelle’s arms, planning a life of paradise? And now Quinn...

He choked out a sob that his once-second-mate could be breaking the woman he loved right now. The thought was too terrible, too unbearable, to consider, and he quickly distracted his mind.

A rueful smile graced his lips at the thought of Annabelle, standing proud and tall - well, short, technically... - nailing Quinn right between the legs with the hard toe of her show, bashing him over the head with various blunt objects, stabbing, jabbing, poking...

A wistful sigh escaped his lips at the memory of her, nose turned up haughtily, hazel eyes glaring defiantly, all feisty and outraged. Yet so sweet and yielding to his touch as well, melting into his arms after she’d tried one of her many plans to attack him, cheeks flushed from the fight, panting heavily, looking into his eyes with such love and fire... OK, so he had weird taste in women, but he’d finally found The One, and now...

No, she’s a fighter, he banished the horrid thoughts from his mind. He can’t hurt her. Not my angel...

And there was the other name he was studiously not thinking about. No matter how difficult he found it to believe, a nasty little voice in the back of his head couldn’t help but point out that Bob and Lord Williams had formed an alliance before.

Given that Bob had turned him onto this set-up in the first place...

There was a clang in the corridor outside then that roused him from his thoughts. He heard the sound of a key turning in the lock, and then the massive cell door swung open. Instinctively, he rushed for the opening, only to be jerked roughly backward by the chains that bound him to the wall.

Lord Williams merely looked amused by this sequence of events. “I saw to it that you were put in the worst hellhole imaginable,” the older man began conversationally. He sniffed his nose at his surroundings. “Nice to know that someone managed to carry out my orders correctly.”

Frank refused to be baited. Rather, he let out the most bored yawn he could manage.

Lord Abrahms huffed visibly at the other man’s lack of fear. “I know who you are, boy,” he said coldly.

“Really?” Frank raised a disinterested eyebrow. “What a coincidence. I know who I am, too.”

Lord Williams let out a snide chuckle. “Frank Iero,” he said with a slight shake of his head. “I wouldn’t have even recognized you...except for the fact that you’re still a gullible fool, of course...”

That got a rise. Frank lunged violently once more, but the chains held firm. He scowled up at the other man. “Don’t you have anything better to do then gloat?” he demanded before a ghost of his old smirk crossed his lips. “’Though I suppose you don’t, seeing as you’re broke...”

Apparently that was the tender nerve to strike because Lord Williams became absolutely livid in response. “You honestly thought you could destroy me, boy?” he taunted. “You think I didn’t have my eye on you all along?”

“So losing your family fortune was the plan?” Frank retorted sarcastically. “Ooh, brilliant, that...”

Lord Williams snorted derisively. “Now that you’re dead and gone...” He shrugged. “Let’s just say that I’ve got the right allies to put me back on top shortly.”

“Alman.” Frank’s eyes narrowed.

“Ah, yes, your friend was more than obliging,” Lord Williams agreed. “And, really, what does it matter to him whether he attacks me or my competitors? In another few years, I shall rule the seas once more...”

“’Cause that deal worked so well with Bob,” Frank retorted.

“I was a bit...disappointed that dear old Robert didn’t dispose of you properly,” he agreed. “But he still has his uses. He did a lovely job selling you into our little trap, after all...”

A frown marred Frank’s brow. “You’re lying,” he insisted. “Bob wouldn’t-”

“Just like Quinn wouldn’t?” Lord Williams countered. “It’s almost pitifully sad.” He shook his head. “You too much of a fool to see the betrayal right before your very eyes. That’s what made you so easy to ruin. Your father, too...”

“Yeah, about my father,” Frank refused to be baited. “He saw right through you. And you honestly think I'm gonna keep my mouth shut about what you did? By the time my trial is over-”

“Trial?” Lord Williams repeated in disbelief. “You can’t honestly believe you’ll have any such thing!”

“This is England. You can’t just hang me,” Frank insisted.

“Can’t I?” Lord Williams said coolly. “You forget how much my name still means.”

“And mine as well,” Frank hissed.

“Except, my boy,” Lord Williams gave him a false pat on the cheek, “no one aside from myself knows that the last of the Ieros will meet his death by the end of the week.”

Frank gave him an evil smile, noticing how close the other man had gotten to him.

A look of confusion passed over Lord Williams' face, and it was all the hesitation Frank needed to make his move.

He lunged forward, wrapping his chains easily around Lord Williams throat.

However, the old man let out a cry before the strangle hold was complete. Frank immediately began constricting the metal links, feeling the old man weaken in his grasp.

He was wrestled to the ground before he could choke the life out of the other man, however. Three of the prison guards slammed him back into the wall, loosening the noose around Lord Williams' throat.

The old man rose to his feet, gasping for air.

Frank lunged again, but the guards locked him firmly in place. He winced when several well-placed blows landed squarely on his ribs. With a hiss of pain, he fell to the floor of the cell, finally subdued.

“Sooner or later, you’ll be destroyed,” he gasped through the pain. “There’ll be another after me, and we’ll just keep comin’ until you’re destroyed.”

Lord Williams, visibly shaken by his close shave with death, rubbed at the bruises on his throat. “But you will not be there to see it. It will be a pleasure to watch you hang,” he hissed before practically fleeing from the prison...