grace under pressure • jerome valeska

CHAP.67: Stagecraft

  The entire ride back to the mansion, that women laughed like a raging lunatic. She scared the shit out of the mayor and the other four but just fueled Jerome and I's amusement. But also, within that ride, I kept looking at Limpy. He seemed so much more jittery, jumping at every laugh the women gave. The fact he had paused and seemed to think about the mayor's bribe got me thinking too. 

  This whole time during planning, Limpy seemed more than hesitant. He almost never participated, he never spoke out and he always seemed to be gone. It was like he wasn't even part of our plan at all. That got me worried. Because if that were true, we could potentially have a traitor on our hands. Something we could not have happen just when things were going good. 

  I had always had suspicions about Limpy's true intentions on helping Jerome and I, but with the pressure that would soon be coming when we released the gas, we needed full and utter devotion for this plan. No loose ties. At all. And Limpy was starting to become a loose tie. Quickly. And that meant we had to get rid of that. Quickly.

  When the truck stopped at the mansion for us to get ready for later, I thought about talking to Jerome about my thoughts considering Limpy. See if he felt the same too or thought maybe Limpy could help us some more. I honestly thought Limpy was just an extra in our group. He didn't really help. He was entertaining, sure. But did he really help? No. 

  So when the truck parked outside the mansion for us all to get ammo and what we needed for the plan, I decided to catch up to Jerome to discuss the topic. I walked into the mansion with everyone splitting apart to find their stuff, going up to Jerome and I's room. Most of our weapons where there so he would definitely be there.

  Walking inside our room, I see Jerome taking out a large black suitcase looking thing and laying it on our bed. He opened it up and I saw eight large black necklaces with what looked like dynamite wrapped in tape and paper and red buttons on it. I raised a brow to this and Jerome looked to me. He laughed and motioned for me to come over to it. I do and look over the eight items. 

  "What's this?" I ask. Jerome laughs and picks up a square metal box with four different red buttons on them. He presents it to me, waving at it with his gloved hand. 

  "This," He begins. "Is dead man's trigger. Something of my own invention. When I hit this, boom goes these." He motioned to the necklaces and my eyes widen. I feel a smile tug at my lips. It was a wonderful idea. I point to it. 

  "So we'll tie this around their necks so they don't move. Jeez Jerome this is genius." I say, grinning wide. He chuckles and nods. 

  "When am I not?" He says cockily and I laugh. He places down the trigger and goes to get another gun. That is when I remember why I came in here.

  "Hey, Jerome." I say. He lifts his head in my direction while leaned over a crate full of weapons. 

  "Hmm?" He says. I nod and cross my arms, leaning on the bed. 

  "What are your thoughts on Limpy." I ask. He makes a face and shrugs, looking back at the crate. 

  "I don't know...funny?" He says, throwing out a knife. I blow a piece of hair from my face. 

  "But...have ya noticed how he acts. He's never really around to help. He just doesn't seem...trustworthy." I explain. Jerome straightens and makes a thinking face. He seems to think for a second before breathing out and nods. 

  "I understand that." He says, looking at the gun in his hands then back to me. He sighs and continues to make his thinking face before nodding once more. "Hmm, I have been feeling that too. He doesn't really seem to have the sense of humor I need. Doesn't seem to understand the...message. Plus," He looked up at me as he continued.