Auto

4

Frankie silently took her fathers jibes.

"Great! Now you went out and got yourself pregnant!"

The mocking tone did not miss her.

"Hey, didn't your fiancee leave you for being a prude? So you w***e yourself for everyone but him?"

She smiled. Frankie was always a nice child. She was a nice person. But she wasn't what she seemed.

"Are you done?" She prompted. The older man looked at his daughter, then looked at his wife.

"This is f****d up family. A w***e for a daughter and a mother. And now a bastard child. Let's hope it's not another girl. We have enough whores in this family."

Frankie's temper snapped along with her fork.

"If you would refrain from insulting my unborn child, I'd appreciate it," she said calmly.

Her Father, cocky and egotistical scoffed.

"Why don't you get rid of it while it's unborn. God knows we don't need more trash."

Frankie's mother winced. She had an i***t for a husband, who never knew when far was far enough.

Frankie silently stood up with a sweet smile.

"God knows I will take this knife and make sushi out of you." Her tone was light yet heavy, her smile nice yet evil.

Her Father laughed it off. Frankie never took things lying down not for long.

He didn't take it seriously.

Gerald's wife winced, pursing her lips. She wished he would remember the scar she gave him when he tried to get rid of her baby.

He had many. One would think, by now, he'd know not to provoke a mother with her child.

"Hah. Is that right? You don't like the truth. I'd be doing you a favor-"

Gerald's wife plunged her fork into his leg, leaving him whimpering in pain.

That was mercy she knew. He didn't know how to shut up.

Frankie smiled benevolently at her mother sitting down, resuming her meal.

Angela flounced in with her fiancee, and her father perked up.

"Ah, my favorite couple. Did you hear the news?"

Don't do it, Diana prayed.

Don't do it, Frankie prayed.

Angela, ever so eager to make a fool out of her sister, played along.

"What?"

"Dear Frankie here got herself knocked up."

Angela simpered, whereas Donny frowned.

"Figures. She has always been such a slut."

Frankie said nothing silently laughing and crying.

Laughing at sister's stupidity and crying at her cesspool of genes.

"Yeah. The Little Bastard-"

Not looking up, Frankie softly admonished him.

"Be careful."

"Is due in what June?"

"If it makes it to June. Accidents happen."

Frankie had enough. Insulting her child was enough, but threatening it.

Frankie let her fork clatter onto her plate as she sat back. Her face was completely blank.

"Accidents do happen," She started slowly, standing. First was her Father.

Diana none too discreetly removed herself, getting as far away from him as possible.

"Especially at an older age. Y'now. Bones are frail they crack easily. You have all sorts of problems, you heart, you lungs."

Her gaze sharpened. "Your mind. So I try to be lenient."

She now stood in front her father, his tall figure dwarfing hers, giving him an air of superiority.

"But!" She picked up the glass plate, his and threw it down to the floor picking up a sizable shard.

Glancing at it, she smiled. "You senior discount has run out. So when you talk be prepared to pay. "

She loving placed the shard at his gut, the point not breaking the skin, but not far from it.

His smirk was gone.

Frankie pressed the blade further into his skin. "Threaten my child again."

No threat. No promise. Not a dare just a statement.

"And as for you Angela," Her older sister squeaked. "I give this piece of sisterly advice: if you want to self-harm, or possibly commit suicide, do it. Otherwise, shut the f**k up."

Dropping the shard, she picked up her purse and shrugged on her jacket.

"Mother," she nodded politely to Diana, leaving the room.

"Frankie! Baby girl listen-"

Frankie was not in the mood. Not at all.

"Go away, Donny."

"Wait. I still love you, I'll even take care of-"

Frankie snorted. "Take care of my sister. That's what you chose. That's what you're stuck with."

"Baby please."

Frankie stiffened at his touch.

Not turning around she said. "Donny."

"Yeah?"

"Don't touch me again."

With that she walked out of the house, getting in the car and driving away.

She wouldn't be coming back.

Meanwhile, Auto was unintentionally making trouble for himself.

"What the f**k do you mean, Rey?"

Grim pursed his lips.

"I got robbed."

Auto scoffed. "Isn't that a new watch?"

Rey said nothing.

"f**k you take me for? Bobo the fool?"

Auto hadn't touched him, and that wasn't his way.

"I'll get it back,"

"I don't give a f**k. See, it's not even about the drugs anymore. I don't trust you."

Wanting to get it over with, he pulled out his gun. He rarely used it.

"Please don't kill me." Rey begged. "I have a family, my wife just had a little girl."

His hand was poised on the trigger but he didn't pull it.

He imagined Babydoll had a little girl, and he got captured. What if he said the same thing? He wouldn't expect mercy, but he'd be desperate.

"Why didn't you think about your little girl when you stole from me?"

"I don't know. I was stupid and greedy and if you must torture me, but let me go, please. I've haven't seen her."

Auto scanned his features. He wasn't lying, but that doesn't mean anything. You trick a lie detector in the same way.

Focus on the true nuance of the question and you produce false results.

But he did believe his story about his daughter. Smiling briefly, he put his gun away.

Grim nearly died.

Rey similarly was shocked, surprised and instantly wary.

Auto didn't show mercy. He was an Automatic- Automatic Weapon that is. Once he decided a target he didn't stop until he killed it. He didn't mind a hit and miss either, if it benefited him.

But now, he was...sparing him?

"Go. See your little girl, but don't think I spared you Rey. I will be watching you, and if I find a hint of a lie. You may be at home, but you will never have piece of mind and I will make sure of it. Leave."

Rey scurried away.

Grim didn't hesitate to tear into him as soon as the basement was clear.

"What the f**k was that?"

Auto ignored him.

"Ey! Automatic I'm talking to you. He's gonna come back for you!"

"No he won't. His gang might, but he won't."

Grim scoffed. "And how do you figure??"

"I recognized that look."

Auto didn't elaborate.

"Novel version?"

"He looked scared."

"Well, you're a fearsome guy known for heartlessly slaughtering his enemies. Was he supposed to be smiling in glee?"

"Rey is too prideful to show fear that easily. He looked scared, because he knew his sins would haunt his child. Even if I don't kill her someone will." He turned to Grim.

"That's scary. "

Grim stayed quiet, watching his friend.

"See, I understand. That could've been me. No one is invincible. It might've be me."

"It's scary to know that you have this tiny little thing depending on you, and you will never be able to keep them safe."

"That now everything you do, have done will be taken out on them. Mistakes, people you've wronged and forgot all about-"

"Grim."

He looked up. "Yeah?"

"I'm scared."

"Yeah."