#cod kitsune

The first few hours at the amusement park were spent as you would expect: rides, stunt shows, and other activities, and Bell could easily see that Philip was having the time of his life.

But then Bell made a mistake; he agreed to ride the most dangerous-looking roller coaster in the whole park. 

A scream rips through Bell’s throat as the roller coaster cart sped forward at an unprecedented speed, twisting and turning through numerous loops and upside-down turns, lifting Bell’s weight off the seat he was secured into by the flimsy shoulder belt, and as fast as it started, the ride came to a halting stop, jolting Bell’s body forward.

Bell just sat there completely frozen, but the sound of laughter from the seat next to him brings his soul back into his body as the shoulder belt lifts up, and Bell staggers to his feet, shaking but somehow still standing.

Phillip was laughing, tears streaming down his face as he held his stomach as laughter continued to bubble from the teen as they began to exit the ride, barely being able to stand on his two legs, and Phillip laughing wildly before it died down into giggles. 

Bell glares at Phillip as they leave the ride exit, walking towards the picnic table where the others sat at.

The others watch them approach, and after taking one look at Bell's haunted-looking face, the whole table bursts out laughing, drawing the attention of a few onlookers. 

Bell crumpled into the seat, his hands holding his head, his elbows leaning against the tabletop.

“Remind me to never go on a rollercoaster again,” Bell mutters to Naga, whose rambunctious laughter simmered down to a few indignant snorts.

“It cannot be that bad.” Naga chuckles as Phillip was recounting the experience joyfully to the others who seemed enthralled by the teen's description of how ‘cool’ and ‘fun’ it was. 

Bell rolled his eyes at the smiling looks that his team gave him. A lightbulb goes off in his head, and he smiles maliciously.

“Hey, Philip?” He says, looking towards the energetic teen, “Do you want to go on again?” Bell smiles as Phillip jumps up, ready to go. 

Bell swings his head towards the others, whose faces pale slightly. “Go on.” He smiles sweetly, almost laughing when he hears Naga curse under his breath. 

Ok, Bell admits it; it was kind of mean of him to force the others to go on the ride with Phillip, but he’d be lying if he said that he didn't enjoy listening to them scream their asses off. 

The twists and turns of the ride clearly had an effect on the others due to their pale faces and the fact that Jackal was practically being dragged on the floor by Kitsune and Phillip looked unaffected. 

The day continued with all of the rides in the amusement park being ridden by the group's laughter and enjoyment following them wherever they walked, especially the happiness radiating off of Phillip.

Bell and Philip now sat on one of the wooden picnic tables that were placed around the amusement park.

Bell could feel himself smiling as Phillip chowed down on a corn dog that Bell had bought when Phillip's stomach grumbled a few minutes ago. After Phillip inhaled the corn dog, he turned to Bell, eyes widened slightly before smiling wide. Bell tilted his head.

“What's got you so happy?” Bell asks, wrapping his arm around Phillip's shoulder.The teen laughed softly, leaning back into Bell's embrace.

“You're smiling.” Phillip whispered, and Bell's eyes widened; then he smiled genuinely. He huffed, still smiling. 

“Don't get used to it, kiddo,” he said jokingly, ruffling Philip's hair, drawing an indignant squawk from the ten as he tried to swat Bell’s hand away from his hair.

“Piss off!” he squealed before dissolving into laughter that warmed Bell's heart.

Phillip had gained quite a lot of merchandise from the theme park games, including a bright green teddy bear that Kitsune had won from a game where she had to throw sandbags at some plastic cups; Bell affectionately named the teddy ‘Russ.’

Bell looked up as they were sitting in front of the exit of the theme park as the sun had begun to set. Phillip was still laughing, holding the green teddy to his chest protectively.

“Well, kiddo, I think it's time we head back home, yeah?’ Phillip nodded; the teen was particularly protective about his new teddy, and Bell couldn’t help but find it cute.

Phillip was what? 14? 15? And yet the kid still held affections for something as typical as a green teddy bear that made Bell smile.

Phillip followed behind Bell as they reached the car park; the others had already clamoured into the van, shifting in the seats. Phillip climbed into the middle of the back seat, securing his seat belt. Bell slid into the passenger seat.

Kitsune had intelligently taken over the wheel from Naga, considering that the man had downed several cocktails at the park.

The drive home was relatively calm and smooth sailing. They reached the threshold of their makeshift home and opened the door, stepping through.

Phillip bounded happily into the room, flicking the light switch next to the door on, illuminating the lounge.

Sitting there on the couch fully armed was Russel Fucking Adler. Bell felt his heart leap, his muscles tensing, hands clenched.

Bell hears the others behind him tense as well, reaching for weapons that they had discarded for the trip to the amusement park. 

Red dots flicked on each one, landing on Bell’s body before spreading to the others behind him.

Bell's eyes scanned the room and found more armoured soldiers, his teeth clenched together in anger and a flicker of fear growing in the back of his mind. 

Russel fucking Adler had found them.

“Adler.” Bell angrily bit out his eye, tingling from old buried memories, his healed cheek stinging uncomfortably. His eyes were blazing ragefully at the man who was casually lying back on the couch with a pistol in hand.

“Phillip, come here, kiddo.” Adler says, a smirk etched on his face; Bell could feel the veins in his body pumping with blood. He watched as Phillip raced forward, embracing his father in a tight hug that Adler returned. 

Bell felt something boil in his gut, but it wasn't rage; it was a twisted, cruel form of want. 

He had taken Phillip in out of the goodness of his heart.

 He had made sure that Phillip was well-fed and clothed.

He made Phillip happy. Not Adler, Him. 

Adler stood up from the couch, still holding Phillip tightly, his eyes locked with Bell’s.

There was something in the way that Adler looked at him that made Bell’s gut twist and his heart clench. It looked almost like yearning, a cruel, twisted kind of yearning that made Bell feel sick. 

“Thank you.” The words that Adler spoke made Bell's eyes widen, and he could practically hear the confusion that was happening behind him. Bell fumbled for the right words.

“You're welcome?” He said uncertainty was shifting from foot to foot. 

His torturer, the bane of his existence, was thankful to him? For what? Keeping his son safe? 

Adler nodded solemnly, still holding Phillip protectively, and then Bell saw it swirling in the pupils of Adler's eyes was love, a strong protective love for the teen he held in his arms, the care, the tenderness of how Adler holds Phillip.

It's something Bell never would have expected, especially not from a monster like Russell Adler. Once again Bell looked up, and his and Adler's eyes met; a solemn understanding passed through the two men. 

Adler signals to the other armoured men in the room to lower their weapons, and they do so hesitantly.

Bell stepped to the side, his comrades behind him parting like the Red Sea, letting Adler and Phillip walk past through the door. Bell watched as they and the other soldiers left; something stirred in his gut. And he almost finds himself wanting to join them, almost.

Bell feels a rough hand being placed on his shoulder, and Bell hears Naga's voice: “We’ll get the drop on him next time, boss.” The words fly right over his head, and he finds himself shaking his head in disagreement.

“No, we need to focus on intelligence and security now more than ever.” Bell says his eyes are still looking at the spot where Adler and Phillip once were. 

Bell would miss Philip, and he would miss the opportunity to stab Adler in the heart, but he knew deep down that he needed to move on somehow; maybe this was how he would do it.

Focusing on the betterment of Perseus and not his personal revenge. 

Bell turned to his team, his comrades, his most trusted inner circle, and said, “We need to get on the move; just because they left now doesn't mean they won’t be back."

He spoke with a conviction he hadn't felt in years, and the pride and readiness that sparkled in everyone's eyes only doubled his conviction. They all nodded and got to work. 

To be continued…