by B. B. Hamel
I went out front, got into my car, and left.
That was the real fucking shit back there. That was what really happened when the mob destroyed lives so fucking callously. This was real life and in the real world, there were always repercussions beyond what you could ever possibly imagine.
That girl’s life was destroyed because some mafia bastards wanted to get back at Maron. Maybe it was for helping me, I couldn’t say. But either way, that girl was going to suffer for it. Once all of this was over, I was going to do my best to help that girl. That was a fucking promise.
I couldn’t get sidetracked. I couldn’t get distracted. There was no way for me to help that girl if I couldn’t get through what was coming next.
I had to get Piper back, and I knew where she was. Tony had to pay for what he did to Maron and Maron’s family. Tony had to pay for what he did to me.
Most of all, Tony had to pay for what he did to Piper.
As I sped forward, Maron’s gun in my lap, I knew I didn’t have much time. I had to hurry to get to that warehouse before Tony did something I couldn’t fix.
I wasn’t going to lose anyone else. I wasn’t going to let Piper die.
I couldn’t let her die. She was everything to me.
I drove as fast as I could, pushing the old truck’s engine, rage pouring through me. I was going to tear Tony to pieces.
He had no fucking clue what was coming for him.
25
Piper
We drove for hours and Tony didn’t say a word the whole time. It wasn’t like I tried to draw him out in conversation either, but still. It was creepy the way he just stared at the road, slowly bleeding down his arm, this weird smile on his face the whole time.
I wanted to scream and run, but he never slowed down, never stopped the car. There was nothing I could do except watch the miles tick past and breathe what were probably my last breaths.
Soon the landscape began to change. We moved from the southern tip of Iowa back toward Chicago and the top of the state. Things began to seem less rural, less spread out. We drove all fucking day and a large chunk of the night before finally I began to recognize some of the suburban features of Chicago’s outlying counties.
“We’re nearly there,” he said suddenly, surprising me. “We’re nearly there,” he repeated.
He lapsed back into silence. I stared at him, horrified, but he didn’t say another word.
We drove for about a half hour, getting closer to the city. We pulled into an industrial area, except it seemed totally abandoned. There were factories everywhere, large, warehouse-like buildings with smokestacks and winding roads. Tony drove us down a long, empty road before suddenly pulling off and turning toward a building.
It said “J&J Shipping” in white on the front in big, bold letters. The paint was chipped and peeling, and I could tell that nobody worked at this place and probably hadn’t for a long time. Tony drove the car right up to the front door and pulled over.
“Out,” he said. He climbed out of his side and I climbed out of mine.
I knew it was stupid, but I started running. I ran as fast as I could toward the road, screaming my head off for help. I screamed and screamed and ran, trying to get away.
I heard Tony’s laughter as he followed after me. I kept running and screaming, getting toward the road.
“There’s nobody here,” he yelled out. “There’s nowhere for you to go.”
I got to the road, out of breath, and desperately looked around.
He was right. The streetlights weren’t even working. There was nothing around me and I was alone, so fucking alone. I thought about Gates, his strong body, the smile on his face as he went down on me. Those were good moments, beautiful moments, some of the best moments of my life. I wished that I could go back there and live in them, enjoy them, accept them for what they were. I wished I never had to end up at this warehouse.
And then Tony was on me. He punched me in the skull and threw me to the ground. He kicked me until I screamed out in pain, not able to stop the tears.
Finally, he pulled me to my feet by my hair. “Don’t run again,” he said simply, and began to drag me back toward the building.
I went with him. I had no other choice. I could run but there was nowhere to go. I couldn’t get far enough to get away from him, not in the shape I was in. Plus, he had a gun, and could kill me at any time.
We went into the front door. The place was empty and smelled like mildew and mold. He took me down a hall and through some plastic hanging doors. We moved through an open warehouse floor with old machines scattered around. He pushed me in through a door into what looked like an office.
“Sit,” he said.
I sat down in the only chair there. He rummaged around in a bin near the door and found a rope. He tied me to the chair, making the knots nice and tight.
Once he was done, he stepped back and admired what he had done.
“What are you going to do with me?” I asked him.
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I haven’t decided yet.”
“You can’t just keep me here. Someone will find me.”
“I can do whatever I want.”
“You’re hurt, Tony. You need help.”
He laughed. “I’m fine, you stupid whore. I’m fine.”
He was unhinged, unraveling. I could hear it in his voice. He was losing his freaking mind and he was going to bring me down with him.
Fear lanced through my body again. I didn’t know what he was going to do with me in this room. He clearly knew this building and had been in this room before, since he knew where the rope was and brought me directly to this chair. Maybe this was the spot he brought people when he wanted to hurt them, the sick bastard.
“I’ll be back,” Tony mumbled then left the room.
I tested my restraints, working as hard as I could. I wasn’t done trying to get away, not by a long shot. I twisted my body, pressing against the ropes. As I worked it, chair feet rattling on the floor, I suddenly lost my balance. I tipped over and crashed onto my side.
I started to cry out of frustration. I felt so stupid laying there on my side, sobbing like a baby, but I couldn’t help it. I screamed, so damn angry, so damn helpless. I hated that I was being held there against my will and could do nothing about it.
Tony came back a few minutes later. He looked down at me and smiled slightly.
“Friends are coming,” he said simply. “They’ll help deal with you.”
“Bastard,” I said.
He shrugged and helped me back up. “Don’t worry,” he said softly. “It won’t be long now.”
I spit at him, but he just wiped it off his face and left the room again, that creepy smile never leaving his face.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I thought about Gates, about what he would do in this situation.
He would be brave. Gates was the bravest, strongest man I’d ever met, and I had to be brave. That was all I could do.
I pushed back against my fear and prepared to accept whatever came next.
26
Gates
I was going on days without solid sleep, but I could handle it. I knew where Piper was, and that was all that mattered. That psycho had her, and I had to make all this shit right.
I drove faster and faster, breaking speed limits, being reckless. I knew I was pushing the limit but I couldn’t hold back. I had to get there in time to save her, and if I didn’t, I couldn’t ever forgive myself.
It was around ten at night by the time I got to the warehouse district of the Chicago suburbs. I had to stop and ask for directions twice, which was frustrating as fuck, but eventually I found the place. “J&J Shipping” was painted in white on the front of the building, and there were several black cars parked out front. There was nobody else around and not a single speck of artificial light anywhere, which was good for me. I was a master of stealth and night fighting.
I parked the truck out of the way, readied my gun, a
nd headed toward the warehouse on foot.
I came at it from the south, closer to the city and away from the road. I listened as I skirted the perimeter and finally located a single guard waiting outside.
His back was to me and he was smoking a cigarette. I smiled to myself as I slowly crept up behind him.
He didn’t know what hit him. I kicked the back of his knee, toppling him, and then smashed the butt of my gun into the side of his head. He toppled down to the ground, unconscious.
I quickly relieved him of his submachine gun and his ammunition. I was probably going to need it. Tony had clearly called for backup, and this guy looked like he knew what he was doing. This was no smalltime operation by some sick fucking mafia guy anymore. They were taking it seriously.
As well they should. They killed a prominent fucking General, and that was going to have repercussions.
Those repercussions started tonight.
I found the door that the guard was meant to be watching and slipped inside. I heard the sound of muted conversation drifting down the wide metal hallways. I headed toward it, keeping close to the wall and moving silently.
I didn’t run into anymore guards as I got closer and closer to the conversation. Finally, I found a large central warehouse area illuminated by some lamps that the mafia guys had brought with them.
There were maybe six guys in total. I recognized Tony immediately. He was getting his arm sewn up by a man with glasses. Another man, older and tall, stood off to one side having a conversation with a guard. There were two other armed guards spread around the place.
Above them, on the second floor, was a walkway. I crept back into the hallway and backtracked until I found a stairwell that led upstairs. I took it and moved into another second floor hallway littered with offices and side rooms.
Eventually, I found the catwalk. As I moved toward it, I spotted another guard positioned up top.
He was out in the open and would be hard to get to. I found an old bottle and threw it down the hall. It shattered, instantly drawing the guard’s attention.
“Hey, I heard something,” he called out.
“Go check it then,” someone yelled back. “This place is full of rats so be careful.”
The men all laughed. I positioned myself on one side of the door. I heard the guard coming closer, grumbling to himself.
As soon as he was through the door, I slammed my elbow into his face. He put his hands up to fight but I was on him too fast. I kicked his knee and punched his jaw, dropping him to the ground. I kicked his temple, knocking him unconscious.
I slipped a knife from a large sheath on his chest and smiled to myself. I liked to make it personal, and with Tony, it was as personal as it could get. He didn’t deserve it fast and clean like the others.
I slowly moved out onto the balcony. I stuck to the shadows, moving around to the other side of the building. My view of what was happening down below got clearer and clearer as I got closer.
I saw Piper tied to a chair with a few men standing around her. I recognized Tony immediately. As I snuck to the edge of the platform, Piper suddenly looked up.
We locked eyes. I was positive that she saw me. I caught a hint of recognition in her eyes.
She quickly looked away and all recognition was gone.
I smiled to myself. That was my girl. She knew not to give me away.
I prepared myself, adrenaline coursing through my veins. I was going to end this, and I was going to end it now.
27
Piper
I couldn’t freaking believe it.
It was Gates. I was sure of it. Our eyes met for the briefest moment before I quickly looked away, pretending like I hadn’t seen a thing.
But I was positive. That was Gates up there hiding in the shadows, preparing to do something.
Hope surged through me. Gates had come for me just like I knew he would. Joy welled up to mingle with that hope when I realized that he really wasn’t dead. Part of me believed Tony when he said Gates was dead, but now I knew better.
Tony couldn’t kill a man like Gates. He was just too strong for a lesser man like Tony.
The men standing around me were talking in harsh whispers. I could tell that Tony was getting berated by the older gentleman who I assumed was the boss. From what I gathered, Tony didn’t have the OK of the family to do something like this, and he had brought way too much attention down on them. They were pissed off that he took me captive instead of just finishing me off, and they weren’t sure what they should do with me.
I knew what they’d eventually do with me. I was a liability. They’d kill me soon enough.
But not before Gates stopped them.
I wanted to watch what he was doing so badly, but I couldn’t. I knew that if they caught me looking up there at him it would ruin everything. I had to play it cool and keep my eyes on the ground where they belonged.
“You old fools,” Tony said suddenly. I looked up at him. “You’re so out of touch. When do you ever leave your office?”
“Tony,” the older man said. “You need to calm yourself.”
“No, fuck this shit. I did what I had to do to protect the familia.”
“You young idiot. You’ve brought the police down on us. And now you have a kidnapped girl. This is a fucking mess.”
“It was going to be worse. I saved it.”
The older man stepped up to Tony and for a second, I thought Tony might hit him.
“Listen to me. You’re going to leave this place and go home. We will handle it.”
“No,” Tony said.
“Do it now, or I will have to take serious action.”
Tony stared him down then turned away, frustrated and angry. I could tell that he was fuming. I’d seen him that way once or twice in our time together, and he never could keep himself under control when he got that angry.
Tony walked over to the far end of the room. My heart suddenly started beating fast as I realized that Gates was right above him, waiting.
Tony turned back to the other me. “You’re all idiots. I’m the future of this mafia, me. I’m the future!” Tony was ranting like a child, fuming and turning red. “I’m the one that will save this group! You need more men like me, men willing to do the dirty work, men—“
Suddenly, a shadow dropped from the balcony and landed directly on top of Tony, smashing him into the ground.
There was a stunned silence. Gates got to his feet and dragged Tony up with him, holding a knife to his throat. Nobody moved. Gates had a wicked smile on his face.
“Who’s in charge?” he asked.
The older man stepped forward. “That would be me.”
“What’s your name?”
“Matteo,” he said. “Underboss of the Barone Familia.”
“Matteo. I’m Gates, and you have my girl tied up to a chair.”
Matteo glanced back at me then looked back to Gates. “You’re here for her?”
“I’ll let you have this scumbag. Untie her, let us leave, and I won’t cut his throat.”
Matteo shrugged. All of his men had guns trained on Gates. There were two left, three including Matteo. Tony wasn’t moving and I could see fear in his eyes.
“Kill the boy. He’s a liability,” Matteo said.
“And what about the General?” Gates asked him.
Matteo raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“Your boy here murdered a four-star General today. He left a little girl orphaned.”
Matteo’s eyes narrowed. “Tony. You did this?”
Tony grunted. “He was helping them.”
“Fucking Christ, boy.”
“It was clean. The cops will never know.”
Gates pressed his knife closed to Tony’s throat, drawing a small line of blood. “Shut up, shithead.” Gates looked back at Matteo. “I’m sure I can find some proof if I try hard. Plus, that girl probably saw something, definitely heard something, that could implicate your group. Now maybe you kill everyon
e here, but you won’t get to that girl.”
“So what do you propose?” Matteo asks.
“You let me and Piper go. You forget about everything. In exchange, I’ll make sure the girl never talks.”
“Interesting,” Matteo says, stroking his chin.
“This is a four-star General,” Gates said. “There will be a serious investigation. I can help steer it away.”
“You have a deal,” Matteo said.
“What?” Tony said, anger.
“But there’s one more thing,” Matteo quickly added. “You must take care of that for me.” He waved his hand at Tony.
“No,” Tony said.
“Gladly,” Gates answered.
Gates drew the knife along Tony’s throat, cutting it open. His blood gushed forward and he fell to the ground, choking.
It didn’t take long. The blood came out, fast and thick, and Tony choked on it. His eyes were wide as he slowly passed out.
Gates tossed away the knife. “Done,” he said.
Matteo sighed. “I was hoping for something cleaner, but okay, fair enough.” He snapped his fingers and nodded at me. One of his men walked over and untied me.
Gates held his gun ready. Matteo smiled at him.
“Relax,” he said. “I don’t make deals without following through. You and the girl are safe so long as that murder never comes back to bother me. Understand?”
“Understood,” he said.
“Otherwise, we’ll find you. But I’m sure I don’t need to say that.”
Gates nodded again.
The goon finished untying me. I stood up, rubbing my wrists, and then ran to Gates.
I threw my arms around him, crushing my body against his. I didn’t care that Tony was lying dead at our feet, the only thing I cared about was being close to Gates again.
“Good luck,” Matteo said. He snapped his fingers then turned and left. His men went with him.
I couldn’t believe it was over. Gates wrapped his arms around me and pressed me close to him. I breathed in his scent and felt shivers run down my spine. He really came back for me, really survived that fire. He managed to talk down a mafia boss and kill his guards. He saved my life again.