Vendetta

by Jennifer Moulton

  “Marko, put the guns down,” Dom ordered adamantly. “Please.”

  Mark glared at Dom with such hatred in his eyes. “You are in NO position to tell me, what I should or shouldn’t do,” Mark spoke slowly and clearly. Dom took a step back, astonished.

  “We need to have a discussion, you and I. It’s very important that you trust me right now,” Dom responded.

  “The only person in this room, that I trust right now, is me,” Mark spoke through clenched teeth. “And even I don’t fully know what I’m capable of doing right now.”

  Mark shifted his glare to Leo, who stood motionless with a frightened Lucy. He looked at Mark, like he had just seen a ghost.

  Leo gives Dom, a confused look and tightens his grip on Lucy, holding her now, to the side of him in a protective stance.

  “Now you know how it feels, Leo… to shield your sister, from a lunatic with a gun,” Mark said with a sinister grin.

  “Please, Marko, I beg of you to put the gun away. You need to listen to what I have to say,” Dom said firmly.

  “No, YOU need to listen to what I have to say! Why don’t YOU give me the answers I want to hear, Dom, since your so fucking chatty! We all know you had a hand, in all of this!” Marks rage was unyielding. All he wanted was for Dom to say ONE incriminating thing on that tape, so he could put a bullet in his head.

  Dom shook his head in disagreement. “No, Marko. You don’t understand, you’re wrong about me,” Dom’s eyes pleaded with him.

  “Listen to him, Mark,” said a familiar voice, just outside the door.

  Williams was suddenly visible, just inside the door. He stepped in slowly around the stool that Dom had propped the door open with. Williams had his gun drawn also… and had it pointed in Lucy and Leo’s direction.

  “Williams? What in the HELL are you doing here?” Mark asked abruptly. Mark became increasingly alarmed.

  “Forgive me, my friend, I couldn’t let you do this alone. Mark, don’t do anything you might regret. You need to seriously keep your wits about you… because shit’s about to get crazy,” Williams’ gaze shifted from Mark to Leo.

  “Someone needs to start talking and tell me what the fuck is going on,” Mark yelled, “NOW!”

  “Wait, you know what? I want to hear you say it, Dom. Tell me how you helped kill your god-daughter! I want to know every detail of your devious plan,” Mark demanded.

  Mark had no more self-control left. The tension in that room, was only adding fuel to his fire. He didn’t want Williams to ever be a part of this, or to see him this way. Mark had come too far… so he wasn’t going to stop now.

  “I wouldn’t do such a thing. I love Allie,” Dom said diligently.

  Lucy scoffed loudly. “Oh, my God! He doesn’t know a thing you stupid imbecile!” she spat. “It was all me!” she yelled proudly. “You think only HE is capable of such orchestration?” Lucy seemed offended.

  Mark quickly glanced at Dom, who watched Lucy with disgust.

  Lucy tried to step towards Mark, but Leo had a good hold of her. Williams flinched.

  Mark focused on her again.

  “You would FIRST, have to understand what you have done to me and my family to truly appreciate all the time and effort I have spent, waiting, and planning… to see you just like this!” She pointed at Mark. “So lost, scared, and broken…”

  Lucy smiled maniacally, as she reveled in her self-justifiable madness.

  “After Leo was sentenced and sent away to prison for the murders he didn‘t commit, my father had a massive heart attack and died! I watched my mother struggle. She had to sell the restaurant to pay the mountain of debt that she accumulated!” Lucy screeched.

  Leo’s face contorted. He closed his eyes and held on to his trembling sister.

  “Staying home and caring for her wasn’t enough. There was nothing I could do to help her. She told me she lost both her sons that night,” Lucy turned and looked at Leo, speaking directly to him now. “She slowly sank into depression… and ate a bottle of pills for dinner one night, and never woke up,” Lucy admitted.

  Leo was stunned. He had never known that this was how his mother had truly passed.

  Everyone remained silent listening to her ranting.

  Marks grip became tighter on the gun he aimed at Lucy. “Say the wrong thing and you’re dead, bitch,” he thought to himself.

  Lucy turned back around and faced Mark once again. “I alone had to avenge my families dishonor. I knew then, that I needed to exact revenge on you for taking all our hopes and dreams, and throwing it away, like garbage. It was because of YOU, that Alice and Joey died… It was because of YOU, that Leo had to pull a gun to protect him against you that night. YOU who set him up with your dirty cop friends that protected you in court! YOU, who put him away with your lie’s!” She was shaking uncontrollably, her eyes wild with fury. “The judge sentenced us all that day… to a life of hell… and some of us… to uncertain death!”

  Lucy was choking on her words now, crying uncontrollably. “I wanted to show my brother, that we can have our honor back and start over! All I wanted was to make him proud of me!” Lucy turned quickly into Leo and sobbed into his shoulder.

  Mark saw how fragile Lucy’s mental state really was. She was a psychopath at best… but he had no idea how delusional she was. She was pointing the finger at the wrong person. It was Leo who needed to come clean to his dear sister, who spent a large chunk out of her life, fighting for his lost integrity. All of her devious efforts were because of his lies.

  Mark glanced at Dom who now stared at Lucy with sympathy in his eyes.

  Tears fell from Leo’s eyes as he whispered into Lucy’s ear. No one could hear what he said over her crying and carrying on.

  “I’m so sorry… it‘s the truth. Look at me Tina!” Leo said loudly. He continued to hold on to her as she struggled to get free.

  “No! It can’t be… you wouldn’t have done that!” Lucy exclaimed.

  “It was Mark, not you that killed them!” Lucy’s reality was beginning to spiral out of control.

  “It’s true.” Leo looked at Mark with sincerity. “I killed Joey and Alice…. and their unborn baby, that night.”

  Mark didn’t want to hear this. Whatever Leo was trying to accomplish by telling him the truth… it wasn’t going to work. Nothing was going to soften his anger. It was too late for retribution.

  “I could care less about your stupid ideas, or sympathy’s…. I know for a fact that my daughter is DEAD because of all of you! Only Lucy has the gall to fess up to it! My innocent baby, that did nothing wrong to deserve any of this, is gone!” Mark squeezed both of his guns. He wasn’t wasting any more time. There had been enough talking.

  Williams’ gun arm was shaking now… but his gun remained pointed at Lucy and Leo.

  “Mark, don’t do it! PLEASE, let Dom explain,” Williams could feel the situation crumbling fast.

  “Why don‘t you just let me do, what I have to… remember that part of our agreement? This is that time when you were supposed to walk away, and you didn‘t, so shut your mouth and man up!” Mark grumbled under his breathe.

  “To hell with our agreement, I’m here to keep you from making a terrible mistake. You’re not a cold blooded killer, Mark. Not like them. Are you capable? Yes. Is it necessary? NO,” Williams’ arm shook as he kept aim on Lucy, who now stared blankly at Mark.

  Mark remembered what Julie had said earlier, “Someone could get hurt, or worse, killed. Enough innocent people have died already.”

  Dom spoke just then and broke Marks concentration.

  “I had nothing to do with her horrible game. I did not kill Allie, nor did I have anyone do it for me,” Dom said truthfully.

  “Leo, put the cuffs on her now, please,” Dom ordered. Lucy turned and looked at Leo with unbelieving fear in her eyes. He took out a pair of handcuffs, and clapped it across her left wrist. He twisted her hands quickly behind her back, and fastened the other to join her other wrist.

&nb
sp; “What are you doing, brother?” Lucy was awestruck. “Leo, answer me! I demand an explanation!” she cried.

  Dom spoke loudly over Lucy’s pleas.

  “Three months ago, I was contacted by Leo Vanzetti. I went to see him, and that is when he told me that his sister, Tina, was my Lucy, and she had a deadly plan in effect. He couldn’t let it happen. He wanted her to be put into a place, where she could be taken care of properly for her severe mental issues. I believed this man to be telling the truth,” Dom quickly, yet precisely explained.

  “I immediately started investigating the accusation, and discovered her affair with Nick. The rest of the design unraveled quickly. I had to act fast, and discreetly. I couldn’t tell you a thing, Marko. Lucy’s plan had to be thwarted, but she couldn’t think it was in any danger. She had to believe that it all went off without a hitch,” Dom spoke directly to Mark. “Leo has cooperated fully and willingly.”

  Lucy screamed.

  “LIE’S! Leo you wouldn‘t do this to me, tell me he’s lying!” Lucy shrieked at him.

  “He’s telling the truth,” Leo said, with watery eyes. He looked at Mark when he spoke.

  “You think I’m going to fall for this sob story? You don’t think I know what’s going on here? You’re all turning against her, you’re flipping on her, because she’s the stupid broad that admitted to everything already! REAL classy guys, throw the crazy lady under the bus!” Mark laughed. “Do you believe this crock, Williams?” Mark asked sarcastically.

  Williams nodded his head.

  “It’s the absolute truth. It’s all part of another F.B.I investigation. It stems all the way back… starting with the Agent who gave away your personal information and many others who are in the Witness Protection Program,” he stated.

  Williams lowered his gun, relieving his aching arms, and proving that the threat was gone.

  “This stand-off needs to end, Mark. No one is in any danger here. The only threat is you, just put the guns down,” Williams said sincerely.

  “I’m an F.B.I informant,” Dom admitted. “Once I began investigating Lucy, we discovered her connection to the pre-existing case, regarding the witness protection breach. We, the F.B.I and Leo here, decided to work together… and quickly. There was no time for finesse. We couldn’t jeopardize the Federal case,” Dom looked over at a stunned Lucy.

  “Williams just found out about an hour ago. I couldn’t tell you, Marko. They wouldn’t let me. It damn near killed me not to. Believe me when I say… that it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my LIFE!” Dom pleaded.

  Marks arms swayed and shook with fatigue, but he wouldn’t put the guns down. “You couldn’t try to save her though? You just led my innocent daughter, out to slaughter…. just so you didn’t have to COMPROMISE your investigation!” Mark felt sick to his stomach. “You’re sadistic, all of you,” Marks head swooned. He was struggling to rationalize.

  “No wonder you were so eager to help with everything… her burial, the autopsy, everything! You felt guilty… you were trying to ease your guilty conscience about what you had done! Did it work? Did it make you feel better when you paid her funeral bills?” Mark felt his adrenaline return. He then put both guns on Dom.

  Williams quickly drew on Mark.

  “Mark, please… there’s so much more that needs explaining. Come on buddy, I know your paranoid as heck right now, and you have every right to be! But I need you to realize that what we’re saying sounds crazy… but is 100% true,” Williams begged.

  “I don’t care. I don’t care about any of this anymore,” Mark mumbled.

  “You’re right!” Dom yelled and got his attention. “Marko, your right, It wasn’t easy to go through, but it was necessary. I will explain more to you soon, but the next words I speak to you are very important. You must trust that I’m telling you the truth. I don’t deserve it…. I know. But I need you to believe in me,” Dom insisted.

  Mark went wild. His eyes were darker than death itself.

  “YOUR truth and MY truth are different, aren’t they? SWEAR! SWEAR on my dead daughter’s body, that you’re telling me the truth!” Mark yelled ferociously. “SAY IT!”

  “I can’t swear to that Marko… I can’t! She is not dead, she is ALIVE!” Dom finally exclaimed.

  Mark and Lucy stared at Dom in disbelief for what seemed like minutes, but were only seconds.

  “What?” Mark looked at Williams who had once again, lowered his gun. Williams had a look of pure relief on his face.

  “You’re LYING!” Mark shouted. The room began to spin; he was dizzy and going into shock.

  “She’s alive and well! I promise you,” Dom reassured him.

  “That can’t be… I saw her laid out in the… the hospital,” Mark felt his sanity slipping away. He didn’t know what was real anymore. This revelation shocked him to his core.

  “I know this a lot to take in, just try to stay calm. You’ll get all of your answers soon enough. Just put the guns down,” Williams added.

  Mark felt his arms go numb. Maybe they fell on their own out of pure exhaustion, or maybe he just gave up and dropped them.

  Williams caught hold of Mark‘s arm, as his body slumped to the floor. Williams sat beside him on the ground, amidst a whirl wind of police activity. He safely secured his weapons and put the safety’s back on, putting them in Marks holsters. They watched in silence as agents poured in, taking away a screaming, hysterical Lucy. Leo walked out, with his head hung low, not looking up at anyone.

  “Everything’s alright now, you’ll see,” Williams assured Mark. A feeling of relief washed over his body, triggering an instinct. This familiar feeling made him think that this could be real.

  “Where is she?” Mark looked bewildered at Williams.

  “She’s been at Anita’s, all weekend long,” Williams assured him.

  Dom, who had been dealing with Fed’s and Police outside in the hallway, now came in and knelt beside Mark on the floor in the kitchen. Williams got up to give them privacy.

  “He’s not talking much. I think he’s in shock,” Williams mentioned. “I’m going out to the dining area.

  Mark asked Dom. “How could you of done this?”

  “We drugged her wine. There was never any poison in the icing… we got to that in time,” Dom looked at Marks blank expression as he began to stare at the floor, and continued.

  “Allie responded differently to it than we thought… I didn’t expect her to stay out as long as she had. She didn’t suffer a second though… she doesn’t remember a thing either. Her breathing was so shallow, that it appeared she wasn’t breathing when you saw her at the hospital. The doctors and the nurses… they were all F.B.I… stop me when you want, it’s just all pouring out of me now, Marko…. Will you ever forgive me?” Dom asked sincerely. “This is the worst thing I have ever done to anyone. I‘m so sorry for causing you this pain and heartache, it’s the ultimate kind of betrayal,” he acknowledged sullenly.

  Mark didn’t answer him. He just leaned his back up against the wall, and put his head between his knees.

  Dom realized that Mark wasn’t going to respond to him just yet… but there would hopefully be plenty of time for explanations later.

  Williams poked his head into the kitchen entry way.

  “Someone couldn’t wait any longer to see you, and I think we can all agree, that it’s been long enough,” Williams said. He held open the double doors.

  Mark couldn’t believe his eyes… his mouth fell open. He felt as though he were frozen to the floor, unable to budge.

  “Dad?” Allie came in searching for him. Spotting him quickly, she ran to where Mark was and skidded to the floor onto her knees, wrapping her arms around him immediately. “Dad, are you okay?” she cried.

  Marks eyes welled up with tears that flowed freely down his face. His eyes were fixed open. He put his arms around her, still unbelieving that this was actually happening. He had to be dreaming, he thought.

  “Allie, baby girl,�
�� Mark closed his eyes and held her to him tightly. She wasn’t a dream, she was very real.

  “Let me look at you,” he could barely manage to speak. He wanted to see that she was whole.

  Mark held her tear streaked face in his hands and brushed her hair back. He never thought that in a million years he would be able to look in her eyes again. She smiled at him with the same crooked grin she always has.

  “Oh, dear GOD, thank you! You’re alive,” he wept. “Thank you Jesus…. I don’t deserve this. Thank you, Jesus!” Mark prayed over his daughter.

  “I’m okay, dad. Really I am,” She assured him. “Are you alright? I know you were TOTALLY about to blast some people away a few minutes ago,” she laughed through her tears.

  “I’m so sorry, dad! I wanted to tell you sooner,” she hugged him tighter.

  He got up onto his knees and grabbed her again, kissing the top of her head. “I‘ll be alright, honey. I’m just not EVER letting you out of my sight, again!”

  Mark continued to pray over his daughter, and praise Jesus for his miracles. Allie had never heard her father pray before, but she liked it. Finally, she felt safe and totally secure in his arms, thankful that this ordeal was finally over.

  “Thank you, Jesus,” she whispered, smiling.

  Allie may have missed him all weekend, but Mark had missed her for a life time.

  CHAPTER 18

  BIGGER FISH

  Allie and Mark slowly emerged from the kitchen.

  They had been talking; going back and forth on whether Allie could make a phone call without the Fed’s approval. She knew that many people would want to know just what the heck had happened for her to rise from the grave. So they discussed the most appropriate thing she could say.

  “I know exactly what to say, but due to an ongoing Federal investigation, I’m not allowed to go into details,” Allie confirmed with a know-it-all smile.

  Mark reluctantly agreed to let Allie call Jen. Allie sat down at the nearest table, eager to use Marks cell phone. She couldn’t wait any longer to tell Jen she was alive and well. Mark listened nearby, and walked over to Williams, who was leaning against the wall.