Please Don't Leave Me Behind Again (Completed)

Chapter Seventy-One

I turned back to Doukas. "Why are you here?" I asked again.

I figured some of the boys would be here, but not Doukas. He was a surprise.

He smiled at me.

"Your father sent me."

"Why? Why would you do anything for him? Is it because he makes the drugs for you?"

He snorted. "I could care less about that bástardos. He could get shot right in front of me and I would watch him bleed out without lifting a finger, but you? I would do anything for you, Asteráki."

"Why?" I asked again, feeling like a parrot. "Why am I so important?"

Doukas's smile fell into a frown as his eyes distanced.

"Your mother. I knew your mother," he finally said.

That answer sent shock through my body. The only noise I could take in was the whooshing of my blood through my head. I opened my mouth and then closed it, unable to come up with something to say.

My mom? He knew her? How? When?

I looked over at Mr. Blackbourne and Dr. Sean who were staring at Doukas with suspicion. They wanted more answers too.

Doukas gave me a weak smile before blanking his face and turning to look at Luke.

"Time?" he asked.

"Three minutes," Luke said, pulling out a small pouch and crouching in front of the door. He pulled out some tools and began pick locking the door.

"Three minutes until what?" I asked, climbing out of my thoughts. There was so much I wanted to ask him but now wasn't the time. I needed to get out first.

"Until the Toma team does their distraction. Their job is to draw Volto and Ghost away from us. Shouldn't be too hard with only the two of them here."

There was a click and Luke tried the knob, the door opening this time. He grinned back at me with a wink. "Freedom in sight," he said.

There was a loud explosion and my eyes widened, my bloody wound forgotten as I thought about the building falling on top of us.

"Time to move," Doukas said.

Luke swept me up off my feet while Mr. Blackbourne supported Dr. Sean, or maybe they were supporting each other. Doukas opened the door and looked through while pulling out a gun he had tucked away. He nodded at us and disappeared through.

We followed behind.

I winced at the dull pain my shoulder as Luke jostled me a little.

"Sorry, Cupcake. Just a little bit longer."

I gave him a weak smile. "I have all the time in the world," I said but the weakness in my words betrayed how out of it I really was becoming. I felt a little nauseous but worked at keeping it down.

Only a flesh wound. If it's only a flesh wound, you can keep fighting. The only time you get to stop fighting is when you are dead.

I nodded to myself, remembering that lesson. I wasn't dead. I was still alive and kicking. I had more fight in me and a part of me knew I was going to need all the fight left to get everyone out safely.

We went up some stairs and then entered a hallway full of doors. A maze.

"Wow," Luke said. "Even knowing the layout, this place would be difficult to get out of."

"Then you're lucky I know this place," Doukas said, his eyes scanning the hallways.

"You know where we are?" Mr. Blackbourne asked, his voice dripping with suspicion. If Doukas didn't answer this correctly, he might find himself very hurt.

Doukas smiled at Mr. Blackbourne. "Aren't you all cute, trying to be all indignant. Don't worry. Yes, I know where we are. That was why we were able to react so quickly." His smile turned into a ruthless smirk and I suppressed a shudder at the look on him.

He just reminded me that he was a hired killer and he had no qualms about beating a man after he was down. In a way, he was just like Volto. The only difference was that he was apparently on my team.

"Volto decided be poetic, using one of our locations for his little game," Doukas said. "I think it's time we put the dog down."

We moved quickly through the hallways but then we nearly slammed into Doukas when we went around a corner.

Doukas's green eyes were narrowed on a spot ahead of him. We followed his sight until we all froze at who we saw.

Volto was standing a few doors down, a gun in one hand and something else in his other.

"Should have known it was you," Volto said in his robotic voice. "He always sends his little mutt out to do his dirty work."

Doukas's lip curled into a snarl. He stepped forward but then Volto raised the hand holding something black up into the air, making Doukas freeze.

"Did you really think it would be that easy? I'm not stupid. I've learned a few tricks throughout the years," he said.

I looked around confused. What was in his hand.

"Sang, take a good look around you," Volto said.

My head snapped back at him a little fast, making my head spin a little. If Luke weren't still holding me, I would have fallen.

"Look real good, Sang. This is what happens when you don't listen to me."

I did look and then I found what he wanted me to find, what the others noticed more quickly than I did.

We were surrounded by what I really hoped weren't bombs.

I looked at Luke and he nodded, his jaw clenched together.

I turned my attention back to Volto who had just stood their and waited for me to play catch up.

"Now that you're all caught up, let's get this over with," Volto said.

Luke lowered me down to my feet and I leaned against him on my uninjured side with his hand around my waist for support.

"Now, Sang. The result of this is all up to you. Come here or I'll blow everyone up. It's a simple equation and you're a smart girl. I think you know which one is best." He lifted the gun, aiming at Doukas. "Come here or let everyone die. Choose."