escape | vento aureo

xix. la squadra (again)

Prosciutto helps me sit up. Dull throbbing in the back of my head makes a soft groan escape from me. "Don't hurt yourself," he says sternly.

I squeeze my eyes shut and wait for a particularly sharp burst of pain in my head to subside. "I was looking for you fuckers," I tell him through gritted teeth.

"Last time I checked, Nero told Illuso to tell you to not look for us." He hands me a bottle of water. "And you agreed and said you'd help us out where you could."

I take a sip. "Yeah, well, some things changed. Passione did a one-eighty on how much they trust me. They gave me a mission and then gave it to someone else because of how close I am to you guys."

Prosciutto shifts uncomfortably. "What kind of mission?"

"I'm assuming you guys caught wind of the Boss's daughter being taken in by Passione? And that she is to be delivered to him by the end of the week?"

He nods. "That was the opportunity Nero saw for us to get back at the Boss. We planned on using her to find out who he is. We don't know who's in charge of her. Though, I now have a feeling that you do."

"It was my mission. But then the Boss gave it to Bruno Bucciarati, and I'm assuming his team is helping him."

The blond nods. "I'll pass this on to Nero."

Before he can get up, I ask, "You don't plan on hurting the girl, do you?"

He shakes his head. "All we want is to figure out who the Boss is. After he's gone, Nero said he'll figure out where she needs to go."

"Good. That has to be better than whatever the Boss has in store for her. I don't trust him one bit."

"Stay here." Prosciutto gets up and leaves the room.

While he's gone, I take a moment to do some gentle stretches--popping a few joints and taking stock of where the tender spots are. The head injury seems to be the worst one, and my back hurts as well. I imagine the skin on my back looks like an abstract portrait of blue and purple. Once that's done, I swing my legs off the side of the bed and make sure I can stand and walk with no issue. I can't think of an actual reason why I wouldn't be able to walk, but I have to satiate my curiosity. A wave of dizziness splashes onto the edges of my consciousness. I sit back down.

Prosciutto returns, this time followed by Nero. The unreadable look on the latter's face is more unsettling now than it's ever been. "I though I told you to butt out," Nero snaps.

"Oh, you know me. Always starting trouble," I reply with a playful shrug of my shoulders.

"You came looking for us, something that was very dangerous, and now look what you've gotten yourself into."

"Nothing I can't handle. If anything, the sidewalk has hurt me more than Passione has so far." I clear my throat. "So what are we going to do? Trish will be delivered to her father in a matter of days; we need a plan."

He crosses his arms. "You said you know where they're going?"

"Church of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venezia. There are several ways to get there from here, though, which complicates things."

"I'm sure someone on my team can find them."

"Great. I need to try to talk to them. Bucciarati is a reasonable guy; maybe we can reach some kind of understanding."

Prosciutto scoffs. "Wishful thinking but go off."

"I have to agree with Prosciutto," Nero says. "We'll try your idea, but I will have us use force if need be."

" . . . Okay."

Nero turns and leaves, and Prosciutto follows him. I sit back down on the bed and squeeze my eyes shut, a wave of dizziness overcoming me. I hate this feeling of being fragile.

------

"Hello, I've come to brighten your day!" Illuso says as he bursts into my room.

I sit up and glance at the time; I've been out for a few hours now. "You mean ruin my day?"

"Whatever." He dramatically tosses one of his pigtails over his shoulder. "You're so mean to me."

"Aww, is the big bad mafia man sad?"

"Yes, now hug me, you idiot," he replies and carefully wraps his arms around me.

I awkwardly pat his arm. "Oof."

"I warned you, but I guess it wasn't enough. Either you're as dense as Prosciutto's hair product or I didn't make my point clear enough." There's an edge to his voice; he's hiding behind humor."

I hug him back. "You got your point across. I didn't listen--not that regret it or anything."

"That's good."

We sit like this for a good while until Illuso breaks away from me. "I need to get back to searching for Bucciarati. See you later."

I tell him goodbye and watch him leave me.

this chapter's a little chaotic, but I stopped writing it partway through back in January and I don't remember where I was going with it