- E l e n a F e r r a r i -
This was an absolute mess.
Samantha and I had just gotten out of the plane when we received a call from Salvatore, telling us that Amara had been injured and was now at the Red Death gang's main base.
Apparently, the Silent Death gang decided to attack Caroline because of her relationship with Nader, the younger brother of Mohammed. Mohammed was the Leader of the gang, which is probably why Caroline was attacked, because she was on a date with Mohammed's younger brother.
It just so happened that Amara was there, so she was caught in the crossfire.
It made me angry, Samantha even more so.
The both of us had literally raced here, not giving a fuck about rules or regulations as we drove. Obviously, police were chasing us the entire time, but we managed to shake them off our tail.
I had no doubt that they managed to take our licence plat number though, so I wouldn't be surprised if we get taken in for speeding and breaking laws.
It didn't matter to me. I couldn't care less right now. Maybe I'll start caring later, when all is said and done.
"Does someone care to explain why the fuck Amara's in the hospital bed?" I growled, barely holding onto my anger.
"It was an attack." Nader tried to explain to me, but I raised a hand to stop him.
"I know it was an attack." I said flatly. "What I want to know, is why the fuck Amara is injured and why she was dragged into your mess. Let me speak to your brother. Where is he?"
"He should be in the main room." Nader said calmly, yet there was a slight quiver to his voice. "I can bring you there."
I opened my mouth to agree, but was interrupted by Samantha who had a deadly look on her face.
"I don't want his explanation." she murmured softly, in a lethal tone. "What's done is done. No explanation needed."
"Bu-"
"What did I say?" She narrowed her eyes on Nader, and the poor guy shrunk into himself.
No one dared to speak, Amara and Caroline staring at the two of us in shock. None of them have seen us like this before, so I guess it might be surprising.
"Tell your brother," Samantha started slowly. "That Amara is going to be staying here until her brothers arrive. He'll be going with Elena and I somewhere."
Nader seemed hesitant to comply. "Where are you guys going?"
"If you are afraid that I'll kill him, you needn't worry." she said. "I have no plans on killing anyone today. Unless someone fails to do as I ordered." she added.
"Got it." Nader said immediately, literally running out of the room.
"Amara. Are you and Caroline okay?" Samantha asked softly.
"Y-yes," Amara stuttered.
"Yeah," Caroline agreed with a nod of her head. Her eyes were blown wide, almost as if she didn't believe what she just witnessed.
"Salvatore and the rest of them will be here soon." I told her. "They'll bring you back home."
"What about Caroline?"
Samantha cut me a glance, and I nodded slightly.
Yes, we were thinking the same thing. "She'll be coming with us."
"Huh?"
"Caroline will be coming with us, along with Mohammed." I clarified. "We'll be needing her help."
"My help?" Caroline repeated nervously.
"Yes." I nodded. "You don't have to do much. But we'll need your presence. Unless you have a problem with it?"
Caroline shook her head furiously. "N-no. It's okay, I'll come with you."
"Great!" I said. "By the way, does Maroline know of Nader?"
"No," She shook her head in a negative. "I never got the chance to tell her. With her being away in University, and her only coming back two months ago, I never got the chance to tell her. Anyway, she's too obsessed with her boyfriend to care about me."
I frowned. Well that complicates things a bit.
~
"Where are we?"
"Somewhere." Samantha answered vaguely. "But park your bike. We've arrived."
I pulled into a nearby spot, where another car was already situated and brought Caroline down with me.
For someone who is not used to this type of living, Caroline has truly surprised me. Yet, I shouldn't be surprised, not from the way her-
"What is this?" Mohammed asked, looking around the old, worn-down warehouse.
"You'll see when we go in." I replied for Samantha, knowing that she won't like to repeat herself.
"Why am I here?" Caroline piped up, finally getting the nerve to speak up.
"You'll see." I repeated. "But don't worry. Out of everyone here, I swear on my life I'll make sure that you're alive by the end of this."
I don't think my way of trying to reassure the teenage girl worked, but it couldn't be helped. My son still hasn't reached the teenage stages yet, so I wouldn't know how to deal with their attitude. Well, I wouldn't know how to deal with it the best way possible—the way that would given them the most comfort.
I gently pushed Caroline towards the entrance, Samantha and Mohammed far in front of us already. The moment we were about to step in though, I pulled her back, changing my mind.
"Never mind. Let's wait here for a minute so that the people in there can let loose some steam." I spoke casually, trying to calm Caroline down before the inevitable shouts of anger and guns clicking,
And it did.
"WHY THE FUCK IS HE HERE?"
"WHY THE FUCK DID YOU BRING ME HERE?"
The sound of a gun's safety being clicked off resounded out into the air, and from the way Caroline tensed, I knew she knew what that sound was. She stared straight faced ahead though, giving no indication of fear even if her hands were shaking the slightest bit.
"What's happening?" Caroline whispered to me.
I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly. "Nothing much. Just letting loose some steam, as I told you." I murmured to her over the yelling of two men.
"Are you guys done yet?" Samantha interrupted the shouting match. "I have more people that need to come in. I won't have them joining if I have two immature gang leaders cussing each other out because of past differences."
It went silent, and I took that as my cue to shove Caroline forward. She stumbled into the warehouse on unsteady feet, myself following after her as my eyes adjusted to the lights.
Caroline too, seemed blinded by the brightness of the room, and it took her a while to get used to it, her eyes shutting and squinting every few seconds.
I stared at the four people in front of me while I was at it.
Samantha.
Mohammed.
Dorian, who was the Silent Death's leader.
And.
Maroline, Dorian's girlfriend and in other words, Caroline's older sister.
Caroline gasped, and I saw Maroline's jaw drop to the ground.
Thing are about to get interesting.
- C a r o l i n e -
I stared at my older sister and her boyfriend.
What the fuck.
"What..."
"Caroline?" Dorian voiced questioningly.
"Why are you here?" Maroline immediately asked me, her heels clicking onto the floor as she strode towards me in fast-paced steps.
Elena blocked her before she could reach me, holding out a hand.
"Nuh-uh," she smirked. "Caroline is staying with me until you have things sorted out here."
I blinked.
She made it sound like I was here as a show of good will or some shit.
I probably was...
"Why are you here?" Maroline asked me, her voice desperate and pleading.
"I could ask you the same thing." I retorted. "When did you become the girlfriend of a gang leader?"
"And when did you become part of this?" Maroline countered.
This time when she reached for me, I stepped out of the way, using Elena as a shield. I could literally feel Elena smirking her amusement at the situation.
"It seems like two people were keeping secrets from each other, right Maroline? Caroline?" Samantha chuckled without mirth.
I stared at Dorian, who was shaking his head.
"I think an explanation is needed." Elena added, amusement and a hint of craziness glittering in her eyes.
"It certainly is." Maroline agreed.
"There is a room over there if you two want to talk." Elena chimed in, pointing at a nearby door. "Go have your talk. It's also soundproof, if it makes you more comfortable."
Maroline didn't need to be told twice, immediately striding towards the room. I was at her heel, ready to have a talk with my older sister.
We both have things to confess to each other, it seems.
~
- S a m a n t h a R o m a n o -
"You two seem awfully quiet." Elena wondered out loud, giving the two men in the room a meaningful glance.
"Care to say what's on your mind?" she asked.
I smirked.
"You two are so manipulative." Dorian spoke, letting out a sigh.
His hand wandered towards his belt, where his gun was resting.
"Us? Manipulative?" Elena grinned maliciously. "Never."
"Right," Mohammed drawled.
"Will you two cooperate then?" I questioned, internally laughing at the situation.
I had no doubt that they would be working together in no time.
"Manipulation at its finest." Mohammed agreed. "You two sure are something."
I didn't answer him, instead keeping my straight face even while my inner demon was cackling.
I had done my research, and I had found out that Maroline had met Dorian during the time she was out of State and studying in University. There, they started dating, and because Maroline's home was in Miami, she had to come back.
Dorian, heads over heels for the girl, decided to move his entire gang to Miami the same time Mohammed's gang decided to come over as well.
Mohammed's younger brother, Nader, had met Caroline online. When Mohammed realized that the Silent Death's were against him, he knew that he needed to move. Mohammed had asked his gang where they wanted to stay for the rest of their lives, and Nader had suggested Miami so that he could meet Caroline in person.
This meant that the two gangs weren't following each other. It was just that Caroline and Maroline had brought them toward Miami without meaning to.
What a coincidence, a coincidence where the Silent Death took the chance to attack them. Yet, it made no sense.
Data has never shown that the Silent Death has ever sent assassins at the Red Death gang. So this sudden attack was quite unusual. Nevertheless, an attack was an attack and should be counted as such.
Now I don't know what beef they had between them, to result in Dorian wanting to murder or severely injure Mohammed. But I knew that with the Maroline and Caroline in opposing gangs, they would think twice before trying to attack each other again.
I seriously doubt that they will continue fighting, now that Maroline also knows that her sister was attacked because she has some relationship towards Nader in some way.
Maroline was protective of her younger sister, so I fully believed that as an older sibling, she'd do anything to protect her. This included trying to convince her boyfriend to call off the target on them.
"What beef do you two have between each other anyway?" Elena questioned suddenly.
I sent her a warning glance.
We should not be meddling in beef that doesn't concern us. We are here to tell them to not cause trouble while in Miami, not to make their problem a problem we have to solve for them. They can have beef for all I care. They just can't have an all-out war where my family was living.
If they wanted to fight, they could move and fight somewhere else. I couldn't care less.
"It's nothing." Dorian muttered, the hand gripping the handle of his gun turning white.
That rage...
Elena raised a curious brow.
"You guys were close before. Close to the point of brothers." she commented, picking at her nails. "What happened? Or more specifically, what did Mohammed do?"
I let out a breath. This girl was so nosy.
Elena knew she was prying into business she had no reason to pry into, yet she was still doing it because she couldn't give two shits if she provoked either of them.
Foolish or brave, I wouldn't know. The line was always blurred with this girl.
Mohammed scowled, glaring at Elena. However, he kept his silence. Dorian too, stayed quiet, contemplating what to do or say.
"Well?" Elena prompted, tapping her index finger to her chin.
"It's nothing," Mohammed muttered. Dorian snorted in disbelief, yet he didn't say anything.
Elena perked up with glee, noticing the change of attitude. This is not going to go well and I should probably stop it. Something I was very inclined to do, or maybe not.
If they sort out what's causing the hostility between the two, it would mean cooperation from both sides as they won't fight.
But at the same time, it's not our business. Not unless we are dragged into it, the very thing we are trying to prevent and why we are here in the first place.
Otherwise, Elena and I would have no reason to be in Miami at all.
"It's definitely something," Elena smirked, a hint of malice on her tone. "Dorian, what did Mohammed ever do to you?"
A vein started bulging on his forearm.
"You know, if you don't want your girlfriend to see you truly angry, now is the time to let loose." Elena commented offhandedly, a sly smile situated on her face.
She knew what she was doing, and I already knew she wanted me to go along with it.
People like Dorian bottle up their emotions until they go past their breaking point. Elena was trying to make him reach that point so that Mohammed and Dorian could sort out their differences right now.
There are... certain advantages and disadvantages to her plan, and not going to lie, I do not want to be here when they blow up. If they start a yelling match, my temper will certainly rise.
I sometimes wonder how Elena became the person I trusted with my life. She was reckless, to say the least, and I had multiple examples to prove my statement. One example being right now, where her constant poking is going to make Dorian blow up. Her attitude towards Mohammed as well, is going to have him explode.
I question Elena's thought process on a daily basis. I knew that she knows the consequences of her acti-
"Fuck you." Dorian hissed. "You are so annoying."
"Why thank you." Elena sassed, batting he eyelashes like a fucking schoolgirl. "I take pride in that."
"Is it possible for her to shut up?" Mohammed asked me.
I shook my head, almost in amusement. "She's been with me for years, and I still haven't found her 'off' button."
Technically, I do know it. But why should I tell him? I owe him nothing.
"We won't say a fucking word to you." Dorian said, crossing his arms.
Elena let out a long, disappointed, exaggerated sigh. "Why?"
"Because it's none of your, or Samantha's business." Mohammed answered. "You guys don't need to know anything that goes on in our life. It doesn't concern the two of you in the fucking slightest. So, stop pushing your nose into our life."
Elena narrowed her eyes, her playful mood disappearing in an instant.
I grinned. This guy had some balls.
If Marco were to find out Mohammed spoke to his wife like that... The world will quite literally, end.
"Actually, this does concern me." Elena nearly growled out. "You two nearly nearly got my sister-in-law killed just because you," She pointed at Dorian. "Sent a fucking assassin at them. You two will sort this out right here and now, or you won't like the consequences."
"First of all, I did not send any fucking assassin at anyone. Second, what type of consequences will there be?" retorted Dorian, in one of the most disrespectful tones I've ever heard. "We don't have to listen to any of you."
My temper was stroked. "You are in our territory." I growled. "If you don't want to solve whatever beef you have between the two of you, fine. We can't force that. But, what we can do, is force you out of our territory.
"Solve your shit out yourselves." I said. "We don't care for your drama, but the moment Amara was attacked, we were dragged into it. So you can either solve our your shit and stay in Florida, or not and get out. You can choose."
"By the way, don't forget that the girls are here as well." Elena chimed in as if she was helping. "If you want to stay with your dates, or lovers, you have got to get rid of the beef between each other."
Dorian and Mohammed were silent, and I could literally see the gears turning in their heads. The two glanced at each other, the both of them nodding towards one another before turning to Elena and me.
"You two get out." Dorian relented. "We'll sort our shit out."
"Yeah," Mohammed grumbled. "We'll do it, just not in front of you two."
Elena was more than happy to comply, dragging me out with her. "Got it!" she exclaimed cheerfully, skipping out of the warehouse. "Just remember to sort it out!"
By the time we were outside, Elena was laughing like a maniac. "Those two are so best friends." she commented. "They literally communicated through their eyes!"
"Yeah," I agreed. "Only close people can do that. I wonder what happened."
Elena stared at me. "I'm pretty sure Mohammed killed Dorian's old girlfriend or something."
Baffled, I whipped my head to her in shock. "What?"
"No idea." she shrugged. "It's just what I heard."
"U-huh," I agreed. "What you 'heard'."
"Yep," she nodded. "Doesn't matter though. As long as they become friends by the end of tonight, I couldn't care less about what happened."
"How long do you think it'll take?" I questioned staring at the moon. "First Maroline and Caroline, now Dorian and Mohammed. I'm sure the two sisters are literally yelling at each other right now, and if I'm right, Dorian and Mohammed will probably have a brawl before they even say a word to each other."
"At least two hours." Elena hummed. "Now stop talking." she shushed. "You need to let your voice rest."
"First time hearing you say that." I chuckled.
"Whatever," she huffed. "I'm bored."
I raised a brow at her. "No shit. We are outside and staring at a fucking moon as if it is anything interesting."
"I know," she whined. "There's nothing to do."
"You want to fight?"
"Fight?"
"Yeah, like old time." I nodded. "Remember?"
Elena's face turned from one of confusion, to realization, to excitement. "You bet. Let's go to the trees. We won't be seen there."
"Sure."
"I'm going to win." she grinned, going to her bike and pulling out a katana from a hidden compartment. With a finger scan, her katana popped out of her bike, and she caught it smoothly.
I made the same action, the steel glinting in the moonlight.
"You're not going to win."
***
Happy Ramadan to all of my Muslim readers! I hope you're all having an amazing day so far, and please make sure that you stay healthy during this time. If you think there may be something wrong, please go check it up with a doctor.
I hope you've all had an amazing week, I know I had. I had a very 'light' week, considering the amount of work that has been piled onto me the past semester, so it was very enjoyable for me. Tell me how your week is going! Do you like it? Was it better than last week? Let me know!
Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you in the next chapter of FCF! Love you all, and remember to stay safe!
~ CRAZY40429 💋
QotC: What motivates you to do better?
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