Death.
The one word that finishes all of our stories, all of our lives. The full stop of the lives we live. No one knows what happens after death, they say there's a heaven and there's a hell but I just can't seem to wrap my head around that theory.
I don't think I would go to any of them either, I've done good things but I've also killed and hurt people I don't know. I was just ordered to do so.
I've given much thought to dying. I won't lie over the years I've begged for it to happen. I don't think I'm scared of it. My fear is more being alive for decades but eventually dying like you never existed at all.
Everyone is alone, it may seem like you're not because we surround ourselves with company. Each and everyone of us are alone. Alone on a floating piece of rock, floating in a dark abyss.
Death is the name of the last chapter. The chapter when we realise the people we surround ourselves with won't follow.
We are alone.
That may be the reason I've been ignoring Carlo for a day and a half. Mostly because I don't know how tonight will end. I'm used to pushing everyone and everything away.
After all, it was trained into my head that I deserve to be alone. That thought we never go away, it has been chiselled into my brain.
Tonight I'm going to be breaking a promise, if that's what you can call it.
****
Start of flashback: (From Chapter 29) In Adelaide's POV:
"I promise that you can be there when I kill Santiago." I laugh nervously, whilst hiding my hand behind my back and crossing my fingers quickly.
Carlo laughs and smiles at me fondly.
I don't think I would be able to let him be there, if he gets hurt I won't be able to forgive myself.
End of flashback:
****
"Ti amo, Carlo." (I love you, Carlo) I whisper as I look down at him.
I push a loose curl away from his eyes as he sleeps, he inhales deeply and pulls the hoodie, which is mine, he has wrapped around his hand closer to his chest.
Walking out of the room I am greeted by Giovanni. "Ready?"
I take a deep breath. "Yeah. Let's go."
We walk to his office where everyone is waiting in silence. I push open the doors and walk to the board that has the plan on it.
"Francis and your group will circle around here." I point to the right side of the plane. "Luca and your group will take the left. Donatello and your group will take the back. The rest will go in front."
The men hum in agreement and leave to go to the cars.
"The rest of you." I look at the six people left including Giovanni. "Will be with me, inside the jet. Three at the front of the jet, three at the back. I need to be alone with Santiago." I lean my hands on the table as I look at them. "Any questions?"
"No." They all walk out leaving me and Giovanni.
I fix my thigh holster and make sure my knives and guns are where they are supposed to be. I grab a hair tie and put my hair into a ponytail.
"Are you going to be okay with this?"
I look over to Giovanni. "Yep." I walk past him to leave but he grabs my upper arm, stopping me.
"You've been ignoring Carlo and everyone but me and the men. Why?"
I keep my head straight forward. "Why not?" I shrug his hand off me and head outside.
****
"The jet is landing." Luca announces through the earpiece.
"Get ready to surround." I order.
Giovanni walks up next to me once again. I stand emotionless as i watch the plane land, all of Santiago's words rushing through my head like a CD that's scratched and repeats that one clip over and over again.
The jet comes to a stop.
"Wait." I whisper.
A few minutes pass until the door opens and the steps come out. On cue five black SUV's pull up and the people inside them get out.
"Now!"
Our cars and vans surround the place and start shooting at the opposing side, men fall to the ground surrounded in pools of red.
I run out and shoot men that are in my way as I go to the steps. I walk up with the guys behind me, they immediately go to their spots whilst shooting any guards in their way.
The doors close and it's just me and four other guys including Santiago. "Ciao Padre". (Hello father). I tilt my head to the side slightly. "ti sono mancato?" (Did you miss me?).
Santiago glares at me although he looks a little scared. "Kill her."
One of his men points a gun at me and shoots, I step to the side quickly and the bullet zooms past me beading itself into the jet wall.
I look back at the guy that shot and tut. "When you hold your gun, make sure you have a firm grip like this." I show him how to hold a gun on my own. "And don't shoot straight away, give yourself at least three seconds to find your target."
They look at me confused for a second before a second guy shoots and grazes my arm. I move back a little from the little touch of the bullet but I don't make a sound. I smile and clap a little. "He gets it."
I stop smiling and clapping becoming serious. "Now move out of my way." I shoot the guys in the room all except Santiago. Stepping over the bodies I come face to face with Santiago. "Hey!" I say happily.
"What are you doing?" He grits out as the shooting outside comes to a stop.
"They're all dead out here." Luca's voice sounds through the earpiece.
I look at Santiago and smile. "I'm going to kill you, silly."
His face pales and I throw a punch to his stomach, as he bends over I grab his head and drive my knee into his face. Blood dribbles out of his nose and I notice a little on my knee. "Ew. Don't bleed on me, disgusting."
Santiago coughs and I kick him several times in the stomach as he curls up into a ball, blood now coming out of his mouth. When I stop I sit down on the floor next to him and cross my legs with my hands in my lap. "You don't look too good." I point out.
"Why?" He coughs out with a struggle. "Why are you doing this?"
This makes me even more mad and I slap him. "You disgust me. How can you not see what you've been doing is bad?"
"I was only looking after you."
"Oh. Well that makes everything better. My bad for trying to kill you." I say sarcastically with a shrug and stand up. I lean my hand down for him to take.
When he goes to take it I drive my other fist into his nose hearing a crack. Santiago let's out an excruciatingly loud scream as waves and waves of blood flow out of his nose.
"You bitch!" He screams.
"Thank you." I smile proudly. "You ruined my life." I whisper to him. "So I'm going to make this as painful as I can."
He lets out a cry and I see tears roll down his face.
I scrunch up my face in disgust. "Stop crying. you're so weak it's embarrassing." I put my arms under his armpits and help him sit in a chair, using the seatbelts I manage to secure him down so he can't move and his arms are trapped.
More tears roll down his face as I sit down in the seat opposite him. "Please don't do this." He begs.
I smile at him and shake my head taking my gun out. I scan his body until I figure out where his liver is and I press the gun to it. His eyes widen and I smile a little before sending the 38mm bullet into his liver.
He screams and I watch the blood waterfall out of him. "You're just like me." He whispers after a little while.
"I'm nothing like you." I grit out.
"You are." He whispers but his words drown into a patronising scream from the blade of my knife cutting down his thigh.
"Not." I smile and put the knife to his neck pressing harder and harder until a little dribble of blood seeps out of his neck.
His face is in a grimace and he lets out a long breath as I move away from him.
"I want you to apologise." I speak honestly and lean back in the chair. His mouth opens to speak but I interrupt him. "Every time you waste time I do something."
He scrunches his eyebrows up and doesn't talk. I shrug nonchalantly and shoot him in the foot, he grips the chair and shouts.
"I gave you a heads up." I keep an eye on his darkening blood seeping out of his liver. Meaning he doesn't have much time left.
Still he doesn't talk so I shoot up his leg to his knee on both sides. "STOP!" He screams.
"Okay." I smile.
"I'm- I'm sorry."
I sit in front of him stunned.
I didn't think he would actually apologise.
I lean forward and tilt my head a little whilst I whisper "I don't believe you."
He smiles menacingly before I take the knife and drag it across his neck slowly. When he starts to choke on his blood and his eyes widen a little I start to feel a pressure lift off of my shoulders.
Being forced to do things I didn't want to do. Verbal abuse. Physical abuse. Locked up. Everything. Just seemed to feel that extra... lighter.
In a way.
"Well that was gruesome."
I turn around as I wipe the blood off my face and see Giovanni with his arms crossed. "You're just smearing the blood across your face." He laughs.
Giovanni walks up to me and wraps his arms around me in a protective hug. "Do you feel any better?"
"A little."
"Good." He kisses the top of my head. "We've got to get going."
I nod my head and take one last look at Santiago before grabbing a container of gasoline. I tip three containers around the jet and walk down the steps making sure everyone is out.
Tipping a line of gas down the steps and across the floor a little away from the jet I light a match.
I take a deep breath and drop the match on the trail and watch the fire slowly make its way to the plane and up the steps.
We all get into the cars and drive, I look in the rear view mirror and watch the plane blow up. The different colours of the fire spiralling up into the air along with the smoke.
Bye Santiago.
The car ride home is all of us laughing and belting out the songs on the radio.
I feel happy. But that's a bad thing. I just know it won't last.
So no. I'm not happy.
I'm okay. I feel very okay.
We pull into the driveway quietly and get out of the car. Everyone is walking towards the side of the house to get cleaned up and put everything away.
As I'm walking over, Luca stops me. "We've got it." He gives me a small smile and I nod my head before saying goodbye to everyone and walking into the house.
"Tip toe tip toe." I mumble with a small laugh as I go upstairs.
I reach the door to my room but freeze.
"Can we talk?"
I turn my head and see Carlo sitting on the floor in front of his door. The landing is dark since the lights are off so we can't see each other well.
"Um. Tomorrow?" I question.
"No now." He stands up and stalks up to me, he reaches his hand out and grabs my upper arm where the graze of the bullet wound is. I hiss slightly and he removes his hand.
I walk past him and into his room then to his bathroom. He follows behind me staring in shock at my blood on his hand.
"It's just a graze." I reason and look for the first aid box.
"You're bleeding!" He carefully places his hands on my shoulders and spins me around so he can see what is going on.
"It's not my blood." I deadpan.
He scrunches up his eyebrows in confusion.
"It's Santiago's"
I move away from him but he picks me up and places me on the side. "I'm going to clean this all up and you are going to tell me why you've been ignoring me and why you have Santiago's blood all over you." He orders in a strict tone.
I sigh but nod my head nonetheless.