"But..." I stuck my finger into the air, pausing for dramatic effect. "...what if it's not Romeo?"
"November, it's him."
"That could have been anybody's helicopter."
"It's Romeo."
"But maybe it's not."
"It is." Cage repeated.
"But maybe it's not-''
"It is."
"But-"
"It is."
I frowned at Cage distastefully. Well, he did seem sure enough that it was Romeo. But what was Romeo doing here in Chicago? Other than trying to kill Cage and I, of course. I thought that it was always the killer clowns doing the dirty work. Maybe Romeo wanted to end it himself. I was angry, and that anger made me irrational.
I still hadn't told Fern the truth of what happened to our parents. I was dreading the conversation, seeing my feelings mimicked on her face again. With Fern's temper, there was no telling what she'd do or how she would react. I hadn't had the best reaction either, but given the fact that I learned all of this before a group of crazy killer clowns attacked us, I thought I handled the news pretty decently.
Cage reached for me again. "We need to go."
I backed away before he could get a good grip. "We need to talk about something first."
If looks could kill, I'd be dead right now. Or at least hospitalized. Cage exhaled sharply, seemingly trying to maintain his composure. "We can talk all you want, but that needs to happen later. Right now, I need to get you and your sister out of Chicago. You guys are Romeo's main target, not me. He's here to kill you and I am not letting that happen. Do not argue with me, November. I will tie you up and force you out of this city if it becomes necessary. For fuck's sake, let's go." He growled.
"No."
"No?"
"No." I repeated firmly. "I'm not leaving. I have something to say to Romeo and I'm not leaving until he's heard it. And then you can kill him. Do whatever you want, Cage, but let me have this one thing...I just need to-"
"What are you going to do, princess?" His eyes flashed dangerously. "Are you gonna ask for a damn apology? Are you gonna try to kill him by yourself? Are you gonna sit down with the fucker, have a cup of coffee, and have a nice little talk about why killing is wrong? Because that's not happening. Get that out of your head right now. We have about twenty minutes to find everyone and get you out of this city. No more discussions." He reached over and clamped an iron fist around my arm. "Let's go."
"One more thing-"
"This conversation is over." Cage growled. He began dragging me towards the door.
Even though a part of me knew Cage was doing this for my well being, I couldn't stop the little flutter of anger. There was something about being manhandled that went straight to my gut. The way he dismissed my opinion like they weren't even worth listening to was infuriating. I could deal with Romeo just fine. I didn't need Cage's protection and I most certainly did not want to leave the city for the man who killed my parents.
If Cage wanted me to stand by his side for the rest of my life, I'd make myself one hell of a companion.
Yanking myself out of his grip, I didn't think twice about making my great escape. The one that I should have done a lot sooner, you know. Cage didn't have time to react and I didn't give him any. Flashing a smirk, I slipped under Cage's outreached arm and dashed away, going down the steps two at a time to gain more ground.
"For fuck's sake, November!" Cage growled angrily. But by the time those raged words left his lips, I was already down the steps and running away farther and farther from the rooftop. Footsteps began to follow my descent.
I didn't care how long it took. I didn't care where I ended up or how I ended up. I needed to see Romeo. The constant knot in my chest wouldn't loosen until I got at least one good punch in. One way or the other, Romeo was going to die. And I intended to be the one that did it.
Running through a multi-million dollar property probably wasn't the best idea, but boy, was it fun. I kept on slipping and sliding around the corners of the hallways, and once, I did fall on my butt. During all of this, Cage didn't catch up. He was chasing me, yes, but agility doesn't count when you don't know where you're going. Every time I heard footsteps near me, I would duck into another hall.
Checking around the corners for Cage, I darted down another flight of stairs. The dining area came into view. Past the double doors was another private lounge and then the lobby. I was so close to freedom, I could almost taste it. Or maybe that was the chocolate-covered strawberry I just snatched from the kitchen. I don't know, they both tasted good.
I skidded to a stop, listening closely for Cage. Silence met my call. Pleased with myself, I ran out of the dining area, into the lounge, out of that, and then ran back in to get another strawberry, and then I ran back the way I came and all but stumbled into the front lobby, out of breath but proud at what I just accomplished.
I mean, I don't know what I just accomplished, but I was proud of it.
There were only a couple entrances into and out of the lobby, one of them being the doors that led outside. The door I just came from had a lock. Just for precaution, I locked it and ventured cautiously around. When nothing but my own footsteps and heavy breaths became the only noise, I dashed to the lobby desk.
I began rifling through the desk drawers for the keys to one of the hotel cars. There were a couple parked in the back. I didn't know what I was looking for but I'd know when I'd find it. My panic increased when half of the drawers turned out empty and the other half locked for safekeeping.
In the deafening silence, loud angry knocks began to resound from the other side of the door. I nearly jumped out of my skin. It sounded like Cage was slamming his fists against the door, which is probably what he really was doing. My stomach flipped with perturbation. Throwing things left and right, I continued my desperate search for the car keys.
"Dammit, November!" Cage shouted. His voice was muffled but I could hear the raw authority that it emitted. No wonder people were so in awe of this man. "Do not go after Romeo! Open the fucking door. We can talk about this, please! Open the door, November! I am not the only person who wants to hurt you. Romeo is a lot more dangerous than I ever could be, November! Oh, fuck this! You're being irrational. It's gonna get you killed."
Cage slammed the door again, making me jump. The sounds he was making was downright terrifying. I opened the bottom drawer on the left side of the desk, nearly slamming my fingers closed when it bounced back with the force I opened it with. My heart was in my throat when I saw a set of keys laying next to a stack of check in papers.
Grabbing a set with the words License Plate #AGR225 in think white letters near the electronic car key remote, I straightened back up. Cage was about to break the door down at this point. Without waiting another moment, I ran out the lobby doors and into the cold fresh air.
Bolting to the back, I began my frantic search for the car that went with the set. When I clicked the remote, a beep sounded from somewhere close to my left. In a few moments, I found the car that matched the license plate on the remote and slipped inside.
Something clattered to the floor.
Trying to catch my breath, I slipped the keys into the ignition and pulled out of the parking lot. I took half a second to see what fell down. It was the burner phone Cage had given me to call Fern after my crazy negotiation tactic back at Delia's house. I never used it, which meant the one free five minute call was still available.
The hotel car was unbelievably fast. I didn't care enough to control the speed of my driving, I just wanted to get there. Ripping down the pretty garden path, I was far enough from the hotel that I could think clearly. My only focus was getting to the hospital building where Romeo had landed. The skyscrapers in the distance was getting closer with each passing second. I wasn't thinking, that much was true.
But I didn't want to think.
I wanted to go something. I wanted to make Romeo pay for what he'd done. The anger coursing through my veins was enough to make every sensible thought escape me. I didn't care how much I hurt myself in this process of destroying a man. If I was going down, I sure as hell was taking Romeo with me.
As I neared the Chicago skyscrapers, a plan began to form itself in my mind. A crazy, reckless, insane plan that might be the death of me. But I had to put that last little drop of hope into the fact that through everything that's happened, I still survived. And maybe, just maybe...I might survive this too.
* * * *
(From narrator's point of view)
"She's gone!" Cage paced up and down in front of Heath, Nick, and Fern with Diana, absolutely lost in his rage. They were all back at the hotel, in the lobby ten minutes after November disappeared. "She fucking drove off in one of the hotel cars. In ten minutes, Romeo's men are gonna burn this city down, and she fucking leaves."
"For what?" Fern growled, clutching Diana protectively against her chest. "Why would November leave, though? She knows the safest place right now is besides you, Cage. It's not like her to-"
"You don't know your precious baby sister like we do." Heath interrupted coldly. Nick and him were by the sculpture, arming themselves with various weapons. They looked ready for an all out war, and the thought of it was slightly terrifying. Heath strapped the kevlar vest tighter around himself. "She's a psycho, Fern."
"That's not what I'm asking." Fern was on the verge of tears. "I'm asking to know why November left. What does she think she's gonna do?"
"She wants to kill Romeo herself." Nick answered after a moment of suffocating silence.
"She thinks she can take Romeo on by herself." Cage spat angrily. His blood was boiling with the thought of Romeo doing anything to her. Furious or not with November, her safety was the only thing that mattered to Cage. The fact that a teenage girl managed to slip through his fingers once again was unbelieveable. "She doesn't know what he's capable of. She doesn't even have a gun."
The glare from Fern was enough to make him stop from saying anything else. "I don't understand! Who's Romeo? Where is November? And why are you all taking half a ton weight worth of weapons-"
"We don't have time for this." Cage's green eyes darkened. He ran his fingers through his hair and sucked his teeth. "I'm done talking for the night." He turned to address Nick and Heath. "Every one of his men you see, kill. I want every bastard that's worked for Romeo dead, and I don't give a damn who gets in the way. Heath, take Fern and Diana to Polly Heights. Make sure you leave a couple men with them for protection. Nick, get ready. There's about to be a fucking war in Chicago tonight."
"And you?" Nick tread cautiously, knowing his boss was teetering dangerously on what should never have been tread on in the first place. Cage was like a ticking time bomb. The event with November was about to be the last few seconds before the inevitable explosion, and he knew that. "What are you gonna do?"
Cage exhaled softly, flicking the safety of his gun off. "I am going to find November before Romeo gets a hold of her."
"And if you don't?"
The steely look of determination made Fern fear for the life of her sister. "Then I'll kill'em both."