• On the count of •
Here I am in front of the French base— god, I love this place— even though it's where Gabriel usually punished me but... I grew up here, every corner of this big property has a memory of mine and many of those are good moments.
I felt a hand on my shoulder, I looked up at Milo and nodded. I am ready. I know I thought I won't ever be ready but it's not true. I just want it to be over. I just want to close this chapter and be a new Morana. I also know I said I hated myself, I hated Morana, but no, she's the one who took care of me, she's the one who made who I am today, she's my forever friend. How can I hate her? Every friendship has its own fights, but the truest one is no matter how many fights you get into, they will always be there.
The plan is to just go into the base, the soldiers supporting me will have white bracelets on. The ones who don't have the bracelet aren't my friends or hate me because I'm a girl and stronger than them or too loyal to the French mafia. I go in, walking discreetly and looking at my old colleagues wrists, every time I find a white bracelet I nod at them. And every time I don't find a white bracelet, Dom kills them.
"Wait—" Elio whispered grabbing mine and Dom's arms throwing us against the wall as we were about to take a turn. I let out a wince and Elio kissed my head briefly in apology.
"What?" I asked. Elio pointed at the camera looking over the corridor we were about to enter. "It's red, so it's on." He responded and I noticed the red button. "Let's stay focused guys."
"Good call." Milo nodded at him and Elio shrugged. I mean Elio is the one known to be the genius and the torture god.
"Mathieu, the thirty-seventh security camera is on." I said in my ear piece. "On it." Mathieu responded and after two minutes the red button isn't glowing red anymore.
"Let Elio lead us through the corridors." Milo said and I nodded. Elio is too focused and notices every detail. He's too good at everything— I don't know about his fighting skills though, I don't remember ever seeing him fight.
"Dom—!" I grabbed Dom's hand with the knife as he was about to stab a soldier with a fucking white bracelet on. "Pardon." I told the guy who shook his head saying it's okay.
I glared at Dom who shrugged. He's one fucking asshole. And it wasn't the first time he has done that, I think Dom misunderstood the mission, we were supposed to take Gabriel and leave without killing anyone if possible but the guy is just eager to kill french soldiers.
Too soon we were in front of Gabriel's office. Fuck. I love this place— except for Gabriel's office, while good things happened to me in there, bad things killed every memory of the good ones.
"I need to go in alone first." I muttered.
"Morana—"
"Please, Milo, give me one minute, then you can come in." I begged.
"No. And that's a definite no." Milo whispered harshly.
"At least— okay what about I take one of you? Just a minute then come in, I just want to see his reaction. Please."
"Fine." Milo accepted but he looks like he's gonna take back his words any second now.
"Fucking hell." Dom exhaled angrily but nodded regardless.
"I'm the one going in there with you, understood?" Elio told me glaring at me and I nearly peed my pants. He's fucking scary when he wants to be. I nodded.
"One minute and we're coming in." Dom told me holding up his phone as he started a fucking timer.
I turned around and knocked twice on the door— I don't even know why I'm fucking knocking when I'm here to take him, torture him and kill him. I guess it's a matter of habit. I physically cannot barge into his office. After my knocking, I waited because I know he knows it's me. He memorised the sound of my knocking and I always knock twice. There was a second of silence before Gabriel's voice rang out. He hesitated as if he wasn't sure he was hearing right.
"Morana, tu peux entrer. (Morana, you can come in.)" Gabriel said and I took a deep breath before pushing the door open.
My eyes fell on his desk, on him. He looked up, eyes lit up, a smile on his face— the biggest one I have ever seen. He pushed his chair back and got up coming towards me.
"Ma jolie fille (My pretty girl)—"
Elio grabbed his hand before Gabriel could touch me and pushed him back. Okay, Elio is fucking strong. And he's taller than Gabriel— he's actually taller than most of our brothers too, despite him being the youngest.
"What's going on?" Gabriel asked in english with the worst french accent you will ever hear.
"It's over Gabriel. You're gonna pay now, for what you have done to me." I said calmly looking at him in his eyes.
"You told your brothers?" He asked surprised as if he was sure I wouldn't tell anyone and he was right, if there wasn't the whole video thingy, I wouldn't have told anyone.
I nodded at him. He smiled. And the smile creeped me out. "That's good." He said then looked at Elio. How is me telling my brothers good?!? It's getting him killed! He confuses me.
"Elio Cortello, I'm a fan of yours. You know when I first got Morana, I hoped she'd have your intelligence, since your young age you have always been the brain of the Cortello branch. Now, of course, Morana is very intelligent but—"
All of a sudden, the door snapped open and Dom came in holding out his phone for me. "Time is up!" He exclaimed before hitting Gabriel— who was taken by surprise and didn't have time to react— twice on the head causing his body to fall on the floor with a loud bang. I chuckled handing Dom his phone back. By the way, the minute wasn't up, I still had 30 seconds.
"He was annoying me, thanks." Elio told his brother before he started working on Gabriel's computer.
"Wait Elio," I called out. Elio tore his eyes away from the computer and regarded me, his eyebrows climbing his forehead. "Promise to just delete the videos, and not.. like.. sabotage the french mafia or look into their details, okay?" I asked playing with my bracelets nervously.
"Loyal." He chuckled but he didn't say it angrily. "I hope on day, you'd be that loyal to us." He told me and I just regarded him. I can't promise that yet. "But yes, don't worry I won't touch anything that isn't related to the videos, you can trust me."
"I do absolutely." I said firmly and he smiled. Suddenly he's not the Elio that I saw in the corridors outside of Gabriel's office. He's back to the somewhat nice Elio I know.
I looked for Milo to find him— Fuck, in the space where I'd been punished. He looked back at me and gave me a tense smile. I know he's on the verge of losing control.
"Are you done yet?" Dom asked Elio going through some files that were on the desk, I ran towards him and hid the documents in a drawer.
"No, I need at least five minutes." Elio muttered responding.
"Well we—" Dom grabbed other papers reading them, again I took them away and hid them from him. He glared at me then rolled his eyes. "We don't have that much time, Elio."
"I'm doing the best I can, shut it." Elio glared at him, his fingers moving smoothly and in a speed of light over the keyboard.
"Gio, yes, what?— Gio—" Milo is speaking on the phone with Gio while massaging his temples. Gio is gonna be Milo's death. "Elio is working on it— Gio, fine, yes—" Milo looked at me. "Yes, she's fine. Yeah— then you talk to her!" He held out the phone for me.
"Yes?" I asked after putting the phone against my ear.
"Hi love, you feel okay? You don't have to be in that office you know—"
"I'm not scared of Gabriel, Gio. Besides Dom knocked him out." I reassured him. "I'm good."
"Okay, listen, I need to go back to the US, something came up but if you want me here—"
"No, it's fine."
"Okay, Kieran has Charles, and I'm now on my way to the airport, by the way, Ryle was right, Charles is the one blackmailing you, Elio will make sure there's no trace of those videos left, okay?"
"Yes, thanks."
"Don't thank me, be careful."
"You too." And he hung up on me. I gave Milo's phone back.
"Done. Let's go." Elio said getting up. Damn that was fast. Dom grabbed Gabriel as if he was weightless and threw him over his shoulder like a towel. There's a truck behind the building waiting for him.
"What now?" Dom asked casually like Gabriel, the fucking french mafia boss isn't on his shoulder.
"You go ahead, I need to thank the people who helped us." I said.
"I will stay with her." Elio and Milo said at the same time.
"Elio, you need to go to Charles place and make sure the videos don't exist anymore." Milo told him.
"Fuck. Okay," Elio said before coming towards me, he kissed my head then my cheek. "You're doing so good, you got this, alright?"
I nodded in response feeling emotional. Elio is so... perfect, he's literally perfect. He's sweet and loving and adorable and everything you would want in a brother.
Elio and Dom left from the hidden back door in Gabriel's office that no one knows about except for me, Ryle and Charles. Now it's just Milo and me and we're still in Gabriel's office.
"So... what now?" I asked even though I know, now we just need to leave. I don't want to leave.
Milo looked at me and I managed to maintain the eye contact.
"You want to stay here?" He asked. But his voice was void of all emotions. "Morana, do you not want to join the Italian Mafia?"
"It's not like I have a choice." I shrugged.
"I spoke with Ryle..." He stopped going through a book that was on the shelf, I don't think Gabriel is into reading, it was probably for decoration. Milo put the book back on the shelf before he straightened and crossed his arms in front of his chest. His expression is one he'd put while talking to someone, anyone, not an enemy but not family either. It was so neutral. And Milo's neutral tone is terrifying.
"Yeah?" I urged him to continue, my voice is also harshening as I stood taller.
"He told me you'd never choose to work for us, you chose us just to escape Gabriel but otherwise you wouldn't have chosen us. Is that true?" He asked so neutrally that I don't think me leaving would bother him.
"Yes. I would have never left France if it wasn't because of Gabriel, but—"
"I'm giving you that choice again." He cut me off.
I was going to say that now, after getting to know them, I'd choose them without a second thought. Yet he didn't give me a chance to finish my sentence.
Wait— He's giving me that choice again?!?
"What do you mean?" I asked him.
"It means, you can either come home with us or... you can choose to stay here." Milo responded. So neutrally. So terrifying. And his eyes are impossible to read.
Is he okay with that? With me staying here? Does Gio know? And is he okay with it too?
I opened my mouth to say something but the door opened revealing Mathieu. "You know I can't leave you here for too long." He said to us.
I looked at Milo, he nodded and so we left the office. Milo was ahead of Mathieu and me talking on the phone in Italian so I have no idea what he's saying.
"Do you like it there?" Mathieu asked me in french.
"I don't know, I haven't worked with the Italians yet." I responded in french as well. "There's a hidden door in Gabriel's office that needs to be removed since the Cortellos know about it now, and don't forget to check if there's something in the computer, Elio is smart, so look really well."
"Got it." He said then chuckled. "I don't think I have ever met someone as loyal as you."
"I'm honorable." I said shooting him a look. I won't take advantage of them while they are helping me.
"You're talking like a made man." He said and I made a disgusted face. "Never compare me to a man." I elbowed his side. He chuckled raising his hands in surrender apologising.
I looked up catching Milo's eyes before he looked away and my grin disappeared. Does he think I'm happier here that's why he gave the choice again?
Is he right? Am I happier here?
We get into the main hall to find all of the people that helped me. I smile at them and all of a sudden they all got on one knee with their heads down.
"Are you proposing to me? Sorry but I can't marry all of you." I said chuckling awkwardly tugging on Mathieu's arm to make him stand up. "Guys what are you doing? I don't deserve this." I said confused. I was just doing my job. "Guys—" Ryle came into the hall that moment and looked around before he smiled at me and got on one knee himself.
"Guys.." I swear to fuck if I cry— Damn tears ran down my cheeks. "Thank you." I thanked them and then looked at Milo who smiled and got on one knee himself.
Shut up, I'm straight up sobbing.
"Awww." Mathieu got up and hugged me. "Our french crybaby." He said chuckling. I let out a choked laugh too before I hugged him back.
"Thank you guys." I said shaking hands and hugging my closest friends.
"I remember when you were this tall." Paul said holding his hand closer to the ground. "I'll miss working with you." He said as he patted my head.
"Thank you." I thanked him. I have said thank you today more than in my entire life.
"I can't believe you're actually officially leaving." Dorian said patting my shoulder. "What will we do without you?" He whispered.
"You're gonna be fine." I held his forearm, my hand over his tattoo. And then I remembered. "We have to burn my tattoo." I said and Dorian nodded before he left to get something to burn my tattoo with.
"You're gonna burn it?" Milo asked from beside me. He didn't leave my side, not even for a moment. I shook someone's hand before I grabbed Milo's arm and took him to the side.
"So... I heard you." I said and he looked at me confused. "When you talked this morning and told our brothers not to doubt me."
"You... you shouldn't have heard that—"
"No it's okay. I understand, I get it." I told him. "And I know you doubt me too in a way."
"I don't—"
"I will always choose you—"
"Morana! Come on we're ready!" Dorian called out.
"Be right there." I yelled back. "We will talk later, but I'm going home with you tonight, from now on, I will always be going home with you."
"Hurry." Milo said looking impatient to leave this place. "I'm doing the best I can to not kill them."
"You're doing great." I chuckled.
I walked over to Dorian and sat on the chair he had for me before I held out my arm for him. I don't want my tattoo removed but I have to so I can move on. However still, my first ever tattoo, my only permanent one, and represents my life and childhood. I will miss it and will feel empty for a while without it.
"Let me do it." Milo said.
"No, then it will feel like you're stealing Morana from us but she chose to go so her people will do it." Dorian said in english.
That was it for Milo— "Milo!" I yelled stepping between Dorian and him. "Let him do it, it's fine."
"Your wrist is a sensitive fucking place—" Milo glared down at me.
"I'm not gonna hurt her!"
"Fuck! Guys! I will do it myself!—"
"I will do it." Ryle said stopping the fight. "I'm the one who got her in the french mafia, I will be the one to get her out."
"Control yourself, please." I whispered to Milo who nodded running a hand over his stubble then took a step back but it looked like it costed him his life.
I sat back down and Ryle came closer with a... torch lighter, damn this is gonna hurt. "You want something for the pain?" He asked but I shook my head.
"It's not my first time getting burned, is it?" I asked sarcastically and his jaw tightened as he looked down at me guilty. "Do it." I urged him.
"It will leave a very ugly scar—"
"Do I look like I care? Do it." I said chuckling. Since when did I care about scars? He's just stalling.
"On the count of..." He muttered looking into my eyes.
"Come on." I urged him. "Do it, it's okay." I told him. "I won't feel a thing, I have been through enough torture." I reassured him.
"Okay." He cracked his fingers and neck making me roll my eyes.
"Don't make this harder." I whispered to him. "Do it. You're making me look weak." I told him. The french soldiers are circling us as they're watching and he looks like he's hesitating because he doesn't want me to get hurt, should I remind him of all the scars that he inflicted?
"On the count of..."
"Never." Mathieu said taking the torch lighter away. "That tattoo is staying on her body." He said harshly. "Listen Milo," He said speaking English looking at my brother. "I don't care that she's actually Italian, or that she's gonna work for Italians now, we raised her and France is her home, and that tattoo is part of her identity, a part of her that she shouldn't forget because it shaped her, it made her the way she is today. So no, we are not going to burn that tattoo."
"Your english is getting better." Paul told him causing Mathieu to elbow him telling him it's not the time.
"It's Morana's decision wether she wants to get rid of that tattoo or not. Ink doesn't change DNA. She has and will always be Italian." Milo responded before he looked at me. "What do you want?"
"I'm gonna keep it." I responded too quickly for my liking. Relieved. I love my tattoo. "Mathieu is right." I said sending him a small smile.
"Understood." Milo told me. "Now, let's go home."
I got up and looked at Ryle who smiled at me. I got on top of the chair as I looked at the men around me. They could have helped me because they want justice for me, because they pity me, because they owe me, because they fucking love me for all I care... because they fear me even, but I'm glad and will always be grateful for their help.
"Merci. Je suis très honorée d'avoir travaillé parmi vous. Je sais que beaucoup d'entre vous me détestent, n'aiment pas le fait que je suis une femme, que je sois mieux payée que vous, et que je sois envoyée en missions plus dangereuses, que je sois meilleure que vous finalement. Permettez-moi de vous témoigner ma gratitude en vous saluant." I got on one knee with my head down showing them respect.
(Thank you. I am very honoured to have worked amongst you. I know a lot of you hate me, don't like the fact that I'm a woman, getting paid more than you, sent to more dangerous missions, being better than you to summit up. Let me show you my gratitude by bowing to you.)
I got up, putting my hand on my gun and Milo noticed and did the same thing. I wasn't gonna start a fight with them now, we're way way way fucking outnumbered— and why would I do that? I put my hand on the gun to send a message.
I said, "Cependant, je travaille maintenant pour Giovanni Cortello, et je mourrai pour lui comme j'aurais pu le faire pour la mafia française, et je tuerai pour lui comme je l'ai fait pour vous. Je tuerais n'importe qui qu'il me demanderait de tuer, y compris vous. Merci encore de m'avoir aidé, mais ma loyauté est maintenant envers la mafia italienne de Cortello. J'ai jusqu'à ce soir pour partir, mais si vous me voyez à Paris demain, je veux que vous me tuiez... avant que je vous tue."
(However, I now work for Giovanni Cortello, and I will die for him just like I would have done for the French mafia, and I will kill for him just like I did for you. I would kill anyone he asks me to kill, including you. Thank you again for helping me, but my loyalty now lies with the Italian Cortello Mafia. I have until tonight to leave, but if you see me in Paris tomorrow, I want you to kill me... before I kill you.)
"Okay." Mathieu said smirking. "You have ten seconds to get out of here before we start firing at you and your brother and trust me if we catch you we will fucking kill you— you Italian assholes."
I laughed but got down from the chair. "One—" Mathieu started counting. "Two—" everybody joined in.
I looked at Milo and nodded and we started running for our lives. After ten seconds they started firing at us. But I know every inch of this damn place.
"Follow me!" I called out for Milo who was shooting behind us. We're getting away, I know that, so I am not firing back.
M O R A N A