Hours passed; there was no sign of Emily. Russo and Maria went back to their Mansion. It's been hours since she and her men are trying to locate Emily's location. On the other hand, Louis, who was angry before had now calmed down and on the order of Michael, he is preparing a secret base for both the allies, where they can fight against Vincent and his men. Louis, who called Maria heartless, had now started feeling remorse for calling her like that, but he knew that he wasn't wrong.
"It's done. She is here." Danny said pointing to a red dot on screen.
"Good. Prepare to leave, we can't waste more time. And in case it turns about to be a trap, you know what to do" she said. Danny nodded and went out of the room.
Just as Maria and her men were about to leave, her phone rang and it showed Louis' number which she had saved at the Island. She sighed and answered it.
"What do you want Louis?" she asked impatiently.
"Did you find the location?" he asked repeating her tone to her.
"Yes. But Louis it's not your mission, so don't worry about it" Was only thing she said and hung up the call. But Louis wasn't the man to give up on his words; he said he will help her that means he will. No matter what happens he won't turn back from his own words.
He ordered his men to track Maria's phone so that he can follow her. He wasn't going to back away at this point. Within few minutes he was following tracks of Maria's gang.
Maria busted through the door of warehouse, her eyes landed on a figure, tied up on a chair, face tapped and tear stained, her wrists struggling to be free. As soon she observed Emily's condition anger took over her and a fight began. Her men made sure no one can escape from warehouse. Meanwhile she went to her sister and opened her restrains and tape.
"Oh god!" Emily sobbed leaning on her sister's shoulder from the emotions she had been dealing. Maria stroked her sister's hair to comfort her and gently held her as closer as possible. Maria was trying to keep herself from crying right there.
"It's okay. I'm here now. Get up, we need to get out." Maria said and as she helped her sister stand, Louis and his men busted and within a second they were a part of fight. Louis eyes landed on Maria and a girl who he assumed to be Emily. He made his way through to them. Maria looked at him in with mix of emotion; it was gratitude and something Louis can't comprehend. He looked at girl and Maria asking. Maria nodded and gripped her sister tightly.
"Take her to the car, I got this covered." Louis said as Maria and Emily carefully made her way outside the warehouse from the intense atmosphere of fight. Maria made her sister sit in car with a man leaving with her for her security. Maria decided to go back inside and help them finish the fight. She killed a few men that tried to come out and carefully dodging the bullets she fought. Few of Vincent's men ran out of armory the same time as Louis ran out of bullets. Louis got engaged with them, fighting with nothing but hands. He easily launched punches and kicks to them as he was a strong man.
Maria noticed a man aiming for Louis behind him with a gun and without wasting a second she shot him and he fell to the ground. She covered Louis many times during the fight. He looked at Maria with a sense of gratitude. Maria threw a knife at Louis; he caught it and used it against Vincent's men. Maria shot a few men who were trying to run away. Slowly the fight began to die. Few of both allies men were injured besides that all Vincent's men were dead.
As the fight ended the dead bodies were left there. The men were now walking outside, helping injured. Louis and Maria looked around their surroundings in warehouse making sure no one was alive.
"Maria?" Louis called out and she looked at him asking him to continue.
"I have an underground place for us. Let's take our injured men there. They can be treated there and we have something to discuss which we can discuss there." He said and she nodded. Her gaze fell upon his hand, his knuckles were bleeding from the hand to hand combat he had. She picked out a piece of clothing from her pocket and hesitantly picked his hand. He was caught off guard by this gesture. He was about to ask her what she was doing but she spoke first.
"It's better than nothing. It will help stop bleeding at the moment. You should treat it as soon as possible." She said wrapping the cloth on his wound gently, her eyes fixed on his wound.
"What- Thank you" Louis said all confused in change of her body language. The girl who he was accusing to be heartless was now taking care of his wound. He met his gaze for a second and she turned her body away.
She slowly started walking towards the door, but he stood there shocked and dumbfounded trying to understand what happened. She stopped in her tracks and turned around when she felt Louis wasn't walking. She looked at him and sighed.
"I'm not heartless Louis" was all she said before walking out, leaving Louis with a feeling of guilt of calling her heartless. Maria who was walking towards her car was also surprised by herself. She was also confused same like Louis.
For a moment it seemed like decades of rivalry was fading away slowly as they confront the raw emotions of the moment. Maybe they could be more than just enemies. What if it was just a small step in turning the tables completely?
As Maria approached cars of her men, Louis followed too and came out of the warehouse. The both looked once at each other for a moment and tore their eyes apart. Maria told her men to follow behind Louis men as she was taking her sister to their house first and then Maria will come over to the base. With that she walked towards her car. Maria sat with her sister in her car alone.
"Are you okay?" she asked her sister as she held her sister's trembling body. Emily nodded and started crying on her sister's shoulder holding her tightly. They remained for a few minutes like this and then Emily pulled away and Maria wiped her tears.
"I'm here now. Come on Let's take you home back."Maria said and Emily nodded.
***
"I can't" Emily said and Maria looked at her with annoyance and sadness.
"But why? Why can't you see here. You just got rescued few hours ago, I can't you go tomorrow. What if they do something to you?" Maria questioned Emily who wants to go back to her hostel tomorrow.
"You know I hate this place Maria. I'm standing firm at my decision, don't push me. You know I have reasons." Emily sighed and Maria was thinking about it. She knew pushing her sister was of no use so she gave up. But she couldn't stop thinking about her safety. She made a decision to appoint her most trusted men on her sister's security secretly.
"Fine" Maria huffed and looked at her sister. Emily looked taken back but she looked at her sister in gratitude for understanding. Emily ran towards Maria and hugged her tightly almost making her lose her balance.
"I missed you" Emily said and Maria's eyes filled with water.
"Me too Em. Me too." Maria said and held her sister tightly.
Maria was now walking inside the underground set up y Louis to work against Vincent. She looked around it, it was buzzing with their men going here and there. She saw Louis talking with someone, her eyes met his and suddenly Maria's name was called. She looked over and saw Danny coming towards her.
"Are you guys alright?" she asked and Danny told him how Louis and their men were working together helping the wounded. He told her about how Louis kept watching over all the injured men regardless of who they belong too. A warmth comfort spread across Maria's heart listening about how much Louis takes care of people around him. Danny went away after telling her about everything and Louis approached him. She noticed that his hand was now dressed properly.
"How is she?" he asked referring to Emily. Maria sighed and spoke.
"She is fine." Maria said and Louis nodded. Then no one spoke anything and they stood there in an awkward silence which was finally broke by Maria speaking.
"You said there is something to discuss?" Maria asked and Louis nodded.
"Yes. Follow me." He said and they both walked towards the briefing room to discuss. Louis wanted to tell her about the plans he have thought of to first take over Vincent's men and then take over him after that.
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