<>Liam's POV<>
I had never experienced such heart ache in my life until she was gone. It had only been for a couple days so far, but the fact that she could be gone forever hurt. Despite the fact that I would never admit it to anyone, I was a little broken.
I buried myself into work, helping father track down the two men he believed were dead.
We began our search for the two men we believed were dead. Then they were known as Wesley Micdizzo and Johnny Sharp. Former employees of my father.
Nova worked along side me. We... Persuaded a few men, old contacts of the two men to give us any information. They still knew nothing despite the threats and torture.
"What about we look into Velli? Maybe he knows about their whereabouts." Nova suggested.
"He won't. He's dead." Said my father.
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"I killed him. I'm sure."
I had set up a board, connecting people and places. It looked like a nark board trying to catch a criminal. A little ironic.
I drew a big X on Velli's face and kicked it in frustration.
"You and Nova should leave."
"Don't suggest it." I retorted.
"Will left."
"Will was a coward!" I slammed my hands down.
"Will was smart!" He snapped back, standing up to my level.
"Will obeyed orders and left." He finished.
I slammed down my hands again before storming outside.
Will, being the coward he was, took off. He was ridiculously selfish. He cared only about himself. I started to feel hatred towards him, resentment even.
Thanksgiving was a week away. the air was brutally cold. I hoped Nova would come back with news. The only person I could even imagine spending Christmas with was Minga.
I went back in when my hands felt like they were going to fall off. My arm was still stuck in a sling for a couple more weeks.
Father looked frustrated when I came back. He looked as if he were about to lay into me. But that's okay, I was about to let him have it.
When he opened his mouth to speak, his phone rang.
"A video call?" He answered it. Liam leaned over his shoulder to watch. On his screen was a woman dressed in red. She stood in a dark room, on her face she wore an evil grin.
"Hello, Frank Merlin."
"Who are you? What do you want?"
"My name is Michelle. I represent the King family. And my friend here.." She panned over.
"Is Mr.Glaccki, representing the Rossi family."
Frank gasped.
"What?"
He shushed me, not pulling his attention away.
"You see, we have something of yours, Mr.Merlin."
She panned over to a guy tied to a chair.
"We have your son, Liam."
We looked at each other confused. They didn't have me. She zoomed in closer.
He was tied up. His face bruised. Under the bruised face, it was the coward.
It was Will.
He was breathing heavily, and had duct tape around his mouth.
"That's right. We have your prized son, Liam Merlin."
She gave the man she called Glaccki a nod. On her signal, he extended his cane and began to furiously hit Will with it. Will screamed under the duct tape. He smacked his knee cap, stomach, foot, and face.
"Stop!" Father yelled.
"For being one of your prized children, he's not very tough." She said. Her smile ceased to fade.
"Stop! I swear to god, I'll hunt everyone of you down, chop your heads off, and bury them in the bottom of the river if you touch him!"
"Threats won't work, Merlin."
"You better let my son go." He gritted his teeth.
She signaled for Glaccki to stop.
"The King and Rossi's would like to make a deal."
"What do you want?"
"The disc."
"Is that it?"
"Certainly not. Ten million dollars and.. You. They want you, Mr.Merlin. Appease all of their request and your son goes. You have forty eight hours. Coordinates will be sent for our meeting location. If you don't show up, Liam will be dead. And you don't want your precious son's guts splattered all over the pavement, now do you? If you don't show, this is only the beginning. We'll find your other children, and we will kill them all. Slowly. Each death being more painful than the kid before them." She grabbed his face.
"See you then, Mr. Merlin."
She ended the video chat. His phone fell out of his hands.
"They have Will."
"But they think he's me?" I asked.
"Seemed that way. We could use this to our advantage. That man working for the Rossi's, Glaccki. That's Johnny Sharp. He's the trader. We have to find a way to get ten million dollars."
"Are you really going to give into their ransom? We're stronger than that. Get everyone we can and take them down."
"Not at the risk of Will's life. You know what they'd do if we came in, guns blazing? They'd kill him."
"They wouldn't, it's the only leverage they have."
"We aren't even going to risk it. Will is my son. That isn't the only leverage. They could just as easily take one of you and use you as leverage. What if they found your mother? Or Jack?"
Nova walked through the front door and peeled off her coat and scarf.
"I got nothing. They wouldn't talk."
"Nova, they have Will." He said.
"Who?"
"The King's and Rossi's." He explained.
"No, we're not giving you up."
"You will. To save Will, you must. This is my problem, not his. He didn't even want to be in this business. He never did." Father explained.
"Will doesn't know what he wants. He's a coward." I snickered.
"Will obeyed orders! Unlike you!" My father's voice raised.
"Stop, stop! I think I have an idea." Told Nova.
"No. We're getting the money, and we're getting Will out. Liam, there's Flash up in my office. Get it and start selling it on the street."
"You're putting me on street duty?"
"Yes. Don't question me, son. Now go. Charge top dollar. Nova, you're coming with me."
"Why does she get to go?"
"She's not being an arrogant ass." My father grabbed his coat after completely calling me out.
"Now, Liam." He snapped in a deeper tone.
I stomped up the stairs and stuffed a backpack full.
"Call all my suppliers. Tell them to get their asses selling, they'll get their cut later. I want my men out selling, too. My son's life is at risk." He told Nova as they slipped out the door.
I trotted behind them, carrying a backpack full of illegal drugs.
A drug I realized I had never tried before...
I slipped out the door, stuffing a pill in my pocket for later.