After I made sure that Franz had gone into hiding, I took a deep breath and tried my best to steel my nerves as I slowly opened the door to the room and peeked outside.
Fortunately, the room given to me was at the end of the hallway and overlooked the stairs. Nothing looked out of place. After the second shot, the entire house had gone silent. If it was Fio and Cerotto who had gained the upper hand then either of them should've gone up to fetch us.
Worryingly, no one had done so and it only meant one thing. Whoever they were- they were obviously the ones who won the shoot-out. It was up to me now to find a way to get Franz and I out of this house and warn Nero and Angelo. No doubt that could be the only reason why these people decided to pay a visit to Fio.
I kept reminding myself that I was no hero. That I had no business meddling with their affairs. I could've just stayed quiet in the room and waited but who was to say that they'd consider the place clean after, dare I say it, they killed Cerotto and Fio. No doubt they'd burn the place to the ground to hide the evidence. They'll probably even watch it burn and if we ran out of the place by then? I shudder to think what they'd do if we were caught.
If there was a sliver of chance we could escape this place, no matter how dangerous it was to leave the room, I had to do it for our sakes. Whether Nero wanted it or not, I can no longer turn a blind eye to this and pretend I knew nothing. If the Galassias find me, they'll spare no mercy and kill me.
I felt like my heart had stopped when I heard the noise of something hitting the ground. It was far too loud to be something that a mouse would make. I searched the hallway for anything I could use as a weapon and spotted an empty vase on top of a wooden table next to the door of Fio's room.
The sound of something being moved against the wooden floor followed soon after I grabbed the vase, my breath hitching up when my eyes darted to the door that belonged to Nero. The noise was obviously coming from there.
I wanted to hazard a peek and see if it could be Cerotto or Fio but I didn't want to risk the chance of it being any of the people who came here either. I didn't know how many of them there were, after all. Whoever was inside Nero's room, they were obviously distracted doing god knows what in there. If it can keep them distracted like that then I wouldn't bother them if it means that I can sneak down and find an escape route for Franz and I.
I hugged the vase to me tightly as I slowly made my way to the stairs, careful that I didn't add too much weight onto the floor in case some of them were old enough to creak from the weight.
I grasped the railings of the stairs and dared a peek, looking for any shadows that moved against the yellow light of Fio's home. When there were none, I slowly descended the steps one at a time.
Inwardly, I kept praying and hoping that this endeavor of mine would bear some fruit for Franz and I. I didn't want to be pessimistic for Fio and Cerotto's fate but I had to be realistic. It was obvious that Fio couldn't fight which leaves all the defending to Cerotto.
I feel like I'm at my wits end just visualizing the scenario. The downside when you're much too imaginative for your own good. My whole journey all started because I wanted to write and look where it got me. It had only thrown me into my own grave while dragging along people who only wanted to live in peace after the bloody ordeal they just went through.
I shake my head to dispel the gloom, knowing well there was no longer any reason to point fingers. It's happened now so there's no need to make a fuss about it. I should worry more about the situation right now, the danger that is lurking within the confines of this once safe home.
For Franz sake and mine-
"Who're you?" I nearly screamed and jumped like a frightened cat when I felt a hand grab my shoulder. The deep voice was gruff and gravelly like that of a middle-aged man. He was obviously not Cerotto nor Fio.
I barely even reached the last step when he came after me from the back. It means he was the one rummaging in Nero's room. It's a shame he didn't stay there longer yet... maybe it's a good thing too that he went after me. I doubt I'd be able to do anything if he found Franz before he got to me. He'd obviously use the child as a hostage and I can't afford that if I plan to get us both out.
"What are you carrying? Put it down." He barked, his grip on my shoulder tightening. I winced at the pain but refused to follow his orders. I still have an advantage.
I immediately bent down to cause him to lose his balance, the momentary lapse enough to surprise him and weaken his grip on my shoulder. That'd probably leave a bruise but I didn't dwell on the thought any longer than I had to before I swung the vase and aimed it right on his head.
"Agh!" He howled in pain as his gloved hands let me go to focus on his head that was now bleeding.
I didn't wait for him to recover as I land on the last step and run for the kitchen. The entire living room is a mess when I enter, the table and couch overturned as if used as a temporary shield. I see a pair of feet sticking out from under a bookshelf that had collapsed on it but I make no move to approach it.
I only hope it's one of the men and that Cerotto had actually gotten one of them.
"Get back 'ere!" By the time I reach the kitchen, the man had already recovered from his daze. I could hear his heavy footsteps closing in on me, the fear of being caught enough to give me the boost to sprint for the door.
"Got ya wench!" I yelp in alarm when a hand lands on my arm before I could open the door, his grip twice as tight as he pulled me back.
I felt my foot trip on a toppled chair when he did so, my back landing painfully on the ground with a loud thud.
"I didn't think there was one more. Can't let ya live now that you've seen it..." The man chuckled darkly as he grabbed me by the hair, a pained cry escaping my mouth as he twisted it harshly.
I clawed desperately at his hands, tears running down my face in fear of what he might do. My eyes searched frantically for anything I could use against him; maybe a fork or a knife to stab him with.
"No escape. Now don't struggle- this'll all end very soon." I hear him speak.
Soon after, I felt something cold brush against my cheek, a whimper escaping my lips when I realized what it was. I lowered my hands in defeat, knowing well that my life was in his hands now.
"It's so very simple what I want," he begins, the cold metal of the gun sliding up until he presses it against my temple. "Just tell me what Nero's after then I'll let ya go."
It's obvious he's lying. Once I tell him what Nero and Angelo are after, he wouldn't think twice to put a bullet in my head. There's no use letting a witness like me live. That'd be a sloppy job on his part if he did.
But if I remain silent then he'd kill me either way too. Think, Lisa! What can you do to find a way out?
"Get down!" A familiar voice booms from behind us just when I was at the end of my ropes. The voice is enough to surprise the man as he loosens his hold over my hair, my body immediately hugging the ground just as the sound of a gun goes off, the loud ringing in my ears nearly deafening me.
I see the man's body fall to the ground from my peripheral vision, the sight of his empty eyes as life leaves it is enough to make me want to vomit. I don't get the luxury to though when a hand grips me by the arm and harshly pulls me up, Cerotto's battered face replacing the view of the man's corpse.
"Are you alright, Lisa? Where's Franz? Is he with you?!" Cerotto begins firing off a tirade of questions, his shaking enough to make me finally push him away before vomiting the contents of my stomach on the remains of what was once the dining table.
I still couldn't stomach the sight of the carnage. Even the memories of the events back at Lawless still made me queasy. The fact that Cerotto could stand there unfazed at the fact he had just killed someone only makes me realize just how bloody the histories of my companions were given their prior lives as mafia men.
"I-I'm fine." I managed to say in between my heavy breathing, trying my best to compose myself as I shakily stood up on my own. I still felt like heaving but forced myself to stop. I couldn't afford to be a liability to this group after what I got them into by digging pasts better left forgotten. "Franz he's-- he's upstairs... In the cabinet. I hid him when the first gunshot went-,"
I didn't even get to finish my words before Cerotto collapses on the ground with a thud, my eyes slowly widening at the sight of blood pooling from his side . I run to his side in a heartbeat, my own heart thrumming rapidly at the fear of what was happening to him.
"G-good. Shit... Listen Lisa... Can you drive?" He manages to say with clenched teeth, sweat dripping down his forehead as he tried to fight the pain.
"Oh god- Cerotto... I--" I tried to elaborate the myriad of words swirling in my mind, worry overcoming my rational thinking. Cerotto was obviously shot, pure will the possible reason he managed to survive this long. I can't even tell if it's fatal but if he's bleeding this badly then--
"Calm down! J-just calm down and answer my question... Can you drive?" His hand was shaking as he gripped my shoulder tightly, trying to keep me grounded even though he was practically bleeding right next to me.
"D-does reading them from books count? I'm so sorry I don't--"
"It'll have to make do..." Cerotto wheezed while pushing weakly down on his side to probably give it pressure. "Get Franz... Fio's hiding in the shed near the car... We have to move before--,"
"O-okay..." I stop him from speaking, letting him save his strength as I try to calm down for his sake "J-Just try not to die on me, okay?" I tried to say, earning me a tired grin from Cerotto as if I had just said a joke.
"I ain't dying so easily, Lisa... My family's waiting for me... Until I have repaid my debt then..." Cerotto doesn't finish his words before his eye lids fall shut and he loses consciousness. My breathing hitches in alarm before fumbling to get up and run for the stairs to locate Franz.
I'm on my own for now. Until Angelo and Nero arrives... I need to be strong for everyone's sake.