"So... how are things?" Marco asked with a grin after he and Luke had been left alone.
Luke frowned. They'd been tied to some chairs, back to back and hadn't been told what would happen next or what to expect.
"Funny." Luke muttered, trying to wiggle free but with every movement it seemed the ropes just got tighter.
"Yeah, you can keep trying but it looks like these guys really know their stuff. These knots are great. I only wish we could have them give our guys a class." Marco said with a humorless chuckle.
"I'm glad to see you still have your sense of humor." Luke said, annoyed. Marco shrugged, well he shrugged as much as possible within their restraints.
"I figured you'd be pissed enough for the both of us." Marco said with a deep sigh.
"How long have you been here." Luke asked.
"Almost a week." He said.
"That explains why you smell so bad." Luke said and Marco smiled.
"Give it time, you'll get there too." Marco asked.
"Do you know what they want?" Luke asked.
"I was hoping you'd know but my guess is your head." Marco said, "And who could blame them? Such a good looking guy."
Luke laughed, he couldn't help it. It felt nice to have Marco back and being himself.
"Maybe they'll take you instead, you're the one with the pretty face." Luke said.
"Why Luke! Here I thought you'd never noticed me." Marco said, making Luke laugh again.
"Stop that. This is a serious situation." Luke said, "We need to figure out what we're gonna do."
"You're right to think this is a serious situation." Vic Russo's voice made the two men turn as he slowly approached them from the shadows. "This is a very serious situation but I can tell you right now, there isn't anything you can do."
"Hey Vic, how's it going?" Marco asked, a big smile on his bruised and swollen lips. It was obvious that they hadn't gone easy on him but Luke knew that it didn't matter what they did to Marco. He wouldn't give them any information.
"I'm doing wonderful, thank you." Vic said with a smile, circling them slowly. Neither of them missed how he began to roll up his sleeves. "I heard you got married. Congratulations."
Luke stiffened. He didn't like the idea of them bringing Echo into it.
"What? Nothing to say?" This time it was Franco who spoke, approaching them slowly. "When someone says congratulations, it's only polite to say Thank you."
"Let's try it again." Vic said. "Congratulations on the wedding, Luke. She's a cutie."
Luke didn't say anything, he only continued to scowl.
"No?" Vic said with a shrug. "Then we teach you manners the way we learned 'em."
France sighed before leaning close to Luke's ear.
"The old fashioned way." He whispered, stepping back only for Vic to come in and punch him hard. Another hit to the gut- Luke began to cough, blood now coming from between his lips.
There was laughter as the two brothers watched him gasping for air. Such loud, shrill sounds- it was a strange sound for two men who looked like that to make. Then, as Luke began to regain his breath, he frowned.
There was a third laugh, one he knew too well. Both Russo brothers and Luke were quiet now as Marco laughed loudly, his deep voice booming in the room.
"What the fuck is he laughing at?" Vic asked, confused.
"He's probably thinking I deserved that." Luke muttered but Marco sighed loudly.
"Not at all." Marco said.
"So then, what is it?" Franco asked.
"I was just thinking that I'd have to kill you for that." Marco said, staring directly at Vic.
"Right." Vic said, rolling his eyes. "I guess you don't realize how hopeless the situation is."
"Let me guess." Luke said. "No one back home knows we're here so no one can come save us. And if by some miracle we break free, you have men everywhere."
Franco smiled, tapping his nose with his index finger.
"You're good." Franco said, "It's a shame. Really, you two are both good men but... there's only room for one Don."
"Do you think Luke's people are really just going to let you take over?" Marco said, "There's loyalty in our family for a reason. Everyone respects Luke."
"And somehow it wasn't too hard to pay off one of your own." Vic replied with some humor. "No, this is how it's going to go. In a couple of hours, we're going to come back. We're going to be very persuasive, mind you, and Luke is going to agree to signing things, ALL THINGS, over to us."
"And you, Marco, are going to agree that it was Luke's wish we take over." Franco added.
"And why would we do that?" Marco asked. The two brothers exchanged glances.
"We're going to give you two a chance to discuss things, talk it over. We'll be back." Franco said, signaling for Vic to follow.
Luke and Marco were silent, waiting. Even if they couldn't hear the footsteps anymore, they had to wait until the door closed and they were sure to be alone. The room wasn't very big, but it was empty and there were more than a couple dark corners.
"I don't what they're implying." Luke said finally.
"Don't worry. They can't get to her." Marco said.
"Can't they?" Luke said, "She should have left. I should have sent her home to her family."
"She wouldn't be any safer there." Marco said, waiting a bit before adding. "How are you two doing?"
"We were fine." Luke replied.
"Were?" Marco asked.
"Until I fucked things up, like always." Luke added.
"Well, fuck. What did you do?" Marco asked.
"It's a long story." Luke said.
"I have time." He replied.
"Marco, tell me the truth." Luke said instead. "Do you love her?"
Marco was silent. This was not something they were ever supposed to talk about, especially if they ever wanted to their friendship to fully recover. But he couldn't lie. Not to Luke.
"Yes." Marco said. "But that doesn't change that you're my friend, you're like my brother. I would never betray you."
Luke was silent for a moment. He knew Marco was telling the truth.
"I know." Luke said with a long sigh. "But if I'm honest, I'm glad I'm tied up because I wouldn't liked beat the crap out of you."
Marco laughed. He wondered if Luke would have hit him- maybe, possibly. But in the end, they'd still shake hands and call it a day.
"So... now what?" Marco asked. "Want to hold hand and swear to be best friends forever or wanna help me figure out how to get out of here?"
"I have some ideas."
---
"You're here." Nadia said, pushing past Grace into her apartment.
"Come in." Grace said with a roll of her eyes, closing the door behind her.
"I don't have time for any crap, Grace... where are they?" Nadia asked, turning to face her, arms crossed. "And I want the truth, don't make me hurt you."
Grace frowned.
"Where are they? Who?" Grace asked, confused.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about, stop pretending." Nadia said, moving towards her and almost falling over as she tripped over a box.
"Watch it." Grace said, grabbing the box and sliding it over. "There's glass in there."
Nadia looked around the room. There were boxes everywhere, most already sealed and taped up, and several pieces of furniture were disassembled. She turned to Grace, who was now holding a screw driver in her hand.
"Look. I have a lot to do before the movers get here in the morning." Grace said, moving towards her coffee table. "Tell me what you need so I can get back to work."
"You're leaving?" Nadia asked dumbly.
"Yeah, well... you told me to." Grace said, "Not that I wasn't already planning on it."
"You were?" Nadia asked, skeptical.
"Yeah. I left my job at the clinic, I secured a small apartment far away from here. I wanted to get as far away from here as possible. When I saw you in the pharmacy, I was ready to talk to you about it but... turns out there's no need, right?" Grace said, taking the legs off the table.
"And I'm supposed to believe that after all the trouble you caused?" Nadia asked.
"At this point, does it matter?" Grace asked without looking to her.
"Why did you do all those things then? Why mess with Luke and Echo if you were already thinking of leaving?" Nadia asked angrily.
"Why do you think I'm leaving?!" Grace said, losing her temper and raising her voice. "I couldn't stop myself. Every day I did something more petty and pathetic than the day before. I was desperate and it scared me how low I was sinking."
Nadia stared at her wide eyed.
"I have done horrible things. I'm a horrible person." Grace said, standing and tossing the screw driver aside. "Even after I knew I was leaving, I couldn't stop. I just wanted to hurt Luke so bad, I wanted to hurt Echo. It's terrible, I know. But it just didn't seem fair. People like you and her, always getting everything you want. Rich girl who doesn't know what it's like to have to count change and wonder how you're going to get to work when you're out of gas."
"That doesn't justify what you did." Nadia said, trying not to feel sorry for her.
"Of course not. I need to leave because I'm the most toxic person I know." Grace said. "I need a fresh start and I need to just... work on myself."
"Who was the man I saw you with?" Nadia asked. Grace sighed.
"I actually didn't know who you were talking about at first but then I remembered running into that guy... Gomez???" Grace said.
"Guzman." Nadia corrected.
"Right. Him." Grace said. "I ran into him at the bar one night. The same night Luke... well, you know."
Nadia watched as Grace had the nerve to look ashamed.
"He helped me get Luke into the cab. He was much too drunk." Grace said.
"I wondered how you managed to drag Luke around." Nadia replied and Grace nodded.
"Yeah. He offered to come with me and help get him upstairs. When we got through the door, we put Luke on the sofa. He was too drunk." Grace said, "That's when he said it would be funny to make him think something happened."
"You expect me to believe it was his idea?" Nadia said. "Even if I did believe it, why would you go along with that?"
"I was drunk and mad. Didn't I just tell you how much I disgust myself?" Grace said with a sigh, sitting on the sofa. She ran a hand through her hair. "It seemed like a good idea. The next day, I just couldn't stop myself from playing along... from making it worse. God, I really am a terrible person."
Nadia watched her for a second. She wanted to believe her but Grace had gone too far.
"Grace, You went too far." Nadia said. "And now I think Luke and Echo are in trouble."
"They'll work it out. I'm sure you already ran to tell them the truth." Grace said but Nadia shook her head.
"No, because they're both missing and I think that guy- Guzman- is involved." Nadia said, noting the surprise on Grace's face.
"But... Guzman has worked for Luke for years... why would he?" Grace said.
"You really don't know anything?" Nadia said, taking a seat next to her and squeezing her hand. "Please, Grace. If we were ever really friends, tell me the truth."
Grace's face softened and she shook her head.
"I'm sorry, I don't know." Grace said with a deep sigh. "I wish I... wait."
"What?" Nadia asked.
"When I ran into him in the city, he mentioned that he was going to New York. He tried convincing me to go with him, kept teasing about how he had business plans there." Grace said. "But I brushed him off. No way."
"New York, you're sure?" Nadia asked and Grace nodded.
"Yeah. He said New York." Grace said, "But that's all I got."
"I have to go." Nadia said, standing.
"Nadia," Grace said, making her stop. "We were friends. I didn't mean to use you, you were always my real friend."
"Thank you." Nadia said, before dashing out of the apartment and practically flying down the stairs.