XXXVI

I wait until the guards are turned around before tapping Fran on the shoulder and preparing for a headshot. Almost as if on cue, we fire our shots at the exact same time, knocking two of the guards down due to our deadly precision.

Fran stays on guard as I jump down, gun in hand, and shield around the corner. The guard is alert now so I have to move in caution.

I take my chances and emerge from my hiding spot, pulling the trigger almost immediately. I watch in veneration as the bullet punctures its way into the remaining guards chest.

"Area complete. Let's head inside." I call out to Francesca, who is already climbing down. I race ahead in caution, scoping the area free of all guards. My sister catches up to me just as we come face to face with the front door of Luca's hideout.

By now, I have no doubts that Luca knows whats going on. The sound of bullets ringing throughout have told him all that needs to be told. Now I just need to find him without anyone getting in my way.

My sister shoots the door lock with her pistol and I kick it open. Together, we rush into the building and are welcomed by a singular guard, clearly taken by surprise.

He hurls the only object he can find at me, which happens to be a small plank of wood.

Clearly aim is not his strong point, as the wood hits the floor before it can reach me. I roll my eyes and lunge towards him, grabbing him by the collar and pressuring him into a dark corner of the room.

"Lets have some fun." I whisper.

I take off his tie, only to quickly wrap it back around his neck, holding the ends with each of my hands. "Talk, and I'll go easy on you. Make any other sound, and I'll strangle you to death. Your choice buddy." I say cockily.

He swallows and looks around for help. I smile, assuming that the rest of the Mafia must have already taken out everyone else.

Francesca laughs from behind me, "nobody's coming to help you."

He sighs in defeat.

"What do you psychos want?!" He says through a growl. He avoids eye contact at all costs, like even one glance will be deadly to him.

"You know Luca doesn't actually care about you, right? He's using you." I taunt. His nostrils flare ever so slightly upon hearing my words.

"He's my boss, and I'll always stand by him." He says in defence.

I wrap the tie around his throat and pull, hearing an instant catch in his breath. "Pathetic. Now tell me where he is, or I swear I'll pull harder."

He falls silent, but I can tell my words are getting to him.

"What an embarrassing way to die? Strangled by a piece of your own fucking clothing." I laugh, trying to get through to him.

He thrashes against my hold once more, but Fran holds her pistol to his head, bringing down his defences. "Fine."

"Now tell me exactly where Martínez is." I demand, pushing his head into the concrete wall. He flinches as I pull on the tie one more, this time with more force and barbarity. "He- He's in the control centre." He rasps, reaching out in attempt to push me away.

"Good."

I release him from my grip and throw the tie down on the floor, as he tries to make his escape. Before he can get anywhere, I pull out my gun and shoot him in the back of the head.

"Asshole." Fran remarks, looking down on his now blood-soaked body. I quickly take hold of her hand and we advance up the stairs, where a sign which displays 'control centre' lies.

Now I'm not stupid. I know that by now Martínez has probably put together what is going on, and fled. But we still at least need to take a look around. Fran picks up a discarded pair of wrenches at the top of the stairs to pry the door open but soon realises the lock has already been destroyed.

Concern rushes through me but as I barge, I don't give it another thought. My eyes instantly fall on as it seems hundreds of papers on the floor.

Stacks on stacks of paperwork piles up on each surface and cabinets of weapons have clearly been raided. It seems strangely... Empty. Yet not at the same time. The air feels different in here, through I cannot pinpoint what exactly about it make it feel so off.

Before Fran can yell something, I shush her.

"Sh. Someones been here." I mutter, pointing to a steaming cup of coffee and a freshly poured glass of whiskey. My eyes assess the potential hiding spots and pick out two.

A door in the closet and a ladder leading up to the roof.

"I'll take the closet, you take the roof." I say to Fran and we part ways at once. I wait until she disappears out of my sight before trying the sliding door in the closet.

The door opens quietly to reveal a dimly lit room.

Wait a minute.

I walk into the room to see Marco leaning against a counter with both hands. His sleeves are slightly rolled up, showing the veins running down his arms. His head is bowed to the ground and he's cursing something under his breath.

He quickly notices me, grabbing me and crushing me into the wall.

"You shouldn't be here." He voices, shutting the door with his free hand. My eyes stray from his and instead land on Martínez tied up in a chair, blood cascading from several wounds on his body.

"What the hell are you doing?" I ask, squinting my eyes. His hand pins me in place and he looks down on me, showing his power.

"I'm doing what should have been done a while ago." He mentions, releasing me at once.

What the fuck is going on? Marco shouldn't be the one in here with Martínez. I should.

I shove past him and instead creep towards an unconscious Luca, sat in rope under a broken light. Now this is a sight I have been dreaming of seeing. Luca, a man of such power, weakened and helpless under my gaze. This is laughable.

"Come here." Marco orders.

I'm too focused on Luca to even respond to his words, so he takes matters into his own hands and stops in front of me.

He looks down at me, his gaze weak and empty, before a dark figure emerges from the door.

"On your knees, Cortez." The figure calls out. Marco turns around and shields me with his body, shoving me away slightly. "Surrender and hand over the girl." He adds.

Marco chuckles, apparently finding the whole situation hilarious. I try and move forward but Marco's strong arm stops me, once again.

"Don't move." He whispers.

BANG!

The unknown figures body falls to the floor in a matter of seconds, before Fran steps over it, gun in hand.

She pauses when she sees Marco.

"Of course you're here, why am I not surprised?" She remarks.

He rolls his eyes just as a commotion sounds out from behind us. We each watch as Luca regains consciousness, coughing up rather a lot of blood. He fixes his posture in attempt to keep his guard up, but his weaknesses are seeping through. God knows what Marco has been doing with him.

"Milana Levine." He taunts as his mouth fills with blood.

"The one and only." I reply.

He laughs and stretches out in his chair, through his arms are shortly stopped by two bundles of rope. I don't waste any time before holding up my gun and loading in a single bullet. I twist the cylinder but his face remains stone-like.

"Bitch." He mumbles.

"Don't start." Marco calls out from besides me, leaning against the wall.

Luca falls silent for a moment, as Marco directs steps towards him.

"Martínez, you're a brave man for trying to take down the two biggest empires in the world." He announces.

Luca lifts his head up and shoots glances towards him, getting in his face. Marco's eyes narrow and his jaw clenches as he stands his ground.

Now that I'm thinking about it, this is amazing, superb, a cosmic collision of excellence. For months now, I have been taking my rage out on the people. When now I can take it out on the man who caused all of it.

"How about we play a little game." I suggest, picking up a blade from the crowded counter next to me.

An almost menacing look crosses over my face when I realise what I'm about to do.

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