“We already had that conversation,” he shrugged, “I understand what it means for you to be part of this.”
He understood. A turn of phrase much more meaningful-much better than him just telling her that he knew what it meant to her.
“Carlos I love you...and whatever happens-”
“Hey? Uh-uh. We’re not doin’ that. This has been a long time coming. Whatever happens, it’s for the people we love, the ones coming up behind us- ones we’ll never know. Without this sickness in the world, maybe...some of them will have the chance to build better legacies than the ones left to us.”
Dena set aside her gun then, moved to take her spot on Carlos’ lap. “I really do love your pep talks.”
“And I really love you,”
his mouth met hers in the most tender of kisses.
~~~
“We’re going in blind, you know?”
SyBilla studied the blueprints spread out across her white oak desk. Across the office, against his own desk, Caiphus studied his wife. For the moment, he’d lost sight of his own frustrations as he absorbed and enjoyed the look of her. Quickly, he shook his head free of images of what he’d rather be doing with her. Somehow, he refocused.
“The island’s blown, our skirts are all the way up now. If we wait ‘til we’ve got more intel-”
“We risk everyone, including Shannon going underground,” Bill finished. “He’s probably just paranoid enough to blow the whole place with everyone inside.”
“That’s not such a bad idea,” Caiphus muttered, rolling his shoulders to ease tension there.
“But we don’t know who's in there, Babe. We’ve gotta treat the place just like the island.”
“Only we’ve got no in like we did at the island,” Caiphus reminded his wife. “We can only bust up in there like the badasses we think we are and pray fate smiles on us when we arrive.”
Bill rubbed her eyes. “I need to see it.”
“So do I, Bee. I need to know what’s behind it all- what the sickness of the island turned Shannon into- I need to see what hell it put others through.”
Bill was nodding then as she crossed the room to her husband. “After Persephone’s story, I can’t believe I even want to put actual images up against it, but I have to see him- see him in the midst of it to prove to myself that it was all more than a nightmare. That it was real, so we’ll know exactly what it is we’re bringing down and we’ll know when it’s done.”
She reached for Caiphus’ hand. He tugged
until they were embracing tightly, silent as they considered what
lay ahead.
***
Albany, New York~
“The staff left behind is panicked and screaming bloody murder- a shitload of them are missing as are the kids. Where are they, Vale?”
“I’m sure my brother knows,” Vale Tesano’s voice betrayed none of the unease apparent in the voice of his partner- associate. Jake Shannon had no partners. Neither did he, Vale noted with a smirk.
“Have you seen, Gabe?” Shannon was asking.
“They’re keeping him underground.”
“Can I at all hope the ‘they’ you’re talking about are the cops and not your bold family?”
“No...you can’t at all hope that. It’s them alright,” Vale heard the man swear on the other end of the line, followed by a heavy pounding that hinted of a fist against wood.
“Dammit you should’ve been watching him!”
“I would’ve had I thought that was necessary!” Vale answered Shannon’s snarling tone with one of his own. “Gabe was my greatest ally and asset after Humphrey. That was before he lost Brogue and he’s been a shell ever since. I thought that would have its own benefits-he’d seemed more malleable more easily controlled.”
“Or so you thought. Maybe it was an act all along. Is there... any way to bring him back around?”
“No.” Vale tightened his grip around the phone. “I know what you’re suggesting and no. That would only make him feel more betrayed by me.”
“By you, but not by me. Gabe might actually see me as a hero in the situation.”
“It’s not a good idea,” Vale bristled over the mere suggestion. “Just give me time to figure out a new move.”
“Any move will need to be subtle as well as final.” Shannon cautioned. “Your family and the Ramseys...they’ve become too much of an issue. We can’t have them getting the rest of our associates riled up.”
“Should’ve dealt with them before,” Vale began to pace the sunken bedroom where he’d spent the last several days.
“Well, this is definitely the time to deal with them. We can’t afford any more surprises-not after our lovely Evangela’s untimely demise.”
“I’ll take care of it. Call you when I’ve got something,” Vale cut the connection, held his head in his hands. Jake Shannon, for all his paranoia, was right. Dominoes were falling in a manner that signaled end.
Eva Leer was rumored dead. The element of panic was already streaming through the upper echelons of the Tesano network and other organizations following Hill’s unexpected and unsettling return. Then there was Sondrio- where the hell was he?
Vale refused to allow the foreshadowings their due. He’d fought too hard to make Humphrey’s work his own. The Ramsey element and the betrayers among his own family would have to be dealt with- that had always been a given.
The how of it...the how of it had always been the obstacle. He’d figure out something...he needed first to clear his mind. Gabe’s actions had hit him hardest of all. Vale needed to know he was finished-he needed to know that he’d stifled whatever happiness Gabe thought to squeeze out of the rest of his traitorous life.
Happiness...there was too much to be done. There was too much to be conquered to waste time on such a frivolity. Humphrey had sacrificed, he had sacrificed. Stone had only pretended to sacrifice and he’d paid for that with his life.
