Sixty-One

Flames spread to the room, since the weird smell from before was the gas leaking from the kitchen. Catalina broke free from Henry and ran to Xanthos halfway under the door. Melina’s desperate scream reached his ears as he grasped Xanthos and pulled him to the dining hall. There was smoke everywhere. Henry grabbed the radio in his pocket when his phone buzzed with an unknown number flashing on the screen, and his blood froze in his veins.

“I’m here!” Henry didn’t even ask who it was he knew beforehand. Peeking inside the kitchen, someone was already putting the fire down. The gas leakage wasn’t enough to blow up the place, just to create commotion and divert the situation. Damn! How was Velasquez always a step ahead of him?

“Well, well, well! I believe I outsmarted you!” The slimy voice gloated.

“Cut the fucking bragging, and just say at once, what do you want? The place is going up in flames, you asshole!”

“Hank! Hank! Are you there? The front door and windows are locked, and we’re about to break in.” Darryl’s worried voice came through the radio.

“No, it won’t and tell your dogs to remain put, or your daughter will suffer the consequences.”

“Darryl, I have a situation here. Stay put, don’t move until I tell you to do so. Check with Eli if everything is okay there!” His guts told him otherwise. The son of a bitch had the upper hand on him, and he needed to figure out how.

“Here’s the deal. My guys bring Melina and Gabriella to me and I don’t touch your precious daughter.”

Lord! Henry never thought to be in a situation like that, where he had to choose between the two of them. Unfortunately, he knew what he was supposed to do. Melina would never forgive him if anyone put their hands on little Eve, and he would agree with her. She’d always come first in their lives, no matter what happened with Melina and him. Eve came first, so…

“Hank, copy. Josh and Bryan are down. They’ve got surrounded and Eli is trying to handle the situation.”

“If you hurt my daughter, I’ll make sure you have an agonizing death.” Henry gritted out, anger boiling his blood and fear eating in his chest. “Fine, tell them to leave my house. Melina is going with you, but why Gabriella? Leave her out of this!”

“Oh Hank, I’m so glad you’re stupid. How do you think I tracked everybody down all these years? My sister was a great help.”

“Sister…”

“Once I have them, I’ll get in touch with you again for some negotiating.” Velasques hung up and when Henry glanced at Melina, a bulky guy was holding her hostage. Her eyes were red-rimmed because of the smoke and tears streamed down her face.

Another man also held Gabriella captive, and a lot of thoughts ran through his mind. Did she know all this time what her brother was doing? Was she part of it? So many unanswered questions. He didn’t want to believe she betrayed Melina in such a vile way. They have known each other since university. It was impossible for the woman to have acted out all this time. Her love for Eve. Then something came to his mind. Evangeline was with her the day she disappeared, but the oblivious face she had on when they found them made him more puzzled, and the horrified face she had by being held by the guy just didn’t add to it.

“Melina, listen to me. You have to go with them. It’s you or Eve. Do you believe me when I say everything will end up fine?” He said, standing up from Xanthos and leaving Catalina to care for him. Melina nodded, and he glanced around and Jason was unconscious on the floor. The man must have tried to defend Gabriella, and they knocked him out.

“It’s fine. I’ll go, just make sure they don’t touch her, please.” If her heart pounded against her ribcage a bit more, she was about to have a heart attack. Weakness took over her body, and she was doing everything in her power to remain strong and didn’t let her knees fail her.

“Look, I just want to give her this.” Henry addressed the man, unhooking his bracelet and extending it to her. “It’s a good luck charm. My promise I’m coming for you. Don’t forget I love you, Melina.”

Inconsolable tears streamed down her face as she took the bracelet and held it to her heart, then put it around her wrist. It was huge on her, but somehow she felt protected by it, as if Henry was going with them. “Take care of Eve, please.”

“Tell your men not to make anything they will regret later.”

“Darryl, let them go. Don’t make a stupid move. And please, we need an ambulance.”

“Sure Hank.”

The front door opened and the two men left, dragging the girls out of there, and by the noise coming from the kitchen, a few more got out. The entire scene didn’t last over five minutes. Five crappy minutes! They got into two SUVs and drove away, taking Henry’s heart with them. The sirens of the firefighter and police got closer second by second, and this time there was no way not to get the police involved.

Thanks to years of living this kinda life, Henry inhaled deeply to calm his nerves, since he had to deal with all the shit that came his way. It was imperative not to lose it, so he walked to Catalina cradling Xanthos’ head in her lap. She had a lost look on her face, and that spoke volumes. Cat had fallen to the phony god charms, and it was the first time he saw her so lost on the outcome of a job.

“Cat, the ambulance is here. He’ll be fine.” He caressed her cheeks and turned to the injured man she held in her arms with love stamped on her features. Xanthos grunted, trying to move. “Listen to me, big guy, you have a serious concussion and you’ve got yourself some nasty burns. Don’t move, they will take you to a hospital, and Cat is going with you.” Henry’s tone was sincere towards Xanthos.

Both men locked their gazes and understood each other. Their quarrel was over from that day on, but when he glanced at Cat, his eyes were full of disappointment, betrayal, and hurt. She shook her head, and more tears blossomed in her eyes, but she never stopped caressing and kissing him all over the face, cooing ‘I’m sorry’ a hundred times a minute. He’ll need to fix the situation between them.

Two paramedics were already taking Jason on a stretcher, and another two came for Xanthos. Once the three were out of his hair, Darryl approached. “Eli sent news. Everything is calm there now. Mrs. Elissa called some guy, and he sent someone over there and took both to some place to be cared for. He left his card with him. She told him it’s Melina’s uncle, and he’s about to pop in here any minute, now.”

“They are from the local mob. I didn’t know Mrs. Elissa was that sneaky.” Henry chuckled.

“I don’t get it! What did we miss, Hank?” Darryl flared his nostrils and raked his hair back, almost ripping them out of his skull.

“Gabriella is Velasquez’s sister…” Henry delivered the bomb in a low voice. He was about to deal with the police, and he wasn’t about to spill all the beans to them. “Let’s wrap up this and go, huh? We have a lot to talk about and plans to make.”

The fire was down, and the firemen were giving the place the last inspection so they could go. Ariadne, the owner, showed up, concern about her employees and restaurant stamped all over her. Henry assured the lady she wouldn’t have any loss since he would pay for all the damages caused by the evening events, but when she got to know only one person from the assigned crew worked in the evening, and the police caught him sneaking out, she dashed to the kitchen, finding the man sat by the corner of her burnt down place and a guard beside him.

“What happened here, Erasmus! Why did you replace my crew without my knowledge? What have you done?” The furious way she yelled at him and the screw you look she got back sent all Henry’s alarms blaring in his brain. The guy was behind this shit. “Answer me!” He kept quiet, which infuriated her even more.

A tall and rather chubby man entered the kitchen, dressed to the nines. His fancy suit probably had cost a kidney, Henry guessed with a grimace. Curly, light brown hair, and the same eyes as Melina’s. Those impressive chocolate eyes must be a Karagianis trait. The fancy man approached them, and by the way the suspect of the night made himself smaller in his corner, something told Henry the Karagianises were respected or feared on the island.

“Nice to see you again, Chief Servopoulos. I assure you whatever happened here it was just a misunderstanding. Miss Ariadne will be happy to know that I’ll cover all her losses,” -the man winked at her- “I wouldn’t last long without her magnanimous food!” He ended up with a smirk on his face, and a giggling woman staring at him in wonder. “You can go chief, I’ll take it from here.” The police guy said his goodbyes, then he turned to them. “I’m sorry, I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Linus Karagianis, Melina’s uncle.”