“Can’t talk big now, can you, Boss?” Dmitri laughs and throws a punch my way.
I dodge it and back away.
We’re down in the clearing at the bottom of the steps. The men have formed a ring around us, and Ilya is still at the top of the steps, watching.
Dmitri comes for me again with a one-two punch that I dodge one more time.
I don’t fight back yet because I’m analyzing his moves and seeing how good he is. My guess so far is that he’s done this a lot before.
“Come on, you pussy, fight me!” he roars.
“You calling me a pussy? I’ll fuck you up with my bare hands. Look what you have to do to try and beat me, motherfucker,” I spit back.
He doesn’t like that and comes for me again with a jab, leaving himself open, wide open.
I take the chance to land my knee in his chest and extend my leg to his face. It happens so quickly that it catches him off guard, shocking him, and he stumbles.
Now he knows I have skill too.
I can give as much as I get in a fight. It’s always harder, though, when I fight someone with pro skills. They’re good, definitely better than those without, but what makes them a match for me is resilience.
What gives me some edge, however, is that I don’t play by any rules or expectations. I fight raw from the streets, meaning I can be dirty too.
I can be. It’s just better when I’m not distracted. Ava and Timothy are across the clearing from me and these bastards can do anything. Ilya could decide to set Ava ablaze and that would be it, or he could flood the fucking tank with my baby.
Or, one of them could shoot me dead now.
I need the guys to get here. I have no idea where they are. They set out two hours earlier than me, but taking into account as to where they had to enter the area unseen, it took them longer to get here. Then there was the whole aspect of coming up with some kind of plan and hacking the fuck out of the systems.
I watch for my face when Dmitri launches at me. I’m sure he won’t hesitate to mess me up. He’ll fucking do it and probably use the same glass to cut my throat.
He kicks me, getting me hard in my stomach, and I stagger backwards. I have to jump out of the way to avoid the punch he was about to land in my throat. That would have killed me.
Fuck.
Like an animal, he rushes me with his teeth bared, and I send a roundhouse kick to his midsection. The combo of his forward speed and my own has more effect. It knocks him back. Then a side sweep sends him to the ground.
This is it, my opening. I just needed a way. I jump on him and land one fist after another in his face. I manage to stun him enough to immobilize him.
Earlier, I spotted a knife in his pocket. I allow him to punch me and take the blow of the glass on his wrists but only so I can grab his knife.
The fucker doesn’t see my next move until it’s too late. Way too late.
He only catches a glimpse of the knife. It flickers in the sunlight, the metal shimmering as I slice his throat open. Blood gushes out in abundance. It’s not enough though. This man is one evil motherfucker.
“This is for Ava,” I tell him and stab him straight in his heart.
The minute I do, his eyes bulge wide and the light leaves them as he dies.
Normally, I don’t like looking at that. I don’t like seeing that last spark of life go. I’m not a sick fuck like most who enjoy killing. On this occasion, however, I will take the accomplishment.
Just as I preempted, the men around attempt to come for me, so I grab Dmitri’s gun and end a few. There are too many of them though.
“You fucker!” Ilya wails. He pulls out his own gun to shoot me, but the gun flies out of his hand as he cocks it.
I look to the right and see Salvatore and some of the others coming through like the cavalry coming to my rescue, guns blazing.
I don’t waste time. I can’t. Timothy and Ava need me. I run like my feet are attached to lightning bolts.
I run with everything inside me watching the horrific nightmare scene ahead.
Ava to my left, Timothy to my right.
I get an ounce of relief when I see Pa and Nick jump over the wall across the field. They’re closer to Timothy than I am now, but I’m still bounding toward him like a mad man.
I’m forced to stop in my tracks when the wall of fire surrounding Ava shoots up, rising well over twenty feet into the air.
That sick bastard. That’s Ilya’s doing. Fucking with me to make sure I’m more fucked than I already am.
“Papa!” my boy cries, snapping me out of the panic that’s taken me and I look to his tank and see Nick trying to get him out.
The combination of Ava’s screams and Timothy’s wails pierces through my soul. My parental instincts are calling to me to get my boy out of danger while my love for this woman is imploring me to do the same for her.
“Vinny, get Ava!” Pa shouts. The urgency in his voice cuts through the haze of contemplation. “We’ll get Timothy. Get her. She’s going to die.”
Die…
I look back to her at the same time her screams stop. That’s what moves my feet and I continue my pursuit to her, hoping like fuck Pa and Nick can get my baby out of danger.
The fire wall surrounding Ava is even bigger now, and dense. That fucker must have used gasoline or some sort of powder. It’s so hot my throat is dry and my skin burns. I’ll have to jump through to save her. It’s the only way.
I whip off my jacket, cover my head, backpedal a few paces then leap into the wall of fire.
When I go through I see Ava slumped lifeless against the pole and I pray she’s still alive. The fire hasn’t reached her yet, but being enclosed in the infernal heat is enough. I race to her and thank my lucky stars when she lifts her head and looks at me.
When I get to her, her lips part and she shakes her head.
“Save the baby… leave me. Please….” she mutters, once again thinking of herself last.
I don’t answer. There’s no time. I get to work on the knots on the rope tying her up and loosen them. As I do, she crumples in my arms, and I pick her up. She can barely stand. The fire is too hot now. My lungs are tight, burning, and I’m weak myself.
“Vincent… save Timothy. Leave me.”
“Come on Ava. Let’s go,” I answer and turn my attention back to the wall of fire.
I’ll have to go in the way I came. Jump through it.
My jacket is already burned and damaged from my entry. I pick her up, holding her close, and cover our heads. Then I run faster than the last time. Adrenaline pumping through my body and Timothy on my mind.
One leap through the fire, and we make it. Barely.
My clothes catch fire. I drop Ava and roll on the ground.
“Vincent!” It’s Gabe. He sprays me with a liquid that puts the fire out.
I’m alive. Jesus, I’m alive. I get up and look over to the tank. To my horror, it’s more than half full now, and Timothy’s head is just above the water. Nick and Pa are trying to open the tank to get him out, but they can’t.
“Gabe, take her to safety,” I tell Gabe, who picks up Ava and runs with her.
Panic moves me again in a frantic haste and I rush to the tank.
“I can’t get it open!” Nick yells as I reach him. He and Pa are trying to yank open the top.
I growl as terror truly takes me. The top of the tank is sealed shut. That is indeed the opening, but I think it’s one of those that are activated remotely. That means I was never going to be able to get him out with my bare hands, and they won’t be able to either.
The fucking tank is filling up faster. The water is coming from below through some kind of tap, and this tank structure looks like one of the evil devices they used on the prisoners who got the death penalty. They used to do all manner of shit to people. Drowning was just one thing.
I see Nick’s gun in his back pocket and climb up and grab it. He jumps down, and so does Pa.
“Boy, that’s dangerous,” Pa yells.
“It’s the only way,” I answer and fire the bullet at the base of the tank. A hole pierces through, allowing some of the water to spill out.
Pa takes out his gun too, and we both shoot the same spot until the glass cracks open. The water gushes out in a heavy flood, and my baby screams and screams so hard it shakes my soul.
I run to him and undo his ropes.
When I get him down from the platform, I hug him so hard, and fuck, I don’t care that fucking tears roll down my cheeks. I got him, and I’m happy.
What makes me happier is turning back to the platform behind me and seeing Salvatore and Claudius pointing their guns at Ilya. He’s on the ground kneeling with his hands behind his head.
Fucker. He’ll get his.
It’s over.