Chapter 152 End of the road
Third Person POV
His voice was strong and echoed round the hall despite his weakness. Despite the blood still dripping from his shoulder and his leg.
“It’s the end of the road for all of you.”
He looked at each guard. Each staff member. Each person who’d stood by and let Zeus build his empire of cruelty.
“Zeus is dead. The Five Families are exposed. Federal agencies are already moving. You can surrender now and maybe…maybe…avoid the worst of what’s coming.” He paused. “Or you can keep following orders from a madwoman wearing a dead man’s crown.”
Silence.
Then, one by one, the guards lowered their weapons.
Some dropped them entirely and raised their hands in surrender.
Others just… walked away. Out the side doors. Disappearing into the night. Like rats fleeing a sinking ship. Within moments, the hall was nearly empty.
Just Gavin. Melissa. Kane holding Aria. Jason standing alone. And Sophia, still cradling her broken hand.
Gavin walked to Melissa.
Each step cost him. His wounded leg dragged. His shoulder screamed. Blood loss made everything fuzzy around the edges.
But he made it. He bent down and gathered Melissa into his arms.
She was shaking. Tears still streaming down her face. Her broken arm between them.
“I’ve got you,” Gavin murmured, his face pressed into her hair. “I’ve got you, piccola… ti troverei in ogni vita, anche se dovessi morire mille volte per farlo. It’s over.”
I would find you in every lifetime… even if I had to die a thousand times to do it.
He cradled her against his chest. Shielding her body with his own. Turning to walk toward the exit.
Kane stood with Aria secure in his arms. He followed Gavin out.
They were almost to the door when they heard a scream.
It was unhinged like a mad person's war cry. It was the sound of someone who’d lost everything and had nothing left to lose.
Gavin turned and Sophia was running at him.
She’d picked something up from the floor that looked like a knife.
She was running full speed. Her face contorted with rage and madness.
The knife raised high. Aimed at Gavin. But her eyes were locked on Melissa. At this point she was like a chocoroach that refused to die.
Gavin started to turn. To shield Melissa. To take the blow himself.
But someone was faster. Jason stepped between them.
The knife buried itself in his chest.
Deep to the hilt.
Sophia’s momentum carried her forward. She collided with Jason. They both stumbled.
The knife stayed lodged in his chest.
“Jason!” Melissa screamed.
Sophia stepped back. Looking at the knife thenat Jason. At what she’d done.
Her face went white.
“You…I didn’t…I wasn’t…”
Jason looked down at the knife handle protruding from his chest and touched it with one hand.
Blood welled up around his fingers.
He looked at Sophia. “It’s enough. They should just all go home. There’s nothing we’re fighting for anymore.”
His voice was calm. Steady. Even as blood spread across his shirt.
Sophia shook her head. “No. No, I didn’t mean…Jason, I…”
“Go home, Sophia.” Jason’s legs were starting to shake. “Whatever’s left of the families. Just… go. It’s over.”
He turned and looked at Gavin.
Their eyes met and it was like twin reflections. The son who’d stayed and the father who’d left.
“I’m so sorry,” Jason said. His voice was getting weaker. “For all the pain I caused you, Father. For everything.”
Gavin’s face was stricken. “Jason…”
“Come home to me, son,” Gavin said. His voice broke on the words.
Jason smiled. It was small. Sad. But genuine.
“I can’t. You know I can’t.” He touched the knife again. “This is… this is probably for the best. Better than prison. Better than living with what I’ve done.”
“No.” Gavin took a step toward him.
“Go,” Jason interrupted. “Please. Just go. Get them out. Get everyone out.”
He looked at Melissa. At the woman he’d claimed to love. The woman whose father he’d killed when he was just a young boy.
“I’m sorry,” he said to her. “For everything. You deserved so much better than what any of us gave you.”
Melissa was crying. “Jason…”
“Go,” he said again. Firmer now. “Please.”
Kane was already moving with Aria still in his arms. Heading for the exit.
Gavin looked at his son. At the boy he’d barely known. Who’d been raised by monsters. Who’d become a monster himself.
But who’d just saved them all.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there,” Gavin said quietly. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you from them.”
“You couldn’t even save yourself from them,” Jason replied. “How could you save me?”
He swayed. Caught himself against a column.
“Go. Before I change my mind about letting you leave.”
Gavin turned and headed toward the exit. I’ll wait son. He said to himself. I’ll wait.
Melissa looked back over his shoulder at Jason. At the young man collapsing slowly against the marble column. Blood spreading beneath him.
“We can’t just leave him,” she whispered.
“He made his choice,” Gavin said. His voice was hollow. “Just like I made mine twenty years ago.”
They walked through the massive doors.
Into the night.
Kane was ahead of them. Already at the vehicles. Shouting for medical. For evacuation. For everything.
Behind them, the compound burned.
Fires spreading. Smoke rising into the sky.
The empire was crumbling.
Gavin carried Melissa to one of the vehicles. Set her down gently in the back seat.
A medic appeared immediately. Started checking her vitals. Her broken arm. Her injuries.
Another medic worked on Aria. Checking her breathing. Her pulse. Starting an IV.
Kane stood beside the vehicle. His hand on Aria’s. His face was carved from stone.
Gavin leaned against the vehicle. His legs finally gave out. Sliding down until he was sitting on the ground.
Blood everywhere. His shoulder. His leg. Pooling beneath him.
A medic rushed over. “Sir, you need immediate…”
“I’m fine,” Gavin said. His vision was graying. “Just… make sure they’re okay. Make sure…”
He didn’t finish.
Just closed his eyes.