Page 52 of KAI Tortured

“We must get hold of that video,” I say. “And the gun.”

Kai and Logan look at me, then each other, probably surprised by my rage.

Orion locks eyes with me and nods. “Chrstopher said the video is grainy, so I’m not worried about that. What we need to do is get hold of the gun.”

“We go first thing tomorrow.” My voice is still shaky, but my determination is solid.

“Maisy, it’s never a good idea when you come with,” Orion argues. “Haven’t you learned that by now?”

“I don’t care. I’m not hiding anymore. I’m not gonna wait for you to save me. I’ve had it. I’m coming. And I’m gonna end this once and for all. There aren’t that many Slavs left, and your people can handle it.”

Logan raises his eyebrows. “Now you wanna involve our families?”

“You were gonna have a war sooner or later. It’s better sooner. Oh, fuck.” I retch some more, nauseous once again. “I think I’m hungry.”

Kai’s concerned. “When was the last time you ate, Maisy?”

“Must’ve been last night.”

“Goddamn, Maisy! You gotta eat breakfast!” Logan snaps.

“Actually, this could make sense.” Orion’s the only one considering my plan. “They wouldn’t expect us tomorrow. They think Maisy’s in custody. If we attack in the morning, we’ll have the element of surprise. They’ll be unprepared.”

“The Delgados are ready whenever I tell them,” Kai announces.

Logan nods. “The Vitalis, too.”

“Then tomorrow it is.” Orion nods as the car stops outside Vitali Tower. “You feeling better?” he asks me.

I shrug. “I dunno. I feel like a train hit me. I’m tired, everything hurts, my heart’s hammering in my chest, and I can’t shake this feeling of doom.”

~

The intel they got made them move up their attack to tonight instead of tomorrow. I’m going with them, but deep down, who are we kidding? I know they’ll keep me protected. And I’ll end up on the sidelines again. Until I have enough of being shielded, and decide to go out all guns blazing. And most likely end up dead. Or, at least, one of us will. I hate that it reminds me of everything that happened at the Gianini restaurant.

So, of course, I have my own plan. One that won’t get them too annoyed, because they’d be going to the Slav HQ anyway. What it would do is give me time to get to Rosey and ask her why. Why did she have to go down that route? Have me arrested? If Orion hadn’t taken me from the police car, my life would’ve been over. Still, if we don’t find that gun, my life will definitely be over. I’ll end up in jail. And that, I can’t do. She kicked me and punched me when I was her prisoner, but she would never kill me. I know that. She’s my sister. So I’m going there to ask her why.

Logan said this is my home, that I’ll be living with them from now on, and that I should get used to the world they’re in. What none of them acknowledge is that I do know their world, and I’ve been imprisoned in it for far too long.

Kai’s talking to his family about joining us tonight. Everyone’s eager to get this done. They’ve lost too much money, and too many people. “The sooner we hit them, the better,” is the consensus.

I counted the Slav families relocated by Christopher, and realized there are not that many Slavs left in HQ. Which gives me hope that I’ll be able to get inside undetected. My aim is to talk to Rosey, and get the gun. I know the moment they’re there, the Cartes, Delgados, and Vitalis will want everyone dead.

But even after everything she’s done to me, I don’t want Rosey dead. And somehow, I’m afraid that that’s the only outcome of tonight. That’s why it’s imperative that I warn her. To tell her to leave. I don’t want my only family member to die. No matter what she’s done.

The details are still being discussed in the living room; we’re due to leave in one hour, so I excuse myself and head to the roof deck, “to practice my aim,” I mutter. They gave me a gun earlier and I’ve been playing with it, trying to see if I remember how to use it, load it, and so on.

None of them bat an eyelid at me.

The moment I reach the deck, I write a quick note.

“I’m giving myself a head start. I must talk to Rosey. One final conversation. See you there. Love, Maisy.”

I remove my clothes and leave the balaclava they gave me on the chair, change into jeans and a t-shirt, grab my tote bag with a towel and some body oil inside, one of mine, and put a COVID mask on my face. There were a few lying around the penthouse, which gave me the idea to enter Rosey’s house as a masseuse. I text for an Uber, then leave my cell on the roof deck. I quickly head to the fire escape and begin descending. It will take me a few minutes to get to street level, but at least no one will be there. I know everyone’s being mobilized and no one will be standing guard on the street.

Just as I drop down to street level, my Uber pulls up. I look nonchalantly left and right, making sure no one sees me. There’s a camera up on the wall, but that’s fine. They’ll soon know where I am, and it’s not that I don’t want them to follow. I just want a head start.

“Uber for Maisy?”

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