Page 110 of The Pawn
They set their weapons on the ground and kick them away.
“Get them out of here,” Malek says, spinning, but then changes his mind. “No, wait. Bring him here. That one. On his knees right there.” Malek points to a spot beside me with his gun. At least he’s pushed Allegra out from in front of him. I look at her. She’s got her hands wrapped around the one of Malek’s which has a fistful of her hair, and I remember my promise to her.
Pieces.
I will deliver her enemies to her in pieces.
I will deliver him in a thousand fucking pieces.
“Good, that’s a good place,” Malek says once my soldier is beside me and, before any of us have a moment to think, he raises his weapon and shoots. The sound of a single man toppled, body falling across my knees is jarring in the aftermath of war. Allegra screams in shock.
Instinctively, I grab hold of his body, catch it. He’s already dead, though.
“Next!” Malek calls like it’s a fucking game.
“Fuck you! It’s me you want, not them!” I shift to rise, setting one foot flat on the ground before me.
Jet has shifted his position. In the commotion, he’s closer to me.
“Stay the fuck down!” Malek orders, aiming his weapon at me.
“No!” Allegra screams and knocks his arm so when he shoots, the bullet hits the dead man.
“You don’t want to make it that quick, do you?” I ask him. I need time.
“Take her. Fucking take her.” Malek shoves Allegra toward a soldier. Good. That’s good. It’d be better if he senther downstairs, but he won’t do that. He wants her to watch me die. But I’m not dying. Not today.
“Let him go, you fucking bastard. I’ll stay with you. I’ll stay!” Allegra tries to bargain with him.
“No, Allegra,” I start, talking calmly. “You won’t stay. You forget you already belong to me.”
Malek’s eyes narrow. “You’ll stay where I put you, wife,” Malek says to her, but looks at me. “But first, you’ll watch him die.”
Allegra turns her head away. She refuses to watch.
“Allegra,” I say.
She shakes her head.
“Allegra,” I say sharply. “I promised you two things, didn’t I?” I ask her. She’s still not looking at me, but Malek is. “Two things. Look at me. Look at me now, Little Moth.” She does, eyes swimming in tears. “Do you remember what I promised you?”
She closes her eyes, turns her face. Her lip quivers.
“Little Moth. Have you not yet learned once I make a promise, I keep it?”
She opens her eyes and looks at me.
“Good girl,” I whisper and smile. “Down,” I mouth to her and just as Malek raises his weapon to aim it at me, I push off, lunging for Jet’s hidden gun, the one he has strapped to his ankle.
As soon as I move, all hell breaks loose, chaos as dawn breaks. Chaos as Allegra drops down to the ground and I take Jet’s weapon, my body hurling sideways as bullets hit their mark, as I whirl to take aim at Malek’s gun arm and shoot. He screams, the gun goes flying. Another bullet grazes my side. I aim for his stomach this time and pull the trigger. He stumbles backward into a sandbag wall. Jetdisarms the soldier who has him, killing him, and my men on the stairs storm up, blood and bullets and death all around us.
Although it feels like an eternity, it all happens fast the way death does. Bullets fly. Men fall. Mine. His. Crouched, I rush toward Allegra, shooting our enemies, throwing my body in front of hers to protect her, to keep her safe.
When the sounds of guns fired is finally over, when the streak of bullets catapulting inches past my face abruptly ends, I can hear the sound of my own breathing. Of blood pumping through my veins as my heart pounds.
Malek is gripping his side moaning in agony. Around me, bodies lie motionless, soldiers from both sides.
Across the way, Jet stumbles to his feet. His eyes meet mine and I see the blood on his shoulder, the splatters on his shirt. But he’s okay. He’s alive.
