Page 48 of The Last Ones Standing, Part Two

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“Are you sure you want me to go?” Holly says.

I stand here in her apartment, happy to have a friend I can spend time with. However, I know this is the right thing to do. She never should have left the farm. Ava insisted, but I know Gio wouldn’t have wanted it.

I pull her into a tight hug. “Yeah, you’re supposed to be with Ava.”

“That woman could kick my ass by herself,” she scoffs.

“This is true, but she’s his mom. Things are about to become more dangerous. He’ll want you there. Trust me, when you’re needed, he’ll send for you to come back.”

“Ava likes Cat, can’t we send her?”

I laugh. However, I’m not sure if Holly’s upset about leaving me or if she’s running from Ava’s new neighbor, who’s building a house on the property next door to the farm.

She said she’s over dating, but I saw how he looked at her. I want nothing more than for her to find someone who treats her like she deserves. One of us should get a happily ever after.

“Gio doesn’t know her, and she’s never been approved to take care of his mom. Allow me to do my job. Go keep our buddy company.”

“Okay,” she pouts.

My phone dings announcing the encrypted program on my phone. Asia and Nadine’s confirmation video must have come in.

“Hey, can I hook this up to your screen before I go so I can delete it?”

“Sure.”

“It’s the Harley Twins’ work, so step out now if you can’t stomach it. You never know what they’re going to do.”

“Oh, I never miss a chance to watch Psycho Vision.” She takes the seat on the sofa beside me.

I connect to her TV and log into the encrypted app. The trap house I sent them to comes up on-screen. Silvio comes into view, slumped in the corner of the room.

At first, I think he’s dead already until he lifts his head and looks at the drone through heavily lidded eyes. He’s high off his ass. It’s too damn early for this shit. Asia and Nadine come into view.

They’re talking and pointing up at the ceiling. The shot turns to home in on what they’re pointing at. The crumbling ceiling comes into view, revealing exposed pipes and beams.

“I thought Ming fitted these with sound,” Holly murmurs.

“I think you’re right, hold on.”

“Give me that,” she says as she laughs and takes my phone.

I continue to watch as Asia leaps up and holds on to the beam, swinging as if to test its strength. Her muscled arms flex as she rocks. Releasing it, she drops back to her feet and dusts her hands together as Nadine squats to pull something from her backpack.

“That should hold,” Asia says as the sound comes in.

“Here, I’ll go back for that chair we saw,” Nadine says as she hands over the roll of wire.

“What’s that, fishing wire?” Holly asks as she leans in to squint at the TV screen.

“Looks like it. Ming packed the bag according to whatever Gio asked them for.”

“What the hell are they up to? And would you look at this guy? He’s so damn high, I don’t think he knows anyone else is there and he’s looking right at them.”

I snicker because it’s the truth. He’s looking at them setting up while nodding off. If he could tell me his name, I’d give him a hundred bucks for his next high. Not that that’s ever going to happen.

While Asia finishes up fastening the wire around the beam, Nadine returns with a chair. Silvio jerks his head up and points at them as if just noticing he’s not alone.

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