Page 13 of Merging Factions

He raises from his crouched position and his face becomes blank. He’s blindlessly staring at the wall, not once blinking before shifting on his feet and without any emotion on his face, walks out the door.

“Good talk!” I yell at his back, a content smile on my face.

Aim.

Shoot.

Bullseye.

If you mess with the bull, you’ll get his horns, motherfucker.

Now who has the last laugh? I’m quite enjoying my time with the Crumleys. But I’m tired of being bound, I’m done being trussed up like a turkey, it’s time to make my escape. I’ve learned as much as I will from them, and I’m ready to go home.

“Feeling better?” the man in the white lab coat asks as he comes back into the room.

“I am. Much,” I answer.

“Ready to get outta here, Luca?”

“As I’ll ever be. Got my tie?” I ask him since they forced him to take it off me earlier.

“Of course,” he snorts. “I’ve got some tranquilizers, a few pistols, and cuffs. And I got into their files, I have enough information to bury them. The Fitzgerald’s won’t be the only ones out for their blood by the time this information leaks.”

“Damn good to see you, Matteo.”

“Been a minute. But I’m happy that I was able to get inside before they got you, Luca.”

“You have no idea,” I laugh. “Wasn’t too hard for you to infiltrate them, huh?”

As he undoes my bindings, he cackles, “It was the easiest job I’ve ever had.”

“Where are the guards?” I question.

“I was supposed to give you a sedative, so they’ve been stationed somewhere else. There’s an auction today, so I suppose that they’ll be on crowd control,” Matteo guesses.

Wishing I could save those poor souls, but knowing that Mera is my number one priority, I change the subject and try not to think about those who will be sold. “Have you heard anything about my brother?” I ask my old friend.

“They’ve rallied the troops and are heading here as we speak. If we want to assist them, we need to act now,” Matteo advises.

“I’m ready whenever you are. I’m not sure what miracle drug you put in my IV, Matteo, but I feel brand new.”

“Just some antibiotics and a little something-something I invented to energize you. Glad it worked.”

Shaking out my limbs to reawaken them, I reply, “Spectacularly. Makes me glad you’re on our side.”

“I’ll always be on your side. You saved my damn life when we were adolescents, I owe you everything, Luca.”

“Just help me get my woman out of here in one piece and we’ll call it even, Matt.”

“A life debt is never paid in full, Luca. Do you think your woman is up for the battle we’re fixing to face?”

“I know she is. I trained her, after all.”

“God help us all,” he states, his tone deadpan. “Let’s do this.”

“Take out everyone you see,” I tell him. “No survivors if possible.”

“You got it. It’d be my pleasure.” He grins at me as I toss my tie loosely over my shoulder and grab two guns, one for each hand. “We’re going to take the secret tunnels. I don’t think they know about them yet—they’ve been void of life ever since I located them. It’ll be easier to get Mera free before we take them out in a blaze of glory.”

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