41. The Sinner
Isilently creep across the lush, green, manicured lawn, making my way to the back of the mansion. The sound of my breathing is heavy in my ears through the mask I wear to disguise my features. I can barely make out the footfalls of the two large men behind me. My sentinels, my warriors, my loves, as they mirror my footsteps, and keep watch for our enemies.
The rebels’ planned distraction will go off any moment now, and we need to be in position. I look over my shoulder at Zeke, and he motions with his fingers to proceed to the left, where a luxurious courtyard, with a waterfall and pool area, opens up to a back door that, we can see through the glass, leads into a massive kitchen area. Subtle spotlights highlight the back of the house, and we work our way around them to avoid drawing attention to ourselves.
According to the rebels, the security cameras have been disabled in anticipation of our attack. Again, the thought races through my mind: why didn’t they take out the Holy Father themselves, if they were able to get to him in this manner? Why force me to do it in order to save Sammy’s life?
Trepidation and anger flow through me, knowing that I’m being used, that they are risking me for some unknown reason. Could this possibly be a test of my commitment to follow their orders? They have to know they won’t be able to control me, once I have Sammy and my nephew back. Is this just a way to enslave me to them? For what purpose?
There are so many questions with no answers, yet even that fact won’t stop me from continuing on this perilous journey. We reach one of the glass courtyard doors, and I don’t see any signs of Brotherhood men, which sets off further alarms in my mind. Where are they? They should be patrolling. The Holy Father is an important man, and there is no way he wouldn’t have adequate security in place. This gets stranger and stranger as we go on. Abe and Zeke stop in the shadows, their eyes meeting mine, and I glimpse the wariness in their eyes through their masks. They are both thinking what I’m thinking about the missing security. This is not good.
Abe bends down at the door and pulls out a lock-picking device, just as explosions begin at the front of the mansion, and at the farthest rear of the acre-long backyard. Fuck, here we go, there’s our distraction. I don’t hesitate, picking up a landscaping block and smashing into the glass door. There’s no time to wait for Abe to pick it; we must go now. Abe’s amber eyes glow in the moonlight like a wolf’s as he meets mine. I can feel the disapproval radiating from him in waves, but he doesn’t waste his breath arguing with me about my reckless actions. It’s just one more in a long string of them, anyway.
That look doesn’t stop me from pushing forward to open the now shattered glass door, and making my way inside the room, with my gun at the ready to shoot anything that moves. Abe immediately moves in front of me when he’s crossed the threshold, protecting me from harm with his large body acting as a shield. I roll my eyes at his antics, knowing he can’t see it with my mask in place, and from behind him. He’s going to get himself hurt or killed, trying to play my protector—soft-hearted idiot.
My heart lurches painfully with the memory that that was always Sammy’s job. He was always my fierce protector, always on my side, even though it has led him to his own peril. I can’t lose him. This can’t be the end of our love story. I refuse to accept this as our fate.
The sound of crunching glass lets me know that Zeke has taken up the rear of our little convoy, as we move through the deserted room. All of the gleaming expensive appliances shine in the moonlight. An abundance of fresh fruit is sitting on the marble stone counters, just waiting to be consumed, and the expensive-looking space screams wealth and luxury. This fucker lives like a king while his parishioners live like paupers. Fucking asshole.
“I don’t like this, Snow, this place should be crawling with guards. Where the fuck is all his security?”
“If this doesn’t scream trap, I don’t know what does, Atasi. Do you need a flashing neon sign? This is all kinds of fucked right here!” Abe reaches over and grabs a bunch of grapes from the counter. I watch, perplexed, as he lifts his mask and takes a few in his mouth. “What? I’m fucking hungry.”
“Asshole,” Zeke mutters under his breath.
I drag my glance away from the oversized six-foot-two toddler in the room, and survey the space to determine where we are in the blueprints I had studied, before coming on this fool’s errand. We are in the center of the immense mansion. That means in order to get to the Holy Father’s personal quarters, we have to move straight through, and find the main staircase to the second floor. This task would have been made a lot more difficult if we had encountered Brotherhood forces.
As I think that last thought, a shot rings out and splinters the wood cabinet door to my left. I immediately duck down, and observe as Abe and Zeke do the same. Well, fuck, maybe I manifested the fuckers?
More shots ring out, this time from various guns, as the three of us take cover and fire back. Out of the corner of my eye, I witness a shadow creeping in Zeke’s direction, who’s distracted, returning fire with the enemy. Before I can get a shot off and take the fucker down, a metal blade flies through the air and imbeds in the shadow’s throat, and a gurgling sound rents the air, before the shadow falls to the ground in a heap.
My eyes search for Abe and see him grinning like a psychopath back at me, his mask entirely discarded at this point, and his golden eyes filled with mischief and glee. He raises his fingers to indicate he’s already murdered two, as if this was some competition between us, and I shake my head at his antics, even in this dire situation. Psychopath.
We continue to return fire until the last Brotherhood guard falls silent, and then quickly move out of the space together and down a hall, keeping our ears and eyes open for more guards who would love nothing more than to murder us. The sound of further explosions, and muted gunfire, can be heard from the house’s exterior, so the rebels must still be engaging them in that direction.
The rebels estimated there was a force of about thirty to forty men here on the property protecting the Holy Father at any given time. At least seven are now lying dead in his kitchen, and hopefully, the rebel soldiers have managed to reduce that number drastically. That is, if they are not betraying me, and leading us to our deaths.
I silently motion with my head for Zeke and Abe to move onwards, while keeping my eyes on the various sealed doors, and scrutinizing the area for traps everywhere. This is too easy, something’s not right here, my mind whispers with dread. We reach the end of the hallway, which opens to a grand foyer and the dark, hardwood staircase that rises to the second floor. Even in the muted light, you can see the priceless works of art depicted on the walls of saints and various religious entities.
Just as Zeke begins to take the steps two at a time, various shots ring out, and I watch with horror as he stumbles down a step with a groan, and then returns fire. “Zeke!” His name is out of my mouth before I can stop it, and rage fills me that one of these fuckers managed to shoot him. I push forward, firing again and again, and watch as two soldiers drop down from the landing above us, to crash on the ground at mine and Abe’s feet.
Abe rushes forward toward Zeke, ready to kill anyone who gets in his path, as Zeke inspects the wound and shakes his head that he’s okay. “Flesh wound, I’m fine,” he grumbles and gets back to his feet, and I release the tight breath that I was holding. Jesus fuck, that was close.
We make it to the second floor just as an explosion rocks the side of the house, shattering the windows on the landing, and taking us off our feet. I fall down to my side, the wind being knocked right out of me. “Holy fuck! They are launching rocket grenades at the house, Snow. These fuckers are insane; they will kill us all!”
I don’t disagree with his assessment, and maybe that was their plan to begin with, but it still makes no more sense to me than it did before. I don’t have time to waste, however, and get back to my feet and proceed down the hallway, where I fire the minute a soldier peeks out from a doorway. I take him down with a shot to the head and no remorse. I glance back over my shoulder, and lift my fingers to Abe’s gaze, showing him four fingers with a devilish smirk across my face, that he can’t see because my mask still obscures it.
“It’s like that, Atasi?” His laughter fills the tense space, and I’m glad that it helps to break some of the tension wrapping us in its grip.
“You two are fucking lunatics, you know that, right?” Zeke questions as he bends down and removes the weapons and ammo from the soldiers we have murdered.
“Don’t act like you’re any better, fucker. You’re counting in your head; you’re just as competitive and psychotic as we are,” Abe cackles and keeps strolling forward, as if he is not in the least concerned about being shot and killed.
A shrug from Zeke’s shoulder is all Abe gets in response, and I get my first glimpse at Zeke’s ‘flesh wound’. Fucking idiot, that’s a lot more than a flesh wound. I rip the belt off my pants and stalk forward, wrapping it around his bicep and tightening it harshly, which forces a grunt from his lips. “You and I will have a discussion, once we are safe, about what constitutes a flesh wound. You’re an idiot.”
“It’s nothing, Snow. Just a little sting. Nothing to worry about, baby.” He grips the bottom of his mask, ripping it off his face and leaving it perched on his dark, sweat-soaked hair. He leans forward and grips the bottom of mine, yanking it up, leaning down, and pressing his lips against mine in a heated kiss that has my knees almost buckling, and my toes curling inside of my combat boots.
“Would you two knock it the fuck off? Now is not the time to make out, fuckers,” Abe calls back with an aggravated tone that makes both Zeke and I smirk.
“He’s just jealous, Snow. He wishes it were his lips that were kissing you.” With one more quick peck, Zeke continues moving down the long corridor, and I inhale a deep breath filled with lust.
I don’t bother replacing my mask. Let these fuckers see who is hunting them, and will have a starring role in their nightmares. I follow them down the hall until we come to a divide of the two wings. Right or left? Which direction do we go? Which one leads to the Holy Father, and which is a dead end? The blueprints showed two equally immense spaces at the end of each of these corridors, so there was no way to be certain which one was the correct one.
Fear dashes through me that we may make the wrong choice, and the Holy Father will get away, and then David will renege on his word. Not that I’m putting much faith in the fucker keeping it; he’s a snake. “I’ll check down this one, you and Zeke go that way.” Abe motions with his head to the left. It’s on the tip of my tongue to deny him, and tell him we will stay together. “Atasi, fucking go. The sooner we find and kill him, the sooner we get Sammy back.”
He’s right; I know he is, but it feels like a boulder is sitting in the pit of my stomach, and my legs are filled with lead. I yank a fistful of his shirt and pull his face down to mine. “No unnecessary risks. You come back to me exactly in the same state you are leaving me, you hear me, Abe?”
His mouth meets mine in a ravenous kiss, as his hand dives into my hair at the base of my skull and grips my hair tightly, controlling my movements and allowing him to devour me. He finally pulls back, both of us panting, “I have no intention of leaving you, Dinah. You’re stuck with me forever. That asshole too.” He winks at Zeke, who shakes his head at him, but his emerald eyes fill with warmth.
“Zeke, you make sure she stays safe. That’s my fucking heart you’re taking with you. Make sure it returns without a scratch, or I’ll take it out on your sexy hide.”
He doesn’t wait for Zeke’s reply. He moves down the corridor, his back straight, his body loaded down with weapons, and his head held high. A warrior on his way to do his queen’s bidding. A pang of worry fills me that it might be the last time I see him, but I push it away, forcing myself to continue forward. He will be fine; nothing will hurt him. He will return to me. Soon, I will have them all back with me. Sammy, I’m coming. Hold on a little longer, I’m coming.
“Let’s go, Snow, death waits for no one.” Zeke leads the way down the hallway as we pass a few doors, and there is nothing but silence, and the sounds of our harsh breathing greeting us. Just as we turn the corner, gunshots erupt that have us immediately pinned down, and returning fire. We can’t see how many are up ahead, laying in wait to murder us, but from the amount of gunfire, it’s more than two. The sounds of gunfire further away in the opposite direction have both of us meeting each other’s gazes. Fuck, Abe, and he’s alone.
“He’ll be fine, Snow. He can take care of himself.” I hope he’s right. I can’t lose my berserker to enemy gunfire. We manage to dispatch the few soldiers up ahead until our section is clear, but we can still hear gunfire coming from the wing Abe disappeared down. I can see the stress and fear along every line of Zeke’s face and body. He wants to go to him, to make sure the love of his life is safe, yet he’s hesitating because of me. He fears what will happen if he chooses him again over me.
His hesitation, longing, and fear create further fissures in my heart. He loves him, and I know he cares deeply for me, too. He shouldn’t have to choose, and I shouldn’t make him feel like by picking Abe, he loses me, because I want them both safe. I want to spend my life with both of them, and my Sammy. “Go to him, ensure he’s safe, and bring him back to me.”
“Snow.” The look of despair and misery on his face makes me realize how much he truly did suffer, when he chose to save Abe over me.
“Go, it’s me choosing for you. You won’t lose either of us, I promise. Just bring him back safely to me. I can’t and won’t lose either of you.”
“Wait for us, Dinah. We will find and dispatch the Holy Father together.” I nod in agreement, masking my thoughts from him, and knowing that there isn’t a chance in hell I will delay getting this over with, or allowing the Holy Father to escape.
“Go, I will be right here when you return.”