Chapter Fifty-Nine
Then…
I can’t speak to how quickly my medication kicks in or anything. But I do feel better already. For a few reasons, mainly just having that comfort.
I’m not always one-hundred percent sold on my meds, but I know they work, and I know that, regardless of the side-effects not always being great, I know they’re my best option for not falling into the darkened abyss of my mind’s psychosis like I did just now.
That shit is not fun, especially when it’s happening in front of others.
Still, these people are my family. I know they’d never judge me, and let’s not forget—because who the fuck ever could—they’ve seen me do a lot worse than cower and cry and kick Velle in the nuts.
I’m trying hard not to let the fact that I’ve apparently hooked up with all of my friends weigh on me—except Felix, poor lamb. He feels left out, which definitely wasn’t intentional!
If Kemper wasn’t already on the verge of a freak-out himself, I’d throw my butchering bestie a bone and make out with him real quick.
But I really don’t think that would help any situation, let alone this one.
Ren doesn’t matter. He sucked my dick for his own proxy gains. But Byron, and Luthor… Those ones sting a little. Luthor was my fault. I attacked him in a fit, and I think I’d feel both better and worse if we talked about it. But now’s not really the time.
And Byron and I… well, that’s just fucked. Because neither of us knew what the hell was going on. Courtesy of the evil psycho who just surrendered and apologized for all this shit.
Uncle Ivory.
Let’s be clear. He’s not really my uncle. But I guess my father knows him somehow, and I’m still itching to get to the bottom of how.
Not to mention, apparently I fucked his boyfriend. Jesus, what was that about?!
I know Officer Kemper was a real rapacious son-of-a-gun, but shit… Did he have to make me actually bone a complete stranger??
I’m really not trying to think about it right now. Most of all, I’d like some context on the nature of my father’s relationship with The Ivory. So as mad at my dad as I was when he first showed up, I am grateful that he brought my pills, and that he seems determined to hang around so we can talk.
So after Velle makes his announcement that the war is over, once Rook and Joy are done kicking Ivory’s ass and the soldiers are getting rowdy, I tug Kemper along with me to go confront my dad.
“I want to thank you again,” I tell him first. “For bringing my pills. How did you find them?”
“I was headed for the shore,” he says in that usual unaffected brogue. “To locate Russo. I saw that he had you and your friends, and I was going to take him out—”
“You were going to take out Governor Russo?” I ask, surprised.
“I have never liked this man,” he grumbles. “I will explain more later. But then I saw the little crazy one with the glasses…”
“Felix,” I chuckle.
“Yes, him. I saw him coming to the governor with a knife. After that, I had to take cover, and I found the pill bottle for David Renier. I recognized the name of the medication… Your mother was supposed to take these, but she never did.”
He comes in closer, lifting his hand as if to cup my face, like he used to do when I was a boy. But he doesn’t. His brows furrow, worried that I don’t want him to treat me affectionately, and I’m not really sure if I do or not.
It’s still confusing.
“I am so proud of you Dascha,” he says sincerely. “You have become a strong, intelligent man, and you did so without me. You were right… even before I left, I was not a good father to you. I wish that I was…”
I gulp, squeezing Kemper’s hand. “You weren’t… that bad.” My dad gives me a knowing look and I huff, “I mean, before you left. You loved me. And you raised me the way you knew how.” I shrug.
“This is true, moy syn.” His mouth slopes into a small smile. “But I still fucked up. I failed you and I will never stop being sorry.”
Sniffing, I take a breath, peering left, to where The Ivory is watching Peters kick one of his men’s ass, chuckling, with an icepack on his eye.
“I want to forgive you,” I hum to my father. “But I’m still pissed. And confused about how you know The Ivory.”
“It is simply business from Brighton Beach,” he explains. “He needed a connection in Vegas which I had through your second-cousin Pietro, do you remember him?”
“Yea, vaguely.” I rub my eyes.
“I do not wish to stress you out, Dascha,” he murmurs. “But there is something important I would like to show you. If you will come to the mansion with me?”
Glancing up at Kemper, I find him watching me closely, as he does.
“I’ll do whatever you want me to, my love,” he says softly, eyes flicking to my father.
“Okay.” I nod. “Let’s go.”
I lock eyes briefly with Manuel Blanco. He nods, and I nod back. Then the three of us go to the mansion.
When we get there, my father leads the way. We follow him, weaving in between cartel officers who are packing things up and moving them out of the mansion. It’s crazy to think this place will belong to Velle after this… If that’s the plan.
I’m sure he, Rook, and Joy have no intention of leaving. What will The Ivory do?
Will he leave? Where will he go?
My father mentioned Vegas. I have to assume that’s where he’s been for the last ten years. Maybe The Ivory will go there… Start terrorizing the West Coast.
That train of thought pulls into the station when we get to a library that I assume is The Ivory’s. There’s an adjoining study, and my father waltzes into it, startling a young guy who’s in a big chair on his phone.
“Oh… hello.” He smiles. His eyes lift to my hair and he says, “You must be Dascha and Kemper.” He jumps up from the chair, rushing over with his hand out. “I’m Yari. Senor Blanco’s assistant.”
We shake his hand, perplexed. “Um… Dash. This is Kellan.”
“So nice to finally meet you.” He’s very polite, with kind eyes this sort of bright teal color. They shift to my father. “Can I help you with anything, Alexander?”
“We must use the computer.” Dad reaches into his pocket and pulls out a flash drive.
Yari seems to recognize what it is right away, and hustles over to the desk, opening a laptop. “You know the encryption password?”
My dad nods.
Yari steps aside. “She’s all yours.”
My father sits down in the desk chair, inserting the flash drive into the computer and doing some clicking. He’s always been good with technology. Not Luthor-level or anything, just knows his way around security systems and whatnot.
When he’s done, there’s a video loaded on the screen. He stands, turning the chair. “Come sit.”
I’m nervous about what the hell I’m about to see, but I reluctantly let go of Kellan’s hand and step over, taking a seat.
“Dascha, I want you to remember that if this overwhelms you, Kellan is here.” He looks to Kel briefly.
“You have found someone to trust, who you can lean on when you need. That is all I could hope for you, son. I see that Kellan is a good man.” He addresses my fiancé.
“You will take care of my son. I know this.”
Kemper nods firmly. “Always.”
Swallowing hard, I can’t wait one more second. I need to know what’s on this video…
Scrolling over the play button, I click. And it starts playing.
I can tell immediately that it’s police bodycam footage, and it doesn’t take long to recognize, even without the dated timestamp, that it’s from the day I was arrested.
The robbery at Municipal Credit Union.
We all watch in silence as the police arrive. This particular officer appears to be stationed around back, and my stomach bunches.
That means this will be footage of when I came out… with my hostage, Karly Clayton.
“I… d-don’t…” I stutter. “I don’t think I c-can…”
“Just watch, Dascha,” my father says.
Kellan’s hand drops onto my shoulder, and I lift mine to squeeze it.
Officers are yelling for me to come out, and I’m yelling some crazed nonsense…
And then I step into view. At first, all you can see is my hair. But the officer repositions to get closer, and I come into full view. Clutching Karly to my chest with my left arm, and my Scorpion in my right, the barrel pointed at the girl’s head.
“Jesus…” I whimper, eyes already welling with tears, because she’s clearly so scared, crying and shaking and pleading with me to let her go, and I don’t even remember any of that, but I can still feel her body weight against my chest.
What the fuck is wrong with me??
I’m insane…
I don’t want to watch myself kill this girl.
Using the girl as a human shield, I’m attempting to take cover behind a dumpster.
I remember the layout of Municipal perfectly.
If I made it behind the dumpster, I could have made a break for the fence.
I was trying to run for Zadira. After that, I probably would have gone on some elaborate high-speed chase, but in my manic haze, I felt like I could’ve lost them, then I would have just cut the girl loose.
I never wanted to hurt her.
“Let the girl go!” One of the officers calls out on a bullhorn. “Put the gun down—”
I made it to the dumpster, my body shielded just enough that I turned my weapon away from Karly, most likely to open fire at the police. I’d certainly done it before during robberies. A distraction.
But this time, I had a hostage. And Karly wasn’t fully covered.
My rifle is pointed up as an officer shouts, “Stand—”
Pop!
One shot rings out first.
And then they start popping off like crazy.
Karly is hit fast, right in the head.
Gasping out loud, covering my mouth, watching with wide eyes as I dive behind the dumpster, covered in Karly’s blood. I go completely out of sight, but the police are still shooting.
It goes on for way too long, and I’m not even visible anymore, but they’re still shooting, until someone roars, “Hold your fire!”
Karly is lying dead on the ground as the officers slowly approach, yelling and screaming at me to show them my hands. When they reach the dumpster, I’m curled with my hands up. My Scorpion is at least six inches from me.
“Holy fuck…” Kemper whispers.