Chapter 35
MATTEO
We left the strip club at four thirty. The injured Jesus and his Mexicans stayed. As did Igor and the Russians. For all I know, they’re already killing each other over who gets to keep it. They can, for all I care.
Teams five and six—Rogue’s and Cross’ team—were the ones in trouble.
Fighting Hydra who had showed up to defend two of Moretti’s properties that they had been assigned to hit.
Those properties are two warehouses—one full of guns, another full of trafficked women.
I rode to help Rogue at the warehouse with the guns, and it’s been a non-stop shootout for the past hour or so.
Rogue and his team are stuck just inside the wall surrounding the vast warehouse, hiding behind three rows of lorries with no way to run from the gunfire raining down on them from the windows of the warehouse.
The warehouse which houses a large stash of weapons of all sorts. Meaning the guys shooting at us from inside could be in there for a while and not run out of ammo.
Caputo has reminded me of this several times already, as if I can’t figure it out on my own. I told him to find me a way in. Most of the other teams, done with their assignments, have already joined us, but Caputo wants to wait for all of them to get here before we storm the place.
We’re stationed close enough to hear the gunfire, but far enough to prevent being hit. Hopefully they also can’t see us. We’re just waiting for Cross and his team to get here now, since they’ve managed to get their target under control successfully.
I’m not so thrilled about waiting any longer and neither is Blade, who is growing increasingly more nervous beside me.
“We should just scale the wall where they’re hiding, put some ropes in place and give them cover fire so they can climb out,” Blade suggests. “I don’t see what waiting for a few more bodies is going to do at this point. I got family in there. Don’t even know who’s still alive and who’s dead.”
Caputo gives him an uncharacteristically considerate look. “That’s exactly why we’re waiting. In case anyone is hurt. There will be no way to get those over the wall and we’re not leaving anyone behind.”
Blade nods, but he looks even more concerned now.
To make matters that much worse, something is jamming radio signals out here, so we have no way to communicate with those stuck inside the wall.
I also have family there. Nico went with Rogue. Our last conversation is echoing in my head. I’m glad I confirmed him as my consiglieri. If he’s laying his life on the line for me today, at least I gave him that.
The gunfire is coming in bursts now, but they’re fewer and far between now. Rogue and his team must be running out of bullets.
“I’ll figure it out,” I tell Blade then turn to Caputo is.
“It’s time. There’s enough of us here.” I tell him. And the sooner we’re done, the sooner I can go find Moretti.
Caputo looks like he’s about to start arguing. In the distance, I see Cross arriving with his team, a cloud of dust surrounding their bikes as they approach at speed. And as stupid as it is, I feel like we’re saved.
“Cross is here,” I tell Caputo, then leave my spot by Blade to go meet them further down the road. Caputo joins me.
“We have a situation here,” I tell Cross as soon as they reach us, then explain that Rogue’s team is pinned down inside the walls and that Hydra is shooting at them from every window.
“We brought additional weapons and ammo,” Cross informs me then sends three of his men to go scout out the situation and the warehouse.
Gunfire continues to come in jarring bursts from beyond the wall.
It’s almost six PM. I wanted to be with Goldie by now, celebrating victory.
I was going to have her mother and sister for a long overdue reunion brought to the house as a special surprise.
Doesn’t look like I’ll get to do any of that any time soon.
Cross’ guys are unloading crates of weapons from the trucks they brought with them.
A pretty brunette gets out of one of the trucks.
She’s wearing what looks like doctor’s scrubs, and is carrying two big bags, which could be filled with medical supplies.
And the expression on her face is a mix of sadness, worry and anger.
Her eyes light up when she sees Blade and she rushes towards us, dropping the two bags she’s carrying.
“What’s going on, Blade?” she asks. “Is Rogue OK? The Devils wouldn’t tell me anything. Said it’s useless to worry until you know there’s something to worry about. Which just made me worry more.”
“There’s something to worry about,” Blade says, and I could just punch him. This woman looks out of her mind with worry as it is, whether she knows there’s a reason to worry or not.
“I’m Matteo Rovina,” I tell her and offer her my hand.
“Melody,” she says and shakes my hand, but the look she’s giving me is full of anger. “You’re the reason they’re all here getting killed. Again.”
Her words slice through my chest, as I’m sure she intended them to.
“Melody is Rogue’s ol’ lady. And she’s also an ER doctor,” Blade tells me then turns to her, “You’ll patch anyone up that needs it, I’m sure. And so far, it doesn’t look like anyone needs it.”
He’s finally catching on that he should be trying to soothe her, not make her more nervous. He even grins at her, but she stays completely serious. “I want to leave this shit behind us. I can’t keep watching my friends and family bleed. I can’t.”
Cross’ guys finally return, and I give her an apologetic smile and go join them. I wish I could tell her Rogue and the rest of the Angels will be just fine. But I have no idea if any of us will be, and she seems like the kind of woman who can see straight through a lie.
“There’s a way in from the back,” one of Devils is telling Cross—Ace, I think his name is. “But it won’t be easy.”
Cross looks over his men before settling his dark eyes on me. Even with just his eyes visible, he gives off the intensity of a hundred men.
“Here’s what we’ll do,” he says. “A team will go in through the back, while the rest of us storm the gates. That should draw all the fire from the Hydras inside and give the team the time to eliminate them from within. My men will go. They’re trained and experienced for this type of work.
And we are keeping this warehouse once we clear the Hydra’s out. ”
The Devils keeping this warehouse was the original plan. The only reason Cross’ team went to take down the warehouse full of trafficked women was because saving women like that is also something they’re notorious for, and they have plenty of experience doing it without unnecessary loss of life.
The plan he’s suggesting is the same plan I’d made in my mind if I ever had to try and breach Moretti’s house.
Sneak in and take the machine gun operators from behind.
Not that I thought it’d be necessary. But plans change.
I thought I’d have slit his throat by now and be celebrating in Goldie’s arms. Now both those things are drawing farther away from me, one short burst of gunfire at a time.
“All right, sounds good. Let’s do it,” I say, and Cross sends his team off.
Blade is already checking the clip of his machine gun, while Caputo seems to have reservations, but he’s not voicing them.
He doesn’t need to. I know how fucking dangerous this battle will be. We’re all tired. Our enemy has the higher ground, and we still have to live long enough to attack Moretti’s mansion.
But this is where we are now. This is the hurdle we must jump now.
I try not to think of anything as we slowly approach the wall surrounding the property, careful to stay out of the line of fire still coming from the windows. We have over fifty men here, including Codelli and Rafaelle. They’re taking up the rear and I stop advancing to wait for them.
“Stay with the cars,” I tell the old man.
The look of disgust in his eyes that’s always there when he looks at me turns even darker.
“I can fight.”
His shirt is soaked in blood not his own, clearly attesting to that.
“All the same, stay with the cars,” I tell him. “That’s an order.”
I could tell him I don’t want him to get killed for Gianna’s sake, but I’m not exactly in the mood to have that conversation while he’s looking at me like a piece of dog shit he just stepped in. He grumbles, I tell Rafaelle to stay with him and go join my men at the gate.
One of the Devils is planting serious-looking explosives on the gate. Another group, headed by Blade, is getting ready to rush through the gates as soon as they’re open. I join this group.
Gunfire is still coming in sad little bursts, which are answered by louder ones coming from the warehouse. It sounds like Rogue’s team are all down to just handguns.
“We move in five minutes,” Cross says. “First the gate goes, followed by a few smoke bombs and flash bangs and then we breach.”
The order gets relayed down the lines, everyone is nodding. The minutes drag by, slower and slower.
Until the metal gate in the wall that we’ve been staring at for over an hour goes flying to pieces in a deafening explosion.
Which is followed by smoke bombs and flash bangs.
I see nothing but the man right in front of me as I rush to breach the gate.
My eyes are watering, my ears are ringing, I taste smoke, ash and dust and have no idea which way is forward, which way back, up or down.
But as soon as the smoke clears enough for the outline of the warehouse to come into view, I lift my machine gun and start shooting towards it. As do the others who had breached the wall with me.
The sound of gunfire always wakes memories in my mind.
Right now, it takes me back to the night I was by my brother’s side as we attempted to storm Moretti’s mansion.
Machine gun fire was raining down on us from most of the top windows, the air was thick with smoke and dust. I can still see the bullet that hit Ricardo.
I see it flying in slow motion towards his chest. See him jerk as it hits him. See him go down.
And the next thing I remember is driving him to the emergency room in my car, begging him to stay awake, to fight, to stay alive. And for a few days he did stay alive. But he never woke up.
I’m shooting at the warehouse as fast as I can now.
I still have to breach Moretti’s mansion tonight. Avenge my brother. Avenge my father. All my uncles and cousins.
That’s the first step to rebuilding my family’s legacy, so that my child can inherit it. So that the child and Goldie will be taken care of.
The smoke grows thicker and thicker. The gunfire louder and louder.
I’m making my way towards the lorries, along with Blade and several others. The first sight that greets me as I’m finally under cover of the trucks is not one I wanted to see.
Nico is leaning against the large wheel of the first lorry holding onto Alice, the Angels’ Sarge, who is lying in his arms. They’re both covered in blood. Neither appear to be breathing. Another family member gone in Moretti’s war. Another one to avenge.
Gunfire is starting to die down. Smoke and dust are settling. The Devils must’ve succeeded in taking out the gunmen inside the warehouse.
Rogue reaches Nico and the woman before me. His face is covered in blood, but his eyes are blazing with life, and he seems to be unharmed. Nico raises his head and the relief that floods my chest takes my breath away. I run towards him.
“How is she?” Rogue is asking, just as I ask Nico if he’s hurt.
“I took one in the arm,” he says. “She wasn’t so lucky.”
He inclines his head towards his hands which he’s holding pressed over her belly. They’re swimming in blood. “She took one in the stomach. But she’s still alive. I tried to push her away from the bullet, but I was too slow.”
Melody comes rushing past me and grabs Rogue’s face in both her hands, asking him where he’s hurt.
He lays his hands over hers, looks at her with pure love and devotion. “I’m fine. Alice isn’t. Please look her over first.”
She nods and rushes to Alice, but not before giving me another dark look. Nico tells her what happened, and I look around to find Caputo.
These men and women are safe now. It’s time we finish this. It’s time to go storm Moretti’s mansion and succeed. To avenge Ricardo and everyone else I lost.
And give Goldie and our child the life they deserve.