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Sam wanted to go home. He was just about well enough, so we loaded up my car and headed back to Orlando. The drive was long and silent, the mood too somber for idle chatter. We were all dealing with the weight of our situation in our own ways — Sam by being unusually quiet, Grayson by staring blankly out of the window, Jace by gritting his teeth every now and then, Victor by making snarky remarks every so often — and me? I was just trying to keep it together.
We’d already talked Sam into staying at HQ with us for the time being. He didn’t love it, but it wasn’t like he could go back to work. After we’d realized that the Viper had almost every city official and high-ranking police officer in his pocket, it was too dangerous for him to go back, particularly with whatever the fuck Sofia’s plans were.
The cityscape of Orlando drew closer, an assembly of towering structures gleaming under the setting sun, its vibrancy a stark contrast to the heavy silence in the car. Each mile brought us closer to the decision that would change our lives forever.
Victor broke the silence first, his voice hoarse but firm. "We need a plan."
Jace, who had been idly flipping a switchblade throughout the entire trip, scoffed dryly at the statement. "You think?"
"Cut the sarcasm out," Grayson chided, sparing a glance away from the window he hadn't torn his gaze from since we'd started driving. "Victor's right. We can't just walk into this blind."
“We don’t need a plan,” I said. “You need to start figuring out what your lives are going to look like when the operation stops.”
Grayson, from the passenger seat, glared at me. “You’re still sure about this?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Nothing has changed.”
"But this...this is life-altering, Teo," Grayson replied, his voice soft. "This isn't just about leaving the operation behind -- it's about leaving everything we've ever known."
"I know," I said, my gaze fixed on the road ahead. The skyline of Orlando was a smoky, hazy blue in the twilight. It was beautiful in a sad, nostalgic way. It felt like saying goodbye to an old friend.
Sam, who had been quiet for so long that I'd almost forgotten he was there, broke his silence. "We can't just..." he started, then trailed off, an edge of desperation creeping into his voice. "We can't just let the Viper walk away from this."
“You’ve done enough,” Victor said.
“Cut it out, Victor,” I said.
“No, he’s right.” Sam’s voice was hoarse. “I just got out of the hospital because of that man. Sofia...” He swallowed hard. "She's in danger because of him. We can't just do nothing."
Jace, who had been unusually silent until now, finally spoke up. "What's your plan, boss?"
I snapped my gaze from the road to meet his in the rearview mirror. His dark eyes were intense, unreadable. "Didn’t you hear me? There is no plan," I said curtly. "You guys need to lay low, stay out of sight."
"And what about you?" Grayson prompted.
"I'll handle it."
"You'll handle it?" Sam echoed incredulously. "That's your plan? To just walk into the viper's den, alone?"
"Better me than all of us," I snapped back at him. He recoiled a bit, and something akin to guilt churned in my chest at his reaction.
Victor piped up again, "Teo..."
"Enough!" I pounded a fist against the steering wheel, cutting him off. The car fell into silence once again. “You don’t fucking tell me what to do.”
"And what happens if you don't make it out?" Grayson asked, his voice so soft it was barely above a whisper.
"Then I don't make it out," I growled back at him. I didn't want to entertain the thought of not making it out, of leaving them behind. But the reality was clear; there was a damn good chance I wouldn't walk away from this. “But Sofia has to stay alive.”
"That's not a plan, Teo. That's suicide," Jace said, his tone flat but serious.
"Well, it's the best we got," I shot back.
Victor let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair. "There has to be another way."
"There isn't," I replied with finality. "We're going in circles here. Let's just get home and figure things out from there."
Grayson didn't respond, simply turning back towards the window. I could see his reflection in the glass, his expression unread and cloaked in shadow. Jace didn't reply, either, just continued texting on his phone – a rhythmic tick-tock that matched the pounding of my heart against my ribcage. Victor said nothing further, sinking back into the seat and staring off into space. And Sam...well, Sam was still silent, his face buried in his hands.
