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I reply with nothing a nod. The SUV is no longer behind us. “Looks like you pumped the car full of holes.”
“I couldn’t see if I really got them,” Daniella says, still breathing hard.
“I’m pretty sure you did.” I look in the rear mirror again and see no sign of the SUV.
The tunnel is silent, save for the hum of the car’s engine as we zoom forward. The tunnel stretches far ahead, but I continue to drive. There isn’t a lot of room to turn around. Better to come out on the other side and find our way to Penn Street.
My heart is still pumping from the adrenaline of escaping death. The car is silent, and I’m sure Daniella is also thinking about our lucky brush with death. I look at her and see her fingers still clutched around the gun on her lap. She looks worried about the attack but will readily pull the gun again if we face another attack.
“Not today,” I mutter. Giorgio’s latest attempt to get us has failed. We live to fight another day.
The end of the tunnel comes into view. I rub my eyes and step on the gas. For so long, the walls on either side have made me uneasy. I’m not claustrophobic, but the fear that a turn would be impossible is valid and has led me to try to get out of this tunnel as quickly as possible.
As soon as our car emerges from the tunnel, another vehicle crashes against it, sending the car spinning. I can hear Daniella screaming, and I’m trying to steady the car, but can’t. It spins a couple of times before smashing against a wall. I’m too stunned to say anything. My ears are ringing and my body aches like hell from the jolt of the vehicle.
In the rear mirror, I see three men in black approaching with pistols out and pointed at the car. Daniella looks at me with fear. The gun has fallen off her lap into the foot space, and she doesn't look interested in picking it up.
“Hands up,” a voice barks close to the window. There’s no time to react to the incident. There’s the muzzle of a gun pointed at my face already. One of them is at Daniella’s side too. It looks all too easy. Now, I realize the first SUV must have forced me into the tunnel, knowing the other one is waiting on the other side. There was never a chance of turning around so of course they were waiting. What I don't understand was how they knew I'd be on that road this evening.
Doesn’t matter. They got us already. Game over.
“Get out of the car,” the voice barks again. He opens the door, and I step out of the car. Daniella does the same on the other side. When she looks at me, I see the desire to not back down. I begin to think through a way out of the situation. There’s no way I’ll allow someone to take my woman and child away from me without trying something. I exchange glances with Daniella again. Her eyes haven’t left me, perhaps seeking a direction or a signal of some sort about how we can both get out of this mess.
I steel myself and give a slight nod to Daniella before looking to the man trying to bark orders at me. I have no idea what she does, but the man near her lets out a scream. Without wasting time, I swing my elbow backward, catching my enemy in the gut. Before he can react, I spin around and disarm him, following up with a kick to the crotch. I glance to the other side to see a man grappling with Daniella.
”Let her go!” I bark, pulling out my pistol. He steps back, and when I see Daniella is out of the line of fire, I squeeze the trigger, firing a shot that lands on his shoulder. He clutches the spot and falls to his knees.
“Come on, get in the car,” I yell at Daniella.
“If you take a single step, I’ll blow you off the face of the planet.”
I look over my shoulder and see Giorgio standing with a rifle pointed at us. With a weapon like that in his hands, there’s no escaping him. We’re suddenly out gunned. A wave of defeat sweeps through me. I watch helplessly as Giorgio’s men begin to step out of the shadows and approach, guns out. There’s no way out of the situation.
“Drop the gun,” the lackey behind me barks, and I comply. Daniella has already been cuffed and is being led to the don’s feet.
I grit my teeth and blink back sudden tears of frustration. How do you go against someone as powerful as Giorgio and win? Daniella and I were blinded by revenge. It feels like we never stood a chance.
Daniella and I are cuffed and taken to face Giorgio. I itch to spit in his face or kick him in the balls, but that might speed up a bad decision from him. I bite down on my bottom lip and watch him parade himself in front of us. In the distance, sirens are ringing. I don't have hopes of the cops setting us free. Giorgio is an expert in evading the long arms of the law. Knowing him, he’d make sure we get locked away, maybe even killed by a fellow inmate.
“I’ll make you regret this,” he breathes against my face. I feel the hatred in his voice and see it in his body language.
His men push Daniella and me apart. They take her to a small sports car behind the SUV and then force me into the back of the SUV. Giorgio looks at me with evil eyes. I feel his hatred and anger in that stare, but I remain calm.
Already, I’m thinking of a way out of this mess. I can’t just let him do this to us. If he doesn’t kill me right as we get to his house, there might be a chance of escaping. I have trained myself never to lose hope in any situation, easy as it might be to do. For Daniella and our unborn baby, I have to stay strong and remain hopeful. The SUV zooms off. I lean back in the seat, feeling the pain of the handcuffs cutting into my flesh.
There has to be a way out.
My heart thumps as familiar streets flash by. I don't fear death, I've seen too many of it to be that scared, but I'm worried for Daniella. I swallow and drop my gaze to my sneakers. Giorgio and his friends make jokes about a deal from the following night. Seeing them laugh bring back the anger I’ve bottled for so long. How did I bear to stick around all these years?
Giorgio turns to face me and mutters. “Get it out of your head. You can’t escape this.”
I close my eyes and sigh.Is this really the end?
CHAPTERSEVENTEEN
DANIELLA
Cobwebslinger in every corner of the room. The light from the bulb above is dull yellow, and the stench of dead rats and rotting things lingers in the air. I feel claustrophobic in this room, but what else can I expect from a beast like Giorgio? Since he captured me, he’s been trying to suffocate me in various ways, but I’m determined not to die without a fight.
