Finn stopped talking. Curtis had to hold on to the wood of the barn wall to steady his feet. His heart raced as the gory images, the horror of the reality of Finn’s words – his experience – ripped through his consciousness.
‘I’m going to make him pay,’ Finn said, determination in his voice now, following the obvious pain as he recalled the torture at the hands of Javier Lozano.
‘Finn, you’re talking about… Lozano’s a—’
‘Not Lozano,’ Finn said, and Curtis spotted a glint of white teeth as his brother smiled at that.
‘Lozano’s—’
‘Dead already. A couple of weeks ago. And it wasn’t even me. A car accident, apparently. At least that’s what was reported in the press. It’s a big deal when a prominent cartel boss winds up dead. Feeding time at the zoo for everyone who’s left, or something like that. But you know what? I know it wasn’t the authorities, or one of the other cartels or even a power play by his own people. It was Victor. He might not be the mob, but he’s rich enough to find people to do his dirty work.’
‘Like trying to—’
‘Like trying to kill me and Elliott Charlton in D.C.? Perhaps I should have continued laying low. But I arranged to meet with Charlton so we could figure a way to get to Travers. Charlton had worked with him for years but was horrified when I’d told him about Lozano. He’s got a reputation, a public image to uphold, and he was going to help me. Only somehow Travers found out about our meeting. He probably intended to make the attack look like a terrorist cell or something, out to get a prominent American politician, But… Well. He didn’t expect either me or Charlton to live, did he? And I’m not playing games anymore. This time I’m going to destroy him.’
‘Finn, I…’
But Curtis really couldn’t process anything more than that.
He looked over to Alyssia. He couldn’t see enough of her face in the darkness to read her expression, but was she… shaking?
He stepped towards her and reached out to offer her comfort, but she shrugged him off, pushing him back in the process.
‘She’s dead because of you,’ she said to Finn.
‘I’m so sorry,’ Finn said genuinely. He reached a hand out to her. ‘I’ll make this right.’
‘No, you won’t,’ she said, ‘You can’t.’
Curtis flinched at her sudden movement as she flicked her hand out toward Finn. Not just her hand, a gun.
Victor’s gun from the yacht, he realized.
Curtis didn’t move. Finn didn’t move. Curtis could at least tell that Finn was far less nervous about the weapon, even if the barrel pointed directly at him.
‘So now what?’ Finn asked, sounding calm.
‘She’s dead because of you,’ Alyssia said.
‘So pull the trigger. Punish me. I probably deserve it.’
Except Alyssia didn’t pull the trigger, and the trembling in her hand became more and more acute.
‘You took the gun from Victor,’ Curtis said. ‘On the boat?’
She didn’t answer.
‘Did he…’ Curtis thought back. ‘He knew you took it.’
‘How long have you been answering to him?’ Finn asked.
‘No,’ Alyssia said. ‘That’s not it. I’m doing this all for me.’
‘Then do it.’
‘Alyssia, this is insane!’ Curtis said. ‘Finn is… He’s trying to do the right thing. Victor is a criminal.’
‘I’m doing this for my sister.’
‘Then help punish the person who got her killed! It’s not Finn.’
‘You think he’s doing this because he’s a hero?’ she said. ‘He only went after Victor for revenge. Out of jealousy.’
‘If you do a good thing, for the wrong reasons, it’s still a good thing, isn’t it?’ Finn said, sounding less sure of himself now.
The next moment his outline blurred as he stooped and rushed forward. In her panic, Alyssia pulled the trigger. The gunshot boomed and echoed around the trees, but the bullet somehow missed Finn. He crashed into her and she cried in surprise as the gun flew from her grip and clattered across the ground. Finn and Alyssia landed in a tangled heap.
Curtis rushed for the gun.
‘Get off me!’ Alyssia screamed.
Curtis picked up the gun, his hand shaking. What the hell was he supposed to do with it? He cradled the weapon, being careful not to put his finger on the trigger.
‘Curtis, give me the gun,’ Finn said.
He turned to his brother. Both of them were up. Alyssia stood next to him, clutching her arm to her chest, in pain.
‘Curtis?’ Finn prompted.
Curtis locked eyes with Alyssia – as best he could in the dark.
Finn stepped forward to him. ‘Curtis, give me the gun.’
Alyssia shook her head. Was she trying to tell him something? Or was it just defeated resignation?
‘Curtis!’ Finn shouted. ‘Give me the fucking—’
All three of them froze as they heard an engine, getting louder. Finn whipped around to glare at Alyssia.
‘What have you done?’ he asked.
She said nothing.
‘Finn, I don’t think—’
‘Victor followed you here?’ Finn said, clearly seething. ‘Curtis, give me the damn gun.’ He stormed toward him.
Curtis handed the gun over without thinking.
‘Come on,’ Finn said.
He tugged Curtis’s arm.
‘Alyssia?’ Curtis said.
She didn’t move. Wouldn’t even look at them.
‘Alyssia, Victor won’t help you. He’s not your—’
‘Just—’
The rattling gunfire put an end to whatever she’d been about to say. Finn bolted to the right, further away from the barns, further into the darkness of the woods. Curtis grabbed Alyssia’s arm and dragged her that way too as another volley of fire boomed and bullets thwacked into the ground and the trees around them.
Flashlight beams jostled between the tree trunks. Rushing footsteps echoed, sounding like a whole platoon closing in on them.
‘Stop and drop the weapon,’ came a shout from behind.
Curtis and Alyssia immediately halted but Finn carried on another two steps before a warning shot pinged an inch from his foot.
Finn stopped and turned around, the gun held down by his side.
‘Drop. The. Weapon.’
Curtis held a hand to his face to shield from the glare as he looked from the trio of figures closing in on his brother.
Police? No, something about them told him not.
Could Finn get them out of this?
‘Drop the weapon now, or the first bullet is in your brother.’
Definitely not police.
The attackers were all of three yards from Curtis. They couldn’t miss if they opened fire.
Would Finn save himself?
No. He dropped the weapon and kicked it along the ground.
‘Where is he?’ Finn demanded. ‘Where’s Victor?’
‘Waiting for you.’
For a moment there was a silent standoff. Curtis and Alyssia remained frozen. Finn… Curtis really hoped he’d try something.
‘Wait,’ Alyssia whispered to Curtis. ‘You hear that?’
And he did. More vehicles were approaching at speed on the road not far away. No sirens. No flashing lights. But definitely an unexpected turn as the three men muttered between themselves.
‘Back to the street, now,’ their leader said.
His two accomplices spread out around Alyssia and Curtis as he came forward. He took the gun from the ground. Curtis shuffled toward them, silently urging Alyssia and Finn to make the same call.
But Finn wasn’t moving. ‘If you think—’
Bang.
Finn roared in pain and dropped to his knees, clutching his lower leg.
‘Get them in the van!’ the shooter yelled, and Alyssia and Curtis both held their hands up and cowered as the other two gunmen closed in on them, grabbing them and dragging them along.
Curtis looked over his shoulder. Finn remained on the ground as the gunman pulled him back toward the street.
Within seconds the trees opened out and a car and a van came into sight at the edge of the woods. Another man stood there, gun held in his hand, not quite out in the open, but not entirely concealed. His face was caught in the electric glow of the streetlights.
It was Chester. The big guy from the yacht.
‘Get them in!’ he shouted, moving to the back of the van to open the doors.
The noise of the approaching vehicles grew louder. With it the movements of the gunmen ramped up.
Alyssia and Curtis were shepherded toward the back of the van, until—
‘No, she goes with him.’
‘Alyssia!’ Curtis shouted, and she held a hand out to him as the man pulled her away.
But only for a second before two cars burst into view further along the street before screeching to a halt. Figures piled out and—
Victor’s men fired first. The one holding Curtis pushed him down to the ground and fired, and Curtis covered his ears from the clamor. He closed his eyes and willed for… something.
‘Get up!’
Rough hands hauled him to his feet, and he didn’t need much encouragement to get into the back of the van. He cowered and ducked again when bullets raked into the metalwork. He heard shattering glass. Shouting all around.
The next moment he jumped in shock when Alyssia appeared at the back of the van. The man holding her tossed her inside and she groaned in pain as she landed in an awkward heap. Two gunmen – all black garb, balaclavas – followed her in. Then Finn was thrown in, his face creased in pain.
Chester jumped into the front, behind the wheel, and then the passenger door opened.
Victor. He pulled himself up into the seat. ‘Go, go!’ he shouted.
Chester glanced over his shoulder, as though checking everyone was inside.
One final gunman was still standing by the doors, sending covering fire. He turned to get into the back but his body pulsed as bullets tore into him.
‘I said go!’ Victor shouted again, and this time Chester didn’t hesitate. Curtis and everyone else in the back jostled as the van shot off at speed, one of the gunmen nearly toppling out as he reached for the swinging doors.
Curtis held on to the side as they rounded a corner without slowing, the whole van shifting, lifting – were the wheels off the ground?
Somehow the momentum helped the guy at the back to close the doors.
‘Damn it!’ he shouted as he sat down, but Curtis wasn’t sure who or what the comment was directed at. Perhaps his lost friend.
‘How did they get here?’ Victor demanded, but no one offered up an answer. He turned around to glare at Curtis. ‘They were police. You told Charlton?’
‘I didn’t have to,’ Curtis said.
Everyone held on as Chester yanked on the wheel and sent them all flying around another corner. Finn groaned in pain once more, trying his best to right himself while holding his bleeding leg.
Victor turned his attention to Alyssia.
‘Did you think I hadn’t noticed?’ he said to her.
She said nothing back. Didn’t even look in his direction.
Curtis could only assume he was referring to the gun.
Victor smiled then laughed. ‘Or did you know I’d noticed? You wanted me to follow you two?’
‘I simply assumed you would,’ Alyssia said. ‘Mainly because I knew you were lying to us. You only let us go for one reason. To find Finn.’
Yet Curtis hadn’t seen anyone on their tail after leaving Miami. Not since leaving Charlton’s… Not that he was an expert at clandestine operations.
Was a tracker placed on them somehow? That would explain Victor’s presence, but not the police’s sudden arrival. Maybe it didn’t matter now.
‘So what next?’ Finn asked. ‘You’re going to kill all of us? Except you could have already.’
He got no answer, though the next moment Finn cackled which led to a flash of anger on Victor’s face.
‘You thought she was on your side?’ Finn said to Victor. ‘That’s why you wanted her up in the car with you just now before the others showed up. Your plan was to kill me and my brother, and what? You thought Alyssia could be a replacement for Mariana?’
Curtis didn’t know what Finn’s plan was, but he could tell his words were pissing off not just the billionaire but Alyssia too.
‘Hold on!’ Chester shouted as he slammed the brakes, and everyone shot up from their perches. He twisted the wheel and they all tumbled.
‘No!’
Curtis felt the impact of a side-on smash. Or had they hit something? Curtis didn’t know, but the van suddenly jolted and everyone was sent flying, limbs twisting. Another crunch. A bang. Curtis lost his orientation. Were they upside down? Perhaps, at one point, but then the van finally came to rest before he thudded down too and for a few moments there was no movement, no sounds from within – only the hissing from the engine and a creaking outside from a still-spinning wheel.
Then shouting. Lots of shouting. Outside to start with, then inside. The gunmen were quicker to react than Curtis. Within seconds, as he still battled for his senses, the back doors of the van opened and one of the armed men took him by the scruff of the neck and hauled him outside. Cold, wet tarmac greeted his face.
A thud next to him. Finn. Then Alyssia.
‘Over there!’ one of the men shouted, before gunfire started up again, making Curtis’s head spin and his insides curdle.
He didn’t resist as one of the men pulled him up and they all rushed for a looming warehouse. Curtis glanced over his shoulder once to see the twisted heap of the van, smashed in between parked cars.
‘Get in!’
There was a sound of crashing metal before someone launched Curtis forward, into a dark space. Everyone filed in and the door slammed shut behind them. Flashlights lit the room.
‘And what the fuck do we do now?’ Victor asked angrily.
Curtis looked around them. Finn was there. Alyssia too. He put his arm around her. She didn’t resist.
Chester stood by the closed door, gun in hand. But there were only two other gunmen now; they’d lost another outside.
‘We go out the back,’ one of the men said.
Nods and acquiescence.
Until Finn caught Curtis’s eye.
He mouthed an instruction. You ready?
Or something like that.
‘No,’ Curtis responded, out loud.
But apparently that was irrelevant to Finn. Despite his injury he lunged for Chester. He grabbed the hand holding the gun and somehow used momentum to twist his body around, and Chester yelped in shock or pain as he fell sideways to his knee. Curtis flinched as the gun fired. Or perhaps it was the specks of blood spattering his face.
Either way, Chester crumpled and Finn took full control of the weapon. But the two other gunmen were already closing in on him.
‘Finn!’ Curtis shouted as he dove through the air for the closest gunman. He thumped into the midriff of the guy, taking him from his feet and they both clattered down.
More gunshots. More shouting. Curtis tried to scrabble, to punch, to claw at the man, wrestling for his weapon… He took a strike to the side of the head. Another. Enough to send his vision spinning.
He reached and grabbed… scrotum. He squeezed as hard as he could and the gunman squealed like a pig. Curtis took another smack to the head and his strength and focus deserted him. He let go and the world spun, and he could focus only on the beam of the flashlight attached to the gun of the man he’d been fighting.
The flashlight that twisted around as he lay sprawled on the deck.
That blinded him as he stared straight into it…
Bang.
The light dropped to the ground.
Curtis didn’t move as he tried to regain his focus. The next gunshot helped him to do that.
He rolled over and onto his haunches.
Carnage.
Both black-clad shooters were now down. Chester was propped up against the wall, no weapon in sight, a hand clutched on to the bloody patch on his belly.
Not far away, Alyssia stood over Victor who was on the ground, propped on an elbow as he glared up at her and the barrel of the gun she held.
‘Finn?’
A groan. Curtis looked at his brother. He’d taken care of the other attacker but was now sprawled on the floor, gun still in hand, but bleeding. From his leg. Shoulder. Chest. He’d been hit several times.
‘Finn!’
Curtis went to move to him.
‘Leave him,’ Alyssia said to Curtis, not taking her eyes off Victor.
‘He… saved you. Both of us,’ Curtis said, confused.
‘Did you know?’ Alyssia said to Victor. ‘Did you let Lozano have her? Let him kill her?’
‘You think I could have stopped him?’
‘Did you try?’
No answer to that.
‘Alyssia,’ Curtis said. ‘Don’t end it like this. We’ve won.’
She still didn’t take her focus from Victor.
‘You could have intervened,’ she said to her captive.
‘I warned Finn!’ Victor shouted. ‘I tried to get him to stop, but all he wanted was to hurt me. Mariana’s dead because of him, not me.’
‘You piece of shit,’ Curtis said.
‘I loved her,’ Victor said.
‘Is that why you killed Lozano too?’ Curtis asked, and Victor flicked him a glare. ‘Or did you only cause that accident to help keep your dirty secrets buried?’
Victor opened his mouth to respond but Alyssia pulled the trigger. The bullet tore into his shoulder, and it looked like she was about to fire again before the door behind them burst open. The room lit up in a strobe of flashlights and several figures bundled in.
Alyssia dropped the gun on command. Dropped to her knees, hands clasped behind her head. Curtis adopted the same pose. Neither Chester, Victor nor Finn had the strength to. Chester and Finn weren’t even moving now.
The police swarmed in and Curtis ended up face down on the warehouse floor as his hands were zip-tied behind him. Alyssia was beside him, but Curtis didn’t look at her for long. He was looking at Finn, who had an officer crouched down by his side, two fingers to Finn’s neck. Another officer was checking on Chester.
‘No ties for this one,’ he heard a man say from the burly man’s body. ‘Tell Hitch we need a bag.’
‘Same for these two,’ came another voice from near the downed gunmen.
‘Better make it four,’ the officer next to Finn said, as he straightened up.
Curtis stared into his brother’s glassy eyes for a moment before looking away in despair.