Final Call for Mercy

17

DEVINA
2:54 PM - WEDNESDAY

My head bumped against the edge of the car roof and I found myself once again questioning what the hell I was doing. I was here for Rayaan. The Alfonsi's had always been important to my brother and with the guilt he carries of leaving Nicolas alone, he'd never leave their side. I could never ask him to, so I pledged my loyalty to a woman who is willing to sacrifice me to cops as a diversion for her plan that can be done in a significantly less extravagant manner. But, obviously, she had to make a statement and nothing makes a statement more than I infiltrated the very cops you planted on me and made them pudding. 

The cop lazily mumbled for me to watch my head, although I could see he did that very on purpose, then proceeded to shove me inside the car. I sighed. 

I knew perfectly that when Anastasia Bianchi asked me if I was willing to be the bait dangling from a hook, she was testing me. It was obvious to everyone. There was no way she would trust me so quickly. She trusted my brother, but I still had a long way to go. If I made it out alive, I'd make sure that my trustworthiness is burned into her brain.

One of the cops sat to my right. He was dressed differently than the one driving. The one next to me had a suit on. This was definitely Agent Miller, or, as Anastasia referred to him, even-worse-cop.

I kept quiet and so did they. Hopefully, Mateo was right and Miller entered through the Sallyport with us. If he went through the front entrance and straight to his office, Lombardi wouldn't have near enough time to get what he needed to before there were problems.

It wasn't long before we were nearing the station. It was only a block and a half from the station. "Agent Miller," the driving cop looked at him through the rearview mirror. "Should I leave you at the entrance?"

Maybe he should be a taxi driver. Well, he's gonna die anyway so it doesn't matter.

Agent Miller side-eyed me and I snarled at him. He scoffed and turned back to the cop. "Nah, I'll help you out. I don't have much to do at the office until Garcia returns from speaking to that woman. And this one looks like she'll bite if you get too close."

I grunted in response to that.

"Sure thing." The driving cop made a turn before the station, going for the area directly behind it. Mateo had us study the layout of the streets so much that I had memorized it all. 

Mateo and Nicolas should be nearby.

As if expecting us--which they were because the driving cop radioed in that they had caught a drunk and disorderly--the cops inside lifted the metal door thing. Those excruciating Italian lessons that we were put through had paid off.

I felt the nerves begin to bubble at the pit of my stomach. This was the part I feared. I know Rayaan would never let them put me in any real danger, but this part of the plan made me uneasy. I couldn't escape and, if they decided to ditch me, I'd be dead meat.

This part was entirely in the hands of Nicolas, who threatened to kill me once, Mateo, who barely acknowledged me the entire I've been around him and dismissed my worries of things going wrong like I was delusional, and the team of hackers that they had, which I'd never met.

The banging of the metal against the top made me flinch slightly. The car sat still inside the sallyport and the cop got out of the driver's seat. Agent Miller beside me opened the door and got out.

A soft static-y noise came from the passenger's seat. My eyes bulged out as I stared at the walkie that lay on the seat.

"Agent Miller, your partner Agent Strafford is here. I'll let him into the office."