The night he took me away

Chapter 54

Francesco

At dinner, everyone was happier than ever, including my father, as we celebrated for no reason. But deeply I knew this was a 'goodbye' celebration for Kiara, even though she wasn't here, it felt like our last goodbye from us to her.
A dinner to celebrate our last night alive before he left with her the next day.
The room was filled with laughs and a lot of toasts with nonsense speeches. The only sober ones filled with concern were us three: Ava, Matteo, and me.
At any time my two loyal guards I had been talking to were going to burst inside the house with a few men to burn this all. Starting with an explosion on the east side of the house.
My insides were filled with excitement to finally bring this fucking house down and the men with it. Except that before I got my revenge I had to secure my family's safety.
It all had been talked about and prepared, and I couldn't be more ready for this moment.
"I'll like to give a toast as well, " I speak up.
Ava warns me with her eyes but I start my speech.
"This is going to be quick, " I assure as all twelve men looked at me unpleasantly.
The looks and the tension really spiced the moment and I couldn't be more delighted.
"I remember my mother saying, "You are never going to be a monster. You are a good boy she said. You have a pure soul. A pure heart. A pure life that you must live fully. But not in this type of world." I pause.
My father tensed at her mention and all men never looked away from me.
"And you know what? I believed her. But as soon as she died, all my hopes disappear because, in the end, I became the thing she never wanted." I look at my father. "I became a monster just like my father. A fucking killer." I smile devilishly. "But the big difference between him and me...is that I killed with purpose. Men that have asked for it. Not men neither innocent women. That's the difference between a soulless man—" I point at my father. "And a fearless man." I point myself.
"So cheers to my mother for making me understand that I deserve more in this life. And to my father for making me understand that he deserves to die for me to have the life my mother wanted me to have. Cheers!"
I raised my glass and I soon as I did, the explosion made the whole house vibrate.
A cinematic experience.
Before they could shoot me they all went down when a few men slammed the dining-room door, and began shooting. I ran with Ava and Matteo meanwhile the others were distracted or threatened with the guns, but not soon enough to hear my father's orders.
"Kill the three of them now!" He yelled.
Ava trembled at the loud gunshots but never looked back once. All she cared about was getting Kiara and Lucy out of the rooms on time.
"Hey!" someone shouted when we came across another hallway.
We quickly turned around the corner but unexpectedly we crashed with Antonio and a big bald guy.
We exchanged glances between all of us but skillfully began to fight with them, except for Ava. The big one made me lose my breath at the hard punch in my stomach, which I didn't notice when he got out one of his sharp knives. I backed away each time he went forward. I grabbed his hand in the mid-air and twirled his hand painfully until he dropped the knife on the ground. I hit him consecutively until he fell and he took me as well. We twirled and his weight went over me. Not plenty enough cause he was taken off of me when Ava began to choke him with a belt.
His face went red as he fought for air too aggressively. But Ava didn't give in cause she pulled stronger each second that passed by until he fell unconscious.
I looked at her shocked.
But she only rolls her eyes at my admiration. There's going to be time to thank her for this. And worship her as well.
I stood and we both walked towards Matteo who faced Antonio's unconscious body.
"Let's go, " he said it bitterly.
There was a sort of sorrow for the young guy that became like a colleague to him, but there were no odds to help him.
We left the two of them behind and continued our path upstairs, avoiding to step on all the sea bodies on the floor and a few fights of men who bleed for honor.
To our surprise our hall remained empty and we hopped Kiara and Lucy were still hidden on the spot we chose for them.
Matter took guard outside meanwhile, we came in and searched them in the closet, but they weren't there. Ava began to shake and look desperately everywhere but they were no where to be found.
"What's taking you so long?" Matteo makes his way in abruptly.
"They are not here!" Ava exclaims nervously.
"What?!"
"What if...what if someone came and took them before we could come?! Or...or maybe they left to hide somewhere else...God!" Ava urged as she walked from one side to the other, her voice breaking as she spoke.
"Wherever they are and whoever took them we need to find them, " I finally say. "We can't waste our time."
Another bomb exploded and I tensed. Fear ripping through me.

Please let me find my daughter. She's not dead. She's safe.

I repeated in my mind. Begging God to at least grant me this wish.

Where are you, Angel?

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Kiara

The little girl looked at Lucy confused. She saw how scared she was as she took her hand and led her out of her room. The little girl was confused of what was actually happening.
"Didn't Mommy said we were going to play hide and seek?" The girl asked curiously.
Lucy nodded her head nervously and took the time to explain to her. "I...I hid one time there and they found me easily. We...we...need to find another spot."
And as Lucy suspected, she was right. From the corner of a wall she saw how men slammed into Kiara's bedroom to look for her especially.
Lucy had been kidnapped the same way. Waiting for someone to save her as she hid in her closet. All she cared now was to find other spot so that the good man and good women could find them both.
The little girl got excited by the idea of being a team with her to find another spot. As they walked, she gave suggestions of hiding behind a curtain like her mother told her once but then she remembered that they had found her there too.
Both girls, with a strong hand hold, continued their search until they finally found a small desk in the hallway where maids placed sheets in there. It was the perfect spot, the little girl thought. Little did they know, that's where the next bomb was going to explode.
"You go first, " Lucy said worriedly.
And the little girl didn't complain. She wanted to be first.
Lucy kept her vigilance as the little girl ran and easily slid inside, not before waving at her with a smile. Now it was finally Lucy's turn.
Lucy eventually ran after but caught sight of men about to find the little girl at her spot. That's when she knew what she had to do.
She grabbed one of the jars holding flowers on the desk next to her to only slammed it on the floor and get the men's attention.
Fear crossed through her eyes as they turned to her. And all she could do was run. Tears swelled her eyes when finally they caught her and in a matter of seconds darkness took over her.
Not after hallucinating her mother at her side saying, "We are going home."

The little girl began to worry for Lucy.
Where is she? She asked to herself.
They were supposed to hide together.
Did she find another good spot?
Maybe.