The Colt & The Cobra - THE SPECTER SERIES [book six]

Chapter FIFTY THREE

Mikki De'lucca

"MOVE BITCH!" The barrel of the gun digs in between your shoulder blades as your cousin herds you down the grand staircase, leading you through the enormous mansion towards the garage..

"W-why are you doing this?.. Please, baby.. You don't have to do this!" You shiver and shake in fear, your voice a weak, frightened mewl.

The anger rises in his voice, unrecognisable to you.. The monster you never saw coming.. "Shut the fuck up, Mikkalia! It's my turn to talk, and you're gonna fucking listen now.. You're all gonna fucking listen!"

As he kicks open the connecting internal door to the garage, the horror that greets your eyes is indescribable, broken bodies bereft of life strung up and strewn about.. "Oh my god-- Oh my god, Rocky, what have you done?!"

The scene is a sick and surreal scarlet soaked mess.. The concrete is coated in the blood of the men who have pursued you.. The men who had tried to help you.. Tried to warn you and keep you safe..

You see Roberto and immediately there can be no doubt that he is dead.. A power drill protrudes from his left eye socket, his hands tied behind his back and his knees curled up to his chest, he is still and pale white, frozen in his final moment of terror..

It's too much.. The horror.. The violence.. The metallic smell of blood and acidic scent of urine combined.. It's an unbelievable kind of disgusting.. Bile rises in your throat and you pitch forward, puking up a nasty yellow vodka laced liquid, unable to hold in the sickness.. "Ack!"

You reach up to wipe your mouth on the back of your hand when you frightened eyes land on Colt.. Hanging lifeless in chains, his breathless body covered in bruises and blood..

Oh god.. Is he dead too?

"No, no, no.. No, what have you done!?" You wail, a blood curdling cry of anguish, taking a step towards the broken Cowboy before Rocco grabs hold of your arm., He jerks you back, keeping you close to the tip of his sawn off..

"No, Micks, I didn't do nothing.. You made this fucking mess! Vinny did all this for you, trying to bring you home-- ungrateful little snitch-whore that you are-- you were always too busy looking out for yourself to notice everything he did for you.. Everything always had to be about you.. Nobody else ever got a fucking look in cus of you.. Guess who was passed over, again and again, cus of you and your shit?"

"That's not true!" You protest as he shoves you down on your knees as he circles around to stand in front of you..

"I tried to do you a favour, I tried to make it easy on you.. I told Dax to make it fast.. Painless.. But you had to go and fuck that up too.."

"Y-you? You had Dax break into my bedroom? You tried to kill me!" You remember the way Dax's clothes reeked of fruity smoke and the vicious words he'd whispered in your ear, and you know your cousin speaks the truth..

When he steps aside, behind Rocco's legs you see a badly injured Oliver, breathing hard, his face cut so severely, he barely resembles a man.. But his eyes, his sad mocha eyes are fixed on you, brimming with apology, regret and love..

"Oh god, Ollie.. No, please, no! I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry.." You sob..

Rocco completely ignores your breakdown, carrying on with his monologue.. "Our pops died for yours, Mick.. Ricky fucking died for this family, and you left us behind, first fucking chance you got.."

He shakes his head in mock confusion.. "But then Uncle Angelo just takes you back? He gives you everything and me and Vin get nothing? He doesn't deserve to have a soldier like Vinny, and you don't deserve to have a father.. You got no respect for nobody.. You're a shitty daughter, Mikkalia.. And an even shittier cousin.. "

Your mouth falls open.. "You-- You poisoned him-- and me? As payback for what happened to Ricky?! Rocco thats fucking insane! I was twelve years old--"

"SO WAS I!" He rages.. "I found my pops dead in his driveway, mom offed herself and we got stuck here with you-- My family paid the ultimate price, and what do I get?"

You crawl forward, pleading with him to see reason.. He doesn't understand.. He just doesn't understand.. "I AM your family, Rocky-- Please, babe, please listen to me!"

"Vinny is my family, Mikki.. My brother.. Now he's the monster Angelo made him and its all for nothing, everything he did to us while you were off living your FBI fairytale, it's all for nothing-- nah fuck that, I ain't gonna let that happen.. I ain't letting you take anything else from me.. You're gonna sign it all over, your gonna pay this time--"

"No I can't, you don't understand I'm trying to protect him, Rocco.. I'm trying to protect you both.. Vinny never wanted this life, you have to know that--"

Rocky nods.. "Nah, he doesn't want it.. All he wants is you home safe and sound.. This is about me.. It's about what I want, Mikkalia. I'm sick of being stepped on, you're going to sign it all over to me, and endorse me when it comes to gaining favour with the other regions.."

You look to Oliver again to see his eyes rolling back in his head.. He is dying.. Colt is dying..
They are both dying..

This is all wrong..

There is no way you can refuse.. You can't watch them die..

"Okay-- Okay-- but first, you have to let them go.. Let Colt and Ollie go and then I'll sign anything you want.. I'll do and say anything you want to whoever you want.."

"Now we're getting somewhere.." Rocky pauses thoughtfully before he moves, never taking his sight from you as he crosses to Colt.. He hits the button on the side of the jack, releasing the chains so The Cowboy's lifeless body drops to a pile on the floor beside Oliver.. But he doesn't wake up..

"On second thoughts.." Rocco turns the gun down on Colt, aiming at his chest..

"NO!" Right in the split second that you scream, Vinny walks through the door..

Seeing your only opportunity to save The Cowboy, you jump to your feet in a flash to whip out our pistol, training it on Vinny.. "Don't make me do this Rocco, don't make me kill the only person you love.."

Vinny's eyes widened in shock, like he has seen a ghost.. "Mikki! What the fuck?!"

You keep your pistol raised, blinking back tears..

No no no!
This is all fucking wrong!
You don't want to do this!

"Im sorry, Vinny-- Im sorry but I can't let him do this--"

Vinny holds up his hands.. "Do what, Mikki?! Rocco, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!"

"Sorry bro."

From the corner of your eye, you spy Rocky turning the shotgun on his brother and immediately you drop your pistol to the floor, rushing to shove Vinny aside as the shotgun cracks.... "NO!"

-BANG-

A searing spray of fire, like a billion bee stings spreads through your center, up your arm and down your leg as you land on top of vinny on the floor with a pained yip..

Disoriented by the thunder of the gun, you push up to your knees to see red.. "Oh god, Vinny, no-- Vinny? Oh my god--"

Vincent grabs your bloodstained hands, stopping your frantic panic over him.. "Mikki-- Mikki, it's not mine.. It's not me.. It's you."

You look down to see the blood seeping from beneath your shirt and the strange sight of shrapnel saturating your left side.. Your leg, your arm, your stomach and ribs are speckled in sharp stinging spikes.. A fresh wash of pain slices though your side, accompanying the sight.. "Oh.. Oh shit.. I'm--I'm shot?"

Your body begins to tremble all over, shivering in shock, your breath becoming cold as ice everything turns fuzzy and warped..

Somewhere far away, lost in your own delirious universe, you still manage to hear Vinny screaming in terror, begging his brother for mercy and the echo of gunshots that greet him.. "ROCCO!! NO! GOD, NO! WAIT--"

-BANG - BANG - BANG -