Angel

Chapter 79

Raven

Gabe, Nate, and I had the high ground along with dozens of my father's men and several of Emilio's. Marc and Emilio were below with more of his mine as well as Alberto's. The old man had been adamant he would send soldiers to help. He was furious that he still wasn't independent in his movement, but Kota's mom had him on a tight leash. I wonder how Kota feels about that? Uncle had also stayed at the compound with most of the Blackbourne men to help guard Tori and Krolik.

The decoy car approached and Victor's voice came through the coms. "There are five heat signatures in the warehouse, fifteen more out back. No sign of any missiles." We waited with bated breath to see what would happen. When the first car was unharmed, the second vehicle came forward. This one was fully armored and held both Marc and Emilio inside along with North. They exited the vehicle cautiously, wearing body armor.

"I'm here Carlos. Now come out and let's finish this like real men. No one will fire - just you and me," Emilio roared, issuing his challenge.

"Do you take me for a fool, Emilio? You came with dozens of men at all vantage points. Bring your best and come inside so we can talk like old times," Carlos called back.

"This is a bad fucking idea,"Gabe grumbled.

"Yeah, well unless we get visual confirmation he's in there, then blowing the damn place up won't help us," Corey growled.

The three of us navigated our way down and we slowly entered the building, searching for tripwires and booby traps as we moved. Sitting at the center of the building behind a small wooden table was Carlos, surrounded by four men. "The men behind the building have been neutralized," Corey said coldly. "There are no other heat signatures in the building except the six of you and the five of them."

"Come, sit, old friend," Carlos said.

Emilio took a hesitant step forward before Marc grabbed his arm. "It's okay brother. I trust you all to keep me safe," he told Marc who reluctantly let him go. Seating himself across from Carlos he grimaced, "What more do you think you can gain by this insanity, Carlos? We built an empire, side by side and you got jealous of my wife? Why? Other than telling you to stay away from Tori, I denied you nothing! Why do this?"

"She was mine!" he hissed. "I am the one she craved, the one she truly loves. But you took her from me - you and that bitch!" I couldn't stop the growl that came from my throat along with the sounds from the others. "You want to end this, Emilio, then give me back what is mine," Carlos demanded. "Give me Tori."

"He doesn't know," I heard Victor in my ear.

Gabe sneered, "You should have kept your partner on a damn tighter leash, Carlos. Vivian shot Tori. She died on the operating table you fucking bastard!" Technically, he wasn't lying.

"No..." Carlos gasped, his face falling. "You're lying."

Gabe stepped closer, "I held her in my fucking arms as she bled out from the gunshot to her stomach that fucking bitch gave her. Luke and I cried as they did chest compressions, shaking as I was drenched in her blood, you son of a bitch!" Tears streamed down his face as he recounted the scene I knew far too well.

"Then it doesn't matter anymore...none of it matters," he muttered and stood, his chair falling over. "You don't matter, I don't matter...nothing matters." I noticed the panicked look on his men's faces.

"Emilio," I said, motioning for him to stand and step back. He did so, slowly, never turning his back to Carlos. We all took hesitant steps toward the door when Carlos spun around and screamed like he had been stabbed.

"None of it matters!" he roared and for the first time, I noticed the switch in his hand.

"Bomb!" I roared as we all made a dash to the doors. A wave of heat threw us to the ground as the entire building became a raging inferno.

Author's Notes:  And, last cliffhanger of the day...or is it...

I start back to full-time this week and I'm really trying to finish the story before then.

On a personal note:  Hail the Traveler - my sweet Amy, you were loved in this life and will be dearly missed, my spirit sister.  RIP