She's Too Naive

Chapter 45

"I can't believe that actually worked," Cole said from the other side of Rosen. The three of us were currently packed in the backseat of a black hummer, with Chez sitting in the passenger seat, and some random guy named Drew driving us.

"I have my resources," Chez responded with a grim smile, turning around to look at us. I was curled up against the window seat, my head resting on Rosen's shoulder as Greg's death replayed in my mind. I felt shocked, but the pain was already starting to ebb away as I focused on the fact that I would be going home. Chez's deal with the council had supposedly included leaving us all alone, so it was safe for me to return home. I wondered what would have happened to me if I had stayed home. Would the Def really have gone after me anyways? Or could this whole ordeal been avoided.

"What was the blackmail," I spoke, my voice croaky from all the yelling I had done in thee hallway. The vehicle went silent after I raised my voice, everyone surprised at hearing me talk.

Chez cleared his throat, his eyes darting to Rosen and Cole before he spoke. "The head council member, Armanno, shot and killed his successor so he could be apart of the council sooner." Holy shit, that was some major blackmail.Chez continued. "If the council found out, the Def would be chaotic. Shooting one of their own without reason is a major no no. Not to mention, Armanno has been slowly building up his allies so he can overthrow the council, and be in charge himself. Overall, he basically wants to rule the Defaecatio and I have the proof of it."

"How?" I asked, in shock. Chez had a lot of power if he could control the whole organization through blackmail.

"Video. There was security footage of Armanno killing his mentor, David. Armanno thought he had it deleted, but some people dug around after David's death and managed to find it. They used to be Def members, but are now my inside people. They sent it to me and it's been in my possession ever since. I just haven't had the right reason to use it."

"And Armanno just agreed, like that? What about the other council members?" I hesitated, my mind already wanting to come up with excuses on why the Def is still after us.

"Armanno has a lot more power over the council than he thinks," Chez explains "which is good for us. He's anxious enough about his secret being released, that he doesn't see how he could probably simply get rid of the council. He pretty much is the one who makes all the rules now anyways. But getting rid of the council would be tedious, and could cause a civil war between the Defaecatio. That's why he wants to take his time and slowly ease into eliminating them. Having this information going out there would sabotage his plans."

I was speechless. Chez had thought this through with immense precision. There had been a chance that Armanno simply had said no, and we probably would have been back right where we had started. But it worked, and we were free because of it.

"Thank you," I said simply. Truly grateful for what he had done.

"It really is no problem, I am ready for the Defaecatio to fall. They've been around for far too long."

"Too true," Rosen muttered under his breath, the arm around my back tightening.

☾

It took no time at all to reach South Carolina. We decided to stop for a while at a local restop. Chez had to call his men and make sure they were all on their way back to his base. The only reason we were going to South Carolina was to bring me home. I guess I hadn't realized how soon this would end.

I stretched my legs and used the public bathroom-- gross-- before returning to the car where Rosen was leaning against the hood. He looked upset, yet pensive. His fist was clenched tightly to the jeans Chez had provided for him. Chez had also had some extra clothes for me, and although the pants were a pinch too tight, and the shirt a tad too big, it felt good to wear normal clothes.