the final mission

29

Jennings arrived.

He was well aware that Gio had men everywhere. However, that was not a problem considering Jennings was in a helicopter. Perks of working for the government came through.

Using the exact coordinates the locket provided, Jennings found and located Roddy hiding in a large tree. He directed the pilot to fly a bit lower so the ladder could reach. He threw it out and Roddy was quick to grab on.

Gio tilted his head upwards, pure frustration showing through.

Roddy had gotten away yet again.

In the helicopter, Jennings pounced on her and quickly embraced her. He knew that if he had even been seconds too late, Roddy would have been gone. She embraced him back as the helicopter flew to headquarters.

"Jennings? I actually have to go home first." He looked like he was about to disagree. "I have unfinished business that I need to attend to." Jennings stared at her tentatively, but told the pilot nevertheless. He hoped he was not making a mistake.

It was a mistake.

★★★

Kai slept on the couch.

He relentlessly twisted and turned as he waited for Roddy to return. He was not sure how the conversation was going to go. However, he knew that he needed answers. Kai realized that he did not know the raven haired girl at all.

As soon as she walked through the door, he was ready to fire.

However, when he found her barely limping through the door and dirtied from head to toe, his initiative changed. Kai aided her in getting through the door. He looked down and found her right leg to be almost completely twisted backwards and winced. Her body was bruised and torn, as if she walked through a forest of thorns.

Kai lifted her into his arms as gently as he could, but that provided difficulty for him due to his injuries. He carried her into her bathroom and undressed her as lightly as possible. Kai started a bath and gently placed her in, testing the temperature before he did so.

Roddy groaned when she felt the warm water caress her skin.

Kai lathered shampoo onto his hands and massaged her head, helping relieve some of the tension from her. He followed with conditioner and ran his fingers through her hair gently. The soap followed and he washed her, not caring for her naked state at all.

Pulling her out, Kai picked an oversized shirt of his to put on her small body as well as some socks to keep her toes warm. He put her on the bed and ran to find Brody. Brody was up watching tv with a snoring Raina in his arms. When he saw Kai's helpless frame, he was quick to get up and follow him into Roddy's room.

"What happened man? Her leg is definitely ten different kinds of broken." Kai threw Brody a flat face. Brody put his hands upwards in surrender as he checked out the injuries he had to work with. He pulled the shirt up a bit and revealed numerous scratches and open wounds on her legs.

"Kai, grab gauze and antiseptic. Start working on the legs while I go run and find fiberglass. Her right leg will definitely need a cast." Brody ran out of the room to search for his materials as Kai hurriedly did as he was told. Kai threw away all of his previous suspicions as he acknowledged how much he cared for Roddy.

"Roddy," Kai whispered as he tended to a larger gash, "I feel sorry for whoever did this. Because when I find them, they are done for. I love you." He wished he could have said those three words in other circumstances, especially those in which she was conscious, but Kai would take what he could get. Every moment with Roddy was a special one.

Brody returned.

★★★

Gio was livid.

He was tired. Tired of hunting.

He had sent his best men after Roddy and the cunning bitch had still gotten away from him. He had chased her for so long and for so hard, yet she still outsmarted him. He had never wanted yet hated anything so bad in his life.

Gio knew that her time would be up before she knew it. And by that point, she would run to him for safety and affection. Gio knew that everyone else would hate her. The two of them would get married and she would live a peaceful life with him. He snorted at the idea of having mini Roddys running around his house.

Furseo and the rest of their family would live near them, too. Everyone would be happy and they could all live out their days as one big, happy family. However, Roddy was making it increasingly harder for Gio to achieve his dreams. Gio would not make her pay. He knew that all of her friends would ultimately leave her.

Gio would not leave her.

Gio loved her.

★★★

Kai observed Roddy.

Even in her sleep she fought.

If only he had known what she was fighting.

Roddy did not have dreams; she had nightmares. Demons of the deepest hell and crimes of the scariest degrees yelled at her in her sleep, beckoning her closer. Whether Roddy was asleep or awake, she would always be in danger.

Kai hugged Roddy closer to him, muttering small words of love and encouragement. This proved to be difficult considering the amount of moving she was doing.

"Ah!" Roddy screamed when she saw Kai.

She inspected him, a grim look on her face. Sweat beads tumbled off of her forehead as she held Kai's cheeks, looking him directly in the face.

"Leave." Kai's face scrunched up. Confusion and hurt leaked out of his pores as he stared at Roddy. Her face was blank and her eyes were squinted, as if she were in a position to attack. Although, Roddy was on the defensive more than the offensive side.

"This is all my fucking fault. All of it!" She wailed this as she wildly flung her arms around. "You shouldn't have gotten so attached. I shouldn't have. I'm so sorry." Kai grabbed her hands but she was already getting up.

"Roddy, we can -"

"No! You don't get it. I'm bad! I'm Midas. Everything I touch turns rotten. Everything." Kai stepped back and allowed her to rant. "I came into this world alone 'n I'm leaving alone."

Roddy was quick to get up, but Kai attempted to push her back down. Roddy moved him aside once more and glared. Kai had never seen her look so heated and he was a bit frightened, despite the condition Roddy was in.

Roddy walked away.