Error 404

Chapter 69

I fumbled with the key in my hands as I stared at the door in front of me. I pursed my lips as the time ticked by, increasing my anxiety as I contemplated my options. 

Was this some sort of trick? Some sick and twisted game that Pavlovski put her up to? 

I replayed our conversation in my head over and over again. My photographic memory painted her face vividly within my thoughts, and I examined her face for any tells of deceit and deception. 

But there was none. From what I could tell, Rose was telling the truth. The sadness in her eyes, the worry that wrinkled her brow, it all pointed to her telling the truth.  

Rose, my grandmother, is practically giving her life so I have a chance of escaping. I should have told her to stay, that I had a plan. That Dante and his Mafia were coming any second now, but I didn't. Guilt raged through me as regret seeped its way into my being. 

I looked down at the key she gave me as I mentally noted that 8 minutes had passed. I took a deep breath as I attempted to calm my mind as I thought out my options:

1) Use the key she gave me, attempt to get my mother out of here and pray that Dante gets here in time. 

2) Throw away Rose's sacrifice, and stay in my room helplessly as I wait for Dante to get here. 

I scoffed at my options, upset at the lack of control I had with either of these outcomes. I closed my eyes as 9 minutes now passed, remembering how my mother was rotting in a cell, bloody and beaten as I sit here and do nothing. 

My heart panged as I knew that I was the reason she was here, I was the reason she was suffering. I wrapped my fingers around they key and balled my hand into a fist until my knuckles turned white. 

I reached my hand out, grazing the doorknob as I took a deep breath, mentally noting that 10 minutes had passed and I had to do something. 

I pressed down on the luxurious door knob, and turned it slowly as I held my breath. I cracked the door open, listening for any footsteps in the hallway. I stayed like this for a moment, waiting for any noise, and indication that someone was there. 

Once I determined that the coast was clear, I opened the door only to be met with the sight of a gun shoved in my face. 

I looked up to see Angelo staring at me, a deadly expression coating his features. He stared at me for a moment before lowering his gun and sighing in relief. 

"Angelo." I breathed as I stared at him with wide eyes. 

"Fucking hell." Angelo breathed as he exhaled sharply. "I almost blew your fucking brains out woman." He said in a hushed voice as he placed a hand over his heart and walked into the room. 

He closed the door behind him before looking back at me. 

"Where are the others." I said as he grabbed a clip from his belt and reloaded his handgun. 

"The twins are almost done rigging the building with explosives." Angelo said seriously as he reached a hand behind his back, grabbing another Glock from his belt. 

"Dante is searching the east wing of the mansion with Damon." He explained as he tossed the Glock over to me. I caught it with ease, admiring the long silver silencer attached to the end of the muzzle. Angelo grabbed a long knife from his waist and walked over to me. 

"The element of surprise is our friend right now. Even with the silencer, it'll still attract attention, so use it as a last resort." He said as he placed the knife in my hand. 

I wasn't use to this side of Angelo, and to be honest, I don't think I'd ever get use to it. His demeanor was solemn, and his usual goofy smile was replaced with a hard expression. But I suppose that after the events at the safe house, and the history he had with the Russian Mafia, this behavior was more than fitting. 

"My mother," I stated as I cocked the gun, "She's being held in a cell in the East wing. I have the key." I said as we walked towards the door, Angelo gave me a firm nod before placing a finger on his ear piece. 

"Operation Radio Rebel completed." He said in a low voice. "Commencing Operation Mama Bird." He said before he placed his hand on the door knob and quietly opened the door. 

He looked both ways before walking in front of me. Angelo held his gun out in front of him as we quietly made our way to the east wing. I walked beside him, holding my breath as we paused at a corner. 

We hugged the wall, and I stuck my head out just far enough to see two of Pavlovski's men walking towards us. Angelo quickly tucked his gun into his belt and grabbed a knife in his right hand. I followed his lead, doing the same as the men drew nearer and nearer. 

Angelo made the first move, he quickly ducked as he brought his hand upwards, slicing one of the men's throats in one graceful motion. I took a large step towards the other man as I spun around. I lifted my hand up, using the momentum to lodge my knife directly into his throat. 

We watched as both of their lifeless bodies fell to the floor. Angelo cautiously opened a door to his right to reveal a bathroom. He swiftly carried both of the men into the room before closing the door and leading the way to the East Wing. 

My heart raced as we neared my mothers cell. I quickly reached into my pocket, pulling out the key that Rose gave me. I swiftly placed the key into the lock as Angelo aimed his gun directly at the door. He gave me a small nod before I pushed the door open, revealing my mothers chamber. 

"Nice of you to finally show up." Pavlovski said, his thick accent echoing off the walls. I froze as I looked over at Angelo, who was clenching his jaw while a member of the Russia Mafia pressed a gun to the back of his neck. 

I looked back into the cell and nearly gasped as I saw Rose, her lifeless body sprawled out in the corner of the room. Sitting next to her was my mother, who had tears streaming down her face. Her eyes were nearly swollen shut, and dirt and dried blood still covered her skin. One of Pavloski's men was standing beside her, pressing a gun against the top of her head. 

Pavlovski stared at me while he cocked his gun, and aimed it at a dark corner of the room. I looked to where he was aiming, and my heart sank as I saw those grey irises. Dante was staring at Pavlovski with an expression that held only pain and a scowl that held a promise of death. A tsunami of anxiety flooded me as I noticed the blood that covered his face and hands. 

I looked down to see that he was holding a body in his arms, and couldn't help the small cry that escaped my lips as I saw the bullet lodged between Damon's eyes.