For Fallon (Chicago Syndicate)

by Naomi, Soraya

  Camilla lets the door fall closed silently and moves toward the back exit in this massive state-of-the-art kitchen. She pushes her shoulder into the door and it barely opens, so I push with all my weight as well. The door is ridiculously heavy to open, and I grunt as my shoulder hits the cold surface of it. The outside air flows into my lungs, and for the first time in four days, I feel the natural caress of the cooling summer wind on my cheeks. Shuddering from nervousness, I suck in the night air to calm my nerves.

  We’re outside!

  Now we have to get to the car. We grimace at each other when the door creaks loudly as we close it, and the porch light flicks on, detecting movement. Camilla dashes to the right side of the house and rounds the planted hedges leading to the front. Jumping after her, I step off the porch onto the soft grass and hunch down next to Camilla. We wait until the light flicks off. For a moment my entire vision goes black as it tries to adjust to the dark. Not a sound but the blowing of the wind passes my ears.

  Camilla motions forward with her hand, and we inch toward the driveway. She looks around the corner and pulls her head back immediately. “Guard is still standing at the front entrance,” she mutters. “He’s going to take a break and move inside the house soon. Wait.”

  I look past her to the rounded driveway and spot three cars parked on our side. “Which car?”

  She turns the car device that she’s been clutching in her hand and checks the logo. “A BMW.”

  But as the device hangs off the key chain, it clinks in the stillness of the night and the guard’s head whips to me.

  I rear back instantly and Camilla clutches the device again. Our eyes widen in horror, and I mouth, “Guard heard.” I don’t dare to look again, afraid my eyes will meet his.

  Camilla grabs my hand and drags me a few feet back, pointing to the hedge under a rounded window with closed curtains. She makes her way through the hedge, thick with leaves, and disappears.

  The dry earth creeps between my toes when I follow Camilla. Branches scrape and cut open the bare skin on my arms and legs, but I grit my teeth and wedge myself against her, hunched down into a tiny open space against the wall, hiding behind the hedge.

  Dark. Soundless.

  My heart is pounding in my chest so loudly that I’m afraid it can be heard in the deafening silence.

  Camilla loses her balance and clutches my thigh, forcing me to plant my fingers in front of me to keep us unmoving and quiet. It’s difficult to remain still above the thunder of my heartbeat.

  A blur of light comes into our line of vision through the thick leaves. Footsteps approach. The light shines through the leaves, coming closer and closer to exposing Camilla and me. The light is an inch away from my hand planted in front of me, but I’m afraid to move and cause a noise. The worst thing is that the second before you’re discovered feels like hours.

  Oh my god, please don’t let him see me.

  A split second before I would’ve been exposed, another sound coming from the driveway distracts the guard. His directed aim of light recedes quickly and a deep breath rushes out of me. I’ve been adamantly forcing myself to keep some semblance of rational thought, even through my constant trail of fear. I’m holding my breath again while we stay rooted until we can’t hear the guard’s steps anymore.

  We crawl out of the hedge, keeping low. We deny ourselves any time to think to avoid having our fear take control of our actions. Camilla checks the front and swivels around. “He’s gone. We have to go now.” She hits the button on the device to unlock the car. The first black BMW clicks open while Camilla’s already started toward it.

  The gravel cuts painfully into the skin of my feet. Opening the car door, Camilla gets in and starts the engine. Checking the front entrance – still no guard or movement, I close the door and fall into the passenger seat. “Go!”

  Steering left and out of the driveway, the house shrinks in the rearview mirror and disappears as she steps on the gas when we hit a main road.

  “Oh shit,” Camilla voices my thoughts. Full of tension, she’s driving the car anxiously through this deserted place.

  My chest is rising and falling heavily. “How long until we reach the first gas station?”

  “Twenty, twenty-five minutes.” She wipes the glistening sweat from her forehead.

  “What are we going to do? Call the police? Go straight to The Loop. Home? According to Luca, the Syndicate is also part of the police force. I have no idea if that’s true or not.”

  Camilla bites her lip. “I don’t know.” She catches my eyes briefly with a lost look similar to mine.

  “Let’s just get out of here first and—” My gaze travels forward, and in the far distance, I see headlights approaching. My spine stiffens in alarm.

  “Fuck,” Camilla mutters when she spots them too.

  “Turn off the lights,” I order and try to buckle my belt with trembling hands, missing.

  “What?”

  “Cut the lights!” I scream while desperately trying to buckle the seat belt. “The other car won’t see us.”

  “Shit. Okay.” She checks the dashboard on her right and turns them off. “Fuck, I can barely see anything!” And automatically she steps on the brake, and the vehicle slows down.

  The other headlights are turned off as well, kicking my unease into even higher gear. “Keep hitting the gas, don’t go too slow.” I’m bumped out of my seat from left to right when Camilla drives off the road and then steers us back on the right track.

  “The other car should pass us soon.” Camilla’s gripping the steering wheel with deadly force. “I have to slow down, I can’t see shit.”

  And just then the other car blazes past us, making us both yell in fear of a collision.

  Camilla checks her mirror quickly. “Their lights are still off.”

  “Turn on your lights and step on the gas. It’s someone from the Syndicate, or else they wouldn’t have cut their lights too.” Sweat trickles down the side of my face. We’re so close. Do not break down now. Help Camilla stay calm. “Our best chance is to just step on it and reach a populated area as soon as possible.”

  Camilla nods hesitantly, eyes glued to the road.

  Suddenly we’re engulfed in light from behind. My head swings around, and I’m blinded by the bright white lights of a car now following us.

  “What do I do?” Camilla shrieks. “Who is it?”

  The car is gaining speed on us quickly and moves in beside us with an absolutely furious Adriano motioning like a rabid dog for us to pull over.

  Camilla’s trying to control this car going over a hundred miles an hour. “What do we do?” she shrieks again.

  I grip the door handle to brace myself when I see Luca pulling his steering wheel to the right. “Brake. NOW!”

  She hits the brake too late, and Luca hits the side of our car, causing us to jerk to the left. Camilla and I both scream as she’s desperately trying to avoid being forced off the road.

  I’m jolted sideways and to the front and my temple collapses against the window with a loud bang. A burning pain shoots through the side of my head while Luca’s Maserati speeds on forward. The tires screech on the asphalt as the BMW comes to a full stop and the seatbelt pushes me back into the seat when I’m thrown forward. Our breathing is irregular and we sink back into our seats.

  “You okay?” Camilla asks, with eyes closed, in a regretful tone.

  Almost. We we’re so close to get away and my hope is crushed instantly. “Yes.” I rub my aching head.

  The Maserati returns and stops sideways, blocking our car, and both men jump out and flank us in a few determined strides that glow with their fury.

  Camilla hurriedly locks the door in response, clearly concerned about the men’s deadly demeanor too. “Shit!” she whispers and turns her head to me just as Adriano stands before her window with a menacing look. “What are we going to do? I’ve never seen them this mad.” Her breathing still mirrors my heavy sighs. Everything happened so quickly, we al
most got away.

  Adriano roughly pulls the door handle. “Open it, Cam,” he orders in a dangerously low voice.

  I’ve been ignoring Luca, who’s silently burning holes into the back of my head while I’m facing Camilla. We just dug ourselves a little deeper in this mess. I cover one hand over the other in my lap to restrain the trembling. “We need to go with them. The longer we wait, the madder they’ll get.”

  Luca taps on my window once with his knuckles.

  Stoic, I keep my sight on Camilla.

  Luca finally speaks in a level voice. “Fallon, open this door or I’ll smash in the window and drag you back by your hair.”

  Tears are brimming behind my eyes, and I want to give Camilla a hug or something because she wears the same desolate expression as me, but I don’t want Adriano and Luca to witness our interaction.

  Camilla pushes the button and the doors fly open immediately. We’re both yanked out of the vehicle. Adriano inspects Camilla and asks if she’s hurt.

  Luca’s fingers curl painfully around my biceps. The wind blows pass us and cools the layer of sweat covering my body. A shiver runs through me, and I jerk away from Luca’s touch when he tries to check my head injury.

  While I can taste his fury, concern is also perceptible in his dark eyes. “Injuries?” he asks in that same level voice.

  I shake my head. Wondering what to say to salvage this situation but nothing comes to mind. I softly say, “Luca.”

  “Don’t,” he warns and looks up into my eyes. His nostrils flare in an attempt to keep control over his spiraling emotions. This is Luca almost losing control. He keeps spitting fire into my amber irises when he barks orders to Adriano, “Drive the beamer home. I’m taking Fallon, you take Camilla. Restrain her. We meet in my room.” Luca tugs me with him by my upper arm to the trunk of the Maserati.

  No, am I going in the trunk?

  Popping it open, he searches it and keeps his grip firmly on me beside him. A stack of tie-wraps appear. “Put your hands behind your back,” he demands.

  “What? No, don’t tie me,” I protest.

  Luca grips both my underarms and pulls them back, holding both wrists captive with one hand easily while I uselessly attempt to break free. My wrists are being tied with one black tie-wrap. Luca pulls the wrap tight and hisses in my ear, “Don’t say a word. You’re pushing my limits with you.”

  His warm, unsteady breath fans my cheek when I crane my neck to see Camilla being heaved into the back seat by Adriano. The same is done to me.

  Adriano and Luca step on the gas with urgency. The drive back is excruciatingly silent as the Maserati speeds back to that damn house. Not once does Luca catch my eyes in the rearview mirror. His sight is frozen on the road. His silence is scaring me most. Luca parks the car in the driveway. He cuts the engine and stares ahead for several minutes, his labored breathing constantly increasing my anxiety.

  Adriano pulls in behind us, hiding the damaged part of the BMW from the guard’s view, and jumps out of the car to the front guard. Camilla and I aren’t seen behind the tinted windows of the back seat. Adriano and the guard disappear into the house and Adriano returns alone, striding toward Camilla.

  Luca tries to wrench me out of the BMW but stops sharply when he notices my bare feet. Didn’t he see my lack of shoes earlier? He stands up straight. I shiver uncontrollably when, out of the blue, his fist comes down on the roof with furious power, and I can hear an anguished ‘fuck’ being muttered.

  Adriano and Camilla are already inside the house.

  Luca clutches my arm and pulls me out with heavy force. “Get out and move.”

  His directive tone discourages me from fighting, and I comply promptly. With Luca at my back, we’re back in the room I despise within minutes.

  Camilla’s sitting on the foot of the bed, face hanging down, as Adriano stares unbelievingly at her from the window. Camilla and I lock eyes ever so briefly after Luca shoves me to sit next to her.

  Adriano hands Luca a pair of scissors that he uses to cut the ties, freeing my hands. I rub the skin on my wrists softly. No marks.

  “How the hell did you get out of the house and in possession of Damian’s car keys?” Luca seethes with his arms across his chest towering over us, still avoiding eye contact with me.

  Damian? Another name I need to remember. My eyes roll sideways to Camilla whose lips are quivering as bad as mine.

  “I stole them from Damian,” Camilla answers quietly.

  “How?” Adriano bellows at her and joins Luca standing in front of us.

  Her shoulders hunch forward. “I spiked his drink,” she confesses.

  Adriano’s hands wave around, and Camilla and I rear back on impulse. He braces them behind his neck. “What the fuck? Where is he?”

  “Passed out in one of the private rooms,” Camilla says.

  The second Luca’s stare is fixed on me, I feel the hairs along my nape stand on end in distress. Through my eyelashes, I meet his terrifyingly dark and bleak eyes. He stares at me without blinking or moving a muscle.

  Adriano continues. “Private room? Did you fuck him?” he demands to know angrily.

  “No.” Camilla shifts closer to me. “We… kissed…”

  The storm brewing inside Adriano erupts at Camilla’s confession. “Are you fucking kidding me?” he roars and starts pacing back and forth.

  I gawk at her too. She has some balls to seduce him. While Camilla was obviously scared too when we attempted to escape, she was also tough and determined. Now she’s acting like a delicate, shy victim. The noticeable difference in her personality has me frowning in thought. Immediately, I try to disguise my surprised expression, but Luca – who has been watching me with careful, perceptive eyes - has caught it.

  Luca motions for Adriano to calm down and they move to the door, whispering back and forth until Adriano turns and tugs Camilla up and out the door so quickly, she doesn’t even get the chance to look back at me.

  Alone with Luca, his quiet rage suffocates the air in the room. I’ve never encountered him with this level of intense anger.

  Luca closes the door with his head bent down and his left palm planted against it. I can clearly hear him inhaling deeply, and then he smashes his fisted right hand through the wall.

  My body tenses up, seeing him unleash his anger on the wall.

  And another punch before he swivels around and fumes, “Why can’t you just fucking listen for once!”

  Another shock jolts me, due to the level of his voice, and a lump fills my throat.

  “Everything, I have done to keep you safe. All you had to do was listen to me until I could safely bring you home. Because of you, I’m constantly worrying about fucking damage control. And did you think beyond escaping?” His words drenched in fury. “Without any shoes?” He grits his teeth and edges toward me. “You have no clue who you could’ve met, or what could happen without anything to protect yourself!”

  On instinct I scoot back on the bed as Luca’s control completely shatters before my eyes.

  He clutches his hair and kneels in front of me, pulling me roughly back to the edge of the bed with his hands behind my knees.

  With widened eyes, I keep still when he buries his head in my neck and pulls me to him while my arms hang limply to avoid returning his suffocating embrace. My eyes fall closed as his lips move against my collar bone.

  “I’m so fucking angry at you. Yet…yet I can’t retaliate the only way I know how. I don’t even want to. I want to go back.” Luca’s rests his forehead on my shoulder. “So conflicted…” His voice chokes as he looks up into my wary eyes.

  Where is he going with this?

  Out of nowhere he cups the back of my head and kisses me with bruising force. In a quick move, he drives me back on the bed with his entire rigid body and surprises me by cuffing one wrist to the bed and stands back up just as quickly. Back to the status of Friday night - I’m cuffed, and Luca and I glare at each other.

  The days have been slow,
except for this morning and the last hour where so much has happened. My brain still hasn’t caught up. From being taken Friday night and thrust into an underworld where Luca works, to constantly being on edge about what’s to come, I’m weak. But I’m not confused enough to forget the most important thing. “When is the trade?”

  Luca cocks his head to the side and shifts his hair back. When I don’t think he’ll answer me, he speaks in a voice I don’t recognize. “Tomorrow, midnight.”

  I fought my best to escape. For nothing. When I close my eyes, the last shred of hope leaves my body with a tormented cry.

  “I’m not trading you, Fallon,” Luca divulges suddenly.

  My eyes snap open in astonishment. “What?”

  Luca rubs his fingers over his forehead. “I know you’re confused, but you have to cooperate for one day.” He sighs tiredly. “You constantly trying to escape is making this more difficult. I get you don’t trust me, but for now, stop being clueless and open your eyes. See and feel how much I’m sacrificing for you. I thought you were smarter than this.” He shakes his head in disappointment. “Yes, we’re taking you to the trade. However, I’m not trading you. We need you so that we can end this. You’ll be safe and after you’ve cooperated with us, you can return home, to your life.”

  I stare at him with thinning eyes. It can’t be this easy. “What will happen at the trade?”

  “We’ll capture Leggia and Danny.”

  “Then I’m free to go?”

  “Yes. But you’ll be tied to this ‘crime’ and can’t inform the police without facing charges yourself,” he relays without any emotion.

  There’s the catch. “Blackmail?”

  “Insurance. I think we both lost all trust in each other,” he retorts in a cold voice. And with that he strides to the bathroom.

  My head is pounding, so I’m glad when Luca returns with a glass of water in one hand and a towel and first aid kit in the other. He cleans my feet gently with the wet towel and hands me a Tylenol with the glass of water. “There’s a bruise forming.” Luca hunches beside the bed and caresses my temple. “Does it hurt?” he asks harshly and releases a pained sigh.