We split up, making our way through the shadows, but we're expected. The shots start before we're even in position, a staccato burst of gunfire. "There!" Oz hisses, pointing toward the side of the building, where five of Bernardi's men are running around the side, weapons raised. They spot us instantly.
"Freeze!" one shouts, as though any of us would be dumb enough to just stand there and get mowed down.
I dive behind a stack of crates as Freddie opens fire, taking out one of them at least—but returning bullets ricochet and splinter the wood. This is a shitty hiding place and I need to get somewhere better, fast. I draw my gun, peeking out to watch my chance, and come eyeball to eyeball with a Bernardi goon.
He's already bringing his gun around, so I swing hard, get one good punch in before he pushes me off. My knuckles split on his teeth but he takes the worst of it, spitting blood. The others close in as Freddie and Oz clash with two more. Grunts and curses fill the air, along with the familiar thumping beat of fists striking flesh.
I block a wild swing from another asshole, driving a hand into his gut and sending him to his knees with a wheezing gasp before I end it with a bullet. Another rushes me from the side and I pivot, catching his arm and using his own momentum to sling him headfirst into a stack of crates. He doesn't rise.
There's no art to this, just cold necessity. And pretty soon, the Bernardis are on the run. We head on toward the warehouse, and then Freddie pauses, pointing up. "Looks like they're good to go." I follow his finger to where a shadow moves across the top of the warehouse where we think AJ has been hiding out.
Julian.
As we watch, he creeps across the roof, silently lifts open the skylight, and drops in.
God, something about the way he moves, I?—
"They're in," Freddie says. "We leaving them to it?"
A burst of gunfire from inside the warehouse makes up my mind for me. I don't like Julian much, but he's a Castellani, and that's all that matters. "Our orders were to make sure they have a clear run at AJ," I tell Freddie and Oz. "That means we take out any stragglers in that warehouse. C'mon."
We round the corner and almost get ourselves blasted by Leo Bernardi, who's waiting at a side door. "Shit," he says, lowering his gun. "Sorry."
"We thought you could use some backup," I tell him, and he grins.
"Wouldn't say no. You ready?" He points his gun at the door handle and blasts it out, kicking the door in. "Enjoy yourselves," he growls, and then barrels through.
I follow Leo into the warehouse, gun drawn, ready for anything—and immediately dive for cover. The place echoes with the crack of gunfire, enough to deafen me. I drop into a crouch before moving forward, returning fire. Freddie and Oz flank me, and together we advance.
A bullet whizzes past my ear, close enough to feel the heat of it. I don't flinch, just adjust my aim and put the bastard down with a clean headshot.
"Nice one," Oz grunts as he reloads.
I scan the room, searching for Leo and Julian in the chaos. There—I spot a flash of blond hair, Julian darting between crates. And Leo, a one-man army, cutting a path through the Bernardis like they're made of paper.
We're winning, I realize with a fierce rush of satisfaction. The Bernardis are falling back, their numbers dwindling fast. Only a handful left now, clustered in the far corner of the warehouse. I start toward them, ready to finish this once and for all.
And then I see him. AJ Bernardi, emerging from the shadows, gun in hand. He's not looking at me. His eyes are fixed on Leo's back as he raises his weapon to fire.
"Leo!" I'm too far away, can't get a clean shot?—
A flash of silver streaks through the air, and AJ's shot goes wide as a throwing knife buries itself in his shooting arm.
Julian. Thank God for Julian.
Leo whirls around. Takes in the situation in a split second and lunges forward. His fist connects to AJ's face with a crunch I hear from all the way over here. AJ crumples, out cold before he hits the floor.
The last of the Bernardis have taken the opportunity to bolt from the warehouse, leaving AJ defenseless and unconscious on the floor. Julian drops down next to him from wherever the fuck he was, straightens up, and calls over to us. "You boys want to stick around for the show? I work well with an audience."
I know exactly what kind of "show" Julian has in mind, and it turns my stomach. I open my mouth to refuse, but Oz beats me to it.
"Thanks, but no thanks. I've seen enough of your work to last me a lifetime, Mr. C. Uh, no offense."
Julian just shrugs, unfazed. "Suit yourselves." He glances over at Leo, who's looming over AJ's prone body like a tiger over its prey. "Leo," he says reproachfully, "you promised I could go first."
I turn away before I can see Leo's response, motioning for Freddie and Oz to follow me out. The sounds of scuffling and a pained groan drift after us as we exit the warehouse. I resolutely don't look back.
We get a few feet away before a scream suddenly echoes out of the warehouse behind us and makes me flinch. It's a guttural, inhuman sound of pure agony that goes on and on until I want to clap my hands over my ears.
