The men open the doors, their guns trained on me. They move closer, advancing slowly. Their sight lights dot my back and chest.
I stand very still.
Shhh, my flower. You have to be quiet, my mother told me long ago, with a finger to her lips. Remember, Mama loves you very much.
I lie in wait, but this time I’m not trapped. I’m the bait.
The music cuts off—one of the men must have cut the line. They don’t get close to me, not yet.
One of them speaks into his microphone. “Sir, we’ve got the target on lock… yeah, she’s just standing there. Unarmed.”
“Let me see this.” A few moments later, a man elbows his way through the pack of armed men to the front. He’s mostly bald and stocky, with a ruddy tone to his skin. He reminds me of a bull.
“Hi there,” I say and give him a cheeky wave. “I’m Bella. What’s your name?”
He looks me up and down, and likes what he sees. Good. I need him to let down his guard. “Name’s Sal, doll.”
“Salvatore Vesuvio?”
His eyes narrow. “Yeah.” He motions his men to creep forward. “You’re coming with us.”
I don’t move. I want as many men inside the house and greenhouse as possible. “Livia told me about you.”
“Oh, yeah? What’d that bitch say?”
“She said you were bad.” I shake my head, giving him a cute little pout. “A bad, bad man. She told me you and your brothers killed my mother. Is that true?”
“How the fuck should I know?” He’s still cocky, but he’s frowning, like he can’t figure me out. “I killed a lotta people.”
“Mmm. So have I. ”
He mutters some curses. “Get her.”
“Lower your guns,” I say. “I’ll come quietly.”
Sal shrugs, and a few of his men lower their guns. “You’ll come with us either way.”
Then I utter the code phrase. “Shoshonna Bosco won’t stand for this.”
* * *
Kaiser
I move with the soldiers to the back of the house, picking a few off on the way, dragging them into the shadows, and breaking their necks. I strip one of the corpses, grabbing a set of goggles and a flak jacket, and leave the bodies lying under the trees.
But by the time I get to the greenhouse, I’m too late. Bella’s in the center of the room, lit up like she’s on stage. She doesn’t look afraid, but she’s surrounded by gunmen. I seriously wonder about her sense of self-preservation sometimes.
I watch through the windows as she talks to Sal. I can take out a few more soldiers, but I’ll never reach her in time. I’ll have to wait until they grab her, and then kill them.
Why did Bella offer herself up on a silver platter?
Then Bella says loud enough that I can hear from outside, “Shoshonna Bosco won’t stand for this.” Invoking her mother’s name. Why?
There’s a click and a whir. Some machinery turning on. The men inside look around. A second later, water rains from the ceiling. A heavy downpour from the sprinkler system.
That’s when the screams begin.
I run toward the back door, using my hands or the knife to take out every soldier who stands in my way. I have the jammer on still, but it’s not foolproof. I don’t want people to start shooting.
