I’m quite literally numb to all of it. The frustration, the impotence of not knowing what’s going to happen from one moment to the next. It’s only mildly alarming how my mood is see-sawing between finding this all hilarious, a garish rage and feral need to slaughter everyone around me, and exhaustion so potent I could lie down and never get back up.
I chew on the inside of my cheek.I want to see him…
No. Ineedto. I need him right now.
He’ll make it all better… It’s what he does.
Distracts me from the magnitude of this life.
I’ve been thriving on control since I was a teenager. Since the trajectory of my life was changed with death, andrevengebecame the amuse-bouche to power.
Get it back. I can…
Whipping open the door to the roof, I storm over to the helicopter. It’s just sitting there, engine off, obviously. But I see no one around it, and when I try the handle, it’s locked.
Growling out loud, I squint at it. I don’t know much about helicopters, but something about this one is… off. I’m almost certain Russo’s is similar to mine, since we use the same fleet. But this one looks completely different.
I snap a quick picture of its tail number and text it to Yari to have him look into it. The unmistakable sound of a helicopter catches my attention, and I’m seriously wondering if I’m losing my mind.
“What the fuck is goingon,” I growl to myself.
“You tell me,” the familiar voice startles me, and I spin slowly, brows raising. Alexander Reznikov steps closer. “I thought you said Russo was coming by helicopter…”
“He was supposed to,” I scoff. “Or hedid… who fucking knows anymore.” I rub my eyes, then shoot him a skepticallook. “Are you telling me you had nothing to do with his sudden disappearance?”
He gives me a puzzled look. “What are you playing at, Ivory? Is this some kind of game to you??”
I’m going to push you off this roof, pendejo…
My jaw tics as my head cocks in faux-innocence. “Perdóneme?”
His eyes are burning with visible frustration, mirroring my own, though I’m clearly better at hiding it. Still, in this moment, I can feel that I’m running on fumes.
“Tell me what’s—”
Alexander’s threat is interrupted by the helicopter; theotherone. We hear it then see it approaching, coming up from the west. It looks like it’s going to land on the shore…
Alexander and I stare at each other for a moment, during which I think he recognizes that I’m not pulling something over on him here. I have no fucking clue what’s going on.
The chopper is touching down as Paulino’s voice comes over my walkie. “Sir! Russo is here… He’s landing on the west beach. We caught up with the prisoners in the woods…”
I’m watching as Alexander processes this information. Only a split second and he turns, darting away from me. Back inside and down the stairs…
On his way to west beach, no doubt.
“Hang on…” Paulino is out of breath and audibly confused. “Is that… 35 and 48??”
I straighten. Staring into the void…
Luthor and… Ren?
My eyes slide to the helicopter.
Oh, no fucking way…
A deranged giggle slips out of me, and I press my lips together.
You clever little monsters.
