Diavolo

thirty one - times up

Gabriel...

The back of his fat hand came across my face causing my head to snap to the side, "That was fun." I coughed blood pooling in my mouth.

"Where is the girl?" Meaty has been asking me this question for the past four hours. I keep planning for ways to escape but the security in this place made it almost impossible on my own.

"Dude, I already told you. She went to visit her grandma's house..you know delivering cookies?" I stated but he continues to stare at me with a blank expression. "What? Your mammy never read you little red riding hood?" I cooed pouting my lips. 

As expected another fist came flying into my face. I could take the first few days but now? Now I was seeing stars and rainbows. And they weren't the good kind. "You like it rough huh?" I smirked showing him my bloodied teeth. He ignores my question and walks over to his toy box, "So when does your shift end Meaty, don't you have places to be. A therapist to see?" I asked, my ribs aching as I breathed. 

"When you give me the answers I'm looking for." He sneers at me.

I laughed even though it hurts, it hurts so bad. I conceal it and laughed hysterically, "In that case, you should have a five minutes lunch break. You'll need it, trust me." I finished with a wink.

Without warning he drags a knife down my arm from my bicep to my thumb, I gritted my teeth a small groan left my mouth but nothing else. Don't give them satisfaction. "Seriously dude?" I said glaring at my arm which was split open. "You could've at least done it straight," I whined as Meaty rubs his temples with his eyes closed. 

"If you speak another word—" 

"Yeh you go talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to me! But weEeEeE are never ever, ever, ever getting back together." My own head throbbed as I screamed the lyrics. "Don't tell me you don't know who Tay Tay is.." I inquired my mouth gaped open.

"No why the fuck would I—" He shook his head then lunges for me with the knife. It struck deep into my thigh, I bite the inside of my cheeks as my own blood pooled underneath me. Just when my breathing slowed the motherfucker twists the knife from vertical to horizontal tearing the wound open even further. I screamed unable to hold in the pain. Fuck why did it feel like I was getting shot? No. It felt worse.

"How about One Direction?" I croaked eyeing the door. They're coming for me. Right?

***

LeToya...

"We breach the door from here on my count." I pointed at the blueprint on the table instructed where to go in and where the main rooms are. "My team will cover the ground floor, Dylan I want you and your people to clear the second floor. Be prepared we're outnumbered but they're not trained like us, I want Li Wei alive. Kill everyone else." Any other day I would've told them to only kill if there was no other option but today was different. Today I had to make a point to anyone who dared to take my people, I lost my partner once. I'm not losing anyone else.

I turned as my team rush off to gear up, Robin stood in front of me with fire in her eyes. "Listen babe, I need you going in there with a clear head. Push those emotions away, it clouds your judgment and it'll get you killed." I stated my tone serious. "We're getting him back."

Their base wasn't far from where we were, we pulled up in black SUVs and parked them a quarter-mile from the house. We stalked through the forest nothing could be seen, nothing could be heard as we closed in. I lifted two fingers up and everyone came to a halt, we stood approximately a metre from the house. At least 10 guards circling the premisses - three were smoking by the side of the house, four stood in a semi-circle at the front door, a few more round the back.

"Take them down," I whispered into my earpiece. Once the order was out the guards started dropping onto the gravel like dead birds falling from the sky. The house was surrounded by forested land, I used that to my advantage - putting snipers up in the trees. 

I waved a flat hand vertically towards the door, two men approached the house and we all followed in pursuit. All eyes were positioned on me as they waited, I looked at the people around me. How they would sacrifice their life for me. I don't know. I should give them all a pay rise. "As Gabe would say...move, shoot, communicate." They chuckled at that. 

Toni picks the lock and nods his head at me, "Execute." With that, the door slips open slightly two stun grenades were thrown into the house. 

"Grenade!" Someone called from inside the house, the two grenades popped and I see men dropping everywhere as we swarmed the house before they could open their eyes. I scanned the room, alcohol and drugs just lying on tabletops and floor, I would say I was surprised but I wasn't. These gangs like the Triads had the cops in their pockets, they think they're unreachable. They should know that nothing is out of my reach. 

"Li Wei..." I called out whilst shooting a large man in between the eyes, "You have something that belongs to me." I shouted throwing a knife into another man's throat. Li Wei was the leader of the Triads, he took over after his father died. Their organisation had control of the American Mafia until I killed Dylan's father but now that Dylan's leading the mafias they barely have any control of the city. I counted to 10 loudly moving through the house. "8...9......10. Times up Li Wei. Ready or not, here I come..." I mused slicing a man's throat from left to right. 

Gabriel...

I heard a bang from upstairs, my ears ringing from the noise. Stun grenades. I knew the sound too well. My head spins slightly from the blood loss as the gunshots roared through the house.

Meaty's head snaps in the direction of the noise, he snarls at me before throwing the metal door open, "Nice meeting you big boy, I'll send you a copy of little red riding hood." I smirked unable to see out of my left eye due to the swelling. "...that's if you make it out alive," I added with an air kiss.

"We're not done here you rat." He hisses slamming the door and locking it. 

I sighed in relief, my head hung low with droopy eyes.

"Li Wei..." She playfully dragged. "You have something that belongs to me." She shouts, growling slightly, then she starts counting to ten. This wasn't her usual voice but I've heard this tone before and the last time was when we first met in Russia, she was being moulded into an assassin and I was on a mission with the Seals. I ran into her and it still scares me. She had the eyes of a killer, not a glimpse of life was in them. Yet when I asked her if she needed my help she nodded and took my hand.

By the sound of things, that version of Natasha is back and you don't want to mess with this version of her, because she'll show no signs of remorse or empathy, she's ruthless.

This is why they call her the Diavolo.

Letoya...

I was growing impatient, there were only two floors in this house and we've almost cleared the whole house. Gabe was still nowhere to be found. My eyes caught on a tall bulky guy, his clothes were covered in blood. 

"Hey, there fat head," I said sweetly palming a knife. I was out of ammo which is not ideal but it looks like he wasn't armed either. He held a metal bat in his hand, smeared in blood. My knife flew through the air and pierced through his shoulder, he bared his teeth and charged towards me with the bat raised above his head. I twisted my body away just in time as the bat obliterated a set of drawers. I sucked in a loud breath, " Li Wei is not going to be happy." I commented shaking my head, he swings for me again this time for my face. I duck dodging his blow, the bat hitting nothing but air. I took another knife into my hand and sliced deep into the back of his kneecaps, he grunts falling onto all fours. I grabbed his metal bat weighing it in my hand before bringing it down on his hunched back. 

I waved over one of my men and he strolls over blinking between meathead and I. "Tie him up will you." I instructed innocently with a dangerous smile. He nods and drags the slumped body towards the living room.