Diavolo

thirty two - blood and tears

"I wonder what these are for," I said dangling a set of keys in front of his face. Meathead was sat in the middle of the room bounded to a chair with zip ties. The others are still searching the house for Li Wei and Gabe.

"So tell me, who's blood is that on your hands and face?" I questioned pointing at his hands with the metal bat. "It sure as hell isn't your blood...because I haven't even started yet." I gloated.

When he doesn't reply I swung the bat down onto his hand, he groans through his gritted teeth, his bones shattering between the armrest and the bat. "Are you right-handed or left?" I questioned. "I guess I'll have to break both just to be sure." He scowls at me as I smiled sinisterly lifting the bat up and striking it down onto his other hand. He wailed with his chest heaving and his face paling marginally. "Who's blood is it?" I snapped. 

"You'll never find him."

My fist goes straight into his jaw, forcing his head to whip back. "Oh but you're wrong, I have snipers up in those trees. Nobody leaves this house." Saliva and blood started to drip down his chin. "How about your knee caps next?' I suggested tapping the base of the bat on his knee. "I'll let you choose, left or right first?"

"Fuck you." He forced through gritted teeth. 

"I'll take that as a left." I nodded smashing his left knee cap, his screams soon filled the house as I continued shattering various bones in his body. 

The man was unrecognisable when I was done with him. Well, almost done. His face bruised and swollen covered in his own blood. His knees, feet, hands all broken and won't be able to function again. He's got a few missing teeth - his dentist won't be pleased with that.

"As much as I'm enjoying this, we're running out of time," I admitted grabbing a hold of his hair, reaching for a lighter in my pocket and flicking it open. He squirms under my hand when he sees the blue flame, "You know how easy hair sets on fire right?" 

His lips quivered for a second, "There's a basement." He croaked out a shaky voice. "There are steps outside the back door that leads down to the basement." I released him from my grip.

"That wasn't hard was it," I added with a sickly smile. I didn't waste another second, sprinting towards the back door. There it was, a set of stairs leading down to a steel door, my shaky hands took out the keys and opened it. Right there my heart stopped. For a full minute, I couldn't breathe. There was so much blood, I rushed to him as quickly as I could. His arms and legs were strapped to the chair with barb wire. The bastard's cut his whole arm open. Stab wounds and holes everywhere in his body. "Gabe.." I whispered unwrapping the barbed wire from his body.

"Sweetheart." He murmured with a harsh dry voice lifting his swollen face.

"Come on princess, we're getting you out of here." I took his good arm and helped him up but he crumbles hardly being able to stand. I threw his arm over my shoulder and carefully wrapped my arm around his waist. He winces as I dragged him out of the basement, it kills me to see him like this. "It's not as bad as it looks." He said reading my thoughts.

"I'm sorry Gabe." I sighed dragging him into the house. Robin's trembling hand covered her mouth as she took in his state. She came running towards him but doesn't touch him while her eyes welled up with unshed tears.

"My little Robin," He whispered with a small smile on his bruised lips. "Please don't cry."

"I'm not crying, you big baby." She snapped wiping her cheeks, her pleading eyes looked at me and I nodded letting her take his arm around her shoulders. "You close your eyes again and I'll stab you myself." I could hear her muttering whilst she moved towards the front door.

"Where's Theo," I arched an eyebrow at the men standing in the room.

One of them raised his head, "He went after Li Wei.."

My jaw clenched, "Where are they?" The man nodded upstairs, I pointed at his gun and he launched it into my hand. "Start moving out, before the cops get here," I demanded stalking up the stairs, my sight was filled with dead corpse lying in blood everywhere I looked. 

It was like seeing Gabe in that basement all over again. That same pain in my chest. "Theo." I rushed over to him, laying his head on my lap - a bullet wound in his chest. I could still feel a weak pulse,  "Theo." I repeated tapping his face. His eyes fluttered open, still drooping slightly. He smiles when he sees me, a painful smile that shattered my heart. 

"Why are you crying?" He croaked. 

I cupped his face in my hands, "Shh..it's okay. Don't talk. Just stay awake...okay?" I attempted to hoist him up but it was no use, I'm not strong enough. My hands trembled as I pressed my earpiece. "Toni!" I pleaded, "Toni I need your help!"

This was my biggest fear. The fear of losing someone I care about. "I remembered." I said brushing his hair out of his face, "I remembered everything." It was like all the walls that I spent years building had crumbled down and it was that moment when I allowed myself to feel something because Theo was dying in my arms. "You're not dying." I cried as he reaches up with his bloody hand, he wiped my tears away and held my face. "You hear me? You're going to be just fine."

"I love you." He slurs, I see his face turning paler. 

Fear surges through me, "Toni!" I screamed putting pressure on the wound. "Hey! Hold on, baby. I'm getting you out of here."

His hand drops from my face and he whispers. "I'm proud of you." 

Pressing my lips on his forehead, I cradled his still body in my arms and allowed the tears to soak into the fabric of his shirt. "It's okay love. You can let me go."

"I don't want to let go." I whimpered with a shaky breath. "Please!" I prayed tilting my head up, "Please not him."

But his eyes were already closed.