Lacuna

33 | It is time

Esme

My head flies out of the water when Maxim pulls my hair, and I choke up the water I inhaled. Spitting up the water I swallowed, the taste of something metallic coats my tongue, and I realize he made me bite my tongue this time. Forgetting about my pulsating tongue, I try to take in as much air as I can before he dunks me back under.

The sudden movement is so violent and unexpected. With every dunk, there's a small part of me that hopes he'll keep me under for too long, and all of this agony will end. But he never does.

The first day I was here- wherever here is- they kept me drugged, Maxim thought it was funny that I couldn't remember the past day and a half. The second day I was starved, only having received one cup of water. Yesterday, which Maxim so kindly reminded me was the third day, I was repeatedly electrocuted. On today's agenda, waterboarding.

At first I didn't believe Maxim, but as the days go on, and the torture ensues, I don't know how much longer I can hold on. It hurts to admit this to myself but, Maxim's words are beginning to hold weight.

I'm so tired and weak, even if there was a chance for me to escape, I wouldn't be able to take it.

"You, Esme, have surprised me. I tought you'd be unconscious by now." Maxim tells me, his smirking holding the promise of evil, and my stomach twists in pain. I don't know if it's from hunger or the sinking feeling of what his smirk promises.

"Босс, он здесь." A random man I've never seen before tells Maxim, and he sighs.

    (Translation: Boss, he's here.)

Maxim rolls his neck and takes his gun out of waistband. I hear my heart beating in my ears, and it gets louder when Maxim unties my hands, and throws me into the corner. My head hits the wall in the same spot I fractured my skull all those months ago.

My vision becomes blurry, the door shuts closed behind them, and I lie down in an attempt to alleviate the pain taking over my entire being. It's like I can feel the life draining out of me onto the cold concrete floor.

Despite all of the pain and suffering I've been in the past few days, all of my thoughts at this moment revolve around Silas.

I hope he knew and felt how much I loved him. As I drift off, I imagine myself wrapped in his embrace.

    Please God, please, free me from this hell.

Silas

"I think we should take him today. Sicily is our territory, Russia is his. We have the upper hand here. Let's use that to our advantage." Stefano declares, and I make it clear that I agree with him.

"Under no circumstances are you to fire your guns if you come into contact with Esme. I don't care if you've got a clear shot. If she is harmed by one of you, you will pay with your lives." Everyone looks at me wide eyed, and I understand why.

In our world, you only stand ten toes behind a woman if she's your wife, and clearly May and I haven't reached that point. But times are changing, and what I say goes.

"We head out in twenty." He finishes and we all leave the room. I'm coming for you Esme.

"Yo," Sean catches up to me, and I stop. "who am I driving with?" He asks, and my brows furrow in confusion.

"You're staying here. You'll be on coms." I tell him and he kisses his teeth. Milo, Damon, and Stefano walk past us out of the war room in Stef's warehouse.

"Silas, she's like my sister. I want-" Placing my hand on his shoulder, my vision clouds up with unshed tears, and he clamps his mouth shut.

I embrace Sean in a tight hug, appreciative of his want to help, but mostly for his constant show of support of Emse and I.

"I can't be worried about the both of you. I need you watching our backs from here Sean." He nods his head, and I walk out to the garage with the rest of them.

...

Pulling my mask over my face, I stand on the wall opposite of Stef as we wait for Sean's next command."Okay, when you go in, go left." He directs through comms, and we follow.

Pulling the door open, Stef covers me while I go left. He shoots down three of the guys, and I get the one behind him.

"Straight down the hall, there's a door to your right. There's a ton of electrical current coming out of there." The door swings open, and I look around it with my gun raised, but lower it when I see no one in here.

Cloths soaked in blood litter the floor, a giant car battery sits atop the beat up table with one blue and one red wire connected to it. My heart lodges itself in my throat as the realization sets in of what happened in this room. My father taught me this method, but I hold out hope that Maxim didn't use it on Esme.

I hear footsteps nearing from behind me, and I shoot the guy before he can shoot me. Continuing down the dimly lit hallway, I see a red container stood in the middle of the room. When I reach it, I try the handle, but it doesn't give.

"Sean, what can you tell me about this container?" The clacking of his keyboards can be heard over the comms, and I start to get impatient after a few moments. "Sean." I call out, and he tells me to hold on.

"Maybe shoot it, Silas. I don't know what could be inside, but be careful." He rushes out, and I raise my gun until it's lined up with the lock.

    The lock gives with the first shot, and I swing open the door. The inside is dark and seems empty, but when I take out my phone and turn on the flashlight, what I see shocks me.

    Esme lies- unmoving- in the corner of the room, her hair laid around her head on the floor creating a halo, and her shirt ripped in so many places I don't think it can still be considered a shirt.

    Kneeling beside her, my hand shakes as I reach out to feel her pulse. Esme's skin is cold to the touch, but I feel her thready heartbeat.

    Esme suddenly groans, startling me, "May, wake up. It's me, Silas." I don't want to shake her because I don't know what state she's in.

    "Sean, has everyone been cleared out?" I ask, referring to Maxim's men, and sniffling is all I can hear over the comms.

    "One second." Is all he says.

I weigh the pros and cons of taking her out of here now, and decide this is our best chance. I can't wait.

Gently, I pick her up, and take my gun out once more. Esme groans louder when I adjust her in my arms, and I wince, hoping none of Maxim's men are around to hear her.

    "You're clear, Silas. Stef has Maxim, most of his men are dead, the others have been rounded up." Sean says, and I make a run for it.

    Sean guided me to the front door, and thankfully, Milo is waiting by the car. He opens the back door wide enough for me to lie Esme down in the back seat, then closes it when I'm seated beside her.

    "I had to wait, I couldn't go." He tells me, and I nod in understanding. Esme is like his sister, both Genesis and I would be pissed if he didn't wait.

    Starting the engine, we pull off and away from the abandoned building, then a loud boom goes off. I look behind me through the window where a huge cloud of smoke is rising higher into the sky the farther away we drive.

    "Silas." Esme calls out, and I whip my head around to her.

    "I'm here. I've got you." She manages to tilt her lips into a small, barely there smile.

    "I knew you would."