Seven

Chapter 17- The Price of Vengeance

When Mario opened his eyes, he saw sunlight pouring into the cove's entrance. He looked down at Carmen to make sure she was still breathing. When he saw the slight rise and fall of her chest, he breathed a sigh of relief.

They had made it through the night.

Mario gently pushed Carmen away and stood up, stretching his arms out over his head. He walked toward the entrance, using his hand to shield his eyes from the sun's bright rays. Once his eyes adjusted, he crouched down and looked around for any sign of Dr. Vincent or Richard. When he didn't see anything, he stepped out, keeping low and using the rocks to conceal himself.

He moved along cautiously, occasionally looking back over his shoulder to make sure no one was sneaking into the cove while his back was turned. He made it to the beach within a few minutes and slowly walked up and down the shore, keeping his eyes peeled. When he didn't see anything out of the ordinary, he started back to the cove to get Carmen. He knew they had limited time to get help, so they would have to move fast.

When he reached the cove, there was no sign of Carmen. He went inside, looking around in a panic, but she was nowhere to be seen. She wasn't in any shape to go off on her own, and besides, he would've noticed her. He would've noticed anyone coming this way. How on earth did she just disappear, Mario thought to himself.

When he exited the cove again, he saw Richard and one of the other butlers carrying Carmen up the shore he had just came from.

"Hey!" he called after them, hopping over rocks as quickly as he could. "Stop!"

Richard paused and looked up, smiling like a mad man.

"Where are you taking her?!" Mario called out, out of breath.

"You'll have to come closer! I can't here you!" Richard called back.

Mario stopped. This felt like a trap. They knew Mario would go after Carmen, which means there must have been something lying in wait for him, ready to take him down once and for all.

So how could he get to Carmen without willfully falling into their trap?

He looked down at the choppy, dark water. He could conceal himself just enough to give them the idea he wasn't following them. And then when they started on their way, he could catch up to them and beat them at their own game.

Or...

He looked back up at them, his eyes focused on Carmen's arm hanging limply. Was she already dead? That would make a lot of sense. They would only need Mario to think she was alive in order to get him to follow. If he knew she was dead, they knew they would lose him.

He could've gotten away, alone. He could've let them focus on Carmen while he made his escape.

But Mario just wasn't that type of person. He couldn't leave Carmen behind, knowing what they might do to her, so he ran across the rocks to the shore and followed Richard up the hill, concealing himself behind the thick woods.

He was certain Richard knew he was being followed, so he went along with it as long as he could, watching their every move as they struggled with Carmen's small body.

And that gave Mario an idea. Carmen couldn't weight more than one hundred pounds, but the men carrying her were in no shape to continue on like this for much longer. Eventually their frail, old bodies would tire out and Mario would seize the opportunity.

Just as he suspected, the men were becoming tired and winded after making it to the top of a steep hill. It was Mario's chance to do something.

He kept himself concealed and watched them closely until they finally had to stop to rest. They sat Carmen down, leaning her up against a tree. Mario waited patiently, planning everything out in his head before he made a move.