The Bad Ones

V E N T I N O V E

"What are you doing?" Mase questions as I sigh and walk toward the cockpit. I don't reply...  mainly because I don't know what to tell the kid. I'm doing my job? I don't know what's happening between Cain and I right now. He's still angry as hell and I'm still confused. Nothing really changed.
And yet...

Everything did.

"Shut up Mason," Cain interrupts, pushing past his brother and I move out of his way. "I can fly remember." He remarks and I nod - ignoring his frosty attitude, "I'll go with you." "We'll find the culprit." Kas says in agreement, hanging onto my brother. This is so fucking weird. My brother. My other brother. No matter how I say it the heifer is still weird.

We arrive in the cockpit and the female pilot is still in the seat, vacant look in her glassy blue eyes. The sunrise glistens into the space, warming the space with fresh sunlight. The section was small, filled mostly with a bunch of buttons. I shiver as I look at the state of her - blood still seeping. There isn't evidence of the splattering of brains, plus the entry hole is clean. A neat kill.

Whoever killed this woman was a pro. I hardly hear myself whistling at the efficiency of the shot. "Are you done." Cain states blankly and I look up from my squatting position. "If this guy didn't want me dead - I think we'd be best friends. Look at the technique Romero, the precision." "She's dead Raina," He deadpans and I sigh, "I'm not completely morbid you know." "I won't hold my breath." He drawls, pulling me up to his side. He closes her eyelids - transforming her face from shocked to tranquil, whispering a prayer and finishing with the sign of the cross. Cain doesn't look at me as he heaves the woman from her seat and sets her on the floor gently.

"What was that?" I blink and he raises a brow. "I'm not completely heartless - Ona was an innocent." I almost forgot about his bleeding heart. Cain wasn't as cold as he portrayed, my Cain wasn't like me. I forgot.

For a split second I feel dirty, stained. I wasn't like him. I was a proper villain in that sense - I was never taught anything like this. Cain had morals... values. I didn't? I had no qualms about dead people, they were dead. Stab me in the back and you die... unless you were more useful alive. I didn't discriminate when it came to killing, the only line I didn't want to cross was killing children. I didn't understand this part of Cain, the one who was too good for me. I wanted to, but I didn't.

I stay quiet as he moves into the woman's - Ona's - seat. He seems fine with the silence but questions rest on the tip of my tongue. So many on my tongue. "What are you still doing here Raina." He leans back into the seat, completely relaxed now. Shame floods me, face burning in embarrassment. "Oh okay, I'll just... I'll just go." I stammer and he glances at me slowly, brow furrowing slightly. "No stay. Tell me about the jellybean." I blink, "What?" Cain bites his lower lip, seemingly shy out of the blue. "If you don't want to, you don't have to say anything."

"No." My eyes widen, "It just surprised me is all." I sit on the floor, crossing my legs and tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. "Jellybean is only about 8 weeks along..." I start softly and Cain's face lights up as I become more excited about our baby. I probably talk his ear off but he doesn't stop me. I'm glad that he loves this. To be honest, I was kinda scared about his reaction so when I told him initially, there was a small part of me that was glad he was in a coma for that bit of news. "Woah," Kassimir walks into the small section and I immediately stop talking. "Don't mean to disturb. Just wanted to tell you guys we found the assassin - you were right. He was here for Raina, cousin." He directs the last part of his statement to Cain. "Rafe's interrogating him now. I think you should go hear what he has to say." Kas says grimly. Cain sit upright- the content lazy smile gone from his face. Replaced with a blank, serious expression, "Take the controls." "I'm going too." "No. Stay here, let Kas watch you." Cain orders and I stay where I'm seated. "You better tell me everything later, don't you dare skip out stuff." I warn and he nods, walking down to the back of the jet. Kassimir slides into the pilot's seat smoothly.

Kas glares at me suspiciously as soon as Cain leaves. "What do you want with my cousin?" I knew it. Kassimir was too accepting for mafia. I snort, "What makes you think I want anything from him?" Kassimir was a big guy - slightly lighter than the typical Italian, plus he had piercing blue eyes. Definitely part Russian. He wore smile lines, ones that told me a lot more about his place in La Familia than he'd like. "You're here. With him. Despite not being there most of the time when he was in hospital." I laugh outright, kind of not caring about what the Romero cousin thought about my reaction. "I could tell you the truth but it'll be more fun if I don't- since you don't have a clue." The big man scowls at me, "I don't like you." "But you can't do anything about it because you work for Cain... unless you're the mutinous type," I shrug and he growls at my words. So not mutinous then.

Kas seems like a pretty chill guy but I know better than to trust mafia... even Cain. I know he won't betray me now because I'm carrying his child but I'm going to have to figure something out later. I know Cain doesn't mean any harm to me but he had a nasty habit of putting his family first. I'm know I'm not... he won't consider me family right now - but he practically told me to marry him so I don't know anymore. No.

I can only take care of myself. I can't think question this anymore. His loyalty lays with little jellybean - not me. Although I have to admit... It was nice having someone look after me like this.

"Go sit in the back, we're landing in ten." Kas grouches before turning the intercom on and I listen to him reluctantly, strapping myself into one of the seats. Turbulence picks up and something suddenly wraps around my throat. "You thought we're going to just roll over and die?" A voice hisses in my ear. And I choke, not expecting more fucking danger. I snap the seatbelt off me and headbutt the person behind me. The tension on the rope falls slack and I duck from underneath it. I stand, taking a good look at my attacker when the plane wobbles through both me and my assailant on the ground. Israh Hassan. Shit.

More of these fucking Renatonan. 

"Hassan, nice to see you again." I grin as I face her. She doesn't reply, narrowing her eyes and charging toward me- a switch knife in her hand. Double shit. I dodge, her movements sloppy and reaction time way too fucking slow for a supposed martial artist. She swipes the knife at me and I kick her hand against the jet seat from the side. Israh yells as she cradles her injured hand, the knife clattering to the ground. I lunge for the knife, stomping on her foot in the process. "Chase." She breathes heavily, glaring at me from half-lidded eyes and I hold the knife out defensively in front of me. This was too easy. I frown.

I brandish the knife when a gunshot echoes from behind Hassan as she stands in front of me, a flower of red unfurls where her heart is. Scarlet dribbles from her lips as the light in her eyes fades, in synchronous harmony with the blood blossoming on her cream sweater.

Israh falls and I watch in slow motion as it reveals her killer. Cain. Catlike whiskey eyes flickering to my face. The worst part is that his eyes were completely cold, a glasslike citrine paleness there. 

***