Forever & Always

Chapter 23: Habromania✔️

(n) - delusions of happiness

Pronounced: ha-bro-may-nia

Previously:

"Death's Touch. Such a pleasure seeing you. It'll be even more of a pleasure to kill you." Thomas taunted with a wicked smirk, not recognizing Winter because of her mask. "Or perhaps I shouldn't kill you. You could be very useful to the American mafia. Just imagine the power we will have and the devastation we will cause." Winter paused before responding to him in a deathly tone.

"Anger is more useful. Wrath is more powerful. Rage is more devastating. And if I shall burn in this fire... I will take you down with me."

•Winter's pov•

Rochester, New York; Saturday Night, 10:05 p.m.

I pant as I take another guard down. I've been fighting these guys for a while and I am seriously exhausted. Julius' third in command, Thomas, hasn't stepped in yet, but that doesn't mean he won't. I just hope he won't jump in while I'm fighting all of these guys. I mean, don't get me wrong, I am perfectly capable of taking them all on, but I'd rather not.

I'm already exhausted from traveling, getting ready, having to drive here, sneaking in, searching for my parents and grandmother, and having to fight several people as well. Not to mention that I still have to finish off these guys and anyone else that may get in my way, get out of here, drive away to the safe house, and I have to make sure I won't be followed.

I slash one of the guards across the chest with a dagger and kick him in the same area. I take a smoke bomb from my belt and open it before slamming it on the floor. While the smoke blinds the guards, I quickly assassinate as many as I can.

By the time the smoke clears up, the only person I haven't killed is Thomas. As we circle each other, I discreetly search his body for anything that may be a weakness. However, he doesn't give me much time to do so since he charges at me first.

I block and push back each of his attacks before making one of my own. He then goes on to block most of my attacks, but not all of them. I manage to get a couple of scratches on him before he counters one of my attacks, catching me off guard. He then starts swinging his sword wildly and manages to nick me a few times.

Unfortunately for him, I am able to counter his attack. I decide that it's time for this to end. As hard as I can, I kick Thomas where the sun doesn't shine before decapitating him with a sword I took from another guard. I wipe some blood off my chin and throw the sword down before running to my exit. I climb out the window and down the high, steep wall.

When I reach the ground, I hurriedly get on and turn on my bike. I drive away from the compound while making sure that no one's following me. Once I'm sure I'm in the clear, I make the 30-minute drive to the safe house. I pass security and drive into the overly large driveway. I walk over to the large elevator after parking and turning off my bike. I click the -1 button since that's where the bedrooms and showers are. (It's negative because she can only go down.)

Chaos.

That's all I see when the doors open.

People are running around, yelling, and panicking. I walk out of the elevator and try to get everyone's attention calmly. When that doesn't work, I clear my voice and shout "ENOUGH!" which gets everyone's attention. "What the hell is going on here!?"

"Boss! We thought something had happened to you when you didn't come back with the others." One of my workers says. I smile slightly.

"Thank you for your concern-"