Heartless || •OG• ✔️

Chapter 58 - Charlotte

The castle was more like a haunted house.

Each turn had Charlotte's heart thumping, her hand on her pistol as she traversed. The bag on her back was weighing down on her soul as well as her body, the zipper partially open so she could whip out more ammo if needed. They stole every pistol they saw, so she had a bag full of weapons. She hoped she wouldn't have to go through all of them.

She fought off over a dozen guards by that point, her face covered with bruises from hand-to-hand fights, her legs and arms covered with grazes, her shoulder leaking blood. A bullet bounced off the side of her shoulder, not hitting it in the center, but it blew off a chunk of her skin. It was nasty to say the least.

Charlotte was limping, holding her hip that got kicked several times. After a grueling journey, she made it to the floor she believed had the balcony. Now she had to find it. That was proving to be difficult.

She swept what felt like a majority of the floor. Dead bodies littered the ground. Blood was glazed on her shoes, the squishy sounds her footsteps made causing her spine to shudder. A light flickered above her, and a group of guards came around the corner. She fired. They fired. More grazes, more bruises, more cuts. More injuries her adrenaline masked.

A pillar was by her side, her ducking behind it and taking turns with the guards. In her adrenaline, she didn't realize she got shot in the arm until she peeked down. The middle of her forearm had blood seeping out of it. With a limp and a grunt, she retaliated, firing what was left in her pistol at the ones attacking her. They joined the other dead bodies.

Charlotte was sure she looked psychotic. There wasn't an inch of skin on her body that was clean. Shades varying from a deep carmine to the lime of mucus dripped their way down her figure, leaving a trail of footprints she could track when she was done with the mission.

"Madam," she mumbled, tossing her pistol away and taking another one out from the bag. Her vision distorted reality, her forearm in searing pain that wouldn't go away. Her other, working arm went to it. Fingers gripped the wound and squeezed, the trauma snapping her vision back into focus.

Doors were on her left and right, the corridors all identical to one another. Charlotte swayed, wobbling to the first entryway. Guards waited behind it, her retreating and allowing them to shoot. There had to be a dozen in there: it was a trap. However, she had her final play. The last item she could use to get herself out of a tough situation.

Her hands reached into her bag and pulled out one of the two grenades she snatched from the assassin that blinded Ivan. Teeth clattered together as she pulled the pin off, tossing it in and waiting. Shouts sounded off, a couple of guards running out of the vicinity.

'Boom!'

Charlotte shot the guards that ran, and the others were condemned to doom inside the space before her. She peeked in and saw no evidence that Madam was there, so she left and strolled to the next room.

As soon as she stopped in front of it, a shot went off through the door, grazing her hip and narrowly missing her. She fell from the sudden cut, a gash forming there. It blew off a chunk of her skin, her panting. The door swung open. Charlotte was prepared, shooting the first woman she saw. A handful more awaited her, Charlotte rolling to the side and taking care of them.

Her pistol clicked. It made a clattering sound as it fell to the ground, Charlotte going to the next room. There were plenty more, and she was sure they could do this all day. Days and nights could pass by and Charlotte wouldn't care. If it meant the Underworld would crumble, it was worth it in her eyes. Anything to avenge Jimin, June, Theo, and Asa. How pitiful it was that their group was diminished to scraps at best. What was a powerful empire was now dead, permanently injured, and scarred. Both physically and mentally.

The next door was calling her name, and she kicked it open, holding a pistol with one hand, and her last grenade with the next. No one was inside the office-like room. This was indeed the room with the balcony, the elegance oozing into the air. Fake and real plants were inside, a desk on the right that she didn't have a full view of. She stepped closer so she could see. As she crept in with her weapon, a gunshot flew by, and she screamed.

It wasn't a graze. It didn't blow off a chunk of her skin. No, it penetrated her back, near the lower half of her body. Her legs gave out on her, and she went crashing to the ground. Without wasting time, she whipped around and prepared to shoot or pull the pin off the grenade. What she saw had her stiffening.

Behind the desk was a woman with her hair pinned up, a pale gold sari wrapped around her figure while a pistol rested in her hand. Dark eyes stared at Charlotte as their guns found each other. Neither of them shot. Charlotte didn't need an introduction to know who it was. Only someone as powerful as Madam would be cocky enough to stay in her office without a guard.

"Madam," she said. Each death, injury, and scar flashed before her eyes. Madam was the cause of each one. The cause of her life going to shit. She was responsible for the deaths of Charlotte's friends. "I could kill you right now."

"You could, and you should. This is what you've been waiting to do, isn't it?" Madam asked, Charlotte trembling.

"Why is this so easy? Why aren't you shooting me, or sending guards after me?"

"I don't need guards, Miss Evermore."

Charlotte tried to get up, but her legs didn't reply. Liquid gushed out of her body and stained Madam's perfect carpets. Their eyes never parted from one another, Charlotte's finger on the trigger. Curiosity had her stalling, but she knew it was either she killed Madam now, or she never had the chance again.

"That mistake will cost you your life."

"Is this going to make you happy?" Madam asked.

"I'm not playing your games. If you're about to try and talk me out of this, it isn't happening."

Charlotte went to shoot. Her pistol had ammo left, the safety was off, her eyes on the target. Nothing was stopping her from killing Madam other than the risk that Madam would shoot at the same time, killing both of them. Or, Charlotte could pull the pin on the grenade. Either option resulted in them dying. She'd sacrifice herself for the cause any day, but she hesitated. Not because she didn't want to. Rather because of Madam's next words.

"Go ahead. What better way for a murderer to redeem herself than by killing one more?"

Those words dismantled every fiber of fight Charlotte had left inside her. Her arm dropped, her forearm bleeding until she was sure she'd bleed out. Whatever was left of her body was on the verge of collapse. Her eyes threatened to roll back, and she accepted her fate.

"Why won't you let us go?" Charlotte asked, stifling a cry. "We'll leave, we'll go to another country and settle down. We'd never deal with the mafia again, we'd never show our faces on your turf. We'd do anything if it means we can get out."

Madam came around and kicked Charlotte's pistol away, kneeling to lock eyes with her. "You think I'm not letting you go because I'm cruel? Are you forgetting who started this? None of this would be happening if it weren't for Theo, Asa, and you. You three are the ones who caused this. This is only happening because you weren't happy enough, and you needed to fuck someone else's life in order to find happiness. But no, it isn't your fault, right? Because you can't do any harm. I'm the one who's cruel. I'm enforcing the law that's very clearly stated for all of you, but suddenly I'm the bad guy? You murdered my friends. My family. Doesn't feel so good now that it's happening to you, right?"

"I know," she replied, almost laughing from the words she was spraying. "You're right. This is their fault, but Jericho was protecting his people, just like how you're protecting yours. That doesn't make it right, I'm not saying it does, but I hope you at least respect it like I respect you, Madam."

"You think I should respect the woman protecting a child killer?"

"Don't say that bullshit, you're the one who allows it to happen. And you think I'm happy about that? Aria was the daughter of my best friend. I'm pissed at him, but it was in the past."

"Was it?"

"Enough. Don't start this with me. Tell me, did Jericho ever do anything like that again?" There was silence as an answer.

"Where is Mr. Seong now?" Charlotte couldn't bring herself to reply, Madam catching on. "Interesting. He must've killed my Council member before dying, then. I can at least respect that he went out like that. I always liked Mr. Seong. Mafia or not, he had a heart. He's the only one I've ever seen with one of those. I wasn't sure if he'd actually turn on you or not, his heart was too big. It was worth a try, at least that's one less threat to deal with."

"You didn't even know him," Charlotte said.

"Oh, and you did?" Madam asked, pressing the pistol against Charlotte's head. "You knew about his secret, didn't you? Why didn't you tell him before he found out on his own?" She kept her mouth shut. "If you knew him so well, why didn't you tell him?"

"He deserved to hear it from Jericho. Enough of this. I did what I had to do, and so did Jericho. I'll stop you. I'll stop all this violence."

"So you're a pacifist now, is that it?"

"I grew up with someone who made me commit crimes by the time I was 6," Charlotte said, her voice breaking. "I may die here. I may die tonight or tomorrow, or whenever you choose to punish me, but I don't regret anything I've done since I ran away. For the first time in my life, I made decisions that were my own. Not someone else's, or someone forcing me to choose. Everything I've done has been for me. I lived. It took me 24 years, but I finally lived the way I wanted. If dying is the price I pay for freedom, then I'll die with my eyes wide open."

Madam observed Charlotte, standing and lowering her weapon. Charlotte waited for the bullet to come, if another was even needed. At the rate she was bleeding, there was a high chance she'd bleed out and join Jimin in the next few minutes. However, Madam went to her desk and took out a bag full of medical supplies. Emergency supplies from what Charlotte could see.

"Theo and Asa are dead. They're the two I wanted most, you were simply an accomplice who gave them some cash. I won't kill you, but I will make you wish you were dead," Madam said.

Charlotte coughed out blood, her vision still wavering. She found the strength she needed to meet Madam's gaze. "I'd love to see you try." Madam was about to grab the supplies, but a screech rang out from the halls. Gunfire came next, Madam snapping her head up. "Jericho!" Charlotte shouted.

Madam got ready to shoot, but Jericho wasn't the one who came in. It was Ivan. No one could react to the blind man's sudden appearance, him storming in just as Madam jumped back. The vibration of her footsteps caused Ivan to locate Madam. He barely dodged Charlotte's body, knocking Madam over and getting on top of her.

Charlotte wished she could help, but her body was stuck to the floor. Shots popped off outside, her legs refusing to move. Terror concealed her vision, her hands reaching out to grab anything. It didn't work. She watched as Ivan got elbowed in the jaw, him yelping from the contact and falling over.

Next came Kayden and Jericho, the two staring at Madam as she struggled to find her pistol. Kayden held up his, but Madam found hers in time to shoot it out of his hands. Kayden bawled, Jericho holding him steady. Ivan kicked Madam's legs. She went tumbling to the ground, punching Ivan as soon as she regained her strength. Ariel came in as well, but she resorted to cowering in the corner. Jericho and Kayden giving each other a glance.

"Together," Kayden said, Jericho staring at him. Then, he nodded.

"Together."

Charlotte watched as Jericho and Kayden went to apprehend Madam. Why they didn't shoot her was beyond Charlotte's comprehension, so she watched as Madam held her fists up and readied herself for the fight.

It broke out. Madam handled herself well against the duo, punching Kayden in the gut and going for Jericho's wounded hip. She landed two successful hits by the time they could process what was happening.

While the fight stormed on, Charlotte got herself against the desk, hyperventilating. The bag on her back pressed against the surface and put pressure on her wound. She ignored it. Her eyes went back to the two fighting Madam, and she knocked Jericho back, then dug her finger into the gunshot wound on his thigh. Kayden howled and fell back, Jericho hitting her with the butt of his pistol.

He didn't shoot, Madam kicking his leg and sending him crashing to the ground. She stood and snatched his pistol from him, and Kayden was too weak to move to save him. Ivan was groaning and closer to unconscious than conscious, and Charlotte couldn't feel her legs. However, they weren't hopeless.

"Madam," Charlotte said, chuckling. Madam Amara peeked up, and that distraction was exactly what she needed. "Good luck." Her brows knit together, Charlotte pointing to the space behind Madam. "You killed her dad."

Right when Madam turned, Ariel hit her in the head with the bag Jimin gave her. Jericho got up and took the pistol, shooting Madam in the leg. Kayden managed to get up as well, and it was right in time for a pair of guards to come in. One was male, the other female. They stared at their pitiful state, Madam holding her injury and commanding the guards to shoot.

"The Underworld is finished," Jericho said to them, shaking his head. "I know you're just doing your job. Please, walk away. Don't make this any harder than it has to be."

They hesitated, staring at Madam. Then, they walked away, shutting the door behind them. Charlotte knew not everyone was loyal to the High Council, but to see those guards choose the injured strangers over Madam was the first major victory it felt like they ever had.

"Now, as for you," Jericho said, going to Madam. "You're only alive because I need you to open that fancy laptop of yours and remove the bounty from our heads."

"Not even. Open your laptop and I'll do the rest from there. I can hack into her files and stop the bounty from here," Kayden said.

Jericho agreed, handing the pistol off to Kayden to do the rest of the interrogation. Meanwhile, Jericho went to Charlotte and picked her up, propping her against the desk. He inspected her injury, taking the medical supplies on Madam's desk and lifting up Charlotte's shirt.

"The bullet's still in," Jericho mumbled, taking tweezers and forceps out of the kit and lining it up with the hole. "I don't know how to do this, but I'll try my best."

Charlotte grabbed both of the tools out of his hands. "Forget it, I'll do it myself." She strained, and it was a painful process, but she got the bullet out. The worst part was she couldn't even feel it.

Kayden got Madam to sit behind her desk, a gun on her head. Ivan was back from his daze, pressed against the bookshelf while Ariel held his hand. It didn't seem like it was over, but it was. Madam was about to open her laptop, and Kayden would remove the bounty from their heads. It should be perfect.

"You try anything, I shoot," Kayden said. Then, the laptop opened and was unlocked.

"You beat me fair and square, I really don't feel like having my last minute of life be torture."

Although Charlotte wanted to shoot Madam between the eyes, she knew she couldn't. She had murdered so many to get to this point, yet she was too weak to pull the trigger at the last second. Death was what she deserved, and if she bled out from her injuries, so be it.

"How are you?" Jericho asked.

"I have a gunshot up my ass, how do you think I'm doing?" Charlotte said, Jericho shrugging it off.

"We need to get to a safe place as soon as Kayden's done. Can you walk?"

Charlotte shook her head. "Jer, I can't feel my legs."

Jericho's eyes widened, then, he peeked at Kayden and nodded. After that, the gun went off. Madam Amara was dead. Kayden pushed her off her chair and stole her spot, looking through the files to find a way to remove the bounty from their heads. There were other High Council members, but with Madam gone, the bounty gone, and about half of the Council members dead, it was safe to say no one would mess with them again.

Finally, they could live in peace. Or could they? Charlotte brought her eyes to Jericho, who was watching Kayden with longing in his eyes. They fought side-by-side for the first time in what Charlotte assumed was years. She wished she could read Jericho's mind, but she settled for speaking instead.

"The Council is vulnerable," she said, Jericho pausing before shifting his gaze to her. "Guards are on our side. Say the word and we can rule the Underworld. You can be the leader. What do you say?" Jericho peered at her, then at Kayden, who was finishing up his task. When Jericho and Charlotte locked eyes next, the man placed a hand on her cheek and smiled.

"No. Never again."

~~~
Remember to vote/comment/follow for more! Thanks for reading!