The Baker And The Queen Pin

Chapter 52: Accountability

~~~Booker

As I made my way to the building, I  found myself, underprepared for everything. I found myself, nervous, far more nervous than I thought. Why was my hand shaking? Why was I so afraid? What was I so nervous about? All of these feelings rushing into me, but all of them were real.

I knew something was wrong with Maria from the start yet I chose to blind myself, I chose to believe those things weren't there. As I take a moment to look at the mirror, I look at how old I am, I look at how much I've changed since I was that young rambunctious man I was 20 years ago, and then I take a deep sigh. If I was redeemable to my ex-wife Keisha, could Maria be redeemable to me? Could I truly grow as a man? That was a question I had to answer for myself.

As I go through those thoughts in my head, I found myself, already at the front door of the apartment but then I saw it: a man with his brains blown all over the floor sans I saw it clear as day. The way he was shot, someone that was smaller than him had to have shot him. As I look at the man's wound, I saw exactly what had become of him. He had been shot and executed, there was more here, there was more evidence that I had seen.

As I looked at the heat that was still steaming off the body, the truth lay bare to me now. This had just happened and my kids were in the building. How could this have possibly just happened and then that suspicion in my chest came through? My children were in there, I had to go inside. I heard steps coming down and I made myself scarce, looking for the apartment's side entrance. As I go into the side entrance, I put in the security code to enter and waited for it to finally beeps.

I found myself, moving faster. If my kids were in danger, they would appreciate the fact that I didn't call them, and if they were doing something stupid, I would be happy I didn't call and that was my advantage. I needed to not make my presence known, I don't know how I was going to navigate this situation. Something was severely wrong and I knew it. As I made my way up the side door of the building, I found myself, questioning everything I have been going through.

I was on the third floor where Keisha's apartment was and I saw two men standing guard. Before I could do anything, I heard two more gunshots. The first one was quite quiet, but I only knew that it was a gunshot because I knew what a suppressed gunshot sounded like. As the soldiers began to go out the other door, one of them trailed behind and with one punch, I knocked him out. The motherfucker had a strong jaw because he was still standing and before I could react, he went for his gun.

I kicked him straight in the groin and punched him in the face again. "Fuck!" I say to myself as I think to myself, these guys were all military trained or were at least trained. It didn't matter, I needed to hurry up. As I unloaded his Glock and removed the one from the chamber, I looked down to see Gregor. He was coming up from downstairs. What on God's green Earth was he doing here? Matter of fact, was Maria here, too? Then an idea came to me, I needed to see why he was here. I needed to see why she was here, but I didn't want to get caught.

If this was someone else and Gregor was just working with them, I would have found myself in a bad situation but then there was something else that bothered me: The truth. What if Maria was with him and my children were involved? Then what? What am I going to do? If that blood is on her hands if innocent blood is on her hands.

As I keep moving toward Keisha's apartment, I realized that I forgot that she was on the fourth floor. I needed to hurry up but then I saw another guy, one coming from out of the room. I ducked to the side as I wait for him to get closer. 'Carter, you lazy fuck. Get up. Carter, you lazy asshole. What are you doing?' It was then that he wasn't responsive because I knocked his ass out pretty good and with one more punch, I sent the other guy, flying down the steps.

It was then that I made eye contact with Gregor. I turn around and go in the opposite direction and Gregor says nothing as he moves up to check the rest of the third floor. I take the opposite way and go to the fourth floor, knowing Keisha would be on the other side. I had to be careful, I had to wait for one of them. 'They're coming up the third floor.' I hear a man yell and I go in the opposite direction of that voice.

~~~Maria

As I see Gregor suddenly stop on the steps, there is a moment of silence. 'The area's clear.' He says. 'Two guys have been taken out but it seems like it was one of the neighbors who did it.' "Maybe someone just didn't want to leave, you can't force them to leave. It isn't smart to attack anyone." I say, calmly, "Let's keep going."

As we make our way to the fourth floor, I found myself, wondering how far away Booker was but then I knew it wasn't something I needed to think about. I needed to get to his kids so I could get back to him so that we could be together again. I found myself, wondering if everyone would make it out of this in one piece, if everyone would survive this in one piece and I pushed forward, I knew that was the only thing I could do.

It was then by the fourth floor that I heard a gunshot as Gregor was shot in the side and he fell down the stairs. I tried to react but I couldn't. His body was lying on the floor as Volkov had smiled a sinister smile. 'I wish I would have aimed for the head, but I wanted to shock you all the more.' 'Well, that was stupid.' I hear Booker say, exhaustedly and with one punch, he sent Volkov flying.

'How did you get past my other guy?' I turned around and saw one rather large man, completely passed out. It looked like Booker caught up to him and put him in a chokehold and then just kept punching him in the face. 'Where are my kids and ex-wife at?' 'You think I'm going to tell you any damn thing,' "No, but you're going to tell me," I say as I pull out a small knife and start to stab it into his left leg.

'There's no need for hurting him any further.' I hear Damien say. 'They are hurt, but they're fine. They're next door to their mother's apartment.' Volkov has been formally dismissed from the High Table. His resources will go to you and me.' "That's great and all," I say to him, "But why on God's green Earth were you involved?" I say. "Answer quickly or I'll let my fiance deal with you," I say. I should be saying ex-fiance now 'Because Volkov has my daughter hostage and I could only get to my daughter if I help that son-of-a-bitch out.'

'You traitor.  I thought you wanted the bitch dead as much as I did.' 'You and I both know you're a rabid dog. I didn't want her dead, I wanted you out of my way but you made it impossible for me to let this go. You made it impossible for me to dismiss you and the second you tried to kill my only daughter was the second I knew you had to be put down.' 'I'll have my, I'll have my-' 'Unfortunately, you won't have anything but death.' It was then that I pulled my gun out and put it to his temple and with one click, the blood sprayed all over my face.

Booker had already turned around to save his kids but I know he saw. I know he saw what I did and yet I knew this wasn't something he was going to let go of, something about the way he looked let me know that I'd lost the man I loved because I wasn't honest.

End of Chapter 52: Accountability