bullets and bouquets

3

"You're up early," Gianna comments, finding Isla in the kitchen already dressed.

"I think I'm getting used to the time here, I fell asleep like right when we got back," the girl comments. Gianna nods.

"You can help yourself to whatever you want for breakfast. We can go to the market tonight," she offers.

"Okay, sounds good," Isla answers. The girl makes herself a quick breakfast for the two as Gianna gets ready. After that they head off to class, walking together to campus.

In class, she meets a new friend, Olivia, "Have you witnessed any mafia shit yet?"

"Like gangs?"

"Yeah, they're like the same. But technically they have a lot more power than like little gangs like you might have in the US," she explains

"Oh. Yeah, Gianna and I were walking home from the library the other night and a man got taken," Isla explains. Olivia frowns.

"That sucks... I love this campus and Sicily... but the mafia destroys any good images of it," she says

"I still love it here, but yeah, I get what you're saying," the brunette agrees

"Just be careful out there. If you ever need me to come somewhere with you, I will," Olivia offers

"Thanks... We should exchange phone numbers," Isla says. The two girls pull out their phones, "So how many mafia-gang-things are there?"

"In Sicily? Three big ones alone. There's also smaller gangs like how you have back in the US, but three big ones," she explains

"Have you ever seen them?"

"No, but they're out there. If you watch the news here, there are always people being reported missing. Not so much tourists, but locals. Usually, police find out they are affiliated with a gang and then they start narrowing the search," Olivia explains, "But usually the mafia doesn't take random people off the street. They have specific targets."

"That's lovely," Isla says sarcastically.

"I mean, it's still serious, but you shouldn't be too worried. Just don't look if you see something that looks like gang activity," Olivia instructs

"Yeah, Gianna told me," the girl says.

"Good," the class gets dismissed, "see you tomorrow!"

"See ya!" Isla goes on her way to her next class. The day goes by fast and soon it is time to leave. Gianna meets her in one of the courtyards.

"Ready?"

"Yeah," the brunette answers. They leave campus and go to a little market in the downtown area. There, Isla buys food for herself and they head back to Gianna's apartment.

"It's still early, do you want to go to the library with me?" Gianna asks after they put all the food away.

"Sure," the girl answers. They go back to the library to study. When they enter, they don't notice a black SUV parked across the street. In fact, it's the same SUV.

"Target has gone inside, Ma'am," Denmar says to his boss.

"Okay. Stake out here and bring her to me when she leaves," Sadie answers, "Where is Trent located?"

"Around the block, should I send for him to pick you up?"

"Please."

Another SUV comes from around the block and stops next to the other. The redheaded woman gets out of the car and into the other. It drives away, taking her back to the Estate.

***

"Come on, we need to get going," Gianna says when they exit the library. It's dark now, about 11 PM.

The cobblestone streets are empty, with low street lights barely illuminating the sidewalks. The girls fast-walk next to each other, holding hands for comfort.

For a minute, the only sounds they hear are their own heels hitting the stone. But by the next minute, there are two more sets of footsteps behind them.

"G?" Isla whispers, still looking ahead

"Yea?" she asks

"You hear that too?"

"Yup," she whispers, her voice shaking, "don't look back. On the count of three."

"One... two... three!" both of the girls take off running.

"Hey! Get back here!" a man's voice yells.

"Get them!"

"Don't look back!" Gianna shouts. The two girls sprint, holding hands, as a gang of Mafia members chase them. They are almost to the block that Gianna lives on when Isla trips on the sidewalk. Her hand breaks from Gianna's as she hits the stone.

"Isla!" Gianna stops in her tracks a few feet away.

"Go! Just go!" Isla shouts, looking back as the men get closer.

"No! Come on!" she shouts, backing up but waiting.

"Go, Gianna! Go!" the brunette yells as she starts to get up. Gianna hesitates but then turns and keeps running. Isla starts to push off to run again but is grabbed by two pairs of hands instead, "get off me! Get off! Let me go!"

"Hold her still!" a man shouts

"We're trying!" another one says as the girl tries to break free from their arms.

"Ow! Fuck!" Isla turns her head to see a needle stuck in her arm. In a moment, she is knocked out.

***

"She was taken..." Gianna cries to the police when she gets back to her apartment, "I left her there... I should have grabbed her and pulled her away...."

"Miss... Miss... it is not your fault. We will find her," a policeman assures the girl, "Give us her description."

"She's American. She has brown hair and blue eyes. She's a little shorter than I am," the girl explains

"She's American?"

"Yes, she's a study abroad student," Gianna explains. The policeman turns to his partner.

"Call the ambassador," he mutters, "How do you spell her name again."

"Isla, I-S-L-A. Rhodes, R-H-O-D-E-S," the girl spells out for them. They write the name down on their notepads and the second officer goes away.

"Did you see the people who took her?"

"They were men. Four of them," Gianna remembers

"Did you see a car?"

"No, they came out of nowhere," she explains

"And you didn't see them leave in a car?"

"No... I was... already gone," the girl cries.

"Gianna... you did great, your friend is gonna be okay. We're gonna go out and canvass now. We'll give you a call with any updates," he tells her. She nods. The police leave her building and head out to search for Isla Rhodes. If only they knew, she was already on her way to the Estate.