Purgatory's Gate

Chapter 12: The wolf

I wake up to my cellphone vibrating on the floor, in my discarded sweats. Unfortunately, my first thought is I'm shocked that I brought that. I did not know I remembered it.
I sit up, Zev's arm still half around me. He rolls over a little, frowning. I sort for my sweats, my heart starting to pound. Only one person calls me. I find the sweats on the floor at the foot of bed. I stare at the caller ID, sitting at the foot of the bed.
Harris. This isn't his check in call. It's five am.
"What is it?" Zev asks, sitting up.
"Hello?" I ask, picking up the phone.
"They know."
"What?" I ask, the air leaving my lungs.
"I'm coming to get you. Get whatever you can carry and get out of there. Meet me in Snohamish."
"What?" I ask, "No—no, okay I mean—how do you know?"
"Where are you?"
"Going," I say, tears leaking out of my eyes.
"What is it?" Zev asks, crawling down the bed to sit by me. He puts a hand on my back.
"Who is that?" Harris asks.
"My life, Christ—um—how and when, do they know?" I ask, getting up and starting to pull my sweats on.
"We got a tip a half an hour ago. I'm on my way, we're going to get you out. Do you hear me? You're with someone now, I got it. Get the hell out of there, all right?" He asks.
"Got it, got it," I say, tugging on the sweats and looking for a shirt.
"Call me. Two hours. I'll get you in two hours," he says.
"Yeah," I hang up.
"What was that?" Zev asks.
"I'm leaving. Right now. I'm so—so sorry," I say, going to the door. I didn't come with a sweatshirt and I can't find my t-shirt.
"What are you talking about?" Zev asks, following me outside as I go back to my room.
"I'm leaving right now, I'm really sorry, I'm really really sorry, but very bad people are coming for me and I cannot endanger you or Love or the kids," I say, going back into my room, and not bothering to stop him from following me. I find a pair of jeans to pull on. And then I start throwing things in my backpack. Tablet, and a few pairs of clothes. Then I sit down to put on my boots.
"No, we'll it's fine we'll fight them—we can hide you—I'll get the skis we'll go out on the trails," Zev says, shaking his head, "I can hide you, I promise."
"No. Not from them," I say, shaking my head.
"Trust me, I'll take care of you," Zev says.
"I do trust you, but trust that I know what these people are like. If we fled they'd kill everyone in that lodge, I have to go. I'm so sorry. I'm not leaving you for any reason but that I do love you," I say.
"What?" He shakes his head.
"I love you. I've loved you since you said 'Ohio state' after I killed five men. It's very horrible for both of us, I realize that, but I have to go," I say, swinging on my backpack and jamming my car keys in my pocket.
"No, just—no, let's talk about this," he shakes his head, still standing in the doorway, no shirt, just jeans he half pulled on.
"Tell the girls I'm sorry—well—tell 'em however much you want," I say. My phone is buzzing again.
An unknown number. My heart should stop but it just beats faster.
I answer, "Hello?"
"Ciao Ezio."
"Hello, dad," I say, keeping my voice level.
"We need to talk."
"Absolutely. I'm on my way," I say, completely calmly.
"I'll be seeing you soon."
"Looking forward to it," I say, my heart is pounding in my ears. The line goes dead.
I squeeze my eyes shut and breath.
I'm dead.
He's got me. I can hear cars on the road. He's coming.
I feel my knife in my pocket. I could slit my own throat here and now and let Zev hold me as I go. That would be preferable to anything that they are going to do to me.
But if I did that then Mrs. V would have to clean up the blood. They'd have to clean it up and they'd see where I died. And they wouldn't ever understand but they'd only know this man who was kind died here. And I can't do that to them.
So I run.
"Come back—just wait—," Zev is about to give chase but somehow Love is there, by his side, holding him back.
"I'm sorry," I call. Love nods, holding Zev's arm as he tries to move to follow me.
I run through the snow down the drive. I can hear the crunch of feet in the woods. And the flicker of movement. The dogs are barking in the distance.
I run as far as I can down the snowy drive before a set of five black SUVs pull up.
"Hello, Ezio."
"Luca, long time," I say, holding my hands up. Thugs get out of the back of the cars. All black wool coats. All armed. Luca is stepping out of the first car.
"Did you really think you were going to get away?" Luca asks, coolly, tugging on leather gloves.
"No. Not really," I say, smiling, "I think I'll see you in hell though. What do you say? Is it a date?"
The first one hits me. Another knocks me to my knees with a gun in the small of my back. I feel ribs crack and I cry out as I fall to my knees in the snow. The butt of a AK 47 strikes me across the face. Blood drains from my nose and mouth and my head spins.
"Alive. His father needs to talk to him first," Luca says, snapping his fingers.
Two more hit me. I hear a cold knife snap then my face is awash with blood. Scarred for life, the mark of a traitor. But a very short life I'm sure. They simply want me in pain. This is going to take all day. they'll take me somewhere they can cut me up, and call my father.
Two grab my arms and haul me into the back of the SUV. Luca climbs in next to me. I'm lying on the floor, bleeding. Cuffs close on my wrists.
"I always thought you weren't to be trusted."
"That's really easy for you to say now," I say, spitting blood.
A boot collides with the back of my head. And my head spins, darkness flashing in my vision.
"You know how this goes, Ezio. You've been a part of this story before. You're going to have a nice phone call with your father. Then he is going to tell us which parts of you he wants cut off first. Then we are going to throw you into the ocean. You may even still be alive enough to drown," Luca says, very calmly, looking out at the road ahead.
"You'll enjoy that," I say, trying to pull myself up. I fail, my head is spinning horribly and I can't see out of one for the blood. I don't know if it's the blood or if the eye is just ruined for good. The car rocks painfully through the snow.
"Yes. Yes I will," Luca says, staring.
"What should I do?" The driver asks.
"What is that man doing? Hit him," Luca says, unconcerned.
"No, no he's probably very stupid," I say, crawling up. I barely can see past the blood dripping in my eyes. and one of them tries to shove me back down.
But very clearly, I can see Zev standing in the middle of the highway. Just standing there, hand out stretched. What is he doing? And how did that idiot beat us to the highway? He does realize they're not going to stop? No, he clearly dos not.
"Hit him," Luca says, again, and they shove me back down.
"No," I groan, but I'm well aware it's too late.
The car must hit him at a hundred miles an hour. I'm thrown across the vehicle painfully. And for a minute I think about him being dead. Then I realize we're about to be dead.
The car rolls, violently, over and into a tree. I'm on the roof of the car and bleeding. Luca was thrown into me and his leg is twisted at an odd angle. The SUV is still and upside down in the snow.
I'm vaguely aware we must have rolled out. The driver lost control?
Then I feel a hand on the front of my sweatshirt.
I'm being hauled into the snow. Bloody and hunched over as I am, spitting blood and trying to see. My head is reeling.
Zev is standing there, dropping me in the snow. He's unscathed, the wind ruffling his pale hair. He reaches back into the car, and drags Luca out.
And he smashes his fist into Luca's face so hard his skull cracks. I hear the sickening crack of bones as Luca's face caves. Zev drops him carelessly.
There's gunfire, from the street. The rest of the caravan was moments behind us. Another SUV is barreling towards us. We're in a ditch half buried in snow. Luca's body lies next to me, bleeding out.
Zev walks into the middle of the road again. I think I cry out to stop him as the SUV hurtles towards him, speeding, and not about to stop.
And Zev holds out a hand, and everything seems to slow. The car reaches him and his hand catches the front grill, swinging the SUV around and smashing it directly into the pavement for the next one to hit.
The next two SUVs come. The one swerves to avoid him, spinning out. The other crashes into the first two.
Zev tips his head up, whispering to the sky.
A hail of bullets is coming from the trees. They were spread out. In case I tried to run. And now they emerge, bearing machine guns, all aimed directly at Zev.
Zev lowers his head, a hail of bullets flying towards him. He holds out a hand, and lightening shoots down his arm, and into the oncoming bullets. The lightening snakes back to the men bearing the guns. And they fall, screaming, as it burns them to ash.
Zev turns back to the now four crashed SUVs. They're strewn in the road. He hops on top of one, and reaches inside, tugging out one man after another. If they live he systematically smacks them into the pavement, smashing their heads in. He just takes them by the foot and whacks them, easily as killing a fly.
Once all are dead, all blood strewn onto the icy road, Zev turns back to me. He hops off the last SUV and walks through the broken glass and the blood to where I'm kneeling in the snow.
I struggle to my feet, painfully.
He sighs a little, he's splattered with blood. I realize I hit my head but I swear I'm sober. And not a thing that I have ever learned, at all, accounts for what I just saw.
"Um—would you mind?" I ask, holding out my cuffed hands.
"Oh, ah yes," Zev steps over, and reaches out one hand. He very easily snaps the chain between his fingers.
I stare at him.
"Um—let's get you inside," He says, rubbing his face a little.
"You're—not going to explain that?" I ask.
"I said I'd protect you," he says, rather weakly. He is still not wearing a shirt. He's not even shivering.
"I think you have something explaining to do," I say.
"Well technically so do you," he attempts.
"That was the mob, because I'm an informant. They were gonna kill me. Your go," I say.
"I don't actually have to tell you anything," Zev decides, nodding.
"Yes, you do!" I say.
"Yes, you do!"
We both turn, very slowly.
A man, who was definitely not there before, is standing in the snow. He's dressed very extravagantly in black, mostly furs. He's wearing dark glasses and has short red hair. He has one hand on his hip, very sassily.
Zev drops to his knees to bow immediately.
"I don't think I have to bow I don't know who you are," I say.
"Bow," the man says.
"You make a good point," I say, immediately kneeling as well.
"Be nice to your new mortal, baby boy," the man says, walking over to pet Zev's now blood splattered hair. "You just got him."
"Hi nice to meet you, who are you?" I ask, because nobody tells me anything around here.
"I'm Loki," the man says, "God of mischief. Among other things. But we don't have all day. I haven't had a prayer from one my lost little puppies in quite a while. So I thought I'd check in."
"My apologies," Zev says, clearly gritting his teeth. I know it pains him to be nice to people so I try to pat his arm. It doesn't really work he isn't close enough.
"You've done well. Best get him cleaned up now," Loki says, tipping Zev's chin up, "Now cheer up. That was a bit of fun, wasn't it?"
"Yes, your grace," Zev says, lowering his gaze.
"Don't let me keep you," Loki says. Then he vanishes.
"What—what—?" I ask, trying to stand and failing.
"Let's get you inside. You are correct. I have some explaining to do," Zev says. He tries to help me stand but I nearly fall, so he just picks me up in his arms.
"I'm fine—,"
"Your leg is broken please shut up," he says, starting back up the road.
"What was that—person—,"
"Shh. They just said. Loki," Zev hisses, "Look, that was permission to tell you everything so let's just get you inside."
That all sounds very mysterious. But when we get to the top of the drive, the rest of the family is assembled in varying states of concern.
"Our mother showed up, we're telling him everything apparently YES I have my powers back put your hand DOWN Raff," Zev announces, just carrying me all the way inside.
"What the fuck?" I ask, which I think is appropriate given everything.
"Explaining—Christ, he's bleeding Love, can you—," Zev gestures vaguely, depositing me on a sofa in the dining room. Mrs. V hurries to go close the doors so guests don't come in.
"I'll get the guests outside," Raff says, bouncing before hurrying off to do that.
"Stay still," Love says, coming over with a medical box.
"What the hell is going on?" I ask.
"We're um—ah—," Zev rubs his face.
"We're guardians of the mountain, it's a volcano, as you know. Those create, portals," Love says, very calmly, dabbing blood from my face.
"Shh, you're all right now, darling," Mrs. V says, coming to help lay down towels to catch blood. I'm bleeding from I don't know where but mostly my head, namely my face.
"What?" I ask. I'm going to say that a lot.
"We are sacred guardians of the mountain so we protect the volcanos which are portals or entrances to ah—Hel," Zev says, waving a hand like that explains it better.
"Our mother leaves us each at different gates. One each. I was somewhere else with other siblings but Rudi's father wasn't any good, so Zev brought me back here with him," Love says.
"That's why this place has been in the family for generations," I say, quietly.
"Yes. Most of us are Loki's children. Though some of us have children of our own. Raff is our little brother," Love says.
"I raise him to make things easier, he's only a puppy," Mrs. V says.
"Puppy?" I ask, very quietly.
"We're wolves. We're born from, wolves. We ask for our human—form, and all of us can pray to one of the gods for power," Zev says.
"You prayed to Thor," I say. I know very little about—I suppose this is Norse mythology.
"Yes," Zev says, "We don't say their names unless we call upon them."
"Okay," I breath, "What—why—why if you can—do what you just did were those guys beating you up that night?"
"Whom?" Love looks at her brother.
"Your—Rudi's dads brothers. That pack gets restless," Zev says, wincing.
"You didn't have your powers," Love says, annoyed, she was moving to examine my leg.
"I know —but I'm fine now," Zev says.
"You said you got beat up fighting with him!"
"Yeah, I clearly lied so—," Zev shrugs.
"Hey I need answers, what are you talking about? Why did you get beat up if you can throw a car?" I ask, snapping my fingers.
They both look at Zev.
"I ah—because I am not very good at getting a long with mortals my mother decided I needed to learn a lesson because I was driving away mortals so she said that I couldn't have any access to my powers until I gained the love of a mortal," Zev, completely embarrassed, hand over his face, clearly dying of embarrassment from this conversation.
"Me," I realize.
"Yes. Apparently."
"The idea was we hire a mortal or two and they become fond enough of him to prove he can get along with people not that he made any attempt to be nice to you," Love says, accusingly.
"Oh he was nice enough to me last night," I am laughing now, weirdly giddy that I didn't die and apparently it was because of the best make out session of my damn life.
"I didn't know it even worked till today, I hadn't ah tested. Even though I knew we were cool," Zev sighs, "I didn't—know."
"Okay, out of pure curiosity why didn't you tell me this?" I ask.
"We're not supposed to talk about it," Love says.
"Wasn't I gonna find out?" I ask.
"No, you weren't supposed to nearly die after he FINALLY caught feelings for you, sit still," Love says, laying a hand on my face, I can hear her murmuring under her breath. I assume in old Norse.
"Yeah, pretty much," Zev sighs, "But, all good now, right? We're—you're not mad?"
"Little surprised. Not mad yet," I say.
"Sorry," Zev says.
"There, all better," Love says, running a hand down my face, "You might see a scar but that should fade in a few days."
"Thanks ah—oh healing is your thing got it," I say, rubbing my face.
"I realize this is all kind of weird, but your turn, right?" Love asks, "Who were those guys?"
"Yes, dear, why don't you tell them who were those men?" Mrs. V asks, very understandingly.
I sigh. I'm about to break every rule in the book.
"He doesn't have to tell us," Zev says, quickly.
"Kind of—does?" Love says, shrugging, "We just told him."
"No, no, I want to tell you," I sigh, leaning back, "Reynard Weaver, was not my original, birth name. It's my name now. But." I look at Mrs. V, "You had an idea, didn't you?"
She nods, "Go on. I think this is your story to tell."
"My name was Ezio Bollai. My father is gangster. He's mob. One of the most powerful mob bosses in Chicago. My mother unintentionally saw a mob hit. So he killed her to keep her quiet. I was raised in his mob. I worked for him. I've committed about every crime you can think of. You name it I've done it, except rape. I've killed, maimed, sold drugs, done drugs, everything. I spent the last twenty years documenting everything about my father's organization. To burn it to the ground. With years of evidence, I went to the FBI this summer. I turned it all in. In doing so of course I became a target, so I was put in WITSEC, that's witness protection. And that's why I'm here. I'm supposed to be in hiding. My handler is who dropped me off—and fuck me he is coming right now to get me he called this morning because I'd been found out," I groan, putting my hands through my hair.
"Oh shit," Love says.
"Yeah, he's on his way to come and get me because they knew where I was, am," I sigh.
"It doesn't matter that they know, I'll protect you," Zev says, confidently.
"Brother, dear, how many mortal bodies did you leave lying in the road?" Love asks.
Zev, hands over his face, "Would you believe none?"
"Like fifty," I say, "Damn it. What are we going to do?"
"Do you want to stay?" Zev asks.
They all three look at me.
"What—of course I want to stay? Do you even want me?" I sigh.
"Of course we fucking want you," Zev growls, like almost meanly.
"You're free to stay, as long as you like," Love says.
"You've known what I am," I say, to Mrs. V.
"Of course. I saw your mother the day you came. She asked me to take care of you," Mrs. V says, gently wiping blood from my face. Tears fill my eyes.
"She did?" I ask.
"Of course. She watches over you," Mrs. V says.
"So—fifty bodies? In the road?" Love is poking her brother, "You have your powers back—what—ten minutes?"
"Oh, I've been in love with his dumb ass for weeks he just knew for ten minutes," I say.
"Well, I wasn't sure. People don't usually like me," Zev says, hand out, like we should all understand and sympathize with him right now.
"Get used to it," I say, standing up.
"Well, how we going to do to get rid of this—agent, person?" Love asks.
"What you people are very bad at by the way, lie," I say.
"We're not bad at lying," Zev says.
"We're good at lying you had no idea what was going on," Love says.
"I had a clue he locked me in a haunted basement and your kid controlled murder crows, like you aren't subtle. I knew it was weird," I say.
"Oh shit."
"We did do that."
"Yeah you're right that is bad."
"I'll talk to Rudi again."
"Like why did you hang out with us?"
"Come on, he's probably ten minutes out," I say, "And we need to let guests back in."
"Guests are fine," Zev mutters.
We go back out to the front of the lodge. I wipe blood off my face. Love gives me a sweatshirt to put on. And I check my now cracked phone.
"Damn need a new phone," I say.
"So buy one?" Zev asks.
"Do you—not know how little you pay me?" I ask.
Very quiet, "I think it's not very much since you said that like that?"
"Don't worry about it," I say, patting his arm.
Harris is calling.
"Hey," I answer.
"Where are you?"
"I'm still at the lodge um—the road is blocked—I think a car hit a moose. Or something," I say, while Love cracks up because it does sound very stupid.
"What?"
"Yeah ah—and it looked like some of our people so I came back here I couldn't get out," I say.
"Okay, I'll be there in a half an hour,"
"Okay."
"What—you're not going with him?" Zev asks, frowning, "Are you going with him?"
"Not forever," I say, hanging up, "With Luca dead, they don't officially know where I am. And I'm not too worried about that. We've got it covered."
"Are they gonna take that?" Zev asks.
"I don't know. If they don't I'll leave WITSEC," I say.
"You will?"
"I've got you right?" I ask.
"Yes, I won't let them harm you," he says.
"Okay," I actually smile.
"Are you sure you want to do that?" He says, "You trust me?"
"I trust you. And I trust that I want a chance at a life, I'm not running forever, I'm done running," I say.
Harris arrives in under a half an hour. He looks as stressed as I was. And he's noticeably suspicious that I'm not.
I leave with him. We get in the rental SUV. I'm still wearing bloody clothes under my coat. And the troopers are out cleaning the highway but there's still blood on the snow.
"Let's talk," is all Harris says, as we drive past it.
He pulls us into a diner in the middle of nowhere. We don't go in.
"Well," he says.
"Well," I say.
"You know they came after you."
"Yeah," I nod.
"And you're not scared anymore."
"I found a reason not to be. I lived. Are we cool?" I ask.
"I'll take you away from there. Tonight. New name. New place," he says.
"I have somewhere to run to," I say, nodding backwards.
He nods a little.
"You're not going to ask me what happened?" I ask.
"You going to tell me the truth?"
"No," I laugh a little, "No."
"Okay then."
"Why do you trust me?" I ask.
"It's your life. Someone sent you to Purgatory's Gate for a reason. Figure it was a good enough one to keep you," he says.
"You ever seen something like that before?"
"No, Weaver I have never seen anything like you before."
We both smile.
"What do you want to do?" He asks.
"Simple," I smile, "I want to go home."