The Angel Trumpet

13.

I get ready to leave with Conor wearing a strapless gown with black heels and my hair slicked back into a bun with two strands of curls framing my face. Pito knocks wanting to ask about Tobias but I turn having his jaw drop for a second. "Wow you look-" His eyes gleam with amazement. "Not myself?" I chuckle blowing out a small whistle out of nervousness. "I was going to stay stunning." He smiles a real smile taking in my appearance. "I have to meet Conor by the door so I'll see you later." I walk past Pito as my heels tap onto the floor every step I took. Once I reached the front door Conor comes along dressed in an all black suit. "Angel, you look beautiful." He kisses my hand like a gentleman taking me outside arm to arm to his car.

The guys watch as we leave to the museum except for Tobias who's drowning himself in two bottles of liquor instead of leaving like I wanted him too.

"Think they might actually be something?" Leo asks Pito glued to the window seeing the car disappear into the night.

"God help us all if they do." Tobias grumbles while spinning the top of the beer he just drank.

"What are you talking about?"

Tobias hiccups turning to Leo pointing his finger saying, "She'll shatter his spirit and dish him out like trash. She's nothing but self absorbed and all about her dead family. Big whoop. Do you know what they did to mine? Her family? They ran mine out of business forcing ME the man of the house to fend for his three siblings while my dad was gone in DC with his new life."

Leo punches Tobias punishing him for even disrespecting their boss, their family, the way he just did.

"You watch your mouth. She took us in when nobody else wanted us. Gave us hope, freedom and unconditional love like no other would. She saw what no one else saw, a second chance at redemption from the hell we were trapped in."

Tobias wipes his mouth that's now bleeding.

"Yeah? We're fighting her war, her demons, when she never fought ours. We're still in hell. Just her version of it."

Pito clenches his jaw pissed at Tobias not believing he would turn on them,  but it's clear as day that he has. But if Aleya didn't punish him right then and there what is she going to do with him?  Leo turns to Pito as he thinks the same things wondering if he's a walking, talking, dead man.

***

The museum was flooded with rich smelling perfume, food and wines. When Conor and I walked in all eyes were on me. It felt uncomfortably strange but he wrapped his arm around my waist to show he was right by my side. I look up to him with a sparkle in my eyes that I haven't had in awhile. The art show starts and I ease my gaze to it memorized enjoying something so normal like it was the best thing I experienced. Conor's hand holds mine looking over to me then the lights go out. Everything goes pitch black and silent. My heart jumps knowing Tobias must've tipped off Fernando about me and Conor coming here tonight. "Conor run. Now." I say in his ear as tear gas is let out and makes the people run and scream with terror. "What's going on?" He coughs covering his mouth and nose. "Please go!" I yell and he tries to run with me but I push him out closing the exit door breaking the doorknob so he couldn't come back and they couldn't get to him. "Aleya!" He bangs his fist hard against the metal but I ignore it grabbing a napkin cloth off the table covering my nose and mouth spotting a man in a gas mask holding a gun close to his side.

Another man wearing the same thing with a heavier set gun looking for any sign of life. I swipe a knife off another table going behind one stabbing his neck quick and taking hold of his mask putting it on. Next was the first one still strutting around the museum as I hide behind a statue ready to pounce he talks into a walkie talkie saying, "She must've gotten out before we could get to her. What should we do boss?" He keeps looking then finds his friend dead on the floor. I rush towards him ripping his mask off letting the gas invade his lungs, eyes, and body. His knees hit the floor with a thud as I used the straps to his gun holder around his neck tying him to a statue railing like a deranged pit bull. "Send a message for me," I take the knife I had ripping the guy's shirt carving the words, try harder, into the man's chest as he squirms and yells out in pain. 

I make it to the front door taking off the mask throwing it to the side seeing Conor in horror, eyes wide and mouth twisted in confusion.

"Tell me you didn't just kill those people, tell me you didn't just-- carve into one like a wild beast."

Those eyes that once held light for me? Gone. The hands that touched mine not too long ago? Trembling in fear. The world I warned him about infiltrated his as fast as it came. His perception of me was crumbling right in front of my eyes but I wasn't going to hide who I was and what I lived what I'm living. I told him he couldn't handle it, he was probably wishing he should have listened to me sooner. 

"I'll leave tonight, you won't hear or see me again and about the job, I can't drop it." I say coldly completely cutting my emotions off. 

"That's it? You're just going to leave with no explanation for all of this?" 

I sigh wiping a dry speck of blood on my cheek licking my dry lips, "I'm fucked up Conor. Is that what you want to hear? That I kill, lie and manipulate my way out of things and fight the living breathing demons I have with the help of the three amigos at your place? Is that a solid enough explanation?" I turn my face sniffing the tears that are ready to pour out of my eyes and onto my face.

I'm not crying for him. I do not care about him. He was just a pawn. I repeat in my head.

"What is it that you do?" His tone is breathy and low. 

I chuckle hanging my head low then look at him, "I said enough, I'll get a ride from one of the guys." My heels sound on the pavement again as I leave him standing there with nothing, nothing to want me in his world anymore. I find a payphone calling Pito trying to choke back the sobs that want to be released but when he arrives and I get into the car one single tear falls down my cheek.