Destroy It All

Kill List

Alex

I sat at the table, the ringing in my ear hadn't gone away, the lying doctor. That night haunts me more than anything else in my life, I cannot even count how many times I'll tried to keep  It out of my head, the feeling of being so numb, the smell of burning, it's like I'm reliving it every time I close my eyes.

"Alex? what do you think?" Aldo asks, I snap out of it, he must've known that I had no idea what he was talking about, "I think we should cut our losses, the western pipeline is being watched by the FBI, I don't think we can risk it." I give him a nod letting him know that is enough information. "That's just what I think."

"I agree with you, but we do need to help them find the rat or undercover, because they will know that we did business with them, if they know to much it could be bad, and I'd prefer if we would deal with them, and then we shall walk away from the western pipeline." I look around, "Does anyone object to that?" nobody says anything and even if they did I wouldn't listen to them.

"No, that sounds like a good plan," Kenny says, he's one of the more higher ranking people, I nod my head.

"Okay, do we have anything else to discuss?" 

"We have one more item on the list," Aldo says, passing me a file, I open it, the car bomb. Aldo was Papà right hand man, best friends, I've known him my whole life.

"Everyone give us the room," I say, slowly the room is empty, "Aldo, is there any update on Papà's condition?" I knew the answer but I couldn't help but ask, I've asked everyday, everyday I couldn't be there, I always tried to be there at night when all was calm and I could be alone with him.

"There has been no change, there is little brain activity," I nod, looking down at the glass table, where I can see a pile of blood sitting in front of me, I shake it off and look at Aldo, the blood is fake, I had been seeing things since the accident.

"What about new treatments?"

"He hasn't responded to anything."

"Okay, then where are we are finding out who put the bomb together?" I ask.

"We are a little closer, but it'd help if I wasn't the only one looking, maybe if I had some help-" I cut him off.

"No, Aldo," I stop seeing people standing outside, I lower my voice, "Whoever did this, they had access, Papà trusted whoever did this, I will not do the same, just you, you're one of the only people I fully trust," I fell my phone ringing, without looking I hang up. "Okay?"

"Okay, I'll keep working on it," he writes something down in his notebook.

"Thank you." I add a smile, through it must be hard for him, trying to find the person who tried to kill his best friend.

"On another note," he says.

"Yeah, go ahead." I say, leaning back in the chair.

"I got a few calls from Roberto, he wants to talk to you and wants to know why you didn't call him."

"I can't," I throw my hands up," what am I going to do? Papà I need you. "Call him, and tell him, that I'm a little to busy to deal with his bullshit, he's a grown man and so was Papà." I stop, the anger inside me growing. "I mean, it's not like I can call him, I'm a woman, he will find out if I call him."

"I know, listen I will tell Roberto what you said, but maybe a little nicer." "Okay," he stands to leave, "If your father doesn't wake up soon, the secret will come out, whether we like it or not."

"Why?" I ask, knowing the answer.

"Your father, Carlos he held a power over all his people and a lot of them know about you, but do you wanna know why no one risked telling anyone the truth that could end your life?" I shake my head. "Because he killed anyone, anyone who dare think about it, and just one shot to the head, and that scared people, he didn't let them talk, cry or beg just one shot and they were dead, people were fearful because he never just killed someone like that." he stoped, "He never wanted to miss anything so he would always keep people alive for a few hours but not when it came to you."

"Are you saying if," I take a drink, "if I want to stay hidden, that I need to kill people?" 

"Yes." Aldo try's to offer a smile, "Alexandra, I told your father that he should've made a plan incase something happened to him." I can hear the ringing coming back, "I don't want to ruin your heart but this is what you have to do, if you don't they will kill you."

"Who?" I whisper.

"Who?"

"Yes, who do I have to kill?"

"The ones who will turn against you." he sits back down, "I have a list," he pulls a small notebook out, "Your father and I, every now and then we went through and named the weak." I take it from him and open it, nineteen names, nineteen life's for my life.

"I can do this." I feel a tear slowly fall, and Aldo sees.

"Alexandra, you are the sweetest person, I've ever known, but-," he stops and wipes my tear away. "Now you need to be the other you, okay? the brutal one, you need to become Alexandre." I know he's right, I think about watching my father in bed, fighting for his life, and his bodyguard, Joey, he was only eighteen. he had been killed.

I look at the notebook in my hand again, opening it, I see a name- Evie Kim.

"Whatever it takes," Aldo says, "Promise me, whatever it takes,"

There it was written in my Papà's handwriting, my best friends name, on my kill list.

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What do you think of Evie's name being on the Kill list?

Do you think Alex has what it takes to kill her best friend?