Ink and Iron

A Step Forward

Lily and I step outside, the crisp afternoon air greeting us with a soft flurry of snowflakes dancing on the wind. The world looks like it's been draped in a thick blanket of white. Icicles dangle from the eaves of the house, and the snow-covered trees glisten under the pale light of the sky. We tighten our scarves and pull our coats closer, stepping into the snow that crunches beneath our boots.

As we walk, we leave a winding trail of footprints behind us, the quiet around us broken only by the occasional gust of wind. "So," she starts softly. "What's going on with you and Marco?"

"He's apologized a few times," I say, choosing my words carefully. "But I'm... I don't know how to feel about it."

Lily nods, giving me the space to keep talking.

"I'm still hurt," I admit, my voice quieter now, like I'm afraid saying it out loud will make the pain more real. "But I guess him owning up to what he did helps. At least a little."

It feels like a relief to say it, even though it's still so complicated. I glance at Lily, and she looks at me with understanding, not pushing, just listening.

"It's a start," I add, though my voice is filled with uncertainty. "But I've still got a lot to figure out."

Lily's expression darkens slightly as she replies, "I hated him after that night, Chris. We all did. We wanted to just leave him behind, cut ties with everything he'd become." She hesitates before adding, "But no matter what we did, Marco was always one step ahead."

She kicks at the snow a little as we walk, her breath visible in the chilly air. "You know, Marco's been trying to get better about his anger," she says. "He even started going to anger management... well, he only went a couple of times."

"Marco? Anger management?"

"He's been trying, but you know him. He doesn't like being told what to do, even when it's something that might help." She explains.

"Guess it's a step in the right direction," I say, though I can't help but wonder if a couple of classes are enough to really change someone like him.

"So, what exactly did you do for Salvatore to make him agree to help us? I've been dying to know." She asks changing the subject.

"Well... I saved his daughter."

Her eyes widen in surprise. "Saved his daughter? What happened?"

"It was... complicated," I began, my voice low and serious.

It was early morning, the sky still painted in soft oranges and pinks, when my phone buzzed with a text from Pascoe. It was brief and straight to the point: I needed to meet him immediately.

When I got there, Pascoe was already waiting, his expression more intense than usual. Next to him was a man I'd only heard about in whispers.

Pascoe introduced us with a serious tone. "Chris, this is Salvatore De Luca. Salvatore, this is Chris, the guy I've been telling you about."

Salvatore looked at me, his voice smooth but with a sharp edge. "Pascoe speaks highly of you, Chris."

I nodded. "So, why do you need me?"

"My daughter's been kidnapped. I need you to find her and bring her back safely," he said, his voice grave. "I'm under investigation right now. Every move I make is being watched. If I send in my men or involve the police, her life could be at risk. And paying the ransom... well, there's no guarantee I'd get her back."

"I get it," I said, my voice steady even though the situation was anything but. "I'll find her and bring her back."

After days of searching, I finally tracked her down to a warehouse just outside town. I spent hours studying the place, memorizing the guards' routines, planning my moves down to the second. I had to be perfect, precise. There was no room for mistakes.

When night fell, I made my move, slipping into the shadows like a ghost. My heart was pounding, but I forced myself to stay calm. I had one shot at this.

The first guard was stationed by the door, his back to me, completely unaware. I crept up behind him, careful to stay silent. One swift, practiced move, and I had him in a chokehold. He didn't even have time to struggle before he was out cold. I dragged his body into the shadows, making sure he wouldn't be spotted.

One down.

The second guard was pacing along the side of the building. I waited, crouched in the darkness, until he passed. Then, in one fluid motion, I knocked him out with a single blow. As I moved through the warehouse, taking out each guard with silent precision, I felt the adrenaline coursing through me.

Finally, I made it to the heart of the warehouse. There she was tied up and terrified, her eyes wide with fear. I moved slowly toward her, keeping my voice low and calm.

"Salvatore sent me," I whispered as I quickly untied her restraints, my hands working fast but gently.

Her body relaxed just a little as the ropes fell away. "You're safe now," I told her, offering my hand to help her stand.

We moved quietly through the warehouse, avoiding any last threats. Every few seconds, I glanced over my shoulder, making sure no one was following.

"Salvatore was... beyond grateful. He paid me well, but more than that, he promised me favors. Anytime, no questions asked."

Lily's eyes widened slightly as she absorbed the weight of that. "That's a huge deal," she said, a trace of admiration in her voice. "You've really earned his trust."

I gave a small nod. "Yeah," I said quietly. "It's not something I take lightly. But it's good to know I have someone like him in my corner."

As we rounded the corner of the house, our footsteps crunching softly in the fresh snow, we were greeted by the familiar sight of others gathered in front of the house.

Lily nudges me with her elbow. "Looks like they're having all the fun."

"Can't let them have all the fun," I say, already forming a snowball in my hand. I give it a good throw, hitting Sarah on the back.

She lets out a scream. "Oh, it's on now, Chris!" she yells, scooping up snow.

Before long, the whole group is involved in an all-out snowball fight. Laughter fills the air as we duck and dodge, sending snowballs flying back and forth.

As I launched the snowball, I didn't realize Marco had just pulled up until it was too late. The snowball soared through the air and, with perfect timing, hit him square in the chest as he stepped out of his car.

For a split second, everything froze. We all stood there, eyes wide, waiting for him to blow up.

He blinked, looking down at the snow now covering his jacket, then up at me. The silence hung in the air as I braced for his reaction. But then, he broke the tension with a grin, followed by a small laugh. "Well, looks like I walked right into that one," he said, his tone light and amused.

The whole group relaxed instantly, laughter breaking out as Marco shook the snow off his jacket. "As much as I love seeing you all act like kids again, it's getting late, and I don't want anyone catching a cold out here."

Passing me, he leaned in close, his voice dropping to a playful whisper. "Thanks to you, I'm feeling a little cold now," he teased, a mischievous spark in his eyes. "And since my room's still empty, it looks like I'll be crashing in yours again."

That's when I catch Dylan watching us from a distance. His gaze lingers on Marco, a coldness in his eyes that doesn't sit right with me. I turn away and follow everyone inside, trying to ignore the unease that's starting to settle in.