Evelina

(xxiv)

Evelina

[Before Saving Vincenzo]

"Spill it," I ordered Olivia the moment Tony and the others left the room.

She rolled her eyes. "Already planning to," she replied, a smirk tugging at her lips. "The rest of the gang already got the intel. Vincenzo's being held about fifteen minutes away from our squad's safehouse."

My mind spun with ideas, forming a plan. I needed to make this look casual to avoid suspicion. I clicked my tongue and raised my voice just slightly. "Liv, gather the squad. Let's have a 'sleepover' to help me clear my head." I gave her a quick wink. She understood immediately, a glimmer of determination in her eyes as she left the room.

A little later, the whole gang entered, with Mama and Tony in tow. "Sooo?" I asked, biting my lower lip, trying to look casual.

Mama exchanged a knowing look with Tony. "We think you could use a break, a breather. Go have that sleepover—relax, ease your mind. We'll come to pick you up in the morning," she said, giving me exactly the cover I needed.

Plan: success.

---

Once we were in the clear, Lexi gathered us for one last review. "Do you want me to go over the plan again?" she asked, glancing around.

"If we keep talking about it, we'll never actually get him out," I replied with a determined grin. "It's time to make our move."

Step 1: Distraction. Olivia, aka Joker, stationed herself in a nearby hotel and launched a cyberattack on their servers, creating a flurry of panic. As the alarm went up, everyone in the compound thought they were dealing with a virtual threat rather than an actual one.

Step 2: Infiltration. Ace and I slipped inside, undetected. With the bulk of their team focused on Joker's distraction, it was almost too easy to advance through the compound.

Step 3: Search. King set off small disturbances around the house, adding to the chaos. Meanwhile, our drones scanned the area, narrowing down Enzo's possible location.

Step 4: Extraction. As guards rushed to deal with King's commotion, we headed toward Enzo's cell. So far, so good—just a few guards down, silencers keeping things quiet.

Everything was going as planned until we encountered Aiden, alone and standing guard at the final door. I stepped forward with a smirk. "Hello, Aiden," I said, watching recognition and dread flicker across his face.

He swallowed, his voice trembling. "Queen?"

I turned to Janice with a nod. "Ace, would you care to do the honors?"

"Gladly." She moved in swiftly, delivering a punch to Aiden that left him slumped and unconscious on the ground.

With Aiden handled, I unlocked the door and entered, my heart pounding as I searched the dim room. "Vincenzo?" I whispered, spotting a figure hunched protectively over another.

"King, I found them!" I called out, my voice filled with relief. Janice joined me moments later, dragging Aiden behind her. "Hey, I did too."

But then, there was a quiet thud. I turned back to see Enzo slumped on the ground, barely conscious. "Enzo," I said, rushing over. I checked for a pulse and found one. I placed his head on my lap, fingers brushing softly through his hair, grounding myself in the knowledge that he was finally safe.

Within minutes, Olivia arrived, and together we carried Enzo and Vera to the car, Aiden in tow. Janice popped open the trunk and unceremoniously dumped Aiden in.

With Enzo's head resting on my lap and Vera leaning on Olivia, we were ready for the final touch.

"Can I do the honors?" Lexi asked, fingers hovering over the trigger.

The car pulled away as the compound erupted in a series of explosions behind us, sending a rush of satisfaction through me. We'd done it. Enzo was safe, and justice had been served.

---

"Wake up, Eve. Your family will be here in half an hour." Janice's voice stirred me from sleep. I groggily sat up and, across the room, saw a pale Enzo, an IV in his arm, his breaths shallow but steady.

"What did the doctor say?" I asked, my gaze never leaving him.

"He just needs time. He's recovering from the torture, but he'll pull through," Janice replied, her voice soft yet firm. "Vera's in better shape. She's awake."

With a nod, I stood and crossed to the next room. Inside, Olivia was checking Vera's vitals in silence, focused and precise. "Liv, if you're going to play doctor, at least say something to her. Don't just hover like a shadow," I teased.

Olivia chuckled, not looking up. "Listen to you, Miss Ice Queen," she murmured, rolling her eyes.

Ignoring her, I turned to Vera, her face lighting up when she saw me. "How are you feeling, dear?"

She offered a soft smile. "I'm alright, but I'm more worried about Vincy."

I let out a small laugh and squeezed her hand. "Your Vincy's a fighter; he'll be alright, I promise."

A tear slipped down her cheek, and she whispered, "Thank you. Thank you for saving us."

I gently brushed her hand with my thumb. "It was never even a question."

"Eve! They're here!" Lexi's voice suddenly broke the moment, and I looked back at Vera with a warm smile. "My family's waiting. I'll come see you later."

I left the room and hurried down the hallway. "Tony!" I called, spotting him as he stepped in, and threw my arms around him, pulling him close. "I missed you."

"Missed you too, love." He pulled back. I glanced around, looking for everyone else, "Where are the others?"

"They're settling into the new safehouse," He replied.

I nodded, not wanting to say a thing as I was thinking how to tell him that Enzo was saved by us. I didn't want him to go full over protective on me.

Tony's brow furrowed, sensing something. "Is everything alright?"

I opened my mouth to explain, but Lexi cut in, placing a hand on Tony's shoulder. "Better if you just see it for yourself," she said with a gentle smile.

With a deep breath, I led him down the hallway to Enzo's room, Lexi trailing behind. Taking one more steadying breath, I opened the door and stepped aside.

Inside, the only sounds were the soft beeping of machines as Enzo lay still in the hospital bed, pale but alive. At first, Tony stood silent, his gaze locked onto Enzo's face, disbelief and relief flickering in his eyes. Then, all at once, he let out a choked sob, dropping to his knees, unable to hold back his emotions.

I quickly knelt beside him, wrapping my arms around him as he shook in my hold. "He's okay, Tones. He's safe, and he'll be back on his feet soon enough."

Tony's grip tightened as he whispered, his voice raw and grateful. "Thank you, Eve. Thank you for bringing him back."

His words caught me off guard, and I froze, feeling the weight of them settle around us. For once, words seemed unnecessary. The only thing that mattered was that he was here, we were together, and Enzo was safe.

"But, don't think you've escaped." Way to ruin the mood, Tony.