Pinocchio: Sicario

Chapter 8: Finale

Pinocchio sped down the street to the Don's house. His heart felt as if it had sank into his stomach as the familiar house came into his view. He parked the Trans Am and jumped out of the car, running straight towards the house.

"Padre!" he called as he swung the door open with a bang. Making sure to lock it shut behind him, he turned the corner to go to the living room. The blonde walked straight into a disoriented Luigi.

"Pino, you came," the Don said from the top of the staircase. Pinocchio whipped his head up to look at him.

"The SWAT team is coming for you, padre. You need to get out of here," he told him. The Don nodded knowingly.

"My driver is out back with the car. Luigi booked us all the first flight out of the country in one hour," he replied to Pinocchio. In the distance, the sound of sirens became more and more apparent. Nicoletta walked out of the room with two bags of belongings. Immediately, Pinocchio climbed the stairs and took the bags from her hands.

"Let's get going, padre," he said, suddenly taking the lead. The Don said nothing to reprimand him, as the situation was dire already. The group picked up the pace to get out of the backdoor as the sirens drew closer from down the street. Through the backdoor past the swimming pool, at the edge of the woods in the back of the estate, sat a small black van waiting patiently for them. The sirens came to a halt as they approached the van. Pinocchio and Luigi stood in front of the Don and Nicoletta as they entered the car.

"Driver Pete, take us to the Lucine Airport just off of West Lake Parkway," the Don commanded as he slid into his seat. The driver remained still in the front seat, not saying a word. "Pete, did you hear me?" The Don began to become annoyed. Pete still did not utter a sound. Then, out of anger, the Don slapped Pete upside the head. "Answer me, you damn fool!" The driver's body slumped to the right...revealing a clean bullet hole on the side of his skull.

"It's an ambush!" Luigi was just able to yell as the woods around them seemed to explode with gunfire. The Don and Nicoletta immediately dropped to the ground outside the car as Luigi and Pinocchio fired shot after shot. As Luigi turned around and slumped down to the ground for cover, he looked at Pinocchio. "Pino, take the Don and Nicoletta back inside the house where it's safer. I'll hold them."

"Luigi, you know I can't do that," Pinocchio whispered, his emerald eyes pleading. Luigi shook his head and looked straight into his eyes, and the blonde knew that Luigi was determined to see this to the end. Tugging the Don and Nicoletta, Pinocchio pushed them toward the house as he fired back at their enemies for cover. As the Don and his wife made it through the door, a bullet caught Pinocchio in the arm. He grimaced in pain and quickly whipped through the doorway in time to see Luigi make his final move. Luigi was permanently gone.

"They're banging at the door!" screamed Nicoletta. The SWAT agents were about to smash through the door.

"Get up the stairs!" yelled Pinocchio, as the first crack appeared on the front door. They stampeded up the stairs like elephants while the front door finally gave way.  The march of twenty pairs of boots resounded through the empty rooms downstairs as they trio finally reached the top. Opening the door to the bedroom, Pinocchio motioned for the Don to get in quickly. All three made it into the room, quickly barricading the door with furniture.

"We aren't going to make it, are we?" Nicoletta asked quietly, staring into space.  The two men looked at her, unwilling to admit defeat. The banging on the bedroom door, however, told a different story. Suddenly, the sound of broken glass filled their ears. A SWAT agent appeared at the window, already aiming at the Don. In what seemed like slow motion, Nicoletta shielded the Don just as the bullet flew straight towards his forehead. A second later, Pinocchio fired a shot straight into the agent's skull in exchange, but it was too late.

"Nicoletta..." the Don's voice trailed off as he stared at his dead spouse lying in his arms. Pinocchio immediately blocked the broken window with a dresser, focused on keeping the Don safe. The Don looked at him with hollow eyes. "I always knew...Nicoletta was good. I knew she would be a good asset to me." Pinocchio looked at the Don, not recognizing the man. His tone and the look in his eyes obviously did not match what he was saying.

"Are assets all people are to you?" the blonde hissed bitterly. He knew they weren't going to make it. "People have lives. People have feelings. Does that mean nothing in this world to those of power?" The Don looked at him with an expression of surprise. Pinocchio continued. "I've lived my life being an asset to someone, one or another. And I've finally realized..." Pinocchio's eyes became desperate. "There is something more to live for than being used. I've lived my life trying to please others who see me as a toy." The Don opened his mouth to reply as a bullet from the gun of a sniper flew through his chest. He fell to the floor, blood gushing out of his wound.  Pinocchio rushed to him, eyes wide.

"Pino," the Don rasped, blood trickling from his mouth. His old, tough fingers wrapped around Pinocchio's.

"Padre, don't speak," Pinocchio whispered in anguish. The Don's grip on his fingers tightened.

"You are wrong...Pino," the Don managed to say, despite the fading color of his skin. "I've...always seen you...as the son I've never had." The banging on the door started to splinter the wooden furniture. Pinocchio looked at the Don, tears welling in his eyes. The Don gave Pinocchio a last smile as his breathing started to slow. "I...love...you." His breath halted and his brown eyes turned glassy and lifeless.

"Padre!" Pinocchio sobbed in his grief as the last loud bang gave the door and the furniture away. The blonde stood up, fury in his eyes, as he pointed his two pistols at the incoming agents. He fired with reckless abandon as bullets from the SWATs embedded themselves in his chest, in his arms, in his legs. Pinocchio staggered backwards towards the window. He felt his legs buckle as he tripped backwards and he crashed through the window. His beautiful, sparkling eyes looked towards the heavens as he fell down like a bird shot from the sky. Pinocchio swore could clearly see the outline of his mother in the clouds. He was just able to smile before his blood covered body hit the water below...

__________________

"Chief Connors, we have confirmed three deceased bodies at the scene," a female agent saluted her superior. A tall man with parted brown hair looked at her in confusion.

"Lia, I think you're mistaken. The Beta team reported killing four persons at this house." The glamorous brown and white mansion seemed to stare down at the two agents.

"I'm sorry, chief, but my team has only discovered three bodies," Lia insisted. "There was no fourth body in the pool that your men have claimed."

"Well that's strange," the chief pondered. "I was sure I heard a loud splashing sound when I was monitoring the progress from the helicopter."

"I'm only telling you the facts, sir," Lia said. "I'll be going back with my team to take these bodies to the morgue."  The two greeted each other farewell as they parted ways. Chief Connors looked up towards the sky.

"Some things will never be explained," he murmured. He looked back towards the woods. Staring into its depths, he was sure he could see a glint of green hidden in the darkness.

"We need you over here, chief," a voice called. The man snapped out of his thoughts and strode over. The glint of green glinted once more before blinking. Finally, it disappeared into the black and the unknown, leaving the agents to pick up the broken pieces of what was once a dream.