It could have been an easy in and out job, just like the first time, but Seven made it clear that wasn’t worth his time. He wanted action. He wanted blood. So we went in the front door (if you could call a bunch of scrap metal welded together a door) guns blazing.
The first two “guards” went down easy. They were sitting at a plastic table playing cards and didn’t see the bullets coming. After that our presence was known. For a small house, it was packed pretty heavily with assholes. I counted ten men I had to take out; I wasn’t sure what Seven’s body count was.
There was still no sign of Cruz Zeros. We advanced to the last room, guns still drawn. When I heard her voice, I lost my shit.
“No!” Vera called out. “I won’t let you do this!” I kicked open the door and saw red at the sight: Zeros holding Vera, a knife to her neck.
“Charlie, leave!” Vera shot me a nervous glance. “This is what he wants!”
“Finally,” Seven said. “Shit’s getting interesting.”
“Put the fucking knife down,” I growled, gun aimed at his skull.
“No way man,” Zeros said. “She’s my ticket outta here.” The sound of a gunshot had me scrambling. Zeros went down and so did Vera. I rushed to her.
“Are you hurt?” I touched Vera all over, looking for any imperfections on her perfect skin. She wrapped her arms around my neck, clinging to me. Zeros screamed like a stuck pig; he’d been shot in the thigh. When it was clear that Vera wasn’t hurt, I turned to Seven.
“What the fuck?” I screamed at Seven. “You shot him? He could have killed her!”
Seven gave me a bored look. “I don’t have all day to play hostage. I have tickets to see that new movie everyone is coming in their pants about.” Ignoring Seven, I pulled out my gun, ready to end Cruz’s miserable existence. Seven stayed my hand. “No.”
I let out a frustrated groan, not sure what Seven was up to. “You want to fuck him up a bit first?” I wasn’t in the mood for games. I wanted to take Vera home and get her warm and safe. Whatever fuckery Seven had planned for Cruz, I wanted it over quick.
“No, I want her to shoot him.” Seven shot Vera a wicked grin. It wasn’t a happy smile. Seven didn’t smile, he didn’t laugh, and he didn’t rejoice. What he did do was revel in other’s misery. The expression on his face was more akin to a jack-o-lantern than a human smile.
“What?” Vera exclaimed, clinging to me harder.
“What the fuck are you playing at, Seven?” I barked.
“This whole fucking thing has been…” Seven paused as if looking for the right word. “Not really worth my time. So make it worth my time. I want to see this little doe shoot someone.”
“Fuck off, Seven.” I pulled Vera to her feet, pushing her behind me to shield her from Seven. I knew it was fruitless. Once Seven wanted something, he got it, no matter the cost. Still, I was willing to fight, even if it meant laying down my life.
“Don’t be so goddamn dramatic, Charlie. I just want her to shoot the fucker. He’s gonna die anyway.”
“Oh man!” Both Seven and I turned to look at the whining, whimpering mess on the floor. “Come on, just let me go, I’ll do anything you want.” Seven didn’t even raise a brow. Both of us were so hardened to the pleas of dying men that it may as well have been white noise. I didn’t want that for V
era, though. She was sunshine and life; she didn’t deserve to turn to stone. She didn’t deserve to have Seven snuff out her light.
Ignoring Cruz, I rounded on Seven. “Back the fuck off.” Seven’s face quirked into a small smile. The only time I saw Seven smile was when he was about to kill. Nevertheless, I pressed on. “It’s over. I’m taking Vera and you won’t see us again.”
“Sure you want to play it like that?” His voice was deathly quiet, like the whisper of a storm before it broke.
Making sure Vera was still behind me, I stepped up. When I’d called Seven for help, I’d known he was unpredictable. Still, I had been willing to risk it. Without him I wouldn’t have found Vera in time. Sure, I would have found her eventually, but it might’ve been too late. I didn’t have the resources he had. He had The Boogiemen and together they were unstoppable. Without his help, I probably would have found a body.
“Vera.” I said her name, keeping my eyes trained on Seven. “Run.” Seven laughed, the sound cold and lifeless.
“No,” Vera said against my back. “No, I’ll do it.”
“Ah,” Seven said, peering around me at Vera. “The little doe wants to be a wolf.”
“Fuck you,” Vera spat. Turning to me she said, “I’ll do it.” There was terror and urgency in her eyes, but there was also determination. I didn’t have time to think about how I’d put her in this position. I didn’t have time to wonder if she’d have been better off if I’d have taken the exit and put her on the plane. There was no time for regrets or what-ifs. There was only now.
Reluctantly, I pulled out my .45 and placed it in her palm.
“Do you know what to do?” I asked quietly as she weighed the gun in her palm.
“What the fuck is this?” Cruz screamed, outraged. “Are you shitting me? Don’t shoot me baby. Don’t you remember the times we had? I love you!”