Chapter 41

"Listen, I think the video got out, Brownson must have trusted some of his friends to help him clean out our stack, that is why they're after the boy too. My guess is, they've figured that if Brownson can do that to get his boy back the he'd do about anything too. I'm guessing they have political issues they want to settle and are looking forward to using Moses for that" Nick said.
"Like hell" Valeria muttered.
"The conference will hold in Capitol Hill" he said, "And we are going in"
"What? No, that'll be walking right into hell" she refused blatantly.
"I know, it's our only chance" he said.
"Security will be tight and we can't risk that"
"But Martha will be right there and that's what you want right? Or do we give the boy to the cops like we planned earlier?"
"And have him sold to some Senators as bargaining chip again?"
"My point exactly. Martha will be there and we are giving her the baby" he said. "I took the Brownson contact off Pete before I left. I knew he would be wild and I don't want to take chances. We will get Martha to speak with us and tell her to give us safe passage in and out, I'm thinking she can pull that off in exchange for her child"
"How are you sure she'll do that? We've demanded enough already" Valeria replied.
"She's a mother Valeria, and I'm  guessing she'll do that little to see her son again. Plus, we'll risk a video call with her, if she's dumb enough to sell us out then I'm afraid that's the chance in taking on that boy"
"This is crazy I swear but I think it's the only choice" she replied with a sigh.
"I have a contact that can get us in as ushers for the event. You can't go in as an usher though there will be too many eyes on the ladies considering your last show at their secret meeting. You'll be going in as a guest pianist for the after party, my man has everything we need ready"
Valeria nodded.
"Thank you" she whispered. "Are you really risking all this for Moses?" She asked.
"If you say he's worth it, then he is" he replied and kissed her nose, making her chuckle.
"Come on, I have someone I need to see about our stack" he said.
"Stack? Again? I thought you would have to let it go" she said.
"Not if it can be helped. There's a snitch and it's go our advantage. Everything that Pete's been doing is slowly spreading as rumour and my source wanted to be sure I was in the clear of it all. He's found a way to get our stack to us before Pete gets his own, at a price of course" he said.
"All of it?" Valeria asked.
He nodded.
"I can't let such good cars go to waste" he said with a wink and rose, picked his gun and threw on a white t-shirt.
Valeria too took her handgun, shoved it under her blouse and took the baby stroller, she licked Moses from the floor who was still dismembering her dolls.
"What sort of twisted doll play is that?" Nick asked as he saw the dolls in a dozen pieces.
Valeria chuckled and Moses joined with his tiny giggles and babblings.
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There was a certain chill that afternoon that had nothing to do with the frigid wind. It was like a sixth sense kind of chill, like a bad omen that washed over her and she could feel it the her very core.
"Why isn't he showing up?" Valeria asked as she leaned on the car, the baby strapped in the seat behind.
"Relax Valeria, he's on his way, it's something we can't really talk on the phone about" Nick said as he dipped to give her a kiss on the lips which she received passionately.
"He's here" he said and went to meet the small sports car that had just arrived.
Valeria stood far off, looking at the black man that alighted and began to discuss lowly with Nick. She looked away sensing that the man was uncomfortable with her presence despite being out of hearing distance. The duo spoke for a minutes before they shook hands and the black man waved to her from the distance before driving off in his car.
"It's a deal..." Nick said just as a gunshot could be heard from the distance and he ducked behind the car for cover, but not before the bullet was lodged in his left  thigh.
"Fuck" Nick swore as he squatted beside the car.
Another shot rang and pierced the windscreen of the car, raining it in pieces into the vehicle's interior.
"Get the fuck out or I'll tear the boy to pieces, I know he's inside the car" came Pete's voice, it was an unmistakable angry tone.
"Get down" Nick said as he pulled out his revolver and took aim.
"You're hurt" she said, crouched low beside him.
"I don't miss my shots, Vee, I'm giving you one last chance to get the baby out of the car or you'll he getting him out on pieces" Pete threatened.
"Alright, stop, I'll get him out" Valeria said and raised, put her hands up and opened the car door to retrieve Moses who was now crying, glass pieces in his hair and on his clothes, thankfully none cut him.
"Bring him here" Pete ordered. He was parked in a white minivan beside a large tanker in the empty old garage. His face was a mask of anger mad rage, his cheeks shrunk and his hair disheveled, he looked a horrible sight and she could smell him from where she stood.
"Did you guys really think I'd let you walk away with the job?" He asked, his voice slightly slurred.
"You're taking this too far Pete z please put the gun down" Valeria said and handed him the baby which he clutched and then pointed the gun at her.
"You've wasted my time Vee, a lot of my time. My stack is being delayed and it's all your fucking fault!" He yelled.
"Listen to me Pete, I didn't__"
"Shut up bitch!" He ordered "Tell me one reason I shouldn't blow you fucking brains out" he snapped.
"Hey, Pete, stop it, put the gun down, you have the boy, let's not be stupid now" Nick said, coming from behind the Jeep, his thought bleeding and wrapped up with his shirt sleeves which he had yanked off to stop the blood.
"That must hurt" Pete mocked as he kept his gun pointed at Valeria. "I knew you'd double cross me Nick, I just knew it, you don't look loyal at all, I knew you'd take sides with the bitch, I know things pretty boy! I know fuckers like you" he said.
"Stop it Pete, please, put the gun down" Nick plead.
"You both think you could betray me? Huh? This is my team! I put it up! I risk my life to save it! It's all source, my Intel! Everything is mine! And you both try to double cross me?" He asked, then chuckled, a dark menacing tone.
"No one tried to double cross you Pete, we are just trying to safe a boy's life for Christ sake! More gigs will come, this shouldn't tear us apart" Nick reasoned.
"Sh tore us apart the moment she fucking left the train station with the boy and you joined her! It's all her fault, it's all your fault too!" Pete said and cocked his gun.
"Hey Pete, stop, stop it Pete, Pete don't do it" Valeria begged, seeing the madness in his eyes and his twitching jaw.
"I never liked you Nick. Too arrogant, too self assured and you fucked her, you came to my team and fucked my girl!" Pete yelled and glared at him angrily.
"Pete don't! Please! Pete!" Valeria shouted just as the shot rang.
It all happened in a a split second. Nick reached for his gun but he wasn't fast enough, the bullet pierced right through him before his hands could touch the hilt of his gun. Another shot rang and another rang before Nick fell face down on the garage floor, blood blooming through his t-shirt, looking oddly like a rose design on the white material.
Valeria shrieked, her cry echoing into the empty garage.
"I told him I'd find him, no one..." Pete gasped as he felt the bullet pierce his own chest too. The baby in his arms fell to the floor and Valeria fired the third, fourth, fifth and sixth shot before he staggered back, blood leaking from his lips as he struggled go say something.
Valeria was still shrieking as she fired more bullet into him, watching as the empty shells fell to the floor, the baby was crying and she was screaming like a banshee.
It was when she heard the click of the gun and the trigger pulled without another bullet ejecting that she knew the gun was empty. She looked at him, now kneeling on the floor, blood oozing from his mouth like he had swallowed red wine in a hurry and was choking on it.
He looked at her, disbelief clearly written on his face, the. He slumped forward and laid in the same fashion that Nick was, his back stained with his very own blood.
Valeria discarded the gun, ran to pick Moses up and left the scene, leaving behind the two men that had meant the whole world to her for the past one decade. Her dysfunctional family, her team, the gang, it was all gone within a milisecond. It was funny how life could build something for years and not need more than a few seconds to make it all crumble to dust.