„We have to leave Ivy. Now", gently Dom tries to get the young woman up. Ivy is sitting against a wall, crying, her expensive looking pantsuit is sullied with blood.
"I know this is hard Ivy, but if someone finds us here, we're done. Even the best lawyer in the world couldn't help us. Please Ivanka, we need to get going."
Ivy raises her eyes, blurred with unshed tears, and struggles to her feat, "Let's go then."
Without looking at her surroundings, the dirty warehouse, the dead bodies lying on the floor, the weapons scattered around, she hurries outside with Dom right behind her. Dominic's Car, his black Dodge Charger, is parking right outside the door. Within minutes Dom and Ivy are driving to the highway, the road dark and clear ahead of them.
"I'm sorry Dom."
Dom stays quiet for a while, driving fast but precise, and then he smiles sadly, "It's my fault too. I guess we were just never meant to stay on the legal side of the law."
Ivy shakes her head violently, "No Dom. This is not that kind of thing you do. You drive illegal car races, you do illegal tuning in the shop, and you hustle low key shit. But this, this is not you, this is me. I just slaughtered a room full of people Dom, you should have never followed me. I have to be on my own Dom, the police have my prints now. They don't have yours."
"You are family Ivy. I won't ever let you run alone. And besides, they will connect me somehow to all this and I die before I go back to prison, you know that."
"I'm not just running. The L.A. cell may be dead now, but there are more. I have to get to them. They killed her, I can't let them get away with that."
"Silvie is family. She is like a sister to me. I'm going with you."
Ivy puts her hand on Dom's big one and squeezes thankful, "Then we have to get out of L.A. as fast as possible. And we have to find a way to contact Mia. I know she is too smart to do something stupid or dangerous, but she shouldn't worry about us."
They drive for three days straight, before they dare to check into a motel and contact Mia. Dom calles a neighbor with the old phone next to the empty reception and gets him to call Mia over, so he can bring her up to date.
"The police was here, they believe that I had nothing to do with anything, but they are looking for you. And the team could get away, they wanted to follow you but I managed to convince them to leave."
"Good, they have nothing to do with this. And we're so sorry, that you have to deal with everything alone."
"I understand Dom. Of course I understand."
"What are you planning to do now? Since we're not coming back."
"I'm selling the house, the garage and then I'm leaving town and move to New York. I will find a way to transfer the money from the house and the shop to you."
"You need that money Mia. Ivy and I, we will get funds soon."
"I can transfer to Brown and keep my scholarship. That means my studies and the dorm room is payed for. And I have enough money for my daily expenses; you always made sure to put money on the bank for me. I am fine Dom. You and Ivy are not."
"Thank you little sister. Just, stay safe and leave L.A. as soon as you possibly can."
"Silvies funeral is tomorrow. Then I will get on the road. Tell Ivy that I love her and that I'm very sorry for her loss. I will keep Silvies Wedding Ring safe for her, tell her that. And I tried to honor her and Silvies wisher, regarding the funeral. Her grave will be on the catholic cemetery with father Thomas."
"I will Mia. I try to talk to you soon. I have a buddy in New York. Ask Bobby to give you Jeremy Rowell's address. I will contact you over him."
"I love you Dom", "I Love you too Mia."
"I just talked to Mia."
Ivy is sitting on the small bed, with her laptop in front of her, "Is she okay?"
"She is. She is selling everything and is moving to New York, she can continue her studies there. Should you be on the internet right now? Can't the police find us that way?"
Ivy grins, "There is no way for them to find us. I may not study computer science like your sister, but I still am damn good with them. We are safe."
"Silvie's funeral is Tomorrow Ivy. Mia arranged a catholic ceremony with father Thomas, she would have liked that."
"Yes she would." Ivy smiles sadly and rubes the golden ring on her finger.
"I'm sorry we can't be at home to say goodbye." Dom puts his arm around Ivy and kisses her forehead, "I will find you a church tomorrow morning, we can light a candle for her."
Ivy shuts down her laptop and puts it away, "Thank you Dom, I think I'm going to sleep now. We have to get going soon enough."
Silently he tucks Ivy in and without disturbing her Dom gets bed ready in the small bathroom. But when he emerges from the bathroom Ivy still lies awake in her bed.
"Stay with me?" her small voice makes Dom's eyes sting, no way he would let her alone in a night like this. The first night sleep in a real bed since this whole ordeal has started. He squeezes next to Ivy into the way to small bed and pulls her close. He pretends that he doesn't notice her silent tears and tries to find sleep.
They were on the road for a few hours, before Dom pulls into the parking space of a small church in a rundown neighborhood. In silence they light two candles and Ivy lets Dom say the prayer.
"Dear Father in heaven. We are here today to pray for Silvana Battaglio, whose funeral takes place today. In Silvie we not only lost an extraordinary person, who always was the light of the house, but also a family member. A wife, a sister and a best friend. We love her dearly and miss her painfully, but we take comfort in the thought that she can return home to you, Father. Amen."
"Amen", Ivy's voice is clogged with tears, her fingers tightly clench around her rosary.
"I give you a moment for yourself, Baby girl. I wait in the car for you."
Dom leaves the church and Ivy is alone. She closes her eyes and smells the familiar smell of candles, smoke, wood and frankincense. It calms her.
Ivy didn't grow up religious, the people who raised her only believed in the Russian government, their president and the ability to fight. And then she met Silvana. Ivy didn't believe in angels at that time, but Silvie was her angel. Silvie grew up as an orphan in a catholic coven in Italy ruled by the mafia. When she met Ivy, Silvie was working as a high precision driver for the mafia. Silvie's love for fast cars and god were the only things from her youth she was thankful for.
Ivy looks around the church and finds the Statue of Mary in a corner and kneels in front of it. She prays the rosary just like Silvana, her beloved wife, taught her.
"Ready to go?"
"Yes", Ivy nods, "I'm ready. Let's go."