Arthur walked down the stairs from the attic to the second floor quietly. He hid in a corner and listened around. He could hear nothing aside from two Hispanics talking about soccer and women. One of them seemed upset that there was a beautiful woman in the basement and he couldn't even have a good time. Arthur raised an eyebrow. So, Cross was keeping Julia in the basement. It was perfect. The blueprints had shown that there was a door leading from the basement, outside and when the men would be neutralized, it was only a couple of yards until his SUV. Unfortunately, what Arthur hadn't counted on was in what state Julia would be and it would become soon obvious that she wouldn't be walking out of the hacienda.
He planted some C4 along the walls and armed the timers to go off in 15 minutes. He walked into the room and killed the two men with the gun that had the silencer.
He continued down towards the stairs leading to the ground floor. There were no men visible. Apparently, Cross had placed most of his men outside around the perimeter of the hacienda and most probably downstairs. He placed again a few explosives and armed the timers.
When he arrived in the basement, he placed another couple of explosives, in hidden and strategic places. He then walked slowly towards the first room and found it empty. Inside was the mattress that Julia had been laying on in the first video.
He heard the voices of men coming from a room further down and he walked over and peaked inside carefully. His blood ran cold as he looked at Julia tied up, her head hanging and blood dripping from it. Standing in front of her was Cross, gun in hand and two guys standing behind him, their back to Arthur.
Arthur weighed in his options. He only had one shot at this otherwise Cross would kill Julia and Arthur would never be able to live with that outcome, and he also knew he needed to keep most of his ammo to get off the grounds of the hacienda. Just when he was about to attack both men from behind with his knife, one of them turned around. So much for the element of surprise.
The man yelled and swung at Arthur who blocked his punch and hit back. He swiped the guys feet sending him to the floor. The other guy joined in to help his friend and Arthur punched him and kicked him as Jake placed himself next to Julia. A gun shot was heard, and Arthur looked up towards Julia as he sent the second guy to the ground crashing in a loud thud. He watched as Cross placed his gun against Julia's temple.
"I'd advise you to stay right where you are Bishop. I doubt you want me to pull the trigger and end Julia's life like this".
"You're going to kill her anyway. Why don't you pick on someone who can fight back"!
The two men stood and grabbed Arthur at each side.
Jake shook his head. "Julia had so much faith in you. She was certain that you would come and rescue her and I'm afraid, you've let her down again".
"I didn't let her down, not once, not now".
"Oh, but you did. You and I are so much alike Bishop. We screw people over for money. I'll agree with you that our techniques are different but in the end the outcome is the same".
"I'm going to kill you Cross. I promise to make it quick. One bullet right smack in the middle of your head. That's how they generally kill animals".
Jake walked over and grabbed Arthur's knife and looked at it's sharp blade.
"Nice. Real nice. I'm curious as to how sharp it is. Is it a smooth cut or just the opposite"?
Arthur shook as he watched Jake return to Julia. He put his gun in the back of his pants and placed the point of the knife on Julia's thigh and slowly let it trail down a few inches. The skin opened instantly as if it were silk and blood trickled down.
"Amazing"! said Jake. "A fine piece of cold steel, very precise".
"You fucking son of a bitch"! yelled Arthur no longer able to contain the pain and the anger that were mixing in him.
"It's gut wrenching isn't it, to see someone…" Jake paused. "Wait. Do you love her Bishop? Or was she simply the icing on the cake? She's unconscious, so you don't need to worry about telling the truth".
"That's none of your fucking business".
Jake shrugged. "I'm a very curious man. That's alright, we can stay here all night until you give me an answer. I'm a very patient man. I've been working on this operation for four years, it was supposed to be a piece of cake, until you showed up and ruined everything. So, another couple of hours won't change anything for me. I'll just continue taking care of Julia".
Arthur knew he was running out of time, not only when it came to Julia but also regarding the explosives he had placed. He needed to get her, and himself, out of there and fast.
"You want the truth Cross? I'll give you the truth. I feel in love with her the minute she walked into that bar on the first night I worked there. But I pushed my feeling aside because I never mix business with pleasure, but what I felt for her was so strong that I couldn't fight it anymore and I'm glad I didn't".
Jake sneered and looked at him. "As I was saying, it must be hard to see someone you love suffer and die in front of your eyes. Because, that is what I'm going to do Bishop. I'm going to kill her as you watch"!
Jake took a step towards Julia with Arthur's knife. As Cross' attention was no longer on him, Arthur took his head and headbutted the first guy then the second, allowing them to release his hold on him. If there was one thing that Cross had underestimated, it was Arthur's speed. In a flash he grabbed Jake by the head, grabbed the gun at the back of his jeans. Still holding on to Cross, he shot Rafael and the other guy in the head, killing them instantaneously. He placed the gun at the back of Cross' head.
"Drop it"! he said to him, talking about the knife.
Jake dropped the knife. "You'll never get out of her alive".
"Just watch me"!
A sequence of detonations was heard in the building. Arthur looked at his watch. Time was running out. He turned Cross around and shot him in the stomach point blank. Jake staggered backwards and crashed into the wall and fell to the floor, holding his bleeding abdomen.
He rushed over to Julia and undid the pins of her hand shackles and held her body against his as he caught her in her lifeless fall. He carried her in his arms and walked past Jake.
"Enjoy the fireworks, you should have a great view from here"!
He grabbed his duffel bag and gun and walked towards the door leading outside. He kicked the door open and stepped out into the day rising. He dodged bullets and shot men as he proceeded to head towards the front of the property and out onto the road.
The ground floor explosives went off, sending men and debris flying, but Arthur didn't stop, he kept going.
He was about to reach the street when he heard it.
"Bishop, I'm going to kill you"!
He turned around and saw a staggering Cross walking towards him, gun in hand.
Arthur shot in his direction as he resumed his way to the SUV.
He quickly but gently placed Julia on the back seat. She was still losing blood, where Cross had cut her thigh but there was no time to address that problem, he needed to get her somewhere safe first. Then he would make it his last assignment to kill Cross.
He got behind the wheel and started the engine as he heard an engine rev up behind him. He looked in the rearview mirror and saw Cross behind the wheel. Arthur slammed on the accelerator and started to swerve to avoid the bullets Cross was sending their way. Arthur opened his window and tried to fire back, aiming at the tires. Cross caught up to him and bumped into the back of the SUV, sending it forward and slightly losing its trajectory. When Cross placed his SUV right next to Arthur's, Arthur swerved the SUV against it, sending it to the side of the road, slowing Cross down. Arthur shot a glance at Julia and her leg and knew she didn't have much time left. He followed the road at it swerved into a tight turn. He grabbed a grenade from a bag on the passenger seat. He pulled the pin out and sent it flying through the window. It exploded as it hit the ground, creating a crater in the road, sending debris. He knew he had one shot and only one shot. He slammed on the breaks, sending the car into a 360 stopping it at 160, slightly to the right side of the road. He stepped out of the car, gun in hand, with his arm at his side, and placed himself right in the middle of the road. He waited as he heard the sound of Cross' SUV get neared around the bend. When it was in sight, he lifted his arm and aimed at the SUV.
He pulled the trigger once, sending the bullet right straight through the windshield and allowing it to lodge itself right in the middle of Cross' forehead. He then shot another one in the tire as it neared him. He jumped out of the cars path as it lost control and finished in the ditch and rammed itself in a tree.
Arthur stood and walked over to the car and looked at a lifeless Cross.
"There's one thing you should know. I always keep my promises"!
Arthur walked away and went for the trunk of the SUV. He pulled out a first aid kit and took out bandages. He went to the back seat and quickly wrapped her thigh. He then returned to the trunk and placed a blanket over Julia. He bent over and kissed her on the forehead. "Hang in there gorgeous, don't give up on me now".
He got back behind the wheel and drove to the nearest hospital and handed her over to the ER doctor's explaining he had found her on the side of the road near a car accident.
As they tended to her, he took his phone out.
"VanKirk".
"It's Bishop. You can stop the transaction. I have Julia".
"How is she"?
"I think I don't need to answer that question. She's at Clinica San Juan in Valladolid. I'll stay until you get here".
"We're on our way"!
A few hours later, Gideon, Connor and a few other security guys walked into the ER waiting room.
Gideon walked over to Bishop and shook his hand. "Thank you, Bishop".
Arthur dug his hands in his pockets. "That was the assignment wasn't it? Keep an eye on her and make sure she's safe".
Gideon nodded. "We'll take it from here. Your job is done".
"If it's all the same to you, I'd like to wait until she comes to".
"That won't be necessary. This changes nothing, Bishop".
"Why don't you let Julia make that call"?
"My daughter has no idea what is best for her". He took out a pad and pen and scribbled on it. He then ripped it and handed it to Bishop. "For your troubles".
Arthur took the paper and looked at it.
"You are a smart man Bishop, I know you'll make the right call".
Arthur folded the paper, placed it in his pocket and looked at Connor who remained stoic.
"It's been a pleasure doing business with you Mr. VanKirk", said Arthur as he walked out of the waiting room.
Gideon turned around and looked at Connor. "Make sure he leaves the premises".
Connor nodded and followed Arthur.
As Arthur headed back to La Rosa Negra and packed up his things, Julia woke from her unconscious state and noticed she was in the hospital. She looked around the room. If she was here, safe and alive, it must have been because Arthur had come for her. For a split second her heartbeat accelerated at the thought that he was with her, but her hopes disappeared like a thin trail of smoke in the wind as the only person in the room with her was her father.
"Julia" said Gideon as he walked towards her.
"Where's Arthur"?
"He's gone. He's moved on Julia. This was nothing more than a job".
Julia's eyes teared up as she heard her father's words.
Gideon remained untouched by his daughter's state as he walked towards the door.
"I'm taking you home. I'll let the doctor know and have the jet ready to leave within the next few hours".
Julia let the tears flow without holding back as she watched her father exit the room. It was over. It was all over. Bishop had left, and she had just lost her freedom and would return to the VanKirk mansion in the NJ suburbs. Had Jake killed her, it would have been the same.