King of Hearts
Chapter 83 – Stand Up For Myself.
Twig's POV, Verno Compound, The next morning.
Jet lagged and full of what felt like regret for my past actions, I approached the main gate to be welcomed by the guard.
"Welcome back Twig. How was the trip?" He asked as I walked by. Stopping to look back at him I replied.
"About as good as to be expected. Verno in his office?"
Smiling as he saw I was clearly tired, the man replied to my question.
"Nah. He's out by the pool with Claire and Jin."
"Thanks." I said as I waved him goodbye and began to head for the inevitable.
As I walked among family, I began to look around my surroundings. Something about this place made me feel good. Welcomed even. It was cozy and I was going to be sad if I never got to see it again after this. Just the people who protected it was enough to make me smile. Everyone seemed so peaceful. It was hard to see the fear Verno thinks is all around him.
As I turned to the back of the compound, I rested my eyes on the pool. Claire was splashing all around and to my own surprise I saw Verno himself was swimming. He smiled and laughed actually. It's was hard to believe he was even worried at all. Jin on the other hand was just laying out it seemed with a smile of his own as he watched over his Don.
Approaching with a lack of speed, I began to take off my orange jacket. As I tossed it over my shoulder I was soon spotted by Jin who now glanced my direction. Instantly he sat up without a word.
Don Brock Verno's POV.
With my daughter hanging onto my back under the water, I soon splashed through the surface to let out a laugh.
"Hahahaha! You okay honey?" I asked as I looked back to see her fur over her eyes. With a powerful puff of air to move it, she replied with a smile.
"Do it again dad!"
"Okay okay. Ready?"
"Yeah!" She now shouted as she held onto me tight.
"Sir?" Breaking out from my train of thought, I looked to my side to see Jin staring at me.
"What is it?" I wondered as he looked to his right.
Following his eyes I soon rested mine on Twig who appeared to be heading our way. His eyes looked towards the ground as he clearly had something to say. I knew it wasn't good just by the way he looked.
With my daughter now in the same boat, she shouted.
"Twiggy!"
Gently I put her down back into the water to head for the edge of the pool. As I stepped out; I took notice that Twig had made himself stop from getting any closer. Something was very wrong.
Twig's POV.
As I neared, Don Verno stepped out of the pool. I had to force my feet to stop from getting any closer to him. I didn't want Claire to hear what I had to say.
With Jin handing him a towel, Verno approached me with a smile to say.
"Your back. How was the trip?"
Dragging my eyes to his, I replied.
"Can we speak in private sir?"
Verno lost his smile instantly at my tone and looked back to Jin to order.
"Stay here with Claire. I'll be back in a few minutes honey, okay?"
Smiling Claire replied.
"Alright. But wait!"
"What honey?" Wondered Verno as she struggled to get out of the pool on her own. After watching her roll up onto her feet I widened my eyes to watch as Claire came running up to my leg to latch on. I could feel the water on her body touching my leg as she soon retracted to state.
"I missed my stick."
Grinning I replied.
"I missed you too Claire. But I gotta talk to your dad for a bit. Is that okay?"
Nodding she replied.
"Okay. Wana swim with me after your done?"
Shaking my head I replied.
"I have things to do baby. Maybe later."
"Okay." She replied in a softer tone as I looked back to my Don.
Nodding he urged.
"Let's go to my office."
Nodding back I began to led the way inside. With silence between us as we walked, I knew he had an idea. I clearly wasn't in a good mood.
Shutting the door behind him as he entered, Don Verno stopped in front of his desk to ask.
"So what happened? Obviously something isn't good that you have to tell me Twig."
Nodding I replied.
"This is hard for me to say Brock."
"Then start at the beginning then. What is Morgue planning?"
Following along, I replied.
"He wants to move in on LA like you assumed. But first he has plans to attack Don Soul first. With Hash out of the picture it's his perfect time to commit."
"And what about Cora and myself? Is he coming for us?" Wondered Verno as I nodded.
"After Soul has been dealt with he wants to use everything he has to come after you and Cora. He even wants Robotnik out of the equation."
"My god." Mumbled Verno as I went silent.
Now sitting on the top of the desk Don Verno questioned to himself.
"He wants to take everyone down? Then what? Be all that is left?"
I didn't move nor say a word as Don Verno looked up to see my eyes were off towards the side of the room. He knew I had more to say.
"Twig? What's going on?"
Shutting my eyes to his voice, I replied.
"Like I said...this is very hard for me Brock. It is."
Now standing up to face me he questioned.
"What?"
Letting out a breath I replied into his gaze.
"We both know we can't take down Morgue alone. I can't always be here to protect you and Claire. I'm just one man."
"Your more then a single man Twig. Your one of the best."
Shaking my head to his response I stated.
"Not against an army. Morgue by far is the most dangerous threat we face as a family. He could avoid Don Soul and come after us and Cora if he wanted too. It wouldn't end much differently."
"What are you saying then? Give up? Twig that's not the man I know you are." Stated Brock as I once again shook my head.
"I'm not giving up. And I hate to say this but I made a choice on my own while I was with Don Soul. It had to be said."
After hearing that sentence Verno questioned.
"What did you do?"
Holding my ground I replied.
"I asked for help. I asked Don Soul for his support. We both know the truth Brock. We alone can not handle Cora and Morgue. We need allies." Verno now stared at me in disbelief.
"I asked what it would take to earn his trust. To earn a fighting chance. Like I said I can't guarantee your safety with the ways things stand Brock. I'm sorry."
I now sensed anger in his posture. Anger I wasn't surprised to see to tell the truth. With his will to keep calm nearing his end Don Verno questioned.
"Let me get this straight. You went behind my back? Asked Don Soul of all people for help? Because why? You don't believe you can do your job Twig?"
"It's not that." I replied as he then asked.
"Then what is it then? If your confident in your abilities then why ask Soul to support my family!?"
With his tone now raised I replied.
"If Morgue was to focus on you tomorrow Brock I couldn't take everyone. Yes I will fight till my death to protect you and Claire, but in the end I will die all the same. We lack the people. The power. Our war with Cora has weakened us and makes us easy prey for a man like Morgue. Can you not see that?" I asked him as he quickly replied in force.
"I know that! But that doesn't give you the right to...?!"
"This isn't about what is right Brock! It's about Claire! It's about you! Listen to me!" I ordered him as he went silent to stare at me in surprise for my sudden outbreak.
"You two mean everything to me. I want you to understand that. But I had to make the call. Not as your Underboss, but as your friend. You...and Claire...mean the world to me now."
"Twig?" He said in a sad tone as I began to tear up.
Ignoring him now, I went on to state.
"And as your friend Brock I need to do everything. I need to earn this truce with Don Soul. He gave me his word and he will be in touch. But until then I need you to listen to me."
Both of us were now under a lot of stress. Verno was mad I could still tell, but now he seemed lost for words. With the air in the warm getting thicker and thicker in emotion, I went on to state.
"I can no longer be your Underboss." Immediately Don Verno widened his eyes to question.
"What?" His face showed shock as I went on despite his clear fear of my statement.
"An Underboss should be the one you can always count on for anything. They should always be by your side. They should always protect you. But I can't be here for this. I can't protect you without this. And I can tell you no longer trust me. For those reasons I need to go. Don Soul needs me to find Hash. That's the task I have to preform in order to earn his trust. In order to keep you and Claire safe."
In utter shock now, Don Verno questioned.
"I do trust you Twig. I...I...?" Cutting him off I begged.
"Save it please. With the way things are now between us I can't see this ending any differently."
"Twig?" He mumbled through his emotion as I made my way for his door.
"Keep to the compound. Give my job to Jin. He is more then capable of protecting you and Claire if things were to happen while I'm away."
"You can't just do this Twig." He stated as I nodded my head to reply.
"I have too. Once I earn Don Soul's truce you and Claire will not have to worry about danger anymore. Which means in the end I did my job as your Underboss. Thank you for everything Brock. Maybe I'll see you again one day under better terms."
"Twig!" Shouted Verno as I opened his door.
"You can't leave! I forbid you!"
Stepping out of his office I continued to listen with shut eyes as he screamed behind me.
"You can't leave me like this! You just can't! You part of this family!"
Heading out the door I tried my best to make my way to the exit. Verno chased me down with each step I took. The men around all watched as he yelled.
"I need you Twig! Claire needs you! This family needs you!"
Heading out the door and back outside, I stopped in my tracks to find Claire no more then a few feet ahead. She wasn't smiling any longer.
"Twiggy? Where are you going?" She asked as Verno came behind me to stop in his tracks.
"You can't do this to us Twig. You are part of my family. The Verno name is your name. You don't have to go and risk your life for me. You don't have to do what Soul wants. We can survive together. You just have to believe me." He stated as he was clearly trying to convince me.
Slowly getting down, I offered Claire a hug and replied to her question.
"I need to leave the house for a few days baby. Its very important for you and your dad."
"Are you coming back?" She asked as I began to see her crying.
My heart was broken now. I knew this would happen but fuck I wasn't prepared to see it with my own eyes.
Letting a tear roll from my only eye I replied with a glance back to Brock who awaited the answer. After one last look at him, I refocused on her small body to reply.
"I don't think so."
It was instant. Claire began to ball tears. Verno was now lost in my answer. I don't think he was expecting me to abandon him like this. But as his friend I need to. In the end it will have been worth it.
Bringing Claire close I urged her with a whisper.
"Come here kiddo."
Latching onto my body she questioned.
"Why aren't you coming back?!"
Holding back my real answer I replied.
"What I need to do is in order to protect you honey. To keep you and your father safe. I'm not coming back because I might not be able to."
Brock caught onto what I was referring to by that. Immediately he stated.
"You're not going. That is final."
Pulling Claire away and standing back up to face him, I replied.
"This is my choice. You don't want to hear it, I understand that. But I'm going to say this only once. You can't stop me from doing this. I need to be able to protect you two. Even if it gets me killed in the end."
Claire widened her eyes now as Verno shouted.
"This family needs you Twig! You mean more to me and to her then anyone else! Your like a brother to me and mother to her! I can not let you do this! I understand that it's for my protection but there is always another way! Please! Let's talk about this!"
Shaking my head I replied.
"I already made up my mind about this Brock. I'm grateful for everything you have done for me. I can never repay you for saving my life. But I damn right will risk it to protect yours. I'm sorry but this can not be avoided this time. Don Soul will call you soon. He'll explain the rest. But I have to go. If I survive you have my word I'll return. But if I don't...?" Claire stared up into my eyes. I could barely stand to talk straight anymore around her. But looking back to her father I urged.
"Don't come find me. You won't like what you see."
Turning my back slowly, Claire shouted at me.
"Don't leave Twig! Don't leave!"
Verno now had to hold her back as I made my way to the exit of the compound. With tears leaving my eye, I left out the gate and made haste for my car that wasn't too far away.
Looking back I saw Claire and Verno staring at me through the gate.
Like I said, my heart was snapped in two. But it had to happen somehow. I'm just glad I won't be here when he finds out I'm going to Columbia. Verno will understand even more why I had to go. He won't like it, but in the end this isn't something he can changed. Sooner it or later it had to happen. This time sooner and a lot more painful. Part of me hopes after I find Hash I'll just die. Another part hopes that I'll be able to come back one day. Till then? I walk this road alone.
mT Shadow.
