Chapter 22 - Martyrdom
He ascended the spiralling stairs carefully, poised at any second for an attack or sudden rush. But none came. He slowly reached the top of the stairs and walked into a room, gun held in front of him. This room was furnished and dimly lit. A door stood on the opposite side of the room, inviting Miguel to walk through. He obliged and strode into the room, pistol by his side.
Jack Madden stood rigid, a struggling Roxy by his feet. He held her, pistol aimed towards her head. Miguel knew he was helpless in this situation. Two guards were also in the room, armed with AK47s, there expressionless faces adding to the heightened tension in the room. One of them walked over to Miguel and took the pistol off him. Madden gestured to the other guard to take hold of Roxy. He released her into the guard's care before standing behind Miguel, pistol trained at his head.
"Move" Madden ordered, jabbing Miguel. Miguel stood rigid, unhesitant before the guard nearest him threw his fist into Miguel's stomach, driving him to the floor. Miguel flashed Roxy a look when she whimpered. She had a gag round her mouth and her eyes were wide with fear. Tears ran down her cheeks as she watched the guard pick Miguel up.
"Move" said Madden again. Miguel responded this time and exited the room. Madden followed, closing the door behind him. Miguel waited, staring at Madden for his next order. Madden stared back, the silence deafening. He could hear a feint whimpering coming from inside the room, the stone walls muffling the sounds. The two men stood face to face, pistol ready at any moment to unleash its deadly payload…
x
Roxy watched as Miguel fell to the floor, the guard's fist flying into the man's chest. Roxy let out a silent cry, the cloth in her mouth preventing her from calling out. Tears ran down her face, as Miguel was put back on his feet and ordered to leave the room. Madden gave a nod to the near-by guard and left, closing the door behind him. The guard behind her grabbed the cloth from her mouth and pushed her to the floor in a heap. The other guard approached, a grim smile appearing on his face.
"Come to me girly" he said sadistically, grabbing out for her. She kicked his hand and shuffled back along the floor; the man's smile turning to distaste.
"Please…" she cried. "Just let me go"
"And why would we want to do that?" said the guard. "You're so pretty. You shouldn't be with a dirty Spaniard like him"
"Well just let me go then…"
"Come on man, let's just kill her and get our cut" said the other guard finally.
"Cool it" replied the other. "That pompous prick said we could do what we want with her"
"Stop fucking about Nathan" the other said, raising his AK…
x
And then it came. A gunshot followed by a scream, Madden smiled at the sound. Miguel jumped at the suddenness of the attack, despair washing over him. He broke his gaze with Madden to stare at the door. The room was silent; Roxy's whimpering silenced.
Miguel was hit by a force he'd never felt before. Every last drop of feeling and energy evaporated the second the crack had come from within. He broke on the spot.
"Move" said Madden, but Miguel didn't hear. His world had just collapsed. He had worked so hard to get her back but he had failed. He would have died on the spot, just to go to hell and get her back. For Miguel, life wasn't worth living without Roxy. That was, if he survived Madden's torment.
Madden eventually forced Miguel down the stairs and into the room where Paul had been shot.
"What did you do?" he said, coming to terms instantly with his loss. He didn't love his son, but he felt pride for him.
"He was going to screw you over Jack. He wanted his inheritance in full" replied Miguel, lost in a world of his own. He spat out every word, as if they were going to be his last.
Madden turned from the fallen son and ordered Miguel downstairs again, entering the stone hall. He had a van waiting outside, ready to take Miguel away to the forest, his intended resting place. Miguel looked around at the dead guards, trying to identify Kraze. He found the black man sat on the floor, his hand on his stomach trying to stop the bleeding. Maddens smiled as he watched Miguel run over to the stricken soldier, a shotgun wound leaving a gaping hole. He would let Miguel enjoy this last torment before finishing the De Fidio lineage.
"Did you get him?" said Kraze weakly, barely breathing.
"No… I" said Miguel before falling silent.
"Take this knife… finish him" said Kraze, holding out a pouch from his belt.
"No… I've a better idea" replied Miguel, grabbing the grenade off of Kraze's belt. Kraze nodded in acceptance of what was about to happen. Miguel turned to face Madden, fury in his eyes.
"You know, you've taken everything from me" he said angrily, tossing the grenade up and down in his hand. Madden became fixated as Miguel got closer. He was within the blast radius.
"It is only what you deserve. This should have been my city. Mine!" shouted Madden, gun trained on Miguel as he approached.
"You were too big a scumbag, even for Liberty. My father knew exactly what you were. He did what he did for family and for respect. Honourable motives. You do what you do for cold cash." Miguel said, closing in on Madden, the pistol beginning to become unsteady. "You twisted my friends, destroyed countless lives and corrupted your own reputation. You're finished" he said, pulling the pin.
"What…I'm…NO!" screamed Madden as Miguel twisted around him, grabbing him in a headlock. Miguel held the leviathan up, the man's huge weight proving difficult to hold on to.
"Lesson one Jack, if you're going to kill someone, shut the fuck up and kill them!" He let go of the grenade, the explosive device falling to the floor.
"NO!" Madden continued to scream as he fought Miguel grasped, the huge biceps choking him.
"Lesson two Jack, never come between a man and his wife!"
"Wait!" pleaded Madden feebly, his airways collapsing under the immense pressure.
"Final lesson Jack, never mess with a De Fidio!"
"NO!" shrieked Madden, the explosion tearing through the two bodies, devouring them in flames. The blast caught several of the pews, splintering them as the wood began to fly. Kraze quickly shielded his face as the explosion roared before imploding. He watched as the detonation died, covering his face as bits of shrapnel crashed to the floor. He looked over to where Miguel had been standing, a scorch mark staining the blood-ridden floor. He clasped his stomach, the pain wracking his body, before falling into unconsciousness…
x
Natasha pulled up outside the Cathedral in the red Stallion, her clothes cut and blood trickling down her leg. Lucie sat next to her, unable to speak. Natasha jumped out, a struggling Luca trying to follow. He'd refused to go to the hospital until her knew Miguel was safe. Lucie had done the best she could with a first aid kit, but the bullet remained in his chest, a one in a million chance of still being alive. Natasha crossed the road only to be greeted with an explosion, the grenade in the hall exploding as she grabbed the handle for the door. The force knocked her back, the sudden blast catching her off-guard.
She got up before feeling a hand on her shoulder. She threw his fist up and span around, swiping the man in the face. It was Yen. The oriental looked stunned as he held his eye, his pale skin quickly becoming red.
"Wha…" was all Natasha could say, before her fighting instinct kicked in, ready to swing again.
"Whoa, whoa" shouted Yen, holding his hands outstretched. "I'm helping you, crazy bitch"
Natasha swung again, Yen blocking the punch and pulling Natasha down the steps. He twisted her arm round, sending her into submission. Luca watched with gritted teeth as he tried to get out of the car. Lucie froze, refusing to move.
"Listen woman," said Yen calmly, relaxing his grip gently. "Miguel knew I was here. I helped him"
"Like fuck did you! What did you do to him?" cursed Natasha as she tried to move. Yen's grip was like steel.
"He's dead" Yen replied, "Madden too"
"What?" called Luca, stood across from the couple. Yen let go of Natasha and sprinted for his Stinger, Luca producing a 9mm. He fired shot after shot, the Yakuza assassin avoiding them all. Luca kept clicking the trigger long after the clip was empty, pointing the gun at the car as it sped off, the assassin stunned by the couples response.
Luca dropped the pistol, clutching his stomach as the pain shot him. Natasha put her hand gently on his shoulder. He tossed it off and hobbled up the steps. He slammed into the door, trying to open it as he held his wound. He eventually got in and was met by a very disturbing sight. The bodies of dead men littered the floor; pools of blood had already begun to dry. A smell lingered in the air, the stench of death stifling the air.
"Kraze!" screamed Natasha as entered the hall. She ran over to the fallen soldier, the man barely conscious.
"Natasha…" he whispered feebly, drifting in and out of his sleep like state.
"Kraze," said Natasha, "What happened here?"
"Madden… Miguel grabbed my grenade and… blew them both up… Thought you were dead…"
"You liar" screamed Luca, hobbling as quickly as he could over to where Kraze lay. He collapsed on the floor, dragging himself closer, blood trailing from his wound.
"Luca, stop" said Natasha, pulling him away. Luca burst into tears as she cradled him. He lashed out, trying to forget everything. But he couldn't. Natasha stayed with him, arms held around the grieving De Fidio.
"He thought I was dead!" he screamed as Lucie entered the hall, taking in the scene.
"It's all my fault, it's all my fault…" Luca cried as Kraze drifted off into the unending sleep…
