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After the men and Yvonne leave, the room goes completely dark. Pitch black. Billie and Santiago stay in silence for a while. "Are you sleeping?" Billie asks in a soft wobbly voice.
"Nope."
"I'm scared..." says Billie trying to see Santiago in the darkness.
"I won't let anything happen to you." he grabs her hand to comfort her.
"How can you be so sure ? Look at yourself! Look at where we are !"Billie begins to sob loudly.
"Shh, everything's going to be just fine, don't worry about it."
"What are you gonna do tomorrow?" She sniffles as she says that.
Santiago sighs. "Nothing. I deserve whatever punishment they give me. I broke the fundamental rule here."
"Why can't you give the item back ? What is so important in an object ? Just leave it and we can go back home..."
"You don't understand! Of course to you it's just a simple object but to me it's the only thing I have left of my mother. I just took back what belonged to her." he answers in a tight voice, letting go of Billie's hand.
***
The next 24 hours were the hardest they've ever faced. No food and no water, tied on two chairs. The next day, the men followed by Yvonne enter the room. "Here's some food and water. We forgot to give you some before haha." Yvonne throws the food in front of the captives.
"Leonardo, untie them." orders Samson.
"Yes boss." Leonardo unties the cords off their hands. Billie shakes her hands, finally free. "I guess that means we're going to die, look how kind they are to us." Bills says, making Santiago grin.
"How did you two sleep? I hope it wasn't so bad." asks Samson.
"It was a unique experience." Santiago answers before taking a bite of the brioche that's in front of him.
"Wonderful."
Yvonne tilts her head looking at the boy in front. "I bet you must've been praying for it to end."
"I don't know." confesses Santiago. "Sometimes I pray for patience. Sometimes I pray for a gun."
"You want to kill your own family?"
"You're not my family."
"Yes she is." argues Samson. "Family isn't always blood. It's the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what."
Santiago's jaw tightens."Ironic coming from you."
"You alienated everyone you loved. And now ? You're all alone." added Mr.Vintanza.
"He's not alone. I'm his family." says Billie.
"Aw how sweet of you." mocks Yvonne. "Give me a break. I'm like 90% sure you took that out of a movie. "
"So what ?"
Yvonne nods."You're right. So what ?"she kicks Billie in the stomach making her puke out the bread she was eating. What an ugly view let me tell you that !
Santiago gets up before being held back by one of Samson's men."You b-"
"Enough chit chatting. Son, have you decided what you're going to do ?"
"Do what you want to me, just let Billie go."
"No, I'm not letting you do that !" argues Billie holding Santiago's arm. He pushes her off. "Shut up ! This has nothing to do with you !"
"Good heart, bad temper, how romantic." comments Yvonne.
"All I want is my item back."
"I destroyed it. It's gone."
"Your bullshit has a bodycount. Now where did you place it,son ?"
Santiago spits on the floor. Yvonne kicks him in the face "We should just kill him."
"Both of them. Take them to the factory." Orders Samson.
"SHE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS, LET HER GO !" argues Santiago.
"I'll get your stuff ready, Boss."Leonardo walks out the room. The men put a bag on Santiago and Billie' heads and put them in a black car. Samson, Leonardo and Yvonne leave in another car.
***
They arrive at the factory. The place is covered with blood. Markus takes the bags off Santiago and Billie and walks out of the place. "I bet you recognize this place,Santiago." says Samson while smiling. Billie looks around her. "What is this ? What is in this pool ?"
"Acid. One second in it and your skin burns you alive."answers Santiago analyzing the place.
"Oh shit." Billie gets closer to him and holds onto his arm. "Please let her go." Santiago begs.
Samson rubs his brow, frowning."That would be doing you a favor and I don't want to do that. Any last words ? Take your time, those are your final minutes together."
With wide eyes and shallow breathing, Billie gets in front of Santiago, holding both of his arms tightly. "I don't want to die, Santiago. I don't want you to die, please give him what he wants. We can still live !"134Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLLs1h4nvKu
Santiago hugs Billie tightly. He whispers in her ear. "Listen to me. Listen to me Billie, please. His men are not with us right now. It's a tradition. When I let go, run for your life."
"What ?"
"Shh. He can hear you." He presses his forehead against hers. "I know this place like the back of my hand. Run down the stairs, to the first door you see behind me. Go through the long hallway until you see a navy blue door, it's the exit and you'll be out of this place. Go home, save yourself, they won't come after you, I promise."
"Santiago..."her eyes carefully looked down at the stairs behind them.
He lifts her chin up, giving her a last warm kiss. She squeezes her eyes shut, fighting back tears. "Go. Go now, and don't look back."As soon as he uttered those words, Santiago pushed Billie away from him,giving her a head start.
"Hey ! Hey !" Samson tries to follow Billie but Santiago restrains him. "I'm not gonna let you touch her ! THIS IS BETWEEN US !"
"You're just like your mother."
"You're just jealous of your sister. You've always been." Samson pushes back Santiago. "Criticism doesn't always equal jealousy. As my nephew you should know that."
"What happened to us ? You said family looks out for each other but now you're trying to kill me. You made me steal from my mother on her deathbed. For what ? A pendant?"
Samson lifts Santiago up by the neck. His calm expression turns into a frustrated one. He starts to talk with a shaking voice. "This pendant...This pendant has been in our family for decades. The one who inherits the pendant becomes the leader of the household. As the only son, Father was supposed to give it to me but on his deathbed he gave it to your mother. Your mother ! Why ? Because she arrived at the hospital before me ! If you really want a place in this household, you'd do what I'm asking you to do."
Samson's grip starts to tighten and Santiago is finding it hard to breathe. He kicks his legs in mid air. "Am I supposed to just let go ? You wouldn't do it if you were in my shoes."
"Don't let me lose you too,mimmo." Samson says, narrowing his wet eyes.
"Please... let me go, zio Sam..." After hearing his nephew's words Samson drops him and turns his back on Santiago. On the floor, Santiago gathers himself up looking up to his uncle, hesitantly.
"Are you ashamed of me ?"
"What ?" Santiago looks in Samson's direction. A thin silhouette comes out of the dark."Why isn't he dead yet ?" it says. Santiago turns around, ready to run. "Don't. Move." commands Yvonne.
"You used to be so sweet and innocent when you first came into this family. What happened?" asks Samson.
She chuckles lightly. "My mind is a dark place." Her smile fades as she continues in a serious tone. "You don't want to be there and please don't do this. Please do not act like you care."
"I do care, Yvonne. Believe me I do. You're a Vintanza like the rest of us."
"Yet you won't let me lead this household. Don't make me do this, Boss."
"Leave."
"What ?"
"Once you leave, don't you dare ever come back !" Orders Sam. Santiago dashes to the nearest exit in a few seconds without looking back.
"No !" Yvonne aims and starts shooting at Santiago but he doesn't stop running. Samson hugs her tightly trying to block her. "I'm sorry bambina."
"No ! You're not sorry !" Yvonne struggles in his arms.
"It's too late !"
"Shut up or I'll put a bullet through your head !"
Samson releases her. He lifts the gun up to his head and puts his forehead against it. "Do it. It's what we're both waiting for isn't it ? Go on, my child. Pull the trigger."
"I'm sorry for breaking the tradition's rule,Boss."
"I hope you stay happy, even when I'm gone." He caresses Yvonne's cheek with his thumb.
"I pretend to be happy a lot. I'm not. Inside I'm really fucked up Papa."
"It's been a while since you called me Papa."
"I'm trying to give a last good memory." Yvonne pushes Samson into the acid and shoots his head. The gunshot echoes into the hallway in which Santiago is in.
"YOU BETTER RUN FOR YOUR LIFE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GET CAUGHT SANTIAGO !"
Samson's men rush into the room after hearing Yvonne's shouting. " Yvonne ! Where's our Boss ?" asks Markus. Yvonne walks towards him. She looks at him up and down then proceeds to put a gun to his head. "Your Boss is right here, can't you see !" She shouts.
" What happened?" questions Leonardo looking around.
" Papa was dying so he asked me to put him out of his misery. It hurt me to do that but he left me no choice, he was going to shoot himself with my gun."
"What happened to the girl and Santiago ?"
"The girl died and Santiago escaped. We need to find him !" Every man looks down, avoiding Yvonne's eyes. "Does anybody have a problem with me being the Boss ? Whoever has a problem has the right to raise their hands." says Yvonne. Feliciano raises his hand." Why don't you want me as your new Boss ?"
" Boss would have never wanted you as the next Boss. Leonardo is his right arm, he should've been our next Boss."answers Feliciano.
" I guess that makes sense." replies Yvonne. She lifts her gun from Markus and shoots Feliciano. "Who wants to be next ?"
" Stop this Yvonne ! I'll find Santiago for you." suggests Leonardo.
"Good. It's Boss from now on."
"Let me be your right arm Boss." he adds.
" I'd be a fool if I did that Leo. I think Lucia is going to be my right arm."
"Don't put my sister into this."
Yvonne smiles."She was already part of it the moment she was born. Just like you, just like every other Vintanza, just like every kid like me that was sheltered by this family."
" Yvonne, please."
" A 25 year old begging an 18 year old, I guess you're really desperate. I'll think about your request, now go find that son of bitch. Don't come back unless you find him."
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