CHAPTER IX

"Marco, you should go get some rest"

It was Carl speaking. But it was like he was talking to a stone and hoping for a reaction. Marco didn't move, the only thing he did subconsciously was breath and blink. His breath was slow and shallow. His face was still a mask of rage.

"Marco. They will be fine okay?", Carl said.

No response.

"Look I'm worried about them too, but you can't stay here like this"

No response.

"Fine. Ill be back, and you had better be back too"

He waited a moment. Hoping in vain for him to at least nod, shiver, sigh, something- anything at this point. He got nothing, shacking his head sadly he exited. Planning to come back with a new plan.

Marco too had a plan. It was a complex plan. And one he had decided to execute on his own.

He would stay here for another hour or so, in case any of them woke up before he implemented his crazy plan.

If none of them woke up, he would go to ask the doctor. If the situation was anything worse than getting better, he would go. If they died, he died. No point left in living.

His plan was rather straightforward. He was going after the murderer with a few guns and his own two hands. Forget that the murderer was the father of the love of his life. He had gone a step to far- by hurting her and his sister in one blow. He didn't give two coins who was instructing him, or what he was trying to do. They- all of them- they must pay for this.

After about thirty minutes he stood up, his face carefully arranged to look unconcerned. As he stood up though, the heart rate monitor strapped to Bella started to beep. He stared at her, knowing she was waking up.

"Marco?", she whispered, sitting up

"I'm here", he said going to take her hand

"Marco… don't do it. We will be fine, okay?"

He wondered for half a moment if his kid sister was perchance psychic. He put his hand to her neck, she felt normal. He really hoped he was right. She was speaking again.

"If you go… she's waiting for you… she will get you… go to dad first… but- don't try to take them… on your own… wait for us", she said in a slow rasping voice that shook him to the core.

"Bella, look at you. Lou hasn't even woken up yet. I cant let them get away with this. I won't!"

"She- she's banking on that?"

"who is the she?", Marco asked slowly

"Don't go… please…"

And with that she drifted back into an uneasy sleep. He held her hand for nearly ten more minutes, cringing internally. She was warning him. When was the last time Bella had warned him? Oh, with the stuff about Lou, she had turned out to be right about that though, hadn't she? The better side of himself was itching to heed her warning, but the hurt and angry side of him didn't want to. Just as he turned around, he saw Carl.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to know that Bella is right", he tetorted, anger blazing in his eyes.

"You're my best friend. You should understand. Take care of… both of them", Marco said and started to the door.

"No"

"No?"

"No"

They glared at one another for so long that, neither of them was keeping track of the time anymore. Carl was not in the mood to let his best friend walk majestically like a lamb to slaughter. Especially not when they didn't know what he walking into. He averted his gaze and looked at Lou and Bella. It hurt him so badly that they were caught up in all this. Two lovely girls who otherwise would have been innocent stable ladies, working respectable jobs. Now they were here, fighting a vengeful murderer and an even more vengeful bad boss.

"Carl… I don't want to have to fight you"

"Then don't, your taking this to personally. I know you love them, both of them. But you can't put yourself at a risk like this. Think of what it would do to them when they wake up and you aren't there!", he nearly shouted it, but hissed.

Marco's resolve was shattering. He still wanted to do it. But now, he was considering the advantages of taking more than one person with him. Oh, he suddenly realized. He had been acting out of extreme grief.

"When? don't you mean, if?"

"I mean when Marco"

"I can't let him go free"

"Your going to have to until we can identify who he is working with"

"But..."

"That's it Marco. Go get a shower or something"

Marco cast one last frustrated glance at the two girls, then swore and kicked a whole through the wooden chair he was using before. Carl felt awful for him, the man was grieving, but he wasn't letting himself grieve. He looked like he needed a release, something to let out on, he had chosen the murderer, and Carl was a hundred and ten percent sure that nothing he had said would be able to change the course of his anger. All he had done was buy them time.

"Girls, please wake up before Marco does something stupid"

A few hundred blocks away. She was making a call. She was calling her subordinate. She was also veey angry. Their plan had failed, the three women had managed to survive the explosion, either her subordinate was incompetent or the gas and fire wasn't strong enough. Whichever way, she was sure that he was going to die today. Unless that is- he can come up with a wonderful excuse. Probably blame it on his own subordinate. Gawd, she really needed new cronies.

He finally picked up.

"Explain yourself"

"I'm so sorry ma'am. I bought the gas and arson stuff of Rhode. I think he might still be trying to help the murderer. He doesn't understand that the murderer is a dead man walking, ma'am. I'm veey sorry. It wont ever happen again, I swear. Just give me another chance. I- I'll kill Rhode the next time I see him. He wont ever be able to say his name again. Please"

"If it happens again, you'll be seeing me for the first time, and trust me, it wont be a joyful trip. Ill kill you with my bare hands. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am. Forgive me. It wont happen again"

"It had better not", she said and hung up.

She put her head in her hand and sighed. Why was it so hard to find competent staff in mafias these days? Did she have to wipe the entire mafia population and start afresh? Nah, cost to much. She had sworn not to spend more than necessary anymore. Ugh, she would still have to kill him eventually, a few more days at most, if the fear he felt for her was enough, then he would last a few more days.

Okay, calls done.

Time to go outside and act like she is a part of them.