thirty

30

ambush

The ride would've been deadly still if it weren't for Damocles' phone buzzing every once in a while. My tongue clicked as he checked his phone once more, only to decline and have it ring again. He wasn't phased by the physiognomy eyes I've been sending him. I pinched his thigh.

"Ow! what do you want?" he snarled my way. Only to cower slightly at my piercing gaze.

I lift up my sunnies from my vision, "Will you please answer your phone. It's driving me nuts. Who's calling you?" I pry, peaking up at his phone screen.

He tucked it in his pocket and tapped it a few times as I slouched. Miming a lock and key, zipping his lips shut. I swat him with my purse. Lana Del Rey blasted the speakers, Damocles protested on about how I play her songs every time I'm in the car and how much it sickens him at this point. Sticking my tongue out, I turn the music up to ignite him. I forced a forming grin to a frown when I catch him softly bobbing his head to the beat of Cola. As much as I would love to humiliate him, I won't want to bruise his ego in front of made men. But, have no fret; I will tease him about it once we're out of sight. Snickering inwardly to myself, the mediocre structure came to view: Evensecinst District Airport.

We made our way inside the building. Men and women of lavish lifestyle, all spun their heads as soon as we stepped foot, some cower while others were more intrigued with their knotted brows. The tiles under foot gleamed white became my very own runway, the swarm of people here were nothing but an audience to my walk. There were plasma screens of arrival and departure times on the wall of the airport. People were lined up at the check in desk with suitcases and baggage. There were plants dressed in large pots that decorated the area, next to some of the cream colored couches. In the background soft classical music played. In the arrivals lounge there was a curious mixture of bored and excited people. Some looked like they were bored out of their mind, others resembled Veruca from Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory that haven't gotten a golden ticket. The beams supported so many windows, let in so much light, that in the daytime it is as bright as any summers day.

I tucked my hand in the pockets of my jeans, my pace of walking fastened to reach Damocles who was ahead of us all. The men behind us, chatting amongst themselves and a few tapped on their phones. Before the laughter came, its anticipation flipped my expression. Dry, labial hills eroded into wet-licked lips of imminent joy.

"So, Pepsi cola, huh?" I bumped my shoulder to his as we walked, teasing clear in my tone.

To my ebullience, he clamped a hand down my mouth as he hushed me. His eyes frantically roam behind us to see if one of the men heard what I said. "Shut up," he flicks my forehead with his middle finger.

You might be wondering, why were we here when most of our men didn't trust the Koenig men. Well, I have no clue whatsoever. All I know is that Damocles said it was alright to fetch him at the airport. A yawn escapes my lips, stretching my arms above my head 'til I felt a pleasurable crack. Damocles awoke me from my short nap, informing me that Stavros' private jet had just landed. We made our way to the receiving area. My vision searching and scanning for the man, successfully landing on him. His broad back faced us as he talked to the captain of the plane. Accoutre in maroon Armani and a pair of Gucci loafer clad feet. Made men never left the house without looking as dashing as they are, Stavros Koenig just happened to be the finest of them all.

On the spur of the moment, my feet moved on their own and ran to Stavros. Yelling out his name to capture his attention, he spun on his heel. Widened eyes, disbelief and joy glazed in them. His arms moved on reflex and gripped on my thighs when I jumped on him. My arms wrapped around his neck, trapping him in my embrace.

"Hi." I said in his ear.

The pad of his thumb spread a tiny amount of warmth through my jean clad thighs, drawing small various shapes as he carried me to the car. Only after bidding his goodbyes to the pilot, of course. "Hello, Hasi. What are you doing here?" his warm breathe tickled the hair on my nape.

"I'm here to bring you home, silly."

"Elixir, I'm asking you why you chose to ignore my request of you to not come along."

I huffed, "Oh c'mon, you act like it's a bad thing for me to be here. There's nothing that would harm me. I have you, my cousin and other people to protect me."

"Where's Damocles?"

His tone stalwart as he asked, I point to my cousin who was flirting with the flight attendant. Our eyes met and we both shook our heads at my coquettish cousin, or his friend. He placed me on my feet, I marched my way to Damocles. Dragging him by the ear, he distraughtly yelled out his numerals to the girl who was as equally interested in him. I made my way back to Stavros, who wrapped an arm around my waist as soon as I was in arm's length. I didn't fail to notice the stares the Dimitrious soldiers gave Stavros as he passed by them with me in his arms. They were discreet about their vast discord whenever they were in my presence or around me. Howbeit, the particular Koenig who held me wasn't phased by their stares. He stood taller, towering above everyone. His intimidating eyes made the men cast their eyes down the floor, as if they were staring at the eyes of medusa; afraid to be morphed into stone.

If Stavros would be a mythological god, he would be Hades. Hades has absolute control and divine authority over the power of fear; in a way, Stavros does, too. I've heard rumors, of how cruel he can be. Since they were seniors, him and Damocles graduated high school before us. The girls went on havoc as rumors spread about their line of work. But, of course... I had to keep quiet due to omertà, the code of silence. Being loquacious growing up was no help, it took everything in me to bite my tongue 'til it bled.

One of the men, Aegeus I think was his name, opened the door to the passenger seat for me. Stavros, even though jet-lagged, insisted to drive us. Damocles slept in the back, his loud snores irritated my hearing. A hand crept on my thigh, gripping it tight as he manoeuvred the steering wheel with his left hand. My vision wanders to the outside. Just the blue sky, greenery and large van. Something in me was nagging on about the van,

"Elixir," he tightens his grip on my thigh. "Listen, hasi. I need you to get the gun under your seat, wake up Damocles as well." His voice as calm as his expression. I didn't dare to question him, I did as told.

Shaking my sleeping cousin, he jolts awake with his hands up in a fist as if he were fighting someone. Pulling out the rectangular black box from beneath me, unclasping the locks and handing Damocles the silver glock pistol. Stavros informed him of what to do. I clutch the gun close to my chest.

Stavros' eyes lift up to the rearview mirror, "Listen, Dame. The men have been killed off. Whoever's in that van is meant to harm, keep a close eye and shoot if needed. We don't wanna rile them up," I then notice the black shiny thing in his ear, an earpiece.

Suddenly, the opposing van crashed onto our car. My hand gripped on the seatbelt, my eyes squeeze shut doing so. Damocles yells out a profanity, a bullet pierced through the window. One silver bullet soon multiplied, they rained down on us. The side of my forehead stung as sharp glass marred my skin. Taking my lip between my teeth. The van kept on bumping in the car. The engine roared to life as Stavros sped up, Damocles lowered the window and shot the driver of the van. We topple over as another van came to view and crashed with the rear bumper. Stavros whispered a few profanities before snatching the gun I had clutched close to my chest, using one hand to shoot while steering with the other.

"Fuck, Stav! They're multiplying, is this even allowed?" Damocles shot the two men at front. "Vena, call back-up!"

I tapped on my pockets to find my phone, fishing it out of the back pocket. I turned it on. Oh no, you've got to be kidding me! Why does it have to be dead when I need it the most?! Throwing it down the carpeted floor, I fumble through the glove compartment to find a spare phone. In situations such as this, made men made it compulsory to always keep a spare phone and I knew that my family kept there's in the glove compartment. I almost screamed in delight as it lit up to a bright shade of blue. My hands trembled as I pressed on the old nokia phone.

"Shit, Stav. They're everywhere! What the fuck did you do back in Mexico?!" Damocles gunned down the van, aiming directly for the tires.

Stavros revved the car engine. "They aren't here for me," he shot the van's tires. "Those aren't Mexicans, I've sealed the deal."

I sent a silent prayer for Zahir to pick up; it took no less than three rings and he answered with his monotonous voice. I cried out for help and told him to track the phone, I had no time to explain to him what was happening. The car looked beat up and Damocles got injured. Blood trickled down the side of my face when a white van jammed us into the railings. The force of the hit causing an ache to form in my head. My cousin hissed in pain as his wound opened up. Zahir's men should come soon, I hope. Bullets pierced through the thin glass windows, we duck as it punctured the back. A large SUV this time caught up to us and bumped the car. Everything happened in slow motion, my heart drummed within my ears and sweat matted on my forehead. My eyes turn to the culprit, widening in shock before the scene was over and our car toppled.

I couldn't feel my limbs, shards of glass shattered everywhere. I undid my seatbelt, letting my body slump down the ground. Coughing echoed as smoke surrounded us. I yelped in pain as a piercing stung became prominent in my leg area.

"Elixir!" Stavros' voice beside me became my comfort at that very moment. He slipped off his seatbelt and tended to me despite having injuries of his own, "Shit, baby. C'mere."

I whimpered at the blood that trickled down Damocles' face. "S-stav, everything hurts."

"I know, baby, I know." He cooed. "Help's on it's way, okay?"

"Stav, I think I'm gonna pass out."

"No, Elixir. Stay awake, hasi. Come on, don't shut your eyes. Vernamina!" My words turned into soft gibberish as my eyelids weighed on me. Breath heaving and my ears rang. "Stay awake, Elixir. Please, don't fall asleep, don't fall asleep. Fight it,"

"I'm tired, Stav." A yawn escaped pass my lips.

"No, no, fight it baby. Don't pass out."

"Stav..." I clutched on his arm, "I saw who was in the van. It was—"

His words muffled like I was underwater, my hearing flood with crashes of waves as I let the darkness accept me with open arms.