“Good.Now stay down and don’t move.You’ll be fine.If bullets start coming in here, crawl to the bathroom.”
I step out of the room and pull the door shut behind me, then check my phone.Eight missed calls from Jenkins, head of the surveillance team, and a few from Cora.
I hit callback on Jenkins and he answers on the first ring.“Raya.”
“You called?”
“Yes.Lorenzo left instructions to reach out to you if we couldn’t get through to him or the boss in the event of an emergency.And, uh, the villa is under attack.”
“By the sound of things, yeah, no shit,” I mumble, stifling a groggy yawn.“Aren’t you trained to handle situations like this?”
“I—uh, the problem is, we’re no help to the Uppers because we can’t figure out how the attackers are getting in.We’ve got eyes on every sector and—”
“Was the area south-east of Soul of Mirabella fortified like I suggested weeks ago?Did you get those cameras up out there?Lights?”
“No, we haven’t gotten around to—”
“There’s your answer,” I cut in.“Get in contact with the Uppers.Have them send their best shooters and the dogs to that area, cut off the breach, and secure the perimeter.Then block off all other exits to trap anyone already inside.Execute that properly and they’ll regain control.”
“Got it.”
“Good.Call me if anything—”
“Actually…can you stay on the line?”
“Why?”
“Because you’re calm, and it’s helping me—”
I hang up.
Had they been proactive and fortified the villa’s weak point when I flagged it, this whole attack would’ve been a nonstarter.For a criminal empire, they’re way too complacent.Maybe this will wake them up.Remind them this isn’t Disneyland.While their king is off making deals and stacking money that feeds them all, he should be able to trust them to protect his damn castle.
This is ineptitude in its purest form.
At the top of the grand staircase, I pause at the sight of Tazi slouched against one of the foyer columns, an automatic rifle strapped across her chest and a grimace carved into her face.No obvious bloodstains, but she’s clad in all-black.
“Are you hit?”I call down.
“Thigh.Don’t worry about it,” she grunts, waving me off.“Go back to your room.Hide.”
I point down the other hall.“I’m going to check on the other girls.”
Her face contorts with pain, but she nods once.“Be careful.”
Turns out the girls on this side of the house has more functioning brain cells, because every one of them is hiding sensibly inside their rooms.One has a shoulder wound but still has the good sense to stay low and tucked in a corner.
“I-I’m shot,” she whimpers.“Am I going to d-d-die?”
“It’s just shrapnel.You’ll be fine,” I tell her after a quick check.“Stay down and stay hidden.”
Let’s hope the men outside are capable of protecting what’s on the inside.
After checking all the rooms, I jog downstairs, fetch some supplies from the medical pantry, then head to the foyer to Tazi.Smears of her blood on the marble are more noticeable now.
Sitting down in front of her, I pick up the scissors.“Where’s Eleni?”
“No clue.She wasn’t in bed when the shots woke me…”
