Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 70185 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70185 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
I was hungry, hot, tired, and scared. Days and nights had run into each other because of the darkness in the cell. I’d been able to keep some semblance of time because of the mealtimes, but since I went on a hunger strike a few days ago in an effort to get one more phone call, they’d stopped bringing me meals, so I’ve lost track.
There’s someone who could find me, but I can’t remember who. And the voices, her voice. “No, go away, you’re not real. I got rid of you. You’re not real.” I covered my ears as I heard that wailing sound again; it was getting louder and louder.
“Go away, Rosalind. I killed you, you bitch. Always in the way, not one of us. I’ll show you. He’s mine, mine, mine, mine. Marcus, Marcus, don’t leave me.” I slumped down to the cold stone floor as the voices kept getting nearer and nearer.
“You’re trying to trick me, but I’ll never tell. It was you; you did it. You did it to yourself. If you had gone away, I wouldn’t have had to….” No, it’s a trick no one knows but me. “Ha-ha, I’m the only one who knows. No one else, no one else.” But the son suspects. I know he does. Did he see something? No, I made sure. I’m safe, I’m safe. No one knows.
“Let me outta here. Help.” I banged on the door as loud as I could until I felt the blood drip down my arm. There was a noise behind me, but I was too afraid to look. Don’t look back, don’t want to see. “It’s not my fault; I had to do it.”
“Why should you and your lowborn son have everything while I suffered? It’s not my fault.” Something scurried across the floor, and I screamed, and still, the wailing was louder.
MARCUS
The theme song for Loki Green played on my private phone. “Oh shit. Hello.”
“Hi, Uncle Markie, it’s done.”
“It’s done?”
“Of course.”
“She said it!”
“Yep, and she’ll say it again whenever you need her to.”
“What else did she say?”
“Lots of stuff. Be on your helipad in ten minutes. Someone will be there with the recording. Eleven minutes later….”
“I know, I know, your money will be there. Thanks, Catalina.”
I rushed from my office to the roof, and sure enough, a chopper was coming in for landing. I looked at my watch, and it was almost to the minute. That kid is unbelievable.
I ran with my head down as the one inside didn’t seem like he was getting out. “And you are?”
“Russo! Bye!” I didn’t even take offense; all Mancini’s, or should I say Lyon’s, people act like that. The chopper was in the air before I made it to the door.
I went into my office and looked at the little chip in my hand. My heart felt sick, but I knew I had to get it over with. I took a deep breath, clipped it into my special phone, pressed play, and sank all the way into hell.
“Oh my, oh fuck, Mom.” I suspected this; I begged to have this investigated. My mother would never have left me. The woman I knew had been broken and weak, but I always believed that she would’ve pulled out of it if only for me.
“Fuck me, not my mother.” I felt it coming, but it was too late to stop the rage.
“Breathe, Marcus, breathe. CARL, get in here now.”
“What is it?”
“I don’t know, but he’s about to destroy this whole building.”
“Marcus, look at me, breathe buddy, breathe brother, come back.”
“Close…door, don’t let her see...”
“It’s closed, Marcus, I closed it. Carl, do something.”
“Look at me, look at me, Marcus. There you go. Eyes on mine, pal, there you go. If you know the enemy and you know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.”
Sun Tzu.
“Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil.”
King David the Great.
“Right here, buddy, you’re right here. Your wife is down the hall.”
“Did she see?”
“No, Monique went to stay with her so she doesn’t come this way.
“How bad is it?”
“Not bad at all, buddy, not bad this time. You just destroyed your desk and threw a chair through the wall. No one got hurt. What happened? What set you off? Someone did something to your woman?”
I shook my head, ashamed of myself. I haven’t lost control like that in years. I usually can control it before it takes over, but… I folded my fists and closed my eyes as I felt the adrenaline leave me.
“Hey, what is that look for? Whatever it is you’re thinking, don’t do it. Ah, not the fucking smile. If you do something stupid, I’m going back to working for your grandfather.” That made me laugh, as I’m sure he intended.