#mobsters

He had never spoken of her either or the life they had made. She was his safe space, the one and only person who had been able to soften and heal his hardened, empty heart by way of the rarest and truest form of love. It was magic. To him, she had come straight off the pages of a fairytale, ending his womanizing days.

He never believed in real love and happy families. How could he with all he had been through in his upbringing? Fairytales and happy endings were nonsense. He despised them so much that he used to shred his sister's books right in front of her, telling her that they were just bullshit fantasies that would warp her mind, filling it full of lies and ridiculous expectations. In truth, he only understood them as stories of darkness and deceit.

And so it ever was, so would it always be. His fairytale had come to an end as they all did, only there was no happiness. His heart had suffered a great fall and all the King's horses and all the King's men, couldn't put it back together again.

It wasn't love, but he deeply cared for Josie and seeing her so distraught was incredibly difficult, even if it was over a man he deeply cared nothing for. He had failed and abandoned his true love. He couldn't do the same to Josie.

"Take the next right," Luke coldly commanded, "From there, two blocks down. Drop me at my car."

Brando snapped his head to the side, locking Luke in his peripheral vision as he barked at him, "If you want to jump ship, there's the door! I'm not stopping."

"Look, if you want my help, I need to go to my car. I have weapons which you most certainly need, yes?? You don't know if Craig is alone."

Brando knew that he was right. Cyrus and his men could be lurking in the shadows. Pursing his lips together in frustration, he caved and sharply took the next turn as instructed.

While desperately making repeated attempts to call Craig back, Josie hadn't even noticed the change of course until the Chevelle came to a standstill. As she looked up, her flooded eyes watched in confusion as Luke ran up to his forest green Charger, camouflaged well within a darkened cluster of pines, and open the trunk.

Rushing back to the Chevy, he swung Josie's car door open and reached across her body to hand Brando the extra ammo, then he knelt down and took her tear-soaked face into his hands.

His hazels were kind and empathetic, "Listen to me. For you, I will do what I can to help. It's going to be alright." He glanced at Brando, then drew his eyes right back to her, "I'll be right behind you guys, ok?"

A withheld, whimpering breath rushed from her lips as she gave a single nod.

He stroked her chilled cheek and sweetly scolded her by reminding her of what she had forgotten to do, "You need to breathe beautiful."

With great surprise to Luke, she threw her arms around him, squishing her eyes shut as she squeezed him. God she needed to be held, even if just for the few seconds that it lasted and Luke could tell. Slightly cringing at the smell of cologne, presumably Craig's, on the leather blazer she wore, he briefly returned the embrace with snug arms to satisfy her, then he slipped free and stood, giving Brando adamant eyes.

"Go," he ordered before jogging back to his car, "I know the area well. My eyes will be peeled. I got your backs."

With the Chevelle in the lead, the Charger closely followed and soon after Brando's call, Gael and Callie became the caboose in the race against time.

A mile later, the pounding rain had ceased and the small convoy crept in near Craig's last known location, cutting the headlights as Brando led them to a dark and secluded overlook of the boating docks at pier 5. Side by side, they came to a stop with Brando in the middle, Gael on the right, Luke on the left. Gael sat patiently, waiting for Brando's plan of action, for he was the boss man's brother and to him, that placed him in charge of the search and hopefully rescue, not recovery, but Luke took orders from no one. In fact, he quickly took charge of the entire mission.

The blackened passenger window of the Charger rolled partially down, queuing Brando to do the same, then Luke's voice came from his silhouette.

"Get your boy and arm up." he ordered, referring to Gael as he slipped his ballcap on, pulling the bill down before returning to the trunk to access the armory beneath the floor.

After collecting the previously loaned ammo, Brando looked at Josie, who was snapping her wrist with the rubber band Craig had given her. As he spoke, her eyes remained focused on the sloped field leading to down the pier.

"Sit tight for a sec. I'll be right back."

As Brando gifted Gael an extra weapon and the two conversed in front of the car, Luke's shadow moved to the foggy brush line of the hill where he peered through a pair of small binoculars equipped with night vision. Callie's attentive eyes followed the faceless stranger, her brows furrowing at the familiar way he moved. Oddly, it caused the hairs on her arms to raise and her heart to race. She had to know who he was.

She leaned out her window, loudly whispering, "Gael!"

With a hard sigh, Gael turned and made his way to her window. At the same time, Brando ventured off to join Luke.

"What Callie????"

"Who is that man?" she quietly but anxiously asked.

"I don't know? Someone Josie knows I guess. His name is Luke."

There was disappointment in her tone, "Oh..."

"Why?"

"Just curious," she lied, "So what now???"

He handed her a small handgun and as she reluctantly took it, an intrusive flashback, that of being shot by the crazy redhead as her daughter and husband watched, stole her breath away. She could still hear the 'pop' and the terror in Georgina's screams and George shouting her name, 'Lissie!!' She could see the fear in his hazel eyes during the split second she locked eyes with him, screaming back his name as the gun had been turned on him moments before she lost consciousness. She could even feel the burn in her shoulder. Everything hurt all over again and uncontrollably, she winced.

With all the guns and gunfire she had fallen witness to in the last ten hours, none of it had triggered the traumatizing events of that night so long ago. She could only presume that the cause was confiding in Josie about her past only hours earlier and seeing the stranger's simple walk that was so very similar to her missing husband's.

Gael noticed her distress, "It's just for protection Callie."

She snapped back to reality, bringing her sarcasm with it, "I've never even held a gun, let alone fired one! What the hell do I even need it for when all you macho mob men, cause that's what you are now I guess, have a fuck ton of ammunition???"

"Because Callista!" he emphasized, "Craig IS a macho mob man and even he is in trouble and..." After a pause, he reluctantly continued, "because you and Josie are going to lock the doors and stay here while we go in to get Craig."

"Like hell I am!!" she barked, just as he knew he would, "and don't fucking call me that! I'm not a child that needs scolding! and also, what about Josie??? I guaranteeeeee you that she is not going to just sit here either!"

She turned to look over at her new friend who's seat was then empty as Josie had vacated the car undetected.

Suddenly, Josie's argumentative voice rang out from within the murkiness, "LET ME GO LUKE!"

"I TOLD you!" Callie gloated at Gael.

"Ok, just hold the fuck on for a second alright Callie??? Let me go find out what's going on. It's too dark and foggy. I can't see shit from here."

As Gael approached the trio, the scene began to take shape with Josie jerking her arm free from Luke's grip.

Luke was stern but calm, "You can't just go traipsing into Zacchara territory, alone, in the dark and not to mention, down that misty, swampy slope in high heels for fuck's sake."

She glared, "Why not??? YOU did!....minus the heels."

Scoffing, then chuckling, Luke shook his head, "That cannot even be a serious question. I'm highly trained for this shit. YOU...are not. You could be walking right into the lion's den. I have no visual on Cyrus, Craig or anyone else down there for that matter. You need to let the three of us handle this before you either wind up shot or breaking your damn leg."

Fuming, she clamped her jaw together and one by one, slipped her heels off, having to use Brando's arm as a crutch for balance. For extra support, he instinctively gripped her waist. The simple action brought back the memory and sweet sound of Craig's Kiwi voice as he caught her in his arms after her overconfident strut across her apartment to impress him had failed. He didn't laugh or tease like she had expected him too. He just simply said, 'I've got you love.'

To her dismay, another memory then followed. An unwanted one of tripping and twisting her ankle in Lee's backyard with a simple pair of flat bottomed boots on. His arms also saved her from a face plant and his voice, full of genuine concern, she could hear too, 'Jo! Are you ok??' That damn deep and sultry voice. It drew her right in from the very first moment she had laid her groggy eyes upon him in the hospital. It comforted her then as did his touch when he placed a gentle hand upon her ankle and asked, 'Does it hurt?' Nothing hurt then. He was a different man but now...everything hurt when she thought of him.

Once her bare and burning feet were securely planted on the earth, she shook off Lee's intrusion and countered Luke's argument, "Well I have to do something instead of just standing here like you're doing! Craig could be dy....God I can't even say it." She pulled the 38 Special from her pocket that Craig had hidden inside the glovebox, "I have this if needed and, I have this!" She pulled the keychain Kubaton that Luke had given her from the other pocket. Her smile was smug, "It took your highly trained ass down, did it not? I'm going Luke. With or without you. End of discussion."

Expecting nothing less of Josie due to her headstrong will, Luke grinned, shaking his head as he moved aside and watched her stagger down the lumpy hillside, "Of course you are," he muttered and followed, motioning Brando and Gael to join.

Glancing back at Callie, Gael hesitated to leave her there but if he knew if he went back to the car, she would try to detain him and time was running out. Craig needed help. The drama to come could wait.

"Fuck it," he muttered as he sprinted off after them without a care that Callie's scrutinizing eyes would quickly notice they were all gone and like clockwork, they did.

"What the fuck!" she shouted as she scrambled out of the car.

Stuffing the gun in her coat pocket, she too ventured off down the dark hill, cursing Gael under her breath with every slippery side-step she took, also in heels, "Fuck you Gael. Nobody puts Callie in a corner!"

Josie was the first to place her numb feet upon the level ground of cold concrete at the backside of a remote, rundown warehouse. Luke had been right behind her the entire way, ready to assist her if she slipped. Otherwise, he didn't dare touch her and risk another disabling skull crack but as she stopped in place, her eyes frantically searching and her breaths growing heavy with panic, he knew what was coming and he had no choice to place his hands upon her.

Her lips parted and her lungs filled with the chilled air, then out it came, "CRA—"

Luke's palm claimed her mouth as his free arm locked over her chest, pinning her against him and rendering her arms and hands useless.

Into her her ear, he softly spoke, "Do...not...shout. Understood?"

A tear rushed from her eye and traveled over his hand as she nodded. Cautiously, he released her and gave instructions to Brando and Gael, "Take the East side. We'll take the West." He then turned to Josie, "Move."

Locked and loaded, Brando and Gael parted ways and as Luke and Josie disappeared around the building, Callie came clacking speedily onto the dimly moonlit lot, catching a side glimpse of the man with no face. With a squealing gasp, she froze so fast that her slippery soles skated over the slick pavement and onto her back she plunged, knocking herself out cold.

As Luke and Josie crept along the dark side of the warehouse, a noise, like pans falling, sounded from the nearby pier.

"Don't move," Luke ordered as he stepped before her, raising the binoculars back to his eyes and slowly glided it across the leafless tree-line that impaired a clear view of the docks.

Unsatisfied, Luke looked Josie straight in her frightened eyes, "Stay right here. I'm going to go check it out."

"What??" she quietly panicked, "No. I want to come. What if it's Craig??"

"And what if it isn't??? I'm not asking Josie. You shouldn't even be here so for once in your damn life, just listen and stay put until I get back."

He muttered as he left, "Pain in my ass. I shoulda just tied you to the fucking steering wheel."

She crossed her arms and huffed under her breath, "Yeah, you should have."

As soon as he was out of sight, Josie tiptoed up to the corner of the warehouse and peeked around. The front entrance was lit up, allowing her to see a concrete ramp leading up to the shipping door for tow motors use but there was no activity or vehicles. It was nothing but a ghost yard with an eerie silence in the fishy breeze.

With caution and tender feet, she headed out into the empty lot, her hot, rapid breaths puffing out into the cold air like a chimney.

"I'm here Craig," she spoke aloud as her eyes scoured the long, desolate pier, "Where are you???"

There was a flutter in her stomach, followed by an unexpected voice inside her head that was her own, 'Turn around' ....and with trembling caution, she did.

There, before the wall of the ramp where the lighting was denied access, was a body lying still upon the ground.

Nothing much could startle Luke but as he walked the long, vacant dock, armed and ready, he slightly flinched when two feral and feisty felines, hissing and screeching, scurried out from behind a distant wall of crates.

Realizing the cats were presumably the source of the clanking crash, he lowered his gun that he had promptly aimed at the kitty commotion. As he watched them hightail it down the pier, he soon realized that he wasn't the cause of their dramatic exit.

Garbled male voices and the buzzing of a boat turned Luke's ear to the end of the pier. He crouched down behind a crate to observe with the binoculars and spotted a departing speed boat transporting multiple passengers. None were familiar, except for one that he could positively identify and it wasn't Craig. It was Cyrus and he appeared either unconscious or dead.

Upon further investigation, Luke's lenses picked up movement on the pier. One of the men, brawny and armed, had been left behind and Luke knew exactly why. First, it was to assure his boss' and team's safe exit and second, it was to clean up loose ends and that meant he needed to take him out before he found Craig first....or the others.

Still crouched, Luke crept along in the dark like a stealthy cat, his eyes locked on the prey. When he neared the bridge to the loading port, he found two puddles of bright red, rain-diluted blood. One, he was certain belonged to Cyrus and the other, most likely Craig but Luke had no visual of him.

Luke began to slowly make his way across the narrow, metal grated walkway, his gun raised and aimed at the target but to his disadvantage, the lighting upon the rails and sudden creaking of the metal floor alerted the assassin to his presence.

Luke immediately fired, missing the mobster as he swiftly took cover and then, the shootout began.

The gunfire also alerted Brando and Gael who promptly raced off to join the war from their outlying location but shortly after, Josie's scream bellowed from the warehouse as she fell to her knees at Craig's side, "CRAIG!!!!!!! SOMEONE HELP!!!!"

Her shrill cries froze Brando and Gael's feet in place, their eyes wide, their breaths heavy.

"My brother...." Brando gasped, conflicted on what to do between the gunfire and Josie's cries.

Gael quickly solved the problem, "GO! I'll find Luke!"

"Fuck," Luke muttered as he emptied the last of two clips. In the silence, his trained ears picked up that his opponent was bereft of bullets also.

Crouched behind a crate, Luke pulled out his trusty blade as the man called out to him from his own nearby refuge, "Looks like it's time to square up. Let's play."

"Game on motherfucker."

Simultaneously, both men bravely abandoned their safety nets and marched toward each other. Without hesitation, Luke initiated the first strike and a martial arts brawl ensued. He was the best of the best in that department but that didn't mean undefeatable, for when his blade was knocked from his grip and his six foot tall body, weighing 190 pounds was hoisted up, hurled over and smashed down onto a crate, it was safe to say that the other guy was highly skilled as well and Luke was in for a challenge.

Unphased by adrenaline, he got right back up and the fight continued. Jab after jab until Luke was knocked down once more by a kick to the chest that catapulted him into the piping systems.

The man quickly collected a heavy chain of steel and repeatably wrapped one end around his hand for swinging leverage, then came for Luke, who had only seconds to react. He always knew his death would be inevitable in his line of work but he just wasn't ready to let go. Much like the demon before him, there were others he had yet to come for and pass his wrathful judgement upon. There was a vengeance within him and it wanted earthly justice. God would just have to wait his turn.

Gripping a broken section of the utility pipe, Luke wriggled and snapped it free from it's anchored base just in time to deliver many ferocious blows to the goon's thick, bald head and it should have busted his skull clean open and took him down but it didn't even seem to phase him. He was a fucking machine.

Needless to say, the retaliation was excruciatingly painful as the cleaner dished back a powerful belt beating upon Luke with the steel rope but it was nothing in comparison to what his father had inflicted upon him and in that moment, that became his center of focus to win the death match.

As he visualized Luke Sr. before him, all liquored up and lubing his stiff cock during the nightly visits to Luke's room, he saw red.

With one hand clutching each end of the pipe, Luke raised it and blocked the next incoming strike. The chain spun tightly and locked around the steel bar and that's when the tables turned. With all his might, fueled by pure rage, Luke yanked the pipe and it sent the man twirling to the ground, giving Luke the upper hand. As he straddled his back and snagged his throat behind the pipe, the red became a blinding crimson.

The enemy struggled for air, thrashing his legs about and tugging at the pipe as his windpipe was being crushed.

"Game over," Luke snarled, reeling in his prize catch with unstoppable force and an unbreakable grip.

Even after all movement ceased, Luke's white-knuckled choke hold remained locked in place until the man's hands loosened and fell limp at his side.

One lesson Luke had learned the hard way was that looks can be deceiving. He would never again make the mistake of presuming the target is deceased, just as he would not presume Cyrus had been eliminated. A simple pulse check wasn't even enough to satisfy him, for it can be weak and go undetected. They only way to be absolutely positive and his next move would remove any and all doubt.

He laid the pipe down, then reclaimed his knife, securely clutching the hilt as he raised it above the man's forehead and with a grunting thrust, he plunged the blade into his brain.

Just then, Gael came galloping across the bridge, brandishing his gun but when he saw the gore before him as Luke withdrew the knife, up came the vomit, splattering at his feet.

Luke nonchalantly wiped the blade clean upon the definitely dead man's chest and stood with a sigh and words of wisdom, "There's no time in your new profession to be green around the gills Gael."

He cringed, then removed his eyes from the macabre and gave an embarrassed chuckle, "Yeah, I know. It's just...my first time seeing....that. I'm good now."

Luke lightly grinned, toying with him as he patted him on the shoulder, "Good. Now that your feet's wet, no pun intended," he said a he glanced down at Gael's puke-stained boots, "dump him in the bay. It's time to go."

With a gulp, Gael complied and drug the man's body by the feet to the edge of the pier, then rolled him overboard, flinching at the splash.

He quickly turned back to Luke and anxiously sighed as he smiled and rubbed his hands together, "Alriiiiiighty then. No more bad guy." His brows then furrowed, "Who was that anyways?"

"That, my dear boy, was a terminator."

Gael's hands went to his hips, "Hmmph, I see. Well," he chuckled, "he certainly won't be back."

Luke closed his eyes as a long, soft sigh rolled out of his nostrils, "Will you just go?"

Gael flaunted his pearly white smile, "After you."

As he and Luke arrived back at the warehouse, they found Josie in hysterics, sitting on the ground, holding Craig's still body in her arms and Brando wriggling out of his suit jacket to apply it in a wadded up fashion to Craig's bloodied stomach.

"Get the car!!" Brando barked and tossed Gael the keys.

Gael froze, peering down in fear at the closed eyes of his new boss and friend as Josie sobbed over him, stroking his cheek.

"Is...is he....."

"He has a pulse, but it's faint," Brando answered, then snapped, "Fucking GO already!"

As Gael grabbed the keys and scaled up the hill with swift strides, Callie came scuffling around the corner of the building, holding the back of her throbbing head.

Luke's attention instantly shifted from Craig to the sound of the scraping heels. As he raised his head, the security light glared from behind him, blinding her. Luke could see perfectly though.

She squinted as she held her hand out to shield her eyes and to try and bring the faceless man into focus.

Every muscle in Luke's body turned to jello. His heart pummeled his breast bone. His eyes welled and his voice quavered as he spoke.

"Lissie??"

Her hand lowered as he stepped forward, blocking the light. His image became crystal clear and the faceless man was faceless no more.

Between the shock and the pounding in her head, her vision began to blur and just before she fell faint, she managed to squeak his name,

"G..George??"

Without hesitation, Gael moved before his Boss' beautiful blue eyed brother to protect him.

"Don't shoot!" he pleaded, arms up with his gun loosely in his hand, "he's not a threat, nor am I!"

Selena glowered at the unfamiliar face, "That remains to be seen. Drop your weapon. You as well Mr. Renault."

"Parker," Brando immediately corrected as he and Gael slowly laid their weapons down. Just that one simple word and being able to say it out loud to another person was life changing for him.

Her cold eyes then bolted to Gael, "Who are you?"

"I...I'm Gael Martinez. Craig's driver and...friend."

"And where is he, Mr. Martinez?"

"He..he took off on foot after Cyrus. He ordered us to stay here."

"I see. It's time to tie up loose ends. Don't be a hero. Move out of the way Gael," she ordered, her tone sinister.

Gael stiffened right up and stood firm with his adamant reply, "No."

Her head tilted in a way that made Gael gulp, "Don't be a foolish hero. My man will shoot you. Being Craig's brother does not give him a free pass."

Bravely, he remained in place, "Just listen to me ok? Brando's not the bad g—"

Brando pushed past him, hands still up, "I want Cyrus dead just as much as you do," he admitted and it felt damn good to say that out loud too, "In fact, I'm the one who shot him."

Another head tilt, "Is that so?"

Brando gave a single nod as his eyes were locked with and being read by hers. His oppressed blues spoke loudly to her of his hatred for Cyrus. Selena then glanced down at Cyrus' airless tires, one still softly hissing.

"And I did that," Gael proudly admitted and quipped, "Team work."

As the icy rain raged even harder, she turned to the nearing sound of screaming sirens. With decisive eyes darting between the two drenched men, she nudged her head, motioning them to leave.

"You have only minutes. Go. Get out of here while you can."

The two relieved men picked up their guns and then Brando paused, not sure where he should go.

Gael patted him on the back for reassurance, "Hey men, hop in. You're with us now."

As Brando got in the passenger seat where his brother had recently been, he was flooded with an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia from the lingering scent of Craig's cologne. He missed him terribly and instantly, the unbearable regrets sent tears down his cheeks, but luckily for him, they remained undetected by Gael as they blended in with the rain droplets scattered upon his face.

"Where should I go?" Gael asked as he fired up the Chevelle and engaged the wipers, "We have to help Craig. Do you know where he would have went?"

"There's a few places that come to mind. Head down the alley where Craig followed my...Cyrus."

With no more time to spare, Gael backed out of the parking spot and fishtailed off, disappearing down the dark alleyway.

As Brando guided Gael through a vast area of warehouses and docks, Gael decided to probe a little to find out more about the visibly shaken man beside him, but he didn't want to start out too strong.

"You...you ok man?" he asked as he cranked up the heat to help warm him but he knew it wasn't the cold that had him so anxious.

"He's going to kill me." Brando simply stated.

Gael looked right at him, eyes worried, then back at the road, "Who??"

"My fa....fuck, Cyrus. Who else?"

"Naaah man. Craig will never let that hap—"

"You don't understand. He...he saw me do it. I looked right in his eyes as I shot him."

"Well shit man, no wonder your aim was off," Gael presumed and went on to help justify Brando's bad shot, "If I had been in the same situation with my own piece of shit father, I'd probably of missed too. There's always something about looking in their eyes that throws you off balance ya know?"

Brando shook his head and snickered, "Not even close. I've had ample training at the firing range. Bullseye every time."

Gael looked at him again, eyes widening as he began to understand, "Wait... so you...you did it on purpose?"

"I...I just couldn't do it. I've never taken a life and...he's still my father. I guess he was right. I'm weak."

"Bullshit," Gael barked, "It only means you're heart isn't black like his. I mean, you just told me he will kill you for this so you gotta try to get it out of your head that his DNA matters. Don't be so hard on yourself man. What you did was still very brave and well deserved. I'll tell you right now, Craig won't hesitate if he finds him, then you won't have to worry anymore."

"Yeah that's if my brother don't die trying. He's damn good at what he does but he's not invincible. If anything happens to him, I swear I—"

"Don't go there ok??? You're right. Craig is bad ass and Cyrus is an old ass...wounded and losing blood at that."

Brando snickered again, "Yeah but anyone who knows my brother knows that when it's personal for him, it messes with his head too and that shit causes mistakes if you haven't noticed. Now he's out there, all hot-headed, trying to do what I had the perfect opportunity to do and pussied out. He should have let us go with him."

"He went on his own for a reason. Clearly to protect you. If you had went, that would have been one more thing to stress over. He needs to focus and he can't do that when the people he loves are in danger. That's why he wouldn't tell Josie where he was at tonight or she would have came after him."

Brando's brows furrowed as he remembered meeting her at the hospital, "Jason's sister? What does she have to do with what's going down?"

Gael's brows also furrowed, "Who's Jason?"

"Her brother but that's another story. You said love? Craig....loves her?"

"Ridiculously, as he would put it, minus the Fijian accent."

"I see," he said, seemingly despondent, "Glad he's found someone. I met her once. She's beautiful and seems sweet."

"Feisty too," Gael chuckled, "Keeps him in line....but, they have a lot to work out. So, what about you? You got a girl?"

"Nope," he quickly replied, keeping it short and truthful, "No interest in that whatsoever." He then looked at Gael. Really looked at him for the first time, studying his long and wavy, chestnut locks that hung damp and disheveled over his dewy, shimmering face and nested upon his broad shoulders. He was absolutely stunning and surely had to have someone.

"What about you?" He asked, "You got a girl?"

He hadn't even thought about Callie since her angry text only hours ago and began to feel guilty, "Yeah, actually I do. Callista, well, Callie she goes by. She's pretty pissed at me right now and I can't blame her. Honestly, she deserves much better than me. I just....."

Gael's pause sparked Brando's curiosity, "Just?"

"I'm....just not sure about things right now. I can't explain it. I've always been a nobody. Working two shitty paying jobs to support myself and my sick mother. When Craig basically picked me up off the street and took me in like a stray dog, everything changed for me. I began to see life in a way I had never seen it before and I...I for the first time, I feel like I have a purpose, like I've found my calling or something, if that makes any sense. Craig's an artist and so am I. What are the odd's of us meeting? Especially the way that we did. He damn near ran me over with this black beast," he chuckled, "It was written man. I feel it....but I'm just not sure if Callie is meant to be a part of it. Not romantically anyways. I love her. I really do but not in the way that a man should love a partner."

His thoughts went right to Isabella and his unborn child, "Maybe I'm the weak one for not being honest with Callie or myself. It's just too hard. Maybe I'm just broken. All of me hurts. Why else do I do everything wrong?"

The question hit home for Brando, "The only answer I have is the one I give myself everyday. You're not weak because it's hard. You're not broken because it hurts. You're becoming. You're laying the bricks for a life that's going to mean something. It just sometimes takes a hell of a lot longer than you thought it would."

The two men remained silent over the heaviness as their eyes continued to uphold diligence in the search for the man they mutually adored. In the midst of emotions, Brando's phone vibrated. To his surprised eyes and fluttering heart, it was a call from another that he cared for, but it was the most inopportune time.

Still concerned, Brando promptly answered, "Orlando? Everything alright?"

The debilitated and doped up doctor's voice was slurred, raspy and defeated, "Not so much. Bad day."

"What's wrong?"

His voice began to quaver in his reply, revealing his physical pain but his emotional suffering and loneliness was the loudest with his eagerness to spill his personal problems to someone he had only known for less than a few hours. Brando supposed the same could be said for Gael whom he had only know for a few minutes.

"I took a deserving body slam to the floor trying to get out of bed and stop the woman I love and unforgivably hurt from running out on me. She's gone and I have absolutely no one to talk to. I've lost everyone. I know we just met but....you're the only friend I have left and I was wondering if you could come back for a little while."

Even in his own suffering, Brando would be the first to help someone else but his brother needed him more. As he tried to find the right words to kindly explain it was not a good time, Gael's sudden F bomb won his full attention.

"FUCK me...." Gael snarled, his sullen eyes glued to the rearview mirror at the headlights closing in on them.

Brando glanced back over his shoulder, dropping the phone on the floor and claiming his gun, "What??? Who is that???"

With a heavy sigh, Gael raised the white flag and pulled over, "Callie and Josie. Put that thing away or Callie will flip the fuck out."

As Brando sighed, wondering what new fresh hell was approaching, he heard Orlando calling his name. Quickly, he picked up the phone.

"Hey sorry man. I can't talk right now. Can I call you later?"

Anxious over hearing Josie's name, Orlando ignored the question, "Did I just hear someone say Josie is there???!!!"

Before answering, Brando watched Gael venture out into the pouring rain and be confronted by a very angry Brunette. With wide eyes, he spoke softly into the phone, "Orlando, now is not a good time."

"Just answer me man. Is Josie there??"

Startling Brando, Josie appeared at the open driver side door.

"Craig??!!!!" she shouted, anticipating to see his face but as she saw Brando's, all the light in her eyes turned to worry and panic, "Brando?? Where's Craig????!!!! Is that him on the phone????"

"I can hear her! Let me talk to her!!" Orlando demanded.

Brando slightly stuttered as he met her bloodshot eyes. He could tell she had been crying, "N...no, it's uhhh....Orlando? He um, is asking to talk to you."

Her expression soured as if she had sucked on a lemon, then she scoffed and reached her hand out.

As Brando hesitantly handed her the phone, she snatched it away and planted it against her ear, "CALL EMILY!" she screeched and punched her thumb down on the end call, then tossed it back to Brando's swiftly alert hands.

Soaked and shivering, Josie hopped in the driver's seat and slammed the door shut, "Brando, where is Craig?????!!!" she desperately asked, "and...and....why are you here??????"

The backdoor flung open and in jumped Callie and Gael, both drenched and still at each other's throats.

"ALL you had to do was answer my texts!" Callie shouted, her brown eyes wildly staring at him.

"I...DID and YOU called me an ASSHOLE!!!" he shouted back, feeling validated.

"BECAUSE YOU ARE!!!" she retorted and smacked his muscular, upper arm.

Josie flinched. The sound, paired with the yelling, was triggering her anxiety. As the verbal combat continued, her heart began to race, pounding against her breastbone. She attempted focusing on the senses while taking deep breaths but the first inhale through her nose was the residual scent of Craig's cologne. Taking in another deep breath, she snapped before breaking down sobbing behind the palms of her hands.

"WILL SOMEONE TELL ME WHERE CRAIG IS!!!!!"

Reaching both arms out, Brando gently wrapped his fingers around her wrists and pulled her hands down. His eyes were compassionate, his tone empathetic as he told her the truth, "We're trying to find him. He went after Cyrus."

She gripped Brando's hands, her eyes fearful, "W..what? Why??"

"My fa…Cyrus and I were taking care of some business here in Boston tonight and we saw Craig's car. He made me follow him. There was a meeting of the families and things got really bad. Cyrus was shot and ran off and Craig went after him. We tried to go with him but he wouldn't let us, so now we're looking for him but haven't had any luck yet."

He was so much like Craig in his facial features, the way he spoke and his gentle heart. Instantly, she felt comfortable with him which allowed her to breathe but the moment was short lived when she realized that it wasn't Johnny she saw in her vision.

Her head whipped back to Gael and Callie, "Oh my god! It was his father I saw fighting with him!!"

Brando's brows pinched, "Vision??"

She closed her eyes for a moment, unsure how to explain her newly activated abilities, for surely he would think she was crazy. With a sigh, she blurted it out, "I seem to have precognition and the things I see…they have been coming true. I…I saw Craig with a man, fighting on a pier and-"

"It's true!" Gael excitedly confirmed, "Bro, she like saved us all from becoming train trashed tonigh…." He paused and tilted his head at her, "Wait, what? You had another vision?"

Callie scoffed and rolled her eyes, "That's why Josie was trying to talk to Craig!! I told you it was important, you idjit! You didn't even tell him, did you??!!! We could have stopped him!!!"

"So now this is MY fault???"

Brando cut in, "Ok, hold up. Precognition? Like…psychic???"

"Technically speaking, I guess so. I know….you must think I'm a looney tune but I swear I-"

He sweetly smiled, "Not at all. So, you said it was a pier? Do you know anymore details? I know the Boston area pretty well."

Her nerves relaxed. He believed her. He truly was just like Craig.

"It's Johnny's territory. I instantly recognized it."

Brando's eyes widened, "Fuck. We need to go!"

"B….Brando??" she whimpered, fighting back more tears as she grabbed his hand, "I…I saw blood. Lots of it on a man's hands. Craig's hands."

He placed a hand on her cheek and leaned in to stare her right in the eyes for reassurance, "Listen to me. We will find him. I promise. Now hurry, switch me spots. I'm driving."

As they exchanged seats, Callie got out, "Well I can't leave my car here! Guess I'll follow."

"Or go home," Gael muttered as he got out too, but he knew she wouldn't leave now that she found him and all the danger made her more determined to stick to him like glue. He couldn't help but love her for loving him and...it didn't hurt to have a nurse around where the mob was involved.

"I'll ride with her and follow you," Gael announced to Brando before he shut the door.

Brando peered over his shoulder, grinned and winked, "Try to keep up." He then gazed over at Josie with a genuinely satisfied smile, "I was always meant to be here, at my brother's side. He took care of me growing up and now it's my turn to take care of him."

Immediately after Brando sped off, Josie had questions, "Why was Craig even there at the meeting??"

Brando shrugged, "I don't know. My best guess is that since Sonny wasn't there for whatever reason and Jason is laying low, he must have asked Craig to take his place."

There was silence. Her stare at him was wide and he felt it. Keeping his eyes on the rain-soaked road, Brando confessed.

"Yes, I know Jason is alive. Everyone does at this point but I....I knew from the beginning."

"Craig....told you?? I thought you and he weren't on speaking terms?"

"We weren't. Jason told me himself. I've been helping him. A secret insider per se, keeping him updated on Cyrus' dealings to help take him down and his whereabouts to help keep he and Britt hidden. He knew I wanted out of my father's clutches and to see him pay for all he has done, so Jason was helping me too, to achieve our mutual desires. Craig didn't know, for obvious reasons. He never would have trusted me, even with Jason's reasoning."

"Jesus...." she whispered, even more stunned, then she smiled at him, offering her gratitude, "Thank you. Thank you for helping my brother. You risked a lot to do that."

Making brief eye contact, he smiled back, "And thank you for having my brother's back. From what I gather, you care very much for him and he you?"

Her eyes fell, "We do but....it's...it's complicated. We're both dealing with so much, especially him with Blaise missing and all."

Brando was then silent as his stomach tied itself in a knot. He had more to reveal, "About Blaise. There's something else Josie. Cyrus...he...he was able to perform a DNA test on Blaise with Ethan and—"

"Wait, Ethan?? How?? He's been missing."

"That's because he's been held prisoner at Wyndemere for the past week. Cyrus got his sister Constance to aid in his dirty work. What a better place to hide someone than in the labyrinth of Cassadine Island?"

Josie now knew that Ethan was not the one who attacked and murdered Elizabeth, nor was he the shadow man in the shiny black shoes that attacked her sister and judging by Megan's memories and descriptions, it left her more confused than ever as to who did. The most confusing of all though, was about Blaise.

"How the hell did he get Blaise's DNA since she's been missing too???"

"I'm certain Cyrus took her and I suspect she's on that island somewhere. Jason does too. Cyrus sent me there to pick up a blood sample but he wouldn't tell me who it belonged to. He never fully trusted me. I spoke with my cousin Nikolas for awhile and eventually got it out of him that it was Ethan's and why Cyrus wanted it so I started asking about Blaise up. He swore he didn't know where she was but...."

Josie thought of Dave at the mention of the Cassadines, especially his half-brother Nikolas. She didn't know Nik well but knew enough to know he was bad news, seemingly more so than the rest of the infamous family.

With Brando's pause, she finished what she was certain he was thinking, "But you don't believe him."

"Nope. We got into an argument about her and he became unhinged. His urgency to get me out of there was a giant red flag."

"Yeah, I knew Jason suspected she was there too. He plans to go there but I don't know when and I'm afraid that if she is indeed there, Cyrus will move her."

"I'm aware of the ambush plan but I also don't know when he will put it into motion."

"Alright, so back to Cyrus. Did he run the test? Do you know the results?"

"He did and I was able to sneak a peek when he was in a meeting and I also took a photo and sent it to Jason."

Her fingers fidgeted upon her lap as she bit her lip in fear of the answer, but for some reason, intuition maybe or because Brando didn't joyfully spit out the results, she already knew that Craig would soon be heartbroken.

He sighed before continuing, "It claims that....Ethan is her biological father."

"No!" Josie cried and trembled, "It's wrong! It's fake! Craig is her father. He's the one who deserves and loves her!"

Brando teared up, "I know."

"This will destroy him. It's not fair!!"

"I'm sure he will demand retesting. After all, Cyrus is the one who had the test done."

"Exactly!" she agreed, "Who's to say he didn't have the results altered?? He has so many of the hospital staff in his pocket."

"Yeah, I know. Just like earlier tonight before we came here. The morgue technician called him about a body that was brought in. Why?? Maybe it was because she was a former nurse but it just felt odd that he was notified that late at night. Not to mention, it's presumed she was murdered, strangled to be exact."

Her brows furrowed, "Wait, former nurse? Do you know who?"

"Yeah," he confirmed, then frowned, "he made me go down there with him to view her. Told me it was time that I man up and should finally see a dead body. Anyways, it was that blonde one. I forget her name now but I've seen her there before. She had a young boy with her once."

Her stomach did a flip as she gasped, "Oh god....Angel???"

Brando's brow arched up, "Yeah, yeah that's her name."

As the taste of vomit crept up the back of her throat, she quickly rolled the window down, hyperventilating, "I think I'm going to be sick!"

Unsure of what to do, Brando kept driving as she rested her cheek upon the sill, allowing the wind to blow in her face. All she could think of was Dash as she tried to regain her breath.

"Her poor son. I know him," she sobbed, "and..." She thought of Lee and how devastated he would be for the neighbor boy he had a bond with but she kept those thoughts to herself. "It...it can't be? Are you sure it's her?" she asked as she moved back in her seat.

"Yes, Cyrus confirmed her identity. He spoke her name. I'm sorry."

"God....strangled???"

Brando cringed as Angel's post-mortem image surfaced in his mind, "It appears so. She had marks on her neck and her eyes, according to the tech, were a telltale sign."

She faced Brando, eyes wide, "It had to have been Cyrus! I saw it all. He literally threatened her in front of the entire hospital staff yesterday before he fired her."

"He certainly was not upset. That's for sure. He seemed very pleased."

"I feel so bad, mostly for Dash but also...she and I had an altercation yesterday. Right before Cyrus intervened. Coincidentally, I tried to strangle her. Everyone saw but Cyrus got them all to say they saw nothing. This is so fucked up. She ends up dead the same day and by asphyxiation no less. What if the staff think I did it and tell the cops?"

"First of all, you have a solid alibi with being here in Boston all night. You have plenty of witnesses to corroborate that and second, the staff would all be too scared for their lives to say anything. I'm just curious as to why he protected you..."

"He's just sick and twisted. It's not the first time he's played mind games with me."

With Gael still in tow, Brando turned the car, "We're here. This is the area. Anything look familiar?"

She sat straight up, eyes darting all around the endless docking along the bay, mostly for Craig, "I'm not sure," she fretted. "It's so dark and this damn rain! I can hardly see!"

Cyrus saw all of them though as he was resting in a pitch black alleyway, applying pressure to his wound while anticipating the arrival of his men.

Thinking it was Craig in the Chevelle, he knew he needed to keep moving, especially since he realized he had lost his gun back at the warehouse during the shootout and all he currently had to protect himself was his knife. After the two cars drove by and the taillights faded off into the rain-wrapped darkness, he crept off down to the docks to wait for the boat he planned to disappear on....and as he walked down the pier, there came footsteps and a sinister greeting from behind.

"Hello father."

Josie stiffened in her seat when Brando made a turn that was too close for comfort, "We shouldn't be here. It's not safe. We're too close to Pandemonium and earlier tonight, some bad shit went down with Craig, Johnny and his men. They know his car."

"I know we are but I'm running out of places to look and with Craig not answering our calls, what else can we do? I have no one to call. They're all Cyrus' men. The only backup we have is Gael."

"Then have Gael stop following us and let's split up so we can cover more ground?"

Brando smiled, "Good idea. Can you call him? We never exchanged numbers and I don't want to pull over."

"I have Callie's number. I'll call her."

Placing the call on speaker, she dialed. When Callie answered, Josie could tell she had been crying, "Hey, you ok?"

"I'm fine," she claimed, sounding bitter.

"Can you put Gael on please? Brando needs to talk to him."

There was silence and then Gael took over, "Hey what's goin on??"

"First, take down my number so we can communicate."

"What is it? I'll call you back on my phone."

After the exchange, Brando's phone rang, "Ok, so we need to split up. Much better chances of finding him. I know you don't know the area too well but you have my number now. Call me if you get lost. I'm going to stick around here and you can backtrack the way we just came."

"Gotcha. I'm on it. Stay safe. Talk soon."

"Hey Gael!"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for what you did for me back there with Selena and thanks for what you're doing for my brother. It means more than you know."

"Anytime man. We'll find him. Don't worry."

The calls ended and Callie's car turned off and disappeared. Brando was doing his best to remain calm for Josie but he was getting antsy.

"Damn it Craigy, where the fuck are you???"

Josie fought back the tears in her exhausted eyes, mumbling desperately to herself as she turned back and forth, checking every corner for Craig, "Oh god Craig. Please...please be alright. Please come back to me."

Brando turned down another alley, "I'm going to head over Pier 1 by the South end of the docks."

It was only moments after that he came to a screeching halt. Standing just a few car lengths away was a hooded man brandishing a baseball-sized wrench.

"Goin' somewhere??" he called out, eerily reminding Josie of Negan with the way he slung the wrench over his shoulder. 'If only he were there', she thought.

Josie gasped, clinging to the dash from the abrupt stop, "Who is that???"

"It certainly isn't Craig! HOLD ON!!"

Brando shifted into reverse and floored it. As he came speeding out of the alley and sliding into the street, the hooded entity ran after them, raising a gun and firing it multiple times, striking the back end of the Chevy just as Brando spun the car back into drive.

Josie screamed as Brando's right hand shoved her head down.

"GET DOWN!" he shouted as he fishtailed off.

From a caddy corner alley, another figure appeared, also firing at them but missed as Brando whipped down another alley.

"If there's anymore down here, they're getting run the fuck over! Stay down!" he ordered, and punched the gas pedal.

Sliding out onto another street, he raced off until they were out of Johnny's territory.

"You ok?" he asked Josie, who was visibly shaking.

She began to panic, "Where are you going?? We have to go back!"

"Are you crazy?? Those were clearly Johnny's men and there's plenty more where they came from. I can't fight them all by myself, especially with you here. Craig is going to have my hide as it is when he finds out I let you come with me."

"Craig isn't going to do anything if he's dead!" She cringed at saying those words out loud, or even at all. "So now what???" she asked sarcastically, throwing her hands up in the air, "What are we going to do????"

"Well right now, I need to call Gael and warn him, then....we're going to have to hide this car. We can go back in Callie's car, that is, if she allows it, otherwise, I don't know. We certainly can't go back on foot."

As Brando was speaking to Gael, Josie made another attempt to call Craig but once again, he did not pick up. Closing her eyes, she found herself softly pleading to him once more, this time in her thoughts, "Pleeeeease Craig. Please be ok. Please come back to me."

With a deep sigh, she opened her eyes. Brando's conversing with Gael didn't sound promising. After what just went down, she couldn't blame Callie for not wanting to go back into the pitt of pandemonium.

She began to choke up. The feeling of hopelessness and despair was too much. In her thoughts, she pleaded with God for help. Her teary eyes searched for a sign but all she saw was a man walking along the roadside.

As they passed him, she glanced at his profile. Her brows pinched in confusion. "No way....." she whispered, "Luke??"

Gawking into the side mirror, she gasped. That face and walk of his, quite similar to Orlando's, could not be mistaken. She muttered to herself before startling Brando, "Oh my god, it WAS you I saw near Johnny's club earlier. BACK UP, BACK UP!!!"

Brando's dumbfounded expression reminded her of Craig's, "What? Why????"

"I know that guy! Go back!"

Brando applied the brakes and finished his call to Gael, "Hey man, I gotta go. See you in a bit."

He slowly backed up and stopped as Luke neared but he walked right on by without a single glance at the car.

"Follow him," Josie commanded and rolled the window down.

As Brando caught back up and steadied his pace beside Luke, who was still intent on ignoring the car, Josie got a better look at him, noticing the blood splatters upon his sullen face but he didn't appear wounded. It was like he was in some kind of trance. He didn't even seem to recognize Craig's car, which he should have, or her voice when she spoke, nor did he even give her the chance to.

"Hey—"

"I suggest you fuck off and keep moving."

"Jesus...Luke, will you stop and look at me? It's me. Josie??"

His feet came to a grinding stop on the berm's gravel. As Brando also stopped, Luke lowered his head to look at Josie and check the car over, but he didn't say anything.

"Luke...are you alright?? What are you doing out here and...at 4 a.m. in Boston no less?"

He gazed at her for a moment, thinking what a sight for sore eyes her damp and disheveled self was.

"Peachy," he quipped, the side of his lips curling up, "Just walking to my car. You?"

"It's freezing. Get in. We'll give you a lift."

He placed his his bloodied hands on the sill and leaned down again to view Brando. The two men locked eyes with skeptical stares, then Luke's hazel's glided to Josie.

"So...where's your landlord by day, crime lord by night boyfriend? This IS his car is it not?"

Annoyed as usual by his snarky self, she shook her head and sighed, "Yes, this is his car. He's not my boyfriend and this is Brando, his brother."

His eyes glided back to Brando, slightly narrowing, "I know who he is."

Brando's eyes mirrored his, "Funny. I don't recall ever meeting you."

"Fortunately, until now, that would be because we haven't had the displeasure but I do know your daddy and your big brother."

"Well it so happens that we're trying to find both of them," Josie explained, becoming agitated at the stand still and nonsense, "Are you going to get in the damn car or not?!"

He opened the backdoor, sighing and muttering as he got in, "This night just keeps getting better."

With the intentional slam of the door, the window fell down.

As Brando sped off, Luke snickered, propping his elbow on the sill and tapping his fingers upon the roof, "What a piece of shit."

Cyrus spun around, wielding his switchblade as Craig approached him, armed with his gun.

Cyrus smirked, "Well now, if it isn't my stealthy son of a bitch, literally. It seems I have inconveniently brought a knife to a gunfight. Are you just going to shoot me without being able to defend myself?"

"I thought it would be more fitting and satisfying to beat the shit out of you first. Just like you always did to me, mom and Brando, then I'll end your life like you ended the lives of my mother and little sister's. Wendy was just a fucking child, you sick bastard."

His laugh was wicked as always, "Your childhood memories are not the way I remember things. I killed no one. Your worthless mother abandoned you and Brando because she was weak, just like the two of you are."

"LIAR!" Craig bellowed, "You bound me to a fucking chair that night and made me watch as you beat her up and then you came at me, knocking me out. The next day, they were just gone and now you're still going to stick to the same bullshit story you fed me back then. You're a fucking coward. Admit what you did! Admit that they're dead!"

"Well then I truly would be a liar to say such a thing. Believe what you will. They're the cowards, out there somewhere, hiding. I'm sure your uncle Pierce had something to do with it so why don't you fuck off and start there."

Cyrus then turned the tables in an attempt to weaken Craig by messing with his head, "Maybe he took your bastard daughter too or....maybe not," he teased, "What does it matter?....Blaise isn't even your kid. She's Ethan's. DNA tests don't lie. Don't worry though. Ethan won't be stepping up to the plate as daddy. He's been handled. She'll have a new family. Elizabeth's sister Rebecca will soon be seeking full custody. Bye bye Blaise."

Whether anything Cyrus said was true or not, Craig had heard enough. He threw his gun to the ground and began circling Cyrus, "Let's go old man."

Cyrus followed suit with a smile and tossed his switchblade down, then he joined the roundabout in the raging rain and eventually threw the first punch.

The fight had commenced and was quick. Craig dodged the swing and with a death grip, he clutched Cyrus' wrist. Holding his arm down and twisting it, he began wailing on Cyrus' face, then he flipped him over, slamming him to the ground.

Craig mounted him, pinning him down and in that moment, he saw red. Losing all control, he released all the years of pent up rage as each fist took a turn pummeling the face of the beast. Each strike wasn't and never would be enough though. Cyrus had to die.

In his exhaustion, Craig stood and stepped over Cyrus' limp body to reclaim his gun and once and for all, end the beast's reign of terror.

But the beast awakened, also reclaiming his weapon. When Craig turned back around, Cyrus' arm lunged forward with the sharp blade in hand. Craig's reflexes were sharp too. Sacrificing his gun, he promptly halted Cyrus' thrust as he captured his arm with his strong hands and a brief struggle ensued but even as strong as he was, his hands were wet and slick. With a slight slip, Cyrus gained the upper hand and forced the blade into Craig's gut, then punched him in the chest, knocking him back.

He barely felt the pain with all the adrenaline surging through him but as he instinctively pulled the knife out, his blood flowed like the pouring rain and a debilitating burning set in.

All went quiet. The sound of the rain was gone. He gazed down in a daze at the bloodied blade still in his hand, seeing the faces of those he loved and he wondered if his life was flashing before his eyes. He slightly stumbled. His eyes were becoming heavy, wanting to close. There was a ringing in his ears and then suddenly, an angelic voice came through. It was Jo.

"Come back to me."

A fire burned in his eyes as he glowered at Cyrus' smug face. A hefty breath filled his shallow lungs and the will to live fueled his lovesick heart.

"On my way love." he muttered and charged Cyrus, catching him off guard as he plunged the blade back into him, not once but twice and looking him right in his stunned eyes as he did so.

Slowly, Cyrus dropped to the ground and remained propped up against a shipping box as he closed his eyes. Unwillingly, Craig collapsed too. The adrenaline rush was over.

With the rain drowning him, he sat still, observing the soulless vampire across from him for any signs of a heartbeat but the distant sound of a racing speedboat stole his immediate attention. The sinking in his aching gut told him it was Cyrus' men and he knew if he didn't get up and go, he would have no chance at survival.

As he forced himself to his feet, a waterfall of blood gushed from the gash in his stomach and the burning pain was as if the knife had been shoved back in and twisted. For support and pressure, he instinctively applied his hands over the wound before staggering off down the pier. It was in that moment of seeing his bloodied hands, that Jo's vision at the art gallery had come true.

Some time had went on, he wasn't sure how much but the rain had subsided and he had made it into the warehouse district of Johnny Zacchara's territory. Being on enemy grounds, especially after the Pandemonium incident inside and outside of the club, was certainly not the smartest place for him to be, for he knew Johnny and his men would be looking for him and his car but he had nowhere else to go. His plan was find a secure enough spot to conceal himself and rest so he could make the call for aid but he had become too weak. He knew he wasn't going to make it much further and that unconsciousness was near with the significant blood loss.

As a crutch, Craig leaned on and drug himself against a concrete embankment, but moments later, his trembling legs succumbed to supporting the rest of his weight. He was so cold. His visible breaths were shallow. In desperation, his bloodstained hands fumbled for his phone inside of his suit.

Upon locating it, he pulled it out, his numb fingers barely able to hold it but he managed to make his thumb work to locate the number of the one and only person he wanted to call in his possible last minutes alive.

"You know," Josie began, speaking to Luke, "I'm having a deja-vu of when you appeared at my car window not long ago with blood on your face on a rainy night just like this. So, who's blood is it this time? More hillbilly bar thugs that are going to come chasing us down?"

Amused by her sense of humor, Luke lightly chuckled, "Nah...just took out some of Johnny's junkyard trash."

She turned in her seat to face him, eyes confident, "I knew I saw you by the nightclub earlier. So...when you say 'took out', do you mean...."

He lips wickedly curled and his eyes were empty and cold, "You know exactly what I mean sweetheart. Orlando's been avenged."

"You...you knew about that?"

"I know a lot of things."

"Will you stop speaking in riddles already? Where have you been? Nobody has been able to find you since—"

"Since I was fired for helping you visit Peter?"

"Luke...I really am sorry about that. I don't know how Gerry found out."

"Don't sweat it baby doll. Hated that job anyways. Wasn't my style. I don't believe in innocent until proven guilty and all that law-abiding bullshit. Johnny was the first to figure that out."

Both she and Brando shared stares of shock, then brought her stare back to Luke, "You...he...he's dead??"

"As a doornail." He was apathetic as he wiped his cheek and gazed at the blood upon his fingers, "You got a tissue?"

She turned back around, excited eyes on Brando as she spoke quietly, almost a whisper, "Now we have help. I asked for help and he showed up. You, Gael and Luke can go back and find Craig!"

Luke slapped his hands down on the backs of the front seats and slid up behind Josie, cocking his head at her, "LUKE is going back to his car and going home. LUKE helps no one and LUKE works with no one, especially mob motherfuckers."

"Not even to handle Cyrus???""

His grip on the seats loosened and slowly, he glided back, eyes still upon her. It certainly had sparked his interest. The twitch of his brow said it all.

"Tell me more.....ON the way to my car which is just up the way. Better hurry."

"Well, how's this for another reason to despise Cyrus, which I know that you do. Blaise could possibly be your niece and we're certain he is the one who kidnapped her."

Swiftly, he sat right back up.

"I thought that would get your attention," she proudly stated but before she could continue, her phone rang.

When she saw the screen with Craig's name and photo on it, the photo of the mirror selfie he had sent her to ask her to choose between the blazer and the leather jacket, the knot in her chest finally unraveled.

"Craig!!!" she cried as she answered before the first ring was even complete, "My god, where are you??!!!"

There was an eerie silence. She looked back at the screen to see if the call had been disconnected but the timer was still running.

"CRAIG!" she cried again, "Are you there????"

There was a shallow gasp, and then another before she heard her name forced from his lungs, "Jo...."

"Craig??? Baby, tell me where you are??"

There was a soft cough, "Pier....," Another cough, "three."

She fiercely grabbed Brando's arm, "Pier three. GO!"

He downshifted and punched the gas, then called Gael while Josie tried to keep Craig talking. She knew he was hurt.

"Craig, what happened? Where's Cyrus?"

"Too much....blood....tired."

Her voice became shaky and tearful, "We're coming. Keep talking to me ok?? I'm right here with you. Do you hear me? Don't you close your eyes."

"You....Blaise....I....I love you."

Slowly, he slumped over and the phone slid from his fingers and dropped to the ground. Josie deeply gasped at the sound and immediately, hysteria consumed her.

"CRAIG!!!!!!!!!"