Comfortember Day 1

Prompts: Coping, Darkness, Fear, Family

Notes: Just an idea I had when reading the word ‘recovery, post whump’ from the Comfortember page. Sequel to the Kidnapping storyline from whumptober. Just a snapshot of a day in the life 6 months after the incident and how everyone is coping.

Pavi opened his eyes, got out of bed and got dressed. He picked up a small notebook from the dressing table. 3 meetings at 10am, 12pm and 3pm; the catering for the GeneCo party had to be confirmed today and he had to finalize the budget. The closed the notebook and repeated what he had to do one more time. He slipped the notebook into his front pocket. He glanced at the clock, he still had a bit of time. He glanced at the list taped to his mirror and closed his eyes. “Deer, monkey, cat, dog…” He opened his eyes, checked the list and smiled. He left the room and headed to the dining room.

Amber and Luigi were already there. Pavi sat down. “Slept-a well, fratello?”

Luigi just grunted. He rubbed his right thigh.

It had been 6 months since they found Luigi. 6 months until their changed life had settled into some form of routine. “Still-a bad, fratello?”

“It’s manageable.” The stump had healed well and it took some time for Luigi to get used to the prosthetic. But he was able to move around. The frustration and helplessness had fizzled out and he could see his brother adjusting to the limb. The left arm however seemed to incapacitate him more. He had to learn to do things one handed as he couldn’t move the limb below his elbow. It took time but Luigi learned to manage.

“When’s-a your next appointment with the physiotherapist?”

“It’s a waste of time.” Luigi grimaced as he grabbed his leg once more. There wasn’t much they could for phantom pains. But the physiotherapist suggested electrotherapy to sooth the nerve endings. “Tomorrow.” He grabbed a piece of sausage and stared at it. He hesitated for a moment before eating it.

It took months before Luigi started eating meat again and even that was white meat and processed meat. He refused to touch steaks or prime cuts. But he was eating. He was definitely eating more than he ever did before anyway. Breakfast used to be 1 cup of coffee. Now at least he was eating.

“Brother, I know it was due next week; but the florist needs the order for the party today. Seems like orders are high for that time. They want to know how much to hold for us.”

Pavi nodded. He took out the notebook and scribbled in ‘Florist; GeneCo Party; today’.

“How many are we ordering this year?”

Pavi furrowed his brow. “10 bouquets of-a orchids for-a the archway outside, 20 bouquets of-a roses for the hall…no 25;” Shit, what else. “The Pavi has-a it written somewhere, sorella.” She didn’t have to doubt him.

“I know.” He glanced at his sister but she didn’t seem annoyed.

Pavi relaxed slightly. She was just trying to help him practice remembering.

“Done eating?”

“Yea. The Pavi has-a a lot to prepare for-a the party.” Pavi pushed back his chair. He looked at the ground. His feet were both firmly planted down. He stood.

“Need help?”

“No. The Pavi can-a handle it.” He stepped back from the table, made sure the chair was out of his way and headed out of the dining room. He kept his eyes on the ground; making sure his feet were in the right position and nothing was in his way. He had so many cuts and bruises the first few months. Tripping over things he just didn’t notice; scratching himself on something sharp that he couldn’t feel until he realized his pants were soaked. Walking now became second nature again; as long as he paid attention.

Amber walked by his side; always a step or two back. Habit he supposed. Pavi hasn’t tripped over his own feet in a long time. But Amber was always there; ready to catch him if he stumbled.

They separated at their offices. Pavi checked the notebook once more; making sure nothing was missing. It was going to be a long day.

***

“So sorella, The Pavi will remember ordering the flowers.”

Pavi put the phone down with a click. Annoyance filled him but he pushed it back. This had nothing to do with reminding him about the flowers.

Amber thinks she was unaffected by what happened 6 months ago. But this is the 2nd call she made to him today since they saw each other at breakfast. She needed to know where they were at all times. And even if she did; she still called to be sure. If not them; then their assistants to ensure eyes were on them. It was suffocating at first. But Pavi had to remind himself that Amber was dealing too. And a barely 5 minute call was not going to take much out of his day.

“Yes, it’s done.”

Pavi looked up to see Luigi enter his office. Luigi hung up the call and shook his head.

“Sorella is-a worried, fratello.”

“I know.” He sighed. He sat on the other side of Pavi’s desk. “At least she doesn’t call every hour anymore.”

The Genterns placed two plates of food before them. Luigi gave a sigh but started eating. The dietician still managed most of his meals. A high protein, high calorie diet; which was tough to achieve without meat.

“Just-a tell the dietician that-a you’re willing to eat certain meats, fratello.”

“Not yet. I’m not ready.”

Pavi was quiet. Maybe Luigi was not enjoying processed meats as much as he thought. “It’s-a ok to be vegetarian, fratello, it’s-a healthy.”

“It’s girly.”

“No, fratello. It’s-a not.” Pavi gave his brother a pointed look. Why was his brother so resistant to finding new things that work for him? He was so desperate to put things back to normal; even if normal doesn’t work anymore.

Luigi didn’t say anything but rubbed his head.

“Another migraine?”

Luigi grunted.

“You said-a you’ve been sleeping well.”

“I said I was sleeping.” Luigi said with a finality that the topic was over.

Pavi sighed. 6 months and it wasn’t getting close to better. And Luigi wouldn’t admit that he needed help. It took Pavi too long to realize what was wrong after Luigi got out of the hospital. He had been sleeping in the hospital decently enough. He was woken by nightmares – they all were – but he was still sleeping. At first he thought Luigi was being Luigi; long working hours, refusing to sleep. It was when he finally collapsed in exhaustion that Pavi dragged him to bed.

“Sleep-a, fratello.” He turned off the lights for his brother and headed to the door. He nearly missed it at first. Then he heard it; the quick, panicked breathing. He turned back towards his brother; eyes clenched shut, hand gripping the bedsheets painfully tight. “Fratello?”

Luigi’s eyes shot open but he wasn’t looking at him. “You’re not real. You’re just my imagination. You’re not real.”

“Fratello, you’re not-a there anymore. You’re home. You’re safe.” He placed a careful hand on Luigi’s shoulder.

Luigi looked slowly at his hand. “Paviche?”

“I’m-a here, fratello. You’re in-a your room. You’re in-a your bed. You’re safe.”

“The lights. Please.”

Pavi turned the lights back on. He turned back to his brother seeing him sitting on the edge of his bed, breathing heavily. “Why didn’t-a you say anything, fratello?”

“It’s pathetic.”

“No, fratello. It’s-a not.” Pavi sat next to Luigi. “Have you talked to the psychiatrist?”

“I don’t need a fucking shrink.”

“Fratello…it-a helps.”

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not-a. And it’s-a ok to not be.”

“It’s pathetic is what it is.”

Pavi sighed. “How did-a the hospital help? How was it-a different?”

“It was never really quiet. The nurses walking down the hall; the beeps of the machines. It was never quiet. And the light in the hall kept the room bright. Not bright enough that I couldn’t sleep but…it wasn’t darkness.”

Ideas formed in Pavi’s head but nothing that they could do right now. “What would-a help now?”

“Working.”

“Fratello…” Pavi sighed.

“If I’m exhausted enough, I just collapse and there’s nothing; not even nightmares. I’m not tired enough yet. I just-”

“Not-a like that, fratello. That-a isn’t healthy.”

“It works.”

Pavi sighed and headed to the light switch once more.

“Pavi, please.”

Pavi closed his eyes at the desperation in Luigi’s begging. Luigi wouldn’t have collapsed if he wasn’t already exhausted. He needed rest. He flicked the light switch off.

“Fuck.” The panicked breathing filled the room once more.

Pavi approached his brother slowly.

Luigi eyes were clenched shut once more. He was still sitting up; his good hand clutching the bed tight.

“Fratello. Look-a at me. You’re alright.”

“You’re not real. You’re dead. You’re not-”

Pavi placed a gentle hand on Luigi’s shoulder. “I’m-a right here, fratello. I’m-a alive.”

Luigi forced his eyes opened and looked at him. “Paviche.”

“I’m-a here, fratello.” He gently pushed his brother back into bed.

Luigi’s eyes clenched shut once more.

“Fratello, feel-a the bed under you. You’re in-a bed. You’re safe. You’re home.”

Luigi’s eyes opened slowly once more. “I’m home.”

“Si.” Pavi released his hand for just a moment.

“Pa…paviche?”

Pavi climbed into bed next to his brother. He placed his hand on Luigi’s arm once more. “I’m-a here, fratello. Just-a getting comfortable.”

“Fag.” Luigi choked out.

“Just-a close your eyes and-a rest, fratello. I’m-a right here. I’m-a not going anywhere.”

Luigi closed his eyes but his breathing remained fast and panicked.

Pavi started humming an old Italian lullaby his mother used to sing to him when he was young. His grip on Luigi’s arm remained firm. He watched his brother’s panicked breathing begin to slow.

“Is-a the night light and-a music not-a working, fratello?”

“I’m not a child!” Luigi spat.

Pavi sighed. “I’m-a not an 80 year old man. But I still-a need something to help-a me remember what I have to do for the day.” Pavi held out the notebook. “Am I pathetic for-a that, fratello?”

“No.”

“Then-a why the double standard? We are all-a dealing with this, fratello.”

Luigi sighed but said nothing.

“Do you need-a company tonight, fratello?”

“No.”

“You will-a use the light and music?”

Luigi sighed. “Yes.”

***

Pavi watched his siblings having a conversation in the living room. All the changes in their lives had become routine to them. But Pavi had to admit, not all of them were bad. Pavi sat on the sofa where Amber decided that he was a more comfortable backrest. Luigi poured him a drink which Pavi graciously accepted.

“What took you so long?”

“The caterer keeps-a calling to reconfirm the order.”

“Thisis the most elaborate party you’ve planned, brother.”

“I know. But after the year we’ve had, I think-a we deserve it.”

“You’re having a meeting in person tomorrow at Angelli’s right? After your 11am meeting.”

“Sorella…” Annoyance crept in. “I don’t-a need you memorizing my schedule to remind me. I can-a remember it fine myself.” He snapped.

Amber sat up straight. “I…I hadn’t…”

Luigi glared at him.

“I just…wanted to know if you were leaving GeneCo. I…”

Fuck. She was worried. “I’ll-a be at Angelli’s at 1pm tomorrow. I’m-a bringing a team of bodyguards and security. My assistant will-a be there so you can-a call if-a you need to check in.”

“Sorry. I know it’s annoying.”

“No, sorella. Mi dispiace. We are all coping.”

“If it’ll keep your mind off it, I’ll join you for lunch tomorrow. Ok, Mela?”

Amber nodded quietly. “You have an appointment with the physiotherapist at 2.”

“Noted.”

Right. She had Luigi’s schedule memorized as well. She wasn’t hounding him about his memory. He had to remind himself that. He turned to Amber staring at him. “Yes, sorella?”

“Can’t you have the meeting at GeneCo? In 3 months, the clause in papa’s will will be voided. If they wanted to act, they’d act now.”

“Ok, sorella.”

Amber’s eyes widened in surprise. “And here I prepared a long argument in my head.”

“If-a it’ll help you sleep better tonight.”

“Thank you, brother.” She leant on his arm once more.

Pavi caught his brother smiling at them but decided not to call his brother out on it. They were all dealing with what happened in their own way. But…at least…they were dealing together.

Note: Just a little something I wrote awhile ago. A Haunting of Hill House AU/reimagining. Knowledge of Hill House not required but certain events are referred to in the story without explanation but I don’t really think prior knowledge is required. I love the sibling dynamics of Hill House and how they explored and dealt with grief (and I can’t help thinking that Steve was done dirty in the show). I just wanted to explore what would happen if the Largos found themselves in a similar situation. Setting is current world so the Largos may not be as…extreme as they are in Repo but they’re still every bit as broken. Enjoy

Summary: 
“The person who completes suicide, dies once. Those left behind die a thousand deaths, trying to relive those terrible moments and understand…why?” - Clark
20 years ago, their mother’s suicide tore their family apart. But slowly, they picked up the fragile pieces and put their lives together. Then one call, a second suicide, threatens to destroy those fragile pieces holding them together. 

Luigi pushed open the door. He nearly jumped at his sister standing silently in the hall staring quietly at him. “Fucking hell Amber. You scared the fuck out of everyone.” He growled. His sister didn’t say anything. She just stared at him, shaking. “The fuck is wrong with you?” He took a step towards her. His phone rang. He gave a quick glance at his shaking sister before glancing at the caller ID. Fucking fantastic. He answered the call. “Pops. You don’t have to come. She’s-”

“She lied.” Rotti’s voice was thick. “She went back to the house.”

“Pops. I’m not living there anymore.” Amber just continued staring at him. “She came to-”

“Mag called. They…they found her.”

Mag? Mag as in Magdelene Defoe? That was a name he hadn’t heard in years. She was their old housekeeper at their summer home. He must have met her only a handful of times. Last he heard, he was still staying at that house. He glanced at his sister again. “Pops, listen to me. Amb-”

“Amber…she…she’s dead.”

Luigi’s heart dropped. He looked at his sister again. “No pops. She’s right-”

“Mag found her body. She…she killed herself.”

What was he going on about? Amber was right here. He turned. She appeared right in front of him. She turned white right in front of his eyes. Blood trailed down her eyes like tears. Her eyes turned white. She opened her mouth and screamed. She crumpled to dust before him.

“Luigi?”

The phone dropped from his hands as he stared at the spot his sister had been. “Car…Carmela?”

‘Amber…she…she’s dead.”

No. No, she was right here. She was right in front of him. She was right here. “Amber, where the fuck are you? This isn’t fucking funny!” She was messing with him. A big practical joke. That was it. “Amber!?”

‘She…she killed herself.’

No. Pops was wrong. Mag was wrong. She saw someone else. How the fuck would Mag even know what Amber looked like? She got the wrong person. Some junkie or something broke into their old house and killed herself there. That was is. She just got the wrong person.

He picked up the phone and ignored Rotti shouting his name. He shut the call. He scrolled to find his sister’s number. It rang. Pick up. It rang. Fucking pick up. It rang. Please pick the fuck up. The call connected. “Finally. You stupid sl-”

“This is Detective Wayne speaking. Who is this? May I know how you are related to the owner of this phone?”

“Lu…Luigi Largo. I…I’m her brother.” No.

“We would like to apologize, Mr Largo.” No. “The owner of this phone was found dead in Hill Manor. We will need someone to come in to identify her-” No. The phone clattered to the ground. No. He looked at the spot where his sister had appeared before him. She was right there. She was right… Not even dust stood where his sister had crumbled.

“Amber?” He croaked. “Carmela?” Nothing answered him. All he could think of was when was the last time he spoke to his sister? Why couldn’t he remember the last time he spoke to her? If he had tried to keep in contact, would he have realized something was wrong? Why would she kill herself? Why?

A choke cry escaped his lips. No. His sister couldn’t be dead. His baby sister couldn’t be… He crumpled to the ground. Choked sobs escaped his lips. Not his sister. Not his baby sister.

***

Pavi glanced at the entrance and his face fell as he realized who just walked in. Wonderful. He scanned the bar trying to find an exit. Fuck. His brother spotted him and headed straight towards him.

“You didn’t pick up any of my calls.”

“Was-a busy.”

“Did pops call you?”

“Didn’t-a feel like-a picking up his-a calls either.”

“Pavi, we need to talk.”

“I’m-a busy.” He smiled at the girl at the other end of the bar and told the bartender to send her a drink.”

“I’m fucking serious, Pavi.”

Pavi rolled his eyes. “Oh, now-a you want to talk-a.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Pavi smiled bitterly. “Nothing, fratello. Absolutely nothing.” He headed towards the girl who accepted the drink. A hand grabbed his jacket.

“Paviche, please.”

Pavi raised his eyebrow at both the name and the magic word. Since when did his brother ever learn to use please? He finally turned to his brother and actually looked at him.

Something was wrong.

He looked fine enough. His suit was pristine as ever, every hair in place. But his face. Something was off. Did he look this aged the last time he saw him? There was a haunted look in his eyes. And his hand shook when he thought Pavi wasn’t looking. Was he sick?

“Fine, fratello. One last-a drink and then we’ll go.” He turned to the bartender. “Two glasses of whisky.”

“Make it double.”

Pavi just shrugged. The bartender poured them their orders. Luigi took the glass and downed it. “You’re not-a making me go any faster, fratello.” He took the drink and sipped it, watching his brother. If Luigi was sick, he should have been cut off from alcohol right? Papa had been calling too. Was it papa? Was papa sick? A pit settled at the bottom of his stomach. He finished his drink and followed Luigi outside. “Ok, talk.”

Luigi just pointed at his car. Pavi nodded and followed. He looked at Luigi trying to figure what was wrong but Luigi would only stare ahead, refusing to catch his eye. Pavi got in. “What is it fratello that it-a couldn’t wait until morning?”

He watched his brother’s hands tremble. He gripped the steering wheel and his knuckles turned white. “It’s…” Luigi swallowed. Something was very wrong. “It’s Amber. She killed herself.”

An icy pit filled him. “No.”

“Pops was at the police station this morning to identify the body. The coroner confirmed it was suicide.”

He couldn’t breathe. “No.”

“She hung herself. She would have died instantly.”

Pavi grabbed Luigi’s ascot and forced him to face him, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. Luigi refused to look at him. “What do you mean…What do you mean killed herself? Why would-a she kill herself?”

“I…I was hoping you would know. You two have always been close.”

Pavi choked as his chest tightened. How could Amber have done this? She told him everything. She always told him everything. Why wouldn’t she have told him something was wrong. “She wouldn’t.” He choked out. “She wouldn’t have. Not-a after mama. Not-a after she knew what-a mama put us through.”

“There was no sign of a struggle.”

“She…she called-a me two days ago. I…I was-a busy. I didn’t-a think it was-a urgent. I…I called her last night. She didn’t-a…Oh god. I thought-a if it was important she would have called back. I didn’t-a…I didn’t-a pick up. If I had-a picked up…she-”

“You don’t know that.”

“I could have stopped her.”

“She called pops too. She didn’t say anything about what she was planning. She lied to him and said she was coming to LA to find one of us.” Luigi paused, his voice becoming small. “She called you. She called pops. She didn’t…whatever she was going through, she didn’t think she could have come to me.” Luigi’s gripped tightened as his nails dug into his palm.

“She didn’t-a leave a note? Anything?”

“No.”

Silence fell on them. They both just sat there staring forward, unable to say anything. With a shuddering breath, Luigi turned on the engine. Pavi hadn’t noticed where they were going until he stopped in front of his house.

“What-a now?” Pavi said quietly.

“Once the paperwork’s done, they’re sending her body to Shilo’s. We’ll have the funeral there. We’re flying down tomorrow.”

Pavi nodded silently. He numbly thanked his brother for the ride and staggered into the house.

***

Luigi stepped out of the rental, staring at Shilo’s place. ‘Eternal Peace’. Fuck whoever came up with that name. Everything in him was screaming at him to turn and run. He didn’t want to be here. He didn’t want to do this.

“Shilo.” Pavi greeted warmly as he hugged her.

Shilo released him and turned towards Luigi who just glared at her, daring her to touch him. She just raised her hands in defense. But still smiled warmly at him. Everything in him wanted to knock that smile off her fucking face.

“Your dad’s waiting inside. Come in.”

He wanted to run.

They followed Shilo into the funeral house.

He wanted to run.

Rotti was sitting on the couch waiting for them.

He wanted to run.

Rotti stood. “Pavi, Luigi.”

“Papa.”

“Pops.” He greeted shortly. They stood there awkwardly just staring at each other. If he turned around now, he could catch the next flight out of there.

“Do you want to see her?” Shilo asked kindly.

No.

Pavi nodded. They both followed her into the parlor. He saw the coffin and his chest clenched and he just couldn’t. He turned away and headed straight for the alcohol. He couldn’t see her like that. He couldn’t make it real. His hands shook as he poured himself a glass of whisky.

“Sorella.”

Luigi clenched his eyes shut at Pavi’s broken cry. If he walked out right now, he could still pretend she was still alive. They barely kept in contact anyway. He could still pretend she was happily living her life somewhere else. He could-

“She left a voicemail two days ago, worried about Pavi.” He overheard Shilo talking to their father. “I…I didn’t think much of it. I left a voicemail telling her I called Pavi and that he was still in LA and that he was fine. But…I don’t know if she got it.”

Amber called Shilo but not him. She called everyone but not him. Pavi picked up Shilo’s call but not his. He drained the glass.

He numbly listened to Pavi’s cries when Shilo approached him. “You should see her before the wake tomorrow. It would be easier.”

“Nothing about this is fucking easy.”

“Don’t bite my head off. I’m trying to help.”

“Yes, help. With your smiles and your cheer. Forgetting of course our sister is dead!”

“Our sister now is it? After you’ve told me repeatedly that I’d never be one of you.”

“No. Never!” He hissed. “But to her,” His hand shook as he gestured at the coffin. “To her, you were.”

“You think this is easy? Standing here, pretending, smiling, doing my fucking job because it’s the only way I know how to help. The only way I can help.” He voice broke. “She was my sister too.”

‘No, she wasn’t.’ He wanted to say. He wanted to lash out and make them hurt as much as he did. He wanted to scream and curse and yell. But Shilo was right. Amber was always close to Shilo. And Amber called Shilo, not him. He didn’t count. He drained the glass. He poured another and drained it for good measure.

He heard footsteps behind him. He poured and offered Pavi a drink.

“Let’s sit in the hall.” Shilo said quietly.

Luigi nodded stiffly and took the bottle. They just sat in silence.

“Why…why would she do this?”

“She went to the house mom killed herself in and offed herself the same fucking way mom did. Want to wager a fucking guess?”

“I…I barely remember mama. Sorella…Sorella was-a younger. She’d…she’d have-a remembered less. It couldn’t-a…it couldn’t have-a been that.”

“She called me the night before.” Rotti said solemnly. “She said she was being haunted by the Bent-Neck-Lady.”

“Here we fucking go again. More fucking ghost stories.”

“Just because you never saw the ghosts doesn’t mean they weren’t there!” Shilo cried. She was always so fucking adamant the house was haunted.

“Are you listening to yourself? Do you know how fucking insane you sound?”

“Even if you never saw anything…you would have at least heard the banging on the walls? Or the crying in the middle of the night?”

“It was the pipes. And the only crying I ever heard were the three of you after claiming you saw a ghost.”

“Did you really not see anything?”

A flash of his sister’s face in his apartment. “No. Never.” He turned to his father. “So, what? She went back to the house to look for ghosts?”

“I don’t know why she went back there. She told me she saw the bent neck lady and that she was going to fly to LA to look for the two of you. I didn’t know she went to the house.”

“Play the message.” He growled at Shilo.

She obliged. “Shilo…I need your…could you just check in on Pavi? Is he here? I don’t know…I…I can’t help but feel something’s wrong. I just…Call me.”

Luigi went stiff at his sister’s voice.

“Does that sound like someone who’s planning to kill themselves?”

No. But she did anyway. She left and they were down to 3.

“She was-a traumatized by the Bent-a Neck Lady. As I grew up-a, I figured what we-a saw in that-a house was just-a kids having overactive imagination. She always believed they were-a real. What if…she was-a trying to get away?”

“But why would she go back to that fucking house? If she really was so scared, why would she go back?”

No one could answer him. They just sat in a tense silence.

“Luigi?”

“What do you want, Carmela?”

“I’m scared.”

“Ghosts again, Carmela?”

“I’m scared of the Bent Neck Lady.”

“There’s no such thing.”

“She’s going to hurt me.”

“Go back to bed.”

“She’s going to kill me.”

“I won’t let her.”

“Promise, brother?”

He sighed. “Yea I promise. I’ll protect you, Carmela. I’ll always protect you.”

Smash. He looked down as the glass dug into his palm. He couldn’t feel the pain. Not from his hand at least. His chest however burned and threatened to give way.

He hadn’t heard Shilo leave to get the first aid kid. He hadn’t heard her come back. And he certainly didn’t know what she was doing when she grabbed his bleeding hand.

“Don’t touch me!” She shoved her to the ground.

“Fratello!” Pavi helped her up. Because she counted. She meant something. He didn’t. He was nothing. He never counted.

He couldn’t do this anymore. He had to get out of there. No more of this shit. No more playing happy family when this thing they had barely counted as that. He stumbled out the door before freezing. It was the wrong door. His eyes widened at his sister staring at him from behind the coffin. She looked so sad. No, not again. He had drunk too much. He was seeing things. She wasn’t there. The sound of breaking deafened him as his sister’s neck snapped and twisted to the side. But she just stared. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t scream. She wasn’t real.

He threw the empty whisky bottle at her. It went straight through her and shattered against the wall behind her. See? She wasn’t real. Just a figment of his grieving imagination. That’s all.

“Luigi!” Something grabbed him roughly and turned him around. Something collided into his cheek. It stung. Numbly he felt his cheek. He barely felt the glass in his hand tearing into it. “How dare you!” He choked out. He glanced back at the coffin and she was gone. They didn’t see her. Just a hallucination. Nothing more.

He pulled away from his father. Everything hurt and he needed to do something, feel something or it would crush him. “Oh, now you want to play father, is it?”

“Luigi, you’re drunk.” Shilo said quietly. “Don’t say something you’ll regret.”

“Regret? What’s there to fucking regret. After the fucking funeral, he’d disappear again and live his own fucking life. It doesn’t make a fucking difference to me!”

“That’s not fair. Amber has always tried to get us together. You always refused to come.”

“20 fucking year, too fucking late!”

“You’re making it sound like I had a choice. The court decided-”

“No! Don’t play the fucking court card. I was old enough to fucking remember! You didn’t even try to fight for us!”

“How dare-”

“You could have just said ‘my wife went crazy and killed herself’ but no, you had to go on about ghost stories. And then suddenly refuse to say a fucking thing. If course they would have refused you custody. You sounded like a fucking madman.”

“Enough!” Rotti growled dangerously. But he was beyond caring. And while his hand was numb, his stinging cheek throbbed. And at least it was something. At least it was something more than the crushing pain in his chest.

“I read the fucking police reports pops. The bruises, the cracked skull. Did you fucking beat Mom? Is that why-”

Luigi gasped on the ground, his nose throbbing in pain. “How dare you? Police reports? You have no idea what happened that night!”

“That’s because you won’t fucking tell us! We’re not kids anymore! Tell us the fucking truth!”

“You’re drunk and you’re making a scene. Go back to the hotel and sleep. Before you make a bigger mess tomorrow.”

“You’re the own who should have died. Not her.”

There was a loud bang. The table collapsed sending the coffin onto the ground. Amber hung loosely out of the coffin. Luigi stumbled back. He thought the pain in his chest couldn’t get worse. If he thought it would collapse before…now it was as if everything was trying to burst out of his chest. He stared at his sister. Not his sister. His sister’s body. Her body. There was nothing else in there. Just an empty fucking shell. Just like mom. Nothing in there. Just like mom. Dead. Just like mom.

He stumbled out of the parlor and collapsed to the round sobbing. His sister was gone. His sister was gone. He couldn’t protect her. Just like he couldn’t protect his mom.

He felt arms wrap around him. “It’s alright brother. Everything’s going to be alright brother. Please don’t cry.” He tried to grab the arms around him but they disappeared. No. Don’t go. Don’t leave me.

“The workers will be here early tomorrow morning. They can help lift the coffin. Everyone is tired and upset. Maybe we should call it a night.”

Pavi thanked her. “Come on, fratello.” He couldn’t answer him. He couldn’t move. He didn’t care. “Fratello.”

“Fuck off.”

“Fine. Find your own-a way to the hotel.”

Numbly, he heard them leave. He dropped his head into his hands, rocking back and forth. He felt something touch his hand but he couldn’t find it in him to pull away. He took shuddering breaths as the hands finally released him. She sat there next to him, saying nothing. He closed his eyes as he forced his emotions down.

“Why do you hate me so much? I get you not liking dad and mom. But…why do you hate me? You were alright with me that summer in Hill House. What changed?”

“You counted. Even though you weren’t her daughter, you counted.” And I didn’t.

“What? You hate me because your mother was nice to me? Is that it? She knew how weird things were for me. She was just being kind.”

He shook his head but said nothing. None of them read the police reports. His father managed to get them sealed off before the others turned 18. But he…he read them during the trial when they’d left him unsupervised, while his father made statement after statement. If he knew what was it he was seeing that night, would he have been able to stop it? But that didn’t matter, because reading that report, he finally understood. He didn’t count. He never counted.

“If you want to stay here, I have a spare bedroom. Or I can get you a cab?”

Luigi just shook his head.  “The spare bedroom is just up the stairs. If you need anything just wake me.”

He heard Shilo leave. He looked at his right hand and it was bandaged. Shakily he got to his feet and approached the coffin on the ground. At least they put her back into the coffin. She looked…dead. “Amber?” Nothing replied. No ghosts. Just a hallucination. That was all.

***

Shilo woke the next morning. She checked the guestroom and Luigi wasn’t there. Of course he wouldn’t take anything from her. She headed downstairs when she realized the parlor lights were still on. Did Luigi forget to turn them off?

She headed to the parlor and froze. She too in the sight before her and sighed. Luigi was lying beside the coffin, holding Amber’s hand tightly in his.

“Why are you still up?”

“I don’t like the dark.”

“Then turn on the light.”

“Shi can’t sleep with the light on. And it is her room.”

Luigi glared at her. “Hey, I said it was fine.”

Luigi sighed. “Fine. I don’t think I can stand another night of Pavi crying out for…” He lay on the ground beside Amber’s bed.

“How will I know you’re still there?”

“Give me your hand.” He held her hand tightly in his. “I won’t let go alright? No one will take you.”

“Brother, is mommy coming back?”

She put a careful hand on Luigi’s shoulder.

“Carmela?”

“No.” She said softly. “The guests will be here soon. You can go upstairs and take a shower first.”

Luigi looked around, blinking. He sat up looked at the hand in his then at his sister. She watched the grief and realization wash into him. He nodded stiffly.

“I’ll call Pavi and ask him to bring a change of clothes.” He didn’t agree but he didn’t yell at her either. So she decided to take it as a yes. She headed to start preparing the place before the guests arrived. She looked up as the doorbell rang. She opened the door to see, “Dad. Mom.” She hugged them.

“How are you, Shi?”

“I’m handling things.”

She brought them into the parlour. Marni let out a sniff as tears ran down her face. Nathan held her. He didn’t cry but his eyes were red. Marni gently kissed Amber on the forehead. They turned to see Luigi staring at them. “Luigi.” Her mother said gently. “Are you alright?”

He just stared at them. Nathan placed a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t touch me.” It lacked his usual venom. “She’s not your daughter.” He muttered.

“We raised her Luigi. It counts.”

“No, it doesn’t.”

“Uncle Nathan. Aunt Marni.” Pavi hugged the two of them. Luigi sighed and walked off.

“We need to talk.” The four of them were sitting in the living room around Nathan and Marni. “The verdict has been reached. Your father…he won’t be able to take care of you. So you’ll be staying with us for awhile. We’ll be your guardians until the appeal comes through. We’ll sign the papers in the morning.”

“No.”

“We’re not related Luigi. It will be the only way you can stay here. Or they will put you into the system.”

“What do you mean papa can’t take care of us. I want to go home. I want to stay with mama and papa.”

“Pavi…your mama is dead.”

“What? No…No she’s not. She’s just gone for a vacation. That’s all.”

“What…what does dead mean?” Carmela asked quietly.

“It means she’s gone and she’s not fucking coming back.”

“Luigi. Language.”

“Why? You’re not my fucking mother. Don’t tell me what to do.” He headed towards the door.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to find dad.”

“The court has taken away custody Luigi. They find you with him, they could put him in jail. At the very least, they will take away visitation rights. Give it a few months for things to settle down and for your father to appeal the case.”

“So what happened to mama?”

Nathan sighed. “She…she had an accident. She fell and hurt herself very badly.”

“Yea fell right onto a noose.” Luigi muttered.

“So, when is she coming back?”

“She’s…she’s not coming back.”

“Why? Did we do something wrong?”

“It’s not like that.”

“I promise I’ll be good.”

“Carmela, sometimes…sometimes people die. Sometimes there’s no reason for it. It…it just happens.”

“I don’t…I don’t understand.”

Luigi finally walked up to her and grabbed the doll in her hand. Mommy gave it to her the day after everything that happened in Hill House, hoping to comfort her. Luigi threw it to the ground and stomped on it until it shattered. “Dead. Destroyed. Broken beyond repair. Nothing anyone can do about it except throw it away.”

Carmela started crying.

“Luigi, apologize to your sister.”

“You should have told them from the start. Not dragging things out like this.”

“We thought it was best if your father explained things.”

Pavi was hugging Carmela, comforting her.

“When’s the funeral?”

“The police released her body. We should be able to settles things in a couple of days.”

“Will papa be there?”

“Yes. Yes he will.”

***

Luigi felt hollow. He stared as they lowered the coffin into the ground. Marni fell to her knees sobbing as Nathan held her, tears falling from his eyes as well. What did they know of pain? They weren’t fucking related.

He watched everyone give a little speech about Amber. Pops talked about the sweet girl she used to be. That’s all he’d really know about her. But Amber forgave him the easiest. Luigi didn’t know why. She was the one who accepted the Wallace’s the easiest. She was the once raised mostly by them. Their father could mean shit to her and it wouldn’t matter. But then again…she was the one who always believed Nathan’s lies. He’d buy them extra presents for birthday’s and Christmas and say they were from pops. Forget the fact that half the time, he’d forget to call.

Pavi and Shilo talked about their relationship with her. The three of them were inseparable. Shilo and Amber were almost the same age, they went to the same school, same classes. They were close. Pavi didn’t accept Shilo as his sister like Amber had but they were friends at the very least.

Nathan talked about what a bright girl she was. She had the Wallace’s wrapped around her finger. She knew how to get whatever she wanted from them. She knew they felt sorry for her and she milked it any chance she had. He caught her calling Marni ‘mom’ once. He yelled at her to the point of tears. It worked; he never heard her call her ‘mom’ again. Was he…was he wrong? She had the most chance to be normal. She was almost normal. She was normal. Why did she…

Shilo asked him to speak. He felt everyone staring at him, waiting. “No.” She just gave him a tense smile as she asked her coworkers to speak. What could he say? ‘I abandoned her as soon as I turned 18 and could legally get the fuck out of that house.’ He went back for Christmas, birthdays, that was it. He left. Just like pops did. Amber always tried to keep in contact. Pavi never forgave him for it. He never gave him a reason why he left. ‘I went to find pops. He was fucking some married woman and playing happy family with her children. While he abandoned us.’ Family meant shit. So he left and never looked back. Family did nothing but cause pain. Like this open hole in his chest that continued to tear through him.

Pavi approached the hole in the ground. Probably to say goodbye a final time. All Pavi had was Amber especially after he left. They were close. They were always so close. Which was why he never understood why Pavi moved all the way to LA. Why didn’t he just stay here with Amber and the Wallace’s?

A scream of pure terror jolted from his thoughts. Pavi was on the ground, half in the hole the coffin was in, screaming like a madman. He ran there to pull him up. He froze for a second. He watched his sister stare at him from inside the hole, one hand around Pavi’s right wrist. He shook it off and pulled Pavi back.

“Pavi are you alright?” Shilo ran to them.

“The fuck was that?”

“They were-a pulling me in. They were…” He took deep breaths and tried to calm himself down.

“They?”

“Sorella and-a…mama.”

Mama? He didn’t see their mother down… Wait. Why was he indulging him? It was just a hallucination. Just like how he didn’t see his sister.

“Sorella grabbed my right-a wrist and-a mama my left. They were-a both trying to pull-a me in.”

“Enough Pavi, people are staring.”

It was a coincidence. Pavi screamed, half in the hole with the coffin. Of course he’d hallucinate Amber pulling him in. The same wrist was just a coincidence. That was all. A coincidence… Right?

But as the funeral went on, he couldn’t shake the feeling. He had seen Amber too many times now. He never saw mom after her death. Why would he be hallucinating as an adult but now as a child? And…he saw Amber before he knew she was dead. He had a sick feeling the whole day. But it wouldn’t be enough to spark a hallucination could it?

He didn’t know why Amber killed herself. He didn’t know what drove his mother insane those last few days. But…the connection was that house. That fucking house. He needed answers. Maybe…maybe that house could give it to him. If not, at least he’d prove once and for all that there wasn’t anything wrong with that house. Just children with overactive imaginations. Just a mother with an undiagnosed mental illness. And just a delusional old man trying to absolve himself of guilt.

***

“Fucking bastardo took the car and-a left me behind.” Pavi cursed under his breath. Why the hell did he decide to share a rental with his brother? All the guests had finally left and lo and behold, his asshole of a brother was nowhere to be found.

“I can give you a ride to the hotel.”

“Grazie Bella. I need-a to take a long hot shower and get-a drunk at the hotel bar.” Pavi froze.

“What is it, Pavi?”

Something was wrong. “No, it’s-a nothing.” He shook off the feeling. “It’s just I didn’t-a give fratello the hotel key yesterday, he wouldn’t-a have been able to get into the room.”

“He probably went to find a bar or something.”

“Maybe. I just-a have an odd feeling.”

“What’s that? Are you kidding me? I’ll be right there.” Rotti shut the call.

“What is it-a, papa?”

“The rental was a silver Honda Civic right?”

“Si. Why?”

“I just received a call from Mag. She saw a silver Honda Civic heading up to the house.”

Pavi sighed. “Maybe it’s-a his way of-a finding closure.”

“I’m going to go get him.”

“Papa, he needs-a time alone.”

“You don’t understand. None of you understand. Everything you saw in that house as children was real. Luigi is in danger going back.”

“Papa, please. Enough ghost-a nonsense.”

“It’s not nonsense. You don’t get it do you? It keeps calling you back. We escaped. It’s not happy. We’re a half-eaten meal they let go free. They want us back. They got Amber back there. Now they have Luigi.”

“You really are as-a delusional as-a fratello says.”

“Even so, maybe your dad is right. We should go get him. He’s…not exactly been stable the last few days. He…I’m scared he’ll do something stupid.”

Pavi groaned. But Shilo’s words stirred a sick feeling in his gut. “Fine. Let’s go.”

“No. Just lend me a car. I’ll go there myself.”

“It’s a big house. It’ll be faster if all of us look for him.”

“No. I’m not risking the two of you too.”

“No offense-a papa, but if-a fratello is-a really planning to hurt himself, you’re not exactly the right-a person to talk him down.”

“It’s too dangerous.”

“It’s my car. I’m driving. We’re both going. End of story.”

***

The house was dark and dusty. Everything was falling apart like no one had stepped into the place for years. Luigi didn’t know where he was going or what he planned to find here. But he knew where his mother killed herself. And then he found out that Amber killed herself at the same spot as well. If there was any place to start, it would be there.

He refused to look up at the spot. Slowly he climbed the stairs and froze. The red door was open. Strange. That room never opened. They searched for the key everywhere but they never could find it. The room was empty, desolate. He took a breath and entered the room.

“Luigi. We’re having a tea party. Come join us.”

Luigi froze. The room was brightly lit. A table sat in the middle of the room, filled with biscuits and a tea set. And in front of him stood, “Mo…mom?”

The woman smiled warmly at him. She was as radiant as he remembered her. “Come have tea, Luigi.”

“Don’t.”

“Ca..carmela.” There sitting in the chair opposite him was a 7-year-old girl. “Carmela, is that really…” No it couldn’t be. Why would she be 7? “I’m fucking hallucinating again.”

“Luigi, language.” His mother chided him like he was a child again. “Now, come join our tea party, Luigi. It’s no fun just the two of us.”

“Don’t.” The child warned again.

“I’ve missed you, mom.”

“I know. My poor sweet boy. Come, sit down. Tell me how you’ve been.” Slowly he pulled the chair back and sat. She poured the tea for him.

“Don’t drink it!”

Luigi just stared at the cup.

“Drink, Luigi. And everything will be alright.”

“Don’t do it.”

“I read the police reports, mom. I know what’s in the tea.”

“Oh.” She looked disappointed.

“Run, brother!”

He stared at the cup. “I don’t understand why.”

“I knew how dark and cruel the world could be. I wanted to keep my children with me here, forever. Safe.”

“No. That…that I figured. You…you passed me that night with the tea set.”

“Me and your siblings are having a tea party Luigi. Go back to bed.”

“You took both of them with you. You…you even took Shilo. She wasn’t even your child. She was just a bastard pops had. Why…why didn’t you…”

“Invite you to a tea party? You were too old for that. You’d have said no. And Shilo asked if she could join. It would have been rude to say no.”

“If…if you’d asked, I would have joined you. I would have done anything for you. You know that.” She could have told him what was in the tea and told him to drink it and he would have been a good little boy and done it. “You told me to go back to bed. You told me to go to bed while you planned to kill everyone else and yourself. You were delusional enough to think you’d be together in death so…why didn’t you want me?” Luigi sobbed as 20 years of repressed hurt and pain escaped.

“Oh my boy, my sweet boy, it wasn’t like that.” She approached him and stroked his hair gently. “You were always so strong and brave. Not like your siblings. I thought you would be alright out there. I thought I wouldn’t need to protect you from the world.”

“I didn’t count. You didn’t want me. I didn’t count.”

“Oh my boy. My poor boy. I see I was wrong. The world has hurt you so much. I should have asked you to join me too. The world was too cruel even for one as strong as you. Come. I couldn’t protect you then. Let me protect you now. Have some tea Luigi.”

“Brother, don’t.”

“No one can hurt you again. We’ll be together forever. You, me, Carmie. We won’t leave you ever again.”

“Brother, don’t listen to her.”

He looked at his baby sister for a moment then at his mother. “I love you.”

“I love you my son. My poor, poor son.”

He picked up the teacup as his mother grinned at him. He gulped down the tea.

***

“Why do you think I never sold the house? My wife kills herself in there and I keep the bloody thing?”

“I always-a figured you couldn’t-a sell it. Not with the press-a surrounding the house.”

“I wanted to starve it. Keep it weak…I just made it desperate.”

“It’s a house.”

“No. It’s not just a house. 18 months after your mother died, you took a cab by yourself to Hill Manor.”

Pavi froze. “No I didn’t.”

“Yes you did. You were a child who barely even knew the address of our home. How would you even know the address of the summer home we just bought.”

“I…I don’t-a remember.”

“Luckily the cab driver had sense. He saw the state the house was in, turned around and took you to the nearest police station. Marni was hysterical. You running away in the middle of the night. Nathan attributed it to sleepwalking but I knew better.”

“That doesn’t-a make sense.”

“The house wants you. All of you. It had been silent for 20 years. I thought it finally gave up until your sister…”

“Amber killed herself.” Shilo supplied, eyes still on the road.

“Carmela was the most well-adjusted of the three of them. She accepted you and your parents as her family. She barely remembered Angelina. She had a good career. She was…happy. She wouldn’t have killed herself. She had no reason to.”

“So what, the house-a made her sleepwalk there?”

“Remember the voicemail? She was convinced you were in trouble. I checked her phone. She didn’t get Shilo’s voicemail. She may have been the most adjusted but she also saw the most ghosts in that house. She was the only one who understood how dangerous the house was. I think the house convinced her you were in trouble and she had to go find you.”

“Then how did-a she wind-a up hanging herself?”

“I don’t know. But right now the house has your brother. He may not believe in ghosts but…he is the least stable.”

“And whose fault is-a that?” Pavi hissed.

“He’s the oldest. He remembered your mother the most. He’d have felt her loss.”

Pavi shook his head. “You still don’t-a get it do you? He spent-a every birthday and Christmas waiting for-a you to show up. And when they said-a you could visit once a week, he was-a so convinced you would-a make it but you never did. And the appeals…” Pavi shook his head. “He was-a so sure you would succeed. And Nathan tried-a so hard to keep it from us. He called-a me the Thanksgiving 5 years ago, drunk-a out of his mind. ‘Pops never appealed the case. The courts never took away visitation rights.’”

Rotti was quiet. “How long has he known?”

“Since the first so called appeal. He snuck out of-a the house to go to the courts to watch. But-a you never showed up. And when he came home, Nathan told him that-a you tried your best but-a the appeal failed.” Pavi let out a bitter laugh. “He hated that-a Nathan helped lie for you. Then he put it into his-a head that-a Nathan and Marni were the ones who didn’t want-a you to take us from them. So he counted down until he was 18. He left-a on his birthday to look-a for you. No one knew what-a happened to him for-a almost 6 months when you finally made your yearly Christmas call and fratello was-a not with you. Nathan and-a Marni were worried sick. But-a he was-a over 18. The cops couldn’t-a call it a missing case or a runaway. They found-a him on the streets barely able to feed himself. They paid-a for college and told him you paid and insisted he go.” Pavi took a shuddering breath. “You see; I gave up a long time ago of-a you ever being in our lives. It came to a point where I’d even forgotten what-a you looked like. But fratello…fratello thinks the fucking world of-a you, no matter how many times-a you disappoint him.”

“When did he-”

“Finally give up? After I fucking OD’d.”

“I…I’d accidentally walked in on him. He left dozens of messages begging you to come back. That he was scared and that he needed you.”

“But you never did. Did-a you even know or cared that I nearly died?”

“I…Nathan said you were fine. That you’d survive.”

Pavi gave a hollow laugh. “So you didn’t-a need to come see me did you?” He shook his head. “Nathan paid for rehab. Fratello left his-a job in LA and stayed with-a me until I got clean. And-a I feel so sorry for-a Nathan. Because it was-a so much easier for fratello to hate him than-a hate you. Even though Nathan has-a been a better father to him, to all of us than-a you ever been. But fratello blamed Nathan even though all he ever did was-a cover for you. Even after you fucked his wife.”

Shilo looked away.

“She wasn’t married to Nathan yet.”

“Oh so that-a made it ok? Fucking her the night before the wedding? She may not-a have been married but you definitely were. You fucked-a Marni while mama was-a pregnant with Amber. I always-a wondered if that-a contributed to mama’s breakdown at the end; finding out about an illegitimate child.”

The car stopped. “We’re here.” Shilo said quickly, unable to look at either of them.

Rotti took a breath. “We find Luigi and get out. No matter what you see, what you hear; don’t follow. Just get out of here.”

Pavi exited the car breathing heavily. Everything he held in for the past 20 years just came spilling out. A part of him felt guilty at what he said. Part of him felt satisfied. He wanted papa to know how much he’d hurt all of them. He looked at the house. Memories of ghosts flooded him, He shook his head. He didn’t believe his father’s delusions. He’d spent too many years convincing himself everything he saw in that house wasn’t real. He wasn’t going to spoil it all now just because his father was going senile.

They stepped through the doors.

“Woah this place is huge.”

“Can we stay here forever, daddy?”

“You have school in the fall.”

“I hate school.”

“Now listen to me. Shilo will be staying with us for the summer. I want all three of you to be nice to her.”

“Are her parents really getting a divorce?”

“Pavi, don’t be rude.”

“Sorry.”

“Come Shilo. Let’s pick a nice room before these two idiots hog them all. I always wanted a sister.”

“Did you see that too?”

“It’s-a just memories Shilo.” Pavi muttered shaking off the visions.

“Memories don’t work that way and you know it.”

“Just-a memories of a better time.” He repeated, even though he himself barely remembered the conversation. Even though he barely remembered what his mother looked or sounded like anymore.

“We need to find Luigi now.”

“We should-a split up.”

“I think I know where he is. If he isn’t there, then we split up to find him.”

“It’ll be faster if-”

“He’ll be there. And I don’t want either of you wandering this house on your own.”

Pavi sighed and followed his father. From the corner of his eyes, he saw the same hallucinations he always had. A predisposition to mental illness Luigi had said. He was right. There was nothing supernatural about this house.

“Can you see them too? Please tell me I’m not the only one.”

“Papa scared us with-a ghost stories.”

“But we wouldn’t imagine the same ghosts in the same place right?” She pointed at the bottom of the stairs where a beautiful face stared at him, marred by the hole in her forehead. “She blew her face off.” She pointed towards the kitchen. “Maid. She has scalds all over her body.” She pointed to the living room. “Young girl.”

“Naked. Slit her wrists.”

“See? We can’t have hallucinated the same ghosts. We just can’t.”

Pavi knew she was right. But if the ghosts were real then…did Amber really not kill herself?

“Oh god. Pavi I know where he’d bringing us. The red room. Where your mother was having the tea party.” The last time they saw their mother before papa dragged them out of the house.

Shilo screamed and jumped back.

“What is it?”

“Nothing. I…I thought I saw Amber hanging up there.” He looked up above the stairs but saw nothing.

“It’s where she hung herself. The both of them.”

Pavi shivered. He didn’t know. Amber couldn’t have known…could she?

They headed up the stairs, the room firmly locked shut. Rotti tried to force the door. “Find something to pry it open.”

“It’s-a always been-a locked papa. No one was-a ever able to find the key.” But they had their tea party here. Meaning the door must have been opened. But…but it’s never been open. No one could ever open it. Did Mama find the key?

Rotti moved towards the stairs searching for something, anything to force the door open.

“Pavi, the door!”

Pavi turned and…the door was wide open. On the other side lay, “Fratello!” He lay on the ground, convulsing. Pavi ran into the room. “Fratello!” He tried to hold his brother down. Luigi seized in his arms. “Fratello, what’s-a wrong with you?”

“Pa…Pavi.” He turned as she picked up the opened bottle of rat poison from the ground. No.

“He needs a hospital.” Rotti turned and the door slammed close. “No!” Rotti slammed himself onto the door but it stayed firmly shut. The room was empty. Nothing they could use to pry the door open. Nothing. They were trapped.

A horrible gurgling sound escaped his brother’s throat. Foam and blood escaped his brother’s lips.

“Keep him on his side. Don’t let him choke on it.”

Pavi obeyed. Luigi just convulsed harder.

“How much did-a he fucking drink?”

“I…I don’t know. Half the bottle’s gone.”

“What can we do? What the fuck can we do?”

“I…I don’t know.”

“Fratello, please.” He froze. A ghostly pair of legs appeared before him. He looked up. “Ma…Mama?”

“Pavi. My sweet boy.” She placed her hands on his cheek and he was no longer in that room. He was sitting in the living room of his childhood.

“Pavi, come play with me.”

“Sorella?”

“Pavi, come play with me.”

“No one wants to play with your dolls Carmie.” Luigi muttered from the couch.

“Shilo will play with me.”

“Shilo isn’t here.”

“No but soon. Soon we shall all be together again.” Mama said in a warm voice that made him want to forget everything.

No. Pavi was forgetting something important. He was forgetting something. Something he had to do.

“Pavi.”

“Mama?”

“Oh I missed you my beautiful boy.”

“Mama, why did you leave us?”

“Your father took you from me. We can stay here forever, Pavi. You, me, your brother and your sister.”

Brother. He had to remember something about his brother. Luigi.

“Your father and Shilo as well if they want to.”

“Fratello…”

“Your brother is here with us, look.” Luigi sat on the couch watching the tv. But something felt wrong. It was like he wasn’t really there. Like he was looking at a projection.

“Fratello is…fratello is-a hurt.”

“Your brother is quite alright. It’s taking him a bit of time to come here, that’s all. Soon. Soon he’ll be here.”

“Mama, you don’t-a want to do this. The house is-a making you do this.”

“No. The house opened my eyes to the truth. The only way I could keep you safe, keep all of you safe, is to keep you here forever.”

“Safe? Sorella is-a dead.”

“She’s right here and safe with me. So will your brother.”

“No.”

“You don’t want to be alone do you?”

“No.”

“Come Pavi. You will never be alone again. You will never be abandoned again.”

“Mama.”

“Come to me my sweet boy. Just one more dose of poison in your veins. No one will hurt you again. You won’t hurt yourself again.”

A syringe and needle appeared in his hands. Another overdose?

“Paviche? You’re awake.”

“What-a happened, fratello?”

“You fucking OD’d is what happened. Amber said it was just parties. How the fuck did you end up like this?”

“A good party?”

“Don’t fucking bullshit me!”

“What does it-a matter? I’m-a fine. Go back to LA and do whatever shit you’ve-a been doing.”

“Your heart stopped. It stopped beating for 5 fucking minutes. And I wasn’t here. Fuck. I wasn’t here. All I heard was Amber crying, no one knowing if you were alive or dead. And when I get here no one knowns if you would fucking survive. How could you do that? After everything we’ve been through, how could you do that?”  

“I just-a took too much that’s-a all.”

“Fuck you.”

“I’m-a fine.”

“Until the next time you take too much?”

“I won’t.”

“You have to stop.”

“It-a was an accident.”

“I can’t get a call like that again. I can’t…”

“You were-a fucking fine going to LA by yourself and-a leaving us behind. Continue on there. You don’t-a have to give a fuck what happens here. Visiting hours are over.”

“I’m sorry.” Luigi refused to look at him. “I know I fucked up. I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t…I didn’t mean…It really is-a just parties. I just-a fell in with the wrong crowd. It’s-a not a cry for help or-a whatever you want to spin it.”

“I’m begging you to stop. Nathan has agreed to pay for rehab. I…I don’t make half as much.”

“I don’t-a need rehab. I don’t-a want to stop. I’ll cut-a down on the parties, I swear.”

“I’ll come back. I’ll quit my job and move back home.”

“Really, fratello?”

“But only if you stop. I won’t stay here and watch you kill yourself.”

“How-a long will you stay for?”

“As long as you want me here. I won’t abandon you again.”

Liar. That fucking liar. They were all fucking liars. They were leaving him one by one. Why should he have listened?

“Brother, please don’t do this.” Carmela still sat on the living room floor playing with her dolls ignoring them but…Amber stood next to him.

“Sorella.”

“Please don’t do this. Don’t listen to her.”

“You left-a. You killed yourself and-a you abandoned us.”

“I didn’t kill myself. She killed me. I didn’t want to die.”

He turned and he was on top of the staircase outside the red room. He watched his mother put the noose around Amber’s neck but she didn’t notice. “It’s a beautiful necklace mommy.” She led her over the edge and she stood tethering. She blinked and looked down. “No.” She gripped the banister. “Mommy help me.”

“Come join me my baby.”

“I don’t want to die.”

“Come my little one. My beautiful little girl.”

“Mommy please.”

“I love you.” Mama pushed Amber off the ledge. Her scream was cut short by a firm breaking.

Pavi stumbled back and he was once more in the living room. “You killed her. She didn’t-a want to die. You killed her.”

“I was saving her. Before the world could ruin her. I saved her. Before the world could turn her into your brother. I didn’t even need to convince him.”

“You did that to him. You and-a papa and killing sorella. You did that-a to him. Not the world. If-a you have any shred of decency left-a in you, if any of our mother is still-a in there, you’d-a let me save him.”

“He doesn’t want to be saved.”

“All-a we have is each other. Please, let-a him go.”

“He left you. After you got cleaned as he asked, he left you and went back to LA.”

“And I followed. Because I knew he didn’t-a want to be alone. But he couldn’t be in that-a city anymore. Not with-a papa there. So he could-a fool himself into believing he left-a papa. Not-a the other way around. Not papa refusing to see him, to see us. I can-a beg him to stay. He will-a stay with me. I know it. Please mama. Don’t-a take him too.”

“I don’t want to be alone anymore.”

“I’m here mommy. I’m here. You’re not alone, you have me.”

“If you die outside, I will never see you again. If you bring Luigi out of here and he dies in a hospital, I will never see him again. You can’t take him from me. You can’t. Stay here. All of you. We can be a family again. Just as we were all those years ago.”

“But that’s not me mommy.” Amber pointed at the little girl still playing with her dolls. “it hasn’t been me for a long time. Even with me here, you still want what we were, not what we are now. That isn’t love.”

“You called your brother here, not me.”

“This house called him here, not me. This house is making you hurt us, not you. This isn’t you, mommy. You’re letting this house kill us one by one. But you can stop this. I’m here. Not that memory. Me. I won’t leave you alone. Just let them live, please.”

“No.” Her face turned cruel. “No. I will keep you here with me. All of you.” A smile appeared on her face; warm but twisted. “Oh, your brother’s coming. I hope he still likes tea.”

Ice filled him. “No.”

“Go. Pavi, go.” Amber placed two fingers on his forehead.

***

Pavi jerked awake. He was back in the room. Shilo and Papa were passed out on the floor. “Fratello!” Luigi was still. “No. NO. NO. Nononono.” He placed a hand on his neck. “No.” There was no pulse.

He pulled his brother onto his back and started CPR. He just needed to get his heart started again. He needed to start his heart. “Fratello, please don’t-a leave me.”

“Pavi?” Shilo woke. Of course mama couldn’t convince her to stay.

“Get the door open.”

“Is he-”

“Get the fucking door open!”

“Oh god.”

“Fratello, don’t you fucking dare abandon me again.” 30 and 2 breaths. 30 and 2 breaths. But he couldn’t count. He couldn’t. Not with his shaking and his fear. And… 30 and 2 breaths. “Fratello please.”

***

“Fratello please.”

Luigi glanced up for a minute. His brow furrowed. He shook his head and took another biscuit from the table.

“Can’t you hear him?”

“Fratello, I won’t fucking forgive you. Please.”

“Ignore the voice, Carmela. There’s no such thing as ghosts.”

“You’re leaving him alone?”

“He’s not alone. He has-”

“He has no one else!” She slammed her fist on the table. It was always comical coming from such a small child if not for the anger on her face. “Can’t you hear his heart breaking? Go back Luigi, please. Don’t leave him.”

“Like you left us?”

“I didn’t kill myself. I didn’t want to die. I had so much going for me. I was happy. I didn’t want to die.”

Luigi froze, a chill ran up his spine. “You’re lying.” His voice was little more than a whisper.

“No. When she couldn’t convince me to stay, mommy pushed me.”

“You…you kept coming to find me.”

“I heard your heart breaking. Just like I hear Pavi’s heart breaking now. I wanted to tell you it wasn’t your fault. You couldn’t have known because I didn’t kill myself. I didn’t want this.” She shook her head. “But I couldn’t speak, couldn’t say anything. I could see you, all of you. But I kept shouting and screaming but none of you could hear me. I saw all of you blame yourselves for what happened. But it wasn’t anyone’s fault. The house tricked me and brought me here. Mommy tricked me into hanging myself. She pushed me. It’s this house brother. It’s no one else’s fault. Just like how mommy’s death wasn’t anyone’s fault. Not yours. Not daddy’s. It’s this house.”

“If I hadn’t gone to LA-”

“Shi was here. Nathan and Marni were here. Daddy was here. It didn’t matter. You couldn’t have stopped it even if you were here.”

“I should have believed you about the house.”

“You should have. But it wouldn’t have made a fucking difference.”

“Language.”

“I’m not a child!” And as soon as she said that, she aged into the woman she was before she died.

“Amber.” Luigi choked. He trembled as he walked up to her and clutched her. “I’m sorry.”

“Did you not hear a word I said?”

“I’ve missed you.”

“I miss you too brother. But you cannot stay.”

“I can’t do this without you.”

“You can and you will. We will see each other again brother, I know it. Just not now. Not like this. Go back to him please.”

Luigi closed his eyes. “How?”

“Destroy the cup. You drank the poison. You have to choose to leave.”

He nodded slowly. He raised the cup above him.

“Luigi, don’t do this.”

“Mom.”

“Don’t leave me.”

Slowly, Luigi lowered the cup, staring at her.

“Luigi, don’t listen to her.”

“I don’t want to be alone again.”

“She has me, brother. The house is manipulating you.”

“Luigi, I’m so lonely. I’ve been alone in this house for 20 years.”

“Brother she has me.”

“Drink another cup, Luigi. Stay here with me.”

An animalistic how of pain echoed through the room.

“Listen to him, brother. You’ll kill him.”

“He can join us too. We’ll be a family again. All of us.”

“Pavi already refused. He doesn’t want this, brother. Don’t force him to do this.”

“Luigi-”

“Enough!” Luigi shook. “Both of you just…enough.” He stared at the cup in his hand. “I…I love you both so much.”

“I love you too brother. I will always be with you.”

“Luigi, don’t.”

Luigi’s eyes never left the cup. “For so many years, I wondered why you never invited me to that fucking tea party. I’d gotten it into my head it must have meant you didn’t love me. I see now, you are not you.” He finally looked at his mother. “You are just a vessel this house uses to get more victims. You were right.” He took a breath. “I was too old for the tea party. I would have figured something was wrong and stopped you or called dad or made a scene. Sending me to bed was to keep me out of the way. I see that now. I finally see that.” His eyes burned. “My mother was a wonderful woman. She was beautiful and kind and forgiving and she would have done anything for us. She was not the kind of person who could murder her own daughter, no matter how lonely she felt. I don’t know if you’re still in there, mom, but I love you and miss you so much. It’s not that I don’t want to be with you. But I’ve abandoned Pavi too many times now, convinced that if you didn’t love me, no one else ever did. So I did all I could to push everyone away, keep my heart safe. I can’t do that to him again. I’m sorry.” He closed his eyes and smashed to cup against the ground.

***

Shilo grabbed his hands. “Pavi…Pavi enough. He’s gone.” She choked.

“No.”

“He’s gone.”

A broken cry of grief escaped Pavi’s lips. He’d just lost his sister…he couldn’t…he couldn’t… He curled against himself, head pressed into his hands. Painful sobs escaped his lips. No. “You bastard.” He choked out. “You fucking-”

Luigi gasped.

“Fra…fratello?”

Luigi coughed and gagged as more blood escaped his lips. But he was breathing. He was breathing.

“Fratello.” He felt his pulse. It was weak and thready. “He needs a hospital.”

“The door is still locked.”

“Mama, please. Please.”

“You want someone, Angelina, take me.”

“Pa…papa?”

His father stood quietly, staring at the empty spot below the window. “Let them go Angelina. Take me.”

“Pops, don’t.” Luigi choked out.

“I kept making screw up after screw up. Everything that I thought I was doing that was right just made things worse. Let me fix this. If you want someone, Angelina, take me. Let the boy live.”

“Look at him Rotti.” Came a disembodied voice. Slowly, his mother appeared translucent at the spot his father was staring at. “Look at what the world has done to him. I can keep him safe.”

“What we’ve done to him, Angelina.”

“No. I want to protect him.”

“You’re taking the rest of his life from him.”

“I’m protecting him.”

“No, you’re not. That’s not being a parent. You have to let them go and screw up and learn to survive the world. That’s living.”

“I don’t want to be alone.”

“I will stay with you. Just open the door.”

“Pops, please.”

Her features turned cold. “Or I can keep all of you here with me.”

“Look at him, Angelina. He’s suffering.”

She looked sadly at him, “It will end soon. I promise.” She gave him a warm reassuring smile.

“Do you remember when Luigi was born? What hope we had for him, for his future? You’re taking everything away from him. You have to let him live. Please, let him go.”

Her eyes softened and he swore he could see his mother fighting to break through. Tears leaked from her eyes. She nodded. The door swung open.

Rotti bent next to Luigi. He grabbed his wrist. “Pops, don’t do this.” He gasped out weakly.

“I’m sorry. I never realized how much I hurt you, hurt all of you. I thought you could have a normal life, a normal family with the Wallace’s. I didn’t want to ruin that.”

“I didn’t want them, pops. I wanted you.”

“I see that now. I’m sorry.”

“Pops, please. Don’t do this.”

Rotti placed a gentle hand on his face. “I want this. 20 years ago, if it wasn’t for you three, I would have hung myself right next to her. I loved her so much. And I grieved

Whumptober 2021 Masterlist

Fandom: Repo! the Genetic Opera

Characters: Largo siblings

Kidnapping Arc

No. 1 - ALL TRUSSED UP AND STILL NOWHERE TO GO(barbed wire | bound l head injury)

No. 3 - STICKS AND STONES MAY BREAK MY BONES BUT… (“Who did this to you?”)

No. 9 - RUMORS OF MY DEATH HAVE BEEN GREATLY EXAGGERATED (presumed dead | (blind) rage | tears)

No. 7 - MY SPIDEY-SENSE IS TINGLING(helplessness | numbness)

No. 15 -​ FEED A COLD, STARVE A FEVER(delirium | fever dreams)

No. 6 - TOUCH AND GO(bruises | touch starved | hunger)

No. 10 - OOPS, I DID IT AGAIN(hospital | flare-up)

No. 16 - ON A NEED TO KNOW BASIS(recovery | aftermath)

Other Prompts

No. 2 - TALKING IS OVERRATED (garotte | choking)

No. 4 - TRUST FALL(taken hostage | pushed)

No. 5 - I’VE GOT RED IN MY LEDGER(betrayal | misunderstanding | broken nose)

No. 8 - COUGHING UP A LUNG(exotic illness)

No. 11 - JUST KEEP SWIMMING(drowning)

No. 12 - IT’LL BE FUN, THEY SAID(torture | made to watch | begging)

No. 13 - THAT’S GONNA LEAVE A MARK(“This is gonna suck” | burns | cauterization)

No. 14 - UNDER PRESSURE(crush injuries)

No. 17 - FIELD CARE 101(hemorrhage | dread)

No. 18 - THE DOCTOR IS IN(CPR)

No. 19 - JUST A SCRATCH(bleeding | stabbing)Luigi Largo X Reader

No. 20 - LOST & FOUND(trunk)

No. 31 - HURT & COMFORT(trauma | prisoner) - sequel to No. 20

No. 21 - THAT’S WHERE THE BLOOD’S SUPPOSED TO BE (bleeding through the bandages | pressure | blood-matted hair)

No. 22 - THEY MADE ME DO IT(cursed | demon)

No. 24 - ONE DOWN TWO TO GO(revenge)

No. 25 - HIDE & SEEK(hiding)

No. 26 - YOU WILL GO DOWN WITH THIS SHIP(fallen | trap door)POTO AU

No. 27 - I’M FINE. I PROM…(passing out | collapse)

No. 29 - ALL WORK AND NO PLAY(overworked)

No. 30 - DIGGING YOUR GRAVE (major character death | left for dead)

NSFW (Triggers: Non-con, torture, sexual abuse, self-harm, PTSD)

No. 23 - YOU BREAK IT, YOU BUY IT(auction)

No. 28 - IT’S NOT JUST IN YOUR HEAD(“Good. You’re finally awake.” | nightmares | panic)

Pavi opened his eyes and he was in a tiny cell. He felt dizzy. What the hell was going on? He got to his feet. He wasn’t bound or gagged or anything. He tried the door. It was locked.

“What the-”

Pavi turned to his brother on the ground, blinking the fog out of his vision. “Fratello.”

“Where the fuck are we?”

“I don’t know.” He approached his sister and shook her gently.

Amber’s eyes flew opened. “Brother.”

“Does-a anyone remember-a what happened?”

“We were in the car. We were heading for a meeting. Then…something smelled off. That’s the last thing I remember.”

Luigi headed towards the door and slammed his shoulder into it. It stayed firm. “Fuck.”

Pavi checked his pockets but they were empty. He looked around for anything they could use. That was when he spotted a lone gun on the ground. That was strange. Why would their kidnappers give them a gun? Why-

“So, you’re finally awake. I was beginning to get bored.” A voice resounded over the speaker above them.

“Where the fuck are you, you fucking coward? Show yourself.”

“Always with the temper, Mr Largo. Is that why you killed my daughter? Did she piss you off?” The voice spat.

Luigi fell silent. “So what is this, revenge? Come face me then you coward.”

“Revenge? Yes. But not just you. Ms Sweet, it was so easy for you to just reduce the days of defaultment without warning, wasn’t it? We had another month. But you…you took that away. And sent the Repo Man after my wife.”

“Too many people were defaulting payment without pressure. So we forced them to pay.”

“Not all of us can get that much money in such a short period of time.” The voice took a breath. “No matter. I will have my revenge one way or another. Pavi Largo.”

“Si? You have a problem with-a the Pavi as-a well?”

“No. As despicable as I think you are, I have no fight with you. I’ll let you go. I’ll let you go if you take that gun and shoot one of your siblings.”

Pavi’s blood ran cold. “What….what did you say?”

“Take that gun and shoot either your brother or your sister. I’ll let you and the other one go.”

A pit formed in Pavi’s gut. “You’re lying.”

“Or I could just kill all three of you. I honestly don’t care. I’ll give you a bit of time to choose.” Static filled the speaker as it dead.

Pavi met Amber’s horrified expression.

“He can’t be serious. He can’t be…It’s a joke. It’s a prank, that’s all.”

Pavi looked down at the gun once more. He couldn’t do this. He won’t do this. He’d rather they killed him. But… He’d condemn both his siblings as well. He… Fuck. He couldn’t do this.

“Well. The choice is fucking obvious isn’t it?”

Pavi’s eyes darted upwards to see a sneer form on Luigi’s face.

“That fucking bitch snatched GeneCo from us and thought she could order us around like her fucking servants.”

“I…” Amber’s voice faltered as she looked at her brother in shock. “I didn’t snatch GeneCo. We…we had an agreement.”

Luigi ignored her. Hate filled his features. “You heard that bastard. She reduced the number of days of defaultment even after everyone told her it was a fucking shit idea. She’sthe reason we’re here.”

“I…” Amber’s features hardened. “And what about his daughter? I told you to stop killing my staff. I told you to get your temper under control. This is as much on you as it is on me.”

Luigi turned away from Amber and towards him. “Do it. Just kill her and we both get out of here. We’ll split GeneCo 50-50. No more taking orders from our little sister.” Luigi spat.  

Amber stepped backwards. “You can’t be serious.”

Pavi watched hurt seep in to her features. This was like the Opera all over again. He watched his sister desperately hold back tears.

“Come on, Pavi.”

Pavi’s eyes darted towards his brother and he saw the begging in his eyes.

“Life was better before she was born. She was always pops favourite. She could screw up and he didn’t care. Life would be better with her gone.”

“You don’t mean that, brother.” Came Amber’s choked voice. “Tell me you don’t mean that.”

Pavi watched as Luigi still refused to look at her. His brother kept his gaze focused on him. But Pavi couldn’t bring himself to say anything. He couldn’t say anything. This was all going to shit and he didn’t know what he could do.

Rage filled Luigi’s features. “What the fuck are you waiting for? Shoot her!”

Pavi tore his eyes away from his brother and to the gun in his hand. He felt numb. Why would they make him do this?

“You fucking, useless fag. You’re a fucking disgrace to our family. To think my life would be in the hands of something like you. I knew I hated you for a reason. I hated you from the moment you were born.” Luigi spat. “I should have killed you from the start. My life would have been better without you; without either of you.”

Pavi shut his eyes as if that would block his brother’s words. He didn’t want to hear this. He didn’t want to hear any of it.

“Fucking idiot. What use are you? What can you do other than fucking women to fuck you? You would have never amounted to anything. Give you GeneCo? You would have run it to the ground. Pops was right about you. You’re a fucking disappointment.”

“Luigi, that’s enough!”

“Oh, I see.” Luigi sneered. “You two are together in this. Of course. She will push you aside once she has a firmer hold on GeneCo. You’re nothingto her. Then again, you’re nothing to me either.”

“Stop it.” Pavi forced out through the lump in his throat.

“A pathetic younger brother who could barely even speak. Tell me, do you still fu…fu…fucking stutter without your stupid foppish accent. And her, a fucking slut who would spread her legs for anything that would give her Z. What use is her life? Just put her out of her fucking misery.”

“I said, stop it!” Pavi hissed.

Luigi sneered. “So, it has balls after all.”

“I said, stop it. You’re so fucking transparent, fratello.”

Luigi scoffed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means,” Pavi spat, “I know what the fuck you’re doing and you’re going to stop it now!”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you’re a fucking horrible actor and you’re going to stop your bullshit now.”

Luigi fell silent. “It’s not”-

“Enough!”

“It’s not fucking bullshit.”

“This is hard enough, fratello. Don’t make this harder. No one fucking believes you. Just stop it.” Pavi’s voice cracked. “Please.”

Rage fizzled out of Luigi’s features. “She did.”

“What is…what is going on?”

“Isn’t it obvious, sorella? Fratello is trying to make me choose you and he thinks he’s making it easier for me to shoot him.”

Amber furrowed her brow as she stared at Luigi’s back. He still refused to look at her. “Cunt.”

“Did you really think it would help, fratello?” Pavi’s voice shook and he had to force it all back. It’s didn’t matter if he knew it was all his brother’s bullshit. His words still hurt. “Did you hate Papa after what he said at the Opera? Did you think that would’ve worked?”

“It was worth a shot.” Luigi’s voice was quiet. “I just wanted to make it easier for you. The choice was obvious from the start.”

“Obvious?”

“She’s in charge of GeneCo. The last thing the company needs right now is another upheaval.”

Amber stared at her brother. “Fuck GeneCo. If that’s your idea of obvious-”

Luigi ignored her. “She’s been clean since the Opera. She’s the least fucked up of the three of us. She’s barely screwed up her life.”

“Stop it.”

“She’s 25. She’s barely lived her life. Everything about this is fucking obvi-”

THWACK.

The sound echoed through the silence. Luigi still refused to look at his sister; refused to react to her hitting him. Amber forced herself in front of him; forced him to look at her. He turned away.

“Pavi’s right.” She choked out. “You don’t get to do this. You don’t get to justify doing this. You don’t get to break my heart trying to convince me to hate you. It doesn’t work that way.”

“Trying.” Luigi scoffed, finally acknowledging her. “We’re nothing to each other but obstacles to GeneCo, remember?”

“No. That was you and Pavi’s bullshit, not mine. I never wanted the company before. So you never tried that bullshit on me. Sure, you’ve been a brat ever since I took GeneCo and we fought so much but… I never hated you. I never thought we were nothing to each other. You’re my big brother who wouldn’t let anyone bully me. Who held me after mommy died. Who killed any shithead who made me cry. So fuck you and fuck your bullshit.” Her voice cracked as the tears she desperately tried to hold back, came flooding out.

Amber’s words stirred memories that he couldn’t force down. Luigi comforting him after his mother died, Luigi staying by his bedside when he had his first surgery, Luigi just being there. He… he couldn’t think about it now. He couldn’t-

“Time is running out, Mr Largo. Please make your decision.” The speaker went silent.”

“Pavi, just get it over with.” Desperation filled Luigi’s voice.

Pavi couldn’t say anything. He dropped his gaze. He couldn’t look at his brother.

“You want a list of reasons? Fine. One, this happened because of me, because of what I did. Two, I’m a fucking screw up. Three, just look in that fucking mirror. Four, I’m the eldest. Five-”

“Enough!” Pavi finally cried out. “Please just stop it. I know…” His voice cracked. “I know what I have to do.”

“Pavi, you’re not serious?” Amber took a step towards him but Pavi backed away from her. “You can’t do this. You…you’ve known Luigi longer. You’re closer to him than you are to me.”

Pavi dropped his head in his hands. “Please sorella, enough.”

“Pav-”

“Stop it.” Luigi grabbed Amber’s arm. “It would hurt him less if he didn’t have to choose; if the answer if obvious.”

“The answer is not obvious!”

“It is. It’s never going to be me. Just accept that.”

“I won’t let you do this.”

“Carmela, please. Don’t fight me on this. If not for me, than for Pavi.”

Amber looked at Pavi than back at him. “Please. Don’t do this. I don’t want this.”

“It’s going to be ok, Carmela.”

“No.” She choked out.

Luigi pulled her to him. Amber fought him, hit him but he refused to let her go. With a choked cry, she collapsed in his arms sobbing.

“I don’t want this.”

“I do.” He lowered her gently to the ground.

Amber curled into herself sobbing.

Luigi sighed and turned towards his brother. “Easier to pretend I was an asshole right?”

“You are an asshole.” Pavi’s hand shook as he raised the gun. “And for the record, I’m only reason I’m agreeing to this is because I know you won’t forgive me…or yourself if I don’t.”  

“I told you Paviche. I’m the obvious choice.”

“No. Fuck you and fuck your stupid list. Being the eldest doesn’t make it your fucking job to protect us. You’re not a screw up. And I forgave you a long time ago for this.” Pavi’s hand shook harder as he released the safety. “I can’t…I can’t do this.”

“It’s alright Paviche. All you have to do is pull the trigger.”

His hand shook harder. “I can’t. I can’t kill you, fratello. I can’t do this.”

“You’re not killing me. If this doesn’t happen, they will kill all three of us. You’re not killing me. You’re saving Amber.”

Pavi shook. “I can’t.”

“It’s alright, Paviche. I’m ok with this. I want this.”

Pavi shook his head.

“Everything’s going to be ok.”

“Fratello…”Pavi choked out.

“I’m here. I’m right here.”

“I hate you.”

“I know.”

The gunshot echoed through the room as Luigi crumpled to the ground.

A shattered scream escaped Amber’s lips.

Pavi still pointed the gun before him, frozen. What had he done?

The screens lit up with a picture of young woman with her face missing.

The gun dropped from Pavi’s hands as he stared at the screens in horror. “No.”

“There was always a third option. I would have been satisfied.” The speaker fell dead once more and the doors unlocked.

Pavi looked down at his hands. He killed his brother. He murdered his brother. This was all because of him. He… He killed his brother.

Note: Just a companion piece to Long Haul from Pavi’s POV dealing with getting messages he can’t reply to. 

Pavi blinked awake. His head hurt. It’s been awhile since he’s drunk himself into a hangover. He shook himself awake. He sighed. It’s been 3 months. 3 whole months since his brother disappeared. He had no idea if his brother was alive or dead. He made his phone untrackable, took papa’s old sports car and just left. They sent so many people to find him but…

He called. He called so many times. Hoping that his brother had the sense to pick up. But…

At least if he turned off the call, Pavi would know he was ignoring them. But he just let it ring. And then the phone just stopped connecting. Maybe he got sick of them calling. It wasn’t because his brother was lying in a ditch somewhere with his phone dead right next to him.

Fuck!

This was why he drank himself stupid. He couldn’t handle wondering. If he had an answer, it would be something. It beat wondering. It beat worrying. Fuck.

Amber believed he was still out there finding new ways to ignore them. But…Amber didn’t understand. Amber wasn’t the one who found him on the ledge. Amber wasn’t the one going to the roof every night making sure the bastard wouldn’t jump. Amber didn’t see just how broken papa’s death left Luigi. Maybe he should have told her. But she had hope. She needed her hope. She was dealing with this better than he was because she still believed their brother was out there.

Pavi glanced at his phone. He raised an eyebrow. A voicemail? Who the hell leaves voicemail anymore? He didn’t recognize the number. It was a landline. It was probably just spam wasn’t it? But even spam calls didn’t leave voicemails. Pavi rolled his eyes and played the message.

“It’s a fucking fog out here.” Pavi froze. It couldn’t…It couldn’t be. “Can’t see shit. Might as well be driving with my eyes closed.” That voice. It couldn’t be. 3 fucking months. 3 fucking… “Listen, Paviche,” Only he called him Paviche. It had to be. It had to be. 3 fucking months. “I hadn’t meant to leave. I…I just needed to get out of there.” Fratello. It really was him. Fratello was…alive. “I…I couldn’t handle…” He heard his brother sigh. His brother. He actually was hearing his brother’s voice. “I’m coming home alright.” What? Did he just say… “It hadn’t meant to be this long. Fuck. I hadn’t meant to even go this far.” His brother was alive and he was coming home. His brother was…

“I’m heading back. It’s all highway from here. I’ll just stop for rest. I should be there in a couple of days. I took Pops old sports car. He maintained it well even though he never drove it anymore. Sure is in a better condition than…” He heard the hesitation. Better condition than what? Was his brother alright? “I was jumped at the border. I thought they were just thugs but… I’m sure its nothing.” Thugs his brother could handle. Something about that shook his brother enough to make him come home. What was going on? “Just keep an eye out for underground talk. I… I’m coming home. For good this time. I…I promise.”

He heard the click but Pavi didn’t remove the phone. The shock of everything…

He called back the number.

It was disconnected? It wasn’t even a busy tone. It was just…disconnected. That was strange.

He called IT expert to his office and headed there. He was patiently waiting. “Find where this number is coming from.”

He nodded and started searching. He looked up. “It is from a motel near the border to Mexico.”

Ok. His brother was not exaggerating about how far he went. “Is there an alternative contact number? That number is disconnected.”

He continued typing and looked up. “It seems it’s disconnected because a fire broke out early this morning and burnt the place to the ground.”

Pavi froze. “Any casualties?”

“They are still searching for bodies. But the owner managed to get out. She said the maid was gone for the night. And their only guest checked out in the middle of the night.”

Pavi nodded stiffly. “Thank you.” Just keep an eye out for underground talk. Pavi dismissed the IT expert and called in his assistant. “Find out what you can about talk on the street. The rebels seemed to have quiet down. I’m afraid they are planning something.”

His assistant nodded and left.

Pavi’s fingers tapped the table. It couldn’t be a coincidence right? Unless Luigi set fire to that motel (which wasn’t really his brother’s style), it couldn’t be a coincidence that the motel burnt down the day after Luigi was staying there? I was jumped at the border. Luigi was attacked and the next day the motel burnt down. That wasn’t coincidence. Something was going on. He had to find out what. But first, he needed to tell his sister.

***

Pavi looked at the phone and saw the blinking voicemail message. He missed his brother’s call again. It was a different number. He hurried to play the message.

“Listen. I know I never picked up my calls when I left. Doesn’t mean you have to do the same.” It wasn’t his fault that his brother called at the strangest hours of the night. “Don’t bother calling back this number. I won’t be here tomorrow. I…I’ve been hiding out in seedy motels.” So it was as they thought. He travelled during the day and checked in to motels at night. “I think they’re tracking me. Am I being paranoid?” No. The motel burnt down. It couldn’t be a coincidence. They didn’t hear much underground talk. But something was happening. “Maybe. Maybe they aren’t assassins. Maybe they were just thugs. It just…It just didn’t feel right. It was something they said. They knew exactly who I was even though I was hundreds of miles from GeneCo. It doesn’t make sense.” No, no it didn’t. The rebels were quiet. Most off them were satisfied with Amber’s more lenient payment plan. But there was still talk of something. Something just lurking in the background waiting for them.

“I don’t like this Pavi. Just fucking pick up so I know the two of you are alright.” Good fratello. You can have a taste of your own medicine. 3 fucking months. Now you know how it feels. “But…it’d be all over the news right if something happened? Maybe they came for me first cause they knew they’d do it quietly. Fuck!” That was true. Without his brother’s message… If they killed him at the border, no one would have found out.

“This fucking fog is making things harder. I keep taking the wrong fucking turn. I… I think the solitude is driving me mad. I keep imagining pops sitting next to me in the car. And he keeps saying all the same fucked up shit he always…” Fuck. Not now fratello. He couldn’t let papa get to him now. He didn’t need his brother sinking back.” I missed him. That’s why I left. I couldn’t fucking stand the memories in that fucking house. I… It had nothing to do with the two of you alright. I just…I just needed some time. I…I’ll call the same time tomorrow.”

He heard the click. “A call still would have been nice fratello.” Once more he called the IT expert to trace the phone number. He watched the confusion fill his face and he knew what he was going to say.

“It’s a motel in the same state as the last one. It’s been burnt down this morning as well.”

“Any casualties?”

“A repairman. There was a guest checked in that night. But they left the keys at the counter and the car was gone by then.”

Pavi sighed. Definitely not a coincidence. He looked at his phone. “Would it be possible to trace a number whenever they call my phone?”

“Yea, definitely.”

“Even if they only leave a voicemail?”

“That would take a little longer but yea, with the right technology, its possible.”

That was how fratello kept nearly getting caught. It was the voicemails. “Make my phone untraceable.”

“it’s not that simple.”

“You did it for fratello.”

“That was different. It was his phone that was untraceable. Not the calls made to his phone. I can make your phone untraceable. But if it’s the calls made to this phone that’s being traced then…”

“Is there a way?”

“Yea just shut the phone off, kill the number.”

“No. Is there a way to do it while allowing me to pick up the calls?”

He looked at the phone for awhile. “No. With the kind of technology that they might have to trace voicemails, it’s not possible.”

Pavi slumped into the chair. If he cut off the number…what would fratello think? Would he freak out? Or worse, how would Pavi know that Luigi was alright? How would he know how far he was? How-

“I might be able to allow it to keep the voicemails though.”

“Explain.”

“It won’t be a straightforward process. The amount of screening the voicemail would have to go through would be numerous. But…” He bit his lip. “That means as soon as the call comes in, it will go through the blocking process immediately. Meaning you can’t pick up the call but it should be able to block the signal enough so no one can trace it. To anyone else, it’s essentially dead phone. The only thing is, we would need at least 8 hours to process the message. So you won’t get the message until the next day.”

“Is that the only way?”

“It’s the only way I can think off right now. I will search and ask around to see what else I can find. But for now, that is the safest option.”

Pavi nodded.

“And it would probably be best to turn off Ms Sweet’s phone as well.”

***

Pavi paced Amber’s office.

“Pavi sit down. They received the voicemail. So it’s not like he’s dead or anything.”

Pavi sighed and slumped down. He knew that. But…

The IT expert (Kit Jacobs) came in and passed them a thumbdrive. “I think it worked. I’m not sure if all the data was salvaged but it should be.”

“And the motel?”

“Fire free.”

Pavi closed his eyes in relief. He dismissed Kit and Amber’s bodyguards. He looked at his sister and played the message.

“Of course you’re still not fucking picking up.” Coughs echoed across the line. Was his brother sick? “Fine. It’s a little later than I said I would call. I…The heat nearly blew the engine. I had to stop and let it cool. But I’m getting closer. I’m getting much closer.” He eyed the address of the motel. He managed to travel two states in a day. Hopefully, he was moving fast enough to keep whoever it is off his back.

“I keep…I keep thinking about these assassins. Who the fuck would dare do this? Even if they killed all three of us, no one would get control of GeneCo right? It’d just fall. We don’t have any competitors who would stand to gain from this.” That. That was what bugged him as well. This was too professional to be a revenge killing. But what would killing his brother do? Remove him then come for them? GeneCo didn’t have investors that could take over. If the three of them died and Amber didn’t leave a will, the company would just close down. No one would gain from that. Even the rebels knew GeneCo couldn’t fall and accepted Amber’s leniency instead. What would destroying GeneCo do?

“This…this isn’t you right Pavi?” Pavi froze. His brother wouldn’t actually believe… “Fuck. It’d be the smart thing to do. But… It isn’t right?” No. It fucking isn’t. “I keep thinking about that night after pops funeral.” He meant the night he found his brother on the fucking ledge and had to talk him down? The night that haunts his every waking moment? The night where he saw his brother broken beyond what he could repair? “I… If this is you… I’ll be in GeneCo in a week. You can do whatever you want to me then.” Pavi made a frustrated sound.

“Let him think that. It’s better than him worrying.”

Pavi sighed. “I know.” But it still hurt. “Doesn’t make him any less of an idiot for thinking that.”

“But he’s right though. Who would gain from this?”

“I can’t figure it out either sorella. Rebels seem like the obvious answer but everyone swears they’ve been quiet. No one can find proof of anything.”

“Maybe we missed something. Either in daddy’s will or GeneCo’s charter or something. Maybe daddy did make a stipulation on what would happen if GeneCo was heirless.”

“You’re right. It doesn’t seem like him to not think of something and let GeneCo fall.”

***

Pavi took the thumbdrive from the Kit with more promises that the Motel was still in one piece.

“I’ve been making more progress than I thought. I managed to get across California when it started to snow. I’m almost halfway there.” Pavi smiled. California wasn’t far more. He’d be here in a couple of days. His smile dropped as another coughing fit filled the line. “Fuck. They got me better than I thought. I think those bastards broke my ribs.” Pavi froze. When Luigi said he was jumped at the border, he’d assumed he’d gotten out safe. He thought thugs too. That was why… But these were assassins. His brother was hurt. His brother was hurt without medical attention for the past 5 days. Amber exchanged a worried glance with him.

“Why am I still fucking doing this? You obviously have no fucking interest in picking up.” No fratello. We can’t pick up. We can’t pick up or they will find you. We can’t… “Or you’re dead.” He heard a pained laugh fill the line. No fratello. We’re right here. We’re right here waiting for you to come home. We’re right here. Don’t give up. Don’t fucking give up. “I keep wondering… I keep having this feeling that I’m not going to make it back.” No. Fratello please. Don’t give up. Don’t fucking give up. “Those bastards haven’t caught up to me yet but… I feel they’re there just out of reach. Just waiting for me to slip up. Or maybe I am just fucking paranoid.” No he’s not. They’re tracking him. This was the only way they could keep him safe from here. The only way.

“I’m not giving up. But I…if I don’t…” You’re coming home fratello! “I really am sorry Paviche. For leaving. And for…” He heard the swallow, the hesitation. “And for being a shit brother.” He heard the phone click but he couldn’t move.

“He sounds really hurt.”

“We have to pick up. The next time he calls we have to pick up.”

“They’ll find him immediately.”

“Sorella, you heard him. He’s giving up.”

“They’ll find him and kill him. It’s not worth it.”

“He needs to know we’re alive. If he gives up…” He might hurt himself.

“You heard him right? He said he’s not giving up. He said he’s not giving up.”

“But if he does…” Pavi dropped his head into his hands.

“We’ve tried. Kit has tried to find any possible way we can track him or answer him without anyone else finding out. It’s not possible. If it wasn’t the President, if it wasn’t someone who actually has more power than us, maybe I’d dare risk it. But if we do, if we answer, we sign his death warrant.”

“If he gives up…”

“I know, Pavi-”

“No you don’t!”

“I know, Pavi!” Amber cried out. He watched her tear filled eyes stare him down then look away. “I know you pride yourself in being able to understand us all so well. But he’s my brother too. I know what Luigi is like.”

“After papa…”

“It was so much longer before that.” Pavi furrowed his brows. “I never told daddy. I never told anyone. He tried y’know. The day you had your accident. He tried.” Amber swallowed. “I didn’t understand it then. It took me so many years before I finally understood what happened.” She refused to look at him. “The empty bottle of pills. The broken glass. The bandaged wrists. I…” Amber clenched her eyes shut. “You know how he never wears short sleeve shirts even in the middle of summer or at home. Those scars that he claims he gets from fights or whatever bullshit he sprouts…”

Pavi slumped back into the chair silent.

“The reason he didn’t go through with it was because I knocked on his door. I told him I was afraid you would die and I didn’t want to be alone in my room. He let me in. And he held me and let me cry. And he was crying too and… I want to answer his calls too, brother. But I’m not worried. Because if there was even a chance that we are alive, he would do anything he can to come back here and make sure we’re safe. I know it. We just have to trust him.”

***

Pavi just stared tiredly at the thumbdrive. It was another message. It meant his brother was alive. They tightened security in GeneCo; only allowed a few trusted men near them. They should be safe. Now they just needed their brother home. As soon as Luigi came home, everything will be alright. Then they can plan what to do about the President.

“I need a fucking smoke. I’ve raided every motel I’ve fucking broken into. Not one fucking cigarette.” Good. So his brother was no longer checking in. It would be harder for anyone to track him. He made a mental note to send for an order of cigarettes before his brother came home. “Did you send pops old bodyguards to find me? I found one of them dead. Single bullet to the brain. Executed.” Fuck. They had sent them before they got the call from Luigi. They didn’t dare send anyone after. Just in case they had a traitor in their midst. Just in case their people were followed. “Still think I’m fucking paranoid? Still think this isn’t assassins? FUCK!” Pavi closed his eyes as another long coughing fit filled the line. The broken ribs could have injured the lungs. What if he was bleeding internally? The broken ribs shouldn’t cause him to cough like that. What if he had a pneumothorax? He didn’t seem out of breath but… Fuck.

“They’ve been dead for awhile though. They probably got them before finding me at the border. So maybe they aren’t near. I don’t know anymore. I need to keep moving. I’m halfway there. I’m halfway.” We know fratello. You’re almost home. You’re almost here. He just needed to come home and they would get him the medical help he needed. He just needed to come home. “Why isn’t Carmela’s phone in service? Did she just block me? That’s all right? You two are just being fucking assholes right? You aren’t…” He heard Luigi’s voice crack before the call turned silent. He exchanged a look with Amber. He was terrified. That much was clear. He was terrified.

“Do you think he’s still watching the news? We could give a statement or press conference about something unrelated. At least then he’d know we’re alive.”

Pavi nodded. “He’d try to keep up with the news. But giving a statement now…if the President suspects we know…we’d lose our advantage.”

“We’ve tightened security like crazy. He’d be an idiot to not know.”

Pavi nodded. “You’re right.” He closed his eyes. “Release a statement. But only if you can do it safely. Don’t leave GeneCo and don’t work with anyone we can’t trust.”

Amber sighed. “He’s going to be fine Pavi.”

***

Pavi turned the thumbdrive in his hand. He watched Amber’s press statement. It wasn’t suspicious or anything. The President shouldn’t suspect it. And it would get word to Luigi. He hoped Luigi was watching the news. Then he would know. He needed to know.

“Decided to hide out in the pharmacy. Didn’t help much with the ribs but fuck did it help with everything else. And the fucking painkillers. It’ll make the next half of the journey fucking bearable at least.” He heard another coughing fit. How injured was his brother? Everything else. How badly did the assassins hurt him? Fuck. He didn’t like this. Just sitting here not knowing. Painkillers. His brother would never admit weakness like this. Not unless he was hurt. Not unless he was in seriously bad shape. Fuck. Please, just be alright fratello. They needed him to be alright.

“I saw them from the window. They didn’t send assassins; they sent a fucking hit squad.” Pavi froze. No. How did they find him? How were they so close? An icy chill filled him. The press statement had nothing. Could one of the people tasked with encrypting the message spilled? But then, they would know exactly where right? Could it just be coincidence? How did they find him? “I don’t think they know I’m in this town. But…I couldn’t hear where they’re going next. I think they know I’ve been hiding out at motels. I should be safe here. If I leave before dawn, maybe I’d be able to lose them. Especially if they’re planning to search the town.”

He turned to his sister who just looked at him, pale. “I didn’t say anything. The press statement. It streamed country wide. They couldn’t have found him by that right?”

“No.” Pavi’s voice was tight. “It couldn’t have been that.”

“Did we fuck up? Did we do something wrong? Trust the wrong people?”

“I don’t know, sorella.” Pavi said, fear decorating his voice.

“He didn’t hear the press statement.”

“I know.”

“What do we do?”

“I don’t know.”

“Pavi, I’m scared.”

Pavi clenched his eyes shut. He had to be strong for his sister. He couldn’t panic now. “It could just be a coincidence, sorella. They could have guessed he was heading back here and are following him down the same highway.”

“What if they find him?”

Then his brother was done for. “They won’t. Luigi is smart. He’ll know how to hide and escape them.”

“Brother…”

“I know, sorella. We just have to trust him. That’s all we can do.” They were too useless to do anything else.

***

Pavi snatched the thumbdrive from Kit and hurried to played it. He needed to know if his brother got out. He had to right? Or else he wouldn’t have left a message. But it didn’t quell the fear in Pavi’s chest. The town Luigi was in had burnt down. Not just a motel. Not just the pharmacy. The whole fucking town.

“It’s starting to rain again. Good. At least it’ll put out the fires. They’re razing the towns looking for me. The smell of burning flesh is… It brings back too many memories. It’s a good thing I left at dawn.” Pavi slumped down in his chair in relief. He’d heard that the town burnt down. Kit triple checked their encryption to make sure it wasn’t compromised but he swears nothing was escaping. They even encrypted the number just in case a 3^rd party was finding out that way. It meant they had no idea where Luigi was anymore. But if that kept him safe then it was worth it.  

“But if they’re this desperate…” They were desperate. But why? With the security tightened here, the President can’t think they could get them right? Or had he not noticed? Was he just trying to kill Luigi before he came back and told them what had happened? They must know about the initial voicemails. Or did they listen to those as well? When Luigi still believed it was thugs? Was that it? Kill Luigi before he could tell them he was being hunted?

“It’s not because they’re desperate to kill off the last piece right? You two bastards are fine right? FUCK!!!! Just answer the fucking phone!!!!!!” His brother’s voice cut off with another coughing fit. Tears pricked Pavi’s eyes.“Please. If you’re still alive, I need a fucking sign. I… I can’t…” The message cut off. We’re alive fratello. We’re fucking alive.

“He’s giving up.” Came Amber’s small voice. He looked at her to see tears streaming down her face.

Pavi dug his nails in his palm to keep his own emotions in check. He had to be strong for Amber.

“I can’t…I can’t hear him like this anymore. He’s in so much pain. He…” Amber choked.

“He’s more than halfway. He’ll be home soon. Then he’ll see we’re fine.”

“I’m scared, Pavi.”

“I know, sorella. So am I.”

***

Pavi stood when Kit marched in to Amber’s office at 3am. Neither of them could sleep. It seemed drinking and keeping each other company was the only thing they could do for the other. “What is it? Did another town burn down?”

“They’ve burned down all the surrounding towns as well. Calculating distances, he should have been far from those towns.”

“Then what is it?”

“There hasn’t been a message yet.”

Amber got to her feet. “No.”

“It’s still early.”

“It’s never been this late. Especially since he’s been leaving before dawn.”

“It’s still early.”

“I’ll keep an eye on the machine and let you know if a message comes in. I just thought you should know.”

Pavi nodded. “thank you.”

Kit took his leave.

“No.”

“Maybe he hid himself somewhere without a phone.”

“He’s called every night in hopes someone will pick up.”

“It’s been a week. Maybe he just gave up calling.”

“He wouldn’t give up.” She choked out.

“Maybe he just forgot to call.”

“Pavi! You know he wouldn’t! You know he wouldn’t!” Amber crumpled to her knees and started sobbing.

Pavi held his sister. “He’s alright, sorella. He has to be.”

She shook her head. “He wouldn’t miss a call. He’d have found a phone no matter where he was hiding. They found him. They’ve found him and killed him.”

Something painful gripped Pavi’s chest. “No, sorella. There’s a hundred possible reasons why he missed the call. It doesn’t prove anything.”

Amber sobbed harder. “Just tell me he didn’t give up. Just tell me he didn’t give up.”

Pavi clenched his eyes shut to stop his own tears from falling. “He wouldn’t. Not without proof. He’d come back and find proof. Like you said, if he thought there was an inkling of chance that we were alive, he’d come back to make sure we’re safe.”

“Then…they killed him then. They found him and they killed him.” Amber buried her head into his chest and wept.

“We can’t give up on him. Ok, sorella? When he disappeared for 3 months, I gave up. I was convinced he was dead. You were the only one who never gave up on him. See, he was alive. You were right. We can’t give up on him now. He’s alive. I know he is sorella. He has to be.”

Pavi just held his sister as she wept painfully into his chest.

***

The sun had already risen when Amber fell asleep in his arms. He lifted her gently and laid her on the couch. He heard the door open. He turned to see Kit standing there. They locked eyes and Kit shook his head.

Pavi sighed and nodded. It was just one day. There was still hope. It was just one day.

Amber awoke late afternoon. She just looked at him and she didn’t need to ask. She just headed to the counter and poured them both a drink.

It was 10pm when the doors opened again. “Another message came in.”

Pavi dropped his head in his hands. His shoulders shook as relief filled him. He believed what he told his sister, he really did. But a part of him was still terrified.

“We’ll see you in the morning then.”

He heard the door open and close.

Amber laughed. “You were right, Pavi. You were actually right.”

“I’m going to kill that bastard.” He said into his hands.

Amber laid a hand on his arm. “He probably had a good reason.”

“That we won’t find out until tomorrow.”

Amber smiled. “But he’s alright.” She gave him a small smile. “Go and rest, Pavi. I know you haven’t slept since then.”

Pavi smiled and nodded tiredly. “What would I do without you, sorella?”

“Freak out probably.”

“Bueno Notte, sorella.”

***

Amber glared playfully at him. “You overslept.”

“My apologies, sorella.” He sat in the chair. “What did he say?”

“I waited for you. Soyou better appreciate it.” She played the thumbdrive.

“I think I missed a call yesterday. I didn’t…I didn’t stop driving. I had to get out of there. Pops car overheated again. When I stopped to let it cool…they found me.”Pavi froze. How? How did they keep finding him? They were so careful. How did they keep finding him? “They didn’t bother to pretend they were thugs or anything. They just started shooting. They got me in the shoulder but I managed to get out of there. Still think I’m paranoid now?” He was shot in the shoulder. Another injury. Another…

“I don’t know how far I can go anymore. They are so close. They are so fucking close. It’s when I nearly drove the car off the cliff when I realized I had to stop to sleep. But I don’t know if they’ll find me. I’m almost there. I’m almost fucking there.”

“Pavi. If he’s almost here…we can send people to look for him. Search the area. Bring him home.”

“Maybe.”

“Maybe?”

“Can we trust them not to shoot him? We don’t know who the President has under his pay. And what proof does fratello have that they’re on his side? What if he runs from them straight into the assassins?”

“I’m tired of doing nothing!”

“I know, sorella.”

“He’s so close.”

“I know.”

“Can we really do nothing?”

“I’m afraid we’ll make things worse.”Pavi dropped his head into his hands. “Fratello is better at this, at all this. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know who we can trust. I don’t know how to help him.”

“If Luigi was here, he’d do something stupid like take a car on his own to look for us and get himself killed in the process.”

Pavi smiled. “You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to do that since the first day.”

“So why haven’t you?” Amber asked sincerely. There wasn’t accusation in her tone, just genuine curiosity.

“I…The cruelest thing I could do right now is leave you alone.” Amber smiled and looked away. “And even if I do save him, if anything happened to me, he would never forgive himself. I would have killed him either way.”

“He’s survived over a week. He’s going to make it home. I know it.”

Game Link: https://itch.io/queue/c/862577/wretched-alone-games?game_id=959773

Note: This is one of the better Wretched and Alone games I’ve played and they’re currently having a sale for $1 a copy (they also have free copies if you can’t afford it)

Game summary: LONG HAUL 1983 tells the story of a dangerous journey through an empty world. You play a long-haul truck driver trying to make their way home. Every day, you’ll hit the road, navigating treacherous highways, fleeing from menacing threats, and dealing with the psychological impacts of isolation. And at the end of each day, you’ll find a payphone, make a call, and leave a message for the most important person in your life. They never pick up. You never stop calling. Using a deck of cards, a few dice, and a microphone, players will create an original narrative of resilience in the face of world-shifting catastrophe.

Call 1:

It’s a fucking fog out here. Can’t see shit.Might as well be driving with my eyes closed. Listen, Paviche, I…I hadn’t meant to leave. I… I just needed to get out of there. I couldn’t…I couldn’t handle… *sigh* I’m coming home alright. It hadn’t meant to be this long. Fuck. I hadn’t meant to even go this far. I’m heading back. It’s all highway from here. I’ll just stop for rest. I should be there in a couple of days. I took Pops old sports car. He maintained it well even though he never drove it anymore. Sure is in a better condition than… I was jumped at the border. I thought they were just thugs but… I’m sure its nothing. Just keep an eye out for underground talk. I… I’m coming home. For good this time. I…I promise.

Call 2

Listen. I know I never picked up my calls when I left. Doesn’t mean you have to do the same. Don’t bother calling back this number. I won’t be here tomorrow. I…I’ve been hiding out in seedy motels. I think they’re tracking me. Am I being paranoid? Maybe. Maybe they aren’t assassins. Maybe they were just thugs. It just…It just didn’t feel right. It was something they said. They knew exactly who I was even though I was hundreds of miles from GeneCo. It doesn’t make sense. I don’t like this Pavi. Just fucking pick up so I know the two of you are alright. But…it’d be all over the news right if something happened? Maybe they came for me first cause they knew they’d do it quietly. Fuck! This fucking fog is making things harder. I keep taking the wrong fucking turn. I… I think the solitude is driving me mad. I keep imagining pops sitting next to me in the car. And he keeps saying all the same fucked up shit he always… I missed him. That’s why I left. I couldn’t fucking stand the memories in that fucking house. I… It had nothing to do with the two of you alright. I just…I just needed some time. I…I’ll call the same time tomorrow.

Call 3

Of course you’re still not fucking picking up. *cough* *cough* Fine. It’s a little later than I said I would call. I…The heat nearly blew the engine. I had to stop and let it cool. But I’m getting closer. I’m getting much closer. I keep…I keep thinking about these assassins. Who the fuck would dare do this? Even if they killed all three of us, no one would get control of GeneCo right? It’d just fall. We don’t have any competitors who would stand to gain from this. This…this isn’t you right Pavi? Fuck. It’d be the smart thing to do. But… It isn’t right? I keep thinking about that night after pops funeral. I… If this is you… I’ll be in GeneCo in a week. You can do whatever you want to me then.

Call 4

I’ve been making more progress than I thought. I managed to get across California when it started to snow. I’m almost halfway there. *cough* *cough* Fuck. They got me better than I thought. I think those bastards broke my ribs. Why am I still fucking doing this? You obviously have no fucking interest in picking up. Or you’re dead. *pained laugh* I keep wondering… I keep having this feeling that I’m not going to make it back. Those bastards haven’t caught up to me yet but… I feel they’re there just out of reach. Just waiting for me to slip up. Or maybe I am just fucking paranoid. I’m not giving up. But I…if I don’t… I really am sorry, Paviche. For leaving. And for…*swallow* And for being a shit brother. *click*

Call 5

I need a fucking smoke. I’ve raided every motel I’ve fucking broken into. Not one fucking cigarette. Did you send pops old bodyguards to find me? I found one of them dead. Single bullet to the brain. Executed. Still think I’m fucking paranoid? Still think this isn’t assassins? FUCK! *long coughing fit* They’ve been dead for awhile though. They probably got them before finding me at the border. So maybe they aren’t near. I don’t know anymore. I need to keep moving. I’m halfway there. I’m halfway. Why isn’t Carmela’s phone in service? Did she just block me? That’s all right? You two are just being fucking assholes right? You aren’t…*click*

Call 6

Decided to hide out in the pharmacy. Didn’t help much with the ribs but fuck did it help with everything else. And the fucking painkillers. It’ll make the next half of the journey fucking bearable at least. *cough* *cough* I saw them from the window. They didn’t send assassins; they sent a fucking hit squad. I don’t think they know I’m in this town. But…I couldn’t hear where they’re going next. I think they know I’ve been hiding out at motels. I should be safe here. If I leave before dawn, maybe I’d be able to lose them. Especially if they’re planning to search the town.

Call 7

It’s starting to rain again. Good. At least it’ll put out the fires. They’re razing the towns looking for me. The smell of burning flesh is… It brings back too many memories. It’s a good thing I left at dawn. But if they’re this desperate… It’s not because they’re desperate to kill off the last piece right? You two bastards are fine right? FUCK!!!! Just answer the fucking phone!!!!!! *coughing fit* Please. If you’re still alive, I need a fucking sign. I… I can’t…*click*

Call (Rotti)

Pops, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t good enough. I’m sorry for being a massive fuck-up. I’m sorry I didn’t realize you were sick. I keep playing the last few months over and over. I… I should have seen it. The coughing fits. The weight loss. I keep thinking…why hadn’t I noticed? I should have fucking noticed. You’re a right bastard for not telling us either. That wasn’t fair. We had a right to know. We deserved to have known. If I had known you were dying I… I don’t know pops. But at least I’d have time to… You didn’t even give us a chance to say goodbye. You spent your last words telling us how much we failed you. I…I tried pops. I tried so hard to do everything right. To make you proud. Why wasn’t it enough? Why wasn’t I enough? To be honest when I got in this car, I didn’t even know where I was going. I just drove. Fuck I think I just considered driving off the fucking cliff so many times. But now that these assassins are right here I… I don’t want to die. Fucking hell pops. I’m running for my life and all I can think about is you and that fucking opera! Maybe…maybe this is your last directive. If your useless children took GeneCo then they would take us out. I’m just done pops. I’m just done. I don’t want to die. But I don’t think I care about living either. If this is you pops, just send me a sign. I’ll stop running. I…I still miss you.

Call 8

I think I missed a call yesterday. I didn’t…I didn’t stop driving. I had to get out of there. Pop’s car overheated again. When I stopped to let it cool…they found me. They didn’t bother to pretend they were thugs or anything. They just started shooting. They got me in the shoulder but I managed to get out of there. Still think I’m paranoid now? I don’t know how far I can go anymore. They are so close. They are so fucking close. It’s when I nearly drove the car off the cliff when I realized I had to stop to sleep. But I don’t know if they’ll find me. I’m almost there. I’m almost fucking there.

Call 9

There was a boom box playing on a car hood. A fucking boom box. Aren’t those things fucking extinct? It was blasting some sappy 80s song. Fuck if I’ve heard it before. But… That song… I… I’m tired of fighting. Pops is dead. There’s nothing to fight over anymore. Amber has GeneCo. Honestly I don’t give a fuck. I…I’m tired.  Can we just go back to how everything was before it all went to shit? I don’t expect you to ever forgive me. I don’t deserve forgiveness. But…if there’s any chance of things going back… I’m just outside town. Do you even want to see me again?

Note: Destination was the ending I got so I consider it the canon ending. But I placed in the other endings for flavor as well

Destination ending

The elevator doors swung open. Please. Let everything be alright. Let them both be alive. His eyes met his brother and sisters shocked ones.

“I’m tired of fighting…” Came from the phone they were listening to.

“You look like shit.” Pavi said, turning off the phone.

Luigi just stared at the phone. They were getting his messages. They just weren’t picking up.

“We couldn’t.” His eyes met his sisters. “We couldn’t pick up. We couldn’t call back. They would trace the call and find you.”

“Who?”

“The President.” With all that power, that’s how he was found so easily.

“You missed a day.” Amber choked out. His eyes widened as he saw his sister’s eyes welling with tears. “You missed a fucking day you bastard.” She ran to him and hugged him.

Luigi hissed at the pressure on his ribs. But he didn’t pull away. He tightened his arms around his sister. They were alright. The assassins didn’t get to them. They were alright.

“3 months.” Luigi released his sister and turned to his brother. “You go missing for 3 months. Refused to answer calls or messages.” Pavi refused to look at him. “Refused to give a hint about whether you were alive or dead.” He just glared at the ground before him. “And you dare give us shit for not picking up for a week?” He spat.

“Pavi, I… I just needed time.”

“And we would have given you that fucking time. Just one call or message. ‘I’m alive.’ That’s all we needed.” Pavi’s shoulders shook. “I wanted to pick up. I knew you were hurt and scared and…” Pavi swallowed. “They burnt the first two motels to the ground just after you left. We shut off Amber’s phone. They took my phone so your calls could be hidden and was untrackable. But it meant we couldn’t pick up. Couldn’t get the messages until the next day. And we couldn’t track you.”

So…that’s how they found him. He called pops. The one number they wouldn’t have blocked or protected. He wondered if that was the sign he wanted. A message from pops. Obsessing over pop’s last words to them nearly got him killed. Luigi sighed. “How do you do it?”

“Do what brother?”

“Accept what pops said. Accept everything he thought about us. Accept how much he hated us.” Luigi sank to the ground, exhausted.

“Fratello.” Pavi caught him and led him to a chair.

“I’m fine. I’m just tired.”

“You’re hurt. You need a doctor.”

“I feel like I could sleep for a week.”

“You can rest now fratello. You’re home.”

Luigi gripped Pavi’s arm. “You’re both really alright.”

Pavi looked at Luigi hand. He shook and embraced his brother. “I didn’t dare hope. 3 months. I didn’t dare hope. You scared me to death fratello.”

“I’m sorry.” Luigi leant tiredly into his brother’s embrace. “I meant what I said. The last message. You can listen to it later. I meant every word.”

“Come on fratello. You need a doctor.” He lifted his brother to his feet. Luigi swayed and leant against his brother. “Fratello, are you…”

“I’m fine.” He slurred. “Adrenaline crash.”

Pavi grabbed him as he stumbled. “Fratello.”

“Really Paviche. I’m fine. I’m home.”

*****************

THREAT ENDING

Fuck Pavi. They found me. The leader of the hit squad. I’ve seen him before. He’s one the President’s bodyguard. I think Pops had a clause in his will that if GeneCo had no heirs, the government can take over GeneCo. Fuck. Why hadn’t I thought of this before? It’s him. It’s the President. Kill him before he comes for you too. Fuck… I… I’m sorry Paviche. For everything. I- *Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!*

********************

MIND ENDING

“Mr Largo!” The man in the suit and glasses ran in and passed him the phone.

“Was there time to encrypt it?”

The man just looked horrified. “Barely. You’re going to want to hear it.”

“What’s going on?”

“I’m sorry.”

“No.”

“Paviche. I… You’re a lot of things but you’re not this cruel.” Luigi sounded tired. “If you really were alive, you would have picked up by now. I know you would. I think I knew from the start. But I was just fooling myself… I had to fool myself or I wouldn’t have been able to make it this far.”

“Pavi, what is he-”

Pavi hushed her. But he knew. He heard the broken sound of his brother’s voice. The horrified look of the head technician. He knew.

“But I’m done. I can’t… I’m tired of running. I’m just tired. If I had a reason to run…I… I can’t… I never should have left. If I was home, maybe I could have done something. I’m sorry. I fucked up. I always fuck up.”

No fratello. We’re right here. Please. We’re right here.

“I keep trying to convince myself why you’ve not picked up. Maybe your phone was destroyed. Maybe you’re stuck in the bunker without signal. Maybe you just don’t know how to check your messages. Maybe… If there’s a chance you’re alive…I’m sorry. I really am sorry.” A single gunshot echoed through the room.

“No!” Amber stared at the phone in horror. “NO!”

Pavi closed his eyes as a dark pit settled in his chest.

Note: I have not written any Rotti whump I’ve noticed. I did this a few months back. This is based on the solo RPG Frankenstein using the Wretched and Alone engine. You play a version of Victor Frankenstein chasing after the monster he created. 

Game Link: https://gassenknecht-games.itch.io/frankenstein-arctic-chase

I have been tracking him for months. I’ve followed him all the way to this frozen tundra. I have finally found him. This monster I have created must be destroyed. My arrogance at playing God…I have lost everything. I will destroy this creature if it’s the last thing I do. I swear it on all those taken from me by this monster.

I managed to make it deeper into the island. I found supplies. I found my daughter’s diary in my bag. I shook as her childish scrawl greeted me. Luigi doesn’t even look at me anymore. Did I do anything wrong? Mommy says to leave him be. He has never been nice to me. Never cared for me. But…he looks sad all the time. I want to ask him what’s wrong but I know he’ll ignore me like he always does. Did I do something wrong? I never wanted this for them. I didn’t expect Luigi to react the way he did. I never knew what Irene said to him until it was too late. I would have told him not to listen. I…I just wanted him to have a normal life.

“Pops please, I don’t want to do this. We don’t know if it’ll work. Please pops. Don’t do this.” I keep having the same nightmare. The same desperate begging. Why hadn’t I listened to him? Why hadn’t I listened to anyone? Dr Smith refused to play along. He tendered his resignation on the spot. Why didn’t I listen to him? Maybe…things would have been different. There are times where I begin wondering if this monster is even real. Maybe I had lost my mind and began imagining things. No one else alive has seen this thing. Could I have just gone mad?

I was attacked by a bear. A passing by lumbar jack saved me and showed me a way deeper into the forest. He asked what I was doing here and I could only tell him half truths. We parted ways and deeper I went into the frozen Tundra. I…I still can hear the monsters voice in my ear. Why did it have to be his voice? I could have given him any voice. Why did I give him hisvoice? How did I fuck things up so badly?

I awoke hearing the sounds of an old Italian lullaby. My wife, my first wife used to sing that while pregnant with Luigi. She…she never got to hold her child. Luigi never heard his mother’s voice. It’s been years… Why am I thinking about her now? Because I failed her. I failed her and I failed our son. I never gave the creature a name. Stubbornly I held to the belief that I succeeded. So I never gave it a name. Lorenzo. It tried to call itself. A common Italian name. Foolish. I keep wondering what I would say if I saw it. I would ask it why. Why did he kill my children? Why did it take everything from me? Why…why didn’t I succeed?

I was foolish. I ate berries from a bush that I thought were safe. I began hallucinating. It took me to that night. The night I found out exactly how much of a monster I created.

“Carmela. Carmela I’m home.” Silence greeted him. “Carmela?” He entered the room and found the monster sitting on the bed.

“I…She wouldn’t stop screaming. I thought…I thought she would bring the guards. I just wanted to keep her quiet.”

Rotti’s eyes widened. In the monster’s arms was his daughter’s limp body. “What…what have you done!?”

“She wouldn’t stop screaming. Why wouldn’t she stop screaming?” He held the child up to him. “Fix her. Father, you can fix her. Fix her.”

With shaking hands he took his daughter from it. She was cold and stiff. Her face was ashen and her lips were a horrid shade of blue.

“Father please, fix her.”

“You killed her.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt her.”

“You fucking bastard. You killed her.”

“Father please.”

“I will fucking kill you.” Rotti aimed his gun at him. The monster pushed him down and ran out of the room. Rotti held Carmela to him and sobbed.

I had finally found where the monster was hiding. The villagers spoke of a monstrous creature hiding in the caves in the mountains. There. Now I knew exactly where I was headed. I will find this creature and destroy it once and for all.

I found the entrance of the cave. A fire was burning in front of it. On the side was a roasted hare, still warm. A chill filled me. Was the monster making sure I had enough food? I closed his eyes ready to kick the hare aside. My stomach growled in protest. No reason to waste good food… I sat down to eat the hare when I felt eyes on me. I looked up to see the monster watching from the edge of the cliff. It smiled, took a step back and jumped. “Luigi!” The cry tore from my throat before I could stop it. I ran to the edge of the cliff. The strong currents carried the monster downstream. There was no way it would survive that. Was…was coming here a waste of time?

I wondered what would be engraved on my tombstone. Rotti Largo. Fool. Failure. Child killer. Survived his children. ‘Sorely missed’ would not be there. There was no left to miss me. I’d lost three wives, three children. I deserved death.

I headed down the mountain following the river. I had to see for myself if the monster was dead. I found him from a distance panting heavily by the river bank. His eyes widened when it saw me. It turned and ran. I wondered if it was trying to convince me it was dead so I would leave him be. He killed my daughter. I know he claims it was an accident. Maybe that I could forgive. But…

Rotti froze when he saw the monster standing in the living room. “You!”

“I just wanted you to love me. Why didn’t you love me?” The monsters back was facing him.

Rotti reached for his gun. “Because you are a failure of an experiment and a monster. That is all.”

“I…I have his face. Is that not enough?”

“You have the face of a monster.”

“You will never love me will you?” It laughed a hollow laugh. “Well, no one will love you either.” It turned around and dropped something onto the ground.

“Pavi!” He picked his son up and turned him. Pavi’s eyes were open, staring blankly into his. His neck was twisted to an unnatural angle. “NO!” Rotti screamed, hugging his son to him.

“He didn’t suffer.”

Rotti let out a howl of rage and pain. He pointed the gun at the monster and shot. Bang! Red splattered over the monster’s shoulder. It stared wide eyed at him and ran.

I once again tried to find the monster. The cold was biting. I felt it seep into my bones. If I do not find this creature soon, this cold will soon take me. I had to find him. I had to end this.

A little girl passed me a note from the monster. Stop following me. Turn back. You will die. I scoffed and threw the note to the ground. The wind blew it and I realized there was writing on the back too. Why won’t he stop screaming? What…what was the monster talking about?

Rotti finally found the monster hiding in a riverside cave.

“You’ve found me.” The monster looked defeated.

“Yes.”

“Are you here to kill me?”

“Yes.”

“I just wanted you to love me. Why was that so hard?”

“You’re not my son.”

“But you made me!”

“Imade a mistake.”

“If I had pretended to be him from the start. Could you have loved me?”

Rotti was silent.

“Go on then. Kill me.”

“You murdered my children.”

“I…I’m sorry. Carmela was an accident. And Paviche…I…I just became so angry. I just wanted to punish you. I didn’t…”

“Then you should have come for me. Not my children.”

“I just wanted them to love me. I was their brother. They were supposed to love me too.”

“You are a monster.”

“I know.”

“What did you mean when you said he won’t stop screaming?”

The monster was silent.

“What did you mean?”

“I hear him sometimes. It was nothing more than an occasional whisper. But when I killed Paviche…He won’t stop screaming.”

Rotti froze. “It worked…”

The monster shook his head. “No! This body is mine. I’m alive. I’m real.”

“If I’d known Luigi was in there all along…”

“You’d what!? Treat me better? Treat me human? Treat me like your son!?” Tears flowed down the monster’s face. “All I wanted was for you to love me. But you failed even that.”

“Luigi? Can you hear me?”

“He’s powerless. He couldn’t even stop me from killing his brother.”

“You bastard.”

“Nothing I do is going to be enough for you. So go on, kill me. Kill me and destroy all traces of your only child left. That would be the sweetest revenge of all.”

“Stop this.”

“Stop what? You followed me here. I was resigned to this isolation but you wanted your revenge. So here I am.”

Rotti’s hand shook. “I just wanted to save my son. All I wanted was to save my son.” Rotti collapsed to the ground sobbing.

“He didn’t want any of that. He begged you not to do it. He begged you to let him stay.”

“And I didn’t listen.” Rotti sobbed. “because I was arrogant enough to believe it would work. I murdered my son.”

“Come on then. Let’s end this once and for all.”

Rotti didn’t move, he couldn’t. He was ready to kill the bastard. But if there was a chance his son was still in there.

“Go on then. Kill me! Just make him stop screaming. Please.”

Rotti closed his eyes. He aimed the gun at the monster’s head and pulled the trigger. BANG!

***

(Bonus scene ;))

Carmela screamed at the sight of the monster.

“Please. Please stop screaming.”

Carmela screamed more. The thing was disgusting. It didn’t look human.

“The guards will come running. Please.”

She backed away. “Daddy!!! Pavi!!!”

“I’m your brother. Please. Just listen to me.”

She couldn’t hear what it was saying. She was terrified. The thing ran towards her and grabbed her. She screamed even louder. “Let me go!!!”

“Please keep it down.”

“Let me go!!! HELP!!!! DADDY!!!!”

The monster clamped a hand over her mouth. “Please stop shouting.”

She fought against it. She bit its hand. “DADDY!!!!!!!!!”

It grabbed her waist and clamped a hand over her face once more. “Please. I just want to talk.”

She struggled some more. She couldn’t scream.

“Just calm down. I just wanted to meet you.”

She couldn’t breathe. She struggled harder. Daddy!!!

It held her more tightly. “Please calm down.”

She fought harder. She tried to bite his hand again but his hand was too tight. His hand was too tight. She couldn’t breathe.

“Father made me. So I’m your brother you see.”

She scratched desperately at his hands trying to make him let go.

“If you promise to stop screaming, I’ll let you go. Ok?”

She tried to scream but her cry was muffled by his hands. Tears pricked her eyes as her chest burned.

“Please just listen to me. Father won’t listen. I know you will.”

She was beginning to see stars. She arched her back desperate to breathe but his grip was too tight. Daddy! Help me!!!

“My name is…my name is Lorenzo. Do you like that name?”

She blindly slapped the monsters hand. She was losing coordination. Pavi. Help!!!

“Shit theres someone outside. Shhhh.”

Using her last bit of strength Carmela tried to scream as loud as she could.

The monsters hand clamped harder to muffle her cries.

Her hands fell to her side. She gapped desperately for oxygen that would not come. Darkness crept at the edges of her vision. Her legs twitched. Her vision turned black.

Luigi couldn’t help but watch his sister. She was different ever since she came back. She had disappeared for a week and then suddenly walked into GeneCo like nothing had happened. No matter how many times he and Pavi asked her where she had been, she wouldn’t answer. Luigi had sent investigators to find out where his sister had disappeared to but no one could find a trace of where she’s been. She did her work well enough but she was different. Luigi couldn’t put a finger on it but she was different. 

She didn’t fight with them much. Fuck. She didn’t fight with them at all. Whenever he tried to talk to her, she seemed like she was in a daze. Luigi would swear she was on Zydrate again. But Amber was never so civil on Zydrate. If anything she would argue with them more. He tried to convince Amber to do a medical checkup so he could bribe the doctors to run a drug test but Amber always made excuses that she was busy. 

Something was wrong with his sister but he didn’t know what. Even Pavi didn’t have a clue. If something was wrong, she would tell Pavi at least. But she had kept to herself. If there was something more substantial, maybe Luigi could figure it out but it was just a vague feeling that something was wrong. 

Amber finished her meal and left the dining room. Pavi was staring at her too. Good. So he wasn’t being paranoid. Pavi felt something was off as well. But with her refusing to tell them anything, was it really any of their business? Was it just stress from work? But why disappear for a whole week without telling anyone anything? Did she just take a break? The investigators would update him if they found out anything but maybe he should check in with them. 

Luigi sighed and headed to his office. Maybe he was just being paranoid. It wasn’t like his sister had been replaced by a robot or anything like that. He would give her time. If she still acted odd, then they would confront her. 

***

Luigi left his office. He was itching to continue working but he had promised to at least try to have dinner together. He wouldn’t mind the break if Pavi didn’t try using a million and one reasons to keep him from going back to his office. At least Amber had stopped nagging him about it. But…Luigi would have rather his sister nagged. She was silent during meals; only giving vague short answers when they asked her anything. Maybe the robot thing wasn’t as absurd as he thought. 

He entered the living room to find Amber standing in the middle of the hall, staring at the ground. “Amber, is something wrong?” 

She continued staring at the ground, a blank look on her face. She didn’t even bother with a vague half answer this time. 

“Carmela?” 

Her brow furrowed slightly but she still didn’t move or say anything. 

Luigi approached her. “What are you-” Luigi froze as soon as he caught sight of what Amber was staring at. Pavi was crumpled on the ground, blood pooling around him. “Pavi.” Luigi dashed towards his brother. He turned him around. His throat had been slit open. 

A faint gurgle escaped Pavi’s lips. 

Luigi pressed his hand against Pavi’s neck. “Why the fuck are you standing around there? Go get fucking help.” 

Amber didn’t move. 

Luigi’s eyes were too fixed on his brother to bother looking at her. “Who the fuck did this to you?” 

Pavi’s eyes darted weakly above him as more gurgles escaped his lips. 

Luigi followed his gaze to Amber. That was when he saw the knife in her hand, dripping blood. Pavi’s blood. “You fucking slut. What the fuck did you do?” 

Amber’s gaze followed his down to the knife in her hand; then she looked back at him. The same blank look on her face. 

“Why-”

She lunged at him with the knife. 

Luigi barely managed to throw up his hand in time. The knife dug into his, slicing him. He cursed. “Amber, stop it.” 

She came at him again. 

Luigi grabbed her wrist. “What the fuck are you doing?” 

There was nothing but a blank look on her face. No anger, no hatred, nothing. 

Luigi shoved her back. 

Pavi choked beneath his hand. 

Fuck. He had to get his brother help. He had to-

Amber charged at him again. 

Luigi released his hand from his brother’s neck and grabbed her. He shoved her roughly to the ground. 

She swung her knife at him. 

Luigi slammed her hand against the ground, forcing her to drop the knife. He kicked the knife away. He placed a knee firmly on his sister’s back, keeping her on the ground. “Carmela, what the hell is wrong with you.” 

Amber didn’t fight or protest. She just kept reaching for the knife. 

Luigi placed more weight on her to keep her still. 

Chokes and gurgles distracted Luigi. 

He placed his hand onto Pavi’s neck, desperate to stem the blood flow. 

There was fear in Pavi’s eyes. 

Luigi brought his watch to his face to call the GeneCops and doctors to the living room. 

The gurgles were getting worse. 

“You’re going to be fine, Paviche. The doctors will be here soon.” 

Pavi’s lips weakly moved but nothing but choked gurgles escaped his lips.

“You’re going to be fine. Just stay awake.” But Luigi could not ignore the growing pool of blood under him. Pavi had lost too much blood. How long had he been lying there on the ground?

Pavi’s eyes began drooping close. 

“Paviche, stay awake. Stay with me.” 

His choking became even more desperate. 

“Paviche, don’t fucking do this. The doctors are almost here. Just fucking hold on.” 

Pavi’s eyes weakly met his.

“Don’t leave me Paviche. Don’t-”

A choked gasp escaped Pavi’s lips and he fell silent. His eyes were still staring at him but they weren’t seeing anything.

“Paviche…”

He was still and silent.

“No.” Luigi gripped his brother tighter towards him. “Paviche, don’t do this. Don’t fucking do this.” Luigi could do nothing but cradle his brother until the doctors and GeneCops ran in. They took Pavi from him and Luigi could do nothing but stare at his blood stained hands. 

“Mr Largo, please release Ms Sweet.” 

Luigi pulled his leg back. “Keep her restraint. Put her in a fucking cell. I want every test done on her. I want to know what the fuck is wrong with her.” 

The GeneCops did as they were told, leaving Luigi alone in the living room, staring at his blood stained hands. 

***

Luigi entered the room they kept Amber in. She was sitting silently on the bed staring forward. The test results weren’t out yet. He slammed the door shut. Amber barely glanced at him. “Why the fuck did you do that?” 

Amber just looked blankly at him. “Do what, brother?” 

Luigi gripped the front of her shirt. “How the hell could you do that to Pavi?” 

She just tilted her head slightly, then looked back towards the wall. 

“Look at me. Stupid slut, look at me.” 

Amber’s eyes turned back to him but there was nothing behind her eyes. 

“Is this about GeneCo? Are you so fucking paranoid we’d take it from you? Is that why you-” Luigi’s voice caught in his throat. 

“Let me out of here. I have work to do.” 

Luigi slammed her against the back of the bed. “Pavi is dead, Carmela. You killed him. How could you-” Something clenched in Luigi’s throat and he couldn’t speak. “How…” He swallowed. “How could you?” 

“I don’t understand what you’re trying to say.” 

Luigi placed his knife under Amber’s chin. “Tell me why I shouldn’t? Tell me-” 

Amber’s sudden movement shocked him. She grabbed the knife from him. Luigi was barely able to jump backwards when she attacked him. 

“What the fuck are you-” 

She sliced at him again. 

Luigi grabbed her wrist and pushed her onto the bed. “Carmela, why the fuck are you doing this?” 

The same blank look filled her face.

The doctors ran in at the commotion. They sedated Amber and the knife dropped to the ground with a clatter. 

“I want those fucking test results now. That isn’t my sister. That isn’t my fucking sister.” 

***

“Luigi.” 

Luigi slowly looked up from the drink he was nursing. “Dr Smith.” He shot back the glass. “What is it?” 

“We’ve gotten back the test results.” 

“Please tell me she’s an imposter or something.” 

“No. It is Ms Sweet.” 

“How could she have done this?” 

Dr Smith passed him the test results. She was negative for a variety of drugs including Zydrate, except for, “What the fuck is Scopalamine?” 

“It’s nicknamed Devil’s Breath. It keeps the person in a dazed state and makes them extremely susceptible to suggestions. We found a medication port buried under her skin. It’s been steadily giving her higher and higher doses. From its settings, it was set to cause an overdose by the end of the week.” 

Luigi furrowed his brow. “I don’t understand.” 

“Ms Sweet had been missing for a week.”

“What are you saying? That someone kidnapped her and used this drug to convince her to try to kill us?” 

“I believe so, Mr Largo. And before any investigation could be done, she would have had an overdose.” 

Luigi poured himself another glass and gulped it down. “Who the fuck could have done this?” 

“I’ve sent the results to the GeneCops.” 

“Why would they do this? Revenge?”

“I don’t know, Mr Largo.” 

Luigi took another shot. 

“We have given her the antidote. The drugs should be out of her system by tomorrow.” 

“Would she be herself?” 

“She should. Unless they did anything else to her.” 

Luigi furrowed his brow. He took another shot before slamming the glass onto the table, cracking it. “Would she remember anything?”

“It’s hard to say.” 

“She killed Paviche.” His voice was choked and hoarse.

“She wasn’t in control.” 

“I want to fucking destroy whoever did this.” 

“The GeneCops are doing all they can.” 

Luigi dropped his head in his hands. “I don’t know what to do. I…”

“She didn’t know what she was doing.”

“It doesn’t change anything. She killed Paviche. She…” Quiet sobs escaped Luigi’s lips. 

Luigi felt a hand on his shoulder but he couldn’t bring himself to pull away. His brother was dead. His brother was dead. 

***

Luigi entered his sister’s room once more. 

Amber glared at him. 

He should have been relieved at the expression but nothing but pain filled his chest. 

“Let me out of here.”

She wasn’t restrained.

“I have fucking things to do. Let me out of here.”

“What do you remember?”

“The fuck are you talking about?”

“What’s the last thing you fucking remember?” Did she remember killing their brother in cold blood? There wasn’t a single defensive wound on Pavi. Did she sneak up on him? Or did Pavi just trust her completely he hadn’t even bothered to defend himself?

Amber shrugged. “I went to La Musica to destress and then I find myself here. Let me out.”

“What else?”

“What business is it of yours? I just went out to have some fun. Do you have to lock me up here?”

“Don’t you remember what you did?”

Amber faltered. “Was I on Z? Is that why you’re keeping me here? I hadn’t meant to.”

“No.” Luigi choked out but he couldn’t bear telling his sister what happened. If she couldn’t remember… she deserved the ignorance. But… he needed to know what happened. “What happened after La Musica?”

“I don’t remember. I must have drunk too much. The driver must have taken me home.”

“Bronco was on leave that day.”

“Was he? Phillip I think; one of the new guys.”

“OK.” He had to tell the GeneCops. Start at La Musica and find the driver. That’s the only lead they had.“

"Brother, what’s wrong?”

He couldn’t bear looking at her. “Nothing.”

“Brother!”

“Just let me know if you remember anything else.” Luigi headed to the door.

“Brother, what the hell is going on?” 

Luigi couldn’t bear to turn; couldn’t bear to answer her. He left the room.

***

Luigi approached his sister’s room. He froze when he saw her just staring blankly at the wall. No. Not again. They got the drugs out of her system. Not again. He entered the room. 

Her eyes darted towards him. “Where is Pavi?” Her voice was hollow. 

Something clenched in Luigi’s chest. 

“Where the fuck is Pavi?”

“Who told you?”

“So it’s true?”

“Who told you?” He ordered the doctors to keep it from her. Which bastard disobeyed him?

“No one told me.” She choked out. 

Luigi was silent. “You remember?”

“I don’t know. Maybe. I…” Amber swallowed. 

“Carmela?”

“It’s like I am watching someone else do it. I… Tell me I didn’t do it.  Tell me I didn’t hurt Pavi.”

“It wasn’t you.”

“It was me. It was my hands. I can still see myself putting the knife at his neck and-” She cut herself off with a sob.

“You were drugged.”

“But it was me? I did it? I hurt Pavi. I hurt-”

Luigi couldn’t look at her. 

“No. Not hurt. I…I…” She clenched her hands over her mouth as full blown sobs escaped her lips. 

“Carmela.”

A cry of pain escaped her lips. She hugged herself as she shook harder. 

Luigi sat on the bed beside his sister and held her. 

Amber crumpled into his chest. “Tell me it isn’t true. Tell me you’re lying. I couldn’t have…I couldn’t have.”

“It wasn’t you, Carmela.”

Another cry of pain escaped her lips. 

Luigi couldn’t do anything but hold his sister tighter.

“What have I done? I didn’t mean…I didn’t want to…” 

“It wasn’t you.” 

“I killed him. I killed Pavi. I…”

Luigi placed a hand at the back of Amber’s head. “We’ll find the bastards who did this to you. I swear, Carmela. I swear.” 

***

Luigi entered his sister’s room. 

Amber looked at him then down to the knife in his hands. “Are you going to kill me?”

Luigi sighed. “No.” He placed the knife on the table before her. “The drug should be out of your system by now. You can leave the room.”

Amber’s eyes did not leave the knife. “OK.”

“Carmela?”

“Are you testing me brother?”

Luigi just sighed.

“Did I try to hurt you too?”

“You didn’t hurt me Carmela.”

“What about your arm?”

Luigi looked down at his bandaged forearm. “It’s nothing.”

Amber looked back to the knife. 

“Let’s get you out of here.”

“I don’t want to hurt you too, brother.”

“The drug is out of your system.”

“You don’t know what else they did to me. What if I just need to be out of it? What if I decide to drink a bit too much? What if I’m asleep?”

“You can’t hide here forever.”

“I can’t hurt you too. I won’t be able to… I don’t want to hurt you too.”

“It’s going to be alright, Carmela.”

“No it’s not. Nothing will ever be alright. I killed Pavi. I nearly killed you. Nothing will-”

“You barely touched me.”

“I don’t know what to do. It hurts so much. I just want to take Z and forget everything. But I’m so scared that Z would be all it takes for me to hurt you. I can’t…I can't…” Amber’s eyes darted to the knife on the table. She grabbed it. 

Luigi grabbed her wrist. “Drop it, Carmela.” 

“I don’t want to hurt you. I’m so scared. I…I don’t want to hurt you.” 

“You won’t, Mela. The drug is out of your system. You won’t.” 

“Brother.” She choked out.

“Just drop the knife, Mela. I can’t lose you too. I can’t.” 

The knife dropped to the bed with a dull thud. Amber buried her head deeper into Luigi’s chest. “I’m so scared, brother.” 

“I’ll be on my guard, alright? You won’t be able to sneak up on me. And you’re not strong enough to overpower me.” 

“Don’t let me hurt you. I can’t go through that again. I can’t…” 

“It’s going to be ok, Carmela.” 

“No. Nothing will ever be ok. Nothing will ever be ok.” 

***

Luigi came home to find his sister sitting in the living room, a vial of zydrate and a gun on the table before her. “Mela?” 

“I don’t want to feel anything anymore, brother.” 

“Not like this, Mela.” 

“Everytime I close my eyes, I see myself putting the knife through his throat.” 

Luigi sighed, pushing down memories of his brother choking on the ground. “Mela…”

“I see myself kill him over and over. I…”

“Mela, it wasn’t you.” 

“Do you believe that? Do you actually believe that?”

“Of course.” 

“You’re barely home. You can’t bear to stay in the same room as me.”

“It’s not like that, Mela. There’s too many memories in this place.”

“You won’t even look at me.” 

Luigi fell silent.

“You hate me, don’t you, brother?” 

“I don’t hate you, Mela. It wasn’t you.” 

“You won’t even look at me. You won’t even talk to me. You blame me. You blame me.”

“Mela…it’s…It’s hard.” 

“I knew it.” She curled into herself. 

“I know it’s not you. I know it wasn’t your fault. But I look at you and…”

Amber hugged her knees to her chest. She grabbed the vial of zydrate and placed it into the gun. 

“Mela, please.” 

“Just leave me be, brother. I won’t force you to look at me.”

“Mela…” Luigi sighed. 

“You don’t have to pretend anymore.” She placed the Z gun to her thigh. 

Luigi sat next to his sister. 

“You’re not going to stop me?” 

Luigi sighed. “You need your own way to deal with this. I get it. Just…leave GeneCo to me. Leave finding these bastards to me. Just…promise me that once this is over, once you’ve dealt with the pain; you’ll come back to me.” 

“Do you hate me, brother?” 

“No.” 

“Do you blame me for what happened?” 

“No.” 

Amber leant against his arm. “I’m sorry.” 

“It wasn’t you, Mela.” 

“I wish I was stronger.”

Luigi closed his eyes. “It’s ok, Mela. Just leave it to me.” He heard the familiar sound of the zydrate gun going off. 

Amber sunk deeper into him.

He pulled his sister closer to him. “I’ll be right here Mela. I won’t fail you again.” 

Note: A short companion piece to Day 25. @pointlesslygay To answer your question on what Isabella told Amber ^^ I had planned to just answer it in a comment but this came out instead. XD

Isabella entered the room Amber was held in. “Ms Sweet.”

Amber turned to her and furrowed her brow. “You’re Isabella, right?”

“Yes.” She sat in the chair. “I’ve never had a chance to meet you.”

“No one asked you to leave. Though I suppose I should be grateful or I would have never been born.”

“I had my reasons. I should have taken Pavi with me. But Rotti would have never let us go.”

“Was daddy really that bad?”

Isabella sighed. “Let’s not speak ill of the dead.”

“Whatever it is, you must have really made an impression on Luigi if even in all his pain and grief, he wouldn’t let Jac set off the bomb if you were in the room.”

Isabella bit her lip and looked down. “This wasn’t the plan.”

“Pavi says you knew and you didn’t tell him.”

“A rumour, that was all it was. We thought… we thought you spread it on purpose so we would feel sorry for you.”

“So you never left the rebellion.”

“I wasn’t using Pavi. He was never supposed to be involved. But the war went on for too long. And we were losing. Phillip agreed for a peaceful solution if you would surrender. That much wasn’t lies.”

“Bullshit.”

“I have no reason to lie to you.”

“What do you want with me?”

Isabella sighed. “Pavi’s been here almost everyday. Why?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“He won’t speak to me.”

“That’s between the two of you.”

“The others are suspicious.”

“What? You think Pavi did all this, destroy our family and then is planning to work with me to betray you?”

“It’s what it looks like.”

“You’ll never trust him." 

"Not me. I trust him. The others…”

“Then why work with him?”

“They were desperate.”

“And now?”

“Now they don’t need him.”

“You fucking bitch.”

“Phillip was one of my oldest friends. He would listen to me. These new leaders are young, reckless, stupid.”

“What do you want from me?”

“They will never trust Pavi as long as you’re around. And if they suspect him enough, they might find it more convenient to just kill him.”

Amber fell silent. 

“I know you don’t trust me. I know you think it’s probably just manipulation but I’m doing this to keep Pavi safe. He’s my son. I do care about him.”

“That’s why you won’t tell your new family about him?”

Isabella was silent. “I didn’t know how to explain it to them.”

“You wouldn’t let him see us.”

“Your family is toxic. I just wanted to get him out of that.”

“You took our brother from us. And now you’re asking me to…”

“I don’t have a choice. I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t desperate. They don’t trust him. If they would just push him aside it wouldn’t matter but… they know he’s the only one left with legal claim to GeneCo. If Pavi turns, it would start all over again. If this continues, they will kill him.”

Amber was silent. “I never expected them to let me go. I was ready to… but it will destroy him. Losing Luigi would be bad enough. It would destroy him.”

“They will kill him. This is the only way he’ll be safe.”

“And what happens after this? When you don’t need him anymore.”

“I wasn’t using him. I wanted my son back. That was all.”

“You have to be there for him. You can’t abandon him again.”

“I won’t.”

“He would need someone. Even if he pushes you away, you have to be there. He needs someone.”

Isabella nodded. “So you’ll do it?”

Amber was silent. 

“They will never trust you enough to let you go. You will be stuck in this cell for the rest of your life.”

“Bullshit. Pavi wouldn’t-”

“You still don’t understand. Pavi has absolutely no power. He’s lucky if they decide to make him into a puppet.”

“And you let this happen.”

“I trusted Phillip. If that bomb never went off, maybe things would be different.”

“You tell your family about him. You stay with him. You give him a real family.”

“So you’ll do it?”

“Let me see Luigi. I need to speak with him.”

“I can’t.”

“You don’t want him to convince me not to.”

“I’m not the bad guy here. I’m just doing what it takes to keep my family safe. I thought you’d understand that.”

“I understand that. I just can’t decide if you are really trying to keep Pavi safe or if you are taking all support from him so he’d have no choice but to be your little puppet.”

“I wouldn’t ask this if I didn’t have a choice. I know what killing the boy did to Pavi. I know what this will do to him. But I don’t have a choice. I have to keep him safe. I brought him into this mess. If he dies because of this…”

“And what happens if I refuse?" 

"I won’t risk my family. My daughter is 11 years old.”

“You’ll abandon him.”

“I will not risk my child.”

“Isn’t he your child?”

“Yes.” Isabella choked out. “I want to keep them both safe if I could.”

“You won’t abandon him?”

“Si.”

“You’ll tell your new family about him.”

She hesitated. “Si.”

“You’ll save him from his guilt?”

Pavi wouldn’t even look at her. “I'll… I’ll do what I can. ”

Amber nodded.

“You’ll do it.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“I…thank you.”

“Keep your word.”

Isabella left the room only to find herself face to face with Pavi. “Pavi.” Would Amber tell him everything?

“Mama.” He refused to look at her and just pushed past her.

Isabella just looked at her son sadly. She didn’t know if she could keep her word to his sister. She didn’t know if he would ever forgive her. She didn’t know if she was doing the right thing. But the others were fidgety. They would kill Pavi if they suspected him. She just wanted to keep him safe. Was she wrong?

There was one more person she had to see. 

Isabella headed to Luigi’s cell. His brow furrowed at the sight of her. “Hi Luigi.”

“Isabella.”

“You still won’t call me mama will you?”

“You always favored Pavi more than me.”

“You pushed me away, Luigi. You never wanted me to be your mother.”

Luigi was silent for a moment. “I was a brat.”

“I guess I could have tried harder.”

“You tried your hardest. But the harder you tried the more I felt I had to push you away.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. I was jealous. I felt like I was betraying my mom. It felt like you were only nice because you were obligated to. I don’t know. It made sense at the time.”

“At the time?”

“I’ve seen what a real evil stepmom is like.”

“Was she really that bad?”

“She left me be mostly. She was worse to Pavi. He was so desperate for affection.” Luigi paused. “How could you leave him?”

Isabella sighed. “I wasn’t happy, Luigi.”

“Ever heard of divorce?”

“And what would have happened if I told your father I wanted a divorce?”

“He wasn’t that cruel then and you know it.”

“Maybe.” She hesitated. “I think I just felt bad leaving willingly like that." 

Luigi was silent. 

"You think I’m cruel.”

“I just can’t imagine leaving my son. No matter how much I hated Jac.” Luigi’s gaze fell.

“I can't… I can’t imagine what you’re going through.”

“It doesn’t matter. It’ll all be over tomorrow. I can’t pretend I believe I’ll go where they’re going but… maybe I’ll see them again.”

“Pavi really didn’t know about the child.”

Luigi was quiet. “I know.”

“He feels terrible for what happened.”

“I know.” Luigi sighed. “Would you tell him I forgive him? After tomorrow.”

“You should tell him yourself.”

Luigi was silent. 

“You don’t actually forgive him.”

“It’s hard. I need time.”

“The guilt is hurting him.” 

Luigi looked down, “I know. But with Carmela there, he will be fine. They will both be fine.” 

Something clenched in Isabella’s chest. She was doing the right thing. She was doing the right thing. She was keeping her family safe. She was keeping her son safe. 

“You have to be there too. Don’t fucking leave him again.” 

“I won’t.” 

Luigi nodded. 

“I never meant for any of this to happen. I just joined the rebellion to know their plans. To know if Pavi was in danger. And then…they convinced me. When I saw how violent they were becoming, that’s why I asked Pavi to leave. I just wanted to keep him safe.” 

“You were protecting your son.” 

“I should have tried harder, Luigi.” 

“I never expected anything from Irene. This isn’t any different.” 

“I should have tried harder.” 

“It was damn fucking more than Irene ever did. But you were the closest thing I had. I grieved for you too. But it felt like I didn’t deserve to. Not after the way I treated you.”

“Luigi, I-”

“Would you have left if I had been better? Nicer?” 

“It had nothing to do with you, Luigi. This was between me and your father.” 

“Because he was never home.” 

“Because he was cold. He never knew how to show affection. Half the time I wondered if he loved me or he was just looking for a mother for his child.” Isabella stopped at that. “This is not on you Luigi. Rotti was…a difficult man to love.” 

“You’re telling me.” 

Isabella just smiled softly. “He loved you very much, Luigi. That much I was sure.”

“‘Love-d’ would probably be the best way to put it.”

“I should have tried to save you too. I just didn’t know if you were still the boy I remembered or-”

“A creature.”

“We should have tried negotiating first.”

“I’d never have given in. It would have felt like losing.” 

“Repossessions. That was all you had to get rid of.”

“I’d never have done it. It would have felt like failing pops. I would have been too stubborn to agree.” 

“It was never meant to go this far.” She said softly

“I know.” 

“I’m really sorry, Luigi. For everything.” 

Luigi shook his head. “We all played our parts. Just swear to me you will not abandon Pavi again. You’re good for him. He needs you.”

“I’ve been nothing but selfish.” 

Luigi sighed. “Aren’t we all?” He closed his eyes. “If I had just given in from the start, none of this needed to happen. Jac and Leon would be alive.”

“Luigi…”

“I know Carmela is no one to you. But she would need someone too. I know it’s asking alot, but would you be there for her too?” 

Isabella shook as guilt filled her. “I will try.”

“Thank you.” 

Isabella stood. “Goodbye. And…I really am sorry.” She left the cell. She changed her mind. She had to stop Pavi’s sister. Asking that of her was a mistake. It would destroy Pavi. And she was letting another person die, for what? A rebellion which seemed to have lost its purpose? She had to stop-

The new rebel leader narrowed his eyes. His glance darted to Luigi’s cell then back at her. “What were you doing with the prisoner?” 

“I was just seeing if he was comfortable.”

“And your son is with Amber Sweet. The both of you are acting suspicious.” 

“His brother is to be executed tomorrow. He needs his sister. You were the one who let her live.”

“To keep him calm. But it seems that he’s planning things behind our backs. Are you too?”

“Luigi Largo is being executed tomorrow. What plans can I make with him?” 

“I’m warning you, if either of you try to betray us…” The rebel leader walked off. 

Isabella headed towards Amber’s cell door but she couldn’t push it open. They would never trust Pavi with her around. But if she died, it would destroy Pavi. But one wrong move, one suspicious action and they will kill him. But this was wrong; making Amber do this was wrong. But they would kill him and Amber and her and her family. They were violent and bloodthirsty. But she had no right to do this. If Pavi found out, he’d never forgive her. But he’d be alive. Pavi would be alive. She couldn’t risk his life. She couldn’t risk her family’s lives. She turned around and walked away. 

Note: Sequel to Day 24

“We had a deal.” 

“Situation has changed.” The new rebel leader sneered. He had never liked Pavi. He had always hated working with him. 

“Nothing changed. There’s always casualties in war. This was my condition for helping you.”

“We need to show the people we are strong. If we allow them to live, it shows we are weak.”

“You would have never won without my help!” 

“And we are grateful.” The rebel leader spat out. 

Mama placed a gentle hand on his wrist. 

“You owe me this.” He pulled his hand away. “You owe me this at the very least.” 

“I don’t owe-” 

The new second in command whispered something to him. 

“Fine. I can’t… We can’t allow Luigi Largo to live. But we have no reason to execute your sister as well. That’s all I can give you.” 

“That’s not the deal.” 

“That’s all I can give you.” 

“That isn’t-”

Mama placed a hand on his wrist once more. “We are all tired and upset. Let’s just take time to grieve our dead and we can discuss this again later.” 

“Fine.” 

Pavi just turned and stormed off. 

Mama followed him. “Pavi.”

“Leave me alone.” 

“Pavi!” 

He stopped and turned towards her.

“You have to be careful. Situation has changed. Different people are in charge. Your position here is tenuous at best. You have to be careful.” 

“You mean they don’t need me anymore.” He spat. They were just using him. He was too blind to see it. He thought they actually needed him. They were just using him.

“Phillip was the more reasonable one. And he knew putting you on GeneCo would be the best solution. The others don’t agree. They want GeneCo for themselves. They will look for an excuse to remove you. Don’t give it to them.” 

Pavi looked away. “I never wanted the throne. I don’t care about the fucking throne.” Something tightened in his chest and he had to get back to his room. He just wanted a peaceful solution. He didn’t want anyone to get hurt. He just wanted the war to end. 

Mama placed a hand on his arm. “But the throne is where you’ll be safe.” 

Pavi pulled his hand away. “Did you know?” 

“What the others were like? Yes. But I trusted Phillip.” 

“No mama.” He choked out. He forced back the lump in his throat. “Did you know about the child?” 

Mama was silent.

“Did you know that fratello had a son? Did you know he would be in that room?” 

“I…” 

“You tried to stop me. You knew, didn’t you?” 

“There were rumors.” 

Something clenched in Pavi’s chest and he couldn’t breathe. “Everyone knew. Everyone knew about a child and they let me…” 

“Pavi…” 

“I was so stupid to trust any of you. All of you were just using me.” 

“Pavi, it wasn’t… I wasn’t sure. It was just rumours.” 

“Just go away, mama. Just leave me alone.” Pavi entered his room and closed the door behind him. He leant against the door and sank to the ground. 

***

Pavi entered the makeshift cell they held his brother in. “Fratello?” 

Luigi’s eyes darted at him then looked away.

“Fratello, this wasn’t supposed to happen. It wasn’t supposed to end up like this.” 

Luigi refused to look at him. 

“I didn’t know about the boy. I swear I didn’t know.” 

Pavi saw Luigi’s eyes dart at him for a moment before looking away once more. 

“No one was meant to get hurt. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt.” 

Luigi just kept his gaze on the wall.

“I never meant for this to happen. Mi dispiace.” Pavi choked out. 

Pavi felt his brothers eyes on him. He looked up in time to see his brother’s eyes dart away. 

“I really never meant for this to happen, fratello. I would have never done this to you.” Pavi reached out a hand towards his brother. But he couldn’t bear to touch him. Not after what he’s done. What had he done? Pavi pulled his hand back. “I’m sorry, fratello. I’m so sorry.”’

***

Amber glared at him before looking away. 

Pavi just sat quietly at the door. “Are you going to ignore me too, sorella?” His voice was just defeated. 

Amber looked at him once more before looking away.

“Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t anyone tell me?” 

Amber bit her lip but said nothing. 

“Because you thought he needed protecting from me as well right? Because you both thought I’d use the child against you.” 

Amber at least had the courtesy to look admonished. 

Pavi dropped his head into his hands. “I never wanted this. I never wanted any of this. I just wanted the best outcome for everyone. Was that so wrong?”

Amber sighed but said nothing.  

“Please sorella. Don’t ignore me too. I can’t…I can’t… I know I fucked up. I never should have left. I never should have agreed to… I know I fucked up. But please, talk to me. I can’t…” Pavi cut himself off as sobs wrecked his body. The guilt at what he did crushed him. The hatred his siblings had for him crushed him. 

He felt a gentle hand on his knee. Slowly, Amber rested her head against his leg. 

“I never wanted this.” 

“I know.” 

“I can’t fix this.” 

“No.” 

“I never thought…I never expected a child.”

“You would have loved him, brother. He was so bright; so affectionate. So…unlike us.”

Pavi’s hands tightened as his shoulders shook harder. 

“I thought he would be our second chance. An actual chance to be normal.”

“Do you hate me?”

Amber sighed. “Why did you leave? No bullshit this time.”

“Would you have? If Irene came back and told you the only way she would stay in your life is if you left everything behind, would you?”

“She abandoned me.”

“Would you?”

“I don’t know.”

“I just didn’t want her to leave again. I didn’t want to be abandoned again.”

“So you abandoned us.”

“I never meant for it to be this long. But-”

“You were happy.”

Pavi was silent this time. 

“What’s she like? Your new sister?”

“I didn’t replace you.”

“Feels like it.”

“It’s different. She was already big by the time I met her. And mama wouldn’t tell her who I was.”

“Fuck.”

“I can’t help thinking this is just a long con to reach this point. That she never really left the rebellion.”

Amber didn’t say anything. She just placed more weight on his leg. 

“Do you hate me?”

“No. I was angry. But I could never hate you brother.”

“You’re lying.”

“I don’t hate you brother. I just can’t understand how you could have done this.”

“It felt like a game. A bit of friendly competition I had to win. I think I was just naive.”

“Brother…”

“He’ll never forgive me, will he?”

“Pavi, I…” 

“They won’t let him go. They want to use him as an example.” 

“Did you really expect them to, brother?” 

Pavi sighed. “I don’t know anymore, sorella. Just get ready to run. If I can’t convince them, I’ll find a way to get you both out.”

“Pavi, he…” Amber hesitated and sighed. “Ok, brother.” 

***

“A mass funeral on Friday would be best. Its been difficult to sort out body parts.”

“What about the child?”

Pavi looked up. 

“Put him with the others. If the public finds out we killed a child.”

“Give him to me.”

“So you can use him against us?”

“It was my plan. Who do you think the public will hate more? Me or you?”

Mama sent a look to the leader. 

“Fine. We have no use for the body." 

Pavi gritted his teeth. "Grazie.” He headed towards the morgue. The staff just stared at him. None of them said a thing to him. He wondered what it looked like to the public. 

The staff brought him to the boy’s body. They whispered among themselves as they left. The boy was so tiny. He looked so much like his brother, it hurt. He probably hadn’t even begun to walk long. How much of his life had he experienced? He took away the boy’s future. He took away any life he could have possibly had. He was so small. 

“I’m sorry.” Pavi whispered to a child whose name he didn’t even know. A child he should have known. A child he should have watched grow up. “Mi dispiace.” How much Italian did the boy even know? Did Luigi bother to make him learn? He knew nothing about the boy. “I’m sorry.”

You would have loved him, brother. 

He would have. He knew he would have. But he lost his chance of ever getting to know the boy. He killed him. Pavi killed his nephew. It didn’t matter if his brother ever forgave him. He would never forgive himself. “I’m sorry.”

He picked up the boy gently into his arms. 

“Where are you taking him, Mr Largo?”

“Are you going to stop me?”

He moved out of Pavi’s way. 

Pavi left the room. He headed towards where they held his brother. Luigi once again had his back towards him. 

“Fratello.”

Luigi refused to look at him. 

“Fratello.”

Luigi’s eyes darted towards Pavi. His expression softened at the sight of the boy in his arms. He approached Pavi hesitantly. He took the boy from him with shaking hands. Luigi held the boy to him. He sat on the ground, the child cradled tightly in his arms. 

Pavi sat beside his brother while still giving him a bit of space. 

“Jac, was there anything left to-”

“No, fratello.” Pavi watched his brother caress his son’s face gently. “We’re leaving tonight. I’ve paid off the guard. He’ll let us leave.”

“No.”

“They’re going to execute you in 3 days, fratello.”

“They’re letting Camela go?”

“Si.”

Luigi turned back to his son. 

“Fratello!”

“No.”

“Fratello, please.”

Luigi didn’t say anything. 

“You can hate me all you want. Just please, escape tonight. You can abandon me after.”

Luigi sighed. “No.”

“Fratello.” Pavi begged. 

Luigi ignored him. 

“What can I do to convince you, fratello? What do you want from me? Punish me? Kill me? I don’t care fratello. Just leave with me tonight.”

“No.”

“Fratello. What… what do you want from me?”

“Give me back my family.”

Something tight clenched in Pavi’s chest. “I can’t.” He choked out. 

“Then leave me be.”

Pavi’s hand reached out to touch his brother but once more he couldn’t bear touching him. “Please don’t abandon me.”

“Like you abandoned us?” Luigi didn’t even sound angry. He just sounded tired. 

“Not like this. Not permanently. Please. I…”

“I can’t Paviche. It hurts.”

“Fratello, I never…I never… This wasn’t supposed to happen. I never wanted this. I… I’m sorry.”

“I know Paviche. But it doesn’t fix anything.”

“I just didn’t want anyone to get hurt. There would have been casualties on both sides. I just wanted to keep everyone safe. I thought I was keeping everyone safe.”

“You wanted to be the hero.”

Luigi’s words hurt. But he knew it hurt because… he was right. “Maybe.”

“Was it worth it? Was this everything you wanted?”

“You know very well it isn’t fratello.” Pavi forced out painfully. 

“Is this revenge?”

“Fratello…” He choked out. “You know it isn’t. I never meant anything. I just…I just… I don’t know anymore fratello. It felt right at the time. Now it’s all gone to shit. I…I…”

“We’re even now alright Paviche?” His brother sounded so aged and defeated. 

“Yell at me fratello. If you want to hate me, hate me. Don’t…don't…” Don’t act like he did this on purpose. Don’t treat him like the villain.

“We’re even. We don’t owe each other anything.”

“Fratello…” Pavi choked out. “Please.”

“Thank you for this Paviche.” Luigi handed his child gently back to him. “I’d rather you not come back.”

“Fratello, I-” Pavi looked down, which only brought his gaze to the child. “OK fratello. If that’s what’ll make you happy.” Pavi took the child and left. 

***

Pavi headed towards Amber’s makeshift cell. He reached for the door only for it to open and for mama to step out. 

Isabella’s eyes widened at the sight of him. “Pavi.”

“Mama.” He said shortly before pushing past her and entered the room. 

Amber was deep in thought. 

“Sorella.”

Amber startled. “Brother.”

“What did mama want?”

“Nothing. She was just asking if I was comfortable.”

She was hiding something from him. “Sorella…”

“The execution’s tomorrow isn’t it?”

Pavi looked away and nodded. “I couldn’t…I couldn’t convince them to let him live. And fratello wouldn’t run.”

“You know he wouldn’t.”

“I know. I just hoped.” Pavi slumped into the chair. 

“What… what are they planning to do with me?”

Pavi sighed. “Once the execution is done and things with GeneCo are finalised; they’ll give us back our home. We can stay there. But… you can't… you can’t leave.”

“So I’m still a prisoner.”

“Give me time Sorella. Just until things settle down. It won’t be for forever.”

“Will they let me see him?”

Pavi was silent. He felt powerless. He thought he would be in control when everything was over. But he was nothing more than a puppet. 

“Won’t they at least let me say goodbye?” She choked. She closed her eyes to calm herself down. 

“I’m sorry Sorella.”

“What good are you? Here I thought you were some big shot rebel leader but you’re useless.”

“Sorella.”

“I wish you never came back. We could have won this war. I wish you never came back.”

“Do you think they would have cared if the gas concentration was toxic? Do you think they would have cared if you all died in that room? If you had told me about the child, I would have figured something out.”

“So this is my fault then?" 

"That’s not what I meant sorella.”

“They managed to get that far because you helped them. Because you knew GeneCo’s inner workings.”

“I know sorella! Alright? I know. I know I fucked up. I know I can’t change anything. I know I’m nothing more than a puppet. Alright? I know. It’s too late but I know.”

“I don’t want to fight. Not tonight.”

Pavi took a breath. His sister was still upset with him. It wasn’t like he expected any different. But… it still hurt. It really hurt. But he had time to make it up to his sister. He’ll spend the rest of his life making it up to her if he had to. Not that he knew how to make up for this. 

“What’s your relationship with your mother like? I know you’re upset with her now. But before, how was it?”

“It was nice. She is exactly how I remember her. It hurt she won’t tell her new family about me. But… its still nice.”

“Good.”

“I won’t abandon you for her. Not this time.”

“She can move in GeneCo too.”

“Yea, I suppose she could." 

"Brother, I… you were alright right? The last 5 years with her?”

“Sorella, what’s wrong? Did mama say something?”

“No, brother. I was just making conversation.”

Something was wrong. His sister was acting off. “I was alright. I missed you two.”

“I missed you too brother. So did Luigi.”

Pavi looked away. 

“Brother, you know I don’t hate you right?”

“Sorella what’s wrong?”

She shook her head and gripped his hand. 

“You’re shaking.”

She shook her head once more. “He wants this right Pavi? We’re not just letting him die. He wants this right?”

Pavi nodded and looked away. “I drove him to that.”

Amber gripped his hand tighter and leaned her head against his arm. “I can’t make the pain stop. But you’ll be alright Pavi. I know you will. You were always the strong one.”

“Not after this. Not after what I’ve done. I’ve destroyed everything.”

“Pavi don’t go for the execution tomorrow. It will hurt you.”

“They want me to show support. To show the public I’m firmly with the rebels.”

“That’s cruel. Refuse.”

Pavi shook his head. “I won’t leave fratello alone. Even if he doesn’t want me there.”

“It’s going to be OK brother. I promise.”

***

Pavi sat right in front of the execution stage. He kept his face blank. He just had to keep his expression blank. He could break down later. He heard his mother sit beside him. She placed a gentle hand on his wrist where no one else would see. He would have pulled away. But he needed whatever support he could get.

They led Luigi onto the platform. The crowd jeered around him. Luigi just stared forward. His eyes met Pavi’s for a moment before he looked away. 

The deputy stepped on the stage and read the list of ‘charges’. The crowd was bloodthirsty. The rebel behind his brother raised his gun and pointed it at Luigi’s head. The deputy turned to him. 

Pavi was stiff. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t let this happen. He didn’t want this. 

Isabella’s hand tightened around his wrist. 

Pavi nodded. 

The executioner cocked the gun. 

Pavi forced his face blank. He had to show support. He had to-

“Wait.”

Pavi froze. No. 

Amber walked onto stage. 

Pavi’s heart sank. 

Amber knelt beside her brother and held his hand. 

“You swore she would be safe. You swore she would be safe.”

The leader summoned the guard watching Amber. “Who asked you to bring her here?”

“She did. She insisted. If she had a death wish, I wasn’t going to stop her.”

Pavi’s eyes darted to his sister who refused to meet his eyes. “She can’t do this. I negotiated safety. She can’t do this.”

“Mr Largo calm down. You have to show support.”

“Stop this. You have to stop this. Let me speak to her.”

“We can’t show weakness. You can’t show weakness.”

“Not like this. She can’t do this.”

Isabella grabbed his arm. “Calm down Pavi. You have to calm down.”

“What did you say to her mama? She was acting off ever since you went to her. What did you say to her?”

“I didn’t say anything.” Lying. She was lying. 

“Mr Largo, that’s enough. You have to play your part.”

Pavi turned back to the stage. His sister still refused to meet his eyes. She said she didn’t hate him. Why would she do this? She said she didn’t hate him. She was lying. 

Another rebel walked on stage and pointed a gun at Amber’s head. 

She was abandoning him too. She was leaving him too.

Amber gripped Luigi’s hand tighter as the gun cocked. 

“Please. Let her go.”

“This wasn’t me Mr Largo.”

No this was him. He destroyed everything. He destroyed his family. 

“Please.” He begged even though his sister refused to look at him.

The deputy looked at him once more but Pavi couldn’t do it. 

“Mr Largo.”

They couldn’t leave him. They couldn’t both abandon him.

The rebel leader nodded to the deputy. 

This was a nightmare. This was nothing more than a nightmare. 

Two shots rang out. 

Pavi numbly watched his siblings crumple to the ground. Something tightened in his chest. He couldn’t breathe.

Isabella held his arm tighter. 

This wasn’t supposed to happen. This wasn’t what he wanted. 

“It’s finally over.” The rebel leader muttered. 

“It wasn’t supposed to end this way.”

“Mr Largo?”

“It wasn’t supposed to end this way.” Before he could stop himself a laugh escaped Pavi’s lips. 

“Pavi." 

Pavi couldn’t stop laughing as tears trailed down his cheek. 

"Not here Pavi.”

What had he done? What the fuck had he done? He destroyed everything. He destroyed everything.

Note: Having ‘The Plagues’ on repeat does things to you. Nyway, the next part is a continuation of this. Hopefully by next week? I wish I had more time to write and really build up this AU but I kinda have to settle for scenes. 

Pavi was gathered with the other rebel leaders. It’s been 5 years since he’s been back in GeneCo but he’s finally home. The rebels had been trying to convince him for years but he always refused. And then they promised him that he would sit on GeneCo and no one would be hurt. Pavi knew that the rebels were not powerful enough to hurt his siblings but his mother had asked him a quiet ‘please’ and Pavi agreed. 

“They’ve locked themselves in the Panic room.“

"It doesn’t matter. I have an idea.” Pavi pointed at the blueprints laid across the table. “See this vent here? It is the only air supply in and out of the room. We can siphon in gas. Something toxic enough to suffocate them but not toxic enough to kill them. They would have no choice but to come out.”

“Pavi, are you-” Isabella cut herself of. 

“It’s ok, mama. I’ve confirmed it with the scientists. The concentration won’t be toxic to an adult.”

“I…  if you’re sure, Pavi.”

“It ok mama. They will be fine.”

“But…” Isabella cut herself off as the rebel leader sent her a warning glare. 

They did as he suggested, siphoning the gas into the room and just waited. He didn’t know how long it would take, but Pavi knew his siblings were stubborn enough to stay in there until the last second. 

And so, he could barely hide his surprise at how soon they surrendered. Barely a couple of hours had passed. Pavi expected at least a day or two. Pavi furrowed his brow. He told the men to clear the gas in the room. “Let me go in first. Defuse the situation.”

Pavi headed to the room as soon as the gas cleared. He looked up to the cameras and the doors slid open. Amber sent him a glare and looked away. Luigi had his back towards him. There was a third person in the room. A woman, Luigi’s wife. Pavi had been surprised when he heard the news over 4 years ago.

“It’s over, fratello. We’ve won.”

“Aren’t you proud?” Amber spat. 

“Come now sorella. Don’t be a spoilsport. The Pavi managed to get you out.”

“You…you did this?” Amber’s pained expression nearly made him pull away. “Of course. How else would they know which vent to use?”

“You fucking bastard!” There was nothing but hatred on the woman’s face.

“Calm down, Bella. The Pavi has-a negotiated safety for everyone. No one has to get hurt.”

Amber let out a bitter laugh.

“I mean it, sorella. It’s like I’ve told you  before, no one will get hurt.”

“Jac has nothing to do with this.” Came his brother’s voice finally. But he refused to turn towards him. 

“Of course. Your Bella is-a free to go.”

Jacqueline just stared at her husband. She approached him slowly and placed a hand onto his cheek. 

Luigi leant into her hand. “Wait for me.”

“Of course, my love.” She bent down by her husband’s side, facing her back towards him. 

Luigi leant his head into her neck. “I’m sorry.”

They stayed that way for a moment before she pulled away. She and Amber shared a look. Amber just nodded to her. 

Pavi felt strangely left out. He knows he was the one who chose to leave but…now he felt like an outsider within his own family. 

Jacqueline headed towards him. He stepped aside and let her through the door. A guard raised his gun as soon as the door opened. 

“Easy. She’s not involved. She can leave.”

The guard nodded. “I’ll bring her to the others first.” 

“She can’t help us.” 

“Regardless.” 

“She’s not to be harmed.” 

“Yes, sir.” The doors slid shut. 

“You know, if it’s just being in charge that you liked, I would have given you GeneCo.” 

Pavi sighed. “It’s not like that, sorella.” 

“Then why? Why betray us like this?” 

“Sorella.” Pavi sighed. 

“Or are you just seeking mommy’s approval? You didn’t get it from Daddy, so you’re getting it from her?” 

Maybe. “It’s more complicated than that, sorella.” 

“I hope your new friends are worth it.” She spat.

“It didn’t have to go this far. I told you to surrender from the start. I told you once I was in power we could work something out.” 

“And we were supposed to just trust we’d be safe?” 

“Don’t you trust me sorella?”

“I don’t trust your friends.” She spat. “All this, this torture you’ve put us through. And we’re supposed to just trust you.”
“If you had listened to me, none of this needed to happen. If you had just listened to me from the start-”

“Enough.” 

Pavi glanced at his brother but his back was still towards him. He still refused to turn; refused to speak to him. “Fratello, I am right and you know it. If you weren’t so stubborn and just listened to me; this didn’t need to happen. You did this. You-”

“Pavi, stop it!” Amber cried out. 

Pavi glanced at his sister then back at his brother. Luigi was curled into himself, shaking. 

“Fratello…this…this wasn’t anything personal. I just…”

“You chose your side.” Amber spat. 

“This was the most peaceful outcome. No one had to get hurt. I take control of GeneCo. The rebels are satisfied. Mama is happy. And we can be a family again.” 

Amber looked away from him. “It’s too late for that, brother.” 

Something settled in the pit of Pavi’s gut. “You don’t mean that.” 

“You made your choice, brother.”

“Sorella, this wasn’t personal.”

Amber refused to look at him. 

Pavi turned towards his brother instead. “Fratello, this wasn’t personal. This was the best outcome for everyone.” 

His brother refused to turn; refused to say anything. 

Pavi rather he yelled or screamed or reacted. Not ignoring him like this. “Fratello, look at me.”

Luigi still refused to move. 

“Fratello, look at me!” Pavi marched up and stood in front of his brother. That was when he saw it. Cradled in his brother’s arms was a small sleeping child. No. Not sleeping. The boy was too still; too pale. The gas concentration was not toxic to adults but… Something clenched in Pavi’s chest. “I didn’t know.” A child. Their family was all over the news. He would have heard of a child. Just like Luigi’s wedding. He would have heard of it. “Fratello, I didn’t know.” He didn’t expect a child. The boy was so small. The concentration would have been too high. He stumbled back. “No one was supposed to get hurt. It wasn’t supposed to be lethal. I didn’t know.” 

Luigi just stared forward, refusing to say anything. 

“Fratello, I-”

A loud explosion shook the room. What was-

Luigi shut his eyes and clutched his son tighter to him. 

The doors opened. The guard ran in. 

“What happened?” 

“The woman was wearing a bomb. When they brought her to the others, she set it off.”

“Is mama alright?” 

“She wasn’t there.”

“How many?”

“A hundred at least. Most of the ones in charge were there.” 

Pavi nodded. “I’ll be there soon.” 

The guard left. 

Pavi turned back towards his siblings. “Why would you do this? I negotiated safety. They will demand retribution.” Pavi’s voice cracked. He had everything planned out. How did everything get so fucked up. “They will not forgive this.” 

“Good.” 

“Fratello…”

“Go find your new friends, Pavi. You don’t have to bother with us.” Amber stood and headed towards Luigi. She laid a hesitant hand on his shoulder. When he didn’t pull away, she held him towards her. 

“No one was supposed to get hurt.” 

Rebels marched into the room and roughly dragged his siblings to their feet. Luigi refused to release his son. 

“Leave him alone.” Amber screamed. 

A guard slammed the butt of his gun into Luigi’s face. 

“They’re not to be harmed.” Pavi could only watch numbly as they ripped the boy from Luigi’s arms and lead them out of the room. Pavi’s legs felt weak. He had everything planned. Why did this happen? A child. “I didn’t know.” Pavi crumpled to the ground. “No one was supposed to get hurt.” The child was so small. He didn’t deserve this. Pavi planned everything so well. How did they keep the child a secret? “I didn’t know.” His nephew. He murdered his nephew in cold blood. He… “I didn’t know.” 

Note: I’m really sorry. I’ve been sitting on this for awhile. I’ve just started a new job with insane hours and I’m exhausted when I get home. I played with the idea in my head a bit but… I honestly feel it’s nothing great or new. I’m determined to finish Deadcember eventually but it will take a lot of time. And with me only writing a couple of sentences whenever I can spare time…I don’t know… I like it more when I write it all in one sitting. Writing piece by piece always makes it feel very disjointed. 

Note 2: Sequel to Day 25 of Whumptober https://afolderfullofstories.tumblr.com/post/666136962657337344/day-25-hide-seek

Pavi was cold. He hadn’t stopped being cold since that day… It didn’t matter how much he wore or how heated GeneCo was. He was always cold. The Genterns had started a fire in the living room. They’ve been doing it for him since he left the hospital. Pavi found himself spending hours in front of the fire. It was nice.

Pavi spotted Mama Irene watching him. He ducked his head; hugging himself. She would find a reason to be angry with him.

“Are you ok, Pavi?” The voice was hesistant. Not something he was used to in her voice. She was always loud end she never said anything nice to Pavi. But since he left the hospital… She never said anything to him but he caught her staring at him.

“Why did you leave GeneCo by yourself, Pavi?”

“I…I just wanted to go to the park and play.”

Pavi knew his father saw through his lies. But Pavi didn’t want to get Mama Irene in trouble. Even if it was her fault. No. It was his fault. Pavi should have never left GeneCo. Why did Pavi leave GeneCo? There were so many places he could have hid. Why did he leave?

Pavi stared at his brother’s room door. Luigi never left his room anymore. He didn’t even join them for dinner. Dinner was quiet. Daddy was home more often but…dinner was always so quiet. He thought if anyone, their father would be able to convince Luigi not to hide away. But no one even commented about Luigi’s absence.

“I’m not angry with you, Paviche.”

It had to be a lie. Why would his brother still ignore them after all they’ve been through if it wasn’t a lie? He missed his brother. But Luigi never left his room. Pavi tried knocking on his door once. But Luigi refused to answer.

Pavi shivered and hugged himself. He wondered if he would ever feel warm again. He still could feel the freezing air bite into his skin. He could still remember feeling so tired, he couldn’t keep his eyes open. He remembered-

“Pavi?”

Right. Mama Irene was talking to him. She would be angry he didn’t reply her. He hugged himself tighter. “I’m ok.” His voice was so small he could barely hear himself.

He felt something warm being draped over his shoulders. He looked up to see that Mama Irene had placed a blanket on his shoulders. “Is that better?”

Mama Irene was never this nice. “You don’t have to pretend, Ma-.” He cut himself off. She hated him calling her mama. “I won’t tell papa anything.”

“I shouldn’t have yelled.”

“I’ll pay for a new set.”

Mama Irene sighed. “You don’t have to, Pavi. It isn’t….It isn’t a big deal.”

No? It sure felt like it. Pavi glanced at Luigi’s room once more. Fratello would tell papa what happened. He should warn her. But he didn’t want to get fratello in trouble either.

Pavi caught Irene watching him with a strange look. Pavi glanced back to the fire.

“Do you-” She cut herself off.

He’ll have to come out eventually. He must be bored in there.

“We’ll be…leaving early tomorrow morning.”

Another GeneCo event? Pavi didn’t feel up to it. “Do I have to be there?” No. Why would he ask Irene that? She was only pretending to be nice because she didn’t want him to tell Papa. He didn’t want to anger her.

“It’ll be better if you do. You’ll regret it if you don’t.”

She was back to her threats. Her voice still sounded kind. But it was still a threat.

“Ok.”

“Rest early, Pavi.”

“Ok, Ma-” He just hugged himself tighter.

*

Pavi woke up and put on the suit the Genterns had prepared for him. It must be a big event then if he had to dress up. Strange how papa didn’t tell him he had to be on his best behavior.

He stopped by his brother’s door. He knocked softly. “Fratello?” Once more, only silence greeted him. “I’m sorry, fratello.” Still there was no reply. His brother must really be angry with him.

He headed to the hall where Carmela was sitting quietly on the sofa. She was wearing an adorable black dress. “Sorella.”

“Pavi.” She looked at him for a moment and looked down. “Pavi, I don’t understand what’s going on.”

“There’s nothing to understand sorella.”

“Oh.” She looked down. She seemed sad.

“Sorella, what’s wrong?”

Nothing.“

"Are you two ready?”

“Si.” Mama Irene was well dressed up as well. She wore a long black dress. She matched with Carmela.

“Mommy, I-” Carmela cut herself off.

“It’s going to be ok.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

Why was Mama Irene acting so off? Even to her own daughter she was never this nice. What was going on? This was just a normal GeneCo event right? Why was everyone acting so weird?

Rotti exited his bedroom. He looked somber. Everyone was acting so off. “Let’s go.”

Pavi followed them slowly to the door. “Is fratello not coming?”

Rotti froze.

“It would be good for him to get out of his room once in a while.”

Rotti knelt down before him. “Pavi, where do you think we’re going?”

“I don’t know. Some GeneCo event I guess.” Pavi pulled his jacket tighter around himself. It was getting cold again.

“Pavi…” Rotti sighed.

“Si, Papa?” He’d wished the Genterns picked for him a thicker coat.

“After you woke up in the hospital…do you remember what I told you?”

“No.” Pavi said quickly.

“How are you feeling, Pavi?”

“I’m ok.”

Rotti sighed. “Bambino…Luigi-”

“No.”

“Pavi, I need to tell you something.”

“What is it, papa?”

“You have to face this, Pavi.”

“No.”

“Luigi…Luigi had another arrest. The doctors couldn’t restart his heart.”

“What are you saying papa?”

“Luigi is gone.”

“Pavi, your brother is dead.”

“No.”

“Pavi.”

He felt tears burn his eyes. No his father was lying. Luigi wasn’t dead.

“It’s going to be alright.”

“No. It was my fault. If I hadn’t left GeneCo… If he hadn’t come find me… He kept trying to keep me warm. He-”

“Pavi…it wasn’t your fault. We knew it was just a matter of time. He had an arrest. It wasn’t the cold.”

“Then tell me he wouldn’t still been here if he hadn’t gone out that day.”

“Pavi…” Rotti sighed once more.

“it’’s my fault he’s gone.”

Arms wrapped around him. “No, Bambino. It’s not.”

“I shouldn’t have left.”

“No, Pavi. You shouldn’t have left GeneCo on your own. But it wasn’t your fault. It was just a matter of time. His heart was too far gone.”

“Do you think he hates me for this?”

“No, Bambino. Your brother was so worried about you. He held on long enough to make sure you were safe.”

“Do you hate me, Papa? If it wasn’t for me-”

“No, Pavi. I don’t hate you. And I don’t blame you. I couldn’t get the heart in time. This is not on you.”

Rotti held him tighter but Pavi couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. He just felt so cold. He felt so cold. “I’m sorry.”

Amber slammed the ‘closed’ button on the door. The rebels raised their guns towards her but the doors slid shut with a firm slam. They were safe.

“Is anyone fucking hit?”

“No. The Pavi is fine.”

Amber still kept her gaze at the door. How had the rebels managed to get in undetected? How did they know the GeneCops weren’t around? Did the rebels set up the distraction? They fell right in their trap, didn’t they? “We’re safe here. No one else can get the door open. We can just wait for the GeneCops to come back.”

“There’s-a food and water. We should-a be able to last a few days if-a we have to.”

Amber nodded and turned back to her brothers. She watched Luigi give her a quick once over before heading towards the chair in the corner and turned his back towards them. Amber sighed. He was back to ignoring them as he always did. She turned towards Pavi. “Are you ok?”

“The Pavi is-a fine, sorella. We’ll-a just sit and wait. They won’t-a get us in here.” Pavi headed towards the computers at the far left of the room and turned on the cameras.

She sat in the chair and watched the rebels in front of the panic room door. They were heavily armed. This was well-planned out. How had no one gotten wind of this? There should have been talk on the streets. How had they not realized this was happening?

“The Pavi can’t contact the GeneCops.”

“The distraction must have been good. We can just wait here. They won’t get in.”

Amber just sat there watching as the rebels tried to get the door open. Drills, bombs, hacker. The panic room was secure. No one was getting in. She stretched and stood. Pavi was still trying to contact the GeneCops. Luigi was still sulking in the corner. She sighed. She approached her brother slowly. “Come on, Lu. Why don’t you have something to eat?”

“Not hungry.” He grunted.

“You’re not going to pout here for a few days right? Come join us.”

“Fuck off, Amber.”

Amber’s gaze dropped. He was angry at her, wasn’t he? “I’m sorry, brother. I should have realized it was a trap. I should have never sent out the GeneCops.”

“I would have done the same.”

Then what was he sulking about? At least if he was yelling like he always was, she’d know why. “You’ve been sitting there for hours. Just join us to eat.”

“I didn’t sleep well last night.”

“Then take a rest on the bed. I’m not tired yet.”

“Just leave me be, Carmela.”

Amber’s brow furrowed. What was wrong with her brother? She never understood her brother’s moods. And most of the time she let him be but since they were stuck here, she didn’t want to be dealing with this for the next couple of days. She grabbed Luigi’s right forearm and pulled it towards her. “Come on, brother, you-”

Luigi’s hand was soaked with blood. It was then she realized just how heavy her brother was breathing. She turned her brother towards her. Luigi’s shirt was drenched red. “Pa…Pavi!”

Luigi pulled his hand back. “It’s nothing, Carmela.”

“What is-a it, sorella?” She heard Pavi approaching and freezing. “Fratello?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Help-a me get him onto the ground, sorella.”

“I can fucking walk.” Luigi growled. He stood and swayed.

Pavi caught him before he fell. He half dragged his brother onto the ground.

Amber could only stare at the blood soaked chair. Luigi had been sitting there for hours. She thought he was sulking. She thought…

“Sorella, see if-a there’s anything here we can-a use.”

She searched the room but couldn’t find anything. There were guns, food but no bandages. She headed back to her brothers to see Pavi pressing his jacket against Luigi’s side. “There’s nothing.”

“Why didn’t-a you say anything?”

“I told you it’s nothing.”

“Keep-a the pressure on.”

Amber could only watch as Pavi’s jacket was soaked red.

Pavi headed towards the computers and tried to call the GeneCops once more.

“Pavi? How bad…?”

Pavi’s eyes darted towards Luigi and back towards the computer. “He’s-a bleeding out. He won’t-a have days. If the GeneCops don’t-a take back GeneCo today…”

Amber’s eyes darted towards her brother. “He’s going to be fine. He has to be.”

Pavi just gave a small glance again and continued trying to contact the GeneCops.

Amber looked at the cameras. The rebels were still outside. If they opened the door, they were all dead. What could they do? If the GeneCops didn’t pick up, what could they do?

She sat next to Luigi and stared at Pavi’s soaked jacket. The pressure wasn’t doing anything. He was bleeding heavily. “Brother…”

“I told you it’s nothing.”

She looked up at her brother. He was pale; sweat sheened his face. “You look like shit.”

“It’s fine, Carmela. I won’t die so easily.” His breathing was heavy.

She grabbed his free hand and pulled it towards her. “Promise me you’ll be alright.”

“I’ll be fine, Carmela. I promise.”

She just gripped her brother’s hand tightly. Her eyes drifted to cameras and she could only watch the rebels continue trying to knock down the door. Getting into this room felt like safety at first. Now she felt trapped. There was no other way out. The rebels surrounded the door. They couldn’t get help. Pavi was desperately calling the GeneCops but there was still no reply. What if they never picked up? Luigi would continue to bleed out and…

Luigi was never not there. Sure there were times in her childhood where he ignored her but that was so long ago, it felt like a forgotten dream. She was never as close to him as she was to Pavi but…he was always there. Her big brother who always kept her safe; who never pulled away when she needed comfort and just held her. He couldn’t not be there. She couldn’t deal with that. She couldn’t…

Amber’s watch rang. She glanced down to see her assistant’s name pop up. Why would-

She glanced at the camera to see her assistant dead on the ground, the rebel leader holding up a watch. She answered the watch.

“Ms Sweet.”

“What do you want?”

“We just want to talk.”

“Talk?” She scoffed. “Is that why you murdered half the people working on this floor?”

“We were a bit excited. But you’re alive aren’t you? We didn’t want to hurt you, Ms Sweet. We just want to talk to you.”

“Talk.”

“It’s so unprofessional to speak over the phone like this. Come out.”

“So you can kill me? I don’t think so.”

“We don’t want to kill you. We just want to talk, negotiate.”

“We can negotiate over the line. But I don’t know what you expect to get. You can’t get in.”

“And you can’t get out. Strange how the GeneCops have not responded until now, isn’t it?”

Amber’s blood ran cold. How did they know? “And what, you paid them off?”

“Not me. My boss. We’re not rebels, Ms Sweet. We have no use for any of you dead. My boss just wants to talk to you.”

“Who?”

“I can’t tell you Ms Sweet.”

“If he wants to talk, then he shows his face. I’m not negotiating with a ghost.” She turned off the call and watched the rebels discuss with each other on the cameras.

“It’s a…trap.”

She glanced down to her brother. His breathing was becoming laboured. She placed her hand on his. It was cold. He was going into shock. “Brother.”

“Don’t listen…it’s a…trap.”

She placed a hand on her brother’s face. “You promised you’d be alright.”

“I’m fine, Carmela.”

She looked up at Pavi and she saw the pain and worry in his eyes. Luigi wasn’t going to survive here like this. “If they’re telling the truth about the GeneCops…”

“They can’t…hold GeneCo…like this…for long… GeneCops…or no GeneCops. The food…can last us… days…”

But Luigi didn’t have days. She didn’t know if he even had hours.

Her watch rang again. She looked up to the camera to see the President standing in front of the door. “Pavi.”

He looked at the cameras and back at her. “He would have the money to pay off the GeneCops. Just see what he wants.”

She answered the call.

“Ms Sweet.”

“Mr President. This is bold, even for you.”

“I just want to talk Ms Sweet.”

“Kill us all and what? GeneCo will never belong to you.”

“That’s why I just want to talk.”

“Then talk.”

“I like to do my business dealings face to face.”

“Then forget about it. I open the door and you kill us. I don’t trust you bastards.”

“Fine, Ms Sweet. I’m a patient man. The GeneCops have all been paid off. We’ll leave you in there for a few days. No food or water; we’ll see how willing you are to talk after that.”

Amber glanced down at her brother. They had food and water to last them a few days. The president didn’t know that. They could use that to their advantage but… Luigi wouldn’t survive a few days. “Wait.”

“Sorella, let’s talk about this.”

“Clear the room in front of the panic room. Not even a single guard.”

“And if you run off?”

“If this place is as surrounded as you claim, where can I run off to?”

“Fine, Ms Sweet. I’ll wait for you in your office. My men will cover all the exits to this room. There will be nowhere to run to.”

The call was cut off. She watched the men trail out of the room. She kept watch to make sure no one was hiding in a corner.

“It’s…a trap…Mela.”

“I know. But if he’s right about the GeneCops, we need to find out what he wants.”

“Give it…a few…days… He thinks…we’ll be…starving…by then… His guard…will be…down.”

“You don’t have a few days, brother.” Her voice cracked.

“I’m…fine…Mela.”

She placed a hand on his. He was growing colder by the minute. They were running out of time. “You’re not.”

“Pavi…tell her…she’s being…stupid.”

Pavi looked at Luigi then back at her. “Sorella…”

“There’s no other way, brother. You know it.”

“Or he kills-a you. And we’re still-a stuck here.”

“If it were the rebels making the deal, I’d think so. But he’d gain nothing from that. It’s more likely, he wants me to give him GeneCo.”

“You’re not…giving him…shit…”

“We’re stuck here. In a few days, when food runs out, we’d have to make the same deal.”

“Or he’s…lying…about the…GeneCops…”

“Pavi, you’ve been trying to contact the GeneCops for hours. Is it likely he’s lying?”

“No. But it’s-a too risky going out-a there, sorella. The safer option would-a be to force him to discuss over the phone. Refuse to go out.”

“And what about Luigi?” She asked softly.

Pavi shut his eyes and looked away.

“We don’t have a choice.”

“You…fucking…do.”

“If I don’t at least try, Luigi will die.”

“Or you both will-a die. Don’t-a think me cruel, sorella. I just…don’t-a want to be alone.” His voice trailed off.

“He has no reason to kill me. If it’s just GeneCo he wants…”

“This…is stupid… Don’t fucking…give in…to him…”

Amber placed a gentle hand on Luigi’s face. “I can’t lose you, brother.”

He placed a weak hand on her wrist. “Mela… Don’t…do…this…”

“It’ll be ok, brother, he has no reason to hurt me. I just need you to stay alive until I solve this. Promise me.”

“Mela…please…”

Amber stood and headed towards the door.

“Mela! Pavi…stop…her…”

Amber heard her brother approach her. “Are you going to stop me?”

He handed her a cloth. “Clean-a your hands. Don’t-a let him see he has-a leverage.”

She scrubbed the blood from her hands. “Am I being stupid?” She muttered so Luigi wouldn’t hear.

“Si.” He sighed. “But I would-a have done the same.”

“He has no reason to kill me.”

“Maybe.” He took the cloth from her. “Just-a be careful, sorella. Even if-a you save him,” he hesistated, “He will-a never forgive himself.”

She nodded and headed towards the door. “Keep guard, just in case someone tries to run in.”

Pavi held out the gun and nodded. “He doesn’t-a know he has-a leverage.” He gave a glance to Luigi. “Fratello has-a time. Don’t-a do anything stupid. I’ll be watching on the cameras.”

Amber was terrified. But she was not going to admit that. She knew going out was stupid. But she couldn’t just let her brother die. She took a breath and opened the door. There was no one in the room. The President kept his word. She headed to her office.

“Ms Sweet. Have a seat. You took so long, I was worried you weren’t coming.” The President was sitting in her chair. If he wasn’t obvious in what he wanted.

She sat in front of him. “My brothers don’t trust you. They think you have a trick up your sleeve.”

“And you trust me?”

“I think you’re not stupid enough to kill me. You’ll gain nothing.”

“You’re half-right.” The man next to him passed him a document.

Amber furrowed her brow. “What do you mean? This is about GeneCo isn’t it? You want me to give it to you.”

“Again, half right.” He passed the document to her. “How much of your father’s will do you remember?”

“Enough.”

He opened the document and showed her. “You cannot legally sell your shares or transfer the shares to anyone outside of your family.”

Amber furrowed her brow as she read it. Maybe the executor read it out the last time, but it seemed so obvious at the time they wouldn’t give anyone their shares that she must have just forgotten about it. “So why do all this?”

“It took awhile but my lawyers found a loophole.”

“What loophole?”

The company lawyer entered the room and placed the document before her. “I’m sorry Ms Sweet. They threatened me to draw it up. I didn’t-”

“Enough.”

Amber opened the document. Last Will and Testament of Amber Sweet. Her heart sank.

“The only way I’ll get a hand on any of those shares.”

Her eyes scanned the document. Her position as CEO and her shares in GeneCo would be transferred to the President. “Are you thinking you’ll outlive me?” She tried to play ignorant but she heard how her voice shook.

“Yes.”

“What makes you think I would even agree to sign this?”

“You came out, Ms Sweet. I have you in my hands. I could order my men to torture you until you finally signed it. Or I can be kind and let you back into the panic room. And in a few days, when you are starving, you will come out and sign it.”

They had enough food to survive. The President couldn’t hold GeneCo hostage like this. Paid or not, the GeneCops would have to do something eventually.

But Luigi wouldn’t survive. She’d live but she’d let her brother die.

He will-a never forgive himself.

But could she forgive herself? If she let her brother die to save her own skin. And if she refused and Luigi died, and no one saved them and she still had to sign; she’d let her brother die for nothing.

“Do you need time to think, Ms Sweet?” The voice was smug. He was confident he had won. “GeneCo is surrounded, the GeneCops are paid off. You have plenty of time to think.”

“I sign this and then, what about my brothers?”

“I don’t need them and I don’t need their shares. They can keep their shares. Silent partners of course, I’d rather not work with them. They’d have enough money to be comfortable.”

She glanced at the company’s lawyer. “Put that in. That if anything happens to my brothers, The President loses everything or GeneCo is disbanded or whatever that is the most legally binding thing you can find.”

“Don’t you trust me, Ms Sweet?”

“No. Not when you can one day decide you need more money or it would be less troublesome without my brothers around. I don’t trust you.”

“And if I refuse?”

“Then kill me, send me back to that panic room, I don’t care. I’d rather die in that room and let GeneCo fall than give everything to you and let you hurt my brothers.”

The President turned towards the lawyer and nodded.

“I would need time.”

“Make it as legally binding as possible. Don’t let him find loopholes.”

“Yes Ms Sweet. I’m sorry.” He left.

The President offered her a drink. She gulped it down, willing her hand to stop shaking. She gave a quick glance to the security camera where she knew her brother was watching. The President poured her another drink. She gulped it down.

Her watch rang. She saw Pavi’s name on the watch. He knew something was wrong. “My brothers deserve to know what’s going on.”

“Of course, Ms Sweet.” He gestured to her to answer.

“May I have some privacy?” She watched the President’s face fell. “You said it yourself the whole place is surrounded. Where can I go?”

“As you wish, Ms Sweet.” The President stood and ordered his men out.

She answered the call. “Brother.”

“Sorella, what’s-a wrong?”

“Is everything alright there?” Was Luigi still alive?

“Si, sorella.”

“Good.”

“What’s-a wrong, sorella? What does-a he want?”

“I’m sorry, brother. I’m really sorry.”

“Sorella, what’s-a going on?”

“Tell him not to blame himself. It isn’t his fault. There’s no other way. Even if we can get out of this, he won’t leave us alone. It isn’t his fault.”

“Sorella, whatever you’re planning. We can-a figure something out.”

“And if we don’t? If I let Luigi die and we don’t figure something out?”

“Sorella, if-a you do this…I…I can’t-a save him.”

“You have to. Brother please, you have to. The President will leave you alone after this. I’ve ensured it. Just stay safe and live your lives. Please.” Her voice broke. She didn’t want the President to come in to find her crying. She forced back her tears.

“Sorella, you don’t-a have to do this.”

“I know. I know.” She took a shuddering breath, forcing herself to stay calm. “I want to.”

“Do you want-a to speak to fratello?”

“No. I don’t want to worry him.”

“What do you need, sorella?”

“Just stay with me.”

“I’m right-a here. Don’t turn off the call later. I’ll be right-a here.”

A choked sound escaped her lips. “I wish I hugged you before I left. I wanted to. Why didn’t I?”

“I’m-a here, sorella. I’m-a right here.”

“Thank you, brother. Not just for this. For everything.”

“Ti voglio bene.”

“I love you too, brother.”

“Ms Sweet?”

She raised her head to see the company lawyer standing before her, document in hand. “No loopholes.”

“No loopholes.”

She nodded. “Goodbye, brother.”

“Addio, sorella.”

She left the call on. She stood. “Call the President back in.” A blank look filled her face. She sat in her chair.

The lawyer nodded. He left and returned with the President and his men. The President’s expression soured when he saw her but said nothing. He sat where she had mere moments ago. The lawyer placed the document before him.

“Is that satisfactory?”

The President looked it over. “And if your brothers come for me?”

“They won’t.”

He turned the will back towards her. “Fine.”

“It would take time for the will to be read and for things to take effect. As soon as this happens, you leave with your men.”

“Of course, Ms Sweet. Your brothers can leave the panic room safely to deal with…well…”

Amber picked up the pen.

“I didn’t want to go this far Ms Sweet. Your father left me no choice. You can thank him when you see him.”

Amber didn’t say anything. She signed the will and passed it to her lawyer. “You can go.”

“I’m sorry, Ms Sweet.” He left the room.

The President stood. “Pleasure doing business with you, Ms Sweet.” He turned to the ‘rebel’ leader. “Order your men out of GeneCo once its done. I was never here.”

“Yes sir.” He pointed the gun to Amber’s head.

The President left the room.

Amber closed her eyes.

Bang!