Until I Met You

” Oh my God…” I groan and rush into my bathroom to throw up.

I rest both hands on the edge of the sink and puke out whatever thing I ate. What is this called, baby sickness?

I breathe in and out and look up at my reflection.

” You’re okay in there?” Alexa calls out.

” Yeah. I’m just having baby sickness I think.”

” Baby sickness? What the fuck is that?” Alexa asks and walks into the bathroom.

I turn on the faucet to let it rinse out my vomit as I wash my hands.

” I think it’s because of Alejandro. We killed someone.”

” Seriously? You regret that now?” She asks. I turn off the tap and turn to look at her.

” I didn’t mean that. Maybe it upset the baby.” I shrug as she chuckles.

I laugh and walk to her as we walk out of the bathroom to my room. I remove my peacoat and toss it on the couch. Alexa pushes the drapes aside to reveal the city below.

” Damn. That was crazy. At first, I thought we were gonna be fucked.” I say and remove my wig.

” I thought about that too. Dying miserably.” Alexa says and we chuckle.

” What’s our next plan? Alejandro said Moskov is in his warehouse in Buffalo. Which means we’re driving to Buffalo?”

” Yeah. You wanna walk?” She smirks at me as she removes her wig. I roll my eyes and chuckle at her.

” We don’t even know where the warehouse is located.”

I sigh and pull off my shoes.

” I’ve got an idea.” I announce and smile at her.

My phone rings and I pull it out from my peacoat. I swipe the answer icon and press the phone against my ear.

” Kennedy?”

” Ariel…”

I giggle and remove my other shoe.

” How are you?”

” I’m not fine, you don’t care about me anymore. Including Gray. He promised he was gonna take me out with you and yet he didn’t call to check on me or visit me again. You didn’t even call either. I’m so mad at you.”

I sigh and drop my shoes next to the other one close to the couch.

” Kenny, I’m so sorry. I’ve been pretty occupied lately…”

” I knew you were gonna say that.” She points out and I giggle.

” Alright, how can I make it up to you?”

” Come visit me with Jamal.”

Damn, Gray.

What on earth are you?

” Gray’s not around.” I say. A tear threatens to slip out of my eyes. I blink my eyes rapidly and sigh.

” Did he travel again?” She asks.

Alexa looks at me with her brows furrowed and gestures to my phone with a look that simply means ‘what’s going on?’

” Yeah. He traveled. But he will be back soon. Where are you at? Mom or dad?”

” I’m with Mom. I want you to come visit me Ariel.”

” Yeah, sure. Can you text me the address, I’m gonna come over.”

” Yes… ” she squeals and I can hear her giggle.

” Honey, who are you talking to?” I hear Jhene’s voice in the background.

” It’s Ariel.”

” Why are you speaking with her?” Jhene asks on the phone.

” You should quit hating mom.” Kennedy says. ” Ariel, are you still there?”

” Yeah. Text the address, will you?”

” Sure.” She giggles and hangs up.

I puff out my breath and keep my phone on the couch.

” Kennedy?”

” Yes..” I breathe out and run my hands down my hair.

” She wanted me to come with Gray.”

” I’m just wondering how they are gonna react when they find out Gray Carter was shot and he’s gone missing.”

” I don’t know Alexa.”

” I’m gonna be truthful to you Ariel, they are gonna feel bad. And the point is what if he doesn’t come back?”

I look up at her and blink back the tears.

” He’s gonna come back, alright?”

She sighs and stands up from my bed. She walks to the couch and sits next to me.

” Was he doing fine before the shot?”

I nod.

” Yeah, he was fine. He was doing okay and he was strong. Gray is a strong man. He might not like to say he’s got an allergy but he hates hospitals. He hates acting sick too.” I tell her.

” Where was he shot? Was he wearing any Kevlar vest at all?” She asks and that didn’t ring a bell earlier.

” Kevlar vest, I don’t know about that. I didn’t see him get dressed. And about where he was shot, first was his shoulder, and his chest, his pec actually. And then… I don’t really know the last spot. I think it’s his ankle.”

” Damn. That pec shot it’s kinda risky. It’s like a 50/50 chance Ariel. He is gonna be fine if the shot isn’t close to his heart. The ankle and shoulder that’s not really big but the chest. Jeez. What if he’s in a coma as we’re speaking?”

” Coma? But where?”

” That’s the issue, nobody knows. He’ll be fine, I’m pretty sure of that.” She says and wraps her arms around me as she pulls me to herself.

” It’s okay alright. Gray will be back. I’m really sure he’s in a coma somewhere and he’s gonna be fine. We should start drawing maps and plans on how to light Moskov out for good.”

I chuckle and wrap my arms around Alexa’s torso.

” Thanks, Alexa. I truly owe you.”

” Alright, breathe sister. That’s my responsibility alright. You’re my responsibility, if I don’t look out for you, no one will.” She says and I smile.

” Thank you.” I say and pull away from her.

” What’s up with Leslie?” I ask.

” She’s about to put to bed, I suppose.” She winks at me.

” Yeah. I should probably pay her a visit soon.”

She scoffs and stands up.

” I’m starving. You’re hungry?” Alexa asks as she removes her peacoat.

” Yeah. I’m really starving.”

” I’m gonna cook something.” She says and leaves.

•••••

I lean my head against the car seat as Alexa sings to Rihanna’s ‘pour it up’ Alexa parks the car opposite a shopping mall as we look around. I push down my sunglasses a little and look around.

” What makes you think he’s gonna be here?” I ask Alexa as she turns down the volume of the music.

” Trust me he will. I’m pretty sure Moskov has received the death of his right hand man and he’s already freaking out.” She says and pushes up her sunglasses to rest on her hair.

After I visited Kennedy yesterday, Alexa and I spent time on how to find Moskov’s warehouse. As usual, Jhene wasn’t nice. She was mean and rude and she said a lot of shit.

We are parked here because she thinks a Russian mobster supplies coke for the manager of the shopping mall across from us.

” How are you so sure about this?”

” Vladimir.” She smiles and brings out a lollipop. She unwraps it, tosses the wrap away and sticks it right inside her mouth.

She pushes the button to open the sunroof as she leans her elbow on the window sill. We waited in the car for almost one hour and I’m getting bored.

” Goddamnit.” I cuss.

Alexa is already on her tenth lollipop and I’m wondering where she got them from. A black Lexus drives into view and parks in front of the mall. Alexa and I tilt our heads to the car and a man steps out. He wears a blue suit carrying a small duffel bag as he shuts the car door. He looks around the area and removes his sunglasses as he walks into the shopping mall.

” Is that our target?” I ask as she presses the button to retract the sunroof.

” Yup.” She says as we hop out of the car.

” Activate the earpiece and go as planned.” Alexa says walking ahead of me.

” Roger that.” I smile at her and walk to the newspaper stand as she walks inside the mall. I pick up a newspaper and look around before walking into the mall.

Alexa is nowhere to be seen.

” Where are you?” I ask on the earpiece.

” Turn around.”

I turn around and I see her looking at the items on the aisle. I smile and look around for the blue suit man as he comes into view. He talks to the counter girl and I pretend to shop. The counter girl giggles as he talks. He writes something down, probably his contact info as he waves at her and walks through a door.

” Did you see that?” I whisper on the mic.

” Yup.”

I pick up two tampons and body spray as I walk to the counter. Alexa had her own items on her hand as she walked to the counter too.

” Hi.” The counter girl says.

” Hey.” I smile at her and drop my items on the counter.

I look at the note blue suit guy wrote his contact information on and I was correct, it was his mobile number, probably to hook up with her. She carelessly left it on the counter without taking it out.

” There , your items…” the sales girl says as I snap my head to look at her with a smile.

” How much please.”

” Hundred dollars.” She answers as Alexa drops her item on the counter close to the notebook.

I open my purse and look at Alexa as I motion to the blue suit’s guy’s contact on the notebook. She pulls out her phone as I pay at once. I watch her click on the camera icon and take a picture of it.

” There you go ma’am.” The sales girl says referring to Alexa.

Alexa flashes her a big smile and pays. We leave the mall and hurry to the car.

” Don’t even know what the fuck I’m gonna do with this.” She says referring to the bag in her hand.

” It’s still useful.” I say as we enter my car.

” What are we using his contact for?” I ask

” Sending him a text that he needs to be at the warehouse immediately.”

” You’re serious? And he is just gonna follow orders with a mere text.”

” Mere you call it.” She grimaces as she types the contact on her keypad.

She types on her phone as she smirks widely.” Bingo.”

She smiles victoriously and shows me the screen of her phone.

” Come to the hideout warehouse immediately, it’s important.” I read it out.” And you think this is gonna work.”

” They are dumb sometimes.”

I nod as we wait impatiently. Thirty minutes passed by and blue-suit man was already running out of the mall. He opens his car and slides in.

” Told ya.” Alexa winks at me and ignites the engine to trail after the mobster.

” How’s that even possible?” I ask her.

” They are mobsters. Most times their fellow mafia families don’t really save each other’s contact, except the necessary ones.”

” That really doesn’t make any sense. I can’t just leave my house and go to some place because an anonymous number sent me a text. What if it’s the wrong warehouse?”

” Oh my God. Jesus, you nag a lot when you’re pregnant.”

I roll my eyes and huff.

” So when are you ready to tell Brandon and Piper that you’re pregnant? We’ve been skipping classes lately.”

” I don’t know. Maybe after I know Gray’s whereabouts and that he’s fine.”

She drives at a slow pace to keep up with him. I tap my fingers on the window sill and lean into the car seat. Forty minutes into the cat chase and the Lexus car the mobster is driving slows down ahead of us. Alexa slows down her car as we watch the man drive inside a warehouse.

” Don’t tell me that’s the warehouse.”

” Of course it’s the warehouse. Let’s get out of here, mission accomplished.” She says and reverses the car as we drive back.

*****

We stand on the roof of a building as Manny and I look at the warehouse through the binoculars.

Alexa stands next to Spencer and they share a cigarette.

” Alright, this will be hard.” Manny says at once as he looks at me.

” Life ain’t easy either.” Alexa says giving Spencer the cigarette back.

Two other guys are on the roof too. I watch them open the duffel bag and bring out a sniper rifle.

” This is different, Alexa.” He says and looks through the binoculars again. I don’t look, instead I give it to Alexa.

” There are two guys at the gate. You’ll have to get past those two and that’s kinda easy…” Manny narrates. ” And right outside the warehouse, we have ten men, all armed. There are four men on the roof as we’re speaking. There’s a door at the end and I think that leads to the inside of the warehouse.” He says and looks back at us.

” The problem isn’t the outside, but the inside. No matter what , you can’t pass these men without a gun fight. It’s not possible. You’ll have to shoot your way through and it mustn’t be loud in order not to alert the guys inside.” Manny continues.

” Alright?”

” You sure you wanna do this?” Spencer asks me.

” Yeah.”

” News about boss?” One of these men asks. I don’t even know their names.

” I don’t know.” I say as a matter of fact.

” fuckin bullshit.” The other guy cusses. ” Then let’s fucking give them this war then. They started it.” He says as he starts to load the sniper rifle.

Spencer already pulls out a gun as he loads the gun.

” You’re sure about this?” Manny asks this time.

I smile and nod.” I’m sure. Alexa is here and also you guys got my back.”

Manny smiles at me.

” You might wanna use this.” Spencer says giving me a bulletproof vest.

” Is that necessary?” I ask and take it.

“Yup, very necessary.” Alexa says and collects another one for herself.

I remove my peacoat and put it on.

” Okay, I can’t breathe.” I say and take in deep breaths.

Alexa rolls her eyes and puts on her peacoat after wearing the vest. I scoff at her and wear my peacoat. I button it to the top and breathe in again. This is really uncomfortable.

” I and the guys will take the roof. Seb and the others will assist you inside.”

” Thanks.” I smile at him and pick up two guns. I load them and tuck it inside my coat pocket. Alexa does the same as we climb the stairs down.

This side of the city isn’t busy at all. Best place for a warehouse hideout. The breeze blows the red hair I’m wearing as I tuck it behind my ear. Alexa follows behind as we walk to the gate of the warehouse.

” Ready?”

” Ready.” I reply and walk to the gate.

” Hey guys.” I call out to the two men out front.

” Get the fuck out of here, fucking sluts.” One of them says.

” Maybe you should make us.” Alexa says.

They pull out their guns to pull the trigger, but Manny and the others were fast, both men fall dead on the ground.

” Party time.” We slowly open the gate and walk in.

The outside area is covered with different cars. We quietly sneak in and hide behind a car as six of Gray’s men quietly sneak in too and scatter around. Two men talk in Russian like they are arguing over something.

” Ready?” Alexa whispers and looks at Gray’s men. They nod.

” Go…” we jump out of hiding and a gun fight follows.

I pull out my guns and shoot at them. Alexa and I quickly duck behind a car to avoid incoming bullets. A bullet slams against the car window and grunts follows. Gunshots erupts from every corner and I see three men fall off the roof. A Russian mobster runs to our direction about to pull the trigger, Alexa and I shoot him first.

” Let’s go.” We aim at the two men hiding behind a car as we shoot and slowly approach him.

” fuck it.” Alexa hisses and ducks behind a car. She picks up the AK-47 on the floor and shoots recklessly at the men.

They grunts and falls down dead.

” Damn.” I breathe out and look around, they are all dead and Gray’s men are fine.

” Fucking bitch.” I hear Alexa swears. I dart my head to her form and she just aggressively smashes her foot on the dead man’s face.

” God.” I groan at the sight.

” Motherfuckers.” She hisses and looks at me.

” Are we heading in or not?” She asks and I nod.

” We’ll go first to avoid suspicion.” I say and start walking.

” Sure.” We walk inside and it’s actually abandoned.

I look around for a door and I see one at the end. Alexa and I walk to the door and open it. A bright hallway appears before us as we enter. Two men appear from the hallway and we shoot them at once as they fall down dead.

” Do you think they deserve this?” I ask Alexa and smirk at her.

” Fuck, yes.”

I stop at the dead men and pull out their guns from their belts. I tuck both guns in my pocket and we continue walking.

“Who the fuck are you?” A man asks but Alexa pulls the trigger without giving him a damn reply.

” Bitch.” She cusses.

” I never knew this could be fun sometimes.” I say as we walk down the hallway.

” Don’t get used to it, or your son is taking over the mob.”

” Hell no.”

She chuckles.” Hide your gun. There’s a guard at the door.” She says as we stop moving. I tuck both guns inside my pants and turn to look at Alexa.

” This has to be quiet. We don’t want war.” She winks at me and walks ahead of me.

” Hey buddy.” She smiles at him and kicks him on the face.

She grabs him by the collar and slams him against the wall. The next thing I heard is a broken neck. She twisted his neck. The man slums down the wall and falls down dead. She bends down, picks his gun, tuck it inside her pants and smiles at me. Damn, I need to learn how to do that.

We open the door and step inside. The noisy music welcomes us once we’re inside.

” We’re inside.” I say through the earpiece to Manny and the others.

” Good, be careful.” Manny replies through the mic.

” The others can start coming in.” Alexa says as we sway past sweaty bodies dancing.

We walk to the bar as I survey the club for any door. Truthfully there’s one and a man stands in front of it.

” How are we gonna get past that door?” I ask Alexa.

” Easy.” She snaps at a girl with barely no clothing who’s leaning against the wall.

She walks to us with a seductive smirk as she looks at both of us.

” You need servicing tonight?” The girl asks.

” No dear, I’m straight. I’ve got a job for you.”

Her smile falters as she stares at both of us.

” What fucking job?”

” How about, seduce that hot guy standing right at that door and I’ll give you a thousand grand.”

” You’re kidding?” She grimaces and I roll my eyes and slowly pull out five hundred dollars from my peacoat pocket.

” That’s five hundred dollars. We ain’t playing. Just get him out of that door.” I say and give her the money.

Alexa shoves her hand inside her peacoat and pulls out the remaining half and gives it to her.

” Seduce him and make him leave that door.” We motion to the door and her eyes follow our stares.

” Alright.” She tucks the money inside her boobies and leaves.

” Water…” I tell the bartender.

He nods with a smile and hands me a bottle of water.

” Are you Russian?” I ask him and uncap my bottle of water.

” Yes.” He replies with a smile. Oh I get it, he thinks I’m flirting with him.

” Why are there so many Russians here?” I ask him and bite my bottom lip.

” Maybe because a Russian owns it.” He replies.

Alexa scoffs beside me.

” Who? Moskov?”

” Yeah, Moskov.” He says.

” Thanks. It’s sad I barely see him around here. I always hang out here but I only saw him once. Was wondering if he hangs out here at all.”

The bartender looks at me for a minute before replying.” Sure. It’s his club, he’s always gonna be here.”

So dumb. I flash him one of my rare smiles and turn to look at Alexa.

” Damn, he won’t budge.” Alexa says through clench teeth.

I raise the bottle of water to my mouth and watch the man at the door. He tells the girl something and he sounds upset. She turns around and walks away from him.

” Shit, that didn’t work.”

” What makes you think some slut can take that man out of the door.”

” You’ll have to start a shootout.” Manny says through the earpiece.

I see Gray’s six men. They blend into the dancing bodies as they scatter around.

” Seriously. We have over 30 Russian mobsters inside this place. We’re only eight in number.”

” Then I’m bringing in more men , if that’s the case.” Manny says through the earpiece.

” I don’t advise that. We will look for a way. It will cause a lot of problems and a lot of people will get hurt.” Alexa says.

” So how do you intend to get the man out of that door? The quicker we do this and get the hell out of here, the faster for all of us. Spencer is coming in with the others. Once they are close, start a gun fire. I’ll give you guys the signal.” Manny says.

I sigh and drink more water.

” I’m just wondering what Reid is doing right now.” Alexa says.

He didn’t like the idea. He was worried that we’re going to get hurt. He just got out of the hospital and he said he needed to assist us. Alexa made sure he stays back because he is still healing.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

” He’s gonna be fine.” I say and think about the worst thought ever. What if Moskov has no idea where Gray is?

” You’re okay?” Alexa asks.

” Yeah.”

” Now , Ariel.” Spencer says on the mic.

” I’m already in.” Spencer says.

I look around the club and his eyes meet mine. People dance and the music is so damn loud. So that means if Moskov is in that room , then the shootout might not alert him. Hopefully. I look at the edge and the dark side of the club for these Russian mobsters and I see only six, including the man at the door, seven.

” Be alerted.” I take in a deep breath and walk to the man at the door.

” What do you want?” He asks. His voice is lace with a heavy accent.

” I need to see Moskov. He’s expecting me.” I say.

” And who the fuck are you?” He asks.

” His slut.”

” He’s not expecting anyone. You should leave.” The man says.

Alright, he’s stubborn. I quietly pull out my switchblade and smile at him.

” Okay.” I dig the knife into his neck as he fights death. I let him go and he slumped down dead. The next thing that follows is a gunshot and screams.

I duck inside the room and lock the door. It’s a hallway and it’s brightly illuminated. I take in a deep breath and pull out my two guns, both fully loaded with silencers. I walk down the hallway as two men walk into view. I shoot them both as they fall dead. I walk to the end of the hallway and peek my head out to spy, about four men standing at the other side of the hallway, all fully armed.

I step out of hiding and shoot at them before they can pull out their guns. I duck into hiding as they shoot at me. Bullets slam into the wall close to where I’m hiding as I breathe in. Who knew I could face death this way? I come out of hiding and shoot back at the remaining men as they fall dead. I walk to their bodies and shoot at the last guy who’s finding it hard to die.

I take another turn and the hallway isn’t ending. I walk down the hall as two men walk in. I shoot at both of them before they pull out their guns. Another guy walks out , I shoot him in the shoulder before he can pull out his gun from his belt. He groans and grips his shoulder in pain. I pull the trigger again but it clicks. shit I’m out of bullets. The man smiles at me and reached to draw out his gun. I slam my gun on his cheek as his face whips to the left. I quickly draw out his gun from his belt and shoot him on the chest.

A bullet hits the wall behind me.

” Bitch.”

I swiftly turn the man I shot to face the shooter as I use him as a shield from the shooter. I aim my gun at the shooter and shoot him. I hear a thud and he’s already on the ground. I bite my lip and let go of the dead shield. I groan and look at my arm. I’ve been shot. I breathe in and out and bend down to pick up the assault rifle on the floor.

” God.” I groan at the pain.

” Fucking whore.” A man growls at once. I point the hand gun at him and shoot him. Not once , not twice but thrice.

I Inhale a sharp breath and throw the hand gun away. I pull the hammer of the assault rifle and continue walking down the hall. Another two men rush in but I pull the trigger before they can. I breathe in and out at the pain in my arm and look at the dead men. I continue walking till I get to the end of the hallway. This is like a maze. A lot of hallways. There’s another hallway that leads to God knows where at the left and I follow it.

I shoot at every enemy as I continue walking. And then I see the door which I assume is Moskov’s office slash hideout. I stretch my hand to twist the doorknob but I stop. He’s obviously aware of the gun fight because of the noise. I move back a little and aim the gun at the door as I shoot at it. Bullet holes scatter around the door as I continue shooting at it.

I hear a man groan and a thud. I smile and stop shooting. I twist the doorknob open and step inside. His room is scattered as objects litter on the floor. There he is, lying on the ground holding his stomach as he glares at me. He stretches his hand to pick up his gun but I beat him to it. I step on his hand aggressively and he screams in pain.

” You like that?” I ask him.

” Fuck, you, bitch.” He spits out.

” Where is Gray?”

” How the fuck am I supposed to know? Your boyfriend is dead.”

I bite my lip and twist my shoe on his hand. He groans and shudders.

” Where is Gray?” I yell at him.

” I fuckin shot your man. You were there.”

No it’s not true.

With tears in my eyes, I aim the gun at Moskov’s head and pull the trigger.