Prologue

    The glass shattered as the first bullet penetrated the old apartment window. An alarm went off somewhere in the building, awakening Savio Falco. His loud cries added to the chaos of the night.

    Savio’s parents both came rushing towards the room where Savio had been sleeping soundly just moments earlier. They reached the narrow doorway at the same time, and in the confusion, they collided and got stuck, as Starla Falco was, putting it nicely, rather large.

    Savio’s father squeezed past her into the room as another bullet whizzed through the broken window, shattering the overhead light. The room was abruptly thrown into complete darkness.

    Savio cried even louder as shards of broken glass fell from the ceiling. Savio’s father, Darien Falco, covered his head with his muscular, tattooed arms as he stood over Savio’s tiny body to protect him from falling glass and flying bullets.

    The shooting stopped for a minute, and Darien Falco carried Savio out of the room, hiding him inside his black leather jacket.

    Starla Falco’s high-pitched yelp, which sounded similar to that of a screech owl, erupted from her mouth as she stood stood frozen in the doorway.

    Darien looked back and watched as a tall man wearing all black, including a ski mask which completely hid his features, climbed into the room through the gaping hole in the cracked window. Blood spurted from the burglar’s hands as the sharp glass tore through his thin black leather gloves. Cracks raced across the brittle glass as the man in black silently lowered himself onto the carpeted floor of the apartment.

    “Handth up,” the intruder said, trying to sound menacing, but because about half his teeth were missing, he sounded like a toddler acting out a Wild West movie with a Nerf gun. His hand shook as he pointed the gun at Mrs. Falco, who stood wide-eyed with her mouth hanging open. She didn’t move a muscle.

    A bullet whizzed straight towards Starla Falco’s head as a loud bang echoed throughout the building.

    Just at the moment the gun was fired, Mrs. Falco passed out from fright, falling backwards onto the carpet. The bullet flew a millimeter above her nose as she fell, crumpling to the ground in a big heap.

    The gunman approached Starla’s unconscious body, aiming the gun at her again with trembling hands. Darien sprinted into the room clutching Savio close to his body.

    “Where the kid?” the man asked threateningly, pointing the gun at Darien.

    “What kid?” Darien responded nervously, trying to play dumb.

    The tactic didn’t work. “I know the kid ith here. Hand him over and no one will get hurt.” The man in black pressed the barrel of the gun to Darien’s head.

    “I don’t know where --” Darien was interrupted by Savio’s whimper.

    “Ith the kid!” the gunman said, trying to tackle Darien. He trapped Darien in a headlock and felt under his jacket with a probing hand. His bleeding, gloved hand rested on Savio’s small head as Darien tried to twist out of the headlock. The man pressed the gun against Savio’s temple and pulled the trigger.

    As Darien and the gunman were fighting, Starla Falco regained consciousness and slowly sat up, feeling lightheaded.

    Then she heard the gunshot. She jumped up faster than she ever had before in her life and tackled the gunman, crushing him underneath her immense body.

    “Curth thith gun… no more ammo,” the man in black muttered, gasping for breath. The gun was still in his hand, but it was out of ammunition and completely useless because the gunman was underneath Mrs. Falco and could not reload.

    Darien, still clutching Savio to his chest, rushed out into the hallway again, trying to think of the safest place to hide Savio. He briefly considered calling the police, but he knew that they would only make things worse. Darien knew that he was responsible for keeping Savio safe. He had to protect Savio even if it meant sacrificing his own life for his son.

    Darien ducked into his bedroom and locked the door. He sat down on the bed, heart pounding. He unzipped his jacket and held Savio in his arms, rocking him to sleep.

    God, don’t let this happen to me, Darien prayed, tears trickling down his face. Don’t take Darien away from me. I’ll do anything for you. Just don’t take him.

    Someone started banging on the door, shaking it in its weak doorframe. Darien jumped up and hid Savio underneath his jacket.

    A gunshot pierced the air and the lock on the door shattered. The door was forced open and the gunman came in, swaying like he was drunk. The pistol in his hand was pointed at Savio, though his hand was unsteady.

    “I need the kid,” he said, trembling as he approached Darien and Savio.

    The gunman’s finger twitched and a bullet flew straight at Savio’s head. Darien prayed in the millisecond before the bullet hit him that Savio would somehow live.

    Mrs. Falco fell through the doorway, tackling the gunman.

    It was too late. The bullet went straight through Savio’s head and pierced Darien’s heart. Blood blossomed from the wound, staining his jacket and soaking through Savio’s white shirt.

    Starla Falco lay on the ground, breathing heavily. The intruder rolled out from under her and pointed the pistol at her head. She screamed as a bullet was fired point-blank into her skull. Her eyes rolled back into her head and she crumpled to the ground, her heart no longer pumping blood to her brain.

    The man in black, thinking that Savio was dead and his mission was completed, cocked the gun and pulled the trigger.

    As the murderer fell to the ground on top of Starla Falco’s limp body, Savio cried out. His voice was swallowed up by the stillness of the night.