"Episode 11 - Kidnap them form their current kidnappers."    

Xavier stared at me, horrified. A look that told me he wasn't comfortable with the idea at all.

"Wouldn't you do the same for your family?" I pleaded. His eyes softened, he understood. He sat back down on the chair next to the bed, pulled out his phone and called someone.

"Leo, find Nathan Ross's family. He's the FBI agent that took Gabe." He paused. "Yes." Looking at me, he sighed. "She's okay. No she doesn't remember you." I frowned. "Okay, I will. See you soon." I wondered if he was talking to the guy who I remembered seeing with Xavier at my 5th birthday party. I didn't remember his face properly however. It was still a blur.

"How close were we?" I tried to rub my eyes but bending my arm, hurt like hell.

"Very. I've known you since you were in dippers." He said it so absently. "You know, for a baby, you didn't cry much."

"Stop!" It hurt. It hurt to listen to a him talk about a life I didn't know about. A life I prayed for but never got. Turns out, I really did have that life and it was brutally snatched from me. Xavier didn't say anything after that, he just sat there while a different guard came in with burgers and fries.

"Where's the other guy?" I asked, digging in. My apatite was gone but I needed strength to get Gabe back.

"Dylan? He's taking my family back to Chicago. Better security, more protection." He bit into his burger.

"I'm sorry I crashed your life." I wanted to slide a screw driver into Nathan's brain through his eyes while he was awake. The amount of torture fantasies I had all night were uncountable. All of them directed towards Nathan.

"Honestly, it's a good thing. Now we know that the FBI knows we are alive any ways. Just like Jude got to Nathan, he could have gotten to someone else and well... you know." He looked ashamed.

"What could have happened to Gabe, could have happened to your family." I nodded, my brain knocked against my skull.

I felt like throwing up.

"I didn't mean that. I..."

"I know. I understand. Thank you for helping me." I gulped, down some water before forcing myself to eat.

"My son woke me up early and I contacted Dylan right after I left yours. He was at my house by midnight. So we decided to stop by early. I'm glad I did though." He patted my forearm.

"Thanks, again."

I was discharged quickly and Xavier took me to his house. His living room was filled with men and guns, while his dining table was turned into a security room with laptops and grid searches. I didn't know how much longer I could take it. I wanted to get out there, look for him but it would mean running to Jude's men too. It was around six in the evening when a man called Leo entered the house with his own entourage.

This man had chocolate brown skin and spiky hair. When he first saw me, he just stared at me. I tried to place where I'd seen him before but kept hitting mental walls. The only blurry image I had was of a with Leo's skin and hair, standing behind Xavier on my 5th birthday party.

He only said hello and asked if he remembered him. When I told him about the only memory I had of him, he gave me a rueful smile before he got back to work. Xavier however, kept a firm eye on me. He was kind enough to get one of his men go to the lodge Gabe and I was staying in and bring me some clothes. I changed into black jeans and long sleeved t-shirt, black gloves and boots. I was ready for war.

"BOSS." One of the techs shouted form the dining room. I followed Xavier, Leo was already there.

"I couldn't find Nathan Ross but I did get a hit on his wife and kids. I hacked into the street cams on the street that Nathan's house is and saw being forced into a car with some muscles in a black van. I followed the van. The men switched cars twice but I finally have them disappearing into a industrial zone." A man white big glasses, pink pale face and long messy hair restlessly shifted around in his seat in excitement. "Get this, that footage was from 2 days ago and the footage of them disappearing in to an ally, was from yesterday, they are in Portland right now in an abandoned warehouse."

"How did Nathan get here?" Leo asked. There was a pin drop silence in the house.

"The plane probably. We can't tap into Airplane security system. That's high level encryption which is closely monitored and we have higher chances of getting caught." He explained.

"Have you guys tried tapping into security systems of the buildings around the Airport?" My input surprised everyone. A smirk played on Xavier's lips.

"Do what she says." He instructed the man.

"Good idea." He nerdy guy turned around, put his headphones back on and started tapping on his keyboard. So did the other people around the table.

"That's some quick thinking." There was a deeper meaning to his compliment which I chose to not over think right at that moment.

"We're going to that warehouse?" I asked Xavier. "While we wait for more info on Nathan."

"We don't know what's there. We can't just barge in." Leo frowned.

"Okay. Fine. Give me a car, couple of guns and knife. I'll go by myself." I knew how to sneak in. Gabe taught me that. Now that I wasn't drugged, tied up and alone, I was remembering everything that he taught me.

There were some snickers in the background but Xavier looked concerned.

"Do you have a death wish or something?" Leo spoke from behind him. His words were harsh, unlike Xavier.

"I've tried to kill myself three times already. For some God forsaken reason, I'm still alive. I've survived a fire, a paedophile, a bomb and a bullet. For some reason, I can't seem to die no matter how hard I try . So, when I say I'm going to get Gabe back by myself, I really mean it. I will get him back."

Everyone in that room forgot to breathe. The techs paused, staring at me in shock. Leo looked shamed while Xavier huffed into twice his size. An over protective stance seeped into his demeanour. Angry, he looked around at his men.

"What are you waiting for? Get me a damn recon mission report. " His voice was above a whisper, a growl that asserted his dominance. His leadership. "NOW!" His voice bellowed.

Everyone quickly scurried away, the boots slapped against the tiles on the floor, fingers tapping on the keyboards resumed and guns were being loaded. I breathed out. We'd waited long enough. Gabe had waited long enough.

Xavier took me by the shoulder, lead me away from the dining room to the kitchen.

"Are you okay? I expected better from my men. I've been away for too long. I think they think I've grown soft." He frowned.

"I hope not. When we find Nathan's family, I might have to do things or say things that you as a father, might not like." I rested my hip against the counter, expression as dead as the grim reaper.

His eyes widened.

"What will you do?" Cautiously, he probed.

"Anything and everything." It was a threat. If I couldn't torture Nathan, I'd settle on his family.

The reconnaissance was successful. Xavier send a two techs and three guards in van to the industrial site. His men released a heat sensor drone over the warehouses and one back back with a definite hit. There were armed guards on not the north and south sides. Indicating gates. Four guards on each side and five bodies in the middle. Three sitting down and two facing them with guns.

"We have to go in at night. Kidnap them form their current kidnappers." One of the techs connected the laptops to the T.V. in the living room.

"I can send in a stealth team. Take them out from both sides. Then use Sniper to kill the two of them. Get in, get the hostages, get out." Leo's over animated hand gestures explained it all. "I don't have a problem with killing those scum bags but are we really going to hurt the family?" Leo's scepticism surprised me.

It was my turn to scoff. "You're the fucking Mafia, why do you care if they get hurt or not. Didn't our fathers built Empires on innocent blood?" Everyone stiffened.

"We are not like them." Leo defended.

"Yeah well, your opponent is. I know him personally, trust me when I say this, he's the devil. He will skin a man alive in front of his family, rape a daughter in front of her parents, the younger the better for him. You want to sit down with him and have a cup of tea while you negotiate? Jude Capone doesn't have a conscious." My arms were folded, voice cold as ice. The stitches pulled at my skin and I welcomed the pain. It bit into my skin and I used it as an incentive.

Everyone looked around or at Leo for guidance. Xavier had lost the respect of his men. Leo could take over and dump Xaiver and no one would even flinch. A deep wrinkle set between the bridge of Xavier's nose.

He realised it too.

Folding his arms, he stood taller.

"You're either a hunter or a prey. I'd rather be the hunter." I tapped Xavier's elbow with the back of my hand, willing for him to take over.

"We'll be bringing the the hostages to my workshop in Mountilse. It's closed at night. James, you can take the security camera's down right?" The nerdy guy nodded from the doorway of the dining room.

"Why are we doing this though?" This time, it was one of the enforcers who spoke up. From the way he was standing and the attitude he was giving Xavier, showed total disrespect for him.

"I'm making a move to take Jude out. Dismantle the Capone empire once in for all. Which means, more money for your guys. Do you want it or not?" The guy straitened from Xavier cold calculation. "If not I can find someone else."

Leo looked slightly annoyed.

"Not only that, her father helped mine to built the Empire you guys are a part of. Don't be disrespectful." Xavier shoved his hands in his pocket. Leo stared at me with an unfathomable expression.

"I'm coming back. I want to come back by taking down the biggest monster. Also, he attacked my family..." He put his hand on my shoulder. "I can't let that slide. So, let's get a move on." Xavier took me my the elbow, gently guided me towards his den, locking the door behind him. There was a tension in the air and I could physically feel angry vibrations coming off of him from meters away when he went to the wall adjacent to the door way.

He reached behind a couple of books, clicked something that was invisible from where I was standing. Suddenly, a mechanical lock gives away and the wall of books opens up. The room was filled with guns and gadgets.

"Here." He took me inside, helped me put on a bullet proof vest. "Take what ever you like." He started to gear up himself but he didn't take the big guns like I knew Gabe would. He was a soldier unlike Xavier. He wanted the vest to protect himself if the enemy got too close. Where as Gabe liked barging into enemy territory.

"You know they don't respect you right?" I shoved an army knife into my both of my boots, put on a utility belt and shoved as many guns and ammunition I could find.

"That's why I need Jude to die. I am fucking taking over." He abruptly paused, put his hands on the steel table in the middle. The three walls around us held numerous kinds of gadgets. With blue florescent light glowing from overhead. "FUCK." He shoved at the table. It didn't move an inch, probably due to bolts but the sound was audible.

"He doesn't want you back. I likes the power." I zipped up my jacket putting two extra guns in my pockets.

"So did I. Who the fuck doesn't." He grumbled. Xavier lost control of his emotion. He was pissed. "I've known him since we were fucking babies."

"I don't think it has anything to do with your friendship. He thinks that you falling in love and leaving the Mafia to play house is weak." I explained.

"Really, why would he think that?" He mocked.

"Because I would if I didn't understand your emotions for her." I exhaled, trying empathize.

"But he's my brother." Xavier defended.

"A brother who left to feed babies and change their dippers. Not slice a man's throat open." We walked out of the room, I looked around his den and quite admired it myself. It was made of dark brown varnished wood, huge desk with leather chairs on both sides of the table. I window behind the head chair, that looked out into the woods.

"I love my family." His nostril flared.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me. You just need to get their respect back." I told him.

"I actually can't believe it. Did you see the enforcers. They would have never had the nerve. Leo was my most loyal men." He huffed, closing the secret door.

"Now he has his own team of loyal men."

The truth dawned on him. He had been out of the game for too long. "Leo respects you enough to come and help you. But he doesn't fear you enough to not turn his back on you." He nodded, knowing that I was right. He seemed sad almost and finally, I understood.

"Being betrayed by someone who you thought is your friend sucks doesn't it?" I asked.

Finally, he looked at me and for the first since I woke up in the hospital, I felt something. Pity. Xavier played barbie with me. A boy who was being groomed to be the mafia, sat on the floor, played with dolls with pink dressed because I asked him to.

A new form of affection bubbled form the pit of my stomach. The feeling wasn't of friendship. It as similar to what I felt for Daniella. It was familial. A brotherly affection. I didn't feel like that until I had that dream. I caught a glimpse of the relationship our families had and in my memory, when I approached him as a kid, I wasn't scared. I was happy to see him and was comfortable in his presence.

A knock on the door pulled my attention away from all the emotions. The lid shut close. All the emotions locked away someone safe where it wouldn't be reached until I got Gabe back. Otherwise, I could have lost my mind over sheer panic.

"Let's get him back." Xavier smirked. Opening the door, we followed the person who knocked, out of the house and into a black SUV that was in Xavier's garage. The soldiers took the van and left before us for precaution.

Xavier and I sat in the back, Leo and the enforcer that clearly favoured Leo took the driver's seat. I looked at Xavier, shook my head from side to side as subtly as I could. He caught on, kept his expression still as possible.

"Actually Francesco, Vincent can drive us. You should go with the clean up crew. Make sure there were no evidence left behind. Not one drop of blood." The tension in the car sky rocketed. I couldn't see Francesco's expression because I was sitting behind him but I could see Leo staring at him. Francesco didn't move until Leo gave the faintest of nod.

My head snapped towards Xavier, he looked murderous. Francesco got out and the other guys, Vincent, who knocked on the door to call us out, replaced Francesco. Vincent quickly started the car and we followed down the path I remember taking with Gabe not to long ago. My chest constricted.

I tried not to think about him. I needed to keep cool if I wanted a chance to get him back safely.

"You know, I remember once Santiago, your brother, came home with blood on his shirt. Not long after your 5th Birthday. He didn't even care as he went up stairs, showered, changed and came back down to play fucking barbie with you. I don't know why but I feared him because of that." He paused as my heart ached. "He took care of you like his own child who I know wouldn't have wanted this life for you if he was alive." He sighed. Xavier spoke of Santiago with great fondness and I appreciate it.

"That's okay. This is what my life is and it's all I've ever known. Killing isn't a problem for me. I guess I am a Catalan after all."