CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Angel
I SNEAKED OUT of the self-storage building hiding Tech's lair and crept into the shadows of nearby buildings to hide and wait for Bones. Before long, a hunter-green Honda Civic with darkened windows pulled into the neighborhood. It slowed and idled at the corner. I kept Tech's Glock in my left pocket and pulled out my Desert Eagle. I switched off the safety and watched the car. The driver's side window rolled down. Bones stuck his head out and looked up and down the road. Relieved, I flipped the safety back on and hurried out to greet my friend.
"Whose ride is this?" I asked, sliding into the small backseat as I waved to Ariana who sat in the passenger's seat.
"My mom's. We had just stopped by her house when you called, and I thought it best to use a vehicle nobody knows about."
"Good thinking."
Ariana turned around, her mouth pressed into a thin line and her eyes red and swollen. "Good. Now that that's settled, can one of you please tell me where the hell my sister is?"
"Ari--" Bones reached for her.
She deflected his hand. "Don't you touch me. I swear to God if one of you doesn't tell me what's going on right now, I'm calling the cops."
"The orphanage," I blurted out. "Get us there, Bones."
He put the car into gear and flipped a U-turn, heading toward the orphanage.
* * *
The orphanage door was locked, so the three of us took turns banging on it until we pissed someone off enough to open it. A woman I didn't recognize cracked the door and told us Markie hadn't been there in days. Tech had lied. Now I had no clue where to look. I ran a hand through my hair and pulled out my phone to let the old man know I'd failed. Maybe the Pelinos had nabbed Markie and the kids and Tech had lied about that, too.
"Angel. Pst, Angel."
Bones and I both had our hands on the guns in our pockets as we spread out and searched for the source of the whispers. Bones nodded toward the bush on the side of the building and we crept over to find Myles crouched down behind it.
"What are you doing out here?" I asked, releasing my hold on my gun.
"Waiting for your slow ass. I thought you'd never get here, but Markie made me promise to wait for you."
My heart skipped a beat. Before I could say anything, Ariana lunged forward. "You know where Markie is?" she asked.
"Yeah, I know where she is, but who the hell are you?"
That helped me find my voice. "Myles, this is Ariana, Markie's sister. Can you take us to Markie?"
"Fool, what do you think I'm waiting here for?" he asked. Then he turned and motioned for us to follow him down the side of the building. We crept past the open field to a small storage shed. A broken lock dangled from the hook beside the door. Myles knocked out a little tune, and then opened the door.
Luciana and Georgio stared up at me with dirty, tear-streaked faces. Recognition widened their eyes and they both lunged at me. Overjoyed to see them, I kneeled down and gathered the little monsters into my arms, squeezing them tightly. Then I let go so I could examine them. Their clothes were torn and filthy, and several small cuts and scrapes covered the exposed area of their arms, but they were alive.
"Where's Markie?" I asked.
The two stepped aside so I could see behind them. Markie was lying on the ground, her skin worrisomely pale.
"Shh, she's asleep," Georgio whispered. "She has a headache."
I could tell by looking at her that she was more than sleeping. My feet felt glued to the floor as I watched her chest, hoping it would rise and fall with a breath.
She should have heard us. She should have woken up. Why is she so pale?
"Markie?" Ariana asked. She rushed past us and fell to her knees beside her unconscious sister. "Wake up. It's time to go home."
Markie didn't even stir.
Ariana gave Markie's shoulders a firm shake.
No response.
"Get up." Ariana's voice cracked. "This isn't funny, okay?"
"Is she messin' with you?" Myles asked.
Ariana shook her head. "No. I think something's wrong. She's not... she's not responding."
I couldn't move. All I could do was stand there and watch as my world shattered. I'd found her, but I was too late.
"Is she breathing?" Bones asked, stepping forward to check.
Tension and fear mounted. The twins started crying and asking what was going on.
"Breathing. She has a pulse," Bones announced, pulling me from my stupor. "She's not dead, Ari. We need to get her to a hospital."
Ariana pulled out her phone. "I'm calling for an ambulance."
I reached out and grabbed her phone, stopping the call. "No. It'll come across the police scanner and..." I glanced at the twins. "Just no."
Ariana looked like she was going to argue, but didn't. I gently lifted Markie, cradling her in my arms as I carried her to the car. We sent Myles back to the orphanage, and then Bones, Ariana, Luciana, Georgio, Markie, and I all piled into Bones's mom's tiny Honda and headed for the hospital.
"Angel, you need to call your father," Bones said.
With my arms still wrapped around Markie, I somehow managed to phone the old man and tell him we were taking the twins to the hospital.
"Will she ever wake up?" Luciana asked, her big, innocent eyes heavy with tears.
She had to. Dr. Monte had sent the scans to some specialist. We were confident Markie could get treatment. We needed more time.
I tried to be strong for my little sister, but could barely get any words out. "I don't know."
We made it to the emergency room where a nurse had me lay Markie on a stretcher. I was vaguely aware of my family surrounding us and taking the twins. Nurses wheeled Markie through double doors and I followed, refusing to let her out of my sight.
Bones and Ariana stood outside the room, but I went in. When the nurses couldn't get me to leave, they gave up and made me dress in scrubs. I stayed by her side as doctors came and went. Finally, family was allowed in. Mamma was the first to enter.
"The specialist is on his way," she assured me. "Dr. Monte says this guy's the best, and he's confident he can remove the tumor."
"When will he be here?"
"His flight should be here in a little over an hour. We're doing everything we can, Angel."
"I know. Thank you."
Mamma crept over to the bed and took Markie's hand.
"It's the least I can do," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. "I cannot thank you enough for saving my babies. We're getting you help, Markie. Our family needs you. Angel needs you. Hang in there."
She kissed Markie's forehead, and then hugged me on her way out the door.
Nonna came in next, holding a bag out for me. "The cafeteria food is rotten, so I hit that deli down the street and got you a sandwich."
I'd lost track of time. The clock on the wall said four-fifteen, but I wasn't sure if it was morning or afternoon. Although I had no idea how long it had been since I'd eaten, I had no appetite.
"Thank you," I said, taking the bag from her and setting it on a chair.
Nonna sidled up to Markie and repeated most of the same words Mamma had used, before kissing her cheeks, hugging me, and leaving.
Father entered. "How you holdin' up?" he asked.
"I've had better days," I answered honestly.
"Ain't that the fuckin' truth. Tech." Father shook his head. "Never saw that coming. If you hadn't been there... I don't know what would have happened. That bastard will get his, though. Just as soon as we wring every ounce of information we can out of him."
I felt no pity for Tech. He deserved everything he got.
"You get that wound in your side looked at yet?"
I hadn't even thought about it. "No sir."
He nodded. "I'll send a nurse in to stitch it up. Make sure you get some rest. Markie and the family need you to be at your best right now."
I knew he was right, but the idea of sleeping seemed almost as crazy as eating. I needed to know Markie was okay first.
Father hugged me and left, holding the door open for Ariana. She rushed in and sat by her sister's bed.
"Any change?"
"No. A specialist is on the way, though. He'll do everything he can for her."
"Thank you, Angel. I'm glad Markie has you."
I didn't know what to say, so I nodded. I stood at the foot of the bed and Ariana sat by Markie's side in silence until a nurse came in and started fussing over my cut. She cleaned it and stitched me up, and then Ariana left.
The specialist arrived and kicked my ass out of the room, informing me that they'd be moving Markie to a sterile environment for surgery and I wasn't allowed. Knowing he was her only hope, I gave her one last kiss before following Bones to the waiting room.