“I’m going in there now,” she says, like the stubborn thing she is, “Let’s see if I can game the guards.”
“Kat,” I say, but she ignores me.
“I’m putting you on earpiece,” she says, “Kanal 82.4.”
Reckless as ever.
I take an earpiece myself and tune the receptor. I simultaneously send a notice to the girls. The girls are my protector, my chosen family, my backbone.
“Can you hear me?” I ask. “I’m there in ten.”
“I can,” she says.
“Antonella Amato,” I hear her say. “I am awaited.”
“No Antonella here,” says a deep male voice.
I hear a gun being pulled, some screaming.
“I am awaited,” says Kat. “We can do this the nice way or the painful way.”
This will be a nightmare, I know it.
There is a thud, some screaming, wrestling, and loud music follow as I head to the club.
“I’m in, they’ll come for me. If you hurry up, that guy might still be out.”
“God, this is messy,” curses Kat. It’s hard to catch her voice over the loud music.
“They’re in a separé on the gallery,” she says. “Couple dozen people.”
“One minute out,” I say. “We’re all coming.”
When I reach the club, the queue is still in chaos.
I look around to see where the team is, and I see them, one on each side of the club.
I nod. I get a nod back.
I take the family ring I still have from my pocket when I walk up to the door. I hold it up, and I am let in without question.
This will be my death.
“I’m in,” I say. Lord, this music is horrible. My entire chest vibrates from the bass.
“I can’t find either of them,” says Kat. “Antonella went onto the dance floor, but I can’t get a view of her.”
The club is packed.
I get up on the stairs leading to the separé to get a look at the dance floor.
The room lights up for a single moment, and I see her.
“I see her,” I say as I head down. “You find Adria.”
I walk through the drunk and drugged people. I have always been an authority, and even when drunk, even when dancing, people realise they'd better not touch me.
“Salvatore,” I say as I reach Antonella and him. He looks at me, but before he can do anything, I hit him on the temple to knock him out. He goes down.