Rebellion of a Kingdom by G.N. Wright
Chapter 8
ELLE
The house is silent as I move through the shadows towards my escape. I use my code on the side door and slip out undetected until I reach the trees lining the side of the property where Max and Elijah are waiting. They both have stern looks on their faces as they watch me approach, they aren’t happy with what’s going on. They can join the fucking club because neither am I.
He doesn’t say anything as he drops another black bag at my feet similar to the one slung over my shoulder, only this one is filled with weapons.
“You’ve got guns, knives, crowbars, knuckle dusters, even a couple of bats. I’ve added some useful syringes in there and then the usual rope, cable ties, chains, handcuffs, basically anything you need for prisoners. There is also some Kevlar in there, make sure you use it.” He looks at me with a stern face before continuing, “I’ve put an untraceable burner in there with some other tech, call me for whatever you need, and I will send any intel we find.”
I nod, not really knowing what to say at this moment in time. I know what I am about to do is stupid and reckless, but I have no choice. They went too far and it’s time I ended this. It’s me or them. My daughter or my family. I choose her.
I pick up the bag and he hands over the keys to the car I asked for. I go to move towards it when he grabs my arm. “Are you sure you wanna do this?”
I drag my arm from his grip. “I have never been more sure of anything in my life.”
“You call me if you need anything, King. I mean it, I don’t want another fucking midnight phone call when it’s already too late to help you.”
I fight back the burn of emotion in my throat. I know how close he and Zack are, how much he means to him. This night will be hard for him too. I step back and throw my arms around his neck and give him a hug.
“Remember your training, Elle. Panic--”
“Is what gets you killed,” I finish for him.
He smiles into my hair as I pull back and swipe the tear from my cheek before he sees it. The words Zack spoke to me so often hit me right in the heart.
“Don’t worry, I remember everything you taught me,” I say with fake bravado because the last thing I feel is confidence right now, all I know is that I have to do this.
He nods and gestures for me to move past him. I put the bags on the passenger side floor and then climb into the driver's seat. I take one last deep breath before I start the engine, adjusting the mirror to take one last look at my home. The place that currently has most of my family inside, all safe and protected, and then I do the only thing I can do. I drive away and leave them behind.
I have one stop to make before I end all of this and that is to see the person who saved me once before. My brother.
The drive to the hospital is silent. It’s weird. I used to love the quiet. Was never bothered by it. Now it just makes my thoughts scream louder in my head and reminds me of everything that I have already lost. I always think that Cassie saved my life, made me the person who I am today, and she did, but it wasn’t just her. It was my brother too.
He was the person who held me in his arms while I cried night after night over what happened to me. He was there with a cool rag to wipe my sweaty forehead every time I woke up screaming from a nightmare. He made me snacks every time the morning sickness had me hugging the toilet for hours. He held me close when I found out about Michael Riviera. He was by my side through it all, he gave me a family, one I could count on, introduced me to Max, and most importantly, was just my big brother.
Zack knew what I needed before I even knew it myself. I first met Max when Cassie was a few months old, she had healed my heart in ways I never thought possible, but my mind was another story. I still woke every night from terrible nightmares, still had panic attacks every time I remembered what happened to me and would still flinch anytime I had to go outside alone. It was unbearable. I felt like I was barely alive in my own skin.
The day I met Max, he walked right over and tried to strike me. I was so terrified that I had a panic attack. Max left and Zack stepped in to comfort me. This continued every day for weeks. I would come across Max at different times of the day and every time he would attempt to attack me, and my body would shut down in terror. Every single time. Until, one day, it just didn’t. One day, when he went to grab me, I grabbed him back. I pulled my hand away immediately, fearing his retaliation, but the only thing that hit me was his contagious smile, as he grunted four words at me.
“It’s about time, King.”
From that day forward, I met with Max every single day to train, as he and Zack taught me everything I know now. We started with basic breathing exercises, stretching, movement and even balance. Before moving onto kickboxing, karate and krav maga. We practiced with fake weapons, until I learned how to use real ones, did one on one combat until I could give just as good as he gave, and even scenario attacks with his team. Any fighting or protection technique he could think of, he taught me. I spent every single morning at his training facility, and every afternoon with Zack learning about hacking and coding, six hours every day for almost two years. Basically, any time I could get that wasn’t with Cassie, I was training.
All that helped me turn into a girl who can become an emotionless killer, but it didn't make me. What made me is my family: Cassie, Zack, Helen, Arthur, even the twins. Being with them made everything better and then Max made me stronger. Healed my mind and made me into a weapon that everyone underestimates. I let myself forget.
I came back here for my vengeance and then locked eyes with Marcus Riviera. Drowned in my River and haven't come back up for air since. And with him came his brothers. Two more family members to call my own. All of them would risk it all for me. I know they will understand why I now have to risk it all for them, for her. I won’t forget again. Not until I am standing on the graves of every single person in my way of a happy and safe life with my daughter and the rest of my family.
An hour later I make it to Lockstown and pull into the parking lot of the private medical facility there. The guy guarding the gate takes one look at me through the window and lets me straight in. Ignoring the security this place has, I reach into the bag and sheath a knife to my thigh and a handgun to my waist.
Once inside, a nurse leads me to the top floor where they keep VIP’s. This place is made for celebrities, politicians, and anyone with a lot of money. She tells me Zack made it through surgery and they have just wheeled him from recovery back to his room. Once I reach his door, I take a deep breath and flex out my shaky hands, before grabbing the door handle and stepping inside.
Zack is lying motionless in the bed with countless tubes coming out of his body including one down his throat. He isn’t breathing for himself. The fire of tears burns behind my eyes, but I am done crying. Crying won’t help me, help him.
I feel a presence in the room, “I thought you’d be at the safe house by now.” I declare.
I hear the slight smile in his voice when he answers me, “And I thought you’d be at home.”
I turn to Arthur, he looks exhausted, “You really think I wasn’t gonna come and see my brother on his deathbed.”
He rolls his eyes causing me to smile, because if he can be playful then I can guess it means Zack is out of the woods, for now. “Such a dramatic little firecracker.”
He moves towards me until he is standing by my side, and then continues, “I’ve been waiting for you.” I flash my surprised eyes to him at that and he nudges me with a smile, as he continues, “What you think because I didn’t raise you, I don’t know you like you’re my own?”
I blow out a breath at his brutal honesty and his endless love. “I don’t deserve you, or him,” I whisper, looking back to Zack.
“I don’t know anybody who deserves more than the two of you.” Arthur moves to sit in one of the empty chairs by Zack’s bed as I perch onto the side of his bed and pull his hand into mine. We both watch him silently for a few minutes.
“He shouldn’t be here,” my voice is still charred with emotion, “this never should have happened. I should have just left him to live his life, not involve him in mine.”
Arthur smiles a sad smile, “Elle, you didn’t have a choice. From the moment he found out about you I saw the change in his eyes. He acted unaffected, appreciative of his family, but I know how important it was for him to have a blood relative.”
“But I did this to him, he escaped the curse of the King name, only to be dragged back into it. And now he is lying here unconscious.”
“He is gonna be fine Elle, I promise. Besides, being a King is the least of his worries, trust me.”
“The Donovan’s know about him, about all of you. What if Sarah tries to find him?” I would never let her anywhere near him, but still, I can’t imagine what this must be like for Arthur and Helen to have to go through.
Arthur reaches out and grabs Zack’s other hand, “I love him, and I will respect whatever he wants. He is my son, no matter what anyone says.”
I don’t know what else to say, so I don’t say anything. We just sit in silence for a while, watching Zack until I know it’s time to leave. I think about trying to make an excuse to Arthur as I get up to leave.
“Erm I should go and--” I start, but my voice trails off, unsure on what to say.
“Elle, I know you. I know you need this. That you deserve it, they deserve it, but be smart, okay?”
I nod as the lies purge off my tongue to appease him, “I know. The guys are waiting outside for me, don’t worry.”
He stares me down, before deciding not to question me and nods. “Go make them pay, firecracker, I’ve got our boy.”
I smile, give him a quick hug, and then drop a kiss to Zack’s head, taking in his motionless form one last time. It’s time to play the big game. Greg taking my daughter has lit a rebellious fire in me that won’t burn out until I get her back. The Donovan’s are done taking from the people of this town, it’s time to do what I should have done from the start.
It’s time for the first act of war.