Jackson returned home, sighing with relief when he sensed no trouble. Mrs. Tessa’s house was dark and quiet, indicating his daughter was safely asleep in bed. He moved swiftly through the house, gathering what he needed. Clothes, weapons, a few essentials. He had packed bags like this a hundred times before, each one a step closer to a new assignment, a new target. But this time, it was different. This time, he wasn’t preparing for a hit—he was preparing to save what little he had left.
He zipped the bag closed and slung it over his shoulder, his mind already focused on the next step: getting Emily. He would pick her up, tell her they were going on a trip, and get her safely to Atlanta. Gabriel and the boy would be waiting. He made his way back to the living room, plumping down on the couch with a frustrated sigh.
The silence of his home did nothing to calm his nerves. He sat there, staring at the wall, his mind wandering. He wondered what had happened to Aleksander and if he had managed to return to Giovanni to twist the situation to his advantage. Jackson shook his head, doubting Aleksander could pull that off. If he knew his former friend at all, he was likely hiding out somewhere, waiting for things to settle down before making his move.
But how long would that last?
The shrill ring of the house phone sliced through the quiet of the house, jolting him from his thoughts. He tensed up. The caller could be one of three people: Aleksander, Giovanni, or Gabriel. He hoped it was Gabriel, calling to tell him he was safe and sound. He reached for the receiver with bated breath, expecting the worst. He let out a slow breath, turning to face the phone on the wall. The display showed an untraceable number, but Jackson knew exactly who it was. Only one person would be calling him from an untraceable number. Jackson froze, his hand hovering in mid-air. With a sense of foreboding, he picked up the receiver and pressed it to his ear.
“The rooster sounds at dawn,” Giovanni’s voice said, using a code word to indicate he was in trouble.
Apparently, it didn’t last long enough.
“Valentine,” came his voice on the other end, low and gravelly, tinged with a desperation that Jackson had never heard before. The man who had once commanded the respect of the entire city, now sounded like he was teetering on the edge.
Jackson didn’t respond. He didn’t need to. His silence was enough to prompt Dimitri to continue.
“I need you, Jackson,” Dimitri said, his voice urgent. “Everything’s gone to hell. Aleksander—that fucking traitorous bastard—he’s making his move. I thought I had more time, but he’s coming for me now. I’m cornered, and my men… they’re not enough. I need you to get to me, and fast. Bring Gabriel. I’m at the old warehouse on Fifth. Hurry.”
So, he knew already what Aleksander had planned. No surprise, really. He wouldn’t be the head of a major crime organization, if he let things like that slip his notice.
Jackson’s grip tightened on the phone. Dammit, things had gone to hell so fast. He doubted this would end well. The fact that Dimitri was still breathing meant there were more players in this game, more enemies circling like vultures.
“Be careful, my boy,” Dimitri continued, his voice breaking slightly. “Both of you. If you don’t get here soon, it’s over. For all of us.”
Jackson’s eyes narrowed, his mind racing. Giovanni was a dead man walking, but if he was calling Jackson for help, then the situation was worse than he’d anticipated. If Giovanni fell, it would unleash a wave of chaos in the city—a power vacuum that could put everyone, including Jackson and Emily, at risk.
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But Emily…
Jackson glanced at the photo on the mantle, his heart heavy. He had promised himself that he would keep her safe, that he wouldn’t drag her into the darkness that consumed his life. But now, he was faced with a choice—a choice that could mean the difference between life and death for her, for him, and for everyone else caught in the crossfire.
He tapped the receiver twice, then hung up before Giovanni could respond, his mind already working through the logistics. He couldn’t afford to involve Gabriel in this—not with the boy in tow. But if Giovanni was in trouble, then Jackson needed to act fast. And for that, he needed backup.
Jackson reached for his pager, his fingers moving quickly as he sent out a 911 signal to Gabriel. It was the only way to get in touch with him now, the only way to keep the boy safe. He had to let Gabriel know that plans had changed, that they were in deeper than they thought.
The pager beeped softly, signaling that the message had been sent. Now, all Jackson could do was wait.
----------------------------------------
Thirty minutes outside the city, in a run-down motel on the outskirts of a forgotten town, Gabriel sat on the edge of a sagging bed, his eyes glued to the TV screen. Gabe had a bad feeling in his gut. He didn’t feel right leaving Jackson all alone with no backup. Wouldn’t he need someone there in case he ran into more trouble?
So, instead of driving all the way to Georgia, Gabe decided to stop outside the city in a motel to wait for daybreak. By that time, Jackson should either be at home, or with Giovanni explaining the situation. Devon Harper was fast asleep beside him, curled up in a blanket, his small frame barely taking up any space on the bed. Gabe couldn’t blame him. The way he devoured the food he gave him a while ago shows he hadn’t eaten in a while. Now, he’s out cold in the bed. He kept the volume low, watching the news for any signs of trouble. So far, there had been nothing—no mention of the boy, no alerts about Aleksander.
It was too quiet.
As the minutes ticked by, Gabriel’s anxiety grew. He was waiting for Jackson to make contact, to tell him that it was safe to move on to Atlanta. But something in his gut told him that things weren’t going according to plan.
His thoughts were interrupted by a sharp beep from his pager, the sound startling him out of his thoughts. Gabriel snatched it up, he looked at the screen, stiffening, his heart skipping a beat as he read the message. It was a 911 from Jackson—a distress signal. Gabriel’s blood ran cold.
He grabbed his phone and dialed Jackson’s number, his fingers trembling slightly. The line rang once, twice, before Jackson picked up. He tapped 7 times to tell him to get back.
“Giovanni is in trouble?” Jackson tapped the phone twice to say yes. “Should I bring the kid? I’m just outside the city. I didn’t want to make the drive to Georgia until I knew for sure you were all right and didn’t need any backup.” Jackson tapped the receiver twice again. “Alright, I’ll meet you at Giovanni’s. I see you in 45 min.”
Jackson ended the call. This situation just got worse, and now Giovanni needed their assistance. Was Aleks finally making his move? Gabe figured he would have waited a little longer before initiating some kind of attack.
Gabriel stared at the phone for a moment, the reality of the situation sinking in. He looked over at Devon, still sleeping soundly, unaware of the chaos that was unfolding around him. Gabriel’s jaw clenched. He had to get the boy to safety, but leaving Jackson to face Giovanni’s enemies alone didn’t sit right with him.
Fucking Aleksander. That motherfucker was going to pay for this betrayal. For damn sure.
He pushed those thoughts aside, springing into action. He would have to wait to take Devon to Atlanta, but he would be ready for anything. In the meantime, he would be there for Jackson, just as he always had been.
With a deep breath, Gabriel stood, gathering his things. He gently shook Devon awake, whispering reassurances as the boy blinked sleepily at him.
“Time to go, kid,” Gabriel said softly. “We’ve got a long night ahead of us.”
As they left the motel, Gabriel’s mind was already on the night ahead of them, but his thoughts remained with Jackson, knowing that somewhere in the city, his friend was about to walk into the lion’s den. And this time, it wasn’t just his life on the line—it was the future of everyone they cared about.
Fucking Aleksander. He couldn’t say that enough.