Sempre (Sempre 1)

Before Vincent could respond, Corrado threw the boy against the side of the building, patting him down. Pressing his gun into the boy’s throat, his finger lightly touched the trigger. “You know why we’re here. How many people are inside?”

“Five or six, I think. Maybe more.”

“Not a good enough answer. Think harder.”

“I saw six.”

“Better,” Corrado said. “Are they all armed?”

“The ones I saw were.”

“Who are they?”

“I don’t know.”

“You better figure it out,” Corrado said, “before I kill you.”

“Shit! Okay! Nunzio’s the only one I know. He talked me into this. I didn’t realize what he was doing. I didn’t know he was—”

His rambling was cut off when Corrado slammed his gun into the side of his head. “I’m only interested in names.”

“Nunzio . . . that girl, the nurse.”

Vincent’s anger festered, seeping into his taut muscles. “Jen?”

“Yeah, her. There are some others I don’t know, but an older man’s in charge. Ivan, I think.”

“And what about the girl?” Corrado asked. “Haven?”

“Oh, uh, I know they have her, but I haven’t looked around. I’ve only gone in twice, and I never went past the doorway.”

“You haven’t seen her at all?”

He shook his head frantically as headlights of an approaching car flashed in their direction. They all tensed as the black BMW crept down the street. Vincent stalked to the front of the building cautiously, watching as it stopped less than a block away. The passenger door opened and a person hopped out before the car pulled out of sight.

Vincent’s eyes widened when the person stepped under a streetlight, giving him a clear view of his son. Carmine haphazardly approached the building, clutching a gun in his shaking hand.

Corrado groaned. “Stop him.”

Vincent sprinted across the street when Carmine went for the door. His hand grasped the handle as Vincent reached him, and Carmine turned in his direction.

“Da—” he started, but Vincent dragged him away before he could react. He cursed and stumbled. “What the fuck? She might be in there!”

“Keep your voice down,” Vincent said. “You can’t just walk in.”

“What else am I supposed to do?” he asked, frantic. “Do you know how long it’s been? Do you know how long she’s been gone? I have to find her!”

“I know. We’re here, we’re on it.”

“About fucking time.”

Groaning, Vincent grabbed his son’s arm and dragged him across the street. Carmine resisted at first, but he was too exhausted to put up a fight. Vincent took him to where Corrado stood in the darkness, with Dean huddled against the wall at his feet.

Corrado shook his head. “You must not have any sense of self-preservation left.”

“Fuck my life,” Carmine said. “She’s worth dying for.”

“And what happens when you die?” Corrado gave him a pointed look. “Your carelessness is going to get her killed. You’re in the fold now. You need to start thinking like one of us.”