~ TRIAX ~
"Turn that fucking thing off!!" Leo yelled at the media crew. They gave him frightened glances and some signs to show that they didn't know how to. Leo barked even louder, then he stormed off behind the stage probably to rip out every wire in sight.
I grinned, folding my arms around my chest and letting out a exhale. It's really not everyday that you get to see a man as exalted as Leo Roberts acting like he was about to shit his pants. Slowly I rose from my seat and made for the backstage area, the costume room to be exact. VonGenie was there, still faking fright, I believe. Oh that woman had everyone fooled and she would have fooled me too had she not made sure I knew exactly what she was doing. Why she did that, was what I had to find out.
I navigated past the seat arrangement, my eyes on the target. I guess I must have been so engaged by my thoughts that I didn't hear Jonas call out my name over and over but when someone else took over from Jonas and yelled to me, I stopped abruptly; then turned. There was only one man in this world who could say my name and I would halt wherever I was. That man was also the one person in this world I hate the most.
"Donatello, where are you off to?" he smiled at me. I kept my cold dead eyes on him, saying nothing. He started to draw closer, his goons hovering behind him and sneering at me like they weren't a bunch of little shits without their leader.
"The reception is that way, my boy. You should be mingling with the crowd and not hiding from them."
"Romero Gonzalez, do I need to remind you that whatever I do, is none of your business. By the way," I took a step, our faces closing in. I whispered. "My name is Don Triax not Donatello. The next time you call me that I will cut your tongue."
Romero began to crackle in a low deep voice. He grinned shaking his head at me. "I made you boy and I can unmake you, right now if I feel like it. I still have a few tricks up my sleeve. I could start with those and work my way up. Remember the day you initiated you and the night I made you lose your virginity to that drunk bitch you met at the bar; I still have souvenirs saved up from those events. If the world were to learn of it, perhaps it might not do much to you but it's a start, I will work my way up from there until I bury you."
A half-smile played on my lips, my fits clenching tighter and tighter by the second. One of these days I will empty a bullet in his skull. It will be the best day of my life, I'm sure.
"Romero I am not that a scared little boy anymore. I'm not that fool you played however you liked. Do not underestimate me, it would be a very foolish thing to do. Well I know you are quite stupid but I'm sure you are not that stupid."
Romero stroked his white beard. He had aged a lot obviously but he was still as bad as ever, a real devil in flesh and blood. Just standing next to him made my blood curl.
"Donatello, don't over-hype yourself, honestly." He reached out and pat my shoulder. His Spanish accent always had a way of making him sound friendly in the creepiest way.
"Anyways, enough with all this talking. I know you didn't come to this auction to look at the jewels or that damn fine lady singing on stage a while ago." He chuckled and licked his lips lasciviously immediately he referred to her. I grunted under my breath, squeezing my face in disgust. The memories of what he did with women were threatening to flood back and I was beginning to feel my gut twist like I would puke.
"Why are you really here? I would say mingling but you are not the kind to just come to meet and greet especially in a place I'm in."
I tilted my head to the side, gesturing to the fact that he as right. "I came because I thought today might be the day I kill you but then I remembered that you have something I want so I can't just blow your brains out."
"And what would that be?" he adjusted his weight a little, dipping his hand into his pocket. He watched me closely as I shifted my lips a few times, uncomfortably trying to find the voice to ask my question.
"Who is she? Who is the lady from that night? I need her name. In exchange, I will let your shipments make it out of the docks just this once. Who knows you might just kind of, get on my good side."
Romero burst out laughing. His men joined him. They were like a bunch of circus clowns. Romero finally stopped, dipping his hand back into his pocket. "I think I now have a good idea why you came here. You came to see me, show me that you are no more afraid of me. To remind me that you are coming for me. This shit about the girl's name, is just something you decided to ask after I mentioned her."
He raised his hand, Jones reached for his gun immediately. Romero's boys pulled out theirs, I stayed absolutely still. Romero pat my shoulder and shook his head. "This – hello and goodbye – meeting you have planned has made me a little cautious. Just a little." He pinched his fingers to show me the size. "You really have become tougher than I raised you but don't think for one fucking moment that you are now bigger than your daddy. You are not. The day you try to prove you are is the day you die."
I rolled my eyes mockingly. "I look forward to that, Romero. Now the name of the girl. You have no good use for it anyways. Stop holding out on unimportant things just to spite me. It's childish."
Romero pouted like a child, just to insult my reference to him. "You are right Donatello, I should not hold onto her name, it not important. Actually I wanted to give you the name but I couldn't help but change my mind." His voice started to grow deeper. "I don't care what I will lose or what I should have gained, I am not giving you her name but don't worry, you will learn it soon enough. It's just that I hope you live after you find out, I mean it would be a shame if I don't get to kill you myself." He flashed me a goodbye smile and he was off the next moment, moving like a dark cloud through the room."
I kept my cold, deadly composure the whole time, even when he was out of sight. I have to admit, his presence was sickening. I hissed, turning around; what was that shit about me dying over a woman's name anyways. Romero was never the type to bluff, perhaps I should consider thinking…
"Ah!!" a girl's scream cut through the calmness in the theatre. My thoughts jolted immediately, my eyes darting towards the frightened voice. I spotted her, running hysterically out of the costume room. She ran into one of the guards who came to her rescue. She pointed towards the backstage area, but she couldn't collect herself enough to say anything reasonable. I made for the costume room immediately. Unlike those fools standing around, I wasn't going to wait to know what was happening before I rushed in. My asset was in there.
Jonas was right behind me, his gun pulled and pointed in front of me. I glazed through the wooden floors without making a sound until I made it to the door. It was thrown ajar and right inside was Leo Roberts holding VonGenie by the neck, a gun pinned to her forehead.
"This time around I'm going to make sure you are fucking dead!!" He yelled in her face. She was turning blue, her hands pulling on his wrist, trying so hard to make him let go.
"Leo!!!!" I barked, snatching Jonas' gun. "Get off her you sick son of a bitch."
He looked at me. Immediately our eyes crossed, I pulled the trigger. The bullet sliced through his cheek and throw him off his feet, VonGenie breaking free. She crumbled to the ground, gasping painfully. Violent coughs escaped her lips, her eyes were already wet. I looked at her. She was crouched down on her fours like a frightened little girl. My heart felt heavy and it hurt. I think I felt bad for her.
"Von." I called out, going down to hold her shoulders. In that split second, I caught glimpse of Leo. He thrust his gun at me and he squeezed the trigger.