Chapter 70, The big day

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A/N: Man I love the music for this.

Four days had gone by fast. In those days, the legendary Carro Armato force sent from Gladius arrived, Jane and I managed to come up with a plan and everyone got ready. I'll have to admit, the Italian, stern faced men sent our way look like they can do serious damage. I spoke o a few of the leaders of the group and they seem ready for anything. The guns they brought with them, confirmed their confidence.

And now finally the day has arrived.

The day I get my fight with the South.

I get up from my bed and sit on the edge. Stressed, I run my hands through my auburn hair and breathe a heavy breath. I could barely sleep, so I feel a deep tiredness soak into my bones. Maybe from more than just not sleeping.

I wonder how Marigold is doing...

Strangely lonely, I open my phone and go to Marigold's contact. I know I can't message her. Well, I can if I adjust a few things, but anything I send to her right now, will be lost. 

It's for the best, I remind myself.

Out of nowhere, the door to my awful room in Jane's house swings open and Nessa struts inside. "I swear I'm goin' to do it today. I'm goin' to kill her. And if ye try stoppin' me one more time-"

"Nessa you can't kill Jane. The truth will come out and then your life will be demanded as a price. The best shot we've got is hoping Jane gets killed in today's fight," I sigh.

Nessa doesn't bark another insult at me. Not while seeing me in my boxers, on the edge of my bed with my phone in my hands. An empty blank expression adorns my face.

"Ye miss Amberry," Nessa states.

"Yes," I answer. It's not even a question, but there's no point in lying.

Nessa lets out a sympathetic sigh before walking over to sit next to me. She's already dressed in a tight red outfit with a fur hoodie. Her heels I'm pretty sure has poison hidden. Even her wild red hair is pulled back into a tight bun. She's ready for war.

"I miss her too..." Nessa says.

I let a bit of silence grow between us, before I decide it really is time to get going. Slowly, I get up and grab some black pants and a black shirt. My hand runs over the many scars on my body. The big slice on my left. The scar by my heart. The gash by my shoulder. I pick clothes easy to move in. My jacket is black as well, but I put on the maroon watch that Nessa got me for Christmas. In the mirror, I fix up my hair.

Nessa stays on the bed, even when I go to join her so I can tie my combat boots.

"Jane wants us to leave in ten," Daniel says after strolling in.

He scolds when he sees Nessa, but his expression softens for a second when he sees me. "Misses Loner Boner maybe missing somebody?" Daniel teases. I actually feel thankful for the light tone my friend brings.

"Yer just salty because nobody will ever miss ye," Nessa chirps in.

Daniel sends her a glare with his brown eyes. "Say that again after I die today. I dare you. You'll be in tears. You'll perform a solo with your bagpipe at my funeral," Daniel says.

Nessa huffs out a breath. "I'll be celebratin' if ye die today," she jokes back.

"You're in love with me. Don't deny it," Daniel smiles.

"Eww, don' go spewin' such doaty thoughts around. Ye look like a bloomin' bampot doin' it!"

It's all light-hearted banter, but there's a seriousness to it. There's a very big chance that we could die today. I feel a warning in the pit of my stomach. It's never good when I feel it. Something is up. There's something we're not thinking about. The South has something planned...

As if summoned, Jack and Paul come walking into the room as well. "Jane wants to leave right now. Everyone is getting into the trucks and vans," Jack says. As the most of us, he's also dressed in all black with easy-to-move clothing. The only one shitting on the trend is Nessa in her show stopping red outfit. 

"I'm coming, I'm coming. Jane can wait for a minute," I grumble.

I can't find myself standing up. Come on Xavier, be strong. Do it for the group. Some will die, but you have to keep going. You have a mission. This world isn't saving itself. 

Paul shuffles over and sits next to me. I look over at my silent friend and he smiles sadly at me. 

"Thanks, Paul," I chuckle.

"Hey, Xav?" Jack says.

I look up. "Yeah?"

"No matter what happens today. You're the best leader. The best friend to have. And even if some of us don't make it, we'll still gladly fight for you and what you believe in, because we believe in you," Jack says.

"Aye-aye," Nessa says.

"Agreed," Daniel nods.

Paul's smile breaks into a grin.

I can't even convey to my friends how much their faith in me means. I want to tell them to stop. I want to tell them that everybody that believes in me ends up dead. But right now, I don't want to ruin the perfect moment.

"Then let's go to war," I announce.

Everyone nods just as I go to my closet and gear myself up with guns and ammo. I prefer my handguns and the rest have their own taste in weapons as well. Nessa has her poison. Jack has his sniper. Daniel has his shotgun and Paul as always, fashions a bazooka. 

"The adventures of Xav and the funky bunch continues," Nessa smiles.

"We need a new name," I chuckle.

"Like what?" Nessa asks offended.

"Maroon five," Daniel laughs.

"Eww. No. It's Xav and the funky bunch. Now shut the fuck up Useless Man Whore. Captain Maroon is taking the lead. I'll make sure Always-Watching and Mister Armstrong shuts you up if you don't do it yourself," Nessa scolds.

"Jeeze, it was a joke, Bagpipes," Daniel says and rolls his eyes.

"Your sex life is a joke," Nessa fires back before strutting on.

"Hey! Don't you bring my sex life into this!" Daniel calls out before running after my second in command. I can't stop smiling.

We all head downstairs and I make sure to get myself some bread to eat, before taking some medication, checking I have all the weapons I need and then head out with everyone else. Jane is standing there and waiting. Through the darkness, I recognize her in a tight-fitted black outfit and not looking happy.

"You're making us wait," she says and crosses her arms. Her mousy hair is braided back and looks darker.

"The sun hasn't even risen yet. It's still dark. Our plan was to drive out at four AM, not half past three," I correct.

"Whatever," Jane says. "Let's just go."

While Jane walks over to my car, I spot Owen and Blake in the distance getting into a Bugatti. I run over and knock on the window. Owen rolls it down and I'm shocked at myself for not talking to Owen earlier about what happened with his parents and Jane.

"I know where your sister is," I tell Owen.

Owen's dark eyes light up with alarm and he sits up straight. "Where?" he asks.

"I can't tell you now, but after the fight, I'll send you a location. You get her and you get out of here after the battle. Jane will be too busy to notice. There's a car in Park Street waiting for you. It can't be traced," I say.

Owen nods, but is too over-come with emotion to thank me. I look over to Blake Bowmen in his leather jacket and unkempt hair. "Jane will notice if you leave though. There's nothing I can do about that, except promise you that when Jane and I merge, things will chance for you," I tell him.

Blake frowns - like he's not trusting my words. "Why? Why re you so kind?" he asks suspiciously.

"I don't have room for petty grudges. I have a goal to achieve," I answer simply.

Blake looks conflicted at what he wants to say next. I almost even leave, but then he speaks up sand says: "We visited Amber."

I frown. "You... I... I told you you can't visit her. You could be tracked," I say in shock.

"We weren't tracked," Blake tries reassuring me. 

I don't expect Blake to understand that he can get tracked in different ways. Instead, I remind myself to deal with that later. "How is she?" I ask without controlling myself.

"You really care?" Blake asks with narrowed eyes.

I don't bother answering him. Instead, I look down, swallow a nervous lump and remind myself that I'm wearing maroon. I look up. "Don't die today. The world still needs you," I say and leave.

I see a lot of Blake's brother, Kyle Kendrick Bowmen, in him. That guy was great. I knew him through the messages and meetings between gangs. He had a way of making people feel special. I saw an artist in him and those kinds of people are the best. I'm excellent at reading people and just always knew Kyle was going to be one of the better leaders the world of gangs had to offer. He would've been great. One to inspire. But alas, he's another person that lost their life at the hands of the South. Another reason to take them out before they wreck more of this world.

I head to my classic Ferrari and Jane is already waiting in the passenger seat. I'm surprised how quickly Sean fixed this thing up after that van from the South attacked me. 

"All troops heading out. Follow our lead. I repeat, all troops heading out, follow our lead. Over," Jane says over the walky-talky. All the important people have one so we know what to do.

And it doesn't even take me a second to start the car, and speed off into the distance. The trucks and vans containing weapons and troops follow us. While we drive through the sleeping town, I watch the few people that are out, run back to their houses. It won't take the people of Tygerwell long to figure out they should stay indoors today.

I grab my own walky-talky and say, "Jack, do you copy?"

"I copy," I voice says back.

"You still have a location on that base?" I ask.

"Yes. It's right on the bloody shore, close to the blood islands," Jack says.

Determined, I drive on with the trucks and vans still following. I don't go too fast so I'm sure we aren't losing anyone.

"You ready for today?" I ask Jane to fill some of the silence. I'm marrying her after all. Might as well be able to form a conversation with her.

"Today is going to be a walk in the park. The South are just a bunch of cowards. I've dealt with worse," Jane says.

"I feel like we're under estimating them," I say.

"How so?" Jane asks - for once not sounding annoyed.

"I just feel like this is too easy. Something feels wrong. I'm afraid we might even be falling into a trap," I say.

"The only way the South could know of our attack is if someone from the inside leaked information," Jane says.

I slowly nod at that. All my men are loyal. The only suspect I have is BD, but he's dead and never got access to important information in anyway.

Still, my subconscious is trying to warn me.

By the time we get to Southern territory, only a few minutes have passed and the hairs on my arms stand on end. Something feels wrong. I can't explain it. While driving through the dark, poorer part of town, my brain tries puzzling everything together.

Think Xavier, think, I urge myself. Who could've betrayed you? BD and his sister? BD was too dumb to figure anything out for himself. Camilla? She's been dead for months. A dead girl can't be the reason we lose today. Right?

Her body was found on neutral territory. Where though? In an alley next to... What street was it... Mandible street. It was Mandible Street which is at the jaw of the tiger's head - which is the neutral ground that's closest to the South. What was she doing there? She was shot... Who killed her though? Come on, I can figure this out. 

What happened the day she died? We... we insulted her like usual. I still wake up in the middle of the night because of that. Then what did she do after she was insulted? What made her end up so close to the South...?

Maybe... maybe in her anger she sold information to the South and they ended up killing her. But what information did she sell? Locations? Names?

Passwords?

I remember going through my emails that day. I know my emails are highly protected by a password that keeps any prying eyes out. Is there a chance she got that password? That the South could see everything going on in my heavily secured email?

My first concern surprisingly is not that they saw the emails between Jane and I and know we are coming. My first concern is for Marigold. They might know of the house I bought her...

Just when we get to the first location, the warehouse staring out at the blood islands, I feel it more than ever. A shift in the wind, but I can't see anything out of place in the darkness. Maybe that's what's in fact out of place... Everything is too perfect. 

"Jane, the South knows," I say in horror and immediately grab my gun and my walky-talky to warn everyone. "THE SOUTH KNOWS! THE SOUTH KNOWS!" I shout.

"What?" Daniel's voice comes through. 

"ABORT MISSION. THE SOUTH KNOWS," I repeat.

"I need you to calm the fuck down," Jane growls.

Before I can even start explaining, an explosion goes off behind us and one of the trucks swerves and crashes into a wall. The impact sends us forwards and I look in the review mirror to see the damage. A black puff of smoke rises into the sky and it doesn't even take a breath, before somewhere else another explosion goes off and the sound of engines emerge.

I look over the dark water and in the distance, guys in boats start coming in from the blood islands. Machine guns are strapped to those boats and they're headed straight towards us.

We're fucked.

Hey goldies!!

So intense! The big fight is here and with it, only 10 chapters are left! They ought to go fast so I should be done before the end of the week.

So who do y'all predict is dying in this fight? XD

What do you think can turn the wave?

I love y'all and pleaseeee don't forget to vote! Go check out my other book, Confessions of a Suckish Writer while y'all wait for the next chapter. I ought to update again later. 

~ Holly Shmit

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