Where The Law Fails

People Kain once considered allies were now much less than that, now that he had a woman he cared so deeply for at knife-point. The question of whether or not he'd do damage to her kept rolling in his mind. Would he, truthfully? Before she began to give him the cold shoulder, that would've been simple: never. But now, it seemed like their relationship was beyond repair. It was that, in part, that sent him off the edge on a path of nothing more than vengeance. The other part of it was the realization of what's left in store for him. Sure, he was pardoned for his crimes in the States and could return to a normal life upon completing this task, but what haunted him was... where would he go? Who would take him in? Most of the people he cared about were long gone, anyway. And like hell would he serve FOR Lociato. Not unless it were a means to an end in an attempt to get close to him. That would be a conversation for Angelo in the second phase of this master plan cycling in his mind. The first part was what brought him here. It was by chance that he found Kenzie, but it was a hard miracle that would propel him to a much greater scheme he'd been envisioning and plotting during his run through the desert. Now, he was faced by two people he knew could fight, both with a reason to neutralize him as he stood with a knife at his beloved's throat. Had Luca given up on him? Maybe, but it wouldn't be the first time all hope would be lost in him. He'd been through this very same story before, time and time again. Nobody believes in him, therefore, why should he care?

"Two simple requests," Kain responded, keeping his eyes darted between Luca and Thalia, the latter firmly standing her ground each fist clenched and ready to attack this assailant at a point of weakness. But he didn't fear her. She'd just come back from 6 years of living in submission as a slave. What sort of fight could she possibly put up? "First, you're going to give me the location of Mal Cielo. Coordinates, address, whatever it is you and the FBI pulled off of the factory in Seattle.... Because I'm gonna blow that place to hell."

Kenzie's heart sank at the mere thought of Kain returning to the old mindset of killing innocent people. She stood before her captor, shaking, uneasy beyond imagination, but able to voice her opinion about her foster brother's radical plans. "Kain... innocent women might be in Mal Cielo. Slaves. Just like Thalia was. Just like Sarah still is." It was a good thing Kain gave his intentions right off the bat. That way, she could counter it. He might've been a cop at one point, but he sure wasn't good at hiding his plans. "Did you even think for a second of the repercussions of doing this? Or how exactly you will pull this off?"

The blade at her neck only pressed harder against her soft skin, not cutting through just yet, but piercing and stinging significantly. Being cut wasn't a strange feeling for Kenzie, but it's not like Thalia would stand for it if Kain even draws the slightest bit of blood. "What I do and how I do it is not your concern. What I can assure you of? I'm gonna bring that place to kingdom come. And as I do so, all three of you are gonna get the hell out of Mexico. Because after Mal Cielo goes up in smoke, I will make contact with Lociato. And when I do, I'm going to kill him. With that, his reign will come to an end. Hopefully, his operations will die down as well...." His eyes wandered back to Luca's as he targeted his next words properly. "You'll get Sarah back. I can only hope that much. And the bastard won't bother us ever again."

Kain's words only gave off one vibe to Kenzie and Thalia: Lunacy. Blow up a warehouse, single-handedly, especially with the type of resistance Thalia had described elsewhere, expect to live to tell the tale... then what? Get the attention of the ringmaster, have him summoned, then magically be able to take him out? Kenzie was too afraid to go on, but the tears on her face triggered Thalia to stand up for her. "You won't make it..." she began to take slow steps closer to Kain. "I know what kind of security those warehouses have." She wasn't even sure what Mal Cielo is. It may just be an office in some rented building, for all she knows. "If you try to walk up to the front door with whatever plan you have, you'll be shot down. Maybe even sniped before you get too close. Is that a risk you wanna take?"

Thalia's proximity triggered Kain to hold the blade closer against Kenzie's skin, making sure it was visible to the redhead. The doctor whimpered, her weeps taking over and her voice painfully uttering, "T, don't trigger him... please."

Was that a statement from the heart? Something to get in Kain's head? Or was it to save her own life before Thalia tries anything rash? She was getting too close for Kain to approve of as he spat at her. "Back away, or I'll cut her. I swear to you, I will."

"You'd cut up the woman you claim to love above all else? Whose safety you consider a priority?"

"How is that even a contest with you in the picture? Huh? How is that a contest with ANYONE in the picture?!"

Kain was beginning to yell, and with that, Thalia had to ease his nerves before he alerts someone. "Take it easy... no one needs to know what's going on up here."

He snarled, "She's gone down on literally everyone I know and love. Maybe even more that I don't know. God damn it, she slept with my brother before she slept with me! And I have been good to her for years! And after all this time, she'd still run back to you."

Even if they were emotionally charged, Kain's words cut deep into Thalia. She could remember Kenzie's stories about Kain when they were actually bonding. She spoke about how she felt a bond with him, although it was one she didn't imagine to get this serious. A childhood fling. But was she really taking away someone else's loved one by making a move on her roommate all those years ago? It made her freeze in place, no more words... but Kenzie had a few. "Kain... do you think I'd sleep with you if I knew it'd have consequences outside the bedroom? It didn't make me care for you any less. You know what happened between me and my dad before I went to Yale. I couldn't risk a relationship with you there."

"You.... could've waited..." Kain's voice also began to show the emotion he put into the idea.

"I'm sorry, but it doesn't always work that way... things happen. People come and go. I didn't even want to come back to Seattle. Odds are, I wouldn't have if I'd married Thalia."

He scoffed at the realization, not entirely surprised to hear it. "So you'd just walk out on us all. Me. Dave. Your dad."

"Odds are, my dad knew what Thalia was up to under the same roof as me. Why she was sent there... he'd never let me be with her."

"Hmph. And me and Dave?"

Her eyes squinted shut. "Please don't put me in this position, Kain. I've done a lot right in my life, but also a lot wrong. I'm no better than you, and walking out on you and Dave? Not writing back? I... I can't entirely justify that."

Kain nodded in a sort of satisfaction. "Good. Now, I just want what I came for. Mal Cielo. Then I'll leave you all to go back to Seattle."

Without even hesitating, Thalia shook her head. "No. You're not getting anything with Kenzie as your hostage. Let her go, then we talk."

His head turned to take in the bold words of this person who was also once a criminal. "And you expect me to believe you won't hold me down or stop me if I do so?"

"No. But if you just let us work together, then going in alone won't be a worry for you OR for Luca. You can take this operation on together. You two seem close, right? You don't have to do this alone."

He shook his head, the stubborn half of him taking over. "No can do, missy. You give me the information I want, and I'll back up to the door and get out of here, and you won't lose a thing. That's my final and only offer."

Was there even a chance in hell at convincing Kain to change his ways? Both Kenzie and Thalia had discovered that it wouldn't happen. Not while he had the upper hand. Thalia's eyes drifted to her left to find Luca... and he had a weapon at hand between his fingertips. Between a baton and a knife? It might just be a fair duel. Could she depend on him to take advantage of the moment of weakness from Kain? She returned to face the hostage taker and continued on her streak of bravery. "If you want leverage, take me instead."

Kenzie's eyes shot open, her neck moving slightly into the blade, on the brink of cutting through skin. "N-No. You're not trading places with me."

"Kain, she's weak, tired, and practically defenseless. If you let her go and take me in her place, you only have Luca to worry about in terms of a fight. Because right now, if you don't let her go and pull me in there, you're going to be outnumbered."

Her words were true. Kenzie wouldn't fight back, not physically. He might be able to best Thalia in combat, but Luca? Not a chance, especially if he has an extra pair of hands. He narrowed his gaze at her, the knife slowly parting from Kenzie's neck. "Why on earth would I do that? I don't fear you, cupcake."

The redhead then proceeded to throw some unkind words in Kain's direction. Ones that would set him off, but in a good way. "Well, it's like you said. Everyone has slept with the woman you love, except you. I bet, ever since you learned about me, all you could do was imagine how many times we've fucked while we lived together all by ourselves for four years, enjoying the best years of our lives together. Bet that gets under your skin, doesn't it? I bet you wish it were you, huh?"

Kain's grip on the knife tightened. "Shut up and back away."

Arrogance took over for a moment as Thalia stepped closer, reaching forward to Kenzie's face soaked in tears, gently clearing the waterfalls cascading from her eyes. The two girls' eyes met in that moment, both trying to ignore the knife ever so close to them both. "She's.... everything a guy - or girl - could ask for. And you were jealous that everyone got a chance to experience it. When all along, you didn't appreciate that you and her were closer than any other relationship or marriage could confine someone. And here you are, throwing it all away by disrespecting her wishes time and time again. She.... deserves better than this. Why can't you at least give her some peace?"

She was too close, and even becoming overly touchy. Kain didn't like it, and the knife was prepared to launch from Kenzie's neck and at Thalia. His eye twitched briefly. "Peace? You want peace... after all of this? You think now's the time for it?"

Thalia nodded, her next words truly relating to her own situation. "It's never too late to change your ways... as a wise friend once told me."

The warming feeling those words left in Kenzie's heart wouldn't last for long. Seconds of dead silence passed between the three... up until Kenzie found herself pushed forward, face first into the ground, collapsing to her knees, the knife at her neck leaving an inch-long cut on the side of her neck. Seeing the quick gash of blood along with Kain's quick movement, she recognized where his next attack would go: her. He might just take her up on her offer to take her as a hostage. If so, she was grateful that Kenzie wouldn't have to suffer... but she might, once again. Thalia wanted to get down onto the ground to help Kenzie up, especially after hearing her yelp of terror, but she soon found the blade in Kain's hand heading her way. Her reflexes hadn't deteriorated over time, as she was able to grab Kain's wrist with the knife at hand and resist his thrusting motion before he could slice through her. But Kain as a stronger and larger figure, though Thalia could keep the knife at bay, she couldn't resist getting her leg locked beneath Kain's as he forced her to lose balance. He now toppled her, Kenzie on the ground not far holding her neck in pain, stunned at what'd just happened, and Thalia using whatever strength she had to keep the blade away from herself. Because judging by the look in Kain's eyes, he was about to kill her.

"SHE WAS MINE! AND YOU TOOK HER FROM ME!" he shouted in her face as his own power began to take over hers, and the knife grew closer and closer between her eyes as she shook and struggled to resist. This had grown from professional to personal very, very quickly. And if he could pull off this murder, it'd be right in front of Kenzie, powerless as she stood by and only shouted, to no avail,

"Kain, no!"

Yet he didn't even turn his head to acknowledge her voice. He only kept pressing to end this woman's life.
 
Luca found Kain's pointed demands almost acceptable, in a different light and with planning. He wasn't beyond destroying Lociato's investments; after the slaves were rescued, which Luca doubted Kain was worried about. So, in protection of the slaves, Luca held his ground and steadied his feet, the two fingers of his left hand curling around the baton end. His old friend had lost his mind. It was volatile, nearly inhuman. Like the walls of a cave, Luca saw his words bouncing off of Kain, knowing better that Kenzie was the only one capable of piercing that fractured mind.

It boggled Luca to see Kain putting Kenzie in direct harm. Thalia, sure, he could see Kain hurting. Kenzie, he thought, was different. No more, it seemed. She, in the vice-like hold around her, did raise a strong question; what was Kain planning? It was one thing to list goals, another to map the journey. Luca felt oddly stoic, his body tense and somehow loose all at the same time, his eyes watching for the slightest drop in guard, in some kind of exploitable weakness in Kain. The knife wasn't exceedingly large, with gave Luca some respite in the idea of a clinch between him and Kain. Luckily, size was on Luca's physical side.

While Luca was looking at Kain thoroughly, the logical assets of his mind piecing together some kind of high-octane puzzle to defuse the situation, Kain was talking to Thalia. Now, turning his head to Luca, the Italian could see directly into Kain's eyes, peering into the destabilized soul inside. It was loss, and frustration, building into some kind of fire inside. Luca could feel his own optical flames rising, his spare hand crinkling into a wadded fist. Gritting his teeth, Luca kept his words to himself in fear of pushing Kain to hurt his bargaining chip more. They couldn't bank on hoping to get Sarah back. Nor did he expect Kain to get close enough to Lociato to touch him. It took a team, and Luca felt as though it was possible with Angelo, Kain, Kenzie, and Thalia by his side. Especially Angelo, who could place a call and get within inches of the man without resistance.

God, Luca would've given his right arm for the brass set Thalia had to approach Kain. Her hard facts were damning, but it was like using a rubber mallet against a brick wall. Threat of death didn't mean anything to a desperate man; Luca empathized that. Kenzie's pained words hit him like an iron whip. Kain's, rather, were like a blunt force against Luca's chest, driving that need for action and change within in the room. Thalia was an echo of Luca's earlier thoughts of Kenzie; Kain's once-livelihood. It was his response that hundred-eighty degree turned Luca's view on the entire dilemma. It was essentially a case of jealousy, albeit much more extreme. Perhaps, without a father figure early in life, the idea of moving on was lost. Or, likely, it was Kain's walk towards insanity. There was ego buried there, and as Kenzie reasoned with him, Luca could've stuck a fork in Kain's self-ideals. Regardless of how Kain was going to let this altercation go down, Luca was not heading back to Seattle on a promise that Sarah would be safe. It was closing in on a decade, the length Luca's went to find her. For the first time in years, Luca reached out to more people, and one unlucky case was going to prevent him from ending the path he had walked upon for so long. He had no qualms working with Kain, like Thalia put it.

Thalia was close to Kain, Luca finally realized. Not emotionally, but physically. There wasn't much distance between the two, and as Thalia bartered herself for Kenzie, he realized what threat that possessed. Luca wasn't dense; a transition between Kenzie and Thalia left Kain unguarded by a human shield for a critical second, which Luca believed he could throw his baton straight in that time. Thank the Lord he was left-handed. Curling the knuckles of his first two fingers to slide the baton into his palm, Luca bated his breath and waited his turn to move, grimacing a bit at the idea of equaling out the number game against Kain. Her sharp, venomous words were more a weapon than a knife or baton would ever be; they were dangerous in their own right, peeling at Kain's sensitive spots like a potato peeler. His radical case of blue-balls made it much more effective, an almost emasculating move from Thalia, one that gave Luca the fire to step forward a bit, his body leaning forward a touch.

Luca would've preferred to avoid any kind of conflict and work with Kain; it made Mal Cielo a simpler task and meant Thalia could stay back with Kenzie. Luca's eyes darted to the collapsing Kenzie for a moment, looking at her wound before moving to help the downed Thalia, watching the losing battle with the blade. Now a meager amount of meters from Kain, Luca rotated his wrist and threw the baton sideways, spinning through the air in a clockwise circle. Running after it, Luca could see the heavy thunk as it hit home, following the blow by pulling another baton and raising his leg to meet Kain's head. Luca's own knee sent lightning bolts back up his leg as the kneecap collided with Kain's downward skull. With his one free hand, Luca gripped Kain's throat and pushed him, using the baton to slam down on the wrist holding the knife several times. Luca stepped forward with one large boot, stretching his body as far as possible and pushing down on his hand around Kain's neck, lifting his once-partner off the ground before driving both of them onto the carpeted floor. Using the baton as a bludgeon, Luca threw several blows into Kain's shoulders and a particular bash into his nose, keeping the choking hand tight. Between a few sharp breaths out of his nose, Luca found himself full of energy, letting out a few words. "Thalia, check on Kenzie. Someone had to hear all of this." Luca sat on Kain's chest, his knees tightly wrapped against the ribs as his hand loosened a bit. He didn't want to suffocate the man, but it was best to keep him trapped under his weight. Pulling his head back a bit to prevent any more spit acts like Henrikson to hit his face, Luca aimed a few words to Kain. "Why, Kain..?"

Before he could form a real question, a decent inquiry into the nature of his forgotten partner, Luca looked up at the hotel door that was jittering back and forth, watching the chain latch jiggle a touch. Immediately afterwards, a thin credit card lifted under the latch and pulled it towards the door, unlocking it. There was a lot of explaining to do, whoever was coming. That worry was immediately replaced with another as Luca looked to the tall silhouette, framed by the door for a moment before entering. His eyes didn't stay long on the Italian face, dropping to the gun raised to the shoulder level. "Angelo..."

His cousin looked like Hell. Lines from where tears leaked for once in years looked alien on his complexion, the lines of sorrow and wrinkles of grief already forming on his face, pulling away from the death-like professionalism his old face once told. There was malice in his eyes, an emotion Luca never saw in them, even back in New York. The fire looked to Kain for a second, and Luca was sure that the M1911 would unload then and there, but it didn't pausing for a moment before Angelo shifted the barrel towards the center of the room, keeping everyone in relative sight. "Luca, get off him. Kain, keep your ass on the floor. Thalia, tie something around Kenzie's cut. Kain's got one HELL of an explanation to give me. Afterwards, Luca, we need to have words. About everything. About...Sarah."

Luca was perplexed, standing up in confusion rather than direct fear of the gun. Angelo never shot without good reason, and as long as a partnership didn't brew between the two immediately, Luca felt a bit of optimism in his cousin. But, Sarah? What could Angelo have to talk about Sarah? His other baton immediately fell back into the holster, completing the set once more. A quick dart down at Kain assured Luca that all was fine, that reality hadn't shifted yet.
 
The uphill struggle Thalia endured to avoid landing a rough blade in between her eyes was one she knew she'd lose in time. Kain was larger than her, and probably stronger, too. Soon enough, he'd overpower her and slice her skull in half, or drive the knife into her eye socket, all right in front of an innocent woman he allegedly 'loved' who'd endured enough for one lifetime. Was he honestly going to compromise the last bit of humanity within him to kill off another human being out of jealousy? At this point, Kenzie didn't put murder passed him. She'd already learned from Angela that Henrikson didn't survive his injury and was, indeed, killed indirectly by Kain's hand. But that didn't mean he didn't have the capacity to kill directly, as he threatened to do. And it horrified the doctor to watch him actually commit to it. What was worse is that her words had fallen upon deaf ears, and all he wanted at this point was jealousy-fueled vengeance. As if they'd hand over Mal Cielo after he murders one of their own...

Fortunately, Luca wasn't one to sit idly by and just watch it happen. He seemed to be able to refrain from making a move for so long, but not when an innocent woman was close to having a knife planted into her face. The blows to his head were enough for him to lose control and be knocked away from his position on top of Thalia. The redhead took a deep sigh of relief, realizing that she'd just dodged death, once again. She didn't doubt that Luca could challenge Kain alone, redirecting her attention to another priority: Kenzie. She'd just been assaulted, and blood was drawn. She turned to her left to see her beloved on the ground, clenching the cut on her neck, her hand soaked in her own blood to keep it under control as she watched in horror over the two men she once saw as friend brawl it out. Rather than wallow in her own shock, Thalia's priority shifted as she crawled in Kenzie's direction to be by her side. Her hand almost instantly fell over Kenzie's that was holding her neck. She could only shake her head, as if this were a personal failure on her behalf.

"I-I'm sorry," she whimpered, "I should've..."

"No," Kenzie argued back. "This isn't your fault."

Kain was aware that his brother had received a beat-down from the boxer once before when he threatened to go to the authorities to turn himself in, but he certainly underestimated the odds that he'd be on the receiving end any time soon. He'd taken several blows to the arm and to his head in order to become fully disarmed, and he quickly began to feel the aching feeling as a result. He was now in a chokehold and in submission, no longer possessing the upper hand or any sort of leverage. At this point, getting the location of Mal Cielo would be impossible. He'd probably be tied up and kept on watch - most probably by Thalia, of all people - while Luca takes care of the heavylifting. Fighting back would've been an option, had he not had work unfinished. He knew Luca would fight him; he just expected to kill Thalia first. Now beaten and to the ground, his previous injuries only seemed to be highlighted further as he thought back over the plan he assumed to be fool-proof. Not quite; he didn't expect Thalia to put up such a fight. Turns out he was wrong.

And the party would only become further convoluted with the entrance of another visitor. Before Kain could even growl some sort of smart reply in an attempt to spit in Luca's face, his attention was also drawn by the hotel door jolting. It was just a hotel door, after all, so he wouldn't put it passed some sort of criminal to break in. At first, he assumed he, or Kenzie, was followed over here by one of Lociato's spies, and they'd all be dead. But that wasn't quite the case as the bald assassin made his entrance. Different emotions clouded the room. For Kain, half of him was consumed with fear. Just last night, he took away the woman this man loved, all in an attempt to assert his heartlessness. This did, indeed, call for one hell of a talk. The other half of Kain wanted to kill Angelo similarly and bring his head to the Lociato higher-ups. Proof that he could outperform one of his finest, get an opportunity to get close, and kill the man. But at this rate, his planning skills seemed far too faulty to be dependable. Then there was the girls. While Kenzie leaned back slightly, afraid she'd be killed for breaking the terms of the deal and not handing over the inheritance, Thalia took up a more defensive position, covering her friend with her own body just in case Angelo had plans to shoot everyone on sight. At least she could take a bullet first.

However, shooting on sight wasn't on the agenda. Angelo had some other cunning plan up his sleeve. Luca was ordered off of Kain, and Thalia to assist Kenzie with her injury. The ex-clanswoman gave a faint nod to show her compliance. But she didn't want to do it here. "D-Don't shoot, but..." she whimpered, a sliver of fear still in her core. "I'm just going to take her to the bathroom, okay? To give you all some space." As she reached over to give Kenzie a hand to her feet, she extended a palm forward to show that she was, indeed, unarmed. She took slow steps with Kenzie in tow as the two slowly made their way across the room, Kenzie's hand over the open wound, and Thalia still taking a firm stance in front of her. "We won't be any trouble... I promise." What was the need for all the reassurances? Did Thalia still fear getting killed at this point? In reality, if Angelo wanted her dead, she wouldn't have had a chance to stand up. But he looked... distracted. Broken. Did losing Angela do this to him? If so, it might just be her lucky day. She kept her eyes on Angelo, guarded as ever, until they reached the door to the bathroom and vanished from sight, the clicking of the lock heard across the room.

There left the three men in the room. Kain arched his neck forward, an arrogant smile reappearing over his face. Angelo was angry and looked as hellish as he did. That's what a trip through the desert does to a man, after all. He wanted to talk, explain? There wasn't much to in Kain's mind. "I thought The Hand of Lociato wasn't supposed to love," he snickered. "Yet, here you are, in tears because I shot your partner. But get this: she deserved to die for what she's been up to in Seattle. So did her other partner, Vincent Mikael, who I also killed. But what satisfies me most is how much this hurts you..." He took a moment to let out a cocky scoff. "Hilarious. What do you want, Angelo? To kill me? I've got nothing left anyway. I just want to see Lociato and everything he's worked for burn to the ground. And now that I've brought one of his most trusted to a puddle of tears, he's surely going to meet with me in person to discuss your retirement terms. So I guess we both win.... right?"

Kain might've become in over his head provoking Angelo, to a degree it probably wasn't safe any longer. At any moment, Angelo could just lift his M1911 and end Kain in a split second. But what good would that do? Maybe Angelo wanted something from Kain beyond an explanation.
 
|:|Luca and Angelo Varundar|:|

Angelo, while maintaining a tense wrist on the gun towards everyone at his comfortable distance, shot a glance over to Thalia quick before dismissing her. "Go, take her. I have nothing against you or Kenzie." With the bathroom locked, Angelo could breathe easy knowing that Thalia wouldn't be in his peripherals the entire time. He felt the finger against the 1911's trigger flicker for a moment, ready to kill Kain and check off his to-do list. He was on the ground, Luca was on his feet, and he had the gun; Angelo had time to think. There were far deeper matters to attend to than a simple hit. Looking to Luca with a silent stare, meeting his cousin's own, Angelo dropped the magazine from his gun and slid it into his jacket, sticking the gun under his shoulder in its holster. There was a dash of tension in his hands as he coiled them inwards like sickles, stepping close to the flat Kain. He let him finish talking, and then immediately seized him with a thumb under the chin, pushing into the soft tissue beneath while his pointer and middle finger curled against the eye sockets, gripping the bottom of the holes that held his eyes so that both fingers pushed against the lower eyelid with uncomfortable force. It was like a letter Y was holding his face tightly, and Angelo pushed forward with his thumb a bit. In his right ear, Angelo picked up the increasing breath of Luca and his subtle movements. "I'm not here to kill him, Luca. Not now. I'm tempted to gouge his eyes and dump him in the desert with his toes bound together, but not yet."

Luca was in a questioning mood, between Angelo's dismissive comment about Sarah and his purpose meeting the two of them. Angelo was, to Lociato, still the hand. Killing Kain was money in the bank as it stood, and him as well. Suddenly, Luca became all the more terrified of the unknown motives in his cousin than he was of dying. "What are you here for, then? You're holding a contract in your hands, and it's personal."

"You're damn right it's personal." At the backtalk to Luca, Angelo pushed under both of the soft eyes a bit, looking into the pupils and blood capillaries with a medical analysis. It's an odd thing, the eye. Not too many nerve endings but definitely sensitive to a lot of outside contaminants. "The Hand isn't restricted to what they can do. As long as it doesn't effect their performance. You know nothing of hurt, Kain. You've been led on by your foster sister your entire life and that's ground enough for you to ditch whatever you had back in Seattle. You're not a hardened killer; you're a punk, and an entitled one at that. We all want to see Lociato fall, Kain, but you're another lone rebel against him. There's dozens in Mexico alone. You think they want it any less? You think you're the only one orphaned by Demetri? A sadist is no professional, and Lociato has no interest in meeting you unless I do retire. To him, Angela has been dead for a long time. I've been nothing but a poster boy of efficiency and dirty work, while you've been a thorn." Pulling Kain's head up so that the neck is stretched, Angelo turned to Luca and put on a tone of his own. "You've been doing this for awhile, Luca. You know how hard it is to get a look at Lociato. I'm maybe one of three people that talk to him face-to-face besides his business dealings. There's the Hand, the Head, and the Body. The Head is Lociato and his administration, but the Body is the working core of the entire business. Unless you present some admirable trait for any of these, Lociato will have no interest in you unless you provide a better way to run slaves, push drugs, bring in his guns from the Middle East, or can crunch numbers on a computer screen."

Now, instead of addressing both of them, he looked back to Kain directly and pushed his head back to the carpet with his three-fingered grip. "So, Kain, I don't want to kill you. I want you to realize what you're doing and what you ought to be doing. You want to see Lociato dead and his business destabilized? Do it methodically. Crashing a hotel room with people you made enemies in one night and shouting your demands so that anyone on this floor can hear - those that speak English - isn't methodical. It's stupid. You won't get Lociato by doing that. Mal Cielo is an information hive, but destroying it does nothing. Lociato knows he's under attack, and is gearing for war against a Central American cartel. That means he is raising an army. You can't take on an entire army, and neither can Luca. Difference is, he knows it. You need to isolate the fight. Now, stay down."

Angelo stood up, releasing his fingers and stepping away from Kain. Looking to Luca, Angelo immediately flipped over to Italian. In the foreign language, Angelo conveyed a message that was meant for his cousin specifically.

"Cugino, le braci sono qui, dobbiamo accendere, nessuno di noi può farlo come un'unità separata: pensate a Vito e Arlo nella bozza italiana, le loro lezioni e la loro saggezza: un uomo è abbastanza, due lo rendono certo. Kain non è la precisione che abbiamo bisogno, ma siamo mendicanti in un mondo scelto: Sarah è stato a Bad Sky prima ... ho tenuto d'occhio su di lei da quando Varundar è stato messo sulle sue carte. abbiamo bisogno di colpire Bad Sky come uno, tirare le informazioni da lì, e tenere gli schiavi lì. Ciò significa mettere giù ogni guardia lì, gli schiavi non saranno sicuri nella grande città, e c'è cibo per molto tempo, posso parlare adesso un buon spagnolo, perciò dovremmo essere in grado di comunicare con alcuni di loro. Non so se Sarah sia là o no: gli schiavi veterani sono in un sistema diverso da quello più recente Progettato per rompere gli schiavi più freschi, quindi tenere la pressione in modo che non si ribellino. Dobbiamo uccidere, Luca ".

"Lo so, Angelo, è una cosa difficile da pensare".

"Non pensare, cugino, questa non è la tua prima volta, è vero?" O "il secondo, il terzo o il quarto: queste persone sono spietate e oltre ogni cosa che hai visto prima".

"Posso farlo, Angelo, solo che vorrei che fosse qualcos'altro."

"Cousin, the embers are here, we have to ignite it. None of us can do this as a separate unit. Think of Vito and Arlo in the Italian Draft. Their lessons and wisdom. One man is enough; two makes it certain. Kain isn't the precision we need, but we're beggars in a choosy world. Sarah's been at Bad Sky before. I've...been keeping an eye on her ever since Varundar was put on her papers. I suppose it was family reasons. We need to hit Bad Sky as one, pull the information from there, and keep the slaves there. That means putting down every guard there; the slaves won't be safe in the big city, and there is food for a long time there. I can speak some good Spanish now, so we should be alright in communication with some of them. I don't know if Sarah will be there or not; the veteran Slaves are on a different system than the newer ones. Designed to break in fresher slaves, then keep that pressure there so they don't get rebellious. We're gonna need to kill, Luca."

Replying in his own native tongue, Luca grew somber and hesitant. "I know, Angelo. It's a hard thing to think about."

"Don't think, cousin. This isn't your first time, is it? Or the second, or third, or fourth. These people are ruthless, and beyond whatever you've seen before."

Luca, who had averted his eyes to Kain and then the wallpaper of the room, darted back at Angelo with a heavy stare, before nodding deeply. "I can handle it, Angelo. Just wishing there was something else."

In English, Angelo replied with a newfound wisdom that was granted with hardship. "Me too, Luca..." He then turned to Kain, clasping his own hands together in front of him before speaking. "Kain, we're going to attack Mal Cielo. Together. We're not eye-to-eye by no means, and you know that. But, Lociato is a much bigger fish to fry, and it'll take all three of us to get a chance to do something to him. For a compromise, I'll give you a few days to disappear off of the face of the Earth after all of this is over, and then I'm going to pursue you. I know you don't have reason to trust me, and you shouldn't, but you don't have a choice. Between me, you, and Luca, the warehouse will be easy. It is the days after that'll be hard. Thalia and Kenzie are staying out of harm's way, and you aren't laying a finger on either of them. Useless violence, and I have no reason to hold a grudge against either of them."
 
-(Kain Saunders)-

Just as he'd made his former friends out to be enemies - and treated them as such - Kain was now receiving a taste of his own medicine. Well-deserved, considering how he emptied an entire magazine of bullets into Angela as a sign of his rage, and left her for Angelo to find later. This was one enemy he sure regretted making. It didn't even take a day to be found, and now was embracing the torture, powerless on the hotel floor, and avoiding the temptation to groan or scream in pain. They've already made enough noise for a potential complaint to be filed. Part of him almost wished for Angelo to finish him off once he saw himself staring down the barrel of a gun. But Luca butted in; that wasn't what the assassin was here for. At least not entirely. Considering how Kain had a similar endgame to the Varundar cousins, they could still use each other, even though Angelo expressed his doubts about Kain's skill set. Indeed, he was overly aggressive and too emotionally motivated. A simple shot to the head would've sufficed for Angelo. For Kain? It had to be gruesome, or he'd never accept. More importantly, blowing up Bad Sky would only cause more trouble and no results.

This would've been a one-off chance for peace. Temporarily, but after, Kain would get a chance to run. Now that he was free of the rough grip of Angelo, he slowly stood to his feet, slow enough for his moves to be anticipated and no sudden movements. He huffed another sigh and spoke:

"The only thing we agree on is bringing Lociato down. But that doesn't make the enemy of the enemy my friend forever..." He stepped closer to Angelo, treading carefully like before as to not trigger another violent reaction from the bald man. "Not you. Not your cousin. You keep going on about how I don't know about pain. You're wrong. And I've got the past 15 years to clarify that. And now, whatever I had left? It's all gone. My brother was shot dead by the FBI. And now the woman who got me through childhood is going to run off into the sunset with another lover, that's not me." He winced at the thought of Kenzie probably being out of his life for good. Would she make the same mistake twice of running off without a word? Her confession earlier when Kain had her at knife-point might've suggested otherwise. But Kain couldn't imagine a life in which he'd co-exist in her life with Thalia. They weren't going to live under the same roof in some form of peace - Kain's jealousy would certainly be his undoing in that scenario. It was selfish to make it an 'it's me or her' dilemma, but that could be blamed on his own traumatic past. He wanted something permanent, and at this point, all that he could consider 'permanent' was Kenzie. Not anymore.

"Fine... we leave the place intact," he went on, "Not what I wanted at all, though. A stronger statement would be to show him that we know more about him and drag him out of hiding Destroying his property makes it pretty obvious. Just look at what happened in Seattle after the Chief's stream. Don't tell me Lociato wasn't in a state of panic that his operations on the west coast were compromised... Or, you could still drag me up to his front door and offer me up as your successor. It gets two out of three of us close enough to kill him. Don't know how Luca will get close, but it's an idea. He seems skeptic about killing anyway, but me? I just shot the sister of the woman I love with no hesitation. You think I care about killing? Not a scratch on my conscience... But if you ask me, this is a start. One step closer to me running, getting out of here. Because right now, it doesn't seem like I'm very welcome around here, anyway. All my fault, you might say? Well, can you blame me for feeling betrayed?"

-(Thalia Griffin/Kenzie Andrews)-

The noises of the yelling and arguing outside was channeled out by the two women in the bathroom. It was a situation neither wanted nor deserved at this point. Both had seen hell in one way or another, and many believed that Kenzie should go back home. She could, anyway. With her pardon, as well as Thalia's from six years ago, it was possible for them to move on, forget, fulfill their dreams from years ago. Unlike Kain, Kenzie's heart didn't exactly extend to her foster sibling as much as it once did. Too many times Kain had promised to improve himself, and too many chances she'd given him. This was the end of the line. First Henrikson, whose death Kain was still unaware of. Next, Angela, who he shot several times and forced her to beg for mercy. A heartless, brutal kill that she simply couldn't forgive. That wasn't self defense like Vincent was - this was an execution. Now, he threatened her life and even drew blood. And that's all she could think about as Thalia put pressure on the wound on her neck with a handful of toilet paper, with no proper gauze nearby.

"I... I can't believe he did that," she whimpered, her gaze centered in front of her, staring into space with no particular focus.

"I couldn't believe it either," Thalia added. "I wanted to snap his wrist for even attempting that. He didn't care for a minute if you lived or died that scratch."

"T, if Luca didn't come to help you, you could've died."

She froze in her place, realizing that she could've had a knife between her eyes had she not been saved. "I..."

"I know. You wanted to help. You couldn't let me die like that, but you put yourself in harm's way. You..."

"...promised. I know what I promised." Her voice sounded weaker at one of her recovered memories: a personal oath to Kenzie to never step in the line of fire again. Joining Luca on his quest in person would've broken that promise. "I'm sorry. I don't... want to. I really don't. I want us to go, leave Mexico. We can go anywhere we want..."

"No," Kenzie instantly answered. "We're not leaving Luca. He helped me get you back. I... I owe him. I owe it to him to at least get closure for Sarah."

The name Sarah once again recurred in conversation with Thalia. "Kenz, I met her."

Kenzie remained quiet for a moment, directing her eyes to meet her lover's. "So... it's true, what you were going on about last night."

Thalia nodded. "Luca confirmed that the woman I met was his wife. Look, I understand your motives. You want to be a hero, but you are an ER doctor, like you've always dreamed of. You are a hero in your own right, Kenz. You don't have to try and fight thugs like the rest of us do, or did. That doesn't have to be you."

"I'm not going to take up arms. But if I could give medical assistance for those other girls, girls who suffered like you did? That would mean the world to me. It'd be way more fulfilling than any of my other memories in the ER at Eve's Memorial."

"In your condition? I've seen your wounds. Do you think you're at full capacity like that? I'm not trying to be selfish or deprive you of your dreams, but this might be a task too daunting for you. I think you should go home. WE should go home. Try to rebuild what we had once before. To get better, together."

Thalia's words were out of genuine concern. Kenzie certainly didn't believe for a second that she was speaking out of any selfish desire. No, it was for her own safety. Maybe it would be more prudent to back away from the chaos. They would both stay here at the hotel no matter where Kain, Luca, and Angelo go, for sure. At least until they go home. "I'll think about it, T. But... thanks for trying to be my hero back there. As risky as it was."

The redhead grinned, her thumb stroking through Kenzie's hair. "No need for thanks. I'd happily take that knife before you did... I love you."

Besides Kain's words back in Little Italy, it'd been so long since she'd heard those words in that context. Sure, 'I love you' were the last 3 words Edward uttered for his daughter before hanging himself, audible on the stream. And it'd been so long since she and Phil had gotten along in that way. Hearing them from Thalia in this context was... different. Relieving. Genuine.

"I love you, too."
 
|:|Luca and Angelo Varundar|:|

Luca could accept Kain's words; there was no bridging the gap that was made between them, much as he wished there was a way. Angelo, in this new mindset of his, could also pull the truth from it. Luca found his cousin to be very personal now that the professional demeanor wasn't helping him anymore. Scarily so. The boxer could see anger wax and wane from his relative, finally cooling after Kain agreed to keep the place intact. Still, there was something for him to say, and Luca found himself in a bind of his own words. The three of them stood in a triangular formation in the middle of the room, and Luca shot glances to both Kain and Angelo every few moments. Putting in his own sentiment, Luca spoke. "Kain, not one of us betrayed you..."

Angelo froze his words with a strong stare before turning to Kain, his teeth gritting. "You've been turned inside out by a corrupt justice system long before any of this, Luca. Kain is another victim of that same thing. No, Kain, you've been betrayed. Not by Kenzie, not by Luca, but by yourself. You think pain is watching your foster sister find a happier life? Watching a close friend of your's find her happiness once more? It's entitlement that betrayed you, no one else. Frankly, you don't deserve Kenzie, and I didn't deserve Angela, but that doesn't matter. An orphan with a dead sibling is lost, but a better man moves on over time. The pain I speak of is loneliness; you've had a shoulder to lean on for a very long time, be it Kenzie or your brother, be it however estranged you two may have been. I know loneliness. I've spent sixteen years under Lociato's thumb, taking in blood money to fill that emptiness until I found myself with Angela, and for a few days I was happy. That was taken from me. If Angela had love for another, I would've never stood in her way. Her happiness meant more to me than my own."

"We're not here to trade stories, though. Keeping the warehouse intact keeps us off Lociato's radar for a short while. Destroying it lets him know we have more of an arsenal than he was aware of. By God, if Demetri pulls in all international resources to deal with a domestic problem, and he certainly will after a sign of a cartel war like warehouse destruction, we don't stand a chance. In the years I've worked under and beside Lociato, I've never seen him dragged out of his compound. Everything is done by a middle-man, and now that he fears for his own life, his diplomatic actions are cut short. What happened in Seattle caused a storm down here, and got a lot of his assets killed. I spent 48 hours awake in Seattle trying to kill thirty-odd members on a kill list. I wasn't the only one working emergency eliminations; probably over two hundred employees killed, and not at all subtly. Lociato wants to avoid an international investigation. As for panicking...you need to know the man for years to understand how he thinks. There's a real lack of outward expression. If he was scared shitless, I wouldn't have known. It was probably his launderers that were more terrified; they had to move millions of dollars through however many countries to make sure Lociato's profit is still in the green. Lord knows how many of my accounts are unfrozen, just so Lociato can still count on my service. I stood to gain a few million from all of this, but I stand to gain a bit of pride from finishing my employer and living life by my terms again."

Angelo pondered bringing Kain directly as a form of closing the gap between them and Lociato, but then found himself drawing away from it, in a way relieving Luca. "No, he'll catch on. He'll realize who's been playing the long con, although I'll doubt he'll assume it is you playing it. He knows that Thalia was taken before all of you came down to Mexico, now that your flight and pardons were documented. He's drafting it as a cartel war, but if I suddenly appear with the person I earlier introduced as a replacement? He'll figure that I'm trying to get away before shit hits the fan. Lociato is one of the smartest sonofabitches I've ever known, so I won't put it past him to deduce that. Oddly enough, it's your ability to kill that I really questioned while sourcing you as a replacement. You have passion murders down to a T; Angela, Kenzie as a hostage being a critical sign of this, and the pursuit after Lociato and removing obstacles in your way using weaponry. But not motiveless. You're told to wipe a family off the map, and not like Brookes. Brookes was no hitman, but I was a damn pup in the Lociato cartel at the time the job was done, so he was all Lociato had. He couldn't be bothered to kill the rest of the Saunders. He was offered money; the Hand will end up doing jobs simply to keep his employment. I cracked a preteen's skull with a bronze candlestick; it's murder without a motive that really weighs down on someone."

Luca let himself be shocked, listening to Angelo break down Kain's homicidal tendencies to a science, in a tone that suggested debate rather than reprimanding a child. Angelo was simply explaining from his own experience, and it deeply unsettled Luca. There was deep and dark tones to Angelo Luca wanted to keep hidden. Guilt in a new sense, and a bit of depression underneath an angry exterior. "Christ, Angelo...I wanted to be there for you, but you left."

"I had to, Luca." His gaze didn't waver from Kain, but his attention was no longer focused on the sand-covered man.

Luca threw his rebuttal with force, crossing his arms. "Really? Why?"

"Because I had to, Luca!" Angelo snapped, turning his head for a moment and releasing his fists into hands, the tension relieving from the muscles after the outburst. Luca was taken aback for a bit, softer in his approach.

"I guess I knew...just..."

"No, you didn't know. And it wasn't your fault. Arlo was a piece of shit to begin with."

It was one word, but Luca felt rather than heard the omitted word 'dad' when Angelo spoke about his father. It took strides to show Luca about the strained relationship they once had. "Back in New York, you could've stayed with us."

"Heh, and drain you of the five dollars your family lived off of? I had different morals back then, Cugino."

Luca found himself at an impasse, slowly coming to the resolution to change topics. "You mentioned something about Sarah earlier, Angelo?"

The assassin let out a debilitated breath before nodding. The aggression between the two was taken out yesterday; it no longer mattered who could hurt each other more. "Not now. Kain will weaponize it if he wants to put her in jeopardy. As a chip against you if things go south."

With a new set of who could be counted as allies and enemies, Luca could sympathize completely with the distrust. He returned the nod, turning his body back to face the triangle again. "I understand. We should head out, soon. Angelo, take apart your gun and keep Kain's knife with you."

"He won't get my gun with it buried under all of this." He indicated with a simple hand gesture to his jacket, zipped tightly to his body. Still, he did have the knife that Kain earlier dropped, picking it up with a quick dash of his foot and hand. "But yeah, I get the idea. Wash up, Kain. Me and Luca need to speak." Raising his voice a bit to pierce through to the two girls, Angelo aimed his words to them. "You can come out, now. I'm not planning on wasting anyone today."
 
-(Kain Saunders/Kenzie Andrews/Thalia Griffin)-

The majority of Angelo's tirade did revolve around Kain, but he tried his hardest to channel out the voices and comparisons. He and Angelo were two different animals with different paths, so whatever definition of 'lonely' they had might've varied. But as hard as he tried to ignore, some words around him simply... stuck. Angelo had, quite really, not a single person in his life, and he channeled his own cousin to be distant. Kain had lost a great deal as a child, but he still had his brother. He had the Chief - though his parents' killer - and his daughter as the solid foundation of a family for him to lean on. And yet, time and time again, he'd ignore that any of it exists and he'd lash out as a maniac, suicidal, and, more recently, homicidal. It was a shock that Kenzie had some sort of hope in him all this time, up until recently. Had she finally given up? How could she ever forgive him after the stunt he'd pulled on the front door? At the very least, she wouldn't want to spend the rest of her life with him. At worst, she'd cut him out for good, never to see him again. Maybe he was asking for it, and Angelo was right about him not deserving her. But that's how criminals are: they don't deserve anyone.

"Who ever said I gave a damn for your sob stories, either?" Kain huffed with a hardened facial expression he had no intention of lightening up. "Whatever abandonment or cute little romance you might've had? Keep that shit to yourself. Because we're not friends, and never will be. We just want the same thing: to kill your employer. Then we can all go back to our shit lives and never have to see each other again. Whatever I do after this isn't your concern, just as whatever you or Luca, even the girls... whatever you do won't make me lose sleep at night. But the show must go on. We started something in Seattle that snowballed into something bigger, something that solved a burning question I've had for the longest time. A mystery that I been scratching my head over for years. One that Dave didn't believe until he saw it for himself and was almost killed for it..." Dave's time came creeping up to his doorstep in another way, but what was important in Kain's eyes was that he wasn't martyred by his role model. "My investment is to see the man who ruined my life dead. Nothing further. Angelo, you seek freedom. Luca, you want reclamation. I just want vengeance. Different goals, same endgame."

Kain's eyes dropped back to his body and legs, at how he hadn't showered and hardly rested in his dash through the desert. He was still confused as to how Angelo tracked him down this quickly and so efficiently. It was even greater of a shock to the man himself how he survived the dash to society. He was exhausted, smelled terrible, looked filthy... he needed a shower and a nap before going anywhere. It seemed like there was a great deal to discuss between the cousins, but not in front of him. They were going to be extra cautious around a loose cannon and not reveal too many details. After all, Kain had just marched in with the woman he allegedly loves, and a knife to her throat. The fact he so much as attempted that erased the benefit of the doubt Kenzie once had for him. Whatever sweetheart she remembered of him as a child was long gone. He turned his head to the bathroom. The girls hadn't left or made any noise in the time that they've been in there. Kain was afraid to walk in and catch them in the act, trigger his jealous side, and act out of anger. And he didn't think Angelo would spare him twice. But would he really stand by the woman he was holding as a bargaining chip - Thalia, who, odds are, was probably less than obedient around him?

But Angelo called them out, and the first face to walk out was the redhead, who'd grabbed and wore a pair of black pants left in the bathroom from her partner. She didn't trust Kain after his little stunt. Angelo? She had a run-in with him a few days ago, sure, but she didn't want him dead and wouldn't look for trouble where there was none. He put Kain's actions to a halt, and she could at least side with him that the man needed to be put on a tight leash. She looked between the three men outside, then her head turned back to the inside, giving a nod, then returning to the outside.

"You touch her? I'll snap your neck," she snarled, her death glare and emotionally-charged words directed to Kain more than Angelo. She worried the bald man would take his aggression out on her or Kenzie. She simply asked that her lover remain untouched, even if Angelo had incentive to do harm upon her for not handing over payment for her safe return. Was that all water under the bridge already? Soon, she emerged from the bathroom, hand in hand with Kenzie, whose neck was patched in gauze and medical tape in the most amateur of ways, but it was good enough. Though they were holding hands, Thalia made sure to have the leading steps, ensuring that Kain wouldn't get close without her in his way. She was paranoid and untrusting, and for good reason. She didn't fear him for almost tasting death to his knife, but rather despised him. She didn't remember much of Kain from her girlfriend's tales from college, but she got enough of the picture in such a short time.

Kain ignored the former slave's threat and only exchanged menacing glares as he stepped closer, noticing at she was blocking his way to avoid getting even a meter close to Kenzie. Likewise, Kain didn't fear Thalia. He'd just bested her in combat, and, with just one more second, would've planted a knife into one of her eye sockets without a second thought. His inner killer that he'd suppressed for so long was now out in the open. And this was all without knowing that ex-Director Henrikson didn't survive his injury back in Seattle. It made him re-evaluate his past killings. Those three cops were his first works, none of them had propelled him forward in his hunt. Then there was Vincent Mikael and Angela Parker, two people - partners - who'd worked for Lociato for many years. Killing Vincent saved Dave's life, while killing Angela ended her threats over Kenzie's head. He believed he killed for the right reason, but now he was routing back to bloodlust, much like before. But this time, he had no intention to simply... stop. His head rolled away from Thalia, his shoulder brushing across hers roughly as he passed her and entered the bathroom, locking the door behind him. At least, he could freshen up.

With Kain out of sight, the tenseness in Thalia's actions lessened and she redirected her focus to Luca, her hand still keeping a hold of Kenzie's. She was still unsure about Angelo's motives, even if he didn't intend to kill today. She took a look back and forth to Luca and Angelo. She would've never guessed that they were cousins at first, but hearing Luca's story established that the two were, indeed, related, and had a convoluted history, too. With Kenzie still in shock and looking to the ground - a massive contrast in comparison to her powerful stance against Amelia Hale - Thalia took the initiative to ask the obvious: "Everything alright? Is Kain going to be a problem?"
 
|:|Luca and Angelo Varundar|:|

Angelo had struck a nerve with Kain, and Kain had done his verbal damage to Angelo in kind. Discounting Angela as a small romance propelled Angelo to step forward a foot, walking into Luca's outstretched arm to halt his movement, giving him time to reconsider. There was something to say, maybe to defend what he once had, but he couldn't find the words. He was trained to kill, not argue. The former skill was creeping up on him more and more, though, and Luca was the only thing blocking him. Luca himself was caught in a situation he never wanted to see; Kain as an enemy and Angelo as a pseudo-ally who was the biggest threat of all. Going fisticuffs again would be devastating after his busted rib, and Angelo would have no problem cleaning out the entire hotel room with his gun and Kain's knife. Arming him was bad, but arming Kain was worse and Luca didn't trust himself to keep the weapons away from Kain's prying hands. Angelo had many more holsters and layers of clothing to bury them.

Thalia's face bore an odd display of emotion for Angelo that refused to surface on his face. There wasn't anger, but rather regret. She was a constant reminder of why Angela died, and it hurt Angelo like a bullet to look at her. There was also empathy; both of them were prisoners under Lociato, with very different roles. Angelo was free, and so was she, but the scars still remained. Nothing prevented him from draining any and all accounts and disappearing, but Angelo knew that there'd be no point in doing so. He needed purpose to survive. Wiping Lociato off the map and hunting Kain afterwards was a purpose. Thalia's threat was tangible given her background, but Angelo suspected that he wasn't the one worthy of scorn. It dimly dawned upon him that he had smacked her a few days ago. Something insignificant to him was a first impression for her. His quick eyes, as well as Luca's, saw the protection Thalia gave Kenzie, using herself as a shield. At the sight of this fact, Angelo shot a quick glance to Luca. They met eyes, communicating in the nonverbal fashion of two people who knew each other like they knew themselves. Thalia would die for Kenzie.

With Kain locked in the bathroom, both of the Varundars could isolate their focus to the room at hand. Between the two of them, there was heat to be quelled in a more civil manner, and a professional plan to form around Lociato. Thalia's question was natural and expected for Luca, so he seized the opportunity to reply with some better news. "It's settled, now. Between me and Angelo, Kain won't be a threat at all. We're fine, and Kenzie's safe, thank God." Luca turned his head to his cousin, asking something that's been on his mind for a bit. "How did you find Kain like that, though? It's not even a full day since the trade."

Angelo tracked Kain with instinct and training, and done it so naturally that he hadn't stopped to think about the speed at which he had done so. It took effort to remember the exact steps as to how he did so. "Well, Luca, I figured from the footprints out in the desert that Kain didn't have the footwear to trek farther south, nor the food. For a desert, there's some good waterholes around that Kain would be hydrated well. But the problem with the heat is that he'd be burning calories at a crazy fast rate. Besides, there's nothing for him down south, but he would've figured you guys would be in the city again. Should've rested in the car somewhere, Luca. Anyhow, once I deduced that Kain was moving back to the city, I thought of where he'd want to go. He was penniless and desperate, so finding you guys was the only thing reasonable. I actually wanted to find him, then you three, but a contact of mine told me that you were holing up here overnight."

Luca stopped his story telling there, making a slicing motion with his hands. "Hold on, a contact? How'd he recognize any of us? Even if Lociato sent out a physical description of all of us, there's a lot of people to look at in Mexico."

"Oddly enough, an old fan of your boxing gig worked at the auto-shop across the street. He relayed that to the informant, and told me to check the hotels near the airport. Not sure how Kain found you guys, though. I knew he put Kenzie in some kind of hostage hold, and was noisy enough for me to pick up why he bothered coming back even as I was moving down the hall, but he didn't say how he found her."

Luca was surprised at the sheer coincidence that he'd be recognized by someone who used to watch him. It was humorous in hindsight, but if Angelo was here to kill, it would've been a devastating thing to learn. "Well, shit. I don't know how he found us, either. He might've tracked Kenzie from her shopping trip."

"You sent her shopping? A white chick went shopping in a Mexican city? Christ, Luca."

"It was just bad luck that Kain found her."

"It was an unnecessary risk. You could've gone."

"Angelo, you shot me. My rib is busted good and Kenzie didn't want me to go bustling through human traffic. I'll be good to take down a warehouse soon, though."

Angelo nodded his head, but still felt that it would've been better for Kenzie to shave her head, or otherwise alter her appearance. "So finding Kain was easy, is what I'm trying to say." Turning to face Thalia and Kenzie directly, Angelo sighed, picking his words. "Kain is going to be a problem. Me and Luca will alternate watch throughout the night to make sure he doesn't take advantage of us when our guards are down. But, he's an extra man for the Bad Sky - Mal Cielo - attack. You and Kenzie can take a backseat for this one, seeing as how neither of you are in prime physical shape. Lociato doesn't feed those slaves well. He can't afford to starve anyone, but there is a definite lack of protein in their diets. It might take you a bit to gain the strength you used to have, Thalia. Neither you or Kenzie need to tread around me, though. I've been one hell of a terrible human being for nearly two decades, but I'm not going to kill anyone just because I'm mad. Kenzie, much as I know he's been foster family for most of your life, Kain's gonna die. After Lociato, I'm giving him some time to get away before I go after him, but there's not much that he'll be able to do. I'm...sorry that your family's been so twisted by Lociato." Turning to face Thalia head-on, Angelo tipped his head forward to show some kind of regret. "I should apologize for smacking you a few days back, Thalia. It was a professional move, nothing personal, but definitely not a good way to introduce myself. I've never been good with first impressions, all things considered. I don't blame you for Angela's death, but damn it all if that's the only thing that comes to mind when I look at you."

Luca knew there was pain in Angelo. He could sense it, but barely. Angelo buried emotion so deeply that it was like sifting through a book, but in an entirely different language. It was almost inhuman, seeing him flick between anger, depression, and what almost sounded like an attempt at humor at the recollection of slapping Thalia. Luca didn't find it funny, but he wasn't there to understand what Angelo was really talking about.
 
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-(Thalia Griffin/Kenzie Andrews)-

It seemed as if Kain had no friends left in that room. But at the same, time, it meant that he was the enemy of Kenzie and Thalia's enemy - Angelo. Did that necessarily make him a friend? Not in a traditional sense, and maybe not permanently given their convoluted history. Sure, Angelo had nothing to do with the conspiracy surrounding Thalia's feigned death and slavery, but he was involved with the same organization that made it happen. He was in love with the mastermind, too. Sure, he had no clue about this sinister plot to tie up a loose end until recently, but it stung all the same. It wasn't so much a slap in the face that had Thalia on edge around him - such disciplinary actions were nothing short of what she'd received in the ring. No, it was rather his intentions, picking up pieces of his past judging by his conversations with Luca. Thalia didn't know Italian, but she knew French and some Spanish, so she could roughly pick up some of what they were saying. Strange how she never knew why she could speak two languages codominantly up until now when her memories were returning, but at least her life began to make sense once again. She and Angelo were a lot alike... both on a darker path, but now, it seemed like Angelo wanted to be away from it, all for the same reason as Thalia: love. At least they had that common ground to stand on.

While it was a relief that Kain wouldn't be a problem any longer, there was still the issue of the future: who was to stop Kain from taking vengeance when this is over? What if he decides to take matters into his own hands and kill the four of them once Lociato is dead? All bets were off given how he almost killed the woman he claims to love. In Angelo's eyes, ending Kain was the only logical option to maintain peace. And after almost facing death to his hand... Thalia almost wanted him dead right now. Why wait till later? She could try her best to hold her own through her own weakness, if the cousins wanted a third pair of hands so badly. Why did it have to be Kain? Did they need someone that savage or brutal to possibly compromise their goal? They might've agreed to leaving the place intact and not making too much noise, but who was to stop Kain from breaking his own word? He already broke his word to never hurt Kenzie just a few moments ago. Quite the opposite of her take, though, just hearing the thought of Kain being killed, as hostile as he'd become, made Kenzie's stomach flop. She never held any malice in her heart for him, no matter how badly he'd been perceived by the masses. She gave him a chance when no other did, and it was that glint of hope that made him a good man when he wanted to be. Take that away, and Kain would be nothing short of an animal in need of being put down. It would take him to the grave, which she didn't want. Her grip with Thalia's hand become more tense and uneasy, so much as to part from it almost instantly after hearing Angelo say that Kain would die if he ever sees him again.

"No," Kenzie firmly answered. Her steps grew closer to Angelo, marching by Thalia to face the bald assassin head-on. It didn't make her friend very comfortable, knowing and understanding the strength and brutality that Angelo had within him. What if he attacks her? He just confirmed that he wasn't going to kill them, so why poke the bear? "No, Angelo. You're not killing Kain. I understand that you're angry at him. What he did to Angela was uncalled for and wrong. I can't agree with you more. But if you want the truth? He's done many things wrong in his past, things he's tried to make up for. I don't believe that the only way he can stop him is if he dies. There's... gotta be another way we can get him help."

Thalia gave Kenzie's words a good listen, but something wasn't quite right. Normally when Kenzie talks, it was with confidence - she would be convinced of her own words and put them out there with all of her heart. It was an attitude she saw when they took their ethics course with Professor Hale in Yale, and a similar attitude Luca noticed with the same professor when she was made acting governor. Kenzie was a dominant force in argumentation, but something about her words about Kain seemed less than usual. It was as if part of her agreed that her foster brother had no hope to recover, but she refused to admit it. She was still fighting for that bit of hope in her heart as she always did before. Hell, the only reason Kain wasn't locked up for 15 years was because she was able to talk her father into the deal and convince Kain to take it. Now? She didn't seem so convinced anymore.

"Kenz..." the redhead sighed, staying in her place behind Kenzie. She didn't make any sudden movements or step in the way, just to make the doctor a bit more comfortable. "He used you as a bargaining chip. He could've killed you... could've killed ME, damn it."

Kenzie's head titled slightly to Thalia's direction. "I don't think he'd do that again after seeing what that landed him."

"Bullshit. He'd do it and probably worse at this rate. He knows he can get to us that way now, using you as the weak link, and he will exploit it if he gets a chance..."

"T, shut up," she finally turned around, now face to face with Thalia, and clearly unhappy with her words. "You don't know him like I do."

Thalia grew silent for a moment, noticing the sadness and anger in Kenzie's eyes reflecting as it did in her voice. What could she say? "That man that walked you in with a knife to your throat..." Her hand lifted to the gauze on her neck, a simple reminder of what had conspired not long ago. "Do you really think he's the same little foster brother you know and love?"

This time, it was Kenzie left at a loss for words. What was worse is that part of her knew this was true. Even she was losing faith in Kain, but she didn't want to admit to it. She shook her head very faintly. Her voice cracked softly, "There's gotta be another way that doesn't involve killing him."

"Mm... How about we cross that bridge when it comes?"

"No." Kenzie's voice reproduced another flare of aggression like she had moments ago. "You give me your word, T... If Angelo tries to kill Kain, you'll stop him."

How could Thalia answer that? She knew she couldn't take on a juggernaut like Angelo, not in her condition. She couldn't even imagine laying a finger on him. Her head peeked over Kenzie's shoulder to meet Angelo's eyes for a moment. She knew very well that she wouldn't stand a chance against the man. Not to mention that he'd happily plow through Thalia and leave her for dead if she got in his way. Did it even matter that Angelo was literally not far as she was saying this? But seeing how fragile Kenzie's mental state was in comparison to her own, Thalia had to give her a positive answer. "He'll have to go through me first. I promise."

At least those words let a quick smile escape Kenzie's lips. Her hand met Thalia's as it fell from her neck wound. She learned to trust Thalia and find her word genuine, even for a former criminal. Hearing that she'd defend Kain, even if she didn't want to, cut it for her. She understood she was left at an impasse, but her priorities seemed to be in place. "Thank you..." she spoke in slightly louder than a whisper as she took a step back to turn around, now back in Angelo's sights. As much as she could beg Thalia to get in the way, it was worth a word with Angelo, too. "You keep him restrained. But you don't kill him."

It didn't seem like she was waiting for Angelo's approval either, as she brushed right by him in favor of the third person in the room... Luca. He was probably the only face of reason in the room at this point. Hearing Angelo propose killing Kain and Thalia even slightly defend him left her questioning their words. Kain might be a goner all because he annoyed all of the wrong people. But if there was anyone in the room, apart from herself, that didn't condone the killing, it was Luca. She knew that for a fact, even with the horrors of his past. Luca knew of his deeds. But after the events with the FBI director, then Angela? Was there room for Luca to forgive him? She did watch the two get into a fight, after all. And it didn't seem like much changed after that. Once she was close enough, her voice dropped to a solid whisper. "Y-You don't think we have to kill him, right?"

What was supposed to be a team might've just been split into two parties: the ones who wanted Kain dead, and the ones that didn't. Thalia, unfortunately, stood with Angelo. While Kenzie had her back turned and was directing her focus to Luca, Thalia gave her attention to the man that worked with the woman pulling her strings. Now, to reply to a few of his words from earlier without Kenzie to stop her. "I don't hold any of your abuse towards me against you," she whispered, close to his ear. She tried her best to leave her words inaudible for Kenzie. Her eyes dropped down to the burn marks across her arm, the reminder of her ordeals as a slave that were far worse than a slap to the face, as she continued. "I think I suffered worse long before you came along. But I know one thing we can't suffer from from now on. You may not want to kill me and Kenzie just because you're angry, but we can't take a chance that Kain won't fuck everything up because HE'S angry. You saw what he would do to get his way. And I don't think keeping him alive will do us any good. I know you and that Luca guy are capable, but Kain? He's dangerous and unpredictable. And I don't want to wake up one day to realize he killed Kenzie out of anger or jealousy. So no, I'm not going to get in your way when you decide to end him. Not extensively. I might fake an attempt to stop you to give Kenzie that peace of mind, but that's it. Just so you know... we're on the same page, as strange as that sounds."
 
Angelo wasn't expecting Kenzie to easily accept his announcement. It was, after all, family to her. He wasn't a master of reading emotions or verbal cues, but body language was a given when it came to preemptively defending himself. Watching her approach him after such a strong denial spurred his own step forward, which didn't go unnoticed by Luca. The boxer put his larger frame ahead of his cousin, pushing back roughly on Angelo's chest and sending a sharp, silent glare back. Shaking his head and gritting his teeth like he tasted something bitter, Angelo stopped and formed his own thoughts rather than speaking. He wasn't interested in helping Kain; quite the opposite, really. He was outnumbered in that situation, though, and chose not to make his thoughts known. God knew what Luca was thinking, though. He was a blank slate.

Luca, not thinking of Angelo's side of the argument but Kenzie's, wasn't coy to her red flags. She didn't want Kain dead, but she had no idea if it was possible to avoid such a grisly end. It unnerved him to see her question anything, as he viewed her as an intellectual elite. Thalia was right, though. Kain wasn't exactly deserving of mercy. Luca wasn't one to kill, but Kain needed to see the error of his ways. It was the only way for him to have a chance of changing for the better. That was the other way, really. Isolated, guarded rehabilitation. He knew Angelo didn't give a damn about whether or not Kain can be a good person. All that mattered was finishing the job. Regardless of pay, Angelo was relying on hitman instinct. Turning to face his cousin, Luca let out his own ideas. "You can't kill him, not when there's still a chance that he can change."

Angelo brought his burning eyes to look at Luca's, pointing a finger forward to get his attention directly. "I don't give a damn about whether or not he can become some reborn Christian or a moved man. He killed Angela, and I'm repaying the favor."

Luca depleted himself of another sigh, his shoulders visibly dropping a bit. "For Kenzie's sake, I can't let you do that."

It would be paltry to threaten Luca with death. He had faced it before from more than just Angelo, and both of them knew that they were stalemates in fighting. Angelo could play the long con and eventually get him, but his cousin was surely aware of that. Instead, he resolved with a compromise. "He's got to feel something. What I felt. He only cares for himself, Luca. You saw it yourself; Kenzie is dirt to him now. I can't threaten her, or you, or Thalia. The only thing I can do that'll get to him is take advantage of Kenzie-" He read the quick flash of movement from Luca's side, but didn't have the time to stop it. A hard drive of a fist landed in his gullet, pushing air out of him and causing him to step back a few steps. In pained words, Angelo stood up and continued. "-I didn't mean I was going to. That's the kind of stuff that'll get to Kain, but it won't make him feel destroyed. It isn't like losing someone you love; he'll just be angry. I want to make him feel depressed, alone, and robbed. I also want him dead. If I can't have one, I need the other."

Luca started to reply, then stopped. Isn't that exactly what he wanted with Lociato? Death and rightful misery? Was he one to make a proper call on how one enacted vengeance on their lover's killer? Perhaps not, but with Kenzie in mind he couldn't let it happen. "Look, we'll figure him out later. He can't just die, Angelo. That solves nothing in the grand scheme. It might feel good for a month or even a year, but you'll eventually wonder about what went through Kain's head, and if there was something else than himself driving him that night."

"It's a hell of a thing to tell a contract killer that he'll grow a conscience."

In a rhetorical tone, Luca rebutted. "Is it so odd, though? You grew love for someone at this point in your life, and also hate. You're becoming a man, and Kain is becoming a beast. We can make him change, someday, and maybe he'll eventually ask for your forgiveness. He'll grow guilt like you developed anger."

Angelo wasn't expecting much in the way of wisdom from his cousin - neither of them really were educated, but Luca was severely stifled in academics compared to him - but found himself unable to argue against it. Not that he accepted it, but to say he was wrong was a lie. Stepping away from his cousin, Angelo could do naught but reluctantly nod to Kenzie. For now, he was restrained. He did say that Kain had two days after all of this was over, after all. Looking for someone he knew wouldn't oppose a little bloodshed, Angelo leaned his body down so that his head was comfortably close to Thalia. He knew that him hitting her was nil compared to what she went through, but he didn't want to leave it unaddressed. Like he hoped and wanted, Thalia saw the problem that Kain was. Hell, she'd be ready for Angelo to kill Kain right now. But he couldn't do so, not without ruining a way to Lociato. Angelo did want to live after all of this. "I...figured you'd see the threat. You and me have been around dangerous men like him for the better part of our lives; hell, I am one of them. Kenzie and Luca are both tough people, but they're too optimistic. People like Kain don't change after they go down on this spiral. He doesn't even warrant Kenzie as his family any more. I don't plan on attacking Kain in full view of everyone here; I'd be lying if I told you that I didn't enjoy the hunt. I'll let him decide; find someone he's willing to stay with that I won't kill or try to disappear. If he hurts whoever has the heart to house him, I'll do him in. If he screws up our attack on Lociato or - God help him - tries to threaten Luca with Sarah, I'll cut his hands off and send him out in the Canadian wilderness. I doubt it'll come to that, though. What'll likely happen is Kain will try to hide from me. I'm happy to know you recognize the problem here, though. I don't judge Kenzie for protecting him, but it needs to happen."

While Angelo went off to plot with Thalia, Luca dropped his own head and whispered right back to Kenzie. "No, of course not. It'll be hard, but after all of this, I want to separate Kain from society for a good while and try to bring him to a conscience, or some kind of guilt. I'm hoping that killing Lociato will bring some kind of peace to him, and I want Kain to visit his brother's grave, if he has one. It'll give him a good perception of who loves him as family and friend. I briefly thought about doing him in, myself. When he had you at knife-point...God, Kenzie, I wanted to hurt him bad. It was an impulse, though. I don't think Angelo will go after Kain now, and I'll try my damnedest to make sure he doesn't go after him at all. Angelo, if he doesn't outright kill him, wants to torture Kain. Full-fledged isolation and loneliness. Probably worse, but he didn't tell me. Sarah would want to help Kain, I know that. But, Kenzie, we have to let ourselves know now; if Kain cannot make some kind of recovery over time, or express any kind of remorse, we can't let those countless murders go unpunished."
 
A powerhouse of a team consisting of the four only be somewhat united, considering how two of them had one way of dealing with their loose end, Kain, while the other two had a different approach. Was Kain beyond repair? Or was there some good left in him, even just enough to change his ways again? Clearly, the four were at an impasse: Thalia and Angelo on board Kain dropping dead, but Luca and Kenzie with other plans for rehabilitation. And as much as the two sides would debate, odds are, neither were going to change, and now it was coming close to scheming against each other behind the other's back. Did Thalia know that Kenzie would never approve of her asking for Kain to be killed mercilessly? Definitely. But in her mind, the solution was different and clear-cut. If Kain were allowed to live and went to jail for his crimes, who was to stop him from escaping and coming after Kenzie all over again? And what if, this time, she's alone and defenseless, and he kills her out of jealousy and rage? There's no way Luca and Thalia could keep eyes on their mutual friend forever, and odds are, there would come a time when Kenzie is alone, and Kain would take advantage of it in a heartbeat. And that's what motivated her to whisper words of encouragement to the inner killer thriving in Angelo.

But she remained quiet, because now, Kenzie was speaking a bit more out loud, to Luca. Perhaps it was on purpose so that she and Angelo could hear. It was as if her words had to be known to the opposing side. It felt more like a confession after hearing what Luca had to say about rehabilitation. His views were in line with hers, but she had an inner guilt to air out. Perhaps an underlying reason to the clash that had happened moments ago.

"I can't help but feel at blame for this," Kenzie bowed her head, eyelids shut, but her body positioned to face Luca. "You know Kain's story. Where he came from, why he is as he is... unpredictable, sometimes rash, violent. All rooted from losing his parents. He felt alone, and he found company in... well, me...."

Thalia rolled her eyes in disbelief at what she was anticipating Kenzie to go on about. "You're not saying that you should've... catered to his every whim so he wouldn't become a homicidal maniac, are you?"

"No," she shook her head, not even looking back to give her friend a solid look. Her gaze was still lowered as she spoke, recalling the events of her past, the joint past between herself and Kain. "N-Not quite. Kain has always seen me as a source of hope. I was there for him when he tried to kill himself... both times. I was there to hear all of his tales of nightmares through childhood. I got him out of a 15 year jail sentence and even found him a job back in Seattle. He had me to look up to and depend upon, and I stayed hopeful because I saw a light in him, one that nobody else saw. I believed he had the capacity to change... up until he promised me to never kill someone again, and later that same day, cut a man's hand off to extract information... and now that man is gone." Though Thalia and Angelo were strangers to what she was speaking of, the doctor elevated her gaze to focus on Luca. "Henrikson is dead. Angela told me before things went amiss in the desert. It scares me, because I don't know if that voids his immunity agreement. Torturing a federal agent is one thing I could talk around. Murdering him, even indirectly... it might give Amelia a shot at prosecuting him, and I'm probably not gonna be let anywhere near that case. Not without my father to pull some strings for me. And now? Part of me feels like, if you weren't there, he might've killed the director. He would've hacked him to pieces and ran away." Her gaze floated over her shoulder, this time at the bald assassin. "Just like he did to Angela. Hit and run...." Her head recentered between her shoulders, her fingers fiddling with one another before her, even the artificial one to a degree. She still couldn't move it, but at least the phantom pain was significantly less. Improvements, thanks to the medication she was given before leaving.

"I gave up hope in Kain after he did that to Henrikson. But that's where the mistake began. Kain let darkness back into his heart, and I could've helped him release it again. And what do I do, as foolish as I was? I treated him like shit. I stopped acknowledging his indirect but desperate cries for help, and look what he did after. He killed someone else. A corrupt woman but.... she had a lover in her life. God damn it, she was blood, whether I want to admit it or not..." Her eyes clenched shut, head hanging low, in an attempt to subdue tears. "I shouldn't have shut him out. He might not have transformed into a monster again. And now? He's destroying his own life because the one person who still had hope in him let him go. And he made it clear this was personal when he held that knife at me like that. The Kain I know would never do that..."

Thalia was slightly convinced that this might just be a personal attack, keeping an eye on the door to the bathroom. Kain was rather silent in there, only the sounds of the faucet heard from their position. But she didn't trust Kain would stay put and not barge in on their discussion. She held her guard, but couldn't help but feel affected by Kenzie's story. She took a few steps forward, placing a hand on her shoulder, feeling the tenseness in her joints. "Kenz... this isn't your fault. You couldn't have know..."

"Yes, I could've," she gulped, choking on her words and slowly making her way to take a seat on one of the cheap seats in the room. She was, obviously, assisted by her lover, who stayed by her side in her fragile state. She went back to Luca's words about visiting his brother and gave a faint nod. "I also negotiated with Amelia to ensure my father and Dave get proper funerals, even with the events leading up to their deaths. I would appreciate it if he went to see his brother. Dave was a role model to him for a while, and the one person who's been there for him since the beginning. It's.... tragic. Tragic that Kain had to watch his brother dying in his arms like that. Think what you want about Kain, but he didn't deserve that."

Even with her strong feelings against the cold-blooded killer, Thalia nodded as well, finally in agreement. "N-No... No, he didn't."

A moment of silence came over the two girls before Kenzie lifted her head to the three fighters around her. "I know Kain has hurt you all and has provoked a reaction out of each of you. I don't condone of anything he's done. Especially not executing Angela. With that in mind, we treat him like a human being until he acts out like an animal. In which case, you let me deal with it. It's my mess, and I want to clean it up."

Thalia's eyebrows arched, kneeling to Kenzie's level again. "No way. You? Alone? He'll kill you if he gets that chance."

"Not if you keep him restrained. Keep him held down and unable to attack, and I'll talk with him. But if you want to prevent that from happening, I suggest you all start treating him like a person, not some animal, so he can be convinced that he has hope of being normal again. It's a feeling he once felt to me, and now, I don't know if he'll believe it from me just like that. But you guys? If you don't want him ruining your plans? I say, your first step is to stop threatening him and kicking him around, and at least show him he can be trusted. I mean, caging an animal will only make him even more enraged, right?"

Though she did have an explanation, Thalia couldn't stomach the idea of giving Kain wiggle room, and her glare between the Varundar cousins showed it. Disgust. Were they really going to tell Kain he can do as he pleases without a leash? No way, and if one of those men agreed to it and allowed it, Thalia would be the first to stop that monster in waiting.

...Even if that meant killing him and breaking Kenzie's heart.
 
Luca was focusing on Kenzie, but felt his mind split into several different fragments, watching each piece of the room. Angelo's posture and hands, Thalia's communication with him (although it was undecipherable to Luca's ears), and Kenzie herself. She wasn't emotionally sound since Nathan Wells got a hold of her, an incident that Luca still kicked himself over. He was facing Kenzie directly, and could see how guilty she felt. The way she didn't look at him as she spoke or to Thalia sent waves. In his mind, Kain being unpredictable was putting it softly, but he wasn't going to rebut Kenzie at a time like this. She was right, though, where all of this stemmed from. Kain lost his parents and coped with Kenzie, much how Luca coped with hard work. Luca knew personally what Kenzie meant, and perhaps Thalia will, too, once she gets back to the states and rediscovers herself without her parents. No one in that room had parents anymore, and Kenzie lost the other half of her's a very short time ago. Somehow, someway, Lociato managed to get them all. Luca's parents were two different incidents entirely from the cartel, but their killers were both very similar.

If Luca was observant enough to read the entire room, Angelo was echoing the hallways while chewing his thoughts. Thalia was a good aid for his cause, although he didn't want to bring her in any rift against Kenzie. Like he explained before, he held nothing personal against the lot of them. Perhaps Luca, but that would be settled some other day. Angelo didn't see it fit to kill Kain before Lociato, but he'd do it in a heartbeat if it was needed. All he wanted to do was inform Kenzie. It felt like the proper thing to do. Now, listening to Thalia and Kenzie, Angelo turned his mind to other matters. Part of it watched the bathroom door with nearly every sense but taste. Hell, he was even focusing on the vibrations in his feet for any movement along the carpet. High-density fabrics like this carried them well. The hallway outside wasn't a threat. If anyone in this building could speak English - highly doubtful -, they wouldn't act on anything. They'll chalk it up to gang activity. The manipulative and ever forward-thinking side of him was catching every detail Kenzie uttered. Kain's rocky background and his absolute reliance on Kenzie. No way he'd permanently harm her before, but perhaps now. It was being emasculated that Kain feared now, and by another woman, to boot. From the way she put it, Kenzie wasn't believing in Kain anymore. Angelo knew that was a sack of shit after seeing her so adamantly deny him from hurting Kain.

Luca picked up the reference to Henrikson, a bit aloof after Kenzie talked about her promise with Kain. Already knowing the answer, Luca was shook by the news of Henrikson's death. Shooting a glance to Angelo, Luca recognized the glint of memory come across his cousin. Angelo knew the director and was already plotting to use that information, somehow. Luca met Kenzie's upward gaze now that she faced Luca directly, sighing as she relayed the news. She was right about Amelia; the governor wasn't a fan of Kain and would likely use this later. It put guilt in Luca's heart, bringing back memories of Kain entering the red-door room. He didn't want Kain in there, and Luca knew what would happen - what did happen -. Luca could see the quick flash of anger on Angelo's face at the mention of his deceased lover, then a deep, passive expression that represented the feeling of nothingness. The root of Kenzie's guilt shown when she admitted to distancing herself from Kain. Luca shared the same sentiment that Thalia did, ready to deny what Kenzie was saying. But, knowing where Kenzie's strongest counsel would come from, Luca allowed Thalia to do the talking.

Angelo became acutely aware of the lack of action coming from the bathroom. Kain was probably listening. If he aimed a few feet up from the base of the door, Angelo could probably blow his ear off. The idea was a bit amusing to him. It pleased Luca to learn that Edward and Dave were being buried. It gave a foothold for Kain to return himself later on. Losing a sibling was detrimental on someone, and the personal way that Kain had it done to him was the worst way. Both Luca and Angelo heeded their attention to Kenzie as she addressed the room at large, both making their own thoughts of it. Luca sought himself the familiar armchair he sat in last night, being ginger with his ribs, while Angelo stepped closer to the bathroom door. Luca could agree to keeping Kain on amicable terms at the least, but knew his cousin would not. Frankly, a cage didn't sound to bad to him at the moment. Luca was the first to get his agreement out, resting a forearm on his knee and leaning forward in the most comfortable way possible. "I can agree to that. But Kenzie, you can't just accept blame for Kain's actions. He's his own man. You've given him a lot of help throughout the years, and you distancing yourself from him was the right thing to do. You giving him the cold shoulder is not an excuse. Kain needs to find himself, and we can both help him, but coddling him the whole way through isn't going to do it. Still, he is a person, and watching him like a wild dog in the room isn't going to make things any better."

Restraining him would be simple enough, Luca supposed. Both him and Angelo probably had a hundred pounds on Kain each, and he was outnumbered in that scenario. Hopefully, it wouldn't come to that. However, his cousin couldn't find himself convinced by Luca so easily. "Kain doesn't deserve all of this. He deserves to be dead. He has taken everything that was given to him for granted and is too prideful to admit his own mistakes. You realize he nearly killed you and Thalia over some jealousy? You think we're dealing with a sane man that'll identify the threat me and Luca possess to him? Hell no. He's just as suicidal as he used to be. The only thing he wants is payback for his stripped masculinity. If he doesn't kill you now, or later, we'll have a serial rapist on our hands. Probably worse, but I'm sugarcoating it. Kain's a work animal until Lociato dies, and then he's on his own. If he wants freedom to do what he wants, he'll have to take out the kingpin first. Then, it's a hunting game for the next few days or weeks. He's probably been listening to us the whole time, finding some kind of opportunity to exploit you. Don't open any weakness for Kain."

"Hang on, Angelo." Luca stood up for this, extending a soft hand forward. "Kenzie's right. We keep this up, Kain'll just lash out."

With a quick tongue, Angelo replied. "You know that's false. We can't go around keeping him as an equal until he's not, because the moment he lashes out is the moment someone dies. Or several."

Luca found his own answer, raising volume a bit to throw the rhetorical question out. "What do we do with him, then? We need him to take the warehouse, but we can't let him do anything out of sight. He'll be useless in there."

"Doesn't mean we put him up with us." Still, Angelo lost the same resolve he had earlier, letting out old air in his lungs and lowering his posture. He stepped into the center of the room, crossing his arms. "Fine, we'll restrain him if we have to. But I'm not sleeping tonight. Don't need it. Even if we're not locking him down because Kenzie thinks fuckin' rainbows and butterflies are gonna make him a decent person again, I'm watching him when all our guards are down."

Luca steeled his teeth for a few moments, then groaned in reluctant acceptance. "Alright, but it's your loss of sleep. We can trust Kain not to get himself killed, after all. He's obsessed with his own power and losing it would devastate him. You mentioned Sarah, earlier. Are we good to talk about that, at least?"

Angelo looked to the bathroom quickly, hesitating for a moment and briefly considering using Italian, but figured Luca would tell the others soon enough. "Yeah, we can..."

"Mal Cielo is a good place to start. Most slaves from C-level and up go through there at least once or twice a year. It's a redistributing platform where they count the slaves and ensure that all have arrived. Probably noticed Thalia's disappearance there. There's a good paper trail beginning there and likely leads all the way to Lociato's compound or his accounting firms. Where Sarah comes into play is the Mal Cielo redistribution. She's eighth-year, and is moving towards permanent purchase. God knows where she goes after that, but we're on a timer, Luca. However, we can eliminate our search to the eastern side of Mexico. It's the only transit that handles permanent purchases due to the higher luxury of ships there. Plus, Lociato kinda has a grudge against the Orientals out west. Anyway, Sarah's in rougher shape, but her physical build is a clique among the market. Height, weight, all of that. It sounds like cattle processing, I know, but it basically is that."

Luca stopped him there with a slice of his hand across his body. "Rougher shape? Thalia mentioned something like that."

Angelo looked over to the tattooed ex-slave for a moment, then back to Luca. "She met her? Shit, Luca, Sarah probably went through Mal Cielo last night. She's been burned bad from an old buyer's grill, but it wasn't his direction that led to it. She killed the guy, Luca. Lost her eye from the burn damage and is scarred up all on the right side of her face. Tough lady, if nothing else. She's healthy, though. A bit underfed, but Lociato isn't one to sell skeletons."

It disheartened Luca to see his wife be scarred so heavily as he imagined. Killing someone was heavy, especially the first time, but Luca knew that his wife had little choice. It was something for both of them to talk about. Each had luggage gained through the last eight years, and all he wanted was to talk with her and rekindle their love. Perhaps it never died out on her end. On his end of the relationship, the fire that united them was stronger than ever. He hoped this would become a good story between the two of them one day. She was close; he could feel it. "Kenzie, if you're absolutely sure that Kain won't be a threat, we can all ride to Mal Cielo. We'll park the car a good mile away, and you can be ready for us to call. I want to drive the slaves to the airport in whatever vehicle we can find."

"Luca, much as I'm not a fan of both of them being there in their states, that's not a terrible plan. Those big trucks are different than a car, so I'll handle the driving. Real question is whether or not we play it lethal."

Luca first response was denying Angelo's suggestion, but his mind went over to Sarah's scarred face and why she got it. Like lightning, anger hit him strong, but rationale was holding strong amidst the storm in his mind. "No more than we have to. Only shoot the ones aiming at us. If I'm close enough to knock them over, I'm not shooting. We're more than capable once we get inside the building."

Angelo thought of him and Angelo sweeping the interior of the depot where Thalia was rescued-captured. The memory, like a cheesy romantic flashback, brought warmth to him. Odd how such a terrible act of violence could hit him with sentimental sorrow. Luca was right; between him, Kain, and Angelo, only a few guards will die. Likely the ones outside the building or at the ends of hallways. Still, it'd be much easier if Luca could consent to some bloodshed. "You can restrain yourself. I'll do whatever's easiest and safest."
 
Were Kenzie's defensive words on Kain's behalf that blamed herself for his turn in behavior making her seem weak in front of a room of three other fighters? Luca did appear to side with her and promise some humanity on the ex-cop's behalf, but Angelo was a different story. He wanted Kain dead, which left a mark for life on her heart just imagining it - it was the rumor mill from Seattle after his arrest all over again. He was thinking of a series of worst-case scenarios regarding an overreaction from Kain. Serial rapist? Mass murderer? Though Kenzie knew Kain had a depraved enough mind to kill on a larger scale, but rape? Not once did he ever attempt an unacceptable sexual advancement on her in the past, respecting her as a married woman. Hell, Kain never had an issue with violating women in that manner. His words of jealousy, however, might've given a different vibe from a man who'd performed a 180. The doubts in Kenzie's mind returned and made her reconsider her stance. Would Kain REALLY avoid the temptation to violate her, in the presence of, not only one of her past lovers, but with two superior fighters keeping a vigil eye on him? Lord only knows what Kain would've done to her had she come home to an empty house. Any sort of intimacy with him slowly began to feel tainted and disgusting to detail. Slowly but surely, the beast that Angelo wanted to paint Kain as was coming to life, right before her eyes, and outcome she'd worked to delay for so long. But alas, it was only delaying the inevitable.

But rather than butt in, Kenzie listened and observed. Her input when it came to combat was probably useless, anyway. But it was rather Thalia that gave an attentive listen to the conversation, standing by the armrest of Kenzie's seat and darting her eyes back and forth between the Varundars as they discussed the issues of the future: what to do with Kain, and how Mal Cielo would be dealt with. Much like Angelo, the former slave agreed that leaving a man as unpredictable as Kain without a leash would backfire quickly. Give him the freedom to do what he wants, and he might just kill the last person in Kenzie's life that has meant something in her heart for so long.... herself. But it wasn't entirely self-protection that kept Thalia on that side of the debate. After seeing Kain with a knife to Kenzie's throat, it only showed that he probably doesn't even care about her on an emotional level any longer. This was some selfish desire infused with bloodlust that lead him to this point where he couldn't hold any sort of true love for anyone. Then there was the fact that, after seeing her so much as clear the tears from her lover's face, that he lashed out and almost penetrated her eye socket with a filthy blade he'd found in the desert. This was most definitely jealousy, which made the redhead a target without question.

They'd come to an agreement to restrain Kain if the situation called for it. Angelo was going to keep watch overnight, and for good reason, too. It was odd how both Kenzie and Thalia felt a shred of remorse for the bald assassin. Sure, both of them had a list of reasons to despise Angela and her scheme orchestrated from over a decade ago with Vincent - and now, Angelo - but it didn't give either a reason to kill her. Sure, Thalia had come close six years ago, but odds are, she would've never pulled the trigger on that bridge. All she planned on doing was scaring Angela off and forcing her to leave her and Kenzie alone. Even if the situation was replicated that previous night, she probably wouldn't have ended her life, even after events like that in Seattle, burning her arm as she'd done. Angelo didn't deserve to lose a lover, and he had ever right to be angry at Kain and want him dead. And he was going to prove it by never letting the man out of his sights.

There were clearly some rough edges between the cousins that didn't have them totally in harmony, but they were aligned by a shared endgame. The older, blonde woman that Thalia had spoken to in that other warehouse had come up again, a woman she'd learned later was Luca's wife. It was a small world, indeed, and now, her safety was put in question. Was she in Mal Cielo? If she was, what would Luca do? Reclaim what he'd lost? He already looked deflated at Angelo's further description of her demise and the burns across her face. It caused Thalia to get a look at her own burn marks, far less significant in comparison. But the redhead spoke up of her involvement: "I saw Sarah for a short time there. It wasn't long before you and Angela showed up and took me. There was a shipment of older slaves going out. I have no idea where, but considering how overcrowded things were getting, it might be somewhere just to make room for others to come and go. I can't say much more because... well, not like they'd tell me where I was going every time, right?"

A plan was assembling for the slaves: gathering them, and bringing them to an airport, all centering around how much trust they could place in Kain. Kenzie nodded along with the plan. She didn't want to leave anyone behind, and it was their medical care that she was on board for. "I can do that. I... don't know how to drive, though. Something I never learned to do while I was at college..."

Thalia let out a resemblance of a grin escape her lips at the memory of the one thing her beloved never learned while away from home. "You never learned?"

She shook her head, though unable to return the smile. "Herman used to give me a ride, up until I got transferred. After that, Dave would pick me up and drop me off on his way to the station..." It only returned to her mind that both of the stronger, self-serving men in her life were also gone, both killed in her former workplace. She winced, and went on. "I guess the safest bet for a position for Kain would be driver. He's not near the action to kill someone or blow the place up like he wanted to. Unless he wants to drive himself, me, and a bunch of slaves off a bridge, we should be safe." Oddly enough, hearing about necessary deaths inside the factory didn't leave such a mark on Kenzie any longer, after watching the FBI director practically die in her care just a few days ago, and after seeing Angela's shot body left behind by Kain's rampage. Either way, the people being killed were nothing more than heartless slave drivers anyway, the same ones that took Thalia from her so long ago. It eased the idea in her mind.

With a position in mind for Kenzie and Kain, it seemed obvious where Thalia fit in all of this. "I'll keep an eye on the truck, too. You know..." Her blue eyes wandered downward to Kenzie as she gently placed a hand over hers. "I can't just leave her unprotected, even if you guys aren't far."

It was then that, even for a short time, Kenzie could accept a brief smile to appear over her face. Her gaze was still lowered, but it was that moment that had her feel something... that she still had someone after this. Thalia's return to her life was a silver lining in a slew of negativity and loss.

After a long while of silence, though, came the cracking noise of the door of the bathroom, as if it were being unlocked. Kenzie's head only tilted so much to get a look at the door, but Thalia turned her body to properly face the source of the noise. There emerged Kain once again, unarmed this time, his face and hair looking like he'd just soaked it in water and dried off. Was he listening in on their discussion? That was unknown, and odds are, he wouldn't voice it. But he did step forward towards the other four. Each approaching step worried Thalia, as she stood her ground, blocking any sort of sight of Kenzie from Kain's view. Her right fist was clenched, too, just in case he attempted any sort of attack. Kenzie tried her best to get a look at Kain passed Thalia's frame, but she wasn't doing her any favors. Kain wasn't getting close to her on her watch.

He spoke, but his words were unclear as to whether they were to an individual or to the entire group. "I'm sorry."

Thalia scoffed, her voice building in aggression. "Bullshit, you're sorry."

It triggered a reaction from Kenzie, worried she'd spring forward and attack him. "T, hush. Let him speak. No need to protect me that much. We agreed to trust him, right?"

Unhappy with that reaction and the orders given, Thalia reluctantly looked to the ceiling, crossing her arms over her chest and stepping aside, barely giving Kain and Kenzie some time to see eye to eye. The man continued, glaring at Thalia in dismay. "I wasn't apologizing to you. I was talking to her..." His eyes returned to the woman he claimed to love so much. His words sounded forced, dead, and could've easily been seen as ingenuine. It was hard to tell at this point from a man who'd turned on his friends so quickly. "I shouldn't have cut you like that. Shouldn't have used you as leverage. Should've taken someone more competent. I couldn't lose you, and you broke away. I just wanted you back."

Hearing those words felt as empty as they could be to Kenzie. It brought her back to the idea of Angelo accusing Kain of potentially violating her. It sounded just like any other rapist's excuse for acting out of impulse. Her eyes spoke one word loud and clear: fear. She was terrified of what he'd do if her plans to give him some leeway backfired. What if he killed Angelo, Luca, or Thalia just to get alone with her? Worse, if he kills all four of them out of some revenge plot? Any sort of outcome wasn't pleasant to imagine, it was all she could think of. A few moments passed with no words of response... and none would come from her as she returned her head to a forward-bowed position. Whatever sort of conversation she'd opened the way for between herself and Kain was now over. Which left him with the other three in the room: the people he should fear an attack from.

"I'm not going to kill you three. But if you try to kill me, I will fight back. Am I still in on your plan to take Mal Cielo?"
 
Angelo wasn't a fan of working against Kenzie. She had medical experience, which requires her to think quickly and without distraction. That kind of mentality was something he appreciated. But, he was not about to bend backwards so Kain can be comfortable between all of them. He didn't want him to be. If Angelo could properly scare Kain, hunting him afterwards would be much easier. Angelo found himself putting more and more effort into preparing for that eventual reality with everything he did. Details about how Kain thinks and his desperation were memorized, and Angelo could envision where Kain would go after all of this. Perhaps a hunch, but it was something he could do after Lociato was dead. As he told Luca, he needed purpose. He knew that Thalia was a partner in this. Luca was with Kenzie. Somehow, all four of them were still together. Unlike Thalia, Kenzie, and Luca, Angelo was hypersensitive to any disruption in a relationship. Small arguments seemed much bigger in his eyes. Emotions simply weren't a thing he was used to seeing flared. Fear, and anger, but not confrontation. He was terrible in a discussion, and his input would always be psychopathic compared to the others. He felt himself being alienated in the room all too well.

Luca was unsteady on his position about Kain. He would have to let him breathe a little, but Luca was also a protective person. He feared for Kenzie or Thalia's life, not so much Angelo's. Kain was far gone right now, but Luca wasn't ready to end him just yet. He had to do his part to help the man. After what Angelo said, there was going to be hostility down the line between them. Luca will want to rehabilitate Kain. Angelo will be hunting him. If there was any threat to his wife or friends, Luca may be forced to kill the last member of his family. The idea shook him terribly, but he refused to show it now. They had a plan to get the slaves out, and roles were being assigned. Kain would probably be best as a driver in retrospect, but he could see Angelo's refusal already starting in his face. The assassin would want to be there, to keep Kenzie and Thalia from harm. However, Luca would need Angelo at the warehouse to hold it down and help him crack Lociato's encrypted documents. It was probably going to be written in a lot more Spanish down here. Turning to his cousin to stop the storm before it starts, Luca consoled him. "Thalia and Kenzie will be fine in the big rig. Kain can't do much without endangering himself. We can stay the night here again after that and worry about getting rid of the truck later."

Angelo turned, the blank expression on his face revealing nothing of his thoughts. "We're not staying here two nights in a row. If I can find you, so can whoever else wants to take up your bounties. No, we can spend the next night at Mal Cielo. Thalia, have Kain drive back to Mal Cielo after we get the slaves off at the airport and you sort out where they go - Edward's jet is one hell of an asset - and we'll settle in there. Me and Luca can spend the night there going over Lociato's paperwork, and I can work on convincing my employer that I'm not involved in these multiple, professional hits on his slaves. He's probably suspicious by now. After all, someone important to Kenzie, someone who's death was faked, was taken, and Lociato knows all of you are down here, and he knows I've been hunting for a good bit, so he's thinking that I'm purposely holding back. I need to make him think otherwise."

Luca was glad to see Angelo working on a plan so deftly. He had a good road map of what was to come set up. Luca knew that Thalia met Sarah already, but Angelo had a better grasp of where Thalia was geographically at the time. Knowing that his wife was an hour or two away from here just the day before infuriated him. It was such a missed chance, one that would be easy to capitalize. Still, it had inspiration to it. She was close, confirmed alive, but on a timer. Angelo responded to her first, confirming what she theorized. "Lociato's moving higher prices together, those that can be rented, and those that are ready for permanent sale. C-level slaves were mostly sold awhile ago. Thalia, you're in the F range, so you would've been good for two or three more years, but Sarah is at D-level. I'm honestly surprised they weren't sold yet, though Lociato has been fighting a war bureaucratically for awhile. The Orientals, like I said, aren't on a good terms, and he is trying to make that change. Anyway, he's focusing on liquidating everything and getting prepared for cartel war, so he's at a sensitive spot. However, he's also armed really well."

Angelo caught the tidbit that Luca already knew about Kenzie's driving capabilities. If Kain would linger around her after all of this, he could isolate her pretty easily. It made him a bit anxious to handle the threat now, but his hands were metaphorically tied at the moment. As though he spoke of the devil, Kain reappeared. Angelo, in his central position in the room, faced Kain and instinctively opened both palms and splayed his fingers downward for any kind of grappling. His apology was worthless to Angelo, as the assassin knew Kain didn't address him with it. To Luca, he saw a bit of defeat. Kain had his power over Kenzie stripped away, and it left him with nothing. By being empty, perhaps Kain would be easier to influence for a better future. By now, Luca couldn't expect Kain to do anything radical in his current state. While he doubted the sincerity of the apology, he also trusted Kain to be non-disruptive. Kain's monologue wasn't hard hitting on either of them, but when Kenzie didn't respond to him, Luca could read the impact. Angelo answered Kain's direct question, standing straight. "You're in the plan. After we clean out the warehouse, you're driving a truckful of slaves to the airport you guys arrived at and figuring out where they go from there. Me and Luca will stay at Mal Cielo to crack Lociato's cipher and I'll try to lower his guard about me, maybe convince him that you guys are dead. I promised everyone that I won't kill you yet, and we won't have you locked up the whole time. I'm still holding up my end after all of this, though."
 
Everyone had their fears of the future, of Kain, each with a similar endgame they were terrified of: death. He's already proven that he has the capacity and will to murder them, and even showed that he'd pick on the most defenseless of the bunch. Was he scared of the Varundars? Probably, but even if he was, he wasn't going to back down if he has to encounter them. Even if it meant picking them off from a distance, it was something he was prepared to do. He'd hoped that his own display of dominance, to go as far as to do harm upon Kenzie, would leave the other three a bit more defensive, and less prepared to get in his face. Clearly, that wasn't going to fly for Angelo. Luca seemed more agreeable to abide by Kenzie's request for peace. Thalia? She was torn in the middle She wanted Kain dead, much like Angelo, but at the cost of hurting Kenzie? That she couldn't afford. She'd often flicker her blue eyes back and forth between the cousins in a constant debate: who to trust? Did Kain truly deserve to die after he'd come so close to killing her? Every move he made left her unsure of whether to spring into an attack or maintain her cool, the latter being something she's always struggled to do. Especially after seeing him come out of the bathroom so tense with an insincere apology at hand. Fortunately, it seemed like she wasn't the only one to find it overly-fake.

Both girls found it extremely out of place to see Angelo actually defending them. Before, Thalia was nothing more than a bargaining chip, and Kenzie a golden cow. One heartbreak later, and now, it seemed like he was going to protect them from some immediate threat. Clearly, he didn't hold Angela's death against them - they had no part in it, after all. Sure, the former slave was a constant reminder of the risk the duo had taken, one that costed Angela her life and Angelo the one shot he had at love, but they were letting bygones be bygones. At least Angelo wasn't aware of the standoff before Thalia's memories were wiped - one in which Angela practically stared death in the face, if it weren't for Angela's former European partner. That might've left a mark impossible to remove. But it wasn't worth telling now, as it wasn't going to bring Angela back, or honor her memory. No, for Angelo, it seemed like the only way of doing that was to end Kain once and for all. One day, perhaps not today.

Kenzie wasn't going to entirely be alone in the rig while waiting for Luca and Angelo to sweep Mal Cielo. Her only concern was Kain cornering her again. A new angle of her foster brother had been displayed moments ago, a more psychopathic, abusive side, more precisely. Leave this wild animal in a corner with her, and, like Angelo had warned, Kain might attempt the unthinkable with her. And even after Kain had bested her in combat, they still trusted Thalia to watch her. More importantly, Kenzie trusted her, too. Give her some like a stun gun to neutralize Kain if he gets too close, but not kill him? And they should be okay. Hopefully, it wouldn't have to end in Thalia getting seriously injured - or worse - and driving Angelo to end his life with a bullet to the back. She couldn't defend herself in her physical condition, so she would heavily depend on someone keeping watch. It was better this way, she could get on board this plan, especially by saving the slaves and bringing them back to the airport to be sent to the states. Kain would have to do for a driver, unfortunately, but all that mattered was that the girls would be brought to safety, a place that she'd already agreed with Amelia to arrange. All it took was a call to the pilot to be at the ready, and the officials in the states to discuss a rendezvous point. Likewise, Kenzie was amazed at how useful her father's riches were about to become. At least his resources were going to be used to rectify his mistakes after his death.

Thalia had to speak up about the idea of convincing Lociato. The solution seemed simple enough in her mind, and she wasn't afraid of faking her death a second time. "Isn't it easy enough?" her face showed a hint of confusion, as she wondered why they hadn't done this before. "Take some convincing pictures of me and Kenzie shot in the back. Some fake blood on the ground, a convincing angle, too? Who's the wiser? Unless he wants you to cut our heads off and bring them up to him as proof. That's gotta be tricky. But I don't take it he's that brutal. He just wants us out of his hair, right? It should be easy enough, then we can all slip off his radar."

All eyes seemed to be on Kain as he approached the group and got closer. He was especially bothered when, not one, but two of them, got in his way of getting close to Kenzie. But maybe it was best he kept his distance. She was more fragile than ever, and he didn't want to set her off too much with an accidental gesture she may not like. One that would provoke an attack, and more bloodshed on his part. Fortunately, Kenzie was maintaining peace in the room. Indirectly, Kain was affected by this, and took a step back, holding his hand out in surrender, just glaring at the bald assassin in discontent, listening to his words about his future involvement. And the fact he'd be hunted shortly after this is over. "Fine. I'll play driver. You clearly don't want me inside, though. Don't you want an extra gun in there? I bet the two of you can't do it alone. I'm sure you can do what's necessary, Angelo..." It was then that Kain directed his attention to Luca. "But you, Luca? You'll pussy out. You need at least a second killer in there."

Kenzie, without even looking at the source of the conversation, interrupted, "We've already agreed to keep the itchy trigger finger business to only when necessary, Kain. You're not going in there and shooting anything in your way. The less messy, the better. And the best way to do that is if you stay as a driver. You get us to the airport we came from while I treat the slaves in need of emergency care in the back. T and I will unload the slaves when we get there, and you'll bring us back when we relocate somewhere else. That's the plan, and we won't deviate. Got it?"

So Kain would get a window seemingly alone with Kenzie. With Thalia in between, sure, but that could be taken care of easily in his mind. He could already imagining incapacitating her, cuffing her to a pole, and getting his moment alone with Kenzie. What would he do? Would he violate her? Even get close? Try to talk? Could she talk him out of his dark place? Did he just want the same comfort he'd been given for so many years? That love and nourishment he'd been around for a good part of his life? Could it ever be his again? With Kenzie's good heart, maybe it was possible. But not with anyone standing in the way. It was his plot to find himself once again. And only one young fighter stood in his way, one that he knew he could stop in her tracks.

But for all to see, Kain simply nodded. "Deal. I won't go in there. I won't kill. But I want to be on stand-by in case things go amiss. And I want a weapon. You can't expect me to go into this unarmed?"

Thalia turned her head in Kain's direction, almost shocked that he dared ask such a question. "You can't be serious," she scoffed, shutting her eyes and shaking her head in dismay. "I'm not on board that. You can get your security hugs from Kenzie all you want, but you're sure as hell not getting anything remotely close to a weapon. If it were up to me, I'd strip search you before we get moving."

Kain had to poke the bear in this case, stepping closer to the redhead. "Is that a threat or a promise?"

He was getting too close for Thalia to like, and for anyone to be comfortable with, but she held her ground and kept it civil. "Neither. It's a warning so you don't kill someone."

There was a decent amount of distance between Kain and Thalia, but it didn't please Kenzie to see. Standing up was too difficult at this point, so all she could do was use her words. "Hey! What did I just say?"

Sounding like a schoolyard teacher, it seemed to halt both the ex-cop and ex-slave in their places, almost in a standoff-ish manner, looking each other in the eye, watching each other to try to detect who would act first. Who would lift a finger on the other first? Kain was about ready to stop Thalia from swinging at him if it came to it. Put her in a headlock and pin her down to the ground to make a point....

But Thalia had a different plan. Instead... she took one step back, not taking her eyes off Kain, who remained in place. A good amount of distance between the two, and enough room for Luca or Angelo to get involved. It bothered Kain to have her so far. She had the upper hand, and was being the better person. It made his blood boil to see that Kenzie was choosing her over him, even made him question his decisions in the past. Maybe not with Angela, but with Henrikson, maybe. Finally, his gaze was removed from Thalia and back to Luca. Back on task. "When do we leg it?"
 
Angelo scrutinized Kain's very being in the idle standoff, perceiving how he breathed and looked about the room. The small details were documented like a well-kept ledger in Angelo's head, building up a dossier for the day where he would have to hunt down Kain and kill him. Kain's earlier aggression was evidence enough for his dominant urges. Angelo worked with people that had the same drive. Hell, he was one of them as well. Stripping that away was the real desire, the assassin realized. Luca, Kenzie, or Thalia wouldn't understand why he needed to do this. It wasn't a matter of just killing Kain anymore; a bit of reflection advised Angelo that he'd be helping Kain by ending him. No, Angelo needed to make him obsolete. Take away his ability to be dangerous. Luca and Kenzie might be able to help him, but Angelo wasn't one for playing dice.

Luca was also looking to Kain, but in a different light. He wanted to see the person he fought beside, not against, for the past few days. Luca remembered vividly how they had worked in perfect synergy to take down Henrikson. Any thoughts to the director now stained Kain's image. Luca couldn't find his partner, hidden behind beastly eyes and demeanor. Was Kain gone, beyond repair? Did Kenzie and him stand a chance at fixing the mess that was Kain Saunders? The optimism Luca swore by was waning as the days grew long, and he feared the radical change in his own personality. Killing used to be a necessary evil for him, and even justifiable at one point, but he ebbed away from it over the past few days. The more time he spent with Kain, the more wrong murder felt to him. If he hadn't seen the things that Kain did to a harmless prisoner, or heard of worse, perhaps Luca wouldn't be so quick to swear away from killing at the warehouse. Still, he would probably have to, given the immense threat that a dozen armed men possessed to a guy with two batons.

Putting Thalia alone with Kain while Kenzie sat in a separate trailer behind the large truck made Angelo queasy. He had a solution, though, one he wouldn't share just yet. Thalia was going to need something to restrain Kain, if necessary, but not lethal. No way in hell he was giving her a gun, running the risk of Kain getting a hold of it. No, Angelo could find something quickly. Luca shared the same worries, putting his confidence in Thalia to handle Kain. The guy would be occupied with driving or risk losing control of the cab and getting himself killed or injured. He was in no position to be handling stretched out combat. He had his suspicions that Angelo wouldn't let it sit, but he didn't raise them.

Angelo felt a bit of surprise from Thalia's question. He didn't show it, but Angelo definitely interpreted it. The thought had crossed his mind before, a bit hesitant. He didn't have the supplies to fake any kind of blood or bullet holes, but could make some quite easily. Angelo wasn't one for faking deaths, but for delivering them. Angela would be supremely helpful right now. Besides, Lociato was definitely starting to doubt Angelo's sincerity. That point was what really stopped him, in the end. "Can't risk it. This is a hyper critical moment in our moves on Lociato. If he thinks, for even a second, that I'm forging evidence to cover something, he'll pull off his moves on the South Americans and bring them to us. There's some high-grade analysts working with him. Angela could do what you want pretty easily, but it takes some good computer image skills to do so. Kenzie in particular won't serve with a photo. She's a multi-million bounty after Edward's black book stream, and Luca's pretty close to it. When you get to that high of a level, a second witness statement or physical evidence is needed. I would need another bounty hunter to verify that I did so, or a body to bring to a Lociato associate. I'm the Hand, but I'm also a criminal. Lociato knows we don't share some kind of mutual respect for each other. He hired me to kill my old boss, so the man knows that I'm willing to take out my employer for personal gain. I call that old-fashioned capitalism, though." With a bit of afterthought, Angelo also added. "If you guys are supposed to be dead, and we actually convinced Lociato, how will I explain the scenario if another bounty hunter gets eyes on any of you? That's one hell of a risk."

With Kain speaking to him, Angelo could shift his mindset. He'd read the veins in his eyes, waiting for any contraction to indicate some kind of stress. There wasn't much, really. Maybe some fatigue, but nothing that would indicate direct fear. Listening to Kain's points, Angelo was gearing up to throw his rebuttal. He didn't count on Luca's ability to wipe the whole room, but he did rely on the pure physical strength he had. Once Luca actually made it inside, the boxer could do some harm with his weapons and hands. If Luca's been fighting for nearly a decade without a gun, Angelo could assume he was comfortable with them being pointed in his direction. At least, he hoped so. Kenzie put her words in first, bringing up the hastily agreed plan of necessary shooting that Angelo had agreed to. He was picky enough with his limited ammunition, so it didn't bother him too badly. Still, he didn't like the restraint. What he did appreciate was Kenzie's ability to stand up against Kain even after he had done harm to her. That was courage, especially with what she's gone through already. For a moment, Angelo felt content about the future. He sprung into mental action at the idea of giving Kain a weapon. Angelo exactly planned for Kain to be unarmed. He was already in a precarious spot behind the wheel already. Giving him any more leverage would be absolutely terrible. Angelo's ally was with him again, denying Kain's request.

Luca spent his efforts on reading movement. Brushing off Kain's snide remark was easy enough; thick skin was a given. Watching him toe up to Thalia wasn't something he could easily watch. Nor could Angelo. Both of them snapped to at Kenzie after she raised her voice, then went back to watching Kain. Oddly, they moved their heads in near unison. They did have some similarities in thought process, but different ways of making those thoughts a reality.

Even as Kain addressed Luca, Angelo spoke first. He put a foot forward as he did so, raising a hand and extending a finger vertically as though indicating the number one. "It's not the first time I swept one of these warehouses. You're not going to be on call and you're not going to get a weapon. We agreed to trust you, but I didn't agree to giving you ample opportunity to make this plan go ass-end up. You don't question my fucking judgement unless I ask you for your thoughts, alright? It'll get us all killed or worse. I'm generous enough to let you be a part of this plan without a babysitter holding your hand the whole way through, but I'm not gonna be the daft prick who gives you the capacity to kill Thalia and Kenzie."

Luca could see that Angelo was getting visibly agitated grabbing onto his extended arm and pulling it downward. "Ease up, Angelo, could've just left it at no."

Angelo twisted, seizing Luca by the seam of his t-shirt's collar and pulling him close so that there was little distance between them. "Ease up, Luca? Did Kain ease up on Kenzie, or Thalia, or Angela? You thinking I should be extending some kind of olive branch and taking him in like a brother? Blow it up your ass."

What may look like brewing physical violence was a common exchange between the two cousins. When they were young, Angelo and Luca usually argued with a fist under one another's shirts, pulling either of them into a clinch. They were sparring partners for so long that it seemed natural. While Angelo wasn't quite as socially aware of the context, Luca knew how dangerous the situation may look to the others. Instead of replying with his own grab, Luca pulled his cousin's hand away and nodded in some kind of agreement. "You've got the right to be angry. I'm not giving him a weapon either and I'm all for keeping him on the curb until we get some kind of truck out of that depot, then handle whatever guards are left. Kain'll do good in his role."

Angelo hesitated for a moment, then groaned a bit in reluctance, knowing when Luca was right. It felt nostalgic and almost relieving to argue with his cousin again. It reminded him that they were family under everything else. Looking to Kain, Luca felt the proper answer upon him, addressing the group at large. "We can move out now, and get a good stakeout on the warehouse so the three of us can do some reconnaissance." Luca figured Angelo could at least handle Kain as a third pair of eyes overlooking the place. "Then, me and Angelo are gonna move in and get to the truck depot first. We'll drive it out to where Kain is waiting at - next to my dad's car - and take the wheel. Kenzie and Thalia can get into the truck there. Me and Angelo will load up the truck with the slaves before moving, then go back to handle the guards in the rest of the facility. With luck, it should take the two of us a few minutes at least. Once those slaves are in the air and heading towards the U.S., you can swing back and meet up at Mal Cielo again."

Angelo crossed his arms, nodding slowly. "That's a way to put it, then. I'll move first, and you guys head out after a few minutes. I don't want Lociato's eyes to associate me with any of you. Kain, same goes with you. Head out after I go out and we'll meet in the parking lot. It's important that you three wait while me and Kain regroup near Vito's car. I'll take my SUV, which is parked just behind." With the last word out, Angelo turned on his heel and left without ceremony, moving like a silent wraith.
 
The only thing more shocking than Kain's sudden change of heart - to the girls - was the amount of money that was now placed on Kenzie's head, simply for being her father's daughter. Did Lociato fear that she knew more than she should? Did he suspect that Edward had left behind more than the black book that he'd released for the public? Some sort of secret that only his daughter had access to, even if she wasn't aware herself? It was enough of a fear that a simple picture wouldn't suffice to prove her death. A witness was needed, or at least the body - something they couldn't pull off with their minimal resources. Angelo needed to keep his cover, and that meant no shady moves. By keeping Kenzie on the run and still alive, it was, in one way or another, safer. Safer for them all, really. Just hearing the kind of danger they were in was enough to make Thalia more over-protective than ever, and pushed her to keep a watchful eye on her friend at all times. Fortunately, that would be her role in the coming days. Nothing thrilling, but worthwhile. For Kenzie, it was only a symbol of how her life was never truly safe. Even before her father's suicide, she was watched on a daily basis in her adult life and was never aware of it. People right under her nose, Thalia being the first of many, that were hired simply to watch over the treasure of one of Lociato's assets. She was leverage, and for a solid decade, was always in danger, long before she was kidnapped, tortured, and left to die.

At least the Varundars agreed that Kain wasn't getting his hand on a weapon any time soon. As the driver, and with Thalia acting as the watchdog for that vehicle, there was no need. Especially no need for running the risk that Kain turns his gun on a friendly and compromises everything by a rash, poorly-thought move that he might've deemed necessary in his twisted reality. Yet, in the midst of his insanity, Kain knew that Angelo and Luca were only two men charging head-first to fight against an army. One extra pair of hands might not make that huge of a difference, but he figured he could offer up his skills. Maybe not to blow up Mal Cielo, but to seize it, if that was their plans. He'd played driver for so long back in Seattle, and at this point, he wanted to curb the bloodlust raging inside him, an urge awoken by putting down Angela like a sick animal. Angelo's aggression, as a result of his actions and his bold requests, was as expected. And with the assassin threatening to kill him after the downfall of Lociato, Kain had very similar plans in his mind: Angelo's demise. Though Angelo might've thought it would be a simple game of cat and mouse, Kain interpreted it as riskier version of chess, in which, if he fails to anticipate his opponent's move properly, it would cost him his life. Him being on the run, in which case, might mean he'll never see Kenzie again, and as painful as it was to stomach, it only gave him more motivation to put down the bald Italian quicker. Once this is over, the game would truly begin.

For now, it was rather a game of seeing how long this team of underdogs could last before the team implodes due to internal fighting. Angelo had his own justified distaste for Kain. Thalia seemed to take a liking for getting in his face, too, not to mention Kenzie's newfound bitterness towards him. Then there was the cousins and their own schism in philosophy: to kill or not to kill. It was that very divide that reminded Kain of his own brother. He and Dave were at odds for years on the force. Dave was extremely by-the-book, played by the rules and didn't deviate. Kain was a different story; he was the one breaking protocol in order to make a bust or save someone. It was that disobedience, combined with his past, that might've triggered his violent tendencies today. As two brothers who endured the same background and even a similar path in life (not counting Dave's death), the one difference between them was age: the Saunders family tragedy affected Dave when he was 14, Kain at 10, making him more fragile and sensitive to the situation. Not to say the loss didn't damage the older brother, but it didn't show until it was put to the test by Nathan Wells and his personal rivalry with the police officer. Kain? His rage was tested every day, with the caring hand of Kenzie stopping him from doing the unthinkable. But now, that voice had vanished, and not even a whisper remained. His rage was now out in the open with no desire to go back into its cage.

It was tempting for that rage to challenge Angelo then and there as he was lectured about his role, and how he'd be nothing more than a driver for the coming plan. He remained calm, as he was sure he couldn't outperform a champion-reigning boxer, a martial arts-trained thief, and a cold-blooded assassin. Not all at once, at least. He just spectated as Luca and Angelo debated over how much wiggle room Kain's leash was going to get. At least Luca was putting an effort into being civil with Kain, as Kenzie had requested. It was a much harder ask for Angelo and Thalia, and each for good reason. But at least Kenzie's shrill voice was enough to keep Kain at bay. Was there hope he could be saved? She at least hoped, even if that meant she had to hold his hand each step of the way. As much as the others can deny it, Kenzie still believed she held the highest amount of blame for Kain's outburst the other night. She gave him the cold shoulder for a solid day, he lost hope in his state of desperation, and he got lost. At least that's what she wanted to believe.

With the plans set, Kenzie knew what he part in this was, besides the role of the medic. She was the direct line with the US government, and therefore, had to make a few calls before simply flying a group of unidentified women onto American soil. Her palms fell against the arms of the chair in an attempt to stand up. Instantly, her college sweetheart sprung into action to help her get up, though when she arrived, the doctor was already on her feet, waving a hand out for her friend as she let out a soft grunt. "It's fine. The sooner I start standing up alone, the better."

"With your injuries? You sure about that?" Obviously, Thalia was in disbelief. She was no doctor, but it didn't take one to know that Kenzie was in poor shape.

Yet, she nodded. "Trust me. I went through much... much worse, with Nathan Wells. I can handle a bit of baby pain. But I do need to make a few calls back to the States. And to the pilot of my father's jet. We're going to organize a landing zone and details about future deliveries, as well as what'll happen to those women when they land. I don't want the federal agent taking over this case to make a dumb move and compromise those women's well-being. If you need your headstart, Angelo, go ahead. We'll meet you at the location."

At least Kain wasn't far gone to the point that he'd deny those women basic human rights once they reach the States. He simply gave Kenzie a nod and kept his focus on Angelo and Luca, his hands to himself to avoid any sort of suspicion.

Though, he couldn't help but peak over his shoulder to see Thalia taking her arm, whispering, "I'll walk you to your room. I think I should get changed, too."

Just watching them walk side-by-side disgusted Kain. The woman he loved so dearly... now gone. Much like he was. Angelo was first on his hit list post-Lociato. Second? Thalia. But, unlike Angela and Vincent six years ago, he'd finish the job and make it truly look like an accident. Until then, he'd let them have their rekindled romance. It wouldn't last long, but it all depended on how long it would take him to eliminate Angelo. For now, he had to treat them both as allies. One team, after all.

With the room to themselves, Kain, keeping his distance and hiding his disapproval of Kenzie's choice of romantic partner, he spoke, "I'm ready to go now, if that's the case. Guess I'm going with you, Luca, huh? Am I driving, or you?"

It almost felt customary back in Seattle for Kain to take the wheel. They had been doing that for most of the beginning of their adventure. Even with Dave on the force, Kain drove their patrol car. It felt like a destined role for him. Would it still be now?
 
|:|Angelo Varundar|:|

The assassin was in a sour mood from the quick exchange, a bit slighted by Luca's calm, non-confronting reaction. Part of Angelo wanted to duke it out with his cousin like they always used to; it would get his mind off of Kain. It was more tempting to kill him there and deal with Lociato himself rather than form a plan involving Kain as an ally, but Angelo knew that he'd get nowhere trying to hurt the man now. His own mind was fragmented now, a state he never experienced before. Angela was something for him to focus on, but now there is nothing. The task at hand was the closest he had to treatment, but that wouldn't last forever. When Lociato was gone, what then? Hunt Kain? Even if Angelo found him and killed him, what would he do? He had a good few decades of age in him to spend alone. Luca wouldn't take him in, nor did Angelo want him to, and the one partner he had was gone.

Outside of the hotel, Angelo readjusted the gun so that it was in the small of his back and tossed Kain's razor into a sidewalk trashcan. He parked directly across the street. directly behind the darkly colored Impala. Vito's car was a decent vehicle, he had to admit. Angelo tossed himself behind the wheel of his SUV, watching through the tinted windows at the people walking beside him. He quickly integrated into the flow of pedestrian traffic, his inner eye able to pick out minute and odd details that would present any threat to him. The social awareness was an acquired skill from his jobs in the past, and made him well tuned for spotting his allies when they appear. For now, he could wait and learn.

|:|Luca Varundar|:|

The slight bump in the road with Angelo was over, and Luca sighed with relief. Kain would be a lot easier to talk to without the prime agitator in the same room. Kenzie's sudden decision to stand up startled Luca into extending his arms forward as some kind of assistance. Thalia was closer than him, but it looked like Kenzie didn't need it. While she was in no good shape, seeing her progress was pleasing. It was the good things that kept him sane, Luca reminded himself. With Kenzie keeping tabs on the U.S. officials for the slaves, there wasn't much to fear. A bit of labor to clean out the warehouse and the group will have a temporary base until he and Angelo can crack the document coding. Hopefully his cousin's knowledge of the Spanish language will make things easier.

Luca saw Kain's quick glance, knowing how quick his old partner was to lash out at Thalia. There was some tough hostility there that they'd have to settle at some point, but not now. They just got a plan in action and having anyone compromise it over some disagreements would be detrimental. Hopefully, his cousin would agree and keep his nose out of things. Watching Kenzie's gait, looking for signs of her healing, Luca was brought back to focus by Kain. He thought the question over in his head, lowering his chin to a raised hand. He had a philosophical posture by doing so, closing his eyes for a moment.

"Yeah, you can drive. My ribs are still a bit sensitive and Kenzie can treat it with whatever she got from the store on the way over here. I know she wanted to do it here, but...things changed."

Luca sighed for a bit, looking to Kain with an entirely different air. This was a personal talk between the two, not the group at large. There was no real anger in Luca anymore, instead looking sullen and perhaps depressed as he met Kain's gaze again. "This is a bad spot, Kain. You messed up pretty bad. I...want to help you after all of this. Properly. Kenzie, too. Stay with us, Kain, after this. You can live a better life with some closure. We can visit your brother's grave at some point back in Seattle, and maybe you and Kenzie can have a family bond like before. This isn't a romantic adventure for you anymore, though. Kenzie's happy now, you know. Can you let that satisfy you? Someone you care about is content for the first time in years, and she's still willing to help you recover after all of this. The thing that drives you to do things, Kain, I know it. You're scared of losing that grip on the world, and losing whatever attachment you still have with Kenzie. You can't push us away like this. If you're with us, Angelo can't do anything."

Luca questioned his next words, almost knowing the truth behind them and the weight he was delivering. It was something that could give Kain far too much of an advantage down the line of Luca was right. Still, Kain needed to hear it. "I don't think Angelo will kill you. He'll try, but...I think he wants you to kill him. I can hear it, the difference in him now. He doesn't have a reason to stick around anymore. Just...don't fight with him. He might be confrontational, but Angelo won't do anything here. I don't know what that man is capable of, but it frightens me. Angela was something else to him, and now he's willing to kill his employer over it. Someone that's been paying him for over a decade is now worth dirt to him. That's a radical change, one that you also had. You hurt Kenzie, Kain. Apologizing doesn't mean shit if she's still afraid of you. That's why we can't give you a gun; Kenzie wants us to trust you, but none of us can. Help us with Mal Cielo without getting too involved, and things might change. I can't promise anything, but I want you to know that I still want a partner in this. I've been in your spot before, so don't be afraid to look for any help from me. You can deny what I'm saying, or ignore it, or push me away, but you're going to think over this for awhile. I hope you can make the right choice, too."
 
-(Kain Saunders)-

Luca wasn't the only one relieved to have Angelo out of the room. Facing the hunter before the chase was a damning task for Kain, though it did help him scheme for his own strike first. Identify Angelo's weakness, besides the one he'd just murdered, and use it to break him. He was still a direct trigger for his violent tendencies. At least Luca didn't seem to start anything in the way of a fight. If anything, he was the only one who was still talking to Kain in a civil manner. Not confrontational like Angelo or Thalia, and not giving him the cold shoulder like Kenzie had been doing for so long - she might be defending him behind closed doors, but that didn't mean all was forgiven between the two. Having the girls out was equally a relief, and for many reasons. For one, seeing them together less would do a number to prevent a jealous outbreak like he did early when he came millimeters away from murdering Thalia. Not only that, but having the former slave around was yet, another trigger. She was taking every opportunity she could to target Kain and get in his face, and it was becoming a bother and a distraction in his eyes. After all, no peace could be made, and there was no way he could escape, if he openly attacks one of their own, let alone of the more defenseless of the bunch.

What Kain never got a chance to acknowledge was the fact Luca had taken a bullet. By miracle, he survived with nothing more than bruised ribs. He was lucky, to say the least. Kain knew the luck of being shot and living to tell the tale, only for Luca, it didn't even penetrate. That overcoat was quite a miracle worker, and Li Juan was an outstanding ally. If only he'd kept his switchblade after the events in Little Italy. He let out a scoff, nonetheless. "We're back where we started, it seems. Kenzie healing you in your hour of need. History really does repeat itself. Except this time, I'm the uninvited guest..." His next words would've reflected how he wounded the woman he loves, but he didn't want to go back to that. Whether he did it on purpose, or the blade unintentionally scraped her, as he pushed her away hastily, he couldn't even tell himself. It was all a blur, especially with Thalia goading him into action. Yes, his apology might've gone upon deaf ears, but he said what he needed to, meaningful or otherwise.

At least he was being given a chance. An offer to come back to Seattle, get his closure, even revisit his brother. Just the thought of Dave brought thoughts upon him: how different were the two? They both committed horrible crimes in Seattle. Did justification matter for either? Kain had no excuse for killing the cops he went after besides coldblooded vengeance. Then there was Dave, who marched into the station, gun in hand, and dropped the remainder of the department to lick the carpet, all to save Kenzie. As if Nathan Wells would've returned her if he did that. But Dave, in this case, was a desperate man. Especially after hearing about his son - Kain's nephew - also hanging in the balance. The little one would never make it, unfortunately. Wells had no intention of letting the child live, as it turns out. He was prepared to leave Kenzie on the street to be found, but he didn't let her go without wasting an unborn child. The difference in actions? Dave had a purpose, and was prepare to turn himself in in the end. Kain? He ran. Time and time again, he ran. And last night with Angela was a prime example of such.

He clenched his eyes shut as he heard of Kenzie being content for once. It contradicted their reunion in Little Italy. All because a former lover resurfaced, he took a back seat? Or was Thalia right - did Kain have her all this time and fail to realize it? "She's everything to me..." he huffed. "Now? She won't even look at me. All because I tortured Henrikson. I thought for a moment I had her. Even if we both had to lose everything. Now that she finds one last piece of her past, she goes running at it like that? How is that fair? How would you feel if you found Sarah, but she doesn't want to go back to you? Wouldn't you feel betrayed? All those years of looking for her, only for her to reject you when you finally do? That's how I feel with Kenzie. I spent years with her as my best friend, keeping hope she might realize.... just, how I felt about her. Only for it to slip from my hands right after. That's why I don't see peace in this."

Kain highly doubted that Angelo would pass on the offer for vengeance, not when it could be as simple as pulling the trigger. Was Luca just saying things to calm him down? Or was Angelo truly out of hope? Where would he go once Angela's death is avenged? Would he commit suicide? Would he vanish with Lociato's money, never to be seen again as he tries to find peace in his beloved's passing? Both are likely, but who would know Angelo better than his cousin? At least from the family in reach now... "If Angelo tries to kill me, now or in the future, I'm not going to take it laying down, Luca. I can avoid him, sure. I can run my whole life in this cat and mouse game. But if he gets close enough to hurt me, or Kenzie? I'm going to make sure it's the last thing he ever does. I don't doubt he'd go after her..." His eyes wandered off to the room in which Kenzie had wandered off to, recalling her weak physical condition and how fragile she'd be for a while. "I know I hurt her. But she hurt first. That's no way to handle it, but what else was I supposed to do so she feels that kinda hurt? But revenge tactics aside, Angelo doesn't touch her. For all I know, he sees her as the reason his deal went south. He could just as easily blame her. Or use her to break me. And if he does...." His eyes traveled back to Luca, that bloodthirsty look he had while dismembering Henrikson's hand or gouging Anderson's eye returning to his pupils. "You've seen what I do to people. What I did to four cops and a federal agent. If he touches Kenzie, I will do things like that. And worse."

Not the words of reassurance Luca was looking for. It was more like a promise to attack Angelo if the day comes. Would it, though? "I will stay calm as long as I have to. I'll stay in the vehicle. No weapon. Just so all of you stop treating me like an idiot, because I'm not. And so Angelo and Thalia can stop getting wise and stepping up in my face. You and Kenzie want peace so badly? I'll try to play along with that."
 
Luca felt an odd, hollow sensation within him, as though no longer connected to reality. It was growing, reaching into the ends of his very fingers and toes. He compared it to a vacuum emptying out the middle of his chest. It was distracting, but not enough to bring him away from Kain. Luca was bitterly aware of his cousin's deteriorating soul, but couldn't do anything to help both him AND Kain. He became deathly aware of Kain's own retrospection on the past events and his role in it. It was debilitating to hear. There was something there, something that Kain wanted to tell Kenzie - or Luca - but couldn't. Kain was split down the middle, stuck between two personalities waging war in him. "Yeah...yeah. It's bitter. I wish things could be like what they were a few days ago. We're tearing apart because of this, and I'm trying to pull us together. Give me that confidence that you'll follow through with this and work as a unit, regardless of Angelo and Thalia. I'm fighting an uphill battle, and I'd really like your help in getting past this. I know you want things to be better, too. My wife is probably less than a day's drive away from this room. I cannot let you, or Angelo, ruin this.

Kain's words of an abandoned lover cut into Luca, the hypothetical Kain proposing all too familiar to Luca. They were strong worries that had crept into his mind for the past few years; him and Sarah no longer being able to stay together, be it due to their changed personalities or experiences. Luca did know his answer, practicing his own morals he attempted to instill into Kain, but pained to get it out. "It's not fair, Kain. But..." Luca, for a moment, didn't know what to say. It was a philosophy he had hardly encountered. "You did more than hurt Henrikson. You broke her trust, and mine. You just...can't make someone choose who they love. Thalia is very special to Kenzie, and you're important to Kenzie, too, but in a different way. I don't think she knew what she was doing a few days back. Between her father, Dave, and everything else that got destroyed, she didn't have anyone to hold onto for support. I think, in those moments where you both had spark, she had mistaken her dependency for affection. You need to be strong for her, as a brother. For someone you love, you consider them as a friend before a lover. Right now, you either have to choose for your good, or Kenzie's. Are you going to stop her from living how she wants to? I couldn't do it to Sarah, even after all of this. If she couldn't stay with me, I'd...I'd let her be. There's nothing I can do but beg, or reason, but nothing else. I can't make her do anything."

"And I know that you're probably right about Angelo. He'll go after you, and if he can't go after you, he'll go after Kenzie. That's why we stay together after this; Angelo made a living hunting people, but not fighting against a whole cluster of us. He has something up his sleeve, that's for damn sure, and he won't tell me. There's some kind of deep planning going on in his head, and it scares me. Angelo works without sleep, and without restriction. I...just don't get it. But he can't hurt all of us. And Kenzie won't hurt you, intentionally. You gotta know where she's coming from; she brushed you off for a day. A DAY. Sarah's cold shouldered me before. Most women I know don't just argue things out like us; Kenzie felt afraid of you then, and it is probably worse now. Have you seen Angelo, though? He's agreeing with both of them a lot, and trying to stabilize relations between them and him. Angelo's trying to out you. Don't pursue Kenzie like you are now, otherwise you risk fueling him more. I don't doubt your ability to maul people; I just don't want Angelo to lash out early. Or at all." His cousin was gone for a few minutes now; Luca became a bit worried about what the assassin could be doing.

Luca was relieved in Kain's promise to stay inactive, however fickle his honesty may be. "Trust me, after this, there'll be a lot more leisure around you. Angelo can't oppose it forever, and Kenzie's the de facto leader at the moment. She's leaning towards your side. Just stay on that, and we'll be good."
 
Even though Luca was essentially double-teaming between him and Angelo, Kain believed that there was a sliver of extra trust in his favor in comparison, but why? Why wasn't family priority over a man he'd just met a few days ago? Was it the long-rooted rivalry created by a difference in path between the cousins? Angelo's decisions over the years have been questionable at best, and it wouldn't be surprising if Luca had taken that personally, maybe even moreso knowing his cousin was involved in the organization that took his beloved for so many years. Then again, Kain could've related to that very closely - his fatherly figure was, indeed, his parents' killer, and his older daughter a key component in Lociato's operations. But, Kenzie took a chance with this family. She played with fire and came out without any significant burns. At least none externally. Emotionally was a different story. But now, Kain couldn't help but ask himself, was that because he killed Angela? Would she let them simply walk away once they hand over the money? Seeing they brought Thalia alive and well, not her body or a fake with a bag over her head, and had the laptop prepared for a secure wire transfer, it seemed as if the ex-Lociato-cons were planning on swindling them. Was that kill necessary? Did that matter to Kain? For him, it was the kill itself that gave him an adrenaline rush like none other. It was amazing. But was it worth losing Kenzie?

Luca was right about things falling apart, people changing, and worse: the risk of failure was increasing with it. It was then that Kain realized that they all had a common endgame: Lociato's downfall. And more importantly, what good was it if their team imploded before they could get any ground? For once, opportunity had presented itself - a hand from the US government, and an inside man like Angelo - and he was there, making enemies at every corner. Could he help it? When he wasn't secluded, he was confrontational and looking for a reason to argue, be it with family or strangers. That charade could go on no longer. If Kenzie wasn't going to come back to him, he'd have no other option than to simply give up. Give her space. Show her he was changing. Maybe then she could find his apology sincere and he could be trusted again. Would it get him off Angelo's blacklist? Probably not. Thalia's? It was always possible. If she truly loved Kenzie, after all, she might reach a point where she has to back off.

Before getting a chance to answer with anything more than blank stares at Luca's words, the sound of a door swinging open caught him by storm. He had no weapon on hand to be able to attack or defend himself, but there was need. It wasn't Angelo back to strangle him or anything of the sort, but merely the woman he'd grown so jealous of stepping out of the room in full view of the two men, but not in a way of simply making herself present. Her eyes were fixated on Kain, who noticed almost instantly. Tension was there, sure, but at this point, he wasn't going to risk the chance of confrontation again. The nonverbal standoff was enough of a threat, one Kain would heed this time. As opposed to before, Thalia's hair had been tied back into a loosely done braid, still in the top and pants she'd picked up from earlier, but with low-heeled combat boots extending halfway up her shins. He knew those weren't Kenzie's, but he wouldn't put it passed her if his foster sister had kept them in loving memory. After all, what else would she be running around with while working for two criminal organizations in parallel? What was more important was that she was prepared for a fight, even though her job was nothing more than to watch over Kenzie and only use force if someone gets too nosy. Was she expecting this to get loud? Or did she, like Angelo, have plans to put him in the dirt?

Not long after followed the doctor herself, unchanged physically, but looked to have regained her emotional strength. A bit of a morale boost, one Kain didn't want to question for the sake of not erupting in another jealous breakout. She was weak by her injuries, maybe too weak to handle the slaves alone, but emotionally? She'd spent so long holding together that it was a surprise she hadn't fallen apart sooner. Maybe Luca was right - perhaps Kenzie had mistaken dependency for affection, which was what had instigated their moment in Little Italy. Nothing more. Maybe he was wrong. Perhaps whatever passion he thought existed never did. He could only wonder as his eyes flipped off of Thalia and onto Kenzie as she approached Luca. She appeared to have news. Good or bad was hard to discern. Not that the scars traced beneath her eyes hid any indicators, but it simply looked like a mix. After all, she was an ER doctor for the beginning of her practice, so she'd trained for so long to mask emotion in the heat of a situation.

"So, Governor Hale isn't communicating with us anymore," she began, empty handed. Whatever device she'd used to contact authorities wasn't anything tradition, but rather one of her father's computers, to establish an encrypted line to the States. "I tried contacting her as I did before, but she's not answering. I feel like she's avoiding me after the news of Henrikson's death got out. She's gotta be pissed." She let out a light groan and a shake of her head. "They've patched me in with an official with the FBI in Texas. Looks like I'll be coordinating the slaves' entry into the States through him. Amelia doesn't wanna get her hands dirty anymore. Not with us, at least..." Kain almost took that too personally, and even took a step forward, tempted to shout and make his point. But the second Thalia noticed his lunge forward, she took steps closer, almost as if to put herself in between, but didn't make it all the way, as Kain noticed, and halted his movements in place. Kenzie, however, didn't pay attention to this near clash. She had more important matters at hand, ones she'd communicate to Luca. The way she was taking the reigns, though, truly verified what Luca had mentioned about her leading them. Kain, Luca, Angelo, Thalia? They were all muscle. Kenzie? She might be the sole brains of the operation at this point.

"Leave their departure to me. I've contacted the pilot that brought us here as well. He will touch down at the airport we landed in within the next few hours. Should be enough time for you and Angelo to clear Mal Cielo, T and I to treat whoever needs emergency care, and for Kain to drive us to the airstrip. Afterward, Jonas will fly the slaves into Texas, where they will be met by the FBI and humanitarians and NGOs, as well as the media, for sure. From there, we don't have much say in what happens. Our black op with Amelia is to preserve the lives of the slaves that we can manage, and neutralize Lociato, then never be seen again. Which brings me to my next question: beyond Mal Cielo, what do you and Angelo have in mind for the future? Your next step? I'd assume it's contingent on what you find there. Unless Angelo wants to reveal something for us, that is. He must be a gold mine of information. Even a direct ticket to Lociato."

Kain couldn't help but recall Angelo's deal from the very beginning: him becoming the next Hand. Isn't that his direct passage to the head of the snake? To cut him down from his ivory tower? It didn't even have to be that - Angelo had mentioned that the four of them had bounties on their heads. All it took was delivering them alive for an in-person execution - to ensure they are dead. One that didn't have to happen. So many risky plans floated to the top of his mind, none of which would ever be heard if he spoke. So all he did was stand back, dueling with Thalia's death glares. She was watching him like a hawk, and didn't show signs of lightening up. He feared how she'd be armed in this coming venture. And feared if she'd make a move on him in the heat of battle. But not enough fear to not put up a fight if need be.
 
|:|Sarah Kenmore Varundar|:|

Stench. Sarah's surroundings was drenched in it. It burned her nostrils deeply and contracted nearly every muscle in her face into a grimace. She lost track of time, much like the storehouse before. She knew the truck stopped a long time ago, but couldn't tell if it was over a day or a few hours. She fell asleep during that time, and Lord knows how long she was out; she was exhausted enough to sleep for a week. There was dead silence in the big rig's cabin, unbroken and almost touchable.

It was mental smothering. Every one of her senses was under assault and left delirious.

Not even the breathing of the nearby slaves reached her anymore, fading into the background like the desert winds brushing against the cold metal of the truck. Was it dark? Bright day? She couldn't tell, as the doors were sealed shut. Sarah felt desperately thirsty, but the hunger pangs were all too familiar. Just another background input. The horrendous smell was the consequence of humans left in a metal can for several hours, and Sarah knew that one of them was dead, but from what she couldn't tell. Every once in awhile, voices broke through her fevered mind, muffled by the walls. The heavy Spanish told her that it was Lociato men, but as to what they were planning she did not know. How she prayed for some kind of release.

And then, a deep roar. A mechanical growl that shook her frame and snapped her from the creeping psychotic episode. Visions of bright fire rose in her imagination for a moment, and the sound of flesh melting absorbed her. Clamping her hands over both ears, Sarah softly wept for her own situation.

The tires rolled forward.

|:|Luca Varundar|:|

Luca worried more and more about his cousin. He imagined that the man did not need much time to set things up. Angelo might go after Kain already, and with a wide open desert on their travel plans, he has all the room to do so. Kain and him had time to reflect on some things, which was good, but there was no breaking that shared distrust between Kain and Angelo. Luca doubted that anyone trusted either of them, though. Did Angelo have confidence in his abilities, anymore? Before Kain could really give him a good response, the two women reentered the main room. Luca knew that Thalia was on Angelo's side against Kain, so he dismissed the glares from both of them, but he did heed her choice of dress. The boots were good gear, and Luca had no intimation as to where they got them. It looked like Thalia was ready for war. Was she that on edge about Kain that she'd equip herself like a soldier? Was she already plotting to take him down before it started? Leaning on the side of caution, Luca didn't press, and was glad that Kain also did not. Maybe he was taking his advice.

Luca was always glad to see Kenzie, especially as she was recovering. There was deep physical wounds that'd restrict her medical abilities, but that was part of the reason why Thalia was staying with her. That, and Luca didn't want Griffin in the combat. Meeting Kenzie's glance, Luca got ready to heed her words. A bit of a frown touched his lips at the news of Hale shutting them out, but the fact that they still have a U.S. connection kept his spirits up. If the pardon was thorough enough - and he had no doubts about Kenzie's ability - then Hale wasn't needed anymore. She wouldn't be able to take credit for this, though, but rather the collective FBI. That was much better in his mind. He extended a palm to stop Kain, but found that he didn't need to. Luca wasn't the sole protector of Kenzie, anymore. Kenzie outlined their plan much more neatly than Angelo, and Luca found himself nodding with it. "Our next move is probably going to rely on what we get from the facility. Where Sarah is, and all of the veteran slaves because they're the ones in most threat, and then we'll pinpoint Lociato's location. I...I think the same about Angelo. The guy's been with Lociato for sixteen, seventeen years. He should be the one making plans right now and getting us right to his boss, but he's not. No, he's shitting around outside doing God knows what, and putting me on edge. Angelo's hiding stuff from all of us, and trying his damnedest to get at Kain. He can probably get face to face with Lociato, kill him, and get out of the compound. Angelo's mentioned to me when he tried to recruit me for the cartel that not many people talk directly with Demetri, but he was one of them. Why all this pussyfooting, then? There's something fishy going on, Kenzie. Neither one of you get comfortable with him, alright? He's been trying to agree with both of you and constantly ensuring that he's no threat, and I'm not sure why. Maybe to push Kain out, or something else. It bothers me. He doesn't think...like we do. I can't explain it, but he's almost not human. Thank God Hale never talked to him, or she'd think we're all crazy."

Luca slid back from the group, ready to step out into the hallway. "You guys look as prepared as can be. Kenzie, you may as well bring those supplies you bought with. We can figure something permanent out for my ribs at Mal Cielo. Thalia, I'll try to get you something to defend the truck with, if necessary. Maybe Angelo will have something better. Kain, you can drive us there." With a sigh, Luca added. "Angelo's dangerous, more than he's letting on. That's most of the reason why I don't want you fighting in the warehouse with us, Kain. I'm going to try to keep him at Mal Cielo, but he might trail the truck, maybe to make sure you get to the airport, or maybe to get you while you're vulnerable. I'll call you if needed. Speaking of calling, Kenzie, you should inform the Feds after the slaves are in the air that the media can't press them too much. The slave I found at the factory in Seattle was a goddamn mess, and she's one of the lucky ones. Some press boy out of college doesn't know how people can react under pressure, and I don't want any of those slaves to have a breakdown. I want them to be put in contact with their families as soon as possible."
 
Like anyone else in the room, Kenzie had her doubts about Angelo's loyalties. Wouldn't the easiest approach be to use Angelo to get a face-to-face interaction with the boss and plan from there? Nobody ever said there'd be no risk, but why didn't he even propose the idea? Just because of Mal Cielo being priority? Or was it some deeper plan to bring them all down - make good on the bounties he'd been assigned to make good on? Their heads - especially Kenzie's - were rather expensive due to their activities in Seattle and beyond. Soon enough, the kingpin was going to draw the connection between the missing slave busted out of his compound, the daughter of his previous informant who'd released a blackbook before offing himself, and the two men putting a dent in his operations on the west coast. Perhaps that'd make their net worth, all together, in the hundreds of millions. It was thoughts like those that made Kenzie more and more curious to know the exact amount of blood money her father had in the bank. Angela was right - she hadn't even taken a look at the sum, not even in the desert the previous night. Money didn't matter, but was it the reason they couldn't jump to cut off the head immediately? Luca made a point about how fortunate they were to have Angelo far away from the pardon. Had the governor met him, they'd be shown no mercy, even with the threats of a smear campaign.

There was still Luca's treatment that she hadn't gotten to quite yet. She did have plans for him, a remedy that required him to stay home and relax, but, in the heat of the situation and time of the essence, she would have to improvise and hope for the best. She sighed and nodded, crossing her arms before her. The cold metal from her synthetic finger still bothered her, making her question if she'd ever be able to maneuver it like her research intended it to. For now, it was her friends' treatment that mattered more, and, hopefully if they find her, Sarah's. Kenzie still wondered what would become of her if she were to be found. Sure, she's not far, and Thalia confirmed it already by having seen her a few days ago. But will she go back to the states with the rest of the slaves? Or stay here with Luca? And would the boxer's journey end at that? It was questions like that that had Kenzie not only fear for Luca's physical state, but his mental one, too. She felt like a mother to them all, keeping the peace and forcing the enemies to keep peace in the playground. Without her, this would've meant war a while ago. Blood would be spilled, and no mercy would be shown.

"I can try something. I did plan on using what I brought along for a bathing solution. Nothing I've ever tried on a patient, but it's a remedy Herman told me about a while back. It would've been worth the shot, but I'll figure a substitute out on the way there. And don't worry too much about how the media handles the slaves in Texas. I've already spoken to the federal agent, and I made sure our terms were clear: no cameras, no press. Their focus should be finding the slaves' next of kin, not making them cover-page news. Unless the FBI is going to play dirty, they should make good on that arrangement."

Kain could only scoff, listening in. After his experiences, he had no love or trust for authority. The odds that this official would be like Henrikson was slim, but it didn't help him ease up. "Bullshit. The feds are going to wave those slaves in front of every camera they can find. They don't care what you tell them. They'll just act on their own. Who are you to them?"

Fortunately, Kenzie had an answer, and fast. "Since you've asked, WE are the reason the FBI is this close to Lociato. We're the reason dozens of slaves were saved on the docks a few days ago, and the reason many more will be brought home soon enough, if we do this right. And if the FBI decides to blow that opportunity, I'll make sure Amelia pays for it. She may only have power in Washington, but she's got connections. Influence. I don't think she'd want her reputation tarnished, and she'd go to the ends of the earth to prevent it. You've seen that the other day. But that's the plan, and we're not deviating from it."

Originally, Kain wanted to be the one to carry the belongings Kenzie had brought in with her as he held her at knifepoint, but before he could even get close to them, the redhead backing her at every step beat him to it, much closer to them, and scooped them into her arms before he could even get a chance. The ex-cop gave her an unpleasant look as she did, and she reciprocated. She had steered clear of most of Kenzie's dialogue, especially when Kain spoke. Did she expect a fight? Most definitely, but not the kind from an outside force. No, she was anticipating internal conflict. More precisely, with Kain, and weapon or no weapon, she was coming prepared. For now, she simply minded her own business and nodded to Kenzie. "I'll bring these down. Need help going down the stairs?"

Kenzie shook her head, her confidence somewhere in the middle of sure and unsure. "I think I'll do fine."

Accepting that answer for now, Thalia nodded slightly. "Alright... I'll be down."

Being the one who checked them in, Luca probably had the keys to the room, and for that, Kain let him be the last in the room, walking out the door behind Thalia. It was Kenzie that took her precious time in walking, taking each step one at a time trying her hardest to show her own independence. She hated feeling so needy, and even a simple hand-hold that wasn't solely a sign of affection from Thalia bothered her. Perhaps it wasn't just Luca's mental and physical state that Kenzie was worried for. Maybe she was afraid of a breakdown on her part. But she wasn't going to say it. Not for the life of her.

The trip to Mal Cielo had commenced, Kain as driver, Luca next to him, the ladies in the back. Having no idea where the location is himself, he depended on instructions from his former partner, where to turn, when to stop, until they were a fair distance away, somewhere they could organize their next move or prepare. After all, Kain was nothing more than the chauffeur, Kenzie the medic, Thalia the defender. It was Luca and Angelo that would ambush, after all. And with the bald assassin as their source of inside information, who other than him to lead the way on the physical front?
 
Luca felt a tenderness on the side of his body, where the ribs took the impact of a .45 caliber bullet less than 24 hours ago. Now that his body lacked any tension or anticipation, his mind was more open to reading those responses from himself. Luca hoped that it wouldn't affect his fighting ability, but hesitating to move his torso well was definitely a handicap. His cousin should be able to pick up any slack on the front, though. People were going to die, that was certain, and yet he had a hard time accepting it. The idea that he'd be directly responsible for someone's death wasn't easy, and it hadn't crossed his mind in years. Luca used to be so much less restricted on such a thing, but in the process of reforming himself he had gained a strong bias against it. Even now, when he was fighting the worst forms of people on the planet. He knew Kenzie wasn't fond of it, either, and found reason to keep her away from the fighting beyond her physical condition; it would be too much mental strain for her. Luca's own mind was becoming a stress-filled zone, but for his sake and other's, he kept his mouth shut.

Kenzie's solution wasn't a medical staple but more of an experiment. While not the most appealing fact to know, he was pressed to find a better solution. Besides, Herman was capable of giving Kenzie a new finger. Patching up some ribs should be no problem. Like Kain, he too doubted the validity of the Feds after the slaves arrived in the States, but Kenzie seemed to trust them enough. Luca caught wind of the bag issue between Kain and Thalia, glad to see it escalate no more than strong looks. Like her, Luca was also unsure of how Kenzie would be down the stairs, but wasn't going to tell her what to do. That was hardly his place. Like a much more organized group, the four left the room, likely to never return. As Luca hung his hand on the knob, standing parallel to the door, he looked back in and thought back to his strong nightmare. He was getting them more frequently, and knew that it was likely due to the worsening situation. It was something to address after the danger in his life was removed.

On the road again, Luca could relax. He reclined the seat back a bit, leaning so that he can turn his head without moving his body. He was about to ask Kenzie about her proposed treatment, but was stopped with a deep rumbling in his pocket. Scuttling quickly, he brought the phone to his ear and answered the call; reading the ID was unnecessary given who they were dealing with. Surprisingly, Luca heard his cousin on the other line. "Luca, this is how we stay in touch until we reach the place."

A bit exasperated, Luca flicked on the speaker option and replied. "How'd you get this phone?"

Angelo, replying casually, answered him with a cryptic answer. "Brookes is someone worth listening in on. Considering most of the devices you all carry with you came from Brookes, there's a localized track to them. Not much of a threat now given that Lociato doesn't put up phone scanners in every slave warehouse, but we'll need to destroy these phones later. If I can pass through the police encryption with my phone, Lociato can surely find us long before we get close to him."

It unnerved Luca to know that he was essentially carrying a GPS tracker in his pocket. In the United States, there was probably too much electronic noise to pick up the phone. That, and Lociato didn't have a reason to listen in on every phone encrypted by people connected to Brookes. Now, in Mexico, they were probably a lot easier to find. Sighing, Luca placed the phone on the dashboard. "Everyone can hear you, now. I'm gonna have Kenzie fix me up, and we can pull over and talk about Mal Cielo when we get close." The road they were on now was essentially a straight shot to the facility, so Luca didn't have to worry about Kain's driving for awhile. There was no reply from Angelo.

|:|Angelo Varundar|:|

Knowing he was audible to the others, Angelo went quiet. There was nothing else for him to say. Within his left palm was a flashy set of metal knuckles. He didn't have them poised on his fingers as they should be, and planned to give them away soon. Luca was already a living pair of brass knuckles, but Thalia needed a weapon that could be bolstered by her martial arts training. He thought about Luca's batons at first, but wanted the man to have the full bo staff utilization if needed. Besides, the knuckles were a good set of skull busters. Had a bit of a backstory that went past Lociato and into his childhood. Though he'd never tell Luca, those knuckles were his sole defenders back in New York. People prodded at Luca for his education and immigration status, but doing the same to Angelo was a one-way ticket to losing teeth. Now, neither of them had the temper anymore. Angelo felt a deep hatred for Kain, but it wasn't the same ready-to-fight flash of anger he knew. This was something deeper, something that was a motive. It wasn't a random contract.
 
In an attempt to remain calm around the people he'd grown to despise, Kain did his best to channel out the background conversations between the cousins and the ladies in the back. With the plan laid out, there wasn't much to discuss anyway, but Angelo did bring up a rather striking point that unnerved him. A realization of the past years. He and Kenzie were already well aware they were being monitored by a physical pair of eyes besides the Chief's. But it went beyond that - they could've easily been tracked and spied on at any given moment, or receive a call from some unknown entity and be dragged into a trap. For as long as they could remember, Brookes' daughter and the Saunders brothers were compromised. It still struck Kain how they couldn't track their location this whole time, but just the idea of the sudden call from Angelo scared him enough. And Kenzie could only feel the same as her heart sank from the words of the assassin on the other end. She thought less of panic and more into reason: did her father intentionally rig the devices so Lociato, or at least an underling, could spy on them? Or were they just that good? Or her father just an idiot? It mattered not - as secure as they felt in Seattle, the phones had to be destroyed, and she could live with that.

Kain's driving wasn't anything worth worrying about. After acting as a chauffeur for Luca during the course of their early ventures, he proved his worth as a civilian driver and one fit for a getaway, if that were ever needed. He could manage a civilian vehicle no problems. A truck loaded with multiple heads as cargo? It would prove to be difficult, but nothing he couldn't work with. He'd have to proceed with caution if this becomes a chase, or depend on Luca or Angelo to distract in separate vehicles. Not only that, but Kain wasn't going to risk killing everyone by driving whatever mode of transportation they had over a cliff. What good would that do him, after all? It wasn't death he wished upon Kenzie after all, but rather revenge. Pain. And it wouldn't last if he throws her off the deep end to die quickly. That being said, it wasn't like death wouldn't be off the table. The only way he knew to stop Angelo was to kill him. And that would hopefully be after he takes care of this new character that Kenzie threw herself at so blindly.

Speaking of which, from the comfort of the back seat, Thalia spent the ride just gazing out the window at the passing figures on the road. Though, like Kenzie, she never learned how to drive, being in a moving vehicle was always so fascinating. Rarely did she get a window view in the closed containers she'd be stored in typically, and as her memories were beginning to return, it brought back other memories of her thrilling getaways as a clanswoman. Good times, ones she didn't want to relive, but were fun stories to tell her loved ones. She, too, was not focusing too much on the events around her, the conversations about encrypted phones broken and planning for the future - as she didn't have much of a role apart from protector. What did concern her was that Kenzie would be treating Luca soon, before they infiltrate. Or would that be the case?

Finally, Kenzie broke the silence after the cousins spoke. "I think I have a backup idea for your injuries, Luca. But I'd prefer you do it after you finish. It'll do you no good as a temporary bandage that you can immediately storm into combat with. I'll prepare it while you and Angelo storm in. Maybe Thalia can help if I need it. It's best you be resting while I do this, and a decent rest. Maybe not napping, but at least laying down and not exerting yourself. Just a reminder to take it easy. And try to stay out of the path of bullets this time. You got lucky twice already, so I don't need to remind you that getting lucky a third time in the row isn't so easy."

Kain kept his eyes in front of him, gripping the wheel tightly as the location grew near. It was quite a straightforward road so far, which he found rather unusual. Why would a base of operations for a slave ring, or even a warehouse for storage, be practically out in the open? He smelled trouble, a potential ambush. Lociato must be on high alert after having a slave swiped away right under his nose. It prompted Kain to park the car on the side of the road a good 100 meters away from the location. Kain wasn't that stupid to get much closer, and in his experience with stakeouts, he knew to keep his distance and observe. He couldn't quite make out what exactly was there from the distance, which is what they'd need Angelo for.

"We're here," he spoke, turning the keys in the ignition to turn the engine off and falling back in his chair. He took the time to roll down his window for when Angelo pulls over to speak. He wasn't too involved in the plans ahead, so he took the time to zone out. He knew that Angelo and Luca would take up arms and go inside, Thalia would get a weapon to fend him off with, and, eventually, he and the girls would be moved to another vehicle to load up the slaves. It annoyed him that he wasn't getting any sort of device to protect himself, and was even being left out of the action. Then again, after the multiple times Kain had ended someone's life, or came dangerously close to it, how could Luca trust him with a firearm?

Kenzie did have her own ounce of last-minute input: "Keep in mind, Luca: take it easy on yourself. If you have to rely on Angelo as backup, do it. I don't trust him half as much as you might, but I don't think he'd let you die in there. Also... keep the bloodshed to a minimum. Bodies... it gets messy. And from the looks of it, we don't need that. We're already supposed to keep this covert as is. Making a mess or at least being noisy is only going to draw attention. The US may not have jurisdiction here, but they could very well revoke my deal if they realize that a group of Americans, or at least people who don't look like nationals, started a mass shooting in Mexico. And it's not like we can get behind a microphone to justify our actions after the fact."
 
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