Charlie and I sat in his car in silence as we watched as the ambulance took Sean away. The whole motel parking lot was filled with rescue personnel, police more than anyone. They spread out and started searching the clues asking the people staying next door to us if they saw anything. Together we watched as they searched for us…

He turned on the car then lowered the radio so he wouldn’t draw attention as we drove away. I stared out the window trying to process what happened within the last forty-eight hours. Everything happened so damn fast. I know Amber is going to freak when she sees my loft up in smoke on the even news. I should call her I should let her know I’m ok but that could be putting her in danger. Francis reminded me of that… A simple text will have to do for now.

A mile and half down the road heading back towards Freeside, Charlie stopped at a gas station. I still haven’t said a word since we left the motel. He scared me a little making me jump when he softly caressed my cheek while putting one of my braids behind my ear. “Did he hurt you?” whispered Charlie.

“No… quite the opposite. He helped me.” I replied also in a low tone.

“Helped you? When he knocked me out, I only had a few seconds to get his license plate numbers down. Ally the guy kidnapped you!” His tone raised at the end of the statement.

I shook my head and looked at him as he turned to look out the window. “Believe it or not Charlie, I do believe everything Sean told me. I know how gullible it sounds but no one ever in history has freshly got out of prison just to tell the person who put them there that they weren’t mad at them. Sean said the Syndicate with Chief Bernard’s help place the breadcrumbs out for me to follow. He told what really happened to my mother and was about to tell me what happened to my father until you busted in the door. You didn’t have to shoot him!”

“I’m sorry ok! I really thought he was going to hurt you. I mean shit Ally he could have done it a better way.”

I shook my head agreeing, “I know but he knew I was would never go with him willing nor even want to speak to him if he approached me. I thought about killing him before I realized he wasn’t going to hurt me. He also told me the truth about the money. There is no three hundred million anymore… It’s been long gone for some time now and Syndicate just caught on to it. Sean told me Douglas invested the money they stole into some company offshore. He made my dad, Sean and himself sole owners to this account and only they could access it. My dad put me down in his place two days before he died and that’s why Consuelo wants me so bad. The fucker just caught up to what’s really going on… The money Douglas invested by the way over time has grown to more like 1.3 billion. I guess now you have more of a reason to bring me to him.” It all just poured out like diarrhea at the mouth. I was exhausted and tired of going through all of this shit. I laid my head back then took a deep breath.

“Now you sound gullible Ally! You can’t believe everything this guy tells you. There’s no way…”

I interrupted, “Listen, 1.3 billion sounds a whole better than three hundred million and it makes more sense to fight over.”

Charlie put his down then started laughing before turning to look at me. “No fucking wonder everyone’s at each other’s throat! The BK5s were the ones who took out Victor and shot that RPG at us. They don’t have that much money to top Consuelo so they’re trying to keep you away from him as much as possible. Even if that means killing you by any means… I’m guessing some of the other families might feel the same. And no, I was never going to ‘deliver’ you to Consuelo. Fuck that bastard…”

“He’ll kill you for going against his word…”

“I know but that’s what he gets for lying to all of us about what’s really going on.” Charlie turned his body towards me as much as he could in the two seated muscle car. “Listen, I don’t know want to sound mushy and shit but I’ve chosen you. I’m on your side Ally. I’ve been so much out of the loop that I didn’t know they switch up your doorman to spy of us. I didn’t give you up to Consuelo because I didn’t know what he was going to do… The man is fucking nuts...”

He leaned slowly towards me trying to make a move. I was leaned towards the middle titling my head facing in his direction. I waited and watched till he got really close to my lips and said, “We’ll see how much you’re on my side after we go see Priest. Are you ready to go up against your boss’s brother with me?” I whispered.

Charlie pulled back confused, “What does he have to do with this?”

“Like I said, he didn’t have the chance to tell me before he almost bled out to death… All he had the chance to tell me was it was my Godfather. The one who loved my father the most… Sean also knew someone was coming for me but I don’t think he was expecting you.” I didn’t tell him the rest. Specifically, the part about the information I need to access the offshore account is somewhere in my dad’s favorite book. Which could be a number of books unfortunately…

“Ally are you sure about this? Are you sure you’re making a decision you can live with? I’m not defending Priest or nothing but…”

“But what Charlie?” I quickly asked.

“You’ve been under a lot of stress lately. I mean shit has been happening back to back for us so I understand wanting to chop off some people’s heads but you are sure it’s the right one?”

“Than why would Sean specifically name him by his title to me? I just want to see what he says, that’s all.” I was a little on edge, I’ll admit it. The rage soaring through my veins right now were at it’s peak… I don’t know if I am being just gullible or just need an excuse to go after someone. I know deep in my gut what Sean said was true…

Charlie sat there staring out the window like he was thinking. He shook his head then said, “It couldn’t be it…” He turned and looked at me, “You really believe Priest murdered your father? Well, there’s a rumor about why he changed his street name from Big Pop to Priest. The story goes he took out someone close to him a while ago which made him want to quit. It affected him so much he turned his life completely around. Did you think that person close to him was your father?”

“There’s only one way to find out…” I replied. “Sean didn’t have the chance to explain so Priest will… I want to speak to him alone. I will get the truth one way or another.”

“Aw no, I’m going with you… Priest may have turned his life to God and all however to me he’s nothing but a neutered dog. A dog with no balls can still bite. I don’t know what to expect but I’ll be there with you. It won’t be easier to pull that shit out of him.”

I buckled my seatbelt as Charlie sped away, “We’ll see… The truth can set up free.”

By the time we reached Priest Diner it was already close to eleven at night. His diner closed at midnight so the chances of getting him alone was a possiblity however his restaurant was pretty popular. That wasn’t going to be a problem for me. My body ache as I felt my heart breaking from the thought of my uncle’s betrayal. Out of all people Sean could have named, what would he gained from lying to me. Like Charlie mentioned, I also didn’t know what to expect from Priest. All I knew, I wasn’t leaving without a confession. I was hanging on Sean’s every word. I wish it was all a lie…

As we walked into the diner there was hardly anyone there. Only two couples sitting in opposite corners of the restaurant. Priest was in one of the last booths in back, the seats closest to the restrooms, counting the earnings for the day. I plopped down in the booth spooking Priest enough to make him drop the cash in his hands. He looked up at me confused and even further confused when he saw Charlie still standing by the table.

“Hey baby girl… what’s going on?” He looked back up at Charlie and nodded his head upward. Charlie didn’t say anything, he just nodded up as his response.

“I need to ask to something and I need you to tell me the truth. No bullshit, do you understand?” I boldly came out with it. Charlie doesn’t know this but before I got out of his car, I grabbed the small handgun from his glove department. I placed it halfway inside my waist and covered the rest with my shirt. Like I said I wasn’t leaving without the truth.

Priest looked over my shoulder and saw the two couples quietly talking and eating their meals. “Can this wait when my customers leave? I also gotta get these counts done before I leave tonight.” By the sound of his tone, he wasn’t taking me serious. I slid out of the booth and pulled the gun from my waist. Charlie’s eyes popped out surprised by my aggressive move. I shot one bullet in the air shocking the hell out of everyone.

The two couples quickly fell to the ground looking over their shoulders searching for where the danger was coming from. I turned around facing the two couples and casually said, “Dinner is over folks… Now get out!” Priest’s mouth dropped as he looked up to the ceiling. The bullet made some of the tiles fall down in small bits. I put the safety back on the gun then put it back on my waist side. I plopped back down in booth like nothing happened. “Okay, well everyone’s gone now.”

Charlie pulled his gun out and checked to see how many bullets were left in his clip. “You could have warned me you were going to do that.” A few seconds, some of the Priest crew came bursting out of the back kitchen to see what’s going on. He took aim at the cooks and a cashier making them scatter towards the door. Only one slowly stayed looking in between Charlie, Priest and I. He had his hands up but kept looking at Priest. I watched as his boss slowly nodded his head towards the young boy giving him instruction. Charlie cocked the gun back and took his aim at him suggesting the boy should leave like the rest. After everyone left, Charlie quickly turned around and said, “You have about ten minutes before Consuelo’s men get here. His little brother is too valuable to him to let something happen.”

Priest didn’t blink an eye nor say anything to Charlie’s comments. He just sat there looking at me mad as hell. “How are you just gonna storm in here like accusing me of some bullshit?! I deserve a whole lot more respect than that Ally!”

I gave him back the same disappointed and disgusted stare, “Do you, do it? Did you kill my father?”

Priest slid his big belly from out the booth and stood tall over me, “Who the fuck is going around saying this shit to Ally? I wanna know who…”

“Sean Wayne.” I interrupted his rant. Priest stopped died in his tracks and gave me that blank stare again. “As soon as he got out he came looking for me and told the true story about what happened.” Priest was caught and he knew now I knew the fucking truth. “I lost everything… My home, my business, I left my best friend without a job, my life… I can’t believe it was you, Uncle Julius! You’ve been lying to me this whole time. You were never out of the business. You wear that white priest collar in vain!” We stared at one another for a while before Charlie’s quick movements snapped us out of the gaze. “Confess… we both know God don’t like ugly.” I whispered seconds before bullets came bursting through from the front windows. Charlie jumped on top of me and slid inside the booth shielding us from the glass. As the bullets kept flying through, I noticed Priest dashing into the men’s restroom and locked the door behind him. Charlie changed his mag again before peeping around the corner. I also pulled out my handgun taking the safety off. “We have to get to the kitchen. I know where he keeps a stash of weapons.” I explained covering my head from glass falling on me.

Charlie nodded his head then shot a few rounds back at Consuelo’s men. More bullets rained into Priest Diner completely destroying the inside of the restaurant. The shots continued until I heard screaming over the fire. “I said STOP! Dammit!” It was Chief Bernard. He continued screaming at his men as Charlie and I moved closer to the kitchen. “I said don’t harm the girl. The boss needs her ALIVE! Charlie’s bitch ass can go but not the girl! Do I make myself clear?!”

I reached behind the back of the cash box under the register and pulled out a saw-off shotgun, fully loaded. I wasn’t surprised the box of shells wasn’t too far from the gun. I grabbed them all and stuffed them inside my jacket pockets. Charlie and I got prepared for the fight, loading up and coming up with an escape plan when we heard Priest’s voice come through an intercom. I forgot he had an intercom… He used to play music for the customers during dinner. “It… was an accident. I didn’t know it was him! I would have tell you a long time ago but I didn’t know how to.”

“Coward!” I screamed back as Charlie and I made our way through to the kitchen. We could hear Bernard giving his men orders to enter. Charlie shushed me as he moved closer. “They’re coming in two by two on both sides.” There was two swindling doors to the kitchen, one for going and the other for going out. The kitchen was large enough to house a large kitchen staff. Charlie and I were kneeling on the floor near the sinks.

Priest continued his speech, “Your father wouldn’t let go how your mom died. It was unfortunate and I pleaded with my brother to do the right thing. You understand baby girl I had to protect him. I had to protect my brother…” The four men quietly moved through the kitchen in pairs trying to flank us from both sides. Charlie moved crawl behind a corner waiting patiently for him to get a clear shot as I hid behind the side of the stove. Not an ideal place to hide but it was all I could manage without Bernard’s men seeing me. Priest continued once more, “He made me promise to take care of you and that’s what I did! I made sure you had everything you ask for. I made sure your mom’s brother got custody over you. I sent him thousands of dollars every year to make you never went without.”

I was trying my hardest to listen what Priest was saying and focus on the two men coming my way. They may not be here to kill me but that rule doesn’t apply to me. As soon as I had a clear shot, I sprung up from around the corner and shot one of the guys twice in the chest. He quickly fell on his back dead. The second guy jumped out of the way then returned fire in my direction. I managed to crawl around the counter top to the other side. I pulled out my handgun then shot the second guy in the shoulder.

He stumbled away holding his shoulder falling a few times as he made his way out the swindling doors. I didn’t have the heart to shot the man in the back as he crawled his way back to Bernard. Charlie however had no problem taking out his attackers.

I watched as Charlie grabbed the guy closest and use him as a human shield. His partner unloaded a half clip in the guy’s chest before realizing what he had done. Charlie dropped the dead weight then returned fire unloading half of his clip. The threat was over for now but that wasn’t enough… Both Charlie and I ran towards the front looking out of the broken shattered windows. We watched Chief Bernard shove his one guy left into the passenger seat quickly trying to make his escape. Charlie stuck his arm out the window taking aim at the car. He shot two bullets, one at Bernard and the other busted out the back window. Bernard’s car bounced and jerked around as he tried his hardest to drive away from the diner.

I walked away leaving Charlie to have his fun aiming at the chief. I slowly walked back through the swindling doors straight towards the back where Priest’s office was location. When I got in to his door, I wiggled the handle expecting it to be locked but it wasn’t. The door slowly opened and there he was sitting at his desk starring at me. I casually walked inside leaving the door. I stood there starring back at him wondering what to say first. My handgun had one round left… I squeezed the handle tight as I felt the urge to take aim and blow his face off.

Priest wrapped his long braided hair into high bun with a rubber band on his desk. He still had his apron on that was covered in food and grease. I decided to sit down in the chair furthest away from the desk. I gently placed the gun in my lap keeping my hand gripped tight just in case… It had been so quiet since I entered his office, it spooked me when he began speaking, “It was dark and raining that night…” Priest exhaled deeply, “I was escorting Juan out through the back from one of Douglas’ adult clubs with a group of girls. It was me and my crew’s duty to protect my brother and his assets. I was his muscle, his number one hit man for a while. I had killed so many people that killing became easier than maintaining normal relationships. Until, I met your dad. I was seventeen years old. He had a light to it that drew people in… Sadly that light faded when your mom got murdered. Nothing would get him to trying to bring justice on that Irish kid. At one point I wanted to take him out myself for your dad but the repercussions were too great.”

I sat there patiently and carefully listening to every word Priest said. Digesting it, processing the true story in mind while trying to erase the old one. He poured his guts out, letting go of what he had been holding on to for so long. This was the most I had ever hear he speak, “But that night was different… Like I said, I was escorting Juan through the back when a man dressed in all black came out of the shadows. He started shooting at us hitting a few of my guys and me in my lower leg. I still managed to chase him down through an alleyway. I remember he dropped his gun when I tackled him and we wrestled for a minute for it. He never, not one time, screamed out it was him. When I got control of the gun I stood up and shot him right twice in the chest. As he was gasping for air, I pulled off his ski mask to see who my attacker was and it was your dad.” Priest closed his eyes tight and a tear streamed down his cheek, “I didn’t know what the fuck to do. I tried to stop some of the bleeding but it was too late. All I remember saying to him was why, why did he have to do that? Your dad grabbed my hand and the last words he spoke was to take care of you… That’s what I did and will always continue to do until the day I die Ally.”

I took a deep long breath and I stood to my feet. I slowly walked over to Priest’s desk and stood right in front of him with my gun still in hand. I stared at him for a minute as he stared straight back not blinking an eye. I know from the bottom of his heart it was an accident but lying to me this whole time was the bullshit. He knew I have been craving a peace of mind from what happened to my parents so he threw me my father’s partner, Sean Wayne. More bullshit… Consuelo and the Syndicate was not anticipating Sean to seek me out first before returning back to them.

Again I took a deep breath but this time I raised my arm taking aim directly point blank at my Godfather’s head. Priest didn’t move much as he stared down the barrel of my gun. His breathing started getting heavy but still no sudden moves. He looked up from the barrel, looking into my eyes and then closed his… Another tear fell down his cheek as he waited from death to come. In that moment, I felt powerful but also very weak. Priest is human and we all makes mistakes. In his case, changing his life around, supposedly was his way for making up for the evils he had committed. In his mind, giving me the life he thought I deserved was his way for paying me back for killing my dad. Priest had done better than what most would have done. “I’m not going to kill you…” I lowered my gun to my waist side. “But you will make up for what you have done by helping me end this shit once and for all. You’re going to deliver me to your big brother and the Syndicate will be no more.”

Priest opened his eyes shocked and happy I didn’t pull the trigger but the excitement quickly faded when I told him my request. “Consuelo isn’t the one I would worry about at the moment. He isn’t the one pulling the strings.”

“Excuse me?” I asked. Charlie stepped inside the office when he heard Priest’s comment.

“I just found out through the grape vine that Consuelo is sick. He’s been out of commission so to speak. His bitch is the one running the show on his behalf. None of us knew about this until now. Fucking asshole didn’t even have the gull to tell his own brother! She’s been using his name left and right ordering everyone around to find you and kill anyone who got in the way.”

It took me a few seconds to catch on to who he was talking about. Then it hit me, “Shanti…”

Priest shook his agreeing saying, “I told you to stay out of this…”