"Do you really trust Tina like that? Are you sure she won't betray us or anything like that?" I asked quietly.

  My fingers were still wrapped with Car's as we sat side by side in the back of the bck armored truck, the vehicle rumbling steadily as it drove down the road. The thick reinforced walls around us muffled most of the outside noise, leaving only the low growl of the engine and the occasional vibration of the tires rolling over uneven pavement.

  Just being out of that hospital felt surreal.

  For almost three weeks all I had known was the sterile white ceiling, the constant beeping of machines, and the sharp smell of antiseptic that clung to everything. Even now, just thinking about that smell made my head ache slightly.

  Out here, the air felt different. Real.

  Car's hand tightened gently around mine, her thumb brushing slowly across my knuckles in an absent, comforting motion as she stared forward for a moment before answering.

  "She's proved herself to me," Car said at st, her tone calm and certain.

  She leaned back slightly into the seat, still holding my hand firmly.

  "Unless she suddenly decides she doesn't want to be employed by me and earn millions," she added with a small shrug.

  My eyebrows lifted a little at that.

  Proved herself?

  I turned my head to look at her more closely, trying to read her expression. Impressing Car wasn't something that happened easily.

  I had seen plenty of people try—and fail—over the time I'd been with her. She didn't hand out trust lightly, especially not after everything that had happened recently.

  So hearing that Tina had somehow managed to earn it made my curiosity spike.

  "What did she do?" I asked, my voice quieter now but filled with genuine interest.

  Car gnced down at our intertwined hands for a second before looking back up, the faintest hint of a smile touching her lips.

  Whatever Tina had done... it must have been something serious.

  ——

  (Car pov)

  "You still have time to back out of this, Tina..." I said quietly.

  The elevator hummed as it descended, the metal walls around us reflecting the dim white light from above. The air inside the small space felt heavy, thick with tension that neither of us bothered trying to hide.

  I held the pistol out toward her.

  For a brief moment Tina didn't reach for it. She just looked at the weapon in my hand, then up at me, her expression steady but serious.

  The elevator continued its slow drop toward the lowest floor of the underground garage, the mechanical whir of the cables echoing faintly through the shaft.

  "I've gone this far..." she finally replied, her voice firm.

  She reached forward and took the pistol from my hand, checking the weight of it naturally like someone who had handled firearms plenty of times before.

  "No backing out."

  I studied her face for another second, searching for even the smallest hint of hesitation, but there was none. If anything, her eyes looked sharper than usual—focused.

  I gave a small nod.

  The elevator continued descending, the quiet stretching between us. The only sound was the faint vibration of the machinery and the distant echo of the garage levels passing by beneath us.

  Then—

  A low metallic clunk echoed through the shaft.

  The elevator slowed before finally coming to a stop.

  The dispy above the door blinked once before settling on the final number.

  Lowest level.

  For a moment neither of us moved.

  Then the doors slid open with a slow mechanical hiss.

  Cold air drifted inside immediately, carrying with it the faint smell of gasoline, concrete dust, and motor oil. The underground garage stretched out in front of us, dimly lit by long fluorescent lights that buzzed softly overhead. Rows of weapons sat in the shadows, their shapes half hidden in the dull lighting.

  Tina stepped out first, the pistol hanging low but ready at her side.

  I followed right behind her.

  Once we were both out, the elevator doors slid shut behind us with a dull thud, leaving us standing alone in the quiet, echoing garage.

  The underground garage level was quiet except for the faint buzz of the fluorescent lights overhead. Concrete walls surrounded us, the air cool and heavy with the smell of oil and damp cement.

  Two of my guards stood nearby, silent and watchful, rifles hanging against their chests as they monitored the situation.

  As soon as Tina and I stopped in front of the chair, I gestured toward one of the guards.

  "Take it off."

  The guard stepped forward without hesitation and reached behind Lina's head, pulling the blindfold loose. The cloth slid away from her eyes and dropped to the floor.

  For a brief second Lina blinked against the harsh overhead lights, her pupils adjusting.

  Then her gaze locked onto the two of us standing in front of her.

  Her expression shifted instantly.

  Her eyes widened.

  "Tina?" she blurted out, disbelief spilling across her face as she leaned forward slightly against the ropes. "What the fuck?"

  She looked from Tina to me and back again, clearly trying to make sense of the situation.

  "Now's not the time for family reunions," she continued quickly, her voice sharp. "Get me out of here."

  The words hung in the air for a moment.

  Then I spoke.

  "Kill your sister, Tina."

  My voice was calm, quiet—but firm enough that it cut through the room like a bde.

  The tension in the space shifted immediately. It was the kind of tension that pressed against the chest and made breathing feel heavier.

  The guards didn't move.

  Lina froze.

  And Tina—

  I heard the subtle sound of her swallowing.

  Her grip tightened around the pistol, the metal shifting slightly in her hand as her fingers clenched around it. The small movement made a faint click that echoed louder than it should have in the silent garage.

  Lina's eyes darted toward the weapon.

  Then slowly... back to Tina's face.

  Confusion crept into her expression.

  "Tina..." she said more cautiously now.

  Her voice had lost some of its earlier confidence.

  "What the hell is this?"

  "I'm... I'm sorry, sis..." Tina said quietly.

  Her voice shook as the words left her mouth, and tears had already begun forming in the corners of her eyes. The pistol in her hand trembled slightly as she lifted it, the barrel slowly aligning with Lina's chest.

  For a moment it looked like she might not be able to do it.

  Lina stared at her, disbelief spreading across her face as the reality of what was happening began to sink in.

  "Tina...?" she said again, her voice smaller now, confused and almost pleading. She shifted slightly against the ropes binding her to the chair, the metal scraping faintly against the concrete floor.

  But Tina didn't answer.

  Her breathing had grown uneven, her chest rising and falling faster as she tried to steady her grip on the weapon.

  The garage felt impossibly quiet.

  Then—

  Two gunshots cracked through the air.

  The sharp sound echoed violently off the concrete walls, ringing through the underground level.

  Lina's body jerked against the ropes as the bullets struck. For a split second she remained upright, her head tilted slightly as if her body hadn't fully realized what had just happened.

  Then the strength left her.

  Her head dropped forward and her body slumped against the chair, the ropes the only thing keeping her from colpsing to the floor completely.

  Silence returned to the garage just as quickly as it had been broken.

  Tina stood there frozen for a second, the pistol still raised in front of her. Her breathing was heavy now, the adrenaline shaking through her arms.

  Slowly, she lowered the gun.

  She walked over to me and pced the pistol back into my hand without saying anything. Her eyes were red, her jaw tight like she was forcing herself not to break down right there.

  Then she turned and hurried toward the elevator, her footsteps quick against the concrete as she rushed away from the scene.

  I watched her go for a moment.

  Then I turned slightly toward the guards who still stood nearby.

  "Clean this up, girls," I muttered.

  They nodded immediately and moved into action, stepping toward the chair to begin dealing with the body.

  Meanwhile I turned and started walking toward the elevator as well, intending to catch up with Tina before she disappeared upstairs.

  Tina stood in front of the elevator doors, her back to the garage, staring at the metal panels like she wasn't really seeing them.

  Her shoulders were tense, rising and falling slowly with each breath she forced herself to take. The adrenaline from a few moments ago still clung to her, leaving her hands faintly unsteady.

  I walked up behind her and pced a hand gently on her shoulder.

  She flinched slightly at the contact before realizing it was me.

  "You did great," I told her calmly. My voice was steady, the kind of tone I used when I needed someone to know they had done exactly what was asked of them. "You won't have to worry about anything anymore."

  Tina lowered her head a little, staring down at the concrete floor beneath her boots. Her jaw tightened, like she was still repying what had just happened in her mind.

  "You can even retire if you want," I continued after a moment, giving her shoulder a small reassuring squeeze. "Disappear somewhere quiet. I owe you a lot for what you did for me and Miguel."

  For a second she didn't answer.

  Then she nodded slowly, blinking a few times as she wiped at the corner of her eye with the back of her hand, trying to regain some composure.

  "Thank you, Car," she said quietly.

  Her voice was hoarse, but there was relief mixed into it now—the kind that comes after crossing a line you know you can never uncross.

  The elevator dinged softly as the doors slid open in front of us, the interior lights spilling out into the dim garage. Tina stepped inside first, and I followed right behind her.

  ——

  Wasn't supposed to upload today but someone donated, one of them didn't require me to post so I'll just post one today, i don't know if I'll post tomorrow, we'll see.