Bullets

Not even an hour later, Jackson and I were waiting behind the van with the team. The house was only a two-minute walk from here, but we needed to come up with an action plan, everyone having the mutual understanding of how unpredictable Mario can be on the best of days. But when we show up, he will soon realise, there is no way out now and he'll need to pay for everything he has done to so many people. We don't even want to know what he'll do once he realises it's all over for him, the most unpredictable man will get that much more unpredictable. Jackson was going over with the team of how we will enter the house, the unruly garden will be a perfect cover while they access the situation and make sure my mother and Mario are really there. No one was even talking about how many ways this could go wrong, all of our minds were focused on the job of getting my mother back safely and bringing Mario in. I think if I had allowed myself the moments to think all of this over in detail, I would be a nervous wreck! Not only from the danger of what may lay ahead for the team and us, but also what if he had already done something to my mother. The last time we had seen each other, I kept giving her snidey remarks. I don't think I have ever really shown her how much I care, I'm always on the defensive in case she picks up and leaves again. Perhaps it's a sort of defensive mechanism for me in a sense. 'Alright, everyone knows the plan and understands what part they will play. Let's work together to stop Mario and get Joanna back safe and sound." Jackson says to the team which snaps me from my thoughts, I was leaning up against the van while the spoke strategy. I was really one of the key people in this, which is something I was more ready than nervous about. Due to me and Catia having a deep talk back when we first met, to me we have a sort of connection in a sense. I think I'll be able to persuade her to come out of the house and give Mario up. 'I need you to be careful Ally." Jackson says walking over to me while they others all grab their gear; I smile meeting him in the middle. 'I'm serious, I mean I've just managed to get you on my side, I can't have you hurting yourself." He says placing his hand on my cheek, I once again smile placing my hand to lay on top of his. 'I'll be okay, I just need to get to the door and have Catia speak to me, after that, you'll come in." I smile letting him know how sure I was of the plan; I had gone over it multiple times in my head already. He nods his head with a sigh, I knew he was putting a brace face on so the team wouldn't worry that he was worried, but deep down, he didn't want to let anyone down. I lean forward placing a kiss on his lips before we're informed it was go time. I stand at the end of the road as the rest of the team approach the house, they were hiding in the forest like garden to make sure if anything turns ugly, they'll be able to help me in seconds. My hands shake as I try to calm my breathing, I know how many ways this could go wrong but I have to try and put that at the back of my mind. Mario will know who I am as soon as he looks at me, while that happens, he'll soon realise I hadn't come alone and who knows what he'll do. My objective is to keep my voice down and try to make Catia help me. 'Come on Ally, you were able to disarm that man with just a lamp and carry your father out of a burning building. Just focus on the task ahead." I whisper to myself whilst looking down at the ground, my head has to be in the game and as my mother told me the first day, I stayed at hers, they'll be time for me to feel the feelings later. 'Come on Ally." I hear Jackson say through the earpiece they gave me, but now I knew it was really go time, a wave of fear pulsed through my body. I take a deep breath in to calm myself down before taking the first steps down the road, the closer I got to the house the more determined and ready I felt to face these guys. After a few short moments, the house came into view and told me it was really time. I reach the garden gate, the one I had walked through a few months prior with Jackson, so much changing in that short amount of time. The old gate was already open, so I didn't have to worry about the noise alerting Mario, I soon walk through and head towards the path to the front door. As I passed the forest like garden, I caught glimpses of the agents hiding in case Mario appears. Once my feet were on the porch, I knew there weren't any turning back now. With a shaky hand, I give two knocks to the front door and place my hand behind my back. After a few short seconds, I hear walking getting closer to the door. 'Who is there?" Catia's voice says on the other side, I knew this meant Mario was listening so I couldn't outright tell her my name, so he'd know it was me, I start to rack my brain in hopes of remembering the name Jackson gave me when we first came here. 'Lucy!" I say back once I had remembered, but I knew as soon as she heard my voice and my cover name, she'd know why I'm here. 'Calm down Mario, Lucy is just a friend of mine, if I don't answer she'll know something is up, just wait here I'll be right outside the door." I hear Catia tell Mario which only told me he was really there; I look back to some of the men in the garden and nod my head telling them he was in there. The door opens a crack where Catia's worried face appears, she soon slips her small frame through the door and closes it behind her. But before I could talk, she moves me to the side slightly while taking a look behind her. 'He won't be able to see you if he looks through the window." She tells me still making sure he wasn't there, but at least I know she wouldn't want Mario to see me. 'You know why I'm here Catia." I say giving her a look, she looks down sad a little but does nod her head. 'He needs to be taken in and made to pay for what he's done to people, I know he's your son and you only want what's best for him, but you need to also think of all the other people who will be safe when he's locked up." I say placing my hand on her arm slightly, I didn't want her to think I was forcing her to give up her son and not care about her feelings, I bet it's gut wrenching for her in this moment. 'I knew as soon as I saw him today, something bad had happened and it wouldn't be long before the feds showed up, I'm glad it was you." She sighs which does make me send her a sympathetic smile, I knew we had a little connection that would allow me to convince her to help us. 'That's why we need your help, we don't want anyone getting hurt and that includes Mario. Now you need to tell me, is there a woman in there with him?" I ask hoping my mother was alive and well, when she nods her head it sends such relief to flow through my body. 'Okay, now does he have any sort of weapons?" I ask which was so important for us to know, we needed to know what kind of situation we were walking into. 'He has one, it was his father's gun." She tells me which must be the gun he asked for back, I nod my head whispering to Jackson that he indeed had a gun on him through my earpiece. 'What's going to happen now is a few members from my team will join us here okay, you're going to walk in the house normally, make it seem like nothing is a miss okay, as soon as you're out of the way, say now and my team will run in the house and get Mario as safely and quickly as possible." I say giving her a rundown of the plan we had created; she sighs nodding her head before looking towards the door. She opens up the door and makes her way in, as Mario would be distracted the team start to make their way closer to the door to wait for the signal. 'Ally, that man from the restaurant just showed up with his police buddy, they seem to know what's going on." Jackson whispers as he also joins us on the porch, I send him a confused look wondering how Peter would know this. 'I told him he had to back off until we got this situation under control." He says as we were still waiting for the signal, I was hoping Catia was following the plan and not telling Mario everything. 'Now!" We hear her shout which was all the signal we needed, the team in front storm the house with their guns and begin to shout. I take a hold of Jackson's vest and run after him as he went, the house which we had entered before having a much different vibe. We head straight for the living room where I see Mario, the first time since he appeared at our front door that we were face to face. I scan the room seeing Catia off to the corner crying and my mother tied up sitting on the floor, to my relief she looked fine. 'Get on the ground!" Jackson shouts pointing his gun towards Mario, who looked anything but calm and collected. He looked around about to grab his gun before he was tackled, around 4 men on top of him preventing him from getting anywhere. 'No! Mum help me!" He begins to cry and fight under the men, but there was nothing his mummy could do for him anymore, he was finally paying for what he has done. 'Mum!" I say running past Jackson and straight over to my mother, who was still sat on the floor with her hands behind her back. As soon as I reach her, I go behind and rip the rope that kept her hands together away. Seconds after, her arms wrap around me where she holds me so tightly in her hands. 'You found me; I knew you wouldn't listen to me when I told you to keep out of it." She tells me still holding so tightly, I allowed my tears to fall as she did. 'Get him out of here!" I hear Jackson shout before Mario's voice begin to ring out through the house, but I didn't focus on anything else in this moment. 'Dads safe too, he's being treated back at the hospital. Jackson and I managed to get him out." I say where she soon pulls away and looks at Jackson with a smile, he walks over standing above us a smile on his face. 'Is this a bad time to tell you I want your blessing to date your daughter?" He asks of course making a joke out of this situation, my mother just laughs opening up her arms. 'Oh, come here." She tells him which does cause him to chuckle and walk over where all three of us are wrapped in a hug, at this moment, I felt whole. After a few moments, we were walking out of the house and back into the fresh air. The neighbours were now out of their houses and looking at what was happening, Mario fighting against the officers who were attempting to get him in the car filling air. I smile that he had finally been put away, my life can finally, start getting back to normal after everything that has been happening recently. I turn my head to look to the side, where I see Peter standing there with his hands in his pockets. For a moment, I did forget Jackson had told me he was here. He starts to make his way over to me so I could explain what has been happening. But Mario's loud shouts break up the moment. 'Your family is going to pay!" He shouts which does make me turn to look at him, this is when I clocked the gun which was pointed in my direction. 'Ally!" I hear someone shout before I cover my eyes, I didn't want to see what was going to happen, a huge bang rings out through the air where I expected to feel pain, but no pain ever reached me. I open my eyes to see I wasn't hit, but Mario was now tackled to the floor once again and the gun a few feet away. I look around a little confused until I spot Peter, he was laying on the floor face down. 'Peter!" I shout before running to his side and pulling him around, his eyes wide open as he looked back at me. 'Why did you do that?" I ask trying to put pressure on his wound as he lay in my lap, the hole in his chest huge and spurring blood. 'I couldn't let a-anything happen to you." He tells me through short breaths, I shake my head placing my hands on either side of his face. 'I love you, Ally; I would jump in front of any bullet." He says whilst fighting his eyes to stay open, I begin to cry wiping the tears from his eyes. 'I love you too Peter, you're going to be okay I promise." I say placing my forehead against his whilst closing my eyes, I didn't want him to be afraid as we could wait for the medics to come together. He places a kiss on my cheek and lay back in my arms, but seconds later, I feel his body go limp, I lift my head up where I find his eyes closed. I shake him slightly, but he didn't move. 'Peter…No please, Peter no! Please wake up!" I shout shaking him, but he didn't wake up.