Chapter Eight

ROCCO'S POV:

I groggily opened my eyes, my head pounding and my body aching all over. I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through my head but falling back down, I think very hard, Where was I? How did I get here?, my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I saw Jude lying next to me, his face bruised and swollen. We were in a cold, damp cellar, with stone walls and a concrete floor. I tried to speak, but my voice was barely a whisper.

"Jude...what happened?"

He groggily opened his eyes, wincing in pain. "Rocco we're doomed."

Suddenly, footsteps echoed outside the room, and the door creaked open. Aleksandr, the son of the Russian mafia boss, Papa J, stormed in, his eyes blazing with anger.

"You two are the ones who know what happened to my father," he spat, his voice venomous. "And you're going to tell me everything."

Aleksandr's eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing through me. "You're going to tell me the truth, or you'll suffer the consequences."

I shook my head, trying to clear the fog. "We don't know anything, Junior boss we swear."

He sneered. "Don't lie to me! I know you were involved in my father's death. You're going to pay for what you've done."

Jude tries to speak, but Aleksandr cuts him off. "No more lies! You're going to regret the day you ever crossed me."

He nods to his men, and they move towards us, their fists clenched. I brace myself for the impact, knowing that we're in for a world of more pain.

The next few hours were a blur of pain and suffering. Aleksandr's men took turns beating us, their fists and feet pounding into our bodies. I tried to protect myself, but it was no use. I was trapped, unable to escape the onslaught.

Jude was similarly brutalized, his cries of pain echoing off the walls. I tried to reach out to him, but my arms were pinned down. I was helpless to stop the beating.

Just when I thought it was over, Aleksandr himself joined in, his rage and anger fueling his blows. I felt my consciousness slipping away, my body broken and battered.

Laying there with my body broken and battered, my spirit crushed. Aleksandr loomed over me, his eyes cold and unforgiving. I knew I had to think fast, or I'd never escape this living nightmare.

"Please," I begged, my voice cracking with desperation. "Just listen to me. I'll do anything. Anything at all. Just please, set me free."

Aleksandr raised an eyebrow, intrigued by my desperation. "Anything?"

I nodded, tears streaming down my face. "Anything. Just please, don't keep me here. I can't take it anymore."

He considered my plea, his expression unreadable. Then, he spoke. "I want one thing. Bring me the person who killed my father. Bring them to me, alive, in three months. If you do that, I'll set you free."

I nodded, eager to agree to anything. "Yes, yes, I'll do it. I'll bring them to you. Just please, let me go."

Junior J nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "Good. I'll give you three months. But if you fail, you'll suffer a fate worse than death."

Relief washing over me as I nod. Knowing it was a long shot, but I had to try. I had to escape, and I had to bring the killer to justice. I would do anything to make that happen.

The moment of liberation finally arrived as Aleksandr nodded to his men, and they untied us from our restraints. The ropes fell away, and I felt a surge of relief wash over me as I rubbed my sore wrists. Jude's eyes met mine, filled with hope and a glimmer of joy.

"Get out," Aleksandr spat, his voice laced with disdain. "And don't come back until you have the killer. I'm watching you"

I nodded, still massaging my wrists, my promise firm. "I won't fail."

As we stumbled out of the damp cellar, the bright sunlight hit us like a tidal wave, leaving me dazed and disoriented. My legs buckled, and I fell to my knees, my vision blurring. But Jude was there, his strong arms catching me, holding me steady.

"Easy, i've got you," he whispered, his voice a gentle reassurance.

I looked up at him, my eyes struggling to focus. "Thanks," I whispered back, my voice barely audible.

We made our way through the compound, Junior J's men watching us with cold, calculating eyes. But we didn't falter, our determination driving us forward. Finally, we reached the gate, and it creaked open, releasing us into the bright sunlight.

We stumbled down the hill, our legs shaking with exhaustion, our bodies weak but our spirits free. At the bottom, we turned to each other, our eyes locking in a moment of pure relief as we collapsed to the ground, our bodies spent, our hearts full of joy and our spirits soaring with freedom.

Our journey was a crawl, slow and painful inching forward. Every step felt like a monumental effort, my body screaming in protest with each labored movement. Jude was my rock, his arm a steady support as I leaned into him, my legs trembling beneath me.

As we walked, the world around us gradually came into focus. We were in a deserted alleyway, the walls a riot of colorful graffiti, the air thick with the stench of trash and decay. I winced, my head spinning, my vision blurring at the edges.

"Where are we?" I mumbled, my voice barely audible.

Jude's eyes scanned our surroundings, his gaze squinting as he tried to get his bearings. "I think we're in the old part of town," he said finally, his voice low and steady. "We need to get to the other side, where the safe houses are."

I nodded, my vision blurring further, but I forced myself to keep moving. "Keep going," I whispered, my voice a mere breath.

We stumbled forward, our progress slow but steady. My legs betrayed me once again, giving way beneath me like fragile twigs snapping under the weight of a heavy snowfall. I felt myself plummeting towards the ground, my arms flailing wildly in a desperate attempt to regain balance. But it was too late. I was falling, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

Except, I wasn't alone. Jude was there, his reflexes quicker than mine, his arms wrapping around me like a safety net to catch me before I hit the ground. He held me close, his whisper warm against my ear. "I've got you. Don't worry, I've got you."

But even his reassuring words couldn't shake off the feeling of utter weakness that had taken hold of me. My body felt like a leaden weight, my muscles trembling with exhaustion, my energy reserves depleted. I tried to stand again, but my legs refused to cooperate, wobbling like newborn fawns taking their first steps.

I fell again, this time Jude following me down, our bodies sinking to the ground in a tangled heap. We sat there, our backs against the wall, our bodies exhausted, our spirits drained. I buried my face in my hands and let the tears flow, my body shaking with sobs.

"I can't do this," I whispered, my voice muffled by my hands.

But Jude was there, his arms wrapping around me in a tight embrace, holding me close as if he could infuse me with his own strength. "Yes, you can," he whispered back, his voice full of conviction. "We'll get through this together."

With newfound resolve, I drew in a deep breath and spoke, my voice steady and firm. "Let's keep going."

Jude's face lit up with a small smile, and he nodded in encouragement. "That's the spirit," he said, his voice low and urgent.