Obscured (Book 1 of Psychics and Psychopaths)

Chapter 7: Murderer

“Do you want me to tell you who they are?” She asks.

I stay silent. Turning around to examine my surroundings. Cursing silently as I realized we were standing in front of the dark alleyways.

“If you answer me I will.”

“It’s fine. I already know. I need to go.” I say to Orian, and I think he sensed the graveness in my tone because he looked up, a frown between his brows.

“Such stubbornness. I don’t understand why you try so hard when all of this could be so easy.”

I wanted to yell at her to shut up because she was seriously getting on my last nerve.

“Okay. I’ll be waiting then.” He said and I nodded, turning around and walking towards the shops. I watched from the corner of my eyes as he stood there for a minute before turning around and I took that as my chance to slip into one of the dark alleyways between the buildings.

I needed to get my bike which was parked at the backside of Cypher.

The familiar sound of a gun's safety being removed caused me to freeze. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She whispers.

“Found you, you bitch.”

I turn around slowly, dropping my coat that was still hanging on my fingers. Scanning his face I Instantly recognize him. Melanconico Berlusconi. Age 32. 197 pounds, 185 cm tall. Brother of Nero’s Underboss, Denaro Berlusconi.

Another scum delinquent of Nero. He wasn’t anything special abilitywise just sucked up to his brother and his position rose.

“You b***h, I know you killed my brother.” He spat and my eyes followed the gun he was aiming at me then the five men who stepped out of the shadows.

How the hell did they find out? Was there evidence? A witness? Vi would never make such a stupid mistake. It was impossible

This might get a little messy and definitely wasn’t looking good for me. My frowned deepend as my thoughts ran a mile a minute.

“What are talking about? What do you want?” I tried to sound terrified but my voice came out sharp and irritated.

I saw his jaw clench and his hands tremble, probably with rage. “You’re coming with us.” He said, his mouth twisting into a sickening smile as his leering gazed moved down to my chest then lower.

My fist tightens, “What if I say no?” I reply, my voice fueled with anger now.”

“Then I’m gonna shoot you right here.”

It was a bluff I could tell. People like him were naturally bad at lying. He wasn’t the one after me. It was an order from someone higher up. Which made this even more dangerous for me. No, for all of us, it meant that they might even know about our family’s side project.

I couldn’t risk getting caught right now. Fighting was out of the question. I just needed to get out of there, for now.

“Okay.” I tilted the corner of my lips up moving closer to him and he reflexively moved back stumbling into one of his men.

I took that as an opening and lunged.

Pulling my knee up as I twisted my waist and kicked. My feet landed heavily on his ribs and he toppled back landing on his side. “Fuck.” The guy behind him hissed and charged forward. Just create a distraction.

I looked around the narrow alley but nothing useful caught my eye. I moved back as he pounced and I kicked his chest. He caught my foot, bastard. I lifted my other foot and used it to kick his face.

As soon as my feet collided with his face he let go, groaning as he fell back and I fell down. But I didn’t get time to stabilize myself before someone was grabbing my hair and pulling me back up.

“s**t, let go.” I cussed, jabbing my elbow into him but all it did was cause him to groan and pull harder. One of the other guys pulled my chin up, causing me to look into his eyes and they met bottomless downturned ones.

“Such a feisty little girl. I had my doubts earlier, but she's definitely got skills to be a killer. To bad your a beauty, I’ll actually feel bad driving this knife into you.” He brought the dagger in his hands up to show me but I didn’t take my eyes of him.

My fury blazed. “I’m still here Keir. Just say the word and I’ll blast these guys into oblivion. Isn’t that what you desire?”

I wanted to say yes. f*****g hell I wanted to so badly blast these mongrels into oblivion. I wanted to gag as the one behind me moved his other hand up my back. In a few seconds the man in front of me barked out aspersions, the man behind me had tied my hands with duct tape.

A scoff escaped me, “Don’t worry, you won't get the chance to spare me any pity.” I spit in his face and he flinched. Making him angry right now was stupid, but f**k me this guy was pissing me off. And where the heck were my nosy family members when you actually needed them? I was good at fighting but I wasn’t f*****g batman.

“You know what? I changed my mind. Why not have a little fun with Ms.CEO here.” He wiped the spit of his face moved his hands closer towards my neck.

My eyes blazed and I felt my last nerve snap. I lunged forward not caring about the guy grabbing me from behind but before I could do anything, the guy in front was down.

I froze, looking at the man’s body as his head hit the block of bricks which were stacked in the side. His eyes bulged horrifyingly before blood seeped out from his head. The hand behind me loosened and the guy yelled, “Josh!” He pushed me back, causing me to fall on the ground as he moved towards his friends now convulsing body.

I finally looked up, my eyes going wide as they landed on a similar stature. The look on his face suggested he was as surprised as me, but also horrified. My eyes homed in on Berlusconi who moved closer with his gun aimed on Orion's head. Without thinking I pushed up, “Move.” I yelled and he did before my leg shot out kicking Berlusconi backwards as he landed on one of his friends. I looked around, realizing they were all occupied and turned towards Orian, “Run!” I said and he followed.

What a f*****g mess!

“If you had listened to me things wouldn’t have gotten so bad.”

I ignored her voice which sounded angry. I had more important things to worry about.

I twisted my taped hands and pulled them hard before the tape gave and my hands fell loose.

Looking back I realized Orian had slowed to a stop, “I just killed someone.”

Welcome to the club. I rolled my eyes.

“Let’s worry about that later, we need to run now!” He looked up at me, there was fear, anger and confusion muddling his gaze and I sighed, “Please. We need to go.” I said in the softest and calmest voice I could muster.

His eyes finally cleared a little as he nodded and I grabbed his hand intertwining them in mine.

As soon as we reached one of the backdoors of Cypher I pushed the button which opened to a key pad, I typed in the password as Orian watched, the shutter door opened with a click and I pulled it up completely with my hands.

My kawasaki black bike was still in the same place I had parked it a month ago. I pulled Orian in with me as I caught two of the previous guys rushing out of the alley.

“Here.” I say as I throw him the helmet and put on mine, he looks down. “Escape now! Stress later!” I yell, my words sharp. He looks up at me and his eyes narrow. I insert the key and turn the engine on, taking my seat in front as he took his behind me.

“Who were those guys?” He asks as his hands come around my waist. I stay silent, focusing on getting us out first.

The bike roars as I drift around and pull out of the garage, spotting the men just a few feet away from us.

Guns in their hands, the man who had tied me yells, “There!” as his eyes land on us, but as they start firing shots we are already a few miles away.

Amateurs. They were amateurs, which was the only reason I survived today.

Shit. They decided to attack right on the day that I didn’t take my gun with me. That was carelessness on my part.

I fumed, my anger rising at the thought of my family knowing what situation I was in and not helping me out. I thought they had eyes on me all the time? Or was that only to boss me around?

“You know this is just the beginning, you keep neglecting me and things will get worse. Not just for you.”

I really wished I could bang my head on the wall just to quiet down these annoying voices. If I go crazy won't they stop?

But then I remembered, I was already a psychopath. How crazier could I get?

I looked down at my watch realizing it was 11:06.

Half an hour had already passed since Vi’s call and I couldn’t contact her because my phone was in my blazer’s pocket.

After five minutes we reached a petrol station and I swerved the bike, parking it in the middle of the diner and mini mart, away from my prying eyes.

“Why did we stop?” He asks, stepping down from the bike. His tone is laced with a certain amount of fear as he removes the helmet to look at me.

I stay silent as I remove my helmet as well.

“Give me some money.”

“Why? First answer my questions.” His replies anger flooding his words.

I exhale, “I’ll answer all your questions after you give me your wallet.”

He looks at me with wariness and irritation for a moment before he finally complies.

“Thank you.” I say as I step off the bike and walk to the convenient store. He follows behind me watching my every move as I purchase a burner.

As soon as we are outside I dial Vi’s number and it takes a moment for her to pick up.

“Vi?” I speak first.

“Keir? Where the hell are you?” Her voice sounds worried and I look up to find Orian staring at me with impatience. I rub the back of my neck, “Did you find the man who escaped?”

“No! We lost him. I’ve been trying to call you for the past few minutes.”

“I lost my phone. What about the cameras? Did you figure out who was interfering?”

Her voice sounded dejected as she answered, “No…I’m trying but I keep hitting a wall. Whoever is f*****g with me is definitely very higher up in the chain. This could become a huge freaking mess.”

“It already is. Someone is targeting all of us. I got attacked by a few scum of Nero in an alley. The way they talked indicated they were hired. I have a feeling this whole thing was schemed.”

“Wait, you got attacked? Are you okay? Where did it happen?”

“I thought you had eyes on us, how did you not know about it?”

“I did. That’s what I’m saying, someone is interfering with my work. Not just the camera’s. That’s why I shut everything else down, only using the most untraceable devices.”

“Well, I am okay but there is another problem.” I say as my gaze locks with his.

“Now what?”

“We have a witness—no an accomplice.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean the guy standing in front of me just killed a man. In the alleyway.”

“Oh god. Please tell me the guy is anyone except who I think he is.”

“Well I can’t tell you unless I know who you think it is, but I think it is who you think it is.”

“Orian f*****g Blackwell killed a man?! What else did he do? See? Hear?”

“Not much…but he kinda saved me so I can’t just abandon him. What should I do?”

“I….damn it. Go home. That’s where everyone else is headed and take him with you. We are completely blind, we don’t know what we’re dealing with and now that they’ve seen his face he could be in danger.”

“Copy that.” I say before cutting the call.

Now to deal with the guy in front of me. Was it too late to wish I hadn’t enticed him earlier? Maybe if I had just left him alone or maybe threatened to call the police all this wouldnt have happened.

Because as fun as it was in that moment I really didn’t expect or want him to be in such a…situation.