Betrayed by Alcino

1. Alcino Santagata

Alcino Santagata

May 20,2010, Stanford, California

I watched as Daniel Pennington, the rich philanthropist, pedophile, murder, and r****t strolled out the house and picked up the girl. Like a leaf into a tornado, she was swept into his arms lifeless and limp. The cocky bastard thought that because the FBI hadn’t been able to determine that he was the infamous pedophile serial killer dubbed “The Snatcher” that he could continue his plight.

Putting down the binoculars, I made my way to my car, I released the trunk, and pulled out my little black tote and closed it. Tightening my black leather gloves, I marched through the woods toward his back door.

Quickly picking the lock, it clicked and I slipped inside. The house was quiet, but that wasn’t surprising since he was in his little torture chamber. I knew his house like my own as I had surveillance planted all over his estate. I moved stealthily through the basement. There was a light coming from the door at the back of the basement. Pulling out the gun, I screwed on the silencer.

I walked to the door. The pad lock laid on the floor. There was a faint blue light, but I couldn’t hear any sounds. Opening the door, I pointed the gun at him. Daniel had a scalpel in his hand and he was frozen in place. What I saw sickened me, and it was hard for anything to move me.

My nostrils flared as I pulled the trigger. The bullet hit him in the kneecap, and he bent. I shot him in the other knee.

Spittle flew from his lips. “I will kill you.”

My lips curled as I dropped my bag on the bed. Opening it I pulled out a syringe. Kicking the weapon, I grabbed him by the neck and shoved the needle in it. He slumped to the floor.

The girl’s clothing was cut from her slender frame, and there was a long diagonal bloody scar from her sternum past her belly button. Her hands were handcuffed to the bed. She was spread eagle with corded rope binding her lower limbs to each of the bed post.

I pulled out another syringe from my bag.

This one quite different from the one I gave Daniel. I injected her, and swiftly removed her from her bindings. Wrapping a sheet around her nakedness, I carried her up the stairs. I had at least an hour before she would awaken, and I didn’t want her to hear or see what was in store for him. He thought she was his prey but he was mine. Putting her in bed, I ran down the stairs back to the basement.

Stepping inside the room, I swiped the handcuffs and bound his hands behind him. Before I killed him, he would tell me where the others were. I wasn’t here for her. I was here for the children. He didn’t just singularly focus on one child at a time, he also kept a group of kids. That was what led to his downfall. Daniel had kidnapped the wrong kid. Lucas Burlasconi. I promised his mother I would always take care of him. In my twenty-seven years of living, I had never broken a promise and I wasn’t about to start now.

I picked up the scalpel and stalked over to Daniel. His legs jerked as he slowly lifted his head. A surge of adrenaline soared through my veins. I was looking forward to having a lot of fun with this asshole. He prayed on children, sexually molested, dismembered and tortured them, so now it was his turn. I was a monster too, but my darkness never touched children. Molestation and r**e weren’t something I’d ever turn a blind eye to. He had escaped the FBI and the authorities but now he couldn’t escape me.

Daniel jerked his hands attempting to free himself. “Who are you? What do you want?”

Twirling the blade, I smiled. “You’re going to die soon. It can be slow and painful or quick and fast. It’s your choice.”

Avoiding his futile attempts at kicking me, I crushed my foot down on his bleeding kneecaps. “Where are the rest of the kids? Don’t make me ask you twice.”

He clenched his lips. His eyes leaked tears but he didn’t make a sound. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I swiftly jabbed the knife into his leg, deliberately missing his femur artery.

He howled and I smiled as my predatory gaze honed in on his sounds. Everyone had a unique sound when they were being tortured, and Daniel wasn’t an exception. He slumped and his shoulders sagged. Without waiting, I dug the blade into his kneecap.

“Alright. The kids are at 4523 Bayshore Rd storage unit 1200 E.”

Something in my chest eased. My fingers tightened around the weapon. This bastard put kids in a storage unit. As much as he deserved a week of slow torture, I wasn’t willing to risk the children’s lives to torture him.

He spat at my feet. “Finish me fast and quick.”

Daniel thought that I was going to finish him quick. He is so stupid. I’m in control not him.

My thoughts traveled to the little girl that had been with him. He was efficient at luring kids away with him but she looked different.

Tapping my gloved hand on my cheek, I narrowed my eyes at him. “What did you do to the girl? How did you get her to come with you?”

“Today is her birthday. Women always want to do something exciting and forbidden on their birthday.” The lazy smile that spread across his face taunted me. I needed an award for showing restraint.

“Well, it’s her lucky day, she won’t be another victim and her lock of hair won’t be added to your collection.”

He laughed. “You’re too late. She will always be promiscuous now. My touch has tainted her. When she grows up, if she makes it that long, she will always crave the pain and pleasure I taught her here in this house.”

I won’t give him the quick death he longed for. People like him repulsed me.

“You won’t even be a nightmare for her or anyone else. You have no legacy.”

“I didn’t do everything I wanted to do to her. She’s still alive after all. If you bring her in here and sit her on my face….”

My vision clouded as a red haze fell over it and the pounding in my ears increased. I took several steady breaths to control my eagerness to end his life. The bastard wanted to die quickly but he wouldn’t get his wish. My hands clenched and unclenched.

I punched him.

Unleashing all my controlled rage and darkness, I savored his screams until his voice went hoars. The cracking of his jaw sounded like music to my ears. He had told me all I needed to hear. Kicking his legs apart, I leveled the weapon above his p***s. When his smile faded, I smirked then sliced his saggy member off. I made quick work of it slicing it into pieces where the remains could barely be identified.

He screamed until his voice was hoars.

I sliced his lips off. His blood bathed the glint off the silver edge and I kept mutilating him. Wiping the blood on his clothes, I stood watching as the light faded from his eyes, and his life slipped away. The hair on my nape stood up as the air in the room changed. Her soft footsteps travelled past me, and she held out her tiny fingers looking at the bloody scalpel.

Raising my eyebrow, I studied her face. There was a darkness inside of her. It drew me in like a warm cloak. There was a sadness about her. Her skin was the creamy color of a porcelain doll. Those green eyes were enchanting. She couldn’t be any more than fourteen years old. Her miss matched shirt was stained and wrinkled, and the tiny shoes on her feet had been white once upon a time. Now they were black with duct tape on the soles. Her statue was gaunt and bony, with her delicate veins forced through the surface of her skin. She had been hungry or borderline starving. I knew the toll that hunger, and sickness could take on a body and how many years it took to reverse the malnutrition.

She won’t take it. He is already dead anyway. What does it matter?

“Angel you should close your eyes and wait out in the hall. I will take you home.”

She tilted her head. “I’m no angel and I don’t have a home. I belong to the streets. Hand over the knife.” She wiggled her fingers in front of me.

There was no emotion in her voice. What had happened to this girl? She wasn’t afraid of me, although she should be.

“I could kill you just like him, maybe you should run now.” Twirling the scalpel in my hand I gave her my most menacing scowl.

She shrugged. “You’d be doing me a favor and giving my sister the life, she deserves. Life was hell and death came easy. Kill me or hand it over.”

“What is your name little girl?”

“Telica.” She reached out her hand for the weapon but I shook my head.

“What is your last name?”

“Vivenzio. Telica Vivenzio but it doesn’t matter. Both of us know you’ll never allow me to live after this. The only question is will you touch me like he did.”

“No. Here.” I handed her the weapon.

She took it. Her steps were slow and graceful as she moved close to him. Glancing at my watch, I calculated the normal traffic time in my head. She needed a meal and quick. Saving her from him didn’t mean anything if she starved herself to death. I had ten thousand dollars in cash on me. It wasn’t much but something told me that she could make it work for her and her sister.

She sliced the sharp blade across his neck. Blood splattered over her face. Placing her fingertips to her cheek, she examined the blood on the tips of her fingers and tasted it.

Grabbing her hand, I gently took the knife from her careful not to allow the blade to touch her tender flesh. Replacing the scalpel in my bag, I looked at my instruments. Her green eyes were wide and glossy. There was no fear in them but satisfaction.

I didn’t want to chance giving her another injection, so I bent and applied pressure to her pressure point until her eyes went from wide to close. When she crumpled, I caught her before she fell and carried her out. After a quick search, I found a pen with the Stanford Holy Shelter’s address on it.

The world was screwed up if I was the one rescuing children from serial killers and pedophiles.

I drove a few blocks from the shelter where she stayed. The street was empty and I only needed five minutes.

“Why feed me and give me money when you’re going to kill me,” said Telica.

“Green eyed angel, I saved you from him. Trusting strangers, especially men will get your life taken. Do you want to die so soon?”

“Maybe, but you’re a stranger and you helped me. There are good men in this world.”

“That is where you’re wrong. I’m not a good man. One good deed doesn’t clean away a lifetime of horrible deeds. My saving you came with a price and now it’s time to pay up.”

She narrowed her eyes at me. Unfastening her seatbelt, she crawled over to me and dropped between my legs. “I should have known.”

She grabbed my zipper. Her hands trembled and she shifted on her feet like on a balance beam.

I pushed her hands away from me and looked down at her. “What are you doing?”

“Sucking your d**k. Isn’t that what you meant by price. All men just want their d**k wet.”

“No. For a virgin you aren’t that smart. The price is a promise. You won’t do drugs and sleep with multiple men. You will give your virginity to a man you care for, who demonstrated that he deserves you.”

“Well, I choose you. You saved me.”

“I don’t sleep with children. My taste run dark and women beg for my c**k before ever seeing it.” Taking the syringe out my pocket, I stuck her in the neck.

“You lied. I knew you were going to kill me.” Her eyes fluttered close as she sank to the floor.

“Yes, I did. Our paths will cross again and when they do, I hope for your sake I can resist your darkness. If not then you’ll be the first woman to own me.”

I’m a murderer. A mobster. A bastard who didn’t feel s**t for anyone. I have never shown mercy, never shown compassion to anyone except her.