Maze Of Madness

Delilah's pov:

As I saw the smoke go out, the camera recording everything at the crossroads went blank. The explosion must have killed it.

"What do you think happened? I just saw the trucks fall in. There must have been shooting." I said to Lily. I was worried. Very worried.

"They must be fine. We'll wait. Wait for the call or something, they'll make sure to contact us." Lily said. She was pacing around the room.

She wore a red dress, and it was swaying after her as she walked.

"Hmm.." I agreed, my palms were bleeding. My nails had dug in too deep into them.

"You know what forget it. Call Jesse. Right now. I'm not waiting anymore." Lily ordered me.

I did not argue, I took the phone from where it was lying and dialed Jesse.

After 2 rings and several stops in my heart beat. The call was answered.

"Leila?" It was Willow.

"Willow! What's happening. The footage died. All I saw was an explosion, commotion and the trucks falling into the whole." I said without stopping.

"Calm down, everything is fine. AJ called Jess. His phone's dead. They're on their way here. Things worked out. John and the others will reach you guys soon I guess." She said.

Oh thank God, I thought to myself.

"Okay Willow! Take care! Call me when he reaches you."

"No I can't Jesse's phone is dying too. And plus we didn't want to have phone conversations remember? What if we are heard?" She said.

"Willi-" I began.

"Oh Jesse's back. I've got to go Leila, everything will be fine. Just sit tight." She said.

"No wait-" but she'd already hung up.

Don't these people charge their phones before a God damn heist?

"They were tense they must have forgotten." Lily said shocking me. "Oh I could hear the conversation. I figured you'd be wondering that."

"Jake and AJ are going to the station. The rest must be on their way," I informed her.

She nodded, sighed and sat down.

"Sit tight," I thought to myself. To hell with that.

I got up and went for the bar. As I was trying to find something strong enough for me, I heard quaint voices in the hallway.

They must be here! I thought to myself.

"Lily I can hear voices, they must have reached!" I told her with big eyes.

She got up and stuck her face against the door to hear in.

The voices stopped

She looked at me, head still stuck to the door. Then she peeped in the looking hole and her eyes grew grim and wide.

She took two steps back.

"Delilah, get out of here." She said.

"What?" I asked utterly confused.

"Get out!" She whispered through gritted teeth.

"Why? What's happening?" I asked back.

"The voices from outside the room, aren't of any taker." She said. Her eyes were wide with worry.

"I don't understand."

Lily came to me and pushed me to the windows of the hotel, "Do it like in the movies and scram." She said.

"And leave you here for whoever's out there?"

"This was never your mess babe, you just fell in love with the wrong guy." She said, I could have bet she must be terrified. Yet she was calm and confident. She didn't falter and wasn't afraid.

"You did too," I said.

She chuckled silently with a sadness, "Yes, but he's my husband now. I'm in too deep. Get. Out. Delilah."

I shook my head.

"I'm not leaving you." I told her firmly.

"Delilah leave!" She said shoving me past the window. But it was too late. We weren't quiet or quick enough.

The door to the hotel room burst open and in came three familiar red heads.

Only this time they had guns.°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

AJ's pov:

Jesse was standing by a dark corner in the station. He was with Willow of course, both of them dressed casually to merge in with the others. Jake and I were carrying the bags as if it were our luggage and we were the passengers on a train. The best place to come with a lot of bags is certainly the station.

Jake was right behind me when I waved at Jesse. He looked tense however.

"Jess! It's so good to see you man, we're good everything went okay!" I told him handing him a bag.

I looked at Willow too, and she wore the same look on her face.

Then Jake arrived and noticed it too.

"What's wrong with y'all? What happened Jess?" He asked handing another bag to Willow.

She took it and looked morosely towards Jesse.

"We got some bad news y'all." He said looking down.

"What? W-What's going on?" I asked immediately.

"Rene just called." Willow said next.

"Irene? Why? Is she okay?" Jake asked.

"No, well yes. And no. Yelena and her hunch men came and took Sam. And they -" she stopped.

"They what?" I asked.

"They also took all the money," Jesse said.

"All the money?" I asked confused. "What money?"

Jake seemed to understand, he pursed his lips and cussed under his breath.

"What are you talking about? What do I not know?" I asked.

"G thought that the money, the bank robbery money should be kept safe. We couldn't take it on the run so, Willow and Jesse offered to ask Irene. Since she's not involved at all. Plus no one has seen her. The plan was for Jesse and Willow to go to Irene and Sam. Take that money and stay low in a safe house. We'd all do that.But-" he faltered.

"But?" I pressed.

"But the money and Sam were taken." Said Willow

"By Ghost," Jesse said. "We know that, cause the Russians said someone had a message for us. Rene sent it to us just now."

"Why Sam?" I asked. "I can understand the money. But why Sam?"

"Apparently Sam willingly went." Willow answered.

"Play the message," Jake said finally.

Willow got the phone out from her back pocket and played a voice note.

"Helloooo Gentlemen! Aw I wish I could see your sweet ass faces right now. Well too bad ain't it, anyhow all I want you too know is......... you're all dead assholes. You betrayed me. You left me to rot in prison. And when I come back you treat me like an outlaw, a threat, a whole in your sweet little darling nests right...? I thought may as well prove y'all right.Holla Takers.Till we meet again.Yours trulyGHOST," he said through the phone.

There was a steady strange silence for a few minutes before Jake spoke again.

"Wait, if he already took the money, and that's all he came for then why? Stick around till the end of the heist, he could have easily taken off before. Why earn out trust? He could have done so much worse."

"Yeah I mean he could have easily killed us all. But he left a trail of bread for us to follow instead. I don't get it." Jesse said too.

"Left a trail of bread, for-Unless, the money wasn't what he'd come for at all." Jake said.

"What if he had his mind set on something way sweeter than money? What if he wanted revenge?" Willow said.

"But how? Taking a few of those bills is a petty revenge for Ghost, he's way more extravagant." I said.

"He never wanted revenge on us. We were never his main game at all," Jake said."He's looking for something that hurt him personally and something that stole all his opportunities indirectly. It just so happens, that he'll destroy us anyway."

And it came together, all the past months, the talks, the heist. The Russians, the police, G, James. It all came like magnets yearning to meet. All the puzzle pieces came together to display a picture of horror. A maze of endless madness.

"Delilah-" I said out loud and ran towards the car.°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Delilah's pov:

"No, get out of the way! No no no please-" but those assholes completely ignored my desperate pleas.

They came in, in a shock of movements. One of the three brothers knocked Lily out, within seconds so fast, I barely blinked. And she fell right before me. The look on her face was guilt and loss.

"No-" I cried as she fell."Lily!"

"It's no point crying out for her, she's not going to her you. It's called a blackout for a reason little cat." Said the menacing voice of Ghost.

He'd come in parting the brothers. He was still in his morning black suit. His face was pure glee. He looked satisfied.

My stomach turned.

"What are you doing here?.......with them?" I spat at him.

He didn't look annoyed, "Oh dear girl, you are so unaware. I am with the Russians. They were working with me all this time. All their attempts to get you, framing your beautiful boy. The helicopter. Everything was me."

I gurgled with hate. All I wanted to do was scratch his face out.

"I guessed as much," I answered back. Not giving him the satisfaction of surprise."Why are you here now? What do you want with me? What have I possibly done to you."

"Nothing directly. But a whole lot the other way," he said grinning. "And now dearie, you are going to pay."

"Try me," I said with stupid confidence.

"First i need to take care of another problem. Un momento," he said and sauntered his way to Lily.

I understood and went for him, but big hands bound me from moving. I was screaming and biting and thrashing. But the Russian triplets came prepared this time.

"Lily wake up! No, Ghost what are you doing!" I was screaming.

He bent down to her and everything went silent. He cupped her jaw ruthlessly. And made her look at him. She was still half out.

"Lily, my dearest bitch. The takers will have their sting. But you, I imagined you would stay loyal. Yet the moment I left. You went in bed with him? Jake? Really? How pathetic." He practically spat at her.

"Well now, you pay the price." He said and threw her back down. "Take her."

"No. No. Nooo wait. You can't. Take me. It's okay. You want me right. Leave her alone!" I retaliated.

But from behind the door, Sergei and Igor came, without looking at me and dragged Lily out. I was screaming. And trying my best to get free. But everything was useless. I was helpless and outnumbered.

"Why are you doing this? Are you so fragile!" I yelled at his face.

"Shut her up, before I lose it," Ghost said.

And the next thing I felt was pain and then darkness.°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

"Baby, Lilah? It's okay I'm here. Please open your eyes." Said AJ's sweet voice in my head.

"Look at me, Delilah. Please," he pleaded.

I mustered up the strength to open my eyes. Everything was blurred at first. But then slowly my eye sight focused on everything. I was lying on the floor of the room. But it was empty. No Ghost, no triple threat red heads. Just AJ.

AJ?

"What are you doing here? Ghos-" I began to say when he cut me off with a finger to my mouth.

"He's outside, he's given me 15 minutes, to say-" he stopped dead.

"To say what?" I asked looking at his expression.

"To say-Goodbye Delilah." He finished and my whole support was crushed, I broke down crying.

"Don't say that," I said through tears.

"Baby, baby don't cry. It'll be fine. You stay here with Lily. She's had a concussion. John and Jake will pick you up? Okay?" He said reassuringly

As if that mattered.But I couldn't say that. I couldn't get a word out.

He looked at me, and wiped my tears with kisses. Finally ending on my lips. The kiss was soft and long and I could feel his tears too. I hugged him tightly. Begging never to let go.

"You can't go AJ! We'll escape, there has to be a way. I can't, I don't want to let you go. I-I love you, you asshole." I cried into his neck.

I could hear him chuckle through his tears.

"I love you so much more Delilah. I swear. I'm never loving anyone again. It's you for me. Till the day I die." He said his hands supporting my back gently.

"Then why AJ? Why are you letting them win?" I asked banging my hand with his chest.

His cheek was on my head now.

"Because there's no way, they'll let you out alive otherwise. And I'd rather do anything with Ghost, than to see you die." He said and pulled me back so I was staring directly at his face."Listen to me carefully now love, you go home. Leave the crew, they won't rest until they negotiate me out. But I've made a deal. You go home. To Miami. And stay there till the holidays. And you study your ass off and become this badass, intimidating lawyer. Okay?"

I was shaking my head, my tears were making my sight groggy. But I didn't want to cry. I wanted to see his face.

"Baby, you will find love okay? You'll find a nice guy, who's good for you. Who'll love you-who'll never let you down, never put you in danger. And you, you'll be glorious. You can totally take hulk down, right?" He said with a smile and a cracking voice. "But know this, there is not a soul on this earth of 7 billion souls, that'll ever love you the way I do. You've changed me Lilah, for the good. Remember when we first met, you asked me whether I'd ever fallen in love?"

"Y-yes," I managed.

"I lied, I've been in love with you for a long time. I just didn't know it. When John and I used come to your house. And John would keep me in hotels, so as to not disturb your family, I used to creep around behind him. I didn't trust him then. And you were always with him. While you were loving him, I was falling for you." He said.

"AJ, you promised you won't be a martyr. Let them take me. I'll bite them and escape. Please-" I said, getting up and trying to get to the door. He grabbed by hand and interlocked our pinky fingers. Stopping me.

"A deal's a deal baby. You're gonna live. And love. Forget me. That'll make it easier." He said as we heard loud knocks on the door.

He kissed me one last time, a dangerous, desperate, dazzling kiss. Before the door opened and Ghost stepped back inside. °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

"Ah AJ my man, you had such a bright future, just like James. And yet just like him, you'll meet a terrible end. Because of her. Again just. Like. Him."Ghost said, with a smug look.

I lost it then, I'd gained enough energy, hate and angst.I charged for him but AJ held me back. Grabbing my waist.

"Why! Why the fuck are you after me? What did I ever do? First you fucking kill my brother! Then you take away the love of my life! And you blame me? What the fuck is wrong with you!" I screamed so loud my throat hurt.

Ghost took a step forward, and AJ's grip tightened.

"You bitch, you don't even realise what you did. Well let me break it down for you. James and I were a team, I don't know what Bull shit John has told you. But James was my mate. We planned a reputation, so that the world, saw us as enemies. When we were actually working together. We planned the biggest, baddest robbery ever. And used your pretty Takers as help. Everything was going according to plan. We would ditch the silly asses and run away with enough money to keep us going for a lifetime." He said looking directly at me with that belching stare.

"Then he went home, right before the heist. To say goodbye to y'all, indirectly. We would fake our deaths and disappear with the money leaving the takers to take the blame. But then, you happened. Whatever you told him that last trip home. Ruined everything. He came back a broken man, ready to leave the quest of a lifetime. For what? His petty little sister." He breathed in disgust.

And I remembered my last time with James. Us roaming at noon on the beach, and me telling him of all the shells and sea glass I'd collected. Of all the books I'd read and poetry I'd written. I'd made him a sea glass bracelet, with beautiful threads. I missed him. And told him I'd want nothing but to spend time with him. And he'd hugged me as if he were going to die the next day. Which he did.

Hot tears were welling behind my eyes remembering a memory, that'll never grow.

"He told me, that he couldn't commit this crime. That he had to be better for you. That he should become a better man. FOR YOU. That he'd gotten a Job in LA. That he was going to start over. The right way. FOR YOU." Ghost spat with utter disgust."How could he leave me? How could he abandon our dreams? How could he abandon me? If I wasn't having my way, nor would you. So I told him, I had you in captivity and made him write that wretched letter. Then I smacked his head and tied him to a car and ran him off a cliff. Perfect suicide. Or should I say murder?"

"You bastard! What is wrong with you! You killed him! You killed James. He was MY brother and you fucking took him away from me! You psychopath," I yelled and felt as if I'd never breath normally again.

"Yes well, I needed revenge. My thirst wasn't quenched. So I decided to make you suffer. Of course that got delayed because I was stupid enough to trust the takers, who left me for jail. Nevertheless, I thought I'd kill you, but tormenting you alive is much more satisfying. So who do you love the most? You will never see him again. And he might die of 'suicide' too? Who knows?" Ghost said with a smile. "Remember little cat, never tell a psychopath they're a psychopath. It's like awakening the devil. Plus it's rude."

I growled at him. "Rot in hell"

"Now off we go, happy suffering, little cat."

"No. No. No. N-No. Ghost, take me. Please let him go! Noooooo!" But it was useless, AJ was already out with the Russians and Ghost. And I was left tied to the bed, the red heads had tied me hoping I wouldn't run after them. Tied to the bed, knowing I'd lost the person I loved most. Forever.°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Thanks for the reads my wanderss, pls keep commenting and voting and I'd love to hear feedback from y'all! Would you like me to anything specific etc etc. The next few chaps will be turmoil, angst and fights! So be ready wanderss!Does that sound nice? Idk lol. Anyways! I really appreciate and value y'all!Xoxo💜✨💫