58. Crossing Over (Bonus 15)

Andreas was standing behind a window in a building opposite where his mother was kept. He was looking through the strong lens of his binoculars assessing the distance.

Ambrogio was standing behind him as Andreas was trying to get as much information as possible by looking through the tinted windows.

Ambrogio said " You can get quite immersed in taking action

Andreas said "Action is necessary sometimes. No time should be wasted."

Ambrogio said "You are stubborn kid. So stubborn."

Andreas said "You could die you know. If I fail and we get caught by Jackson."

Ambrogio said "Possibly. Yes."

Andreas said "Well. My father wont trust you again to keep me safe. But if you die, you don't have to do anything anyway."

Ambrogio noticed the kid's dark humour coming through. There was definitely Agostini blood inside him running through his vains.

Ambrogio said "I will not need to keep you safe. You will turn eighteen soon and you will be the one protecting your father one day. He must let you make your own decisions. If Scorpious was my son he would not have been waiting so long to get a taste of freedom." He leaned down and put his hand on Andreas's shoulder "Your father must set you free."

Andreas said "I am free."

Ambrogio said "Then why did you have to threaten to go rogue if I didn't help you with your act of rebellion here. Your father didn't want you anywhere near the scene of action."

Andreas glanced Ambrogio. "I didn't make threats. I made vows." He then turned around and looked at the building "I dont like this. This is too easy... Why is it too easy? I can easily shoot from here." He then narrowed his eyes "The windows are anti bullets. They must be... When did they turn that building bullet proof. Either that or Jackson doesn't think anyone will attack from right here."

Ambrogio said "There is only one way to find out."

Andreas said "I need to be sure that the windows are not bullet proof. I need a close inspection."

Ambrogio said "If you want to shoot, then go ahead and shoot. You are safe here because they can't get in easily."

Andreas said "I have to get across. If the windows are anti bullets they have an advantage. Then I am wasting my time. I know that either way I have to cross over to do some damage or save my mother."

Ambrogio said "No."

Andreas said "This is pointless. My chances of slim in rescuing her from here. I can't do that much damage from here to distract them. I will have to go inside the building and will have to search it from top to bottom to find my mother."

Ambrogio said " How are you planning on getting inside.? You will walk through the front door of course. You will just turn up at the enemy's door step and they will guide you inside. Is that so?"

Andreas turned to look at his large brief case. He walked to it "I have equipment. I can get through the layers without being detected."

Ambrogio sighed "That easily?" He walked closer to Andreas "You will get caught. Then Jackson will have you and your mother. I can't ambush the building with either of you in it."

Andreas said as he started putting on his back pack "It's not my first time. Whatever you do, don't try to stop me. I told you if you don't help me, I will do this alone. At least you know where I am and what I am doing. This is the only way. I can't kill Jackson until my mother is out of reach. An Agostini in the hands of the enemy without protection is not ideal. They will kill my mother if I kill Jackson. They will butcher whoever kills their boss. I wish I could just wait for Jackson to come out and then take aim. If my mother wasn't inside we would have just lured Jackson out and would have killed him... Let the rescue  attempt begin."

Ambrogio said "Your father won't let you see daylight for a very long time after doing this without his approval."

Andreas said "I have no doubt...." He then looked ahead. "Wish me luck."

**************

After Anna had pretended to faint, it had been hours now. The doctor had come and gone. She had pretended to be weak and confused when she had eventually opened her eyes and doctor had prescribed her to be left to rest. Jackson had left her alone for now. Unfortunately that was not completely good news because he had gone to see her father and Antonio again. Jackson had a twisted plan. He had promised to come back and finish their conversation. She couldn't betray Arturo. She didn't want to. But what if he actually killed her father or Antonio? She was willing to give in to save those she cared for. This made her heart hurt. She didn't want to be blackmailed. But she only had herself to blame for being in this situation because she had left her safe accommodation where she was safe. She had gone against safety precautions for a business meeting that cost her. How could she know what was to happen? It was her responsibility. If she was going down, she didn't want to take anyone else down with her.

As she was drowned in her thoughts as she was laying on a bed, she heard footsteps. She stood up and turned sharply as she saw who walked into the room through the glass doors of the pent house where Jackson had left her. She felt like heart came up in her throat as she saw her son dressed in black.

Andreas said urgently "About time I found you. Mother..."

Anna covered her mouth in disbelief. She then muttered "Son." She then ran to her son and embraced him "What are you doing here? Andreas. How did you get inside?"

Andreas said "Mother. There is little time. Let's go. I will need to get you out of here. You can ask me questions after we are out of this hell hole."

Anna pulled away " Your grandpa Roberto is here. Your uncle Antonio is here. Jackson will ...  kill them if I leave."

Andreas said "Nonsense. If you leave or not leave, Jackson won't dare kill them. Mother. Uncle Antonio is a Rosario. A disloyal and rebellious one but he has Rosario blood. Grandpa is married to a Rosario. No one would dare kill Mama Patricia's husband. Jackson is not cray enough to kill the only leverage he has once you are gone. Follow me mother. Let's get you to safety."

Anna shook her head "You shouldn't be here. Get out of here without me. I want to compromise with Jackson. I have no choice. You don't know him like I do."

Andreas said "I agree. I don't. But father does. You won't want to be here when father gets here. Come now. Stop getting emotional. Let's go. Or I will have to knock you out and take you away. Father will punish me severely if I raise my hand on you. Do you want me to be punished? Father will save uncle Antonio and grandpa once I get you out of the building. He is on his way. Let's go." He then grabbed his mother's hand and pulled her to the door.

Anna gave in. She followed and asked "How could your father send you here?"

Andreas said "He didn't."

Anna asked "What?"

Andreas said as he opened a door "Alright. Here is the set of stairs. Let's get through. If anyone appears guarding the stairways you take cover and we wait. If they get close I will shoot them."

Anna was being lead by her son. Her heart was racing. She could see the consequences of her actions. Just then they both froze as they heard alarms sounding everywhere.

Andreas sighed "Damn it. I was this close to get us out. This way was clear. Not any more. We have to go back up." He then lead his mother upstairs. He opened a door and pushed his mother in. The room seemed like a storage room. It was quite cold.

Anna breathed "I am so sorry sweetie... it's all my fault..." she then wiped her face.

Andreas stood in front of his mother "What are you saying mother? This is not your fault. You didn't ask to be abducted. I know you left your safe place and lost the guards but that is not an abduction sentence." He touched his mother's cheek and wiped her tears "It's not your fault that Jackson is obsessed with you. You didn't ask for this..."

Anna shook her head as she sobbed "It is my fault. I am responsible. I would rather die than be here. What kind of mother am I? I put you in danger. I am at fault. I am not innocent."

Andreas gave her a weak smile "Mother. The one in danger is Jackson. Father wants him dead. He has dug his grave. He has made you cry. This is the last time he hurts you."

Anna shook her head "You don't understand. It is my fault. I did not stop him. Whenever he tried to get close, I didn't stop him. I allowed him to get close. I hate myself more than anything. No matter what happens please know I never meant to hurt you..."

Andreas frowned "That's not the version I heard from uncle Ambrogio. You endured him. You did not allow him. He allowed himself. He came on to you. You politely did not decline him. He told me, you kept having fights with father and then you tried to make him jealous. Well. It worked. Father proposed and married you." He then held his mother's hand in his "You have father's ring on your finger. Why didn't Jackson take it off? It's because he knows he can't. You married father. You did not marry Jackson. So you didn't allow Jackson to do anything. He didn't get the message. Mother. It's an insult to my intelligence when you say it's your fault. You are my mother. I respect you. But please don't paint yourself as guilty when you are innocent. It's easier to say to yourself you are guilty. It's easier to hate yourself. I won't get hurt. Why would I? If I couldn't handle it I would not be here." He then heard his walkie talkie beep. He picked it up and heard his uncle Ambrogio speak.

Ambrogio was heard "What's your position."

Andreas said "Trapped in a closet storage room of some kind. Can you cover me from the top. Attack now. It's do or die."

Ambrogio said "No. I can't have you get hurt. Get to the top. I will then pick you up with a helicopter. Then I am attacking if I see you at risk."

Andreas said "I am at risk of capture. While they were occupied with the fault I managed to set up with their electricity system, I thought they will leave the stair ways clear to deal with the electricity on each floor. They fixed it too fast. Now the alarm is sounding. You can hear it I bet."

Ambrogio said "Get yourself to the roof."

Andreas sighed "How? By magic? I can hear them outside."

Ambrogio said "Kill them all. You are a trained sniper."

Andreas turned to look at his mother who was still looking tearful "I can't. I am not alone. What if they shoot my mother. No shooting until I get her out."

Ambrogio said "Then you are stuck there until your father gets here. He will attack at night. That's what O'Neil wants."

Andreas nodded "I will try to get to the top when the noise dies down. I think they know my mother is missing. So they must be looking for her. The alarm is too long."

Ambrogio said "Then you better leave fast. You don't want to be another hostage."

Andreas said "Positive thoughts. Thank you uncle Ambrogio." He then cut off the walkie talkie. He sighed and looked at his mother "Why are you crying? You are safe. But uncle Ambrogio is right. I have to get you out. I can shoot my way up. I will clear the path. Then you can come with me to the top. We just have to wait for the stairways to be quieter. Then we can run and I can keep shooting to a minimum so I have enough bullets. It's possible to escape. We just have to be patient."

Anna said "Son. I can't let you risk your life."

Andreas said "Mother. There is no risk. I know how to do this. Father has trained me for a day like this. I just may run out of bullets if we go outside now. We wait. I can get you out."

Anna said "I can't do this. I will give myself up."

Andreas said "No. Never. What are you talking about? Give yourself up?"

Anna said "I will go out there. I will ask to see my father... You save yourself while they take me down."

Andreas said " Mother. Giving up is not the only way. You have to know that."

Anna said "It is. This situation has made me realise this is over."

Andreas sighed "Don't talk like this mother. Let me call uncle Ambrogio again. Maybe he can give me the heads up on what he can see from where he is. Some attack from the lower ground can help. It can be a small fire. Not necessarily bullets. Let me ask him if he can speed things up." He then took out his walkie talkie.

Anna ran to the door and before Andreas could stop her, stepped outside.

Andreas closed her eyes shut cursing under his breath. How could he not see this coming? He bent over and looked through the key hole. He watched to see how many where out there. His breath caught in his throat as he saw who was outside and what was happening. It was Jackson O'Kane. He heard his mother surrender. He heard his mother declare she was going to accept his offer. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. He watched in disbelief as Jackson O'Kane wrapped his arms around his mother leaning close. Then when his mother struggled, he held her tightly "Let's see how much you mean it. Kiss me."

He had seconds to decide. He could wait or he could rush out to at least be there with his mother. That was a difference between freedom and capture. He decided he had to be there even as a captive. His father was on his way.

There was no way in hell this was happening. He opened the door and walked outside. "Get off my mother. What kind of Catholic are you?" He came face to face with Jackson who was right outside the room.

Anna screamed "Andreas. No."

Jackson's men stood around watching as they raised their guns waiting for orders. They preferred to take prisoners than shoot. That was their order so he knew he was safe. Andreas was not crazy. He was not armed. He had hidden a gun in his boots. He knew they were ready to disarm him so he had no gun visible but he had his hands. He closed the distance between himself, his mother and O'Kane who was looking at him with an unreadable expression.

O'Kane said "Where did you come from ?"

Andreas appeared in front of him "Get your hands off my mother or I will break them."

Anna pleaded to Jackson "Don't hurt him please."

Jackson nodded to his men "Lower your weapons." O'Kane smiled and let go of Anna. "I gladly comply son." Just as he let go, Andreas punched Jackson hard. He hit him so hard his knuckles hurt."

Jackson was taken back. This kid had guts.

Anna stood in front of his son looking at Jackson shaking.

Jackson said "Anna. Your son needs discipline. I will gladly teach him."

Andreas said "No you need to learn not to look at married women with your unholy, unclean stare. You unfaithful pretentious dishonourable piece of shame. How dare you touch my mother?"

Anna said "Please... Leave him alone."

Jackson smiled and said "Tsk Tsk, Son. Your mouth should not ever insult me again Andreas. I will make sure you will learn.... You could have been my child. I will kill your father and will marry your mother... Why would a son take on his step father?" The look Jackson was giving him was making him feel like vomiting. He then turned to his men. "Chloroform. For both."

Andreas felt chills run down his spine. "You are sick." He then found himself restrained and his vision blurred immediately and the last thing he saw was a man putting a cloth over his mother's mouth as he fell into blackness. Jackson's twisted game just became more twisted. Jackson muttered "I wanted your mother to give me a son. I now can take you as my own. I will tame you. My son."