The antidote

Book:The Mafia's Mistress Published:2024-12-16

The man was already there, leaning against a rusted shipping crate, a cigarette dangling from his mouth. He looked as if he’d seen better days, his clothes were tattered, and his eyes held a world-weariness that spoke of countless battles with society.
“You’ve got the info,” Damian barked, not bothering with pleasantries.
The man took a long breathe, the cigarette burning red before he flicked it into the water. “I do,” he said, his voice gravelly. “But it’s going to cost you.”
“What do you want?” Damian’s voice was desperate, the rain soaking his hair and running down his face in drops.
The man grinned, a cold, calculating smile that sent shivers down his spine. “The same thing you want. Revenge. Lucas’s head on a silver platter.”
“Fine,” Damian said, his voice filled with disgust. “What do you know about the poison?”
The man pulled a small vial from his pocket, holding it up to the dim moonlight. Inside, a thick, black liquid sloshed around, ominous and deadly. “It’s a rare toxin, derived from the venom of the Acanthus viper. Only a few people in the world have access to it, and they don’t come cheap.”
Damian’s eyes narrowed. “How do I know you’re not playing me?”
The man leaned closer, the smell of stale cigarette smoke wafting from his clothes. “You don’t,” he said, his voice a low growl. “But if you want to save that girl, you don’t have much of a choice, do you?”
Damian’s jaw clenched as he took the vial, feeling the weight of Aurora’s life in his hand. “What’s the antidote?” he demanded.
The informant’s smile grew wider, revealing a set of yellowed teeth. “Ah, that’s the catch,” he said. “I don’t know. But I know someone who might. For a price, of course.”
Damian’s hand tightened around the vial, his knuckles turning white. “How much?” he ground out.
The man named a sum so ludicrous that Damian’s eyes widened in disbelief. “That’s half my fortune,” he snarled.
“Well, isn’t love expensive?” the informant said with a shrug. “But you know what’s even more costly? Regrets. And I’m sure you’d have plenty if she dies.”
Damian’s was filled with rage, but he knew the man was right. Without the antidote, Aurora was as good as dead. He pulled out a briefcase from the trunk of his car and tossed it to the informant. “It’s all there,” he said, his voice cold and hard as ice. “Now tell me who has the cure.”
The informant caught the briefcase with a grin, his eyes glinting greedily. “A doctor,” he said, pocketing the vial. “One who owes me a favor. He’s got the antidote, but he’s not going to hand it over without a fight.”
“Where is he?” Damian’s voice was a low growl.
“He’s at a safe house on the outskirts of town,” the man said, his eyes narrowing. “But be warned, he’s got protection.”
Without another word, Damian turned and sprinted back to his car, the rain stinging his eyes. His mind was filled with emotions, fear for Aurora, anger towards Lucas, and desperation to save her. The engine roared to life as he pulled out of the docks, the tires squealing on the wet pavement. The drive to the safe house felt like an eternity, every second feels like an agonizing countdown to her potential death.
The house was hidden in the dense foliage at the edge of the city, a fortress of secrets and shadows that no one knows. The headlights shinned at the driveway as he approached, and he could see the figures of armed guards patrolling the perimeter. His heart pounded in his chest as he pulled out his own gun, the cold steel feeling reassuring in his trembling hand. He had to get to the doctor, and he had to do it now.
Damian took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing thoughts and heart. He had to be strategic, swift, and decisive. Lives were at stake. Aurora’s life. The engine purred as he put the car into park and stepped out into the downpour, the rain beating against his face like a thousand tiny bullets. He moved through the darkness, his eyes scanning for any signs of movement.
The house was a modern type, but he had a plan. He knew the layout from the intel provided, and he used that knowledge to navigate the perimeter, staying low and silent. His boots silenced in the mud as he approached the back door, his hand shaking slightly as he reached for the lock. The tumblers clicked into place, and the door swung open with a soft groan.
Inside, the house was a filled with shadows, the only sounds was the patter of rain against the windows and the occasional muffled footstep of a guard. He moved quickly, his eyes adjusting to the darkness. His heart raced, every beat was a countdown to Aurora’s potential last breath.
The guards were not amateurs; they were alert and well-trained. But Damian had one thing they didn’t: a fierce love that fueled his determination. He took them out swiftly and silently, one by one, using the shadows as his ally. The smell of sweat and fear filled the air, but he didn’t pause to revel in his victory. Aurora’s life was hanging by a thread, and every second wasted was a second she didn’t have.
As he approached the staircase leading to the upper floor where the doctor was rumored to be hiding, the house remained eerily silent, almost as if it was holding its breath. The anticipation was suffocating, each creak of the floorboards beneath his boots sounding like a gunshot in the stillness.
But before he could ascend the stairs, the doctor appeared, his eyes wide with shock, as if he’d been waiting for this very moment. He was a small, mousy man, his lab coat stained with what could have been rainwater, but Damian knew better. The doctor’s eyes darted around the room, searching for an escape, his hands fidgeting with a syringe filled with a shimmering liquid.