Chapter 296 Third Shot

John didn't object as everyone piled into his car. A few things needed to be shifted in order to make room for the three of them. Lena got in last after making sure Jovani took the front seat ahead of her. The younger mafia boss obliged the other without speaking a word. Only a small nod of his head and a raised hand to remind her that he didn't have anything on him.

"Somehow it feels as though the rescue crew became the hostages." John's comment didn't go unnoticed as the car started up.

"The rescue crew ended up falling apart when not everyone arrived on time as they were supposed to." Lena put the safety back on the gun. She didn't think she would need it while they were in the car. At least, not for the current moment.

"Nothing much that can be done about things not turning out the way we want. You knew Princess that what we were doing from the start would be a large gamble. I did what I could to make things out but I didn't make any promises." Jovani rolled down the car window to let the cool, crisp night air in. Once the other started the car, he indicated for him to keep going down the road they were on.

"We should be looking to go back on to the interstate. Going down this way will just make things harder." Not to mention the darkness would only get thicker the further they went. Something better to avoid for the time being.

"I am well aware of that, Princess. You might also be aware of the sound coming from the other direction. I don't think that we need to get the police involved in anything." Now that the other mentioned it, Lena could see the flashing lights coming behind them.  Far enough away that their car wouldn't be stopped but too close for comfort still.



"We will do much better going this way for now. We can look for another way back onto the interstate once we know we're safe." Lena made a noise of disapproval but didn't verbally object.

"Now that we seem to be safe for the time being, can I know what's going on, Don?" John glanced over at Jovani. The latter sat dangling his hand out the window, letting the cool breeze kiss his injured appendage.





"I suppose that it is only fair you know. Though none of this came out in the wash as expected. Alonso should still be doing his part." Jovani tilted his head back.

"Do you want me to be the one to explain it or you Princess? I think you might have the better story taking into consideration proximity." A heavy silence followed the remark. The kind that could quickly make a car ride awkward. Did she not want the information to get out? John wasn't one of the ones high up in Jovani's ranks. That didn't mean that he couldn't be replied to.

"You can tell him. I want to listen to your side of the story just to make sure."

"Very well. If you insist then. I will go about it then. You wouldn't happen to have anything that could help dull pain, do you?" The pain in his damn shoulder was beginning to get the best of him again. The dull yet oppressive ache made it feel like every fibber in his limb.

Finding out that John didn't have anything for him to take. Perhaps only reliable when it came to some areas.

"Maybe just stop somewhere then so that I can get something to drink. I cannot stay like this for the whole drive that we are going to be taking."

"Aren't we going to be getting ready to go back to the hospital now? Nothing worked out so I don't think we need to do anything." Jovani clicked his tongue at the princes.

"That is where you would be wrong. We might not have been able to do what we want here, but that doesn't mean we're done though."

"I thought that we agreed before to not do anything else if things didn't work out?" A sudden change of plans now? That didn't bode well with her.

The darkness along with her throbbing headache and the previous tension formed an uncomfortable ball in her stomach.

"We did. I have something I'm working on though that I think will help us out a great deal. We just need to get that one call I keep waiting for." Jovani turned in his best as he could to look at Lena. Even though he couldn't physically see her injuries, he could see the dullness in her eyes. Things seemed to be taking a strong toll on her than they were on him.

"I know that everything that just occurred it's hard to do this but you need to trust me. If I can move all the pieces we need to, I think everything will turn out better than expected." Lena didn't give much acknowledgment beyond a derisive noise.

"Now back to the important part though that I think everyone wants to hear about." Jovani paused just long enough to be able to wet his lips. Cool air might've been good for his arm, not so much for his lips though.

"You wouldn't have been aware of this John. The princess only because I needed to tell her for this to work. At least, it meant to work at the time. Enough of that though." Jovani waved his arm as he tried to shift into a more comfortable position.

"What you might not be so aware of though is the little dark cloud. A spot of bad luck and trouble who looks rather a lot like me." Reminiscing always brought back the good memories with the bad ones. The kind that Jovani wanted to try so hard to forget about.

"That little dark cloud of trouble was and is the person I needed you to take the third shot at for me. You could call it a doppelganger if you wanted."