P O V - Avery

The members at my side had already let me go while we ran through the forest. I heard guards chasing after us as we broke branches along the way.

The one on my right pulled out a gun. And started shooting. SHOOTING. At the guard. I heard a cry of pain and whimpered, but kept running.

'Don't worry about him. He didn't care for you, and vice versa.'

Though the Boss couldn't see it, I nodded anyway. I was slowly getting out of breath, but then I saw the van up ahead.

Upon closer inspection, it was a dark blue-violet. On the side was what I assumed to be their symbol. They had to be very prideful or powerful to just advertise who they are. The symbol was definitely a skull. There was a bandage on it's left (technically right) eye socket. Two swords in an 'X' shape was behind the skull.

The two mobsters led me to the back of the van and opened it. Inside was Pip sitting awkwardly in a bolted-down chair with a wall of monitors on the side of the van. It would suck to crash, he would be the first one to die with the monitors squishing him! They look properly mounted though.

I took off the earpiece. I didn't need it anymore, so I handed it to him. He smiled at me and the two who were with me got in as well. We all sat down on the sides, but they surrounded me, pressing up against my arms...

"Give her some space guys, she's not runnin' anywhere. We're sure."

They both scooted away.

"Glad you made it out fine. Are you hurt at all?"

I breathed in and out. I was still gaining my breath. At first, I thought I was fine, but then the pain started to emerge from my right ankle.

"I-I didn't notice before, but I possibly sprained my right foot. I'll be fine- it's not as bad as when I first woke up from the dead."

Pip nodded. Right after he did, the van started to drive off. None of us was expecting it so we all lurched towards the van's back door. Pip looked pipped- pissed.

"Hey! Be careful would you!"

There was a closed slot-window thing that led to the driver seat. It opened up revealing... Boss?

"Oh? Sorry~ I forgot how fragile you are. Hello Avery dear."

I waved to him- but stopped quickly.

"Wait, what are you doing here? I expected you to be off doing something else!"

"I was, but I just had to drive for you, besides, I know quicker routes. The faster I get you to the base, the faster you can build me that chair."

"Are you serious?"

He sped up the van.

"Nevermind!"

_________________________________

We kept riding with the occasional swerves or sudden stops to evade the trucks coming after us.

Sooner or later, there was a click heard from the front seats and a hum was heard from outside. We slowed down a bit and sped up again. I looked at Pip for answers.

"Oh, we're back at the base now. I installed one of those camo garage entrances and we use it to get in and out undetected. We're pretty far out as well, so nobody really knows that we're here or even that this place exists."

"That's... actually really cool!"

"Thank you!"

We smiled at each other, then the van did another turn, and completely stopped. I'm guessing we're here.

We all got out, the Boss was last, but quickly caught up to- wherever we were going. He was now leading the way through the garage towards this hall that looked like it connected to a lobby?

The Boss turned his head and raised his eyebrow as if telling me that there's more or maybe to question my aimless staring of this new and foreign structure.

We entered the lobby... there's an elevator. We all took it down to... -3? I looked at the rest of the buttons on the elevator. There are FIVE floors under the ground? Holy shit! There was a paper next to the buttons saying what each floor was. The floor we were going to was dubbed "Common Area". I guess a lot of the mobsters hang there.

The doors opened to reveal the most extravagant yet cozy room I have ever witnessed.

Members of the gang were chatting, lounging about, yelling, gambling. This place was top of the line amazing.

After getting off, the Boss walked forwards a little bit more and turned around. He spread his arms and smirked.

"Welcome, to Scuola Materna!"

I cringed at his welcoming but accepted it anyway.