I Fell For My Nemesis

"What if we can't pull that off?" Angelo asked, skeptical. "Wouldn't it be better to just kill him and leave her a widow?"

Avery was appalled. "Angelo, we don't kill people!" 

"We thought we couldn't do it before because someone would just take his place but things are different now! We have Leah! Honestly, we should have thought of this sooner." 

"I didn't sign up to kill anyone," Christian said firmly. 

"Come on, we're so close! There's no need to resort to extreme measures when he's nearly out of our hair. If all goes according to plan he should be arrested in the next couple of weeks and we won't have to worry about him anymore aside from ensuring he gets convicted. I hate him too but we don't work like that," Avery agreed.

Angelo muttered mutinously. "There aren't any guarantees that Leah will be able to do anything once she's arrested. Then we'll have to figure out another way to break up his empire.."

"So be it. We're not stooping to his level. Murder is murder even if it is done in retaliation." 

"Whatever. I just wanted you to know about the warrant. I have to go." 

He hung up without another word and she was concerned. He wasn't seriously going to try and murder Nolan Hunsacher now that the idea had been planted in his head, was he? He was a hacker! He didn't know anything about fighting people!

Avery glanced over at Christian, who looked distinctly troubled. "Why did your best friend have to jump to murder as an option?"

She let out a heavy sigh and leaned against the back of the couch. "Look, Angelo's had it rough. He wants this over with as much as we do but he's also a lot angrier than I am in general. I don't think he would actually do it."

That was what she wanted to believe, anyway. They did this to help people. They couldn't stoop to Hunsacher's level. Angelo couldn't actually try to murder somebody no matter how smart he was. 

They had to wait for the warrant like planned. It was going to work! Everything would be fine. 

"If you say so," Christian said but he didn't sound so sure. 

That conversation stuck with Avery over the next week and a half. The warrant had been served and they were waiting to see if an arrest would be made. It seemed that the computer forensics people the police were using were slow. 

She figured Angelo was about to lose his mind so she tried texting him to see if he wanted to go somewhere or do something. He could definitely use a distraction about now. 

No response. His phone was ALWAYS on him. She tried again five more times and called him three times with no response. That was worrisome. She tried Jorge, the tías, even Leah to see if any of them had been in contact with him recently. Still nothing. 

Avery had a very bad feeling about this. She had a sinking suspicion where he might be. 

"Christian, I think I need to go check on Angelo," she said grimly. 

"You still haven't gotten a hold of him?"

"No."

"Are you going to go to his apartment?" Christian asked. 

Avery let out a sigh. "Don't judge him…but I think he went after Nolan Hunsacher himself because the plan was going to slowly for his liking."

She had already told her husband enough lies. He had been there for that phone conversation so he should understand her concerns. She needed to make sure Angelo didn't do anything that couldn't be undone. 

"You're going to try and stop him, aren't you?"

"I have to."

"Then I'm coming with you," Christian said resolutely. "I don't want your family to become a murderer either and you're in no condition to jump around or fight."

He wasn't wrong. Her stomach was finally starting to show a tiny bit when she wore tight clothes. She had no idea if it would be noticeable in the suit yet. She was running out of time to get this done as mystery man Nox. 

"Alright but hurry," Avery told him. 

Christian got dressed in record time and wore a ski mask rather than a gas mask this time before flying her off of the fire escape. Nolan Hunsacher had several different properties in New York City so they had to try more than one before they found the right place. A fancy townhouse where the front door had been left unlocked. Thankfully, they didn't have to break any windows and could sneak in. 

They heard a horribly familiar voice shouting in another room. "It was me! I'm the one who's been causing you so much trouble but that isn't enough. I'm going to kill you for all the other people you've killed."

Avery's stomach sank as she rounded the corner and saw Angelo standing there pointing a gun at Nolan Hunsacher. "Don't do this!" she pleaded in Spanish. 

He flinched but didn't turn around and held the gun steady. "I have to! Don't you understand? You'll never be able to live peacefully if he doesn't die! I'm doing this for you, me, and all of the other people who can't live if he does. 

"Leah and those kids have been locked up for almost a year. People die from rationing their insulin every day. There are unsafe conditions in all of his factories. And that's only the tip of the iceberg. This man has either straight up murder or indirectly caused the deaths of THOUSANDS of people. 

"The world is better off without him. Go home, Güera! This is my sin. You don't have to bear it. Just go and be happy in the way I can't. You're moving on but I have nothing to look forward to when this is all over. All I have left is my hate."

Nolan Hunsacher's eyes widened when he saw Avery. He didn't seem very afraid for someone who had a gun pointed at him. 

He was frozen in place but genuine fury flashed across his face and he yelled, "You! The two of you were working together this entire time! Why? Who are you?"

Avery felt nothing but disgust finally setting eyes on the man who had ruined so many lives and taken her father and Horatio from them. "Shut up, you worthless piece of slime. You don't deserve to know who we are."

She moved toward her best friend and saw the grief and rage mingled in his eyes that was so familiar through the holes in his ski mask. She wrapped her hand around the gun and looked directly at him. 

"He isn't worth it. You're a good person; don't throw your soul away for someone so pathetic," she said seriously, switching back to Spanish. "You wanted to help people and you are. Don't become a killer for him. Don't stoop to his level. You're a million times better than he is."

"What does it matter if I become a killer? We're already villains!" 

"We aren't villains. We're antiheroes. And if you cross that line there's no coming back from it. Ever."

Tears swam in Angelo's eyes. "So what? I'm not as good as you. I don't have something waiting for me on the other side like you do either. There's no reason I shouldn't do it and end all of our suffering."

Avery frantically tried to think. She didn't want to stop him using force because he was a normal person and he would get hurt by the suit's strength. She would if she had to but she would prefer to talk him down. 

It hit her a moment later. He didn't know what Vanessa had said the other day. 

"Vanessa!" she blurted. "I talked to her the other day and she said she missed you and that she didn't realize what she had until you stopped talking to her. She likes you and wants to see you again. Isn't that worth it?"

His eyebrows nearly shot off his face. "She said that?"

"Yes! And I know you only backed away because you thought she deserved better when you were consumed by revenge. If you do this now you'll never deserve her because it will consume you completely. The wonderful person I grew up with will be gone.

"I can't lose you, Angelo. Not like this. Come home, okay? It's late but I'll feed you and you can take a nap on my couch. Food and sleep ought to get you thinking straight. I love you. I love you so much so don't do this. Please."

As if to punctuate her words, sirens came roaring up the street. Don't tell her they were serving the arrest warrant now!

The red and blue flashing lights were getting closer. They had to get out of here without getting caught or this whole operation would be a bust. She was about ready to grab Angelo and go but Christian beat her to it. 

He hoisted Angelo over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and frantically yet silently gestured for her to move. She ran after him and they escaped through the back door, being sure to lock it on their way out. She heard the police breaking down the door to serve the warrant right as he positioned her over his other shoulder and flew off. 

Angelo cursed and scrambled to hold on. Avery laughed at him while simultaneously trying not to think of her own precarious grip. 

She really, really didn't like flying. Being in control of her own jumps was far preferable.