She giggled at something he whispered close to her ear, her blue eyes filled with amusement and happiness beyond words.  In a world filled with hatred, bloodshed and crime, Camilla managed to discover what love felt like.  If there was such a thing as being on cloud nine, today was that day, this was that moment.  She embraced Valentino tightly before they began to walk down the sidewalks of Sin City.  

Her thoughts ran to the house they had planned to visit later in the day.  Even though Cami was beginning to earn her place in the family, the headquarters weren’t exactly the ideal place to begin their lives.  They needed somewhere to escape the dreadful realities of their world, and a quiet place in Summerlin, Las Vegas seemed to be the perfect location.  Close to one of her businesses, her family, yet secluded enough to actually allow them to feel like a ‘normal’ couple.

The day seemed like any other day, the weather was turning cooler in preparation for the seasons to intertwine before making the complete change. That moment was one of the happiest moments she had experienced.  The laughter echoing amidst the semi empty streets, the sunshine peeking through the clouds, passersby loitering in their strolls to wherever they were headed.  

Perhaps if Cami wasn’t so desperate to block out the world that day, things would have turned out much differently.  She would have heard the faint echoes of tires squealing, noticed a few people panicking before running off away from them, and quite possibly she would have had more time to react….

Bang!  Bang!  Bang!  Bang!  Bang!  Bang!

Camilla felt dazed as his arm snaked around her waist, pulling her quickly seeking shelter then pushed to the ground. Valentino shielded her instinctively as the gunshots flew through the air. 

“Stay down!”

“But…”

“Stay Down!  Do you hear me?!!”

Cami clung to him, begging Valentino not to move as they crouched down behind a nearby car. He removed the Colt M1911 from his suit jacket, intending to stand up and shoot, but Cami tugged at his arm pleading.  They were under fire, and her clutch was twenty feet away holding her Colt .45 inside.  They stood little chance of not being gunned down.  This situation they found themselves in reeked of betrayal and pure greed.

She heard a voice holler out, announcing a trade off... surrender for a cease fire.​​​​​​​

“Come out yous.  You ain’t got nowheres to run.  Give us what we want, an’ we gonna make a deal.”

“Valentino, what on earth…. Who are they?  I don’t recognize them.  Do you?”

“Yeah some hoodrats from Chicago, the mouthy one goes by Petey.  Ran into him last week on a collection run for the boss.  He said his boss owned that part of Chicago now, but he ran scared when a few boys from South Side showed up, guns blazing.  Guess his pride was wounded along with a few body parts.”

Cami shook her head realizing things weren’t so good at the moment. Outnumbered, outgunned. Valentino peeked over the hood trying to get a glimpse of their locations, when she heard more gunshots. Valentino collapsed to the ground before her, as her world came crashing down instantaneously. Cami didn’t realize she was screaming as she crawled to him.

"No.  No.  No.  Make it stop.  Make it stop!! Someone help!!"

She shook him begging for him to respond.

"Please.  Please wake up.  Tino please.  No, no, no."

How can there be so much blood?

Kate was taking a thoughtful walk when she heard gunshots; her hand instantly dropped to her side and drew her revolver. Pushing through a crowd of people running away, Kate eventually reached a corner. Peering around, she assessed the situation. One woman pinned down behind a car next to a man on the ground. One car full of guys blasting away at her. Squinting closely, Kate realized she recognized the woman. She wasn't great friends with Camilla or anything, but they'd crossed paths several times and Kate respected her.

Cursing quietly to herself, Kate turned to see a scared looking old man pull up at the stop sign next to her. She pointed her gun at him and evicted him from the car. A steady string of curses began building to a crescendo as Kate fiddled with various unfamiliar levers and pedals. Eventually, the sedan lurched away, scraping against the curve and turning wildly around the corner. Accelerating and twisting in the road, Kate did her very best to avoid hitting Camilla; instead, she crashed into the car she was sheltering behind. The gunshots had stopped for a moment, perhaps in confusion, but now they redoubled their assault as Kate half crouched and half fell out of the driver's seat, spinning to open the back door. Both cars were providing cover now, and Kate heard a few shouts. Were they advancing? Getting back in the car? Better not to find out.

"Camilla! Help me get him in the backseat so we can get the fuck out!"

She paused for a moment as she blindly held her gun over the cover and fired off a couple shots.

"... you should drive!"

His body grew still.  Cami shook him praying that God would have some mercy, but her faith was shaking as the hope faded quickly.  If this was it for her then at least they would die together.  She pulled Valentino closer to her still, clinging tightly to the last shred of hope remaining, closing her eyes briefly.

The close echoes of gunfire jerked her eyes back open instantly as Cami focused on Vincent.  How?  Where did he come from?  He waved at her frantically, urging her to move, yet once he saw Valentino his face paled.  She was about to point to her gun, laying a few feet away still, left forgotten, but a car suddenly crashed into the one she leaned up against.  

More gunshots.  What the fuck!  Is this ever going to be over?  

Cami had no clue how many of those bastards were out there, so when she heard a familiar voice calling to her, she stretched to peer at the car behind the bullet decorated one she leaned up against to see Signora Logan.  Somehow hearing her words jolted what little energy Cami had left to move.  She called out to Vincent, waving him over as best she could in her weakened state, to help her get Valentino into the car.  She couldn't and wouldn't leave him here in the streets, even if....

No!  Her heart refused to go there.  Not now.  Not ever.

They worked together getting him into the back seat, while Kate fired a few more cover shots.  Cami looked towards Kate wondering who would actually be the better driver at the moment, but something kicked alive inside her, needing to get Valentino to the doctor immediately.  Vincent stayed crouched down in the back seat, firing out the window as Kate slid in the front seat.  

Cami whipped the car in reverse, spinning the tires, backing up with quick moves before peeling out down the street.  Vincent nonstop firing out the window.  Cami's hands tightened on the wheel as her foot lay heavily on the gas pedal.  He has to make it.  She wouldn't accept it any other way. Her voice was shaky as she spoke to the pair in the car,  her saviors.

"I don't know how to thank you both...."

Kate had ducked down as far as she could under the window in the front seat. Now she twisted to kneel and face out the back of the car, watching for pursuit as she reloaded.

"Thank me later. I'd book it... hope we lose them. I'd... uh...

Kate looked at the man sprawled out on the back seat. She'd almost said "I'd forget this guy and just head somewhere safe". But based on the way Camilla was gripping the wheel and whipping her head around occasionally to look at him... 

"... head to the hospital. Or a family doctor."

Not seeing any pursuit, Kate tried to use her jacket to brush the broken window glass off her seat before sitting on it. She'd let Camilla hope for a little while longer; it wouldn't hurt anything. But Kate Logan knew dead. She reached out a hand and rested it on Camilla's shoulder, softening her voice a little.

"And once you get him... help... then you can get payback. I'm in town for a few days and I'm available, if you're interested. Staying at the Grand."