LIAM.

11:45 AM.

Parenthood had taught me three things about myself.

First, it is possible to unconditionally love four people at the same time.

Second, despite loving my wife's strength, I was still a bit sexist.

And third, I was far more sadistic than I'd thought; I should not have enjoyed beating the shit out of my sons as much as I did.

"Damn it!" Ethan yelled when I sideswiped his legs, sending him to the mat once again. I had lost count of how many times that was now.

"Ugh!" Wyatt screamed like an ape as he ran toward me. He kicked and punched like a madman while I just laughed, putting my hand on his head to hold him back. Ethan got up behind me and tried to hit me, but I outstretched my leg and kicked him right in the nose before punching Wyatt in the gut, gently of course-not to him, but for me, it was gentle.

"Urgh..." They groaned, cupping their wounds as they gasped for air on the ground.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" I smiled, stretching. "It looks like I got two little pansies as sons. Maybe we should bring Dona in to help you two?"

I loved how their eyes glazed over with anger and frustration. Even though they were in pain, even though it was not possible for them to win, they got onto their feet anyway. They couldn't really move because of the aching in their legs, yet they were up and still willing to fight anyway.

"What now?" I asked them, waiting.

They yelled...again...grinning at me...again...only to get kicked back on their asses.

"Stop it!" I didn't yell at them, but Dona did. Holding an ice pack to her face, she climbed into the ring. The first thing I noticed was how her legs twitched; I also saw that her mouth was swollen, and worst of all, her eyes were red. She stepped in front of me, glaring at me with so much anger I wasn't sure what to say to her. She looked like her mother.

Instead of yelling at me, she turned around and faced Ethan and Wyatt. "Stop being stupid!"

"Stop calling us stupid! You can't even spell it!" Wyatt hollered back at her, wiping the blood from his nose. Dona's fists bunched up and she pulled her leg back to kick him, but Ethan stopped her.

"Why are we stupid now, Dona?" Ethan asked. Dona stopped, but before speaking, she turned to me.

"Time out," she said.

"Time out? Who said they get timeouts?"

"Dad. Time out," she stated forcibly, moving to the corner with Ethan following her. Wyatt didn't get up from the floor, just lied there.

"Wyatt!" she screamed again.

"I'm comin'! I'm comin'! Jeez!" he grumbled.

What the fuck? It was the only thing that came to mind as I stepped back into my corner, torn between wanting to laugh and staring in amazement.

"She's a little boss, isn't she?" I turned to see Cora, her hair pulled into a ponytail, smiling at them. "She reminds me so much of Melody, it's remarkable. Today, her mother beat her into the ground; Declan came to me pissed at how much Mel had pushed her, yelling not to let Helen get any ideas. Yet here Dona is holding an ice pack to her jaw trying to help her brothers. She's a lot stronger than anyone gives her credit for. I am shocked, however, that you are allowing her to train. I thought you'd be as hardheaded as Declan."

"Thanks," I replied, leaning on the ropes. "Did Declan ever tell you about our aunts, Fianna, and Abigail?"

"No, you know Declan has issues talking about all that. But Evelyn told me they were murdered."

"They weren't just murdered. They were tortured. Fianna died before Declan's father so I barely remember her. I just knew that was the first time my father and uncle worked together, killing dozens; they razed the city in anger." Just like Ethan and Wyatt, my uncle and father were always fighting. When my father left home, it actually worsened, but Aunt Fianna's death brought them together again.

"Evelyn said that Declan's father died shortly after that," she said softly. "The life of a mafia family."

It was true.

"My Aunt Abby was the wild child. She loved life. She spent her days traveling everywhere; each time she came to see us she brought us something new. For his thirteenth birthday, she got Declan the tooth of a baby tiger and I was so jealous. She would put on plays for us in the backyard and force us to be her co-stars. She was amazing and my father loved her to death. My mom would joke he loved Abby more than her, so the day they murdered her and sent him her head...he broke down. That was the first and last time I ever saw my father cry...no, weep. He told me he had failed as a brother, as a man, and as the leader of the family; he said he couldn't wait for the day I would take over. It scared me to see my father like that, defeated. Now all these years later, I understand. The world is cruel, but it is especially cruel to women. When that woman isn't related to you, it's just a travesty. When she is...there is nothing worse. So." I took a deep breath, facing my own daughter as she grinned at her brothers. "As always, my wife was right. I want Dona to put up a hell of a fight if she ever needs too. I want her to put the fear of God into anyone who comes her way. I just don't want to see her stumble to get to that point." Even so, there was nothing else I could do.

"Time in!" Dona called out before sliding backward out of the ring. Cora walked around to meet her.

I wasn't sure what she'd said to them, but for the first time in nearly two hours, they finally worked together. Wyatt tried to draw my attention to the left while Ethan came from the right. Slowly a grin spread across my cheeks...my children, I could see it in their eyes: this was the beginning, the darkness in their eyes, and their potential was showing. They would surpass even my own greatness.

Just not today.

"Damn it!" Ethan hissed through his teeth when my fist collided with his stomach.

"You all really need to stop fucking cursing."

MELODY.

11:49 AM.

I had just stepped out of my bathroom when I found Mina holding blue jeans and a simple white button-down shirt for me to wear.

"We have a problem," Mina stated.

"You mean other than the fact that you went into my closet?"

"Much bigger than that."

"Are Liam, Ethan, Wyatt, or Dona in danger?"

Her eyebrows came together, a frown on her lips. "No, why-"

"Then there is no bigger issue than you being my closet."

She sighed, rolling her eyes. "The sniper shot again, this time at another school, four more kids...is that a big enough issue for you?"

"Is it a copycat?" Why would a sniper sent to deliver a message to Liam and me then go and shoot up another school?

"The police aren't sure."

"When are they ever sure?" Spend millions educating them and they still couldn't do their fucking job sometimes. Jesus Christ.

"Well, this is all very sad." I shrugged, dropping the towel and putting on my underwear before grabbing lotion from my dresser. "Either way, we should wait before we see the parents."

"Melody, you need to call a state of emergency-"

"Locking down schools and setting a curfew? What good does that really do Mina? The sniper is shooting in broad daylight. I'm not going to let one man hold my city hostage."

Walking over to me, she pushed the outfit to me. "The public needs to see you, at least, pretending to be concerned then."

"Let me guess, you chose this outfit because it looks like I didn't have time to get dressed, I just rushed over at the call of the people?"

"No heels either."

"I can run in heels."

"Melody."

"I can run in heels," I stated again, stepping into my jeans. Truth be told, I didn't care. Kids died, but I didn't care because they weren't my kids. They weren't family. They were just four random little faces. What I wanted to do, what I did care about was staying at home with my family as I promised. However, I'd also promised to not make this city so goddamn bloody, but Chicago was apparently addicted to the violence.

Dressed and pulling my hair into a messy bun, I grabbed the black heels I had left for my dress and followed her out the door. She was already on the phone, most likely with the office, which would undoubtedly be full of press.

"O'Phelan, let Liam know I'll be out until dinner," I stated when the door opened. He bowed slightly.

"Of course, ma'am."

"Good morning, boss." Murphy held the door for me.

"It's hardly a good anything," I muttered to myself when Mina slid in beside me. Pulling out her tablet, she handed it to me. All over the news, just like the day before, were police, the media, and weeping parents.

"I'm getting updates as we go, however, just like yesterday, they used some bullets from a Norma?"

I nodded. "It's a 6.5 Norma but it's being fired from a Truvelo sniper rifle; whoever is shooting is a long-range professional. It is lightweight depending on the barrel length of course. It is compact enough to lug around and the accuracy is 1 MOA at-"

I stopped when I realized she had no idea what I was talking about, even though I hadn't even gotten into the actual details of the thing yet.

"Funny, you don't ramble about anything else but guns."

"I wasn't rambling, you just didn't know what I was talking about," I replied, leaning back into my seat. When I looked out, I noticed we weren't heading toward the office.

"Murphy-"

"Yes, ma'am-boss."

"Where are we going?"

"The hospital," Mina answered for him.

I fucking hated hospitals.

"I thought we were not going to see the victims-"

"We aren't," she stated, not looking up as she texted quickly. "We are going to see the families who survived. Just do what you always do: smile, pretend to cry and care."

I glared at her. "You know you grow increasingly more bossy with each passing day. I don't like it."

She paused, looking up from her phone. I didn't see fear; instead, she smiled. "I'm just looking out for you. We are family after all."

She and Cora both did this, pretending we were close enough to be...to be...friends? But I didn't have friends. They were necessary because they kept Declan and Neal happy, which in turn made Liam happy. His family was happy; everybody was just shitting unicorns and rainbows of happiness while I sat in the corner trying not to lose my mind.

"Smile-no, don't smile," She spoke quickly when the car came to a stop at the hospital and, sure enough, the press were there. "Be solemn and don't get off topic. Just say we are sorry for the loss of more innocent lives. The police are on it...blah blah blah...right now you want to pay respect to the families. Got it?"

Again I glared.

"Got it, boss?" she asked again, her voice going down an octave.

Nodding, she tapped on the window and Murphy opened the door. Stepping out, I heard the same questions I'd heard the day before.

"Governor Callahan, do you have any comments?"

"Governor, do you have a moment!"

"Did you not run on a platform of safer streets?"

"What do you have to say to the parents?"

"Are there any leads on the Sandbox Sniper?"

You've got to be fucking kidding me. Had they already given this fucker a name?

Pausing, I leaned in, their disgusting microphones so close to my face you'd think they were trying to shove them down my goddamn throat.

"The Sandbox Sniper?" I asked.

One woman stepped up, her red hair cropped at her shoulders. Her eyes were green, scared, and excited, like a fledgling bird just starting to fly.

"Yes." She stood straighter. "Due to the nature of these crimes, people have-"

12:17 PM.

BANG.