AllFreeNovel
Share Us
~Dealer~
“JUST WAITING ON CRISTIAN.”
Ax and I exchange a look as we listen to Spartan’s voice coming through on the speakerphone via my cell phone on Ax’s desk. Even just through the phone, the guy’s got an undeniable impacting presence about him.
“How long we talking?” Ax asks, reaching for his pack of smokes on the desktop, but pulling back and shaking his head to himself a moment later. I frown as I watch him then stuff the pack into his desk drawer and start tapping his fingers on the desktop. Looks like he’s having a nic fit, but he ain’t taking care of it. He’s holding out even more than usual between smokes.
Well, that ain’t gonna bode well for none of us.
What’s got into him? I know he made a promise to Roxana about cutting back, but this is more than that.
Goddammit, this strike against Priest can’t come fast enough. I gotta talk to Ax about what’s going on, but no way he’s gonna be up for doing that until this is sorted. He gets tunnel vision when there’s an imminent threat and he puts everything else on the backburner.
“Hours,” Spartan comes back with. “Priest don’t give out the location of his annual meet to his men until right before. Cristian’s got an insider who’s been infiltrating the Gatekeepers for a whole year and gained their trust, so as soon as he knows, Cristian will know.”
“Stupid fucking idea doing a big meet like that in person. It’s what gave us an edge to take down the Mavs,” Ax mutters. “Do it online and shit. We ain’t in the dark ages no more.”
“Priest is paranoid about hacking,” Spartan tells him. “He also can’t bring that intimidation factor of his over some Zoom call the way he can in person and, let’s face it, that’s one of the trump cards he’s using to control his guys.”
“Ain’t this meet once a year also doubling as an execution of his weakest guys? A purge?” I ask.
“Yeah,” Spartan confirms.
“That’s what you meant by intimidation?” Ax says, incredulous. “Jesus, Spartan, murdering a bunch of his own is way more than that.”
“This is about getting inside Priest’s head right now, and that’s the way he sees it. It’s why I put it that way. But you know I ain’t down for shit like that. The maniac’s got no sense of loyalty or honor. It’s why he couldn’t wrap his head around Dealer not wanting to work for him as his right-hand man. Thought he could threaten and intimidate him, that it would trump his loyalties and codes.”
“That’s the actions of a weak man,” I grit out. “Never fucking happening.”
“Right on,” Spartan agrees.
I gesture at Ax to lock it up and get back down to business.
He blows out a breath and asks Spartan, “So, you’re sending your SAA in, yeah? Wraith?”
“Yeah, he’s all geared-up, ready to ride the second we get the location from Cristian. He ain’t there to call the shots, he’s ready to fall in line and take orders from Cristian and Dealer, so long as them orders don’t hurt Iron Kings in any way. Dealer, what about Kingmaker? She ain’t known for being a team player, you sure she can follow orders here?”
“Yeah, she’s got it. She’s all about the endgame.”
“We gotta do this right and we gotta do it now,” Spartan emphasizes. “Can’t afford loose cannons.”
“Before Priest solidifies that alliance he’s dying for with Hounds of Fury. Before he gets the opening to take out Julian King. Yeah, we know. We got it,” I assure him. “Like I said, it’s all about the endgame.”
“Dealer, you’re gonna want to defer to Cristian on this, all right? I know that ain’t gonna be easy, and I know it’s got real personal with Priest coming after your woman and your daughter, but nobody knows the enemy here better than Cristian Cavalno. He’s an asset. We gotta use that.”
Ax eyes me over the desk and I can see he’s as worried as Spartan is about my answer.
He don’t need to be. This ain’t about pride, or about showing who’s top dog. “I knew what I was signing up for the second I agreed to stop going it alone and actually work with you and Cavalno, Spartan. You ain’t gotta worry about me with that. I’m clear on what’s gotta happen to ensure we put this asshole to ground.”
“All right,” Spartan says. “And, Ax? You stay out of it, well away. For you and me, this is a battle, not the war. Our guys have got this, you and me gotta keep our focus on what’s coming up next. The ghosts fight this battle, we’ll fight the war. Soon enough, brother.”
“I feel you.”
“Good. So, Cristian’s filling in Kingmaker as we speak. Be ready to ride.”
“Got it.”
“Ride safe,” Spartan says.
