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‘Simple — we just need to move more quickly than them. We’re planning a raid of their drugs lab, right? It was gonna happen in a couple weeks, but we just bring the date forward. That way, there’s no benefit to Giovanni giving Sophia to Whip. If our source is correct, Whip’s already on shaky ground. This is our chance to take him down and destroy the Death Division.’
A lot of what Marcus was saying was going over Sophia’s head, but at least it seemed like a plan.
‘So, when do we move?’ Wolf asked, his voice assertive, confident.
‘Yeah, we know the location, so what’s stopping us from riding out right now?’ Baron said, stepping forward.
‘Almost nothing,’ Marcus said. ‘Tomorrow’s the day. Early. I’ll check with my source. Only thing I’ve been waiting for is for this place to be finished. Now we’re in, we take the fight to the Death Division.’
‘I’m going,’ Wolf said sternly.
‘Wolf, I don’t know, y—’
‘I’ve been sober a month and I’m ready for this,’ he said, cracking his knuckles. ‘Wild horses wouldn’t keep me away from this one.’
Marcus seemed to consider this for a second. ‘Fine. I’ll stay here and look after the Littles. We need to be prepared on all sides. Jock? You OK to back me up?’
‘Sure thing, Prez.’
‘That’s settled, then. Everyone else, talk to Rainer. He’ll go over the plan with you. This is a big deal — it could change the landscape of New York City crime for decades. We’ve got the opportunity to do something truly monumental. Let’s not fuck it up.’
Eventually, most of the bikers left the bar with Rainer. They hadn’t finished planning for the raid, but there was a definite feeling in the air: Sophia needed some space. Wolf, of course, stayed with his Little girl, and so did Marcus. Between the three of them, they tried to piece together information about Sophia’s father’s organization.
It wasn’teasy.
While there were a lot of entries about the Mafia in Boston and New England, there wasn’t a single result for Giovanni’s name anywhere online. The search wasn’t helped by the fact that Sophia still didn’t know for sure whether he was part of the Mob, or some other criminal organization.
‘I don’t even know what we’re hoping to find,’ Sophia said, after an hour or so of non-stop clicking and reading.
‘At this point, anything,’ Marcus said. ‘Hard to know what might help when you’re going up against powerful organizations like your father’s.’
It was only when they started searching on the archived websites of newspapers local to Boston that they found something interesting. It was an article from January 2012 — the year after Sophia ran away from home — about a gunfight in Salem. There, in black and white, was a description from eye witnesses of bikers and Mobsters trading shots. Five people died according to the report, and the paper said that it was most likely a drugs feud between rival gangs. There was also a report that said one Mobster was arrested, but had refused to talk.
‘That’s the year the Death Division was decriminalized in New York,’ Marcus said, stroking his long beard. ‘Wouldn’t surprise me if they moved over here because of this feud with your father’s organization.’
‘I don’t see how any of this helps,’ Wolf said, anger written across his face.
‘Me neither,’ said Marcus. ‘But you never know. Might be useful.’
They searched a little longer but couldn’t unearth anything else.
Just before Marcus left, he checked on the guards posted outside the bar, making sure that they were ready for the night shift. When he returned, he smiled warmly. ‘Like I said, I promise we’ll keep you safe, Sophia. This place is going to be guarded twenty-four hours a day until we’ve driven the Death Division and your father out of town.’ Just as he was leaving, he stopped. ‘Hey, Wolf, I want you to know I’m proud of you. You’ve changed a hell of a lot over the past couple months, and it’s all for the better.’
Wolf couldn’t keep the happiness from his face. ‘It’s all her, Prez.’ He squeezed Sophia. ‘She’s my guiding light.’
Wolf had paid Sophia many compliments over the past few weeks. He’d called her beautiful, smart, kind and talented. But nothing compared to this. No-one had ever called her a guiding light before. It felt as though her heart had grown wings.
‘I’m gonna guard her with my life tomorrow,’ Marcus said. ‘I know how important she is to you. I’m growing fond of her too.’ Then, in a moment of tenderness, the kind old soul gave Sophia a kiss on the top of her head. ‘Thanks for looking after my boy, Sophia.’
*
In the orange dark of the street-lit night, Wolf held his Little close to his chest. Whenever a car went past, she twitched, as if fighting against the fear which had reawakened in her.
When her father had entered the bar, he’d seen a look of pure, unbridled terror on Sophia’s face. He never wanted to see her look that scared ever again. But this wasn’t over yet. Far from it.
The evening had felt like saying goodbye.
Sophia and Wolf spent time together in the new apartment he’d had built above the bar. It wasn’t the biggest space, but it was enough for the two of them. They weren’t used to the place yet, and a bunch of the kitchen appliances still had that plastic film on it that was designed to avoid marking your new stuff.
