AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Turning, I kept a slow pace as the cars behind me drove straight, moving towards the increasing nightlife. There was less traffic this way. The road was darker. A few random people walked here and there in the distance, but it was mostly deserted.
“I don’t get it. It says he’s right here. Do you fucking see anything?”
A sound left me as I shook my head. “Look in cars. Maybe he’s in the actual building. There.” I pointed to an empty space not two car lengths away. “We’ll park and get ready. He’s gotta be somewhere close. When we spot him, we move.”
Rush agreed as I parked. We took out our guns, putting a bullet in each chamber. Looking through my night vision binoculars, I scanned the cars in the adjoining lot not far away. “We have to be positive it’s him. We can’t afford to make a mistake. If we fail, we may not get another chance. We’ll do this short and sweet. Approach. Confirm. Execute. No one lives. We save him for last.”
“Got it.”
Rush went back to looking at his laptop. His head came up and tried peering around me. A good minute passed before I jerked down the binoculars. I quickly handed them to Rush.
“Look down past the gray van. You might need to move more towards me. There’s an alley. I bet you anything that’s where he is.”
“I think you may be right. We can’t see shit from this angle. Unless we’re right up on it, we’re fucked. Ten to one, there’s someone guarding that entrance too. What do we do? Do we wait?”
Before I could answer, Rush stiffened, bringing them down to look at me. I smiled, never breaking my stare as a group of men appeared around the corner.
“Seems we may not have to.”
“Holy shit. Eight men? Why can’t this shit ever be easy?”
“Because it’s us.” I took back the binoculars, narrowing my eyes as I tried to figure out which was Vitor. They were all similar in appearance…all practically wearing the same fucking suit. It was genius, even if it was going to make this harder. “New plan,” I mumbled.
“I was hoping you’d say that. Any ideas?”
I finally broke my stare to glance over. “You remember Venice Beach?”
A nearly silent laugh filled the space. “Do I ever. Our first takedown. I’m guessing I’m the bait.”
“Think of it as a wedding gift.”
“You owe me.”
“You got a deal. First thing I need you to do though is call back that phone. Clone our side, I don’t care. We need to see who answers. Maybe it’ll be Vitor. Maybe not. There’s only one way to find out and we’re running out of time.”
“Give me a minute.”
Bringing up the binoculars, I scanned the faces. Just as ringing filled the interior, I saw him. He stopped talking, reaching into his suit’s pocket to bring out a phone.
“Got him,” I whispered. “Stall as long as you can before you approach. Buy me some time.”
“I grabbed my mask, sliding it on as I climbed into the back seat to open the back door, away from the road. A voice came through just as I closed the door behind me. I stayed crouched low, jogging the length of the sidewalk a good half block. No cars were coming down the road as I raced across, keeping inside the dark voids between the rundown businesses. The group was eerily quiet. Only one voice filled the air, and I knew that deep tone anywhere.
I stayed low, taking my time as I got closer. Each step was precise, calculated as I drew both of my guns.
“I know who you are: the loose cannon. How’s brother dearest? I’ve heard he’s a real mess. Does your boss know you’re calling?” Vitor laughed, flashing his profile as he grinned to one of his men. “Is that right? You have some nerve calling me. Must be easy to threaten someone when you’re sitting in an airport parking lot surrounded by agents. Let me guess, you must be in car number three.” He squared his shoulders through the overconfidence. “I know everything. I know Agent Warez and Sullivan are standing at the first two cars. I also know you wouldn’t call me if they were at yours. What’s the matter, Rush Lockhart, scared, or are you upset that the boss is making you run?”
Seconds passed. Vitor pulled back the phone, looking at the screen. I raised my guns, moving in to the two men just to the sides of Vitor as the outside two dropped. As the ones closest to the alley reached for their guns, Rush and I were already dropping them as well.
“You move your hands, I’ll put a bullet through the back of your head.”
I surged forward as Rush’s large frame barreled around the van not feet away. Vitor turned, putting his back to the building as he watched us approach. His hands were still up, and he was still holding to his phone.
“I’m never scared, you son of a bitch.” Rush walked up, slamming his fist into Vitor’s mouth, and then his nose in a cracking thud. “That’s for my brother.”
Blood trickled, sweeping over his lips as his hands shot up. I knocked them away, locking around his throat, and thrusting him into the shadowed wall with enough force to try to put him through it. The hard thud had him gasping to catch his breath.
“You fucked up. Did you think we wouldn’t find you after what you’ve done?”
