“What is it?” I growled.
“Eden.”
“Hmmm.”
Eden stepped to my right. The bandage covered the side of her face.
I sniffed her way. “You smell better.”
Fear filled her eyes. She opened her mouth and then closed it.
Annoyance hit me. “What?”
Her voice came out weak. “Thank you for saving me from the Devil.”
“I haven’t saved you yet. If I were you, I would put all my energy into prayer.” I gestured for her to follow. “Pray to your god. Ask him to guide Jean-Pierre toward wise choices today.”
She swallowed and stayed next to me.
Maxwell walked on the other side. “Your welcome by the way, Eden. We appreciate your gratitude.”
She gave him a weak smile.
“I have a question for you, Eden.” Maxwell held the door open for us. “If you play the flute, then why do you have a violin tattoo?”
She quirked her brows. “I don’t play the flute. I play the violin.”
“It doesn’t matter.” I barked. “Get inside and sit in the front row.”
She hurried along.
Maxwell followed behind us. “We could be nicer.”
“Why?”
“It’s good karma.”
“Fuck karma. If it messes with me, I’ll fucking shoot karma in the face.”
Maxwell chose not to respond.
Pavel came behind us with his phone next to his ear. “Jean-Pierre arrived northeast from us. Not too far. He’s got the police and several vans of men out there.”
Of course, Jean-Pierre would come with as many guns as possible.
But you don’t have your weapons from the warehouse, do you?
We moved within the dark theater. Far ahead, I heard classical music playing. The further we stepped in, I recognized the music playing as the intro into, The Public Enemy’s opening scene.
Already, David’s men stood at theater 7’s door entrance. Another stood by the screen with an AK-47. Ten of David’s men stood in front of the screen, armed and ready to kill. One man blocked each fire exit.
I looked at David. “Do we have people out by the entrance?”
“Several. Everyone I could get.” David scowled. “Trust me. I will do everything in my power to get her back.”
“You do, and you should definitely consider moving to Moscow.”
“Are you sure about this?” David raised his eyebrows.
“I need a number two.”
“A number two. Your number two?” David ran his fingers through his hair. “That’s a discussion for another time. For now, let’s focus on your mouse.”
And that’s why you’ll stand by my side.
Chapter 11
Kazimir
The smell of popcorn filled the air.
Minutes passed as we remained in the theater. Eden and I were the only ones who sat in the middle of the front aisle. She sat on my left, not touching the bucket of popcorn or soda next to her.
Everyone else had held positions all over the theater.
The Public Enemy, played on the screen in front of us. This special showing wasn’t for me, so no, I didn’t pay attention. My focus remained on Emily—who was somewhere around Paris, heading to the exchange.
I had asked Baba, “Will she be harmed?”
“The mouse rode the lion’s back with pride. Held onto strands of the mane, like it was a horse’s leather harness.” Baba grabbed the cards. “The mouse rides the lion, but she hasn’t tamed him. He roared the whole time as they walked into the sunset.”
I yearned to roar now. She didn’t have to head here. We could have gone to her. But she didn’t want us to not exchange Eden, to Jean-Pierre. She thought that would be good closure.
She doesn’t understand that I’m going to kill them all.
As long as I had her, there would be no need for Jean-Pierre and his fluteplayer to stay alive.
Or was the phone call something else? Was that really Emily’s words? Did the make her say that?
My brain tornadoed into confusion. Different possibilities filled my head with anxiety. Jean-Pierre had played a smart game today. He managed to have me do his bidding like his little bitch. And I rushed to serve him. I could not live without Emily. Jean-Pierre had proven that to not only the Corsican, but the entire world.
Surely, all would hear of the lion’s weakness—his mouse.
Fine. Let them think she’s my weakness. It would be true, and false.
According to Emily’s phone call, Jean-Pierre couldn’t even keep her for a full twenty-four hours.
But what if he made her say that?
No. it couldn’t be a possibility. Truth rang in her voice. She sounded free and overjoyed, and ready to end this. That wasn’t acting. It was all my mouse.
I asked Baba. “She escapes?”
“In one way, but not the other.”
A cold shiver had ran through me. “What does that mean?”
“She’ll escape them, but always be trapped by them too.”
“No.”
“I’ve dreamed it all.” Baba’s forehead wrinkled. “Even the gray smoke in the sky.”
“The gray smoke from today.”
“No. It’s from another day.”
What could I trust, and what should I ignore? According to Baba, Emily would escape. Sure enough, Emily called on the phone and said that she had fled. Excitement covered her voice. It was my mouse—my queen—thrilling in her audacities.
My heart warmed.
I considered the other things Baba had said.
Still unsure of Baba’s statements, I pushed more. “My mouse will be back to me?”
“This evening. I see you two on a plane.”
“And the Corsican?”
“Sleeping safely in their bed.”
“I won’t kill them tonight?”
“You’ll try, but you can’t. They’re linked to you.”
“No. They’ll die tonight.”
Baba saw Jean-Pierre alive this evening. That would be the one fate, I would try to change. Fortune tellers spoke the truth of what they witnessed in that moment. But all knew, that anyone could shift their destiny to another path.
Baba had pulled the first card. “Death. Not surprised that it would be your first one. In the dream, there was blood on your paws and on the mouse’s fur. Lots of blood.”
Pressure had built in my chest. “But was it our deaths?”
“You don’t care about anyone else?”
“No.”
“You should, but this is something different.” She had tapped the card. “Something else must die, when your mouse comes to you.”
“What does that mean?”
“You must let something go. Let it die. I don’t know what, but let’s see.” She’d pulled out another card. A clown sat on the edge of a cliff and grinned at the sun. “The Fool.”
Those cards spun in my head. My heart hammered in my chest. We both had been through a lot in these past hours. Of all the years, I have fought for my rein. Decades of battle and poverty. I’d lost relatives and friends. My mother’s death had torn me apart. Uncle Igor had mended me. Now he was gone too, and my only hope to happiness had taken by the French.
If Baba wanted me to forgive the Corsican, then she would be disappointed. For the rest of my life, I would spend my days getting rid of them. And not just Jean-Pierre and his three idiot cousins. All the Corsican would have to die. Every last little soldier.
The world needed to understand what would come, if they grabbed my mouse.
There will be no letting it go.
Disrupting me from my thoughts, Pavel walked over to the front aisle, sat down next to me, and whispered, “I got another phone call, they reported that Jean-Pierre is with only two of his cousins. Louis and Rafael.”
I frowned. “I wanted to kill all four today.”
Pavel widened his eyes.
“The Butler isn’t with them?”<
br />
“No.”
“We’ll get him later.”
Pavel cleared his throat. “There’s a black woman with them. Our men think it’s Emily, but that’s only because our people don’t know she escaped. No one got a good look at the woman’s face.”
How are you going to do an exchange, if you don’t have Emily? Interesting.
Pavel left us.
Out of the shadows, Maxwell walked over to us. He had been far on the other end of the aisle. He held a gun in each hand and sat down on my right. “What’s the update from Pavel?”
“Jean-Pierre is here with his two cousins and a black woman.”
“But, not Emily?”
“It shouldn’t be.”
“And if it is?”
“Then, we’re fucked. We get her and kill them. Same plan as always.”
“Hopefully, Emily didn’t get caught again.”
I gritted my teeth. “Hopefully.”
Only Emily could have me on edge like this. She was a force to be reckoned with. There would be no taming her. No trapping or caging. My mouse would do what she wanted no matter how many men, or guns surrounded her.
As if Maxwell heard me, he shook his head. “Naw. No way they caught her again.”
And then his phone rang. Maxwell took it out and put the phone next to his ear.
“Yes?” He widened his eyes. A smile spread across his face. “Fuck. You’re here, Em? Where?”
I grabbed the phone. “Where are you?”
“I don’t know. I’m at the park on top of the mall.”
“I’m coming.”
“No!” she yelled into the phone. “This is why I called Maxwell. Kaz, you can’t come.”
“Why not?”
“I want this settled with Jean-Pierre. We do the exchange—”
“No. We kill him.”
“If we can.”
“We can, mysh.”
“Kaz, we don’t have the people—”
Anger blazed through me. “We will have them.”
“Jean-Pierre called the president and stopped those three planes from landing.”
My breath caught in my throat.
She continued, “And that’s from the one phone conversations I was able to overhear. God only knows what else Jean-Pierre could be doing or stopping. Let’s get him his girlfriend and leave.”
I couldn’t keep the edge out of my voice. “Where are you?”
“I’m here. Send Max with some guns. . .please.”
“You think I’m going to let you get involved enough where you’ll need a gun?”
“We don’t have time to debate this. If we’ve learned anything, give me a goddamn gun and stop trying to protect me.”
I grinned. “I’ve missed you.”
Her voice softened. “I’ve missed you too, baby.”
I licked my lips, hungry for her, craving her touch and more of that voice .
“Send Max so we can finish this.”
“I will.” My heart hammered in my chest. “Be careful. Goddamn it.”
“I will, baby. I’m coming to you.”
“You fucking better,” Grumbling, I handed the phone back to Maxwell and scowled at him. I should’ve been the one to go and get her. At least Emily was the only one thinking. If Jean-Pierre saw me missing, he would send his people around. There would probably be a gun battle, before I could get to her. Even more significant, it would be harder to get out.
I had to admit one thing.
For the moment, Jean-Pierre had more people and resources than me.
Only for today, butcher. Enjoy it.
Maxwell jumped up and ran out of the back exit.
Get her back to me, Maxwell. Keep her safe.
Pavel called out, “The van has entered the mall. Jean-Pierre is heading to the theater.”
Come on, you piece of shit.
I won’t kill him until I see Emily safe. Anything could happen while Max got my mouse, and brought her back to me.
For now, Jean-Pierre and his men would be focused on me. No longer would they be searching to recapture her. Their goal would be to save Eden.
I remained next to the flute player.
She turned my way and gave me a nervous smile.
I nodded at her.
I don’t like killing women, but if there’s one scratch on my mouse. . .you will scream in front of Jean-Pierre’s eyes.
Pavel returned to me with the phone to his ear. “He’s parked the van outside the theater’s entrance. His men and the black woman are climbing out the van.” Pavel used his other hand to take out his gun. “It’s seven men along with Louis, Rafael, and the black woman. She’s wearing sunglasses. They said it doesn’t look like the mouse.”
Idiot. You think you’ll do a quick trick? Give me the wrong woman and grab yours. What are you thinking?
Pavel raised his hand. “I’m sorry. More men have circled them.”
Adrenaline pumped in my veins. “How many?”
“They counted thirty circling and heading in with them.
I turned to Eden. She had a tiny neck. It would take one movement to break it. What Jean-Pierre didn’t understand, was that no amount of men mattered. I had Eden next to me. As long as that fact remained, I had him at my mercy.
But you’re smart. I’ll give you that.
Jean-Pierre had the men and the guns, even with the chaos I had created. Even with the lions in his warehouse. This was his city. He had been more than prepared to fight me. He wanted his woman. He would put every bullet to the cause.
Pavel let out a long breath and hung up the phone. “Five men are in front. Jean-Pierre and the woman are in the middle. Louis and Rafael are flanking them. Three more men are on each side. And more than twenty are following behind him.”
Anxiety rose in my chest, but I pushed it down. “Maxwell and Emily?”
“Nothing from Maxwell yet. He said he would call as soon as he gets her.”
I kept my voice down. “Perhaps, I should have Maxwell take Emily straight to the plane.”
Pavel shook his head. “I don’t know your mouse that well, but I don’t think he, or anyone else could keep her from coming to you.”
“Then, we drag this out until Emily gets here.” I rubbed my face with both of my hands. Still on edge. Emily sounded fine, but she wasn’t safe yet. Jean-Pierre had everyone around the mall. “The van that Jean-Pierre arrived in.”
“Yes?’ Pavel raised his eyebrows.
“As soon as he enters this theater, have our men fill the van with bullet holes. Fuck up the tires. Mess up the engine. I don’t want him to have a safe way out. Let’s keep all of them on their feet.”
“Anything else.”
Just bring her back to me.
“That’s it.”
Pavel left me and went down to the end of the aisle.
I gazed at Eden for a few seconds and then turned back to the screen. “You’re scared?”
She shivered next to me. “I am.”
It was best to lie to her. I didn’t need her acting hysterical. “I won’t hurt you, even if Jean-Pierre has given me every reason.”
“He won’t hurt your lover either.”
“She’s more than my lover.” I turned back to Eden. “She’s more than me.”
She nodded.
“Because of my mouse, I understand Jean-Pierre’s moves, more than I ever did before. He’s lucky he did this, at this specific time.” I threaded my fingers and directed my attention back to the screen. “I’m calmer now. I know what’s at stake. I know that this next moment, could either end the world, or continue it.”
Baba’s last words sounded in my head.
“You are darkness, and these future days will bring even more death. You must let it go.”
“Let what go?” I’d asked.
“You’ll know better than me.” She pulled those cards in and shuffled them. “Deep inside, you know.”
“Jean-Pierre kidnapping Emily?”
“
Perhaps.”
“I won’t let that go.”
Emily and Baba didn’t support a war with the Corsican. I didn’t know, if I was strong enough to listen. Our child grew in Emily. I had no doubt about that. I knew well before Baba’s reading.
Perhaps, that could make me listen. Our child.
I studied the flute player. My gaze fell on the bandaged cheek. The Devil should not have hurt her, especially this way. There was no reason for it. His problem was with Jean-Pierre, not his lover.
Perhaps, I won’t kill you. In some way, that could be letting it go.
I spoke to her, “After this is over, do you want me to kill the Devil?”
At the mention of his name, Eden gripped the end of her chair.
I raised my eyebrows. “You want to kill him yourself?”
Nervousness coated her words. “I do, but I probably couldn’t.”
“You could.”
Maybe, if you ever get the chance, I’ll even help you.
She would need to learn how to protect herself after Jean-Pierre and his cousins die.
I’ll send someone her way. She can live.
I checked my watch. “But that is a discussion for another day. The Devil will have his moment to die. For now, we wait.”
Chapter 12
Kazimir
Two minutes had silently passed, besides the movie playing in front of us. Jean-Pierre took his sweet time walking into the theater with his fake Emily.
Maxwell should have called by now. Where are you Emily?
David, and Pavel remained at the end of the front row. Two more men stood a few feet from where Eden sat. She stirred in her seat.
I kept my attention on the movie and tried to calm my nerves. Now wasn’t the time to be nervous.
So close. She’s here.
Pavel called out, “Jean-Pierre’s here.”.
I didn’t even look behind me. I was more concerned with the exit. When Maxwell returned, that would be the way my mouse would come.
Get Emily safely to me, and then we figure out how to get out of here.
Jean-Pierre would not open let me go, until I gave him Eden. He would bother us as we headed to the airport. And if I just left Eden there, and headed away, how could I guarantee that Jean-Pierre wouldn’t take a hit on me, since I was so vulnerable.
Dirty Minds: The Lion and The Mouse (Book 4) Page 14