To prevent this from happening, Basil agreed to create an email with the third DaKira Paper attached. Once released, the email would go to every major news network in the world. In the subject line, he was to inform the recipients that if they were in receipt of the document, the author of the DaKira Papers had been murdered. This was done to ensure that the conspiracy and the final paper, with its results, stayed headline news.
Despite being shot four times, Basil managed to keep his end of the deal. As he was being chased, he remotely released the third paper through his cell phone. To Eli and anyone else looking on at that moment, Basil seemed to be calling for help. But, in fact, at the very time of his impending death, the last DaKira Paper was released.
As a result, some news outlets started to report that Dr. Basil Rhodes, the author of the DaKira Papers, had been murdered, long before his death had been confirmed, and unfortunately for Eli, he had no clue. His instructions had been clear: kill Basil Rhodes, make it look like a random killing and at the same time, both expose him as the author of the DaKira Papers and discredit him.
In order for these things to be done, Eli had to make sure it didn’t look as if Basil had been the target. So, while methodically slowing Basil down, he had also killed two other people as they ran for cover, as well as several law enforcement officers.
Once Dr. Rhodes was dead, Eli had been instructed to place a confession somewhere on Basil’s person explaining that he was the author of the DaKira Papers and that everything he had written was a lie created in order to get back at his colleagues for ruining his illustrious career. Then, Eli was to notify the Others that the tasks had been completed.
As Eli casually walked back to the cab where David was waiting, he made contact with his handler. “The task is complete,” Eli said. “What are my next instructions?”
“You buffoon,” the handler said. “Basil Rhodes may be dead, but you failed your mission. While you were enjoying your kill — something I have constantly warned you against — your kill released the final DaKira Paper and now every major network is reporting on his death and on the results of the antidote. Not to mention the fact that a blurry image of you is on every news station.”
Eli knew that failing this mission could very well mean his last chance for redemption. “So what will you have me do?” Eli asked as he looked around, surveying his surroundings. By now, the police were everywhere, all trying to figure out and contain the perimeter of their search.
“Go to the Maryland safe house, get the antidote and all the evidence and bring them to us. Then dispose of everyone. I don’t care how it’s done, but Lance St. John and Teddy Alexander must be destroyed. Do I make myself clear, Mr. Edelstein?”
“Yes, but what about the confession? Surely that will mean something once the authorities get it?”
“It will only confirm what Rhodes said when he released the final DaKira Paper,” the handler said.
“Which was what?”
“That if they were in receipt of the final DaKira Paper, he had been murdered in an attempt to discredit the work he and his colleagues had done.”
Before Eli could form the words to respond, his handler hung up, forcing Eli to complete another assignment not knowing whether it would be his last.
Angered that Basil had outmaneuvered him and released the final DaKira Paper right under his watchful eye, Eli became even more furious because as much as he didn’t want to admit it, he remembered seeing Basil reach for his phone. He also remembered how he had felt watching him. In his mind, the only thing Rhodes could have been doing was dialing 911 for help, a thought that, at the time, seemed delicious.
David was still waiting in the taxi. As he saw Eli round the corner, he could see that something was wrong, but before he had time to say anything, Eli walked up to him and placed the barrel of his gun against David’s head.
“Please, Brother,” David said. His hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly that the brown hue of his skin was now white. “What’s wrong?”
For a brief moment, Eli stared at David as he begged, as if he were having second thoughts. But then he pulled the trigger and coolly walked away, leaving David’s bloody body slumped over the steering wheel, while Balinese music played in the background.
As Eli walked north down Cottage Grove, the only thing on his mind was getting out of Chicago. Killing David had been unsanctioned and once the Elders found out he’d had another lapse in judgment, he would no longer be of value to them. He had to start thinking for himself.
Chapter 22
IT HAD BEEN several days since his unsanctioned hit and Eli was lying low. He knew he was a wanted man. The only thing keeping him alive was the fact that the Others needed the antidote and the formula. But once he’d delivered them, they would dispose of him as soon as possible. He was now a bigger liability than Guy Yeager.
Yeager had killed because he was drowning in his own sense of power, power he had created in his own mind like a fiction writer creating lies on the page of a tablet. He was dangerous, but his real danger was to himself.
Eli, on the other hand, posed a real threat to the Others and they knew it. He knew things, had done things, and had documented his atrocities. What angered him the most about his employers was their hypocrisy. When it came to the Others, if they wanted someone disposed of, it was a reasonable kill, something for the greater good. But, if he enjoyed his assignment, to them he was nothing more than an out-of-control street hustler.
What did they expect? He’d been doing their bidding for twenty years and his choices were limited: he either enjoyed it or went crazy. It wasn’t like he could opt out. Once in, he was in for life. So killing had become a sport and he was the best at what he did. In many ways, the Elders were right, he realized. He was a street hustler pushing a product and he knew that once they took him out, it wouldn’t be long before another Brother would move in pushing a product, too.
With nothing to lose, Eli headed out. He knew that if he was going down, he wasn’t going to go down alone. In his mind, Yeager was the real source of his predicament.
Once Eli pulled up to Yeager’s street, he noticed a great deal of police activity in and around his home. Curious, Eli parked and headed toward the house.
“Excuse me, officer,” Eli said. “What happened here? Is the councilman all right?”
“Sir, this is a crime scene,” the officer said. “The rest of the street is blocked off and I cannot let you go any farther.”
“Okay, officer, I understand, but what happened?”
“We are investigating a crime,” the officer replied. “Now, if you don’t live on this street, you must leave immediately.”
“Okay, I’m leaving,” Eli replied, obviously perturbed. As Eli turned toward his car, he was surprised to see Commander Racine heading up the hill. Unable to avoid the interaction, Eli went on the offense and began his probe.
“Commander Racine,” Eli said. “What happened? Is the councilman alright?”
Surprised to see Eli, Racine became just as inquisitive as the unlikely character standing in front of him.
“Yes, he is alright. So what brings you to the councilman’s house?” Racine asked.
“He and I are working on a real estate deal and I wanted to drop by to see how things were going on his end.”
“I see,” Racine replied as he reached for his ringing phone. Excuse me for one second Mr. Edelstein, I have to take this call.” Racine walked far enough away from Eli to keep an eye on him and to ensure that Eli could not hear his conversation. “Hey Charlie, Racine whispered. It’s about time, man. I’ve been waiting for your call and the results of those prints for three weeks. I take it you have news?”
“Yeah, I got what you need. Meet me at the safe house on Saturday.”
Returning back to where Eli was standing, Racine maintained his calm. Charlie had finally come through and he was eager to see how all the pieces to the puzzle fit together. “I’m sorry for keeping you waiting Mr. Ed
elstein, but unfortunately, the councilman will not be able to talk to you right now. He’s busy assisting us in the investigation.”
“I understand,” Eli said. “Would you please let him know I stopped by?”
“Yes, of course,” Racine replied. “Of course.”
As Racine watched Eli walk down the hill and back to his car, he began to think about the fact that, in order for Yeager to have killed Taylor and move her body, he had needed help. Guy couldn’t have picked her and the rug up, and then carried her body into her house and placed her in her attic — not without some help. It was just physically impossible.
Eli knew he had just walked out of a hornet’s nest. Everybody was a suspect to Racine, whether he had evidence or not. He knew that once Racine had the chance, he would follow up with Yeager just to check out his story and see how he would respond. He also knew the commander probably wouldn’t stop there: Racine would also check his story out with Blake. Since he and Blake were friends, it wouldn’t be out of character for him to give Blake a courtesy call.
While Eli walked down the hill, he could feel Racine’s eyes following him. He knew Racine would do his job, but he had a job to do, too. He had to find out how Taylor’s body had been discovered and he knew where to go for the answer.
“Now who is it?” yelled Guy, responding to his doorbell.
“It’s me, Guy — Eli Edelstein. I tried to come by yesterday but was stopped by a patrol officer. Are you all right?”
As the door opened, Yeager screamed, “Where the hell have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you for several days.”
With his own life now on the line, Eli’s disposition wasn’t as conciliatory as he had been in the past. Then he would have taken Yeager’s outbursts; now, Yeager’s value had diminished. Since Yeager was no good to the Others, he was no good to Eli — unless, of course, he could do what he’d said he could do. Eli realized his only chance at evading the Others and his own impending death was based on having the antidote and the formula and enough money to go into hiding.
“Listen, Yeager,” Eli said with authority, “things have changed in the last couple of days.”
“Yes, I can see,” Yeager responded. “You no longer realize I am running this partnership.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Eli replied. “Your life changed when my life changed.”
“What the hell are you talking about, Eli?” Yeager said. “Can’t you see I have more important things to deal with than playing some cat-and-mouse game with you?”
Before Yeager knew what had hit him, Eli had one big hand around his throat. Realizing he was no match for Eli, all Yeager could do was try to pull the hand away while he struggled for air. Still with one hand, Eli lifted Yeager off the ground, leaving the tips of his shoes dangling inches from the ground. The grip Eli had around his throat was extracting every hint of air laboring inside him. Yeager’s eyes were full with tears, red from air restriction, and barely able to focus, but he could see that Eli was enjoying watching him struggle to breathe. And then, just when Yeager was almost unconscious, Eli let him go. Yeager fell to the ground hard. Now gasping for air while, at the same time, trying to put distance between him and the monster he had let in his home, Yeager felt what his victims had felt. The fear of death was almost visible.
“Why are you doing this?” Yeager said, hoarse and barely able to pronounce his words. He crawled to the nearest corner like a wounded animal surrendering to the great threat that stood over him. “I told you, Eli, that if we worked together, I would share Blake’s wealth with you.” “And that’s why I’m here,” Eli said as he watched Yeager cower in the corner. “So, now that I have your attention, we need to talk. But, before we get into Blake’s fortune, I need to put things in perspective for you. The Others want you disposed of and they have sent me to do it.” Eli no longer cared what his orders had really been; he felt in charge now.
Immediately, Yeager knew that the man standing in front of him was no longer Blake’s go-to boy or someone who had suddenly snapped. The fact that he had named the Others was a clear indication that the man standing in front of him was a trained assassin.
“So, before I kill you,” Eli said, “I want you to know why you have been scheduled for disposal. Knowing you know makes the kill more enjoyable. What do you say? But — wait a minute — if you think about it long enough, you probably know why the Others want you dead. Isn’t that so? Let’s see … how many unsanctioned hits did you orchestrate? There was Devon Laurie and oh yeah, there was Taylor DuBois. Am I missing anyone?”
Eli was in the moment and it didn’t take long before his alter ego filled the air. He could not only anticipate the kill, but smell it, too. Yet, before he could dispose of Yeager, he had to find out what he had on Blake.
“Now,” Eli said, “I’m only going to ask you once. What does Blake Jones have on you? And please, Councilman, do not test me. You have one chance and one chance only to stay on my good side.”
Without hesitation, Yeager yelled, “He knows I was present when Dr. Isabella Cardosa was killed!”
“And how does he know that?”
“He has a picture of the execution!”
“And how did he get that?”
“It was my crossover initiation and I was afraid, so I brought Devon Laurie with me just in case I needed help. I didn’t know what the crossover entailed, but I knew it would change my life. I also knew that once I did whatever the Velvet Mafia asked of me, I was in for life.”
“So how did Blake get a picture of the execution?”
“From Devon,” Yeager replied. “I didn’t know that Devon took pictures and I didn’t know that Devon was Blake’s half-brother. I only found out that he had the picture the day after Whitherspoon was killed. That morning, Blake showed up at my office with the picture.”
Eli had gotten more from his discussion with Yeager than he’d thought he would. He now knew for sure what Blake was holding over Yeager and why he wanted Yeager so bad. He had to know, based on the picture, that Yeager was part of the Velvet Mafia, and Devon must have filled him in on the rest. As Eli looked at Guy Yeager huddled in the corner, he couldn’t believe this man had caused so much trouble. Nor could he believe that Blake had a brother and was an heir to one of the largest fortunes in the world.
“Interesting story, Councilman, but I find it hard to believe that Blake Jones was Devon Laurie’s half-brother.”
“Trust me, I did, too, but it’s true and I have proof,” Yeager replied, sensing the opportunity to negotiate. “And believe it or not, I’m more valuable to you alive than you think. If I play my cards right, in about three months, I will have legal access to the entire Clydesdale fortune.”
“And how is that?” Eli asked.
“I can show you better than I can tell you,” Yeager replied, telepathically seeking permission to move. “I just need to get up and get something out of my safe.”
With a shadow of a nod, Eli gave Yeager permission to get up and go to his safe. Yeager could tell that Eli was watching every step he took. He knew that if he made one unnecessary move, Eli’s instinct would be to react, and there was no doubt in Yeager’s mind that not only would Eli kill him, but he would enjoy it.
After Eli read the last will and testament of Yancy Laurie, he couldn’t believe that the man he had befriended and worked with for all those years had kept such a secret from him. Eli was visibly disappointed. He liked Blake. But now, if he was going to get the money he needed to evade the Others, he would have to kill him.
With the table turned, it didn’t take Eli long to figure out Yeager’s angle. But surprisingly, he struggled with the notion of disposing of Blake. Blake had treated him as an equal and the thought of having to kill Blake just so he could stay alive didn’t feel right. He also struggled with the notion that the man who needed Blake dead the most was the same man who had caused him his grief. Even though Eli hadn’t known that Devon Laurie was Blake’s brother, in retrospect, he remembe
red the pain Blake was in around the time that Yeager had had Devon disposed of. At that time, Blake’s entire disposition had been fragile, and the worst part, he now realized, was that Blake had had no one to share his pain with.
Not expecting to feel the way he was feeling and with his own death imminent, Eli began to question who he had become and why. Yes, it was true, the Velvet Mafia had offered him a family. But at what cost? Just as in any gang, these men of many talents had been groomed to do the same thing he’d been groomed to do — to kill. In the beginning, these men had filled the void inside of him; but when he met Blake, he had been allowed to be himself. He had been allowed to think. In fact, he was expected to think. His thoughts and his ambitions had been honored. His opinions had been respected and he never had to ask permission to speak. Even when he and Blake disagreed with one another, Blake had never exerted his power of influence. They were equals.
Now that he had to dispose of his friend, the kill no longer felt enjoyable. Suddenly, Eli felt the power of his conscience and for a moment, he felt the need to ask for forgiveness. Without even knowing how it happened, Eli’s own thoughts engulfed him. Not long afterward, he heard a voice inside him calmly saying, “Just ask and it shall be done.”
With Eli gone, Yeager was left contemplating what he would do next. He knew he couldn’t really do too much because in the course of all the chaos, he had understanding and now he knew who Eli really was. For the very first time, he could place their first encounter. Eli had given Yeager his first taste of power when he had witnessed him kill Isabella Cardosa. It had been Eli behind the mask and wearing the ornate robe.
It didn’t take the Others long to decide that Eli’s services were no longer valuable to them. They knew that if he could dispose of a Brother without provocation as he had David Sumner in Chicago, he was a threat to the entire organization. However, they had to move with caution. They needed Eli to finish his assignment.
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