Retaliatory Justice (The Talionic Files #1)

by Tawa M. Witko

  “Do we know where Carmine is?” Clayton asks, which forces me to look at him.

  I sigh and shake my head before pulling out my phone. “It was Adams and Marshall. Marshall shot Joseph. He’s on his way to the hospital. It doesn’t look good.” I swallow and try to contain my rage. “Adams took Dominique. It’s got to be Enrico but I need to know where Carmine is.”

  There is silence for a while before Anderson starts talking. “All right, I will locate Carmine and get back to you. What’s your plan?”

  “I’m going to pay Enrico a visit.”

  He exhales loudly. “Be careful, Masterson.”

  “Call me when you know where Carmine is.”

  I hang up and stare at my crew. “Let’s go see Enrico.”

  We all pile into the car, driving in silence until we arrive. We stand in front of the restaurant and I have to fight the urge to dash in there and tear it apart looking for Dominique, but I know that won’t work, and, in all likelihood, she’s not in there. Striding across the street determined, I hear the steady footsteps of my team behind me. When this whole thing began, I picked each of them based on what they could offer me, but now I realize that it’s so much more than that, now they are my friends, something I haven’t had in a long time.

  “I’m going to do my best not to kill him but, umm, I might need help on that,” I say, turning to face them.

  Zach grins. “As much as he deserves to die, we need him alive. He can’t tell us anything if he's dead.”

  I shrug and Jeff snorts. “But after we get Dominique back, have at him, boss.”

  I glance at Clayton and he nods as I turn and push through the door. The restaurant is quiet as the dinner service isn’t until later. We hear noise from one of the rooms and soon a chef is bringing some items into the kitchen. He stops when he sees all of us pointing our guns in his direction. I bring out my badge.

  “Where’s Enrico?”

  He swallows thickly and motions his head in the direction he came. I wave my gun at the man, motioning for him to carry on. Me and the boys start walking towards the back but don’t get very far when Enrico emerges with Aryana and Gino by his side. He at first seems surprised to see us but then the cocky attitude is firmly in place.

  “Dinner service isn’t for a few hours, Ness. Maybe you and the Untouchables should come back then,” he smirks. “Hmmm, you’re missing one, aren’t you?”

  “You bastard!” Jeff practically growls and has to be held back by Clayton.

  “Where’s Dominique?” I ask.

  “Dominique?” he says with a quirk of his brow. He then turns to Gino, “Do you know who he is referring to?” Gino smiles and shakes his head. Enrico turns to Aryana, “Aryana, how about you?” She smirks and shakes her head. He then turns back to me, “Sorry, Ness, we have no idea who you are speaking of.”

  I cock my pistol. “Tell me where she is?”

  He walks right up to me. “I said I don’t know. Perhaps she simply… ran off,” he says, moving his fingers in a running manner.

  Aryana and Gino snicker behind him and it’s as if my eyes roll behind my head. Everything just happens almost in slow motion as if I am not present in body anymore. I know he has Dominique and I can’t stop the rage that consumes me. I hit him on the side of the head with my gun and when he falls to the ground I start kicking him in the gut and chest, over and over until he starts coughing up blood. As I start to go down to finish him off, Clayton yanks me away while Zach and Jeff hold Gino and Aryana at bay.

  “Don’t move,” Jeff says coldly to Gino, “or I’ll do what I stopped Michelle from doing the last time,” he says with a sneer, motioning to Gino’s messed up ear.

  “Tell me where Dominique is!” I holler, unable to release myself from Clayton’s strong embrace.

  “Screw you, Ness,” Enrico coughs, blood spewing on the ground.

  More men come rushing into the room from the back, all with guns aimed at us. With the exit behind us, Clayton starts backing us up, soon Zach and Jeff are backing up as well; still pointing their guns at Gino and Aryana. Once outside, Clayton releases me, and I immediately begin pacing. I shouldn’t have done that. Now we know nothing.

  “He’s got her,” Zach states holstering his weapon.

  “I agree, did you see his face when you asked?” Jeff says to me.

  I nod. “But I didn’t help our cause here.”

  “Let’s go back to see Komarovski,” Clayton suggests.

  “Why?”

  “He knows more, and, he wants to tell us. I can feel it.”

  I nod. “All right. You and I will go.” I turn to Zach and Jeff. “You guys watch here. I want to know if that bastard goes anywhere.”

  “You got it,” Jeff says as Clayton and I cross the street.

  30 Betty’s Shining Moment

  Dominique Walker

  August 5th

  I try to look out the rear-view window to find out what’s happening with Joseph but Marshall shoves me down and then takes out a black hood. I try to squirm away from him but he just smiles and points the gun in my direction and I stop moving. I know he is itching to kill me so I need to be careful. There’s literally no way I’m getting out of this car right now so I will do as I’m told until we stop. Marshall grins as he places the hood over my head and tightens the tie around my neck. I start to hyperventilate, more out of fear than anything else because there is a place for air to come in. It just doesn’t feel like enough.

  “Oh, quit being dramatic, Dominique. I know you can breathe in there,” Marshall states, annoyed.

  I steady my breathing and try to concentrate. When saw Kailee, she was on the phone. I’m sure she called the ambulance and then Valentino. He will find me. I know he will. I just need to keep myself alive until then. We drive for a while but I know it’s not long enough for them to have taken me out of the city. The car stops and I feel the it shift as we park. Marshall yanks me out roughly and I stmble, trying to get my balance. I still don’t know where I am and when the hood is lifted off my head, I am in a darkened hall.

  “Come on,” Marshall sneers as he pushes me forward.

  My eyes are just starting to adjust to the darkness. It seems that we are underground in some sort of tunnel. My eyes widen as I remember the secret passageway at Le Creole that Valentino found and wonder if that’s where I am. Rolling my eyes, I huff at myself. Don’t be stupid, Dominique, you’re still in Chicago! Okay, think, Dominique, think! I try desperately to pull up the images on Valentino’s wall so that I can figure out how I’m going to get out of this.

  “Hurry up,” Marshall pokes me with the gun.

  I breathe in and pull up the memory of Valentino’s basement, walking through it in my mind until I come to the wall in question. I look past the evil men and look at the environment around them. There were all those pictures of Le Creole but… there were also pictures of another restaurant. I focus on that, trying to remember everything I can about it. The layout starts to appear before my eyes. Now if this is set up similarly to Le Creole it’s going to drop us off into a restaurant or, worse case, the building that’s next to the restaurant. The door opens and I’m momentarily blinded by the light.

  “Can I get you anything, Dominique?” Adams asks sweetly as he walks to the bar.

  I narrow my eyes at him. “How can you possibly work for these people?”

  He chuckles as he pours himself a drink. “I’d like to say I didn’t know what I was getting into.” He slings his shot and sets the glass down. “But that would be a lie.”

  “You’re disgusting. At least with this psycho,” I motion towards Marshall who is grinning, amused. “I can understand him always being up to no good, a career criminal, but you...” I shake my head in disgust. “You are supposed to do what’s right, to protect people. How can you betray the badge like this?”

  He smirks slightly and pours another drink. “Well, that was quite moving, Dominique, but fortunately for me I don’t care. Government retirement isn
’t what it’s cracked up to be and with what I make with the Sicignano family I will be set up for life.”

  I laugh. “And what, you think these men won’t throw you under the bus to get what they want.” His face falters for just a second and I shake my head incredulously. “Well, if you think you are safe then you’re a bigger fool than I thought.”

  He frowns and kneels in front of me so that we are eye to eye. “And what, you think Agent Masterson is perfect?”

  I slap him hard across the face. “Valentino is honest, don’t you dare imply otherwise.”

  Marshall is laughing behind me. “I told you she had fire.”

  “That she does,” Adams concurs.

  “He will find me, and when he does, I feel sorry for you,” I say with a confidence I didn’t know I had.

  Adams smirks and taps the gun in his shoulder holster. “I’m looking forward to it.” He looks passed me to Marshall. “Keep an eye on her. I’m going to check the perimeter.”

  Marshall strokes my hair with the tip of my gun and laughs as I pull away from him. “Take your time.”

  Adams starts to say something but doesn’t, he simply turns and heads out another door. Great, now I’m left with the psycho! Marshall moves real close to me and I have to fight the bile that is threatening to come up. His hand wraps around my waist while the one holding Betty rests on my shoulder. His mouth touches my ear, his breath hot and heavy and I feel my insides turn.

  “Since you took my Whitney away from me, I think it’s only fair that you fulfill some of her duties,” he says as his hand moves to unbutton my jeans. “Don’t you think, Dominique?”

  “No… I… don’t!” I growl and grab Betty from his hand. Turning, I point the gun at him. “Stay away from me, you crazy bastard!”

  He laughs and starts approaching, clearly not threatened by me. For a brief moment, I feel Valentino’s finger on mine from the gun range and I fire. I hit Marshall in the shoulder which causes him to stop. He looks stunned that I actually shot him. His hand goes to his wound and he quirks his head curiously before he turns to me. The expression on his face is terrifying. I start to back away, needing to get out of there, when he lunges at me like a wild animal. I just continue to pull the trigger until there are no bullets left and Marshall is lying on the ground in a pool of blood before me. I drop Betty and cover my mouth in shock.

  “Oh, God! What did I do?”

  I quickly turn away from Marshall and spin in the room. There are two exits. I know I don’t want to go out of the one that Adams went in so I dash to the other one. I am operating on pure adrenaline, but I think if the map in my head is correct this door will lead me to an alley outside. My only thought is to get outside. If I can do that, I can call Valentino. I can get help. Pushing through the door, I look up and down the alley before dashing to the left towards where I hear cars moving up and down the street.

  “Where are you going, Dominique?” I hear Adams ask causally, halting my movement.

  Where the hell did he come from? I scream at the top of my lungs which seems to only annoy him. He quickly pulls me into a choke hold and brings his gun to my temple! He starts walking us back into the alley when I hear car doors slamming. Adams pulls me to the side, ensuring that we are out of view. I try to scream again but Adams tightens his hold on my neck, cutting off my air supply.

  “I’m going to do my best not to kill him but, umm, I might need help on that,” I hear Valentino’s voice.

  Then I hear the voice I recognize as the blonde man, Zach. “As much as he deserves to die, we need him alive. He can’t tell us anything if he's dead.”

  And then Jeff's. “But after we get Dominique back, have at him, boss.”

  We then hear a door close and Adams releases my neck slightly so that I can breathe. I start coughing immediately, trying to bring the appropriate amount of air to my lungs. He starts walking us briskly down the alley and pushes me towards the door.

  “Well, well, well, it looks like Agent Masterson is a bit smarter than I pegged him for,” Adams says with displeasure.

  “He’s going to kill you,” I tell him as I sputter and cough.

  “I doubt that, but I guess I will need to keep you alive a bit longer then, don’t I?” He taps my side with his gun, forcing me to move faster. “Need to hold on to my leverage after all,” he finishes as he opens the door and pushes me in.

  As we step through, I turn my head towards the door. Valentino is out there. He’s looking for me, and while that causes my heart to leap, it also scares me. These men are ruthless and I can’t bear the thought of him being hurt. Valentino will do whatever it takes to get me back. Of this I am absolutely certain.

  “My, my, my, Dominique, this is quite the mess you’ve made,” Adams laughs, bringing me out of my thoughts.

  I look towards Marshall. There is blood all around him. Adams is shaking his head but he doesn’t seem either surprised or upset about Marshall’s newly deceased status. Instead, he pulls out his phone and calls someone.

  “I need a body removed.”

  “No, she’s right here.”

  “Marshall.”

  “No, she’s secure, but Masterson is here, you better go check.”

  He hangs up and looks at me. “Have a seat, Dominique.”

  I don’t move and he laughs. “Suit yourself.”

  He follows my gaze as I stare at Marshall. I don’t regret killing him. He would have done the same to me. I know he wanted me dead. He told me that but he planned on raping me first. He had to die, there was no other way.

  “Marshall was always a loose cannon so I figured he’d get himself killed eventually,” Adams says laughing. “Of course, I never imagined it would be by you.” I eye him and he laughs even harder, finding the situation utterly amusing. “Can’t say that I’m sorry he’s gone, he was a bit over the top, but he sure was entertaining.”

  He chuckles and pours himself another drink. He doesn’t say anything else to me at all and after a little while there are several people coming into the room. They immediately start clearing out Marshall’s body with a precision that comes from doing this on a regular basis. I don’t want to imagine how many times they have had to do this type of thing. I eventually sit down, realizing that Adams will not let me get away. I need to figure out a way to stay alive until Valentino can find me. After several minutes, a man enters the room followed by another man and woman. I recognize all three of them immediately.

  “What happened?” Adams asks, standing up.

  I smile and mutter. “Valentino happened.”

  The man I know to be Enrico is right in front of me in an instant. He backhands me before I have a chance to protect myself. The force of which causes me to fall off my seat and onto the floor. He kneels near my face, and when I look at him I almost laugh because the right side of his face is really messed up.

  “What did you say?” he asks condescendingly.

  “Whatever Valentino did to you just now, he will do worse if you hurt me.”

  He smirks. “Do you know who I am?”

  I sit up confidently. I won’t show him the fear he expects me to have. I know Valentino is looking for me. I know he will find me. This man isn’t taking that away. I simply have to use what I know. Maybe I can lie my way through this. I push my hair out of my face and smile all cocky like. I want him to believe I know what’s going on even though I don’t have a clue.

  “You’re Enrico Sicignano.”

  “Very good,” he starts but I interrupt him.

  “You are just a second in the family. Carmine is the one that makes all the decisions. But you don’t like that.” I start rattling off things I overheard and what I saw on the wall.

  He frowns and reaches up to hit me again but stops. He starts to say something, but before he can, I start speaking again, figuring that I should act the part, whatever that is.

  “You’ll never be in charge.” I taunt. “You’re a nothing and Valentino is going to kill you for taking me.”


  His face twists in anger as he grabs me with both hands and jerks me up. He glares at me, just as I’m hit over the head with something hard. My eyes roll to the back of my head and I find myself falling into his arms as everything turns dark.

  31 Closing In

  Valentino Masterson

  August 5th

  Jeff and Zach talk for a few minutes and soon they have both split up, going in opposite directions. Clayton reaches over the seat and grabs one of the jackets, handing it to me and motioning to my hand, which has Enrico’s blood on it. I sigh and wipe it off quickly before glancing back. I’m close, I can feel it! Everything is right here. I just need to put the pieces together. I turn back and quickly put the car in gear. We drive in silence to Komarovski’s bar. My head is all over the place, trying not to imagine what could be happening to Dominique at this very moment. I need to resolve this quickly. If they kill her or hurt her in any way, I know that I won’t recover from it. When we pull up to the bar, we see several people going in. I turn to Clayton.

  “Let me do the talking. I need you to listen. Dimitri and his son know you speak Russian but other people don’t. Someone may slip up and say something they shouldn’t, thinking you don’t understand them.”

  He nods. “I will listen for everything.”

  We exit our vehicle, and as the bell on the door chimes, announcing our arrival, every head in the bar turns to us. There are a lot of people here right now, which could be good or bad, depending on their allegiance to Dimitri. I hold up my badge, turning so everyone in the bar can see it. Some look away from me while others simply scowl.

  “I’m Agent Valentino Masterson and I need to speak with Mr. Komarovski.”

  One of the men spits on the floor near me. “We don’t honor that in here,” he says in a heavy Russian accent.