by B. B. Hamel
Now flames licked up the side of the building and burst out from the upper story windows.
“How?” I asked.
Luca shook his head. “I don’t know. I got a call from the manager, he came to open it and found the fire already started inside. Said the door was kicked open.”
My jaw tensed. “The Club,” I said.
“Looks like it.” Luca wrung his hands out in front of him then straightened. “I don’t know how they even knew about this place.”
I waved that away. “People know where our shit is. We don’t keep it secret.”
“Still, it’s too close to you.” Luca crossed his arms. “Come on, boss. We gotta do something about this.”
“We will.” I stared at the burning building and I felt Colleen press herself against my side. Sirens blared in the distance as the fire company raced through the streets. “Clear these people away,” I said.
Luca nodded and walked off. He started shouting at the gathered crowd, maybe thirty people in all. Most of them ignored him until my other boys joined in, and soon they made enough space for the fire company to park out front.
We watched them get to work. They sprayed great gushing hoses at the building, trying to soak it and keep the flames from spreading. The problem with a fire in a city like Philadelphia was it never stayed contained. If a fire sprang up in the middle of a city block, depending on the weather it could spread to every other house nearby.
“This is a message,” I said to Colleen. “Courtesy of your uncle.”
She stared up at me. “What’s the message?”
“He thinks we’re vulnerable.” I pulled her away from the crowd and we stood on the sidewalk a few feet from everyone else. “What do you think about this?”
She blinked at me and reached up to squeeze her bun. She didn’t move for a long moment then spread out her hands.
“I have no clue,” she said. “I mean, I don’t know anything about this stuff.”
“Is this something your uncle does? Start fires like this?” I let a frustrated growl escape my lips. “This shit is stupid. Might get some innocent person killed.”
“Like you got some innocent girl shot?”
I stare at her for a moment then turned closer. She took a step back but I caught her wrist and pulled her toward me. She looked surprised as I reached up and took her hair in my fist, grabbing her by the bun.
“How many times do I have to show you that I’m sorry?” I asked. “What more do I have to do?”
“You could let me go,” she said.
“You’re free to leave whenever you want. We both know you want to stay.”
She glared at me, a fierce anger in her eyes. “I don’t have a choice now, do I? My uncle has my father and you’re my only chance at getting him back.”
“So you say.” I tilted my head. “What happened if you just walked away? What happened if you went to your uncle and begged him to spare your father? He’d have no reason to hurt either of you.”
She bit her lip like she hadn’t considered that. I watched her struggle for a long moment as more smoke plumed from the building. Firefighters shouted and the spray of water was almost deafening. I held her tight, her body against mine, and I could feel the heat from the fire roll across the pavement in waves.
She took a deep breath then shook her head.
“I can’t,” she said.
“I know,” I said. “You’re not in this just for yourself or your father anymore. You want revenge. You fucking hate your uncle for what he did to you. For what he took away from you.”
That anger again, white hot and intense. “You’re right,” she said. “I hate him. And I want to make him pay.”
“Good,” I said, and leaned toward her. I was inches from her lips. “Use that anger, little Colleen.”
I kissed her, lips tight against hers. She kissed me back with a frenzy that surprised me. She was hungry for it, that dirty girl, and I let her tongue slide against mine as I held her body tight.
We broke apart slowly and she took deep breaths, sucking smoke into her lungs. I smirked and touched her lips with my thumb.
“You don’t have to keep pretending,” I said. “Like you’re just some innocent girl. Got pulled into this against your will. Just accept what you are.”
“Yeah? What am I?”
“You’re the kind of girl that wants revenge,” I said. “And you’re the kind of girl that gets it.”
She smiled a little and tilted her head. She took a sharp breath as I smirked at her and stepped away.
“What are you going to do?” she asked.
“Hit him back,” I said and gestured at the fire. “This is just the beginning. Think you can handle that?”
“Only if my father ends up alive.”
I nodded. “I hear you. I’m not going to let him get hurt.”
“Then we can’t let this drag out.” She stepped up next to me again and I looked down at her, fighting the surprise.
“It’s ‘we’ now, is it?” I laughed and put an arm over her shoulder. “I like it.”
“I bet you do.” She took my arm off and pointed at the fire. “He’s not going to stop here. You killed his guys, and my uncle isn’t going to take that lightly. This was just a warning.”
“There you go,” I said. “Starting to use that brain.”
She ignored me. “He’s going to attack you soon,” she said. “And you need to do something before he has a chance.”
“Like what?” I asked.
“He has a bar. It’s this place where the Club always meets, called O’Hare’s Tavern. Real Irish, plays soccer on TV all day, that sort of crap. The Club idiots love it.”
“Bet it’s full of green and Celtic crosses,” I said.
“About the biggest stereotype you can imagine. If we can hit that place, it’ll hurt them. Piss them off at least.”
“And force them to make a move?” I asked.
“Maybe,” she said.
“Fine.” I held my hands behind my back and took a deep breath. “I like that plan.”
“Do it tonight,” she said. “Before he has time to enjoy what he did here.”
“Why so eager?”
“Because I know my uncle. He’ll brag about this for days if you let him. Hit him back and make him pay for it.”
I nodded once. “I can do that,” I said.
She stared at the fire, at the firefighters in their heavy coats and hats, at the water gushing from the end of their hoses and soaking my building. That was going to cost a fortune to fix, but it didn’t matter.
I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She was the real fire, the real passion burning hotter than that wood and plaster across the street. I could see the anger really waking up inside of her, and I loved it, wanted more of it. I wanted that hate to flow through her and break out into the world in waves.
Together, we would bring the Club to its knees.
21
Steven
I parked the car down the block from O’Hare’s and turned off the engine. The headlights stayed on for a moment before they powered down and left the street in darkness.
It was half past three in the morning. It was quiet and nobody moved on the block. There were a few shops on the right, a drycleaner’s, a Chinese food place, a travel agent’s storefront, and an athletic shoe store at the very end. But right in the middle of the block was a large windowed building with a huge wooden door and a green awning held up by skinny silver poles. It looked like a decent spot from the outside, though the text was all in that cliché Celtic-looking script font and I could practically smell the fried food from a distance.
Colleen leaned against the door and stared out the window. “That’s it,” she said.
“Good.” I looked in the rearview. Luca, Simon, and Aldo were crammed in the back seat, with Aldo in the middle. He looked annoyed and kept throwing Colleen dirty looks, which I chose to ignore and forgive.
“You three ready?” I asked.
<
br /> “Ready to get outta this car,” Aldo said.
Luca jammed his elbow into the stocky man’s side. Aldo grunted in return.
“We’re good, boss,” Luca said.
I turned to look at them. “No bullshit,” I said. “We’re not starting a fire like that asshole’s people did. We’re not looking to burn down this whole block.”
Luca nodded and stared out the window.
Fortunately, the whole block hadn’t gone up, and the fire department managed to keep the blaze under control. The Endless Well was totaled, and I was sure insurance wouldn’t cover it all, but that didn’t matter. We’d rebuild and make it better than ever, and in the meantime, we were going to get some sweet, delightful revenge.
“Guns up,” I said and opened my door.
“Wait.” Colleen leaned toward me. She reached out and pulled me closer and kissed my lips. “Good luck.”
I smirked at her, a surprise thump sweeping through my chest. I laughed as Luca rolled his eyes but I closed the door and went around the front, sliding my Glock out from my jeans.
Luca, Aldo, and Simon came out next, piling out from the back like a bunch of clowns. They came after me, jogging to keep up. I walked fast to the front door of O’Hare’s and turned as Simon came up next to me. He slipped a small lockpick set from his pants and began to get to work on the door.
The plan was simple. We’d get inside and smash the place. We’d find anything worth stealing and we’d steal it. And if anyone from the Club was inside, we’d kill them.
No fires, no bullshit like that. But we’d make sure the Club knew they couldn’t fuck around.
Lock picking took time. It wasn’t like in the movies. Simon was good at it, but it still took a few minutes to get the bottom handle open before he could start on the deadbolt.
“Just another minute,” he said.
Luca shifted from foot to foot. “We’ve been waiting too long,” he whispered.
“Nobody’s around,” Aldo said. “Relax, man.”
My eyes drifted back toward the car. Colleen was still in the passenger side, leaning against the window. I could feel her staring at us, and I could almost taste her anxiety.
Good, let her be anxious. I like it when she cared.
“Hate standing out here in the open like this,” Luca said.
“Not in the open,” Aldo said. “We’re under the awning?” He grinned and took a step to the right to shake the silver pole holding the awning up. “It’s nice—”
He didn’t get the last word out. A crack rang out in the night and a bullet pinged off the pavement an inch from where Aldo was standing. If he hadn’t moved, that shot would’ve taken his skull clean off his head.
“Down!” I shouted. I grabbed Aldo and pulled him to the ground as more shots rang out. They pinged off the ground around us. Simon grunted and gasped in pain as I shoved Aldo forward. Luca crawled to the cars and crouched there, his gun out.
“Where are they!” Luca yelled.
More gunshots blared in the night. Aldo got into cover with Luca, but I was caught half way between the cars and Simon. I stared as Simon fell to one knee, a hand on his arm, blood dripping from his fingers.
“Simon’s hit!” I called. “I need help!”
“I don’t know where they are,” Luca said. More gunshots rang out as he peeked his head up and almost took a bullet in the eye.
“Shoot your fucking guns,” I said. “Right now.”
Aldo and Luca both came up firing at the house across the street. They aimed high, shooting for the roof. That seemed to work as the fire coming down at us slowed. I got up and ran to Simon. I grabbed him and pulled him along, pulled him into cover as Luca and Aldo dropped back down.
The gunshots started up again.
“Roof opposite,” Aldo said. “I saw his barrel just before he came back up.”
“All right.” I held my Glock steady. “We need to back off.”
“Fuck that,” Luca said.
“He has the drop on us,” I said. “And the longer we wait, the more Club guys will show. We gotta move.”
“Fuck,” Simon groaned. “Fuck I’m shot. Oh, fuck, it hurts.”
I shook Simon and growled in his face. “Deal with it,” I said. “We gotta run. You gonna run?”
“Yeah,” he said, his eyes wild with fear. Sweat dripped down his pale skin. I saw freckles on his nose, freckles I’d never noticed before, and his pores looked huge and bloated. His dark eyes rolled back toward where the sniper was hiding on the roof then back to me. “Yeah, I can run.”
“Good.” I shook him again then shoved him. I got to my knees and began firing at the roof. The fucker dropped back as I shouted for Simon to go.
Simon went. He ran as fast as he could, and I unloaded my clip at the roof. He reached the car and threw himself into the back seat.
I dropped back down and reloaded the magazine, as the sniper returned fire.
“You’re next, boss,” Luca said.
“No,” I said, grabbing his shirt. I shoved him toward the end of the car. “You’re up.”
“But—”
I didn’t wait for him to argue. I returned fire again, and Luca ran off with an angry growl. I shot at the roof as Aldo followed after Luca, both guys sprinting away. I ran out of bullets a second before Aldo dove into the car, and more bullets pinged all around me.
I sat there, breathing hard. I had one more magazine, and nobody to lay down cover fire. I had to make a break for it, but I didn’t think I’d make it.
I took a deep breath and stared at the door of O’Hare’s.
At least my guys got out. I wasn’t going to lose anyone else, no matter what. If I took a bullet and died here today, at least I got my guys out.
I nodded to myself, closed my eyes for a moment, then opened them again.
I got up to start running, but the scream of tires on pavement brought me up short. Luca was behind the wheel of the SUV, and Aldo fired like crazy out the back window.
“Steven!” Colleen screamed out the window.
I ran and dove in the back seat. “Drive!” I yelled.
Luca slammed on the gas and the car jolted forward. Bullets pinged off the back bumper, but we were away. Luca took the turn fast and sped down the block.
“Everyone alive?” I asked.
“I think so,” Aldo said.
“Fuck,” Simon groaned. “I’m alive. But fuck. I’m shot.”
I moved his hand and looked at the wound. I took off my jacket and bundled it up.
“Use this,” I said, pressing it against his wound.
He held it there, his face blanched white.
“Go to my place,” I told Luca. “I’m calling Chen. We need a doctor.”
“What the fuck was that?” Aldo asked. “What the fuck happened?”
“Sniper on the roof,” Luca said.
I pulled my phone from my pocket. “They were waiting for us,” I said.
“No,” Luca said, shaking his head. “No, that was only one guy. I think… I think they probably put someone on that roof every night. I bet he was half asleep and only woke up when Aldo started talking.”
I grunted and frowned at him. That made some sense, but even still. “Why would they do that?” I asked.
“The place is important to my uncle,” Colleen said. “Maybe… maybe that’s why.”
I shook my head. I didn’t buy it, but I didn’t have time to argue.
I called Chen’s cell and told him the situation. He said he’d meet us back at my place, and he didn’t sound happy about it.
He’d be happy enough once I paid him.
Luca pulled up to my place and slammed on the brakes. I hopped out and grabbed Simon. He climbed out with some difficulty, and I helped him up and into my living room. I got him down on the couch then turned to Aldo and Luca.
“Get rid of the car,” I said. “And bring me a new one.”
“Got it,” Luca said.
“Want the same one?” Al
do asked.
I gave him a look. “I don’t give a shit,” I said. “Just get me a car.”
He shrugged and followed Luca back to the car. I closed the door and turned back to Simon. He was pale and sweating, and Colleen sat down next to him, fretting over his shoulder.
“You okay?” I ask.
He nodded, his face drawn and tight. “I think so.’
“All right. Stay put.” I took a step toward the kitchen. “Colleen, come with me.”
She stood and followed without a word. I led her into the kitchen and poured three glasses of whisky. She accepted her glass silently and stared at it. She leaned against the counter and stayed there as I took Simon his drink.
“Have some,” I said. “It’ll help what’s going to happen next.”
He groaned and threw the drink back. I nodded and went back into the kitchen.
Colleen stared at me and I could tell she was thinking about something.
“What happened back there?” I asked, my voice soft. “Did you know about someone on the roof?”
“No,” she said, her eyes wide. “I mean, I knew they did that sometimes. Something they learned from the IRA again. Provos used to hide on the roofs of buildings in the Catholic neighborhoods, snipers that would kill any Protestant that came down their streets. But I didn’t know—”
“Didn’t know?” I asked. “Or conveniently forgot?”
She stared at me, her mouth hanging open. “What the hell are you suggesting?”
I stepped up and stood right in her face. I forced my anger away and stared into her eyes.
“That was your idea,” I said. “You told me to go there. Did you know they’d have someone on the roof?”
“No,” she said, her lips drawn back in a sneer. “And maybe you should’ve gotten inside faster, or been a little quieter.”
I reached out and pinned her against the counter with my hands. I grabbed her wrists and held them down as she stared up at me. I released her right wrist and grabbed her hair hard, pulling her head back.
She gasped as I kissed her neck.
“Don’t lie to me,” I whispered.