“No. I’m jealous,” he answered honestly, taking a sip of his coffee.
“Jealous!?”
“I don’t know if anyone’s ever told you this, darling, but you’re a very attractive woman. You also aren’t bothered by our profession. In other words, a rarity. And on top of that, I did get to see you in action the other day, in more ways than one. When you get tired of Marc, I do hope you’ll give me a call,” he said, picking something up from the table and handing it to her. It was a card.
“You can’t be serious,” she actually laughed as she looked the item over. At first she thought it was just solid black, and she didn’t get the point, but then as she tilted it, she realized there was debossing on one side. “LAW.”, in large capital letters, took up the middle of the card. When she flipped it over, she saw that a bunch of tiny numbers marched across the bottom of the card, also debossed. It was all very classy, very chic. Very him.
“Dead serious, love. Marc may not know a good thing when he’s got it, but I certainly do,” he assured her. She nodded and set the card in her lap.
“Well … um … thank you?” she searched for what to say. She felt like she was being propositioned. Like she should point out that she was with his best friend, and what he was doing was inappropriate. But she wasn’t really with Marc, and what counted as proper when dealing with mercenaries?
“Don’t seem so shocked,” Kingsley laughed, then leaned forward and grabbed her right ankle. He put her foot in his lap and began massaging it. “I’d like to say it’s you making me this way, but I am a firm believer in honesty, and to be frank, most anything with tits makes me act this way.”
She burst out laughing.
“That actually makes me feel better, thank you.”
“So, Lily, right? Tell me what your plan is,” Kingsley told her, rotating her foot at the ankle, stretching it towards her calf. She winced, but it felt good.
“What plan?” she asked, then groaned as he stretched her foot the other way, curling her toes downwards.
“After this, your plan. Marc makes it sound like you’re both going to skip down the yellow brick road, walk a red carpet onto some boat, then waltz through Moscow, shooting one of the most powerful men in the underworld. I’m curious as to how you’re going to pull this off,” he explained.
“We don’t think it’s going to be easy. Nothing about this trip has been easy. It’s been war this whole time. I don’t expect that to stop. But I fought my way this far, so I’m not giving up,” she stressed.
“Wishes and intentions are very noble, but don’t get the job done. What is your plan.”
She told him what she and Marc had previously come up with - about getting from Barcelona to Moscow. Then her own personal plan, to claim she was delivering the diamonds. That she would only place them in Stankovski’s hands, and his alone. Use that to get into his house, into his space. Then she would blow his brains out.
“And you honestly think that will work?”
“Yes. It has to.”
“Ah, of course. It has to, so clearly it will.”
“Do you have a better plan?”
“No. I just think there’s more to it. What if Ivanov doesn’t believe you? What if he’s laying in wait for you, in Tangier? What if Stankovski has already sent someone else to collect the diamonds from you in Barcelona?” Kingsley prattled off questions, all while his fingers dug into the bottom of her foot.
“What if, what if, what if. What if we get blown up tomorrow? What if thirty Liberians burst into this hotel right now? What it Bratva members parachute out of the sky? I can only plan for what I know, and hope to roll with whatever punches may come,” she replied. He smiled widely at her.
“Wonderful answer, darling. You know, I think you have a lot to learn, but I also think you have real potential,” he told her.
“Potential for what?”
“Potential to be very good in this profession. Women are in high demand, and one who looks like you, who will be able to say she fought her way across Africa? You could charge any price you wanted for your services.”
She was completely thrown off guard.
“You think so?”
“I know so.”
She picked up his card, looking over it again. She tapped her finger against the edge.
“I don’t know if I want to lead that kind of life,” she said in a soft voice.
“Darling, I hate to tell you this, but based on what I’ve heard thus far, you already do lead that kind of life,” he replied. She nodded.
“Yes. But how? All my connections are with this Bratva, and a different one in New York. I’m pretty sure those recommendations will die with Stankovski,” she told him.
“If you pull this off, love, that’ll be all the recommendation you need. But you’ll also have people like Marc and myself willing to recommend you, which will speak leagues,” he added.
“I’ve trained to transport. I got my start in money laundering. Is that enough? I don’t think I want to kill people,” she said the last part quickly.
“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, love, that’s the beauty of our profession. You take the jobs you want. Stick with transporting, or learn how to hack computers, crack safes, kidnap, whatever you’d like,” he listed off different aspects of his job. She thought for a second.
“Do you think Marc would teach me those things?”
“No.”
The voice came from behind her, and she tilted her head backwards to watch the object of her question come walking through the door. He glanced at Kingsley, then did a double take at the foot massage that was happening. He glared and snatched the card out from between Lily’s fingers.
“We were just -” she started, then gasped as he ripped the card up and scattered the pieces on the table.
“I know what’s going on, and you can fuck right off,” Marc said, pointing at Kingsley before knocking Lily’s foot out of his lap.
“Just having a conversation, mate.”
“Fuck you.”
“Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed,” Lily accused him.
“Fuck you, too.”
Kingsley kept smiling, even as he drank his coffee.
“Sooooo …,” Lily let her voice trail off when she and Marc finally went back into their room.
“So what?” he snapped, scratching his fingers through his hair as he walked into the bathroom. She followed him and leaned against the door frame.
“So what’s your problem?” she asked.
“I don’t have a problem.”
“Really? Cause you’re acting like you have a big problem,” she pointed out.
“Well, I don’t.”
“I think you do.”
“I don’t care.”
“I think you do.”
“Lily.”
“I thought you and Kingsley were friends,” she said, watching as he grabbed their toiletry items and began throwing them into the duffle bag.
“That’s stretching it,” he replied.
“If you’re going to keep acting like a dick, then I’m going back outside,” she warned him.
“Go ahead, I’m sure you’d enjoy it.”
“You’re acting like a jealous bitch,” she called him out. He turned to look at her, and his face had murder written on it.
“You’re out there, parading around in your goddamn underwear, your feet in his crotch – how the fuck am I supposed to react?” Marc demanded. She laughed again, actually flattered.
“Ooohhh, just think, if you’d come out five minutes later, you could’ve caught me giving one of my world famous ‘foot jobs’!” she teased.
“Fuck you.”
He was really angry, and she suddenly clued into the fact that it probably had very little to do with Kingsley.
“Hey,” she said, grabbing the front of his t-shirt and turning his body towards her. “We were just talking. What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing, we gott
a get out of here,” he grumbled, trying to push past her. She moved with him, blocking him from leaving the bathroom.
“Not until you explain to me why you’re being such an asshole,” she stated.
“I don’t have to explain shit to you.”
He hadn’t talked to her that way in a while, not since Liberia. He cussed all the time, and snapped at her, and they argued like cats and dogs, but he didn’t talk down to her. Not until that moment. She frowned while he struggled with her, trying to bodily move her out of the way.
Do something.
Normally she would’ve smacked him, or kicked him in the nuts. Knock some sense into him, literally. But she decided to take a page out of his book and she grabbed him by the back of the neck, yanking him down to her height and kissing him.
She figured he would shove her away, but he didn’t. In fact, he dove into the kiss with such zeal that they lost their balance, tripping across the bathroom and slamming into the door. She gasped and his tongue plunged into her mouth, almost choking her. His hands were in her hair, holding her in place, and his hips started grinding against hers.
“If that’s what you wanted, all you had to do was say something,” she whispered when he finally pulled away.
“Hard to say anything when you’re always talking,” he breathed, leaning back.
“Shut up, Marc.”
“Just had a bad night, that’s all. I like Law, I really do, I just … don’t like people sometimes,” he tried to explain.
“Want me to leave you alone?”
“You’re an exception.”
She felt a warmth spread across her chest.
“I am?”
He glared at her for a second, then walked out of the bathroom.
“Get dressed. We’re leaving in ten minutes.”
Did he become bipolar over night!?
Marc had bought her the bikini, a sleeveless shirt, and a pair of thick, black leggings. She put everything on, chucking her shorts and old tank top into the trash, along with her bra. Then she finished loading up the duffle bag with all their weapons while Marc took everything out of his pack and rearranged. Just as he was lifting up the bag with the diamonds, Kingsley walked into the room.
“Oh my, my, my, there’s a pretty sight,” he sighed, dropping a bag of his own on the floor and walking towards the glistening stones. Marc glared and buried them in his pack before zipping it shut and throwing it onto his back.
“Let’s go,” Lily said, standing up quickly, trying to stop any sort of fighting before it could start.
They loaded up the Explorer and took off. Lily opted to sit in the back seat, while Marc drove and Kingsley navigated. Marc seemed to loosen up, slipping into an easy banter with his friend, and it made her smile. If anything happened, she felt like she couldn’t be in better company to handle it. She felt comfortable with these men. Secure.
After about six hours, they shifted around. Marc hadn’t been lying about not sleeping well – the minute he stretched out in the back seat, he passed out. Lily made herself comfortable, sticking one leg out the passenger window. Then she and Kingsley talked for an hour or so, chit chatting about nonsense. Things that didn’t pertain to their situation. Then as they fell quiet, she started thinking about what he’d said back at the hotel.
“Hey,” she suddenly realized something. “You asked about ours, but what’s your plan?”
“Hmmm?”
“Your plan. What are you doing with us? You came here to assassinate Marc, but really to warn him. Mission accomplished. Now what?” she asked.
“Now I’ll try to make myself useful, for as long as possible. I don’t have any other jobs lined up, and I’ll have to lay low for a while after this one, so better make it count,” he replied.
“Are you going to get in trouble, for not killing him?”
“‘In trouble’? Darling, this isn’t primary school. I don’t have a boss I answer to. Yes, Stankovski won’t be happy, but his power is not all-reaching. He has enemies, just like everyone else, and as a free agent, I can work for them – which I have done before, and will continue to do, regardless. Besides, none of that will matter, if you stick to your plan and actually kill him,” Kingsley explained.
“Then your welcome, in advance.”
“And afterwards … have you thought about that all?” he continued.
“Yes … maybe. I don’t know,” she replied. He nodded.
“Well, love, whatever you decide, keep this old chap in mind, alright? And if De Sant back there won’t help you out, know that you should never be above asking the Law for help,” he informed her. She burst out laughing.
“I hope you know how much of a tool bag you sound like,” she wheezed and snorted.
“Yes, but it works for me, doesn’t it?”
“It kinda does.”
“But I’m very serious. If Marc is too adverse to the idea, then I would be more than happy to help assist you in honing your craft,” Kingsley added.
Before she could say anything, there was a growl from the back seat.
“He’d like to assist you in honing something. Where the fuck are we?” Marc grumbled, sitting up. Lily glanced at him.
“We just passed Laayoune about an hour ago,” she answered. “We’re maybe three hours outside of Tantan, Morocco.”
“Are we driving Ms. Daisy around? How about we pick up the pace,” Marc snapped.
“Would you like to drive, darling?” Kingsley asked, glancing in the rear view mirror. Lily tried not to laugh.
“Yes, cause then we’d get somewhere.”
“I could have killed you in Dakhla, you know that. There’s still a price on your head, so please stop annoying me,” Kingsley warned him.
“You couldn’t have killed shit, I knew where you were every step of the way.”
“Delusion is a very sad thing, De Sant.”
“Shut up, Law.”
“How about EVERYONE shut up?” Lily offered.
“Shut up,” they both snapped in unison at her.
“Maybe I should -”
It felt like there was a small explosion and Lily’s sentence was cut off as she shrieked. She was thrown against the side of the door as Kingsley fought to get control of the vehicle. It zigged and zagged across the lanes before he was finally able to bring it to a stop.
“What happened? Were we shot!?” Marc yelled, crouching low as he looked out all their windows.
“Tire blew,” Kingsley replied through gritted teeth.
“Yeah, but how!?” Marc demanded.
“Do I look like a mechanic? Am I currently outside the vehicle?” the other man asked, turning in his seat.
“Don’t give me fucking attitude, you don’t know what this trip has been like – every time we get a car, something fucked up happens,” Marc tried to explain.
“If I’m giving you attitude, darling, it’s because you’ve had attitude all day.”
“Call me ‘darling’ one more time.”
While the men argued, Lily turned in her seat and surveyed the area. They had ocean to their left, and pretty much flat land to their right. If someone had shot them, they were either long gone, or very good at hiding. Besides, they had chosen to take the coastal route, instead of the more popular – and quicker – main road that would lead straight into Morocco proper. Would someone really have guessed that, and then waited all day in the blistering sun, just in case they drove by?
I doubt it.
Tired of listening to them bicker, she took a chance and swung her door open. Both men immediately yelled at her, but she hopped out onto the ground, slamming the door shut in their faces. She surveyed the horizon and didn’t see any movement, so she moved around to the back of the car and saw what had caused the problem.
“Just a regular flat!” she called out, squatting down next to the rear driver’s side tire. A chunk of wood was attached to the side of it, and she yanked it free. It looked like a part from some sort of cart, maybe a piece of sid
e railing, and a long nail was sticking out of it. They must have rolled right over it, puncturing the tire.
“That was really stupid, Lily,” Marc was grumbling as he walked up behind her.
“Geez, Marcelle, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were worried about me,” she snorted at him. He shoved her in the back of the head as she began to stand up.
“Alright, so we change it out. Simple,” Kingsley said, walking up next to them.
Only it wasn’t simple. Not only was the spare for the Explorer also flat, but the entire tire kit was missing from the vehicle. They could have a perfect spare, and without a tire iron or jack, they wouldn’t be changing anything.
“We’re cursed,” Marc groaned, letting his head fall back.
“Yes,” Lily agreed.
“I think you’ve always been a little cursed, mate,” Kingsley teased.
“You know what? Get fucked. Until you showed up, we’d been having the smoothest ride of our trip, so seems to me, this is your fault,” Marc snapped.
“My fault? How!?”
“Who was driving?”
“Clever monkey, De Sant! I left that bit of wood on the road side on purpose! Planted it yesterday, cause I thought it would be fun to be stuck out here with an arsehole!” Kingsley finally started to lose the cool he always seemed to be permanently relaxing in.
“Boys, boys, boys! This isn’t going to help anything!” Lily yelled. She was ignored.
“No one invited you! No one said you had to tag along!” Marc snapped. Kingsley pushed past Lily, causing her to stumble a few feet away.
“Yeah, well, my conscience did because if I left it up to you, you’d both be dead in the next eighteen hours, and while I could live with not having to deal with you ever again, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened to her because of your stupidity,” he hissed.
Uh oh.
“Guys, c’mon,” Lily urged, grabbing Marc’s arm and pulling him backwards. Kingsley followed, unbuttoning his jacket.
“My stupidity? Well, my stupidity has kept her alive so far!” Marc replied, shaking free of her.
Did a flat tire just turn into a fight over me? Is this actually happening?
“Yes, it has! You’re both very big, very strong capable men! Okay!? So just stop!” she shouted, trying to get between them. Both of them shoved her out of the way and they continued circling each other, moving farther down the road.
Best Laid Plans Page 20