When Dead in Greece

by L. T. Ryan

  I approached the final alley too quickly. Felt it as I stepped into the darkness. They were all around me. Had to be the guys from earlier. They’d seen me leave the cafe with Isadora and had lain in wait for an hour for this very moment.

  I stopped in the middle, spun in place, threw my hands into a defensive position.

  “Come on you bastards,” I said to the darkness. “Come get me.”

  No one did.

  My eyes adjusted to the shadows. I saw the dumpster and grease trap. A couple trash cans. A cat perched on top of one.

  No assailants.

  But that’s because they hit me from behind.

  Chapter 8

  THE GUY DID IT RIGHT. He got an arm around my neck, choking off my air supply. He pulled one arm behind my back, twisted and torqued, forcing me to turn sideways to relieve the pain. I swung my free arm, but the awkward angle meant even the blows that connected were too weak to inflict anything other than an itch. And with every passing second, my lungs screamed louder and my vision closed tighter and my brain grew lighter.

  Then he let go, shoved with his hands, stuck a foot out in front of me. My face hit the ground before I managed to break my fall. The concrete grated against my right cheek. The ground stunk like old grease and trash. The wind blew cigarette butts toward me.

  Why had he released me? He couldn’t control what I did now. There would be a fight.

  I rolled over, expecting to see three to five armed men staring back at me. To my surprise, one guy stood there. And he was unarmed.

  “Alik? The hell you doing?”

  “What am I doing? I should be asking you the same. What were you thinking going out after what happened today?”

  “I took a walk. What’s the big deal?”

  “A walk? You think I’m stupid. I followed you and her all the way to Esau’s house.”

  “You were there the whole time?”

  Alik stepped forward and offered his hand. I took it, and he pulled me up.

  “When are you going to accept that you are not up for this, Jack? You are not ready. You are not the guy you were two months ago.”

  Alik’s words echoed my own thoughts at that moment. How had I missed him? Four miles he tailed me, and I didn’t come close to realizing someone was there until the end. And even then my instincts were wrong. I relied on guesswork and nearly paid the price. I had no idea which way he had come from. My stinging cheek could’ve been a bullet to my head.

  I said, “I didn’t feel comfortable watching her leave alone after what happened today.”

  Alike intertwined his fingers and flexed them. “I understand, Jack. I do. I feel the same way as you.”

  “You don’t act like it.”

  “We have been through this, my friend. The job dictates everything. I do not allow my personal feelings to interfere.”

  “It’s not personal,” I said. “It’s just who I am.”

  “You’re going to tell me you haven’t developed some feelings for this woman?”

  I shrugged. It was something I’d shuffled to the recesses of my mind.

  Alik laughed. “First of all, she is too young for you.”

  “Saying I’m old?”

  He gestured at my hunched posture. “You tell me.”

  “I’m beat up a bit, and you just knocked me to the ground.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Whatever.” I headed toward the building’s side door.

  Alik caught up and stuck his key in the lock. “She’s attractive. I’ll give you that.”

  I said nothing.

  “But still too young for you.”

  I pushed the door open and stepped into the dark corridor. Felt my way along the wall until I reached the stairwell. I counted the twelve steps up, then kept my hand on the wall until I reached the apartment door. Alik followed behind, whistling a tune I hadn’t heard before. Figured it was a Russian song. He walked around me. His keys jingled as he inserted the right one into the lock.

  A steady stream of wind blew through the open window. Pages of a magazine on the coffee table flapped. Alik flipped on the light. We both scanned the room, looking for anything out of place, then he went to the kitchen. Early on we had agreed to keep certain items in specific locations. Then if anything had been moved, we would know someone else had been inside.

  Everything remained where we had left it.

  “Hungry?” Alik said.

  “Starving,” I said.

  “Bet so. You took two beatings today.”

  “I wasn’t sure how many of you were behind me. That’s the only reason you weren’t the one who landed on your face.”

  “Keep telling yourself that, my friend.”

  “Another month and you can take a shot at the championship.”

  Alik grabbed a couple spice bottles, looked back, smiled. “Are you really that confident, or do you just try to make people think you are?”

  “Is there a difference? I mean, it’s all mind games anyhow. Training and experience gives me a leg up on most people. But beyond that, it’s what I exude that makes the difference. Take that guy I was in the cell with in Black Dolphin.”

  He unwrapped some ground lamb and placed it in a bowl. “Yeah, he was a nasty man. No doubt why they stuck you with him.”

  “Right. Any other time, the crimes he committed, that guy is in isolation the rest of his life. They put me in there so the guy could break me until he killed me.”

  “But you took him down. How? Don’t get me wrong. I know you can fight. But you should not have won that battle.”

  “And that’s exactly what he thought. So when I didn’t back down, when I went on the offensive, he didn’t know how to react. His whole life, I bet no one ever picked a fight with the guy, except maybe his dad. And I’m not sure about that.”

  “Well, no matter now I suppose. You won’t go back there.”

  “No,” I said. “I figure if Ivanov gets his hands on me again, I’m a dead man.”

  Alik dumped the meat into the frying pan. Smoke rose as the lamb sizzled in a layer of olive oil. The wind wrapped the smell of meat and seasonings around me, making my mouth water.

  “Me, too,” Alik said. “And that is why we have to keep our heads down until whenever Skinner reaches out for us.”

  “I know, I know.” I leaned back and closed my eyes. “I don’t need another damn lecture.”

  Alik laughed. I heard a couple bottles clink together, then thump on the counter. Caps were twisted and carbonation hissed. “How about a beer then?”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  We drank a couple beers, ate dinner, and talked about the differences growing up in Russia and the States. The beer helped numb my ribs and other wounds. The talk helped lull me into a relaxed state. And within a couple hours, I was asleep.

  Chapter 9

  I WOKE EARLY THE NEXT morning to the sound of my curtains flapping in the wind. The smells of breakfast wafted into the room. It felt comfortable in the apartment, but I wanted to get out for a while. I started a pot of coffee and left before it finished.

  Downstairs, forks clanked against plates and soft chatter filled the cafe. Only one table was occupied. The couple sitting there ran the florist shop two doors down. The cafe smelled of butter and eggs and meat and coffee. Isadora stood behind the counter, dressed similar to every other day, except a white blouse covered her t-shirt. She saw me, smiled, turned away. I took it as a sign she didn’t want me in there. She spun back toward me with a mug.

  “Take this,” she said. “I’ll fix you some breakfast. Have it ready in a few.”

  I grabbed the mug and headed out to the empty terrace. The sea reflected the morning sky in such a way it was impossible to determine where the sky ended and the water began.

  I leaned over the railing and focused on the shimmering horizon. The smell of the grill filtered out and mingled with the salt air. Seagulls sang and rode wind currents a hundred feet up. Out there was where I felt most comfortable. The
small town should have left me feeling confined. But when I looked at the sea, all that melted away.

  A few minutes later, Isadora came out with a plate of eggs covered with lamb meat. The dish had grown on me over the past few weeks.

  “Quiet here today,” I said.

  She nodded and set the plate down at the table closest to where I stood.

  “Think you’ll do any business this morning?” I said.

  She shrugged. “Some days we don’t do much. It’s OK.”

  “What do you do when that happens?”

  “Read. Watch people on the street. Come out here and stare at the sea. That’s about it, I guess.” She smiled and gestured to the food. “Now sit down and eat before it gets cold.”

  I enjoyed the tranquility of the deserted patio while eating. But it felt off. I’d grown used to the banter of the old men. The gossip of the old ladies. The hurried shopkeepers taking a few moments to relax in the presence of others. The random tourists who remark about the serene town and the simple beauty of the sea.

  I started to blame myself for the place being empty. Maybe if I hadn’t intervened in what had happened yesterday, customers would be filling the cafe. Instead, they’d heard about the guy from the States opening his big mouth and starting something with the shady guys who’d been hanging around town.

  Typical, Jack.

  But I knew the early hour had something to do with it. I hoped, at least. It wasn’t yet eight, and I was rarely down there that early. I finished my food, pushed the plate away, and leaned back in the chair, easing into the wrought iron back to minimize pain to my ribs. With my eyes closed, the sounds and smells lulled me into a meditative state. It wasn’t quite sleep, as I remained aware of my surroundings.

  The string of bells hanging from the door jingled inside the cafe. Several feet pounded the tile floor, echoed off the walls and ceiling, growing louder.

  The morning rush.

  Isadora gasped.

  Plates fell to the floor and shattered. Glass fragments scattered like diamonds that had fallen from the sky.

  A man said something in Greek. He didn’t yell, but his tone was forceful. Isadora shouted at him.

  Then the chaos began.

  I jumped from my chair and headed to the open door. Saw five guys crowding the middle of the cafe. They were dressed the same as yesterday. Casual, dark clothes. All had their backs or sides to me. At least four had their hands wrapped around weapons.

  Michael, the asshole who’d knocked me to the ground the day before, lunged over the counter. Isadora turned and ducked. Not fast enough, though. The guy grabbed a handful of her dark hair. She screamed and dug her nails into the flesh of his arms. He pressed a foot into the display case and pushed back from the counter. The force of the move yanked Isadora up and toward him.

  I burst through the opening and kicked the first guy I saw in the back. He bowed forward and fell to his knees with a grunt. Two other men turned toward me.

  I struck the first with a knifing jab that hit him in the soft spot of his neck, below the Adam’s apple and above the tip of his sternum. His shoulders hunched up and his chin fell to his chest. I took a step to my right, then kicked his left knee on the side, buckling it. The guy went down hard on his side.

  Michael had let go of Isadora’s hair and now held her by the ankles. He yanked repeatedly. She clutched the far side of the counter. Her fingertips turned white. Another guy joined Michael and they tugged and pulled her free. She fell to the floor, managing to create a cushion for her face with her forearm. She cried out as it took the brunt of the fall.

  Another guy came at me, throwing a wide right hook. I stepped in and blocked it with my left. Hefted my right elbow up, then drove it down on the bridge of his nose. His head snapped back. Blood sprayed in all directions. I slammed my fist into his gut. He bent forward. I grabbed the back of his head and drove my knee into his face, then discarded him to the side.

  No one stood between Isadora and me. I darted toward her.

  And then I was upended. Spent a second in the air, then landed on my side. Fortunately, it was the left side. Unfortunately, pain radiated out from my hip and my leg felt numb.

  I didn’t have long to work out what had happened. Hands wrapped around my upper arms and yanked me off the floor. They shoved me against the display case, slamming my forehead into it hard enough to crack the glass. And judging by the trail of blood that slid down the case, my forehead had cracked, too.

  “What is going on in here?”

  I forced my head to the side and saw Esau standing outside his office, armed with a pistol. He extended the weapon at the men surrounding me. They let go. I heard them step back a few feet. I reached up for the counter and straightened my back. Esau nodded at me. I turned around, toward the front of the cafe, and saw five men lined up like scrawny offensive linemen with Michael in the middle. I’d left visible wounds on two of them. A third stood like I’d broken one or two of his ribs. Their quarterback, Chris, who had been absent until now, stood behind them. I saw Isadora through the line of thugs. Hair covered half her face. Chris held his pistol to her exposed temple.

  “Put it away, old man,” he said.

  “Let my niece go,” Esau said.

  The guy cocked the hammer and pressed the muzzle against Isadora’s temple. “Do it.”

  Esau trembled as he lowered his weapon.

  “Good,” the guy said. “Now, do you have what we talked about?”

  Esau shook his head. “Like I told you yesterday, it’s gone.”

  He clicked his tongue a couple times, admonishing Esau. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to take some collateral then until you’ve got it.”

  “What are you doing?” Isadora said.

  The guy wrapped his arm over her breasts and dragged her toward the door. One of the five linemen broke away and opened it. Michael pulled his weapon and kept it aimed at the floor.

  “Let her go.” I lunged forward.

  Three men rushed to meet me.

  I aimed for the biggest and drove my foot into his crotch. Then I connected with the guy on the right with a wide hook. But I couldn’t reach the third in time. He dove into me. We crashed into the display case and then fell to the floor. My injured ribs took the brunt of the fall.

  The two other guys regained composure, and a few seconds later, the three of them pinned me against the counter. Michael stepped forward and backhanded me twice. Then he took a few steps back and cocked his arm. He was going to take a running start on this blow.

  “Let’s get out of here,” the guy at the door yelled.

  Michael shook his head. “Next time, there won’t be a time crunch.”

  They let go of me. I tried to run after them, but took a couple steps and collapsed to the floor where I watched them exit to the sidewalk where a late-model white sedan had pulled up. They shoved Isadora into the back. The rest got in and the vehicle drove out of sight.

  Chapter 10

  ALIK ARRIVED THIRTY SECONDS LATER, nearly knocking the front door off its hinges. His breathing was fast and deep and ragged, as though he’d sprinted from a couple blocks away. He looked at Esau, me, then the street.

  “They took Isadora,” he said as though we hadn’t witnessed it. A few breaths later, he added, “Jack, what the hell happened?”

  I rolled over and held out my arm. Alik came over, helped me to my feet.

  “Are you OK?”

  I choked on a bit of blood, coughed, and spat on the floor. “More of the same. I’ll be all right.”

  “What happened in here?”

  I glanced at Esau. He stood stock still, staring at the pistol like it had let him down.

  “The guys from yesterday came in and started busting up the place. I was outside when they arrived. Heard them and got up and saw them getting rough with Isadora, so I rushed in and took a few on. Didn’t take long until I was overpowered, though. Esau came out, gun drawn. But they had her by then. Chris held a gun to her head, le
aving us no choice. Maybe if I’d been armed, or in better shape, less beat up, it would’ve turned out different.”

  “I can’t believe this,” Esau muttered, eyes downcast, tears on his cheeks.

  We both turned to him.

  Alik said, “We need to call the police.”

  “No,” Esau said, turning the pistol toward the Russian. “No police. Not now. Not ever. These men, they will kill her if there is the slightest hint we got the authorities involved.”

  “But it is obvious you know these men,” Alik said. “You know their identities, correct?”

  Esau looked away and said nothing.

  “The authorities can use that information, locate them, and Isadora, and get her back home.”

  “Are you hard of hearing?” Esau said. “I said no police.”

  I stepped between the two men. “Esau, you’re gonna have to level with us, then. Who are these guys, and what do they want with you and Isadora?”

  He took a long moment to respond. “They went after her to get to me.”

  “We can see that,” I said.

  “They went after her,” he said again, “to get to me.”

  I looked at Alik. He shrugged. We weren’t the kind of guys used to gentle interrogations. But using force with the old man wasn’t likely to do any good.

  “I’m so ashamed.” Esau slumped into a chair. He set his pistol on the table, then cupped his hands over his face. “How did I let this happen?”

  “What did you let happen?” I said. “What are you ashamed about?”

  Esau muttered something in Greek. I glanced at Alik, but he shrugged it off.

  Alik said, “If you don’t come clean with us, we’ll have to call the authorities and get them involved.”

  Esau kept his hands over his face, shook his head.

  I grabbed Alik and pulled him to the front of the cafe. The street stretched in both directions. Deserted. If anyone had witnessed the incident, they had left the scene. Couldn’t blame them. Not in a town like this. Funny how it worked. In a big city, everyone would continue on as if nothing had happened, because they’d dulled themselves into ignoring everything around them. In this small town, there weren’t enough numbers to provide that kind of anonymity. Yet they still kept to themselves.