by Bryan Murray
The steps were lit by a light every twenty feet or so and there was a handrail on either side of the steps for people to hang onto. He decided to move more stealthily along the outside of the handrail, in case there were CCTV cameras he hadn’t seen and that way if anyone suddenly appeared in either direction, he could always dive for cover.
This turned out to be an excellent decision when suddenly, he heard voices above and two of Lorenzo’s soldiers, both armed, came quickly down the steps towards the guard shack, presumably joining the card game.
Jake stayed in the shadows until they had both gone past and then he continued his careful climb upwards towards the villa, He hid behind a large rock and clicked on his intercom to Sarah. “So far so good!” he whispered. “Past the helipad and the first distraction already in place!”
Sarah was relieved to hear his voice. “Great, be careful, okay?”
“Will do.” he clicked off and continued his climb. Dressed in black and wearing a ski-mask he was almost undetectable as he moved stealthily upwards. He paused again to check on the sketch of the lay-out of the villa, using the pencil light in his pocket. He realized that after the next right-hand bend on the steps, this should bring him up to the Don’s magnificent outdoor pool and patio area, where extra caution would be needed.
He could see on the sketch that when the steps came up towards the vertical, curving wall of the pool which was about ten feet high, they continued to curve around the contour of the wall and upwards to the pool level and patio above. The idea of the high pool wall, was so that the swimmers could swim across to that side of the pool and look out at the incredible view below, across the steps down to the helipad and way beyond to the spectacular beach in the distance.
He continued to climb and after negotiating the next bend, he could see the pool wall and the steps leading upwards He quickly reached in his tote and placed the second explosive charge in the shrubs, out of sight at the foot of the wall and activated the green light before moving stealthily upwards, creeping forwards, still sheltered by rocks and trees on the outside of the patio until he suddenly heard voices and laughter.
Out by the pool, two of the girlfriends of the soldiers were frolicking in the pool in scantily-clad, sexy bikinis, while the soldiers, fully dressed, shoulder holsters showing, with drinks in their hands, were watching the two women lecherously.
Jake looked across from his hiding place, beyond the people by the pool to where the balcony of the Don’s bedroom looked down onto the pool area. This was when he realized that he had a problem. There was no way he could even attempt to scale the balcony until the soldiers and their girlfriends left the pool area.
Luckily for Jake, after about ten minutes of waiting under cover, there was now a chill in the air and even though the pool was heated, the two women in the water started to feel the cool sea breeze on their shoulders and climbed out of the water shivering, The soldiers then dried their respective bimbos in a towel and escorted them inside the villa.
Jake waited at least another five minutes before making his move, cutting stealthily and quickly across the corner of the pool area until he was immediately below the metal pillars holding up the Don’s balcony.
He quickly removed the felt-covered grappling hook from his shoulder tote and on the second attempt, he was able to soundlessly get a bite on the balcony rail. He waited to see if anyone had heard the muted clunk of the hook, but there were no sounds or movement above.
He scaled the rope, and as he reached the balcony level, he reached in his tote and placed the third explosive charge under the overhang of the balcony where it would not be seen. He then activated the green light before scrambling over the balcony and pulling the grappling hook up after him, ready to toss it back over the edge if he had to make a quick getaway.
Once he reached the balcony, his silenced Glock now in his hand, he moved stealthily over to the door onto the balcony from the Don’s bedroom, which had been left open to let the warm breeze into the room while the Don was sleeping. In the still of the night and with his night goggles now on, he could see that Lorenzo was fast asleep in the huge bed and he could also hear gentle snoring. The door at the far side of the room from inside the villa was closed
Like a ghost, Jake moved silently over to the side of the bed, adrenaline pumping. He silently opened a pouch in his jacket pocket from which he removed a small syringe containing a fast-acting knock-out shot and in one swift move, he put his hand over Lorenzo’s mouth and injected his upper leg. Lorenzo stopped moving, he was out cold.
Jake then grabbed some rope from his smaller tote and bound the Don’s arms behind him and stuffed a gag in his mouth. Once this was done, he quickly went back out to the balcony to make sure all was still quiet before heading back into the bedroom. He then turned Lorenzo on his side and covered him up, so that he looked like he was fast asleep to anyone who may come in. He looked at the man on the bed. “Murdering bastard!” he whispered.
Flashlight in hand, he then went over to the Don’s desk in front of a large picture window to check for anything suspicious. He found a check book in one of the drawers and in the light from his flashlight, he checked out the stub for the last payment made. He could see it was a check for ten thousand dollars made out to I Strapinski. Obviously the payment to the KGB doctor for his hypnotherapy expertise. A pity the good doctor never lived long enough to spend it!
Above the bed was a large oil portrait that Jake assumed was the old Godfather Don Luigi. When he checked the rest of the walls, he could see from the photographs displayed there that Don Lorenzo clearly liked the playboy image, when he saw the photographs of the Don sharing good times with his rich friends.
One photograph in particular immediately caught Jake’s eye. It was a picture of Lorenzo on some rich yacht with a group of scantily-clad women in bikinis. As Jake checked on each woman in turn, he was suddenly surprised to see three women in the picture that he actually recognized.
The first was Gina and next to her were the two sisters Veronica and Sophia, all of whom Jake had seen at the resort with the ski group! His mind was racing. So that was how this bastard lying unconscious on the bed next to him had kept tabs on what the First Son and his buddy Andrew were planning to do! By the time they had arrived innocently in Italy, Lorenzo and his thugs would have been waiting to welcome them with open arms.
Jake quickly took a picture of the photograph with his I-phone and went on a further tour of the Don’s master suite. He went into the exquisite en-suite bathroom with a sunken tub looking out at the moonlit ocean and as he was leaving, he just happened to glance into the Don’s private dressing room, to see a line of Armani suits hanging on a rack, with tastefully coordinated shirts and neckties above each and with a row of elegantly- polished, hand-made Italian shoes below each one.
“Crime pays!” Jake mumbled to himself as he was leaving and then something caught his eye. On the back of the door into the inner dressing room, there was a beautifully framed photograph hanging on the back of the door, presumably a picture of special significance to the Don that was for his eyes only.
When Jake took a closer look and shone his flashlight on it, he almost had a heart attack! “So, this is the damned connection!” he hissed as he looked at the photograph in disbelief.
It was an excellent selfie photograph of Lorenzo and a beautiful, young, blonde-haired woman taken many years ago. The woman was a sexy-looking Maria Carrington, now the Vice-President of the USA! Written on the photograph, presumably in Maria’s handwriting was a brief message that said, ‘To Lorenzo, mi amore, love always, Maria’ It was dated January 2nd 1992!
On closer inspection, Jake also noticed another smaller photograph tucked in the bottom corner of the same frame. When he looked closer, his eyes opened once again in shock. It was a very recent picture of Andrew Carrington!
Jake was about to take a picture of the two photographs with his I-phone when he suddenly heard a sound out in the bedroom. He switched off his flas
hlight and slid into the shadows to watch as the door to the bedroom from the villa opened and Giuseppe entered, looking in protectively to see if the Godfather needed anything.
From the shadows, Jake was saying a silent prayer that the tranquilizing shot he had given the Don wouldn’t wear off as Giuseppe looked around in the darkness and then left silently, closing the door after him.
Jake heaved a sigh of relief and then took the photographs of the two pictures he had just seen before clicking on the intercom to Sarah.
“You there?” he whispered
She came on immediately. “Go ahead?”
“You’re not going to believe this?” he began.
“Believe what?” she asked.
“I’m here in the Don’s bedroom, he’s gone bye-bye for a few minutes and I’ve been lookin’ around.”
“And?”
“Now we know who the US connection is for the Mafia!”
“Who?”
“The goddamned Vice-President!”
Sarah was in deep shock. “Are you sure?”
“Positive, I found a picture of them swearing love forever, going all the way back to Jan 2nd 1992!”
Sarah was thinking out loud. “But that could have been just an old romance.”
“That’s what I thought until I saw a current picture of Andrew tucked into the bottom corner of the frame!”
“My God!” was all Sarah could manage. “D’you suppose...?” she tailed off.
“That Andrew is their kid?”
“Exactly!”
“I dunno. I guess there’s only one way to find out - DNA!”
Sarah agreed. “Correct. Have you got a clean spare syringe?”
“Yes.”
“In that case take a sample of Lorenzo’s blood and haul ass, okay?”
Jake agreed. “Will do, I’ll be leaving in a few minutes after I have a few words with sleeping beauty here and let him know what happens to naughty boys!”
“Be careful, Jake, please?” she begged.
“I will.” he clicked off the intercom and moved over to the bed. He removed a further syringe from the pouch in his pocket and rolled Lorenzo over on his back before taking a sample of his blood from his upper leg. He quickly replaced the syringe in the pouch and took out the final syringe with clear liquid already in it. In this instance, the syringe contained a special, deadly toxin that once administered, would cause complete paralysis and death within seconds. It would also be literally undetectable within minutes, giving the impression that the victim had suffered a heart attack.
Lorenzo was now slowly coming round after the first shot and the prick of the second needle. He opened his eyes and in the moonlight filtering into the bedroom he started to focus on the dark figure beside him on the bed. The man was holding a gun only inches away from the Don’s face.
Terror showed immediately in the Don’s eyes, particularly when he realized that he was bound and gagged. Jake whispered to him almost conspiratorially. “Good evening, Don Lorenzo,” he began. “Allow me to introduce myself, my name’s Jake Harrigan and I’ve come all the way here, especially to kill you!”
Even more terror appeared in the wide eyes of the Mobster.
“But first,” Jake continued. “I need some answers to a few questions.”
Lorenzo was no stranger to violence and he was hoping against hope that one of his men would walk in and blow this sonofabitch away. He also knew that his brother Giuseppe always checked in on him every night before he turned in and he was hoping it would be any second.
Jake was reading his mind, the Glock still pointing unwaveringly at the Mobster’s head. “If you wondering if your man will be checking in, you’re too late, he’s already been!”
The look in Lorenzo’s eyes showed that he was in big trouble as Jake moved in closer, running the muzzle of the Glock slowly up and down the Don’s cheek.
“So, let’s begin, shall we? I’m going to ask you a few questions and all I want you to do is nod ‘yes’ or ‘no’ and if I sense you are lying, you will die instantly, is that clear? Nod if you understand?
There was fear and naked hatred in the eyes of Lorenzo as he looked venomously at Jake, who suddenly slapped him across the face. “I said nod if you understand?”
Lorenzo nodded begrudgingly.
“Something else you should know before we start, you murdering bastard, if I suspect that you are lying to me, not only will I kill you but I will also kill Maria as a traitor, leaving your son without a mother!”
The sudden look in Lorenzo’s eyes told Jake all he needed to know.
“Answer them correctly and I will at least let her live to defend herself! So, are we clear?”
Once again, Lorenzo nodded affirmatively.
“Great,” Jake began. “Just four simple questions.”
Lorenzo looked around the room in total fear with Jake’s flashlight in his eyes.
“Number one. It was you and the Vice President who planned the abduction of the First Son and your goons also kidnapped the Vice-President’s son by mistake?”
Lorenzo nodded affirmatively, eyes closed.
“Number two. Are you the biological father of the Vice President’s son?”
Again Lorenzo nodded affirmatively.
“You see,” Jake continued. “It’s not that hard now, is it? So, Number three. This is a multiple answer question. Did you kidnap the First Son so your KGB monster could brainwash him into killing his own father, so that Maria could assume the Presidency and so that you could both make millions in the process?”
Lorenzo, tears of remorse and fear in his eyes, finally nodded in agreement.
“You sick bastard!” Jake replied. “And now Number four. Did you know that it was an act of treason to plot to kill the President of the United States?”
Lorenzo didn’t answer immediately until Jake suddenly smacked him across the face again. “Did you?” he hissed.
The mobster nodded affirmatively one last time and without warning, Jake quickly and clinically administered the lethal injection into his neck at the back, above the hairline.
Within seconds, life disappeared from Lorenzo’s eyes and Jake removed the gag from his mouth and the binding from his hands before tucking Lorenzo snugly under the sheets and preparing to leave the bedroom, taking care that nothing had been disturbed.
CHAPTER 32
Outside on the balcony it was still a calm, moonlit night and Jake carefully lowered himself from the balcony using his grappling hook and after releasing it and packing it in his smaller tote, he made his way stealthily down the deserted terrace side of the pool that reached all the way to the edge of the cliff, way above the black ocean below.
His heart was now beating like a drum and as he moved back twenty paces from the edge of the cliff, he was desperately trying to remember the special instructions given to him by Giancarlo. He suddenly ran at full speed to the edge of the overhanging terrace and launched himself into the air, his arms stretched out like a bird, making a suicide dive to its death.
After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, he pulled the rip cord in the large tote on his back and within a further second, the black chute opened and pulled him back up until it gained equilibrium and he started to float slowly down towards the black water below, where Sarah was desperately waiting.
To anyone watching from above, it would have been almost impossible to pick out the black chute against the dark waters below. Jake was totally amazed that the chute actually opened without a hitch and he was pleased to see that his sweeping angle of descent was taking him well away from the treacherous rocks below. As he finally slid below the surface of the cool Mediterranean, he thought he had seen some movement to the left that he hoped would be Sarah.
When his head broke the surface he looked up, a smile on his face to see Sarah moving closer in the small boat, a look of total relief in her eyes.
“You’d be amazed at the things that drop out of the sky at night!” she grinned.<
br />
“Tell me about it.” he gasped as he clambered aboard, dragged in the wet chute and rolled it up while Sarah was already heading out across the bay. The two of them hugged each other affectionately. She was already on the intercom to Giancarlo. “He’s back and we’re heading in!”
The young Italian’s voice came on in sudden shock. “That’s amazing! All quiet here and the chopper’s ready when you are?”
“Thanks.” Sarah replied and she clicked off before turning to the exhausted Jake who was wiping himself off with a towel.
“Well?” she asked.
“We were right,” he began. “He and Maria set it up and my guess is that they grabbed Andrew by mistake, it was probably only planned to grab Jeff!”
“My God! And was their motive as we suspected?”
“Exactly, program Jeff to kill the President, Maria would take over and together they would make millions!”
Sarah was thinking aloud as they moved along the outskirts of the beach.
“So, now we’ve got to prove this before we talk to the President.”
“Correct.”
She looked at him again. “And Lorenzo, I assume....?” she tailed off and Jake gave a wry smile. “Fast asleep in bed, only this time he won’t wake up!”
“And the blood sample?”
Jake patted his tote. “Now we’ve got to get a sample of Andrew’s blood discreetly.”
She nodded. “Yes, the White House doctor will have checked their blood as well as the medics in Rome. We’ll try the medics over here first.”
“Right, I’ve got a copy in my phone of the picture of Lorenzo and Maria and a copy of the current picture of Andrew that she must have sent him, probably to let him know for the first time what his son looked like when she realized they had grabbed her kid by mistake.”
Jake sat back and took a drink of Scotch that Sarah handed to him as they neared the chopper moored near the shoreline. He was thinking out loud. “My God, Sarah, the ramifications of all this are mind boggling. The scandal will break worldwide once it’s known what Maria has been up to and the President’s new term will already be under a massive thundercloud!”