by B. B. Hamel
I had to go, and I knew Rafa would come with me, but I couldn’t ask anyone else to put their life on the line for this.
It was my problem. I’d reward Rafa well enough for this, and he knew it. But nobody else could come; nobody else could risk getting shit from Arturo and the other captains.
No, this was my thing. With Lucas’s gear and Louisa’s information, I’d have more than enough.
They weren’t expecting me.
But they should have been. They took away my woman, my fucking kid.
So I was going after them like fucking fire and lightning.
Chapter 35
Kaley
My own father locked me up in my bedroom with nothing but a mattress and a bucket.
I knew what the bucket was for, but I didn’t want to think about it.
Sophie had betrayed me, unless my family had lied to her, but I couldn’t imagine she’d be so stupid. No. Sophie had sold me out, and I was stuck in a locked room because of my own trust in her.
And my baby was gone. I had no clue where he was or what they were doing to him, and terror clutched my stomach.
I couldn’t believe my father was doing this to me. I knew he was a hard man, a dangerous man, but he hadn’t been so bad to me growing up. He never hit me, rarely raised his voice. Sure, he was strict, but he never locked me up in my bedroom and tore my baby away.
This was just so messed up. I should never have left, never have run away from Vince. I should have talked to him first.
There were two aches in my chest. One was for my baby, and the other was for Vince.
I sat alone in that room for a few hours before someone finally came. The door rattled, and I sat up straight on the mattress. My throat hurt from screaming for so long and my whole body felt like lead.
The door opened and it was my father.
I got up and charged him.
I wasn’t thinking. I knew he was dangerous, but it was my father. I wanted to hit him, scream at him, make him let me go. But as soon as I got close enough to strike out, he shoved me back, knocking me to the ground.
“Don’t get up,” he warned. The door shut behind him.
I tried to get up.
He kicked me in the side, and pain flashed through my body. I tumbled back to the ground.
“Kaley,” he warned. “I take no pleasure in this. Do not get back up.”
I tried to get up again, my eyes flashing fierce anger. “Fuck you. Where’s my son?”
He kicked me again, sending me sprawling. I coughed as pain blinded me for a moment.
“He’s safe,” my father said.
“Give him to me, you bastard,” I said.
I tried to get up again. I wanted to hurt him so badly.
“Kaley,” he warned.
“Fuck you.”
He kicked me again and again until I began to cry from the pain.
He backed off finally, sighing. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
I got myself together after a minute, the pain rushing through me. I wanted to get up and hit him, but I couldn’t move. Everything hurt; everything was broken.
“Give me my son back,” I said.
“Kaley, none of this would have happened if you hadn’t run off to those fucking swine Italians,” he said. “You know that, right? I’m your father.”
“I’m your daughter and Alexei is your grandson,” I spat.
“That baby is not my grandson,” he said. “That baby is part Italian. That baby is a fucking stain on your family.”
“You’re a stain,” I whispered. “You disgust me.”
He nodded. “I understand you feel that way right now, Kaley, but in time you will see that this was for the best.”
“No. Never. I hope they kill you.”
“Maybe,” he mused. “Maybe they will. But I very much doubt it.”
He leaned up against the wall across from me and looked down at me.
“What do you want?” I asked.
“I want to know their weaknesses, Kaley,” he said. “For every piece of information you give me, I will bring you back one luxury. First up will be the right to use the bathroom.”
“Go to hell,” I said. “I’d rather starve than help you.”
“We can do that too if you want,” he said, smiling. “Come on, Kaley, help your family. How many men work for the Italians?”
“I don’t know.”
“Where is their security weakest?”
“I don’t know. Go to hell.”
My father sighed, shaking his head. “Kaley, please. Don’t make me hurt you more than I have to.”
“Listen to me,” I said. “You are a vile piece of garbage, and I genuinely hope you die a violent, horrific death. Do you understand that?”
He nodded, frowning. “It’s okay. You’ll come around.” He stood up straight and headed toward the door.
“Wait,” I said. “Please. Alexei.”
He smiled back at me. “Tell me what their weaknesses are, and I’ll let you see the boy.”
“He’s here?” I asked softly.
“He’s here. How many men are in the compound at any given time? When are they most vulnerable?”
I stared at him, my mind running circles. Alexei was safe and sound as far as I could tell.
But if I talked, told him what I thought was right, Vince might get hurt.
I didn’t want to betray Vince, didn’t want to hurt him.
And maybe I could do both. Maybe if I kept my father happy for long enough, I could figure out a way to escape. All I needed to do was tell him plausible lies. I just needed a few days to think.
“Noon,” I lied. “They change guards at noon. I think there are less around then.”
He looked at me and nodded. “Good. That’s good. How many men are on the compound normally?”
“A lot,” I said. “I don’t know. Hundreds I think.”
He frowned. “Can’t be hundreds.”
“I never counted,” I said.
“Don’t lie to me, girl.” He took a step toward me. “Lying will be worse.”
“I really don’t know,” I said. “Please, let me see Alexei.”
He looked at me in silence for a moment and then shook his head. “No. Maybe next time. Think of something good to give me. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
“No!” I screamed, but he was already walking away.
“Open up,” he called out.
“No!” I screamed again, getting up. My whole body hurt, but I hurled myself at him anyway. “Let me see my son!”
He whirled and punched me in the jaw, knocking me to the ground. I sprawled out, my head buzzing with stars.
“Think of something good, Kaley,” he said, and then he was gone.
The door shut and locked behind him.
I curled into a ball, dizzy and aching, my whole body in pain. I tried not to cry, couldn’t let them get to me, but I couldn’t help it. I cried as quietly as I could, but I was crying for Alexei.
My own father. He was beating me, interrogating me, using his grandson against me. It was disgusting, shocking, vile. I couldn’t believe I was there, that this was happening. I couldn’t believe Sophie would let this happen to me.
I wanted to die. I wanted to give up and kill myself, but I couldn’t do that to Alexei. I had to stay strong for him, for my son.
I had to find a way out of this hellhole and save my son.
Chapter 36
Vince
We waited until just after midnight.
Rafa and I sat down in the garage, sitting in the black truck we would be driving out into the city, sharing a cigar.
Earlier, Louisa had texted me an address and said that was Kaley’s house. I couldn’t be sure that they were holding her there, but I could at least grab her father and force him to tell us where she was.
Lucas had come through nicely on the gear: upgraded vests, decent rifles, and even some grenades. Not the explosive kind, but flashbangs, the type that make a loud
noise and a bright light that stuns people temporarily.
Rafa and I sat there, puffing away on the cigar, seriously deadly gear strapped to our chests. I grinned at him.
“You ever think we’d end up like this?”
He laughed. “What, strapped up with weapons and ready to kill some Russians? Yeah, I did.”
I grinned. “No. I mean going against the wishes of our people.”
He shrugged. “Frankly, boss, I never know with you.”
I laughed, taking a nice puff. “After this, if we both fucking survive, consider yourself promoted.”
“I’m not sure you can do that, boss.”
“I’ll make it happen.”
He shrugged. “Whatever you say.”
I laughed again and handed him the cigar. I started the engine. “You ready?”
“Always.”
I drove us out into the night, heading toward violence and death.
And I felt damn good about it.
That incredible, calm excitement overtook my body as I drove into the city, Rafa sitting next to me, placidly puffing on the cigar.
I had no clue what we were walking into. Normally we’d watch a place for weeks before attacking it like this, but we didn’t have weeks. The Russians wanted to get rid of my son.
Worse, I had no clue if Kaley really needed saving. Maybe they were keeping her safe and letting her take care of Alexei like normal. But I couldn’t take that chance. If she was okay, I’d walk out of there. Maybe I’d have to shoot my way out, but I’d leave her alone if that was what she wanted.
But I had to find out. I wasn’t the type of man to sit around and wait for answers.
I went out and I took what I fucking wanted. That was how I lived my life, fast and loose and deadly. I wanted Kaley; I cared about her. I cared about the kid, too. I wanted to help raise my son, although if Kaley wanted me to disappear, I would. But I had to hear it from her, not from some fucking note she left on the pillow because she couldn’t face me.
It took us twenty minutes before we found her block. It was a normal residential street, pretty quiet, the sort of place you saw all over Chicago.
I parked the truck at the end of the block. “They’re number eleven thirty,” I told Rafa.
“Shit,” he said. “These row homes are rough.”
“We’ll go in the back,” I said.
“Got it.”
We slipped out of the truck and made a right at the cross street. A small alley ran down between the houses, which made it easy for people to come in and out through their backyards. We moved silently down the alley, keeping at a crouch, all dressed in black.
It was totally silent. It was past one in the morning on a weekday, and so I figured most people would be sleeping. Most of the normal, working people at least. Who knew what was happening at Kaley’s house.
We stopped when we made it to her place. I double-checked, doubling back and counting the yards again, just to make sure we had the right place. Rafa nodded at me.
“Quiet,” he whispered. “Nobody around.”
“Come on.” I hopped the fence and he followed. There was a short expanse of grass, some lawn chairs, a grill, and nothing else. The back door looked like every other one on the block.
“Pick it,” I whispered. Rafa nodded and got out his lock pick set, quickly going to work. I watched the window but couldn’t see in past the curtains.
No movement inside, though I thought I saw the glow of a TV flickering in another room.
I heard the door click open and turn softly. I quickly aimed my rifled ahead as Rafa flung the door open.
Nothing.
Just a normal kitchen. We moved inside, me in the front, stepping lightly. The kitchen looked normal, just a regular suburban kitchen. Rafa pointed at something on the refrigerator.
It was a school picture of Kaley. She was a lot younger, but I recognized her.
I nodded. We had the right place at least.
Ahead, I saw I was right about the television. It was on softly in the front room, the volume turned low. I moved forward, motioning for Rafa to follow. We slipped into a dining room that was attached to the living room.
I peered cautiously into the living room. Inside sat three men and a single girl, probably around Kaley’s age. They were staring at something on the TV.
I unhooked a flashbang from my belt and motioned to Rafa. He backed off, ready to watch the kitchen.
I uncapped the flashbang and tossed it into the room.
“What the fuck?” one guy said.
And then it exploded.
The flashbang went off with this blindingly bright light and an incredibly loud boom. The girl instantly started screaming, and the guys began shouting, scrambling around.
I uncovered my eyes and stepped around the corner. Two of the men had guns out, and I killed them instantly, putting bullets into their chests. The third man reached for something, but I killed him too.
Rafa followed close behind me. “Stairs,” I whispered.
He nodded, covering the stairs. I walked over to the screaming girl.
“Quiet,” I said, holding the gun to her skull. “Where is Kaley?”
She started to cry.
“Where is Kaley?” I repeated.
“Upstairs,” she said.
I looked at Rafa. “Cuff her.”
He took out some handcuffs from his belt and tossed one on the girl’s wrist. He dragged her across the room and slapped the other cuff onto the radiator, quickly making sure no weapons were within her reach.
I nodded at him. “On me.”
We moved toward the stairs.
Bullets rained down on us.
We quickly fell back.
“Who the fuck are you?” someone yelled from upstairs.
“Wait,” I called up. “We just want to talk.”
As soon as I said it, Rafa jumped around the corner and opened fire. He fell back when someone began to shoot back.
“Fuck you,” he yelled. “That won’t work.”
I grinned to myself. “Let us come up,” I yelled. “I’m here for Kaley.”
“You’re that fucking Italian shithead she ran off for, aren’t you?”
“Yes, I am. And who I am speaking to?”
“Her father.”
I laughed. “Anatoli.”
“Vince Mori. You should leave. My men are already on the way.”
I nodded at Rafa. He pulled a grenade, a real one this time, and tossed it upstairs.
“That flash trick won’t—”
The grenade went off with a deafening boom.
I stumbled back, my ears ringing.
“Holy shit,” Rafa said, though I couldn’t hear him.
“Come on.”
I charged at the steps, or at least what was left of them. I scrambled up and had to jump the last few feet, landing on badly blasted wood. There were flames raging everywhere, but no sign of Anatoli.
Rafa was right behind me. “Watch that room,” I said, pointing to the right. “I’m finding her.”
Rafa nodded as I went down the hall, kicking in each door. I got to the last and took a deep breath. It was padlocked shut.
I shot off the hinges and kicked it in.
Laying on a mattress, her eyes wide with fear, was Kaley.
She stood slowly. “Vince?”
I stared at her. Bruises were blooming across her face.
“Did he hit you?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said, her voice small.
Rage flowed through me, hotter than I could have guessed. That mother fucker, that piece of shit. He beat his own fucking daughter.
“Come on,” I said. “We’re going.”
She ran to me, threw her arms around me, and began to sob.
“Okay,” I said. “I have you. You’re safe.”
I was going to kill her father.
“I never thought you’d come,” she said. “I’m so sorry I left. I’m so sorry.”
“I got you
,” I said. “You’re with me now. You’ll never have to leave again.”
“Alexei?” she asked.
“Is he here?”
She nodded. “I don’t know where.”
“Shit.”
Gunshots rang off down the hall. “Vince!” Rafa called out.
“Stay here,” I said to Kaley, and I went down the hall.
Rafa was shooting into the other room.
“Old man lived,” he said.
“Shit,” I said. “Seriously?”
“For real.” Gunshots again, and we fell back, holding close to the wall.
“Leave him,” I said. “We’re going.”
I grabbed Kaley and fired a few shots toward Anatoli. The smoke was getting thick and it was hard to see. I threw her over my shoulder and jumped down the stairs, landing hard and skidding down toward the bottom. Rafa was just behind us, laughing like mad.
We hit the bottom and rolled across the living room, finally coming to a stop. Smoke was billowing down the steps and the fire was beginning for real.
“Alexei,” Kaley said. “We have to get him.”
I looked around the room and spotted her.
“You,” I yelled. “Where’s the baby?”
Kaley saw who I was talking to and took a step toward the girl. “Sophie?”
“Fuck,” I said.
Sophie was sobbing, still handcuffed to the radiator. “I’m sorry, Kaley,” she said. “I’m so sorry.”
“Where is my son?” Kaley asked.
I walked over to Sophie and pressed the gun to her skull. “Talk,” I said.
“Basement,” she said. “With Kaley’s mom.”
I looked at Kaley. “You decide if she lives.”
Kaley bit her lip, staring at Sophie. “You’re dead to me,” she said.
Sophie cringed and began to sob thick, terrified sobs.
“But you’ll live, even though you don’t deserve it.”
I pulled the gun back.
“Come on,” I said. Kaley took us down the hall and opened a door in the kitchen. The stairs went down. “Rafa, stay,” I said. “We’ll be a second.”
He nodded. “Hurry. This place is burning.”
I went down the steps two at a time, Kaley at my back. The basement was finished and pretty nice. Sitting on the couch cowering in fear was an older woman, an older version of Kaley.