by Stone, M. T.
“Well, unfortunately, we are kind of flying blind,” Trey tells him with a shrug of his shoulders. “It all started with my father being killed by a sniper and then my brother was poisoned with pentobarbital.”
“The man who killed your father may have shot from long-range, but he was not a sniper,” Anthony replies in a solemn tone. “Snipers serve to protect their troops, not to gun down innocent civilians. Your father was shot by a contract killer, a murderer.”
“I’m sorry, he was a professional,” Trey says defensively. “I guess that was my point. They never figured out exactly where the shot came from and there wasn’t a shred of evidence,” he explains in more detail. “Are they with you?” he asks, pointing to the others lurking by the doorway.
“Yes, this is Jules”, he says motioning to the only woman in the group to join us. “Jules is not Alpha 9, she actually lives in my building, but she also happens to be an MMA superstar. I brought her along because she can decoy for you,” he says nodding to me. “And she can definitely hold her own in combat if need be.” Jules instantly reminds me of Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider with her long dark hair, full lips and big beautiful eyes. She’s dressed in a black tank top, black yoga shorts and matching black boots.
“Hi,” she simply says in a reserved demeanor as she shakes hands with Trey and me.
“The other two are Alpha 9,” he says turning back toward the door. “We call them Bolt and Romeo.” He smiles back at them as they strut toward us. “Bolt was a highly decorated Army Ranger and can move-out like no one I’ve ever seen,” he says flashing him a big grin. Bolt is the tallest of the bunch at probably six four or six five. He has a lanky build and reaches us in a couple quick strides. “I look forward to helping out,” he says greeting us before taking a spot behind Jules. With a reddish-brown crew cut, matching goatee and dark brown eyes he also has the most menacing look of the bunch.
“Romeo was with Seal Team Six, which isn’t officially called that anymore,” Anthony continues. “You’ll want to make sure he isn’t left alone with Mandy for too long,” he teases Trey, giving him a slap on the back.
“It’s a pleasure,” Romeo says, lifting my hand to his lips and giving it a kiss. His dark hair, angular jawline and shimmering hazel eyes make it easy to see how he would be a pretty successful ladies man.
“He has always lived up to his nickname,” Bolt says with a laugh, punching him in the arm.
“I’ll let that slide,” Trey tells him jokingly as the three of them exchange handshakes. “I have zero combat training, so I don’t think I would stand a chance anyway.” He smirks and shakes his head.
“Hey, but we’re on your side, so that’s all you’ll ever need,” Anthony assures him with a nod. “Now, let’s get everyone where they need to be. Who do we need to protect and where are we going to consolidate them?”
“I would like someone to stay here with my brother,” Trey says, pulling out his phone to look at his notes. “We need to pick up Tommy’s receptionist, Becky, because she is most likely in danger. We also need to get Bill’s daughter and her husband, maybe his wife, too. Bill was the one found dead this afternoon.”
“Okay, so Bolt, I’m going to station you here,” Anthony says checking him off the list. “Is your current limo driver still in the building?”
“Yes, he is hanging out with the car in the ambulance garage,” Trey informs him. Anthony pauses for a moment and you can just see the wheels turning as he formulates a plan off the cuff.
“Here’s what we’ll do,” he says jotting down a few words on his little notepad. “We’ll throw a jacket on Romeo and a dress on Jules and they will leave in the limo with Tony. This will flush out anyone who is hanging out waiting for you,” he says, looking back and forth between the four of us. “If you get out of here unmolested, you can stop and pick up Becky and the others. Where would you like to consolidate everyone?” he asks Trey.
“The top floor of Trump Tower,” Trey immediately replies. “Dad owns the north unit and Vanessa’s parents own the south one, so we have control of the entire floor. You two can hang out in the common area and keep an eye on both the stairwell and the elevator from there.”
“That’s perfect,” Anthony confirms. “If your mother, Vanessa or any of these other people need to go anywhere, Tony will drive them and Romeo will ride shotgun. We’ll be able to get two more men by tomorrow afternoon if needed.”
“What about us?” I ask, assuming we would be paired up with Anthony.
“I have a bulletproof SUV in the parking lot out front,” he says with a smirk. “I want you two in scrubs and you can give your clothes to Romeo and Jules. Then I’ll take you wherever you want to spend the night.”
“So we will be separated from the rest?” Trey asks, looking for confirmation.
“Yes. Since you two are in the most immediate and obvious danger, we want to sell the idea that you are actually with the others. We have to assume that someone is watching and tracking you. That’s why the most crucial aspect is to make them believe that you guys are leaving with Tony,” he says looking between us.
“It does seem as if they have been watching our every move,” Trey says. “The fact that a black sedan messed with us on the way here was really freaky.”
“Where do you have your cellphone coverage?” Anthony asks Trey with a suspicious look in his eyes.
“AT&T, why?” Trey replies.
“Is it a private account in your name?” he asks raising his eyebrows.
“No…” Trey replies, having an instant realization. “Fuck! We’ve always had our phones through Dad’s corporate plan. Oh my God.” He slaps his forehead and throws his head back. “Tommy has access to all of our accounts!” He shakes his head with a look of disbelief.
“It’s no wonder he knows exactly what’s going on,” I add. “He can see every call or text.”
“Your dad most likely activated the ability to see where you were at as well,” Anthony surmises. “It’s pretty common on corporate phones, especially if they give them to their kids.”
“Dad always did have an uncanny ability to call at the most inopportune times,” Trey says, shooting me a grin. I can feel my cheeks warm at the thought of our first encounter.
“Alright, give me your phone. If you haven’t updated to the latest iOS I can clone an encrypted, secure phone for you,” Anthony tells Trey.
“I never update anything,” Trey replies with a chuckle. “I’ve always found my phones get more fucked up every time I do an update.”
“That’s great.” Anthony hands the secure phone to Trey. “Just plug in your Apple ID and password. Both phones will be completely functional, but if someone is tracking you, they will only see the location of your old phone. We’ll let Romeo take that one with him. It will make this switch one hundred percent believable.”
Anthony takes Trey’s old phone and hands it to Romeo. “What does it feel like to suddenly be a multi-billionaire?” He says with a laugh.
“Yeah, right.” Romeo rolls his eyes. “If I had billions on top of all this?” He moves his hands down the length of his torso. “No female would stand a chance.”
“Oh good God!” Bolt quips. “Are you sure you can handle him, Jules?” He shakes his head and turns toward the door. “I’m going to go check in with your bother,” he tells Trey before heading out of the room.
“We need to get moving too,” Anthony adds. “Lets get you guys changed and get out of here. I’m anxious to stir up the pot.”
Chapter 4
Trey
It feels odd as Mandy and I walk through the corridors of the hospital wearing scrubs. It was even stranger to see how much Romeo and Jules resembled us when they left. I look over at Mandy’s ass as we turn a corner. She looks pretty cute damn cute in hers.
“I saw that,” she scoffs, looking back at me. “You look pretty hot as a doctor, too.”
“Actually, I’m a brain surgeon,” I tell her with a wink. “Highly skilled and all a
bout precision.” I smile as she shakes her head and laughs.
“Oh, I know you’re highly skilled and I’ve experienced the precision,” she counters, reaching back for my hand.
“Okay, you two,” Anthony groans behind us. “If I have to spend the next few days with the two of you…”
“We’ll behave,” I turn back and assure him. “We’ll keep the sickening stuff for later.” I laugh and pull Mandy toward me as we walk stride for stride down the main corridor of the hospital.
“Have you guys left?” Anthony says behind us, talking on his phone. “Okay, awesome. Just let them follow and proceed to pick up the others,” he tells the person on the other end. “Don’t do anything unless you are provoked. I’m leaving with Trey and Mandy now.”
He hangs up the phone and turns back to us. “Where are you guys staying?”
“We have a suite at Park South since it’s only a couple blocks from here,” I inform him. “That way we could just walk down the alley instead of using the limo all the time. I thought it would be less conspicuous, but I guess it didn’t matter since he was tracking my phone,” I add, realizing that it had been a futile attempt.
“Yeah, since he knows you were there, lets go somewhere new,” Anthony suggests. “You are off the radar now, so where would you like to go?”
“The Westin on Grand Cayman,” I reply to gauge whether or not this guy has a sense of humor. “The Governor’s Suite is pretty nice and you can’t beat seven mile beach.”
Anthony actually chuckles. “I think that one will have to wait. How about within the city?”
“I prefer the Four Seasons,” I tell him, as that has always been my favorite hotel. “They have a very cool penthouse. I just paid for several nights there that we didn’t even use.”
“Okay, since you just stayed there, that’s out. How about the St Regis?” he suggests. “Jack and Kate spent nearly a month there when they first got together. They love that place.”
“So did my Dad,” I reply with a sigh. “They always liked the Tiffany room, but it’s a little to elaborate for me. Good God… there is Tiffany china hanging on the walls.”
“Their Presidential Suite was just redone and is totally modern,” Anthony suggests. “That way I can take the front bedroom that is right by the entrance and you two can take the master in the back. I’ll be able to keep you safe.”
“That’s fine,” I reluctantly agree. “I’ve heard their service is impeccable.” I pull up Google and click on the number for the St Regis. By the time we reach the parking lot, I have confirmed our room for the night. A shiny black Escalade SUV sits at the end of the row. “Nice ride,” I comment, assuming it’s his.
“It’s not too bad, considering it’s almost ten years old and has a quarter million miles on it,” Anthony replies and turns the opposite direction toward a huge brown Suburban. “It’s not pretty, but this thing can handle grenades, armor piercing rounds and even small rockets.”
“It definitely looks like it could handle almost anything,” I reply, holding back a laugh.
“Best of all, no one will suspect that you are riding in a brown 2005 Suburban.” He laughs as he opens the door for us.
Mandy
Crawling into the back of Anthony’s SUV makes me feel almost invincible. It feels like we are sitting inside of a vault of some kind that is obviously built like a tank. If another sedan tries to mess with us, they will definitely end up on the losing end. I look down on the car parked next to us and feel another twinge of excitement.
Trey slides into the seat next to me. “Are you ready for this?” he asks with a spark in his eyes.
“I’m actually excited,” I reply. “Let’s go kick some ass!”
Anthony throws his head back and laughs out loud. “Give you two a bulletproof SUV and an ex-military chauffer and you are ready to take on the world, huh?” He looks back at us through the rearview mirror and I can see the amusement in his eyes.
“Sorry,” I reply suddenly feeling a little foolish. “I’ve never imagined myself riding in a bulletproof SUV and being escorted by a former military sniper. It’s just blowing my mind a little.”
“Pretty glamorous, huh?” he snorts as he slaps it into gear and exits the parking spot. “I think we are going to have a pretty quiet night. If anyone gets some action, it will be Romeo,” he adds, obviously not thinking about the sexual connotations attached to his choice of words.
“I don’t know…” Trey whispers, giving me a sexy, sideways glance. “I think my odds are at least as good as Romeo’s.” He leans over and kisses the side of my neck causing me to giggle.
“You two will have a room shortly,” Anthony chides, glaring at us through the mirror.
“Sorry,” I reply for both of us. “It’s been a long, stressful day.” I push my hand between Trey’s thighs and lean into him. Being close to him in the back seat is enough to keep me content for the moment.
Trey
As we turn onto Park Avenue and head north toward the St Regis hotel, I begin thinking about everything that has happened in the past twelve hours. Out of all the events that occurred, the one that strikes me most is the fact that Tommy showed up at the hospital. That totally stunned me.
“Did I mention that Tommy showed up at the hospital this evening?” I ask Anthony.
“No. You didn’t,” Anthony replies with a gritty tone in his voice.
“I came into Tyler’s room and he was standing next to the bed talking to him,” I recant. “Tyler didn’t have a clue who he was.”
“Hmm.” Anthony narrows his eyes and grows quiet for a moment before expressing his thoughts on the subject. “There are four scenarios.” He pauses as if he’s waiting for me to ask about them.
“He’s a psychopath and he wanted to see his work?” I ask, guessing that someone like Tommy would fall into that category.
“That’s one,” he looks up at me. “Another scenario is that he is flaunting the fact that he is getting away with executing what he believes is a flawless plan. By coming to the hospital, he is actually gloating.”
“Or he realized that an innocent person in his position would stop in and visit one of the largest corporate shareholders if he were in the hospital,” I add as it occurs to me.
“That’s right. He is obviously a smart man and has become successful by knowing how to present himself and his businesses in a positive light,” Anthony says, nodding his head. “He was probably hoping to run into the investigators while he was there.”
“Yeah, that would put him in a more powerful position than if they approach him at his office,” I reply, thinking back to how it felt to have them show up at my door. “What’s scenario number four?”
“He’s actually innocent,” he says, his brazen eyes once again piercing back at me through the mirror. “Human beings have a tendency to cast blame based on our opinions of a person. That’s how I ended up in Iraq following the 911 attacks.”
I think back to the things that have led me to believe that Tommy was behind all of this. It has been built upon gut feelings, his argument with Bill, his referral of Dr. Potaturri and most importantly his arrogant attitude. “Yeah, I get what you are saying,” I reply after thinking about it.
“He’s guilty,” Mandy whispers, still leaning against me. “I just need to visit Harris and get access to the SEC database.”
“We have to talk to Bill’s daughter and son-in-law tomorrow too,” I add, realizing that he never called me back. “Did Tony and Romeo pick up Aileen and her family?” I ask Anthony as the thought of them begins to weigh on my mind.
Anthony gives Romeo a quick call to check in on them. Listening to his side of the conversation, it’s obvious that something hasn’t gone quite right. “I want you to secure both units making sure that there are no alternate entrances and then no one is allowed in or out. No one,” he adds with the emphasis of an authoritarian dictator. He lowers his phone and looks up at the mirror. “Her husband is missing,”
; “Fuck! I was afraid of that.” A shiver goes right through me. “We have to keep Aileen and her mother safe. They are probably the only other ones who know what is going on. Them and maybe, Carly.” I scroll to her number and try her again, but it goes right to voicemail just as it did the last time.
“Carly, it’s Trey again. You need to give me a call as soon as you get this message. We just found out that Aileen’s husband, Nolan, is missing. At this point, I don’t think any of us are safe,” I tell her in the message, hoping it will prompt her to call me back.
“You are all safe,” Anthony immediately corrects me. “As long as everyone follows our direction, no one else will get hurt. I guarantee it.” His eyes remain focused on the mirror, awaiting my acknowledgement.
“Okay. I stand corrected,” I tell him. “It’s just that I knew they were in danger and it was such a helpless feeling. I could tell by the way Tommy looked at Becky that she wasn’t safe either.”
“Becky is with Romeo,” Anthony confirms much to my relief. “Everyone will be secure at Trump Tower shortly. Who is Carly by the way?”
“She was Dad’s fiancé,” I inform him. “She’s the one who introduced Dad and Bill to Tommy. She is apparently on a flight to Belize right now.”
“Belize, huh?” Anthony scowls. “That’s where money and criminals go to hide,” he says, confirming what Chester had told me earlier. Why would Carly need to hide money or herself for that matter? Hopefully she will call me back. It would be nice to talk to someone who actually knows what is going on.
Mandy
I find myself thinking back to the conversation we had earlier with Becky. If Carly introduced Tommy to Bill, it is possible that she played a role in helping him sell the business. Since Bill is the chairman of the board at Addison Media, I imagine that created some kind of a conflict of interest for her. If Tommy paid her a commission, she probably didn’t want either Victor or Bill to know about it.
“What’s on your mind?” Trey asks as the SUV slows and we pull up to the curb in front of the hotel.