“Thanks. Much appreciated.” I took the United Cutlery Dagger, and pressed the tip into Gao’s spine. He arched his back and kept walking.
“Don’t even think about it,” Jackal said, training his rifle at one of the henchmen who neared the Uzi on the table we were passing. “Touch it and I’ll cut you in half.”
“Unless anybody here wants this old man to die today, stay where you are, and don’t move a muscle,” I said, aloud.
Jackal tossed open the double doors while walking backward. We followed at his side.
Feng kept his narrowed gaze fixed on us. He made a pistol with his fingers, and pointed it at my head as we vanished beyond the swinging red doors.
“Place a slug in this old man’s head and let’s–”
One of Gao’s henchmen swung out from the blind corner near the double doors with a knife clutched in his hand. The nimble man slashed at Jackal’s arm with lighting fast speed.
The blade sliced through Jackal’s coat to his flesh with ease. He leaned back on his heels, jerking his arm away. The smaller but faster man slashed at Jackal as he blocked each advance with the Uzi.
I tried to get a clean shot, but couldn’t without risking hitting Jackal.
Footfalls rushed up behind me. Hands grabbed my shoulders, and yanked me backward. Gao crouched down, and made for the safety of the red swinging doors as I fired off a single round.
The bullet zipped past the crown of his head and hit the door. He vanished into the other room, leaving us to contend with his men.
An arm slipped under my throat and squeezed. Hot breath blasted the back of my neck as I rammed my elbow into the man’s side.
He reeled from each strike, but didn’t let go. The man was strong and had a firm grip. He arched his back and applied more pressure.
I struggled to breath. The flow of oxygen lessened by the second.
Jackal took damage across his chest as the blade slashed through the front of his coat. He elbowed the man in the face, knocking him off balance. He trained the Uzi at the dazed combatant and fired, cutting him down.
The lights were growing dim as I toed the edge of blacking out. I mustered what fight I had left and attacked with the dagger.
I jabbed the end into the man’s thigh.
He cried out in pain as I twisted the tip inside his muscle. The hold around my neck broke, freeing me from his grasp. I threw my elbow back, connecting with the bridge of his nose.
The hammering of the Uzi pounded my head as Jackal sprayed the door. The swarm of bullets tore through the doors, splintering the wood.
I coughed, then hacked. I spun toward the stunned man and fired a single round. The bullet struck the middle of his forehead. His head snapped back, and the bullet punched through the back of his skull. A fine-red mist trailed the round as his lifeless body crumbled to the floor.
Shouting from the other room seeped through the narrow gap between the swaying doors.
Jackal grabbed me by the arm and tugged. “Come on. Let’s get out of here while we can.”
We raced through the restaurant toward the entrance. Gao’s men crashed through the red-double doors.
Their feet pounded the floor. They shouted in Chinese. Gunfire rang out from behind us. We stayed low, and maneuvered through the maze of tables.
Empty glasses shattered on the tops of each one.
Bullets zipped past us, some impacting the tables.
I didn’t look back, but fired on the run.
We hit the doors, and tossed them open as Gao’s men closed in. I grabbed one of the gold crowd control barriers, and hauled it outside. We each took a side of the large doors and slammed them shut.
I wedged the pole between the two gold handles to the base of the barrier. It was a tight fit, but I made it work.
The doors rattled from the wave of bodies and fists crashing into them. The barrier shifted up and down; the base dipped toward the ground as the Chinese tried to break through. The seam between the doors grew a hair wider with each push.
We backed away and down the stairs, watching the door surge. The Wu Ching gang was determined to get through, and soon, they would.
Jackal surveyed the surrounding buildings for any threats lingering behind the dark windows and glass store fronts. He was the ever-vigilant sentry–always on the lookout for trouble.
I was spent and exhausted from the day’s stringent dealings, but pushed on. The tiredness would wane, and I’d catch my second breath soon.
We were closing in on Lawson, and I had no plans of allowing him to slip through my fingers again.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CORY
Andrès poured another shot of liquor, and gulped it down. He gazed upon me with a devilish smile that made my skin crawl. The wheels turned inside his head, but I struggled to decipher what was on his mind.
“I’ve come to talk business and settle up with you,” I said, breaking the awkward silence that filled the cavernous space.
Andrès set the glass down, then licked away the remnants of the alcohol from his pink lips.
The years had not been kind to the man. He looked much older than I remembered. The crow’s feet in the corners of each eye were pronounced. The youthful, tight skin had changed to wrinkles that drooped. Strands of silver ran through his well-tended, shoulder-length hair.
The women who clung to him didn’t seem to mind his aged appearance. Then again, money had its advantages.
“Business, huh? Settle up? I didn’t realize you owed me a debt,” Andrès replied with a raised brow.
Everyone’s got jokes today it seems.
I glanced over to Juan who stood with his hands cupped in front of him. His goons kept a few paces behind Anna and I with their AKs pressed to their chests.
“I’m here to settle up the IOU you have open with me,” I replied. “Is there some place private we can discuss business? I don’t want to take up any more of your time than is needed.”
Andrès pointed at me, then shook his head. “Man. Right to the quick. No small talk or catching up with your old pal, huh? I’m hurt, Cory. How long has it been since we’ve seen each other last? Five years? Eight years? Hell, I can’t remember. It’s been far too long, though.”
“It’s been a while for sure,” I answered, not knowing how long it had been since I had spoken with him last. It was beside the point, but I entertained him anyways. “I think it’s been around eight years or so.”
“That’s right. It was around the time that wife of yours was about to pop with your seed,” Andrès said with a smirk. “How is the misses and the kid, anyway? Doing well I hope?”
I nodded. “They’re good. I’m just trying to get back to them in Indiana is all.”
Andrès leaned against the island with his hands pressed to the countertop. “I hope they’re doing better than you because you look like shit, my friend. I told you it was rough being out there on your own. You should’ve listened all those years back when I offered you a permanent spot in my organization.”
“Yeah. I’ve been reminded of that,” I replied while peering at Juan who smiled, then winked at me.
Andrès poured another shot. He sloshed the liquor about in the glass before throwing it down the hatch. His face scrunched as he pointed at Anna. “Are you going to introduce me to your friend, or am I not good enough to know the company you’re keeping?”
I glanced at Anna, and shook my head. “I do apologize. This is my friend Anna. Anna, this is Andrès.”
Anna scrunched her lips and waved at Andrès, but remained silent. She stood with her arms folded across her chest. Her gaze fell to the floor as she looked away from him.
“Anna. Anna. Have we met before? I feel as though we have.” Andrès stared at her as if he was concentrating hard.
Anna shook her head. “No. I don’t believe we have.”
“You’re sure about that because I have this thing with faces and yours looks familiar,” Andrès asked again.
Anna drew h
er arms tighter. “I can assure you we haven’t met before. I’d remember if we had.”
Andrès smirked, and looked at me. “She’s got spirit, that’s for sure. I do like my women a bit mouthy. That’s what makes them memorable. Besides, so many come and go that I get them confused at times. It can be hard to keep up with them all.”
Anna offered a half smile to appease Andrès.
“So, is there some place we can talk to discuss things?” I said, trying to get him back to the task at hand.
“Right, right.” Andrès waved his hand, then moved away from the kitchen island. “Yes. Business. We handle it right here. What is it that I can do for you, Cory?”
Here goes.
“Well, I’m needing to see if I can use your private plane to get out of LA. I also need a vehicle.”
“A plane and a car. That’s a tall order, my friend,” Andrès looked confused as he pointed at his head. “I know it’s been many years since we’ve had dealings, but can you refresh me on how I owe you such a debt? I’ve done many drugs and drank copious amounts of the finest alcohol, so my memory isn’t the same as it used to be.” His voice was thick was sarcasm. A hint of attitude lingered on his tongue. He folded his arms across his chest, and stared at me as he waited for my response.
I shifted my weight between my legs, then cleared my throat. “The last job I did for you. The information I extracted from that Cuban garnered you a pretty substantial payday and gave you what you needed to take out that rival dealer who was encroaching on your business.”
Andrès tapped the end of his index finger to his lips as he paced back and forth. “Yes. I do remember that quite well. I also remember that you were compensated for your work. So how do you figure I owe you anything, much less a plane and a car?”
“I was compensated, but the amount you paid was less than our agreed contracting price,” I shot back in a respectful yet stern voice. “You informed me that if I ever needed anything, you’d owe me, and we’d be square after that. Well, here I am.”
“And a plane and vehicle are what is owed, then, to settle my debt to you? Interesting.” Andrès lowered his arms to his side, then placed them behind his back. He walked to a small round table that had a cherrywood humidor siting on the marble top. He cracked it open, and pulled a Cuban cigar from the tan interior.
Anna glanced at me, then at Andrès as he ran the cigar under his nose. He inhaled the rich tobacco scent with his eyes closed.
“This doesn’t seem to be going too well,” she said in a whisper.
“It’ll be fine,” I replied in a hushed tone. I removed the rucksack from my shoulders, and held it up in front of me. “I’ve got 5K in this bag. With the remainder that you owe me and the money here, how far will that get me?”
“For that amount, not too far. Tell me, Cory, do you know how much it costs to get a plane off the ground, and fly round trip across the country?” Andrès snipped the end of the cigar with his silver cutter as he glanced my way.
I lowered the rucksack to my side. Andrès looked at me from the corner of his eye. “I do not. Ten K or so?”
“Ten K? That is a good guess, but double that cost.” Andrès tossed the cutter back into the humidor, then turned toward us. “I’ve procured the best pilot and aircraft, and those two things do not come cheap. To be the top dog in the yard, you have to pay extra for the best. My plane and pilot are no exceptions. He’s proven his value. Even with your 5K and what is left over from what is owed to you, the risk to sending up my plane and pilot doesn’t equate to a good business deal for me. It just wouldn’t be worth my time considering how short you are.”
“All right. How much more do you need for this to happen?” I asked. “What will it take for me to get what I need?”
Andrès pulled a gold-plated Zippo lighter from his trousers. He flicked his wrist, snapping the top back. His thumb worked the flint wheel. A flame rose from the inside casing. He placed the cigar in his mouth and lit the end.
The rich scent of the Cuban filled the air. Smoke escaped Andrès’s mouth as he puffed on the cigar. He snapped the lid closed, and shoved the lighter back into his pocket.
“What else can you offer?” Andrès asked. Smoke clouded his face as he waited for my response. “From where I’m standing, all you have on your person is 5K, some bloody rags for clothes, and that’s about it. Unless you can pull some more funds from your ass, I’d say I can’t help with your request.”
Shit. Give me a break.
I said the first thing that popped into my head. “At the moment, nothing else. But I can promise you whatever the price is, I’ll make it happen. You have my word. Considering our history, that should be worth a lot.”
Andrès puffed on the Cuban, then looked at Juan who shrugged. The two men eyed one another for a few seconds before he pulled the cigar from his mouth. “You know, Cory, I’d love to extend this gracious favor without money in hand, but times have changed. What you ask, I cannot do.”
I took a step forward. The large, Hispanic man flanking me followed suit. Andrès looked at me as I sighed, then rubbed my hand over my face. “Please. I know what I’m asking is big, but I am good for the money, and swear on my life that you will get what is owed to you. We go way back, so you know my word is my bond.”
Smoke escaped from Andrès nose as he looked at me. I didn’t care much for begging or pleading, but one did what one had to.
“I’ll tell you what. I’ll let you use my plane and a vehicle–if you can do something for me. Help out with a tiny problem I have. It wouldn’t be anything you couldn’t handle,” Andrès said.
I refrained from getting too happy. That last sentence caused me to pause, and wonder what he needed. “What sort of problem do you need my help with?”
The rucksack stayed clutched in my hand. I shifted my gaze from Andrès to Juan. From the way they glanced at one another, they looked like they were scheming.
Andrès dismissed the question with a flick of his wrist, then snapped his fingers at Juan. “One of my warehouses was hit recently by the Young Bloods. They managed to score some weapons and other valuables I had stored there. It hit my bottom line, and caused me some problems in other areas of my business.”
Juan pulled his phone from his back pocket and thumbed the screen. He walked over to me while looking down at his phone.
My fingers repositioned over the nylon strap near the zipper as I tried to discern what he was getting at. “Okay. I’m not sure how I can help with that.”
Juan handed me his phone, then stepped off to my side.
On the screen was a picture of a stocky, black man with a red durag tied around the top of his head. Tear drops were tattooed under his right eye. His mouth was crooked and fixed in a snarl. The hint of gold teeth were visible just below his top lip.
Andrès took another puff at the Cuban. “That’s T-dog, the one who orchestrated the hit on my place. I’ve had dealings with him in the past and thought we had a mutual understanding.”
“What went wrong?” I flitted my gaze up from the phone.
Andrès shrugged. “Not sure. We had been on good terms for a while now, staying out of each other’s territory, and conducting business with one another as we saw fit. It was a good arrangement that netted us both a good chunk of change. He wouldn’t have made this sort of move without having a backer of some sort to keep him safe.”
I looked at his picture again. “Got any ideas who hired him?”
“I’ve got a few hunches, but nothing concrete. That’s what I need your help with. To find out the who and why.”
The tiny problem didn’t seem so small and insignificant. Not that I bought it in the first place. “Tracking people down isn’t really my wheelhouse.”
Andrès bowed his head in agreement. “Yes. I’m aware of that. I’m not asking you to find T-dog. I already know where he is. My men tracked him down to a warehouse the Young Bloods operate out of.”
“If you know where he is, then why haven’t
you gone to ask him?” I turned, and pointed at the numerous brutes standing guard around the house. “I’d imagine any of your men could be more than persuasive enough to get him to speak.”
Andrès looked to his minions. “My men are crude beasts and lack the touch of pushing a subject far enough without killing them first. If I wanted him dead, that would be easy, and I wouldn’t need you for that. But I need answers, and someone who can pull that kind of information from a source without killing them before they spill. I had plans of just sending my men, and hoping that they’d return with what I need, but since you’re here, that will work much better.”
I looked at T-dog’s picture, feeling the gravity of what Andrès was wanting me to do for him. I had no desire to dive back into that portion of my life and further risk another incident like on the yacht. If need be, I’d find an alternative way to get Anna to safety, and get back to my family.
“I’m sorry, but I cannot do what you ask,” I said, shaking my head. “You’ll need to find someone else, or go with your original plan.”
Juan took his phone from my hand, then peered over to Andrès who puffed on the end of the cigar.
“I thought we had a deal.” Andrès said. “After all, you need to get back to your little wife and kid, do you not?”
I slung the strap of the rucksack over my shoulder. “I do, but not at the expense of torturing someone again. I just can’t. I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me, but I think we’ll be on our way.”
A grim stare washed over Andrès face as he peered at me through the trails of smoke that rose from the end of the Cuban.
I turned to Anna, then tilted my head toward the rear of the house.
The large, Hispanic man standing a few paces behind me blocked my path. He didn’t budge. I tried to go around him, but he moved in sync with me wherever I went.
With a scowl, his fingers repositioned over the AK.
Brink of Extinction | Book 1 | Sudden Impact Page 16