“Hyung,” Jack whispered, but it made Scratch stop. Brother, he’d called him. Jack meant business.
“Stop and tell me what happened,” Jack finished when Scratch took a breath. Scratch sat down on the floor, in the middle of the mess he created, and poured out the meeting with Eagle with everyone, not breaking stride about the video with Monica.
“I warned you,” Jack yelled at him.
“And I don’t give a damn,” Scratch yelled back. “She’s more important than this shit, Jack.” The announcement was met with silence in the room. Scratch sighed roughly, lowering his head to his hands.
“I can’t have her in danger,” he said after some time.
“What about you? You’re in enough right now,” Araceli pointed out.
“She’s right. The island has been purchased, and the house is on the way to being built. We have a place to go, but we can’t mass exodus without Eagle knowing it’s a trap. He’d have every bit of law enforcement on our trail before we even got out the states,” Glitch said.
“Fuck me,” Scratch said, tossing the phone book at the wall.
“It doesn’t matter. If the island is ours then we have to start moving. We don’t have a choice. I’ll have to start with Scratch, of course. Luckily, I’ve been working on his package since our last meeting,” Jack added.
“I’m not going,” Scratch said quietly. “Not without her.”
“Are you out of your damn mind? You’ll end up back in prison, or worse. We need to get you out, and then we can think about everything else. You don’t even know if she’ll go.”
“Her partner knows who I am, and so does she.” Scratch dropped that bombshell, and looked right at Jack, he knew that’s who would be the angriest. He was right. Jack didn’t say a thing, but his cold stare said enough. He paced back and forth in front of Scratch. Araceli moved, but Glitch stopped her.
“Jack—” Scratch didn’t get to finish before Jack was on him. They rolled on the floor, but Scratch couldn’t block the blow to his chin, or the one to his stomach. He sucked in air, trying not to pass out from the impact.
“You fucking dumbass. We’re family. Family” Jack roared, hitting him again. Scratch took the hit before rolling under Jack and striking out. He landed a punch, right to the corner of Jack’s eye, and then pushed up to get him off. It didn’t work. Jack was unmovable.
“She’s family too,” Scratch forced out. “I don’t know what I’d...Jack, please.” Jack pushed away from him roughly, sitting across from him. Scratch sat up slowly as Glitch released a breath. He leaned forward and rested his head on Jack’s knee. He knew how hard this was for his friend. How the prospect of losing any of them would tear him up inside.
“Help me,” he said to Jack.
“That never was a question,” Jack said back harshly. “You should have told us that they knew who you were.”
“Her brother worked my case, Jack. How the fuck was I supposed to be prepared for that?”
“Her brother?” Araceli asked, sitting on what used to be the back of his overturned couch.
“Yeah, the agent that believed I didn’t need to go to prison for that rap. She figured it out, but she didn’t say a thing. Her partner went snooping for another reason. He just blindsided me before I even got to speak with Eagle,” Scratch explained. Jack stood and then reached out to help Scratch to his feet.
“Change of plans then. Scratch, you and Monica go first. Safest place will be somewhere with no extradition laws that you can move through freely until you can get to the island. I need to put a pack together for Monica. You’ll go separately to your rendezvous point out the country.”
“Jack,” Scratch began.
“Don’t fucking argue with me. It’s the way it has to be done. We all go separately until it’s safe to meet. That way if one gets caught, the others are safe. That’s the way, or I’ll knock your ass out and ship you to the destination. I swear to fucking God.”
“What’s the timeline?” Glitch asked. “If they know who he is, they can’t make anything stick for now, so he’s safe, for now. We all had legal name changes so they can’t get us for falsifying documents, but if this shit with Scratch makes them dig into TopSec any deeper, then it’s a matter of time before they find some crumb.”
“Two days, minimum,” Jack answered. “I’ve got to change Scratch’s itinerary if he’s going to be taking Monica. I don’t have a choice. We have to field them for that long.”
“How are we going to explain his disappearance? I’ll work on stopping any further looking into Scratch’s file. It’ll be a patch job, but enough to flag maybe Agent Axe’s looking.”
“I think he’ll have his own problems, soon enough. We all know Eagle has an inside man. Axe is collateral damage. Monica is not,” Scratch answered.
“Since he did such a bang up job destroying his apartment, I can use this. I’ll need to take some blood though Scratch,” Jack added.
“The fuck?” Araceli said, looking at Jack.
“Let’s say, for now, that Scratch got tied up in some shit he’s been doing behind Eagle’s back. Wouldn’t be that far of a stretch that he’d get snatched from his apartment. Hell, even the FBI could have done it, for all we care. Slash some more blood around here and it’ll look like he nearly died in the struggle.”
“I think I’ll get with Eagle’s replacement hacker. He’s been feeding me some info, slowly. He’s still spooked, but he thinks he may have a lead on Scratch’s replacement to flip him. He may be able to help me create a net around Scratch’s disappearance. What about his family?”
“What about them?” Scratch asked.
“I don’t know if Eagle will go for the FBI coming for you, with his inside man, but your family is big shit still right?”
“I don’t know yet. Haven’t reached out to any contact. Didn’t want them to know I was out of the slammer. That would make them think I turned snitch and they’d go farther underground, and come after me. But Monica did tell me my father died a few months back and my uncle took over.”
“Then let’s make Eagle think they think you’ve turned snitch. They found out that you were out and came for you. He wouldn’t expect that, and I can find out what I can and lay some trails here.”
“Then do it, Glitch. Turn Scratch into a snitch. As far as Eagle is concerned, Scratch is trying to make his own deal and get the fuck out of here. Keeps us in while we try to be good little boys and ‘find’ him. I can work that.”
“Him is right here. Tell me what you need from me,” Scratch interrupted before Glitch could speak again.
“I’m going to need blood. A molar or two will help too,” Jack said. Scratch groaned but didn’t argue.
“I need nothing. Once I get to work I can lay the trail myself. Any idea where some of your family may be?”
“Knowing my uncle, he’d pick somewhere in your neck of the woods Glitch. Something as far away from big city and big city cops. He’d need to rebuild. He doesn’t have the finesse my father had, but he makes up for it with viciousness.”
“Chicago has big name cops, but Idaho, Montana, Arkansas, those states aren’t as heavily populated like that. More open. I’ll look there first.” Glitch said.
“Man I miss Chi town,” Araceli added. Scratch chuckled. Leave it to Araceli to lighten the mood thinking of the place she and Glitch had come from.
“I have to see Monica.. Getting my molar will have to wait,” Scratch said to Jack.
“Oh, I can get rid of them without messing up your pretty face. Believe me. Better to do it now, while I have the tools to make it painless, instead of doing it before you need to leave. Besides, I can take blood then, over the next couple days, until I have enough. You need to be well replenished by the time you move to escape, trust me.”
“Put something on those hands, while you’re at it. They probably won’t swell too bad, since your body is used to fighting, but you don’t want those wounds to point you out,” Glitch added.
&nbs
p; “I’ll get him cleaned up. At least now we can get the ball rolling. Once Scratch is gone, Eagle will be out for blood. Things will be going downhill from there,” Jack said.
“No shit. He’ll have to rely on us to find him, and still get us taken care of. We’ll be walking a tightrope for real. Scratch, you will just have to keep your head down. We don’t show up within a realistic time, then live your life. We won’t make it.”
“I’m not even going to comment on that bullshit. You’ll make it. We all will. Better to start now then. Jack? How painless is this going to be?” Scratch asked, already rubbing his jaw. Jack simply smiled and Scratch swallowed. No one. Absolutely no one could scare the shit out of him like Jack.
Chapter 18
SCRATCH was still reeling when he reached the St. Regis. Nothing that had happened in Eagle’s office was unexpected. The tension in Scratch had been building for so long that it was a wonder he didn’t snap the man’s neck. What did throw him for a loop was the threat to Monica. That was not acceptable.
Walking through the lobby, Scratch didn’t waste anytime with idle chitchat. Being a regular, he was on a first name basis with the staff. They loved him because he tipped well, and didn’t brow beat them with the usual airs of the hoity toity clientele that frequented the hotel. On a typical night he might stop and talk shop with the doorman, or the ladies at the front desk. If he had time to kill, the well-known concierge would inform him of the latest hotspots in the city. He was in the mood for none of that. All he hoped was that Monica was waiting for him in his room.
He was disappointed when he found the room empty. Maybe it was for the better, he thought. He paced for a few moments before he settled into the wing back chair in the living area. Scratch looked around at all the opulence he had come to take for granted all these years. It was with ease that he slipped into the false sense of reality that Eagle had given them. Probably him more so than Glitch or Jack, because he was the one who so desperately needed to feel something. Scratch felt deserving of the money and all it’s trappings since his life was pulled out from underneath him. He helped to make his family millions and they’d tossed him out in the cold without a backwards look.
While he was ruminating over his luck, or lack of it, the lock for the room door clicked open. Monica entered with an air of uncertainty, and a look of concern in her eyes. It was with a sigh of relief that he rose to greet her. She could have stood him up, left him hanging, but she took another risk. For him.
“I was worried that you might not show,” Scratch admitted as he stalked toward her.
“It crossed my mind,” she said dryly, but her expression was soft with humor.
“Well, I’m glad you came,” he said with seriousness. He walked until he was just a few feet in front of her. He stopped, knowing that if he had her in his arms too early, then he wouldn’t say the things he needed to say to her.
“And here I am,” she said shakily.
Scratch reached his hand out to her, and she accepted with a nervous smile. Pulling her into his arms, he let the warmth of her nearness soothe him. Monica wrapped her arms around his waist, holding on tight as he stroked her hair. All he wanted to do was lift her into his arms and carry her into the bedroom. Get lost in the comfort that was singular to her, but he settled for a chaste kiss to her lips. He led her over to the comfortable stuffed leather couch in the sitting room. Gesturing for her to sit, he turned toward the bar that was stocked with his choice of refreshments.
“Would you like a drink?”
“Will I need one?” It was a joke, but that hint of concern lingered in Monica’s voice.
“You probably will with what I have to tell you,” he admitted.
“Then I’ll take one,” she conceded.
Scratch fixed their drinks, two scotch on the rocks, and returned to the couch. He stayed standing as he handed Monica her drink. She accepted it eagerly, letting out a slight hiss as the amber liquid burned as it went down. He watched her intently, trying to decide how to break the bad news to her. Not one to mince words, he chose to just be direct.
“Monica,” he started with a deep sigh. “I’ve got some bad news to share with you.”
“Okay,” she said, emphasizing the ‘k’ sound.
“It’s so bad. I just want you to—”
“Just tell me, Zio,” Monica said, exasperated with his hedging.
“Eagle has a tape of us,” he blurted out.
“Has a tape?” She echoed his words in confusion. “Of what?” Scratch sighed and ran his hands through his hair, leaving it slightly disheveled.
“A tape of us that day in my office. We were on my desk,” he said letting his words trail off.
Monica looked at him blankly, as if the information wasn’t sinking in. Scratch decided to just get it all out, and let her speak when he was done.
“He has a fuckin’ tape and he threatened my life if our little problem didn’t get fixed. The problem being you and Axe looking into my identity, and setting of alarms with the people he’s in bed with.”
Scratch watched for her reaction. Monica’s face was still frozen, even as she placed her drink on the coffee table and rose to her feet.
Her voice was eerily calm as she asked her next question. “So what does this mean?”
She sounded like a child who didn’t quite understand why they were being punished.
Scratch perched on the armrest of the couch as he watched her pace the floor.
“It means that all my problems have gotten that much bigger. It means that my days are marked on Eagle’s calendar, and that you and Axe have got to stop digging,” he answered.
Monica cursed under her breath. This was the same shit that happened with Mark all over again, except this time, Zio’s life was in danger, not just his freedom. Shit, her life was in danger because she was tied to Axe, and she had no idea what he was doing. His hard-on for Zio was inadvertently putting their careers and lives in danger. Well, more danger than she had already brought upon herself.
“And what happens if we don’t stop digging? What if Axe doesn’t want to let it go? How do I convince him if I can’t tell him why I know what I know?”
“Then you distance yourself from him. Ask to be taken off the case. Make sure your superiors know he’s acting on his own. Just get as far away from my file as possible.”
Monica threw her hands up at his last statement.
“Ha! That’s clearly a joke, right? I’d be surprised if there isn’t a file about us! God, Zio! This is my career. Everything I’ve worked toward. What am I supposed to do?”
She picked up her drink, gulping the rest down in one shot.
“Ask to be taken off a case? A case that is supposed to be simple? When now you're telling me that, we weren’t ever supposed to find anything worth a damn anyway? Jesus! What am I supposed to do?”
Scratch tried to imagine what she was going through. Monica was a believer of justice and fighting on the right side of the law. Now she had to try to come to terms with the fact that the law could be as crooked and dirty as the side that Scratch operated on. While she understood his predicament when he explained the conditions of his release to her, he knew it was a struggle for her to keep his secret. But the fact that she had kept it, gave him hope that she would be open to what he said next.
“Come with me,” he uttered in such a low tone that Monica wasn’t sure she heard him until she read the seriousness in his eyes.
“What?” She asked for clarification anyway.
“I said,” Scratch said with more confidence. “Come with me.”
Monica shook her head and began to pace again. “Where to, Zio? Just where would be able to go to escape this?”
“I know of a place,” he said easily.
“Are you being serious? I can’t run away from my career. My life? C’mon.”
“I am being serious. This is life or death for me. Eagle concluded his threats by giving me a few days. It’s safe to say that I probably won�
�t make it through my mini vacation, if he has his way. So it’s time for plan b.”
“Plan b? What are you talking about?”
“This life was never supposed to be permanent, Monica. Eagle’s plan is to use us up and discard us when he’s done. We devised a plan to get out before that day comes.”
“You keep saying we. Who is we?” Monica held her head in her hands as she looked to Scratch to clear up her confusion.
“I know I told you my story, but it’s not just about me. That’s why this situation is getting blown out of proportion. I’m not the only one on his payroll with a hidden past.”
Scratch went on to explain the rest, including his plan with Glitch and Jack. He’d told her about himself, but left his crew out, not wanting to implicate them if things ever went bad and she used the information against him. Now, he was putting it all on the line. Asking her to be a part of his plan and come with him seemed like the smartest thing to do to keep her safe, and keep them together. This woman had turned him from playboy to protector in no time at all.
SCRATCH (Corporate Hitman Book 2) Page 12