Relentless

by Brent Towns

  Kane said, “Zero, I’ve spotted the package. I’m moving to intercept.”

  “Copy, Reaper One.”

  Kane and Arenas reached behind their backs to draw their M17s when Thurston’s voice flashed over the net. “Stand down, Reaper One. I say again, Stand down.”

  “Repeat, please, Bravo. Did you say stand down?”

  “Affirmative. Wait my next.”

  Kane glanced at Arenas and saw a similar confused expression on his face to what was on his own. What the hell was happening?

  AISE Safehouse

  Turin, Italy

  “Stop this operation now!” Agenzia Informazioni e Sicurezza Esterna agent Efisio Capello demanded as he burst into the room, flanked by two other agents from Italian intelligence.

  Thurston whirled around, staring at the man with slicked-back hair and beady eyes, a look of irritation on her face. “What do you mean stop? Your people signed off on this operation to get our person back.”

  “That was before they knew it was Bellandi who had her.”

  “Stand down, Reaper One. I say again, stand down.”

  A pause.

  “Affirmative. Wait my next.”

  “Good,” Capello said with a curt nod. “Now, you will recall your men.”

  “The hell I will.”

  “If you do not, I will have you out of this country within the hour.”

  Thurston’s face was clouded with rage. Through gritted teeth, she asked, “Why? Tell me why I should leave my person in the hands of this killer?”

  “We are currently in the middle of an investigation of Bellandi’s whole operation. If you do this, it will jeopardize many months of hard work.”

  A million thoughts raced through the general’s mind until one stuck. “What if we could help you with him? Take the son of a bitch off the map.”

  “How?”

  “He imports drugs, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Drugs are what we are good at. What if we could stop him and get our person back at the same time?”

  “Keep talking.”

  “I take it that you have the locations of his operations.”

  “Yes.”

  “How about we have our people raid one of those locations, confiscate whatever we find, and then set up a trade for our person? Then you and your team can be on hand to take him down once we have her back.”

  Capello looked skeptical but nodded his agreement. “OK. But if this goes wrong, you and your people are out of Italy for good.”

  “It won’t go wrong,” Thurston said. Then, “Reaper One, abort mission.”

  “Say again?”

  “You heard me. Mission terminated. RTB.”

  Turin, Italy

  Kane was incredulous. The words he was hearing were almost incomprehensible. He was being ordered to leave a teammate behind for a second time. When it happened the first time, it went against everything he stood for. This time it was unforgivable.

  “Ma’am …” he started to protest but was cut off by Ferrero.

  “Reaper One, follow the damned order. Abort the fucking mission.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  The two men started towards the door, anger coursing through their veins. When Kane looked back one last time, Cara had just stepped into the cage. “Hang in there, Cara. We’ll get you back home.”

  Cara flexed her aching muscles and brought up her taped fists. Her third fight in a week, and it was beginning to tell on her body, both visually and internally. She was almost certain she carried a busted rib from her last fight as well as the bruises on her face and body. Her facial ones, however, weren’t as bad at the others.

  The upside of it was that at least now she had a way of releasing her pent-up rage, and no one was trying to rape her.

  Her first fight had lasted all of one minute. She was sure that it had been a test to see how good she was. The second was against a much stronger opponent, and she’d taken some serious blows before working out the woman’s weakness and exploiting it.

  This one, however, was different. Cara had heard talk in the back room that Bellandi had picked the woman especially for this fight and bet heavily upon her. Apparently, she was ex-Italian military, and Bellandi stood to win a lot of money if she could defeat the American.

  Which meant that Cara would have to beat her quickly if she was to have a chance. The longer the fight went on, the less likely that she would come out on top. Who knew what sort of serious injuries she might sustain, maybe even a fatal one.

  The worst part was that there were no breaks, no rounds. It was fight until the victor was the only one left standing.

  The opponent exuded aggression and came at Cara with a confidence designed to put her on the back foot from the outset. So, she let her come, and when a flying right elbow came at Cara, designed to finish it quickly, Cara dropped to her knees, ducked under the elbow, and hit the woman a solid blow to her middle, stopping her in her tracks.

  Gasping for air, the woman stepped back. Cara leaped to her feet and hit her in the face with a clenched fist. Blood spurted onto the canvas floor in large droplets from a broken nose. Cara hit her again, this time with a right elbow that almost shattered the woman’s jaw.

  Every blow was telling, but the last was devastating. The woman’s eyes took on a glazed appearance as the lights slowly began to fade and unconsciousness set in. Another blow was totally unnecessary, but Cara wanted to make a point to Bellandi, who sat in his seat, stunned at the outcome.

  Around him, the crowd went into raptures at the overwhelmingly powerful performance they were witnessing. Cara stared at him, making sure he made eye contact with her before she spat on the canvas and whirled about, bringing up her right foot in a powerful roundhouse kick.

  The Italian woman’s jaw broke under the impact as she was spun around by the force and crashed to the canvas, out cold. Cara had defeated her without so much as getting a hand laid on her person.

  The angry glare on Bellandi’s face said it all. He was far from happy that his scheme had failed. Rising from his seat, he pushed his way through the crowd, his wife and bodyguard following him.

  Chapter 14

  Team Reaper Briefing

  Milan, Italy

  This is where Bellandi stores a sizable portion of his drugs,” Capello explained, showing the team a large satellite picture exposure. “It is a furniture factory outside of Milan.”

  Kane studied the photo and asked, “Where do they keep the drugs?”

  The AISE agent sighed. “We’re not sure. We know they are there, but the exact location is uncertain.”

  He brought up a blueprint of the factory and indicated an area towards the rear. “We think that the drugs are there. However, according to our sources, there is a basement underneath the factory, which is another possibility.”

  “Why can’t your source confirm the location if he can tell you that there is a basement?” Axe asked.

  “Our source is one of the men who constructed it many years ago. We cannot get anyone on the inside to speak because they are all scared of Bellandi.”

  “Any security cameras that are accessible?” Kane asked.

  “No.”

  “So, we’re going in blind?” Axe asked.

  “I’m sorry, but we thought this was the best one for your team to hit. It is the furthest away, which means that it will take the longest time for reinforcements to travel to the site.”

  Kane stared at Capello. “What reinforcements?”

  “Bellandi can have twenty men there within fifteen minutes once the alarm is raised.”

  “Then we’ll have to go in quietly. How many men does he have on site?”

  “Ten at any one time. They are all well trained.”

  “Why haven’t your people taken this hombre off the map?” Arenas asked.

  “Because he is like the octopus. He has tentacles everywhere. Whenever we try to arrest him, he is forewarned, and we get nothing.”

  “So, what
is different this time?” Ferrero asked.

  “I have told no one.”

  “Isn’t that kind of dangerous for you?” Kane commented.

  “Only if you get caught,” Capello said with a nod. “But I must ask one thing of you. If you succeed, and you are able to set up the trade, I would like for you to kill Bellandi.”

  Kane’s head snapped up. “I thought you were taking him in alive?”

  Capello shook his head. “We cannot. If he goes before a judge, he is as good as free.”

  “So, you want us to kill him for you?”

  “Yes.”

  Axe smiled as he said, “I think we can accommodate you there.”

  Kane looked at Thurston and Ferrero. “This is your call. I don’t like being someone else’s hitman, but this guy needs to be taken off the board.”

  They both nodded. Thurston said, “Do it.”

  “Can we have a UAV over the target area with thermal imaging?” Kane asked.

  Everyone looked towards Reynolds and Teller. The former said, “Sure, if we’re allowed to fly it in Italian airspace?”

  Capello snorted. “Please, I already know that you have had one operational at least once since you have been here.”

  “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  “Thermals will help,” Teller allowed. “At least you won’t be blind. But instead of an MQ-9 Reaper, why don’t we try for something a little smaller?”

  “What did you have in mind?”

  “A Wasp III, nice and compact, will do the job.”

  “Don’t you have to be close with that one?”

  “One of the team could fly it.”

  “There’s no time to teach them,” Kane said. “Brooke, can you do it?”

  “Sure.”

  “Good, break out your kit, you’ll be coming with us. You and Traynor can sit outside the perimeter while we breach.”

  Teller said, “The Wasp can be programmed to fly autonomously.”

  Kane shook his head. “I want someone in control of that thing at all times. It’s a good idea though. We’ll insert tomorrow night. Full combat gear. We neutralize all threats before we even move on the target. The key is to be able to get in without the alarm being raised.”

  Arenas turned his gaze to Capello. “Can we expect any help from your people?”

  “No. You are not even here. According to my superiors, you flew out earlier today.”

  “How is it your people are scared of this man?”

  “He operates like the Mexican Cartels. This man even scares the Mafia.”

  “Well, once we’re done, no one will fear him again,” Thurston pointed out.

  “I hope you are right.”

  Team Reaper

  Milan, Italy

  “Reaper One? Bravo One. The Wasp is in the air.”

  “Copy, Bravo One.”

  The Wasp III was a UAS, Unmanned Aerial System, which was classed as a micro-system. It was mainly used for surveillance and recon in combat situations and could operate at low altitude. It was compact and could fit into a briefcase when broken down and was only armed with a high-resolution day/night camera. But for what the team was about to do, it was ideal.

  A few minutes after being hand launched, Reynolds came back over the comms. “Reaper One, I have visual, over.”

  “Copy, Bravo One. We’re moving.”

  Blocking their path was a chain-link perimeter fence. Axe set about cutting an access hole while Arenas pulled rear security. After a couple of minutes, the hole was big enough for them to pass through. “Reaper Team entering target.”

  “Reaper One? Bravo One. You have two tangos headed your way from your two o’clock. Three more are patrolling various parts of the perimeter, and another five are inside the factory. Three are on the ground level while two more are on the first floor.”

  “Roger.”

  Kane moved through the opening first and waited on the other side while the others followed. Each man wore a ballistic vest with ammo pouches full. Helmets carried NVGs which were dropped into place, and all three carried suppressed HK416s with laser sights.

  “Reaper One, you should have visual on your tangos any moment.”

  “Copy.”

  Kane waited on a knee, Arenas beside him, for the two perimeter guards. When they appeared, they were walking side-by-side, oblivious to the team’s presence. Once they were within range, both operatives raised their weapons; the lasers reaching out like lances onto the guards’ chests. Two shots apiece were fired, dropping the men like stones down a well.

  “This is Reaper One. We’re moving to secure the perimeter.”

  With virtually no noise, the three operators started to circle the factory. Outside the perimeter, Reynolds worked the Wasp tracking their movements and those of Bellandi’s security. “Reaper One, you have a third guard at your twelve o’clock.”

  As she watched the screen, she saw the red and orange glow of the figure fall to the ground. Then Kane’s voice came over the comms, “Tango down.”

  “Reaper One, you’ve two more around the far side of the factory. It looks like they’ve stopped for a chat.”

  “Copy, Bravo One.”

  “Reaper,” said Axe. “I’ll take care of them. You head inside and clean them out of there.”

  “All right. Watch your ass.”

  Axe moved swiftly towards the corner of the building, while Kane and Arenas located the door they were meant to breach. The Mexican reached out and tried the door. It opened without resistance. Both men lifted their NVGs, and Arenas pushed the door open wide enough for Kane to enter and sweep the other side of the opening.

  “Bravo One, call it.”

  “Roger that. You have a tango to your right, behind what appears to be a stack of crates.”

  Kane and Arenas moved swiftly, and the guard was surprised when two armed men appeared in front of him. Kane put him down with two shots, and then they moved on to the next target. Within minutes, the ground floor was clear, with two more going down without any hassles, and they moved to the first floor, achieving a similar outcome.

  Kane said into his mic, “Reaper Four, sitrep?”

  “Two tangos down outside, Reaper.”

  “Inside is clear too. Come on in.”

  They worked their way through to the back of the factory where they found the entrance to the basement. Moving silently down the stairs on rubber-soled boots, they then entered a dark room. Using his NVGs, Kane located a switch for the lights and turned it on. The trio flicked up their night vision as the lights came up, then inhaled deeply at the sight that lay before them.

  “Zero, we have a bit of a situation here.”

  “Copy, Reaper. What seems to be the problem?”

  “We’ve found no drugs, only some money.”

  “Roger that. How much money, Reaper One?”

  “I’m not really sure.”

  “OK, take a wild guess.”

  “I’d say at least two-hundred million. We’re going to need a truck.”

  Milan, Italy

  The grand total of what Bellandi had stored in the basement was actually two-hundred and sixty million. But not anymore. Within an hour, it had been cleared out and transported to a safe location. Now, just after ten the following morning, the team were gathered around throwing ideas back and forth working out their next move.

  “We set up a meeting with Bellandi, isn’t it obvious?” Axe asked.

  Capello shook his head. “Not if he doesn’t want to be found.”

  “What about his wife?” asked Kane. “Do we know where she is?”

  Swift filled in the blank. “Her and Bellandi have a large house, one of many, outside of Milan. I’ve tracked her there.”

  “Is she on her own?”

  “As far as I can tell, there are five guards watching over her.”

  “Give me an address, and I’ll pay her a visit.”

  Thurston asked, “Are you sure you want to go on your own?”

  “
I’m a big boy.”

  “OK, but stay on comms.”

  “Sure.”

  Kane went to the bathroom and tidied himself up, making sure that he looked his best, then got the address from Swift and took one of the team’s SUVs. As he drove across Milan towards his target, his mind wandered to Cara and what she must be going through. It didn’t take long before the GPS navigator announced that he had arrived at his destination, the Bellandi house. Except it wasn’t a house, it was a mansion. Driving up to a pair of ornate wrought iron gates, he reached his arm out the window and pressed the button.

  “Si?”

  “It’s your friendly neighborhood horse.”

  There was a moment of silence, and then the gates began to swing open. When there was enough space to admit his vehicle, Kane drove through and up to the front steps of the impressive house. He was met there by Elettra and two of her bodyguards. While the men were attired formally in suits and ties, the former porn starlet had dressed down for the occasion and had on a too-small bikini top and a micro mini skirt with more tanned skin on display than was covered.

  Kane climbed out and shut the door on the SUV. He made a show of looking around at the double-story façade and said, “Quite a place you have here.”

  “You are either very brave or very stupid, Mister Horse. Which is it?”

  He smiled, remembering the name. “My friends call me Reaper.”

  “I do not think that we are friends.”

  “That’s a shame. It wasn’t that long ago you wanted to be more than friends,” he said, smiling and raising his eyebrows at her.

  “That would have been a mistake.”

  “I guess we’ll never know. Are you going to invite me in?” He indicated the house with an expansive gesture.

  “Why should I? One word and my men will kill you.”

  “I want to talk business with your husband,” Kane explained.

  “He’s not here. He has had an emergency.”

  “But you are. Perhaps you could pass it on.”