by L. T. Ryan
The old man laughed. "Mr. Jack, if I call, you will answer."
"Don't think so, old man."
The old man continued. "If you don't, there will be a price to pay."
"Go to hell."
"I'm sure the little girl enjoys Montana. Perhaps enough to make it her final resting place."
Sonovabitch.
"I'll be in touch, Mr. Jack."
The line went dead. Jack stood on the balcony, leaning over the wrought iron black railing. He watched a small car pull up to the curb in front of the hotel. A door opened and Bear stumbled out of the little vehicle. Jack turned and went back inside. He put his hand on Clarissa's shoulder. "Let's go."
The drive to Ameglia took less than twenty minutes. No one talked. Jack assumed he had pissed off Clarissa. She hadn't looked at him since they left the hotel. Jack couldn’t look at Bear. The old man's words ate at him.
"Her final resting place."
Old bastard might do it too. Bear would freak the moment Jack told him. Better to wait until they finished the job rather than getting Bear upset now.
"Rosalita's." Jack broke the silence as they passed a small stand-alone red brick building. "That's the place. Eats there every night. Stays there from six till ten."
"Let's scout around," Bear said.
They drove around the small town for the next couple hours until they knew every possible escape route and had every street name memorized.
They left town and headed to the coast to relax for a while. Jack found a path that led through some trees to an opening on a cliff that overlooked the sea.
He sat there for half an hour, staring out at the Mediterranean. He wondered if any of the bodies had been found yet. It wouldn't take long for them to figure out what happened after they found one of the Russians he shot.
He heard footsteps behind him, light and quick. They stopped a foot or so from him.
"Did I do something wrong?" Clarissa asked.
"No," Jack replied.
"Then why are you shutting down on me?"
"To protect you."
"I don’t need protection,” she said.
"If I'm worrying about you then I might screw up. If I screw up then one of us might end up dead." He stood up and took both her hands in his. "If you end up dead I won't be able to live with myself. Got it?"
"You're too good to mess up that bad, Jack."
"Explain the last two weeks then."
Bear stepped into the clearing. "It's six. We need to head back."
Jack let go of Clarissa's hands and followed Bear back to the car. They all got in and drove back to Ameglia in silence.
"That's a guard," Jack said. "Definitely one of Charles's men."
Bear stopped the car next to the curb a hundred or so yards away.
"You sure, Jack?" he asked.
"Yeah, I recognize him."
"How many you think he's got with him?" Bear asked.
"Not sure," Jack said. "I know he has a man named Alonso with him. He's working for the old man, against his will from what I gather. So we need to be on high alert. This could be a setup."
Jack looked back at Clarissa. "You recognize that man?"
She leaned forward between the two front seats and narrowed her eyes. Her lips shifted back and forth. She shook her head. "No. Never saw him before."
"Good." Jack handed her a pair of large dark sunglasses. "Put those on." He got out of the car and pulled the seat forward. "Go down there and distract him. Try to get him over to the corner of the restaurant."
"How?" she asked.
"Use your assets." He winked.
She smiled.
Jack got back in the car. "When she reaches the building start moving slowly."
"OK," Bear said.
"Now," Jack said.
Bear started the small car and approached the building.
"Stop here," Jack said.
They watched as Clarissa walked past the guard. She turned her head toward the bald man wearing sunglasses and a black suit. Jack figured she smiled at him. As she walked past the far end, she fell to the ground and clutched at her ankle.
"Wait," Jack said.
The guard turned and walked over to her. Knelt down and reached for her leg.
"Now," Jack said.
Bear stepped on the gas and stopped in front of where Clarissa lay on the ground.
Jack opened the door, hit the pavement and lunged at the man. Jack's outstretched left arm caught the man on the neck. Jack wrapped tight and pulled him to the side of the building. Jack sat back, leaning against the building, choking the guard.
Bear appeared a moment later. He leaned over and delivered two bone crushing shots across the man's face.
The guard went limp in Jack's arm.
Bear pulled him off of Jack and carried him behind the building. He returned a moment later. "He's out."
Jack turned to Clarissa. "How do I look? Any blood?"
She shook her head as she straightened out her clothes.
"OK," Jack said. "Here's the plan. Clarissa you go in and talk to the hostess. Tell her to hang on, come back out and tell us what you see."
She nodded and stepped around the corner of the building. Jack watched her slip in through the front door.
Two minutes later she stepped outside and returned to the side of the building.
"There's another man," she said. "Dressed like the one out here. He is standing in front of a closed off room."
The door opened. Jack looked around the corner. He saw a tall, well-built dark haired man step onto the sidewalk. The man held a cell phone to his ear and fumbled with a cigarette with his other hand.
"Alonso," Jack said as he ducked behind the building again.
"I'll take him out," Bear said.
"OK," Jack said. He pointed at Clarissa. "You distract the guard. Get him away from that room."
"How?" she asked.
"You go inside and tell the hostess to seat you. See the table and then change course. Walk up to him and whisper in his ear. Tell him to follow you to the ladies room."
She smiled.
"And then beat the shit out of him in there," Jack said.
"OK," Clarissa said.
She stepped around the corner. Jack held his breath until he heard the door close behind. He nodded at Bear.
Bear stepped around the corner and Jack heard two thuds. Bear's fist hitting Alonso's face and Alonso’s face hitting the ground.
Jack moved to the door. "Good work, Bear. Wait thirty seconds and then come in."
Jack pushed through the door. He looked around. Saw Clarissa leading the guard by his tie toward the restrooms. Jack smiled. He ignored the hostess and moved through the restaurant toward the back corner and the room with a curtain drawn shut. He stopped outside the curtain and listened.
No one said anything.
He peeked through a tiny slit.
Charles was the only one in there.
Jack opened the curtain and sat down at the table, gun drawn and pointed at Charles's head.
"Hello Jack," Charles said calmly. He placed his hands flat on the table in front of him.
"Charles," Jack said with a nod of his head.
"What brings you to Italy?"
"Your boss," Jack said. "He wants me to kill you."
Charles smiled.
"Something funny?" Jack asked.
"It's a death sentence, Jack."
"What is? Working for the old man?"
"No." Charles lifted his hand and reached for his jacket.
"That's enough of that." Jack straightened his arm for emphasis.
"Relax," Charles said. "I'm just getting my smokes."
Jack kept his arm tight and his finger resting on the trigger. He watched Charles pull back his coat and produce a pack of cigarettes.
"Want one?" Charles asked.
"Trying to quit," Jack said.
Charles shrugged.
"What's a death sentence?" Jack asked.
"Killing me." He
lit his cigarette and let the smoke slowly escape his mouth.
"For you.”
Charles smiled. "Half the old man's organization is behind me. Ready for a change, so to speak. They are tired of his leadership. Things are a mess. Jobs are botched. We are losing our grip."
"The whole organization can go to hell for all I care," Jack said.
"You get the point, though, Jack? You do something to me and they'll know who did it. A hundred guys will be after you, ready to take you down."
Jack shrugged.
"How'd you know where to find me?" Charles asked.
Jack smiled. "Your followers aren't as loyal as you think." He sat back in his chair, but kept the gun pointed at Charles.
Bear pushed through the curtain, dragging Alonso with him. Blood poured from the dark-haired man's nose.
"Why don't you ask him?" Jack said, pointing at Alonso.
Charles shook his head. "You ratted me out to the old man?"
Alonso gritted his teeth and cleared his throat. He spit blood on the floor. "He's got my kid, Charles. Left me no choice."
Charles pushed his chair back.
"Don't move," Jack said. He shot a look at Bear and ticked his head to the side.
Bear stepped back and pulled Alonso out of the room.
"Let's cut the shit, Jack. How much is he paying you?"
"Curious how much your life is worth?" Jack asked.
"I couldn’t care less. I just want to make you an offer."
"I'm listening."
"It really doesn't matter what you do here, Jack. You kill me and it’s next man up. A lot of guys want change within the organization. You can kill the next guy and someone else will take his place. Understand?"
Jack nodded and said nothing.
"The old man is going down. You do this job for him, and you are going down too."
Jack thought about Mandy for a moment, pushed the thought from his head and nodded again.
"Help me take him down, Jack."
Jack raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth to speak.
"I'm willing to let bygones be bygones, Jack. You cracked my skull, left me with a few scars. Screw it, it's in the past. I beat on your lady a bit, she beat on me. Screw it, it's in the past."
Jack nodded.
"Leave now, let me live and you and I have no problems anymore," Charles said.
Jack stood up. His gun still aimed at Charles's head.
"If you agree to help me take down the old man, I'll triple whatever he offered you. Are you in?"
Jack shrugged. He lowered his weapon. "You can live. I'll think about the rest."
He slipped through the opening in the curtain.
"I'm serious, Jack," Charles called from the enclosed room. "I'll triple it."
Jack saw Bear and Clarissa standing near the room. Bear lifted his arms, hunched his shoulders.
"Let's go," Jack said.
"You're not completing the job?" Bear asked.
"No," Jack said. "You and I need to talk about that."
They left the restaurant quickly and piled into the little car.
16
Thump, thump, thump.
Jack sat up in bed.
"C'mon Jack, open up." Bear said from the hall.
Jack took a deep breath. Leaned back. He looked over at the tuft of dark red hair covering the pillow next to his. He rubbed Clarissa's back with his hand and brushed her hair to the side. Kissed her neck.
He got up and threw on a pair of shorts. He opened the door and stepped into the hall.
"What do we need to talk about, Jack?"
"The old man," Jack said. "He told me if I don't do what he wants he'll go after Mandy."
"She's being taken care of."
"He knows she's in Montana."
Bear looked up at the ceiling and wrapped his massive hands around the back of his head. "I need to leave."
"I know."
"What about you?" Bear asked.
Jack shrugged and leaned back against the floral printed wall. "My face is all over the news. I'm missing. I can't risk getting caught. I'll transfer some funds. You’ll need to wire me some cash."
"There's something else, Jack."
Jack raised an eyebrow.
"A body washed up. One of the Russians."
"Shit," Jack said. "The kid say anything?"
"They didn't show him. But who knows what he's saying to the police."
"I'll call Pierre. Find out what he knows."
Bear took a step back and leaned up against the wall opposite Jack. "What about Clarissa?"
"I don't know if she can fly. This isn't a safe place for her, though."
"I'll take her to Rome, get her on a transAtlantic."
Jack nodded. "That's probably best."
Bear turned and walked to his room.
Jack stepped back in his. Closed the door. Turned around and saw Clarissa sitting on the edge of the bed with a sheet barely covering her body.
She smiled.
He frowned.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"You have to go," he said.
"Where?"
"Back to the States."
"Aren't you going too?" she asked.
"Can't," he said. "At least not yet."
"Why?"
"I'm supposed to be missing."
"So, you've been found." She stood up and wrapped the sheet around her body, covering her chest down.
"One of the other men from the boat washed ashore."
"I'm guessing that's a bad thing."
"Yeah," he said. "It’s not good."
"One thing before I go?"
"Anything."
She dropped the sheet and grabbed him by the waistband of his shorts. Pulled him onto the bed. They held each other in passion. An hour later they fell asleep with the morning sunlight filtering in through the window.
Bear drove and Clarissa sat in the passenger seat. He focused on the road and she stared out the window. They didn't say much. She thought about Jack and wondered how long until she would see him again. Finally, she spoke.
"What's on your mind, Bear?"
Bear cleared his throat. "Mandy."
"She OK?"
"Yeah, but," Bear paused, "I need to get her to a safe place."
"Where am I going?"
"Putting you on a cruise ship, transAtlantic. You'll dock in Cape Canaveral. Once docked you have four hours to find and board another ship. That one is going to the Virgin Islands. You are going to get off in the Virgin Islands and not get back on the ship." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. Handed it to her. "That's the number of an old friend of mine. He lives in the islands. He's going to meet you at the pier."
Clarissa took the paper from Bear and looked at the phone number. She went to work memorizing the ten digits.
Bear continued, "I'm going to be down there a few weeks after you get there. Me and Mandy."
"OK," Clarissa said.
They didn't speak the rest of the trip. When they reached the dock, Bear got out and told her to wait. He returned with a ticket and a duffel bag. He handed both to her along with a stack of bills.
"That's five thousand euros and five thousand dollars. Go shopping, get some clothes. Fill the bag. Your ship leaves in eight hours. You can board an hour from now. Spend the next hour or so in the mall right there."
She looked over his shoulder at the collection of stores. She leaned in and gave the large man a hug and kiss on the cheek.
"You be careful," she said.
"You too." Bear got in the car and drove away.
Clarissa followed his advice and spent as much of the money as she could on new clothes. Two hours later she boarded the cruise ship and locked herself in her cabin.
17
Sergei Ivanov sat back in his oversized leather chair. His heavy black boots rested on the antique dark wood desk. He held a typed letter in his thick hands and read it intently.
Across from him two
men fidgeted in their seats.
"What is the meaning of this?" Sergei asked in Russian.
"Murdered," one of the men said. "Dorofeyev was murdered. It was no accident."
Sergei dropped his legs. Leaned in. "Who did this?"
"We think it is a man called Noble." The other man reached into a briefcase, retrieved a photo and handed it to Sergei.
"Jack Noble." Sergei stood and walked across the room. He looked at his reflection in the silver rimmed mirror. His brown hair was parted on the side, thinning a bit. Made sense considering his age. At least he hadn't gone grey. He scratched at the silver speckled scruff on his face and turned back toward the men. "What do we know about Jack Noble?"
"He's an American," one of the men said.
"Did he act alone?"
"We think he was working with the French."
"You think or you know?" Sergei asked.
"We can't say for certain." The man turned to his associate. "Bring him in."
The other man got up and went to the door. He knocked three times and opened it. "Come with me."
Sergei stared at the heavy set man with reddish-brown hair on the side of his head. "Who are you?" he said in English
"Oscar," the man said.
"You have information for me?" Sergei asked.
Oscar nodded. "For a price."
Sergei smiled. "Name it and you shall have it Mr. …?"
"Oscar is all you need to know. And the price is five hundred thousand."
"Euros I presume?"
"Yeah," Oscar replied.
"Deal." Sergei snapped his fingers and one of the men disappeared. "Now, tell me what I need to know."
"The man who killed your men is an independent contractor named Jack Noble. He gave me some bullshit alias, but I knew who he was. He's working with a French operator named Pierre." Oscar reached into his shirt pocket, pulled out a cigarette.
Sergei nodded at the man. "Continue."
"The French government, or at least some part of it, is onto your plans."
"What do you know of my plans?" Sergei asked.
Oscar leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. "Me? Nothing."
"This Pierre, what more can you tell me of him?"
"Not much," Oscar replied. "Based in Paris. Leads a team. He’s covert."
"Can you pick him out of a lineup?”
"With my eyes closed,” Oscar said.