Warning, Part Two (The Vault)

by A. D. Justice

  Lorenzo was inside the house.

  The back door opened, and one of his men carefully leaned out, surveying the backyard. I let him have a moment of false security before issuing my next command.

  “Blow the cars.”

  Flanked by his soldiers, Lorenzo emerged from his fire-ravaged home and started his sprint toward the detached garage. Before he could reach the safety of his bulletproof SUV, it exploded and took his garage out with it.

  “Get Lorenzo outta here! Now!” The soldier in front took point, leveling his gun at everything and nothing in particular while his eyes frantically searched for the threat. He knew we were there, but he didn’t have a clue where.

  The other men shielded Lorenzo and ran across two of the neighbors’ backyards before veering between the houses, headed toward the street.

  “Who has eyes on him?” I whisper-shouted into my communicator. “Do not let him get away!”

  Shots rang out from the street before I could get there. Tires screeched, burning rubber squealed against the asphalt when they peeled away from the curb. Bullets pinged off the metal and bulletproof glass, but Lorenzo and a few of his men escaped. The ones with bullet holes in them still lay on the ground between the houses. The occupants wisely stayed inside, well away from the windows, and minded their own business for the time being. They’d wait until the shooting stopped before calling for help. The shrill sirens would cut through the city noise before long, though.

  We grabbed the wounded men and shoved them into our vehicles.

  “He’s headed toward Queens.” Benny flashed a rare smile toward me. “He’s in for a surprise when he gets there.”

  “He won’t stop. They’ll see the commotion from more than a block away and change course at the last second. In hindsight, I should’ve waited until he got into his vehicle to blow it. A quick, sudden death is too good for him, though. I want my hands around his neck. I want to watch the life drain from his eyes. My smiling face will be the last thing he ever sees.”

  “Lorenzo’s old fuck buddy had a bad night too. Before the guys firebombed her house, they stole her car. When the place lit up like a Christmas tree, they sent her car careening through the yard and watched as it smashed into the front corner of her house. She ran outside in nothing but her flimsy nightgown, screaming and crying, causing a scene.” Benny laughed as he relayed the word from the second team.

  “Where are they now?”

  “A few blocks down the street, waiting to see if Lorenzo shows up.”

  “Tell them not to kill him if they can avoid it. Bring him to me.”

  “You got it, boss. You know he won’t show up, though. He knows we’re gunning for him, and he’s on the run. He’ll get word of this long before he makes it to her house, and he’ll head for safety.”

  “Still. Have them hold there for a while longer just in case. I don’t want to miss another opportunity. We got lucky to find him at home tonight. I didn’t expect him to be there, honestly.”

  “We have Carrie’s place covered in case he grows a pair and shows up there. Don’t worry about her or Jillian.”

  I nodded, grateful Benny could predict my next order. “Think he got my message?”

  “He absolutely got it. He’ll get the rest of it when we send his guys he left behind back to him in pieces.”

  “Abso-fucking-lutely.”

  Chapter Nine

  Jillian

  Living with Carrie over the first few days I was there proved to be…interesting. Around her family, she was quieter, respectful, and an obedient daughter. When we were alone, she was the complete opposite. The little sister I lived with was even more brazen than Damon. I also thought it was hilarious that almost no one in the family knew the real Carrie Marchetti.

  “I love that you’re pregnant with my niece or nephew, but I also kinda wish you weren’t so I could take you out to the clubs.” Carrie set a glass of water down in front of me while she tipped back a longneck beer bottle. “We’d have so much fun.”

  “Give me until a few months after the baby’s born, then you have my permission to take me on an all-night bar crawl.” I laughed and took a sip of my water. “If we can sneak past your brother’s innate radar, that is.”

  She smiled, holding the tip of the bottle close to her lips. “Damon’s intense, I know. My whole fucking family is. The men are all macho tough guys, and the women are supposed to be damsels waiting for distress, so the men can save us. They forget I grew up in this fucking family too. I know exactly how shit goes down, and no one gives me credit for being able to take care of myself.”

  “Why is that? Why are the women treated with kid gloves?” I leaned forward, genuinely interested in her insight.

  “That’s the way it’s always been, back from when my parents lived in the ‘mother country.’ We’ve heard the stories all our lives—about how strict the Italian mob families are, how they don’t tolerate anyone thinking for themselves, how they enjoy living in the dark ages.”

  Carrie snickered, amused with her assessment of the old family life.

  “The thing is, my dad taught me how to handle all kinds of guns. But he also taught me how to fight with my fists. He sent me to nine years of Krav Maga training. I can disarm the biggest brute with simple techniques, no brawn needed. But my parents try to keep me sheltered because they’re afraid I’ll get hurt. It’s maddening.”

  “Why do I have a feeling they don’t know half of what you do when they’re not looking?”

  “Because you’re a very smart woman, that’s why. I love my family, but they refuse to step into this century. They’re adamant about always showing strength so our enemies can’t exploit weaknesses, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have new and improved ways of doing business.”

  “Such as?”

  “There’s a big universe out there in the deep and dark webs. Small-time embezzlement schemes are a dime a dozen, and they leave a trail that’ll get you caught in the end. World domination can’t be achieved with in-person larceny. You have to think globally.”

  “You’ve started your own Marchetti business, haven’t you? What are you doing? Hacking large businesses? Stealing identities? What are you up to, Carrie?”

  “When I first started, that’s along the lines where I dabbled. But I’ve expanded my business beyond that. Information is king now. Insider information for the stock market makes me millions of dollars, but all the other information they leave lying around on the deep web keeps them under my control. Blackmail is still a very effective business.”

  “You’re scarier than Damon and Vincenzo put together, Carrie.” I lifted my glass to toast her bravado. “I’m impressed.”

  “That’s just the tip of the iceberg, sis. I’m building an invisible empire. Untraceable back to me in any shape or form. But every funds transaction eventually flows through my legitimate business, so every penny is accounted for on the up-and-up.”

  “Can I ask why you trust me enough to tell me all this? I mean, you’ve only known me for a short time. How do you know I’ll keep your secrets?”

  She threw her head back in laughter. “Jillian, I’m an excellent judge of character. Reading people is my forte. While Damon may be leery of everyone he meets, and even some people he’s known all his life, I’m not suspicious of anyone who doesn’t give me a reason first. But I also don’t give anyone who crosses me a second chance to breathe either. Want to know what I saw the first time I met you?”

  “Yes. Tell me.”

  “You were naïve, maybe a little too much, but a quick learner. Your family meant everything to you, and you wished you had a huge clan like ours. You wanted to belong somewhere, to fit as tightly as a jigsaw puzzle piece does in the picture on the cover of the box.

  “I knew right away I could trust you because when you give your love, you give
all of yourself with it. My brother royally fucked up when he doubted you, but I don’t doubt your loyalty for one second, Jillian. You’ll be my sister for life.”

  “You’re right on the money—about all of it. And I will be your sister for life, even if I don’t end up marrying your brother.”

  “I knew you needed a breather from him. Believe me, I can relate. You know Mama is already planning your wedding shower and baby shower, right?”

  “Honestly, I figured as much.” I shook my head and closed my eyes, picturing how she’d be hurt if I didn’t let Damon back into my life.

  “You really don’t know if you want him back, do you?” She narrowed her eyes, daring me to lie to her.

  “I don’t have a clue what I want, Carrie. Right now, I’m so confused over everything—what I’m going to do, what I want to do, or even what I should do. Other than kill Lorenzo. That’s the one and only thing I’m absolutely sure of at this point.”

  “As far as my family goes, you don’t need to worry about how they’ll react. Mama will be hurt, but she’ll be fine. She’ll still love you, and she’ll spoil you and the baby.”

  “And Damon?”

  “Damon will be crushed, but he’ll survive. He’s a big boy. It’ll take him a few years to take the hint that you are, in fact, not marrying him, but only because he’s dense and as tenacious as a bulldog. But in the end, this is your life, and you have every right to be happy. No matter what that means.”

  The problem was, I didn’t know what it meant.

  “You want Lorenzo dead, huh?” Carrie asked, her tone taking a serious tone. A deadly serious tone.

  “Yes. Yes, I do.”

  “Do you want to do it yourself?”

  I thought about her question for a moment. Could I do it myself? Could I look him in the eye and kill him? Could I commit premeditated murder?

  Then I thought about my sweet mother and the intense fear she must’ve felt when Lorenzo’s goons held her captive and she was too weak to even try to fight back. I thought about Lorenzo giving the orders to his men but not having the guts to do the deed himself. And I had my answer.

  “Yes, I do. But I want him to suffer first. I want to steal everything he has, crush his spirit, and I want him to know it was me who beat him. Then I want to see the fear in his eyes before he dies.”

  “That’s my girl. Are you sure you’re not already a Marchetti?”

  “Your brother is a bad influence. What can I say?”

  “Do you have anything in particular in mind for destroying Lorenzo?”

  “Let me think about it. I may have an idea or two I’m kicking around. I’m guessing he has a lot of family around here?”

  “He does. You want to take them out first?”

  “I want to reveal his secrets first—so that no one in his family ever looks at him the same again. I want to plaster all his dirty secrets and underhanded dealings across the headlines. Embarrass him, make him and his family look weak until he’s shunned by everyone. Even alienate him from his men.”

  “I love how your devious little mind works. We will make this happen. Even if we have to make up shit and alter photos.”

  “Even better. The more he protests, the more people will believe it.”

  Over the following several days, Carrie stayed glued to her computer, sorting through file after file to collect as much dirt on Lorenzo and his businesses as she could. I could tell when she came across something really interesting—not embarrassing—because the evil glint in her eyes shone even brighter than usual. She kept all her plans and everything she found close to the vest, though. She definitely had one of the trademark Marchetti family traits down pat—the ability to keep secrets from everyone else.

  Until…

  “Hey, Jillian. Let me show you something.” She gestured for me to follow her, so I jumped at the chance to get involved.

  When we reached her secure computer room, I was amazed at her setup. Several monitors lined the wall, paired with multiple laptops and desktop computers. We moved in front of the screen she’d been working on, and she read what she’d found.

  “Looks like my brother has been busy,” she chuckled. “The night you came here, he went after Lorenzo and one of the women Lorenzo used to keep on standby. Firebombed both of their houses before Lorenzo went deeper underground. Damon cast a wider net to get him, though. He put a contract out on Lorenzo’s head, only he wants him delivered alive.”

  “Damon has a contract out on Lorenzo?” I felt like I was running to catch up. “How do you know it’s Damon?”

  “He sure does. And I know it’s him because I know how and where he’d look for help. And I also know the specific terms he uses to identify himself as a Marchetti family member.”

  “How does this work? Do others bid on it? Is it a first come, first served basis or what?”

  “In this case, Damon offered a set amount of money for Lorenzo. So, anyone who captures him can answer in this secret virtual room to set up a meeting with Damon for the exchange of Lorenzo and the money.”

  “Would Damon know who he’s talking to? Would he be able to trace you and find out if we replied to it?”

  Carrie looked up at me, unfiltered excitement shone in her eyes. “He wouldn’t have any idea it was me, and he’d have no way to trace the chat. I’ve thoroughly covered my tracks. You want to accept the contract on Lorenzo?”

  “Yes, I do. We have to flush him out though, right? I mean, if Damon lost him after attacking his house, there’s no telling where he’s hiding.”

  “I can find him. Lorenzo isn’t as smart as Damon. He’s sloppy. That’s why his family isn’t on top. They could’ve been had Lorenzo’s father been more diligent about keeping up with his son. Lorenzo will mess up—he’ll use a credit card under one of his aliases because he thinks no one knows the names but him.”

  “Do you know his aliases?”

  “I sure do. Over the last couple of years, I’ve made it my business to know all about our enemies.”

  “Show me.”

  From her documents folder, she opened a file with several columns of names. At the top of each list was the name of one of the Sanfratello family members. She wasn’t kidding—she’d been keeping tabs on them for quite a while. One name jumped off the page and grabbed me.

  “Rafael Stanzoren.”

  “You know that name,” Carrie stated, knowing she didn’t have to ask. “How?”

  “When I worked at Blaine Financial, I was assigned to a retirement account that was a mess. When I finally untangled everything, I realized money was being funneled out of a company called MadTrich, into the nurses’ fund Blain Financial managed, then obviously into Lorenzo’s pocket. One of the two names tied to the transactions was Rafael Stanzoren. I never found that name on any other document.”

  “What was the other name?”

  “Milo Bianchi.”

  “Milo was one of our family’s associates. He was secretly working for the Sanfratello family. MadTrich is also one of our family businesses, so Milo was using his status with us to help line Lorenzo’s pockets with our money. I’m sure that helped Lorenzo convince our smaller rivals to join forces with the Sanfratello family at first. But those allegiances dissolved when Lorenzo couldn’t deliver on his promises.”

  “Let’s be the first ones to find Lorenzo. Imagine Damon’s face when the two of us show up with Lorenzo in hand to cash in on his contract.”

  “He’ll be pissed as hell, Jillian. That’s the expression you’ll see on his face—like a cartoon character with steam coming out of his ears and his eyes bulging out of their sockets.”

  “Maybe then we’ll be even.”

  Chapter Ten

  Damon

  “Lorenzo is quite the snake, isn’t he? Slithering underground and hiding until he
thinks the danger has passed.” Benny walked beside me toward the car.

  “He knows he’s dead. It’s only a matter of time. Every hit man within a hundred-mile radius will be after Lorenzo now.”

  “Are you sure going to Carrie’s at this time of night is such a good idea? She’s more likely to shoot us than Lorenzo is.”

  I had to laugh at that comment. Not because Benny was wrong, but because he was right on the mark. Carrie wasn’t the innocent little angel the rest of the family thought she was. Our father acted as though she were fragile and would break in two. He put her up on a pedestal and kept her away from anything that could harm her. Or, I should say, he tried to—she wouldn’t have it, though. On the surface, she let him believe he had all the control. In reality, she was a force to be reckoned with, and word had spread about those who learned that lesson the hard way.

  “My sister better not shoot me. That would absolutely ruin my night.”

  I had plans to spend quality time with Jillian. I hadn’t seen her in five days, and I’d reached my limit of waiting. The few texts we’d exchanged weren’t nearly enough to satisfy the need for her burning deep inside me. She resisted my attempts to get her to sext with me. She flat out denied my request to send naked pictures of herself. When I suggested we chat by video, so I could watch her satisfy herself, she said she’d turn her phone off if I even tried it.

  She was slipping away from me. Minute by minute. Hour by hour. Day by day. I was losing her.

  Even more so than when we spent three months apart.

  I had to convince her we were still good together, that we were meant to be together.

  Outside Carrie’s house, I slipped through the yard, around the house, and stopped outside Jillian’s window. With my luck of late, Carrie’s alarm system would already be armed, sounding the bells and whistles the second I tapped on the window.