by Paul Harry
“He says I’ve got till noon before he kills them... What the fuck am I going to do?”
“We’re going to get you there by noon!” yelled Paige as she floored the gas pedal.
The silence between Paige and Daniel was almost deafening as she drove like a maniac to Sacramento.
“You know he’s going to kill you the moment you enter the house?” she admonished. Daniel nodded. “And probably them too. We can’t let that happen.”
“So what am I supposed to do?” he asked, despondently. “If he sees the cops or anyone else but me, he’ll kill ‘em. I know him − he’s insane.”
Paige gave Daniel a long look. “I just don’t want to see you die.” She gave him a squeeze on the leg.
“Me either...” he quietly sobbed. “Shit, at least it’ll be with them. Fuck! It took me seventeen years to find a real family. And I’ve never even seen their faces...”
Paige said nothing as they drove on, but her anger was building as the wheels in her head churned. She couldn’t let this bastard, whoever he was, get away with this. There had to be something she could do. She thought of the gun in her gym bag−she had plenty of ammunition. But would it be enough? Suddenly an idea struck and she screamed aloud as she whipped the car to the side of the freeway, bringing it to a screeching stop.
“We’re not going to let that happen!” she yelled to Daniel. “Gimmie the phone! I think I know someone who might be able to help.”
* * * *
The rest of the ride to Santa Clara was a whirlwind of panic and stress, but not without purpose−Paige had a plan. It involved two stops, one at Walmart, the other an army surplus store run by a guy she had slept with several years back. She found him online with her phone. Along the way she told Daniel exactly what he needed to do. She promised that if he did exactly what she said, he just might survive the ordeal that was coming.
When they arrived at Los Gatos, Paige followed Daniel’s instructions and minutes later they were in Rudy’s driveway. The two got out of the car and began to prepare. It took less than fifteen minutes and Daniel hoped that Paige’s plan would work. He put on the heavy winter coat they’d bought at Walmart and he stuck the six inch hunting knife into his front pocket. He then called 9-1-1.
The operator answered. “9-1-1. What is the nature of your emergency?”
“My name is Daniel Lewis,” he said. “I want to report a burglary in progress − four twenty-four Aztec Drive. There’s a man with a gun and he has hostages − I heard shots please hurry!”
Daniel ended the call, then dialed his home. The phone rang several times and the answering machine picked up. “I’m here,” announced Daniel.
Mickey picked up the phone on his end. “Yah alone?” he snarled.
“Yeah... I want to talk to my aunt.”
“Yur in nae position tae demand anything laddie.”
“If you want me in there, fucker, you put her on.,” snapped Daniel
Mickey looked over to his hostages. He had the three of them tied up in the kitchen, bound and gagged with electrical wire and duct tape. Walking over to Ethyl he ripped the tape from her mouth. “Yur kid wants tae talk,” he said, placing the phone to her ear.
Ethyl nodded, yelling into the phone. “Daniel stay away!”
“Satisfied now?” Mickey spat into the phone. “They’re all alive, but they wonna be if yah don’t get yur arse in ‘ere now!”
“All right, I’m coming in, but I wanna see Katie on the porch. If I don’t see her I won’t come. I’ll disappear right to the police. Benny will love that!”
The threat of Benny finding out about any of this was more than Mickey could handle. He had become so single-minded in his coked out brain that logic had flown out the window a long time ago. He yielded to Daniel’s demand.
“Fine, piss-ant. She’ll be thar.”
Daniel ended the call and handed the phone to Paige. “I’m scared,” he said.
“I know,” she answered, handing him the 9mm. She put her arms around him and gave him a long, hard hug. “You’ve got ten shots. Just click the safety off and shoot.”
Daniel nodded and tucked the gun into the small of his back, hiding it under his jacket.
“You’ve got the hunting knife?”
Daniel patted the front pocket of his jacket. “Right here, where I can easily grab it.”
“Okay, then,” she affirmed, “remember, you need to take charge. It’s the only way. If you do, you just might be able to get your cousin out of there.”
Daniel nodded. “Paige... I will... never forget you.” He gave her a quick kiss.
“Come back,” she said, wistfully, kissing him one more time. Her hand slipped to his crotch where she rubbed him. “I’m not done with you yet.”
Daniel laughed. Hard as a rock, he replied, “I’ll do my best.”
Moving toward the hedge that separated the houses, Daniel gave a quick peek around it to see if Mickey was in sight. He was surprised to see the police car and UPS truck. What the hell were they doing there? Scanning past them, his eyes zoomed in on the front door, and there, peeking out through a small crack in the door was Mickey’s face. It loomed before him−the sweaty brow, nervous eyes, and the licking of his lips. The guy was a wreck, a cannon ready to explode.
Daniel glanced back at Paige. “Here goes nothing.”
He placed his sunglasses on, hiding his eyes, and stepped out and around the hedge. “I’m over here,” he yelled to Mickey. “Where’s Katie?”
Mickey opened the door slowly, dragging Katie into view. He had the girl in a stranglehold with his arm around her chest and neck, his gun pressed to her temple. “She’s right ‘ere, piss-ant,” he yelled, defiantly. “Kum on in.”
Daniel walked slowly toward the house, hoping to give Mickey the impression he was having trouble seeing−hoping he’d be taken in. As he walked, he kept a close eye on the hitman’s face. He could see the blood vessels near his temple beating furiously and the fingers on his gun hand twitch. Daniel knew Mickey desperately wanted to take a shot at him, but he feared missing. If he did, he’d be on the run and he might not get another chance.
When Daniel reached the steps, he saw Mickey step back, opening the door wide for him to enter. Daniel now had a full view of the interior of the house. In the kitchen he could see his Aunt tied to a chair. She looked scared and her eyes were screaming at him not to come in. Behind her was another woman also tied up−she was hurt and really looked out of it. Daniel’s mind raced. Who was she? Her long dark hair raised his suspicions; it had to be Judy Salinski. That made sense. She’d come to help, but got hurt instead. Daniel then noticed the body lying on the floor behind them. He had no idea who it was.
“Come on, piss-ant, quit stalling−aye ain’t got all day,” Mickey snarled.
Daniel took a step. He could tell Mickey was on the edge. Reaching the porch Daniel began to talk, mostly to Katie. It was his first time seeing her and he couldn’t believe how pretty she was−and so young. He had to get her out of there.
“You okay?” he asked, as he stepped toward the front door.
She nodded her head.
“Don’t be afraid−Duffer−en Prise,” he said, giving her one of their chess moves, and hoping to hell she’d understand.
“Enough of the fockin’ small talk, piss-ant. Get in ‘ere,” growled Mickey.
Entering the house, Daniel edged his way back along the inside wall, giving himself a few feet of space. He watched as Mickey licked his lips, knowing full well he had Daniel trapped−that he was going nowhere. He even seemed to relax a little. It was time.
“You sure Benny’s going to approve of your killing me?” Daniel asked.
Mickey smiled his slick, sick grin. “Piss-ant, nuthin’ gets done without Benny’s approval. But this time this one’s on me.”
With the reply barely off his tongue, Daniel did the unexpected. He charged toward Mickey, yelling at the top of his lungs, “Run, Katie, Run!” while pulling the knife out of
his pocket. The blade flashed in the light as he wielded it high above his head, screaming like a madman as he drove it toward Mickey’s chest.
The charge surprised Mickey. There was no way he had anticipated this. Reacting instinctively, the hitman dropped back, and without thinking, he released Katie while focusing his attention on Daniel. The 45 in his hand exploded as he pumped three quick rounds into Daniel, hitting him squarely in the chest. The shots tore into Daniel, knocking him back a good ten feet, blood spewing everywhere. He landed back on the floor near the base of the piano.
Screaming for dear life, Katie bolted out the front door, running helter-skelter into the front yard. Mickey laughed as he turned and raised his gun. The young pluck wouldn’t get away. His finger squeezed the trigger, but the shot never came−at least not from his gun. Ten shots did ring out, but they were from another weapon−a 9mm held by Daniel as he lay on the floor. With both hands shaking, he aimed the Glock, firing at Mickey as fast as his finger could pull the trigger. Seven bullets made their mark, spraying Mickey from top to bottom, catching him all over−in the leg, the stomach, the chest and even the right cheek and eye. And as each one tore into the hitman, he danced and jerked like Pinocchio on a bonfire, twisting and jumping as each slug sank into his coked out, tired-ass body. Daniel’s gun clicked empty just as Mickey fell to the floor. Adrenalin pumping, Daniel rolled over on his stomach. With his ribs broken in three places and under extreme pain, he crawled toward Mickey.
Outside, at the hedge, Paige waited in nervous anticipation. The shots brought her to full bear, and when she saw Katie running across the lawn she screamed at her, “Over here! Katie! Over here!”
Katie obeyed and ran toward Rudy’s house where Paige grabbed her. She hustled her to her car, which was already running, and they jumped in. Paige threw the car into gear, launching them both backwards down the driveway. As they hit the road, Paige yelled at the girl, “I’m with Daniel.”
Paige didn’t make it far. She was forced to stop due to the cop cars racing up the road toward her−they blocked her exit. Sirens wailing, they encircled her and Katie, both of whom were out of the car screaming to them about the killer in the house.
Befuddled and confused and lacking any real detail, the cops pulled together, forming a cohesive unit, arming themselves with shotguns and side arms.
Paige couldn’t take it. Breaking away from the officer who was trying to both calm and restrain her, she bolted for the house.
Mickey lay on the floor dying, his mouth agape, blood oozing from his wounds as Daniel slithered across the floor toward him. Though the hitman tried in vain to raise his gun to stop him, he couldn’t. One of the bullets from the 9mm had shattered his knuckles−he couldn’t control his fingers, the muscles wouldn’t respond.
Daniel came across to him, his face rising next to his.
“Does it hurt, mother fucker?” asked Daniel.
Mickey couldn’t answer. It did hurt though−a lot.
Daniel looked into Mickey’s one good eye. His life was fading, but he was still cognizant. “May the devil be biting yur arse an ‘our before Jesus knows yur dead,” Daniel mocked, whispering in his ear. Then with added venom, he said, “You fucking, worthless piece of shit!” He spit in Mickey’s face.
The rest of the events were a whirl for Daniel. Paige came flying through the door, half hysterical with fear, Katie following on her heels, the police not far behind. Seeing Daniel lying next to Mickey, she grabbed him and flipped him over screaming, “Daniel! Daniel! Are you okay??? Are you alive???”
All Daniel could do was groan as Paige ripped open his jacket−his chest hurt like hell. With no sense of moderation, she tore off the water bottles duct-taped to his chest, spilling the rest of the red paint onto the floor. She poked and prodded the Kevlar armor underneath to see if any bullets had penetrated−none had.
Daniel moaned as she pushed on his ribs. “Shit! Shit! Shit! You never said it was going to hurt like that.”
Paige screamed with joy. “You’re alive, Superman, you’re alive!” She choked back the tears, crying and laughing as she and Katie helped Daniel to his feet. He stood there swaying back and forth as the two embraced him.
“Daniel, thank God, I was so scared,” said Katie.
“It’s okay, little one,” he answered. “It’s all over now.” He squeezed her hard, his own tears falling.
Chapter 10
The Blue Diamond
No one was more surprised with the results of Daniel’s transformation than Ethyl. She was simply stunned by the success of her concocted formula giving him back his eyesight. It had worked far better than she could have ever imagined. If only she hadn’t destroyed the formula, along with everything else, when she wiped the drives at Nanobytes. Still, it didn’t matter, she could always start again−that is, if she could regain control of her company, and the details of that had yet to be worked out.
Paul Gregan’s reign as the CEO of Nanobytes was probably one of the shortest on record. What should have been a simple takeover of a tech company went awry very quickly, due mostly to Daniel and his newfound powers. All of a sudden, Paul Gregan found himself under a lot of pressure with the FBI and the IRS breathing down his neck−a dual headache he just didn’t need. No one likes having heat put on them, especially millionaires who are used to calling the shots. But when they came knocking on his door, digging relentlessly into his past, dragging out skeletons and rattling his cage; he became a little concerned. So, when the offer came to walk away from Nanobytes in exchange for a small, but neat buyout, he was more than willing to accept the offer. All he wanted at this point was a little money back, and to be left alone.
Judy Salinski spent five days in the hospital undergoing reconstructive surgery on her collarbone, followed by three months of physical therapy. She was very fortunate; the first bullet from Mickey’s 45 had passed cleanly through her body, missing the major arteries while the second had shattered her collarbone. When she finally returned to work, it was a regiment of light duty behind a desk, with most of her focus centered on fixing Nanobytes’ problems, corralling Daniel into working for the FBI, and putting together the indictment for Benny Marcos.
As for Daniel, all he wanted was justice and that meant one thing−getting Benny Marcos. The trouble was he didn’t want superficial justice; he wanted revenge−the only kind of retaliation that Benny really understood. Daniel knew Benny was fueled by his ego, but in order to destroy him it would require taking away everything he loved−his pride, his status, and most of all, his money. Daniel was willing to oblige. He wanted Benny to be left barren, squashed like a bug with nothing left but his name, and he had just the plan−a plan that would help everyone concerned.
At first Judy wasn’t keen on Daniel’s idea, but the young man was insistent, so insistent that he said he wouldn’t testify against Benny otherwise. His stubbornness galled Judy, but after personally witnessing his ability she acquiesced and started the ball rolling. Her first meeting was with the head of the Nevada Gaming Commission and after several weeks of putting together the details, she told Daniel that his idea was ready for implementation.
Paige returned to the Club Cal Neva, but only for a short time. She had plenty of money left over from her escapade with Daniel at the Hyatt, and she was now looking into treatment for the lump in her breast, which included a promise of help from Ethyl and the doctors at Nanobytes. Making things easier for her was Daniel’s weekly visits to Reno. He was building up a cash reserve for his trip to Vegas and he wanted her by his side. It was going to be a grand affair.
Ethyl had mixed feelings about Paige. In so many ways she reminded her of her sister, Helen−young, spirited, and quite pretty. Her fear was for Daniel. He was so smitten with her−but what can you say about someone who had the brains, gumption, and balls (for lack of a better term) to put together a plan like she did. She had thwarted Mickey, and that said a lot about a person, so Ethyl went along.
Katie was the most pliable to
everything around her and she accepted the new changes taking place in her life with little reservation. She was thrilled that her cousin was back better than ever and that his eyesight had been restored−even if he did have a new love interest. She actually liked Paige and emulated her to the chagrin of her Grandmother. That made her laugh−Paige was a lot of fun.
The hardest part for everyone in the Santini household was the passing of Rudy. He had been a good friend and neighbor for many years, not to mention a personal confidant to Ethyl who took his death quite hard. The beautiful part was that he left his estate to her with instructions for a portion to be given to Katie and Daniel for their education. The rest was to go for that trip to Hawaii they had been planning.
Daniel of course had a lot to thank Rudy for. Not only had the old man saved his life, but he had given him some very useful tools regarding Blackjack and the gambling industry in general. Rudy’s stories about Las Vegas and how he worked his way up in the business had been an invaluable education. The old man was one sharp cookie and Daniel was beholding to him for sharing what he knew—especially with what he had planned. He was going to need everything he’d learned if he was going to take down Benny Marcos and not get killed in the process.
Benny Marcos was another story. He was at a total loss over Mickey. There wasn’t a day that went by that he wasn’t on the phone trying to track him down. Losing your top enforcer, even a coke head like Mickey was nothing short of a catastrophe. His whole organization was showing the strain and even falling apart. Where the hell was he? Was he in police custody? Injured or dead? For him to disappear like this was unthinkable−and Benny felt like he was missing his right hand.
* * * *
The Sunset Canyon Villa was a beautiful five star hotel suite atop the Blue Diamond Hotel. Featuring two master bedrooms, with a fireplace, a private spa and massage room along with a private patio overlooking the Red Rock Mountains, it was the height of luxury for Las Vegas. And with a price tag of five thousand a night, it wasn’t for the faint of heart though it almost gave Paige a coronary. She was overwhelmingly stunned by the opulence of the suite and its scenic views.