Chapter Five
Finally, two hours later, James leaned back in his chair and glanced up. His eyes widened as he looked around the living area. He found Bane sitting there but he also noted that Bastain was there as well. Along with Ari, Sheba, Orrin and Cane.
Ari and Sheba waved at him in a sort of a girl-like teasing way with Cheshire smiles on their faces.
James tucked his head back as he knew these two hitgirls could be downright crazy when they teased him.
Orrin simply raised a brow at him.
Cane gave him a nod and a grin.
This always gave James the creeps as the man was an exact double to Bane, yet his eyes were always warm and his nature was mostly sunny. James did not think he would ever get used to Cane. Wasn’t his fault that James knew Bane first.
“Hells fucking bells,” James exclaimed. “When did you all get here?”
Bastain smiled. “Well, hello, to you too, James. We’ve been here awhile. What did you find out?”
James ran his fingers through his hair and shook his head.
“I found out a lot about this ring of gun and weapon runners. They’ve been in business for about ten years now and the money they’ve received is astronomic.
It runs into the billions.” Then he turned to Bane and nodded.
“And you were right. It wasn’t only Dominic, LaDonna and Oleg.
There are two other men deep in this shitshow.
Josiah Wheeler who is really Jonovich Partross, Oleg’s grandson and Frank Ambrose is really Aaron Killian.
Aaron, it seems, is double dipping into the profits and he isn’t as inept as you might think.
He’s playing a double role here, but in reality, he’s a numbers guy.
And he has contacts not only here but in Europe as well.
His contacts are what’s building everything they are. ” He shrugged.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Bane growled.
James shook his head. “I’m really not. If he’s been playing the fool for everyone there was a reason for it. He’s bigger in this than the others but he’s got one foot in both worlds. You better check with Serenity and make her aware of this, so she can freeze his real assets under both names.”
Bastian looked at Bane and nodded.
Bane reached for his phone and called Sergi.
Once he heard the explanation of James’ findings, Sergi was also mad about the deception, but he told Bane the second brother did indeed come looking and they had all three of the Killian brothers in a cell.
I’ll share what James found and maybe we can round everyone up and bust this unholy ring.
I’ll have Serenity and Nicky check this matter out and try to locate these men, if he’s in the country. ”
“We’re going to catch a few ZZ’s and then about dawn we’ll start playing with Dominic,” Bane assured Sergi. “Bastian can find out just how deep he’s involved in this and who ordered that plane.”
“Da, that might be useful,” Sergi agreed. “We have the hotel protected against any intruders as well. But so far I don’t think anyone realizes yet that Dominic isn’t where they think he is. Time is still on our side.”
“Well let’s hope so,” Bane replied. “I didn’t kill his bodyguard but he isn’t going anywhere until someone finds him.”
“Good, good,” Sergi acknowledged. “Let us know what Dominic has to say in the morning.”
“Keep an eye on Aaron and his brothers. I don’t trust them any farther than I could throw them.” Bane growled.
“Da, I know that feeling,” Sergi muttered as he hung up the call.
Bane put his phone away and suggested a nap. “Everyone is tired and we all need some sleep. Let’s all get refreshed and in four hours it will be time to play Truth or Dare with Dominic.”
Bastian grinned.
Sheba smiled. “Truth or Dare? I love that little game.” She chuckled. “Can we play with blades?”
Bane shook his head slowly. “Bloodthirsty much?”
Sheba pouted. “It isn’t fun without like.... some blood.”
Bane shook his head. “Sergi wants him alive enough to present to the Council back in Russia. Otherwise, I would let you loose on him.”
Bastian rested back against the sofa and smiled. “That’s too bad but I have another version of the game that I can play. I haven’t played it in a while but I think now is the time.”
Bane nodded, then he stood. “Time to cat nap. Then we play. There are bedrooms down the hall. Choose the one you want.”
Everyone followed him down the hall and they all disappeared into the different rooms,
Bane found his own room and went inside.
He kicked off his shoes and socks. When he lay down on the bed he stared at the ceiling for a long time.
His mind was racing and he was trying to remember something that kept tugging at him.
A name he heard once upon a time. A name he hadn’t thought of in years.
A name and a face. He closed his eyes and tried to shut down his mind but it wouldn’t let him go.
Then the moment he was about to drift off, he heard a conversation from his past. The scene unfolded in his memory from twenty years ago.
It ran in his head like an old film, a gravelly voice said, “Killian is a pissant who’s all talk and no walk.
He would just as soon stab you in the back as shake your hand.
If he ever gets into real power then he will turn on everyone.
He’ll want what you have and more. He’ll play the fool while he takes everything and you won’t know it until it’s too late to stop his thieving hands.
He doesn’t trust anyone but himself. Don’t go after his money, that will be nothing more than a front.
To get close to what he values the most, look for something under his mother’s name. ”
Bane’s eyes snapped open and he sat up in bed.
He grabbed his phone and sent a text to Serenity.
If he was remembering it right, that voice in his head belonged to someone close to Aaron.
His uncle Frank Killian. A man who paid the real price due to the fact that Aaron thought the other man betrayed him.
He didn’t even give Frank a chance. He killed his uncle in his sleep.
Then he set his house on fire to hide his crime.
But Bane knew his uncle had not betrayed him.
He knew it was Randall that betrayed his own brother.
Bane settled back down on his pillow and smirked to himself.
Maybe it was time to tell Aaron the truth about his betrayal and name the real guilty party.
He could stand back and see what Aaron would do when he was faced with the truth.
He closed his eyes and now that his memory took him to info that he needed...He fell asleep for real this time.