CHAPTER TWO
KAGE
We pull up to the front of the warehouse, and I smile to myself, because we aren’t trying to hide our presence. By the time we reach our guys working here, they’ll be shaking in their boots. Most of the time, only one of us shows up to check on things. If we’re all here, they know they’re in serious trouble.
As we walk in, panic crosses Gino’s face, but he quickly schools it. He has learned the hard way to not show fear. Fear means guilt in his case. Bones walks over to him, with slow measured steps, and a gleam in his eyes.
“Gino. Would you care to explain the missing containers?”
His eyes dart to his men, who are showing far more fear than Gino is, before returning his gaze to my brother.
“Boss, I don’t know anything about stolen shipments.”
Bones lowers his head, his face an inch from Gino’s, and bares his teeth with a growl.
“You’re not only a thief, but a liar. I’ve seen the video. Now, where the fuck are my weapons?”
Psycho and Reaper approach on either side of him, their expressions no less menacing than the man in front of him.
He trembles, as I enjoy the show.
We frequently have traitors among us, but this is how the ones that haven’t gotten their hands dirty learn to keep them clean. I barely hide my chuckle as Psycho takes his hand, and points to each of his fingers.
“Eeny, meeny, miny,” he sing-songs in an evil tone.
Bones repeats himself, “Where the fuck are my weapons?”
Gino shakes his head emphatically.
“I don’t know, Boss. It wasn’t me.”
Psycho growls, “Moe,” and slices off Gino’s middle finger.
The frantic scream that comes from Gino is almost funny, because it’s going to get a lot worse for him.
Bones calls for me.
“Kage, talk to the others.”
By ‘talk’, he means to get answers at any cost. I smile as I walk over to the first group of men, and crack my knuckles while I whistle. It’s a trait we share. We all have similarities, although our youngest brother is the only actual serial killer. Bones, Psycho, and I may not go out searching for people to kill, but we won’t shy away from it either. And we don’t hate it.
As an organization, we never tolerate theft, but when it’s a trusted employee, it burns differently. And that means the punishment is far more harsh. Death comes regardless, but it’s more prolonged when it’s a traitor.
I stare at the three men in front of me, as they tremble with terror.
“Would you like to go home unharmed to your families?”
They all nod in unison.
“Tell me what you know.”
The men on the left and right both shake their heads, swearing they don’t know anything, but the one in the middle… he knows something. Fear has a stench that most people don’t realize. It reeks of sweat and soiled clothing.
“Gustavo.”
Reluctantly, he lifts his head and meets my gaze.
“Do you want to go home to that beautiful wife of yours? Or do you wish to die alongside Gino?”
“I wan-t-t to go home,” he stammers as he attempts to look calm, but is anything but.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Psycho slicing off another one of Gino’s fingers, with his custom blade. This one is a honesuki, some sort of Japanese steel that he went on and on about when he got it. I didn’t really care but I remember something about it cutting through bone and now I see he wasn’t stretching the truth.
“Unless you wish to join Gino, I suggest you tell me what you know.”
A tear rolls down his cheek as he rats out his best friend.
“I didn’t do it. I told him not to. He needed the money, so he organized it.”
I nod my understanding.
“Who has our weapons, Gustavo? You won’t get another chance to answer me.”
Bones is listening closely, as Psycho tortures Gino, one digit at a time. Bones is always aware of what’s happening around him. It’s one of his gifts, paying attention when it appears he isn’t.
“The Abruzzos. They helped him steal them, and gave him money. I don’t know how much, but it was a lot.”
I smirk at him.
“Good job. Let today serve as a reminder of what happens to our men that betray us. Sorry for your loss.”
This will not be the last time we deal with a situation like this. I can almost guarantee the men in this warehouse that live, will never make the grave mistake Gino has. For them, this will be a hard lesson learned. Don’t fuck with the Bonettis. I’m not delusional though. There will be some pathetic sack not here today that will be offered millions of dollars to betray us. It’s the same reason people rob banks, knowing the chances of getting away with it are slim. The thought will always be in the back of their heads.
What if I can get away with it?
That simple thought is what gets them killed, because they never do. We will always find out. It’s not if, it’s when.
I walk back over to Bones, and we watch Psycho make Gino scream like it’s a horror movie we’ve seen a thousand times, with boredom.
“I assume you heard.”
He nods slowly and barks at Psycho.
“I’m going home to my butterfly. If you want to play with him, then take him to your basement.”
Not a word is said about the Abruzzos, but I know it’s coming. We will get our weapons back, with the added bonus of their lives.