Chapter 12
ALONZO
Hours Earlier:
“We need to move in the next ten minutes,” I tell the others quietly, urgently.
“Carlo should be heading for dinner soon with his wife, and that will be our window to leave and start looking around. Titus, you and Ivano with me. David, John, you two stay here and keep an eye out. We don’t want them getting suspicious. ”
“So if they show up, what do you want us to tell Carlo or any of the men?” David asks.
“Tell them we’re going to follow up on a possible lead for a way into Belov’s home.
Even if he doesn’t believe you, he won’t dare question it.
Especially not if he wants this alliance of Pietro possibly working with him.
If you get any inkling that something might be off, then make sure that you get a message to us, and have someone follow him or whoever he sends. ”
“You think if he is working with Belov that he’ll try to get a message to him to warn him?” Ivano asks, lips pulled down in a hard frown.
“It’d make sense. We need to think of all possibilities.”
“Are you taking Hades with you?” John asks, giving the dog lying in the corner of the room a wary look.
Shit, I forgot about him. “We’ll bring him with us. At the very least, he’ll be good to have around in case someone decides to cause problems.”
Relief crosses John’s face. “Alright. Let us know if you have any issues. We’ll grab one of Carlo’s SUVs if we have to.”
“Good.” I look at Ivano and Titus. “Meet in the SUV in ten minutes.” I head to my room to grab the weapons I’ll need, Hades quickly following me.
We won’t have a lot of time to get this little trip done, but I need to know if Carlo is working with Belov.
Maybe if we can figure that out, we can figure out a way into Belov, or if we have to handle Carlo before we do.
Anyone in bed with the Russians can’t be trusted. Alliances and truces be damned.
I look at Hades who is watching me expectantly. “I need you to watch my back tonight, boy. I don’t know how you and your mama handled these situations, so you and I need to figure out our own rhythm.”
I swear the dog knows exactly what I’m saying, because he lets out a small chuff of sound.
When I head out to the SUV, I’m hit with Carlo standing just off to the side, a distrusting look on his face. Until he notices and it quickly changes to something friendly and curious.
Two-faced asshole.
“Alonzo,” he greets, intercepting me. “Have you got a lead? Anything I can help you with?”
“We do, but it’s not the most promising,” I lie. “For now, I’m going to go and check it out. If I need you or your men, I’ll call you.”
“Of course. Are you sure that you don’t want me to send you with a couple of my best men? Just to be safe?” He starts to turn, as if to summon someone.
“We’ll have Hades with us,” I assure him, making him still.
He quickly turns his head, finally cluing in to the dog standing quietly at my side, watching him steadily.
Carlo swallows hard. “I’ll call you, Carlo, if we need back up.
For now, less is more.” I give Hades a quick command to follow me and we climb into the SUV.
“He’s going to have someone follow us,” Titus mutters once we’re on our way.
“We’ve checked the entire vehicle for tracking and bugs and came up empty, so that means he’s going to have his men follow or at least track us through the cameras,” Ivano gripes.
“He’s probably not tracking us because he already has his men stationed at the port to make sure that we don’t find anything he doesn’t want us to find.”
The two of them chat for a few more minutes, but I tune them out, my mind already racing to review the information that Zeno sent through. I can’t take any chances. I don’t have Massimo or my brothers here for backup if things go south. I need to play this smart.
Hades nudges me, like he’s insisting I don’t forget him. I give him a quick scratch behind the ears, but turn my attention back to the plans and notes.
We park a half mile away from the docks to ensure we’re not spotted. On silent feet we make our way past the unguarded gate and into the port. My first tip off that they know we’re coming. No fucking way this place is unguarded. Especially not when holding cargo for men like Timur and Carlo.
I signal for Ivano and Titus to split up, and I head down a dark corridor between containers on my right.
Hades follows, and for being so big, he’s amazingly quiet.
He’s at my side, a dark blur in the shadows.
If the information we have is correct, Timur’s containers are toward the end of the port, buried four rows back so they’re not in the immediate view of anyone passing by.
Carlo has his a few rows further back, but still close enough that it can’t be a coincidence.
Thank God for memorizing the maps or this shit would be hard to find.
When we near the location, I slow my steps, Hades doing the same.
He doesn’t even pant, his breathing low and slow, like he knows he has to be quiet.
I’ll kiss Rori for that alone when I get her back.
Right now, I need to get ahold of one of the soldiers that’s going to be hanging around here so we can figure out the information we need.
I hit the jackpot when I hear approaching footsteps. I press back against the container next to me, peering around the edge just enough to make out a lone soldier walking toward me, a large machine gun in hand and wrapped over his shoulder. He’s ready to take down anyone that might get in his way.
I’m going to have to time this just right, or shit will go sideways fast. Fast and quiet. Good thing I excel at this kind of thing. I listen, waiting, but my gut tightens when I realize that I no longer hear him. Shit.
I peer, carefully, around the side of the container, biting back a curse, realizing that the guard is no longer there. Guess we’re doing this the hard way.
It doesn’t take long for me to find him again as he makes his way down the stacks, still circling back toward Timur’s section.
Whatever cargo is coming in, he doesn’t want it being intercepted, which means it’s not anything good.
The guard is good, always checking over his shoulder, always moving quickly, but making sure not to make an overabundant sound of noise.
It takes me another solid five minutes to get him to a good place that will make it easy to take him and also to make sure that he doesn’t call out or draw any attention.
I haven’t heard anyone else around, but that doesn’t mean they’re not hiding.
I just have to hope that Ivano and Titus are having better luck.
I make my move the moment he starts to round the container I’m hiding behind.
I slam my hand over his mouth so he can’t scream, while quickly kicking his feet out from under him, sending him crashing to the ground.
Hades is on him the moment he hits the ground, a snarl echoing between the metal containers, making the guard give a muffled scream of terror.
His hands move to reach for his gun, but I slam my elbow down hard on his temple, knocking him unconscious, his entire body going slack beneath me.
“Good boy,” I praise Hades softly, making the dog go quiet, but his gaze never leaves the man on the ground.
Not even as I quickly remove the gun, setting it aside so I can gag and tie the bastard up.
I shoot a quick text to Titus and Ivano to let them know my location and to help me pick up this asshole. He’s not heavy so we should be able to carry him out without much issue. The less attention we can manage the better.
“Good boy, Hades,” I rasp giving the dog a quick pat. His butt wiggles with the praise, and I release him from guard duty. He quickly puts his nose to the ground, sniffing around the containers, while I listen and keep my eyes peeled for any problems.
A low, but sharp, whine of pain has me whirling, just in time to see Hades fall to the ground, a dart with a feathered pink tip sticking out of his neck. I bring my gun up, but it’s not fast enough. I feel the prick of pain before the instant burning sensation fills the veins in my neck.
I try to fight it, but it’s too quick, and I can feel myself falling. Fuck.
I wake with a start, my heart pounding and my body quickly pushing me into fight or flight mode. I’m on my feet, reaching for my gun, but realize quickly it’s not there.
Shit.
My eyes scan the room, registering that I’m inside a container with surprisingly bright lights, but the metal walls are covered with plastic, and wait, is that soundproofing? Every instinct is screaming at me to get the fuck out of here. Grim determination coats my gut.
This is a fucking mess.
A soft whine behind me makes me whirl, and it’s then that I notice that Hades is in the back corner of the container.
And he’s not alone. I stare at the woman sitting there, Hades’ head in her lap as she gently strokes him, her blonde hair falling softly over her shoulders.
She almost curls in on herself, avoiding my gaze.
She’s wearing a pair of black pants and a dark red t-shirt, but I don’t see any marks on her. Who is she? How did she get in here?
Gentling my voice, I ask softly, “Hey, are you alright?” She doesn’t answer, and that’s when I realize she’s humming.
Softly, barely a whisper of sound, but I can just make it out as I slowly approach her.
“Cara mia, are you okay? I’m not going to hurt you,” I try again, careful to keep a couple of feet away just in case I spook her.
She doesn’t answer, keeping her head down and continuing to stroke Hades.
Shit, is she traumatized? Did Timur take her and put her in here?
I crouch down, trying to make myself smaller. I reach out my hand, careful to keep the movements slow and cautious. “Hey, it’s alright. You’ll be okay, and I’m not going to hurt you. I’ll get you out of here.”
“Y-Y-You w-w-will?” the soft voice finally whispers, still curled in on herself.
“Yes, cara mia. I promise we’ll get you out of here and back home. My men are coming, and they’ll find me.” A soft sniffle. “Can you look at me? Let me make sure you’re okay?”
Slowly, she lifts her head, and I see the blue of her eyes first. I also see the flash of dark amusement, making my danger radar blare, but it’s too late. I see the gun, but it’s not quick enough, and it’s pressed tightly to my forehead before I can back away.
“You,” I rasp, trying to control my reaction, but I can feel the twisted rage covering my face.
“Yep, it’s me,” she says brightly, lips curling into a wide grin, proud to have gotten the drop on me.
She looks nothing like she did, but now that I know what kind of darkness lurks under whatever disguise she wants to put on herself, I’ll know every time.
Her hand is steady, the gun not even twitching.
“What did you do to him?” I hiss out between gritted teeth. If she’s hurt Hades, I’ll kill her. Rori will never forgive me if I let anything happen to him.
“He took a nice nap. Despite what you might think of me, I don’t kill animals just because.
He’s been a very good boy for me, and we’ve been getting acquainted while you’ve been sleeping off the tranqs.
Which reminds me, I need to start adjusting the dosage for giants like you.
Now, get your ass up, and if you make any funny moves, I’ll make sure that you can’t get the hell out of here without a few bullets in a few painful places. ”
My hands itch to take the gun from her hands, but I can’t guarantee that she doesn’t have another one at the ready to kill me, or someone waiting outside that container to take me down. I have to play this smart.
I tighten my grip on my anger and slowly push to my full height, body tense, and my hands fisted at my sides.
I want to look at Hades to know that he’s alright, but I can’t chance it.
My teeth grind when I hear her coo, “That’s a good boy.
” She’s looking at me as she says it, but she’s petting the dog and gently moving his head from her lap as she gets to her feet.
Something tells me that she’s deliberately trying to goad me. I won’t give her the satisfaction. She’s the only link I have to Rori.
I take her in, seeing that she’s changed her appearance beyond just her hair and eye color. Her lips look fuller, her nose smaller, and she looks taller. Instead of the five-five height she had when we met her with Amara, she’s now closer to five-eight.
How the fuck did she manage that so quickly? Either she has access to the best plastic surgeons in the world that can change her appearance that quickly, or she’s just that fucking good at doing this that it’s like second nature to her now.
Neither option is a good one.
“I’m starting to realize that the blood doesn’t flow all the way to the top with you, does it, big guy?” she mocks, looking up at me with an assessing stare. “Did you not hear my warning not to follow? Or do you want to die?”
“Where is Rori? What have you done with her?”
“Again with the not listening,” she huffs.
“I’d ask you if she fucked the brains out of your head, but clearly you don’t have them to begin with.
She is no longer your concern. You being here and getting in my way, however, is.
And I really don’t like when people get in my way.
” She cocks the gun, the sound echoing loudly in the space, and it points directly back at the center of my forehead, her face turning into a hard mask.
“Give me one good reason I shouldn’t kill you right now, Cattaneo, and be done with it. ”