Chapter 19 #2
“Since I got the roads mapped out, why don’t you figure out what kind of diversion we can use to make Atilio take the route we want. I need a couple of hours before the guys arrive. And we need food,” I remind him.
“In the morning, I’ll go out to the coffee shop down the road and get us something.” He jerks his head toward where Luke and Nick are sleeping. “What do you think of those two? Can they be contained?”
“Luke loves his family, and his brother took advantage of that. I think he’ll comply, but if not, I have enough to feed the police on the dirty dealings he’s been involved in to put him away.
Nick is too freaked out not to listen. Knowing your uncle would kill you to prove a point has shaken the kid up. ”
“Our job is to keep Maria and Franco safe,” Falcon says. ”What if Luke gets sloppy and mentions Maria and Franco?”
I pull a piece of paper from my breast pocket, unfold it, and give it to him. “It’s just a thought,” I say. “Let me know what you think. In the meantime, I’m going to grab a couple of hours of sleep before the party begins.”
A loud knock on the door wakes me up. Falcon is already moving to see who it is.
Luke and Nick are sitting on the two-seater couch, their heads turned toward the door.
Their eyes grow wide when Phoenix, Bull, and Rebel traipse through into the small room.
With all of us together, we’re pretty tight.
“Let’s get the party started,” Bull says with a sly grin. He always gets revved up before a mission. His name doesn’t just come from his size; he’s also always raring to charge, like a bull ready to get the job done.
“Cool it, bro. I’d like to go over everything one more time.” Falcon looks at Nick and Luke. “And we’re going to hear your story one more time,” he tells them.
By this time, I’ve joined the rest of them. “This is Nick and Luke. Atilio’s brother and nephew. They’re our way in to get to Atilio,” I tell them. I glance at Falcon. “We need food. I’ll go grab it while you get the guys up to speed.”
“No need, man. Falcon texted, and we stopped on the way to get some.” Phoenix moves from behind Rebel and Bull and extends a tray full of coffees and two massive bags.
“Thanks, bro. I need this,” I reply, taking a coffee from the tray before I set it all down on the small table.
“Go ahead,” he tells Luke and Nick. They both look at the men standing around them. It’s obvious that Luke wants to say something but is holding back.
“Spill it,” I urge. “If you’ve got something to say, now is the time.”
“Please don’t hurt my son. If anyone is to blame for getting them into this mess, it’s me. I don’t care what happens to me, but let Nick go back to his mother and brothers,” Luke pleads.
Falcon speaks up. “No one dies today except Atilio. Wire checked out your story. You are in financial trouble, and you trusted the wrong man. For all the shitty crimes you did for him, the one thing you didn’t do was kill anyone.
” He nods toward Nick. “We don’t kill innocent people.
Nick is safe if he keeps his mouth shut.
As for you, it all depends on whether you help us take down your brother.
Atilio’s not going to stop until we make him, and we refuse to let Maria live in fear for the rest of her life. ”
“You don’t understand the severity of what you did when you exposed this woman to your brother. She means nothing to Atilio, or Vito, for that matter. She is collateral damage, and neither of them gives a shit if she lives or dies. That doesn’t sit right with us,” Phoenix says.
“What are you guys? Undercover FBI or something?” Nick asks, his gaze flitting between us.
“We’re either your worst nightmare or your best friends. That really depends on how you want this to play out,” Rebel responds.
“I’ll help you any way I can,” Luke says.
“I never thought my own brother would hurt my son.” He puts his arm around Nick and lowers his head.
“Everything is falling apart, and I don’t know how to fix it.
Don was right to get away from Atilio. They fought like cats and dogs.
He’s the youngest brother, and he was smarter than the rest of us.
He disappeared and wanted nothing to do with us. ”
“You can’t dwell on that. When this is over, I suggest you sit your family down and figure out your next move,” I say. “Right now, we need to get our plan underway.”
Falcon outlines the plan for the team. We discuss all the possible problems that might arise and where each of us needs to be to pull this off.
The plan is to capture Atilio and hand him over to Vito with enough evidence in hand to make it look like he killed Maria and his unknown son.
For that to happen, Vic is arranging a graphic murder scene and taking photos to be delivered to Vito Di Mille at the same time that Atilio is brought to his door.
It’s the idea I had written on the paper I handed to Falcon earlier, and he went with it. Once we’re home, a new identity will have to be created for Maria and Franco. They might lose their names, but in the end, they’ll be safe, and no one will be looking for them.
“We could really use another man right here.” Rebel points to a point of the schematic design of the roadway.
There is an alley that would be the likely place for Atilio to make a run for it.
Having a man inside that alley would make the job easier.
Unfortunately, I need computer access to control the traffic lights.
Bull is making sure there’s a truck stalled so Atilio’s driver has to detour around it.
Rebel and Phoenix are following behind to make sure he stays on course, which only leaves Falcon to blow out the tires of Atilio’s car to force him to make a run for it.
“I can help,” Nick volunteers, eagerly offering his services while his father gasps and sputters his refusal.
“No, Nick! That’s madness,” Luke exclaims.
Nick begins to protest, but Falcon cuts him off.
“I appreciate the offer, but your father’s right.
This team is highly trained, and you’re not.
If you hesitate for even a moment, it could cost any one of us our lives.
You’ll be in the SUV with Wire,” he answers before turning to us, then adds, “We’ll have to make it work. ”
“It’s Team Storm all the way,” Rebel says, placing a hand on the shoulders of Bull and Phoenix, who are standing on either side of him. Bull follows suit and gives me a brotherly pat on my back.
“Team Storm,” Bull declares with a grin.
I loop an arm around Falcon’s shoulders. “Always together,” I say. Falcon gives us a nod, but his face remains serious as it always does when he’s on a mission.