Chapter 2 #2
"Drugs," Ollie supplies. As our primary director of international relations, he knows the ins and outs of our rivals better than anyone. "They’re pushing heroine hard. LSD is spreading like a damn virus.”
“They’ve grown, haven’t they?” I ask.
“Yeah,” Aleks confirms, his fingers sliding across his tablet. “After those busts last year, they’re trying to solidify their power. The Cove’s a prime target.”
They’re known as a ruthless organization originating in Colombia, but with factions now spread throughout the Americas. They’re mostly known for their extensive drug trafficking, particularly cocaine and heroin.
"Oh, right,” I say. “They were the ones extradited for those high-profile drug busts last year, weren't they?"
“Yep. And word on the street is that they’ve expanded their influence into New York. Targeting The Cove because of our location and connections.”
I nod. “Not to mention our affiliation with various groups.” Due to several recent nuptials with my brothers, we’ve become close contacts with several other underground powerhouses but still have no contacts south of the border.
“Exactly.”
I stroke my chin and think this over. Aleks goes back to his tablet, and his fingers fly over the keys.
“The cartel is led by Javier Morales Junior, son of the late Javier Morales. Javier is infamous for his ability to evade law enforcement while keeping a steel grip on his operations,” Aleks mutters, shaking his head.
I nod, continuing to snap puzzle pieces into place. “They’re not just known for drug trafficking, are they? And they have a mole in law enforcement here in The Cove.”
Aleks nods. “Money laundering, arms smuggling, and human trafficking. Their presence here in America taints everything. We need them fucking exiled from The Cove.”
Still, none of what we’ve learned here we couldn’t discuss in our headquarters in The Cove. Interesting. There’s more.
“But to really evict them, we must know their next move. What’s our in with them?”
Aleks nods. “We’ve had one of our new recruits in their ranks for the past three months. Isabella’s warning came on the heels of his intel.”
Ah. There we go. This is why we’re here.
I’d bet money on Dmitri. Dmitri Petrov joined our ranks after the death of our enemy several years ago and after passing numerous tests to prove his allegiance to us. He’d rather die than betray us.
“Jesus,” I mutter, shaking my head. “If they discover he’s one of us…”
“Yeah, he’s capital-F fucked,” Aleks supplies. “He said it was a risk he was willing to take to prove his loyalty. Right now, he’s managed to convince the sister of Carlos Cabrera that he loves her.”
Ollie speaks up. “Carlos Cabrera is the cartel’s chief enforcer, right-hand man to Morales. Our buddy has used Carlos’s sister to get intel we otherwise wouldn’t have.”
“Such as?”
“Such as the locations of their safe houses here in America, the schedules of their shipments, contacts of their supplier, and even the name of one of the corrupt officials on their payroll.”
“Shit. He’s playing a lethal game, but that’s invaluable information.” I nod.
“Yeah. We’ve already managed to intercept two major drug shipments because of information he’s gleaned for us. We’ve let a few slide, even local ones, because we obviously don’t want them knowing we’re onto them.”
“Fuck.”
Aleks suddenly goes so still that I want to check to see if he’s still breathing. It’s like someone’s just pressed the pause button on our conversation. He turns toward me and takes out his phone. I watch with interest.
My phone buzzes.
Aleks
We have a visitor.
There’s a reason he’s texted me first and not the group chat. Viktor would already be prowling, ready to smash skulls, and Nikko’s weapon would be drawn. He knows I’m slower to react and more methodical in my approach.
A chill skates down my spine, and I immediately sit up straighter. Have they found us so soon? Have they tracked us here? We’re not ready.
I keep my shit together.
Oh?
Aleks
Biometric feedback in the loft. Someone’s here.
Aleksandr takes safety so seriously, he always has biometric readings on all of us. Apparently, he has the scanner on his iPad as well.
“Lev.” My gaze snaps to Mikhail when he calls my name.
I nod.
“Put your damn phone down and pay attention.” I blink at him slowly and look at my phone, then back up at him. Understanding dawns on him as Nikko and Viktor talk quietly to each other.
Aleks to Group Chat
No one moves. Do not respond. Someone’s watching from the loft. Let Lev handle it. He’s the fastest and most lethal in tight situations. Lev?
A strategy snaps into place, the strategy laid out in front of me. We have to move.
Viktor, keep talking. Say some bullshit about Lydia and her family or the wedding or something.
Mikhail, pretend you have to take a call.
Nikko, go to a secure place where you can draw your weapon out of view of the loft and as soon as Ollie and I approach, spot me.
Ollie, you and I will go. What do we have for weapons here?
Mikhail
Got a gun and blade
Aleks
Same
Nikko
Carrying two fully loaded guns but fucking arsenal in the car
Aleks
You brought your shit in my CAR?
Mikhail
Drop it, stay focused
Ollie
Smoke bomb in my jacket pocket, could come in handy since it’s a loft. Gun.
Viktor
My fucking fists
At least one of you standby with Nikko, Ollie, get ready with the smoke bomb and for Christ’s sake tell me later why you have that shit with you
Ollie
Club last night. Let’s go
Ollie might look like a nice guy but he’s one kinky motherfucker. I don’t even want to know what else he’s got with him.
Viktor starts talking some nonsense about gardening and Lydia and fireworks and shit. Mikhail excuses himself to take out his phone and makes a fake call.
“I’m going to use the restroom,” I tell them. “I’ll be right back.”
I walk in the direction of the loft to gauge the location.
Is it near a window? How high is it? Is there a way for us to get the ladder away from the loft easily?
I walk by it and quickly note everything—tucked away from any windows, it’s at least ten feet off the floor, and the ladder looks nailed in place. In this case, that is not good.
I walk into the bathroom and pretend to use it, quickly coming back into the room where my brothers are located. None of them even look at me, but my phone quickly vibrates with another text.
Mikhail
Plan?
I have to admit I fucking love that he’s actually deferring to me with this. My father is turning over in his grave. Imagine that, you asshole, the one you hated most, actually knows his shit.
We have two options given that it’s a loft with only one way up. Either one of us goes up and forcibly drags him down, or we demand he comes down of his own accord. There’s no way for us to get there unannounced and there’s no other way to get to him.
Viktor
Bring him down. Drag him down here and let me show him how we deal with a traitor.
I shake my head and reply.
My preference would be to demand he come down on his own. Anyone who went up after him would be at a disadvantage. Death wish. Ladder’s secure, no easy way to shake him loose. If he won’t comply, we smoke him out, force him to crawl down. Once he’s here… we make sure he regrets trespassing.
Nikko
Ready.
Mikhail
Let’s go
Aleks
On it
Ollie
I’ll spot you
I lift my head and stare at the darkness above the loft ladder. I feel kind of dumb because it looks like I’m glaring into blank space, but I trust Aleks. If he says someone’s there, then someone’s there.
I nod to my brothers and face the loft.