Yakov 15
Tev and I have been holed up in our offices for days.
He pulled me from my bed, from the best, most transcendent sex of my life and I haven’t seen Monty or Sophia since beyond a brief glimpse on the security cameras.
My girl is sticking close to Monty, no doubt feeling my absence and I hate that I can’t comfort her right now.
There was an urgent contract posted on the deep, dark web that my program flagged. I suppose three failed kidnapping attempts will push a man to desperate measures. Forget flying under the radar, this man has essentially declared war on the Kosher Nostra.
We don’t know why. And Moshe is going to have my head.
“Yak, man, come on.” I nod at Tev, grab my stuff and follow him to our waiting vehicle outside the consortium building. We sit in strained silence in the backseat. I inhale a deep breath to center myself but end up choking.
“Good God, we are fucking rank!”
“Yeah.” I look over at Tev, and he’s got his window down and his head hanging out. I start laughing, picturing the scene from Ace Ventura with Dan Marino and can’t stop. Tears leak from my eyes as I become slightly hysterical. “Yak?”
“Yeah, man?” I manage to push out.
“You got any more of that gum?”
“That’s none of your damn business, Tev, and I’ll thank you to stay out of my personal affairs.” Our driver Zeke chuckles from the front seat.
By the time we pull up to the front doors of the compound, we’re composed. We split off to shower and find clean clothes. 25 minutes later, we’re walking into the war room. Esther would be so proud that I’m wearing clean underwear to my execution.
“Where have you been? What is going on? Why is Sophia moping around?”
“Thijs Teuling.”
“Gesundheit.” I dip my head at Steven even though I didn’t sneeze.
“He is a businessman from the Netherlands.”
“And?” Moshe is running out of patience, and I’m just prolonging the inevitable.
“And he posted a lucrative contact on the deep web about 4 days ago. The women of the Kosher Nostra…dead or alive, but preferably alive.” I drop down into my seat as the men explode.
Tovah, a new and welcomed sight around the table, removes her stiletto heel and smacks it hard against the wood.
Wincing, I wonder if that’s gonna leave a mark.
“If you all could untwist your fucking panties and calm the fuck down, we can proceed.”
“Why aren’t you pissed?” Tev asks his twin. “You are one of the women of the Kosher Nostra.”
She snarls at him. “You take that back.” Her temper cools just as fast as it flared.
She adjusts the collar of her blouse, and shifts in her seat.
“As a Jew and a female…I’m used to being targeted.
You get used to it. Or you get really fucking good with a knife and gun.
” She waves at me with a flourish. “Speak.”
“Ruff.” I bark at her with a roll of my eyes.
“Is the name familiar to any of you?” I ask David, Steven, Morris, and Aaron.
They shake their heads. I sigh; I was afraid of that.
“So far as we can tell, he has never had any dealings with the Kosher Nostra, nor any of our businesses. We don’t operate in the Netherlands either.
Can’t find much on him other than his exorbitant net-worth earned from a computer manufacturing company. ”
“He has a vendetta against the Kosher Nostra…why?”
I sit back in my seat with a very unmanly pout. “I don’t know.”
“Yak, I want—”
“Mosh, shut the fuck up. We haven’t slept or eaten in days.
Fuck, we didn’t shower until 30 minutes ago.
” Tev’s voice is firm and I appreciate him sticking up for me.
But I have failed. Three attacks and all we’ve got now is a name because he is desperate.
“Neither one of us has seen our families.” Emotion breaks his voice and everyone notices.
“I know. I’m sorry.” My eyes bug out at Moshe’s apology. That was unexpected.
“We’re still digging, Avinu. We just stopped long enough to update everyone on what we’ve found so far.”
“Has anyone accepted the contract?”
“Not yet.” And I don’t know what to do if anyone does.
Moshe’s jaw clenches, his fingers drumming on the table. He lifts his gaze to Tovah. “I’m inclined to go full lockdown. None of the women leave this compound until the threat is neutralized.”
“I’m inclined to agree with you.”
“Is it happening?” Zilv’s head starts swiveling around. “Is it the apocalypse? The end of days?”
“However,” Tovah continues, “I believe lockdown would leave us far more vulnerable. We are sitting ducks here. The compound isn’t Israel; we don’t have an Iron Dome of our own.
He hired mercenaries and they failed three times.
” She places her folded hands in front of her.
“He’s desperate enough to post a contract on the web.
There is no telling what weapons he will try next to achieve his purpose. ”
“So, what do you propose?” I am so fucking proud of Tovah right now. Everyone in this room is listening to her, open to another perspective. She should have been here from the beginning, but she is here now and that’s what matters, I guess.
“Limit exposure where we can, keeping the women to smaller parties, no big group ventures. Trackers are non-negotiable, every person. Preferably subdermal, not just their devices, shoes, accessories.” She pauses, thinking something over.
“I’m not one to hide, you all know that.
I brought the fight to Baird and took a bullet for my efforts.
But I wouldn’t change a fucking thing. Except maybe not get shot, but that’s beside the point.
We cower, we close ranks, we hide…we’ve already lost.”
Moshe nods and I catch the pride shining in Steven’s eyes as he watches his daughter.
“I agree with our newest kapitan. Groups of 3 women or less. I won’t make anyone put a tracker under their skin or in their body, but please ask and encourage any of them to consider.
I want Yak and Tev to have more manpower.
Tap anyone on the security team with the skills you need to dig deeper.
Teuling didn’t wake up one day and decide to fuck with the Jewish mafia thousands of miles away.
He has a reason and we need to figure it out. ”
Moshe dismisses us, and Tev and I stand up ready to get back to work. “Tev? Yak?” We stay behind as the others file out. “I want you both to know that your sacrifice is appreciated. Before you head back to the office, go spend some time with your families.”
“Avinu, this is important—"
“It is. The women…they are what keep us going. But as badly as you need to see them, they need to see you, too.”
Moshe leaves and I lean back against the table. Exhaustion pulling me under. I want my bed, Sophia on one side and Monty on the other and a few hours of sleep.
Tev checks his watch. “We’ll meet at the front in 4 hours. Nap, fuck, eat, shit.”
“Is it Arlo’s naptime?” I wiggle my eyebrows, which earns me a light chuckle.
“Honestly, I’m so fucking tired, I don’t think I could get it up. And I think I’d like to hold him and Vandy for a while.” I never thought I’d see the day Tevye Frenkel turned family man, but it suits him well.
I laugh, cupping his shoulder then taking my leave. I head toward my suite, hoping to find Sophia and Monty for some holding of my own.