Chapter 38 #2
I hurry in and dress in my black combat jeans, boots, and black shirt.
Pulling the heavy vest over my head, I secure the clips and hook up the walkie talkie.
Pulling the earpiece connected to it, I place it in my other ear and switch it to the channel that connects to the others.
Suited up, I place extra clips within my vest and grab my guns of choice.
Once confident everything is in place, I meet the rest back down at the SUVs and we’re off.
I send a quick text to Celeste, letting her know something came up with work and I won’t be able to answer if she calls. I make sure to add that I love her in case something goes horribly wrong but I want to make sure she knows.
There are five of us gliding through the warehouse clearing each entrance before moving forward into the building.
Alarm begins to slither up my spine. It’s quiet, too quiet.
I was also left shorthanded as there’s no way in hell the five of us could take down a whole Mafia drop.
We’ll be outnumbered and there's no doubt the subjects will be armed and fully trained. The others also thought there would be more of us and we also haven’t heard a peep from anyone in the office about back up or anything really.
The sound of tires echoes from the outside, announcing the arrival of the first set of Mafia members.
I signal for us to spread out and take cover.
Each of the men disappear through different doorways and I find myself silently making my way up the stairs and slipping through a darkened room.
I have the all clear and position myself behind the door.
Looking through the crack of the door, the big doors downstairs open and the sound of the truck reversing cascades through the empty building.
Men hurry through the open doors, quickly unloading the truck, wheeling in crates to the center of the space.
One particular man catches my attention.
I lean in trying to get a better view through the tiny as hell crack.
Is that…is that Celeste’s friend Larson?
What the hell? Within minutes, they clear out and lock up the doors.
Once again, we’re alone as the squeal of tires depart from the front.
Giving it a few more minutes, making sure it’s clear, I move away from the back of the door.
Emerging from the room, I creep towards the stairs and make my way down and peek through the window confirming they’ve left.
The sound of rattling comes from the back of the building and I slip into the shadows getting out of sight.
“What’s your status?” I whisper into my earpiece to get the location of the other men, but the line is static. My heart rate begins to ramp up with the lack of responses.
Where the hell did they go? These fuckers better not have left me on my own. Suddenly, the warning from Monroe and Beckett comes forward reminding me that I need to be careful. That something is not right here.
“Stupid Italians. I can’t wait until they’re wiped out and we take control of the territory. This is why women can’t run a man’s job. It's like taking candy from a baby.” A thick accent brings my attention back towards the crates.
Three men walk with purpose towards the items. The shorter one is a little thicker, bald headed, and wearing a suit that’s way too tight.
The other two are taller and lengthy wearing red suits with guns holstered to their sides.
They take a peek at the shipment, huffing in disappointment like they expected there to be more.
“Let’s go. Contact Pali to bring the truck around,” the shorter one orders before making his way back to the door he came from.
“Boys, can you hear me? What’s your location?” I demand again.
Ghost.
Panic begins to rise with the nonexistent communication.
Something inside me tells me I need to go and check on them.
They’re my brothers after all. Lifting my gun, I clear the way in the once again empty room.
Entering the first room, it's dark and I nearly trip over something on the ground.
I reach for my flashlight and shine it down. A body lies against the wall.
I reach down to his neck to feel for a pulse but it’s gone. His head tips to the side revealing that his neck was snapped.
“Alaric, can you hear me?” I hear Beckett's voice through my ear.
“I’m here. We need back up,” I answer before moving out of the room to the next, finding it empty.
He doesn’t respond right away, but he’s most likely trying to get notice out for my request. Moving down the hall, I find a break room area, and two other men are splayed across the floor, blood pooling under them. What in the living fuck?
“Alaric, get out of there now. You’ve been compromised. They’re coming for you.” Panic fills my ears.
Just as I’m about to turn around, a hilt of a gun hits me at the side of the temple. My body involuntarily collapses and ringing fills my head. The pain radiates, causing my vision to blur.
“Agent Alaric Solace. She’s not going to be happy knowing that we have you.” A male cackles like he’s full of delight.
There’s no way he’s part of her men. I move my head and squint to see who the poor bastard is who got in a cheap shot. The short fat man claps his hands together as the other two flank me, securing my arms together before disarming me.
I’m dragged to the back of the warehouse where a chair sits. They throw me in a chair before tying my feet to the legs. One of the lengthy men unbuckles my vest and pulls out a knife and cuts the straps before disposing of it to the side. A fist flies to my stomach, knocking the wind out of me.
Another flies towards my face, knocking it to the side. I notice a symbol on their vests and realize these men are the Albanian mob and the memory of Beckett’s suspicions. Is Stevens working with the take down of the Italians? He has to be and now, I’m leveraged against them, against Celeste.
I can’t be her distraction. This wasn’t supposed to happen and now they’re coming after her with something that will absolutely destroy her. No one knew of our relationship besides her close family and the suspicion of the Director. Her family wouldn’t betray her so it all boils down to Stevens.
I get hit again on the opposite cheek causing blood to pool in my mouth. The image of Celeste fills my mind. The dangerous look in her eyes, the blood, the rage.
“You’re a dead man.” I spit blood on the floor. I give them a sinister smile, no doubt blood covering my teeth.
“Says the dead man walking. How do you think the queen is going to feel when she witnesses the one she loves shot and killed in front of her. She’ll have nothing left to live for.
Don’t worry, she’ll be joining you in the afterlife.
The Reaper will return home to the fiery pits of hell,” the one on the right mocks.
I’m not afraid to die. What I’m afraid of is that Celeste is going to lose any shred of humanity. They call her The Reaper, but do they realize that she’ll take them to hell with her?