Chapter 3 Bang!
Just after midnight, the brothers arrived at the Leeman Residence. It was damp. A crow’s caw echoed from high above, adding to the symphony of desperation.
The two armored trucks parked parallel behind Tico’s SUV on the road, at the beginning of the long private driveway leading up to the mansion.
“OK, this is what’s going to happen,” Tyler announced. “You two will stay here. Me and Tommy will go up and negotiate with Kane and get Nicki out. Keep an eye out for Luca and Rex arriving soon too. Stay locked and loaded on the house in case shit goes down,” he finished.
“You got it, boss,” Tico said, adjusting his target with his long-range rifle from inside the truck.
Trevor was set up with his own arsenal and pointing it at the gate.
Jake handed each of the brothers a Glock to put in their back waistbands, in the unlikely chance they don’t get checked on their way in.
The brothers, in their baggy hooded sweatshirts, started walking the long driveway up toward the gate.
“Remember, keep it together, Tyler. We need to get Nicki back, don’t do anything stupid,” Tommy coached quietly.
Tyler ignored him.
The large metal gate with iron mirrored L’s opened for them. The double doors mechanically opened inward and revealed the prestigious ivory estate. A man in a tailored three-piece suit and a gold chain pocket watch on his waistcoat was standing to greet them.
Kane Leeman beamed in his villainous glory.
“Welcome, boys,” he said confidently.
The brothers stopped a few feet in front of him.
“Check them,” Kane instructed to his security team, who came out of the shadowy flanks and patted each of the brothers down, hard.
Both Glock pistols were confiscated immediately.
“How about we discuss business in my office, huh boys?” Kane suggested.
Kane turned and headed toward the entrance of the house.
The brothers, each with a security guard holding onto them, followed silently.
In the grand office upstairs, the brothers were seated on the back couch. Kane chose his massive leather chair from behind his desk. The only thing missing was a long-haired Turkish Angora cat in his lap.
“So. You will give me Vancouver. And that will be that. Yeah? I think it’s safe to say the truce is off the table,” Kane said calmly as he sliced the end of a fresh Cohiba and lit the cigar.
“I need to see that she’s OK. I’m not discussing any deal without seeing her first,” Tyler said in a low, direct voice.
Kane took a puff of the cigar and nodded to the two large guards at the door. One of them left the room.
The brothers’ pulses elevated. The next five minutes were silent and excruciating.
The door opened and the guard came back in, with Nicki handcuffed to the back, blindfolded and gagged.
She stumbled into the office, directed by the man holding onto the handcuff chain between her hands.
Tyler shot up from the couch.
“Sit down!” Kane shouted.
Tyler was shoved back down by the other guard at the door who stood over him with his hand on his shoulder, pressing down hard.
“I’m here, honey, we’re taking you home. Just hold on, just a little while longer, OK?” Tyler said in Nicki’s direction. And I’m going to skin alive every single one of these assholes for touching you.
Nicki released a few tears from her eyes that fell beneath her blindfold as soon as she heard his voice. She nodded nervously before being snatched roughly by the guard and pulled back out of the office.
The door shut again. The brothers both felt gutted but with a sliver of relief. It was enough to give them the strength to negotiate the terms.
“Let’s get it over with.” There was an impatient growl in Tyler’s voice.
Kane got up from his desk, with a satisfied look and approached the brothers slowly.
His patent leather shoes clicked loudly against the polished wooden floor. The cigar smoke filled the air, adding a thin fog where the lights illuminated the room.
Kane pulled out a cell phone from his pocket, pressed call, and handed Tyler the phone, on speaker.
“Take it away, Mr. Dorien.”
The phone rang several times. Finally, Chase McInnis answered.
“Yeah,” he said upon pickup.
“Chase, it’s me,” Tyler said.
“Tyler?”
“Yeah. I’m sorry to be calling this late but, uh, I need to tell you something, my man.”
“What?”
“I’m getting married,” Tyler responded.
Tommy shot over a look at him.
“You’re getting married? Well, congrats, brother!” Chase exclaimed.
“Yeah. But that means I’m out of the game, man. I’m out of the gun game.”
“Buddy, no, don’t do this to me, man! I got ships coming in, I can’t run the ports empty!” Chase pleaded.
“Don’t worry, brother, I’m not going to leave you high and dry. You’ll still get your guns. As many as you need,” Tyler assured.
“Well, I’m not working with anyone other than you and Tommy. Too big of a risk,” Chase stated.
“What if I assure you that the delivery will be clean? I’ll manage it myself but the dealer will be someone else.”
The air was silent.
Kane motioned for Tyler to continue.
“I’m signing over the operation to a new ally. Kane Leeman,” Tyler said, and looked up at Kane.
“Kane Leeman? The one who tried to collect behind your back with Skarpa brokering that deal? Naw, man,” Chase said.
“Trust me, bro. It’s a new era. Skarpa is out and the Leemans are in. They’re even going to cut you a good deal to show that they are willing to work with you, long term,” Tyler added cautiously, only to get a kick in the knee from the guard next to him.
Tyler groaned quietly.
Tommy looked up at the guard with fire in his eyes, memorizing his face. You will pay for hurting my brother. And touching our girl. I will fucking carve your heart out.
Chase paused for a minute, exhaled loudly and finally answered.
“Fine. But I want a meeting with you and Leeman before we move anything. Face to face. To solidify this and make sure I’m not going to be fucked over, Dorien.”
“You got it, it’ll be arranged,” Tyler confirmed and looked back up at Kane, who nodded.
“Yeah, good. And I better be getting an invite to your wedding too, Dorien. I want to meet the not-so-lucky lady,” Chase added teasingly.
“You will, brother. Maybe we can do something together with your wife some time. It’ll be just like the good ol’ days in Toronto,” Tyler said.
Another pause.
“Yeah, buddy, those were the good ol’ days. Alright, send me the info for this meeting with Leeman.”
“Thanks, buddy,” Tyler concluded and handed Kane back the cell phone.
Kane hung up the phone with a triumphant smile, then looked back down at the brothers on the couch.
“Good job, Tyler boy! That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Kane said.
Tyler shot up off the couch.
“So now let her fucking go!”
The guard swung his fist around and punched Tyler in the face with an upper cut that almost cracked his jaw.
Tommy jumped across Tyler and grabbed the guard’s face, pressing his fingers into his eyes, until the other guard rushed inside the office and got Tommy off of him.
“Relax, boys, relax!” Kane shouted sternly.
Everyone quieted down.
Kane approached the brothers and whispered into Tyler’s ear.
“Mr. Dorien. You may have the girl back. But if you do anything to cancel the meeting with Canada, or alter or sabotage the plan in any sense of the word, not only will we find her again, and you know that we will, but I will have all my men run a train through her like the Trans-Siberian-Railway, and make you watch,” Kane slithered.
Tyler attempted to swallow the lava bubbling in his throat.
“You have my word,” Tyler growled. “Chase will meet us and I will hand over Canada to you. But he will want my trucks and logistics to trust the delivery. You heard him. So, it’ll be your deal, but my delivery.
At least for the first few trips until he gets comfortable with you.
That’s the only way he’ll agree,” Tyler warned; the side of his face throbbing.
“Fine,” Kane replied, taking another puff of his cigar. “But you’re doing it for free.”
“Fuck you!” Tommy piped up. “We need to fuel and conceal the trucks. It’s going to be at least 10% of the take for logistics!” he added, loathing Kane after the train comment.
“Five. And that’s it,” Kane countered.
“Fuck you, seven. And Nicki gets out right the fuck now!” Tyler shouted.
Kane clicked back over to his desk and put down the cigar in his gold-plated ashtray with their cursive L complimenting it.
He then walked over to the side of his desk where there was an art deco mahogany side table with a drawer.
He opened it slowly and picked up a hand gun from inside.
With the gun in his hand, he walked back over to the brothers.
“Doesn’t it just seem too good to be true?” Kane asked, every word dripping with sarcasm.
“You got what you wanted. You got my entire gun deal,” Tyler said.
“Not all of it. I want an alliance with the Mexicans,” Kane added.
“That comes with the territory,” Tyler confirmed.
“But… you took one of my boys…. And for that—” Kane pointed the gun at Tommy’s face.
Tommy winced at the muzzle.
“NO!” Tyler screamed out before he jumped at Kane, shoving his arm down.
BANG!
The single bullet hit Tyler in the thigh.
He collapsed onto the floor.
“Tyler!” Tommy yelled out and leaped to his brother, hurling in pain.
Kane laughed, holding the gun in his hand, stepping back.
“What are you waiting for, boys? Why are you still here? Go get your girl and get the hell out of my house!” Kane shouted, with a victorious cackle.
Tommy helped Tyler up, who was pressing down on the bullet wound to his thigh, wincing in pain.
“You fucking asshole,” Tyler whispered in Kane’s direction.
“Come on, we gotta go!” Tommy said to Tyler, putting his arm around him and carrying him toward the door. Tyler limped.
“We gotta get Nicki,” Tyler said.
“We gotta get you out of here, brother. Let’s go!”
They stumbled out of the office to make their way to the front entrance.
“Nicki!” Tyler shouted into the hall. “Where the fuck is she?” Tyler demanded.
“We’ll find her!” Tommy said. “Let’s go!”