Chapter 26
MISPLACED
“Index,” Duncan forced Brandon to focus on the conversation going on.
But Brandon had a hard time giving full attention to the urgent matter that occupied everybody’s mind. He had been staring at the map on the table for quite some time now without actually seeing it.
He had woken up that morning with every intention to talk to Marigold. He couldn’t help but shake the impression that something was completely wrong and that he needed to clear the air with her. But then the message from Duncan came. It was urgent and immediate and non-negotiable.
Brandon realized that he had to finish this and put it behind them. After all, it would be so much easier for him to convince her that she was not just an informant for him anymore when this whole deal was over.
“The pressure we put on the gang has brought the results we were anticipating,” Duncan was explaining. “That means we have them cornered. But we all know that this can be both a blessing and a curse.”
“In my experience,” Owen said, “when you have somebody cornered, it usually yields the results you’re looking for.”
“This is not some fragile lady you have cornered to gain access to information. This is serious.”
Duncan turned his strict eye on him. It was a cold, calculated thing to see the Thumb of the Dark Hand turn his displeasure on you. Brandon couldn’t tell if Owen was shaken, but he certainly didn’t make any more comments.
“It is true. When the target is cornered, it turns them desperate,” Duncan moved on.
“A desperate man makes mistakes. That is the blessing we can exploit. Those mistakes. We have a small window till they gather their senses. But don’t forget also, desperate men get daring and aggressive.
They have nothing to lose, so they fight for everything. We should be mindful.”
The five men nodded in understanding. They had been through a lot and knew that mistakes can cost lives.
Brandon had never thought that he would die in the line of duty, but it was terrifyingly clear now the complete disregard he had for his own safety before he met Marigold.
He was like this cornered man that Duncan was talking about. Someone with nothing to lose.
For years, he felt that this was exactly what made him dangerous. No leverage, no fear. He cultivated that loneliness very carefully, thinking that any attachment would only be a target and something in the hands of his enemies. And then she came into his life.
Yes, he had more fear now, and the thought of anything happening to Marigold made him lose focus.
If he didn’t know that she was safe back in their house, he wouldn’t even be here.
But then again, that didn’t make him weaker.
Now, he wanted to stay safe. He was thinking more clearly, more cleverly, more dangerously, just to be sure that he was going to come back to her.
He pitied the man that would dare use her as leverage.
“Thanks to Index’s hard work,” Duncan kept explaining, “they believe there is a group of smugglers moving into their territory. They don’t like that, but they don’t even know what to make of this new threat, so they have agreed to a meeting.”
“Trap,” Middle said, rarely using full sentences when he talked.
“It goes without saying that they have set the trap.” Duncan smiled that icy, emotionless smile of his.
“And we’re walking into it?” Little demanded.
“Not only that.” Duncan turned stony. “We are setting it off.”
“Because we have some death wish, obviously,” Owen said, drinking from his glass. “I didn’t get that particular addendum to our agreement.”
“The agreement we had was to use everything in our power to make the streets safer and clean the dirt,” Duncan reminded them of their goals.
The men nodded. So far, the Thumb of the Dark Hand had not led them astray.
“We will be prepared,” Duncan continued. “We will handle the outburst. The authorities have been notified, despite the corruption that goes deep within their ranks. We have people standing by.”
The men looked at each other, and Brandon saw with satisfaction that everybody was ready to wage this war.
He was lucky enough to stumble upon this organization; he couldn’t have made it alone.
Tearing down Johnny’s operation took a group effort, and he had found just the people for this, strong lords that had his back.
“We only get one chance to do this,” Duncan said, making sure that everybody understood the seriousness of this mission.
Brandon nodded, his mind already churning. The plan was risky, but Duncan was right, they only had one chance to do this. And after that, he was going to go home to her. He would get this over with, and then Marigold would be waiting for him.
* * *
The next hours were a blur of preparation. They checked the weapons, looked over the maps, and discussed the plan again and again. Everybody was on edge, but they had been working for this for a long time. Finally, they would get what they wanted, and Johnny would get what he deserved.
Brandon was trying to focus on the raid that they were preparing, but his mind kept drifting to Marigold.
He had started this journey to annihilate Johnny because of Greta, and he was still out to avenge her.
But things had changed the moment he stumbled into the dark alley and saved Marigold.
Now, it was more than revenge. It was payback for the way this gang had treated his wife.
It was to heal her wounds and make her feel safe.
“You look distracted,” Owen observed.
“I am fine.”
“I didn’t say you are not fine. I said you look distracted. And I know exactly why.”
“Aren’t you clever,” Brandon deadpanned.
“I am.” Owen chuckled. “And that is exactly the reason I know you’re thinking of your pretty little wife.”
Brandon looked up, saying nothing but not denying it either.
“Don’t worry,” Owen smirked. “Worst thing that can happen is you getting a little hurt, and her fussing over this, playing nurse. You seemed to enjoy it last time.”
“You are an idiot.”
“I think we have just established that I am clever.”
Brandon shook his head. His friend spoke the truth.
He was on edge because of Marigold. Before, his total focus would be on the mission.
That would be so much easier, painless perhaps, and more effective but also pointless.
His whole life he was struggling to reach this point.
All he wanted was to confront Johnny, tear down his operations.
That was the only goal he had set for himself in this life.
What his life would be after that revenge was a thought that never crossed his mind. He never saw a life after this before.
But now, things were different. Now, this whole mission, this raid, was not the whole purpose of his life. In fact, now it was merely an obstacle. Just the nuisance that he had to overcome so that he could have the rest of his life with her.
“Let’s do this,” Brandon said with renewed purpose.
Soon the Dark Hand moved out toward the docks.
They were quiet, serious, and focused. They moved through the dark streets, wearing the simple clothes of smugglers, a silent army of shadows.
Brandon was supposed to be the head of this new threat against Johnny’s territory, pretending to be the leader of the smugglers.
“We are being watched,” Owen murmured.
“That is the plan,” Brandon kept his eyes forward.
Soon enough, they reached the designated meeting point. It was one of the warehouses at the edge of the docks that Marigold had already pointed out as one of Johnny’s lairs, so the Dark Hand had already scoped it out.
“Remember,” Brandon said to his men, “we are smugglers. We are here to negotiate. We are the distraction and the front line. Let them think they have the upper hand.”
Brandon pushed the door open and entered. He looked around with a wary eye. It was an open warehouse, mostly empty. There was a large table at the center. And there, sitting at the table, was the man that Brandon had spent almost all of his life hunting—Johnny.
Brandon looked upon his arch-nemesis for the first time.
Johnny was every bit the incarnation of evil that Brandon had pictured in his mind.
Gray hair crowned his cruel, sharp face.
Some disease left untreated had disfigured his features, making him look like the same monster that he was inside.
But what Brandon focused on was the sharp, calculating eyes Johnny was regarding him with. This man was a worthy opponent.
“Well, well, well,” Johnny said in a chilling voice. “If it isn’t the new boys on the docks.”
Brandon looked at Johnny, trying to stay calm. He was tempted to rush and kill him right there and then.
“I was wondering if you were going to come,” Johnny added, smooth and mocking.
“I am here to negotiate,” Brandon said, calm and confident. “There is enough space in the docks for both of us.”
“How daring of you to come into my territory making demands.”
“I haven’t even started making demands yet,” Brandon said as he looked around the room.
He quickly assessed the situation. There were twelve of Johnny’s men strategically scattered around the room. The room itself was open, with no hidden areas, but Brandon noticed that there was a door to another room right behind Johnny.
Brandon knew that there would be more men outside or around or even at the top of this building, but he was confident about the Dark Hand, and he knew that staying on course was the only way to secure the success of this mission.
“Come on, Johnny,” Brandon said, somehow having managed to shed all of his gentlemanly behavior. “You don’t want this to escalate because that’s going to cost you.”
“You think your little games are going to cost me more than you?”
Brandon held his ground. He just needed to buy more time for his fellow Fingers to get in position.
“What I do know, Johnny, is that you are cornered,” Brandon dared. “It would take a considerable amount of effort and time, but we both know there is a high chance I could kick you out of these docks.”
Johnny raised an eyebrow, but other than that, there was no other reaction. He seemed overconfident, and Brandon knew that this man had been reigning on the docks for years unchallenged. He was at the top of the food chain for too long and regarded himself as the apex predator in the area.
And yet, it was not only this. There was something in the way that Johnny looked at him that made Brandon uneasy. They had just met, and he expected Johnny to be reading him, trying to find his weaknesses, but Johnny looked at him as if he had already figured him out.
“Lucky for you,” Brandon kept distracting Johnny and his men, “I am a man that values both my resources and my time. I don’t want to waste either, so this little war you are pushing for is ineffective.”
“You’re right,” Johnny said with a terrifying smile. “A war would be completely ineffective. Especially when there are other ways to get the upper hand.”
Brandon felt an uneasy feeling crawling up his spine. Johnny was too sure of something, too confident. And he had the distinct notion that he and his men were stalling. They were waiting for something. They had something up their sleeves.
Brandon decided that they were in too deep to change course now and that he had to show trust to the other Fingers. He threw one glance at Owen, and he could tell that his friend also saw that there was something wrong in this whole situation.
Brandon felt his heart rate quicken, and his mind raced through all the possibilities. His eyes drifted to the door to that back room. Perhaps Johnny had gathered all his forces there and was ready to unleash an attack on them.
This notion made him feel uneasy. Perhaps Johnny was determined to wipe them out, not wanting another gang of smugglers in his area, and he decided to take the drastic way out.
And yet, in front of this threat, all Brandon could think was that he would manage to get out, and he thanked his lucky stars that Marigold was safe at home.
Nothing could touch her in the Verdant House.
He even chuckled, thinking that Duck would be by Marigold’s side no matter what.
All he needed to do now was stay safe, eliminate the threat, and if he got a little wounded, Owen was right.
He would enjoy having Marigold play the nurse with him.
A warmth spread to his heart at her thought.
It was as if every single moment he had lived with her came to him all at once.
The first time he saw her, the night he came to his house, their wedding, the way she melted in his arms, her with dirt on her face, the honey of her eyes and the smoothness of her voice, the tenderness of her touch, and the naughty gasps.
Standing in front of what was for him the endgame of his life, finally facing his nemesis, all Brandon could think was that he was desperately, irrevocably, deeply in love with his wife, his Marigold.
And he realized what was missing from the talk they had last night.
It was this confession. He loved her. And he needed to get this over with, so he could run and tell her.
“I am not here to play games, Johnny,” Brandon said with renewed determination. “I am here to make a deal. So, are you ready to discuss?”
“In any good negotiation,” Johnny said, tilting his head, “one must have something of leverage so that he can claim a higher price.”
Brandon tightened his jaw. It was plain for anyone to see, Johnny was stalling. The trap was closing in on them.
“I don’t mind saying,” Johnny leaned forward, his elbows on the table, “in our case, I happen to have the better leverage.”
Brandon frowned as he tried to read Johnny’s look.
“I am sure you will soon agree with me,” Johnny smiled wickedly.
Brandon knew in that moment there was something afoot that was dangerous, but he didn’t know what.