by Hamel, B. B.
“This part of the city stays wild,” I said.
“Lots of bars. Young people.”
“Lots of witnesses.”
“What’s the plan?”
“We wait for things to die down. Then we make our move.”
“Might be busy until two.”
“That’s fine. I’ve got a feeling it won’t matter.”
She nodded. “Are you doing this alone?”
“No. Someone else is coming.”
“Do you know who?”
I shook my head. “But he’ll be here. He’s waiting for my signal.”
“You guys have a really complicated system.”
“Tell me about it. But so far, it works.” I leaned back in the seat. “Get comfortable. We’ve got some time to kill.”
She sighed and leaned her head back on the headrest.
The night buzzed with drunk young people and some older couples out for a stroll. Robin fell asleep after an hour of sitting around. I let her sleep, the girl had been exhausted lately and she needed the rest. And there wasn’t much she could do, anyway.
A steady flow of men in hoodies and baggy jeans stopped outside of the flower shop’s side door. I watched them come and go, making a mental note. It was almost a steady rhythm, every fifteen minutes or so. They’d show up, knock, wait, do something inside, then leave again. I couldn’t see any bags or objects on them, but that was probably why they wore sweatshirts, to hide whatever they were bringing out of there.
My guess was drugs. It’s always fucking drugs with these people.
Time slowly slipped away. Cars rolled down the street. A group of motorcycles growled past. Robin talked in her sleep, though I couldn’t make out any words. Her eyes twitched as she moved through cycles.
Two o’clock came and went and the night quieted.
But the guys kept coming.
I nudged Robin after the 2:15 guys came and went. She startled awake and looked around.
“What happened?”
“You were asleep.”
She sucked in a breath. “Shit.”
“It’s fine.” I nodded at the shop. “I’ve got to make a move.”
“Okay, okay, yeah. I’m ready.”
“No. Stay here, in the car, behind the wheel. You’re driving.”
“Wait, what?”
“You have a good view of what’s about to happen. When I come running, you start the car and drive north as fast as you can. We’ll switch and I’ll get us back home.”
She chewed her lip. “So I’m the getaway driver, huh?”
“Exactly. Can you do it?”
“I can do it.”
“Good.” I picked up my phone, sent another text. “Be ready.” I pushed open the door and walked out into the night.
It was a comfortable fall evening. The air smelled crisp. I walked across the street, toward the flower shop. A car door opened midway down the block and a shape stepped out.
I turned left and walked toward the park. I took a narrow black paved path that wound around some bushes and stopped at a bench.
The figure followed me, stopped a few feet away.
I nodded to Oleg. He nodded back. He had thick long hair in a messy bun and a wild, unkempt beard. He looked more like a lion than a man wearing black jeans and a black jacket.
“What’s the situation?” he asked.
“You been watching the shop?”
He nodded. “Hard not to notice it.”
“Every fifteen minutes.” I checked my watch. “We’ve got about ten before they come again. We’ll wait until the door opens, then kill the two outside, kill whoever’s inside, and take whatever they’re selling.”
“Easy enough.”
“Did you hear about Pavel?”
“We all heard.” He grunted and shook his head. “He was a difficult man. I never liked him much. But fuck the Volkovs for killing him.”
“Agreed. This is our revenge. So let’s make sure they feel it.”
Oleg’s eyes narrowed and he nodded.
I gestured and he followed me as I moved further into the park, getting into position. A row of hedges lined the park’s edge next to the alley. I led Oleg toward them and crouched down at the far corner. I could see the flower shop through a gap in the branches, about thirty feet away. Oleg crouched next to me and I could hear the rumble of his breathing.
He was one of the more dependable guys in the crew. I guessed Hedeon sent him to make sure things went well. I was happy about it, since this meant I didn’t have to worry about my backup. Oleg would perform well under pressure, and he was as ruthless as he needed to be, but not vicious or stupid like Pavel had been.
We waited in silence. He didn’t fidget or act nervous. He was a steady presence, and I felt myself keep calm. It was the quiet moment before intense violence, and I knew that this could make or break what happened next. If we got nervous, panicked, or did something stupid, it would all be over.
But I wasn’t about to fuck this job up.
I checked my watch then looked up. I nodded at Oleg and moved, staying low under the line of bushes. I got closer to the flower shop’s side door and took a deep breath.
Nothing happened for three agonizing minutes. Part of me thought maybe, just maybe, they were done for the night. Maybe they’d pack up and call it. Not enough junkies out to justify selling so late.
But sure enough, footsteps on the pavement. I parted the branches and watched two men in sweatshirts walk to the door. One had on a dark baseball hat and the other one kept pulling at his jeans as they threatened to slide off his hips.
We were close enough that I could hear them knock.
“You see that bitch with the tits out?” Baggyjeans asked.
“Yeah, man. I thought about making her pay with some pussy, you know what I mean?”
Baggyjeans laughed. “Fuck that bitch’s tits, right? Put my big dick between them titties.”
“Please, man, you got that tiny little micropenis. She’d want to end up with a real man. Make her feel something.” Hatguy laughed.
Baggyjeans pushed him then took out a cigarette. He lit up as the door opened.
I looked back at Oleg. He nodded, held up his gun, pulled back the slide. I pulled mine from my waistband and slipped into the gap between two bushes. I pushed my way through and came out, gun up and aimed.
The guy in the doorway was bald and thin. He spotted me and his eyes went wide.
Oleg crashed through the bushes and started shooting.
Baggyjeans dropped, red blooming on his chest.
I fired on Hatguy. His head exploded backwards in a spray of blood that washed over the bald man inside. Baldy staggered back and tried to shut the door, but I charged forward and slammed my shoulder against it.
Oleg finished Baggyjeans and Hatguy off.
“You gonna help?” I said through clenched teeth.
He grinned then put his massive frame against the door.
We both pushed together. Baldy let out a shout as he got forced inward.
I moved in forward, gun up. Baldy put his hands in the air so I shot him in the chest twice. He slumped back against a white wall and left a trail of blood as he dropped to the floor. I put one more in his head as Oleg moved further inside.
The back room was filled with flowers. A workbench took up the center of the space. Half of the bench was covered in arrangements, and the other half had small baggies of pills lined up in neat rows.
“What the fuck is—” A man’s voice came from a door to the left. He was older, cheeks wrinkled, and wore an ill-fitting suit.
I didn’t bother with questions. We weren’t there for questions. I shot him in the skull then put one in his chest just to make sure.
Oleg collected the pills. He found a plastic bag and dumped them all inside. I lingered, kicked over a few flower pots.
“This is weird,” I said. “It’s like a real fucking flower shop.”
“Front,” Oleg said. “For pills.”
“I see that. Still. Someone took the flower shop part seriously.”
Oleg grunted. “Doesn’t matter.”
I shook my head. “You’re right. Come on.”
He turned and headed toward the door.
There was a scream and another side door burst open. A man came through with a small sub-machine gun. Bullets sprayed out. I dove to the side as Oleg fell to the floor. I fired back at the gunner and he stumble over the body of Baldy. He cursed and I managed to shoot him in the leg. He screamed and dropped, his gun still firing, massive booms in the dark night.
“Oleg,” I said, getting up.
“I’m fine,” he said and climbed to his feet. He clutched at a wound on his arm. “Grazed me. Got lucky.”
I took the pill bag from him. “Go,” I said.
He nodded and ran out the door.
I put a bullet in the last guy’s head and followed.
The night was comfortable and quiet. Blood covered my shoes and jeans. I ran across the street and jumped into the passenger side.
Robin stared at me for a long moment before starting the car and driving away.
I dropped the bag of pills onto the floor and leaned my head back. Laughter ripped itself from my chest. I couldn’t help myself. Relief and anger and adrenaline rolled through my veins and laughter was the only way I could vent it. Robin smiled and looked at me like I was nuts and none of it mattered.
I laughed as we drove away from the scene. Five dead men and a bag full of pills, probably tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of them.
It was a good fucking night.
I put a hand on Robin’s thigh and kissed her neck. She grinned, tilted her head, kissed me back at a stop sign.
“I guess it went well.”
“Better than expected.”
“What’s in there?”
“A lot of money.” I rattled the pills around. “In fact, I think I just had an idea.”
“Yeah? You know how we’re going to get out of this?”
“Not yet. But maybe it’s a start.” I leaned back and grinned out the window as my mind worked in circles.
14
Robin
I felt like a train hit me the next morning, and I hadn’t done anything. Leo was already awake and typing out messages on his phone when I walked into the living area and poured some coffee.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
He looked up. “Morning.”
“Morning.” I nodded at the phone. “What’s going on?”
“I’m making some plans.”
“Does this have to do with your idea last night?”
He nodded and nudged the bag of pills with his foot. They were still on the floor next to the couch where he’d dropped them the night before. I wasn’t sure he’d slept at all or not, but at least he took a quick shower and changed into clean clothes that didn’t have blood on them.
“Running it past the group. And it seems as though I’m getting the green light.”
I perched on the arm of the couch and crossed my legs. The coffee was bitter and hot. I took a long sip.
“Why don’t you clue me in and don’t make me guess for once?”
He grinned and put the phone down. “Okay then. Let me ask you something. Who in this city would want to see the Volkov family fall?”
“Aside from you? I don’t really know.”
“Who would profit from it the most, then?”
I frowned a little. “The Leones would. But aren’t they allied?”
“They were. But things change. Don Leone died a couple years back and his son’s been running things here ever since. The old guard moved on to the new family out in Chicago, and I think that the young men in charge here might be willing to do a deal.”
“That’s a lot of assumptions. They might just kill you and help out their allies instead.”
“That’s what Enrico said.”
I grimaced. “I don’t really want to be on his side of this argument.”
“Good, but it doesn’t matter. We’re going on a little trip this morning.” He jumped up and stretched. “I’m grabbing a shower. You should get ready when I’m done.”
“Where are we going?”
“You remember that little bakery you showed me?”
I groaned. “You’re joking.”
“Turns out, Hedeon knew about that spot already, and he set up a little meeting for us.” He walked back toward the bathroom.
“Wait, what does this have to do with the pills?”
“Oh, you’ll see.” He grinned at me then stepped into the bathroom and turned on the water.
I groaned and sipped the coffee again. I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like this, but I knew that look in Leo’s eye by now.
He was excited for his little plan. So there wasn’t much I could do to convince him otherwise.
Better to let it ride.
* * *
We parked a block down from the bakery and killed the engine. “Let me do the talking in there,” he said.
“Fine. Not like I know what to say anyway.”
“You ever meet these guys?”
I shook my head. “Only from a distance.”
“Vincent and Dante are the acting heads of the family right now. They both have good reputations. Apparently, Dante’s a reasonable guy, not prone to violence, though Vincent’s got a temper.”
“Anything we need to worry about?”
“I don’t think so.” He opened his door. “Come on. And bring that bag.”
I picked up a black duffel off the back seat and followed him. Pills rattled inside as I slung it over my shoulder. I hurried to match his pace as he walked with his hands shoved into his pockets. The mid-afternoon sunlight made his skin seem to glow. A bit of stubble grew on his chin and cheeks.
I wanted to brush my lips against his beard and dig my fingers into his hair.
The thought came over me so suddenly that it almost hurt. I had to look away, down at the sidewalk.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Fine.”
He grunted and said nothing.
We reached the bakery. I felt a deep stab of fear, which was strange, since it looked like a Starbucks. The front doors were big and glass with wooden handles. He pulled them open and went in first. I slipped in behind him.
The interior was dim with an industrial feel. Tables lined the left and right halves of the room. A large display case and counter for ordering ran across the back. Baskets overflowing with bread were stacked along the wall. An espresso machine screamed steam and spit out liquid. Leo stood just inside the entrance for a moment before turning.
Two men sat at a table on our left. They were dark suits. Both were tall, light eyes, handsome in their own ways. The first man came forward, hand extended.
“Dante,” he said.
“Leo.” They shook.
The next followed. “Vincent.”
“Good to meet you both.” Leo nodded at me. “This is Robin Volkov.”
Dante raised an eyebrow. “I know that name. You’re the mythical cousin.”
“That’s me,” I said, smiling a little.
“Come, sit. Want something?”
Leo shook his head. Dante showed us to a table then sat on the opposite side next to Vincent.
I looked around the room. A young kid with dark hair stood behind the back counter. A few other rough-looking guys were scattered throughout the room, intermingled with a few young hipsters with Apple computers and earbuds.
I guessed there were at least eight other mafia types lingering nearby.
“Hedeon said you had something to talk to us about,” Vincent said. He leaned back casually, arms crossed, an easy smile on his face.
Dante clasped his hands in front of him on the table.
“I assume at this point that you have a good idea of what our organization is attempting to do,” Leo said, speaking slowly and clearly. “I assume you both understand what that means.”
>
Dante shrugged. “We have some guesses.”
Vincent leaned forward. “You want to take out old Maksim. Killed his son already.”
Dante laughed. “I should’ve done that a while ago. Had the chance once but it didn’t work out.”
“We killed his son,” Leo said. “Did it myself, actually.”
Dante’s eyes drifted to mine. “How do you feel about that?”
“Vlas was an asshole,” I said. “I’d probably be more upset if Uncle Maksim hadn’t tried to kill me the very next day.”
Dante snorted and Vincent laughed.
“Sounds about right,” Vincent said. “Maksim’s not exactly the best long-term thinker.”
“Always been a pain in the ass, really.” Dante sighed. “We work with him since he’s the biggest game in town, but…” He trailed off.
“We plan on solving that problem for you,” Leo said. “And I can promise that we’ll be much easier to work with. We’re a business-oriented group. Making money is the most important thing.”
“I hear making a splash is all you’re doing right now,” Vincent said. “Killing them, making noise. That’s not good for business.”
Leo gestured agreement. “But we’re in early stages. First, we clear the board of obstructions. Then we build the business the way we want to.”
Dante and Vincent exchanged a look.
“What do we have to do with this?” Dante asked.
“I know you’re in an alliance with the Volkovs,” Leo said. “I know you have some kind of arrangement. The Leone family is on top in this city, with the Volkovs as a sort of vassal, or a lesser ally, however you want to call it.”
“Vassal,” Vincent said. “That’s a good word. And accurate.”
“I’m here to ask you to allow us to make our move. I’d love to have your full support, but I’m not so foolish as to think that I’d get it.”
“No, I don’t think we could openly back you in a war against the Volkovs,” Dante said, his face serious. “I don’t think we could do that at all.”
“I understand. But perhaps you could… stay out of it. Remain quiet.”
“Why?” Vincent asked. “Volkov’s a pain, but we know him. You might be worse.”
