Assassins of Athens ak-2

by Jeffrey Siger

  She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.

  Andreas continued. 'I didn't say that and, besides, Zanni Kostopoulos isn't about to walk away from this.' He turned to Kouros. 'Keep doing what we're doing — building our case against Demosthenes. Let's see where it leads.'

  He looked back at Lila. 'As for pressing formal charges against the Kolonaki Club kids, that will be decided by someone way above my pay grade.'

  She stared at him, then winked.

  'Everybody happy now?'

  'Oh yeah, perfect. I'm going back to Demosthenes' neighborhood wearing a shirt saying, "Fuck the Revolution." My death will come quicker and less painfully that way. Bye, Mrs Vardi. Sorry, again, about the language.'

  Andreas waited until he left. 'You do know what I'm about to say?'

  'Something about not taking chances?'

  'Not without at least telling me first. Every chance isn't worth the risk.' Though he knew hers at the club clearly was worth it.

  Lila's bottom lip turned down into a pout. 'You're absolutely right.' She stood up, walked around his desk, put her lips to his ear, and whispered, 'Is there a lock on your door?'

  This one was, too.

  22

  Dear Gertrude Louise,

  A friend stopped by the club today looking for you.

  Give a call when you have the chance. Kisses.

  Now what? Demon was enjoying the quiet. He'd been working on his plans for the future, preparing for the launch of the new party, his new party. He didn't have time for hand-holding an old man. But he had to; this was the Old Man. He reached for the phone but paused before calling. Perhaps they were on to him? Should not risk calling from here, just in case.

  The place he had in mind was about eight blocks southwest. He hadn't used that apartment in months. Only went there to get away from everyone. People stayed off that block unless they were desperate to get laid or high or lived there. His building had the obligatory white light above the door and smell of piss in the vestibule. He made a mental note to be out of there before dark.

  His apartment was on the second floor — just a room, a table, a bed, two lamps, and two chairs. The water worked sometimes, the refrigerator rarely. He didn't consider it a home. He sat by the table and dialed from a new cell phone number, just in case.

  'Hello.' It was the Old Man.

  'I understand I had a caller.'

  'Yes, an old friend of your family stopped by yesterday and asked for you by name.'

  'By name?'

  'Yes, and she knows you were our guest. I suspect that very soon each of us will be receiving a personal invitation of some sort.'

  Probably to die, Demon thought. 'How did she get my name?'

  'Don't know, but I assume from our mutual friend on Mykonos.'

  Shit. Kostopoulos was onto him. 'What's her name? I think I should look her up.'

  'Yes, that is a very good idea. Lila Vardi.'

  He remembered the name, vaguely. 'Describe her.'

  'Better yet, buy this week's Hello. There's a story on her and the museum where she works — with photographs.'

  'How convenient.'

  'Yes. Please do give her my best when you see her, which I assume will be soon.'

  'Will today do?'

  'The sooner the better.' He hung up.

  Demon did not move from the chair. He heard shouting from the next room. A hooker and a client arguing over the price for some special pleasure the john had in mind. These are the people who will rally behind me, who will believe I share and understand their pain, that I can lead them to a better life. Let me get elected, and I promise I'll take care of them. I'll take care of all of Greece's garbage.

  He went back to thinking about Lila Vardi. Ms Vardi is a threat. She's also the perfect vehicle for another sort of message to Kostopoulos: this is what happens to those you send against us.

  No reason to use his regulars for this. They'd want too much, and learn too much. He'd give it to local scum from the neighborhood. No, make that a nearby neighborhood, one where he wasn't known. Who knows. If she's pretty enough they might even cut their price. 'What's he doing now?' It was late afternoon and Andreas had been waiting for Kouros' call. His last one didn't make Andreas happy. They'd followed Demosthenes to an apartment on one of Athens' worst streets and had no way of knowing what went on inside.

  'Angelo, Christina, and I are with him. He bought a magazine at a newsstand on Sophocleos by the Athens Market and headed down Sophocleos toward Pireos.' One end of Sophocleos Street was known as Greece's Wall Street, but Demon was headed toward its other end, and a 24/7 market for virtually every other sort of vice or crime you might have in mind.

  'He just bought two strung-out, junkie-looking guys a souvlaki. The three of them are arguing back and forth.'

  'About what?'

  'Can't tell. Wait a minute.'

  Kouros didn't speak for two minutes. Andreas wanted to say, 'What's happening?' but he knew Kouros would tell him if he could. Andreas hated it when his old chiefs wanted updates in the middle of a fight. It got his phone all bloody.

  'Okay, I'm back. He was looking this way so I started talking to a hooker. Man, are they ugly down here. Whew. Anyway, Angelo told me he saw Demosthenes shake hands with the two guys and give them the magazine.'

  'He gave them the magazine?'

  'Yeah, they opened it up and took out some money.'

  'Why didn't he just hand them the money? No cops around there, at least none who would care.'

  'For sure. Wait a second.' This time it was a second. 'I have an angle on them off this window and… what the fuck… all three of them are looking at the magazine. Demosthenes is pointing to something.'

  'Can you make it out?'

  'No way to see what he's looking at, too far. But the magazine looks like… yes, it's Hello.'

  'Hello? What are they doing with Hello?'

  'Demosthenes maybe, but other two definitely aren't the Hello type. Guarantee you they're into the big tits, wide-open crotch, beat-off in the public toilet sort of stuff. But they've got a serious conversation going on about something in that maga — gotta run, Chief. They're splitting up. Angelo, you and Christina stay with the new guys, I'll take Demosthenes.'

  The phone went dead. Andreas rubbed his eyes, then stretched. He pressed the intercom button. 'Maggie, do you have the latest issue of Hello?'

  'Does the sea have water, the sky clouds?'

  'I take it that's a-' before he could say 'yes' Maggie was coming through the door with the magazine.

  Maggie dropped it on his desk. 'Some of us have work to do.'

  She left him smiling. He looked at the cover. What were they looking at and why? Had to be something bad. Andreas opened to the first page and started turning through the magazine. Never realized how many worked so hard to get their pictures in here, while so many the magazine would love to feature worked even harder to stay out.

  There was a story on the Kostopoulos family headlined, 'Where are they?' It was filled with rumors and empty of new facts. But it had pictures of everyone in the family. This was a possibility, he thought, but dismissed it as unlikely. No way, after everything with the Sardinians, Demosthenes was tossing amateurs into the mix. Besides, all of the family was out of Athens and, if they somehow reached Mykonos… Andreas smiled at the thought of the two street guys tangling with Zanni's little army, especially the major.

  He kept turning pages. There were photographs of a lot of people he recognized and a lot more he didn't. Then he saw Lila. She looked so beautiful. He couldn't believe she actually liked him. Loved him from what she said this morning. What can she possibly see in me? What can I possibly offer her?

  'Stop looking for problems. Believe her you idiot, and go with it.' Andreas was talking to himself.

  He turned more pages. There was one of Linardos at some benefit, and another of the Old Man at the same benefit. Could be one of them, maybe both. Andreas stared at their photos and wondered what reason Demosth
enes had to go after those two. He might get away with one falling victim to a random, tragic, street crime, but two? No way anyone would take that as coincidence. It would trigger an enormous investigation from every imaginable media and government arm. Demosthenes must be going after only one, but which one? And why?

  Demosthenes didn't seem upset after his meeting with the two. Even happy. No, what Kouros said was 'at peace with the world.' What happened between then and now that has Demosthenes out hiring street scum who'd cut a throat for ten euros? Amazing, today he wants them dead; yesterday it was drinks at the Kolonaki Club. Guess the old adage is true-

  Andreas stopped in mid-thought; his chest seized up, a chill shot through his body, his head started spinning. He thought he'd puke. 'Lila! My god, they're going after Lila!' He talked to himself, trying to force his way out of whatever was happening to him. 'So, this is what they call an anxiety attack. No fucking way, asshole!' Andreas slammed his fists three times on the desk, stood up and headed out the door. 'No FUCKING WAY!' They had to hurry. The guy with the magazine said she worked over by the Acropolis and they must be there in thirty minutes. Fastest way was the metro. They ran. Had to get to Omonia — from there it was three stops to Akropoli station. That was their only chance to make it on time. The guy said she wasn't expecting it, and they'd get triple what he'd already paid if they did her today. If they caught her alone it was easy. With people around it would be tougher, but they still could do it. Just a quick bump and stab and she'd be dead before anyone knew what happened.

  They hoped she was alone, though, and took a walk. They wanted to find a place to have a little fun with her first. The magazine guy said he didn't care what they did to her, as long as she died. They really wanted this pretty uptown lady to take a walk. Andreas tried reaching Lila everywhere he could think of. She wasn't answering her mobile. He tried her at home, but she wasn't there, and although the maid thought she was meeting friends for lunch, she didn't know which ones or where. He called the museum, but no one picked up. All he got was a message saying it was closed today. He sent a text message warning her, and prayed she got it. He jumped back and forth between calling and text messaging. Not a word back. Andreas was desperate.

  He kept trying to get through to Angelo and Christina. The investigation no longer mattered. He would order them to stop those two immediately, no matter what it took. But he couldn't reach anyone. He called Kouros.

  'Chief?'

  'Where are Angelo and Christina?'

  'No idea, they told me the two guys were headed into the metro at Omonia and they were right behind them. Probably still underground with no signal. What's up?'

  'They're after Lila.'

  'My god.'

  'Grab that bastard Demosthenes and find out where he sent them.'

  Kouros didn't answer.

  'Did you hear me?' Andreas shouted.

  'I can't, he's somewhere inside the university. I couldn't follow him in. We're watching the gates for when he comes out.'

  'Fuck the constitution. Just find him!' Andreas screamed and pounded his fists on the steering wheel. He'd been driving around without any idea of where to go. He was breathing heavily. 'Yianni, please. We've got to find him. They're going to kill her.'

  'I'm going in now. I'll call you as soon as I have him.' Kouros paused. 'And I'm praying, too. Bye.'

  Where can she be? Andreas never thought he'd see a worse moment in his life than his father's suicide. But this was worse, far worse. At eight years old there was nothing he could do to save someone he loved, but now he could. And yet he couldn't. He was left to dialing phone numbers — 'Angelo, Christina, for god's sake answer me' — and prayer. Andreas pulled the car over to the curb and stopped. He shut his eyes and bowed his head. 'Please, dear Lord, don't let anything happen to Lila. I beg of you, please.' Angelo and Christina hadn't stopped running since the two men with Demon took off from Sophocleos Street. The men never checked to see if anyone was running behind them, so they figured the two were high. The cops caught their breath on the train, but the moment they reached the metro stop by the Acropolis the running started again. The cops were thirty yards behind them at the metro station, but the distance widened as they passed the new Acropolis Museum, and they were closer to forty yards apart by the time the two men turned left onto the Dionysiou Areopagitou pedestrian promenade. It was part of the wide walkway that ran from the Ancient Agora on the west, past the Odeon of Herodes Atticus and Ancient Theater of Dionysos at the base of the Acropolis, to the plaza across from Hadrian's Arch on the east.

  Angelo and Christina reached the pedestrian road just in time to see the two turn left onto a side street. Their communicators had been vibrating wildly since they came out of the metro station, but there was no way to slow down to answer them. They turned the corner onto the side street running at full speed, but stopped abruptly and pulled back around the corner. The two men were halfway down the block, on the east side of street, but they weren't running. They were walking toward the corner, looking back and forth. One pointed to a break between two apartment buildings on the other side of the street, but they didn't cross over; just kept heading toward the corner.

  'This must be the place they're looking for. We better wait here. If we start down that street they'll make us for sure.' Angelo nodded toward Christina's communicator. 'Let's check in.'

  Christina pressed the respond button and instantly heard their chief's voice. 'Where are you?'

  'On Dionysiou Areopagitou, a few blocks from the Akropoli metro station. The suspects are on a side street heading south toward Rovertou Galli. I think this is-'

  Andreas' voice was deadly serious and loud enough for Angelo to hear him. 'Christina, listen carefully, those two are about to murder Lila Vardi, a white female, thirty-five, short black hair, approximately your height and weight. Stop them immediately. Deadly force is authorized. Do you understand?'

  Christina didn't answer. Angelo and she were too busy running toward the two men. The men had reached the corner, crossed to the west side, and started back up the street toward a dark-haired woman standing on the sidewalk looking at her cell phone. Lila had been smiling all day. Why not? She'd finally met a man who put her first, or at least tried to. An American friend once joked that the Greek woman's greatest positive asset was her beauty, and that her greatest negative was her men. She couldn't wait for her friend to meet Andreas. That should change her mind.

  The museum was closed today, but an hour and a half ago a major, old-money donor interrupted her lunch with friends with a call insisting they meet immediately at the museum to discuss a new gift. It was an hour-long, all phones off, listen-to-my-brilliance monologue by a very boring man. Thankfully, it was over. She still might be able to catch up with her friends for coffee. The restaurant was nearby, off Dionysiou Areopagitou.

  She was a few feet from the museum's front door, headed toward the quiet side street around the corner, when she remembered her phone was off. She found it in her purse and pressed the power button. At the corner she turned left. The pedestrian road was only a hundred yards away.

  Lila heard her phone beep to signal it was on, and beep again to signal missed calls and messages. She checked them as she walked. Andreas had called almost a dozen times. She smiled and thought, how sweet. She really did love him. She took a quick look at her messages. There were a half-dozen from Andreas. She sensed something must be wrong and stopped to read the first one:

  Killers are after you. Stay where you are. Do not go outside. Call me immediately.

  Lila never got to make that call. There was a shout, something struck the back of her head, and she was unconscious before hitting the pavement — lost to what happened next. Christina and Angelo had pulled their guns when one of the men gave a quick jerk of his hand toward the pavement and brought it back up holding a fully expanded, steel baton. Christina shouted 'Police,' but the man swung it anyway. The woman dropped to the pavement.

  The two men stood next to her bod
y, as if not sure what to do or aware that police with drawn guns were running at them. Then, like cockroaches in the light, they bolted; heading south and turning right at the corner.

  Angelo raced after them, pointing to Lila as he passed her. 'Take care of her.'

  Christina dropped to her knees next to the body and felt for a pulse. She called for an ambulance using the code for officer down. It seemed Lila's only chance. If there's one place in Athens where you're likely to find a cop when you need one, it's around the Acropolis. And a guy with a gun and a badge chasing two men and yelling 'Stop those bastards' soon had several pairs of fresh cop-legs running them down. Three uniformed cops caught up to the two over by the Prisons of Socrates. One of the men held a knife and the other the steel baton, but both dropped their weapons the instant the cops drew their guns.

  Five seconds later Angelo caught up to them. He stopped only long enough to say thanks to the cops, then turned and drove the side of his steel semi-automatic square into the face of the one who swung the baton, and twice more before the guy went down. The other one he kicked in the balls hard enough to drop him to the ground; then kicked each of them enough to break a rib or two. It was not the most-tourist friendly scene to witness. But Angelo didn't care. These bastards had tried to kill his chief's girlfriend. The chief never told him or Christina, but everyone in the unit knew. And that made her family.

  He turned and looked at the three uniforms. 'Call an ambulance for this garbage, but take your time.' Then he ran back to Lila.

  By the time he got there an EMT team was putting Lila on a stretcher. She was unconscious, and Christina would not let go of her hand. 'I'm staying with her. Tell the chief we'll be at Evangelismos Hospital.'

  'Anything else?'

  Christina walked beside the stretcher as they carried her to the ambulance. She looked down at Lila and squeezed her hand; then looked up at Angelo and mouthed — but did not speak — the words: Tell him to hurry. It doesn't look good.