Thin Ice 4 - Resurrections
Page 22
“What a tramp,” Victor spat distastefully, arriving at his first destination.
He’d decided to come back to the townhouse and do a little more investigating. It had been locked down since the day of the shootout. He had no resistance from the leasing office, once they were informed of his identity. Pulling up to the unit, Victor sighed deeply thinking back on the events of a few weeks ago. Seth was always simple, country ass, he brooded, getting out and opening the trunk. He took out his crime kit, knowing he would need the gloves and mask inside, so as not to contaminate any evidence he found. Victor checked his car once more, locking it, and placing the keys in his pocket as he headed toward the front door, still covered in police tape.
*****
Kai moved stealthily, making sure Shanise didn’t awaken before he finished his task. He quickly checked her purse, removing her cell, and service weapon. Flipping the phone open he made note of all her missed calls. Seeing the one from Victor, he texted him, asking his location. The response was almost instantaneous. Smiling, Kai sent a return text and turned the instrument off. He checked Shanise’s purse thoroughly finding several other interesting pieces of information as well. Finished Kai put the purse down and headed back into the bedroom where she was still deeply asleep. Looking at her as he slept, his anger began to rise once again. He hated having to play the games he did, but the fear kept him moving forward, the huge paydays kept it tolerable. Stepping quickly to his dresser, Kai removed a pair of handcuffs and returned to the bed, sitting down on it gently and taking Shanise’s hand. The cold steel touching her skin and the click of the cuff as it locked into place, roused her from the light slumber she was in, and her eyes popped open, looking directly into his.
“Well aren’t you up early ready to be freaky,” she teased as Kai smiled slightly and locked the other cuff in place. He took the leg restraints from under the bed where he placed them and put those on as well, with Shanise offering no resistance. Standing Kai regarded her as she continued to give him seductive looks.
“So now what, sexy,” she purred, still smiling.
Kai chuckled opening the nightstand drawer and retrieving the duct tape.
“Wait a min --,” Shanise managed before Kai applied the thick, sticky, adhesive to her mouth, effectively silencing her.
Shanise was terrified. What the hell is going on, she thought behind the huge eyes, filled with fear.
“Bet you’re wondering what I’m about to do huh,” Kai teased, pulling out a syringe and filling it.
Shanise began to thrash back and forth, trying desperately to get away from him. She felt so stupid for walking headlong into his trap. She was a seasoned FBI agent. She should have definitely known better, she continued to berate herself as Kai moved closer.
“You and your boy are in some shit that’s bigger than you could ever comprehend,” he told her calmly, applying the alcohol to the intended injection site. “Just for the record Shanise,” he began again. “I was never interested in you,” Kai told her, needle poised above her arm. “Honestly,” he stopped for emphasis. “You weren’t even that good,” he finished, laughing again as he jabbed her in the arm with the needle emptying the contents inside her vein.
*****
Tariq’s cell vibrated and he snatched it up again. ‘Two more men just came,’ the text told him. He sighed deeply; glad for the information but knowing it would complicate their plans. Kaitlyn had managed to text him earlier this morning, giving him as much information about the house’s layout as possible. What if it’s Ice and he’s setting you up, his mind threw at him. Tariq sighed deeply, not completely dismissing the thought, but choosing to believe it actually was his wife. He missed her so much. He and Ramell had talked again once everyone arrived, and to his surprise, everyone agreed that perhaps it was time to shut down the Atlanta operation and move on. Tariq was even more touched by the loyalty of all his soldiers. Mook, Jaron and Shells, agreed to move with him, wherever the destination. You couldn’t buy loyalty like that, and Tariq was determined to see his operation and his organization family grow and prosper. He sent a quick text back telling Kaitlyn he appreciated the information and to hold on, they were coming soon. ‘Has he hurt you,’ he texted, praying he got a good response. The instrument vibrated again and he read the message. ‘No, not yet,’ it said simply, causing Tariq to frown again. ‘I need you to get out of harms way when all hell breaks loose,’ he sent back. Kaitlyn responded quickly telling him she knew her role and she would play it. She quickly told him she had to go; Ian was coming into the room.
Tariq sighed deeply once more as Mook and Ramell entered the room, finding him pouring a shot of Vodka.
“More news from KiKi,” Mook asked, noticing the mood.
Tariq nodded in the affirmative and told them what she’d passed along.
“We’re straight,” Ramell told him.
“We have enough manpower to still handle everything the way you want.” Mook agreed with Ramell’s assessment as Tariq grunted his understanding.
“When we leave that house, we leave this city,” he told them plainly as they both nodded their agreement.
Jaron and Shells arrived moments later and they began to go over the plan yet again. Jacoury was handling their travel. There would need to be a lot of moving in a short amount of time. From what they’d been made aware of, they still outnumbered Ice’s forces.
“I’m going to de house, gather de guns, ammo, and put Tae on de flight,” Shells told them, heading out of the door, promising to be back at the appointed meeting time.
“I need to get Kim situated as well,” Mook thought aloud.
He was going to fly her back to Jacksonville until they were all safely in Gary, then he would fly her and KiSean to him.
“Can you send Gabrielle with her,” Jaron asked.
He knew if Kim were with his girl, she would be fine and she wouldn’t be frightened.
“No problem,” Mook replied as they began to talk about their plans after the move, everyone wanting to get in, get Kaitlyn, kill Ian and move on.
*****
Kim heard the door open and signaled Gabrielle to be quiet and stand still. Listening carefully she heard someone entering the townhouse and begin to rummage around. Vandals, Kim surmised, pulling the .380 from her pocket and slowly making her way to the sound. She whispered to Gabrielle to stay put and no matter what, not to scream. Gabrielle shook her head vigorously, the fear rolling off her in waves as she watched the other woman leave the bedroom they were in. Kim didn’t think they would encounter any trouble when Gabrielle asked if they could come to the unit and get some clothing and other personal items. Now she had to deal with some idiot breaking in. I sure hope there’s only one of them, Kim continued to brood, arriving downstairs and quickly slipping on the other side of the staircase. She could see the intruder clearly from her vantage point, but his back was still to her. He’s dressed awfully nice to be a thief, she thought still watching the man. He was opening and closing cabinets in the kitchen, pulling out drawers and turning them over, leaning down and peering inside the empty spaces he’d created.
Watching his behavior for a few moments more Kim knew the man was looking for something in particular. Now what exactly are you up too, she thought as he turned toward her. Recognition took place as her eyes narrowed and she shrank out of his line of sight. Muthafucka, Kim thought venomously. She looked around, noticing that she could enter the kitchen behind him going under the staircase. Again silently moving forward, she made her way into the kitchen, careful not to step on or kick any of the arrays of debris he’d created while ransacking it. Damn, I wish I had the silencer for this thing, she thought of the .380. The noise would definitely attract some attention and Kim needed time for her and Gabrielle to get out. Closer to the den now, she looked down noticing the object, smiling slightly. Someone up there likes me, she thought picking up the silencer that obviously had been inside one of the drawers in the kitchen. Attaching it as she kept her eyes
glued to the intruder, Kim was finally ready to make her presence known. Stepping closer she put the business end of the gun against the base of his skull.
“Surprise,” she said simply, her tone deadly.
Victor caught his breath, pissed the woman had managed to get the drop on him. Kim used her free hand to pat him down, immediately finding the weapon. She removed it and put it in her own pocket for now. Pushing him hard, Victor stumbled slightly but quickly regained his balance, turning now and facing her. He frowned deeply recognizing her from the hospital.
“I see you remember me,” Kim told him acidly, never taking her eyes off him.
“Yeah, I remember you,” he said simply.
“Why the hell are you here, what are you looking for,” Kim threw at him.
Victor sighed deeply but said nothing.
Shrugging, she aimed the gun at him. “Wait,” he hurriedly answered. “Look, you and I, we don’t have any issue,” he began, hoping he could talk her out of shooting him.
He wanted to arrest her, especially knowing that she was Mook’s woman. She would make an excellent bargaining chip in the right hands.
“I know you did what you had too at the hospital,” Victor told her as Kim listened wordlessly. “I’m not trying to hurt Gabrielle or you either for that matter,” he told her soothingly. “I can help you both actually.”
Kim decided to humor him. “How’s that,” she asked simply.
Victor told her his true identity, lying to her that all he ever wanted was to apprehend Seth and get Gabrielle into safety.
“Witness protection crap,” Kim asked as Victor nodded yes.
“She’s still in danger,” he lied. “Even though Seth is dead, he has people who will think it’s her fault and try to kill her,” Victor spun the story.
The soft gasp made him turn his head as he saw Gabrielle standing at the bottom of the stairs, staring at him. Kim was unaffected.
“Gabrielle is fine where she is,” Kim told him, garnering his attention again.
Gabrielle walked over and stood beside Kim, still regarding the man in front of them. He’s sprung, Kim thought seeing the emotion in his eyes as he looked at Gabrielle. She suspected the real reason he wanted to take Gabrielle away was far more personal than professional.
“You want to do the witness protection thing,” Kim asked Gabrielle.
“No, I want to go now,” she answered decisively as Kim smiled and chuckled aloud.
“Wait, Gabrielle, don’t be hasty,” Victor pleaded.
She was so beautiful and he wanted an opportunity to win her over desperately.
“This is your life, seriously,” he continued to plead.
“I don’t know you, and you were with Seth, so that makes you a liar,” Gabrielle told him angrily.
Kim was impressed. She didn’t think the woman ever got pissed off.
“That settles that shit,” she growled, aiming at Victor once more.
“You’ll get life for killing a Federal Agent,” he told her as Kim shrugged and shot him the first time in the chest.
“They have to catch me first,” she said simply shooting him again.
Quickly recalling that cops wore vests, she stepped closer, aimed for his head and fired two more shots into his skull. Turning to Gabrielle, she grabbed the woman’s hand as she walked by and left the unit, the dead agent on the floor.
*****
Waiting a few moments longer, Kai stepped out of the small entry closet he’d concealed himself in. None of them suspected he was here and that’s how he wanted it. Walking over to Victor’s still body, Kai kneeled and checked his vitals. He was indeed dead.
“Ms. Kim is no joke,” he said smiling, calling the woman by name.
Kai scanned the room, quickly locating what he was looking for and walking over to it. Picking it up he walked toward the units back door. Pulling out his cell he made two calls. The first was too the employer assuring them he had accomplished his task and getting directions for the next phase. The second was to the local police alerting them he’d heard a loud argument coming from an empty, police taped unit. Disconnecting, Kai opened the back door and retrieved the large trunk he’d left outside upon arrival.
Dragging it just inside the kitchen, he opened it and removed Shanise’s body, dumping it on the floor next to Victors. He picked up Victor’s gun, discarded by Kim as she left the unit, and shot Shanise twice in the chest. Placing the gun in Victor’s hand, he pulled the trigger twice more so the residue would be found when they ran tests. Kai didn’t worry about the questions of Victor’s killer. There would be far too much going on once Atlanta PD arrived and this thing turned into the three ring circus he knew it would. Rising and heading back out of the back door, Kai began whistling softly as he walked through the wooded lot, hearing the screeching of several sirens as the police finally arrived and party began.
32
Kaitlyn walked into the room where the three men sat discussing business. Ian looked up, smiling slightly, before returning to his conversation. She smiled back and continued to the kitchen. Standing right inside the door out of their line of sight, Kaitlyn listened.
“Where is Jalen,” Ian asked Creeper.
“Had to go to Philly, his moms is sick,” he replied simply as Ian grunted his understanding.
“I’m ready to make a move,” he told them as they both continued to pay rapt attention.
“What’s the move,” Pirate asked.
Ian told them he was going to kill Tariq tonight at Mardi Gras.
“I’m taking KiKi with me,” he told them as they frowned quizzically.
“Why you wanna do that,” Creeper finaly asked.
Ian chuckled slightly. “Two reasons,” he replied as Kaitlyn continued to listen intently. “I want her to see that he’s dead and he’s not coming back, so her place is with me,” Ian told them. “Secondly, I want his last memory to be me, holding KiKi in my arms, showing him that he could never beat me.”
Creeper chuckled and told him that would definitely get his point across.
Taking a deep breath, Kaitlyn willed the anger away. She could easily kill him right now by slitting his throat, talking about taking away her husband like that, but she would still have the other two to contend with. Let Riq do this, her mind told her as Kaitlyn calmed herself. She would be prepared to help if he needed her, but she knew him killing Ian was as deeply personal for him as it was for the man sitting out on the sofa in the other room. Hearing Ian rise, Kaitlyn quickly moved away from the door, managing to grab the juice and a glass just as came inside the room.
“Hi baby,” Ian greeted her sweetly, stepping behind her and kissing her neck gently.
“Hey Ice,” Kaitlyn replied calmly.
“You want to go out tonight,” he asked, kissing it yet again.
“Where,” she asked simply.
“No place in particular,” he lied. “Let’s just play it by ear,” he added, turning her to him and kissing her lips this time.
Kaitlyn willed herself not to frown and kissed him back.
“OK, I guess that would be fun,” she told him, forcing a smile.
“That’s my baby,” Ian replied smiling fully.
He leaned in and kissed her again, his longing apparent. Kaitlyn’s mind was spinning trying to figure out how to turn him down without arousing his suspicions.
Ian’s hand began gently caressing her breast as his breathing grew ragged. He pressed himself against her and she felt the erection.
“We have company,” Kaitlyn tried as he chuckled lightly.
“Then come upstairs with me,” Ian told her, kissing her again.
His cell rang, interrupting them. Kaitlyn was cheering inside as he frowned deeply, pushing the talk button.
“Hold on,” he barked angrily, before quickly composing himself and returning his attention to her.
“Go on upstairs and get your shower baby, start getting dressed,” Ian told her sweetly, kissing her lips again.
“I’ll make it up to you when we get home tonight,” he told her giving her a look as Kaitlyn giggled and nodded yes.
He let her go and she left his presence heading upstairs.
“When the fuck are you coming back,” Ian barked at the attorney was he answered.
Robert was calling to let Ian know he would be out of the country for a few weeks.
“Is everything in order and how can I reach you should I need you,” he barked again. The attorney supplied the information as Ian grudgingly told him okay and disconnected.
*****
Special Agent Janksen was rubbing his temples as his head pounded. The undercover sting they’d had in place for the last three years was quickly falling apart right before his eyes. They were fielding questions from the media, from the local police jurisdictions, even the local branch of the FBI had been kept in the dark about Victor and Shanise’s activities.
“We found the briefcase sir,” another agent told him, as he continued to survey the carnage in front of him.
Why would Victor kill Shanise, he mused, popping the briefcase open and examining its contents.
“Fuck,” he swore under his breath just as the call came and the agent alerted him the Director was on the phone.
Well I’m sure as hell not going down for this shit, Janksen thought answering the phone and beginning to field the questions being fired at him.
“Yes sir,” Jansken replied contritely.
The Director was tearing him a new one and he was cursing the day he ever approved the operation.
“Cummings,” he yelled once he was off the phone.
“Yes sir,” the agent answered standing in front of him now.
“I want every inch of Victor’s and Shanise’s individual apartments searched, their lockers, their computers, everything,” he told him angrily.