Payback: A sniper seeking revenge terrorizes the mob (Assassin Series Book 1)

by David Nees

  “What did you do? I told you that would ruin the business.”

  She explained the arrangements.

  “Get Emilio to wrap up the current repairs. Make a sign and close the shop. Call it renovation or whatever. Let the customers know you’ll re-open in a month.”

  “Joey will know something’s up—”

  “Yeah, but we’ll be gone. He’s going to have his hands full with Dan, if what we’re thinking is correct. We’ll be the least of his worries.”

  “You’re something…you know that?”

  “I get paid to solve problems. I find solutions.”

  “So where are we going?”

  “I’ll tell you when I pick you up. Can you close things down in two days?”

  “I’ll try.”

  Chapter 22

  Two days later Tommy was hanging up a sign when Joey stopped by.

  “I just wanted to talk about your conversation with Dan some more. In case I missed anything.” He noticed the sign. “What’s going on? You going somewhere?”

  Tommy turned to him, “I’m taking a vacation. I don’t like being in the middle of things. I got nothing to do with you or with Dan. If you guys have a beef, it’s not my business.”

  “You getting smart with me again? Maybe I should get Frank back to give you another lesson.”

  Tommy looked at Joey. Joey’s suspicious, darting eyes were settled firmly on him. He had muscle now and Tommy understood he wasn’t to be messed with.

  “Think you’re a tough guy? Did you forget how you pissed your pants that night? You’d like to take a swing at me, but you don’t dare, do you?”

  Tommy sighed. “I don’t want to take a swing at you, but I can’t stay here. I’m a civilian and you should leave civilians alone.”

  “I leave them alone when they’re not involved, but you are. You’re not going anywhere. You’re my connection to Dan. You stay in town, got it?”

  “I’m closing the shop—”

  “I don’t give a fuck what you do with the shop, but you’re staying in town…or I have Frank visit you.” Joey stepped up close to Tommy. “Do you get what I’m telling you?”

  “Yeah, I get it.” Tommy headed back into the office. “I got to close the shop now.”

  “I know where you live. I expect to see you around.”

  Tommy closed the garage and headed to his apartment. Joey got back in his car and drove off. He headed down to the Gardens. He wanted to talk to Vincent. He didn’t dare screw anything up with him again. He was let into the back room and Vincent looked up from his desk.

  “What’s up?”

  “It’s Tommy. He’s closing his repair shop. He wants to leave town. Something’s up. He knows more than he’s telling.”

  “You think Dan’s back?”

  “I don’t know. Tommy claims he don’t know, but he’s scared and wants to get away.”

  Vincent turned to Frank. “This is what I was worried about. Now we got to finish this. I’m not going to have him shooting up my crew and stealing from me. Those robberies must have been his doing. And his friend, Tommy, figures he’s going to start in again.”

  Vincent’s eyes narrowed. If threatened, he was a dangerous man. He turned to Frank Varsa who was sitting in a corner of the office.

  “Frank, you and Joey go over to Tommy’s place. You say he’s closed his shop? That’s fine. He’ll be taking a trip, but it will be with us. I want him in our control, tonight.”

  “What do you want us to do with him?” Joey asked.

  “Take him to the warehouse. Lock him up there, leave someone with him and then go get that girl. If this is war, I want hostages.”

  On his way back to his apartment, Tommy called Doreen. “I think we got a problem. Joey came around today and saw my sign. He told me not to leave town. I agreed, but I’m afraid he may bring that guy, Frank around. This could have tripped the switch.”

  “We better get out of here tonight,” Doreen said.

  “That’s what I was thinking. I’ll pack my bag. You gonna pick me up?”

  “Yeah, I’ll pack right away and head over to your place.”

  Tommy got to his apartment and began to sort through the clothes he wanted to take. They would be gone a month, but he wanted to pack only one suitcase. As he was coming from the bathroom with his toothbrush and shampoo, he glanced out of the window and saw Joey’s car pull up at the end of the block. He could see two figures in the car. When they got out he recognized Joey and Frank. They stood staring up at his apartment window. Tommy stepped back, not sure if they saw him. His gut tightened. He sucked in a breath and his legs started to shake.

  Oh shit! They’re here! He was frozen, like a deer staring at a light. Were they coming to grab him? His sense of self preservation finally kicked into action. He grabbed a couple of things, threw them in his suitcase and shut it. He glanced out of the window again. They were not at the car; he couldn’t see them. They had to be on their way up. He went to the door and listened. There was no sound. Taking a deep breath, he slowly opened it and looked out in the hall. It was empty. He quickly stepped out, closed his door and ran down the corridor to the stairs at the far end of the hall, hoping they were coming up in the elevator.

  As Tommy disappeared down the back stairs, Joey and Frank arrived on his floor. They quietly walked to his apartment and knocked on the door. Frank stood against the wall, out of the view of the peephole. After several more knocks, Frank moved over and without a word, lunged against the door, breaking it open. They quickly checked the rooms and ran back out into the hall.

  “He must have seen us. He’s gone down the back stairs,” Joey said.

  “You follow him, I’ll go down to the front. He can’t be far.”

  Tommy hit the alley and ran full tilt to the next street over. He sprinted to the corner and turned it just as Joey came into view. Joey set off at a run, working his phone to tell Frank to bring the car around.

  Tommy dropped his suitcase, better to survive without it than to be caught with it. He was in full sprint mode. He turned down another alley as Frank came around to pick up Joey. Tommy knew the neighborhood as well as anyone. The alley he ran down was closed off with a chain link fence. He leapt onto the fence at a full run, grunting at the impact and immediately clawed his way to the top and over. The car came screeching around the corner as Tommy hit the ground. The car stopped at the fence and both men jumped out. Joey fired a couple of shots as Tommy ducked around the corner and back out onto the next street.

  Joey and Frank jumped in the car and backed up the alley, looking to intercept Tommy on the next street. While they were going around the half block, Tommy ran into a small restaurant, one of three on the street. Without breaking stride, he ran into the back room, through the kitchen and out into the alley.

  Which way? I don’t want to meet them coming out on the street. Panting, trying to catch his breath, he turned right and began to run again. If he could get one more street between him and the car, he would have a chance. He sprinted out into the street, slipping through the cars like a broken field runner. Without slowing down, he ran full speed down another alley on the other side of the road and down the block to another street. He was now two streets from where he entered the restaurant.

  Joey and Frank came around the corner but there was no Tommy in sight.

  “Maybe he went through one of these restaurants,” Joey said.

  Frank nodded and Joey jumped out at the first one and ran inside. “Anyone come running through here just now?” he shouted. Everyone looked up startled. “Answer me,” Joey demanded.

  “No one ran through here. We don’t want any trouble,” the manager said.

  Joey didn’t hear the rest. He was out the door to the next one. Here the manager simply pointed to the rear and nodded. Joey stepped back out of the front door and waved to Frank. “Drive around back, he went in here.”

  The car squealed away and around the corner. Back in the restaurant, Joey drew his pist
ol and headed for the kitchen. The patrons ducked for cover. The kitchen staff just pointed to the back door without saying a word.

  Joey stepped out of the door as Frank drove up. “He’s not here. He must have gone to the right or you would have run into him,” Joey said.

  They got in the car and cruised the neighboring streets. They stopped to check the nearest subway entrance. Joey went down but didn’t see any sign of Tommy. Getting back in the car he said, “Let’s go up to the girl’s apartment. He may be headed there. We nab her and maybe get both of them.”

  Frank shot out into traffic. Driving fast they would only take ten minutes to reach Doreen.

  Meanwhile, Tommy crouched in a basement doorway, sweating and panting from running. He watched as the car drove by, looking for him. They turned the corner. Tommy hesitated. Would they circle back? They knew he was somewhere near. If they saw him again, he might not have the advantage of a head start. Taking a deep breath, he stepped up to the street. His eyes darted up and down the block. If he could grab a cab, he could get away. But there were no cabs on this cross street. He needed to get to the next intersection, there was more traffic on 18th Avenue; he could easily get a cab. He walked towards the intersection, hoping Frank and Joey wouldn’t return.

  When he reached the avenue, Tommy hailed a cab. He gave the driver Doreen’s address and sank back in the seat, still sweating and panting. Suddenly he stiffened. Were they on their way to Doreen’s? They might know where she lived. It wasn’t impossible for them to find that out. If they got her…Tommy felt his stomach turn. He pulled his cell phone out and called.

  “Tommy, I’m almost ready,” Doreen said when she answered.

  “Don’t go to your car,” Tommy shouted. “Joey and Frank came to my apartment. They were going to grab me but I got away. They chased me, they shot at me. I lost them but they may be headed to you.”

  “Oh my God!” Doreen said. “How would they know where I live?”

  “They could find out. They could have followed you home one time. You got to get out of there now and don’t go to your car. They may know which one it is. They may be only five minutes away.”

  “Where should I go?” Doreen asked.

  “I don’t know…Christ—”

  “I know,” she said. “We’ll meet at my office, 111 East 59th, between Lexington and Park.”

  “Got it, now go. Take the stairs and watch when you exit the building.” Tommy hung up. The driver looked warily at him in the mirror.

  “No problems for you, just some people I don’t want to run into, not cops.” He gave him the address in Manhattan.”

  “I don’t want no trouble. I don’t like to go into Manhattan. Too much trouble and I don’t have a fare for ride back.”

  “I’ll double your fee, so you’re covered for the ride back.” Tommy reached into his pocket and handed the cabby fifty dollars. “This should be a good down payment.” The cab driver still looked at him. He was afraid. “All you got to do is drop me off. You’ll be paid for the return trip. You do this or you have trouble with me, right here, right now.” The driver looked away and turned to head into the city. Tommy leaned back with a big sigh. What he feared was happening. The shit had hit the fan and he didn’t know how this would end.

  Chapter 23

  Dan was out on the streets of Brooklyn. He reveled in the clamor of the city: the mix of smells coming from restaurants; the odor of diesel exhaust from the delivery trucks plying the streets; the sounds of the traffic; people walking, waiting, or meeting one another, and others avoiding eye contact, trying to carve out a solitary space amidst the cacophony of the streets. The whole mélange assaulted the senses. He loved it and fed on its energy. Here lives were being lived in close contact, jostling and bumping into and around each other, feeding off of each other and earning a living from each other.

  The mob was also part of the street with all their associates, some young teens eager to show their toughness and be a part of the money and action, others were older, tougher, not made guys but living off the organization. They were like an infection, feeding off the lives of honest people, and sucking up the energy of the city. They contributed nothing except possibly a misguided sense of cool—a patina layered over the true reality of their brutality.

  Dan was energized by his mission. I’m going to clean things up. He had begun to think of his actions as more than taking revenge. I’ll take this crew down and free up my part of Brooklyn. His excitement grew. He thought of saving his neighborhood, of being an avenger and hero for the public good, cleaning up the city. He felt a purpose beyond his personal one. This is for Rita, for Tommy, for everyone in the neighborhood.

  A sense of satisfaction flowed over him as he considered the larger mission. Yet a small voice came into his head. A voice from his mother, “Vengence is mine, saith the Lord.” Dan wanted to hide from the thought, but it persisted. When did his mother say that? He was about thirteen and was going to do battle with an older boy who had insulted his sister. Dan wanted to think of himself as the protector, the valiant knight, even though his older sister was not shy about defending herself. His mother warned him against the pride of such a stance.

  He pushed back against the inconvenient thought, not wanting to offend his mother’s memory, but also not wanting to face her admonishment, even coming from beyond the grave. We never let go of our parents’ lessons. Maybe they never let go of us.

  “This is different, Mom,” he said out loud. But he didn’t fully believe it.

  The patterns of Vincent’s crew were well known to Dan, Joey’s group in particular. Joey had his own small crew of six guys. They all worked the scams and did the collecting for him. Things improved for his team when Joey was inducted in the mob. It elevated their status and offered them more opportunities. The point was to be a good earner; it was how you moved up. From all the sources there was up to fifty grand a week flowing through Joey’s hands. If one added in the other made guys, Vincent was taking in a quarter million a week, easy. Dan’s attack on Vincent’s money would interrupt this cash flow and create problems for Joey and Vincent. Dan wanted to be sure Carmine got involved before he was done.

  Friday was a big collection day for the protection racket. Dan put on a new disguise and headed out. His plan was to intercept each of the bag men near the end of their routes. It was time for all out economic war on Vincent’s crew.

  He had grey hair, long and scraggly, white beard with broken glasses that had been tapped together. He was a man who wandered the streets during the day, looking for little treasures or scraps of food and if he remembered, would spend the night in a homeless shelter, getting a simple meal, no one to pay attention to; no one to reckon with.

  Dan walked up to the runner, mumbling something about some spare change for subway fare. The man tried to shove him away. “I ain’t got nothing for you.” Dan crowded him, persisting as the man walked along, trying to shake him. “Look, get out of the way, old man. Go bother someone else.”

  Dan was now next to him as they approached an alley. He stuck his .22 into the man’s side. “This is a silenced gun. I can drop you right here and no one will hear. Want to live, just turn and walk into that alley, now.”

  The man looked hard at him. “What’s going on?”

  “A robbery, dumbass. If you don’t want to get shot, move now.” Dan pressed the gun further into the man’s rib cage.

  The man stumbled. Dan grabbed him by the arm and turned him towards the alley. The runner stiffened. He twisted his head to see who had grabbed him, apparently shocked by the strength of the old bum. In the alley, he followed Dan’s directions. In quick succession, Dan hit the two other runners before disappearing into the subway and heading to his apartment via a circuitous route. Later that evening, in his apartment, he counted his take, thirty-five thousand from the three bags. He was sure he was making a large impression on Vincent and his crew.

  Chapter 24

  Gino Seppe worked the drug trade. He
had a small crew that dealt the drugs directly, but he mostly concentrated on collecting the protection money from the other dealers out on the streets. He kept their corners free from the rival gangs. In return, the dealers sent him regular cash payments. It was a protection racket—protection from other gangs, and from the mob itself. Between the mob and the cops it was an expensive business to be in. But there was so much money in it that even with all the payoffs, the dealers made huge amounts of money. Vincent got involved because it was too lucrative to ignore. He left the dealers alone, kept the violence to a minimum, and the drugs flowed, along with the money

  Gino worked out of an apartment building in the drug neighborhoods. This was well away from the Garden’s and Vincent’s home turf. His guys would make their rounds of the dealers, checking to see that everything stayed quiet. Late in the evening, the dealers would send someone around to drop off a payment. It was late night work and Gino would stash up to thirty grand a night in the apartment he set up in the seedier section of town.

  That night Dan paid a visit to Gino. He was disguised as an old man; he had the grey beard and white hair. His nose was bulbous and scarred. He had added wrinkles to his cheeks. When he knocked, someone other than Gino called out through the door, “Whaddaya want?”

  “Got a package for Gino. Luis said to bring it over,” Dan said.

  Someone looked through the peep hole. “Leave it outside and take off.”

  “No. Luis’ll kill me. He told me, ‘Don’t leave it in the hall.’”

  There was some muffled discussion which Dan couldn’t hear.

  “Why’s Luis dropping off money this early?” the voice asked.

  “He shut down. The corners got hot. He got a note in the package. There’s trouble with the cops.”