Edge of Grey

by Phelps, J. C.

  Kiss my ass, Red. Mercenary? You’re really going to use that language? Kiss my ass!

  The room was quiet again for a couple of seconds.

  “I saw her a couple days ago at the gym,” Black said. “She’s thin and drawn.”

  “I’m telling you,” Red said. “This is a dangerous situation. A person with her connections and skills being shut out and alone, especially after what she’s been through—pair that up with her being with Mesa and it’s almost a guarantee.”

  “What can we do? Even if you do locate her?” Brown asked.

  “We’ll discuss this in more detail when Red and I return,” Green said. “Just keep it in mind. We might have to take action at some point. I think we should all be prepared for that day.”

  What did he mean, take action? Were they going to put me on their hit list? What if they did?

  The men dispersed and I ran through the feed up to the current time as fast as I could. Green showed up at his regular time this morning and was still sitting in White’s chair.

  I went back to the beginning of their meeting. This was the most information I’d gotten from my surveillance and I wanted to memorize what they’d said, especially the part about having to take care of me. After I ran through the meeting for the third time I was fuming. Who were they to think they could have any say in what I did or didn’t do. They were the ones who cut ties. They think they can just discard me and still have a say in my life?

  Ain’t happening assholes.

  My Mesa phone rang and I jumped in my seat. I pushed pause on my latest run through the meeting and answered the phone.

  “You up for a new job?” Jake said conversationally.

  “Yes!” I said.

  I needed to get the hell out of here or I might find myself over at White and Associates giving them as much trouble as Red predicted of my mentally unstable self. If I hadn’t just questioned my sanity earlier today, I might not have been as offended but I hadn’t done anything crazy, yet. But, more meetings like that one and I just might snap. I needed to get away for a while.

  “Can we meet somewhere?” he asked.

  “Sure. Where?”

  “Can you come to the lodge?”

  “I’ll be there.”

  I put on a hoodie. I decided, from Green’s perch above me, this would do just fine. It might even be good enough to pass one of the men on the street if I kept my face down. It wasn’t an uncommon look for people to be wearing so I might not be noticed as someone trying to hide their identity but just someone walking down the street.

  I hailed the first cab that drove by and had them drop me off near an area with several different hotels in a line down the street then I waited a short while and caught another ride. I had that driver take me to Mesa.

  When I walked into the front lobby, Jake was waiting for me.

  “Hi,” he said.

  I nodded and smiled my greeting before he led me to his room.

  Chapter Twelve

  JAKE TOSSED AN ENVELOPE ONTO his table then went to his cupboards and pulled out a couple of coffee cups.

  “First. How are you doing?” Jake asked after he’d gotten us both some coffee.

  “Good.” I nodded. I’d taken a seat at his table and was staring at the envelope. I’d been aching to pick it up and see what it was.

  Jake took a seat across the table from me and sipped his coffee with his hand on top of the envelope.

  “You don’t look like you’ve been sleeping,” he said.

  “No. I have. I’ve been sleeping a little too much, to be honest. I have nothing to do.”

  “I’m sure this one will be no problem for you,” Jake said, all concern gone. “The only thing is that it’s out of the country. Do you have connections that could get you a weapon? If not, I do.”

  “Where is it?”

  “Lima.”

  Lima. Again? What the hell was it about Lima? At least I had a connection there.

  “Hand over the information?” I asked.

  Jake did as I asked and I flipped through the two pages available inside and stuck the roll of cash in my pocket.

  “This information doesn’t even warrant its own envelope,” I tossed it back onto the table. “It has a picture, known locations and an itinerary for the coming week but no name. What the hell am I supposed to do with this information?”

  “I’ll tell you what I know about the guy. His name is Carlos Garcia and he works for Ruiz. His crime was talking to the local authorities about Ruiz. Take it or leave it. It’s up to you.”

  I shrugged. The guy worked for Ruiz. Even if he was talking with authorities, he was still a bad guy.

  “I’ll take it,” I said.

  I slid the envelope back across the table to Jake as I stood.

  “You don’t need that?” Jake asked.

  “No. It’s so sparse in information I’ve already memorized it. I should be in touch in a few days.”

  “Wait? You’re leaving? Just like that?”

  “Do you want the job done?”

  “I just figured you’d wait a day or two,” he said.

  “I’m bored to tears, Jake.”

  He rose from his chair and came toward me.

  “I could tell.” He waved his fingers in front of his eyes to indicate my recent bout of crying was still visible on my face. Then he touched my arm. “I know this is hard, but you’ll get through it. I promise.”

  I gave a slight laugh. If he only knew what that little declaration meant. Still, I was determined to not be sucked into anything with Jake so I kept moving toward the door.

  I had my hand on the knob before I turned toward Jake again. “I’ll call soon. Promise.”

  LATE THE FOLLOWING MORNING I stepped off a plane into Lima. When I’d set up my reservations, I made sure to book a room directly across the street from the hotel my target was staying at as well as set up a rental car. I immediately drove to the same gun shop Helix had directed me to.

  This time I didn’t hesitate before I asked to speak with Maria. She was the contact Helix had given me the last time I was here. The man behind the counter went into the back office and reappeared immediately with Maria following him. She gave me a knowing nod before leading me to a corner of the building.

  “What can I help you find?” She asked.

  “I’d like another .308, if you have one.”

  “I do. One moment.”

  She walked away and came back with an identical rifle to the one I’d bought months earlier.

  “Would you like to try this one out?”

  She pointed at the rifle that was already equipped with a suppressor and long distance scope.

  “Please,” I said.

  She led me to the firing range and it took me less than ten minutes to get the feel for the rifle again. The kick and even the sound it made with the suppressor was comforting.

  “Thank you,” I said as I handed her the payment.

  “Any friend of Helix’s is a friend of mine.”

  She smiled as she pocketed the cash.

  I made my way back to my car and drove to my hotel. Because my room was across the street and a floor above the target’s room all I had to do was move the end table and bed so they were in front of the window I’d just opened. Then I set up my rifle so I could be in the prone position and finally scanned the target’s room.

  He was in his room, but he had company. As I watched the scene, it became obvious the two men hovering over my target, who sat stiffly on his couch, weren’t welcomed guests. I could only see their backs, but the look on the target’s face was one of fear. I didn’t want anyone else to beat me to this job and I had no idea what was going on over there. The target wasn’t saying anything and I couldn’t see what the men were saying to him.

  I clicked off my safety. I wouldn’t let them take this job from me and their stance was certainly hostile.

  One of the men turned sideways and I let out an involuntary noise as if I’d been punched in th
e stomach.

  It was Red. I brought my scope to the other man in the room and saw Green’s face. I felt cold and ill.

  I pulled out my phone and pushed the speed dial for Green’s phone, turned on the speaker and set the phone near the rifle I’d arranged on the end table. I hoped he’d answer the phone, even though he’d told me he wouldn’t. I wanted Jake and Posner to hear this conversation as well. I was about to choose sides and I wanted Posner to know it.

  I watched Green give Red a quizzical look as he pulled out his phone. He switched me to speaker as well.

  “Grey? What’s up?”

  His voice gave no hints of what he was up to.

  “Thought you wouldn’t answer any of my calls,” I said then quickly added, “Does that guy down in Lima have any information about White?”

  “No. How do you know about the guy in Lima?”

  “All you need to know is that I know about him. This is important. Is he of any use to the White investigation? Can he help you?”

  “No. He’s an entirely different matter,” he said.

  “Can I take you at your word? I know you’ve been lying to me already about what happened to White. I don’t want to hinder that investigation so please don’t lie to me now.”

  “I’m not.”

  “Okay. Good.”

  I pulled the trigger and was met with a full five seconds of silence after Green dropped his phone. Then both men shouted strings of profanity as they tried to shake off the blood and brains.

  “Thanks. Have a good day,” I said and disconnected.

  I watched them for a few seconds more. It didn’t take long before they started toward the window. I assume it was to search for my location. I knew they weren’t going too far with that mess on them, but I closed the window and the curtains before they could start their search in earnest. I put back the table and the bed and hurried to the lobby. I’d already told the staff I’d be out tomorrow morning so there’d be no harm in leaving the room unoccupied overnight. My rental car was waiting for me in the parking lot. I went directly back to Maria’s gun shop and offered her the bag that contained the rifle.

  “You might want to change out the barrel. Other than that, the rifle is perfect.”

  She gave me a wicked grin and said, “Thank you. It’s always a pleasure.”

  I walked out and went directly to the airport. My flight left in a couple of hours. I found a quiet corner where I could see people coming toward me from all sides. The last thing I wanted was for Red and Green to track me down.

  I shouldn’t have taken the target with them in the room. It was just too tempting to give Red an upfront view of my life and, of course, cover him in blood. I grinned at the thought. It was very satisfying to see him standing, dumbfounded, covered in blood and bits.

  How’s that for well balanced? I willed my thoughts at Red and the comments he made during the meeting. My mental state might be in question but I sure as hell am well balanced. One shot, one kill. Just be glad I only took one shot.

  As the minutes ticked by I became more aware of how long it would take them to clean up and get to the airport to check for me. I wondered if they’d try to find me. What would they do if they did find me? I only hoped them thinking I was truly unstable would make them overly cautious. I might see them coming if they needed to move slowly.

  Finally, the call to board came over the loud speakers. I hurried to the gate and couldn’t stop fidgeting as I stood in line. I caught myself glancing over my shoulder. I started counting the seconds every time I started feeling like I needed to check my back. I allowed myself a glance after a count of forty-five. Nothing.

  Eventually, they allowed us to board and I couldn’t resist one last look backward. I was rewarded with faces of people I didn’t know.

  My phone rang as I took my seat on the airplane. It was Green’s number.

  “Yes?” I answered.

  “What are you doing, Alex?” Green’s voice blared at me through the phone.

  “Ah. Green. So nice to hear from you. Do you have any information to give me or am I still nothing but a liability?”

  “What the hell are you doing, Alex?” He repeated his question.

  “Working. Got to get jobs where I can since the job and job title I used to hold was ripped away from me. As well as the most important investigation of my life. I was told I wasn’t wanted for that, either. So, do you have any information you’d like to share with Mesa?”

  I wanted to give Green a heads up that any information he gave me could be assumed to be heard by Mesa and this worked to put me more firmly in Posner’s corner when he listened to this call. I didn’t think Green would tell me much of anything, but I also knew he was on the side of the good guys. I might have just done a hit for Posner, but that didn’t mean I wanted to compromise White and Associates, even if they had thrown me to the curb. I did believe Green when he said it had nothing to do with White. But they’d been keeping me out of the loop and lying to me. I prayed to a higher power that Green hadn’t lied to me and Carlos Garcia had nothing to do with the investigation into White’s death. Feelings of satisfaction mingled with feelings of guilt. I’d wanted to prove a point. I would not be ignored. My intentions weren’t to hurt them in any way, just get their attention and remind them I wasn’t someone to play with.

  “No. I have no information for you or Mesa,” he huffed.

  “I sincerely hope what you said was true. I’m not out to compromise any of your jobs, but I won’t let you compromise mine.”

  I’d been so angry that they’d been discussing my mental state in that meeting and that they threatened to take action against me I hadn’t thought it through completely. Now that the damage was already done I began to question it.

  It was quiet for several seconds then Green said, “We got what we needed. Don’t ever do that with me or my men around. Ever again. Are we clear?”

  “Sorry, Green.” My voice held no remorse though I was feeling it. “I’ll do what I have to. I showed courtesy beyond what is expected. If there is a next time, I won’t call to find out if the you are finished with your resource before I complete my job.”

  “That’s not acceptable,” he started.

  “It’s acceptable to me. Gotta go.” I disconnected and shut my phone off.

  My flight arrived back home late the next morning. I immediately hailed a cab and gave Jake a call.

  “Alex?” He answered.

  “Job’s done. Tell Posner he can deposit my funds and a sizable bonus for my troubles is a must. I ran into a couple of obstacles that require extra compensation.”

  “Obstacles?”

  “Yeah. It’s not a big deal. I handled it. Still, I expect compensation for having to deal with them.”

  “Okay. I’ll tell him. When will you be back?” Jake asked.

  “I’m already back, but I’m taking a day or two for myself. I’ll start answering my phone again after I’m paid.”

  “He’ll want to be sure the job is done before he transfers payment.”

  “When he gets his proof and I get my paycheck I’ll be in touch.”

  I was getting the hang of getting the last word in my phone conversations and it was extremely gratifying.

  I shut the phone off and shoved it in my back pocket.

  Chapter Thirteen

  MY APARTMENT REMAINED FREE OF unwanted surveillance devices so I put the bug sweeper away and sat at my table with my laptop open. I considered playing a video game but decided I didn’t want to. I even opened up my e-reader app and chose a book to read before I shut that down. Instead, I opened up my bank’s online program to check my account. The transfer wasn’t there, but I didn’t expect it to be.

  What I was really doing was putting off my surveillance of White and Associates. I wanted to know what they had to say about me in private, but I knew it wouldn’t be good and I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear it. Despite all they’d put me through, I still cared for those men. I still considered the
m as my family. Why couldn’t I shake that?

  I gave in and turned it on. The office had been empty the entire time I was gone and remained empty. Probably because Green was on a flight to Peru at the same time I was and he might not be back yet.

  I paced until I heard a small ding come from my laptop. My transfer had gone through.

  That was quick.

  I turned my phone back on and set it on the table. It rang ten minutes later.

  “Shit, Alex. What the hell did you do?” Jake’s voice came to me through the receiver.

  “What do you mean?” I feigned innocence.

  “The colors were just here. All of them. Guns drawn, ready to take over Mesa.”

  “All of them?” I asked, then giggled. My feelings of guilt were pushed down briefly as I thought about how one little bullet had the ability to rally all of my partners. Then I became a bit worried.

  “It’s not funny. It took several guys to stop them from knocking down every door in the lodge looking for you.”

  “I guess I pissed them off,” I said. I might want to consider moving out of the city now. “What did they say?”

  “They stormed into the lodge demanding to see you. When Matt told them you weren’t here, Brown decked him. Thankfully he pushed the internal alarm button before Brown knocked him out so the entire compound was alerted. When I got out there, Red was rummaging behind the desk for keys and the rest of the men were holding everyone off with their guns.”

  I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face. If they were going to be looking for me, at least they’d have a good reason. “Did they have the blood washed off?”

  “Crap. So everything they said was true? Are you sure you’re ready to completely cut ties with the colors?”

  “Jake,” I said. “They are the ones who cut ties with me.”

  “Fine. When I got out there, Red was looking for keys. I tried to calm things down, but Green demanded to see Posner. I couldn’t believe it, but Posner let them all inside his office without his own backup. The only thing I heard was Red accuse Posner of pitting you against them purposely and they couldn’t do their job if he sent you out to silence everyone.”