by Tripp Ellis
"You think Vasily Kozlov got to the guards?" Daniels asked.
"I can almost guarantee it."
"Then we've got bigger problems than I thought," Daniels said. He changed topics. "Any idea who the drive-by shooters were?"
"I have an idea, but I can't prove anything," I said.
"He tagged one of them," JD said with glee.
"I'm pretty sure it was Ivan Akulov."
"I would imagine his brother is pretty upset with you about now," JD said.
"My guess is they will dispose of his body somewhere and we will never find it," I said.
"And this was all brought about because you leaked information about audio recordings?" Daniels asked.
I cringed. "Yes, I think so."
"And what's on these audio recordings?"
"They don't exist," I said. "I mean, I don't have them. They could exist."
Daniels scowled at me. "The next time you dream up some cockamamie scheme like this, run it by me first." He sighed with frustration. "This is, perhaps, the stupidest thing you two have done yet. And that's saying a lot!"
JD smiled. "Don't worry, boss. I'm sure we will outdo ourselves at some point."
"That's what I'm worried about." His eyes shifted between the two of us. "So, what, exactly, is your plan?"
JD and I exchanged an uncertain glance.
"I'm not sure we really have a plan. The idea was to draw Vasily Kozlov out. Make him sweat. Make him do something stupid."
"I think you've accomplished that. I suggest you guys lie low. Stay out of sight. You are targets now. The last thing I need is to lose a few officers. Even ones like you."
Jack smiled. "Aw, it's so nice to feel loved."
Sheriff Daniels glared at him before leaving the conference room.
JD looked at me. "What do you think he means by lie low? Because, I've got a show tonight. Wild Fury is making its debut!"
"Are you sure that's such a good idea?" I asked. "I mean, they're going to be coming for us."
"They're coming for you," JD said dismissively. "You're the one who's been throwing your name around. They're not looking for Thrash." JD smiled.
"I think you should take this seriously."
"Nothing's gonna stop me from getting on stage tonight. I'm not afraid of those scumbags."
Jack was still hungry, and my stomach was rumbling. We took the patrol car back to Diver Down to get something to eat. We figured we would be relatively safe there.
Maybe that was wishful thinking?
Jack ordered the shrimp and catfish fillets, and I ordered a bowl of crawfish etouffee. I made sure to sit at the side of the bar so I could see the entrance to the restaurant. I kept my head on a swivel.
After we ate, I headed back to the Vivere, and Jack went to his house to prepare for his big show. Buddy was eager to see me, and I was hesitant about taking him for a walk on my usual route. One drive-by shooting for the day was enough. I leashed him up and took him to Diver Down and asked Teagan if she would look after him for a few days.
"He likes you, and I think it would be safer right now," I said.
"Sure thing. What's going on?" Teagan asked. "I heard on the news there was a drive-by shooting on Oyster Avenue. You weren't involved in that, were you?"
"I wouldn't say involved. More like, targeted."
Her teal eyes widened. "Are you serious?"
I nodded.
"Why are people trying to kill you?"
I told her a few details.
"Tyson, you're making me worried!"
"I'm sorry. I might get away from the marina for a few days. Until the heat dies down. I don't think it's safe to be around me right now."
"I'm not worried about me, I'm worried about you." She frowned. "I kind of like working here. I wouldn't like my boss to get killed."
I chuckled. "Don't worry about me."
"But I do," Teagan said softly with affectionate eyes. A frown tugged at her plump lips. "I guess I'm a bit of a worrier."
I had no doubt that Gregor would seek revenge for the death of his brother. He was certainly bold enough to attempt another hit.
I had every intention of being ready.
I figured I wouldn't get much sleep tonight wherever I stayed. Maybe a suite at the Seven Seas? Maybe I'd take the Vivere out and anchor near a small island? Between JD's debut show, and the would-be assassins lurking in the darkness, I'd be a fool to let my guard down.
I was trying to formulate my game plan when my phone buzzed my pocket. I pulled the device out and looked at the caller ID. It was from an unknown number. I swiped the screen and placed the phone to my ear. My brow lifted with surprise when a voice with a thick Russian accent filtered through.
40
"You have something we want," the Russian voice said.
"Who is this?" I asked.
"I think you know." The man's voice was filled with disdain.
I had a suspicion I was speaking with Gregor.
"I do have something you want," I said.
Teagan's wide eyes surveyed me with intrigue.
"You will bring all copies of the audio recordings to us. If you don't, the deputy dies."
I swallowed hard, and my face crinkled with confusion. Was he talking about Jack? "What deputy?"
"The pretty one."
My heart sank, and my whole body tensed. I knew instantly they had taken Denise. "Now you've made a big mistake."
"It is you who has made a big mistake. Like I said, bring us the recordings, or the pretty girl dies."
"I want to speak with Denise, now."
I waited for a moment. Static crackled through the line. Then Denise's trembling voice cried, "Tyson?"
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah," she stammered.
"Where are you at?"
The phone was yanked away from her before she could speak again.
"So, now you know we are not bluffing. If you want to hear her pretty voice again, you will comply. We want all copies of the audio. We want the recordings destroyed from any servers. You will not notify anyone else in the department. You will come alone. You will not contact the FBI. We will know if you do. Have I made myself clear?"
"I suppose I'll just hand you the evidence, and you'll let us both go, unharmed, right?" I knew they had no intention of letting either of us live.
"If you don't comply, she will die. That much is certain."
"Where?"
"You will receive a text 15 minutes beforehand. The location will be provided at that time."
The line went dead.
I ended the call and slipped the device into my pocket. The muscles in my jaw flexed, and hatred welled within me.
"What was that about?" Teagan asked. “Was that the guy who tried to kill you earlier?”
"I think you should close up shop, take the rest of the night off," I said.
"You think we're really in danger here?"
"Why take any chances?"
"Oh, my God, this is like real gangster shit." She looked stunned. "It's kind of exciting, don't you think?"
I frowned at her. "Close up. Go home!"
I slapped a couple hundred dollars on the counter.
"What's this?" she asked.
"To make up for lost tips."
"Aw, that's so sweet," Teagan said. "You don't need to do that."
"Just take it," I said pushing away from the bar.
I scanned the parking lot as I stepped outside, then trotted down the dock to the Vivere. I called JD on the way and told him about the phone call.
"You know they'll kill you both, right?"
"I know. That's why we need to come up with a plan. I'll call Isabella and see if she can track the phone call. Maybe we can get a jump on their location."
"Do we tell Daniels?" JD asked.
I thought long and hard. "We don't tell anyone. We handle this our way."
"I can live with that," JD said. "I'm heading your way shortly."
"Be careful," I said.
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I hung up and called Isabella and asked her to track the thug's phone. She called me back in 15 minutes and told me she couldn't get a location. Something about the thug calling from the Internet and bouncing the call around through multiple proxy servers. There was no way to track it.
When JD arrived, we started prepping our gear. We had built up a nice stockpile of equipment. Night vision optical devices, assault rifles with IR lasers and all the bells and whistles, tactical communication devices, smoke canisters, flash bang grenades… JD had even acquired some C-4 plastic explosive and blasting caps.
I didn't ask questions.
I knew he had various weapons contacts, some of them were aboveboard, and some of them weren't.
While we waited for another phone call, we tried to determine the best place for a meeting of this nature. We both thought they would have us meet at sea, or perhaps a remote island? Maybe a warehouse or decommissioned ship in one of the harbors?
I paced back and forth in the salon, waiting for the phone to ring like a high school girl that had gotten stood up. It was 9:30 PM when my phone finally buzzed again. I snatched the device from my pocket and looked at the display. Unknown caller. I swiped the screen and placed the phone on speaker. "Hello?"
"You will bring the audio to the 40th floor of the Trident building. You will come unarmed and alone. You have 15 minutes to comply, or the pretty girl dies."
The call ended.
JD and I exchanged a worrisome glance.
We grabbed the tactical gear, and JD took his new, prized toy—a Vogl SSK-08—the ultimate high precision rifle. Chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, the bolt action beast had a folding aircraft aluminum stock, an adjustable cheek rest, Picatinny rails, and a configurable pistol grip. Fully loaded, the sniper rifle cost upwards of $9,000.
I'm not sure what JD actually paid.
The loads were 220 grain Sierra Matchking Hollow Point Boat Tail Low Drag bullets that fired at 2,850 feet per second. It gave the weapon an effective range of 1,500 yards.
Whether JD could hit anything at that distance was a different story.
41
The Trident was 40 stories of unfinished concrete and steel. There were no windows, just unfinished floors and support pylons. The electrical system had been strung throughout the building, and the elevator was functional. It was nearing the final stages. The carpenters had started putting up interior walls on the lower levels. The higher floors remained barren and empty.
The highrise had been the source of much debate among locals. They complained that, like the other towering high-rises, they were ruining the skyline of Coconut Key.
I didn't disagree.
I rode my sport bike to the construction site and pulled into the parking lot. I killed the engine, pulled off my helmet, and gazed up at the towering structure. Somewhere up there, on the 40th floor, was Denise—held captive most likely by Gregor.
He was out for blood.
My blood.
The waxing moon hung high in the sky, and the stars flickered above. I could hear the water lap against the empty marina. A tower crane with a long jib arm loomed over the building.
Nerves fluttered in my stomach. I didn't have the audio, and my odds of getting out of this scenario were slim to none.
I had one outcome in mind—save Denise.
Nothing else mattered.
My relationship with Denise was complex, but she was dear to me. There was no doubt about it.
JD had taken the SSK-08 to the Nautilus. With a call to Finley, he had gained access to the rooftop of the building. It was 387 yards south of the Trident. From the rooftop, JD would have a good vantage point.
In my pocket, there was a thumb-drive with nothing on it. When it came down to it, the subterfuge might buy me a few seconds of time, but that was about it.
I left my helmet, gloves, and phone with the bike and strolled into what would become the lobby of the Trident. The area was dusty and had that fresh concrete smell. My footsteps echoed across the desolate space. I pressed the call button to the elevator, and the doors slid open. I stepped aboard the lift and pressed the button for the 40th floor. The door slid shut, and I was whisked skyward.
On the way up, I pressed the button for the 36th floor. The elevator stopped, and I stepped out briefly and looked around. The empty floor was filled with construction debris. I jogged to the east staircase, letting the empty elevator continue toward its destination.
There were no handrails in the stairwell. Like the rest of the building, they were unfinished. I jogged up to the next floor, which looked virtually identical to the one below. Conduit, HVAC ducts, and emergency sprinklers ran along the ceiling. There was an exit sign with emergency flood lights above the entrance to the stairwell.
My fingers grabbed the thumb-drive from my pocket. I lifted up on my tiptoes and stuck the drive atop the exit sign above the doorway. I needed to act like there was actually information on the drive. It would be foolish to walk into the meeting with Gregor with the recordings on me. There would be nothing to keep him from killing both of us on the spot. He would suspect something if I gave the drive up too easily.
I pushed back into the stairwell and raced up the spiral case. They were probably expecting me to come from the elevator. While I was in the stairwell, I heard the bell ding when the lift reached the 40th floor. The doors slid open.
My quads burned as I sprinted up the steps. I was in good shape, but my chest heaved for breath by the time I hit the landing on the 40th floor. I held up by the doorway and peered into the main area.
The elevator doors were just closing.
The floor looked empty—apart from construction debris, a ladder, a wheelbarrow, stacks of drywall, and framing material. There were nail guns, circular saws, workbenches, and extension cords.
A black, vertical pipe ran through the stairwell, feeding the automated sprinkler system. On each floor, in the stairwell, there was a metal box containing a fire hose. I unholstered my pistol and set it atop the box.
I knew I would be searched.
After taking a deep breath, I cautiously emerged from the stairwell with my hands in the air. “Is anybody here?” I called out in singsong.
My voice bounced around the desolate construction site.
A moment later, Gregor angled the barrel of his pistol around a thick pylon. “Stop. Lift up your shirt. Turn around.”
I complied.
Satisfied, he stepped into view, still keeping the weapon pointed at me. He barked a command to someone lurking behind the pylon. “Search him!”
Nick, Denise’s boyfriend, emerged from behind the concrete. His eyes were wide with fear. He trembled slightly and swallowed hard.
My eyes blazed into him.
I knew what had happened. It was pretty obvious to me.
Denise had confronted him about working for Vasily Kozlov. Of course, Nick would deny any involvement in the drug trade. But her questions probably made Nick nervous. I'm sure he contacted Gregor, or perhaps Vasily himself. That was enough to spook the Syndicate. They had to pick up Denise to see what she knew. Then they would silence her.
If they got their way, they would silence both of us.
Nick trotted toward me.
I looked around, scanning the area for associates. At this height, there were heavy gusts of wind that whipped through the structure.
I didn't see any sign of Denise. And I didn't like that one bit.
"Check him for weapons," Gregor commanded.
Nick patted me down. He trembled as he felt my ankles, my thighs, my waistband, and my chest.
"He's clean," Nick said, backing away from me.
"Give me the audio recordings!" Gregor demanded.
"Where is Denise?" I asked, forcefully.
"Not until we have the audio," Gregor said.
"I want to see Denise. Otherwise you don't get shit!"
"You are in no position to make demands."
"Do you think I'm stupid enou
gh to walk in here alone with the audio on me? Here's how this is going to work. You let Denise go. You keep me in exchange. I'll take you to the audio."
Gregor grimaced. He exhaled a deep breath through his nostrils then called for an associate. "Yuri. Bring the girl!"
A moment later, Yuri emerged from behind a concrete wall, pulling Denise along. Her wrists were tied, and her mouth was gagged. Yuri had a gun to her head.
Denise's terrified eyes gazed at me. Her mascara had streaked down her cheeks with her tears.
I took a few steps toward her.
"Don't move!" Gregor shouted.
We were on the north side of the structure. I could see the Nautilus from where I was standing. But the center column of the elevators blocked Gregor and Yuri.
I needed to lure them out into the open so JD could get a shot.
"Let her go," I demanded.
Gregor nodded, and Yuri released her.
Denise ran across the building to me, and I untied her gag and her hands. "Are you okay?"
Denise nodded.
She scowled at Nick.
He flashed a terrified, but apologetic face. It did little to soothe her anger.
“Where is the audio?” Gregor demanded.
“Not until Denise is safe,” I said.
“If we let her go, she contacts the department, and this place is swarming with cops," Gregor said. "It's so much easier if you just tell me where it is. Then you both can go."
His tone was thin and insincere.
"We both know that's bullshit," I said.
"You have my word," Gregor said.
I didn't trust the lying son-of-a-bitch. "She walks, or no deal!"
42
"Since I am a man of my word, the pretty girl can go," Gregor said.
"Go!" I hissed to Denise.
She scowled at me. "No. I'm not leaving you here with these… assholes," she said, her eyes burning into Nick.
He sulked and looked down at the floor, not able to make eye contact with her.
"Go! I'll be fine," I said through gritted teeth.
Her eyes pleaded with me for a moment, but she could see that I wasn't taking no for an answer. I could tell she wanted to say something, but she stopped herself.
