“Miss anything important?” I give him a knowing look.
He was part of our little side investigation and the last thing I wanted was for him to get reprimanded for my decisions. However, it feels good to work side by side and knowing there's someone here I can truly trust. He never batted an eyewhen I asked for my favors. He hopped into the car and rode that roller coaster for me.
“Nah, but apparently something big is happening and it’s all hands on deck. Apparently SWAT is getting involved. We’ll see.” He leans over the top of the shelf sipping another coffee.
Monroe appears at the desk next to mine, dropping her purse and coffee before taking a seat as if nothing happened to her. The girl is good at wearing a mask and I applaud her for even coming back. Before we can exchange any pleasantries, a whistle signals and we turn to see where the source came from.
The Director stands in the doorway of the conference room, motioning us to join. Several people get up from their seats and some of the leaders from the SWAT team walk into the room to take their seats for the briefing. We all give each other a look and get up to join. As I am passing Monroe, who was getting up to join, she grabs me by the arm causing me to pause.
“We need to talk once this is over. We can’t talk here though.” The unease radiates and her eyes dart towards the Director. I nod in understanding before we head into the briefing.
The room is crowded and I decide to take a spot in the back, leaning up against the wall. Once everyone settles in, the door closes with one of the lights flipped off. The projector illuminates the wall with a photo of a dead body at the shoreline of the river.
“For the last week, bodies have been coming to the surface. This one was found at the river. Based on the stab wounds and slit throat, he was dead before he was dumped in the river.” He flips to the next slide that shows another dead body. This one was found out on some land in the middle of nowhere. There were builders breaking ground and this body bag was lifted out by one of the machines. Both men are criminals involved inillegal engagement.” Director Stevens goes on about the details of the men: age, where they live, and simple profiling.
More photos are flipped through, zeroing in on the lacerations and also the missing limbs on the other one found in the hole. This all looks to me that they got caught up in some shit and it backfired on them.
“Even though they’re criminals, we have the duty to find out who did this. What’s interesting is that both men are tied to the Italian Mafia. They previously worked for the prior head and were conveniently found after his passing. I’m not saying that they were killed by their previous employer, but whatever they were doing, it links to something bigger.” He flips to the next screen.
My body freezes at the mention of the Italian Mafia. Celeste is now the head of it and she’ll no doubt be under heavy watch. Is she now on their suspect list? This all feels too damn personal. I’m too close to this. Director Stevens knows who she is. It was announced to the world that she’s the heiress and he also knows I have ties with her. Everything had to have clicked together when I clenched her to my chest and refused to have her taken by the ambulance and the company I was in with a mobster himself standing next to me the night they showed up. His eyes meet mine and I don’t miss the sly smile that creeps to the edge of his lips.
“We’ve also been made aware of a drop that’s supposed to happen tonight by an anonymous source. We don’t know who all is involved, but it’s said it’s a huge illegal gun exchange. We believe it’s tied with the Russian and Irish mobs. We need to intercept before they slip through our hands and finally catch these degenerates and clear our city of illegal weapons.” His eyes never falter from mine. He’s sending a silent command that this will be my mission.
Normally this is something the SWAT team andundercovers would handle and I’m not quite sure why I seem to be the one getting involved in this. Is this payback for defying him and going off on my own? Or is this a way for me to gain his trust back? Making this bust would be good for not only me but also for him, but it’s also incredibly dangerous.
“Supervisory Special Agent Solace will be taking the lead on this. You’ll head out there tonight with a map of the location and station out of sight. The SWAT team has also agreed to provide some of their agents to back you up as well as undercover. Once you’re in and able to get eyes on them, you will give us a signal and we’ll raid. You have one hour to get suited up and on the road before they get there. Keep a low profile and watch your six. They’ll have scouts, so be prepared. Meeting adjourned.” He excuses us immediately.
We all file out and turn to the left towards the room where we keep all the bullet-proof shields and equipment. Monroe and Beckett hurry to my side and follow along looking back to make sure no one is paying them any attention. Once we turn the corner, we stop and I turn to face them to see what the hell has them both on edge.
“You need to be careful tonight. Something doesn’t feel right to me and it has to do with Stevens. He drilled me about what was going on, it was like he was trying to change my narrative about Celeste and everything in general. I think this is a set up and he’s even more pissed that his best agent is tangled up with her,” Monroe quickly explains.
I know that guy's a total douche but I don’t think he’s really capable of doing something to put his career at stake.
“I agree with her. While you were gone, he was very secretive. Claiming to be heading out to meetings with his boss and leaving the station, but when I saw his boss walk in looking for Stevens to drop off paperwork, it looked all wrong. It was more and more during the week that he had to handle business but Ieven tapped into his stuff and his calendar was clear. I also found a number he had called several times and it led to a guy named Egmen and another to some Albanian name that I can’t pronounce. Just be careful,” Beckett further explains and fills me in.
It’s all so strange to me, but I don’t have time to look into it. I really need to get ready and head out. I can’t afford to drop a bomb and screw up this whole mission.
“Keep an eye on him. We’ll get with Celeste and Antonio when I get back. I gotta go.” I pat his shoulder, going to push past him but he stops me once more.
“Take this.” He hands me an ear bud. “Something in my gut is telling me you need a second pair of eyes from someone you actually trust. I’ll work on any cameras in the area and stay in contact.”
I take the earpiece and place it in my ear. I give him a thankful nod, drawing my eyes over to Monroe. Her anxiety is on display and I can’t shake the unease of their warnings but I’m running out of time.
I hurry in and dress in my black combat jeans, boots, and black shirt. Pulling the heavy vest over my head, I secure the clips and hook up the walkie talkie. Pulling the earpiece connected to it, I place it in my other ear and switch it to the channel that connects to the others. Suited up, I place extra clips within my vest and grab my guns of choice. Once confident everything is in place, I meet the rest back down at the SUVs and we’re off.
I send a quick text to Celeste, letting her know something came up with work and I won’t be able to answer if she calls. I make sure to add that I love her in case something goes horribly wrong but I want to make sure she knows.
There are five of us gliding through the warehouse clearing each entrance before moving forward into the building. Alarm begins to slither up my spine. It’s quiet, too quiet. I was also left shorthanded as there’s no way in hell the five of us could take down a whole Mafia drop. We’ll be outnumbered and there's no doubt the subjects will be armed and fully trained. The others also thought there would be more of us and we also haven’t heard a peep from anyone in the office about back up or anything really.
The sound of tires echoes from the outside, announcing the arrival of the first set of Mafia members. I signal for us to spread out and take cover. Each of the men disappear through different doorways and I find myself silently making my way up the stairs and slipping through a darkened room. I have the all clear and position myself behind the door.
Looking through the crack of the door, the big doors downstairs open and the sound of the truck reversing cascades through the empty building. Men hurry through the open doors, quickly unloading the truck, wheeling in crates to the center of the space. One particular man catches my attention. I lean in trying to get a better view through the tiny as hell crack.
Is that…is that Celeste’s friend Larson? What the hell? Within minutes, they clear out and lock up the doors. Once again, we’re alone as the squeal of tires depart from the front. Giving it a few more minutes, making sure it’s clear, I move away from the back of the door. Emerging from the room, I creep towards the stairs and make my way down and peek through the window confirming they’ve left.
The sound of rattling comes from the back of the building and I slip into the shadows getting out of sight.
“What’s your status?” I whisper into my earpiece to get the location of the other men, but the line is static. My heart rate begins to ramp up with the lack of responses.
