Where the hell did they go? These fuckers better not have left me on my own. Suddenly, the warning from Monroe and Beckett comes forward reminding me that I need to be careful. That something is not right here.
“Stupid Italians. I can’t wait until they’re wiped out and we take control of the territory. This is why women can’t run a man’s job. It's like taking candy from a baby.” A thick accent brings my attention back towards the crates.
Three men walk with purpose towards the items. The shorter one is a little thicker, bald headed, and wearing a suit that’s way too tight. The other two are taller and lengthy wearing red suits with guns holstered to their sides. They take a peek at the shipment, huffing in disappointment like they expected there to be more.
“Let’s go. Contact Pali to bring the truck around,” the shorter one orders before making his way back to the door he came from.
“Boys, can you hear me? What’s your location?” I demand again.
Ghost.
Panic begins to rise with the nonexistent communication. Something inside me tells me I need to go and check on them. They’re my brothers after all. Lifting my gun, I clear the way in the once again empty room. Entering the first room, it's dark and I nearly trip over something on the ground. I reach for my flashlight and shine it down. A body lies against the wall.
I reach down to his neck to feel for a pulse but it’s gone. His head tips to the side revealing that his neck was snapped.
“Alaric, can you hear me?” I hear Beckett's voice through my ear.
“I’m here. We need back up,” I answer before moving out of the room to the next, finding it empty.
He doesn’t respond right away, but he’s most likely trying to get notice out for my request. Moving down the hall, I find a break room area, and two other men are splayed across the floor, blood pooling under them. What in the living fuck?
“Alaric, get out of there now. You’ve been compromised. They’re coming for you.” Panic fills my ears.
Just as I’m about to turn around, a hilt of a gun hits me at the side of the temple. My body involuntarily collapses and ringing fills my head. The pain radiates, causing my vision to blur.
“Agent Alaric Solace. She’s not going to be happy knowing that we have you.” A male cackles like he’s full of delight.
There’s no way he’s part of her men. I move my head and squint to see who the poor bastard is who got in a cheap shot. The short fat man claps his hands together as the other two flank me, securing my arms together before disarming me.
I’m dragged to the back of the warehouse where a chair sits. They throw me in a chair before tying my feet to the legs. One of the lengthy men unbuckles my vest and pulls out a knife and cuts the straps before disposing of it to the side. A fist flies to my stomach, knocking the wind out of me.
Another flies towards my face, knocking it to the side. I notice a symbol on their vests and realize these men are the Albanian mob and the memory of Beckett’s suspicions. Is Stevens working with the take down of the Italians? He has to be and now, I’m leveraged against them, against Celeste.
I can’t be her distraction. This wasn’t supposed to happen and now they’re coming after her with something that will absolutely destroy her. No one knew of our relationship besides her close family and the suspicion of the Director. Her family wouldn’t betray her so it all boils down to Stevens.
I get hit again on the opposite cheek causing blood to pool in my mouth. The image of Celeste fills my mind. The dangerous look in her eyes, the blood, the rage.
“You’re a dead man.” I spit blood on the floor. I give them a sinister smile, no doubt blood covering my teeth.
“Says the dead man walking. How do you think the queen is going to feel when she witnesses the one she loves shot and killed in front of her. She’ll have nothing left to live for. Don’t worry, she’ll be joining you in the afterlife. The Reaper will return home to the fiery pits of hell,” the one on the right mocks.
I’m not afraid to die. What I’m afraid of is that Celeste is going to lose any shred of humanity. They call her The Reaper, but do they realize that she’ll take them to hell with her?
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
CELESTE
“All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.” - Sun Tzu, The Art of War
Never in my life have I felt more powerful than now. Strapping on a holster around each thigh, I slide a pistol into each of the holders. Glancing at myself in the mirror, I hardly recognize myself. The girl with pigtails is long gone. The person I see is a confident, powerful Reaper ready to play. If you would have told me that I would be the leader of the Italian Mafia, I would have laughed in your face. I was content with working in the shadows of my father but in the end fate decided my destiny.
Alaric sent me a text that something came up with work and he wouldn’t be home for a while. This worked in my favor because I didn’t have to come up with another lie of a meeting that ran late. Technically it is a meeting butthis one consists of bodies being dropped. I told him I was going to be gone for a few days as something came up with work, just in case something went wrong and it became an all out war. I couldn’t afford for him to go into panic mode and come looking for me.
My phone chimes, causing me to peel my eyes away from the mirror and walk over to the table to pick it up.
Antonio: Shipment has been delivered. Time to collect.
Pocketing my phone, I head out of my bedroom, down the staircase meeting Antonio at the front door. I nod indicating that I’m ready and we step through the threshold to a mix of Italian, Irish, Swedish, and Russian men standing at guard ready for our signal. I scan over the front of the mansion noticing that the Turkish are missing.
