Morris watched him from a distance, as hisbeer belly raked atop each rung of the ladder, while he descendedto the floor level below. The man gave him the creeps. The guyrarely smiled or joked for the pleasure of it. A hundred feet belowthe surface was the perfect place for a man like him.
Sylas had it with Tallon pulling his chain,he argued silently, as he made his way to the entrance. If he hadanother rush job for him to finish before dark, he’d tell him to goscrew. Tallon wouldn’t want to provoke him, if he knew what wasgood for him. He needed him. He knew these caves like the back ofhis hand. He worked them for eighteen years. He could get him readyfor business within a week, if he wanted.
He had Tallon where he wanted him, andsneered from the pleasure of knowing it. He loved controllingpeople.
His shirt was soaking wet with perspirationby the time he reached top. Grotesque masses of curly chest hairglistened, as it peeked from the neckline of his shirt and betweenthe button spaces, that pulled apart from his bulging stomach.
“Took you long enough to get here,” Tallonchastised, as he pulled his cigar from his mouth
“You got something to say, get on with it.I’ve got work to finish in the hole, which you wanted done by dark,remember?” Sylas retorted, as his insides worked into a knot.
Tallon looked at the fists clenching tightlyat Corbat’s side. He knew the man was pissed already.
“You won’t need to finish. Someone else willdo it.”
“Why the hell not. You think they can do itbetter than me?”
Tallon shook his head and readied himself forthe explosion he knew was inevitable.
“It’s a risk I’m gonna have to take. You’reout of here, Corbat. Pack your belongings and go.” He pulled anenvelope containing a check from his pocket and held it out infront of him. “Here’s a severance check for your troubles. I can’tkeep you on anymore.”
“You what? Just like that? Why the hell not?You got no call to let me go,” he stepped forward threatening. “I’mthe best you got here.”
Tallon raised his arms in protest.
“Look. You’ve been down in the hole almosteighteen hours now, and I don’t think you know, so I’ll tellyou.”
“Tell we what?”
Corbat was furious and reached for him. Hedidn’t take to being fucked over and this prick was going to feelhis fist breaking the bones in his face.
Tallon was prepared. He expected this kind ofreaction and drew a pistol from his side vest pocket.
“Back off, dickhead, before I blow yourbrains out. I’m gonna give you an explanation, because I owe youthat much,” Tallon continued, as he threw the envelope at him.“Your brother was being transported to Dannemora early thismorning. They still don’t know how the prick pulled it off, but hegot away and killed the two cops transporting him. He hijacked acar and was intercepted by a Trooper, who was the Governor’s son.Gunfire was exchanged. The trooper is fighting for his life. Hemanaged to put a few into your brother.
I got a business to run here. I don’t needany of this shit, or the attention it’ll draw. If people find outyou work here, they’ll wonder what kind of place I’m running. Ineed you out of here, cause I certainly don’t need any friggingreporters buzzing around either and creating bad press before Iopen.”
“You, bastard. You’ll be sorry for this,Tallon. Damn sorry.”
He leaned over and picked up the envelopefrom the ground, sneered at Tallon one last time, and spun about inretreat. He would pay, Sylas vowed. He would pay dearly for firinghim. He had plans for those caverns, and getting on the wrong sideof him, Tallon would regret. He had no control over his brother,and it wasn’t fair he was being fired, because of him. His brotherwas a sick fuck, but he knew how to get even. Eighteen years was along time to devote to a job.
Even though the pay wasn’t glamorous, heloved what he did, loved working beneath ground, not having to dealwith people, alone with the dark and the silence. He knew everystretch of the caverns … the entire mile and a half. He knew ofplaces that hadn’t been opened to the public, that the ownersdidn’t want to invest more money in.
He had broken into one of those chambers andhad plans for it. Didn’t matter now, that he got fired. He didn’tneed keys. He knew how to get in without them. He was the only onewho knew. Nothing would keep him away. Nothing.
OceanofPDF.com
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Bryan exited his car and walked the shortdistance where he generally met up with his snitch down at the Portof Albany. He never lost touch with him, once he took office. Younever stopped being a cop. It was ingrained in you like your DNA.There were a lot of skills he had developed during his decade withAlbany P.D., that came in handy at the Capitol.
He needed to talk to Dante and have him checkaround and see, if he heard any talk on the streets about theattack on Jessica. He knew, whoever this guy was, had it out forhim. This was a vendetta, and what he did to Jessica, was simply awarning.
After reviewing the security tapes from thecameras, Bryan’s conclusion wasn’t wrong. The bastard had the ballsto look straight into the camera and smile. He was sending a clearmessage to him. He felt it in his gut. The one thing about mostcriminals, they liked to boast. Bryan hoped this bastard got hardtalking about what he got away with.
The assailant, was smart too. He knew to pullhis baseball cap down just enough to hide his features. The facialrecognition he had called for came up short. A tough break forthem, but he wasn’t about to give up. Now, it was time to hit thestreets and branch out. He wished he could have gotten to thissooner, but his calendar was crazy, now that Session was in fullswing. Shortly, the Legislature would be breaking for the holidaysand there were a lot of bills still sitting in his Codes Committeethat needed to be addressed.
Investigators from the State Police had beencalled in to take the case over from the Capitol Police. It wasunderstandable, but Bryan was comfortable working with his formerbuddies at the P.D.
