1
The Body
Stryker Truman skimmed the lengthy rap sheet on his laptop. “These guys are hella dangerous. Four have been on The Most Wanted List for over a decade. We’re gonna end their killing spree tonight.”
Pausing, he regarded the three men sitting around the poker table in the Travesty room of The Dungeon, Stryker’s member-only nightclub. No one spoke. Two of his guys were struggling to make eye contact and one was tapping his fingers on the table.
“The suspense is killing me,” Stryker said. “Someone’s gotta saysomething.”
After a sigh, Quincy said, “I’m out.”
“Do you think we need one more guy?” Stryker slid his gaze from Quincy to Brooks to Rhys. “You do, don’t you?”
“I just got engaged,” Quincy said, rising to his feet. “Keeping this a secret from my woman is eating me up. I’m out.”
Muscles running down Stryker’s back grew tight.Dammit. This mission needed to happen, tonight. He pushed out of the rickety wooden chair, extended his hand. “You’re a good man, Quince.”
As Quincy shook it, he chuckled. “Me? A good man? No, I’m a cold-blooded killer. I love you guys, but I’m done with these missions. We’re sending out a ‘Save the Date’ soon. I have no idea how this wedding stuff works, but I found the right woman and I’m done leading a double life.” He tossed a nod to Brooks and Rhys before shutting the door behind him.
Stryker eased back down. “We can do this job with three. Brooks, run through the specs again.”
“No, we can’t,” Brooks replied. “These guys are over-the-top violent. We can’t do it with three.”
“Brooks is right,” Rhys added. “We’ve gotta stand down.”
“Fuck,” Stryker said, slapping his laptop shut.
Knock-knock-knock.“Stryker, it’s Mavis.”
Stryker glanced at the monitor on the wall. His general manager stood outside the door. Turning to his team, he said, “I’m stupid enough to think I can do this on my own.”
After standing, Brooks gripped Stryker’s shoulder. “We’re close friends, right?”
“More like brothers.” Stryker hitched his hands on his hips. “You gonna lecture me?”
KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK. “Stryker, it’s important,” Mavis said.
“I’ll see you at work, tomorrow,” Brooks said. “Don’t do this one alone. It’s a suicide mission if you do.”
Brooks opened the door. “C’mon in, Mavis. Our game ended early tonight. Have a good one.” Brooks took off.
Mavis and her cloud of cigarette smoke entered the private, sound-proof room. In reality, poker games never happened there. It was used for mission strategy only. Something thatwasn’tgoing down tonight.
“I’m taking off,” Rhys said. “Sorry you didn’t win, Stryker. You had a good hand, though.” He shot Mavis a smile and was gone.
“What’s the word?” Stryker plucked the lit cigarette from Mavis’s hand and stomped it out. “Stop with the smoking. It’s against code.”
She barked out a laugh. “This is my reward for tending bar the past hour. It’s a madhouse down there. If you’re so worried about code, thin out the crowd.”
It was after eleven. “Why are you tending bar?”
“April’s a no-show, again.” Mavis picked up the flattened cigarette and stared at it like it held the answers to the universe. “I’m filling in for her, but I can’t tend bar and manage the club. It’s busier than usual for a Thursday.” She glanced around, her gaze settling on the back door across the room.
He didn’t like that Mavis was in Travesty. If she used her master key to check outthatroom, she’d learnherkey didn’t work. That would lead to a shit-ton of questions, none of which he would answer. He needed to get her the hell out of there, so he tucked the laptop under his arm and left. As soon as she joined him in the dimly-lit hallway, he shut the door, making sure it was locked before they walked down the hall together.
Stryker was pissed. His mission had been aborted and one of his guys had bailed. “Do I need to do rounds?”
“I need you to stop by April’s and check on her.” Mavis entered her office and dropped the cigarette butt into the stump-filled ashtray before easing down behind her desk. “It’s the second night she no-showed. I’m concerned.”
