Street Justice (34 page)

              Carl Marfori said, “Yes, Dario, this is great news. Yes, you did the right thing by calling. Yes, I will show my appreciation. Now I need you to do me a favor, I need you to find out where they hide when they are overseeing the street and secure the spot. I’m sending Brad to come help. Call me when you have the location.”

              Carl hung up the phone and yelled, “Brad.”

              A few moments later Brad appeared at the doorway, “Yes, sir?”

              “I need you to head down to Colorado Ave and re-secure the corner there,” Will said.

              “Um…”Brad hesitated, “Didn’t we lose a lot of good men trying to do just that?”

              “Brad, I’m not trying to get you killed, who’d fetch me coffee if not for you? Dario just called, apparently their man Alex just left. Since we have eyes on the other three, that means there is no one there.”

              “What? They are all gone, why would they do that?”

              “I am guessing because they don’t think anyone is watching them, which is a good bet, I’m not sure I would have been using resources to watch them if this thing with the FBI hadn’t come up. Now get your butt down there and help Dario until I can round up some more recruits…and hope they don’t decide to all come back together.”

              Brad gave a half chuckle, “Huh, yeah.”

Dario ran down the small alleyway he always saw the crew come from when he did see them come and go. He looked left and right, seeing dumpsters, trash, windows and a few doors. These doors led into the buildings. The doors on the left led to buildings that did not overlook the corner. He guessed they wanted to overlook the corner. There were four doors on the right. Dario looked at each for some sign that this was the door they used. They all looked the same. Well, not exactly the same, but they all looked old and tired.

Lacking a better plan, Dario headed into the closest door. He skipped the first floor. He knew height was an advantage when trying to get a good view. Heading to the second floor, he burst out into the hallway and looked up and down the dingy corridor. He jogged to one end then the other. He did not know what he was looking for but hoped he would know it when he saw it. Nothing jumped out at him.

He headed back to the stairwell and up to the third floor. In the third floor hallway he saw a tall gaunt man, leaving an apartment. As he approached the frail man he said, “Yo, my man check it..”

Turning to look at Dario, the old man put his hands up and said, “Hey, listen, I don’t have anything worth stealing.”

“What, no man, I ain’t here to steal anything. I just want to know if you’ve seen anything lately,” Dario stopped several strides away from the old man and held his hands out to the side, trying to show he was not holding anything and to be as non-threatening as possible.

The old man put his hands down and replied, “I’ve seen lots of things, you need to be more specific.”

Dario let out a long sigh. He did not know how long the crew would be gone from the corner, but he guessed it would not be long and he needed to hurry. “I mean like, have you seen people who don’t belong here?”

“You don’t belong here,” the old man offered.

“You know what I mean,” Dario huffed.

“I have seen some white men in the alley behind the building,” the old man seeming to finally think about the question.

“But not in this building?” Dario asked.

“No, not in here.”

“Do you know which building they go into?”

“I didn’t know they went into a building, as I said, I’ve only seen them in the alley.”

“OK, thanks man,” Dario said and took off down the stairs. He burst out into the alley and ran to the second entrance. He ducked inside and started his sweep.

              Only after he had secured Steve, did Alex step over to help Will. Leaning into Will he produced a knife from his pocket, snapped it open and sliced through Will’s cuffs. “Thanks man,” Will said.

              “Don’t mention it. Now pick him up, we need to get him out of here.”

              “Where to?” Will asked, to his credit not hesitating and starting to pull Steve over his shoulder.

              “I don’t know,” Alex snapped, then more quietly, “I don’t know. Let me think.” Alex started walking out of the room and down the hall.

              “OK,” Will said, moving quickly and efficiently behind Alex, as if Steve weighed nothing. The two men took the stairs down to the ground floor and took the door heading out to the parking lot. Alex hustled over to his rental car and opened the trunk. Will dropped Steve inside and Alex slammed the lid.

              Moving to the driver’s door Alex said, “I’m going to take him up to Johnny, let him figure this out. He’s supposed to be the great planner but it’s his plan that is coming apart, so let him figure it out. You get back to the rooftop. It’s unguarded.”

              “It’s unguarded? Why?” Will asked in shock.

              “Because Johnny and Kip are in Shoreline dealing with Russ and you let this guy kick your ass,” Alex screamed, “Now get back to the roof.” Alex dropped into the driver’s seat and fired up the small engine. He gunned the engine and chirped the wheels as he peeled out of the parking lot. Will stood still as he watched Alex tear off. Only after Alex had disappeared from sight did Will take off at a run, heading to the look out.

              “You guys have been following these guys around for a week and nothing. Now all of a sudden everything is happening,” Carl said.

              “I’m sorry,” said James, one of the street runners Carl had assigned as watchers.

              “No, don’t be sorry you did good. So they threw him in the trunk and said he was headed up to Russ? Is that right?” Will confirmed.

              “Yes, sir, well he said he was going to take him to Johnny and that Johnny was taking care of Russ so I am guessing he is at his house,” James clarified.

              “Yes, safe assumption, again good job, now I have some phone calls to make,” Carl said. Without waiting for a reply he disconnected. “Brad,” he called out then remembered that Brad was not there, so he made his way to his study in the back and sifted through his desk until he found the card for Agent Massie. He dialed the number.

              On the third ring Adrian answered, “This is Agent Massie, go.”

              “Agent Massie, so good to talk to you again, this is Carl.”

              “Yes, Carl, what can I do for you?” Adrian said with some confusion in his voice. He had not been expecting a call from him.

              “Well, I have some information you might find interesting,” Carl said.

              “And it is?” Adrian asked briskly.

              “My, you are hostile for a man I am doing a favor for,” Carl lilted his voice, as if offended.

              “Somehow I am sure this will benefit you too,” Adrian replied dryly.

              “Yes, yes, quite so,” Carl gave a slight chuckle, “Anyway, a little bird just told me that there is a green Kia headed to Russ’ house with your partner in the trunk. Apparently, Johnny and a friend are already there as well as Russ.”

              There was silence on the phone. One moment stretched into two. Nearly a minute passed before Carl asked, “Agent Massie, are you there?”

              Snapping out of his own head, Adrian replied, “Yes, I’m here.”

              “Did you hear what I said?”

              “I did.”

              “So what are you going to do about it?”

              “I’m going to call in the cavalry,” Adrian said, “Thank you, good bye.” Adrian hung up his phone and sat frozen for another moment. His mind raced, Steve was unbeatable, how had they gotten him in the trunk, he asked himself. Then, tearing himself out of analysis and forcing himself into action he called Sam. “Sir, I need a tactical team to support me in Shoreline now,” he stated as soon as Sam answered the phone.

              “Are the drugs on site?” Sam asked calmly.

              “Not yet sir,” Adrian replied.

              “I thought the plan was for the delivery to be made, Russ to set up a time with Johnny and wrap them all up at once.”

              “That was the plan sir, but things have changed. Steve is apparently in the trunk of a Kia, headed to the address now.”

              “How did they get Steve into the trunk of a Kia?” Sam asked.

              “I don’t know sir,” Adrian replied, “I was wondering that myself.”

              “Anyway, I’ll launch the team now.”

              “Thank you sir, I’m headed there now myself.”

              “Oh, and one more thing to think of,” Sam added.

              “Yes sir?” Adrian asked.

              “Well, do you think you can stop Steve’s rage at being put in a Kia at all?” Sam laughed. Adrian chuckled too. It was not a real humorous laugh, but it was enough to break the tension. Adrian hung up, grabbed his suit coat hurried toward his car.

              Dario exited the second building. Nothing presented itself inside so he hurried to the third entrance. He headed up to the second floor and ran to one side of the hallway then the other. Will ran from the hotel toward the corner. Following Alex’s actions in reverse, he slowed before getting in sight of the corner so as to not attract attention. He walked quickly with stiff legs and swinging his arms. Dario finished his sweep of the second floor then headed up to the third. This hallway had a distinct musty smell, indicating it was used less than the others. Dario saw no sign of life at all on this floor, no sounds from behind the doors, no light under the door, but no signs of a base of operations either. He headed back to the stairwell and up toward the roof. Will hustled, breaking into a slight jog as he turned into the alleyway. He loped up to the third entrance and slipped in. Dario looked up and saw a tiny pin prick above the door. He would have missed it had he not been amped up and looking for it. He opened the door for the roof only to be confronted with a second door. He opened this second door and burst back out into the light. He saw in the corner a long sniper rifle and two black boxes full of blinking lights. On a small stool sat a weird looking pair of glasses. He had found it.

              Quickly Dario turned back to the doors. He closed the inner door just before Will reached the third floor landing so Will did not see the light streaming down from outside. Dario closed the outer door and looked for a lock. Will jogged up the final flight of stairs, slowing a little because he had reached his destination and all seemed fine. The morning had been chaos but would all smooth out now. Dario did not see a lock. He looked for something to wedge the door closed and as he did he saw the small switch next to the door. He read it. It said “Armed” and “Disarmed.” The little knob was currently pointing at disarmed. Curious, he flipped the switch to “Armed.” Will grabbed the knob and opened the inner door. He had a moment to think “Damn” as he heard the faint click, then a loud rushing pop as a fine mist exploded into the stairwell. Instinct dropped him to the floor but it was all for naught. When the igniter struck, the fine mist was saturated throughout the stairwell and the tiny space turned into a 1000 degree oven. The walls went instantly black, the dingy carpet melted or warped back upon itself and Will was charred instantly.

              Dario heard the whump, but did not investigate. He instead stopped playing with the switch and jogged to the edge of the roof where he saw an old board. He brought it back to the door and wedged it under the door knob. He then went over and picked up the glasses. He looked around and saw nothing unusual. Then he looked over the edge and saw straight through the buildings. So this is how they were so good at keeping track of what was going on.

              Dario sat on the stool and looked around the area. It was an odd feeling, looking through the buildings. He called Carl Marfori and told him he had the roof secure. He tried to explain the glasses but Carl did not seem to understand. He guessed without seeing them, seeing through them, it might be a tough thing to grasp. Carl let him know Brad was on his way to support him. Dario thanked him, hung up, then started looking around for Brad.

              Adrian met the attack team four blocks from Russ’ house. He got out of his Crown Vic and hurried over to the black cube van that transported the FBI’s assault team. “Sir,” Adrian said to the captain in the passenger side, “We have a friendly and two suspects in the house that we know of. The friendly is a very tall man so he should be easy to identify. Let’s try and take everyone alive and safe, but please understand, the two suspects are trained killers who have shown they have no trouble ending a life. The safety of our informant and our men comes first. Do I make myself clear?”

              “Crystal,” replied the captain.

              Adrian smacked the outside of the passenger door twice and said ,”Good, then let’s get rolling.”

              Russ, Johnny and Kip were making small talk. Talking about life in the service, all the little rules that annoyed them. On the surface it looked calm and pleasant but inside Russ knew something was wrong. Reaching into his pocket he fished out his phone and quickly tapped out a message to Mario, “Johnny and Kip are here. This feels weird, can you come over?” Then he slipped the phone back in his pocket.