Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 97394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
“I want to visit the graves,” I say quietly to James.
Looking up from the phone, he stares at me for a moment and then nods. “I made sure they were buried properly. I’ll take you over there.”
Heading back over to Lucifer, Simon, and the rest of the guys, I motion to our current warehouse resident.
“Don’t forget the Saudis, though,” James says to us from where he’s sitting.
“Yes, but they have been handled for the time being. We’ll discuss them later,” Lucifer says.
“One of you is going to need to give me the rundown on just what the fuck’s been going on since I left,” I say.
Shrugging his shoulders, Jude says, “I’ve been out of the state for almost a year. I just about shit when I came back and found everyone fucking wifed up with kids running around.”
“What?” I ask.
“Bullshit! Not this guy,” James says, raising his hand over his head while he keeps working on the phone.
“Okay, except James.” Jude shrugs.
I can feel a fucking throbbing pulse of pain forming behind my eyes as I try to adjust to everything that’s been thrown at me. Bombings, millions of dollars lost, wives and children.
When the fuck did crime become so fucking complicated?
“Let’s get this show on the road, gentlemen. Meredith and I have plans for the evening.” Simon says.
Motioning to the Russian, I ask, “Does he need to be alive at the end of this? What do we know about him?”
“That fully depends on him. If he gives us the information we need, then he might be able to go free. But I doubt he’ll make this easy,” Lucifer says.
This fucker’s a corpse already. No way we’d let him go after this.
“His name is Anton Yelchin…” Simon says. “Yes, just like the actor.”
“Huh?” I ask.
“Never mind, you were in prison. We found him flying into Bethlehem three days ago, under a different identity of course. I’m willing to bet, though, he’s just a testing rat for the Russians. They’re seeing where they can get in without our notice. Bethlehem is close, and they’ve been using it as a staging area. They want easy access to us.”
“Bethlehem is another powder keg that’s full of rats.” Johnathan says.
“When the fuck did Bethlehem go to the fucking rats?” I ask as I look around at everyone.
Spreading his hands out in a what-can-you-do gesture, Lucifer says “We’ve had our hands full with getting Garden City under our full control. If it wasn’t the Russians, it was the Yakuza, or the crack-slinging gangs that are sprouting up here and there.”
That doesn’t surprise me, although it probably should. I’ve been gone for ten years. A lot can happen to a place in that long of a stretch.
Time to do something I’ve had to keep bottled up for ten long fucking years. Ten years and I finally get to do what I’ve always done best.
I get to hurt someone.
Squatting down in front of our special guest, I ask, “You speak English?”
The man just stares at me. He was squealing like a stuck pig when I walked in here, but I’m betting he thinks we’re just going to give him a good scare and he’ll get to go home. He’s not too big of a guy, probably fifty or so pounds lighter than me, and at least six or seven inches shorter.
He’s trying to act tough to the big man in front of him. He’s been in prison though, so he might just make it past the first couple of rounds with me.
“Simon, can I use your black bag?” I ask without looking away from Anton.
“Of course,” Simon says, and I hear him shuffle behind me.
There’s a loud plop as he drops his bag down beside me.
Anton’s eyes barely shift from my face, but they do. Just a brief flutter of movement.
“Now Anton, I know you’re gagged, but you need to nod your head if you can speak English,” I say quietly.
Nothing comes from him. He’s trying to act hard, like the interrogation isn’t going to break him down.
That’s fine, I’ve got all night if need be.
Reaching up, I push his sweaty hair out of his eyes. He needs to see the mistake he just made.
“Alright, man. That was your only chance to answer me without pain. I’m going to start causing you some now. I won’t be asking any questions during it, though. But don’t worry, you’ll have a chance to talk after I’m done,” I say as I pull the black bag from my side.
Inside, I find all kinds of toys. Most of the metal instruments were originally meant to heal. No longer, though, Not here in this place of hell.
“Jude, I’m going to need his right leg secured from the knee to the foot,” I say as I pull out a scalpel.
Jude moves instantly to grab ratchet straps to help me secure the leg.