Chapter 70

It may seem like a short time, but MPD was one of the largest municipal police departments, always ready for a night of high crime and quick to cease chaos. Nevertheless, Chief Price would deliver without questioning.

"I'll be notified when the first call comes through. The clock to make our exit will start then."

Five minutes.

We creeped to a stop and waited inside the vehicle for Nate's instruction to exit through our earpieces. As we waited for his all clear of any surveillance recording, and an open view of our surroundings from above, Elio shared in detail our next moves.

"Dario and Mimmo have been monitoring the boat for a few days. It hadn't moved since we returned from Texas."

If the information Elio received earlier in the day was true, it meant they had planned an attack tonight. There wasn't another reason to stay docked in a marina aside from trying to avoid detection by reducing traffic.

"His soldiers move around the boat wearing casual beachwear to avoid suspicion. Oliver is going to assure our path is clear to access the boat. He should be quiet."

Oliver hadn't received his name solely for his bald head. The soldier was as quiet as a ghost.

"Rana will be close behind Oliver to give us the signal for us to follow along with Dario and Mimmo."

Seven of us in one boat. Too many footfalls, too much noise. Once inside, nothing could be predicted. Not within the short time we had to execute the attack before authorities were notified.

We had to be clean, quiet.

At least until the end, my demon whispered.

"You mentioned twelve. Who are the other five?" I asked, my eyes taking in the calm port.

"Renzo and four of his men will be on standby." Elio didn't feel the capo was needed.

"Good work," I mumbled and fished my phone for any notifications.

"Fuck off." He scoffed out a chuckle.

My eyes slid to his and while mine warned, Elio's gleamed for slaughter, excited and eager to inflict pain.

"Massimo?" Nate's voice chimed in my right ear.

I glanced out the window and replied in Russian. "Da." Yes.

We all waited for his voice to come through our earpieces.

"I've disabled all video and internet access. The perimeter is for half a mile, but I have no clear view from above." I didn't miss the irritation in his tone. "I can't go low enough past the mist without detection. You'll be going in blind."

So be it.

"Andiamo," Let's go, I ushered in Italian, and opened the door to the sound of seagulls and the smell of the seashore.

A boat's horn blared from far, and a mixture of music blended from the few boats that lit the marina. Vadim and Elio walked before me, and I tapped my knuckles on Vadim's back.

I met the hard touch of his thin bulletproof vest that hid beneath his clothing.

Good.

Vadim didn't react. He knew what I was doing. I did the same to Elio, but instead my knuckle connected to his flesh. Hard and unprotected.

His face swiveled halfway, revealing his broad smile and thirsty eyes.

I couldn't fault his perturbed ways, the high risk, and the game of death we played. I was addicted to its drug too and treated every hit as if it could be my last, knowing one day the trip would end with a bad blow. But today, I couldn't take that risk.

I held the safety of them and the syndicate.

I held Alessandra's safety.

Streetlights shone over the main boardwalk that connected the darkened aisles of docked boats. My gaze was aimed at one row in particular in the west corner. I didn't need light to see how the yacht swayed at the end.

Our walk to meet my men was short. They all hid beneath the night and underneath the shelter of overgrown woods behind the large storage building.

Renzo stepped forward and offered his hand. I shook it and faced everyone.

"In and out. Be quiet and don't be seen. Got it?"

"Yes, boss," they all replied.

"Everyone knows their positions?" I stared at each man. "Good, now let's go make a statement. Elio?" I quipped, giving him the go-ahead.

"Oliver, you're up." Elio lifted his chin to the scattered boats.

Oliver nudged Rana, and they both trailed ahead and disappeared into a blind spot. A few short minutes later, only Oliver resurfaced into the dimmed and yellow boardwalk lights. The farther he walked, the more the dew and darkness cloaked him into a ghost of a man.

Rana then followed Oliver's trail, and it was our turn to set course into the blind spot.

Renzo and his men dispersed across the border of the property, leaving Dario and Mimmo behind.

Elio walked silently in front while Vadim stayed behind me. We moved united and attune to one another as we stayed under the edge of the overhanging roof. The metal building creaked loudly against the gusts of wind, offering a barrier of sound.

I kept my gun tucked into my waist, though I wanted its weight in my hand. If it wasn't for the location of this hit, things would be different. I wouldn't be able to torture and toy the bastard who'd hunted what was mine.

Keeping my breathing steady, I waited and waited.

Rana's signal was nonexistent.

Vadim shifted behind.

Elio's attention remained straight ahead.

And I stood still while my heart began beating out of rhythm. A match between bloodthirst and restrain. A drum of uncertainty for the future of one human in particular.

"Massimo," Nate spoke clearly into my ear.

"Hmm," I hummed in acknowledgment.

"I've secured a second vessel if needed. East side, boardwalk number four-"

"Is there something I'm unaware of?" I uttered, annoyed at the extra precaution. Sure, we always had escape plans and different points of hideouts, but Elio already had one boat ready for a quick getaway if needed. Securing a second vessel seemed too extreme.

"Docked on slot five," Nate continued as if I hadn't interrupted him. "And no. I just can't take the chance."

The chance of me dying, along with the treaty that promised his baby brother, Vadim, another breath.

Croak. Croak.

"Is that?" Vadim asked.

Yes, Rana. Croaking.

"Believe it. Now, let's go," Elio ushered.

In a loose formation, we set off under the boardwalk lights. Small waves crashed beneath the pier, and the wind picked up in a whistle. A blue heron watched us as he stood on top of a wooden post, fishing, scouting, hunting for his next meal. He screeched on our approach until our presence wasn't welcomed, and he flew away before we reached him.

Our pace didn't falter, and with each boat we passed, the closer to Leandro I got, and the more unstable my mind spun with visions of crimson.

I spotted Rana by the edge of the boardwalk with a ladder rope hanging next to him and a man slumped by a post, sleeping without the possibility of another day.

One down.

With no time to waste or another thought for the dead, I went up first.

Once my feet rocked in the late eighties model yacht, my adrenaline kicked in, and I struggled to keep up with the plan. With the idea of clean, quick, and quiet deaths.

Oliver leaned against the side of the cabin. Only a fraction of him was uncovered by the shade of the tower above. He motioned for me to continue as a bundle of cooling flesh lay to his left.

Two down.

The deck was low-lit by running lights sprinkled through the main floor, betraying every step I made with a shadow. It didn't matter if the dew buried the moon. We couldn't all remain unseen for much longer.

I steadied my breathing. In, out, and in again as a rolling chill spread. Not for fear. For excitement. For the high of steel in my hand as I picked and screwed my silencer to its place. For the knowledge that the risk had grown and the job would be messy, bloody.

Elio and Vadim were quick, meeting me to the rooted spot I'd stayed.

I motioned toward the floor lights that would alert our positions. A change no one was expecting by the age of the boat.

We all stared down, waiting for my command.

I turned to our surroundings, to the scattered boats with no lights and the ones that blared music. We were out in the open, exposed, and suspended in time. But there was no time.

Damned if we stayed, damned if we moved.

Rana caught up, and soon Dario and Mimmo would too if we didn't move.

I nodded to my right, and Vadim and Oliver took position.

I nodded to my left, and Elio and Rana took position.

Guns drawn, waiting.

I nodded forward.

All four went, and I followed Vadim.

Our steps weren't quiet. There were too many at once, and when we made it halfway onto the boat, two quick pops were fired.

Three. Four down and an organized chaos followed.

Shouts from inside the boat rang, and the motor kicked in gear.

My body swayed with the momentum, and I steadied my footing while two of my own ran to the bodies on the floor. The rest of us sped inside to stop the vessel from taking off, straight into the sounds of commotion.

Clank.

The yacht powered down and everything went pitch black.

I ducked down, waiting for the fire to start and the screams to echo. I couldn't see past my hands and my eyes fluttered to adapt to the dark.

"Massimo?" the earpiece sounded with Elio's voice.

"Hmm."

"One is coming to your right."

I closed my eyes and listened carefully. With my arm stretched and my finger on the trigger, I heard him clearly. His next footfall, his last.

I shot, hitting my target and bathing in blood splatter. He'd been too close.

Five down.

"Clear." A flashlight flickered inside the cabin, and Vadim stood by the entrance door. "Anyone else should be down that door."

With the new lighting, I peered down at the body on the wooden floor. I nudged it with my foot for any movement, but as blood pooled out from his chest, there was no coming back.

I shot him once more and wiped my face.

"You good?" Elio uttered with careful eyes.

No. I was losing my edge. Losing my control to my demon.

"Shit," Vadim cursed, and all eyes zeroed on him. "We got five minutes."

My demon chuckled.

Without a single word, I walked away from the body on the ground and headed to the door.

"Start your task." I pointed at Rana as I passed him. "Cut the fucking light off, Vadim, and help Rana." Darkness surrounded us once again. "Elio," I whispered.

"Right behind you."

Perfect. Just us two quietly lowering into the ground level of the yacht.

"Time?" I whispered.

"Four minutes," Nate's voice replied.

Two hundred and forty seconds remained to find my target. Inside a layout I wasn't familiar with. Yet, I knew boats. Yachts and their designs all resemble each other. It was why I had the inside of mine custom-made. This was a simple luxury model that hadn't been touched since bought.

Elio and I made it to the end of the steps. I placed my back flushed to the wall and closed my eyes, listening.

Upstairs, feet scattered, and small splashes hit above. But I wasn't interested in the deck or the captain's cabin. I was interested in what was on this level. Then a muffled whisper and distinct ruffle was made by the east end.

A loud gear knocked with an echo, and the lights flashed until they flickered on.

"Two minutes," Nate announced.