Fifty-Five
*Then…*
“Tom? Are you there?”
The small apartment was too quiet for his liking. Tom knew he wasn’t supposed to leave the place for the next month. It didn’t matter how much all of this annoyed him. It was for his own good. But to Hank’s sadness, as much as he was a genius with the computer, he wasn’t smart enough for love. Tom had sneaked out a few times to go see Claire, and it was a dangerous move. Hank let go of the air trapped in his lungs once he found Tom in the bedroom. He got so absorbed by whatever he was doing on the computer, his brother didn’t notice his approach.
“Tom, I already told you. You have to be on alert. At least leave a gun on the desk. What are you concentrating on?”
“Sorry, big bro!” he said with a sassy smirk he knew it’d irritate the shit out of him. “It won’t happen again. I hacked all the info you need on Franco. I broke into his systems and got everything on him and Frigid Chloe. It’s all here in this flash drive.” He pointed to the device stuck in the computer CPU and opened a wide smile.
“Thank you. Please, make me four copies. Also, find everything on the Karagianises, and what Franco took from their estate, business, and so on. Put in another flash drive, but also print it for me.”
His brother was an amazing hacker, had a good heart, and sometimes it was as if he was looking in a mirror. They had the same eyes and mouth. The only difference Tom was more to the brunette side and no beard.
“When are we pulling Claire out of their claws and that shitty husband of hers?”
“Soon, Matt and I are working on it. They are not so convinced you died, so stay away from her! Chloe is like a glue on her these days.” He gave his brother an evil eye to make his point. “I have to go. The big boss wants a meeting with me.”
“Good luck. You’re gonna need it.”
“Yeah… Yeah…” Hank stopped at the door, turning to him. “Gun on the desk, Tom!” And he left.
***
“Hank, the old Karagianis is giving me a hard time again. I have a big shipment of gems for next month, but he doesn’t want to do the intersection and sign it.” Franco roared as soon as he entered his office, and to his annoyance, Velasquez was also there.
The man was a boulder in his shoes. Cold-hearted, bloody bastard! His goal was to take Hank down and get the position as Franco’s second. He often mocked Hank because he was a softy for the job, and the only reason he got to be the underboss was his friendship with Matthew, the boss’s son, but he was wrong. He got to that position, because he wasn’t messy, and didn’t lack efficiency. Maybe today Velasquez would get his big chance.
“What should I do?” Hank shrugged, glancing at one another.
“I want you to pay him a visit and try to put sense into that bullheaded bastard, or it’ll have consequences. Take these papers for him to sign.” His eyes glinted, so much like Claire’s, but where her emeralds were innocent and sad, his filled with fury and evil.
“And if he doesn’t?” he asked, but he didn’t want to hear his answer, because he already knew the outcome. He glanced at Velasquez by the corner, and the asshole had a vicious grin playing on his face.
“Go for his daughter. At least that stupid girl is worth of something. She’s back from college to spend Thanksgiving with the family. Get Darryl and a couple more guys, and pay them a visit.”
His body went stiff and sweat formed on his forehead, but he needed to hold his shit together until out of there. Maybe that was the chance he needed to talk to them, but if he assigned Velasquez to go with him, he wouldn’t have the chance.
“I can accompany them, and make sure the entire business runs smoothly, Boss.” A screechy voice full of malevolence resounded. Velasquez had already moved closer, and Hank’s mind was working overtime on a plan to get rid of the goon.
“No, I have another job for you.” Franco spat, leaving no room for arguments. “Meet me back here early in the evening. Now go!”
***
A plan. He needed a plan. Heading to Fifth Avenue with Fifty-Four street, his mind didn’t stop, but he came up with nothing. He had to find a way to convince the man to sign the papers, but luck wasn’t on his side. Leander was once a mobster himself, and he knew his game. He needed just a little more time for him to take Franco down. Maybe the man would cooperate. Entering the Jewelry store, Hank decided to be honest with the man. His crew stayed outside, and he went in alone.
“Why are you here! I told that son of a bitch I wasn’t signing anything anymore. If I get caught, everything I worked so hard for, go to the drain. This shipment is too risky.” Karagianis paced back and forth in his office, glancing between Hank and the papers on top of his table.
Hank felt sorry for him. He was a good man who had luck enough to get out of the criminal life, just to be found by Franco and dragged back into this crap. He met him on several occasions, and his only worry was his beloved wife and daughter. They meant the world to him, and didn’t want all this shit spilling on them, and since Melina’s kidnapping, he tried to shield them as much as he could.
“I have little time and a plan. Do you want to listen to me, or not?” Impatience dripped from his words.
He stared at the man, while he looked at him with suspicion written all over his face. Leander was about two inches shorter than him, fit, with short, but curly hair, just like Melina’s. The difference was the color. His hair was much darker, but they shared the same chocolaty eyes. He had a stern look, but behind it there was love for his family, so different from Franco. Then the man nodded and signaled him to a seat.
“It doesn’t matter if you’ll feel like killing me. Hold yourself and don’t say a word until I say so. Deal?”
“Fine, start talking.”
Hank could trust him, because at the end they shared the same goal, to protect their loved ones. He told everything that happened in his life and Franco’s business, since then. He left nothing behind. Leaving the business was his major goal. He wanted a life for himself and his brother.
“And I’m in love with your daughter,” he said, finishing his speech. Leander’s eyes snapped to his face, scrutinizing him, observing the emotions going on his eyes and trying to get the truth, but it didn’t worry Hank, because it was impossible to hide a feeling he felt so raw in his flesh.
“Jesus, man! You kidnapped her!”
“I did, so I could protect her, and I haven’t stopped since, but I didn’t approach her after that. I stayed in the background.” The silence in the room stretched for long endless seconds. Hank didn’t want to push him, but time was short. “Mr. Karagianis?”
“What’s the plan?” his voice was heavy with sorrow, a feeling between defeat and resignation, right then he realised how much alike father and daughter were.
“Sign the papers. Nothing will happen to you. Lieutenant Olsen is an old friend of mine, and he’s also monitoring Franco’s business. If something happens, he will shield you. I gathered lots of proof about him and his business, and it’s time for me to put it to good use. I’ll try my best to protect you, but one thing I promise, he’ll not mess with Melina.”
“You’re aware you are putting your neck on the line, aren’t you?”
“Don’t worry about me, Melina will be safe. Do we have a deal?”
***
“Here are your papers, he signed.” Hank threw the papers on the table in front of Franco. Chloe was on by his side, just like a loyal puppy. She had come back from a business trip to Gianna LaTore, the Jewelry store they stole from the Karagianis in Madri.
“How did you manage it? The bastard was adamant about his decision.” Franco gathered the documents, analysing them with a triumphant smirk on his brutal face.
“Did he sign at gunpoint?” Chloe’s laughter resembled a lunatic hyena, and he hated it. Hank was counting on the day he could mute her forever.
“No. I just had to promise him this was his last shipment, and no one will touch his family from now on.” His voice sounded calm even to his own ears, and despite what was to come, he never felt such peace wash over him. Both devils exchanged a glance, then fixed their emerald green eyes on them. If they were actual stones, they’d be cold to the touch.
“May I ask how are you going to fulfil your promise?” Franco asked slowly and tension filled the air.
“With this.” Hank took the flash drive from his pocket and put it on the table. “Check for yourself.” He pointed at it, and Chloe snatched it. She was an amazing hacker and as good as his brother. She’d understand. “And don’t think to clip me, or anyone around me, much less do anything to the Karagianises, it may sound cliché, but I have four more copies, one of them in the police hands, and they are instructed if I don’t give them a heads up every other day, they can open the package.” He spoke while Chloe checked all the info on the device.
“Traitor!!!” Franco growled at him, his face going red as he stood up, the chair falling behind him as he advanced on Hank.
He grabbed him by his shirt and threw him against the wall. The loud thud on his head hitting the concrete sounded in his ears as the air got knocked out of his lungs. Franco came face to face with him. His eyes full of hatred when he spoke, spittle coming out of his mouth.
“Don’t bite the hand that feeds you! Isn’t that how the saying goes? You’ll learn I won’t forget that easily.” Franco was less than an inch away from him. The smell of his sweet cologne was nauseating, and Hank’s stomach churned. The man was disgusting.
“I don’t know how he did it, but our entire lives are here. If what he said is true, he got our hands tied.”
“Well, the traitor said we can’t put any contract out, but…” Turning to the door, he yelled. “Velasquez, Skitter!” Both tumbled into the office a few seconds later. Velasquez stared at him with shock in his eyes, giving way to a satisfied grin appearing on his face. “Take him, make him regret that he was born, but don’t kill him.” He pulled Hank from the wall and threw them at both men by the door. They dragged him out of the office, and minutes later, agonizing screams resounded throughout the warehouse.