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It was the beginning of the end, and I would bring the fires of hell with me and make Zavala bleed by my hands for every sin he had ever committed.
“How sure is Libby about the intel?” Cash asked.
“Fifty-fifty.”
“That’s not good enough,” he sighed.
“Neither is forty-sixty, but we’ve gone with those odds before,” FNG noted.
I poured myself another scotch, knowing it was the last time I would get to enjoy a drink such as this. “You don’t have to back me up on this. I know we could be walking into a trap, but this could be the final nail in Zavala’s coffin. He wouldn’t be here unless he was scared.”
“Exactly,” Cash said. “His last shipment was stolen by you. Why would he risk another where he could be caught? From what you’ve told me, he doesn’t do the drops himself.”
“He wants assurances that the shipment will go through. Sometimes, you have to see to things yourself,” I lied.
“I don’t like it.”
Nobody did. I could see the concern on their faces. They all thought this was a trap, and it was. But I needed this to make my plan succeed. It was the only way to convince Zavala that I was the one interrupting his plans and carry out the rest of mine. Without these men backing me up, Zavala would simply shoot me in the head and move on. I needed the leverage on my side.
“We have to take that chance. Zavala has his fingers in every aspect of The Syndicate. If we take him out, another piece of it falls apart.”
“Does it include something blowing up?” IRIS asked.
“It could.”
“What about possible death?” FNG asked.
“I’m sure you’ll find a way to make that happen.”
“I’m in,” Fox grinned. “But you know me, all I require is a good plate of shawarma before battle. I do get to bring my knives, right?”
“Rafe,” Cash said, motioning me to the side.
I followed, knowing I was about to get the brotherly talk. He was concerned about this operation, and it was imperative that I convince him to go through with it.
“Tell me what the real play is.”
My brother, ever astute, wouldn’t let anything slide past him. “The play is getting the drugs.”
“What’s your play? You’re not after the drugs. I know you, and you never come to me for help for the real reason.”
“Name one time,” I countered, knowing he would list at least fifty.
“How about earlier in this operation when you had Raven steal the key card instead of just fucking asking for it? Or how about when you framed Tahlia for murder? Or?—”
“All of those times panned out.”
“But you could have just asked me for help,” he snapped. “These are my men’s lives on the line. I won’t let you put them in danger because you aren’t willing to share the details. Either you tell me everything or the operation is off. I’ll find another way to get Raven back.”
I had to give him something. If he called this off, I might miss my opportunity. God knows they didn’t come around often. I sighed heavily, pretending to be really irritated with Cash’s insistence. “I told you, Zavala only comes off the island when absolutely necessary. He runs his operations from there, and it’s nearly impossible to get to him any other way.”
“You want on the island,” he said shrewdly.
“No,” I lied. “Things are coming to a head. Tensions are mounting in The Syndicate. If we take down Zavala, it’s only a matter of days before this all ends. With all the other leaders we’ve taken out, their replacements don’t hold the same values and goals as the original leaders in The Syndicate. Zavala is the last stronghold. Without him, there’s nothing to hold The Syndicate together. I’ve already been in contact with Shadow. He’s let the right people know that it’s almost time to move in. For the first time in years, we have the government on our side, ready to step in as soon as the signal is given. If we don’t move now, it could all fall apart.”
Cash’s brows furrowed as he considered this information. Even after all these years, it never became normal to see my own face staring back at me. And even stranger, that he had the same piece of ear missing as me. Our parents were the only ones who could ever tell us apart. And since our mother passed, our father was the last person on Earth who could truly distinguish between the two of us. Soon, there would be no need for that.
“—go through with this.”
