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Gio shakes his head. “I’ll provide manpower to support, but he isn’t worthy for me to show in person. Plus, revenge is a personal business. I don’t appreciate when others interfere with mine, and I damn well won’t steal the honor from a respected partner.”
“When do we meet your men?” Takeshi asks as he scoops eggs onto Lakeshia’s plate.
“They’ll soon arrive. You’ll want to place them out in the open. No offense, but Japanese faces will tip him off to the ambush.”
Takeshi nods in agreement as if he expected Gio’s offer from as far back as five days ago.
While we eat, we discuss timing, the venue, and other potential hazards to be aware of from Tomasso.
From our research, we’ve known about his formidability as an adversary, but Gio surprises me with additional insight.
Adrenaline spikes in my blood, but I temper my excitement, reminding myself of Takeshi’s concerns from yesterday. I reach under the table to caress Lakeshia’s thigh to reassure myself Takeshi and I can uphold our promise to protect her.
In a few hours, my worries will prove meaningless and we’ll be on a return flight back to Serenidad to start our lives. And soon, we’ll work on creating the family I’ve always dreamed of having in earnest.
Our men are in place and waiting. We’re in the grand dining room of an Oliveri compound slated for demolition. Despite its fate, the room is like a museum storage closet rather than an area prepared for destruction. A dozen chairs surround a massive table in the center but around the main furniture are busts and statues from a hodgepodge of styles. The furnishings aid Takeshi, Lakeisha, our men, and me in hiding for what I hope is the perfect ambush.
I can barely see in the walls for all the stuff inside. If I didn’t know Gio better, I’d think he is a hoarder; however, according to him, we’ll be doing him another favor if we level this place during our endeavors. I tap my foot against the hard case housing the RPG I took from Evan. It’s a bit of overkill, but I’m keeping it close for insurance.
Takeshi is his usual calm self on the outside, but he can’t hide how fast his mind is racing from me. Lakeshia’s pacing probably doesn’t help calm him. It sure as hell isn’t doing anything for my peace of mind.
When she passes by me for the thirtieth time, I grab her hand and halt her momentum.
“You’ve got this, remember?”
“I know.” She sighs and slumps into my side. “I’ve waited for this day for so long, however now the day’s arrived, I can’t quiet my intrusive thoughts. The worst of which tells me my training is worth shit because Tomasso’s edge is too sharp.”
“Your aim is a little too accurate for that line of thinking.” Takeshi’s sardonic tone teases a small smile out of her.
“You’re right.” She pats her body, counting the guns and throwing daggers she armed herself with.
“Lara Croft has nothing on you.” I wink at her. I take a deep breath and force the tension in my body to loosen. Encouraging Lakeshia works to calm my fidgeting, and I look toward the closed doors, waiting for the next phase in our plans.
Takeshi’s vibrating phone comes right on time. He puts the call on speaker. “What do you have Ichiro?”
“He’s five miles out and approaching the first jammer. He’ll lose his signal in ten seconds.” Ichiro is in a back room outfitted with tons of computers connected to satellite dishes and other surveillance equipment.
Since discovering Tomasso’s routine, it was easy to have Gio’s man follow Tomasso’s driver as he dropped his car off for service while Tomasso waited at home. Whereas Tomasso is always on guard for suspicious people, his driver is a different story. A bribe in the mechanic’s hands bought us a car with an undetectable tracking device and real-time notification whenever Tomasso goes on the road.
To aid our cause, Ichiro recommended placing cell phone jammers along the route to Gio’s compound. For the five-mile stretch, Tomasso will lose contact with the outside world until we determine otherwise.
“Alright, signal everyone.” Takeshi waits for Ichiro’s confirmation.
“Texas, New York, Chicago, and Florida have all confirmed receipt of their instructions.”
We wait in uncertainty. Would Tomasso think to travel with a signal booster rendering all our jammers irrelevant?
“He’s headed inside,” Ichiro says, giving us the news we needed to hear. “You’re on your own until he gets to the room.”
Takeshi disconnects, stretches his neck until a small pop sounds, and retrieves his gun. “Remember, Tomasso stays alive. It’s open season on everyone else.”
I grunt in agreement. Tomasso deserves everything Lakeshia envisions for him.
Anticipation thickens the air as the seconds tick away. In the stillness, I can hear the slow glide of perspiration as it travels down my brow. The low register fills my ears while our combined forces wait for the action to begin. In the endless seconds of our wait, we glance toward each other, ready for the moment Tomasso clears the doorway.
The doors swing outward on silent hinges, revealing Tomasso’s men, but no Tomasso. Six men file inside. “Where’s Gio?” one asks with a narrowed glare.
The other men mirror his unspoken suspicions with glances toward each other. They slowly inch backward toward the entrance they came through.
