Hard Case VI: The Killer Inside (John Harding Book 6) (30 page)

“I would never take back the sight of you catapulting into the ocean, Lynn. It was a beautiful sight.”

Lynn growled. Clint Jr laughed suddenly at his Mom’s unusual uttering. Lynn smiled down at her son. “We’ll take this up at a later date, Cheese. See you tonight. Maybe there’ll be some cuttin’ needed.”

“No more entering into the negotiations on fight parameters, Psycho,” Tommy warned.

“Why don’t you put on your evening gown and high heels tonight, White Sands?”

Clint gave us a smile and wave as he followed his wife, Dannie and son toward their car.

“Damn, that was a good day, John,” Dev said, holding up his ice chest. “We even managed to get a good catch today. Achmed even caught one.”

“It was very entertaining,” Jafar added. “I think I will skip the next couple sessions until I see if Cruella Deville can get past her second ocean swim without blood taking.”

“I cannot believe you were able to both snap my extra pole, and dunk the Mistress of the Unimaginable,” Silvio said. “I must go and share this incredible day with my fellow minions before we dress for our Godfathers’ meeting. Gus wants to drive the new stretch limo, so we will be the designated driver vehicle to collect everyone before the meeting. Will seven be early enough?”

We all agreed that would be a good time to start out and Silvio went forth to share the Cheeseburger conquest of the formidable Cruella Deville.

“You do know Crue plans on killing you in the water, right Dark Lord,” Tommy asked.

I gave out with a big sigh. “If I could get her to hang on to the damn pole long enough for one more dunking, I could die a happy man.”

“As much as I’d like to see Crue do another unrehearsed dive off the Wolf, Recon, I’d rather you live to take us in style to Vegas and watch you pound the snot out of the Viking.”

“Second that,” Casey said.

Everyone else sounded off in agreement to Lucas’s take on my rather obstinate thinking. I remained logical. “Does anyone know how we can ban Crue from future Bay training voyages?”

Silence.

“Yep. That’s what I thought.”

“We could have an intervention,” Tommy suggested.

Silence.

“We’ll have to let John weather the storm. If he puts Crue in the ocean again, Clint will have to put her in a straightjacket anyway. That’s a good intervention.”

We had a sudden consensus of opinion and adjourned the meeting discussion of ‘The Wake of the Red Witch’.

Chapter Ten

Oaktown Cartel Business

Gus drove the new stretch limo as planned with fellow minion Godfathers Silvio and Quays in the back with Monsters Clint, Lynn, Lucas, Casey, and Jafar. Snow Whites Tommy, Dev and Jess were decked out in their finest Oaktown Cartel clothing. Clint brought along Agent Tonto for crowd control, which we probably should have done right from the start, but we didn’t want him catching a stray bullet. I was dressed in black sweats and t-shirt so I would be ready for negotiations.

“We have the Asian Crips working the perimeter, John,” Quays told me. “They like the money and going legit. They’ve signed on for escort work too when we need it. Tonight, they’ll make sure all the roofs are empty, and the warehouse isn’t approached by outside banditos.”

“Good. It’s the main reason we’re absorbing these gangs. We can handle face to face negotiations. We always double check our surroundings anyway, and Alexi will have his own security people on hand. Did you find out any facts about this 98 Crew, little brother?”

“With some of the other drug networks out of commission, they’re increasing production. They have their eyes on a few of the old meth labs we’ve already closed down. They know the deal with the Oaktown Cartel. It’s all or nothing and they want to get ahead of the game. That’s all I’ve been able to find out.”

“They must think they have a pretty good candidate to kick my ass. This is a damn tough business. You’d think after what happened to the 49
th
Street Mob we’d at least get a few weeks of grudging respect.”

“Cover up in the cage, brother,” Dev said. “Don’t let a Dragon Hands clock you again.”

“Yep. That was a bad one.”

We arrived at Alexi’s arena. Lucas and Casey got out of the limo with MP5’s at the ready under their jackets. Clint, Lynn, and Tonto exited next with Tonto immediately launching around the area. When he finished his initial check we all went inside together. Alexi and his security detail met us near the cage. Alexi noted Lucas was with us.

“Do you have anyone outside?”

“The Asian Crips are working outer perimeter for us. Do you have any idea why these guys think they can front us?”

“They have a fighter. That’s all I know. There hasn’t been any talk about who he is or where they got him from. Common sense would tell us it must be someone the Cartel backing the 98 Crew brought in from the outside, and they don’t think he can lose.”

“Very nice,” Lynn said. “That means we should be able to find who is behind the scenes. “Maybe this fighter will be like that Kong guy, Cheese killed. I didn’t get a viewing, but Gus said he roared. I want to see one like Kong.”

“He was entertaining for about half a minute,” Tommy said. “As long as we don’t get a repeat from a Dragon Hands, I don’t care.”

“Here they come,” Alexi said, gesturing at the entrance. A phalanx of black hoodies approached. There was a big one amongst them in the middle.

We spread out to greet them. Tommy took lead. The 98 Crew was mixed race, but mostly black. “That’s close enough, gentlemen. We were told you wanted a meeting to negotiate with the Oaktown Cartel. We’re here with Oaktown Cartel Godfather Gus Denova. I’m Tommy Sands. Anything you wish to say can be said to me.”

A tall lanky hoodie stepped forward with street pimp precision. “We come here to put our champ against yours to do whatever the fuck we want in the city. That what the deal is, ain’t it?”

“That’s one side of it. The other side is if your champ loses, the 98 Crew is absorbed into the Oaktown Cartel, and the Crew does whatever the fuck we tell you to do or you all die. Any questions?”

“No… we got it. Let’s get to it.”

“Only one other item,” Tommy said, gesturing to me. I moved beside him. “John’s our champ, and we have money to back him. If any of you tourists would like to wager with the adults, the side betting is now open. It will be held by Alexi Fiialkov until the fight ends.”

“Damn right we put money on our man.” He took his wad out and handed it to Alexi. “That’s ten large. We know Harding. We want three to one!”

“Where’s your champ,” Tommy asked politely.

Then the entertainment began. Sometimes in this street fighting gig we get some very talented showmen. It’s not that they can’t back up their showmanship with fighting ability, but they are fun to watch. Their guy started singing something that sounded like rap music in a string of rocket speed jargon while launching out of his hoodie to do back flips, front flips side cartwheels, spinning God knows what all over the joint with the Crew doing a chant beat to his rap string. It was the most entertaining thing I’d ever seen at one of these matches. My Monsters were enjoying the hell out of it, clapping and chanting with the rest. He did a complete string of cartwheels to land upright with his face two inches from mine, looking down at me. Spinny was probably six foot eight inches tall.

After he landed in front of me to cheers and pumping fists, he did scrunched faced growls, accompanied by Hulk Hogan type flexes, ending with a clenched fist, arms down, glowering pose of menace.

I didn’t know what to say, but I knew he was waiting for something. “Neato!”

That made my Monsters laugh because I hadn’t even blinked the whole time. Spinny didn’t like it. He thought he was being disrespected. That wasn’t true. It’s just that when I dunked Cruella Deville earlier, it’s hard as hell to top that by doing acrobatics. Then the unfortunate fun began which would make this messy. One of the other Crew shed his hoodie, and did knife tricks - another damned entertaining show. I think this was the most fun we ever had. Then Mac the Knife turned stupid. He came to an impressive showboat stop, and danced forward.

“We hear on the street you got a cutter bitch! If she here, trot the ‘ho out, and let’s get some money down on that match.”

It was all my Monsters could do, including Lynn, to keep watchful eyes on the Crew. I enjoyed the hell out of that dumbass statement the same as the others. Even Alexi lost his usual somber mood. There wasn’t any use in playing it off as a joke. The kid was going to get seriously maimed or dead in the next few minutes. Like I said, it was about to get messy. Then Spinny decided to give me a shove. I snatched his hand, and crinkled it so he had nowhere to go but his knees. I patted his face with my other hand.

“No touching until the match, Spinny.” I released him. He growled and cartwheeled back into his Crew, but not until my Monsters saw fear on his face. Yep. Spinny was in trouble, and all my grinning Monsters and Snow Whites knew it. Then it was time for the messy part.

“I see yo’ ‘ho ass back there laughin’.” Mac the Knife became terminally stupid. “You the skirt thinks she bad with a blade, skank?”

Lynn didn’t say a word. She jogged to my side and gave me a big hug. “All is forgiven, Cheese. This is just the best!”

“Thanks, Lynn.” Yes! I may be off the Crue shit list.

Lynn glided elegantly in front of Mac the Knife with a big sigh. “Usually I get a little bored at these testosterone contests, but you made me laugh, Betty. I’m the one you’re looking for. How much is it worth to you to try and slice the skank? I don’t cut for quarters, Betty.”

Mac got snarly then. “I cut that mouth…”

He didn’t finish, because Lynn swiped her knife blade lightly along Mac’s jawline, raising a thin line of blood before making the knife disappear again. No one had seen her draw it. He stumbled back, reaching for his cut jaw.

“No more talking, Betty.” Lynn turned to the others. “Show me the money!”

Tommy answered his cue with a big grin. “I don’t know, Crue. I think they’ve all had their dicks shrink up into their bellies. C’mon girls. You must have brought Butter-knife along with you for a reason. Did you bring more money to bet on Butter-knife or not.”

Butter-knife’s friends were unsure about everything. Spinny was posing, and doing an avalanche of punches and kicks, trying to regain his edge or whatever. Butter-knife met his friends’ questioning looks with a sullen one of his own. “I got this.”

Terminally stupid was all I could think of to describe him. Lynn breathed deeply in relief. She thought her cut had scared him off completely. The leader gave Alexi Fiialkov another bundle. “Ten large and we want five to one.”

“Hell, Tommy, give him ten to one. I’ll cover it.”

Tommy shrugged. “There you have it. Get it on.”

To his credit Butter-knife stopped talking. He got ready to rumble. Lynn didn’t take out her knife. She began tapping her foot, and blowing on her fingernails. Lynn glanced at Butter-knife who was angling around with his knife jutting at her every few seconds.

“Oh for God’s sake, Betty, are you going to cut or not. You’re beginning to bore the hell out of me.”

Butter-knife shot forward where the seemingly uncaring Lynn had been. She spun around him, and sliced downward in a sweeping arc. It opened his arm from shoulder to bicep with welling blood. Lynn didn’t wait. She began darting in on the Butter-knife, jabbing, slicing, and drawing blood with every move. Lynn switched hands at will, her movements impossible for Butter-knife to follow. Finally, with one short stroke, she cut across his knife hand wrist. The blade clattered to the floor while Butter-knife grabbed the spurting wound. Lynn straightened.

“Well hell’s bells, Betty, that wasn’t even a workout. Get out of my sight you poser before I cut your eyeballs out and wear them around my neck!”

Butter-knife didn’t even look at his comrades. He ran for the exit. Lynn gestured at the other 98 Crew members. “Anyone else like the blade?”

Silence.

“Okay, that’s the knife demo for tonight, kids,” Tommy said. “Let’s proceed to the cage and finish with our business.”

Spinny did not disappoint. The big lug rapped and cartwheeled right into the cage, temporarily picking up the spirits of his disappointed comrades. Alas, there would be no joy in Mudville tonight. The guys watched while moving next to me.

“Can you do any of that, John,” Casey asked.

“I can do a handstand.”

That got some laughs while we approached the cage. Tommy moved next to me, handing me my gloves and mouthpiece. “Work on your strikes. Remember, we skipped the sparring today for this. Earn your way into a little sipping later.”

“Oh yeah.” Alexi Fiialkov’s referee, Jack Korlos, waited for us. I approached Jack and showed gloves, hands, and let him check me officially for the fight. I waited for him to check Spinny while getting loosened a bit at the shoulders. I didn’t get through my ocean adventure unscathed.

Jack asked if we were ready, and then waved us in. Spinny bull rushed me. I could have ended the fight then, but instead I met him with a snapping forearm blow, that probably reduced his neck size by a couple of inches. I kept covered because I didn’t want any ‘Dragon Hands’ encounters. The first order of business after I avoided, blocked, and absorbed a flurry of strikes and kicks was to measure Spinny for taking his lower body out of the equation. His assault became predictable. When he repeated his right roundhouse kick one too many times, I smashed the back of his left knee with my crippler kick. I backed away as Spinny went down like he had been shot. It seemed for a moment I wouldn’t get a chance to spar after all. Jack Korlos gave me a funny look when I didn’t follow Spinny down and break his face.