The Devil's Revenge (The Devil's Eyes) (24 page)
“Oh - son of a bitch, you had my son out in public?” I tense.
“I thought it would be fun for him. I didn’t think they would be looking for him at the park.”
“They weren’t looking for him, they are watching you.” Kayla confesses. “And before you ask, yes we might have some spies on the inside.”
“Are you telling me, that my own department is watching me?” Simone asks. Kayla nods. “Because I am friends with you. Forget the years I spent on the force, my spotless record, the years I spent going after dipshit here.” He says pointing to me.
“Stop crying, it’s not the whole department. It is only the crew working for Welch, which was our first clue to who is involved. Right now we need to get out of here, and most of all get Nicky out of here. Is the back exit still open Lena?” I ask, handing Nicky to Kayla and feeling her hard stare in my direction.
“Nick, I think we better go quickly and by
we
I mean all of us. They are coming fully loaded and masked. They aren’t expecting to leave anyone alive.” Kayla says, easing at the edges of the windows.
Simone follows by putting his iPod on Nicky’s ears. “Lena, you go with Kayla and go to the house. Simone and I will hold them off until you can get away.” Lena starts to protest but Simone kisses her and whispers in her ear, and for some reason she listens to him. If not for Nicky, I am sure Kayla would be fighting me right now, but thankfully she kisses me and leaves down the stairs and out the tunnel I used multiple times while I was dead. Once they leave, Simone throws me a gun and we both prepare for a fight. Kicking furniture over and opening all areas of the house for a clear view. “How many do we have out there?”
“Six, maybe seven.” He says.
“Oh, no problem then.”
“I am not feeling real great about having to take out what may be fellow officers.”
“I am sure those feelings will go away as soon as one of them shoots you.” He huffs at me as we both stretch and lean from one side to the next, trying to verify where they are coming in. We don’t have to wait long. They come in from both sides of the house. Simone and I meet back to back and immediately start firing. “Six or Seven? Were you just trying to get my hopes up?” I yell at him as I drop one gun and grab another.
Within the fiery smoke surrounding us, we both maneuver from one side to the other as we shout out directions to each other. “Coming in on the left!” I yell.
“Down on your right!” Simone yells. The action comes fast and furious, slows, and then comes even faster. Slowing down again, we have a few seconds to take a breath and wipe the sweat from our brows. “You’re a better shot than I expected. I thought you stood back in your big house and let others do all your dirty work. I guess you’re not the lazy bastard I thought you were … you’re just a bastard.” He says with a harsh laugh before noticing them organizing again. “We aren’t going to be able to keep this up much longer, they are going to just keep coming until we are dead.”
“Twenty seconds longer.” I say, taking aim again.
“Twenty seconds? Twenty seconds until what?” He scarcely gets the last word out of his mouth before my boys’ blast in and clear the way.
Thank you Princess, you’re getting good at this.
“Huh, I was off by ten seconds. They are getting better.” I laugh as Simone looks at me with amazement. “Well Simone, I’d say you are about to get promoted.”
“Promoted? They just tried to kill me!” He yells in frustration.
“They just tried to take out the guy that was getting to close to the truth. The one honest cop on the force. If I were you, I would call some of your most trusted allies and have them back up your story on how you and your friends fought off their attack.”
“You want me to lie?” He fires back.
“You don’t have to. You could tell them that you have joined forces with me instead.” I say, waiting for his change of heart.
“Lying it is.” He decides with a worked up optimism.
“When you get done being the hero, call me and we will get you in the house.” Simone looks horrified. “Where else are you going to go that’s safe and isn’t going to get someone else killed? Besides, my sister will drive me nuts if you get killed, and I don’t have the time to deal with her bitching. Don’t worry, there is an easy way to sneak you in and out so no one knows.” Simone agrees and I leave him to deal with the mess.
I feel for Simone. It’s going to be a late night for him but he does well, especially when someone leaks the news to the press. The media with their mass amounts of video cameras, lights and microphones rush up on him like I anticipated. They keep him on live television for as long as he needs to look like the city’s golden boy.
As I watch him smoothly handle himself, Kayla leans over my shoulder with a smile, “What are you up to?”
She knows me too well.
“Oh Princess, how about you lay your beautiful body down in these soft sheets and let me help you relax. You know I know how.” I smile wickedly in her direction and she kicks off her shoes and tears off her clothes before lying down provocatively.
“So get to work.” Kayla says with a wink.
In the early morning I meet Simone and drive him to the house. It’s a quiet journey, he doesn’t even want to look at me. I am not that excited about the idea either but I know it’s the only way to keep my sister from running off into harm’s way. Besides, now that he has become the city’s favorite golden-boy, I have a special interest in keeping him alive.
I can see it in his face as he looks over my body and the child that is clearly making his presence know now. I try to hide my bulging stomach quickly under my clothes but it’s too late. He has already made up his mind and no amount determination or strong defiance will sway him. He will tie me to our bed if he has to, but he isn’t going to let me be a part of this final battle. “Nick, I can do more than …”
“I know.” He says, wrapping his arms around me from behind, his hands moving softly towards my stomach. “But this is my child too, Kayla. And as worried as you are about me, I am going to be terribly distracted worrying about you and our child. I am not going to argue with you about it.” He says, pressing his lips to the side of my face. “I love you and I am not going to let anything happen to you and if that means I have to stay alive forever – then so be it.” I smile easily and relax into his arms surrendering – this time.
To help ease my fears, Nick takes me out to shop for our expected child. A wonderful distraction and I enjoy every second of our sweet time together. With a few cute items in hand we walk towards our car but I realize I forgot something. “Oh Nick, the mobile.”
“I’ll go get it. You go ahead and get in the car.” He says, scrambling backwards after handing Lionel our bags. Holding Nicky’s hand, I point to the toy train moving through the window.
“Kayla.” A low deep voice calls out. I turn around and see Maynard staring at me, instantly causing me to become uncomfortable. He approaches me, but Lionel steps between us. “Whoa big man, I am not going to do anything. We are old friends, right Kayla?”
“No, we were never friends, and we never will be anything but enemies. I would leave if I were you, my husband will be back any second.” I say, staying protected behind Lionel.
Taking my hand, Lionel escorts me to the car but the man jumps at me and grabs my breast, screaming that disgusting name at me. “Remember when we were going to make a baby together – Ugerella? Remember? Your breasts feel much better now.” He continues as Lionel stares him back on his heels. “How about you and the boy come with me?” He should have left because he doesn’t see Nick coming. A jerk of his collar and the man is against the wall and shoved into the air. “What’s wrong big man, don’t like the idea I had her first!” He struggles to laugh while gasping for breath.
“You disgusting fuck! I will end your life!” Nick breathes his rage into Maynard’s face.
“Nick, not here, this is not the right time or place.” Lionel says, easing Nick down. “She needs you to think this through and handle it at a more suitable time.
“Yeah, Nick. A better time and place, like when you’re dead and I get to have her back and … hey is it boy or girl … I bet it’s a girl, you know, since
we
already have a boy.” Maynard smiles, sending chills to my spine.
Nick reaches over Lionel and pulls him in close, “Bet on this, I will find you and I will make you suffer.”
“Oh, well you let me know when this supposed suffering will begin – will ya? I don’t want to miss it.” He laughs, catching sight of Welch waving him over.
“Don’t worry, I will be sure to give you a signal that is
very
clear - even for a fool like you.” Nick watches Maynard walk away still steaming and seemingly memorizing every detail about him. When Nick returns to the car he takes a few breaths before he turns to me and kisses me, “Are you okay?” I nod but I have a feeling he knows I am lying. My hands are shaking and my breath is broken. All I can do is hold tight to my son and rest in my husband’s arms.
Nick leaves me in bed, still tired from his loaded attention most of the night. I feel so good I don’t even care that he didn’t bother to tell me where he went. The doctor called me this morning to confirm my suspicions, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know but after shopping for this child, I couldn’t hold out any longer, I had to know. Now I can tell Nick whether it is a boy or a girl. I spend half the day buying some little clues to wrap up for him, including a picture the doctor gave me. I rush home and prepare for an evening alone with my husband to celebrate the news. When I hear cars pull up, I assume the whole group must be coming back. But, when I run to the door it slams open and cops come flying in from everywhere. They start to push me to the ground but notice my pregnancy and hold back from treating me too roughly as they tie my hands and drag me out the door. My guards are yelling and fighting for me but there is little they can do. I am told they have new evidence and now the judge has revoked my bail. Looking down at my stomach I fear for the child inside me more than I do for me. I feel the tears forming in my eyes and I nearly miss the cars lining up around us. The cops don’t even notice that we are being stalked. When one car stops short another closes in on us from behind and we are quickly overrun by armed men. The supposed cops surrender and I am dragged out of the backseat and thrown into another. If I had any hope of this being a rescue, that was eliminated when they drove me to their boss – Estrella. Standing next to him with his usual superior attitude, is Welch.
Estrella smiles until he sees me fully, then his whole demeanor changes. The tan on his face fades to white and his shoulders sink down into his chest. “She’s pregnant.” He says, looking over at Welch. Welch waves him off. “Don’t dismiss me - we can’t do this!” Estrella snaps back at him.
“Why? The world will thank us for sparing them the little bastard.” Welch calmly retorts.
“You don’t get it. Have you ever met Nick Jayzon? Playing these games with him is one thing, but to give him a reason to cut my balls off and force me to eat them is another.” Welch checks his watch and barely acknowledges Estrella’s pleas.
“We have an agreement, you and I. If you want to go back on that now, then I can easily take over your organization. I will, of course, put you in a dreadfully unprotected place, somewhere where your balls won’t be the first thing on your mind. Your choice, a life of torture or one in which Jayzon might simply kill you.” Welch threatens, shutting Estrella up at once. “Don’t kill her yet. We still need her, but don’t go out of your way to make her comfortable. I will call you when you can finish her off. Here is a map to the location. No one should be able to find her there. Nice knowing you Mrs. Jayzon, too bad you decided to jump bail. We will just have to go on with your trial assuming you are guilty.” He laughs, getting into his car and leaving Estrella staring at me with weak knees.
“Take her there …” Estrella’s own men watch him closely as he chickens out of making a powerful move and jumps in his car, never looking back.