Thin Ice 4 - Resurrections (30 page)

“
Bullshit,” came the simply reply.

Wisely remaining quiet Victor continued to listen as the other party gave instruction.

“
I want every loose end tied or cut in the next 72 hours,” the party spat heatedly. “It should never have gotten this far,” they added.

Victor tried to explain all that had been done to keep the plan on track.

“
Seth was a hothead, and extremely volatile, you know that,” Victor threw back.

“
There are no more excuses Agent Tripp,” his boss Special Agent Janksen replied disconnecting.

         
Victor sighed deeply dropping the now silent instrument onto the table. Three long years of undercover work, phone and wire taps, all blown to hell because of one ignorant hot heads impatience. They still had enough to do what they set out to do. Break all the major crime lords in the southeast between Missouri and Florida. The door opened and Victor regarded the two people as they walked inside.

“
Have a seat,” Shanise said calmly as Jalen swallowed hard and did as he was told.

“
Good evening Mr. Bailey,” Victor greeted the visibly nervous man. “I assume my colleague has told you why you’re here,” he went on, nodding toward Shanise.

“
I haven’t done anything,” Jalen tried.

Victor chuckled. “Oh I wouldn’t say that,” he replied, sliding several photos in front of the man still nervously cracking his knuckles. “Now,” Victor began again. “We have enough to put you away for say, oh, 20 or 30 years,” he lied. “The question is, do you want to help yourself and considerably lessen those years or not,” he finished allowing Jalen time to weigh the options.

*****

         
Tariq and Ramell were relaxing at the house enjoying the basketball game and having some drinks.

“
Have you heard from her again,” he asked as Tariq shook his head, frowning deeply.

“
Streets ain’t heard shit either,” he threw out as Ramell grunted himself now.

“
I’m leaving here when I get my baby back,” Tariq told his cousin. “I just feel like all the bullshit with Ice constantly is an omen,” he added as Ramell nodded thoughtfully and told him he understood.

“
You know where you wanna go,” he asked.

Tariq told him he didn’t, not just yet anyway.

“
OK, so come up to Gary while you think,” Ramell offered. “You and KiKi,” he added.

Tariq weighed the suggestion, thinking it might not be a bad idea. He was beginning to scout a couple of other major cities in states that interested him, so the temporary move to Gary might be a welcome diversion.

“
You want a steak,” Tariq asked, rising from his recliner and heading into the kitchen.

“
Yeah, that’s straight,” Ramell replied.

         
Tariq took down two large porterhouse’s and let them begin to thaw. He walked out onto the patio and fired up the grill. Walking inside his phone chimed, alerting him of the waiting text message. He half heartedly picked it up expecting it to bear Mook or Jaron’s name. He caught his breath when he saw the message was from Kaitlyn.

‘
Sorry it took me a while to text again,’ it began as Tariq’s expression alerted Ramell the message was important. ‘This is the only time I’ve been by myself again,’ it went on as Tariq continued to stay glued to the small screen he held. ‘I found some mail, it all had the same address, so I’m guessing its where I am,’ she typed. Tariq read the next line with the address she’d put in and quickly texted her back saying he’d received it and to hold on, he was coming for her.

“
What,” Ramell asked simply, as Tariq turned to him, the smile covering his face. “Got that muthafucka,” Tariq replied calmly as Ramell smiled now as well.

Handing his cousin the phone, he let him read Kaitlyn’s message for himself.

“
So when are we leaving, and how you wanna kill the muthafucka,” Ramell asked simply.

Tariq answered both questions, grabbing the steaks and putting them on the grill, adding two more as he called Mook and Jaron, telling them they needed to be in his den in 45 minutes.

*****

          “
Is it done,” Nero asked sharply.

Kai sighed deeply, dreading what he would need to tell the man.

“
Not yet,” he replied. “There’s been a minor complication, but that will be resolved and the task completed in the next 72 hours,” he added quickly, knowing his life was on the line.

“
I don’t need to remind you that the employer is counting on this happening,” Nero asked.

“
I know, and I swear it will be completed in time,” Kai returned, his mind whirling.

Nero grunted slightly.

“
You have 48 hours, Kai, make it happen,” he returned coldly and disconnected.

“
Fuck,” Kai swore under his breath, making himself a drink.

He needed to get moving and take care of the drama before he was dead.
Or before they kill Mimi,
he thought of his wife. The people he worked for were ruthless and Kai knew from his years of dealing with them, taking a life was as easy as drawing the next breath.

         
His cell rang and he smiled seeing the caller’s identity. “Hey, I was wondering when you were going to call,” he told them smoothly.

“
I just got back,” she replied sweetly.

“
So are you outside my door, on your way, what,” Kai threw out.

Chuckling the woman told him she was just leaving headquarters.

“
Well shit, hurry up, I’m horny as hell,” Kai told her, eliciting yet another giggle.

“
Give me 20 minutes and I’ll be there,” she told him.

“
OK, cause at that 21
^st
minute you’re going to be naked,” Kai told her as she burst into laughter and disconnected.

The smile left his face as soon as she hung up.

“
Forgive me baby,” Kai thought of Mimi, knowing he had a job to do and vowing to use any and every method necessary to complete it.

Heading into the shower, he quickly washed himself, jumping out and drying off, adding her favorite cologne. Kai checked his condom supply. He may have had to sleep with her, but he wasn’t going inside any other woman without protection.
Especially not that loose bitch,
he thought of the woman. His thoughts were disturbed by the knock on the door as Kai took a deep breath, put on his game face, and headed toward the door still adorned in a simple black bath towel.

31

Victor was heading out and about trying to put everything in place. Tonight they were going to bring this investigation to an end and take down all the major players involved. He opened his briefcase and took out the folders. He began going through the stack putting them in order of apprehension.

”
Let’s get the lightweights out of the way first,” he mumbled holding Jaron’s and Jalen’s folders.

They still had Jalen in a holding cell, having given him the story to use for his partners about his absence. As far as anyone knew Jalen was in Philadelphia seeing after his suddenly ill mother. Victor then arranged the folders according to crew. He had a secondary team in St. Louis gathering forces to hit all of Seth’s old holdings tonight. “Ice, Creeper, Pirate,” he mumbled aloud stacking the folders on the three men.

“
Then we’re gonna shut down you two,” Victor mused aloud of Ramell and Jacoury.

He’d already sent a couple of agents to their club in Gary and had yet another team in place for them tonight as well.

“
Then finally, the piece de resistance, Mook, Shells, and Top,” he mumbled, pleased with himself and his team on how well they were executing the undercover sting.

Closing the briefcase after putting the folders back inside, Victor headed out into the day. He had a couple of stops to make shoring up their plans for the evening. He dialed Shanise’s number, the call going immediately to voicemail.
She’s probably fucking old boy again,
he thought to himself sighing deeply. Shanise had some new hotshot playboy boyfriend these days and every waking moment that she wasn’t on duty she was lain up in his bed.

“
What a tramp,” Victor spat distastefully, arriving at his first destination.

He’d decided to come back to the townhouse and do a little more investigating. It had been locked down since the day of the shootout. He had no resistance from the leasing office, once they were informed of his identity. Pulling up to the unit, Victor sighed deeply thinking back on the events of a few weeks ago.
Seth was always simple, country ass,
he brooded, getting out and opening the trunk. He took out his crime kit, knowing he would need the gloves and mask inside, so as not to contaminate any evidence he found. Victor checked his car once more, locking it, and placing the keys in his pocket as he headed toward the front door, still covered in police tape.

*****

Kai moved stealthily, making sure Shanise didn’t awaken before he finished his task. He quickly checked her purse, removing her cell, and service weapon. Flipping the phone open he made note of all her missed calls. Seeing the one from Victor, he texted him, asking his location. The response was almost instantaneous. Smiling, Kai sent a return text and turned the instrument off. He checked Shanise’s purse thoroughly finding several other interesting pieces of information as well. Finished Kai put the purse down and headed back into the bedroom where she was still deeply asleep. Looking at her as he slept, his anger began to rise once again. He hated having to play the games he did, but the fear kept him moving forward, the huge paydays kept it tolerable. Stepping quickly to his dresser, Kai removed a pair of handcuffs and returned to the bed, sitting down on it gently and taking Shanise’s hand. The cold steel touching her skin and the click of the cuff as it locked into place, roused her from the light slumber she was in, and her eyes popped open, looking directly into his.

“Well aren’t you up early ready to be freaky,” she teased as Kai smiled slightly and locked the other cuff in place. He took the leg restraints from under the bed where he placed them and put those on as well, with Shanise offering no resistance. Standing Kai regarded her as she continued to give him seductive looks.

“
So now what, sexy,” she purred, still smiling.

Kai chuckled opening the nightstand drawer and retrieving the duct tape.

“
Wait a min --,” Shanise managed before Kai applied the thick, sticky, adhesive to her mouth, effectively silencing her.

Shanise was terrified.
What the hell is going on,
she thought behind the huge eyes, filled with fear.

“
Bet you’re wondering what I’m about to do huh,” Kai teased, pulling out a syringe and filling it.

Shanise began to thrash back and forth, trying desperately to get away from him. She felt so stupid for walking headlong into his trap. She was a seasoned FBI agent. She should have definitely known better, she continued to berate herself as Kai moved closer.

“
You and your boy are in some shit that’s bigger than you could ever comprehend,” he told her calmly, applying the alcohol to the intended injection site. “Just for the record Shanise,” he began again. “I was never interested in you,” Kai told her, needle poised above her arm. “Honestly,” he stopped for emphasis. “You weren’t even that good,” he finished, laughing again as he jabbed her in the arm with the needle emptying the contents inside her vein.

*****

Tariq’s cell vibrated and he snatched it up again. ‘Two more men just came,’ the text told him. He sighed deeply; glad for the information but knowing it would complicate their plans. Kaitlyn had managed to text him earlier this morning, giving him as much information about the house’s layout as possible.
What if it’s Ice and he’s setting you up,
his mind threw at him. Tariq sighed deeply, not completely dismissing the thought, but choosing to believe it actually was his wife. He missed her so much. He and Ramell had talked again once everyone arrived, and to his surprise, everyone agreed that perhaps it was time to shut down the Atlanta operation and move on. Tariq was even more touched by the loyalty of all his soldiers. Mook, Jaron and Shells, agreed to move with him, wherever the destination. You couldn’t buy loyalty like that, and Tariq was determined to see his operation and his organization family grow and prosper. He sent a quick text back telling Kaitlyn he appreciated the information and to hold on, they were coming soon. ‘Has he hurt you,’ he texted, praying he got a good response. The instrument vibrated again and he read the message. ‘No, not yet,’ it said simply, causing Tariq to frown again. ‘I need you to get out of harms way when all hell breaks loose,’ he sent back. Kaitlyn responded quickly telling him she knew her role and she would play it. She quickly told him she had to go; Ian was coming into the room.

Tariq sighed deeply once more as Mook and Ramell entered the room, finding him pouring a shot of Vodka.

“
More news from KiKi,” Mook asked, noticing the mood.

Tariq nodded in the affirmative and told them what she’d passed along.

“
We’re straight,” Ramell told him.