Chapter Twenty
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three
No words were said until Taz and the crew had marched their four captives inside of the small two bedroom home Bob owned in Arcadia. After they had each man tied and secure in chairs brought to the living room Taz spoke. “Okay, you fucks, this is how it's going to go. You are going to tell us who you work for and why they have you following me. If you try to be tough this shit will get real painful. So you might as well make this easy for yourselves.”
Each of the men kept blank expressions on their faces as if they hadn't heard a word Taz said to them. Tari sensed that they were highly trained from their physiques and military bearing. Suddenly something snapped inside of her head and she screamed in fluid Russian, a language that no one in the crew knew she spoke fluently.
“You disrespectful pigs! What, you don't think we don't know already that Akim sent you! You are about to die!” The stone-faced look on two of the men broke for a split second and Tari knew her suspicions had been correct. These men were Russians and that could only mean one thing: they were sent by Akim. Now the question remained. What the hell was going on?
Taz stared at Tari for a few seconds and then asked her, “Care to share with us what the hell you're doing here, Tee?”
“These men are Akim's men. They're Russians, Taz.”
“How in the hell did you figure that one out, Tee?” asked Wild Bill.
She shrugged and said, “Look at them: beefy necks, boxy-like bodies in good shape with severe acne like most Russians who are a part of their military. Good as they were tailing us I'd bet they're part of the Spetsnaz.”
“The what?” asked Red.
“The Spetsnaz,” answered Taz. “That's Russia's form of special forces in their military. Like our Navy Seals or Delta Forces in the U.S. This is really fucked up. These fools were following us on orders from Akim. That makes no fucking sense. Akim is my mans.”
“Is he?” asked Bob.
“This shit stinks,” said Red.
“You're not lying, dog. It's a mean gangsta twist going around this bitch right about now,” said Wild Bill.
“These fools are military so they are trained to take a whole lot of pain and honestly I don't have time for that shit. I know you speak English or Akim wouldn't have sent you out here. So this is what I'm going to do. I'm going to ask you one more time what the fuck is going on or I'm going to call Akim myself and let him know that we have his four-man team and that you have failed him. How do you think he will take that?” asked Taz.
Each of the captives still kept the stone-faced looks on their faces and remained silent.
Taz shrugged and said, “Okay, since that's how it is that's how it will be.” Taz checked his watch and said, “It's a little after five now so that makes it what, a little after two in the morning in Russia? Yeah, that's it. You better hope Akim is at the club enjoying his favorite vodka and not at home in bed with one of those gorgeous females he likes to share his bed with 'cause he's going to be mad as fuck at you guys.” Taz then pulled out his phone and put it on speaker as he dialed Akim's international number in Russia. When Akim answered the phone he sounded as if he was wide awake when Taz said, “We got a problem, Akim, and only you can fix this shit.”
Hearing the anger in Taz's voice confused Akim. “Taz, what is this problem, comrade?”
“I have four men tied up in front of me who I think are actually four Russian men. They have the military bearing about themselves that makes me think of your special forces guys out that way, you know those Spetsnaz you always bragging to me about. Care to help me out here, Akim?”
Akim sighed loudly and shook his head from side to side as if Taz could see him and said, “I assume these men have refused to speak to you?”
“Correct.”
“Then how do you know they are in fact Spetsnaz, Taz?”
“Kill the game, Akim, I have no time for this shit. The only reason they're still breathing right now is because I think they're your men, so are they or aren't they?”
“Yes, they are my men, Taz. I am glad you haven't harmed them. I'm on speaker?”
“Yeah.”
“Commandant Ivanov, I give you permission to speak to my friend Taz. Identify yourself as well as your mission,” ordered Akim.
Taz turned and faced the four men and waited.
When Akim didn't hear anyone speak he sighed and gave his cell phone to Alex. Alex then snapped loudly into the receiver. “This is Alexander Sokolov. Commandant Ivanov, Lieutenant Morozov, Sergeant Lebedev, and Major Popov, I order you to speak to my comrade Taz and divulge your entire mission as it was given to you. You have greatly disappointed me, only because I have truly underestimated my friend's security measures so there is neither shame nor blame in this. You are to remain on your assignment until notified different. Am I understood?”
There was still silence from the four men.
Alex screamed again, this time in Russian, “I said, am I understood!”
Each of the men gave a glance at one another and in unison screamed, “
Da!
”
Alex gave the phone back to Akim. “Taz, after my team explains to you their mission you will understand the purpose for all of this. If you have any more questions they will have to wait until we are face to face. Know that you are not only a friend, you are my partner, and I have to take every safety precaution possible when it comes to our business ventures.”
Taz sighed and said, “Akim, man, you almost got your men dead. I'll give you a holla after they put me up on everything.”
Laughing, Akim said, “Thank you for not deading them. You are good, Mr. Good, very good.”
“The best. Later, Akim,” Taz said as he ended the call. He then turned toward Bob and said, “Take Red and Tari and go get their car before they shit get towed.” He then went and untied each of the four Russians. After they were released each began rubbing their wrists. Taz smiled, shrugged, and said, “I won't apologize for doing what I felt had to be done. You guys slipped and I had to do what I had to do. Now, talk to me. What the hell is going on for Akim to send y'all out here to watch my back?”
The obvious leader of the group smiled and said, “I am Commandant Ivanov and these are my men. Lieutenant Morozov, Sergeant Lebedev, and Major Popov. We were tasked with the assignment of flying out here to be extra protection for you and your crew as well as your family.”
“Protection? From who?” asked Sacha.
“From your enemies was all we were told.”
“When did you get here?”
“We arrived yesterday and we are to remain until ordered to return back to Mother Russia.”
Taz shook his head and said, “That fucking Akim. He has to cover every single base. What, he thought I couldn't protect myself so he sends help?”
Ivanov shrugged and said, “I only follow orders, sir.”
“Taz. Call me Taz.”
The Russian gave a nod. “Taz it is.”
“If Akim felt the need to fly these men out here to protect us, baby, that means he expects for things to get crazy,” said Sacha.
“Those are the same thoughts I'm having, li'l mama. Fuck.”
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Ninth Ward Twine arrived at Chicago's O'Hare Airport a little after ten a.m. He quickly went and rented a car and made his way to the suite he reserved at the Hilton downtown. He was on the clock and had to make sure that everything was in place so he would be able to handle Malcolm Brown and make his flight back home later on that night. Thanks to Saint Tramon's contacts he would be able to make the hit on Malcolm Brown relatively easily. It amazed him how those who had become rich through criminal activities seemed to lack with their security measures when they were on their home turf. One would think that would be where you made sure your security was the tightest. Suckers and fools never made it long term in this life when they made mistakes like this. Malcolm Brown was about to realize that this mistake was a fatal one.
Ninth Ward Twine grabbed his cell and called Saint Tramon's assistant to let him know that he made it to his suite and he was waiting for the equipment he requested to be delivered upon his arrival. After Damon assured him that everything was in place he took his clothes off and went to the bathroom to take a shower. He needed to get fresh and rested before he made his move on Malcolm Brown and ended his life.
His plan was simple. Drive out to the suburban area called Highland Park about fifteen minutes outside of the city and sit and wait for Malcolm Brown to arrive at his favorite lover's home. Malcolm Brown was just like his deceased uncle. He loved pussy and the company of a beautiful woman. Though he wasn't as stupid as his uncle had been; he felt he chose his lovers carefully by making sure they were not a threat to his well-being in any way. Even so, his love for the beautiful women of the world would play an intricate role in his demise.
Ninth Ward Twine would patiently wait down the street from Malcolm Brown's lover's home for Malcolm to arrive. From what Saint Tramon's contacts had informed him Malcolm Brown would be inside of the home no longer than two hours, which made everything very simple for Ninth Ward Twine. He would wait patiently until Malcolm Brown arrived. Once he was inside of the home he would then creep and get inside of Malcolm Brown's Audi S8 and slip a small but lethal device made of C-4 explosive under the driver's seat. He would then return to his vehicle and wait for Malcolm Brown to return to his Audi. He would then follow him out of the quiet suburban neighborhood at a safe distance.
Just before Malcolm Brown made it to the expressway entrance Ninth Ward Twine would then pull out his remote detonator and boom! The life of Malcolm Brown, council member of the infamous Network, would end. By the time the fire department, police, and paramedics medical people arrived on the scene Ninth Ward Twine would be back in his hotel suite packing and getting ready to return to O'Hare Airport for his flight back to New Orleans. Mission complete.
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By the time Tari, Red, and Bob returned Taz had let the Russians know that they would no longer be needed in Oklahoma City to protect him, the crew, or his family. He met some resistance from Commandant Ivanov but assured the Russian that after he finished speaking with Akim he would receive his orders to return to Russia.
After thanking each of the Russians for their good intentions he told them they could leave and walked them outside to their vehicles. After they were gone he went back inside of the house and sat down in one of the now vacant chairs and told everyone, “Shit is obviously as dangerous as I expected so now we have to make sure we keep things even tighter than we thought. Watch your six at all times and never form a habit when you're moving around. Keep all your moves different. We got lucky to spot those Russians for real.” He looked at Tari and nodded her way. “Good work, Tee. I was slipping and that cannot happen. What if those Russians would have been some of Danny Orumutto's people or Saint Tramon's? I slipped and it could have cost me my life. That is not the way we are going to go out.”
“I'm feeling that, Taz, as I'm sure everyone is as well. But what has me fucked up right now is why would Akim feel the need to send his people out here to watch our back? He knows something that he's not telling you, dog, and that's not cool at all. If he's your mans he should keep it all the way real and get at you with everything,” Bob said seriously.
Taz pulled out his phone and said, “That's why I'm calling this fool now.” When Akim came on the line Taz said, “You do know you have a lot of explaining to do right, Akim?”
“Yes. I was just sitting here with Alex waiting for your call because I knew you would not want to wait for a face to face. I don't want to go into any specifics at this time; please bear with me. You know already about Malcolm Brown and where his loyalty lies. Our friend in Miami received some information that things may get hectic for you and your crew out there in Oklahoma City. So I decided to add some protection without your knowledge of it with the thought that this would be to our advantage. Now that things have been put in motion totally we cannot take anything or anyone for granted. All of the shipments have arrived and our business has already started to make an extreme profit. I'm not only protecting you, your family, and crew, but our business as well. I apologize if you feel deceived. That was not my intention at all.”
“Why didn't you get at me and let me know what was what?”
“That should have been my best decision, but I felt this way without you knowing of my men we would have an ace up our sleeves so to speak.”
“That makes sense,” said Sacha.
“Another reason was because I didn't want you to become infuriated when you learned that a possible attack was in the works against you and the crew. I was afraid you'd want to go on the offense and do something without thinking it through thoroughly.”
“You were right. I am now thinking about making my move on that chink muthafucka as well as Saint Tramon. I will not sit out here and wait to be attacked, Akim. But you were wrong; I don't get down without thinking everything through first. So while I let this marinate and go over things with my people I need you to give Commandant Ivanov and his men the order to return to Russia. We're good out this way and will continue to be good. I appreciate the added security, but they aren't needed for real. If Danny or Saint Tramon make any kind of move against us we will be ready to handle whatever they bring, trust that.”
“I understand, Taz.”
“I gave you and Mr. Suarez my word I wouldn't put our business moves in jeopardy and I never break my word, Akim, but I will not feel as if I'm being hunted; that's not my way. I'm the hunter, feel me?”