“The Italians are such romantics,” Raza said, a small smile creasing his handsome features. “Only they would allow a woman to lead them into battle.”
“She has a lethal reputation,” Avrim said.
“She is strong in her city, on her streets. Outside of that, she is a housewife.”
“We shouldn’t underestimate her.”
“I underestimate no one,” Raza said, staring now for the first time at Avrim, his anger apparent. “But she is a gangster put in a position of power because of birth, not accomplishment.”
“Unlike the American, she has lost no family in the struggle,” Avrim said in a calm voice, eager to settle Raza’s flash temper.
“Not yet,” Raza said.
“I must tell you,” Avrim said, “I have concerns about our situation. Some of the men in the cell have voiced similar worries.”
They were walking now, stopping every so often to gaze at a painting. “Tell me your concerns,” Raza said.
“We expect to be a target of the police and the governments against whom we have chosen to wage our battle,” Avrim said, keeping his manner calm. “But these others present a more difficult challenge. They are criminals. No government would go to the lengths they will. They are without rules.”
“As are we,” Raza said. “They die seeking profits. We die seeking paradise. A subtle difference.”
“They have killed some of our men on sight,” Avrim said. “They raided one of our compounds and killed all but one—and him they took prisoner.”
“Do you fear them?”
“Yes,” Avrim said. “Especially the Wolf.”
“Why the Wolf in particular?”
“Unlike the others, he has two reasons to want us dead. For business and for revenge.”
“Why is it you think he has targeted our cell?” Raza asked. “I’m sure I’m not the only one who has made a deal with the Russian.”
“He may believe we had something to do with the loss of his women,” Avrim said. “Or he might think we can lead the way to the ones who did.”
“I don’t care what he believes,” Raza said. “The criminal organizations were going to go after groups like ours sooner or later. When it comes to their business interests, they trust no one to do their dirty work. They are no different than us running their operations.”
“Do you trust this Russian?” Avrim asked.
“I have known you for years, Avrim,” Raza said, “and I barely trust you. I have no reason or desire to trust our financial benefactor. He is nothing more to me than a bank. Once that need diminishes, we rid ourselves of him as well.”
“I trust you, Raza,” Avrim said, walking with the terror leader toward a first floor bookshop. “I would give my life for you.”
Raza stopped and smiled. “And one day I will ask you to do so. But for today, we shall enjoy a delicious lunch. After which, we will spend the rest of the afternoon in church.”
“Church?”
Raza picked up a copy of
Caravaggio’s Roma
and strolled toward the cashier’s counter. “Don’t worry,” he said. “We’ won’t be praying.”
Chapter 24
New York City
“Took a while, but we were able to break into their cell phone system and clone three of their active numbers,” Big Mike said. “Keep in mind that’s three out of a possible rotating dozen, with four new ones added every week to ten days.”
“Can you get visuals along with the pickups?” I asked.
“On some,” Big Mike said, “not all. These guys are slick. They use three different numbers at three different locations to relay one message. They talk in their own code that’s hard to break down. Gets even harder, if not impossible, when they start to talk in their own lingo.”
I sat back and stared out at the churning waters of the river. We were sitting on a bench in Hudson Park in Chelsea, the skyline stretched out behind us, the sun warming our faces. “How many?”
“In the cell?” Big Mike asked. “Or on the calls?”
“Both.”
“From near as me and John can tell, he’s got about a hundred regulars stretched out across Europe, mostly in Italy and England, don’t ask me why. Out of that number, maybe five to no more than seven are in on the phone rotation.”
“The rest get the messages relayed verbally or through intercepts?” I asked.
“Pretty much,” Big Mike said. “Boil it down, it comes off as a simple operation. The higher-ups, starting with Raza, come up with the plan. They relay it to the second tier and from there it rolls downhill. The least important guy in the chain is the poor bastard who straps on the bomb and is sent to do the job.”
“Have you picked up Vladimir on any of the calls?”
“Not a word,” Big Mike said, shaking his head. “Either he wants to keep his distance and is giving them free rein to do what they want or he is keeping track of operations in a way we haven’t figured out yet.”
“What have you got so far?”
“Raza’s smart,” Big Mike said. “He works without a pattern other than each job is bigger than the last.”
“It’s all a big game to them,” I said. “This cause they claim to have, this mission they’re on, it’s all bullshit. It’s about the chase and killing as many people as they can as quickly as they can.”
“There’s no end game and we shouldn’t waste our time looking for one,” Big Mike said. “Vladimir’s angle is easy to figure. We were in his position, we might well be doing the same thing. He’s exploiting a weakness in order to make his foothold stronger. He’s making a gangster move. What these other guys are doing is not as easy to figure.”
“You have a read on their next target?” I asked.
“Not yet,” Big Mike said. “But we’re getting closer. It’s going to be big, though. That much I can tell you.”
“It’s going to be a cultural site,” I said. “Hitting the World Trade Center, that was a shot at our financial core. The next big one is going to go for the heart. And that means Europe. Italy, most likely.”
“Is that why you went in deep on this with the Strega?”
“That’s a big part of it,” I said. “This first battle is crucial. We take down Raza, wipe out his crew and clean out his cash flow, then our allies will step up. I need a win out of the gate, Mike. You and the Strega give me my best chance at that.”
Big Mike was one of the toughest men I knew, and balanced that with being one of the most thoughtful. He was part of the new wave of organized crime bosses who grasped that the twenty-first century would be a turning point for our way of doing business. He always seemed troubled that the other groups were not as quick to grasp the obvious. “You think we can be as ruthless as they are?” he asked. “These guys have no boundaries. They’ll use a kid as a decoy or a target. You can be five or fifty-five, makes no difference to them. You’re in their way, they take you down. For my money, if they have any edge at all, there it is.”
“I know,” I said. “There are things they do we would never consider.”
“But not the Russians,” Big Mike said. “They found themselves a perfect partner with that crew.”
“We just have to be smarter and sharper, and a whole lot luckier,” I said. “There are things we’re going to have to do we’re not going to be happy with. But no war comes without a heavy price.”
Big Mike stayed silent for a few moments, taking in the view. “You’ve paid a big enough price already,” he said.
“I’ve doubled the security on Jack,” I told him. “He’s my primary concern. Did it in ways he wouldn’t notice. He’s been through enough without having to walk around with guys with guns shadowing his every move.”
“I’m not worried about Jack,” Big Mike said. “He’s a good kid and he’ll come out the other end of this in one piece. We’ll all see to that. My concern is you.”
“There’s no need to worry,” I said. “I’ll be fine.”
“You’re eager to get into a fight,” Big Mike said. “And you’ve tossed caution aside. Now, you always went your own way when it came to safety issues. But this time there’s a different feel to it.”
“I want them dead, Mike,” I said. “And if putting myself in harm’s way helps me achieve that, then that’s what I’ll do. It’s a risk I have to take. For me, there is no other choice.”
“And
I
need you alive,” he said. “And so does Jack. The Wolf can take all the risks he wants. Jack’s father can’t.”
Big Mike reached into his jacket and pulled out a small black cell phone. He handed it to me. “You need to contact me, this is what you should use. Call or text, doesn’t matter. They don’t have anyone who can clone it. I’ll get one to the Strega and to Jimmy as well.”
“How come they can’t clone it?”
“Because
I
can’t,” Big Mike said. “And neither can John. That gives it the Good Housekeeping seal of approval.”
I took the phone and slid it into my shirt pocket. “You flying back tonight?” I asked.
“Got a plane waiting at Teterboro,” he said. “Should be back home by early morning. Unless you want me to stick around for the meeting with the Colombians.”
I shook my head. “They’re a suspicious bunch,” I said. “They might flake if I show up with someone they weren’t expecting.”
“Think they’ll play along?”
“Think so,” I said. “The Mexicans have taken a big piece of their pie and they are desperate to get back in. I can help open the door. In return, they keep the Mexicans busy while we focus on the terrorists and the Russians.”
“They strong enough to take on the Mexicans?”
“Not long-term,” I said. “But they’ll buy us enough time to slow the gun supply going out and disrupt the drug flow coming in. Makes it one less thing we have on our plates.”
“Watch your back in there,” Big Mike said. “I don’t like that crew.”
“No one likes them,” I said. “But if they can help us, then we’ll make good use of them.”
“And once we don’t need their help anymore?”
I turned to Big Mike and rested a hand on his right shoulder. “Then we kill as many of them as we can and take over as much of their business as we need to take.”
He nodded. “Can’t wait for that day,” he said. “Be nice to get back to taking care of business. It’s a lot nicer and cleaner.”
“And a lot more profitable,” I said.
Chapter 25
Florence, Italy
Vladimir and Raza walked down a quiet street, the harsh currents of the Arno roiling just below them. Neither was pleased to be in the company of the other.
“We cannot afford to be seen together,” Vladimir said. “I was under the impression I made that clear.”
Raza glanced down at the river, walking closest to the edge of the red brick wall, street traffic drowned out by the rushing waters below.
“I need to ask you a question.”
“Then ask,” Vladimir said.
“How much bad blood is there between you and the American gangster?”
“What makes you think there is any?”
“He’s been on me since I partnered with you,” Raza said. “My men see strange faces wherever they go. Money transfers have been delayed or rerouted. Three of my cash couriers have been robbed at gunpoint. I thought our partnership would make my life easier. Instead, it’s painted a bull’s-eye on my entire organization.”
“There was no need for anyone to pay attention to you before,” Vladimir said. “Your prior targets were enough to bring you to my attention, but none of them placed you under a scope. With a higher profile comes higher risk.”
“Is he hunting me to get to you?” Raza asked. “Or does he suspect me to have been involved in the attack on his family?”
“Does it matter?” Vladimir said. “He’s on the chase and he won’t stop until he’s stopped.”
“The woman, too?”
Vladimir nodded. “Individually, each would pose a threat. I imagine they will be much more of a danger as a team.”
“Many will die before my task is completed,” Raza said. “These two will be lined up next to the other bodies.”
“How many targets have you lined up?” Vladimir asked.
“As of now, two,” Raza said. “Perhaps three.”
“You’re being coy,” Vladimir said. “I despise that.”
Raza shrugged. “I supply the bombers and choose the targets. You supply the finance. That was our arrangement. Our
only
arrangement.”
“Remember the objective,” Vladimir said. “The body count is secondary to me. What I need is chaos, and the fear that follows.”
“This will give you that in abundance,” Raza said, his words coated with arrogance. “We will both get out of this mission what we sought going in.”
“We’ll know soon if your actions are equal to your words,” Vladimir said.
Raza stopped, turned and glared at Vladimir for several seconds, struggling to maintain his composure. “I can show you one of the potential targets,” he finally said. “If you want.”
Vladimir shrugged. “I would much prefer to enjoy a long lunch. Alone.”
Raza watched Vladimir turn back toward the Ponte Vecchio, disappearing into a crowd of tourists clogging the path to the jewelry center of the city. He shook his head and smiled, realizing that the Russian had no intention of letting him live past the completion of his mission. He was merely a gateway to a goal, and a piece of evidence that needed to be discarded before anyone would look to see if there was a connection between the two.
Raza remained unfazed. He had entered into an agreement with the Russian to fund his attacks, bring them to a level no terrorist could contemplate.
He also knew there was no room in his world for gangsters. They were adversaries, nothing more. These were men and women hardened by the battles they had waged to reach the top of their professions but softened by the demands of family and allies. They lacked the dedication to bring terror to the people, the ability to be free of emotional bonds. They had no cause to fight for and their only concern was the profits they could earn for themselves and their organizations. That desire would take them far in battle, but not far enough.
The taste of victory would belong to him.
It was his destiny.
Chapter 26
New York City
“You’ve been quiet,” I said to Jack, holding his hand as we crossed West 57th Street, making our way to the theater district for an afternoon matinee. “Feeling okay?”
“I’m good,” he said, “just thinking.”