Crusade For Vengeance (Dark Vengeance Book 2) Page 23

  “Hopefully, I’m going up to see Hanna. Thanks for keeping an eye on me and I’m sure I’ll be safe up there.”

  “No problem, I owe you one.”

  “Eh? What for?”

  “The guy hiding behind the car in the street you popped. He was about to shoot me when you got him.”

  “Oh, I didn’t realise.”

  “I did, so know you’ve only got to ask and I’ll be there.”

  Deni knew better than to make light of a debt like that. Favours and debts were the life blood of the gangs and Crews. “You got it.”

  Leaving Calcutta on the shop floor, Deni jogged up the stairs and whistled softly. The first security door to the rear was hanging off its hinges, blown open by a powerful explosive charge. She had to squeeze past it’s mangled shape to get inside. The second door was open but intact. Hopefully it was Hanna who opened it on her way through.

  Her friend was exactly where Deni thought she would be, sitting at her console, tapping away on the virtual keyboard.

  “How’s it looking?” Deni asked. “I take it you opened the second door?”

  “Yeah,” Hanna answered without turning around. “I think we got here just in time. There’s quite a bit of unused explosives out there.”

  “We knew we needed to move quickly.”

  “Yeah, we did.”

  “Anything new?” Deni asked.

  “Nothing yet, I don’t think they’ve realised we’ve started hitting back yet. Rapaport is still at Ripper’s place and Anja’s moving around. She’s at Rendezvous nightclub right now. I’m sure Eckhardt will love Rapaport’s new rates.”

  “Yeah, that’ll go down real well with the old man.”

  “That’s his problem for now. We need to take Rapaport out as quickly as we can.”

  “I don’t like it. Every minute Anja is running around is like a knife in the gut, but you’re right, Rapaport’s the bigger threat.”

  “Why’s she down at the Beautiful Mind though?”

  “It’s a lot bigger and more comfortable than her place or here,” Deni pointed out with a laugh. “What would you prefer, junkies or strippers?”

  Hanna shrugged. “The half-naked men would be a bonus. We should have done something about that place after Valerie took Ripper out.”

  “Why? The new owner let’s a lot of the dancers stay there. It’s a lot better than most of them have.”

  “Had.”

  “And will have,” Deni said encouragingly. It worried her how much Hanna was taking on, but someone needed to be in charge and she was better at it. All she could do was keep encouraging Hanna. “We’ll have this all done one way or another before dawn, now what’s the plan? Are we leaving anyone here?”

  Hanna shook her head. “I don’t think we can. We’re facing more guns than the last two times. The odds of losing surprise are dropping by the minute. The Electron cell is recharging from the mains and we’ll take any explosives with us. This place held out for us before, it’ll have to do it again.”

  “OK, I’ll go and seal the relay and utilities access in the yard. That’ll give you a chance to come up with a plan,” she turned to go.

  “Hey, who says I don’t have one already?”

  Deni turned back and smiled. “I know you,” she left the spluttering Hanna at her console and ran lightly down the stairs. The bodies were cleared away and the others were all sitting around.

  “What’s the story?” Calcutta asked from where she sat on the last two steps.

  “Hanna’s checking some last info before we go. In the meantime we need to secure the Workshop. We don’t have anyone to spare to defend it. I’m going to weld the cover outside shut. Anyone know how to use a welder to do the relay in here?”

  Layman put his hand up. “I do, I did some work with my brother a few years ago.”

  “You go and do the one outside, Layman.” Calcutta said before Deni had a chance and looked up at her. “It’s better for you to stay inside. Besides, doesn’t it make more sense for the experienced person to do the technical job? What would happen if Layman cuts through the power by accident.”

  Deni held her hands up. “Alright, you’re right,” she looked around. “Erm, where’s the woman you captured.”

  “It was a man as it happens,” Flint said from where he was sitting. He patted the large metal tool box underneath him. “He’s in here. It’s locked but not air tight. He won’t be getting out anytime soon.”

  “That makes it easier then, we can leave him behind and he’ll have to hope we come back.” Deni squeezed past Calcutta and grabbed a couple of welders from a shelf, giving the tool box a kick on the way past. After a quick run through of the welder for Layman, she went back to the relay. The plasma welder bonded the sealant to the metal quickly and easily. It didn’t take long to complete the job. When she went back to the others, Hanna was sitting at the top of the stairs, her legs hanging over the side and leaning on the railing. Deni quirked an eyebrow at her friend and Hanna shrugged back.

  “We’re just waiting for Layman and Flint to come back in,” she said. “No point doing this twice.”

  Deni nodded and found herself a seat amongst the others. Looking around, she wondered how many more of the mechanics had died that morning. She hoped those who survived Anja’s original attack were safe. Cortez was bad enough. The others didn’t deserve that for just working here.

  “All done,” Layman said as he came in with Flint behind him. “That cover’s not going anywhere.”

  “Excellent,” Hanna said. “Now, as you all know, we’re going after Rapaport next and she’s taken over Ripper’s old den, The Beautiful Mind. I’ve Hacked the cameras. The club’s open and all the dancers are working. I guess she wants people to think it’s business as usual, but the customers don’t agree and trade’s light tonight. She’s got fourteen guns with her. Eight are in the club and look like they’re enjoying themselves. Drinks and flesh is flowing freely for them.”

  “That’s pretty arrogant,” Hayley pointed out. “With us still out here.”

  “She thinks the girls are trapped here and this lot would pry them out,” Flint replied. “Hopwood and Leigh are running scared and the rest of us are scattered. She thinks she’s won.”

  “We’re going to disabuse her of that,” Barber said darkly.

  “Yes we are,” Hanna said firmly, taking control once more. “Two guns are at Ripper’s rear entrance,” she paused when Leigh chuckled and Deni hid her own smile behind a cough. “You’ve all been there and know we’re not going through easily.” Flint coughed loudly and everyone now had open smiles on their faces. Hanna was blushing heavily but continued on. “The last four are outside Ripper’s old office and Rapaport’s inside. She’s been comming all the Bosses around us, telling them she’s in charge.”

  “That’s not good,” Hayley said seriously, cutting through the previous mirth. “Even if we take out Rapaport and the rest of her people, we’ll be left weak and vulnerable. They’ll be coming in here to pick us clean like vultures.”

  “Don’t worry about that,” Deni told her. “Milicevic has a contingency already in place.”

  “Let’s just say, I know things that can hurt each of them,” Hanna said. “If we’re in control in the morning, I can get them to back off.”

  “They’ll not like that,” Calcutta argued.

  “No, they won’t,” Hanna replied. “But what choice do we have? It’s either we piss them off, kill them or die defending our turf. I’d prefer to put a couple of noses out of joint than the other two.”

  “Front door then,” Barber said.

  “Yes,” Hanna nodded her agreement. “It’ll be the front door, but I have something to give us an edge going in...”

  ***

  A single light shone in the dark alley over the reinforced door. Deni stood in the deep shadows away from it, a Pulse rifle in her hands and Calcutta beside her. The clouds had gathered overhead and fat drops of rain were beginning to fall. Deni hunched he
r shoulders and squirmed a bit deeper into her jacket.

  “Angel, Hammer.” Hayley’s voice said over the com. “Approaching the Beautiful Mind now.”

  “Go easy on the bouncer’s Hammer.” Hanna responded from the aircar. “They came in with the new management. I can’t find any communication between them and Rapaport.”

  “I know that, Angel,” there was exasperation clearly in Hayley’s voice. “I’m the one who recommended them for the Job.”

  “Sorry, Hammer.”

  “Just tell me where they are, Angel, so we don’t kill them.”

  “Two are on the door. One just inside and the other two metre’s further in. Another is at the far end of the bar and the last is moving around the floor. When we move, I have a pre-recorded message telling them to keep their heads down. The cameras outside are on a loop, you can get all the way to the door without being spotted. Give the word and I’ll shut down the coms and initiate the surprise.”

  Deni rose onto the balls of her feet, preparing herself.

  “Easy,” Calcutta said. “Stay relaxed. You move smoother and faster when you’re not all tensed up.”

  Nodding, Deni settled back down and gave herself a shake.

  “Better,” Deni couldn’t make out the woman’s face in the dark but she heard the smile in her voice. “Ready with the lock breaker?”

  “Yeah, it’s right here,” she patted her thigh pocket. “Hanna’ll have remote access so she can adapt the programs if needed.” Calcutta knew this as well as Deni, she just needed to talk. It helped release the nervous energy building up inside of her.

  “Hammer is at the door, Angel,” Hayley said on the com from the street in front of the Beautiful Mind. “Do it.”

  “Done,” Hanna instantly responded. “It’s working, all the targets are squirming.” Her surprise was a high pitched shriek through the coms. They were nestled deep into the ear and weren’t easy to remove. Deni could only imagine the pain they were experiencing.

  “That’s our queue,” Calcutta said and sprinted towards the door. Deni was right behind her.

  Calcutta stopped with her rifle trained on the door. Deni skidded to halt next to it and propped her rifle against the wall. Slipping the datapad out of her pocket, she slapped the connector pad onto the lock. The datapad was primed and ready, the screen lit up and icons scrolled across the screen as it got to work. Two lines of code froze on the screen and Hanna’s voice came over the com.

  “I got you, Anvil,” as the second team, Calcutta and Deni got the Anvil designation. Everyone else was with Hayley. It was a shame, Deni liked Checkmate. She wondered if she could keep it for future Jobs. The lines of code cleared and the lock pinged green.

  “Done, Angel,” Deni reported quickly. “We’re in.”

  Picking up her rifle, she grabbed the door handle and paused to look back at Calcutta. The woman nodded and Deni shoved the door open. Calcutta darted past and Deni gave her a couple of metres before following.

  Inside was a short corridor with a window and door to the left. Here were stationed Rapaport’s two out of town Enforcers. One was writhing on the ground, the other on his knees with a finger deep into his ear, trying to dig the com out. Calcutta didn’t hesitate. Deni watched through the window as the Enforcer put a burst of Mag rounds into each one.

  “Angel, Anvil. Rear is secure,” Calcutta reported. “We’re going for Rapaport.”

  Deni looked at her in surprise. They were meant to wait until Hammer had the club floor secure before moving.

  “No way, Anvil,” Hanna shouted. “Wait for Hammer.”

  Calcutta was looking at her questioningly and Deni nodded. She wanted Rapaport as badly as anyone else.

  “We’re going, Angel,” Deni said. “Hammer can catch us up.” Calcutta turned down the corridor and walked off, Deni following.

  “Hammer, can you get to them?” Hanna said desperately.

  “No way, Angel,” Hayley answered. “Six are down, but two of them must have taken their coms out before we hit them. They’ve grabbed two dancers as shields and are hold up next to the rear stairs. We can’t get to Anvil without taking them out first.”

  Calcutta was careful as she made her way through the maze of narrow corridors and stairs towards Rapaport. She checked every corner and shadow. Deni did the same while still listening to the other’s conversation.

  “Try and get the dancers out alive,” Hanna was saying. “We need all the goodwill we can get around here. Saving lives will go a long way for us.” Deni knew that wasn’t the only reason Hanna was saying that, but it was probably the best way to convince Hayley.

  “We could try sliding over one of these flashbang grenades Deni gave us,” Flint said. “They won’t be expecting it and it’ll give us a chance to get close enough for a clean shot.”

  “Do you think you can get it in amongst them?” Hayley asked.

  “See that gap there,” Flint said. “I bet I can slide it right under their feet before they noticed.”

  Calcutta waved at some stairs to her left and Deni stopped. At the top would be Ripper’s old office, but to get to it they would need to go through the four guns sitting in the lounge area outside. She heard voices coming down.

  “Is anyone’s com working?” a female voice asked loudly.

  “No, nothing,” a man answered.

  “That’s not possible, how can com’s go haywire like that and then stop working?” a second female asked.

  “What about that Hacker?” the first man asked. “You had us writing notes to you for weeks. Could she have done this?”

  “No way,” the first female answered. “She’s stuck in the Workshop and cut off from everything. I almost believe Milicevic is back, but she would have gone after the Workshop first and we would have heard something. She couldn’t have taken them down without one of them calling us.”

  “Wait for Flint’s grenade to go off,” Calcutta whispered. “We’ll use that as a distraction. You aim for those on the right and I hit the ones on the left.”

  “Got it,” Deni whispered back. She’d been concentrating on those above and stopped listening to Hammer, but it must be seconds away.

  She wasn’t disappointed and the explosion reverberated through the building. There were only a dozen steps and then they were at the top, standing side by side, rifles up. Rapaport stood in the open office doorway, the four guns around her. They were all looking off to the right, towards the direction of the main club.

  It was so like the hundreds of sims Valerie had put her through that Deni didn’t even think. Her rifle whined and a burst of Pulse rounds took the first gun in the back. Her body spun round and into Rapaport, toppling the Dealer to the floor with a surprised squawk. The second gun had time to turn towards Deni and go for his pistol, but he was too slow. Her second burst hit him squarely in the chest, throwing him back against the wall.

  Deni swung her gun to the left to find both of Calcutta’s targets already dead. The other woman didn’t waste any time and ran over to the struggling Rapaport. The body on top of her was much bigger and heavier than her, she was stuck.

  “Don’t,” Calcutta warned and jammed her barrel into Rapaport’s cheek. “It’s over.”

  Deni followed as swiftly as she could and saw the fear etched in Rapaport’s face.

  “Don’t kill me,” the woman pleaded. “We can make a deal. We can-“ she was cut off by Calcutta reversing her rifle and slamming the butt into Rapaport’s head.

  “I don’t want to hear it, bitch!” the Enforcer said vehemently. She looked down at the unconscious woman and sighed. “Damn, we’ll need a grav-harness to get this lard arse off her.” She kicked the hugely overweight woman on top of Rapaport for added emphasis.

  Deni smiled and activated her com. “Angel, Anvil. All four guns are down and we have Rapaport alive.”

  “Nice work, Anvil,” Hanna responded. “Hammer got the dancers out hurt but alive. I’m on my way in,” she didn’t sound very happy and Deni could g
uess why. She looked down at the big woman’s body.

  “We could use a rifle as a lever,” she suggested and pointed at the hip. “If you jam the butt in there, we may be able to roll her or at least hold her up enough to drag her out...”

  ***

  “We’re in charge, do you understand?” Anja said to the naked man tied to the chair in front of her.

  He nodded, face white. He understood. For added emphasis, she looked pointedly over to his wife and children huddled in the corner. His nodding became much more frantic.

  “Good,” she jerked her head to Rapaport’s six hired guns. “Let’s go.”

  They left the man where he was, his wife could untie him. Anja commed Rapaport while they walked down the stairs of the building. There was no answer. The call was routing through to Rapaport’s message system. It wasn’t the first time that night. She’d made it clear drumming up support from the local bosses would be her first priority.

  Anja cursed the Dealer silently. They should be setting a trap for the returning Milicevic, not wandering around like they’d already won. Nothing was done until that woman was ash. It wasn’t what Rapaport wanted, she wanted to be in charge and she wanted to be seen as the one at the top. Milicevic wasn’t the only threat, the girls were still hold up in the Workshop and some of the Enforcer’s hadn’t been found yet.

  Shrugging, Anja smiled to herself. They had more than enough guns to deal with Milicevic when the time came. The others were too few to be a threat. As for Rapaport, she could play the Privileged all she liked. When the time was right, it would be Anja’s blade in her back and then the gang would be hers.

  With little chance of talking to Rapaport, Anja commed Orrick to see how he was getting on. No answer, it didn’t even go to his messages, it just kept bleeping as it waited for a connection. A tingle crept up her spine and she commed the Workshop team. No answer there either.

  The group were back on the street and Anja looked around. There was no one there, only the usual street bums and walkers shuffling along. The guns were ahead of her joking amongst themselves, pleased with all the money Rapaport had already paid them and the promise of more. The tingle in her spine was now joined by a sickness deep in her stomach. Hanna couldn’t have got out, could she? Had Milicevic returned and released her? Was she the cause of the coms going down?