Jack had never been inside the old man’s compound. Neither had Bear. But both men had heard plenty of stories about the place. The prostitutes the old man kept on staff; the glamorous guest accommodations; the three hole golf course; and the interrogation and prison cells underground. Jack had a pretty good idea where Clarissa and Mandy were being kept.
“So what’s the plan?” asked Bear.
Jack pulled out the access card and held it up for Bear to see. “This will get us in. I swiped it off of one of the men patrolling Clarissa’s building.”
“And then what?”
“I’ve got something he wants. He won’t do anything to me,” Jack said.
“You got the docs with you?”
“No,” Jack said. “They are hidden.”
“That’s comforting,” Bear said. “What about me?”
Jack smiled at his large friend. “Don’t worry, they won’t hurt you either.”
“They can’t.”
The compound was well guarded. In the fifteen minutes they had been scouting the entrance they counted at least 4 sets of patrolling guards, ensuring that the entrance remained in sight at all times. Two more guards were positioned inside the gate, and at least half a dozen cameras perched high and scanning in all directions.
“Ten,” Bear said.
“Yeah. Plus the cameras.”
“Even if we get in, they are gonna have us spotted, Jack. And there is no way we get in without killing at least 6 of those guards.”
Jack started to rethink his idea. His entire plan was based on emotion. There was no logic to it. He had seen the results of plans like this. They’d would be better off shooting themselves than walking into a hornet’s nest unannounced. “Dammit.” He pulled out his cell phone.
“What you doing?”
“I’m going to announce our presence.”
“Are you friggin kidding me? Jack, think about this for a second.”
“He’s not going to do anything. Those documents are worth more to him than anything else.”
“What the frig are these documents?”
Jack frowned and gave Bear a look. Not just any look, the look. “You know better than to ask questions like that.”
Bear wiped the sweat from his large forehead. “Christ almighty. Why do I keep working with you?”
Jack laughed. “You’d be bored without me, Bear. Admit it.”
The large man forced a smile while shaking his head. “Go on then. Call him up.”
Jack searched through his cell’s call history until he reached the old man’s number. He highlighted it and hit send.
“Hello, Mr. Jack. I have been waiting for you. I’m glad to see you weren’t foolish enough to use that key card to come through the front gate.”
“Let them go,” Jack said.
“Will you not do me the courtesy of some polite conversation first?”
“Fuck you.”
“Mr. Jack, your profanity will not be tolerated. One more outburst and the little girl loses a finger.”
Jack bit his tongue. Anger and frustration built up, and he wished they had just gone through the front gate instead. He took a deep breath to settle himself. “That won’t be necessary.”
“Good, I am glad you see it my way, Mr. Jack.”
He hated the way the old man called him Mr. Jack. For ten years he had put with that shit and didn’t even know the old man’s first or last name. Nobody knew his name as far as Jack knew. He had a hunch that Charles did, but when he asked Charles, the big oaf smiled and said ‘Boss.’
“Mr. Jack, you have something I want. I have some things that you want. I have a proposal for you.”
“I’m listening.”
“In one half hour I will send one of my employees outside. He will exit the gate and walk twenty five feet exactly. You will come down from your hiding spot at the top of the hill and hand him the documents. After Mr. Charles and I have verified the contents of the documents I will release the little girl and the whore. Are we in agreement?”
“And the girl’s mother?”
The old man raised his voice. “Mr. Jack, this is not a time for questions. Are we in agreement?”
“No deal,” replied Jack. “You know I can sell those docs to the highest bidder and get ten times what you are paying me.”
The old man laughed. “Are you trying to play hardball with me young man?”
“What assurance do I have you will let them go?”
“Assurance? In all the years we have worked together, have we ever had an issue, Mr. Jack?”
“No. But then again, you never tried to have me killed like today,” Jack replied.
“At least that you are aware of, Mr. Jack,” the old man said.
“Hang on.” Jack covered the mouthpiece of the phone and talked it over with Bear. “I don’t trust him on this Bear. He wants the documents and says he’ll release them after that.”
Bear’s advice was simple and to the point. “Tell him to eat shit.”
Jack returned to the phone. “I need more than that. Release one of them to me. Then I’ll go get the documents. We can meet somewhere public to complete the exchange.”
“Mr. Jack, you listen to me,” said the old man in a tone than Jack had never heard before. “I employ over 200 of the finest hit men, thieves, and cleaners on the east coast. I can make you disappear with a snap of my fingers,” he snapped his fingers close to the phone for emphasis. “Who do you think you are to demand this of me?”
“With all due respect old man,” Jack said. “If they are the best, then why did you need me for this job?”
The old man said nothing. Jack heard muffled voices in the background. The old man was discussing it with Charles. Jack had a feeling this would work in his favor. Charles would do anything to create a situation where he and Jack would meet face to face. That meant he would do his best to persuade the old man to agree to Jack’s terms.
“Mr. Jack, you have a deal.”
Jack breathed a sigh of relief and gave Bear a thumbs up. The big guy wiped his brow and exhaled loudly while pretending to fall over and pass out.
“Choose now,” the old man said.
“Send out the little girl and her mother.”
“Oh, Mr. Jack, I am sorry to tell you that while the little girl is here with me, her mother did not make it.”
Jack fought back his rage. He pictured the old man sitting there with the girl next to him, stroking her hair as he talked about her mother’s death. He wondered when it happened, how it happened. He felt guilty. She died because of him. Mandy was an orphan because of him.
“Do you still want the girl, Mr. Jack? Or shall I send for the whore?”
“The girl,” Jack said. He knew Clarissa could take care of herself. These guys couldn’t break her.
“She will be out in twenty minutes. When the gate opens she will be sent out alone. You will meet her on the other side of the street. Do not step foot in the street, Mr. Jack. If you do so my guards will be instructed to shoot you, and the little girl.”
Twenty minutes passed. Bear stayed on the hill to the north. Jack stood across the street in front of the gate. He could make out four guards flanking either side of the gate. All of them had their guns trained on him. He looked down in amusement at the red lights flickering around on his chest. Amateurs. He smiled and waved at the hidden gunmen.
The area behind the gate lit up when the door opened. He could make out the shape of a little girl walking through the courtyard. Mandy. The gate opened automatically. She slowly approached the curb. She saw Jack and smiled.
He held a hand up to keep her from running into the street. He checked to make sure no cars were coming and then motioned for her to cross over to him.
Mandy ran as fast as she could and Jack knelt down holding his arms open for her. She had the teddy bear grasped tightly in her right hand. That fucking softie he gave it to her. Jack held her tightly, kissed her forehead, and told her everything wa
s going to be ok. “No one is ever gonna take you again,” he said.
The guards kept their guns trained on Jack. He saw the red lights dancing on his chest and the back of the little girl’s head. “You fucking bastards,” he said. “She’s a little girl. Pull your weapons.” They didn’t budge. Jack lifted the girl and held her close to his chest with one arm. His other hand held his gun tight. He backed up slowly, letting the night envelop them.