North Bronx- After Nine pm

The grizzled John Fresco puffed a joint outside of his garage on Dyre ave. Enjoying the smoke, he leaned against Bling and Ian’s black SUV, also parked at his garage.

Within moments a seventies-era, black Lincoln, rolled into his lot from the desolate street. The front of the car wrecked in a collision.

John shook his head, “These two clown ass cats,” he grumbled as Bling and Ian waved from the damaged vehicle.

“Yo, Johnny Fresh, we had to crash this Lincoln into another Lincoln!” yelled Bling as he parked the old car and hopped out.

John walked to the front to inspect the damage, “What the hell, ya’ll T-bone somebody?”

“Yeah, an accident!” yelled Ian, pulling a canvas bag out of the back seat of the Lincoln and transferring it to the SUV. “But seriously, this car is so hot you’re lookin at Fed time if you drive it in public, so make it disappear.”

John understood, “I hear you, and don’t worry. This old Lincoln’s gonna be ghost once I hit it with the torch and the saw.”

Bling handed John a stuffed envelope, “Yo John, here’s another ten. Make sure your torch is hot.”

John thumbed the money in the envelope, “Come on fam, you know how I do.”

“Of course I know, my dude,” said Bling, bro-hugging John.

After they all joked and said goodbye, Bling and Ian started their SUV and drove toward the ninety-five north to Connecticut. At the same time, John pulled the old crashed Lincoln into his garage, and started his saw. As the blade buzzed to life, he stared at the smashed front of the once pretty Lincoln and shook his head.

“Bling and Ian, man. Them two fuckin maniacs will crash a wet dream if you let em!”

An hour later, the wrecked Lincoln no longer existed.

Ten Miles North, Indian Harbor, Connecticut.

Frank’s limousine pulled into a dark warehouse located on the Indian harbor coastline. Frank and his three bodyguards, Baba, Tommy, and Rocco, exited the limo and approached the warehouse entrance. Dan and Rica walked behind the men.

“What is this? I thought Nikolai was expecting us!” yelled Frank, annoyed at the lack of hospitality at the warehouse.

Tommy banged on the entrance door and a large goon opened it with a startled look. “Boss Frank? What are you doing here? I mean, come inside!” said the goon

“Asher, where’s Nikolai? Where’s everybody?” Tommy shouted as they all entered.

The half-lit warehouse appeared deserted, with only a forklift and a dozen car-sized shipping containers filling the space. Dan observed his situation, remaining alert.

This dark warehouse, this guy at the door. Doesn’t seem like anyone is expecting Frank. What’s going on here?

Asher shrugged, “Nick’s in the back. But operations are closed for the night. We took in the haul from the girls and the games and we’re just playing cards.”

As he spoke, two men emerged from the rear into the warehouse area. One of them a portly bearded thug in a suit, Nikolai.

“Frank? How are you? I wasn’t expecting you tonight,” said Nikolai.

Frank gaped at him, “Nikolai, they told me you needed to see me. They said you had information about the parasite companies? I drove up here after we went to Artie’s memorial, and hey, how come you didn’t attend? You know that’s political. You needed to show face tonight, Nikolai! Instead, you make me drive up here, why?”

Nikolai looked at his goons and stumbled, “Well, it’s-”

“You look like you saw a ghost, Nikolai,” said Rica, staring dead in his eyes.

Nikolai tilted his head at Rica, “Who the fuck are you, little girl?”

“Nikolai!” Frank yelled, “Don’t talk to her like that!”

Nikolai composed himself, “Sorry Frank, it’s just I don't remember having a meeti-”

“No Nikolai, that’s not true. You had a meeting set up for Frank, it just wasn’t with you,” said Rica.

Nikolai stared at her, “What? I don’t even know who you are-”

“Who I am is irrelevant. But what is relevant is your change in circumstances tonight.”

Everyone looked at Nikolai, who shook his head in disbelief at Rica, “Frank, what is this?”

“Nikolai? Why do you sound like you’re hiding something?” Frank growled, glaring at the heavy man.

Rica's face went dark, “Frank, Nikolai’s hiding the fact that he doesn’t know what happened to the men he hired to greet you,” she said with a sadistic tone, staring daggers at Nikolai.

Frank turned to Rica, “What are you talking about, girl? What men did he hire-”

“Sosa and his crew,” said Rica.

Frank’s mouth dropped, “Sosa?” He turned to Nikolai, his face deadly serious, “Nikolai, is this true?”

Nikolai went pale, “No! Of course not Frank, come on! This little girl is making up stories-”

“Oh? I’m making up stories am I?” Rica glared at him, “Well since that’s the case, then let me tell you a story about something that happened tonight, Nikolai.”

The silence deafened the warehouse as every man stared intently at the teenage girl. With all eyes on Rica, she took a wide stance and spoke.

“You see Frank, Sosa, and his men were supposed to intercept us an hour ago.”

She gazed at Nikolai with a psychotic expression.

“But something happened to them before we arrived. So if you please, gentlemen, allow me to elaborate, hm hm hm!”

As she laughed a sinister laugh, Nikolai began to sweat.

Rica’s Story

One hour earlier, in a parking lot near the Jerome ave cemetery in the Bronx. Muneco Sosa and his four-man hit squad laid out their plan.

“Frank went to that accountant’s memorial, so he’s gotta pass this cemetery on Jerome ave on his way home,” the big bald-headed Sosa snarled to his three men.

They all nodded in agreement.

“Right! So we take a ride and wait for Frank’s limo. When we see it, we spray it!” Sosa ordered.

The four men loaded their Tec-nine automatic pistols and jumped in a late-model Lincoln town car with Sosa at the wheel. Their mission: Wait for Frank’s Limo to drive past the cemetery on Jerome avenue, en route to Frank’s house. Pull alongside, and spray the limousine with bullets, killing Frank Ross. A simple plan, however…

 

 

A cold chill ran through Dan as Rica concluded her story. Holy hell, this little girl! Every man in the warehouse stood quiet as she smiled, staring at Nikolai. No one moved until Nikolai whispered to his men, “Asher, David...Kill them all.”

 

..