Page 35 of Twisted Throne
“I have the location,” I said. “Lucy followed them to Redmere Road. There’s not shit out that way, but Sabitino has a safe house there. That’s where she’ll be.”
“I’ll let Ricky know,” Frank said from the back seat.
“What’s our weapon situation?” Carlos asked.
“Trunk’s stocked,” I replied shortly.
I flew in and out of traffic, and all was silent until we pulled onto Redmere. I slowed down as we grew closer to the safe house, then killed the lights and pulled off onto the side of the dirt road.
Popping the trunk, I went around and lifted up the false bottom, revealing an assortment of weapons. My Colt was already at my side, but without knowing what we were walking into I wanted us to be fully loaded.
“Ricky will be here in twenty with backup,” Frank told us.
“Fine, but we’re going in now.” I adjusted the additional holster around my chest.
Carlos and Frank exchanged a look.
“What?” I growled, turning to them. “Is there a problem?”
Carlos hesitated. “We don’t know how many men Sabitino has in there. We should wait on Ricky.”
“We aren’t waiting,fratello,” I said firmly. “We move now.”
He stared at me for a moment, then nodded and grabbed a rifle out of the trunk.
“I’m with you, capo,” he answered.
I turned and began to make my way into the thin strip of trees that separated us from the house. Carlos and Ricky followed as I slipped into cover.
***
“Two vehicles, the van Lucy tailed, and a sedan. I spotted four guys outside the house,” Ricky said, emerging from the underbrush to our left. “Can’t tell how many inside.”
I nodded shortly.
“Go in quiet,” I said. “And remember Gia’s inside. We’re going to teach thesestronzoswhat happens when you dare to lay hands on a member of thefamiglia.”
Carlos pulled his knife and melted into the darkness to circle around to the far side of the house. I motioned for Ricky to split off to the right.
I unholstered my gun and moved silently forward through the oaks.
There was a bright light shining at the front of the house, illuminating the porch and driveway. Floodlights only, nothing motion-activated.Sciocci.The light faded around the sides of the house, letting me stay in the shadows as I approached. The guard on this side had his back to me, too preoccupied with lighting his cigarette to hear as I came up behind him and wrapped my arm around his throat.
He grabbed and clawed at my arms, but my grip was tight. He tried to bring his heel down on my foot, and I edged backward with a swift knee to his spine. After several seconds he bucked, choked, and went limp. I eased him silently to the ground, rolled him over, and brought my boot down on his throat, crushing his windpipe.
I held steady until Carlos slid around the corner, bloody knife in hand.
“Frank’s around the side, only one left out here is the fucker up front,” he murmured.
“You two take him out and come through the front. I’ll go in through the back door. Thirty seconds.”
He nodded, returned his knife to its sheath, and drew his gun.
I moved with soft steps toward the back door, sidestepping Carlos’ handiwork lying on the ground in a pool of still-warm blood. Blood was fine. Blood didn’t make any noise.
I waited until I heard the first shot ring out from the front of the house. I gathered myself and swiftly kicked in the farmhouse door. Not much of a safehouse if they couldn’t be bothered to reinforce the door, but the guards they’d been relying on were out of commission. Junior had a lot to learn, and I was just the man to help him learn it.
Shouts rang out and footsteps pounded to the front of the house, and then more gunfire echoed. A man dashed into the kitchen from the door opposite my position. My instincts kicked in and I moved automatically, falling into the familiar rhythm of the fight. End them before they end you. Sight, aim, fire. He still had a look of surprise on his face when I put a bullet through his head, blood and bits of skull exploding onto the cabinets behind him.