Chapter Thirteen
Tony and Mullen stood by Fornell's temporary desk in Federal Plaza as he talked on the phone. Malachi had killed Scalia, one down, thought Tony. Now all he needed to do was find Notaro and part of this nightmare would be over. Well, at least part of this night would be over. But, his uncle was now the Boss of Bosses and gaining even more power. His father would benefit from that power, which Tony didn't want to see. Fornell hung up.
"The gun used was a Glock 22," said Fornell.
"Nothing special," said Mullen.
"I'll put Sacks and his team on trying to track it down," said Fornell.
"I see we don't want to find it," remarked Mullen.
Fornell looked at Tony: "Okay, give me your opinion. Who did this and what happens next?"
Tony took a deep breath. He had to be honest with Fornell. This was the reason he was co-leading the Task Force. He understood the mafia better than anyone else because of his unique prospective.
"Okay, I'm thinking this was a hit and done by someone better than one of the Genovese enforcers," Tony said.
"Two well-placed rounds in the back at distance with a suppressor and no one noticed the shooter. Scalia fell over the edge of parapet. If he had survived the bullets, which was unlikely, the fall was meant to kill him," said Fornell.
"That is not mafia style," said Tony.
"I agree," Fornell said. "Go on."
"Probably someone who has been hired out, more than likely one of the Five Families," Tony suggested.
"Okay, that would make sense," Fornell replied. "What does Vincent and your father do about this?"
"They let this play out on Vincent's orders. The man whose sperm was used to conceive would want Notaro dead and as many of their followers as he could get his hands on because he likes to keep things clean, but Vincent won't want that. He'll want Notaro dead. With the head and the most dangerous soldier gone, Vincent then could recruit those he thinks are quality into the family and let the rest run off to the rest of the families," Tony explained. "I think Vincent has aspirations of bringing the mafia back to its old level of strength. He'll bring back the Commission and start exerting his authority on all the Families once Notaro is dead."
"Won't anyone stand up against him?" asked Fornell.
"The Gambino's. Sammy Favazza will try to stand up against him, but that mook will be used as an example more than as a real threat," said Tony.
Fornell smiled: "Sammy The Midget."
"Yeah, Sammy The Midget," Tony smiled.
"So, what do we do?" asked Mullen.
"Find Notaro before the hit man and bring him in and make him talk," said Fornell.
"We should split up. We can cover twice as many strip joints in half the time that way," suggested Tony.
"If you find him you make a call for backup and don't try anything alone," warned Fornell. "I want this bastard. I want this to lead to reigning in the Families not helping them."
"I would never endanger the lives of strippers, Fornell, you should know that," said Mullen.
"I had a feeling you'd say something like that," Fornell chuckled.
"I'd have Stabile and Manetti check brothels in queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan and New Jersey," said Tony. "He likes strippers and he likes prostitutes and when times are tough he hides among them."
"So, he likes professional girls," said Mullen.
"Yeah, he likes professional girls," repeated Fornell. "Get out of here and find Notaro. I'll put a BOLO out on him in the Tristate area."
"I'd see him in Connecticut, wouldn't you, Tony?" asked Mullen, as they walked to the elevator. "hey, Muffy, our swarthy neighbor is back."
"Yeah, not really his style," Tony said.
"Where are you looking?" asked Mullen.
"I'll take Jersey. You can take Manhattan," said Tony.
"God bless America and a job that allows a man to enjoy himself," said Mullen.
"I need to change my clothes for this," Tony said.
NCIS
Tony drove out to Hackensack, NJ, a place of small squat buildings and a few from a different area that didn't use prefabricated materials. He was headed for a place called El Diablo. Marco texted him telling him that it was Notaro's favorite place to hide when he was in trouble. Tony parked the car in the parking lot and got out. He was dressed faded jeans, an OSU football jersey, an OSHU hoodie, and a leather jacket. He wore his shoulder holster and kept his badge and ID in his back pocket. Walking up to the door, he purchased entry and walked into garishly decorated club.
He walked over to the bar and ordered a beer. One of the topless waitresses walked by him and smiled. He smiled back because he had to. After paying for the beer he turned and looked at the women dancing on tables with men surrounding them and a woman dancing on the main stage for all the men who lined that.
If Notaro was here he'd be in one of the backrooms. He had to get into the backrooms. Walking down towards the stage he sat down by the lip of the stage then took some money out of his wallet and dropped a few dollars on the stage. The dancer came over to him and started to dance for him. This wasn't really what he had intended.
Unexpectedly, he suddenly missed Ziva at this one moment. There was a time he'd have been as excited as Mullen to do this kind of job, but that time was gone. He'd rather be in DC right now with Ziva, comforting during a time that must be difficult for her. He'd rather be making plans with her for a future together than pretending he wanted to see these women undress.
The dancer leaned down and got close to him.
"You want some time alone with me? A lapdance?" she asked him.
"Sure," he put his best fake smile forward. A lapdance would gain him entry into the backrooms. Once in the back he'd be able to look for Notaro.
"See you in ten minutes," she said then she started to collect the money that was strewn on the stage floor for her.
Once she had collected the money, she rushed off stage. He'd purchase a lapdance which would allow him into the backrooms. It was a viable way to get into the back, so he shouldn't feel guilty. From there he could try and find out where the hell Notaro was hiding in the back then call Malachi and let him know where to find the bastard. For the time being his association with Mossad would be over.
The ten minutes passed quickly. The dancer, whose name was Amber which somehow didn't surprise Tony, came out and sat in Tony's lap.
"A lapdance is one and fifty for the top end," she said. "I'd love to give you one a special one."
"Sure," he said.
"Give me the money and I'll get us a key to a room in the back," she said.
He took out the money and handed her and she sashayed off to get the key to a room. When she returned she took him by the hand and led him into a maze of rooms in the back. From the sound of it more than lapdancing was happening in them.
"I think you are going to enjoy this," Amber said. "What's your name?"
"Tim," Tony said with a smirk. He kind of wished his probie was here instead of him.
"Tim," she smiled while repeating his name. "You like getting lapdances, Tim?"
"Sure, I love them," he said.
"I bet you don't have to pay for them too often," she said.
"No, not too often, only when I want to," he said.
She let them into a room then walked over to a CD player and started to play Slim Shady. Tony didn't know which was more horrifying, the music or her attempting at sexy dancing. He sat on a sofa and watched as she undulated towards him then sat in his lap cowboy style and started riding him dirty.
Showering is definitely an option after this. Notaro better be here.
She continued grinding on his to the rhythm of the song until he was almost ready to concede defeat and ask for a double shot of something really strong.
It was by luck that Notaro opened the door of the room and looked in.
"Hey, I'm working here," she said.
"Sorry," he smiled. "I liked the song."
His smile disappeared when he saw who she was giving the lapdance to.
"Fucking a DiNutso," he yelled as he went for his gun.
Tony tossed Amber aside for her own safety then pulled his gun from his shoulder holster. Notaro and he got off shots at the same time making Tony wish he had worn a vest. Because he was moving as he fired Notaro's shot burned pathway along the left ribcage, while his bullet entered Notaro's throat exploding his jugular vein and killing him.
"Fuck," Tony said as he was lying on the floor in pain.
He reached into his back pocket and showed a frightened and cowering Amber his badge.
"Federal officer," he said to her then with a great deal of discomfort and pain he sat up took his smart phone out and dialed Fornell.
"Yeah, Tony," Fornell answered.
"Found Notaro and, well, I had to kill him," he said.
"Shit," Fornell remarked.
"I'm sorry. It was me or him," Tony said.
"Text me your address," Fornell stated then hung up.
After texting the address to Fornell, he called Malachi.
"You have information for me," answered Malachi.
"I killed Notaro," said Tony.
"Director David will be happy to hear you did it personally. Well, done. I will keep my end of our agreement," he hung up.
Tony leaned against the wall in pain and bleeding staring at Notaro's dead body. Amber had yet to stop crying in the background he heard the Hackensack Police arriving. He didn't want to kill the bastard, especially doing Mossad's wet work for them, but now that it was done, at least part of his problem was over. Before he left New York and New Jersey area he needed to do a few other things, mainly come to some kind of accord with his family.
"Police, freeze!" a Hackensack cop yelled at him.
Tony dropped his gun and lifted his badge in the air so that they could see it.
"Federal officer, the FBI is on the way to take control of this crime scene," Tony said.
"Shit, that is one dead man," said the cop as he looked at Notaro and the pool of dark blood circling his head like a nimbus.
"Yeah, I know," Tony said.
"You ever hear of shooting for the knees or torso?" asked the cop.
"Sorry, I'll try better next time," smirked Tony.
NCIS
Fornell, Mullen, Stabile and Manetti arrived in two separate cars. The scene was filled with police cruisers and unmarked cars. People were being interviewed and a forensic crew was doing their thing. They found Tony sitting in an ambulance getting stitched up by an EMT since he refused to do to the hospital. He looked worn out.
"How many stitches?" asked Mullen.
"Fifteen," said the EMT then he said to Tony. "I'll give you some painkillers for tonight and tomorrow. Get that looked at by a doctor."
"Sure," he mumbled.
"Well, it could have been worse," said Mullen, "you could be in a body bag."
"Thanks, PJ," said Tony.
"What the hell happened?" asked Fornell.
"He saw me before I saw him," was the answer.
"Really?" Fornell asked.
"I was getting a lapdance in order to get into the backrooms. He opens the door while a dancer is grinding on my lap because he liked the music. He takes one look at me yells DiNutso and opens fire. Jesus, I really hate being part of that family. Maybe I should change my name. So, I return fire and kill him," explained Tony.
"I don't know if you a lucky bastard or an unlucky bastard," said Fornell.
"I'm not sure, either, Tobias," said Tony.
"What's next?" asked Mullen.
"I'm not leaving until we make sure my uncle and father don't end up too powerful," said Tony. "We need Justice Department lawyers, some Marshalls and a safe house to store someone in while he tells us everything he knows."
"Why?" asked Fornell.
"I've got a Genovese foot soldier willing to talk for a price. He wants WitSec and a new life somewhere boring where he can live a long life and maybe get married," Tony said.
Fornell smiled: "Let's bring him in and start getting him to talk."
"He probably won't be able to give us Vincent or my father because he's too low on the food chain but he will damage the hell out of them. I'd say he'd do them some damage," said Tony.
"What do you need to bring him in?" asked Fornell.
"To text him a message and then have Mullen and I pick him up and drive him into Fed Plaza tomorrow then we can bring him to whatever safe house you have for him," said Tony.
"Do it," ordered Fornell.
Tony took his smart phone out and texted to Marco: Time to go home. Tomorrow noon, where we played as kids.