The butler wearing a shoulder holster greeted Anthony at the door of
Ortega's Spanish style villa in Hollywood Hills and led him to Ortega who
was lounging by the pool with three buxom blondes at his side and one
swimming in the illuminated water. The ones beside the pool giggled
tossing their hair and hung all over the Mexican-American crime boss.
Ortega was startled when he saw Anthony standing near collapsed pool
umbrella, dressed in his usual black pinstriped suit which he had changed
into at Dylan', his black hair gleaming in the moon light. It had been
awhile and the Thin Man appeared even thinner and paler than the last time
he saw him if that was possible. He shrugged the girls off of him and stood
to welcome the silent assassin. "Anthony!" he cried vigorously shaking the
Thin Man's hand. "I hope you have sorted out your problems with the police
and I hope you haven't come here to kill me." He laughed nervously knowing
that the Thin Man actually had ever reason in the world to kill him should
he choose. He had betrayed him years ago.
Anthony shook his head "no" and pulled out his pad and began writing. "Still problems."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Perhaps one of my lovelies can help take care of your problems," said Ortega motioning to the three blondes one of which winked and gave Anthony a little wave. Anthony looked briefly with no sign of interest showing and directed his attention back to Ortega writing, "I am looking for someone."
Ortega took the note but didn't read it. "Anthony you decline Michelle? Are you celibate?" The girls giggled but Anthony ignored them and declined to comment. He then took the tip of his cane and touched it to the man's hand which held the last note. "What? Oh certainly." He read the paper and inquired as to who the Thin Man was looking for. Anthony handed him another note which contained two words, "The Chief".
"No one looks for the Chief. No one unless they want to be killed."
"I am," wrote Anthony.
"Are you loco? Why? You don't strike me as having a death wish." He eyed Anthony over wondering if the assassin had gone insane but he seemed as cool and collected, as efficient as ever. "I don't know," said Ortega. He didn't even like mentioning the Chief's name. It was like summoning the devil, a bad omen. Quickly Ortega crossed himself.
Anthony scribbled another note, "Francisco Javier Duarte?"
"Duarte?" That was a name he hadn't heard in ages. He had heard the man was busy doing political assassinations in his home country and various other South American nations. "Duarte hasn't been on the scene here in the US in a couple years. Why do you look for him my friend?"
The cane sheath was quickly removed from the sword. "Duarte?" Anthony pressed holding the note close to Ortega's face and the blade against the side of his neck. The butler slash bodyguard came close with the gun drawn. One of the women screamed and Ortega signaled for him to put the gun away. Reluctantly the butler did as he was told but stood close by just in case he should have to intervene.
"I told you I don't know. I really don't know about Duarte I haven't seen him since you supposedly died last year. He is supposed to be in Argentina. As for the Chief even if I was brave enough to tell you where he was I couldn't no one knows where he is."
Slowly Anthony removed the sword from the man's throat and slipped it back into its cover. "I don't appreciate you coming to my home and attacking me for information," said Ortega rubbing his neck exaggeratedly. "The only person I know who might have contact information for Mr. Duarte is someone you have already tried to kill. Did Rutherford not give you the information? Is that why you stabbed him?"
Anthony didn't say anything, he only thought about what Ortega had said about Rutherford being able to contact Duarte. Rutherford had been playing him and playing Dylan all along, he probably knew about their little charade before they had even visited him. He turned and exited the premises. He sat for a moment in Alex's car and decided to visit Rutherford at the hospital. As he turned the key in the ignition he heard a ringing noise, it was playing Yankee Doodle and was coming from the glove compartment. Opening it up he reached in and found a cell phone. He hit the answer button and soon Natalie's perky voice was telling him to meet them at the hospital.
*-*-*-*-*
Dylan moaned and struggled to sit upright. Her muscles at stopped twitching from the taser but her head still throbbed from Francisco knocking her unconscious with a board. She assumed that was what he used since she still had splintered of wood in her hair. She sat up and walked around the room looking for something to use as a weapon and means of escape. Throwing back the heavy velvet draperies she found that the windows were reinforced security glass. She could hit those with a propelled grenade and they would stay in tact. There wasn't much she could use to escape. The knife next to the plate of food was plastic and the fork wasn't really a fork but a "spork". She always swore if she had ever found out who invented the stupid fork-spoon combination she would force him to eat every meal for eternity with one. She tried the door knob. This time it was locked. "Figures!" she thought and plopped down on the bed trying to work out a way to escape.
Downstairs the Chief waited for Kate's answer to his proposition. "Think about it Kate," he said sitting back on his throne. Kate watched him, she watched the men in their gold underwear fanning the odd little man. She hated the angel sure; Dylan had Anthony and she wanted him but she was worried that the little man might try something. She didn't trust him. As though he was reading her mind he said, "You don't trust me? Even after my gesture of good faith?" It was conflicting for her. She wanted the eggs they would salvage her career, her career that she had worked on having since her first visit to a museum when she was five, and she wanted Anthony but she knew that the odd little man was dangerous, a criminal and to work with him would be going against everything she was taught.
He sat there watching her with a smirk on his face as though he knew her better than she knew herself. He clapped his hand sharply twice causing her to jump. Two more men entered the room, one from either door behind her and walked past her towards the Chief. Each of them carried a silver tray with a domed lid. She wondered if it was dinner time and if so, she glanced at her watch, wasn't 9pm a little late? The Chief smiled at her, "Kate since you seem to be hesitant, and I don't blame you one little bit for hesitating, it just proves that you are smart as well as beautiful I will give you another gesture of faith." He lifted his arms and as he did so the men with the trays lifted the lids. On each tray sat a Faberge egg. Kate's eyes widened and she automatically reached out for the pretty baubles. "You wish to see them of course, make sure they aren't fakes." He signaled for first the man on the left to step down from the platform and take the egg to Kate.
She gingerly picked the Lily of the Valley egg up from the tray and turned it around in her hands. She barely breathed it was more exquisite than she remembered. The pale pink enamel shone in the lighting of the room and the diamonds and rubies glittered. When she finished her inspection she set it back on the tray. The man covered it with the lid and stepped back to his position next to the Chief. Then the second man stepped down and the actions were repeated with the Cuckoo egg. "So Ms Dunayevskaya do we have a deal? This is the last time I will ask."
Kate's eyes shone with excitement. Everything that had looked bleak for the last twenty hours or so now looked much brighter. Without any hesitation she stepped towards the throne, curtsied and said, "Yes, I'll join you."
*-*-*-*-*-*
Anthony walked towards the elevator in the hospital. Just as the door started to part someone grabbed him by his hand a pulled him into a corner. It was Natalie. She had been lucky he recognized her as he was ready to attack. She gave him a broad smile and said, "Over here." He followed her to a utility closet where Alex was waiting. He cocked his eyebrow and looked at them. "The police are looking for you if you have forgotten. You just can't walk into Rutherford's room so you get a disguise."
He shook his head and tried to open the door but Natalie blocked him. "There are four cops up there right now. It's a shift change for the guys guarding Rutherford. They like standing around and talking for a long time before the switch actually happens so." she made a sweeping motion with her arms directing his attention to Alex who stood there holding a chambray button down shirt and a pair of faded blue jeans. He shook his head again. "What is so wrong with it? They are Pete's he is only an inch shorter but they might be big in the waist and the shirt of Jason's." Anthony just glared.
"You won't be any good to Dylan if you are sitting in jail being questioned," said Alex. Anthony roughly pulled the clothes out of her hand and waved them towards the door. "Good and once you are done getting dressed we will see what we can do about your hair."
Ten minutes later Alex and Anthony emerged from the utility closet. He looked angrier than Natalie had ever scene him but he also looked normal, his hair fell softly freed from its gel and Natalie had a feeling that if she tried she could get her fingers through it. "So how'd it go?" she asked Alex.
"Well minus a new bald patch on my head it went pretty well. He didn't put up too much of a fight," replied the Asian angel rubbing her head.
"Looking good Anthony," said Natalie.
He wrote a note and handed it to her with a heavy sigh the things he would do for Dylan. "I'm going to see Rutherford now."
"Sure, let's go," she bubbled and pushed the elevator call button. "Uh," she said noticing the cane in his hand, "maybe you should leave that in the car." Anthony looked between the two angels and realized there was no winning this one. Alex held out her hand and Anthony handed it to her. "I'll take it to the car and meet you guys up stairs," she called in the elevators as the doors slid shut with a light hiss.
They got out of the elevator on the third floor and as Natalie said there were four officers standing around drinking coffee discussing football and whether the Raiders had a chance. A male nurse exited the room and passed them as he headed towards the elevator. "Hey Ms Cook," called one of the policemen. "Hi Wally," she said opening the door with Anthony right behind her.
"Sorry Ms.Cook no visitors," said Wally.
"Mr. Rutherford asked to see him. Come on Wally." While Natalie and the young cop discussed whether visitors were okay or not Anthony turned and watched the nurse as he entered the elevator. There was something about him. As the elevator doors slid shut the man smiled and waved; Francisco Duarte. Anthony took off running down the hall towards the stairs.
"Anthony!" yelled Natalie. As she took off running after him she yelled to the cops, "Get a doctor and check on the patient."
Alex was on her way back in from the parking garage still rubbing the spot where Anthony had pulled her hair and not paying any attention to the fact that a man had just dashed out of the elevator. Duarte wasn't paying attention either and smashed into Alex knocking her down and falling on top of her. He tried to untangle he his body parts from hers but was having no success as his foot was stuck in the shoulder strap of her purse. Anthony busted out of the stairwell causing the door to slam into the wall with a crash. Alex looked up to see the Thin Man standing there. Duarte managed to get free and mumble and apology to Alex and head for the door. "Duarte," yelled Anthony. The man stopped and turned in amazement for the Thin Man had spoken.
"Duarte?" asked Alex then realized that he was the man they were looking for.
"Well the assassin speaks. El gato finally let go of your tongue," said Francisco laughing.
"Where is Dylan?" asked Alex circling behind him. She wasn't about to let him get away without answering their questions.
"Being taken care of," said Francisco cryptically.
Anthony charged him and slammed him into the pillar in the middle of the room and wrapped his hand around Francisco's throat. With his foot Francisco kicked Anthony in the stomach sending him stumbling backwards; distance now between them he got into an offensive stance. He attacked but Anthony blocked his blows. "What happened assassin," he hissed, "you were good. They said you were the best." Anthony attacked back and then Francisco pulled a gun. "Now I'm going to walk out of here and go have fun with your little girl friend." Gun or not he had said the wrong thing. Anthony attacked and kicked him in the midsection sending him flying into the plate glass window next to the door just as Natalie and the four police officers came out of the elevator.
Alex ran over to Francisco. Blood was everywhere, he coughed and a bright red bubble formed on his lips. "Oh Duarte you don't look long for the world tell me where is Dylan?" He shook his head as two doctors ran over. "Where is Dylan?"
"You already know," he said softly and coughed again.
"Ma'am," said the first doctor, "He has a sever puncture wound to his lung through his back from the glass. He is in no shape to talk."
"He might not be but our friend might die unless he tells us where she is," said Alex angrily to the doctor. "Tell me!" she yelled at Duarte. He just smiled a grin full of blood and laughed. His eyes rolled back and the doctor yelled that he was flat lining and began CPR.
Alex stepped away from the scene and looked at Anthony. Natalie approached the two and didn't look happy. "What just happened here?" asked Alex feeling confused and more worried about Dylan than ever. "We went upstairs and a nurse came out of Rutherford's room, Anthony realized it was Duarte and followed him. I suppose you know the rest."
"And Rutherford?" asked Alex.
Natalie shook her head, "he is unconscious. Apparently Duarte gave him something that gave him a heart attack. We got the doctor in on time to save him but he won't be able to tell us anything for awhile."
Anthony shook his head "no" and pulled out his pad and began writing. "Still problems."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Perhaps one of my lovelies can help take care of your problems," said Ortega motioning to the three blondes one of which winked and gave Anthony a little wave. Anthony looked briefly with no sign of interest showing and directed his attention back to Ortega writing, "I am looking for someone."
Ortega took the note but didn't read it. "Anthony you decline Michelle? Are you celibate?" The girls giggled but Anthony ignored them and declined to comment. He then took the tip of his cane and touched it to the man's hand which held the last note. "What? Oh certainly." He read the paper and inquired as to who the Thin Man was looking for. Anthony handed him another note which contained two words, "The Chief".
"No one looks for the Chief. No one unless they want to be killed."
"I am," wrote Anthony.
"Are you loco? Why? You don't strike me as having a death wish." He eyed Anthony over wondering if the assassin had gone insane but he seemed as cool and collected, as efficient as ever. "I don't know," said Ortega. He didn't even like mentioning the Chief's name. It was like summoning the devil, a bad omen. Quickly Ortega crossed himself.
Anthony scribbled another note, "Francisco Javier Duarte?"
"Duarte?" That was a name he hadn't heard in ages. He had heard the man was busy doing political assassinations in his home country and various other South American nations. "Duarte hasn't been on the scene here in the US in a couple years. Why do you look for him my friend?"
The cane sheath was quickly removed from the sword. "Duarte?" Anthony pressed holding the note close to Ortega's face and the blade against the side of his neck. The butler slash bodyguard came close with the gun drawn. One of the women screamed and Ortega signaled for him to put the gun away. Reluctantly the butler did as he was told but stood close by just in case he should have to intervene.
"I told you I don't know. I really don't know about Duarte I haven't seen him since you supposedly died last year. He is supposed to be in Argentina. As for the Chief even if I was brave enough to tell you where he was I couldn't no one knows where he is."
Slowly Anthony removed the sword from the man's throat and slipped it back into its cover. "I don't appreciate you coming to my home and attacking me for information," said Ortega rubbing his neck exaggeratedly. "The only person I know who might have contact information for Mr. Duarte is someone you have already tried to kill. Did Rutherford not give you the information? Is that why you stabbed him?"
Anthony didn't say anything, he only thought about what Ortega had said about Rutherford being able to contact Duarte. Rutherford had been playing him and playing Dylan all along, he probably knew about their little charade before they had even visited him. He turned and exited the premises. He sat for a moment in Alex's car and decided to visit Rutherford at the hospital. As he turned the key in the ignition he heard a ringing noise, it was playing Yankee Doodle and was coming from the glove compartment. Opening it up he reached in and found a cell phone. He hit the answer button and soon Natalie's perky voice was telling him to meet them at the hospital.
*-*-*-*-*
Dylan moaned and struggled to sit upright. Her muscles at stopped twitching from the taser but her head still throbbed from Francisco knocking her unconscious with a board. She assumed that was what he used since she still had splintered of wood in her hair. She sat up and walked around the room looking for something to use as a weapon and means of escape. Throwing back the heavy velvet draperies she found that the windows were reinforced security glass. She could hit those with a propelled grenade and they would stay in tact. There wasn't much she could use to escape. The knife next to the plate of food was plastic and the fork wasn't really a fork but a "spork". She always swore if she had ever found out who invented the stupid fork-spoon combination she would force him to eat every meal for eternity with one. She tried the door knob. This time it was locked. "Figures!" she thought and plopped down on the bed trying to work out a way to escape.
Downstairs the Chief waited for Kate's answer to his proposition. "Think about it Kate," he said sitting back on his throne. Kate watched him, she watched the men in their gold underwear fanning the odd little man. She hated the angel sure; Dylan had Anthony and she wanted him but she was worried that the little man might try something. She didn't trust him. As though he was reading her mind he said, "You don't trust me? Even after my gesture of good faith?" It was conflicting for her. She wanted the eggs they would salvage her career, her career that she had worked on having since her first visit to a museum when she was five, and she wanted Anthony but she knew that the odd little man was dangerous, a criminal and to work with him would be going against everything she was taught.
He sat there watching her with a smirk on his face as though he knew her better than she knew herself. He clapped his hand sharply twice causing her to jump. Two more men entered the room, one from either door behind her and walked past her towards the Chief. Each of them carried a silver tray with a domed lid. She wondered if it was dinner time and if so, she glanced at her watch, wasn't 9pm a little late? The Chief smiled at her, "Kate since you seem to be hesitant, and I don't blame you one little bit for hesitating, it just proves that you are smart as well as beautiful I will give you another gesture of faith." He lifted his arms and as he did so the men with the trays lifted the lids. On each tray sat a Faberge egg. Kate's eyes widened and she automatically reached out for the pretty baubles. "You wish to see them of course, make sure they aren't fakes." He signaled for first the man on the left to step down from the platform and take the egg to Kate.
She gingerly picked the Lily of the Valley egg up from the tray and turned it around in her hands. She barely breathed it was more exquisite than she remembered. The pale pink enamel shone in the lighting of the room and the diamonds and rubies glittered. When she finished her inspection she set it back on the tray. The man covered it with the lid and stepped back to his position next to the Chief. Then the second man stepped down and the actions were repeated with the Cuckoo egg. "So Ms Dunayevskaya do we have a deal? This is the last time I will ask."
Kate's eyes shone with excitement. Everything that had looked bleak for the last twenty hours or so now looked much brighter. Without any hesitation she stepped towards the throne, curtsied and said, "Yes, I'll join you."
*-*-*-*-*-*
Anthony walked towards the elevator in the hospital. Just as the door started to part someone grabbed him by his hand a pulled him into a corner. It was Natalie. She had been lucky he recognized her as he was ready to attack. She gave him a broad smile and said, "Over here." He followed her to a utility closet where Alex was waiting. He cocked his eyebrow and looked at them. "The police are looking for you if you have forgotten. You just can't walk into Rutherford's room so you get a disguise."
He shook his head and tried to open the door but Natalie blocked him. "There are four cops up there right now. It's a shift change for the guys guarding Rutherford. They like standing around and talking for a long time before the switch actually happens so." she made a sweeping motion with her arms directing his attention to Alex who stood there holding a chambray button down shirt and a pair of faded blue jeans. He shook his head again. "What is so wrong with it? They are Pete's he is only an inch shorter but they might be big in the waist and the shirt of Jason's." Anthony just glared.
"You won't be any good to Dylan if you are sitting in jail being questioned," said Alex. Anthony roughly pulled the clothes out of her hand and waved them towards the door. "Good and once you are done getting dressed we will see what we can do about your hair."
Ten minutes later Alex and Anthony emerged from the utility closet. He looked angrier than Natalie had ever scene him but he also looked normal, his hair fell softly freed from its gel and Natalie had a feeling that if she tried she could get her fingers through it. "So how'd it go?" she asked Alex.
"Well minus a new bald patch on my head it went pretty well. He didn't put up too much of a fight," replied the Asian angel rubbing her head.
"Looking good Anthony," said Natalie.
He wrote a note and handed it to her with a heavy sigh the things he would do for Dylan. "I'm going to see Rutherford now."
"Sure, let's go," she bubbled and pushed the elevator call button. "Uh," she said noticing the cane in his hand, "maybe you should leave that in the car." Anthony looked between the two angels and realized there was no winning this one. Alex held out her hand and Anthony handed it to her. "I'll take it to the car and meet you guys up stairs," she called in the elevators as the doors slid shut with a light hiss.
They got out of the elevator on the third floor and as Natalie said there were four officers standing around drinking coffee discussing football and whether the Raiders had a chance. A male nurse exited the room and passed them as he headed towards the elevator. "Hey Ms Cook," called one of the policemen. "Hi Wally," she said opening the door with Anthony right behind her.
"Sorry Ms.Cook no visitors," said Wally.
"Mr. Rutherford asked to see him. Come on Wally." While Natalie and the young cop discussed whether visitors were okay or not Anthony turned and watched the nurse as he entered the elevator. There was something about him. As the elevator doors slid shut the man smiled and waved; Francisco Duarte. Anthony took off running down the hall towards the stairs.
"Anthony!" yelled Natalie. As she took off running after him she yelled to the cops, "Get a doctor and check on the patient."
Alex was on her way back in from the parking garage still rubbing the spot where Anthony had pulled her hair and not paying any attention to the fact that a man had just dashed out of the elevator. Duarte wasn't paying attention either and smashed into Alex knocking her down and falling on top of her. He tried to untangle he his body parts from hers but was having no success as his foot was stuck in the shoulder strap of her purse. Anthony busted out of the stairwell causing the door to slam into the wall with a crash. Alex looked up to see the Thin Man standing there. Duarte managed to get free and mumble and apology to Alex and head for the door. "Duarte," yelled Anthony. The man stopped and turned in amazement for the Thin Man had spoken.
"Duarte?" asked Alex then realized that he was the man they were looking for.
"Well the assassin speaks. El gato finally let go of your tongue," said Francisco laughing.
"Where is Dylan?" asked Alex circling behind him. She wasn't about to let him get away without answering their questions.
"Being taken care of," said Francisco cryptically.
Anthony charged him and slammed him into the pillar in the middle of the room and wrapped his hand around Francisco's throat. With his foot Francisco kicked Anthony in the stomach sending him stumbling backwards; distance now between them he got into an offensive stance. He attacked but Anthony blocked his blows. "What happened assassin," he hissed, "you were good. They said you were the best." Anthony attacked back and then Francisco pulled a gun. "Now I'm going to walk out of here and go have fun with your little girl friend." Gun or not he had said the wrong thing. Anthony attacked and kicked him in the midsection sending him flying into the plate glass window next to the door just as Natalie and the four police officers came out of the elevator.
Alex ran over to Francisco. Blood was everywhere, he coughed and a bright red bubble formed on his lips. "Oh Duarte you don't look long for the world tell me where is Dylan?" He shook his head as two doctors ran over. "Where is Dylan?"
"You already know," he said softly and coughed again.
"Ma'am," said the first doctor, "He has a sever puncture wound to his lung through his back from the glass. He is in no shape to talk."
"He might not be but our friend might die unless he tells us where she is," said Alex angrily to the doctor. "Tell me!" she yelled at Duarte. He just smiled a grin full of blood and laughed. His eyes rolled back and the doctor yelled that he was flat lining and began CPR.
Alex stepped away from the scene and looked at Anthony. Natalie approached the two and didn't look happy. "What just happened here?" asked Alex feeling confused and more worried about Dylan than ever. "We went upstairs and a nurse came out of Rutherford's room, Anthony realized it was Duarte and followed him. I suppose you know the rest."
"And Rutherford?" asked Alex.
Natalie shook her head, "he is unconscious. Apparently Duarte gave him something that gave him a heart attack. We got the doctor in on time to save him but he won't be able to tell us anything for awhile."