Giovani stood on the veranda as he sipped on some brandy and he strummed the fingers of his left hand on the stone. He wore a white linen shirt, white linen pants and tan sandals on his feet. The wind moved through his hair as he looked over the landscape and he place the glass on the stone.
"Jonny?" made him turn as Lucinda walked closer and he gave her a small smile. She stopped in front of him as he waited for her to speak and she sighed. "Have you found the Saints?"
"Not yet," he said and she glared at him.
"I told you…"
"I know what you told me, Mother. But you have to remember who we are dealing with. The Saints are like shadows. There one minute, gone the next."
"Yes, but these shadows can bleed. Die."
He hated the cold tone to her voice as he picked up the glass, took a sip of brandy then he nodded his head.
"If you are talking about David Rocco, you're correct. But the other two… They seem… Well, they seem almost immortal."
"No one is immortal!" she said as she flung her hands into the air.
"That is what Uncle Joe thought, but they're alive while…"
His head jerked to the right after she slapped his face and he rolled his eyes.
"Your uncle was a fool! If your father was alive, those two wouldn't be!" Lucinda said through clenched teeth. "Find them."
Giovani watched her going back into the house when he tossed the glass onto the ground, balled his hands into fists and his hands started shaking.
Safe Haven
"Shit," Paul said while the door opened and Eunice and Sibeal walked in the room.
"Now what's wrong?" Eunice said, walking to the desk and she sat on the corner of the desk.
"I just learned Interpol is here and they're investigating Yakavetta."
"Great."
"Should we leave?" Sibeal asked.
"No," Paul said with a shake of his head.
"Are you serious!? How are the Saints supposed to take Yakavetta out with Interpol snooping around?" Eunice asked.
"I don't think they know the Saints are here."
Smecker gave them a blank look as he sat back in the chair and he steepled his fingers together.
"Are you willing to risk their lives if Interpol does find out they're here?" Eunice asked.
"No, I'm not willing to risk their lives."
"Then tell them what's goin' on an' let them decide what we're goin' t'do," Sibeal said.
"That's going to be tricky."
"Why?" Eunice asked.
"They left the ship an hour ago," Paul said and Eunice and Sibeal gave him a shocked look.
Milan
The sunlight shimmered off the windows while Connor, Romeo and Murphy walked down the sidewalk and they had their hands in the pockets of the black Navy peacoats. They also wore sunglasses, black jeans, black sweaters, black work boots on their feet and black knit caps. Connor noticed there were other longshoremen walking about as they headed for the door to a pub and Murphy opened the door. The smoke and music filled the air as they headed into the room and Connor, Murphy and Romeo scanned the room with their eyes. Murphy saw three empty barstools and he barely nodded his head. They walked to the barstools when they sat down and the bartender looked at them.
"Good morning," the bartender said in Italian.
"Good mornin'," Connor said in Italian.
"Mornin'," Murphy said in Italian and Romeo nodded.
"What do you want?" the bartender asked.
"Whisky," Connor said.
"We'll have th'same," Murphy said as he nodded his head toward Romeo.
Nodding, the bartender walked away as Connor glanced at the mirror over the bar and he noticed the mirror covered nearly the whole room. Murphy glanced at the mirror when he moved the small bowl of nuts closer and he picked a few nuts out of the bowl. He placed the nuts in his mouth as he chewed and Connor looked at him.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Murphy asked.
"Aye, I'm sure," Connor said.
"Still think we should've brought some backup," Romeo said with a sigh.
"Don't need it," Connor said while the bartender placed the glasses of whisky in front of them and Connor paid for the drinks. After they clinked the glasses together, the twins and Romeo shot the whisky back and Romeo made a little cough.
"That shit is good," Romeo said with a grin. Murphy patted Romeo's right shoulder as the bartender walked over and Connor nodded for him to refill their glasses. The bartender refilled the glasses as Connor paid then the bartender walked away. "So, now what do we do?"
"We sit an' watch," Murphy said, sipping on the whisky.
"Watch what?"
"Them," Connor said as he pointed toward the mirror and Romeo nodded.
"I gotta take a piss," Murphy said a few minutes later as he stood then he asked the bartender where the bathroom was. The bartender pointed to where the bathroom was and Murphy nodded. Murphy walked away as he headed for the bathroom when he opened the door and he walked inside the bathroom. The sour smell hit his nose as he coughed and shook his head then he headed for the urinal. He was about to pee when he heard the door open and he headed for the stall.
"Are you sure?" one of the longshoremen asked in Italian after Murphy closed the stall door.
"I saw it myself. There's tons of it," the other longshoremen said in Italian.
"Are you sure it was heroin?"
"Yep. And cocaine."
"And they are looking for guys to unload it?"
"Yep."
Murphy looked at the door to the stall as he listened to the longshoremen taking a piss and he frowned. A few seconds later, he heard footsteps as he opened the stall door and he saw they were gone. He walked to the urinal when he unzipped his jeans, took a piss, zipped up his jeans, walked to the sink, washed his hands then he left the bathroom. He walked back to Connor and Romeo as he sat on the barstool and Connor felt the frustration coming from his twin.
"What's wrong, Brudder?" Connor whispered.
"I learned summat while I was takin' a piss," Murphy whispered then he told them what he overheard.
"Holy shit," Romeo whispered then he took a sip of whisky.
"Think we should follow them."
"It could be a trap," Connor whispered.
"A trap?"
"Aye. Don't you think it's a little…?"
"There you are," in Italian made them turn on the barstools while Angelina, Angelica and Angelique walked in the room and they headed for the twins and Romeo. Connor heard the soft snickers as Angelique stood in front of him and he leaned against the edge of the bar. She was wearing a white blouse with a red skirt floating around her legs and white sandals and her hair was draped over her shoulders.
"What are you doin' here?" Connor asked in Italian, folding his arms over his chest.
"What do you think I'm doing here?" Angelique asked in Italian, folding her arms under her breasts.
"And you…," Angelina said as she poked Romeo's chest. "You promised me no more drinking."
"Uh…," Romeo said as he looked down at her still poking him in the chest.
"Hullo, Darlin'," Murphy said in Italian while he pulled Angelica onto his lap and the sound of laughter filled the air. Angelica tried to look angry as he moved her head until their foreheads touched and they locked eyes.
"Kiss me," he whispered. She slid her arms around his shoulders when she moved closer and he felt the softness of her lips against his lips. He cupped her head in his right hand while he deepened the kiss and hoots and cheers came from somewhere in the room. She moved back as he arched his eyebrows up and she silently admitted she was falling for his crooked grin.
"Let's go," Connor said, holding out his right hand and Angelique took his hand in hers. Angelica got off of Murphy's lap as he rose to his feet and Connor and Romeo rose to their feet. They led Angelica, Angelina and Angelique to the door as they left the pub then they headed down the sidewalk.
Angelina didn't mind Romeo holding her left hand while Murphy slid his right arm around Angelica's shoulders and Angelique felt Connor wrap their fingers together.
"Mind tellin' us how you knew we were gone?" Connor asked after a few minutes.
"Smecker told us," Angelina said and Romeo frowned.
"He did?" Romeo asked.
"Yeah."
"Wasn't that hard to figure out where you went," Angelique said.
"You knew we'd head fer th'nearest bar?" Murphy asked.
"Yeah," Angelica said with a nod of her head.
"What were you guys talking about?" Angelique asked as she looked up at Connor.
"Murphy was tellin' us about summat he heard in th'loo."
"What sort of something?" Angelica asked, looking at Murphy. Murphy told them what he overheard when he saw the two longshoremen he had seen in the bathroom and he pointed at them.
"Still think we should follow them," Murphy said.
"Th'thing is, if it is a trap, we don't have any weapons," Connor said.
"How about we ask if whoever they're workin' fer is still hirin'? The worst they can say is no."
Connor thought while they followed the longshoremen and he looked at Murphy.
"Let's do it," Connor said. Murphy and Connor headed for the longshoremen as the longshoremen looked at them and Connor gave them a sly grin.
"Hullo," Connor said in Italian.
"What do you want?" one of the longshoremen asked in Italian.
"My brudder was in the bathroom and he overheard you talkin'."
"He shouldn't have been listening," the other longshoreman said in Italian as he glared at Murphy.
"Maybe you should've been more careful," Murphy said in Italian, glaring back.
"Take it easy," Connor said as he held his hands up in surrender. "Look. Is it true someone's offerin' a job?"
"Why are you asking?" the first longshoreman asked.
"We jus' got off a job an' are lookin' fer work."
The longshoremen looked at each other while they had a silent conversation and Murphy started bouncing on the balls of his feet.
"We might know something," the first longshoremen said.
"What's th'deal?" Murphy asked.
"Follow us and find out," the second longshoremen said. Connor and Murphy glanced at each other then they barely nodded their heads. Connor turned to signal for Romeo to join them and the longshoremen looked at Romeo. "Who's this?"
"He's a friend. He's lookin' fer work, too. Is that a problem?" Connor asked.
"No. No problem."
The longshoremen turned as they walked away and Connor, Murphy and Romeo followed them. Connor took in his surroundings while Murphy watched the longshoremen and Romeo wondered where they were going.
"Are they followin' us?" Connor whispered to Romeo. Romeo turned around to walk backwards when he saw Angelica, Angelique and Angelina walking a safe distance behind them and the women were pretending to window shop while chatting to each other.
"Yep," Romeo said as he turned around.
"Still think this is a trap."
"I'm beginnin' t'agree with you," Murphy said after the longshoremen headed right into an alleyway. They stopped at the entrance to the alleyway while they pinned their backs to the wall and Connor quickly looked around the corner. He saw the longshoremen talking with a man in dark suit, white shirt, hard black leather shoes and the man was wearing sunglasses. The other three men were wearing the same clothing and the first man seemed angry about something.
"Shit," Connor said, looking at them. "Looks like I was right."
Murphy and Romeo looked around the corner at the longshoremen and the other men and Murphy frowned, tilting his head to one side.
"Now what?" Romeo asked.
"Guess we go talk with them," Murphy said.
"Hold on," Angelique said after she, Angelica and Angelina walked to them. They watched while she opened the large, black purse when she removed the Berrettas and a pair of saw-backed Bowie knives with finger rings and Murphy's eyes widened.
"Christ," Murphy whispered.
"Lord's name," Connor warned.
Murphy took the knives from her as he slid his fingers through the fingers rings and he twirled the knives around in small circles. He slid the knives into the deep pockets in the inside of the black Navy pea coat and Connor and Romeo took the Berrettas, placing the guns in the pockets on the insides of their black Navy pea coats.
Nodding, Connor, Murphy and Romeo headed down the alleyway while Angelica removed the camera from her purse, found a safe place and she started taking photographs.
In the alleyway, David Corzella, his two bodyguards and Dante Corletti stood near the two longshoremen as David listened to them talking about these three men they had hired and David titled his head to one side.
"If you are telling me the truth, where are these men you hired?" David asked in Italian while arching an eyebrow.
"They were right behind us," one of the longshoremen said in Italian while he looked behind him then he saw Connor, Murphy and Romeo walking toward them. "There they are."
"Who is this asshole?" Connor asked in Italian after they stopped and he scanned David with his eyes.
"I am your employer," David said in Italian. "May I enquire who you are?"
"No," Murphy said in Italian. Something about the look in Murphy's eyes sent a cold chill through him as David nodded then he lightly pulled on the sleeves of his suit jacket.
Romeo noticed the cold look in David's eyes then Romeo looked at Dante and something about Dante sent up red flags in his head.
"Who's he?" Romeo asked Connor and Connor looked at Dante.
"Who's he?" Connor asked in Italian, pointing to Dante.
"This is my associate," David said.
"Don't trust him," Murphy said in Italian.
"I assure you he is trustworthy," David said, glancing at Dante. "Search them."
Dante walked to Romeo while they locked eyes and Romeo gave him a hard look.
"Watch the hands, Asshole," Romeo grumbled. Dante searched him when he found the Berretta and he removed the gun from the inner pocket of the black Navy pea coat.
"Why do you need this?" Dante asked in Italian.
"Give him back the gun," Connor said in Italian.
"Not until he tells me why he has it."
"Protection."
"From what?"
"Dante, give him back the gun," David said in Italian.
Dante paused as he looked at the gun then at David and Romeo and he handed the gun back to Romeo. Romeo nodded as he placed the gun back in the inner pocket of the black, Navy pea coat and Dante walked to Connor. Dante searched Connor when he found the Berretta and he removed the gun from the inner pocket of the black, Navy pea coat. Dante handed the gun back to Connor then Dante walked to Murphy and Murphy glared at him. Dante slowly backed up while Murphy slid his hands into the inner pockets of the black, Navy pea coat then he removed the saw-backed Bowie knives with finger rings. He slid his fingers into the finger rings as Murphy spun the knife in small circles and David smiled.
"Now there is something you don't see every day," David said in Italian. Murphy placed the knives away while David sighed and David folded his arms over his chest. "Well, let us get down to business. I have somecargowhich needs to be unloaded."
"You mean drugs?" Connor asked in Italian.
"Yes, that is exactly what I am talking about."
"How much are we gonna get paid fer helpin' you?" Murphy asked.
"You get to live."
Connor and Murphy looked at each other as they had a silent conversation then they looked at David.
"You gotta deal," Connor said in Italian.
"Excellent," David said in Italian. He carefully removed a piece of paper from his inner suit jacket pocket when he held out his left hand and Connor walked closer, taking the piece of paper. "We will be unloading the cargo tonight. The time and location are on there."
"Right," Connor said in Italian.
David and Dante watched while Connor, Murphy and Romeo walked away and Dante looked at David.
"You're just going to let them leave?" Dante asked.
"Why shouldn't I? If they turn out not to be who they say they are, they die," David said. He headed for the sedan which had been sitting behind them as the driver opened the door then David looked at Dante. "Please take care of these two."
Dante watched David get into the sedan as the driver closed the door then the driver got into the sedan. The sedan moved away a few seconds later and Dante looked at the longshoremen. They seemed pleased as Dante looked at the two men to his right then he sighed.
"You heard him," Dante said. He started walking away when he heard the sound of gunfire and he slid his hands into the pockets of his suit jacket.
Safe Haven
"Well, look what the cat dragged in," Paul said as the door opened and Murphy, Angelica, Connor, Angelique, Romeo and Angelina entered the room. "Where were you?"
"We went out fer a beer," Connor said while he sat on the corner of the desk.
"You have beer in your room."
"Aye, but we prefer our beer from th'tap," Murphy said while he sat on the chair in front of the desk.
"Yeah," Romeo said as he sat on the chair next to Murphy. Smecker glared at them when he sat back in the chair and sighed.
"Did anything happen?" Paul asked.
"Maybe," Murphy said.
"Well, let's hear it."
He told Smecker what happened while Angelica walked to the desk and she placed the photographs she had taken on the desk. Smecker slid the photographs closer as he looked at the photographs and he frowned.
"Do you have any idea who this is?" Paul asked as he tapped the image of David Corzella with his right index finger.
"He didn't tell us his name," Connor said.
"This is David Corzella."
"So?" Murphy asked.
"According to my intel, he is an underboss in Yakavetta's organization."
"Shit."
"Yeah. Shit," Paul said while Connor looked at the photographs.
"Who's this guy?" Connor asked as he showed the photograph of Dante to Smecker and Smecker frowned.
"I have no idea."
"I scanned his face into the system. It'll take time until we find out who he is," Angelique said.
"Great."
"What about our meeting with Corzella?" Connor asked.
"I think we should go," Murphy said.
"Not without plan."
"Why do we need one? We're jus' gonna look around, find Corzella an' take him down."
"What about the guards? We'll get killed if they find us," Romeo said.
"Which is why we need a plan," Connor said.
"What do you have in mind?" Smecker asked.
Murphy recognized the look on Connor's face as a plan formed in Connor's mind and Murphy sighed, sank in the chair and shook his head.
"This isn't gonna be good," Murphy grumbled.
"Got it," Connor said with a wide grin.
"Mind sharing with the rest of the class?" Paul asked.
"Nope," Connor said while he got up, walked to the door then he turned to look at Murphy and Romeo. "Let's go."
"Where are we going?" Romeo asked as he and Murphy got up and they walked to Connor.
"We need t'go find some gear."
"Then you better follow me," Angelique said as she walked to him and Connor frowned.
"Where?"
"To the armory."
"Ah," he said with a slightly widened eyes and he opened the door. They left the room with Angelina and Angelica walking behind them and Angelica closed the door. Smecker looked at the photographs then he placed the photographs face down on the desk and he frowned.
Milan - the Yakavetta Estate
Giovani stood in front of the fireplace while he sipped on a brandy and he looked up at the portrait of "Papa Joe" Yakavetta.
"Sir?" made him turn around to see the butler and David Corzella standing in the doorway and Giovani nodded for David to come closer. David walked to him while the butler closed the door and David stood next to Giovani.
"Well?" Giovani asked.
"Still no word on the Saints," David said and Giovani held on tighter to the glass.
"Nothing?"
"It's like they vanished."
"No, Mother thinks they are still here."
Giovani took a long sip on the brandy as he looked at the fire then he glanced at David.
"Have you unloaded the shipment yet?" Giovani asked after a few seconds.
"We are unloading the shipment this evening," David said.
"Do you have enough men for the job?"
"Yes," David said, but Giovani saw something in his eyes.
"Is there something wrong?"
"We have a small problem."
"What sort of a problem?"
"It appears we have three extra men."
"How did that happen?"
"According to one of the men we were hired, they were talking about the delivery and were overheard."
"By who?"
"It was some locals looking for a job."
"What did they do?"
"They brought them to the meeting."
"They brought these strangers to the meeting?"
"Yes," David said with a nod.
"Were they alone?"
"No, they brought the other man with him."
"I see," Giovani said as he took another sip of brandy when he placed the glass on the mantel. "Can you describe them?"
"I didn't get a good look at them. They were wearing sunglasses and knit caps."
"Try," he said in a cold tone. David swallowed the lump in his throat when he told him and Giovani nodded his head. Giovani walked to the desk when he opened the top drawer then he removed a gun. He pointed the gun at David when he fired the gun and the bullet ripped through David's right shoulder. The doors slammed open as the guards and the butler ran into the room with their weapons in their hands and Giovani looked at them. "The Saints are going to be at the docks tonight. Deal with them."
"Yes, Mister Yakavetta," one of the guards said. They walked to David, who was sitting on the floor, while Giovani placed the gun back in the drawer then he sat down on the chair. He watched them take David out of the room as the butler closed the door and Giovani placed his head in his hands.