The black van stopped at the gangplank as Connor opened the back doors and he, Angelique, Murphy and Angelica left the van. Angelina and Romeo got out of the van as they closed the door and they all headed up the gangplank.
"Well?" Paul asked. He watched them walking closer and Romeo, Angelique, Connor, Angelina, Angelica and Murphy stopped in front of him.
"Corzella's dead," Connor said.
"What about the drugs?"
"That's where it gets sketchy," Romeo said.
"What does that mean?"
"It means these people in fuckin' body armor an' riot helmets showed up an' started shootin' up th'place," Murphy explained.
"Do you have any idea who they were?"
"No," Connor said with a shake of his head. Something about the look on Smecker's face made him wonder if Smecker knew who the people in the battle armor and riot helmets were and Connor frowned.
"Why are you three dressed like that?" Paul asked as he motioned with his hands while looking at Angelina, Angelica and Angelique.
"Did you really think we'd let them go without backup?" Angelique asked.
"We could've handled it," Connor said.
"Yeah. Right."
Connor and Angelique glared at each other while Smecker lightly shook his head and rolled his eyes.
"Let's forget about the drugs. Corzella was the main objective. With him dead, Yakavetta is down an underboss and that will make him nervous," Paul said.
"And dangerous," Romeo said.
"That, too. Which means he'll start making mistakes."
"Which is why we're not gonna do anythin' fer a few days," Connor said.
"Are you serious?!"
"It's either that or we're outta here."
"Aye. Good luck takin' him down without us," Murphy said as he leaned his left elbow on Connor's right shoulder. Smecker looked at them then at Romeo, Angelica, Angelina and Angelique when he sighed and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Go to bed," Paul grumbled. Saluting him, they headed for the doors leading down to the lower decks and they went inside. Smecker growled as he stormed off and he lightly punched the wall. Scowling, he shook the pain out of his right hand and he walked away.
Milan- the Yakavetta Estate
"What do you mean the warehouse was raided?!" Lucinda demanded. Giovani poured some brandy into a glass as he sipped on the brandy and he walked to her.
"The warehouse was raided," Giovani said.
"How?!"
"Apparently, it was Interpol."
"How did they find out about the shipment?"
"I have no idea."
"We must have a mole."
"A mole?"
"Yes! We need to find this mole and kill them!"
"Do you know how long that will take?"
"I don't care! I want them found and eliminated!"
"What about the Saints?"
"What about them?"
"According to Corzella, they were supposed to be there."
"They were supposed to be at the warehouse?"
"Yes," he said with a nod. "Do you think they were the ones who contacted Interpol?"
"Why would they do that?"
"To take the heat off of them."
"Were the Saints at the warehouse?"
"Yes."
"And how did they get in the warehouse without anyone recognizing them?
"Looks like they were disguised as longshoremen," he said and he took a sip of brandy.
"If they were there, how did they get away?"
"I haven't figured that out yet."
"Then why are you standing around for?! Find out!" she screeched. Sighing, Giovani nodded as he placed the glass on the mantel as he headed for the door then he left the room. She watched him leave as she picked the glass off the mantel and she tossed the glass onto the floor.
Safe Haven
Murphy walked out of the bathroom while he toweled dry his hair and he looked over at Connor's bed. Connor was resting on his back as he looked at his reflection and Murphy tossed the towel onto the floor. Murphy was wearing a clean pair of boxers as he walked to his bed and he moved the bedding back. Murphy got in bed when he went onto his back and he looked up at the mirror.
"Are you serious about not goin' anywhere fer a few days?" Murphy asked.
"Aye, I'm serious," Connor said.
"Dad would keep goin'."
"I'm not Dad an' neither are you."
"Never said I was. Just think we should hit 'em hard an' fast."
"Normally, I would agree with you, but…"
Murphy looked at their reflections when he started making faces and Connor snorted a laugh. He started making faces as Murphy broke out laughing and he wiped the tears from his eyes.
"Why do my plans suck?" Connor asked, turning onto his right side, propped his head in his right hand and he looked at his brother.
"Your plans don't always suck," Murphy said, turning onto his left side, propped his head in his left hand.
"Name one of my plans that worked?"
"Th'toilet."
"Th'toilet?"
"Your plan was to pull it outta th'floor, aye?"
"Aye."
"Well, if you hadn't've done that… If God hadn't've given you th'strength t'do it… We would not be havin' this conversation."
"Name another one."
"As much as I hate to admit it, the rope."
"You talkin' about when we were crawlin' through th'vent at th'hotel or when we jumped off th'roof and crashed through th'window?"
"When we were in th'vent.," he said then Murphy snorted a laugh as something moved through his mind.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothin'."
"Come on. Tell me."
"No, I can't."
"You can't what?"
"I can't tell you."
"Murph…"
"Ok. Ok," he said as he rolled onto his back and he looked up at his reflection. "When we were crawlin' through th'vent, I was gettin' pissed off because I was gettin' wrapped up in th'fuckin' rope."
"I remember."
"An' you weren't helpin'. All that bitchin' an' complainin'."
"I couldn't figure out where we were goin'."
"Well, when we started fightin'… I had this sudden thought about us when we were inside Ma."
"When we were inside Ma!?"
"Yeah. Do you think we were fightin' even back then? You know. T'see which one of us got out first?"
"What does that have t'do with th'rope?"
"Hold on. Now, we were gettin' all tangled up in th'rope and that got me thinkin' of… Uh… What do they call th'thing which connects a baby t'their mothers when th'baby's inside them?"
"I dunno."
"Well, after we fell through th'ceilin' an' we were danglin' from th'rope, this image of us as babies danglin' from that cord filled my head."
"Why would you think that?"
"Like I said. Th'image jus' appeared in my head. Maybe that's why Ma doesn't know who's th'oldest. Th'doctor had t'cut her open an' pull us out at th'same time."
Connor rolled onto his back when the image of him and Murphy as babies fighting each other as they were being pulled out of their mother filled his head and he blinked his eyes a few times,
"Con?" Murphy asked as he looked at Connor's reflection and Connor started to make snorting sounds. He burst out laughing while Murphy snickers and Connor shook his head.
"That is fuckin' brilliant," Connor said, wiping the tears out of his eyes. "So, we're in agreement? We're not goin' anywhere fer a few days?"
"Aye, we're in agreement."
"Goodnight," Connor said as he reached over to push the button which turned off the lights and the room became dark. He rolled onto his right side as he looked toward Murphy's bed and he pulled the blankets up.
"Night," Murphy said as he rolled onto his left side and he moved the blankets up. They closed their eyes as the room became quiet then Connor started laughing and Murphy joined him.
"Go t'sleep," came from the darkness as they looked at each other and Connor sat up. He pushed the button to turn on the light, but there was no one else in the room.
Murphy sat up as he bent his knees up and he looked at Connor.
"Did that sound like Da?" Murphy asked.
"Aye, it did," Connor said with a nod.
"Then I guess we better go t'sleep."
Nodding, Connor pushed the button to turn the light off as they settled under the blankets and Murphy looked into the darkness.
"Night, Da," Murphy whispered.
"Night, Da," Connor whispered.
Closing their eyes, they yawned, but both of them swore they smelt the scent of Noah's cigar just as they drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, Connor and Murphy walked out onto the lower deck as they placed their sunglasses on and they walked to the railing. They watched the sunlight sparking on the water while Angelique walked closer and she stood next to Connor.
"Good morning," she said and Connor glanced at her.
"Mornin'," Connor said.
"Mornin'," Murphy said.
"Do you think it's wise to be standing here? All someone has to do is use a scope then pick you off with a sniper rifle," she said with a blank look on her face and Connor frowned.
"We're facin' th'ocean. Unless they're on another boat or in th'water, there is no way they could do that," Connor said.
"Or they're in an invisible plane," Murphy said.
"You mean like that Amazon princess?"
"I always wondered why no one ever saw her flyin' around. She wasn't invisible. Jus' th'plane."
"True."
"I mean, if I saw this good-lookin' woman sittin' there, flyin' through the air, I would lose it."
"I never got how she knew where th'plane was."
"Are you two finished?" Angelique asked with a frustrated sigh.
"Are we?" Connor asked as he looked at Murphy.
"I guess we are," Murphy said as he looked at Angelique. "Did you need us fer summat?"
"Seeing how things turned out yesterday, Smecker wants you two and Romeo to do some training," she said.
"What does he mean seein' how things turned out? We got rid of Corzella," Connor said.
"But you nearly got caught."
"Only because those assholes showed up."
"And we had to rescue you."
"Are you sayin' we fucked up?" Murphy asked.
"No, I am not saying you fucked up," Angelique said.
"Then what exactly are you sayin'?"
"I'm just saying he wants the three of you to get some training," she said and Murphy growled. She watched Murphy walk away then she looked at Connor. "What is he going to do?"
"Knowin' him, summat stupid," Connor said as he ran to catch up with Murphy. Murphy looked straight ahead as Connor walked next to him and Connor sighed.
"If he wants us t'do some trainin', then he's gonna be th'one I gonna hit," Murphy grumbled.
"I know how you feel. But hittin' him isn't gonna change things."
"Are you on his side?"
"Nope. Jus' sayin' we need t'do this our way."
"Meanin' fuck t'takin' some time off. Let's go find Romeo."
"You read my mind," Connor said with a sly grin. They walked to the stairs which led to the upper deck and they headed for the bridge.
Milan
Melletti sat at his desk while he read the report on the warehouse shooting and he placed the left side of his head in his left hand. He looked at the forensic photographs of the bodies when he noticed the odd patterning in the back of Corzella's skull and he sat up straighter. He had been given photographs of the odd pattern before. He powered up the laptop sitting on his desk when he typed on the keyboard and he looked at the screen. On the screen were several photographs of the odd pattern and he read the information.
"Shit," Franco whispered. "Not them. Not the Saints."
A knock on the door made him look up when the door to his office opened and Callahan walked in the room. He closed the door then he headed for the chair in front of the desk and he sat down.
"What are you doing here?" Franco asked.
"We need t'talk," Rory said.
"You finally decided to share information with me?"
"I have been sharin' information with you."
"Not about the Saints being in Milan," Franco said as he felt a sense of joy from the slightly shocked look on Callahan's face and Melletti sat back in the chair.
"How…?! How did you find out about them?!"
"It doesn't take a genius," he said as he turned the laptop around. "These were taken in Boston after the death of "Papa Joe" Yakavetta. The bullet pattern matches the bullet pattern in Corzella's skull."
"Doesn't mean the Saints are involved."
"Don't bullshit me! Those two escaped from prison and now I have members of the Yakavetta mob being killed!"
"Coincidence."
"Coincidence, my ass! Look, I am warning you! If one more member of the Yakavetta mob is killed, I am going to have you arrested!"
"Like to see you try," Rory said as he got up, headed for the door and he left the office. Sighing, Melletti placed his head in his hands as he growled and he scraped his fingers through his hair.
Walking outside the police station, Callahan walked down the stairs when he looked across the street and he saw Connor, Murphy and Romeo walking down the sidewalk. Growling, Callahan carefully crossed the street and he started following them.
"Got any idea where we're goin'?" Connor asked.
"Nope," Murphy said with a shake of his head.
"Well, I'm getting hungry. Let's stop and get summat t'eat."
"Uh, I think we should just keep walking," Romeo said after he had turned around.
"Why?"
"We're being followed."
"We are?" Murphy asked.
"Some guy's been following us for the last three blocks."
"That's not good," Connor said.
"What does he look like?" Murphy asked.
"He's big. Wearing black. Looks like he's packing heat," Romeo said.
"Shit," Connor whispered.
They started walking faster when Connor quickly ducked into an alleyway and they followed him. Connor looked around then he looked up and he smiled.
"Shit," Rory said as he slightly jogged down the sidewalk. He scolded himself for not being careful while he headed into the alleyway then he stopped near a dumpster. He scanned the alleyway for Connor, Murphy or Romeo and he flexed his fingers in and out. A sharp whistle made him look up as his eyes widened from seeing Connor jumping over the railing of the fire escape then falling toward him and Callahan couldn't move. With a grunt, Callahan fell as the back of his head hit the ground and Connor sat on top of his stomach. Murphy and Romeo climbed down the fire escape ladder as Connor staggered to his feet and he hopped on his left foot.
"Here," Murphy said as he slid his right arm around his twin and Connor held onto him.
"I sent Angelina a text. She'll be here in a few minutes," Romeo said while he looked down at Callahan. "Got any idea who this asshole is?"
"Nope," Connor said as he looked at Murphy. "Still wanna go get summat t'eat?"
"Yeah," Murphy said.
"I think that's a pizza place across the street," Romeo said as he pointed to the red brick building and the twins turned to look at it. Romeo took hold of Connor and Murphy ran out of the alleyway. By the time the black van arrived, Murphy returned with three pizza boxes in his right hand and Angelina smiled.
"Hope you got vegetarian," Angelina said.
"On the top," Murphy said with a nod.
"Did you get some garlic bread stick?" Romeo asked and Murphy held up the paper bag.
"Put them in the back," Angelina said.
Romeo opened the door then Murphy slid the pizza boxes onto the seat then he put the paper bag on the top of the boxes and Angelina helped Connor into the passenger seat. Romeo opened the back of the black van as he and Murphy loaded Callahan into the back of the van and Angelina handed Romeo three pair of handcuffs. He handcuffed Callahan's hands behind his back then he noticed the other two handcuffs were a little larger and he used those to handcuff Callahan's ankles to the holders on the floor.
"Let's go," she said and they got into the van. She closed and locked the door then she walked to the driver side door, got in and she started the engine.
"How are you feelin'?" Murphy asked as he looked at Connor.
"My ankle hurts," Connor said.
"Can we get going? I think he's waking up," Romeo said as he looked at Callahan and Callahan moaned. Sighing, Murphy walked over to Callahan when he punched Callahan in the face and Romeo smiled. "Never mind."
Safe Haven
The black van came to a stop at the bottom of the gangplank while Angelica walked closer and Murphy opened the back of the van.
"Hey," he said with a small smile.
"Where's my patient?" she asked while Connor opened the door and he slid out of the black van. She saw him holding onto the side of the black van after he had closed the door and she walked to him. "What am I going to do with you two?"
"Can we hold off with th'teasin' an' go th'infirmary? This fuckin' hurts," Connor said. Nodding, she slid her right arm around him as they headed for the gangplank and they headed up the gangplank.
Murphy opened the door when he slid the pizza boxes and the paper bag closer while two security guards walked closer and he looked at Callahan.
"Do you have th'keys?" Murphy asked, seeing Angelina walking closer.
"Yeah," she said, handing the keys to the security guard then she opened the back of the van. Murphy walked closer while he watched the security guards remove the handcuffs from Callahan's ankles then they dragged Callahan out from the back of the van.
"Think you can handle him?" Murphy asked as he looked at the security guards.
"Yes, Sir," the security guard said with a nod.
Murphy walked to the gangplank while he adjusted the hold of the pizza boxes and the paper bag and he went up the gangplank. He gave Smecker and Sibeal a shrug of his shoulders then he headed for the doors which led below deck and he balanced the pizza boxes and the paper while he opened the door. Sibeal looked at Smecker as the security guards carried Callahan up the gangplank and Smecker pointed to his left. Nodding, the security guards followed him and Sibeal cross his arms over his chest.
The infirmary
The doors opened while Angelica helped Connor to the hospital bed and he got in bed. She walked to the counter then she washed and dried her hands and she placed on the blue surgical gloves. She walked back to the bed when she noticed the hurt look on Connor's face and she stood at the foot of the bed.
"Sorry about teasing you," Angelica said.
"No, it's fine," Connor said. She carefully removed his right boot as he hissed and she slid the sock off his right foot. She saw the bruising around his ankle as she saw him nod and she gently touched his right ankle. He made a small hissing sound while she moved her fingers along the bruising and she barely moved his right ankle up, down, left then right. He didn't cry out as much as whimper a little and she lightly pressed down on the ankle joint.
"Well, the good news is your ankle is just sprained."
"What's th'bad news?"
"You're not going anywhere for the next week or so."
"Ah."
She went to get some painkillers and a stretch bandage as the doors hissed open and Murphy walked in with a plastic tray in his hands.
"How's he doin'?" Murphy asked, walking to the small table by the bed.
"His ankle isn't broken. Just sprained," Angelica said when she walked to the bed and Murphy moved the small table to the bed. Connor looked at three slices of pizza on a plate, a paper napkin and a glass of beer and Angelica looked at the glass. "He can't have beer."
"Why not?" Connor asked.
"I'm going to give you some painkillers, that's why."
"More fer me," Murphy said as he lifted the glass off the plastic tray and Connor glared at him.
"Know what Smecker's gonna do with that guy who was followin' us?" Connor asked, watching Angelica wrap the stretch bandage around his right ankle.
"He's probably gonna question him," Murphy said, sipping on the beer. "Or he' might jus' kill him."
"He shouldn't be doin' shit unless we say so."
"I agree."
"Then let's go," Connor said, looking at Angelica. "If that's ok with you."
"No, it's not ok with me," Angelica said with a shake of her head.
"Look…," Murphy said while he placed the glass on the plastic tray. "You rest and enjoy th'pizza. I'll go remind Smecker who is boss around here."
"But…," Connor said.
"Do you want me t'call Ma?"
"You wouldn't!"
"Aye, I would," he said with a grin. Angelica smiled at the pout on Connor's face while Murphy ruffled the top of his twin's head then he left the room.
"Asshole," Connor grumbled as she handed him the painkillers and he placed the pills in his mouth. She had removed the glass and replaced the glass with a plastic bottle of water and he frowned, taking a drink. Sighing, he slid the paper plate toward her as she picked up a slice of pizza and they started eating.
Milan - the Yakavetta Estate
Giovani sat at the desk as he looked at the screen and he frowned. He looked at the police sketches of Connor and Murphy when he read the information about the Saints and he lightly shook his head.
"Don Yakavetta?" made him look up to see the guard standing in the doorway.
"Yes?" Giovani asked.
"Peter DeFloro wishes to speak with you."
"Send him in," he said and the guard nodded. The guard moved back while DeFloro walked by him and DeFloro headed for the desk.
"Thank you for seeing me, Don Yakavetta," Peter said after he stopped in front of the desk.
"How may I help you?"
"Is it true?"
"Is what true?"
"Was David Corzella killed by the Saints?'
"How did you know about the Saints?"
"Your mother…"
"What about my mother?"
"She told us they were the ones who killed him."
"That bitch!" he said as he stood and he walked around to the front of the desk.
"It is true?"
"Yes, it's true."
"Shit. How do we handle this? They're ghosts. Demons."
"No, they are not. They're just men and men can die. Let me deal with them. Now go."
"Yes, Don Yakavetta," Peter said. Giovani watched him and the guard leave the room as the guard closed the door and Giovani snorted a breath of air. He walked to the desk then he placed the palms of his hands on the desk and he looked at the sketches of Connor and Murphy.
