Patton had prepped Sonja well with an untraceable tracking device hidden in her belt buckle and a burner phone with his Triple P shadow app. He would be able to hear everything that was said within earshot of the phone. Pride didn't want anything to mess up their chance to nail these bastards once and for all.
Gregorio had brought Sonja the clothes she requested - torn jeans, tank top and a hoodie. This was her go to look back in her ATF days and she had hoped that nobody from the gang would question as to where she had been. But she had that handled if they did. When Baitfish had been killed, everyone in the underground knew about it, including 4th Street.
"You ready?" Pride asked, knocking on the door to the bathroom. Sonja sighed as she opened it.
"Ready as I'll ever be."
"You look just like the day I first met you," Pride said.
"No kidding. That day was fun, you and Chris chasing me out the clinic."
"You wanted to keep your cover in tact."
"Needed too, never know when I was gonna need it again."
"So you'll make contact with 4th Street today and hopefully lead us to the supplier."
"I'll do my best," Sonja said.
"You'll do fine. Just know that I'm proud of you Sonja and everything you've accomplished. You have become a remarkable agent and I can't think of anyone better suited for Christopher than you."
"Thanks Pride, I really don't know what to say."
"Just make us proud," Pride said as he hugged the young agent. Sonja softened a bit in his embrace and then cleared her throat.
"Let's get this done."
Sebastian and Gregorio followed 3 cars behind Sonja as she traveled deep into the subsections of the parish. Sonja pulled up in front of an abandoned warehouse just off 4th Street. She got out and went to the door. She pounded on it and it slid open.
"What you want?" some guy asked.
"Yo, Dre in man?"
"Who's asking?"
"Tell him Andi is here."
"Hold yourself man. I'll be right back," the guy said as he slammed the door shut. He reappeared a few moments later. "Get yo ass in here Shorty."
Sonja slipped inside and the guy slammed the door shut again. He led her down the maze of halls before it unfolded in front of them and Sonja saw all the old members of the gang she used to know. All except one. She still hadn't seen Dre yet and nothing would ever be done unless Dre gave the orders.
"Yo man, where's Dre at?" Sonja asked.
"He busy man. Wait here," the guy said as he went inside another room. Sonja pretended to examine her nails as she whispered quietly.
"Dude from the door is William "Willie" Ross. He's been the muscle for Dre since the last time I was in with the gang."
"We got it," Gregorio said. Sebastian began to run his name in the database.
"Willie Ross has a nice long sheet, mostly petty things with possession and intent to distribute. He recently served a 6 month bid and got out about 2 months ago," Sebastian said.
"Sounds about right," Sonja whispered as Willie came back.
"Yo, Dre will see you now," he said. Sonja walked into the room, Willie close at her back.
Dre was sitting on a couch in the back of the room, surrounded by young women in scantily dressed clothing. They were sipping out of plastic wine flutes and a tray lay on the table complete with white powder and a rolled up dollar bill. Sonja recognized it as cocaine. Dre looked up and almost dead panned when he saw her.
"Andi?"
"Been a long time Dre," Sonja said.
"Where the hell you been? We ain't see you in damn near three years now."
"Closer to four. Had to lay low and let the heat die down."
"What heat?"
"I got tied up in some sticky business with a certain person."
"You mean Jenks? That asshat was trying to horn in on our action. It was only a matter of time before he got his ass taken out."
"Didn't even know he was on your radar."
"Of course he was. Everyone knows the 4th Street Diablos were running out of the clinic and then Jenks barreled his way in."
"Well he was working for Sasha Broussard."
"Yeah and that bitch is gonna get what's hers too. Nobody takes my action or the Diablos."
"How you gonna get Sasha in prison?"
"Ain't nobody safe nowhere as long as Dre is alive," Willie said.
"Got that right. I'm a bust a cap in someone's ass if they get in my way. That Broussard bitch will get what's coming to her. You can bet on that."
"Look, I'm glad we got to rehash the past, but I'm here on business if you want to get down to it," Sonja said.
"Ladies, please excuse us," Dre said as Willie led the girls out. Dre patted the seat next to him and Sonja sat down hesitantly.
"What business?" Dre asked.
"Once I got back to town, I heard from someone in the underground that you've been back in the gun running trade."
"Who'd you hear that from?"
"Nobody important but my question is why didn't you come to me? You know I had the hookup from the Navy base."
"Your hookup from the base got his ass arrested and I heard you did too."
"They didn't have enough on me. My prints weren't on the guns and I claimed he stole the cash so they had no choice but to let me go," Sonja lied.
"Well Lyons got what he had coming too. About eight months after he tried to screw us, he got his."
"I heard he got shanked in prison."
"Hell yeah he did. Don't nobody mess with Dre," Dre said, all proud of himself and Sonja had to force herself not to grimace.
"So you got a new hookup then?" Sonja asked.
"Yeah, had to make some cuts to the team but yeah we got the new connect."
"Well I want in. I need to make some serious cash so I can get the hell out of NOLA forever."
"I don't know, Andi. How do I know I can still trust you? Last I heard, ATF was trying to put a mole in my business."
"ATF was coming after us?"
"You ain't one of us anymore Andi, you weren't once you bailed on us to be with Jenks."
"I was never "with" Jenks. He hopped into the back of my car and forced me to drive. Then the bastard tried to kill me, left me for dead by a levee."
"Damn, that's harsh for such a fine thing like yourself," Dre said, his hand sliding up Sonja's leg.
"Look, I know you got your way of doing business but you should know that I've switched teams," Sonja said, removing his hand.
"You into chicks now, Andi? That's hot."
"I'm sure it is."
"Maybe you should bring your girl by sometime, give us all a little show."
"My girl don't roll like that. She prefers us to be private, you know how it is."
"Actually no. My bitches do what I tell them too. You used to remember that."
"Look, Dre, we're getting off topic. I want in on these guns. Introduce me to your supplier."
"Hold your horses Andi. You don't just get a meeting cause you ask for one."
"Dre I can find another gansta who wants to roll with me in an instant. I came to you cause of the old times."
Dre looked at Sonja and sighed.
"We meet him tomorrow. Had to make some changes to the payroll and the new supplier will be ready tomorrow."
"What happened to the last suppiler?"
"Mikey didn't know enough to keep them damn Navy cops out of our business. Had no choice but to take him out."
"Really?" Sonja asked, feeling her blood boil inside as she realized that Dre had been the one to kill Kingman and hurt Chris.
"No worries. We got his buddy to take over for him."
"What do we call him?" Sonja asked, trying to get some intel for the team.
"You'll find out tomorrow. Now call your bitch and tell her you're with us tonight. Gotta make sure we can trust you after all," Dre said, handing over his phone. Sonja took it and thought fast as she dialed Gregorio's number.
Tammy picked up on the second ring. "Hello?"
"It's Andi, baby. Listen, I won't be coming over tonight. I'm hanging with some old friends now that I'm back in town."
"Sonja, do not stay there. If Dre wants you to stay he probably doesn't trust you."
"Everything is fine, my baby. I'll meet up with you tomorrow after the meet."
"Tell her you love her and hang it up," Dre demanded.
"Love you my baby," Sonja said as she hung up. She handed the phone back to Dre and smiled.
"So what time is the meet?"
