Chapter 2 is hot and fast just off the press.
Hope you're intrigued.
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Chapter 2:
Wednesday 18th January 2012
District Attorney's Office
Manhattan, NY
1530 Hours
Jameson was on a mission in Manhattan. He walked from the subway station at Canal Street and walked to the Manhattan District Attorney Office.
Jameson wore a dark suit jacket, dark dress shirt accompanied with a burgundy tie. He wore a belt around his waist, the belt buckle was just a simple belt buckle, nothing else added to it.
He was on his way to see his old friend and fellow Marine veteran John Capelli. He signed in at the front desk as he was guided to a section of offices.
Phones were ringing off the hook. Everyone was in a rush; indistinct chatter filled the rooms.
Jameson approached John's office as he knocked three times.
The man at the desk who was dressed in a white dress shirt, light yellow sweater, his sleeves were rolled up and his tie wasn't loosened. The man had brown hair styled back, his brown eyes looked over paperwork as he looked up at the door.
Jameson had walked in as the man smiled, "Master Guns. If I had known you were here… I woulda cleaned a little." "Don't feel you have to, on my behalf… how are you, old friend?" Jameson enquired.
John chuckled, "Well aside from my wound, I'm doin' well. Haley's doin' okay as well." "I forgot about your darling wife. You've done well for yourself, friend." Jameson said as he looked at the wedding picture of John and Haley Capelli.
The picture filled Jameson with an empty hole in his heart. It was the same hole that just grew. All his life, he had watched others live happily, but the question: Could Jameson live happily in his life?
"Why are you here, Master Guns?" John asked.
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Jameson smirked putting his hands behind his back before saying, "2 people tailed me in a car, last night, from the Blue Note Room in Manhattan, all the way down to Staten Island Pier… Appears they may have been followin' somebody else."
"Who were they?" John asked.
Jameson then said, "Police officers. I have no doubt… they aren't friends of yours, are they?" "Not that I would have known about."
Jameson pulled out his phone and pulled up a picture of 2 men watching from a BMW as he turned it to John who had rose eyebrows.
John then reached for his desk phone and made a phone call. After 5 minutes, he put the phone down as he said, "Well, it appears the car belongs to a pair of corrupt cops from Narcotics. A bad bunch, they've been involved in every bad deed for the last 3 years, miserable bastards really."
"Same shitters that stabbed you in the back. How dangerous?" Jameson asked.
"Too dangerous. Why do you ask?"
Jameson unbuttoned his suit jacket as he sat down in the chair before replying, "Guy comes up to me in a bar, offers me a job protecting his ass. Thing is… he's a former Marine."
"Doin' what?" John asked. Jameson held up a finger as he said, "Can we be heard?" "Not, not a chance." John replied.
Jameson nodded, "John Harper. He's tryin' to blackmail somebody. Somebody who gets his face in the papers… I don't who it is or what the package is…" "Jesus Christ, John Harper?"
"Not kidding… I didn't give him an answer, but I wondered if you knew what he had been up to."
"I don't keep track of former Marines, but Harper rings a bell. After he left the Corps, he became a foot-soldier for the Lucchese Family, then an unknown figure pops up acting as a go-between for both Harper and somebody else, another crime family out of state." John explained.
Jameson pinched the bridge of his nose before saying, "If Harper is stupid enough to do this… it's clear that he signed his death warrant. I'll need help and I need a team…"
John chuckled, "Well whaddya figure… I might just have the perfect man to be your 2nd… problem is, he's a 2nd Lieutenant. My twin Giuseppe. If you're thinkin' of askin' me, 'Fraid I can't."
"I'll need more people, any takers to help?" Jameson asked desperately. John shook his head, "None that I can offer. But I know some guys."
Jameson sighed running a hand through his hair, "So, a four-man team. That ain't goin' to be a pretty ride." "I know it's not what you want to hear… but guys like us, we've got to work with what we've got." John lamented.
Jameson nodded as he said, "We've faced tougher odds before." "That we have. I'll have the guy I know meet you tonight. He's a great veteran, special forces. You can trust him."
"I'll take your word for it." Jameson said.
John then said, "In the meantime, you gotta take this offer. We've got to find out what's goin' on here."
"I'll do it." Jameson said as he pulled out his phone and took the card from his pocket containing John Harper's phone number. He dialled the number and waited for an answer.
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A phone rings on the table, a hand reaches to grab it as Harper who was straightening his jacket then says, "Who is it?" "It's Gunny Bacciarelli. This a bad time?"
"Now's a perfect time, was just heading out." Harper says.
"I'll help you out on this job. I want in…" Jameson said.
Harper nodded as he said, "That's good news. It's worth hearin' about. Let me make a call and I'll set this thing in motion. The guys who asked for the exchange want this to happen outside of state, so it'll be in Pennsylvania."
"That far out?" Jameson asked. Harper nodded, "Only state they'll allow. Town's called Rosewood. Doubt you've heard of it."
"I haven't. But if it's where they agree, I've got no choice. I'll see you in a day or two." Jameson said.
Harper cut the phone off and made another phone call as the person on the other end picked up, Harper then said, "Girl's hiding out at the Plaza Hotel, 18th floor. I want it done quickly. After it's done, dispose of any evidence that'll link you to this."
Harper put the phone down as he paced the apartment quickly before walking out.
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Jameson put his phone away and then said, "Place called Rosewood, Pennsylvania. Supposed to be a small town."
"Not heard of it, but in a town like that, anythin' could happen. I'll alert big brother and pull those guys I know." John answered.
Jameson nodded as he replied back, "Thanks, old friend."
Jameson began to walk out of the office as John said, "How haven't you done it?"
"Done what?" Jameson asked.
John rolled his eyes, "Found somebody? I mean plenty of girls would want to be with you." "Haven't found the right girl. If and when I find her… then all will be alright."
Jameson closed the door as John picked up the baseball on his desk tossing it into the air a couple of times.
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Jameson exits the DA's office and walks out onto the street, one hand in his trouser pocket. As he walked every woman stared at him in appreciation. They looked at him like he was a rack of steak.
He began to feel a little uncomfortable at the attention he was receiving and he soon ducked into the park. The quietness of the park calmed Jameson; the birds filled him with some peace.
Jameson felt the burgeoning urge to pull his journal out from his pocket.
After about a minute, he pulled the journal out and began to write inside it.
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"Dear Diary,
The question I find myself answering as to why my heart is still hurting is unknown, I haven't questioned if it is stress from my past tours of duty overseas in the Marine Corps…
Maybe… maybe the stress that I kept bottled up from my tours is now turning its ugly head, but I'm not sure, my family has never had any stress related conditions, none that I had known or seen around from my childhood.
I often find myself reminded the picture on John's desk… the one of him and his wife Haley. He found love at a time when he was at his lowest, the war tore at him, losing his friends knocked him down, but he got back up and continued fighting.
When he was on the force, he fought valiantly and continued to do so, he brought honor to this city, but in the end, he was forced out because of a witch-hunt caused by the dreaded 'Iron-Gates' a name that brings even the frightened worry of losin' a spine. Names never scared me, but the way to confront those fears is to face it head on and replace them with something that you have often feared of losing.
My greatest fear was that I would lose my family, my brother, my younger sisters… they have been the one thing I swore that I would protect. I fear that if I cannot confront my issues… I will only push them away.
I cannot let this happen…"
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Jameson closed his journal and got up from his seat, he began walking and found himself in Brooklyn outside a bar on Atlantic Ave in Brooklyn.
He walked inside and signalled the barman for a beer, he paid for it and moved to the back of the bar into a booth. He sat in silence for an hour nursing the same beer when he saw John walk in with three men, all three of them wore suits, the dusty-blonde haired man wore a grey suit, with a red tie, he wore a set of suspender braces.
The 2 other men, one was a dark-haired man with tanned skin, his dark hair was ivy-league style, he wore a dark suit with a dark tie.
It was easy to see the bulge on the man's jacket. He obviously had a gun holster under his jacket, the facial expression was straight-faced but he held a slight smile at bay included.
The man laid eyes on Jameson, who raised his bottle at him with a slight nod.
There was another man who stood next to the tanned man, he had light brown hair, he had light eyes and wore a dark suit with a red tie who noticed Jameson and walked towards him, "Master Guns."
"Ol' Michael Donarelli. You look well, it's been about 3 years… I heard you were still SEALs…"
"Still there, I leave next month then it's the reserves." Michael said as he shook Jameson's hand. Soon John introduced everyone to Jameson as they all exited the bar, they then moved out and headed to a warehouse in Kensington, Brooklyn, this was the private warehouse that the Capelli family used for dealing with dangerous criminals.
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After arriving, John pulled up the picture board as he said, "Here's what we have gathered so far…"
"John Harper, former US Marine… he's a low-ranking associate of the Lucchese Crime Family in this city, contacted me yesterday hoping for me to protect him as he makes an exchange for an item in return for money." Jameson spoke clearly.
Giuseppe then stepped up, "I have reason to believe that the item Harper's looking to exchange is this girl: Alison DiLaurentis. She's from Rosewood, Pennsylvania."
"Same place this exchange is happening." Michael said. Jameson nodded, "Exactly, this is why I've pulled you all together. Our combined training and tactics that we've gathered, along with our combined experience. It'd give us the upper hand, but in order for this plan to work. We need to devise a plan."
Thomas nodded as he said, "We'll obviously need listening post set up to find the girl."
"Exactly. I'll be on the ground with Harper 'protecting' him, Michael, I want you on overwatch overseeing the exchange. No doubt, the men who want the girl will have snipers to eliminate witnesses."
Michael nodded, "I'll grab my rainy-day supplies."
"I'll handle the listening post. Once we have the girl's location, I'll alert Giuseppe and he heads out to grab the girl." Thomas adds.
Giuseppe nods, "There'll be opposition inside, Harper will want the girl protected. I'll get in stealthily and grab the girl."
"In and out like clockwork. After the exchange we'll see to it that all parties are eliminated. Nobody will know what we have done to protect our friends, our families and our loved ones." Jameson concluded.
Michael stood and said, "I'm in."
"I will go with you." Thomas said.
Giuseppe nodded, "I was already going on this trip."
"Then ready up, gather whatever you need, weapons, ammo and any other equipment, I'll go in first and get the layout of town, Giuseppe follow me after 3 hours." Jameson ordered.
"Michael and Thomas follow in a day later, find a safe location and watch the exchange point. Everyone know their jobs?" John Capelli asked.
Everyone nodded, "Get yourselves sorted out, gentlemen!"
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Everyone had then left the warehouse, Jameson headed back home, he headed for his closet, he pulled out a M16A4 equipped with a small scope, a foregrip. Jameson then pulled out a box of ammunition, he began to load bullet cartridges into the magazine, he continued to do this until the full moon came out.
After it came out, Jameson worked on packing a small duffel bag, he put in several dress shirts, 2 pairs of slacks, underwear and dark socks. He then pulled out a knife holster and put his KA-BAR inside, he then put 4 clips of ammunition into his suit jacket.
His gun holster laid on the bed he put his M9 Beretta inside the holster. He stared out the window, he then picked his journal up and wrote down.
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"Dear Diary,
No matter how much I wish to leave the war behind, my training still calls for me to make a difference.
Now, I'm strolling off into unknown territory again… only this time it's on friendly soil but in a different place. We won't know our friends from our enemies.
I however find myself in the company of familiar faces, men like Thomas and Michael Donarelli. New guy in Lieutenant Giuseppe Capelli. All of us have served since the war began. We're known as the old breed.
Old… we're barely out of our 20s or nearing the end of 'em at least."
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After writing in his journal, he then headed for bed and lied down hoping to sleep peacefully.
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