Hi all, thanks to all those sticking with me and kindly leaving encouraging reviews! Hope you're still enjoying the journey! I think I have nearly finished this venture - two more chapters should do it! So enjoy, and thanks again for all your support! You're all fab!
:-)
Marcus unlocked the door to his operations room, and then stepped aside, to allow Vincent and his entourage access into the dimly lit cellar, with it's apparatus and equipment giving anyone present, an all too obvious viewpoint as to it's initial secrets.
Reardon was as always, at Marcus's side.
"Okay, Marky boy, let's see what the mouse has been up to, while the cats been away, huh?" Vincent purposefully stood to one side, and with a nod of his head, directed his men to inspect the set up.
Marcus seemed far from at ease.
"Vincent. If I may have a word?" Marcus turned to his accomplice. Vincent turned his face to Marcus, his expression plainly showing that he expected this much.
"You have something to - explain to me, Marcus?" Vincent smiled avariciously, knowingly anticipating Marcus's next words.
Marcus looked Vincent in the eye and held his gaze. "Vincent. Please. I am truly sorry!" Marcus then spread his arms out in complete surrender. "You were right all along! I have been creaming some off the top! Please, Vincent! Forgive me! I - I became too greedy!" Marcus bowed his head in a display of guilt and fear.
Reardon listened to Marcus's admission with surprise. He really didn't think Marcus would kowtow. What was he up too, he wondered, sceptically.
Vincent chuckled to himself. "So Marky-boy, you thought you could take me, huh?" His smile wasn't pleasant. He signalled for his boys to return to his side.
"I don't know whether to just shoot you where you stand, or feed you to my… lions!" He indicated to his men and made his point clear.
Marcus paled. "Look Vincent, I know you think I deserve to be punished. And you are right - I am so sorry, my greed got the better of me! " Marcus looked up at Vincent then again hung his head in apparent shame, but Vincent wasn't impressed. He let his silence carry his initial thoughts on the matter and Marcus wasn't stupid. He looked up, and looked right back into Vincents' face.
"Please Vincent. Just listen to me?" Marcus set his face in earnest. "I'll go away right now! I will leave this country, I will go back to Poland! I have never heard of you, alright?" Marcus pleaded, trying to convince his partner of his genuine regret. Vincent gave Marcus a strange look, one that Marcus had never seen before. He was unaccustomed to any of Vincents' display of mercy. Vincent, for his part, was unaccustomed to displaying any acts of mercy towards his transgressors. However, he needed Marcus and his brothers to clear out this place and shut it down, right now. Then he would put whack-job out of his misery.
Finally Vincent smiled, then spoke.
"Okay Marky-boy. I accept your apology. You wrap everything up here today. Then you leave everything - and I mean, everything, and you get the hell away from here tonight. Far away. I hear the moons' nice, this time of year. Catch my drift?"
Marcus seemed relieved. Reardon listened intently.
"Of course, Vincent, I will make plans right away. But please, let all the girls alone? They do not know anything!" Marcus looked directly at Vincent, to try to make a valid point.
Vincent smiled his sly smile, and shook his head. "Sorry Marky! No can do! They're all nice, pretty young girls, huh?"
Vincents' smile grew wider with the thought of the extra money he could make. "You know, I can make some highly lucrative deals with your lovely ladies, with some connections I have!"
Vincent was now making the point clear to Marcus, that, whatever moral issues he had been trying to force on all these girls caught up in this sanctuary, Vincent and the people he knew, were going to indelicately put paid to all that so-called moral virtue that Marcus has been busying himself to cultivate in his girls. The girls were going to be his property from now on. His, and whomever he sold them on to. And what's more, Vincent didn't give a rat's ass what happened to them next, as long as he got very well paid for it. But he also knew how Marcus would feel about this new development. And he was enjoying rubbing Marcus's nose in it.
"But Vincent…" Marcus tried to argue back, his voice rising with genuine anxiety.
"That's enough! The girls belong to me now Marcus!" Vincent took a step closer to Marcus, smiling, yet his eyes glittered with impatience and anger. Marcus immediately ceased his protestations and schooled his expression into one of submission. But Marcus was far from submissive. He was shaking with anger inside. Vincent had no right! How dare he take the girls from him? Marcus looked down again, not wanting Vincent to find any defiance in his eyes. Now he knew exactly what he was going to do. Memories of his wife and daughter danced crazily and rolled through his less than stable mind, precious lives that had been taken from him and were lost to him forever. He would never track them down now, not ever. It was all too late. He took a deep breath and looked back up at Vincent and nodded.
"Whatever you wish, Vincent." He sounded beaten and lost.
"Damn right whatever I wish, Marky-boy, and don't you forget it." Vincent said, menacingly. Then he turned towards the door, his men following him.
"Okay, I'm leaving now. But I'll be back later to get the girls." Vincent strode through the door and talked back to Marcus over his shoulder. "I want everything packed up. I want all the merchandise packed and ready to go in…" he checked his watch. "…three hours."
"Of course, Vincent." Marcus walked behind his soon to be ex-partner, with Reardon at his side, waiting for an excuse to get to a phone. Reardon had a bad feeling that everything was going to hit the fan very soon, and people were going to get killed. He had to call for back-up, a.s.a.p.
Vincent turned back to Marcus, in the corridor.
"You have three hours to pack it all up, round everyone up - and then burn this place to the ground."
Marcus's eyes widened. "What about my brothers? And what about the horses?"
"I don't care!" Vincent barked. "Just get rid of all the evidence! Burn it, bury it - whatever! I want nothing left! Got it?"
"Of course."
"Three hours, Marcus. I'm leaving two of my men with you - just so you don't think I'm being too inhospitable!" Vincent smiled slyly again, satisfied that he'd put the fear of god into Marcus. Ah, such bitter-sweet irony.
Don't disappoint me - or it will be the last time you disappoint anyone!"
Vincent then turned and made his way back towards the entrance, with his men in tow. Marcus followed him, his mind careering at the thought of all the sisters being rounded up for Vincent like so much cattle. He couldn't let it happen. He would not! They were Gods property, after all. Yes, they belonged to him - and God. They all did! And he was going to make sure they all went to be with Him! His wife and daughter were now lost to him, but he wasn't going to let Vincent take his flock away from him too. Never. Marcus watched his so-called colleague's back, as he swaggered down the main corridor to the entrance, his 'lions' faithfully pattering along side him. Marcus's fury only burned brighter with every step, along with his faith that God was now waiting for him - and his flock. He barely even noticed that Reardon had excused himself and disappeared. His focus was entirely on the men in front, now. They reached the large entrance doors, opened one and stepped out into the spring sunshine, towards Vincents' car, a shiny black Buick Regal. But Vincent and the man next to him, never reached it. Shots rang out, the sounds cracking through the still air, sending birds and wildlife scattering noisily in all directions. As Vincent and his man hit the ground, the other two spun around and began firing towards Marcus, who had ducked lithely back into his office, and scrambled behind his desk, using it as a shield. He grimaced as wood splintered around him, and hoped that Reardon would come running with assistance very soon. He then dropped onto his belly to fire back from where he hid, but the return fire was too close for comfort. He dodged back and then was relieved to hear additional shots now coming from down the corridor. Reardon!
Kelly and Kris heard the shots echoing around the high ceiling corridors and each quickly hurried towards the sounds. Kelly arrived on the scene first and took up position from another doorway and squeezed a few shots off at Vincents men, just to let them know Marcus wasn't alone. Surprised, Vincents men then hurriedly dove for cover on the outside of the thick, heavy oak entrance doors. One of them had been hit in the shoulder by his unseen adversary and was cursing a blue streak as he tried to fire with his other arm. The other was panicking at the sight of their boss and one of his men lying bleeding in the dirt, not moving. He looked at his colleague, then tried to adjust position to get to Marcus, but someone was keeping him right where he was. Damn, it had all gone to hell in a bucket!
As Kelly continued to cover Marcus, she heard movement behind her and saw Kris make her way as quickly as she could towards her, dodging in and out of doorways as she came, wincing with the movement.
"Kris, keep back!" Kelly yelled, between shots. "I'm okay!"
Kris wasn't convinced. But she was unarmed. She couldn't risk coming into the sanctuary armed, arousing any suspicion, so Kelly was the only one with a gun. Kris decided to stay back and wait for Kelly's instruction.
Marcus crouched beside his desk, ready to go forward and give Vincents men more to worry about, when he suddenly became aware that they had stopped firing. He listened for any sounds. Had they run out of bullets? He crept forward, to the doorpost and listened. Everything had gone quiet. He couldn't hear a sound. He pushed his gun carefully around the corner in the direction of the door, but nothing happened. He gave it a few moments, then ever so quickly took a look around the post and withdrew his head just as quickly. Nothing. But wait - now he could hear footfalls treading slowly and carefully in his direction. Reardon must be wondering the same things he was. And just as he was about to stick his head out again, the car outside suddenly roared into life and tyres could be heard manically churning in the dirt. He rushed out to the door to see the Buick crashing headlong into the gates, the bonnet buckling, almost pushing through the gates but not quite. Marcus aimed for the tires as the car then backed up a little way and took another crack at the gates.
Marcus managed to shoot the two back tires out, even as Kelly yelled at him to stop, but it didn't seem to hinder the driver much. Marcus tried to fire at the car windows, but this time he was out of bullets. And this time, the car battered its way through the heavy iron gates and made a fair job of retreating down the lane with two blown tires.
Then Kelly levelled her gun at Marcus, and stepped out of the shadows.
"Put the gun down Marcus." She ordered. Marcus again, was caught off-guard. Who was it this time? He turned and saw one of the sisters holding a gun on him! He recognised the difficult one.
"Sister Garrett? What do you think you are doing? Where's brother Reardon?" He replied, confused, trying to figure out what was happening here. A holy war? He smirked at another of his jokes, but then frowned when he realised sister Garrett was not joking with him.
Kelly kept him covered as Kris joined her.
"Please, brother Marcus. Just stop, okay? Put it down. It's over!" Kelly repeated. She looked earnestly at Marcus. He looked back at her, then to Kris and back at Kelly.
"No! I will not!" Marcus's anger returned. "They will not have anything more of mine!"
He turned back to go and make sure of Vincent and the other man, then as Kelly prepared to fire again, another of Marcus's men appeared from the shadows of the hallway, stuck a pistol into Kris's ribs, and pulled her backwards with a yank of her hair.
Kris yelped in pain from her ribs as much as her scalp, as her captor pulled hard on her hair to drag Kris away from Kelly. Kelly spun towards Kris and then cursed under her breath.
"Drop your gun sister, or I send this little sister to heaven!" The brother ordered, clearly ready and willing to do so. Marcus turned back and smiled when he saw he had help. Ah, too bad, girls! So it was the girl who had been firing on Vincents men. Then where was Reardon?
"Drop your gun now, or my brother will indeed send your friend to be with the angels!" Marcus repeated to Kelly. Kris looked apologetically at Kelly, who then reluctantly put her gun down on the floor. Marcus looked back disdainfully at the two figures still lying on the ground outside, blood very evident in the dirt and grass where they lay. Only somewhat satisfied, he turned his attention back to the situation inside. He smiled again as he saw Brother Faelen covering the two girls who had been a niggling thorn in his flesh these last few days.
"Thank you for your assistance, brother Faelen. You will be rewarded." Marcus said, as he stepped over to Kelly and retrieved her gun. Faelen nodded.
"Brother Marcus!" Everyone turned to see Reardon striding quickly towards them, alarmed.
"Ah, brother Reardon! You have just missed some excitement! But no matter - there is more to come!" He eyed Kris and Kelly pointedly, keeping Kelly's gun trained them. Reardon reached them and looked at Kris and Kelly, then cast a questioning look outside.
"What's going on, my lord?" Reardon looked extremely agitated.
"Our friend Vincent will not be bothering us again." Marcus looked pleased with himself. Reardon guessed that the shots he heard as he hung up from Sacramento, were obviously Vincent and Marcus going head to head. So it seemed Vincent had underestimated Marcus, after all.
"Are they … dead, my lord?"
"They got what they deserved, brother. Do not be concerned." Marcus sighed, as if he felt a small pang of pity for his former partner.
Damn, Reardons agitation twitched up another notch. He wanted them alive.
"And these two sisters just tried to make a jump on our lord!" Brother Faelen said accusingly. "I bet they're cops! They need to be - silenced - my lord!" The threat wasn't lost on either Kelly or Kris. Reardon shifted uneasily.
"Brother Marcus, hasn't there been enough violence already?" Reardon tried to appeal to Marcus's skewered sense of right and wrong. "I'm sure we can somehow convince our two sisters that their voluntary silence will be …" he looked over at Kelly and Kris "…to their obvious advantage?"
Marcus appeared to think this over, then shook his head.
"Actually, brothers, I have something else in mind - for all our sisters - for everyone." Reardon was startled. What the hell was the loony tune going to do now? Kelly and Kris gave each other worried glances. Kelly, for her part, was wondering why Reardon was taking so long to put the inevitable spanner in the works. Surely he was armed? He must be waiting for back up, she reasoned. Doesn't want to tip his hand too soon.
"Brother Faelen, please can you bring all of our sisters and brothers to the Main Hall, as quickly as you can. I want absolutely everyone brought before me as soon as you can." Faelen tucked his gun out of sight and walked away to carry out Marcus's request.
Marcus then looked at Kelly and Kris.
"Let's make our way to the Main Hall, sisters." He wiggled the gun at them, to move and they turned and began to walk in that direction. "It is time for us to go."
Reardon fell in beside Marcus, hoping that his team, and the local police would get here in time. He didn't really wish to take Marcus out, but Marcus had lost the plot and was capable of absolutely anything. He knew that Marcus wasn't planning a vacation for everyone. Or was he… a permanent one? A cold feeling crept down his spine.