Chapter 12 – Repercussions
The hotel room was all but destroyed, the broken furniture covered in crimson liquid; the room shrouded in death. The two figures were hunched over, the room silent as they mourned their losses. Lucie had lost her father. Miguel had failed to protect his wife. Their two most precious things had been taken away from them, lost in the torrid of the day's events.
Miguel stirred, a vibration in his pocket. They'd been in the room for what seemed like hours, no-one even coming to check on them. He imagined the police would arrive soon, the irate hotelier turning them in. He pulled out the silver phone from his pocket, flicking the screen up. A message appeared before him, the silver keys requiring so much of his willpower to press. He was a broken man, his spirit shattered. He'd never failed before.
Meet me at the airport, Airfield Seven – Conway
Miguel read and re-read the message, not taking it in the first time round. So, the lucky bastard escaped eh? Miguel couldn't help feel cheated.
"What is it?" spoke Lucie, her voice husky.
"We got to go. Now" demanded Miguel, standing up, fiddling with the car key in his pocket.
He strode out of the room, Lucie following reluctantly…
x
The cool air was calming on Miguel's face, his hair blowing gently in the evening breeze.
"You know you don't have to come" he said, facing Lucie.
"I want to. I owe Madden. This is a straight forward chase now. The Madden's must be stopped" she said, her hardened face showing no sign of doubt. "I worked so hard for those men, put up with Paul's obsessive comments. And for what? They ordered the death of my father, the watch proves it. Don't be soft, let's go."
Miguel nodded, surprised by the change in the women.
Slumping down in the bucket seat of the Infernus, he turned the key, the engine roaring as he revved the car. Skidding out of the car park, the Infernus accelerated gently, the approaching police cars sailing past…
x
The Infernus turned into the airport gently, the entrance lying on the other side of East Langdon. Ignoring the car parks, Miguel carried on down the main drag, driving past several confused workmen. He checked the surrounding areas, circling the airport, trying to locate Airfield Seven.
"There," pointed Lucie, "on the right."
Miguel caught sight of the runway and accelerated hard. He could barely see the black van against the backdrop of the night sky. Miguel pulled up a few feet away from the van, snatching up the hand brake. He strode over to the van, the door flinging open, a dark silhouette jumping out.
"Miguel" called Conway, running up to the mobster.
"You survived then? Yen?" questioned Miguel, the sight of the inspector making him feel sick inside.
"Yen is in the back of the van. The Yakuza didn't get him. Lucie?" said Conway, surprised by the sight of the blonde.
"Inspector" she replied formally.
"Yeah, right… I'm sorry about your father, I tried…"
"I'm sure. What is it you want?" she said, ignoring Conway's comments.
"Um… yeah. Madden left the airport a couple of hours ago…"
"We gathered. We need a way to get to Liberty" demanded Miguel.
"He hasn't gone to Liberty. Yet anyway" replied the inspector knowingly.
"What? Then where's he taking her?"
"Who?" said Conway, puzzled.
"Roxy idiot" shouted Miguel, "Yakuza got Roxy."
"Really?" exclaimed the aged inspector, "Maybe we could use that..." he said, thinking aloud.
"You what? Your going to use my wife you motherfucker? If I hadn't of listened to you, scumbag, I'd have been with her" said Miguel, reaching for his pistol. Lucie put her hand on his shoulder, calming him down.
"If we take Yen to Liberty, we could orchestra an exchange" said Conway, not even flinching. He knew he was in control here.
"Yen isn't important to them!" cried Lucie, "There's no bait there."
"But they think Yen has the money. If we make out we've got it, they're bound to try and ambush the deal" he said smugly.
"Do we have the money?" quizzed Miguel.
"In the case in the van" said Conway, "Police evidence for the moment, but you'll get it back."
"Yeah, course," said Miguel sarcastically, "Liberty it is then. We'll try lure him out. I'd better contact Luca, see if he can round up the boys."
"There maybe a problem there" said Conway, staring at Miguel. "He's in police custody. Something to do with killing a police officer, um, Rico somebody, I forget…"
"You bastard" said an infuriated Miguel, his face turning red.
"Easy Miguel" the inspector said, moving his jacket to one side, the silver handle of the Desert Eagle visible in its holster. "It was all part of the deal before this shit happened. We'll call it an extra incentive shall we? Money and family, what a great combination. And anyway, put it like this, as long as he's with us, he ain't with the Yakuza."
"After everything we've been through, you still try and keep the advantage, keep the upper hand? Your evil" cursed Lucie, mystified at the inspector's tactics.
"It's just business" said Conway, a wry smile forming on his lips. "Come on, I got a helicopter waiting. Help me with Yen bitch…"
x
The helicopter lifted off loudly, the rotor blades scything through the air. Miguel could hear the muffled Yen in the back fighting against his bonds. He smiled gently. It was the only humorous thing about the situation. After all, he was in a chopper with a grieving businesswoman, an infuriating inspector, and some mute pilot who Miguel had never seen before. The guy had barely said a word. There was something unnerving about that to Miguel, something that made his skin crawl…
x
The sun rose over Liberty City, the giant fire ball illuminating the cities tower blocks. The fierce sunlight signalled the morning rush hour, clouds of smoke belched across the city as commuter's vied for road position. The little man lined the streets of Portland, huddling in gangs, adoring the safety and power it enthralled. The big man strode through Staunton, black suits, leather briefcases, revelling in their stature. The family man lazed about Shoreside, they had their money, their children, their bit on the side; each one banging each others wives. Liberty City, the city men love.
The helicopter settled on the roof of one of Portland's high rises, a gaggle of drug takers and hookers stunned by the presence of it. Miguel heaved himself out of the helicopter, his mere presence frightening away the tramps. He looked around, his eyes carefully scanning the building, the voice whispering in his head.
"Come on bitch, stop fucking about" shouted Conway, the rotors still turning. Miguel watched as the inspector talked to the pilot.
"What about Yen?" called Miguel.
"Francis is going to take him to the safe house. He's a good guy, be better than the three of us carrying him around Liberty. Just follow me" shouted Conway, heading for the rooftop exit. Miguel and Lucie followed, the helicopter taking off, heading into the smog that surrounded Liberty.
The trio descended the building in silence, the sounds of their footsteps filling the empty halls. They reached the bottom floor, the sunlight pouring in through the shattered door. Conway took out his phone, dialling a number.
"Rafa? I need a car sent to Hepburn Heights."
"Sure thing, it's on its way" reported the officer, "Um, thought you might like an update on Luca"
"Yeah, go for it," Conway answered, careful of how close he got to Miguel.
"The little prick took a while to take down, but he soon cracked. We roughed him up a bit, so he's co-operating a bit more. You want us to take care of him? Or finish him?"
"Take care, I'll talk to you later," said Conway covertly, "Hurry up with that car, unmarked preferably."
Miguel watched Conway suspiciously as he hung up, putting the phone in his pocket. He'd noticed the change in Conway's tone when he'd been on the phone.
The trio hit outdoors, the car lot practically empty. A gaggle of hoodies stood in the corner, smoking.
They weren't waiting very long. Within minutes, a blue Karuma had pulled up, a Latin-American officer stepping out.
"Chief" said the officer respectfully.
"How's it going Jackson?" said Conway, getting into the passenger's side.
"Um, good thanks sir. Although my pops is a bit sick, he got glandular fever. You know, he smoked forty a day and never even had a sniffle. Now he given the stuff up, he spewing black crap all over the floor"
"That's a sad story Jackson," said Conway mockingly, "Now shut the fuck up and get in! And you two bitches."
Lucie got into the car, the gang of hoodies wolf-whistling at her as she did so. Miguel eyed them carefully, fingering his gun.
"Leave it Miguel" she said softly, noticing his annoyance. She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the car, the boys howling with laughter. Jackson started the car, pulling off of the kerb. Miguel wound down the window, pulling out his pistol. He aimed steadily, firing a couple of shots into the crowd. He watched with a smile as the boys screamed, panic written on their faces.
"Why did you have to do that?" said Lucie crossly, her body tense. Miguel ignored her, holstering the pistol.
"You know, my aunt Bettie had a habit of shooting at passers-by. She'd sit out on the front-lawn, shotgun in hand, cackling at pedestrians as she fired. She nearly let me have a go once, until she got arrested" babbled Jackson.
"Touching story, real appropriate" said Conway sarcastically.
"Not really" continued Jackson, "She'd died in prison, got stoned to death. She was ninety four and terrorised the inmates. Chased them with a toothbrush" he said sorrowful.
"Jackson?"
"Yes chief?"
"Shut the fuck up!" shouted Conway, hitting the officer around the head.
The car toured the streets of Liberty gently, passing through the many different areas, taking in the scenes surrounding them.
"Where are we going?" said Miguel finally, watching as another women got mugged openly, the robber holding the women by her throat, snatching the bag off her.
"You see all this hotshot? You see Liberty in all it's glory?" he said calmly, eyes focused on the road. "I've spent years trying to fix this city. After all the shit that happened with the Leones, the Forellis and the Sindaccos, all the small time gangs, all the lowlife scum and all the wannabe gangsters, I tried to fucking fix this city" he said, the car pulling off the road into a lot. "Do you love your wife Miguel?" he asked, Jackson parking in a bay. He turned around to face Miguel, his calculating eyes ice cold. "Well? Do you?"
"Yes" Miguel replied sternly.
"Would you do anything to get her back?"
"Yes."
"I would have as well. I miss my wife, and I miss my daughters. Of all the big time mobsters in this city, all of the big names, it's you who takes them from. It's you who took the wrong step."
"You know I didn't…"
"Shut up. I don't fall for your bullshit."
"But I didn't kill your…"
"You wouldn't want the blood of your hands. Not your style. So yeah, you probably right, you didn't kill them. But I bet you ordered them dead. Now shut the fuck up and listen Miguel," Conway ordered, glancing at Lucie. He'd noticed her hand reaching for her belt, the black pistol tucked safely away. He moved his jacket aside, the Desert Eagle ever present. A gentle reminder why not to fuck with him.
"Now, I could kill you, both of you," Conway said, licking his lip, "But the pleasure would be only short lived. And then I'd have Madden to deal with too. Or we could go through with this deal and you'd still probably be killed. And I don't want that" Conway got closer to Miguel, his eyes piercing into Miguel's mind, "I want you to rot in prison motherfucker. I want you to rot, right where I can see you. I'm going to have you roughed up, tortured, beaten until you wish I'd killed you. I'm a man of choices Miguel and I'm making the decision. Do I kill you now," he said, pulling his gun, "Or do I have you killed later? Decisions…" he raised the gun, levelling it at Miguel's head, "Decisions…" Sweat began to form on Miguel's face, the gun barrel inches from his face, "Decisions…" The gun fired, unleashing its deadly payload, the eruption exploding around the empty car lot. The sound of the bullet connecting with bone pierced through the wind, echoing through the busy town, being heard from miles around. The body slumped, blood spattered all over the back window.
Conway breathed gently, his face emotionless, his eyes glazed over.
End of part 1
