Chapter 11 – Act Together
"Yer outta yer mind if you think I'm stayin' here," Will said not looking up as he frantically stuffed his duffel with clothes, "She's my daughter for fuck's sake."
Connor glanced nervously at his brother, "We know, Da, but it can't be you."
Murphy leaned against the door frame of his parent's bedroom, "Connor and I can take care of this, you need to stay here with Ma."
"What about Maggie...And Mary now?" Connor motioned to Murphy who nodded in agreement with him.
Will stared down at the duffel, it's contents half packed, half covering the bed it laid upon. He gripped a shirt so tightly that his fist began to tremble, "What kind of a father would I be if I stay behind? What kind of a man leaves his daughter to die?"
Connor gripped his father's shoulder, "She isn't gonna die, Da."
"You have to trust us," Murphy added, stepping deeper into the room.
Will finally looked up at his sons, releasing a deep, defeated sigh, "What time is your flight? I'll drive ye."
†
Smecker was waiting for them at the airport when they landed. Connor and Murphy met him at the baggage claim.
"Paul," Connor said, Murphy offered a slight nod.
"Good to see you boys again. Greenley is out in the car, I'll brief you on the way."
"Right." Murphy was glad. He wasn't in the mood for small talk. All that mattered was getting to their sister. He and Connor followed him out to the car.
"Hey! Welcome back!" Greenley said once they were safely inside the rented sedan.
"Shut up, Greenley," Smecker snapped, "Start friggin' driving." He turned in his seat to face Connor and Murphy. "Ok. Marco's been holed up in his father's place for three days now. The remains of his father's regime is with him."
"How many?"
"Hard to say." Smecker shrugged, "Poppa Joe only had a handful left after the trial. Ten, maybe fifteen at the most."
Murphy gave his brother a mischievous look, "Why don't you break out the wig and heels and check it out?"
Smecker sneered at him, "I believe I was quite clear when I said I never wanted to discuss that incident again," he said through gritted teeth.
"What are you talking about?" Greenley asked, confused as usual.
†
The twins dug through the trunk of Smecker's car, quickly gearing up to invade the house. They both already wore their signature black ski masks. Greenley and Smecker peered at the house over the roof of the car, Smecker with binoculars. They were quite a distance from the house.
"Ok, you guys ready?" He asked handing the binoculars to Greenley.
"Yeah. How're we gonna get in? The basement didn't work so well last time." Connor asked.
"No shit. You two head along those bushes to the back door. Greenley and I are gonna go in through the front." Smecker replied pointing to a long line of untrimmed hedges.
"The fucker said no cops though." Murphy added.
"We're not cops." He clipped a name tag to the lapel of his jacket that read "Martin." Greenley did the same only his read "Nigel." "We're Jehovah's witnesses. We'll create enough of a diversion to let you sneak in and take the drones out. We'll meet you in the middle."
"What if Marco decides to kill her before we get to her?" Connor didn't like the plan. It seemed too basic for Smecker...Too many holes.
"Caelan is his insurance policy, he won't kill her. If we move fast and keep a level head, his whole crew will be dead before he can blink."
It would have to do. Caelan was in danger no matter what they did. They would just have to rely on the fact that Marco was young, inexperienced and hell bent on revenge. He was bound to make a mistake and they would have the upper hand when he did.
Connor and Murphy started out first, quickly creeping along the bushes and shrubs in the safety of the shadows they cast. Once they were about halfway, "Martin" and "Nigel" pulled the car into the driveway. They exited and calmly strode up to the front door. Smecker was inwardly thankful he was dressed as a man this time around.
Greenley rang the door bell and before long, a large, dumb looking goon answered the door. He was holding a half-eaten turkey sandwich.
"Yeah?" He said between chews.
"Martin" started his speech, "Good evening, brother. Do you ever feel like there's something missing in your life?"
"Ever feel lost and hopeless?" "Nigel" added.
The sandwich man stared at them in disbelief, "Are you fuckin' kiddin' me?"
"No sir! We're from the Boston congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses on Parkman Street and we would love for you to join us. "Nigel" added, offering a pamphlet.
Just then, Marco appeared at the door. "What the hell are you doing?" He asked the goon.
Meanwhile, Murphy and Connor had made it to the back of the house undetected where two of Marco's men stood outside smoking. Behind them they could see the kitchen inside the house where four more men were seated.
Connor leaned in closer to his brother. "We can take em' all if we surprise em'." Murphy nodded. "Let's split up. I'll go left, you take the right."
"Aye."
An eerie calm surrounded the Yakavetta estate as the twins took their positions, then all at once the sound of bullets and shattering glass echoed against the surrounding woods.
†
Marco had run out of options. He was so sure that his plan was flawless, but most of his crew had been killed. It was just him and Caelan now. Marco had barricaded himself in the basement and was frantically unlocking the cuffs from Caelan's wrists and ankles, a task made difficult considering he could only use one hand. His other was busy aiming a gun towards his captive's head.
"You may still be of some use to me," he said quickly.
Caelan was about to respond but was interrupted by a terribly loud pounding sound. Something or someone was trying to break down the door and whatever they were using to do it sounded extremely heavy. Another hit to the door. The hit was so hard dust began to fall from the rafters above them. Marco grabbed Caelan and pulled her close to him just as the door shattered after the third and final hit.
"Ye ready?" Connor asked his brother. For all they knew they could be rushing into a room packed with 10 guys or worse, Caelan could be dead already. They just didn't know, but none of that mattered now. Their little sister was in there and they were getting her out.
"Aye." Connor took a deep breath and darted into the room, Murphy right on his heels. The twins were finally face to face with Marco Yakavetta who held their sister in a tight hold, his right arm across her chest. He was holding a gun to her head with his other hand, it's cold steel pressed hard into her temple.
The twins had their guns drawn even before they entered. But one false move could hurt Caelan, so they waited. Connor looked his sister over for visible injuries. She looked ok except for her right eye... That bastard... "Are ya alright, Cae?"
Caelan gripped Marco's arm with both hands, but she didn't dare fight him. "Yes," she answered, her voice shaky. They could tell she was terrified. She should have never been brought into this...This was never her mission.
Marco suddenly felt very powerful. He could tell how much this girl meant to these men. Maybe killing them wasn't the answer...Maybe he should just kill her. He smiled evilly. "Welcome gentlemen. It's nice to finally meet you both."
"Let her go Marco," Murphy said through gritted teeth.
Marco's eyes narrowed. "No. I think we'll start with the two of you dropping your guns." Connor and Murphy both shifted uncomfortably at the idea and Marco noticed, "Would you rather I fill her brain with bullets?" Caelan cringed beneath him and her brothers finally dropped their guns to the floor. Marco smirked. "That's better."
He's going to kill me. Caelan could feel adrenaline coursing through her veins. She couldn't die like this...She wouldn't die like this. Marco was speaking, saying words she couldn't comprehend, his voice becoming muffled behind the sound of her heart beating in her ears. Her grip on his arm tightened and her eyes met her brothers'. Connor gave her the slightest of nods, and she saw it. She knew this was it.
Marco continued, totally oblivious to what she was about to do. She kept her grip tight on his arm and suddenly pulled it down as hard as she could with both hands sending Marco flying right over Caelan's crouched form. Her desperate move gave Connor and Murphy just enough time to grab the guns they had dropped. Murphy grabbed Caelan by her shoulder and yanked her towards him and she buried her face in his chest as the twins unloaded their guns. Marco's body jerked back and forth unnaturally as bullet after bullet tore through his body. Smoke rose from the bloody holes as he finally collapsed, fatally wounded.
After all the shots were fired, and all the bullets were spent, Connor stepped cautiously towards Marco's lifeless form. He still held his gun, though his grip had gone limp. Connor kicked the gun from his hand, sending it across the room and checked for any signs of life.
He looked over at his brother and sister, Caelan's head still covered by Murphy's arm, "He's dead. It's all over."
Caelan started to pull away from her brother, but Murphy tightened his grip, "No, Cae. Don't look at it."
She raised her head to look into his eyes, "It's alright, Murph. I'll be alright." Murphy released her and she turned around slowly. She looked down at Marco's bullet-ridden body and gagged.
It was Connor's turn to gather her up in his arms, "It's alright, Cae. It's all over now."
Murphy started to dig in his pockets for something and frowned. "I don't have any pennies."
Caelan looked at him confused, "What do you need pennies for?"
Connor dug into his own pockets, "Atonement."
Caelan thought for a moment before checking her own pockets, "Here."
She handed Connor the change they needed and he in turn placed them on Marco's eyes, one for each. He looked back at her for a moment, "Thanks. Why don't you wait outside, we'll only be another minute and I don't want ya ta look at him."
Caelan shook her head, "No. I'm alright now." Connor nodded and knelt down, Murphy followed suit. They lowered their heads and began to pray. "And shepherds we shall be, for thee, my Lord, for thee. Power hath descended from thy hands…"
At that moment, Caelan finally understood what they were doing. She knelt between her brothers and joined them in their prayer, "That our feet may swiftly carry out thy command. We will flow a river forth to thee, and teeming with souls shall it ever be. In nomani patris, et fili, et spiritu sancti. Amen."
The three made the sign of the cross before standing. Murphy gave his sister a confused look. "Why did you pray? You didn't have to…If it were me, I wouldn't have even wanted to."
Caelan closed her eyes tightly, "I spent all this time in this cellar being angry. I was angry at you both again, and Da. But right now, at this very moment…I'm so thankful to be alive. I knew that you'd save me." She looked down at Marco's lifeless form again, "You killed his father. You destroyed his whole world." She looked up at both her brothers, "What would you have done if you were him?"
Connor and Murphy exchanged an understanding look before leading Caelan away.
†
Caelan sat between her brothers on the backseat of the car. Smecker was turned in his own seat to face them, and he was asking her all kinds of questions about Marco. Her mind was still reeling from the ordeal she'd just endured, so she didn't even understand most of what was said. She just stared at him, a slightly confused, slightly blank look covered her features.
"Could we maybe talk about this tomorrow?" Connor finally said.
Paul nodded. "Of course. We'll take you to the hotel tonight. We can finish tomorrow before you take the train down to New York."
Connor nodded. "Let me look at ya, Cae." He held her chin carefully in his hand and turned her head to face him. Her eye was a mess. Most of the skin around it was black, and right beneath it was a swollen cut that had scabbed over. It looked like she had wiped away some of the blood that had dripped from it some time ago. He shook his head, "Did Marco do this?"
She shook her head, "No. One of his men did. Marco actually wiped my face when we first met in his basement."
Her statement set Murphy off, "What do ya mean he wiped yer face? What the fuck else did he do?"
Caelan shook her head in disbelief, "What? He didn't do anything like...Like...Whatever it is you're thinking."
"Are you sure?" Murphy asked.
"Well, he sent his men to kidnap me at my job, busted my eye, drugged me, cuffed me to a chair for two days with no food or water, held a gun to my head and almost killed me. I'm fairly certain I'd remember if he tried anything else." She took a deep breath, "No wait, there was one other thing. He stole my cross."
Connor smiled, "Ah, well there's one thing we can remedy." He reached in his pocket and pulled out the cross, returning it to it's rightful owner. "The clasp is still broken, though. There wasn't time to fix it."
Caelan's eyes lit up. "Why did I think I'd never see this again?" She smiled down at the broken necklace before sliding it into her pocket. "Thanks."