Page 23
Story: Redemption
“Yeah, I know. Dad was the one who sent me out here to get you.”
“He has no patience.” I pull the sleeves of my suit down as I walk toward the house with my brother.
“Hey,” my brother says as he grabs my arm to stop me from walking into the house. “You doing okay? You… this is the worst I’ve—”
“I’m fine,” I say as I grip the back of my neck. I know Grayson and Liam both worry about me. They are older than me, they both thought they would be doing what I am doing. But that’s not how the cards played out.
Grayson hesitates before answering. “Just… you know I’m here if you need me.”
“And what would I need you for?” I bite.
Grayson scowls but doesn’t say anything. Instead he walks into the house without me.
* * *
My father wasn’t happy to find out about the Renzetti family when I told him last week. A look crossed his face I haven’t seen before. I have no idea what it means and what it has to do with the Renzettis. I know The Partners don’t ever negotiate with the mob. There’s been some bad blood between them over the years. Which would make sense why they targeted us and our shipments.
I stretch my legs out as my plane lands in Bari, Italy. There is a shipment of weapons being delivered tonight and I want to make sure they land in the right hands. I don’t usually do this. We have other men who take care of sales and trades. Dean Arrington is in charge of weapons, his son, Roland, the one that is usually here for trades but with the threat of the Renzettis, I want to make sure that everything goes smoothly. These weapons will never be in our hands. A simple purchase from Libya will be delivered and an hour later a sale to the Spanish cartel. We have guards everywhere and men on our payroll at every major shipping port along the Mediterranean.
I step off the plane and make my way out to the waiting car, Mario tight on my heels. We are silent as we make our way to the harbor and drive near the pier where our shipment should be. We both check our weapons before getting out of the car then walk in the dark to the shipping container.
It’s after eight, the night mild with a cool breeze. Workers are busy loading freights off a ship, the noise a welcome distraction for the deal.
Dimitri, one of the men I trust the most out of the associates with The Partners, nods as he sees us approach. “They are lifting the cargo off the ship now. There was a delay,” he says in his thick Russian accent.
“How long of a delay?” I look at my watch. “The cartel will be here in less than an hour.”
Dimitri points to the transport being lifted overhead. “That’s it. The serial numbers match what the Libyans said.”
I nod. “I’m going to take a walk around the harbor.”
“You aren’t usually here. It’s usually Roland. Is there something going on?”
I shake my head. “No. Just following orders to supervise.”
“I’ll keep all eyes and ears open,” Dimitri says, understanding me.
I give him a curt nod and signal for Mario to follow me. We make a round around the harbor as the freight gets moved to its designated location. My eyes are peeled but nothing seems out of order. It’s like any normal day at the docks. Trucks in and out, men shouting, nothing out of the ordinary.
We make our way back to Dimitri. “Why was there a delay?” I ask him.
He shrugs. “I couldn’t get much out of the men working. Something about the crane. A malfunction of some sort.”
“A malfunction?”
He nods.
“Why didn’t they use another crane?”
“I assumed it was in use.”
I clench my jaw as the irritation grows. “Did you see it in use?”
“Yeah, there was another ship at the dock a few hours ago. By the time that load was finished they had this one running again.”
I relax slightly.
“I checked for foul play. Don’t worry, Kilian. I know what’s been going on.”
“He has no patience.” I pull the sleeves of my suit down as I walk toward the house with my brother.
“Hey,” my brother says as he grabs my arm to stop me from walking into the house. “You doing okay? You… this is the worst I’ve—”
“I’m fine,” I say as I grip the back of my neck. I know Grayson and Liam both worry about me. They are older than me, they both thought they would be doing what I am doing. But that’s not how the cards played out.
Grayson hesitates before answering. “Just… you know I’m here if you need me.”
“And what would I need you for?” I bite.
Grayson scowls but doesn’t say anything. Instead he walks into the house without me.
* * *
My father wasn’t happy to find out about the Renzetti family when I told him last week. A look crossed his face I haven’t seen before. I have no idea what it means and what it has to do with the Renzettis. I know The Partners don’t ever negotiate with the mob. There’s been some bad blood between them over the years. Which would make sense why they targeted us and our shipments.
I stretch my legs out as my plane lands in Bari, Italy. There is a shipment of weapons being delivered tonight and I want to make sure they land in the right hands. I don’t usually do this. We have other men who take care of sales and trades. Dean Arrington is in charge of weapons, his son, Roland, the one that is usually here for trades but with the threat of the Renzettis, I want to make sure that everything goes smoothly. These weapons will never be in our hands. A simple purchase from Libya will be delivered and an hour later a sale to the Spanish cartel. We have guards everywhere and men on our payroll at every major shipping port along the Mediterranean.
I step off the plane and make my way out to the waiting car, Mario tight on my heels. We are silent as we make our way to the harbor and drive near the pier where our shipment should be. We both check our weapons before getting out of the car then walk in the dark to the shipping container.
It’s after eight, the night mild with a cool breeze. Workers are busy loading freights off a ship, the noise a welcome distraction for the deal.
Dimitri, one of the men I trust the most out of the associates with The Partners, nods as he sees us approach. “They are lifting the cargo off the ship now. There was a delay,” he says in his thick Russian accent.
“How long of a delay?” I look at my watch. “The cartel will be here in less than an hour.”
Dimitri points to the transport being lifted overhead. “That’s it. The serial numbers match what the Libyans said.”
I nod. “I’m going to take a walk around the harbor.”
“You aren’t usually here. It’s usually Roland. Is there something going on?”
I shake my head. “No. Just following orders to supervise.”
“I’ll keep all eyes and ears open,” Dimitri says, understanding me.
I give him a curt nod and signal for Mario to follow me. We make a round around the harbor as the freight gets moved to its designated location. My eyes are peeled but nothing seems out of order. It’s like any normal day at the docks. Trucks in and out, men shouting, nothing out of the ordinary.
We make our way back to Dimitri. “Why was there a delay?” I ask him.
He shrugs. “I couldn’t get much out of the men working. Something about the crane. A malfunction of some sort.”
“A malfunction?”
He nods.
“Why didn’t they use another crane?”
“I assumed it was in use.”
I clench my jaw as the irritation grows. “Did you see it in use?”
“Yeah, there was another ship at the dock a few hours ago. By the time that load was finished they had this one running again.”
I relax slightly.
“I checked for foul play. Don’t worry, Kilian. I know what’s been going on.”
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113