Page 51 of Marcellus: House of Drakos

Marcellus, with Savannah on his heels, hurried back into the house and didn’t stop hurrying until they were entering the room where Niko was convalescing.

Marcellus hurried to his bedside. “What are you involved in?” he asked him anxiously.

Natalia and Peggy had run to the window when they heard the collision and then the crash, and had informed Niko of what was happening. He knew something unspeakable was up. So he didn’t hesitate. “Shipments,” he said.

“Of what?Drugs?”

“Ammo.”

“To whom?”

There was a slight hesitation.

“To whomgotdammit?!” Marcellus blared out so loud that it made the ladies jump.

“To whomever needed ammo,” he admitted. “Mercenaries mostly.”

“But the mob too?”

Another hesitation.

“But the mob--”

“Yes!” said Niko. “Why is that so important?”

“Which mob?Italian?”

Niko shook his head. “No. Russian.”

“Just Russian?”

“Yes. I mean . . .”

“You mean what, Nikolas? Tell me!”

“I overheard Boris Escabatti, he was one of my kidnappers.”

“What did you overhear?”

“He was complaining about how much some guy expected from him.”

“What guy?”

“He never said. But he kept mentioning those Greek motherfuckers.”

“Greek?”

Niko nodded. “I remember him saying that over and over. They had me tied up in the back room, but I could hear them talking. He was talking to this other guy and he kept mentioning those Greek motherfuckers.”

It was what Marcellus feared. Even Savannah could suddenly hear him breathing heavier. “Tell me everything he said.”

“He kept saying how those Greek motherfuckers were some vicious-ass mobsters and how he never thought they would be smart enough to pull off something like this.”

“Like what?” Marcellus asked him.

“He didn’t say what,” said Niko. “Then some other guy said, ‘but they did it.’ And then Boris said something like ‘yeah they did alright. And with more to come.’ Then I couldn’t make out what else they were saying.”

Marcellus let out a harsh exhale. He felt as if his very world was crumbling around him.