PROLOGUE
The air of silence was different.
I could hardly explain it, but I could feel the chill even if it was only the middle of fall in Tver Oblast, I know all too well that something is amiss. Or something was up.
I managed to walk and act normal as if I didn’t notice two men who’d been tailing me from the market up until here. I stopped and pulled the collar of my brown parka while managing to look for a cover. In case they want a damn fight. I continued my walk and held the flower on my left shielding my knife on my right hand.
I curved my way to the next corner and waited. After a few seconds, a man followed behind me.
I tried to ignore him as much as possible and turned my attention to my walk, but as I was nearing the opening of an arcade, I struck him with my elbow I hit his face and grabbed the back of his hair then I slammed him to the nearest concrete.
He lost his consciousness in an instant. Another man emerged from where I came, seeing how I attacked his fellow, he grabbed his gun not until I spun my knife on him sending his weapon away. Stunned by my swift attack, I launched my feet kicked him hard on his stomach, and slammed his head on the pavement.
I retrieved my knife and his gun then I checked his face. He was in his late forties and had a mark on the right cheek, a scar that lined from his jawbone to the full of his cheekbone. A ring on his left hand and an anchor tattoo on his right palm.
He didn’t seem like one of the guys that chasing me.
Not Gregori’s men.
I checked the other one. He was quite young and lean. Probably a neophyte. He has copper, unruly curls. His mouth was bleeding and a hint of the bruise was starting to turn black on his forehead.
I sighed.
They didn’t seem to be street punks. Pesky middlemen or dealers. I’m sure the bounty on my head was still in the market.
Great.
I collected their weapons, checked their wallet, or searched for something that would identify them who’s who they were working for. Unfortunately, I found none.
It looks like it was only an isolated case of robbery.
Poor men. Do I look that innocent to be picked as their possible victim?
They messed up the wrong girl. I mentally smirked at that.
I went on my way. It took only fifteen minutes to reach the public cemetery of Volynskoje a few blocks from where I left my two attackers. Passing a few gravestones and tombs, I bent down and placed the flower on the grave and tried to pray even though It was almost ages since I’d done that.
I made a clearing of its engraved letters and shoved a few dried leaves and vines that already crept up to the headstone. It scribbled four names, and all of them died on the same date. I ran my hand over the names and momentarily remembered the few remaining memories of them in me.
They were written on one tombstone because only a few remains had been left at the crime scene. They said that the butchers fed their other parts to the pack of stray wolves. A kind of thought that made my blood boil and wanted to kill them with my bare hands and burn them alive.
I can still remember that night.
That horrible night, an awful night which made me who I am. The night of my sixth birthday and the night that I lost them in just one flick of time. They were murdered, killed mercilessly in front of me. I was about to die that night too if not for a man who saved me from being buried alive.
I could still hear their voices inside my head begging, scowling, cursing their tormentors. And I was there only to bear witness as they were slowly and painfully killing my family.
I witnessed how they killed my father and raped my mother and older sister while my older brother was lying cold on the floor bathing in his blood. I was there crying helplessly as they were taken away from me one by one. My mom died of a gunshot to her head.
My sister and my brother had long slits on their neck which made their head almost fall off while my father was burned alive. The smell of burning flesh infused with the heavy pungent of gasoline made me sick. I witnessed how he begged to spare me.
But they didn’t.
They barely heard his plea, they took me and tried to drown me in the bathtub. I lost my conscious when I hit something hard. Then the next thing I knew, I was full of mud together with a chilling lick of snow, and found it difficult to breathe. They almost succeeded if Frank didn’t come and dug me up. I survived that bloodcurdling nightmare.
Even though it happened sixteen years ago; the memory of that incident remained in me as if my version of stigma. And I promise myself that I will find whoever was behind that crime. I will hunt them down no matter what it takes. No matter how long. I will see justice to their untimely and merciless death.
I went on silent prayer and tried to remember how I was back then. Solemnly take my decision and vindication seriously. To take revenge on those people that put them six feet under.
I decided to leave and hit the road again. I cannot stay here that long knowing that I am a target. For now, I have to cool down and reestablish my plan.
I had to call my old friend to help me get a flight clearance or travel on land was my best option. I had to get away for now while the scene was still fresh.
I was in deep thought while walking away from the cemetery when I noticed a black car parked near the curb across the street.
I hesitated and calculated my next move. If they were here for me, they should have shot me right away. I waited until a man in his twilight age, wearing his cream-coloured overlapping coat matching an off-white scarf hanging on his neck, climbed down the limo followed by two tall men wearing black suits from the other door and secured the old man.
He’s the superior then. But he didn’t look like the boss.
Finally, I decided to go towards him to find out why or what does he need or whatever he wants. He wouldn’t waste his time just to follow me here.
Crossing warily and on guard.
I stopped at a safe distance only to scrutinize the old man before me. He has a natural air of command and a grim look that told me he has been in this business for a long time.
He put his fedora off his head showing me his once blond hair turning grey. His poker facial expression didn’t fade on his aging look. He was fidgeting something on his coat that alerted me so in my quick impulse, I prepared to counter him, but he waved his free hand.
“Hold it, please. I mean no harm.”
I measured his movement and his motive. “What do you want from me?” In his language. His English had a twang of Italian.
"Per chilavori? (Who do you work for?)” I asked.
“I was sent here for an errand. I’m working for the father of the girl you rescued six months from now. He wants to regard his gratitude for saving his daughter in the hands of Fabiano, you still remember?” He mentioned while holding an envelope in his left hand.
He gestured for me to take it. I hesitated but shot a glance at it. I noticed then the ring on his left hand encircled his index finger.
The same ring as my attacker.
I didn’t second guess and grabbed the gun I sequestered on my attacker earlier and pointed it at him.
The two men behind the old man immediately pointed their guns too on me.
“Put your guns down boys.” He ordered with authority.
“You sent those men to attack me.”
To my surprise, he laughed which sounded sardonically. “They attacked you or the other way around?” Then he waved his hand telling them to put the gun down.
The two were obliged to comply.
“Will you please?” He insisted I grab the envelope. “You can put down your ammo, we seriously mean no harm to Don Luciano’s friend.”
I waited a few seconds before I decided to snatch the parcel and withdraw my weapon depositing it at the back of my jeans.
I turned my attention to the envelope and its contents. It was lightweight but bulky. I shot him one last glance before I opened it. It has a picture and a handful of cash.
“What’s this for?” I arched my brow.
“Consider it as a balance deposit, you’ll get the full payment after you finish the job.” He vaguely said.
“You want me to kill this person for you?” I started.
“No, I want you to find that man. He took our boss’s daughter. We discovered that he was an undercover cop who recently worked as our boss’s IT expert. He allegedly kidnapped our boss’s daughter, Ariana.
Our boss wanted him alive and brought his daughter back. He wants that person to pay for his deed and well, for corrupting his only daughter.” He paused. “By all means, please get our boss’s daughter back.”
“What makes you think I will accept this? I don’t have any business with Di Marco.” I was about to turn around, but he said something making me face him again.
“They say you’re the one who killed Alfonso. The Godfather of the western district, the founder of the Castiglione family. And that made you on the hotspot. That’s why you’re jumpy, right?” He took one step while placing his hands in his pocket.
“What are you trying to imply?” I monitored his next word. He could be a double-cross man.
“Nothing, I think we can help you with that if you help us with this. C’mon, I thought you were wiser enough. Sorry for my words, but I guess you have nowhere to go and that makes you a bum. We can offer a great deal. Who knows, we might hire you as a member.”
“Thanks for selling a nice bargain but I won’t buy it. The offer is great, but I have something important to take care of, not an eloping couple whom the great martinet himself couldn’t solve alone or castigates his daughter.”
“I won’t repeat this, but please, accept the job. We need your help.” He begged which sounded more intimidating than it should be.
I sighed and averted my eyes on the cemetery where my family was buried. Then by chance, I saw the two men that I had beaten up. They were at a distance, but I could imagine the enormous frowns on their faces.
“Your men?”
“Yes, I told them to follow you. I never thought they would jump on you. I just asked them to send my message to have this talk with you, but I guess you didn’t expect our presence.”
“My bad, I thought they were my chasers.” I mindlessly apologized while not taking my eyes off the old man.
“By the way, my name is Jacques. I’m the right hand of Luciano.”
I stared at his hand before I took it. “Katarinà.”
“I know, I suppose you’re changing your mind?”
I mentally took my time with that question and randomly came up with an answer.
I couldn’t get away easily. Although he’s not imposing hostility I know that I couldn’t take him lightly, given to his words and his intimidating pose. Although he’s in his eighties, I could see that he’s more robust and potent in combat.
In person, he might look like an old man with his backache and his elderly sickness but not this guy. He’s the most experienced of his age. I have ammo and a knife; still, I couldn’t risk fighting against them. Besides, I don’t have a good reason to fight. This could be an excellent way to escape Gregori and his men.
“What’s the name of the guy?”
That won a wicked smile on his expressionless face.
