Annihilation Read online

  “My brother didn’t know anything about you.” Nico said as he walked in front of the shorter man. “I’m your Uncle Nico, that’s your cousin Aaron, more cousins Giuseppe and this is-”

  “I know who that dude is,” he said looking in Alfonzo’s direction, excited at the possibility of being related to a wealthy businessman who the media speculated was the new face of organized crime, “who don’t know. Yo, you’re on the on the news and on Forbes List?”

  “That dude’s got a name, use it.” Nico replied, picking up a negative vibe.

  “Serious –you Alfonzo Diaz, my cousin for real, word?”

  “Don’t look so happy. Nobody’s proven we’re related. I have enough mother-fucking cousins and I don’t need any more!” Alfonzo said pushing past the guy. They were pressed for time. This non-reunion shit was tiresome. He didn’t trust this joker and didn’t care to chit-chat. Besides, they had an important deadline to meet. “Nico, Geo, it’s time to roll.”

  Giuseppe grinned, and slapped their newfound cousin across the head, “Benvenuto il bastardo famiglia Steal my money, you lose both hands!”

  “Who the fuck you calling a bastard, you grease-ball?” Sergio responded as he slapped Giuseppe’s hand out the air.

  Sergio was unaware Giuseppe was the worst of the three, impulsive and eager to inflict pain. Giuseppe elbowed Sergio hard in the gut then chuckled when he let out a cough mingled with a moan. Giuseppe sneered, “I hate you call me grease-ball. It is derogatory to me; I hate thieves more bastardo cugino.”

  Nico took hold of the Sergio’s shoulder and squeezed hard bringing more pain, “We find out you’re lying, it’s not going to be pretty.” He signaled to Aaron who watched the entire scene and realized his dad and cousins were an intimidating trio. He felt sorry for that Sergio guy if he lied because his dad killed men for a living. His father hadn’t confessed it; he didn’t need to. These were all mafia men.

  The group exited the basement leaving Sergio in the company of Dellegio and his guys. They would not allow the man to leave until they were one hundred percent certain of his identity. He could be working undercover for the feds. Vincent’s son or not, he was a variable and a potential liability.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Alberti and Matteo hurried their pace. Sophie phoned in a frantic calm; Amelda left the house with several guards to check on Geovonna despite her protests. She wanted Matteo to go there in the event all was not well. She did not want to chance anything happening to her daughter or her unborn grandchild.

  They were at the edge of the property and could discern the popping noises were coming from the vicinity of the house. Matteo was the first in the line of men running toward the stucco home with his gun drawn. He ran past his wife’s car which sat behind an apple green Porsche which was Geovonna’s prized possession from daddy.

  The dread of what he’d find sent him far ahead of the pack. He heard a woman scream. It was his wife’s voice, he knew it anywhere.

  Amelda!

  He switched directions. His long legs were propellers and his feet kicked up the grass. His heart beat in a frenetic pattern, a tempo of excited beats, each one a crescendo. Matteo turned the corner and tripped over a body. He didn’t have time to check the man’s identity. The only thing on his mind was getting to his pregnant wife. He scrambled to his feet and the palpitations came faster at the sight of his wife and Geovonna running for their lives across the lawn. In pursuit was a man in fatigues carrying a machete, moving so fast, he had shortened the distance between them in a blink of an eye. Matteo took off in an Olympic sprint. He couldn’t risk shooting at this distance, he might strike Geovonna or his wife. The Italian leather shoes were like sneakers. Matteo ran the swiftest he’d run in his life. His eyes were on the women, willing them forward, praying for a few more seconds to close the gap and he did. Thankfully, he reached the heel of the man right before he swung the machete and missed his wife’s head by a hair.

  Matteo tackled him to the ground, pressed the gun to the back of his head and fired before the man could twitch, then he fired again. That shot was for nearly killing his wife. He stood, looked at his wife and was about to speak when a bullet knocked him over and he found himself toppling toward the grass. The blood spilled from his body in a rose color as if it was rolling out the red carpet in preparation of a celebrity event. There were more shots fired as Matteo slammed face-down into the blood. His body lay there in an exsanguinated heap as Amelda screamed for help.

  It was Alberti who took down the man on the balcony who fired the lone shot which struck Matteo. The men with him were searching the property and the house. He hurried to the fallen man, pushing the women back to peer down at Matteo’s wound. It did not look good. It looked very bad.

  ****

  Domingo climbed inside the SUV after Teresa. He wasn’t about to allow his wife to go on a cloak and dagger mission without her man at her side. The girls were with Abuela. Domingo came packing heat to ensure nothing went wrong and he brought his wife safely home. Alfonzo gave them the cliff-note version of what transpired and frankly, he prayed they hadn’t killed the kid already. Alfonzo was seated near the window in the backseat, and two scary looking dudes were up front, quiet as heck. Teresa sat in the middle of him and his cousin chewing gum without a care.

  Alfonzo went over the instructions again to make sure she memorized every detail. “Remember Teresa, park at the northeast corner, leave the doors unlocked. Geo and I will be on the floor, so you have to tell us ‘all clear’ before we sneak down under the car. You need to scan the cars as you slowly roll in to make sure no one’s sitting and watching. It’s important chica you look or our asses are sitting ducks underneath that car. Once you give us the clear, leave the doors unlocked and drop the keys on the floor next to me and I’ll get out when the kid does. Then you guys head to the coffee shop where Domingo is waiting. Take a cab home and send the boy to the Jersey address I gave you and that’s it. Keep your head down a bit, and whatever you do, don’t take off that hat chica. The boy’s mom has a short haircut. Comprende, Teresa?”

  “Sí, since when have I fucked up on any jobs back in the day ‘Fonzo?”

  “Nunca, chica. Domingo and will have our eyes on you, like the old days mami, feel me?”

  “Yo, I know that’s right. You guys better. Matter-of-fact, I’d also like a 9mm or something. A girl can’t rely solely on her boo to cover her ass. This ass needs to get home to her kids.”

  Domingo produced a .22 and sat it on his wife’s lap, “Been keeping this locked away from your crazy ass. I didn’t want you ever using it on me.”

  Teresa smiled at her baby, “Oh yeah,” she said to the familiar weapon, “you came home to mommy.”

  “Don’t use it Teresa unless you have to. This is strictly an acting gig.” Alfonzo cautioned.

  “Yeah, I know but still it feels good to be in the thick of the action with you guys again.”

  “This isn’t play baby. Just act the part and then we bounce.” Domingo said. Alfonzo had a professional crew. His guys didn’t need their help when it came to the fire power. Besides, they were parents now and the gangster life was over. Sure, he’d be there for his cousin, no doubt, but his daughters and wife came first.

  Teresa smirked, “Oh you know you getting the same adrenalin rush boo, admit it.”

  Alfonzo grinned. Yeah, he missed these guys. They’d come a long way from the old days, though. Here it is Domingo finally cleaned up his act and owned his own business, had a wife and kids, the whole nine. He was the respectable family man, doing responsible things. Alfonzo was glad because there’s a time he wondered if he and Domingo would make it out of the streets alive. A family, Alfonzo scoffed silently, ‘hell that was the furthest from their minds. They often bragged about staying single, riding solo, no familia, nada!

  The car rolled to a stop and the trip down memory lane screeched to a halt. Alfonzo sat upright, checked over his shoulder to make certain the second car was close to their b
umper then exited the vehicle, gesturing for Nico to send the boy.

  Domingo, the driver and passenger got out. Teresa climbed into the control seat. Lou and the two helpers removed the laundry bags from the cargo compartment into the backseat and Nico checked his watch. “We’re forty minutes early.”

  “Go ahead and start out Nico, we’ll be on your tail once we’re done.”

  “Make sure my kid is safe.” He said to Alfonzo then hurried into the SUV. He took off with Lou and the others.

  Alfonzo watched the vehicle’s break lights as it stopped at the light. Nico had a good start. The drive was over an hour to the Hamptons and in light traffic at high speed he should be there before the kidnapper discovered anything wrong. Hopefully, he got there in time to save his kid.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Darren was directed to sit down on the bed. The man roughly bound his hands then went to work on his feet. He then pushed the boy down on his back atop the bed. “This is it kid. Your mom comes through with the money then we let you go.”

  This wasn’t the bald guy talking; it was one of his co-horts. Darren thought there were at least six men, but he could be wrong, there could be more. The man pulled a chair to the door and sat to assume watch. Tonight it was going down and he had instructions if it went south, kill the kid and dump the body out in the sound. The man checked his watch, in five more minutes the three hours was up and the drop was going down.

  Darren turned to look at the man, “I have to do a number two.”

  “Geez, hold on.” The man said standing with an expression of displeasure. He wished Carl hadn’t knocked the kid around or he’d be here doing babysitting duties instead of out there, securing the loot. He untied the boy’s feet and pointed to the bathroom door in the corner, “Leave it open so I can see you.”

  “It’s going to be a stinker. I always get a sour stomach when I eat fast food.”

  “Alright, then close the damn door.”

  “Are you going to come in and wipe my ass?” Darren asked holding out his hands to the irritable man.

  “Hell to the no!” He said in disgust before loosening the cord binding the boy’s hands. “Try anything dumb kid and you think what Carl did to that eye hurt; I’ll break your jaw.”

  “Yeah…I figured you’d say that. The bad guys always do.”

  Darren hurried to the bathroom and really took a dump –and it really did smell. He wasn’t lying about that. When he was done he emptied the tissue dispenser until the cardboard roll hung and pushed the wad of soft white paper in the garbage can. He checked the medicine cabinet and beneath the sink for anything to use as a weapon. He couldn’t lie there anymore and wait for his dad. This was his only chance to escape in case something went wrong. Being tied up was the equivalent to be helpless and he was far from helpless.

  Darren sighed. They’d removed everything except the harmless toiletries. Then he got an idea and built on it from there. In a hurried motion he quietly slid off the porcelain toilet bowl cover and tip-toed to the door. He leaned flat against the wall and said, “There’s no more tissue, can you hand me a roll.”

  “One sec!”

  Silence ensued. Darren surmised the man had to go fetch the item from another room. After a minute he heard the footsteps on the wood floor and waited. The doorknob turned and as soon as the door opened, Darren whacked the man so hard in the head with the hard object it broke in his hands and the man went crashing to the floor unconscious. He stooped and checked the guy’s pocket for a gun or a cell phone. He didn’t find a weapon but he did retrieve a really nice cell out of his pocket and some keys. He touched the screen and thank goodness the fool didn’t have a password to unlock it. Most adults didn’t, they liked ease of access, but the kids always locked their devices. They didn’t want anyone snooping through their contacts or using it and running up an enormous bill in the event the cell was lost.

  His finger glided over the virtual keyboard, tapping a familiar number. He got his mom after a short delay. “Hello?”

  “Mom, it’s me.” Darren whispered.

  “Darren, oh my God, where are you, did your father make it?”

  “No, dad’s coming?”

  “Yes, sweetheart. Where are you?”

  “I’m in some house I don’t where. I tried looking for mail or something but they have me locked in a bedroom and I can’t see much outside. Mom, Greg’s behind this.”

  “Don’t worry about that sonovabitch, your dad will take care of it.”

  “Mom, they said you launder money and dad kills people, is that true mom?”

  “Son, when you’re home, we’ll sit down and talk. Right now the most important thing is to try to get out of there. Once you’re somewhere safe then you call me right back, do you understand?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you hurt?”

  “Black eye. I get those playing ball.”

  “Okay, son I love you. Now get off the phone and you find a way out of there.”

  “Alright, going. Love you.”

  “I love you, too. Go baby, be safe.”

  “Okay.”

  He slid the device in his pocket alongside the keys and stepped over the fallen man as he headed to the door. When he turned the knob, he met no resistance and internally smiled. He opened the door a slither and peered into the hall. The hallway was empty. A typical corridor of a second floor home, except there weren’t many homes harboring a kidnapped boy. He stepped into the empty space then made his way toward the stairs as his chest did an excited hammering. He made it down the stairs and was high-tailing it to the large front door only feet away when a fist caught him sideways and he went careening to the floor. Darren felt ringing to his ears from the sucker punch, but it’s the voice and then the face staring down at him which caused his entire to vibrate in anger as he lifted from the floor. “You fucking bastard!”

  He suffered tons of bruises playing contact sports and in basketball getting elbowed or knocked down sometimes was part of the game. And just like in sports, when someone made an intentional foul Darren responded with a football tackle. He did the same to Gregory and slammed him to the ground then socked him for his mom, for his family and for the many months of dumb jokes he was forced to endure from the pretentious man. He wanted to kill the sick bastard and would have done it had a hand not snatched him back by the collar and restrained him with an iron grasp.

  Gregory slowly rose to his feet. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and the mask he wore slipped away to reveal his true character. “You shouldn’t have done that boy. I really didn’t want to hurt you but now you’ve seen me and there’s no way I can let you live.”

  He punched the boy in the face for striking him so hard then in the gut for being a smart-mouth brat!

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Amelda and Geovonna were ushered into the house. Their clothes soaked in Matteo’s blood and their eyes sad from their ordeal. It is Amelda who was stricken the hardest by what occurred. She rushed to her mother crying in despair. Alberti refused to allow her to accompany Matteo to the hospital, instead he summoned Matteo’s father to keep vigil over the injured man. Amelda cursed him aloud as she gripped her mother when the man appeared in the living-room and glared at the small group of women gathered there. “You were not to leave the grounds. Sophie this is on you. Had you listened and restrained your daughter, Matteo would not be fighting for his life.”

  “Do not lecture me. Amelda is a grown woman.”

  “If not for Amelda, I would not be here!” Geovonna screamed in her defense. “How dare you keep her from her husband when this is the time he needs her most? I will tell Giuseppe and he will punish you old man!”

  Alberti found the spirit of these women an annoyance. They were not men, yet wanted to behave as such. He was an old-fashioned man and abhorred the thought of women with guns and fighting. They were delicate flowers, blooming in gardens, pretty and sweet, not spikes or thorns to the touch which brought blood to flesh. T
hey would sit and wait and live and be women. This was his demand and Geovonna’s remark angered him. “You, be quiet and sit. Your father allows you to run amok and cause trouble too much.” Then he addressed Sophie, “Woman, we have no quarrel.” He moved close to her and Amelda who sobbed softly in her protective arms. “My brother is not here to protect his family and it is my duty to be the guardian of this house.” He put a hand to Amelda’s shoulder as an empathetic gesture to her distress, “I am not being unfair or cruel. The Russian’s are not alone in their assault. The polizei cannot slow what is coming nor can they fight a battle we knew would soon be ours. Amelda, all of you are precious to me and I only want to ensure your safety. My wife and daughters are far removed from the dangers. They are in Eritrea and heavily guarded. I suggest you keep Amelda here where there is an army of protection. I cannot worry over you women and attend to the dangers coming in droves and from all directions. You know what’s at stake Sophie, Luzo’s kin is what I must also protect. As soon as we have news of Matteo’s condition, someone will escort her to the hospital to be at his side, but for now, let her clean-up and when she is less hysterical we’ll visit this topic again.”

  Sophie’s lip trembled with emotion. The kindness of Alberti’s words was meant to touch her and they had. He would not speak this way unless there was a threat far greater coming their way. A tear dripped to the floor and she saw him in his youth, the young man he once was. Handsome, entertaining and her husband’s secret brother. She saw the past and his intervention when she was a less than honest woman when she bed his eldest brother Luzo, a married man then ran Maria from Italy’s shores. He saw her as she was and knew her as she’d been, a woman in love with one brother who thus settled in the end.