Chapter 2 Elia
2405 Words
I took a long puff of my Marlboro Vintage and stared at the withering old man across the table. He was sweating despite the full blown air-conditioning and frankly I wasn't surprised. People tend to cower in front of me. That's what makes me...me.
I eyed my best friend s***h sidekick Mario and he grinned slyly, saying nothing.
"You're not eating, Mr Harvey," I pointed, eyeing his untouched plate of sirloin and asparagus.
"I...er, I...I am not really hungry,sir," He stuttered.
"Too bad because I hate wasting food," I said, leaning closer. "Is that a tradition or something in America? Because we Italians strip our plates clean,"
"No, of course not," He laughed nervously. "I will start as soon as you do,"
"Well, in that case, Bon appetit!" I smiled, taking a bite of my lobster ravioli.
"What do you want?" Mr Harvin blurted out at last, something he was dying to do throughout the evening. "Please, let me go!"
"We want the deal," Mario answered.
Before he could say something, one of the waitress trotted into our private dinning carrying a bottle of Chianti.
"Your refill,sir," She said sweetly, batting her lashes at me.
I eyed her as she trotted along the room in her tight white blouse and short black skirt, lips painted with blood red lipstick.
"May I?" She asked me and I gave her one of my panty-dropping sexy smile. From the corner of my eyes I saw Mario roll his eyes. Jealous prick.
"Sure, love," I said. She smiled and leaned in to fill my glass doing it with more precision than was needed.
"Do let me know, if you need anything," She said, once she was done.
"Of course," I smiled and eyed her name-pin. "Greta,"
She nodded, gave me another flirty glance and left. I stared at her and then turned my attention back to the matter we were dealing with.
"So, where are we?" I asked.
"The deal..." Mario replied. "Now what do you think about that Mr. Harvey?"
"I already promised the deal to Mr. Bianchy sir," He stuttered. "He will kill me if I don't keep it,"
"And how do you intend to keep your promise if you cease to live in the first place, ever thought about that, Mr. Harvey?"I pointed.
"Please, don't do that sir," He almost started sobbing. "I have a family,"
"And I want you to live a happy fulfilling life with them," I smiled. "And so you would. All you need to do is sign that deal,"
"Giovanni will kill me," He repeated.
"Look, Mr Harvey," Mario sneered. "That arms deal in Chicago is ours and if you don't do as told, I will kill you right here and nobody will even utter a word. You know I am not above killing people,"
"Easy there," I warned. "This is a conversation between gentlemen. Maintain the decorum please,"
"Fine," Mario scowled, sitting back.
"So, Mr. Harvey," I said turning to old guy again. "How about this? We pay you thrice of whatever Giovanni has promised, you sign the deal and get out of the States for sometime? And anyway, he won't come after you...he will come after me, so you should be fine,"
"But..." He started.
"No...now that's a word I don't like," I whispered. "Don't test my patient, Mr Harvey. Seize the day, okay? I don't want the blood of a woman in my hands now and I am sure neither do you,"
"No...no please!" He cried. "I will sign. The deal is yours,"
"Sorprendente!" I exclaimed. "Get the paperwork ready then, will you?"
"Yes, Mr. Moretti," He nodded, looking sullen.
"Hurry, will you?" Mario added. "We leave for Italy in two days,"
"I will," He nodded. "Can I leave now?"
"Of course," I smiled. "Lucio, Per favore, scortalo alla sua macchina,"
"Sure, sir," Lucio, one of my body guards nodded.
"He will escort you to your car, Mr Harvey," I translated for him. "I am sure you enjoyed your dinner?"
"Yes , sir," He replied, standing up and my eyes drifted to his untouched plate.
Of course you did ... I chuckled inwardly.
"Perfetto," I smiled. "See you soon?"
"Yes, Mr. Moretti," He agreed. "Goodnight,"
I nodded and smiled as he hurried off with Lucio. He couldn't have walked out faster. That was the beauty of power and I, Dominico Elia Moretti, eldest son and leader of the Moretti family was born with it. I exercised power and control and dominance in everything I did.
Nothing or nobody ever scares me.
"So what now?" Mario demanded.
"Let's go," I said, wanting nothing more but to soak in a warm bath with a glass of Pinot Grigio.
"That's it?" Mario muttered. "I thought we were going clubbing!"
"I have my plans," I answered, climbing into my Aston Martin. "Oh, would you send that waitress...what's her name?"
"Greta," Mario rolled his eyes.
"Right, Greta to my room while I return from a drive?" I said, lighting another cigarette.
"That's your plan?" He grimaced making a face. "Of all the women in Chicago?"
"And what else do you plan to do in a club?" I retorted. "Dance?"
"You got me," He grinned. "I'll see what I can do,"
"Enjoy brother," I said. "Ci vediamo tra quindici anni!"
"Yep!" He nodded and disappeared into the hotel.
I started the ignition, pressed down the accelerator and sped off towards the Chicago Millenium Park, thankful that the roads weren't too crowded at this late hour. I pressed the audio button on the center console and f**k 3x by Tha Supreme filled the car. I loved the song and with the 700-watt audio of my DB11, it sounded even more badass than it already was.
Not ten minutes on road, the music stopped replaced by a call from Mario. Asshole.
"What?" I demanded. "I said fifteen minutes not ten,"
"You are being followed," He answered, sounding bored.It was nothing out of the blue. Our lives were in threat from the time we wake up until we go to bed or maybe not even then. "The black Toyota,"
I glanced at my rear view mirror and sure there was a black Toyota something following me. The car was so discreet and plain that it didn't caught my attention.
"Yes, I see it," I said.
"Where are you?" Mario demanded.
"Millenium Park," I answered, keeping a steady eye on the car.
"Take a U-turn. Wouldn't take much time to reach the hotel," He ordered.
"Gotcha," I said and cut the call.
I sped up and so did the shitty black car as if it could outtake my $201,820 Aston Martin. i***t. I took the U-turn and so did he speeding up as much as the s**t box supported. For a moment I was enjoying the stupidity of my stalker but then it hit me. If the person was following me that means he/ she knows who I was and if the person knew who I was then it has to be someone who wouldn't be using that car to throw a chase. It had to be something equally exclusive like mine. Normal people doesn't stalk someone like me. Which drove me to the conclusion that this was not as simple as it seemed it was.
I opened the center-console bin and grabbed my Colt Python and shoved it into the band of my jeans. I grabbed my Blackhawk and stowed into my pocket. This ought to do. I shot another glance at the Toyota and sure enough it was following but it had slowed down and it didn't took me long to realise why. Approaching from the front was a black Dodge.
Fuck!
There was no way I could overtake so I decided to wait until it stops. And it did stopped just a feet away from me as I pulled the brakes. I decided to stay in my car until it was incumbent to go out. I was outnumbered by a lot at that and it would be the dumbest thing to go out on a killing spree without evaluating the strength of my nemesis.
My phone began to ring flashing Mario's name on the screen.
"Where are you?" He demanded.
"I am captured," I answered. "And horribly outnumbered,"
"f**k," He cursed. "Stay put. I am sending help,"
"Hurry," I muttered, as I noticed five guys climbing out from the s**t box.
"On it," He said and cut the call.
Their faces were covered with black mask, all of them armed with what I presumed to be Smith and Wesson 686. Two cars filled with men to kill one guy. It didn't took much to realize who could have sent these goons.
Giovanni...
"Motherfucker," I muttered, took a deep breath braced myself and climbed out of the car.
Kicking the door shut and before giving them too much time to think, I shot taking three down before the other two could even realize it. Thankfully, the road was empty otherwise that would have caused another problem.
The remaining two started firing blindly and I ducked down firing like crazy, hitting one of them on the head. Six more climbed out of the dodge and started firing. I quickly scrambled towards the Toyota but not before one of them hit me squarely on the shoulder. Pain shot through my body like someone has lit me on fire. I sat down on the road, hidden by my car and heard the front glass shatter to pieces.
"f**k!" I cursed. The car was brand new. I took two deep breath, tried to ignore the pain and shot again not bothering to look who I hit as I ducked back behind the car again. I had a pretty good aim so I was sure I did hit someone, which son of a b***h doesn't matter.
I checked my Colt and realized that I have used up all the bullets and the spare ones were in the car which means useless. I fished out my blackhawk and hoped that this would be enough. From a distance, I could hear the sirens approaching.
Cops!
Double Crap!
I leaned away from my hiding and saw that my assailants were climbing back in the dodge. No body wanted the cops involved no matter how influential you are. Especially not in a foreign country and especially not in America. I waited until they disappear then clambered to my feet and started towards my damaged car. The sirens were near now. Probably a block or two away. I felt my phone vibrate and I picked it up, struggling with the touch-screen because my shitty bloody hands.
"Where are you?" I barked.
"Almost there," He answered. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, just one bullet," I replied. "The cops are here,"
"I know," He replied. "There's a car waiting for you at the back entrance of the park. Ditch your Martin and take that Toyota and ditch that just near the park too,okay?"
"Yeah, got ya," I nodded, stumbling towards my beloved car.
I gave it one last look, it was lovely but attachment can cost me good so moving away I took out my gun and aimed it on the fuel tank. In a matter of seconds my lovely Aston Martin burst into flames. The fuckers were going to pay for it. I will make sure they do.
Climbing into the Toyota, I cast one rueful glance at the burning heap of metal that cost me a small fortune and took off as fast as this car would support towards the park. It took me all of five minutes. I climbed out of the car, stowed the keys and took off towards the back entrance where Mario was waiting. Five minutes later, I could see the outline of a car and someone waving at me. I increased my pace but stopped short just as piercing pain shot through my body. For a moment, I thought it was my shoulder bleeding again but as I looked down I noticed my white shirt turning to red.
Before the pain properly registered another bullet hit me, making me see black dots. The noise of firing echoed around me but it seemed too far away. I needed to get to the car, I decided and with the realization hitting me hard, I pushed myself forward. Each movement felt like a thousand shards of glass tearing my inside. The final blow made me vomit blood like water flowing out of a faucet as something sharp pierced through me. It took every ounce of strength in me to turn around and face the motherfucker.
"Stabbing an already wounded man from behind," I hissed, grabbing his throat in a choke hold. "Brave!"
He hissed and I can see him struggling in spite of his mask. He kicked and kicked but the poor thing had no idea who he was dealing with. I can kill him with my bare hands. And I would.
I tried to drive comfort to my pain as I watched the backstabber take his last breath. He huffed, his eyes rolling towards heaven and eventually stopped struggling. I shoved his lifeless body on the ground and wished I could be as satisfied as I would have in any other circumstance but with my insides tearing apart that was not the case and I doubled over on the pavement, vomiting again.
"Elia!" I heard a distant voice. "Prendilo! VELOCE!"
I realised it was Mario and I wanted to curse him but everything turned black and the words didn't leave my mouth.
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"s**t! Vitals?"
I was dragged back to reality by a soft and almost panicked female voice...Where was I?
"Bad," Another voice, replied. "He has lost a lot of blood, doctor. Heart rate 94/min. BP 122/82mm Hg and RR 18/min,"
He...Who? Me?
"We need to operate," The first voice ordered. "Shift him to OR now. Oxygen standby. Blood, six units atleast. What's his name?"
Operate? What was going on? I tried to open my eyes but a blinding pain took over me turning everything black again.
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The lights that hit me as I opened my eyes were uncomfortably bright. I noticed people hovering around me, wearing all blue. They peered at me, looking surprised and sorry as if I was some injured animal. Wasn't I?
"We need to inject him with anesthesia, now!" Someone said.
With what?
I felt something sharp pierce into my wrist and seconds later my eyes began to droop. I was so sleepy!
As I drifted into a dark dark place, I saw a face peering at me. Two green eyes stared at me, filled with concerned and soon I heard a familiar voice whispering into my ears-
"Stay strong. We will get you through this,"
Stay strong...
Can I ?
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- Writer
