The Assassin's Destiny

Chapter 17: Targets to eliminate

Chapter 17: Targets to eliminate

Argent

             I reach for my phone, and I dial Mateo’s number. Logan signals for me to proceed as soon as he scrambles my location. From Mateo’s point of view, my location will show that I am in L.A. instead of Manaus.

             “Argent?” Mateo answers quickly.

             Thankfully, I never confided with Mateo about our mission to assassinate William Kazik. I’m sure that if he had known, he would have told Irving and jeopardized the whole mission. The New York branch, Logan and I, agreed to keep our plan as private as possible. The only reason Jaxon’s men are involved is that they all have a personal grievance against Kazik.

             “Mateo, I just received a call from a local agent informing me that Sebastian might be in Manaus. I need you to book me a flight from L.A. to Manaus as soon as possible and book one for yourself.”

             I look at all of the men who are listening with bated breath. “This time, Sebastian won’t get away. I’ll send you all of the details so that you can prepare. Call me as soon as you get my flight information.”

             Mateo puffs out a breath. “Alright, Argent. I’ll get on it now.”

             “It’s done,” I say to the men who are silently sitting around the airy office. “He’ll probably call me within the hour with a late flight.”

             Logan nods. “I checked the airlines, and the earliest flight out is in two hours. We know that Irving is in Sao Paulo, which means he’ll take that flight and be here soon. Ewan and Oliver are already at the house, making sure that surveillance is solid. At around six, we’ll go to set up all of the surveillance. Bullet is at the airport, keeping track of Irving’s movements. All we need is to put Sebastian in place, and we’re golden.”

             As the day progresses, I think about Penelope and how I’m going to confess my feelings to her. Somehow I’ve exorcised my fears and have come to accept that she’s the love of my life. I see now that I let my affection for Lauren blind me. It’s only now that I understand the true extent of my relationship with Lauren. It’s funny how, after someone dies, you only remember the good times, but now I see the cracks. I remember all of the times she’d come home late and all of the excuses she’d give me for not wanting to have s*x. The truth is that Nairi was my world, and I was willing to pretend that everything was alright between Lauren and me because I loved my little girl so much. I know that Sebastian omitted things for my benefit. And I’m sure that, like me, he suspects Nairi’s parentage, but it doesn’t matter. Even if Nairi wasn’t mine, I was still her father.

             All of that is in the past now. As much as I wish that my little girl was still alive, I know that she’s in a better place. Now, I have to look forward, and Penelope is my future.

             Right now, the men and I are loading up with weapons, preparing for what is to come. For safety reasons, we’re all wearing black sweaters and black cargo pants over our Kevlar.

             Logan’s has brought quite an impressive array of weapons that rivals my own.

             “Thinking about Penelope and about that hot kiss the other night?” Sebastian mutters with a sly grin.

             My brow furrows with irritation at my best friend. He still hasn’t gotten over seeing Penelope and me kissing. “I don’t know what you mean?” I state drolly.

             Sebastian chuckles. “Of course you do. I still recall Penelope’s sweet little moans when your hands wandered up to her dress. I got so hard that I thought I’d burst.” He pats my back heavily. “Who knew that you’d be such an animal? I’m so proud of you.”

             I brush off his hand as I gaze around the room in hopes that no one is listening to our banter. Thankfully, Logan and Ewan are in deep conversation, and Rogue is admiring some of the weapons that are mounted on the wall.

             “I’m not going to talk about this with you, Bast. What Penelope and I do is none of your business.”

             Sebastian snickers in reply. “Well, I’m happy for you anyway. You’re a very lucky arsehole.”

             Placing the magazine in my g*n, I quirk a brow. “I’m the lucky one, Bast.”

             The drive to the house is a solemn affair. The bulletproof SUV that I brought is fully equipped with blockers, sensors, and weapons. Sitting in the back passenger seat of the SUV, I run through our plan in my mind. I have to make sure that there are no inconsistencies.

             Logan passes me his laptop. “As you predicted, Mateo wasted no time in calling Irving with the news of Sebastian’s reappearance. I also checked all the plane manifests traveling from Sao Paulo to Manaus and found that Irving and Mateo jumped on a flight two hours after you called. They took separate flights, but their intent was obvious.”

             My lips tighten with anger. “The little fokker booked me on a late flight. I still  can’t believe that little bastard has been playing me this whole time.”

             Logan snorts with derision. “Don’t be so hard on yourself, Argent. We’ll get him.”

              It upsets me greatly that Mateo fooled me so easily. “Did you run his financials?”

             I asked Logan to do a background check on Mateo’s finances before we left. I need to know why Mateo is involved, and if it has to do with money, or if there is any other reason for his duplicity.

             Logan takes the laptop back and begins to tap on the keyboard. “I ran one of my programs to do a thorough financial search. It should have been completed by now.”

             After a moment, he rests the laptop on my lap. “So, these are Mateo’s financials from the past six years. I found several inconsistencies. Over the past two years, there have been large deposits made from several corporations. However, there’s no paper trail to the source, and I can’t really speculate on his reasons for doing what he did.”

             I nod my head. “Well, I know for a fact that he doesn’t have an ill family member or anyone with legit financial need in his family. Can you do a background check on him?”

             Logan nods. “I can, but it’ll take a while. Brazil’s census and personal files are organized differently, and most of the information we’ll need will be in physical files.”

             “Anything that you can find is appreciated, Logan. Thank you.”

             The house is hidden high on a hill, which made it easy for us to hide the SUV nearby. As Logan said, it’s perfect because it’s secluded and far from any other houses. It’s a broke down old mansion with foreboding buttresses and large windows. You can’t see the inside of the house because the windows are so dirty. The inside of the house is just a grim-looking with its thick blue carpeting and oak stairs. The walls are shabby and stained with holes everywhere, and the doors are a heavy oak material with chipped paint. It looks like it’s been a long time since someone has lived in the house. The lawns are unkempt, and there’s garbage everywhere. As we march through the growing weeds and debris, we search the grounds.         

             Sebastian walks around the place, becoming familiar with the layout. There are several pieces of broken furniture in the house, and the place smells musty, but there’s still power. I lead the men to a room in the back and open the door. The room is equipped with a dozen monitors mounted on the walls, and other computer equipment, including listening microphones. “While Sebastian is lounging around, we’ll be monitoring the interior and exterior of the house. We’ll know as soon as Irving arrives and have more than enough time to get in place.”

             I grip Sebastian’s shoulder and turn him to face me. “Listen, Bast, you know the drill. Make sure Irving is in the house and get him talking. I’m sure there’s more to his duplicity than we know.”

             Sebastian adjusts his bulletproof best beneath his fitted shirt with a nod. “Just have my back, and we’ll be fine, Apollo.”

             It’s rare for Sebastian to use my codename, which tells me that he’s in his Assassin mode already.

             “Try to look worn and tired, Orion. We don’t want Irving to suspect that you’re receiving help.”

             He rolls his eyes and musses his hair. “Is that alright?”

             I shake my head in exasperation. “I guess that will do.”

             He smirks. “It’s not my fault that even exhausted, I look devilishly handsome.”

             I snort in reply as I gaze down at my watch. “It’s amazing how you get through doors with such an overinflated ego, Bast. Either way, it’s almost time, so get your fat head in the game. Any word from Bullet?” I ask Logan

             Logan glances down at his phone’s screen. “Yep, Irving and his men just landed at the airport. Mateo has already met up with Irving. It shouldn’t be long before they show. I have men watching the road for Irving’s vehicles as we speak. They’ll warn us when he’s near.”

             I pat Sebastian’s back hard and give him my cold stare. “Get all of the information you can from him, but don’t kill him.”

             “Why the f**k not?” He growls menacingly. “That fokker nearly ruined my life, and you want me to let him go?”

             Rubbing the bridge of my nose, I take a deep breath. “I know that you’re angry, Orion. But we need to interrogate him first. I want to know every bit of information he carries.”

             Sebastian flails his arms aggressively and begins pacing in place. His nostrils flare as he tries to contain his rage. The men in the room all stop what they're doing to observe our interaction. It’s a bit annoying, but there’s nothing that I can do since we’re in such close quarters.

             “I don’t understand, Argent! Are we going to lock him up like we did, Kazik? Because look how that turned out.”

             I take another breath in hopes of finding some patience. “It’s not like that. We’re not going to incarcerate, Irving. I just want some information. All we need is a day or two, and once we get what we want, you can kill him.”

             Brow quirked, Logan stands beside us. “I have to say that I agree with Sebastian. Keeping Irving alive will probably lead to more trouble in the long-run, and the Confradia will not agree with killing him. Think of all of the destruction Kazik has wrought from behind bars. If we take him to the Confradia, they’ll just give him a room next to William Kazik.”

             Giving them both a hard stare, I take a couple of steps back. “Here’s the thing, Bast. I don’t plan on turning Irving over to the Confradia.”

             Sebastian and Logan narrow their eyes. “What will you do, then?” Logan asks.

             My lips curl into a sneer. “I figure we can keep him here until we get all of the information we need, break his neck and bury him. This is a personal, covert mission, which means it’s not sanctioned by the Confradia; or in any of their mission books. With all of the evidence we collect, the Confradia will assume that he ran off before we could bring him in. We’re the only ones who need to know what we’ve done.”

             Sebastian rubs his hands together and gives me a sinister smile. “You’re right. We do need to know as much as we can about Irving’s plans before and after we take him.”

             Logan simply nods. “Sounds like a plan.”

             At that moment, his mobile vibrates. Everyone’s head snaps in his direction.

             Logan looks at the screen then looks back at us. “It’s time.”

             His eyes gleam with excitement that mirrors our own. It’s time to hunt.

             Logan and Ewan are in the monitoring room working the microphones and cameras while I remain nearby in case Sebastian needs any help. The other men find a strategic spot to hide as we wait for the action to begin.

             As quietly as I can, I go up the stairs and find a room with a window overlooking the road. As soon as I get there, I spot two SUVs turning on a shadowed area about five-hundred yards from the house. If it wasn’t for my vantage point, I wouldn’t have known he was here. I’m sure he’s counting on the fact that Sebastian will not be looking either. One thing that I learned about Irving is that he’s got an overinflated sense of self. I’ve observed his interaction with his men and how he treats them as if they're inferior to him.

             After a moment, I receive a group text from the men Logan stationed outside, communicating Irving’s location.

             The doors of the SUV open, revealing Irving and his men. It’s not a surprise that Irving brought only eight men. I’m sure that the majority of the men working under him at the Confradia are unaware of his dirty dealings. In fact, I’m sure that other than the bodyguard and Mateo, the other men are not Confradia. Jaw popping, I observe as he and they step out of the vehicle.

             Irving’s men appraise the area carefully as they discuss the proper way to approach it. I try to keep in the shadows as I watch their interactions. Armed with guns, two men slink to the back of the house, while another remains near the vehicle. Mateo, Irving, and the bodyguard approach the front. They do not walk in, though. I have to give it to them; they're cautious. The bodyguard and two other men circle the sides of the house but come back, shaking their heads. I’m sure they're telling Irving that they can’t see a thing due to all the thick drapes covering the windows.

             Irving snaps his fingers and gestures toward one of the windows. We knew he’d try to break into the house through a window and came up with the two most likely options. The window in the basement and the window in the back. They won’t take a chance on going through the front since it’s a vulnerable spot.

             g*n ready, the bodyguard signals the men in the back and gestures to the window. One of the men creeps toward the window and begins working on the lock while the other one slinks to a window near the back. It takes a few minutes, but eventually, they manage to slip inside.

             As carefully as I can, I stand by the bedroom door and listen for any sounds. Footsteps echo downstairs, and the sound of wood creaking reaches my ears. My blood heats with anticipation as the pad of footsteps grow faint. They’re searching the first floor first. I’m sure, by now, the man that went in through the basement has already searched it. The basement is empty, which means the man who snuck through the window will be making his way to the first floor quickly.

             In order to keep Irving from getting suspicious, we set up four surveillance cameras in and out of the house. The cameras were placed in obvious spots as decoys for the real ones lying around the house. We also set up decoy monitors in the living room.

             A loud crashing sound, followed by loud voices, reverberates across the floor. I lean close to the door as Sebastian’s angry cry fills the air. “Who the f**k are you!?” He calls out, enraged. Another crash follows Sebastian’s enraged cries, followed by thumping sounds. I wait a moment before I leave the room. The hallway is empty and shadowed. As I move into a darkened corner of the stairs, I can see that the men are smashing the monitors and ripping the cameras from their “hiding” places.

             Sebastian and the bodyguard are throwing punches as the bodyguard tries to disarm him.

             We asked Sebastian to put up a good fight, then feign submission, which he does without issue. As soon as Sebastian falls to his captors, they each take his arms and drag him to the foyer. In my hiding spot near the stairs, I watch as the bodyguard admits Irving and Mateo into the house. Typical of Irving, he lets his men do all of the dirty work before he gets involved.

             Bloodied and beaten, Sebastian falls to his knees and sneers when he spots Irving. “I should have known it was you.” He growls.

             Irving appraises Sebastian’s beaten form with a smirk. “Hello, Orion, I was hoping that you’d died by now. But you’ve been quite resourceful.”

             Lips curled in a glare, Sebastian struggles against the restraining hands and spits blood onto Irving’s shiny new loafers. “Did you think I’d make it easy for you, Irving? Oh, how disappointed you must have been that you didn’t kill me.”

             Irving’s nostrils flare at Sebastian’s irreverent tone. “Oh, I was disappointed. Instead of leaving you to drown, I should have torn you apart like I did your laptop. But I won’t make that mistake again. This time I’m going to be rid of you once and for all.”

             “Yes, let’s get this over with, so you can continue making money from killing and r****g innocent women. Go ahead, and kill me. Because as soon as you do, I’ll make sure all of the information from your filthy auctions makes it to the right hands.” Sebastian replies sarcastically.

             Irving’s lips tighten. “What evidence, Orion? All of the evidence you have is lying at the bottom of the ocean. However, if you do have any, it’s best if you just give it up. I promise I’ll make your death quick. Because I promise you now, you will never shut us down. I’m just one of many men who is working these operations.”

             “Men like Willem Kazik?” He sneers. “Whom, by the way, is behind bars. Yeah, it looks like you have this handled, alright.”

             Irving’s face reddens with rage as he approaches Sebastian and punches him in the face. Sebastian’s body recoils back from the impact, but he doesn’t lose his sneer.

             “Do you really think that Kazik is the head of this operation?” He throws his head back and laughs mockingly. “No, Kazik is just another f*****g cog in the wheel. There are more of us than you can imagine. This is an empire. Too bad you let your morals stand in the way. If not, I’d have recruited you like I did our little Mateo here.”

             He gestures to Mateo, who is standing near one of the walls, silently observing. I nearly run out of the room and break his neck when he gives Irving a smirking nod.

             Sebastian spits blood in Mateo’s direction and sneers. “I would have never pegged you as a sell-out, Mateo. I guess you have to be weak-willed to give in to this s**t. Either that or a f*****g p***y psycho.”

             Mateo’s balls his fists and approaches. His face is mottled, and his lips are closed tights as he stares Sebastian down. “Shut up!” He grits out.

             Sebastian rolls his eyes in reply. “Ooh, I’m scared of Irving’s little gopher. Let me guess you’re the type who likes to stand around and watch while everyone else does all of the work.”

             He runs his gaze insultingly across Mateo’s form and looks away in dismissal. “I’m going to guess that you’re not the type to get his hands dirty. You probably do that with women too. Do you have a little d**k, Mattie? Is that why you won't join in?”

             Mateo snaps at that moment and attacks Sebastian. Unfortunately, Mateo is not a skillful fighter, and Sebastian quickly overtakes him. Irving growls with outrage and yells at his men as they try to restrain Sebastian. The men grapple with Sebastian as they try to separate Mateo from him. Sebastian gets a few shots in until Mateo is stumbling back.

             “What the f**k are you doing, Mateo?” Irving pulls Mateo by the forearm and pushes him against a nearby wall. His nose is bleeding, and his chest is heaving with his exertions. How humiliated he must feel to see that even beaten Sebastian was easily able to subdue him. It also doesn’t help that Sebastian is not even winded.

             “You need to watch your dog, Irving.” Sebastian chuckles. “It looks like one of them is rabid.”

             Mateo scowls in reply but remains where he is.

             Irving adjusts his shirt collar and takes a step back. “Enough of your insolence, Orion! Tell me where this information you are hiding is, or I’ll make your death painful.”

             Sebastian looks away. “You think I trust you, Irving. I know you’ll make it hurt. Men like you aren’t honorable. But I’m not worried. Eventually, Argent and the others will figure out what you’ve done and clean the house.”

             Irving snorts. “Do you really think so? I’ve been operating under Argent’s nose for nearly two years, and he has yet to catch me. Hell, most of the directors have been unable to figure it out. Ares and Hades know nothing. Even those morons from the European and Asian divisions, Atlas, Kronos, Osiris, Sheva, Yen Lo Wang, and our southern charmers, from Mexico and Dionysus from New Orleans, are utterly clueless. All fools with foolish ideals that will end them soon. Which, I can be honest, makes me feel a great deal of pleasure when I think about it. To know that these men who are named after gods will fall soon gives me a thrill.”

             He leans close and heatedly stares Sebastian down as he spits out. “We are going to bring the whole Confradia down around them, and they won’t figure it out until it’s too late.”

             Sebastian quirks a brow. “Are you saying that there are more men working from the inside?”

             Irving sneers. “Of course, there are. We have cells infecting their ranks as we speak. But enough of that. I’m done talking. Right now, I want the information you have, and if you don’t give it to me, I’m going to shoot your knee caps.”

             He nods at his man, who instantly takes aim. At that point, all of the talking is over.

             Before the man can shoot, I step into the room and shoot him in the head. Irving’s eyes widen with shock as soon as he sees me, and that’s when the fight ensues. Logan and the others step into the room after me and begin to fight. I move toward Irving and punch him in the jaw as Sebastian wraps his arms around his shoulders and pushes him out of the room. Seeing that Sebastian has Irving handled, I turn to the man behind me. He aims a knife at my throat, but I’m ready for him. Without a thought, I take his wrist, twist it, and stab him in the throat with his own knife.

             The whole place is in an uproar, but I can see that our men are fine. I appraise the room, surprised to see that Mateo is running to the front door. Running behind him, I wrap an arm around his neck and pull him to me. “Going somewhere?” I ask.

             Mateo struggles against my grip but doesn’t get far. His eyes are wide with terror as he tries to escape my clutches. He knows that I’m going to kill him. “Please, Argent, it’s not what you think!” He wheezes out. His breathing hastens as he tries to pry my arm away.

             “And what am I thinking?” I growl.

             Mateo heaves as spittle falls from his pale lips. “I…I had no choice. Irving was going to kill me. Please!”

             I shake my head incredulously. Does he really think that I’d buy his excuse? He betrayed our company, which means he’s a dead man walking. The Confradia has a zero-tolerance policy for traitors.

             “You had a choice! You could have told me what was happening, but you chose to betray me, and you know how we treat traitors!”

             Mateo shakes his head quickly as panic begins to set in. “Please, I’ll tell you anything.”

             I loosen my hold and turn him to face me. “What do you have to tell me?”

             His eyes bulge as he gazes around for something. “I-I-I can tell you who the other traitors are. I know who─” His body jerks, and blood pools around his mouth as the bullet enters his back. I look behind him, shocked to find that Irving’s bodyguard aiming his g*n. The bastard shot Mateo before he could talk.

             Mateo clings tightly to my shoulders as his eyes begin to roll to the back of his head, and his body falls to the ground.

             I don’t waste another moment weaving out of the way when the bodyguard takes shots at me. Ducking and rolling away from the bullets whizzing past me, I aim my g*n and shoot his knee. The guard grips his knee with a painful cry and continues to shoot, nearly catching me in the head by at least an inch. Pieces of drywall fly around me, creating shallow cuts around my cheek and temple. As careful as I can, I roll away from the line of fire until I find cover behind a nearby couch. I count his shots and focus on the sound of his unsteady footsteps above the rumble of the other men fighting. As soon as his limping steps reach the edge of the couch, I roll to the other side, jump up and shoot him in the head. Blood and matter spatter behind the gaping area that used to be the right side of his face. As soon as he falls, I move closer and shoot him again.

             The fight feels like an eternity but is over in mere minutes. Sebastian put Irving in a sleeper hold, and the rest of the men killed their targets.

             Jaw tight, I meet the other men in the center of the room. Most of them are bruised or scratched, but no one seems to be wounded.

             I glance down at Irving’s unconscious form and kick him onto his back. His face is bruised and bloodied, but he’s breathing.

             “Does anyone have handcuffs?” I mutter in a matter of fact tone.

             Ewan withdraws zip ties and tosses them to me.

             “This will work,” I mutter.

             Reaching for a sturdy metal chair in the corner of the room, I gesture for Sebastian to take Irving and wait until he settles him in the seat. Once Irving’s restrained, Logan orders a couple of his men to take the bodies.

             “Bullet took care of the men in the car. We figure we’ll stick them all in the car, drive it to one of these hills, and light up the gas tank as it rolls down. It’ll be impossible to identify the bodies if they’re burnt to a crisp, and I’m sure the Brazilian authorities will give it very little thought.”

             I nod my head. “Brilliant.”

             Irving releases a deep moan and begins to stir at that moment.

             “Now, let’s see what kind of information we can get from our old pal, Irving,” I mutter sinisterly.

             The men smile in return as they approach the injured man. We’re ready to get some answers.

             The drive back to the house is anticlimactic. I flex my bruised hand and dab at the abraded skin on my brow as I look out into the moonlit sky. For hours we questioned Irving without avail. The bastard was uncooperative.

             It’s late, and my mind is running a mile a minute. We have all of the evidence that we need to prove Irving guilty, but we’re still in the dark when it comes to knowing who the other players are. We can’t discount Irving’s earlier statement about other men in the Confradia being involved, and it’s driving me crazy that they’ve been working within the organization’s nose for so long without getting caught. No one is talking. I’m sure the men are as bothered by the lack of information as I am.

             Leaning my head against the passenger’s window, I let the coolness of the glass seep into my skin. The whirling sound of the wind outside creates a pleasant hum for my thoughts.

             There has to be something that we missed. I just can’t figure it out, and it’s driving me mad. I look at Logan, who is looking out the windshield contemplatively. “I can’t help but think that there’s something we missed,” I mumble crossly.

             Logan arches a brow. “I know how you feel, Apollo. But you can’t let this s**t get to you. Right now, what we need is a good night’s sleep. Once we do, we can reconnoiter and question Irving further. Rogue and Phoenix are going to transport him back to Rio via helicopter. Sebastian suggested that we keep him in the safe house he was using.”

             “Thanks to Rogue’s piloting skills, we don’t have to worry about getting Irving back to Rio. He and Bullet will make sure Irving makes it to Sebastian’s safe house. You’re welcome to stay at my place until we’re done questioning him.”

             Logan gives me a furtive nod. “Thank you. I’ll have my men meet Rogue and Bullet back at the safehouse to help guard Irving. And you don’t have to worry about booking a flight; I took the liberty of charting a separate flight for us. We can get some sleep on the flight and review what we know at the house after we’ve gotten some sleep.”

             I don’t say anything further because I know that Logan’s right. We’re in the first stages of retrieving any information that we can from Irving. Within days, he’ll talk. If he doesn’t, we’ll just kill him and find another way to gather all of the information that we need.

             As exhausted as I am, I can’t help but smile when I get home. Once Logan and the others are settled, I go to my room. The first thing that I see is Penelope lying on my bed. I called her before the flight and told her that I was coming home. I was so anxious to see her that I instructed my men to take her to my house. I need to hold her.

             As soon as she hears me step into the room, she puts down the book she’s reading, rushes up to me, and inspects me for any wounds. Without a word, she takes out the first-aid kit and cleans the scratches on my face and hands.

             “I’m well, little one,” I murmur in her ear.

             Penelope quirks a brow. “Really? Because it looks like you got into a fight. Is everyone else, alright?”

             I take her hands in mine and look intently into her eyes. “There’s something you need to know, Pen.”

             Her brow furrows with worry, which I didn’t mean to incite. However, she needs to know about Mateo. Especially since they were friends. “Mateo…Mateo is dead, little one.” Her lip trembles and her eyes tear as she opens her mouth, but no words seem to come out. Leaning close, I kiss her temple and whisper. “I know that he was your friend, but he betrayed me. He was reporting to Irving on my search and helped set up Sebastian to die on that boat a year ago.”

             Tears fall from her eyes as she dabs at a scratch on my chin. My jaw clenches at the sorrow on her face as I wipe her tears. “I’m sorry, little one. He was going to talk to us, but before he got the chance, one of Irving’s men shot him. I can’t say that it pains me because he was working with the people running the auctions.”

             Inhaling deeply, Penelope wipes her sodden cheeks and wraps her arms around my waist. “I understand. I just wish things had been different.”

             I don’t respond as I let her care for me. There’s nothing that I can say that will make her feel better. Mateo made his choice, and I had to make mine. It’s unfortunate that he made the wrong one, and it cost him his life.

             Once she’s done, I carry her back to the bed, slip off my clothes, and lie beside her. Sighing contentedly, Penelope rests her head against my shoulder and falls asleep.

             The little bit of sleep that I get is restless. I can’t stop running through Irving’s conversation with Sebastian over and over in my mind.        Hours later, I leave Penelope resting on the bed, take a shower, and dress. I couldn’t stop thinking through what Irving spoke about last night. It wasn’t until I got some rest that things began to click in place. As soon as I made sense of what occurred, I knocked on Logan’s door and told him to meet me in my office.

             Without knocking, Logan walks into the room and takes a seat.

             “The answer was there all along.” I sputter wearily.

             Logan sifts his fingers through his tousled hair with a furrowed brow. He looks alert, but you can still see the lines of exhaustion beneath his obsidian eyes. “Didn’t you get any sleep?”

             I shake my head. “I got enough.”

             He grimaces in reply. “Same here. Okay, forgive me for asking, but I haven’t had my morning coffee yet. What answers are you talking about?”

             I pull out one of my leather office chairs and slump into it with a sigh. “I’m talking about what Irving said when Sebastian told him he would be caught. Do you remember how he said that all of the men named after Gods would fall?”

             Logan stiffens in his seat with a nod. “It’s hard not to forget. He named most of the division directors.”

             “Yes, most!” I reply excitedly. “He named Kronos, Dionysus, Osiris, Sheva, Yen Lo Wang, and Atlas.” I tally with my fingers. “But there were several other members that he didn’t list─ members who are also major players in the Confradia. Now, why would he do that?”

             Logan looks on thoughtfully. “The only reason I can think of is that those members are no longer loyal to the Confradia.”

             I nod my head. “Exactly! He didn’t mention the Russian board director, Perun, or the Iranian head, Daeva. What if they’re also part of the conspiracy?”

             “It’s possible,” Logan mutters. “If that’s the case, then we need to clean house before things worsen. We will also need to meet with the loyal Assassins and warn them of what has been occurring because this is no longer isolated to our neck of the woods. It’s infecting all of our divisions.”

             My mind rushes through the possibilities. I agree that we have to share what we know with the rest of the division, but I also feel that we need more concrete evidence. I doubt that they’d take us on our word regardless of how well respected we are.

             “As much as I agree with you, I think we should hold off until we have enough evidence to convince the others.”

             Logan nods. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Dionysus and Kronos might side with us, but I don’t know the others well enough to say they’d take us at our word.”

             Jaw tight, I run through our options. “What if we search through Irving’s files. I didn’t see any of his Assassins, only that douchebag bodyguard. In fact, every time he has visited Brazil, his main Assassin, Voodoo, was on a mission. I met Voodoo years ago, and I got the impression that he wasn’t very happy with Irving. The man is as rigid as you can get.”

             Logan frowns. “I’m not familiar with Voodoo or his methods, but Phoenix might. I know that he worked with him on several occasions. As soon as we get to the safe house, I’ll ask him.”

             Sebastian knocks on the door at that moment and steps inside of the room. Like the rest of us, he looks rumpled and weary. “I was looking for you.” He says.

             I nod my head. “I’m glad you’re awake. I figured something out that you need to know.”

             Sebastian takes a seat and listens as we explain what we’ve uncovered. “You’re theory is logical. Irving was quite specific about who he mentioned.”

             “What do you think about us approaching Voodoo?”

             Sebastian’s expression brightens. “I’ve worked with him in the past. The man is a robot. He’s obsessive-compulsive and seriously anti-social. Yet, he’s very much a man of his convictions. It’s also f*****g weird how he dresses like a Mardi Gras skeleton on some of his kills. That’s why they call him Voodoo. He used to be Dionysus’ right-hand man until they had a falling out in New Orleans.”

             Logan and I look at each other, then turn back to Sebastian. “What kind of falling out?”

             Sebastian sighs. “From what I heard, it wasn’t a professional issue. According to rumor, nearly two years ago, Dionysus caught Voodoo and his daughter in a compromising position. When Dionysus found them, they fought and nearly killed each other. Soon after that, Dionysus transferred Voodoo, against his wishes, into Irving’s division.”

             “Jesus, that sucks,” Logan says.

             Sebastian nods. “Oh, yes. I’ve run into Voodoo a few times after that. The last time we talked, he mentioned the idea of petitioning for a transfer to the states, but I never asked.”

             “Is it possible that Voodoo is loyal to Irving?”

             Sebastian shrugs. “Based on what I know about Voodoo, I’d say he’s not. I’ve never seen him with Irving, and none of the evidence that I collected ever pointed to him. I don’t think he was part of Irving’s inner circle.”

             I don’t respond for a moment. Is it possible that Voodoo might be an ally?

             “Alright, here’s how we’ll play it. Since Phoenix and he are also familiar; how about we have Phoenix contact Voodoo to help with a mission. We won’t tell him that it’s about Irving. Once he arrives, we can gauge his loyalty. Even if he’s familiar with Sebastian, I don’t want Sebastian brought up until we’re sure of his loyalties.”

             Logan nods. “Good Idea. I’ll fill him in as soon as we get to the house. Are you ready?”

             I nod my head. “Give me a moment to let Penelope know that we’re leaving, and I’ll join you downstairs.”

             Both men nod as they go their separate ways.

             I find Penelope is downstairs eating breakfast.

             Smiling sunnily, she rises from her seat and approaches. “Hey, where were you this morning? I woke up, and you were gone.”

             Pulling her close, I kiss her temple and mutter. “I had a couple of things that I needed to discuss with Logan and Sebastian. Listen, I have to leave for a couple of hours. Will you be alright?”

             Penelope nods. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. I have some work to do.”

             Relieved, I nod my head and embrace her before I leave. Rogue, Bullet, and Phoenix meet us at the front door as soon as we get to the house.

             “Any trouble?” Logan asks.

             The men shake their heads.

             “No,” Rogue replies. “I dosed him with a tranquilizer before we left the house. He slept through the whole flight. Right now, he’s tied and gagged in a windowless room.”

             “Did you dispose of the bodies?” I ask Bullet.

             “As directed, we took their weapons and ID’s, placed the bodies in the vehicle, drove it to a nearby hill, and shot the gas tank as it was rolling down. The thing went up in flames instantly.”

             No one comments further.

             “While you’re here, Phoenix, Logan has told me that you’re acquainted with Voodoo. What do you know about him? Is the type of man who changes sides easily.”

             Phoenix’s eyebrows arch with surprise. “I know that his name is Nicholas Abellard. He’s in his mid-thirties, and the guy is borderline psychotic.”

             My ears ring with trepidation. “What do you mean, psychotic?”

             Phoenix shrugs. “I mean, that the guy is thorough as f**k during assignments, to the point of being obsessive-compulsive. He’s brilliant as hell and just as antisocial. The way he kills his victim is astounding. Sometimes he cuts them up into pieces, and sometimes he’ll shoot them in every organ until they stop moving. His methods are well thought out, and he’s seriously systematic in his kills. But what gets me is that he’s unattached and unemotional. The guy has serious psychological issues.”

             “We’re all killers, Oliver,” Logan emphasizes with a wave of his hand in our direction. I mean, he’s not wrong. We’re all here because we kill for a living. We may not kill upstanding citizens, but we’re still doing something that not many people can stomach to do. We’d like to think of it as being part of a silent war. But the reality is that we’re all killers.

             Phoenix shrugs. “I know that, Logan. But there’s something about how thorough, Voodoo is that makes my skin crawl. What I do know is that he’s a Confradia man all of the way. He believes in what the Confradia stands for and follows their edicts to the letter. I don’t know if y’all heard, but a couple of years ago, he and Dionysus had a falling out.”

             “Yes, we heard that he was messing around with Dionysus’ daughter.”

             Phoenix shakes his head adamantly. “That’s not entirely accurate. I heard from a reliable source that Dionysus’ daughter was in love with Voodoo. Dionysus is obsessively protective of his daughter. The man makes every effort to keep her out of Confradia business─ including his men. He has threatened to kill anyone who dared to come near his princess. The girl is quite beautiful and spoiled by her daddy. She was working at some art museum last I heard. Now, I’m not sure if Voodoo felt the same way about her, but I know that Dionysus went nuts when he found out. Both men nearly killed each other, which is sad, considering that they were best friends. When the Confradia found out, they transferred Voodoo to Mexico. Voodoo tried to fight it, but it was his word against a board director. The friendship ended on such a seriously bad note after that. He even threatened to send every Assassin in his region if Voodoo ever showed his face near his daughter again.”

             Rubbing the bridge of my nose, I take a step back. “Sound like it was a s**t show all around for both men, but that’s neither here nor there. Right now, we need to gauge his loyalty to the Confradia. He might be the key to getting the information we need.”

             Phoenix nods. “Actually, I heard from the grapevine that he’s tracking a mark in Buena Aires, Argentina. One of our boys down in San Diego, Tlaloc, called me a couple of nights ago and told me that he ran into Voodoo at the airport. Apparently, his mark left the country.”

             Logan and I give Phoenix a nod. “That’s about three hours from Rio. Call him. Do it now and ask him to meet us here.”

             As soon as Phoenix makes the call, we get to work on Irving. Unfortunately, he gives us very little. At this point, all we can do is hope that Voodoo can be the piece of the puzzle we need to bring this empire down.