Post by emt on May 29, 2017 18:33:18 GMT
New York City
May, 22nd 2017
May, 22nd 2017
Five minutes. She had been checking her watch several times. Not only because of him, but also to make sure they had privacy. Returning from her daily duty Lara had a brief conversation with Devon. Catching up. Hearing the sound of his machine in front of the window she was quick to grab her keys.
“Just in time.” She greeted him with a smile. “A rare quality.”
“I’ve been taught to never let a woman wait.” He followed his words with a playful smile. Ethan was in a great mood apparently. A nice change.
“Someone had a good weekend.” She winked at him, walking closer. “You ready for this?”
He nodded. Lara could see the determination and fire in those green eyes. Finding the fourth man, the last one of those animals that burst into Nadja’s apartment and abused her a month ago, was surprisingly easy. Maybe too easy. All he had to do was beat up a guy and wait for him to warn his friend about some psycho looking for revenge for what they did to that russian bitch. Now they had a name, an address and a description of the european guys known as ‘The Bear’.
Such a fitting name for a 7 foot 300 pounds human being. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for such a long time Lara. Let’s do it”
She nodded her head and pointed over to her black corvette. Seeing the puzzled look on his face made her chuckle.
“Your bike is too loud. Promise I won't kill you.” Her tone was light when she walked towards the driver's side. Waiting for him to follow. Her baby as she would call it, was purring like a kitten. Lara would follow the lead he gave her every now and then.
Not fully convinced, Ethan sat next to her, fastening his seat belt as soon as he closed the door. He never liked driving, or traveling, by car. God only knew why. He quickly glanced at Lara, who was shaking her head, laughing lightly. “What? I don’t like these coffins on four wheels…” He put his shades on to fight the New York City low sun, shining right on his face.
“Let me tell you a little something. Considering the life we live, both of us, a car accident is the least of our worries.” She was driving a little over the speed limit. Every now and then checking the signs. Even after living here for quite a while, she still hadn't seen certain areas. They drove further of the city when she looked at him. “You sure that's the way?”
Lowering his sunglasses, he gave her a quick look. “One hundred percent positive. Hoes don’t lie when you pay them double their usual fare.” The hooker Jimmy was seeing revealed herself a valuable asset. She was the one sending Ethan the phone number of the last member of the pack. From there, tracking the number was a kid’s game. Niedvjev, or whatever his real name was, lived right outside Brooklyn. Being someone who made most of his business at night, this was the best time to catch him by surprise. An advantage you wanted to exploit when dealing with someone literally twice bigger than you.
They spent most of their drive in silence. In the background there was classical music playing. A ritual from a different time. Lara seemed rather concentrated, focused and slightly distant. It didn't take much longer before they arrived at their required destination. Parking the car far enough away from the building. She would slide out of the car, opening the trunk. All kind of weapons in there. It was hard not to smile.
“I hope you don't mind… I brought some toys.”
Ethan looked inside the trunk. His eyes fell on a couple of guns, and his expression suddenly changed. “You know where I stand about those.” His index was pointing in that direction, but his head was turned the other way, staring at Lara.
“Yes my pet, I haven't forgotten. But, if it's you or him… I will pull that trigger.” She chose her words carefully, taking some of the stuff out. Gearing herself up so to say. Not expecting him to do the same, she closed the trunk. Rolling her neck a few times. “You must remember one thing Ethan, I ain't going in there with the idea of losing. Ever.”
He pulled up his sleeves, cracking his knuckles. “Neither am I.” Walking past Lara, leading the way to the entrance. A quick gesture, motioning her to stand at the door while he moved to the back of the house. Words were not needed with someone who shares the same mindset. They moved like a well oiled machine, like they had been doing this since forever. Instead, they have been knowing each other for just a couple of months.
He knows what he is doing. That was the only thought that made her stand still. Lara being a predator, caused her body to tingle. Her senses sharp as always. Her blue eyes wandering over the area. Waiting for his return. Inside her mind she heard ‘God save the Queen’.
A muffled noise preceded the light sound of Ethan footsteps coming her way. But there was something more, barely audible in the background. He is dragging something. She mumbled to herself. A light smile appeared on her face as she saw Ethan hiding the senseless body of the guard under the hedge, away from indiscreet eyes. He cleaned his hands on his jeans, walking back to her.
“Having fun without me, I am offended.” Her voice was more quiet than usual. Her hand wrapped around the knife. It was resting against her naked back. “How many are there?”
“I spotted one in the kitchen, and heard a couple talking upstairs. Got any idea? Possibly something not involving blowing the whole fucking house…”
“You are such a grump.” She laughed. “Well, I will go in. Before you. Alone. Feeling him up. And no, I don't accept a discussion.”
Ethan reached behind his back, pulling something from under his shirt and tossing it their way. She caught the object in mid air. A gun. “It’s suicide Lara. These guys are armed. And they are three. We need to play this smart.” He looked all around, hoping to see something they missed the first time. She was doing the same, realizing he made a point. They both saw noticed something, basically at the same time. An open window on the second floor. A chance to sneak in unnoticed, and raise their chances of success. “Do you need a hand to climb, Lara Chambers?”
“I hate you Ethan.” She said before getting closer to the wall. Like a spider monkey she crawled up there, not causing a sound. It was viewable that this indeed wasn't her first time. Sliding inside the window he heard a small sound. Three seconds later her head popped out of the window. Motioning for him to follow. A vicious grin on her face.
He motioned her to hold still. She looked at him walking to the door and… Ringing the fucking bell? She was surprised and slightly worried. For a good reason. She heard the other two guards removing the safety from their handguns and stepping to the doors, as instructed by the deep voice of their target. He was close, right in the next room. And now alone. She hesitated, looking outside. Ethan was still standing at the door, cold as usual, aware of the danger he was getting into. But confident, smiling even. The door opened, and Ethan was talking with the two guards. She couldn’t hear his words, but she was pretty sure they didn’t matter. Suddenly his plan became clear, he was distracting them, lowering their guards.
The quickness of his movements when he decided to make his move left her in awe for a moment. Such grace, such precision. And so lethal. He quickly disarmed them both, tossing the guns away, out of reach. Sure, it was still a two on one situation but… I almost feel sorry for you guys. She whispered to herself. The sounds of the fight going on outside alarmed the Bear, who was now on the move. Not so fast.
Lara bit her bottom lip, weighing her options. One last look at Ethan, it was obvious he had this under control. With a few well measured up steps she made it to the other room. Spotting the huge dude immediately. His focus was drawn away from the noises, finding her. Lara wore her most innocent smile, not fitting the leather catsuit. A surprised expression formed on his face.
“Who the hell are you?” There was a thick accent swinging in his voice.
“I am your present honey.” Her moves had a certain grace when she walked closer. Her long nails running over his chest. “The bosses thought you could need a real woman today.” Her eyes traced to the steps, and listened to the noise that now became less.
“Amateurs.” Ethan looked at the two guards he just dropped with little effort. There was a tone of disappointment in his voice, as well as a hint of pride and gloat. He wiped some blood from his busted lips, a small price he had to pay for the two on one handicap and walked inside the house, carefully stepping on the motionless body of the blonde guard, adding insult to injury. On his way upstairs, he could hear Lara talking to the big man. Her voice was so sensual, sugared.
His lips curved in a sly grin as he stopped right outside the door, leaning against the doorjamb behind the dude’s back, watching the British Bombshell teasing him, playing him like the dumb horndog he clearly was. “Let’s unwrap this present then…” He was all worked up, his hands moving towards Lara’s waist.
“Oh sorry, am I interrupting something? I can come back later if you want…” The big man turned his attention to Ethan, who was laughing, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed on his chest. Completely and surprisingly relaxed, given the situation. Niedvjev instinctively moved his hand toward the handgun on the nightstand, right next to a golden plate decorated with lines of white powder. He completely forgot about Lara behind him. Big mistake.
She smiled at Ethan, painting an absurd picture. The size difference so huge, it looked comedic. The next moment Lara kicked him on the back of his knee, watching him fall. Painful moans escaping his lips. He was half lying, half kneeling. “Don't like your present anymore?” Her voice still as sweet as honey, her small hand in resting on the guy's shoulder.
Stretching out, he was still trying to reach for the weapon. Relentlessly, Ethan kicked his elbow. A satisfied grin on his face at the sight of his arm, bent in an unnatural way, dangling. Such an high pitched scream for a big man. He found the thought amusing, a light laughter escaping his mouth as he kneeled in front of him. “You know why we are here, right Teddy Bear?” He slapped him across the face.
Lara's fingernails were digging into his shoulder still. Purring softly behind him.I while her eyes were focused on Ethan. “You don't wanna play anymore? Tired of running my love?” She leaned down whispering into his ear. “You know the solution for this.Tell us what we need to know. Or my friend here will lock you in a room. With me and a knife.”
The big man cursed in his mother language. Russian… No, it’s something similar, yet different. He spat in Ethan’s face, adding more obscure insults that didn’t seem to affect him too much. Ethan stood up, kicking him on the left side of his ribcage. No matter how big, fat or muscular you are, that part of the body is always exposed. Fragile. The cracking sound echoed in the empty room, followed by a muffled scream. “You know that this won’t end well for you. But you can decide HOW bad it goes. Talk, and you will be able to walk again in a couple of weeks, just like your buddy Jimmy, who was so kind to let you know we were coming. Or you can decide to keep playing the tough guy part, keeping you mouth shut. In that case, my friend Lara will make sure you don’t talk. Ever again.” Ethan grabbed a chair, sitting in front of the big man, staring in his rage filled eyes.
For a long moment nothing happened. The guy kept staring at Ethan, looking up with pure hatred. Lara on the other hand had grabbed her knife, running her fingertips over it. Feeling the sharpness of the blade. She went as far as kneeling down next to him, that wide smile still intact. “Look at this my friend. Can you guess how often it went into a human body just like they were made of butter? Imagine how your guts will feel when I decide to play with you.” She moved the knife closer to his face. “We got all the time in the world, unfortunately you don't.” She was ready to cut him as his shoulder sunk.
“Okay… stop… I will talk… .”
“Smart.” Ethan pat his head in a playful manner. “The questions are simple big boy. Why Nadja Ivanov. What did you want from her. And, most importantly, who do you work for.” More than questions, those sounded like orders. A certain rush hidden behind those words, not only because he felt like they were finally close to a major turning point in their investigation. Part of the reason was the awareness that the friends he left downstairs could wake from their afternoon nap anytime soon.
To ensure his full cooperation, Ethan nodded lightly at Lara. She quickly moved the blade on their guest’s neck, pushing the tip against his skin, lightly, but deep enough to crack him open. A droplet of blood gushed from the spot, slowly running down the sweaty epidermis. She followed its trail with the knife, carving a long irregular scar on his path.
A ray of light breaking through the window hit the shiny blade, its glare reaching Ethan’s eyes, forcing him to take his look away. “If I didn’t knew you, I would take you for a softie, dear.” He answered Lara’s complicit provocation with a quick smile.
“I assure you, bud, she can go way deeper than this. And she will. Who sent you?”
“Oh you didn’t figure out yet?” He laughed. A gawky, irritating laughter. “You ain’t that bright after all. Or are you just that blind, like your colorful friend here?” He nodded his head toward Lara. Ethan quickly glances at her, bewildered.
“Please let me cut out his tongue. He doesn't have much useful to say.” She moved the knife closer to his mouth. Teasing him. It was then that the guy looked at her, his eyes now serious. He ignored Ethan completely, staring into Lara's eyes.
“You really haven't figured it out doll?” A dry chuckle. “Does the name Karina Stincino ring a bell?”
Lara looked at him. A thousand thoughts running through her mind. Nothing viewable on the outside. “Great story you stupid son of a bitch.”
“The truth is a lot more ugly than a lie could ever be.”
“What the hell is he talking about Lara?” Ethan was getting nervous. Ignoring things, being in the dark was something he wasn’t used to. And Karina Stincino, that name that seemed to upset the usually calm and collected Lara Chambers was something he never heard of.
“He is a piece of shit. Saying... “ She took a small break. “... that Shawna is the one giving the orders.” Her voice was serious, maybe a little disgusted. There was a certain anger in her eyes that he had never seen.
His hands were clenched in fists of rage, his eyes bouncing from the guy to Lara, then back at him and once again staring at hers. “Hold on… Damian, you said he was one of Shawna’s men, right? Someone she trusted enough to send over in such a delicate situation…”
“Bingo!”
A swift kick to the side turns his laughter in a groan of pain. “Shut the fuck up!” Ethan quickly looked back at Lara. “The new place Nadja moved after the first assault… You told Shawna about it right?” He took a step towards her.
“After everything I have done to help you… you doubt my decisions.” She had lifted her hands, a safe sign for him to stop. She was so angry that it clouded her vision. Without thinking she punched the guy right into the jaw. “And why? Because a guy that wanted to fuck Nadja and rip her apart… feeds us lies. Really?”
“It’s not what he’s saying Lara. It’s what happened.” Ethan was trying to keep his calm, to open her eyes and allow her to see things for what they actually were. “Think about it. Everything points in her direction. Those people knew things they weren’t supposed to know. Things only you and me were aware of.” He took another small step forward. “You, me and Shawna. I don’t know what’s the story between you and her is, but she’s scum. And I never trusted her.”
Lara growled at him. Disappointed and even more angered. It was hard for her to not lash out at him. Instead she kicked the guy again, making sure he dropped face first on the floor. Taking another look at Ethan before walking past him. She didn't look back, making her way to the stairs. I am the same scum then.
Ethan shook his head. He gave a quick look around the room, opening every drawer, tossing all kind of clothes around, looking for some evidence to back up those accusations. Nothing interesting, except a roll of cash. He saw Lara entering her car from the window. He never saw her like this. Laying next to the knocked out giant there was his phone. His best shot to find something useful to convince lady Chambers. Ethan picked it up and hid it inside his pocket along with the money. With a slow pace he walked downstairs, leaving the house.
Despite her emotional chaos, she hadn't left. She was waiting in the car, giving him the chance to come out. Eventually he would enter. Her eyes were focused on the house, then moved to the road. Driving off in a rather calm mode, she didn't look at him. Not even once. They would make it back to her apartment, also where his bike was resting. Lara parked the car, removing the keys.
Ethan had been looking at the phone through all the ride. Nothing too compromising here, just an incredible amount of phone calls to a certain Szef. As soon as the car stopped, Ethan swiped his finger on the screen, making the call. A feminine voice with a strong Italian accent answered, sounding through the speakerphone. “Kasper? Is that you, my pet?” His eyes were glued on Lara, watching the look of disbelief in her face, as she recognized that voice.
If he did indeed see colours, he probably saw one he wasn't aware of. Lara unfastened her seat belt, opening the door. Without giving him another look she walked right across the street. Almost running into a car. Her heart was racing, her pulse echoing in her ears. She wasn't able to focus, entering the Ragnarok.
Ethan closed the call. He wasn’t sure how to deal with this side of Lara. She was clearly mad furious, but it was hard to tell if the objective of her rage was Ethan for not trusting her or Shawna, for what started looking like the mother of all betrayals.
Or herself, for possibly being played like a pawn in this story.
She didn't even speak to Devon when entering, walking around the bar. Picking up her favourite brand of scotch, before walking all the way back. She kicked the door open, once more stepping outside. Turning to the left as she started to walk. Her steps rather stiff. Destination unknown.
Ethan instead, walked away in the opposite direction. He knew exactly where he was going and what he had to do.
This was exactly what Ethan always meant. Objectivity demands distance. Something Lara was lacking when it came down to Shawna. Their bond, something he always had a hard time tolerating, was too deep, the thread of their fates so tangled in such an intricate weave, unintelligible for everyone else but them. She could never possibly be able to consider a betrayal from the woman that,literally, made her who she is today, Let alone what he was planning to do.
Going after one of the crime lords in NYC was some serious shit. He was well aware of the risks. But he never cared. Dying to protect the ones you love is the only useful death. Everything else is just a waste.
And to spice things up, his friendship with Lara Chambers was now in danger because of this.
One mistake, even the slightest, and he could lose his life or his best friend.
Either way you look at it, he was surely walking on a tightrope. No matter the risks, he had to do it.
A lot of people tried to knock Shawna off her throne. Police, rival families, everyone wiht his own army, everyone failing.
And here he was, walking into the lion’s den.
Alone.
An army of one.