Chambers half turns to me, keeping one eye on Pellaggio. “Adrian, what’s he talking about?”
I run what he’s just said through my head. Starting a war; loss of money and assets; a small few… There’s only really one logical explanation.
“He’s referring to Dark Rain,” I say. “My guess is that he blames them for his Daddy’s business deal falling through, because ultimately, they were given the land that he wanted.”
Manhattan has managed to crawl over to the desk and is using it to drag himself to his feet. He looks exhausted from the effort and, as he shuffles to get comfortable on it, he glares at Pellaggio, seemingly pissed at him for opening his mouth. He’s breathing heavily through his nose — his lips are clasped shut, forming a thin line of frustration. He looks like he wants to say something, but keeps stopping himself. I doubt he’ll be thinking of a way to talk himself out of this — he’s smart enough to know when he’s beaten.
“Jimmy?” I say, watching his personal dilemma. “Something to add?”
Manhattan lets out a heavy sigh. “After your initial involvement, Adrian, Roberto blamed GlobaTech and Dark Rain for his losses — which were… considerable. They took the land he was supposed to buy, and then you came along and took it from them before giving it away. He was planning how to recoup those losses when you… ah… paid him a visit.”
“I ain’t here for the re-run, Jimmy,” I say, impatiently. “What’s happening here and now?”
Pellaggio speaks up before Manhattan gets a chance to answer me.
“We’re gonna devastate this city and make sure those Russian bastards take the blame!” he shouts, practically spitting the words out. I can see the venom in his eyes — the unwavering belief in what he wants to do.
Chambers and I exchange a worried look.
What else can he possibly intend doing?
Actually, I’ve just remembered some of the things on his shopping list… He can do pretty much whatever he wants.
“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” I say after a moment. “And here’s why: you do realize that the people in Dark Rain were just as pissed off at Russia as they were at everyone else? And everybody knows that — including the U.S. government. Framing the Russians in the hope that the U.S. will retaliate against them won’t achieve anything. It’s causing chaos for nothing!”
“I’ve lost everything!” he screams, his eyes wide. Even Manhattan looks on with curiosity, almost like he’s never been fully aware of Pellaggio’s torment until right now. “Because of you, I have no one. But it doesn’t start with you. If you look at the reasons you were there, and trace it all back to the beginning, it’s because of those Russian bastards that the whole thing happened the way it did. And you’re all gonna pay!”
Manhattan interrupts, trying to add some decorum to the room. “The events unfolding now have been meticulously planned for almost a year,” he says. “And we will not be stopped — by you or anyone else.”
His gaze flicks over to Chambers then back to me.
“Call your men off,” she says. “This is over — there’s no need for any more bloodshed.”
I admire her optimism, and her ability to remain professional under the circumstances, but things are far from over. We’re still outnumbered, and we still have no real idea what Pellaggio intends doing next. They won’t be coming along quietly, I know that much.
“Grace, we have to move. Can you cover these two?” I ask.
“Yes,” she says, matter-of-factly. No doubt, no fear, just a job that needs doing.
“Good. We’re leaving — stay behind me.”
She organizes her prisoners, keeping them covered with the rifle, and stays a few steps behind me.
I notice that we require very little interaction in order to function as a highly effective team. It’s nice. I remember how I got it all wrong the last time I found myself in a similar situation to this, but things are different with Grace. I’m not dealing with another killer, like me. I’m dealing with the law. And I know she’s got my back — not because she agrees with working alongside a bad guy, but because it’s simply the right thing to do to get the job done.
I open the door slowly and edge out, trying to see where the other guys are. I have two dead and two in custody, which leaves six still active. Five are about to die, I know that much. My guess is the remaining minion is outside by the vans.
I keep low and make my way slowly into the corridor. There’s no sign of life, but I know they’re here.
“Stay low,” I whisper behind me. “And that means all of you. I don’t want either of you getting shot in any crossfire.” I turn to look at them both. “But make no mistake — step out of line from this point on, and she’ll put a bullet in the pair of you.”
They both look at her and she smiles in return.
I make my way to the crossroads in the corridor. I press myself against the right hand wall and peer around the corner into the main warehouse.
The plywood splinters inches from my head as a hail of bullets comes flying toward me.
“Shit!”
I dive back around the corner for cover. I look behind me down the corridor, to make sure everything’s alright. Chambers has stepped away from them both and is covering them tightly, but from a small distance. From the position she’s in, she has all the angles covered, and enough distance that they can’t surprise her.
Despite the gunfire, I manage to smile. She never ceases to impress me.
I hold my Carbine around the corner and fire blind, trying to buy myself some time. I peer around the corner again. I can see four out of the five guys, all behind cover of boxes and shelving, poised and ready to shoot on sight. The fifth guy must be closer to me, likely against one of the front walls of the office area, just around the right corner of the corridor I’m looking down.
I can’t take them all out in one move, because they’re too spread out. Plus, I have to make sure Manhattan and Pellaggio remain unharmed until I can figure out how to get them out of here.
I look at my options. I can either stand here trading pot shots with them, hoping I kill them before I run out of bullets, or…
I stand and look at Chambers, right in the eye.
“I need to ask you to trust me,” I say.
She regards me for a moment, her hard gray eyes unblinking. “I do,” she replies. “Do whatever you have to do to get us out of here.”
“Okay then.”
I walk over to them, take a hold of my rifle and slam the butt into both Manhattan’s and Pellaggio’s faces in turn. Both of them fall to the floor — Pellaggio is dazed but awake; Manhattan’s out for the count.
“Wait here,” I say.
She stares at me, bewildered. “Well, I could’ve done that,” she says quietly, sounding dejected that she didn’t get a chance to hit either of them herself.
I walk back to the corner and peer round at the main warehouse floor. I lean round and slide my rifle across the floor as far as I can toward the group of men.
“Adrian!” she says with a hushed urgency. “What are you doing?”
I wink at her and smile. “I told you to trust me.”
“You’re insane.”
“Yeah, people keep telling me that.”
“I wonder why?” she mutters, mostly to herself.
I poke my head around the corner. “You guys win!” I shout out. “I’m unarmed and I’m coming out.”
I take a deep breath and stand up, then walk out into the main warehouse.