Collision (#PhoenixAwardsWinner2017)

Chapter 10

Jax sat in the living room waiting for Patrick to wake up. They were in Miami in a small house Jax had gotten in the suburbs for Patrick, his sister and mom. Rex had gotten information and further investigation proved that Patrick's story was legitimate. Jax was grateful that he stepped in just in time; apparently they could not afford his sister's next chemo treatment.

He heard the shuffling of feet and he looked up to see a dazed and scared Patrick. Jax chuckled at the look of fear in his eyes despite the fact he was not the least bit scary. "Morning, did you have a good sleep?" Jax grinned.

"Where am I, Sir?" Patrick asked carefully.

Jax grinned, "Miami. You're part of the family now so you need to be close them." Jax tossed the house keys to Patrick. He raised an eyebrow as the keys fell to the ground and Patrick scrambled to get them. "You need some training; I don't expect you to be killer but decent shooter and a loyal man."

"You can count on me," Patrick said. He stared at the keys in confusion. "This house..."

"Is yours," Jax said causally. "Your mom and sister will be here by the end of the week."

Patrick gripped the counter in shock, "Mom? Elena? They're coming here?" Jax nodded letting him take the news in. "Wait, what did you tell them?" he asked curiously.

"That you got a job as an assistant to one of my managers," Jax answered, "which is the truth without details." Patrick opened his mouth to speak but Jax held up a finger silencing him. "There are clothes in the room. Freshen up, I'll be waiting in the car to go for breakfast." He turned around and walked out of the house and into the waiting car.

He touched base with Evan while he waited. Within 15 minutes Patrick was in the car and driver took off, stopping at a small café. Jax got out and walked up to the lobby with Patrick following behind. The waitress escorted them to a secluded table and left them with their menus.

"Order anything you like," Jax said. He didn't even open his menu; the waitress already knew his order with the number of times he came here. Patrick looked at the menu hesitantly before opening it. When the waitress came back, she took Patrick's order, poured them coffee before leaving. Jax looked at his phone as he received emails upon emails and texts from Evan and Rex. He sighed before responding and dealing with the matters at hand. He looked up and saw Patrick taking in the café and the surroundings before returning his attention to his phone. The pair was silent as they ate when their food arrived. Jax paid the bill and they left.

"Thank you." Jax looked up at Patrick. Patrick shifted nervously. Even though this wasn't the Jax he'd initially met, he scared him a lot. "I don't mean to be rude but what do you want from me?" he asked.

Jax nodded in approval. "Very good, you can decipher when someone is bribing you. That is going to serve you well in my family. You will rise up in the ranks in no time." He fixed a steely glare onto Patrick. "You'll find out what I want from you soon."

Patrick swallowed lightly as he looked out the window as they drove towards the dock area. He looked up as the car stopped at a huge warehouse. He exited the car as Jax did and followed him inside. Jax grinned as the sounds of his men working and training filled his ears. Everyone nodded respectfully in his direction as he passed.

He even stopped to talk to a couple of guys before reaching the interrogation room. He opened the door and grinned at the burly, black haired guy sitting there. "Joel, how have you been?" He clapped his back as Joel stood up, giving the seat to Jax.

"Not too bad," Joel responded in his deep voice. "Is this is rookie Rex told me about?" He scanned Patrick from head to toe. "He's decent, I'll toughen him up, put him in surveillance."

Jax glared at Joel, "His name is Patrick and don't be condescending because he's new. I will put you into place like last time." Joel nodded in understanding and Jax motioned to Patrick. "Joel, leave us for the time being." Joel grumbled something under his breath but left.

"He's my boss?" Patrick asked nervously.

"Yes but don't worry, he may come off tough but he's a good man," Jax replied. He didn't let Patrick's shaking hands go unnoticed as he looked around. "Listen, I don't know what lies you were told or what they put you through but I assure you, I'm not Marino."

Patrick relaxed at Jax's words. "I know, I just need to man up and get over it." He looked at Jax confusedly as he chuckled.

Jax rest his elbows on the table and rest his chin on his hands. "Now down to business," his eyes fixed on Patrick. "What do you know about Marino's Sicario?"

Patrick swallowed nervously. He recounted those days, underground being beaten up or just plain beaten. He remember the auctioneer, his trainer, shouting is his emotionless voice, as they stood there bloodied. "He wanted us to be like him," Patrick said softly. "Sicario has 99 kills to date, if he kills again, he'd be a legend."

Jax kept a straight face but mentally stored every word Patrick was saying right now. "They say he's the best of the best. That he could kill you with a flick of his wrist. People worked themselves to death to try to be like him. No one could touch his stats, he's there on top of the rank board. They pushed us so hard; they want us all to be like him."

"Do you have a name? Have you ever seen him?" Jax prodded gently, aware of the memories that Patrick may have.

Patrick shook his head, "Never, they said that he was out on his 100th job." He pulled up the sleeve of his shirt, exposing a long jagged cut on his right arm. "They say he kills a variety of ways, beheading, electrocution, gassing, poisoning, with a gun but he uses a knife most of the time. He's a monster."

Jax closed his eyes and realisation dawned on him, he was the 100th kill, another meal for the monster. He opened his eyes and smiled, hiding his doubts and worries. "Thank you, it must've been hard to recount those experiences," Jax said smoothly. He rapped on the table with his knuckles and Joel came back into the room.

"Joel is going to show you around and tell the expectations of the Boveri family." Patrick eyed Joel nervously but nodded. "He's also taking care of arrangements for your mother and sister. The driver will be ready to leave when you are." Jax stood and nodded at the men before leaving.

He slipped on his sunglasses as he walked out of the warehouse. He grinned as he saw his Maserati waiting for him. The driver handed over the keys immediately. "She drives like a dream Sir," the older man chuckled. Jax grinned and thanked him before getting into the driver's seat. He grinned at sound of the engine before pulling off. He dialed Libertà's number, hoping someone would pick up.

"Hello?" Evan answered. He didn't take his eyes off the expanse of Excel spreadsheets on the screen.

"Up security at Libertà and at the penthouse," Jax said calmly as he drove.

"Why? Is something wrong?" Evan said immediately concerned.

Jax ran a hand through his hair as he pressed down on the gas pedal. "Marino's killer is after me and has been after me," Jax said.

"We knew this would happen," Evan said as he leaned back in his chair. "Why the sudden security concern?"

"I'm coming home."