James~
James straightened his tie, checking his polished appearance in the mirror before heading into Manny's office.
"How was your meeting with Santiago?" Manny asked with his feet arrogantly propped up on the desk.
Would you just look at this disgusting motherfucker? He thinks he can't be touched.
"Fine, he showed me the new books for the restaurant chains and they are pretty air tight." James said, hiding the disgust in his voice.
He had been working alongside Santiago and the other mob bosses, setting up dirty deals and investing in their fraudulent companies in order to pass along the details of their inner workings to Alpha team.
"Well it'll be a whole lot easier to hide cooked books with your bitch sister out of the picture." Manny spat, causing the hairs on the back of James' neck to stand on end.
You're gonna pay for talking about my sister like that.
"In fact that's exactly why I wanted to see you. I know we ran into some logistical issues with our original plan, but I wanted you to know that it is currently being taken care of."
James arched a brow at Manny, visibly confused by his vague statement.
"I hired someone in the states to take care of our little...problem last night. We should have confirmation within a few hours."
Oh my God, Lainey.
"I thought we discussed this. We decided that waiting for her to return to Colombia was the best plan of action. That taking her out here would be much easier and less likely to be tied back to us. So many Cartels and other mob bosses are gunning for her to punish her for Ricardo's crimes, the set up would have been easy." James said, trying to conceal his absolute rage.
The only reason that James had come up with that bullshit plan was because he knew that Caleb would never allow Lainey to return to Colombia, not after what had happened at the safe house, which Manny had also orchestrated behind his back.
He's starting to cut me out of decisions...he needs to be taken care of now...not later. Now.
"Don't worry. I was careful." Manny said arrogantly.
James pushed out an irritated breath and clenched his fists at his sides.
"Tell me everything. This isn't just your ass on the line, Manny. If you fucked this up I go down too." James hissed, trying to get Manny to divulge as many details as possible.
"Relax. My man in the states has been using two different untraceable burner phones and I've been using the company phone system and not my personal device to set up the details. There's no way he is tied to you or me. If numbers are traced back here, they will be traced to an empty office and that I have falsified records of a disgruntled employee who lost his job when Lainey signed the company over." Manny's sadistic grin was unnerving and cruel and James wanted nothing more than to punish him for it.
"Which office so I know to stay fucking clear of it." James growled, still gathering intel.
Manny took his feet off of the desk in an irritated motion, scribbling down the office number and phone extension before thrusting it in James' direction.
"You know James, you should have a little more faith in my abilities. I've been doing this a long time." Manny said with a laugh that made James' skin crawl.
Which is exactly why you deserve to die...badly.
"Yeah well I want to be kept in the loop Manny." James barked at Manny, trying to hide his panicked fear for Lainey's safety.
Turning on his heel, James crumpled the paper in his fist as he returned to his office with a deep scowl and flexed posture that sent a not so subtle message to every employee that he passed - "Don't fuck with me"
He brushed past his bodyguard on the way toward the elevators.
"I'm going for a walk." James said through gritted teeth.
"Don't you think I should..."
James slowly turned and glared at the man who was hired just for looks. Everything about James' life at the moment was a lie and if one more person crossed him he thought he might lose his shit right then and there in the middle of the marbled elevator bank. His hands ticked and his fists clenched, but James kept himself under control - barely.
"I said, I'm going for a walk. Follow me and you're fired." James maintained eye contact with the man, daring him to say another word before her turned and entered one of the elevators.
Axel would have contacted me if something happened to Lainey, right?
Taking heavy fast paced steps out the front doors of his building, James took a left turn as he started walking down the sidewalk, pulling the burner phone that Axel had given him out of his pocket and dialing the number that was programmed within it for emergencies.
"Talk to me James." Axel said after one ring.
"Lainey - is she okay?" James asked immediately.
"She's fine. Manny sent some sloppy ass hitman over to Nate's place. Gave everyone a scare, but Caleb took him out."
"Thank God." James sighed, feeling like a weight had been lifted from his chest.
"Listen Ax, Manny is out of control, he ordered that hit without my knowledge and is starting to cut me out of decisions he's making. We need to speed this process up man. We need to move on him - Today." James said.
"I hear ya James, but listen, we've got three different international agencies bidding for Manny and the intel he's got. He's the key to so many illegal operations. Some want him dead, others want him alive, we're wrapped up in red tape here trying to get this shit sorted. We can't make moves unless Homeland gives Hunter a kill order." Axel said, trying to keep James calm.
Red tape? Lainey's life is in danger and they are worried about red tape and protocols?
James took a second and considered who he was talking to. He had spent so much time with the teams of Knight and loved them like brothers. He knew that if Axel and the rest of Alpha team could make the call on their own, they would. The fact of the matter was they were used to taking orders, to following the rules and carrying out sanctioned missions. Every team member was former military and they didn't do anything without orders. Duty over all else. He couldn't fault them for that, it's who they were as men, but James wasn't one of those men.
"When is the earliest that your team could move to take Manny out?" James asked, expecting honesty from his friend.
"End of the week." Axel answered.
That's too fucking long. Manny could hire another army to go after Lainey and she's been through enough.
"Then I'll do it myself." James said in a low serious tone.
The line was silent for a second or two before Axel spoke.
"I know you're feeling desperate, brother, but if you go after him before we get the green light, we can't help you if you get yourself into trouble. Let me see what I can do about the timeline, but try to stay calm and keep it professional until then." Axel said.
James internalized Axel's words and considered them for a brief second before his deep hatred consumed the rational side of his brain. They were tied to orders and regulations and while James hoped to be able to take Manny out the right way, ethics were starting to become less of a priority the longer that Lainey's life was in danger.
Manny is never going to stop going after Lainey and the second he realizes his hit was unsuccessful, he'll go after her again. Five days of death threats and attacks? - No. I'm sorry Axel, but I can't allow that.
"I understand what you're saying Ax, and I appreciate everything you've done for me up until this point. If there's anything that's been drilled into my head by being a part of the Flores family it's that my father was professional...Lainey is professional...but I'm a fucking animal...and I'm going to end this shit."
"You know I can't stop you, but I also can't help you." Axel said, in a voice that was understanding and empathetic to James' position.
"Understood. I'll update you when I can." James said, before hanging up the phone and returning it to his pocket.
He walked for nearly an hour, lost in his own thoughts, trying to strategize on the fly. Framing Manny was just as important as killing him. He'd have to convince the other mob bosses that Manny was the one who was leaking information to the intelligence agencies. If he didn't he'd just gain a whole new set of enemies once the agencies moved in and took each one of them down.
Come on James, think...analyze...try to think like Lainey.
James shoved his hands in his pockets as he wandered the streets and felt the crumpled paper graze his hand.
That's it.
James looked up at the street signs realizing he was just a couple of blocks from Santiago's office. He changed direction and headed that way, forming a plan in his head and growing more and more confident with each step. By the time he had reached Santiago's building his mouth was curled into a cocky smile.
He walked through Santiago's office suite as if he owned the place and demanded to see him immediately.
"James - I wasn't expecting you." Santiago said from behind him in the lobby.
"I wouldn't have come by unannounced if it wasn't important." James said firmly.
"Of course. Let's go somewhere a little more private." Santiago offered, leading James to his office.
"What's this all about James?" Santiago asked once the doors had closed behind him.
"May I use your computer?" James asked, ignoring Santiago's question completely.
"Sure..."
James switched places with Santiago and logged into his personal account at the bank, he scrolled through until he found phone records of outgoing calls placed from every extension, before turning the screen to face Santiago.
"I hope I'm wrong about this, but I think Manny's been communicating with some U.S. intelligence agencies." James said flatly.
Santiago brows furrowed and he recoiled his head in confusion.
"That's a pretty big accusation James, you better have something to back that up."
"He's been going into this office and using this extension, he even wrote it down for me so I would know where to reach him." James said, handing Santiago the crumpled paper.
"And look at these records...Calls ingoing and outgoing to several U.S. numbers. Not only that, but the bank suddenly received an audit request directly following one of these calls and I know you've heard some chatter that the DEA is plotting some moves on your friends...friends that Manny is well aware of. I brought this to you because if I'm right, he's trading information on all of us and we're all at risk."
Santiago's eyes went wide and he rubbed the back of his head with a shocked and horrified look on his face.
"I knew someone had to be leaking information to the DEA and CIA, I've got rats that knew way more than they should, but I couldn't find the source." Santiago said, still processing James' bogus discovery.
"He has been awfully obsessed with Elaina...do you think it's because they are still continuing Ricardo's ridiculous anti-corruption ideals under the table? It would explain why none of his assassination plots have been successful. Maybe he's botching the attempts on purpose because he's still working with her." Santiago mused, growing angrier by the second.
Yes, start spinning those paranoid webs...convince yourself that Manny is your enemy.
"I think you're onto something. In fact I offered to take Lainey out myself, but Manny refused. He insisted on hiring an outside man...an American outside man." James said, fitting the crooked pieces together one at a time for Santiago.
"And let me guess the hit was unsuccessful." Santiago sassed.
"Exactly right." James confirmed.
"Son of a bitch." Santiago huffed, bracing his weight on the back of one of his office chairs.
"So how do you think we should handle this. It needs to be dealt with immediately."
"I couldn't agree more." James confirmed.
Both men were silent for a second or two, wondering who was going to suggest murdering Manny first.
"I think a traitor deserves to die a traitor's death." James finally said, eliciting a malicious smile from Santiago.
"You know I've always liked your style James. You've always been ruthless."
Oh you have no idea how ruthless I am. Not yet.
"You need any assistance? I can offer a few of my men to make sure the job gets done." Santiago offered.
"This shit is personal. I'm going to take him out myself...tonight." James said with a lethal tone and made Santiago grin.
"Then send him my regards."
*****
Later on that night James gave Manny a call just before reaching the large iron gate that surrounded Manny's estate.
"Sorry for showing up unannounced, but there's some business we need to discuss and it can't wait until morning." James said with a sense of urgency in his voice.
"I agree, I'll meet you in the study." Manny said over the intercom speaker at the gate that slowly started to rise following a loud buzzing sound.
He agrees? What the fuck does that mean?
James' mind started racing, but he didn't have time to dwell on Manny's words for too long. He needed to catalog the number of guards he knew what he was up against. Manny's estate wasn't small and James needed to know if it was a security detail of two or three men or an entire damn army.
One....two...three-four-five...six.
Six guards that I can see.
Two of the guards stopped him at the door motioning for him to raise his arms so they could pat him down.
Fuck.
The guard gave him a hateful glare as he pulled two side arms that were concealed from within his suite jacket.
"Don't fucking eye me like that. If you were half as important as I am you'd understand why I need to carry everywhere I go." James hissed at the guard trying to keep up his ruthless reputation.
"Yeah well how about I hold these for you until you leave." The guard said flatly, taking the guns and laying them on a side table near the door.
"Thanks." James ground out as he brush past the guard and headed toward Manny's study at the other end of the house.
The house looked the same as it did when he and Lainey were children, as if nothing had been moved or changed in the past twenty years. It was hard to believe that he was walking down the same hallways where he and Lainey used to play, on his way to murder the man they had considered their uncle - their family.
"In here James" Manny called out as if James didn't remember exactly where the study was.
"Come in and shut the door." Manny said once he laid eyes on James.
Ideal.
Without looking up from his desk, Manny motioned with his hand for James to enter. Taking slow cautious steps as he made his way into study, James gently closed the large mahogany doors behind him, making sure he heard them click into place before she subtly twisted the lock as he engaged it.
"We have a problem James." Manny said, before James could get a word in.
"I'm listening." James said with genuine curiosity.
"The hit on Lainey was unsuccessful...again. She always seems to stay one step ahead which means someone has to be helping her."
Yeah...me.
"Those damn G.I. Joes she's surrounded herself with need to be dealt with. She never would have lasted this long without them and they are starting to become a thorn in my side. We need to sit down tonight and think through some ways to handle them or at least separate them to give us enough time to get to her." Manny said.
He still has no idea I'm helping her.
A smirk gathered in the corner of James' mouth as he moved closer to Manny's desk.
"You're right that is a problem." James started as he took a few slow steps toward Manny.
"I've got some intel on them. It's not much but there are a few addresses here and a blue print of their security headquarters." Manny said, spreading some documents out on his desk.
"Oh yeah? Well let's take a look then."
James came around the back of Manny's chair. He rolled his shoulders as he loosened his arms and moved like a predator as he approached Manny from behind.
You put your trust in the wrong person Manny... and you're about to pay for it with your life.
Grabbing hold of Manny's throat with one hand, James flung him backwards, taking the entire chair down with a thud as he took Manny by surprise.
The impact took the wind out of Manny's lungs and he coughed and gasped trying to make sense of what was happening as James pinned him to the ground by stepping on his throat.
"You were right about one thing Manny. Someone is helping Lainey...and you're fucking looking at him." James growled.
"Fucking...traitor." Manny gasped against James' foot that was crushing his windpipe.
"Nah. I'm not the traitor, you are. You practically raised Lainey and now you spend every waking moment trying to kill her. You're the scum of the fucking earth and you're about to answer for your sins." James was fuming as he towered over Manny.
"Everything okay sir?" One of Manny's guards yelled into the room.
Motherfucker.
Manny was still struggling and gasping beneath James' strong leg, flailing wildly trying to free himself so he could take in a full breath of air, but James wasn't going to allow that.
"I was looking forward to dragging this out, but It looks like we need to speed things up a bit." James said with a malicious smile as he leaned over Manny.
"F...Fuck...you" Manny gasped, barely in a whisper.
"You better watch your mouth, because you're about to meet your maker." James hissed as he put his full body weight down Manny's windpipe. The crushing sound it made was music to James' ears as Manny frantically grabbed for his now closed airways.
"Sir are you okay?" The guard yelled louder at the locked door.
Grabbing Manny by the shirt collar, James hoisted him up as he wheezed and whistled through his crushed windpipe, slowly losing consciousness as James held him up in a standing position.
"You're a damn coward, but you're about to fight me like a fucking man." James said, taking a step back as Manny clawed at his neck with unsteady steps.
James dropped his shoulder and delivered a devastating right hook to the side of Manny's face, sending blood spraying from his mouth as he spun and fell face first onto the tile floor with a loud and sickening thud.
"Sir! We're coming in!" the guards yelled at the door.
Time for the grand finale.
"That was for my dad." James said as he leaned down, towering over Manny's back.
Manny was gurgling and wheezing face down on the floor as James positioned his hands on either side of Manny's head from behind.
"And this is for my sister...Uncle Manny..." James growled as he snapped Manny's neck in one jerky motion, hearing the satisfying crack against his hands.
James' chest was heaving with heavy breaths as he stared down at Manny's lifeless body as his chest rose and fell for the last time.
The large mahogany doors shook and rattled as the guards tried to force them open, pulling James from his bloodlust and back to the reality of the situation at hand.
They took my weapons and it's only a matter of seconds before they come through that door.
Thinking on his feet James went toward a large bookcase and pushed it across the floor, propping it against the study doors.
That oughtta hold em' for a little while.
Just as James thought he had bought himself some time, gunshots started echoing from the hallway, peppering the door and bouncing around the study as James crouched on the floor.
Fucking shit!
He crawled on his belly toward the window, preparing himself to stand and break it in order to evade the firefight at the study doors when shots penetrated the glass, sending shards flying across the room. They were firing on him from both sides, blocking all exits and trapping him in the study with no way of defending himself.
Every move he made was met with gunfire, causing him to freeze in place, crouched and trying to find cover. His adrenaline was pumping and his mind was racing until a sudden calm overtook him and his heart rate started to settle.
I'm not going to make it out of here alive.
The thought crossed his mind and settled into his soul as he slowly accepted it. Fear spiked his pulse at the thought of dying, but a small voice seemed to calm him from within - Lainey's voice.
I have been a fuck up my whole life, but I saved my sister tonight. I may not be good at many things, but I'm a damn good brother and I can rest easy knowing that she's now going to live a good life.
James leaned against the wall close to the doors, ready to accept his fate as he closed his eyes and urged his heart to reach across time and space to talk to Lainey's.
I love you Bug. Go live your life free from fear. I'll always be with you watching over you because no matter where I am...I'll always be your big brother.
He could hear the guards reloading and knew it was only a matter of seconds before they breached the doors. James stood readying his body to take the bullets and die with dignity. He didn't want to die in a huddled mess on the floor - no he was going to stand and die like a man.
Pushing out a hard breath as he stood, James braced himself and heard multiple shots ring out.
He looked down at his chest and didn't see any puncture wounds.
What the hell?
The shots continued, but they weren't entering the study. They were concentrated out in the hallway. More shots rang out below the window, but were no longer breaking through the glass.
They're shooting, but they aren't shooting at me.
As he moved closer to the door to better understand what was going on James heard a sound - a voice that seized his lungs and stole his breath.
"Alpha Three, two tangos down."
Axel.
"James you good man?" Axel yelled through the door.
"I'm a whole lot better now." James said, letting out a shocked breath as he moved the book shelf away from the door.
Axel entered the room and looked out the window, giving Austin a hand signal before he turned his attention back to James.
"What the fuck man I thought I was on my own tonight?" James asked in amazement.
"Yeah well, Hunter sent us in dark. We're not supposed to be here which means we gotta go...now." Axel said, looking down at Manny briefly before raising his rifle and leading James out of the room.
James followed Axel through the house and out to the cars out front, stepping over bodies, and broken glass that littered the once immaculate hallway.
"Good to see you brother." Hawk said as James exited the house behind Axel.
"You take care of that fucker?" Austin asked as he approached from the side yard.
"Without a doubt." James said coldly.
"Hooyah." Austin hollered as they swiftly made their way in the darkness toward their vehicles.
Axel took a seat in the drivers side of James' car while Austin drove the other vehicle.
"We've got to get you to a secure location to meet with Hunter and go over next steps. There's a girl back home who's anxious to talk to you." Axel said with a grin.
Don't worry Bug, we'll be together soon.