Cold Brew and Bullets (Part 1 of the Syndicate Series)

Chapter 15- Medication

Tension in the room was palpable but Leonardo sighed and rubbed his face, "We can't be sure when it started, but long enough ago that other branches have started to pay attention."

"So it's not normal for.... These types of groups to do this?"

Angelo's answer came quickest this time, forceful and ready, "No. These groups don't cross that line, we have more respect for ourselves and each other than that. Human trafficking is off limits for anyone in the respectable ranks of what we do."

"Won't he have to step down soon due to his age? Whoever takes over for him might have the sense to stop it, or at least might be talked out of it." I glanced at them hopefully, but all I got were grimaces in response.

"It might be possible to influence the next person, turf wars and general disputes aren't good for anyone involved. From recent information, we know that his planned successor is much younger and I get the impression that many people within his ranks disagree with the choices he's making," Leonardo explained.

"But they say nothing?"

"I doubt any of his own men have found the courage to do so, he's gotten more vicious over the years." This time it was Angelo that answered, but he paused and then narrowed his eyes pointedly at me. "Which makes me question how a supposedly mundane civilian managed to elude the Russian's grasp."

Alessio, who had been passively watching with a tight lipped expression, suddenly slammed his mug of coffee onto the counter at the thinly veiled accusation. His glare would have scared me if I was on the receiving end of it, but Angelo didn't flinch.

Leonardo hissed at him, "Well it's not as though she escaped unscathed. She was a dead woman walking when she got here."

"I'm allowed to be suspicious of anyone I would like, especially when our men are being shot and put in the hospital."

I interjected before a full fight could break out. I was grateful for their defense of my character and trust in me, but it was also clear that Angelo was just cautious, and from the sound of it, he had a right to be. "It's fine, I understand. I had to get creative with my plan, and then I started walking until I recognized where I was. This was the closest place that I thought I could make it to, I knew I wouldn't get much further."

Alessio seemed to think that was a sufficient answer, as did Leonardo, but Alessio was still unsatisfied, "You outsmarted an entire sect of the Russian mob?"

I stared down at my hands, with my bruised and dislocated fingers that were starting to throb despite pain medication, "To be fair, I had a few days to plan. They had been in and out for a while, there wasn't a consistent routine to what they were doing to me.... I don't remember much of what they did, really. I knew they would be coming back soon and I knew that if I was there much longer I wouldn't make it out alive. There were two of them that came into the.... Cell. I choked one until he was unconscious with my legs, I was hanging from the ceiling by my wrists. The other one I caved his nose in.... I thought he was unconscious but honestly it might have killed him."

Angleo raised his eyebrows in surprise but I brought my gaze back down and gently rubbed my hands together, trying to rid myself of the feelings while I recounted them. "I managed to get some blood on my hands and pulled as hard as I could. It dislocated my thumbs I think ... but when I was free, I realized that I if I could set off the fire alarm, it would probably trigger the emergency system to open the doors. Scarlette had seen more of the building and it sounded modern enough. They'd been giving her water bottles, so I used one of those, one of my guard's glasses, and a pack of cigarettes to create enough smoke. After that.... Scarlette gave me her shoes and jacket, she told me which way to run. Everything else is just a blur, I feel like I blacked out for most of it and I'm not entirely sure how I got here."